Shino’s technique for treating Demon Possession had become incredibly refined; it didn’t take long at all for Delta to return to her original form.
“Welcome to Shadow Garden.
From today on, your name is Delta,” Shino said, looking down at her.
Simultaneously, a Slime Bodysuit materialized over her body.
“Is Shadow Garden something I can eat?” Delta asked blankly.
“You’re from a beastkin tribe, right?
You can think of Shadow Garden as your new tribe.” Shino grabbed Delta and took off into the air.
“Whoa!
I’m flying!
Master is amazing!” Shino noticed that Alpha was having a bit of trouble keeping up with his flight speed.
He paused and drifted back down to her side.
“Alpha, want to experience what it feels like to fly?” “Eh?” Before Alpha could even process the question, Shino reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist.
He manifested mana into a propulsion-like mechanism and shot up into the sky.
He then shaped his mana into something resembling a hang glider, using mana bursts to maintain thrust.
They were officially flying.
Alpha looked down at the landscape below, experiencing the sensation of flight for the very first time.
“Master, no fair!
Why is she being held like that while I’m just being carried by the scruff!” Delta shouted.
Shino had held Alpha that way because they were close; with Delta, since it was their first meeting, he felt it was better to maintain a little distance.
“Fine, let’s make it fair then.” Shino let go of Delta.
As she began her freefall, Shino dove at a much higher speed, catching her mid-air and wrapping his other arm around her waist as well.
“Is Master a bird?
How can you fly so fast?” Shino manifested a fist out of mana and gave Delta a sharp flick—a “brain-collapse” finger flick—on the forehead.
“How could I be a bird?
By your logic, you’re flying too, so does that make you a bird?” “Then Delta is a bird!” Shino immediately regretted his choice of words.
“I’m not a bird, and neither are you.
I’m using mana to achieve flight!” “But if we aren’t birds, how are we flying?” Shino felt like he was playing a flute to a cow.
Alpha, meanwhile, was carefully observing the ground.
From this height, the terrain looked so different that she felt completely lost.
The landmarks she usually used for reference were unrecognizable from above.
Soon, the three arrived back at the Shadow Garden villa.
Sensing Shino’s presence, Beta and Gamma hurried out of the house.
“Everyone, meet Delta.
She’s a member of Shadow Garden now.” Delta scanned Beta and Gamma, instinctively sensing that neither of them was weaker than her.
She looked at Alpha and realized she was even stronger.
But Delta wasn’t the type to back down just because she met someone powerful.
“Delta wants to be Number Two in the tribe!
Delta challenges you!” she shouted, pointing at Alpha.
Shino promptly gave Delta another flick on the forehead.
“Why did Master hit Delta?” “Because you’re too stupid to be Number Two.” “Delta isn’t stupid!” “Okay, what’s 1 plus 1?” “Don’t know!” “Beta, what’s 1 plus 1?” Beta was a bit confused by the random question, but answered anyway.
“Two.” “Gamma, what’s 1 plus 2?” “Three.” “Alpha, what’s 1 plus 3?” “Four.” “Delta, what’s 1 plus 4?” “Don’t know!” “See?
Delta is the stupidest.” Delta paused to think.
She really didn’t know what 1 plus 4 was.
“But Master, isn’t the Boss of a tribe decided by strength?” “Strength is part of it, but you need brains too.
You might be strong, but since you lack intelligence, you can’t be Number Two.
At best, you can be Number Five.” “One, two, three, four…” Delta counted the people present.
“There’s only four people?
Why am I Number Five?” “Because you are the fifth person to join!
You are the one with the lowest status!” Delta looked utterly devastated.
“Delta, I know you want to prove yourself,” Shino said.
“So, go ahead and fight Alpha.
If you lose, you have to be obedient.
Alpha, she’s a bit wild and needs to be tamed.
Fight her until she submits.” Alpha looked at Delta and realized Shino was right—she was a bit dim-witted and highly feral.
“Alright.” The two moved to a clearing.
“Begin!” Shino called out.
The moment she heard the word, Delta entered “mad dog” mode, dropping to all fours and charging Alpha at high speed.
Alpha drew her slime sword.
*Clang!
Clang!
Clang!* The sounds of metal hitting metal rang out as Alpha’s sword clashed with Delta’s claws.
The sound didn’t last long, however, as Alpha quickly found a gap.
She delivered a palm strike to Delta’s stomach, sending the girl flying.
Struggling back to her feet, Delta instinctively tapped into her Slime Bodysuit.
Aside from covering her vital areas, the rest of the slime flowed to her hands, forming massive mana claws.
They clashed again.
With the mana claws, Delta’s attacks were far more ferocious.
Alpha remained calm, swinging her sword with perfect precision, parrying every single blow.
Suddenly, she spun around and delivered a devastating whip-kick that sent Delta tumbling back once more.
Delta kept getting up.
The battle continued like this until nightfall.
Finally, Delta’s mana was completely depleted and her stamina had hit its limit.
She collapsed, panting.
In contrast, Alpha stood exactly where she had started, looking completely unfazed.
Beta walked over.
“Dinner is ready!” “Food!
I want to eat!” Delta suddenly bolted upright, only to collapse again a second later.
Shino waved his hand, showering Delta with blue-violet mana.
She instantly felt her fatigue vanish as a portion of her mana and stamina were restored.
Currently, Beta was the primary cook for Shadow Garden.
Alpha was often away, and Gamma’s physical coordination was too poor to handle kitchen equipment safely.
Delta charged toward Beta, showing no signs of slowing down.
“Where is the food?!” Just before she slammed into Beta, Shino caught her.
“Delta, be good.
Only good girls get food.” “Delta is good!
Very good!” Delta sat on the ground, wagging her tail and panting like a happy pup.
“She’s just like a dog,” Shino remarked.
“Delta is a wolf!
Not a dog!” “Same thing.” Shino led the four girls into the house.
Gamma was already setting the table.
The five of them sat down together, looking exactly like a family.
As for Cid, he was, of course, out hunting bandits.
Every hunt brought him a tidy sum of gold.
By saving up, Cid was finally able to afford some truly expensive “artifacts” to boost his aesthetic.
That night, as Shino lay in bed, Beta quietly sneaked in.
She didn’t have nightmares anymore, but she had grown accustomed to sleeping next to him.
Shino simply accepted it as part of their nightly routine.
As for his “home” back at the Kagenou estate, Shino had created a mana clone that he could control perfectly with his mind.
The clone was like an extra limb—it could eat, sleep, and act exactly like him.
No one in the Barony noticed a thing.
Cid, naturally, had copied Shino’s method and created his own mana clone to handle his “Mob” duties.
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