DEMON'S VIRTUE

The moment that Felix heard what Eiro just said, he turned his head toward him confusedly, "H-How do-"

"How do I know? I'm a Spirit's Contractor. Of course I would know, Spirits sense magic in a different way to other beings." Eiro pointed out, before slowly turning his sight toward Sammy, "I'm sorry that I didn't mention it beforehand. He was using a charm skill, probably. I figured it might have been a good chance for you to learn." The Demon explained, but what he got in return was just a confused, angry stare.

"What..? You really just let him try and charm me..?" Sammy asked confusedly, and Eiro looked at her with just a slight nod, "Yes, you know just as well as I that we need to use every chance we can get to have you learn something about it. Charm abilities don't work that well once you know they're used on you, so-"

"What the hell does that matter?!" The young girl yelled out as she stared back at Eiro with teary eyes, before turning around and just running off. Eiro didn't understand really what was wrong, so he of course wanted to follow her immediately, although he soon had a hand held in front of his body to stop him.

"I'll go after her. You just take care of things here..." Rudy told the Demon, and then turned around to quickly follow Sammy before he lost sight of her, and Eiro just stood there staring at both of their backs, "Right..." He muttered quietly, and then turned back toward Felix with a deep glare that made the young man flinch in response.

"Alright, then while Sammy and Rudy are off, I'll need to have a word with you, I think." Eiro said, not lightening the intensity of his glare for even a second, and Felix's father seemingly agreed with the Demon.

"Oh, so do I. Felix, I'm really disappointed in you. Why would you ever use that skill in that way? I told you that it's just supposed to smooth things over with ladies, not to actually get to know them." He pointed out, as if that was the reason why Eiro was upset, but the Demon just slowly grabbed the dagger he just got at Armodeus' shop and held it up to the side of the man's neck.

"I think I'm ready to test this one out now." Eiro said with a deep growl, although at that point, Solomon stepped up to the Demon and placed his hand on Eiro's shoulder, "I think that may not be the best idea. After all, he's this town's chief warrior, isn't he?" Solomon pointed out with a light smile, and with a broad grin, Felix's father nodded his head.

"That I am! I am honored to have been recognized by such a great man as yourself, King Skyhart!" He exclaimed, and Eiro slowly pulled his dagger away annoyedly. If he didn't still want to keep a good relationship with Solomon, Eiro might have slit that guy's throat right now. He really couldn't stand him in the slightest.

"For now, Eiro, do you not want to keep looking for the Gnome's pieces? I got some information from the salesman. Although..." Solomon said, just so slightly with a complicated expression, "It seems like one of the owners will be rather bothersome to deal with. And it's the one with the highest amount as well. He has maybe two thirds of the Gnome's missing body." The King explained, and Eiro slightly looked down onto the ground, preparing to move.

"Alright, and who is it?" Eiro asked, but before Solomon could answer, Armodeus did it for him, "It's Irensen, isn't it?" The Elder Dwarf asked, before Eiro just slowly turned toward him.

"Who is Irensen?" The Demon replied confusedly, and Armodeus just sighed deeply in response, "If I wasn't here in this town, he would be the best. And he used to be as well, before I took over his spot. But he still has a lot of power in this town. I heard some rumors that some of his items had amazing magical compatibility... I think now I know why that is."

Immediately after Armodeus said this, Eiro ripped his eyes open wide before he turned toward Nelli, "Is it possible to extract parts of a spirit's body out of objects again?" He asked with a deep growl, and Nelli thought about it for a while and nodded her head, "It should be possible with refinement. Luckily immature spirits are capable of that..."

Slowly, Eiro grabbed his new dagger and slowly screwed off the 'cap' that made up the handle, and then grabbed the small bottle that was in his bag before pouring the liquid inside into the blade's hollow space before closing the dagger back up.

"Hm? Why are you filling water into that?" Armodeus asked confusedly, and Eiro slowly looked back at him before holding the dagger downward, as its edge was slowly being covered in ice.

"I told you before, didn't I? My specialty is Ice Magic." Eiro explained, although there was still another issue there, "I... I get that, but why are you taking out that dagger in the first place?" The Elder Dwarf asked with slight nervosity, and Eiro just tilted his head to the side.

"I'll probably have to take everything by force, right?"

"Didn't Jura say you're a bookworm? Why are you acting like a meathead?" He muttered confusedly, but Eiro just stared at him with just as much confusion, although about something else completely.

