Something was lying among the overgrown grass and old branches. It vaguely resembled a humanoid, only instead of the usual shades of human flesh, it was covered with something incomprehensible: dried blood, bruises, and already whitened pus that had once spurted from the wounds. It was a corpse – that was confirmed by the swarms of insects crawling all over the dead body: in the right eye socket, on the severed piece of skin-covered arm, but so horribly and raggedly... as if it had been torn out, and on the leg. They covered every layer. The most terrifying thing was that the insects were crawling even out of its mouth. The flesh was decaying slowly, turning into a breeding ground for parasites, larvae, and that very swarm of insects that gathered around rot.
Around the mouth had congealed a thick mass – perhaps vomit or the same blood, now turned crimson, like a film. It was impossible to understand what kind of creature it was: the face was hidden by the legs of beetles, by dirt and the horror that oozed from the body. Yet something remained – horns.
It was a demon
Usually demons turned to dust when death caught up to them. But not this body. The heart was beating. The chest rose and fell, confirming that it was alive. Alive – and suffering. It desperately clung to life.
Mana had recovered – not completely, but still. It seemed such an event was impossible. Days and nights had passed... she didn’t count. She wanted to sleep, but couldn’t. And she surely never would, after this. The first thing she did was begin to burn herself. Her own fire caused no harm, but it was deadly to the parasites. The fire spread across her body, filling the air with the stifling, bitter smell of burning insects. But she continued, no matter what.
The insides were a problem. In the mouth cavity too, insects swarmed, and she wasn’t going to let them go – they all had to die. Something thudded against her teeth, but she kept her mouth shut. There was no need to invent anything new – she only had to do the disgusting.
She began to chew
Her jaw moved slowly, her body ached and failed, but strength was returning, and she decided to act. There was a crunch, a vile hiss and gurgle, but she kept chewing. Fortunately, her tongue was already gone – and so was her sense of taste. The only advantage of losing that organ. The insects bit, crawled deeper, into her throat, but now she did differently: she filled her blood with mana and created in her throat dense lumps of flesh intertwined with vessels. It became something like a plug, preventing the parasites from escaping and blocking air from entering her lungs.
She chewed faster, with hatred. Then slowly rose, leaning on her only arm, and began to spit. All the filth was gone. Away. Out of her. Finally.
It was her victory
She began to rise slowly. Her hand trembled, her knees cracked treacherously. It seemed the body no longer belonged to her – like a foreign shell, heavy. Barely standing, she fell back into the dirt. There was pain, but no scream. She was used to it. Enough. It’s nothing.
Tried again. Palm to the ground. Rise leaning on it. Knees in the dirt, then to stand up to full height… failure. The body doesn’t obey. Nothing.
— "I can." — the thought flashed, the only one, stubborn. That’s what kept her. Kept her still.
Palm to the ground. Again. And now… lift… wrist trembling, but it works. Engage the knees and… failure. The taste of dirt again. Nothing, she can do it.
Tried again. Success. Staggering, she stood, held herself. Leaned against a tree. The world blurred, only one eye worked, the left and dim, but still seeing. That’s enough. She needs to go. Find water.
The first step came hard, but she made it. The second – even worse. And then she noticed a stick. Strong, uneven, not too long. It would do. She carefully lowered herself to the ground, leaning her back against the tree. Every movement echoed with aching, as if her muscles creaked like an old mechanism.
She tore a piece of clothing. There was barely any left – the fabric was scorched, here and there. Apparently she couldn’t fully control the flame. Some of it was stained with blood and soot. The smell of burnt metal and flesh hung in the air. But there was no choice. Nothing... she could fix this.
She pressed the stick to her leg and began to tie it. With one hand. Without the second – everything fell apart. The fabric slipped, the knot unraveled. She caught it with her fingers, tore the remaining cloth with her teeth. Forgetting that she no longer had a tongue. Only a muffled wheeze from her throat.
Every time the knot loosened, a wave of anger and despair rose in her chest. Nothing... she would try again.
Five minutes. Ten. Twenty.
Her fingers trembled, her hands disobeyed, her body was foreign, like a broken doll’s. She squeezed the fabric, tried again. More. More. Finally – it worked. The knot held. She managed. Excellent.
A smile spread across her face, yes, she managed... managed...
She sat, breathing fast and unevenly. Her chest felt squeezed from within, her heart pounded irregularly. Her legs trembled from weakness, but she could stand. The right one – still obeyed. The left… not yet. But it would. It must. She would find another stick and tie it too.
