It had been a year since I woke up in that quiet cottage, a stanger to myself and the world around me.
A year of figuring out how to live as Balthazar-demonling, farmhand, occasional odd-job worker, and source of mild curiousity a village that never quite knew what to make of me.
I wasn't the same perosn I'd been before., but I wasn't entirely sure who I was now, either.
The horns were still a problem. People stared, whisperedm avoided me-but I'd leaned to live with it. I even managed not to accidently claw through every tool on Anton's farm, thanks to his pateince and practical advice.
Mara's warmth and kindness had helped me settle into life here, though I couldn't help feeling like I didn't belong.
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That day started like most others: quiet errands and a quiet morning. I was delivering feed a neighbour's barn when I decided to take a shortcut down the narrower lanes. It was quieter here, tucked away from the busy centre, and I liked having the space to think.
The sharp clash of steel and angry shouting pulled me from my thoughts, making me stop in my tracks. I hesitated, glancing down the alley, but curiosity got the better of me. Against my better judgment, I stepped closer, keeping to the shadows as I peeked around the corner.
That's when I saw them.
Two girls cornered by four adventurers, their weapons gleaming in the pale light. The first girl stood tall, her fiery red hair catching the light like embers against her leather jacket. Her horns curled like a ram's, and her tail lashed behind her like a whip. Even with swords pointed at her, her glowing orange eyes burned with defiance, and her posture radiated stubborn fury.
The second girl was huddled just behind her, smaller and quieter. Her hands fidgeted nervously, gripping the hem of the fiery girl's jacket like it was her only anchor. She had the same horns, the same tail, but her soft orange eyes were wide with fear, darting from one attacker to the next as though searching for an escape.
"Nice try, monster," sneered the tallest adventurer, his sword pointed at the fiery girl. "You can't fool us. We know what you are."
"Fool you?" the fiery girl snapped, stamping her boot hard enough to kick up dust. "Do I look like I'm trying to hide anything? What gave it away—the horns, or the tail?"
Her sarcasm didn't faze them. Another adventurer stepped forward, his dagger gleaming as he sneered. "Doesn't matter how clever your tongue is. Monster folk don't belong here."
"Oh, my tongue's clever, alright," she fired back, baring sharp teeth in a grin. "Too bad your brain can't keep up."
The timid girl tugged gently at her sister's sleeve, her voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe we should just go…"
"Go?" The fiery girl turned briefly toward her, exasperated. "Seriously? These clowns are the ones who should leave!"
The leader growled and raised his sword, stepping forward. "Enough! You're done."
Instinct took over before I could think. I stepped into the alley, letting my cloak fall open to reveal my horns and claws. "Hey!" I called, my voice steadier than I expected. "Leave them alone."
The adventurers froze, turning to face me. Their leader narrowed his eyes. "Another one? What, are you all crawling out of the woodwork now?"
I ignored the insult, letting my gaze sweep over the group. They weren't complete amateurs, but their confidence in numbers made them careless. "Four against two?" I said, my voice low. "That's not exactly heroic."
The fiery girl blinked at me, her tail lashing sharply as she stared. "Great. Another hero," she muttered. "Because that's exactly what we needed."
The leader growled, clearly unimpressed. "Stay out of this, monster, or you'll regret it."
I flexed my claws, the weight of them grounding me. "Try me."
With a roar, he lunged at me, his sword gleaming in the faint alley light. I stepped to the side, raising my arm to catch the blade on my claw. The impact jolted up my arm, but I held firm, twisting sharply to send the sword clattering to the ground. The leader stumbled, his balance thrown off, and I followed up with a shove that sent him sprawling.
The wiry adventurer with the dagger rushed forward next, his blade aimed for my side. I pivoted, letting the dagger slice harmlessly through the edge of my cloak before grabbing his wrist. His eyes widened as I wrenched the weapon free, tossing it aside.
"Two down," I muttered, glancing at the remaining adventurers. They hesitated, their confidence clearly shaken.
The tallest of the two stepped back, his eyes darting between his fallen comrades and my glowing eyes. The smallest one—holding a mace far too large for his frame—swallowed hard but held his ground, his hands trembling slightly.
"Still think this is a fair fight?" I asked, my tone cold.
"Not bad," the fiery girl said, cutting through the tension. Her arms were still crossed, her expression unimpressed. "Still didn't need you, though."
