The Legend of the ruthless Empress Freya

Chapter 245 The Little Snooper [The Village Mystery - Part III]

- POV General -

The afternoon had gone by without a hitch, each group having stayed in its corner waiting for the nightfall that had just arrived. So, in front of the village walls made of tree trunks, Freya, Kira and Kalaa were standing as expected. A large door carved inside faced them, still closed and having a small opening that opened to let a discreet eye pass through before a voice sounded.

"Are you the adventurers ?"

"No Santa Claus..."

"Wh-...never mind. Please come in."

Purple eyes, silver hair glowing in the red glow of the setting sun, Kira had answered with an excited look just before the door opened. In front of her, two women with hair as black as night were silent, violet eyes staring at the rising trunks. Freya and Kalaa were there too, looking very much alike and could almost pass for twins if the difference in height and age weren't so great.

With one look, it was easy to tell that the trio was sisters just by their faces, although all three seemed to be the opposite of each other. Cold, teasing or graceful, dangerous, unpredictable and wise, that was what the human in charge of bringing them in had thought. Within seconds, the wooden wall had given way to a large opening capable of passing their entire convoy including the horses.

"This way."

The person who had opened it for them had been part of the group they had met earlier, wearing a hood and clothes larger than his height. Of a rather unassuming nature, one could make out the silhouette of a young man in addition to the voice that still seemed to be mutating. Without another word, he walked with a determined step in the main street of the village made of dirt and surrounded by various wooden and stone houses rather simple.

The small streets were empty, the windows of the houses and their doors were closed and when they were not, curious eyes could be seen looking past. After a few minutes, the group of four arrived at the center of the village where the famous fountain was located. Beside it, Fred the Mayor stood there silently, a torch in his hands in anticipation of the full moon night that would soon come.

"There you are, adventurers. Thank you Leon, you can go home and above all don't come out."

Dismissing the young man quickly without giving him time to speak, the old man waved his hand to make him leave, which he did promptly. Without wasting any time, after having greeted him with a nod, Freya then began to turn around the fountain while squinting. Taking advantage of the last rays of the sun, she was trying to find the slightest hint but as she thought, there was nothing in particular.

"Nothing."

"Huh ?"

"You were talking about mysterious tracks occurring near the fountain every day after the night of the full moon but there's nothing. A month is too long to expect to find any clues so I guess we'll have to keep an eye on the place. What about you ?"

Placing a boot on the stone building, the young woman asked the question as she grabbed her long black hair and tied it in a ponytail. Fine and shiny as silk, it slid over her beautiful face devoid this time of demonic symbol tattoos. Fred, seeing the scene could not help but blush at her beauty despite the age difference and hurried to answer after having regained his senses.

"W-Well, I'm going to get to my house before checking everyone is home and waiting for the morning praying that no one disappears."

"Then you do that, I'll see you at daybreak."

"W-Well ! M-Miss Freya, ladies please excuse me."

The Mayor still troubled by the beauty of the young woman due to the glow of the red sky on her face, nodded his head before walking away surprised by himself. Not paying attention to his behavior, she turned to her two sisters silent until then. Once again barefoot, Kira would nimbly jump next to Freya and then onto the top of the fountain to sit down before asking a question that was answered by Kalaa.

"So ? What's the plan ?"

"I guess for now we just need to find a place to stay where we can see the center of the village easily so we don't miss anything. After that...we just have to wait."

Confirming with a nod, the Empress looked up and pointed to a larger-than-life house with a flat roof. Appearing to be a tavern large enough to accommodate the entire village, it was the perfect spot overlooking the small square. At the moment, they didn't know what was causing all the mystery, but they were determined to wait all night if they had to, to find out.

"Yosh~!"

Rising to her feet, Kira hopped onto the dirt floor before slowly approaching the building with her hands behind her head with a small smile. Without further ado, as agile as a feline, she would jump onto the wall of the house next door and then onto the wall of the tavern. It was already almost dark but the young woman was extremely precise and in no time, she was on the flat roof, looking at her two older sisters with a satisfied smile.