She took a step. Then another. Walked slowly, unevenly, clenching her teeth as if holding the world together. Too hard. Her head spun. Cracked.
— "I can." — she whispered to herself. Or thought. She no longer distinguished. And probably didn’t speak... just... without a tongue she was. Her head hurt. Too much. Painful. And the leg too... shaking.
And then...
She fell...
Fell right face-first onto a thick tree root. Her nose filled with blood. Pain. Why? How did she fall? That can’t be...
She let go of her head, to her leg...
The knot was untied, the stick on the ground...
Nothing... nothing... nothing... she would try... again... again... she can, she can...
She stopped, looking at her hand
Why walk? Why live, if living is like this?
She looked at her only hand, at the flesh. Rough scars of skin. Ugly.
She touched the empty eye socket, from which nothing flowed anymore – not even tears. Disgusting.
Realized she was making only a wheeze, an empty sound. Nothing more. Only the rare noise of her mouth as she breathed. Helpless.
Shards of memory flickered in her head: how she moved with both hands, how she saw the world whole, how she spoke. And now... one hand, half her sight, no tongue.
Nothing... nothing... she can...
It’s nothing, right? She can, right?
This – isn’t life. This is a remainder.
She tried to exhale, but only a hoarse sound came out. A wheeze. A convulsive inhale.
— Haaa... — air tore her throat. Foul. Unpleasant. Disgusting. And it came from her...
More blood from the nose...
She curled up, pressing her knees to her chest and hugging herself with her only arm. A tremor ran down her spine. Tears came again. At first quietly. Then stronger. Not sobs, but wheezes breaking into coughs. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t scream, and so she cried silently, like an animal pressed to the ground.
The world blurred, became sticky, like the dirt beneath her. Thoughts struck against one phrase:
Why... why... why...
No one answered
She held herself tighter, as if she could glue together what was already broken. Wanted to sleep, but the body refused. Eyelids trembled, breath faltered, her chest tore with inhales too strong and yet too weak. Eyes trembled. Breathing was hard... hard...
Silence
Then only the faint beating of a heart – stubborn, meaningless
She was alive
But why?
Tears ran down her face, mixing with blood from her nose and the dirt on the ground. She pressed her forehead to the earth, hugging herself as if trying to hide everything inside, to no longer see, no longer feel, no longer be.
This was not victory
This was collapse
***
Time passed. Again she didn’t know how much. What did she even know, huh?! HA-HA-HAHAHA! WHAT?! NO-THING. Just a pathetic... worthless creature.
The blood from her nose stopped. She rose, staggering. Decided to drop the idea of tying the stick to her leg – pointless. Let it be a cane. At least some kind of support. But the stick was short, inconvenient, as if mocking her helplessness. She went anyway. Leaning on trunks, sliding over roots, stumbling, falling, and rising. That’s how she reached the river. Decided... just to be...
When she saw the water – it was as if the world became sharper, too alive. She rushed to the shore, fell to her knees, and then crawled. Her hand dug into the soil, fingers slipping, but she made it. Dipped her palm into the water and began to drink, like a beast. Wheezing, choking, coughing, but not stopping. She gulped down the water as if it could fill the hole in her soul. Then finally pulled away from the river and pressed her face into the wet sand.
She raised her head, wiped something away. On her hand – black spots, greasy smears, dried blood. Decided to wash it all off. To cleanse at least something. “Purification”? Who needed that. This magic wouldn’t erase the filth soaked under her skin.
She stepped into the water. The current was weak, the depth reached her thighs, or no, lower. The cold bit to the bone, but that was even pleasant. At least something real. Her legs trembled, threatening to give way, but she stood. Began to scrub herself – roughly, desperately, until her skin turned red. Dried blood, remnants of pus, and dirt washed off her body. But the face…
The face
It felt as if insects were still crawling over it. Under her eyelids. Across her cheeks. Along her lips. She felt them move. As if wriggling inside. Fear flooded her – primal, sticky. Her breathing quickened. Her hand trembled. She began to scratch her skin with her nails, harder, deeper. Scrubbed, tore, as if she could rip them all off herself.
The water grew murky around her, turning pink. But she didn’t stop.
It seemed that any moment now she’d hear again the rustling, the stirring, the buzzing right beneath her skin. She screamed or maybe just wheezed. Her body shook, she sank to her knees.
She sat in the water for a long time, until she slumped completely, until her shoulders were hidden beneath the surface. Then slowly crawled out, sat on the shore, and curled up. Hugged herself with her only arm, gripping her shoulder as if afraid to fall apart. Her chest trembled.
