‘Let’s go to the meet-up point. You can take another shower there’ was what Nao had said an hour ago. Maria and Nao had been moving ever since then but the location of that meet-up spot was nowhere in sight.

Moreover, Nao looked as if she had no intentions of even stopping for now. Her face was blank as she led Maria around.

“Are you sure you know where we are going? I feel like we’ve seen that tree a few times now” Maria complained as she passed a familiar-looking area.

Not that it could not be a coincidence. The forest tended to blend into itself the deeper you go. And the pair had been walking for some time now.

“So you did notice. I was wondering how long it would take you to complain. But I have a reason for this so please trust me” Maria wanted to be annoyed at Nao but the tone took her back.

Maria did not reply. She had nothing to say that would lighten the situation except ‘I do.’ But it would come out irritated so it was just better to keep quiet.

The pair walked around for a few more minutes before Nao decided to start heading toward the base. Maria gave out a sigh of relief as she took in the small house right in her periphery.

“You head on ahead. I will deal with the people following us” Maria felt Nao’s voice in her ear before the demoness disappeared from in front of her.

Maria looked behind but only saw flashes of light and spells. She had not known that someone had been following them but Nao had noticed. How had Nao noticed before Maria?

Maria’s system should have warned her about those intruders before they even came in a 30-meter radius.

‘System, open the alert settings’ Maria had tinkered with those settings a lot in her free time so she was not sure what she had even set as her alert radius.

Maria did remember being annoyed at a lot of jumpscares in her early days because of her alert. And it looked like she had decided to switch it off and then proceeded to forget all about it.

She did remember doing something like that since she had been in a secure environment at that time.

She quickly turned it on and set the recommended 30-meter radius setting. Instantly, her head buzzed with a warning and Maria felt herself react.

[Intruder alert. Right behind user’s back]

Maria quickly twisted her body and angled it in a way that allowed her to grab the extended arm and throw the other’s body over her shoulder.

Maria’s body was thin but she did not lack the muscle mass needed to make such a move. Her training with the hold chains also gave her considerable upper and lower body strength.

Maria thought she heard a familiar melodic gasp from behind her before she had a familiar blond-haired lady over her shoulder.

Howl twisted herself in mid-air and landed on her feet. It was only possible because of the shock factor Maria felt as her grip loosened on those arms.

Howl finished in an impressive pose of having her body bend in Maria’s grasp and her feet planted on the floor. It was a remarkable feat of flexibility and a sensual position in another context.

“HOWL! Let her go right now” Maria felt small and weak hands assault her and the shock of it caused her to let the blond lady go. She had not even let the other go before she had her arm taken by Howl and then was dragged away.

“We need to get you out of the open and into somewhere secure. Keep your hood up and do not talk to anyone” Maria had a million questions she wanted to ask Howl but she closed her mouth as she was dragged away.

The reason for this sudden change and the order of keeping her mouth close became pretty clear once they reached the small house.

Unknown people were surrounding the house and none looked like trained soldiers.

“Howl, back so soon? And who is this? A guest?” the old lady asked as she hung the last of her clothes from her basket. Something about her blond hair looked familiar to Maria.

“Yeah. she’s a dear friend of mine and another one will arrive shortly. They will be staying here tonight mom” Maria’s head instantly turned toward Howl and then back toward the elder.

So there was where the familiar feeling came from.

“If that’s the case then I should come there and welcome her myself. Did you take Shou with you as well when you went to receive them?” the elder asked as Maria took in a sharp breath.

There was no way Maria would be able to keep her identity a secret if the elder lady came closer to them. Maria shook her head as a ‘no’ but Howl ignored her input.

“Let me help you out” the blond left Maria’s side and went toward her mother. She left Shou with her and the kid happily took Maria’s hand in her own.

“It’s going to be alright. Mother is blind but she’s kind. She’ll take good care of you” Maria felt something ease-out inside her at the confession. If the old lady was as blind as the pair made them out to be, then it would not be a problem to let her meet Maria.

As long as Maria did not speak, her secret would not be outed at all.

“Here. She’s standing right in front of you” Howl came back with the elder blond. This close, Maria could see that Howl was more similar to her mother than her younger brother. They both shared the same face structure and hair color.

But Howl had soft green eyes while the elder lady had milky ones. The elder lady was blind.

“It’s nice to meet you, young lady. My daughter tells me that you are unable to speak. What a cruel work we live in but I’m sure you would be alright like me” Maria felt something choking her at the easy acceptance. It made her want to lean in close and hug the elder lady.

But she had to hold herself back and node in agreement.

“She can’t see you. You should touch her to let her know that you accept her” The younger kid replied with knowing eyes as he saw the flush break over Maria’s features. Maria had not even realized how rude she had been.

the elder lady did not seem to mind this mishappening and just laughed the small interaction off.

“It happens to the best of us. Now come here, young lady. Let me see your hand” Maria extended her hand toward the elder lady and took her surprisingly hard hands in her own.

And she instantly felt magic swell around her and a ping inside her head.

[Initiating future vision. The actual result of the visions may change depending on the actions taken in the past]

Maria collapsed as her mind transported itself somewhere else. She was unconscious to the world.