_______

Several hours had passed since nightfall, still posted on the roof on the lookout for the least movement, the three false adventurers were waiting. The moon was shining high in the sky, bathing the sleeping village with its rays. Having nothing to do, Kira and Kalaa were in a conversation whose subject was apparently fascinating, more than the mission which for the moment had not really started.

"Do you think she's weird ?"

"Mmmh~ I couldn't say with any precision but a little bit yes."

"I knew it...and then you must feel that cold aura too, right ?"

The two women whispered anything but quietly in a corner of the roof, watching with too much intensity the one who never took her eyes off the fountain. Freya's back was turned, but she could still hear through her hearing, even though it was impaired by her human form. She was concentrated but the effect of the full moon was still disturbing her, which had caused her sisters to notify the slightest change as an experiment.

"Are you two done yet ? Stop jabbering for a while and concentrate, I have the impression that something is going to happen."

The she-wolf had turned around and brought with her a cold draft from her passive Ice Empress aura. She was humanoid but her black hair was almost spiked, her eyes glinted wildly and her canines had grown. Her blood was boiling in her veins and it was clear that Freya under the full moon was fighting her bestial urges becoming stronger as time passed.

"H-Hai onee-san."

"Did you feel or notice anything ?"

Instantly becoming serious and not wanting to piss off Freya who they knew was rather scary in this state, Kira and Kalaa moved closer. Eyes squinting and ready to act, they watched the center of the village carefully, not noticing anything new though. There was no wind, no noise, only the fountain whose water shone under the white rays, standing there proudly facing the white moon as she answered.

"Let's just say it's my instinct."

"Should we go down and split up to circle the fountain square ?"

Pausing for a moment, the Empress turned her head slightly in the direction of a small narrow alley behind the tavern. Nothing seemed to be there at first glance, but her ears, though human, had apparently picked up something. Raising her hand, threads of blood appeared around her fingers before sliding down the roof to the alley as she finally deigned to answer.

"That would be preferable yes, but before that..."

"AAAAAHH !!!"

Pulling her threads in one swift motion like one would reel in a fish with a fishing pole, Freya pulled a form out from behind the wall that had begun to scream. Obviously, a human who didn't expect to be discovered or just maybe completely stupid and naive. The person didn't have time to say anything that once they landed, the silver-haired young woman rushed towards them with a threatening air before stopping short.

"You ? What are you doing here ?!"

Under the natural light of the dark sky, the face of a young man loomed, the same one they had met under the tree and the one who had guided them when they arrived in the village. He had a cloak with a hood over his head, a small rusty sword, a canvas bag and a stone thrower. Leon, had come out of his house and had finally found them and tried to hide, obviously underestimating their abilities.

He was now surrounded by the three women who were looking at him expectantly, waiting to know what had gone through his mind. It was obviously not the time to go out and strut around the village and even less to play the adventurer with so little experience. The young man then began to speak to explain, breaking this image that the group had made of him as being reserved, silent and rather boring.

"M-My mom and little sister were taken by this unknown thing and I'd like to find them no matter what ! I-I...I don't know if it was really the other species of humans that did this but...but I want to find them !"

"Oya~? Don't you say subrace ? Or maybe monsters, murderers or even slaves ?"

At his words, the fox girl relaxed her body and crouched down to his level with a teasing look, seriously surprised by his words. It had to be said that hatred of other races was so common that not using insulting words was even weirder than benevolence. Feeling almost tested, Leon lowered his head feeling his heart speed up but still taking courage to answer as he could.

"I-I don't hate other races like the ones in the village and I understood that you don't either so...so I take the liberty of not hiding what I think. E-Even though it would make me a fool, I don't think other species are worse than humans. In fact...I'm passionate about other species and..."

"...and you figured that with adventurers in the village you could afford to go out at night to help save your family and even why not run into a half-human or two."