She was shaking. Not from the cold. From understanding – the insects, maybe, were gone. But not from her head. Never. Maybe larvae remained? And now they’re there... terrifying...
***
Wet clothes clung to her body, weighing down every step. One arm – a useless stump, the other trembled like a branch in the wind. Her face, disfigured and swollen, no longer felt half the world: either the skin had gone numb, or she had simply stopped existing for pain, or maybe both. One eye saw poorly, the other was empty, a dark hole one could stare into endlessly.
She tried to walk, staggering, stumbling over roots and stones. Sometimes she fell – simply because balance had become something theoretical. Got up. Walked. And fell again. The ground was her support and her punishment. Most often, punishment. This wasn’t even a trial she could somehow overcome... she didn’t care. Didn’t want to... why?
At some point she stopped. The wind struck her wet hair, left in ragged tufts. The world around seemed quiet, as if it itself didn’t want to notice her presence. She tried to say something – just to hear a sound, to prove to herself that she still existed. But the tongue... it wasn’t there. Only quiet breathing, but at least a sound. Something, not silence. That one – inhale and exhale. Weak... but it existed.
Her body was a parody of life. Each step brought trembling and creaking, like an old mechanism long due for the scrapyard, under the press. She looked at the river, at her reflection – blurred, distorted. Even the water refused to see her clearly. Or maybe she herself... her eye...
There was no reason to go further
No reason – at all
She sat by the shore, leaning on the short stick, and for some time simply stared into the void. Didn’t cry – nothing to cry with. Didn’t pray – no one to pray to. Only breathing, hoarse, uneven, like an old flame that just wouldn’t die out. Perhaps that was the flame of life... but it was... so weak. About to fade, just a little longer.
***
She sat by the shore for a long time, motionless, like a discarded piece of wood or maybe... a stone? The river flowed nearby – steady, sometimes fish jumped, or an odd sound broke the rhythm. Its current seemed to call: go where everything ends. And she went. Not for meaning, not for purpose. Simply because movement was the only thing that still resembled life. Maybe... but what could it even be?
Her eyes were already empty...
She walked along the water, leaning on the stick, and each step echoed with pain – it didn’t matter, bearable. Her leg slipped on the wet grass, knees buckled, and the remaining arm couldn’t keep balance. Sometimes she just fell – face-first into the dirt, into small stones, into water. Lay there until the body began to tremble on its own, lifting her again, like a robot that had forgotten why it was made. Walked... without goal. Simply.
The path was endless. Branches reached for her like hands, scratching her shoulders and neck. Somewhere ahead came the cries of birds, then silence. The water rang monotonously, and that sound became something like a companion – not a conversational one, but a noise that kept her from going mad. Or maybe she already was...
Sometimes she touched her lips, where once her tongue had been – just to make sure it was truly gone. And each time she understood more clearly that she no longer belonged to herself. The body walked on its own, dragging along what remained of her.
The slope gradually lowered, the sun leaned toward the horizon, and the ground by the riverbank became firmer underfoot. At some point she noticed something ahead: not a tree, not a stone, but an angular shape stuck in the mud, right before a bridge. Worked wood, a bit of worn fabric with stains, and wooden wheels with iron rims. A cart. But not everything was so simple.
She came closer. One of the wheels was broken, the cart sagged to one side. Inside came muffled sounds – a cry, a sob, a call. A woman’s voice, calling someone.
Sefi approached carefully, went around the cart from the riverside, stumbling over scattered things. Metal buckles, scraps of fabric and fallen belongings, as well as a few small boxes. She carefully looked inside.
There were two of them
A man – pinned down by a crate, his chest barely moving. His forehead covered in blood, with a wound still oozing. Nearby lay an overturned lamp, iron, still warm. Drops of blood were on that very object, did it fall on his head? Misfortune? Still, the man was breathing, his chest rising and falling, stunned probably, unconscious.
A woman – young, with a pale face and eyes where despair was visible at first glance. She was breathing heavily, pressing her hands to her stomach – large, round.
Sefi froze
Her body twitched – not from fear, but from something old, from the past, from a piece of her past. Like a command – the woman must be helped. That would be right, precisely right, not good.
The woman opened her eyes and saw her – a disfigured face, and a body just as broken. No matter, she saw something else, the horns. The woman’s gaze froze in horror. She shrank back, began pushing the man, trying to wake him up.
Sefi raised her only arm, slowly, carefully. She wanted to show – she wasn’t an enemy. But the woman screamed:
— Don’t! I beg you! I have a child! Please!
Sefi stopped. Inside her, the old emptiness churned again. They fear her. Even now, when she wants to help. But leaving them – means condemning them.
