She Who Became Immortal

The river sparkled in the sunlight, creating a calm atmosphere around us.

The forest we journeyed through was thick with trees, so sunny days were rare. Despite sunlight peeking through the leaves, it had been a while since we enjoyed such open space.

Junos and the others visibly relaxed in the warmth of the sun, letting out relieved sighs.

But our aim wasn't just to relax or have a picnic. The real adventure was still ahead.

The river was about ten meters wide, flowing gently as far as we could see. It made sense, considering we were outside the mountains.

On our side, the wild forest stretched to the river's edge, while signs of human activity were visible on the opposite bank.

Though we couldn't see any houses, a well-worn trail suggested people came here often, probably for tasks like washing clothes or getting water.

"Now, it's not possible for all of us to cross at once," said sixteen demonkin, with their distinct pale purple skin.

Their reputation among the beastfolk might not be great, given their tendency towards violence as a form of communication.

But what if?

Considering, beastfolk aren't exactly refined either. Maybe physical language was their main way of communicating.

"In that case, one more person, come with me," I said.

"What's the plan?" Junos asked, as the demonkin seemed unfazed.

Quite curious, I thought. But it didn't bother me.

"Like I said, we'll find the locals and say hello. If we can, we'll ask about staying here. If not, we'll ask for directions."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"We'll be back where we started."

"Could it get worse?"

"Probably."

Though I sounded sure, none of us, myself included, felt reassured by the words.

---

The others waited patiently on the opposite bank as Junos and I crossed the river, battling its currents. In the middle, I slipped and got carried downstream for about twenty meters.

It felt like my feet got caught on moss or something, and before I knew it, I was swept away. Luckily, Junos grabbed me, and we made it out of the water fine. Still, it was embarrassing.

"Euphemia, you can't go off alone," Junos scolded me, sounding a bit annoyed.

With Junos carrying me, we finally made it to the other side, deciding to follow the somewhat worn path for now.

Under the soft sunlight and a gentle breeze, we walked quietly together.

At a fork in the road, one path went deeper into the forest, and the other climbed a hill. Without hesitation, I chose the path up the hill, and Junos followed.

The peacefulness around us felt like something from a storybook...

As we walked, I found myself humming a tune about monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees...

"Hey, Euphemia."

Junos' tap on my shoulder interrupted my humming, and I saw a girl up ahead on the road.

She was small, with beast ears on her head, about the height of a young demon girl.

Ignoring Junos' worried look, I waved at the girl with a smile.

But she didn't wave back. Instead, she turned and ran off in the other direction. With her big tail, it was clear she was a beastfolk.

"...What do we do?"

"We keep going."

In other words, we had to keep moving forward.

Even though chasing after the girl felt clumsy, we continued along the road at our own pace.

After a while, we saw a lone house on top of the hill.

It looked like something from a fairy tale, with laundry swaying in the breeze, and no trees around—a sign that the land had been cleared. A closer look showed a small garden on the other side of the laundry area.

But there were no other houses nearby.

Truly, it was a solitary home.

As I thought about this, something strange happened.

"Oh!? Wh-What's happening... Ahhh!?"

Out of nowhere, Junos cried out in pain, writhing on the ground.

His agony seemed real, and I felt worried.

And then...

For a moment, everything changed.

A cramped apartment.

Curtains untouched for years.

A messy bed.

An empty room.

And there, on the verge of death, was "me."

But it was only a quick vision before reality snapped back.

Someone was messing with us.

Looking around, I saw only the path to the solitary house and a grassy hill beyond. Behind us was the forest, hiding the river we had crossed.

---

"Hmm..."

Watching Junos writhe in pain, I crouched down and put my hand on his neck, saying, "Stun Gun!"

Using Euphemia Grimwood's magical power, I gave him a jolt to snap him out of it.

Since my magic wasn't harmful, I wasn't worried about hurting him.

"Ow—what's going on!? Why does it hurt so much!? What happened—!?"

Junos, now back to normal, stood up quickly, looking confused and ready to fight.

"For now, focus on using your own magic to protect yourself. Be ready for a fight, but don't attack unless you have to. Just defend yourself."

"What... just happened...?"

"We were messed with somehow. I stopped it with my magic. Probably an illusion. Did you see anything weird?"

"Why didn't it affect you, Euphemia?"

"Because I'm charming," I lied.

Actually, it did affect me, but my 'Immortal Body' stopped it right away.

Now, what to do next...

As if answering our question, the path ahead started to go back to normal.

It wasn't distortion; someone had been messing with the environment.

"This is the edge of the boundary. Beyond here is the Beast's realm, and before here is the Land of the Dead. The dead go back there—hurry and leave."

With a dramatic gesture, a fox spirit named Serena appeared.

She had silver hair, fox ears, and a fancy outfit.

"I am the Guardian, Serena. You're not supposed to be here. Go back."

As she spoke, blue flames appeared around her, making her seem mystical.