But before either of them could say anything else, Solomon spoke up, "The issue is not that he will try to keep the things he may have made using the Gnome's body to himself. Rather the opposite. The issue is that he will have sold them."

Immediately, Eiro raised his brows and angrily looked at the ground, "How annoying. Armodeus, bring me to that guy immediately. Nelli, try to bring the Gnome along." The Demon said, and Armodeus slowly nodded his head as Eiro turned toward Solomon.

"Thank you for your help. If we don't happen to see each other again, just know that I will definitely come see you again in a year." Eiro told Solomon, and the King just smiled back, "Of course. I am still in your debt, Eiro, such a small favor will not change that. But I have another idea how we could help you. Not now, but for your trip here on out. May I deliver it to the Inn you are staying at?" Solomon asked, and Eiro slowly nodded his head.

"If you want to, I won't say no. Thank you. Arc, Clementine, watch the kids and wait for Rudy and Sammy. And please let Solomon know about where our Inn is." Eiro asked them, and although Arc was slightly annoyed that he couldn't come with Eiro, Clementine swiftly nodded her head as she held the hands of the two tired children right next to her, "Of course, don't worry!" She said reassuredly, so Eiro smiled back at her lightly, although before Eiro could leave together with Armodeus, Avalin slowly spoke up.

"Daddy... Where are you going?" She asked quietly as she rubbed her eyes tiredly, and Eiro just squatted down in front of her with a light smile, "Just going to run some errands. I'll be back when you wake up tomorrow morning, alright?" He explained to her with a smile, before Avalin looked at him while slowly looking down at the ground.

"You promise?" Avalin muttered quietly, and Eiro just rubbed his hand through her hair and nodded his head, "Of course I do. I'll be the first person you see in the morning."

"Oki, then you can go!" Avalin agreed with a chuckle, before Eiro just smiled and turned back around, his mood immensely lifted, "You heard the lady, let's go." He told Armodeus, who immediately nodded his head and started walking forward together with Eiro, although the Demon noticed something that he really didn't like.

He turned to his left, seeing the man with his burnt sleeves and soot-covered face from just burning the curtains he was stuck under, growling with a low voice, "Why are you coming with us?" Eiro asked, and the man just smiled broadly.

"Heh, you think I'd waste my chance at seeing how someone like you fights?"

"I hope so, actually." The demon replied without a second of hesitation, and the man's smiling face turned into an obviously fake pained expression, "Ouch, so mean..." He muttered, before swiftly returning to his smile.

"Well, hopes don't always come true! The name's Enka!" He explained, so with a slight grumble, Eiro sighed deeply, "Can you open your status for a moment?" The Demon asked him, and with a confused expression, he just nodded his head.

"Sure? Status?" Enka said out loud, before his sight was covered by his status window that Eiro immediately remembered.

"Got it, thank you." The Demon said, surprised at how easy it was to get him to literally reveal this much information about him. Although then again, Enka didn't know that Eiro could read what notifications said through the reflection in someone's eyes.

"So, what was that for?" The Chief Warrior asked curiously, and Eiro just kept looking forward as the group of three, plus two spirits, kept rushing forward, "I only wanted to see how good you are at following comands." Eiro explained.

Obviously that was a blatant lie. Usually he may have said something even more harsh, but after seeing Enka's status, Eiro was actually rather impressed.

He apparently worked incredibly hard to get to where he was. And where he was was quite a simple place. Far, far above Eiro. He was pretty sure that he didn't have a single chance of beating him in an actual, direct confrontation, that was for sure. Eiro might be able to kill him somehow, but that would require a few tricks.

It seemed like the title of 'Chief Warrior' did actually mean something. Although, that made Eiro rather confused about something else. If he was that strong, then he could have probably killed Eiro on the spot while he was on that stage there.

So why did he pretend to miserably fail like that. Why did Enka do that, exactly? Was he really just an idiot like he seemed to be?

Or maybe there was something that Enka was simply hiding, a reason that Eiro couldn't figure out at the moment. Either way, he was someone that Eiro definitely had to keep his eyes on as much as he possibly could.

Soon, the group of three stopped in front of a large building. Despite how late it was, it was still pretty busy, and from inside, Eiro could immediately smell sources of the Gnome's body. "We're here.." Armodeus announced, so without a moment's hesitation, the Demon stepped inside.