Especially her. Especially the child.
She sat down, heavily, almost collapsing, and raised her arm upward – without threat. The woman froze, watching cautiously, then asked in a trembling voice:
— You... won’t hurt us, right?
Sefi nodded
Minutes dragged thickly. The demoness thought about how to help without frightening that girl... who wouldn’t take her eyes off her. Too tense, that was bad for the child inside.
And then, outside, it came. First quietly – as if something was scratching wood. Then growling. Low, hoarse, alien. A few steps. Not humans. Not beasts. Something in between. Monsters?
Sefi raised her head
If they come closer – it’s the end. She could run, abandon them, yet she couldn’t. That was wrong, that was bad. She couldn’t do that.
Running wasn’t an option, but staying inside was impossible too
Going out... no, she couldn’t. That was a step toward certain death. Magic... surrounding this place with fire – that was the sure option. Yet that would mean the end for them... for these people. Not the wagon, but a circle behind the wagon.
So...
Mana began to twist, tracing straight lines around the wagon. It was easy, as she walked around it, she noticed the size of this cart. And now she could create a fire circle... hmm, something wasn’t right. Since there were monsters, ordinary fire probably wouldn’t stop them. She thought, those spikes would clearly be more dangerous for them; she needed to form them like stakes, like a barricade, and preferably taller and denser, so that these uninvited guests wouldn’t think to jump over.
Again, something was wrong, what if they were already too close? Maybe it was better to reinforce the wagon itself? Not the perimeter – what if those monsters were already near, and her wall of spikes appeared behind them, that would be a complete failure. To trap herself in a cage with them. She had to go out... yes... better to face the enemy head-on... than like this...
...
...
...
Face to face... yes?
An unpleasant thought echoed in her mind. The elves – they had attacked from ambush. Just like these beasts, where did they even come from? This shouldn’t have happened, not at all. Damn it... fine, she would go out. Deal with these creatures.
She carefully stood up and stepped outside, they didn’t attack immediately, just growled. It was because of the mana she emitted. Its amount couldn’t compare to the past times, there in that forest with Frieren. Still, it was enough to intimidate the beasts, but not enough to truly frighten them.
The air was thick with stench and sound. Five silhouettes moved in a circle. Not wolves – larger, uglier. Bodies like clumps of filthy fur, from which bone spikes protruded, no idea how they lived with that, perhaps like hedgehogs, but larger. Each maw – monstrous, with fangs jutting outward. Eyes green. By their coloring it was clear they were nocturnal hunters, yet since they had come here before full darkness, they must have been confident they could win.
Sefi raised her hand. The air around flared with warm light. A moment of silence. Then something fell, heavy, incredibly heavy.
A boulder. The ground trembled, one of the creatures vanished under its own scream, its body crushed, blood splattering across the soil. Hah, physics rules, praise Newton and the apple.
The rest lunged forward. Decided to strike as a pack. A perfect idea for them and a terrible one for Sefi. She had to divide them, or they’d tear her apart. How? Fire.
Two in front, two at the sides. She stepped back, raising her hand again, but mana flowed poorly – as if congealing inside. Blood loss, weakness. Her eyelids trembled, breath faltered. Damn... not now, what a lousy time.
The first creature leapt. Sefi recoiled, fired a flash – a tongue of flame swept across its fur, the smell of burning flesh filled the air. She stepped right, the creature’s body fell and began thrashing, rolling on the ground to put out the fire, though its thick fur didn’t help in that task.
The second bit into her leg, dragging her down. Sefi screamed – silently, only air tearing from her mouth. Her back hit the ground, she reached out and drove fire straight into the beast’s face. She amplified the stream so strongly the beast released her leg. At that same moment, small stones shot into its body, piercing it and painting its fur red. That worked because she had spread her mana through the ground.
She kicked the carcass aside. Rose, staggering. Around her, three still growled; that one had managed to extinguish the fire, though it looked badly scorched.
She raised her hand one last time. And when the beasts leapt, the whole earth around erupted in a flash of fire, lighting the night shore like dawn. It was like that trick with Miss Serie, only a little different, no need — instead of combining it with an explosion, she decided to create a powerful fire circle. That way she guaranteed the explosion or its aftermath wouldn’t harm her or that wagon. Instead, all the energy went into increasing the temperature. That was the difference.
...
...
...
The smell of burnt flesh filled the air, and mana, drained to the limit, coursed through her body. The ground trembled. She just wanted to... fall, but Sefi stood and watched. The fire caused her no harm, none at all, her plan had worked.
