?

As we were walking around, the gazes were still following us. Worried, we entered one of the restaurants along the main road and decided to take a quick lunch. Of course, we didn’t forget to buy a large amount of takeout plus extra for those who were stuck inside the inn.

“… They’re still watching us.”

I sighed, as even while we were eating, the gazes didn’t leave us alone. Rather, I could feel that their numbers were even increasing as time passed. Did they call for backup? Are they planning to mug us now, in public, in the middle of the day?

If they are, then they’re either idiots or powerful enough to be able to pull that sort of stunt off without fearing the consequences.

“I think we managed to pull the attention of an unruly group…”

I sighed, earning worried gazes from the two before me.

“Sir Will… I can try and lose them if you want.”

Minerva suggested with furrowed brows, but I quickly shook my head. I doubt she could handle the enemies, as the weakest that I could detect was already at the fifth stage in terms of energy level.

“It’s fine; don’t mind it for now. Let’s eat first.”

At that exact moment, the food we ordered arrived. Of course, since the gluttons weren’t with us, the quantity was pretty normal for three people. Minerva and Hekate couldn’t really match the pace of the other girls in terms of eating yet. They forced themselves quite a bit last time when they tried to match the voracious pace of the others, after all.

We chatted lightly, doing our best to ignore the observers watching us from afar as we ate. When we finally finished and all our takeout orders were successfully retrieved, I asked Ember to open up a portal to our direct position.

As soon as she opened one, albeit a bit shaky, the gazes around us turned panicked. Some decided to rush forward to see us, but it was already too late. The gate closed behind us, leaving angry cries and curses behind as the portal closed.

“What an annoying bunch.”

I sighed as I looked at Ember, still lying face-down on her bed and extending her arm out. It was now dangling limply, probably losing strength since she wasn’t feeling that great yet.

“Anyway, I brought you girls lunch. Eat when you have the energy to, but don’t push yourselves!”

I pulled out a table from my storage and lined up all the food on top. I didn’t take out everything, but just more than enough for them to handle. As soon as I did, the three zombies stood from their beds and walked over to the table, sat on the chairs I prepared, and began eating.

Fina also followed, together with Yorm and Judy.

“…”

I was surprised, however, as the pace they were eating at wasn’t any lower than normal. No, I guess it’s a little different. They were eating even more than normal! In just a few minutes, the large quantity I served was already gone. I was forced to take out the extra portions I bought, but even that wasn’t enough.

Having no choice, I added some from the other foods I kept in my inventory. Just as I feared that they would be able to eat through my entire stock, they finally stopped. Quantity-wise, they ate more than double their usual, but their stomachs remained mostly flat. I can understand Ember since she was originally a slime, but Fang and Igni? Where did all the food you ate go?

Just like animals in the zoo, as soon as the three ate their fill, they returned to their beds to sleep. I guess they haven’t entirely recovered from their hangovers yet. Fina seemed to be letting them drink water regularly, but I guess it’ll take more time before all the alcohol leaves their system.

“Right, Will, someone came here while you were gone.”

Fina suddenly remembered as she passed a letter to me. I checked it, but it was sealed with wax and marked with an unfamiliar insignia. Curious, I peeled it open and took out the letter, reading it silently.

“It Looks like we don’t have much time to rest.”

I was expecting to still be able to lay low around the town for a few days, but the letter said that all the “foreigners” who finished their tasks were to return to their kingdoms at exactly 8 p.m. tonight.

We were prepared to leave at any moment anyway, so there’s not much of a problem regarding that. However, there were still three of us down with a bad hangover.

“We can use potions to fix them immediately, though, but that means wasting their efforts holding on for the entire morning.”

I scratched my head lightly, wondering what we could do. At that moment, a bright flash of light escaped from something on my back.

“…!”

The light was coming from the gun, and it was trying to escape from my back, floating in the air. I quickly undid the clasp, releasing it, before the gun quickly moved to the center of the room. There, under everyone’s curious gazes, the gun started transforming.

Within the bright light, a figure slowly appeared. A head with flowing hair as black as the night itself, with eyes of a deep obsidian color, as if sucking in the observer’s soul. A faint smile covered her face, so pristine that it felt like it’d vanish with the slightest touch.

“Fatima…!”

I called the figure’s name, prompting her to raise her head and turn toward me. Her eyes narrowed gently, her smile turning into a mess, which was quickly transformed into a cheeky grin.

“Hehe, I finished faster than I thought. I’m back, Will.”

Yeah, right! You said you’d finish the transition in two days, but here you are, completing it in under half a day! Being surprised is an understatement, and even I felt awkward now that I recall how I felt sad for not being able to hear your voice for a few days!

A lot of words rolled into my mind, but only one action moved my body. It wasn’t my mouth that moved, but rather my legs and arm. I hugged her tightly, words thrown out the window, and was completely lost in the warmth that her current body was releasing.

“… Welcome back.”

I don’t know what expression she had, but the gentle pat of her hand on my back was enough to tell me that she was feeling the same as me. As we were enjoying our “true” reunion after a long while, voices echoed from around.

“… Fatima…?”

Ember muttered with a sleepy look. However, after she realized it wasn’t a dream, her eyes opened wide as a smile appeared on her face. Quickly, she jumped out of bed and went on to embrace Fatima and me together.

“I missed you…!”

Ember muttered as tears of joy slowly fell down her cheeks.

“So it wasn’t my imagination when I smelled Fatima!”

Even Fang, who was lying beside Ember on the bed before, slowly rose and came to hug her from the other side. It was a little stuffy for me and Fatima, being squished by their intense embrace. But we just decided to let the two be, enjoying the situation as is.

After a while, they finally released us. After settling down, I finally had time to see Fatima’s appearance. Right now, she is no longer wearing her signature coat. Rather, she was covered in a tight-fitting black suit, something similar to Ember’s initial model of the Slime Suit.

“… Your arm and leg…?”

But as expected, she wasn’t able to stay the same as she was originally. Her two limbs, which got erased before we could save her back in the Sealed Space, were now turned into something metallic. Like a prosthetic, robotic limb, it was able to move as if it were real, but the texture was still that of hard, cold metal.

Curious, I tried appraising her but was amazed at the result.

“You… Really turned into a monster?”

Right now, she was labeled as a true and blue “Mechanical Lifeform” as her race. Her specific name was still Fatima, but her rank dropped drastically. She was only at the first stage right now, so weak that even I couldn’t believe it.

“Yes…” 𝚍ｎ𝚘ｖ𝚕．𝚘𝚛𝚐

Fatima nodded her head, probably guessing what I had just done from my gesture.

“I was surprised when I found that my level dropped to the first stage too, but I guess it’s the price I need to pay to stay in this timeline.”

“…”

That makes sense, but it’s a little unfair. Why, system, did you need to drop her to the level of the 1st stage of evolution? Is it like the gun being her 0th stage and her current form being the first stage? Are you trying to make it match the natural way of monsters’ evolution? If it was, then I guess I can’t help it.