Merlin was one of the strongest half-demons. She was known as the leader of Elarith, one of the five strongest half-demon groups in Ymira. But she was better known for her beauty.
She looked like she was around 25, even though she was older than 100. Of course, 100 was even younger than 25 for demons.
Her hair was long, coming down her back. It wasn't tied, so it looked like a red waterfall was flowing into a blue lake since her hair was crimson with blue tints at the edges.
On someone else, it could look funny. But on her, it looked beautiful. She was around 170 cm, making her longer than average. Even Colt couldn't take his eyes easily, but he knew that she was dangerous.
If he looked at her too much, he could get beaten. He didn't know her strength. Even if he did, he couldn't beat everyone here. The demons here were strong. So, instead, he looked at the man and woman who brought him here.
"Don't worry, we didn't bring you here to do something bad. Well... unless you made us."
The woman's warning didn't ring well, but Colt nodded. The two brought him to another table and not the one Merlin was sitting at. There, a man who seemed like an aristocrat was sitting alone, drinking wine.
"Ral, did you bring someone new?" the man who looked like an aristocrat asked Ral, apparently the man who brought Colt here. He was talking slowly, fitting his image.
"Yes, Sir Larn. He was good," Ral answered. Colt hoped the man didn't get people to call him sir, and instead, he was called that way for respect.
"Are you sure he is not like the one you brought the last time?"
"No way. It was an honest mistake. How could I know she had the power to seduce men when she used her arrow to shoot?"
"Well, no matter what, a mistake is a mistake. You are stuck with Mel now." Larn looked at the woman who brought Colt together with Ral.
It seems like she is Mel, and she is the punishment Ral received...
"I understand, Sir Larn."
Larn then turned toward Colt and pointed at a chair, telling him to sit. Colt did as he was told. He was really wondering what was going to happen and what this place was. He didn't think something new would happen as soon as he got here.
Normally, the first day was for the half-demons to get familiar with the city. Of course, no one cared for it, and instead, they brought the newbies to the arena. After that, if they got knocked out like Colt in the past timeline, they would need to learn on the job.
But this was new. Larn started looking at him intently. "What is your soul power?" he asked. It was a question he wouldn't normally answer. But since he had used it on the man he beat before, it didn't matter.
Also, he would be increasing his healing power openly while he trained his swordsmanship secretly. And when both of these powers reached his magic power... He needed to learn the real strength of the demons before then, though.
Revenge was the easier and only the first part of his plan. Demons got stronger as they trained, but it didn't mean only their strength increased. It was something that happened to anyone who trained.
No, this was something else. As his soul got stronger, his lifespan would expand while his talents and capacity increased. That was why he wanted to be a demon. Of course, there were also other reasons, but they were for later.
For now, he needed to answer the man's question in front of him. "I have the power of healing."
"Huh? I don't think Inuth has anyone with that power. Who brought you in?"
Inuth? No servant called him that way. Everyone used Sir Inuth since they were his servants.
Colt wondered why this "Sir" Larn decided to address Inuth that way, but he could look into that later.
"I-Inu... Sir Inuth brought me," Colt answered after stuttering Inuth's name a bit as if trying to copy Larn but unable to.
"What? He himself brought you, then how did you receive healing power?"
"Sir, I really don't know what you mean..." Of course, there was no way for someone who got "deceived" to know the workings of the demons. "But... when Sir Inuth told me something about a debt before giving me my powers."
Of course, he was lying. They would now think that Inuth used someone's debt to him to give Colt healing power. Well, that was the truth, but they wouldn't know the part where this wasn't Inuth's own idea.
And since he couldn't question him or anything, it was the best lie.
"I see... Then, you can help us," Larn said.
"Uhm... Sir, how can I help you?"
"Ral, tell him about the demon realm," Larn ordered. He was definitely ranked high here.
Ral didn't question the order and told Colt about things he already knew. It was mostly about what his duties would be under Inuth, or how everyone fought, etc, etc... Colt knew all of these, but he still acted surprised or scared.
"... and you can choose a group to join. If you don't, you will be pushed around. But the group will protect you." Ral finished talking, and Larn took over.
"We are one of the strongest groups, Elarith. If you join us, I will be sure that you live a good servant life."
"I understand, but... may I learn what you want from me?" Colt asked. He was really wondering what it could be that they needed a healer. The groups fought each other continuously, but those fights weren't to the death.
They didn't even injure each other heavily. This wasn't a war, and in the end, they were on the same side.
"Ah, we just want you to heal our injured ones. You don't need to do anything else. As long as you did that, you can live with us. Don't worry, no one will come here. So, after your servant duties are over, you can hang out here like us!"
He didn't reveal the real reason, but it was okay. He would learn it in the end anyway, he wasn't in a hurry.
It was a really attractive offer to a newbie, especially after Ral's story about this place called the demon realm. And this was exactly what Colt needed. Somewhere he could train without being bothered, and his personal safety... what else could he want?
"Sir, I understand what you mean, but..." It was the obvious answer. Since he wasn't familiar with this place, he didn't want to join anyone soon. But he didn't reject the offer. He also wanted to test this group.
Larn smiled. "I understand your suspicions. As soon as you come, someone tells you to join them. So, it is okay. Go ahead and wait outside. You will soon see that this place is too harsh for you. You can come back after that..."
Colt opened his eyes wide as if he had missed out on a great offer. "S-sir, there is no need for that. Please let me join. I can do many things."
Unfortunately, or maybe just like he hoped, Colt was kicked out of this underground restaurant.