Freya had finished his sentence guessing perfectly that he was trying to be the hero he wasn't and thoughtlessly prove a strength he may not have. However, it was too late, he was there and she could not send him home since she did not know where he lived. Besides, the she-wolf had felt her instincts tugging at her as if to warn her that something was coming, and so letting him go back alone was far too dangerous.

"Sigh...kid, you're not a hero and your coming here is just getting in the way so I'd say your idea was stupid, immature and filled with pride. But, since you're here...try to keep a low profile and whatever happens, don't wander off."

"M-Mmmmh...t-thanks."

"Tch"

Understanding his mistake but driven by his curiosity and unawareness, Leon still felt more happy than guilty. He didn't actually know that thanks to his words Freya had just been very kind in letting him stay on the roof to protect him. As the blood threads who had captured him withdrew, the she-wolf turned around to continue observing while Kira got a little closer to him with curiosity.

"And so ? What race of half-human fascinates you the most ?"

"THE DRAG-..."

"Shhhhh !!!"

"P-Pardon...the...the dragons. The Vancesia Empire used to be the land of the Earth dragons who once lived in the central mountains. Ever since my mother told me their story and how they became extinct...I have been fascinated. After that, I didn't stop being interested in this race especially."

In fact, the Empress' younger sister was the one who least supported this hatred of other races and had been at the time rather surprised and admiring of this young man. His words had touched her and she couldn't help but want to know more about what made him different. As he had mentioned the Earth dragons, her gaze was going to land directly on her sister who despite having heard still didn't move.

"And why dragons ?"

"Well...to tell the truth when my mother told me their story, there was so much passion in her eyes that I think she passed it on to me haha~ Legend tells that during the war between the humans and the Earth dragons 10 years ago, a proud dragoness roared so fiercely that the earth shattered for miles !"

At his words, the same smile appeared on the faces of the three purple-eyed women while their thoughts immediately went to the Queen of the Elysium Empire. It was unexpected, they never thought they would meet someone who knew about Gaya's tragic past, much less a human. He had even presented it as a legend, which almost drew a chuckle from the Empress.

"It's coming.."

However, they didn't have time to dig any further when suddenly the water in the fountain began to move very slightly and then faster and faster. The next second, as the group on the roof lowered themselves to be as unobtrusive as possible, a shape emerged. A watery thing was gradually taking shape before their eyes before the culprit of the commotion, all but unknown, finally set foot on the earthy ground of the village.

"Now...that's a surprise..."

___

FULL STATUS

Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade

Age : 0 year old / Mentally : 25 years old

Sex : Female

Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult

Race : Imperial Demon

Titles :

- Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 30%.

- Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)

- Dragon tamer

- Ruthless slayer

Level : 45/70

Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000

HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100

Strength: 660

Defense : 660

Agility : 666

Endurance: 663

Speed : 662

Intelligence: 660

Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)

Attribute points to allocate : 0

Married to : Gaya Nightshade

Daughter : Shiro Nightshade

Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Altaïs Nightshade

Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)

Big sister : Kalaa Nightshade

Empire (menu)

Subordinates: 5865 (keep growing)

Humans killed: 153

Souls: 0/3

Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)

Skills (all):

Attacks :

- Demon Claws (Lvl 5)

- Bite of hell (Lvl 6)

- Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)

- Fighting techniques (Lvl max)

- Mastery of the katana (lvl max)

- Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)

Défense :

- Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)

- Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)

- Pain Resistance (lvl 6)

Attack/Defense :

- Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)

- Death Gaze (lvl 1)

Others :

- Humanoid form

- Demonic form (linked to the title so incomplete) - 20%.

- Ice creation (Lvl 6)

- Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)

- Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)

- Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)

- Master of Souls (lvl 3)

- Lucifer's Threads of Blood (lvl 3)

- Healing Blood (lvl 3)

- Analysis

- Telepathy

Passives :

- Commander (lvl max)

- Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]