The leader scrambled to his feet, his face red with embarrassment and fury. "Fall back!" he barked, gesturing for the others to retreat. One by one, they backed away, dragging their weapons—and their pride—with them. Within moments, the alley was silent.
I turned to the girls, brushing dust off my claws. "You're welcome," I said, letting a hint of smugness creep into my tone.
The fiery one huffed, her tail flicking sharply. "Yeah, thanks, hero," she muttered. "Not like I had it under control or anything."
"You call that control?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Looked more like reckless stubbornness to me."
Her cheeks reddened slightly, though whether from embarrassment or anger, I couldn't tell. "I didn't ask for your help," she snapped, jabbing a finger in my direction. "So don't act like you're some kind of savior."
The quieter one peeked out from behind her, her orange eyes flickering nervously. She seemed like she wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come.
"Are you okay?" I asked softly, meeting her gaze.
She nodded quickly, avoiding eye contact. "Um… thank you," she whispered.
I turned back to the fiery one, crossing my arms. "You seem fine, too. What are your names?"
The fiery girl narrowed her eyes. "Why does that matter?"
"Why not?" I replied. "I just saved your tails. Seems polite."
She sighed dramatically. "Why do I feel like you're going to be annoying?"
I raised an eyebrow, waiting.
"Fine," she muttered. "You'll figure it out eventually. Or not. Don't care." With that, she turned sharply and stomped off, her tail lashing behind her.
Her sister lingered briefly, offering me a timid smile before scurrying after her.
I watched them leave, shaking my head. Whoever they were, they'd left an impression—and for some reason, I had a feeling I'd be seeing them again.
When I returned to the cottage, Anton and Mara greeted me concerned smiles. Leaning casually on the wooden fence were the two girls from earlier, their presence as unexpected as it was familiar.
"Oh, you're back, dear," said Mara warmly brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "We need to talk-"
I couldn't help but cut in, curioudity piqued. "Is this about what happened?" I asked, glancing at the girls. The fiery redhead folded her arms and puffed her cheeks in a mock display of indignation.
"Hmpff! You sure took your sweet time, didn't you?" she snapped playfully.
"Never mind that," with teasing grin. "What are you two doing here?"
Before I could get another word out, Anton tapped his fingers on the fence and called out in a friendly yet firm tone, "Balthazar! Is that any way to talk to a lady?"
The quieter, who had been lingering in the background gave a timid smile as she fiddled with the ends of her hair. Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red as she stammered. "W...we've come to thank you." Her head dipped shyly toward the ground, a soft reminder that even in midst of playful banter, genuine gratitude could make one blush.
There's a lightness in the air now- a mix of mischief and sincerity-that made me suspect this conversation was just beginning of a new, unexpected friendship.
"I haven't even asked who you are," I teased, a playful smirk tugging at my lips. "So, don't you start with that?"
To my surprise, the shy girl stepped forward, clutching her tail as if were a precious secret. "I...I'm Mimi," she murmured softly, her eyes fixed on the ground. "It's really nice to meet you."
I reutned her shy smile with gentle nod, watching as she quickly slipped back behind the fiery redhead, who continued to cross her arms and drum her foot impatiently.
"And I'm Lulu!" the redhead snapped, her tone equal parts exasperated and amused.
My cheeks flushed as they both smiled at me, the gentle breeze teasing the edges of their skirts. Even fiery redhead, with all her bravado, seemed to falter, her cheeks turning to a shade that almost matched her hair.
"Bathazar!" Mara barked, her tone sharp enough to snap me out of my daze. She shook her head, clearly unimpressed.
A quiet giggle escaped my lips as I looked away, pretending to study the ground while waiting for the moment to pass.
Some rescuer I was-getting flustered by the very people I'd just helped.
I sooned learned my lesson when the fiery redhead pratically marched up to me, her eyes blazing and her body uncomfatabaly close.
"Just...just what the do you think you're doing?!" she snapped, playfully raising her fist near my cheek as if to remind me that personal space mattered.
"Talk!" she demanded with a mock-serious tone.
"Lulu, please..." the quieter girl pleaded, gently tugging at her sister's sleeve. "Just calm down. He didn't mean it, did you?"
The tension was lightened by thier familiar banter, and despite the ruffled feathers, I couldn't help but grin at how high spirited and animated our encounters had become.