Salvos (A Monster Evolution)

Chapter 15.2- An Attack

15.2. An Attack

I followed the dirt road all the way down, hoping that I would run into more people. And I did. But every single one of them reacted in the same way the first two [Traders] did, which left me even more irritated.

I folded my arms, fire daggers still in hand as it did not cost me anything to keep them there— mana was expended when they were created, so I might as well have had it on me until they dissipated. Is this some sort of Human thing? Do all Humans act like this when they meet a Demon?

That wasn't true, of course— I knew it wasn't true myself. I had met those [Cultists], and they showed no fear towards me or even Lucerna. In fact, they were so fearless that they still kept trying to order him around when he was killing them all. But perhaps that was just an isolated incident— an... outlier?

I didn't entirely parse this concept, but I could see it somewhat. I saw myself as an outlier too— distinct from all the other Demons I had met so far. Even Haec was not the same as me, and this applied especially to the wild Demons. Maybe that was why Humans were so scared of me: they thought I was a wild Demon.

I shook my head, deciding that the first thing I would do when I saw the next Human was explain that I wasn't a wild Demon. Then they wouldn't run from me and would be able to tell me how I could go back to the Netherworld.

Determined to make myself heard by the next person I saw, I hurried down the road in search of someone. That was until I saw those tall structures in the distance.

Things made of stone and wood rose up from the ground above the trees. It was a monument— no, a wall. A large wall that encircled even more structures made of stone and wood within. Buildings.

This was... a city? Or was it a town? For some reason, I wasn't entirely certain. My intuition told me it was one or the other as the definitions weren't so concrete.

Either way, seeing a city for the first time distracted me long enough to not notice the group of Humans gathered around the front of it.

"...and are you sure what you saw was an [Imp]? Our reports indicate that a large Demon was the one responsible for destroying Fairdale."

"Yes, yes! It was an [Imp]! It was swinging two bloody daggers wildly as it chased after me— look there it is!"

The Human in metal armor looked up and nearly dropped his spear. He reached for it in a panic and whirled around as he shouted at more armored Humans.

"Demon! A Demon is attacking Silvergrove! Sound the alarm! Call the guild to send adventurers!"

I tried running up to the group of Humans as the [Trader] I had spooked earlier screamed and ran into the city. I waved my hands in the air as I called out to them.

"Hi! Stop shouting— I'm Salvos, an [Imp] trying to find her way back to the Netherworld. I am not a wild Demon, so you don't need to worry. I will not attack you... why are you still shouting?!"

I narrowed my eyes and halted in my step as the man with the spear pointed it at me.

"Stay away Demon!"

[Warrior - Lvl. 28]

I tried nodding at the man to defuse the situation. I walked slowly towards him, speaking slowly.

"I will not attack you unless you attack me. So if you will just help me—"

He jabbed the spear in my direction and I parried it.

"Fine then!"

I stepped forward and dipped down under his followup strike. He backed up as other armored Humans ran to his aid. I pointed at them, sending a [Fire Blast] to keep them back. I rushed up to the [Warrior] and raised a dagger.