Inhuman screams colored the space, squeals like pigs...
One of the beasts collapsed, black smoke bursting from its mouth and nostrils. Another, burning, ran blindly, crashing into a tree and burning there on the spot. That was the one who had leapt first, well, well, death still came by fire.
But not all of them
One – huge, with long spines on its back – survived. Its fur smoldered before her eyes, its skin peeling, and its eyes glowed green, furious. It lunged, knocking Sefi to the ground. The demoness, barely standing, fell like a rag doll.
Air was knocked from her lungs. The world trembled, fire receded into the distance, and the weight pressed down from above. A muzzle, jaws, warm breath. She smelled it – rot, iron, dirt. Again. At least not from herself. That was a relief.
The beast pinned her to the ground, claws sinking into her shoulder. Her arm trembled, her vision clouded. Mana no longer flowed, nothing left to burn. The woman tried to think of something, but there was nothing. No stones nearby to grab and strike, and her arm was pinned, as were her legs. It pressed down with its whole body, displaying her slow demise, only this demise would take her with it...
The beast opened its jaws, and saliva dripped onto her cheek. How that was even possible was unclear. The creature burned like a torch, yet it still secreted liquid. Or maybe it wasn’t saliva at all, but remnants of its own blood within? Because of the bright fire it was impossible to tell if it was clear or colored, and even though the flame didn’t harm her...
At that moment, something ancient, predatory, inhuman clicked inside
The demon awoke
She stopped being afraid. Her face twisted, her hand trembled and grabbed the beast’s muzzle, it didn’t matter that her arm was pinned by its claws – her strength was so great the monster couldn’t hold her down. Fingers – into the eye sockets. Warm, sticky, deep. She pressed harder, feeling the soft tissue burst beneath her nails. The creature howled, tried to jerk away, to escape, but Sefi pushed it closer. Now toward herself, the situation completely changed: the predator became the prey. The beast’s claws tore the flesh on her side, but she didn’t let go. The more wounds, the more pressure she returned.
Sefi pulled her hand free, and the beast fell onto its side. Its eyes poured out a black mass, and its skull was cracked. The bloody substance from the eyes... somehow mixed with pink mush – was that brain? Hm... though the brain shouldn’t look like that.
She lay there, staring at the night sky. Everything trembled – the stars, the trees, her own body. Her chest rose in ragged gasps, the scent of blood and ash filled her throat. HAHAHAHA!
Several minutes – only silence. Then from the wagon came a faint sound:
— Hey... you... you’re alive?..
The woman. Barely breathing, but speaking.
Sefi turned her head. Her gaze stopped on the wagon. For a moment, it seemed that everything – was for nothing. That she should have just left, let them die, as everything around had died before. But inside there was no more strength, no anger. Only quiet, dull satisfaction.
She crawled to the nearest tree and leaned her back against it. The fire slowly faded, and the night grew cold again.
Her hand trembled, covered in black blood. But she could still breathe. Survived.
Her fingers slid weakly across her chest, leaving dark marks. And suddenly Sefi smiled – barely noticeable, faint, crooked, but still.
***
It was comfortable. Too comfortable. This wasn’t the bare earth on which she had rotted for so long… not her, but something else. Soft. Cozy. There was no wind, nothing. Warm. Comfortable.
When had she ever felt comfortable? She couldn’t remember, and yet… this… was wonderful. So easy, and her body didn’t hurt anymore. Nothing hurt. Wonderful. Yet something was wrong...
Too good
She distinctly remembered slamming into a tree, staring at the stars, at the trees. She had been in the wild, on the rough ground, in the cold wind. There had been no comfort there, so...
— Awake? — A woman’s voice was heard. Soft, gentle and... near. The demon turned her head toward the voice. Indeed, a living soul. A human.
— Don’t get so close to her. — It was a man who held an axe in his left hand and a long stick in his right, made for the blazing campfire. So that’s where the warmth came from.
If you looked closely, you could see stubble on the man’s face, a few small scars. His body was strong, and he wore something like a jacket with several patches on the elbows and shoulders. Khaki pants and brown boots. Brown hair. His distinctive feature – his eyes: green. Not as dark as those of the creatures, but bright and alive, like emeralds. Still, his head was wrapped in cloth. Apparently to cover a wound.
The woman was dressed in white. A smile, pale skin without any scars, light sandals on her feet. The embodiment of gentleness. On her wrist – several bracelets, and earrings with a red stone. Brown eyes, and the most remarkable thing – her red hair, like fire. The two complemented each other.
And the main thing that bound them – the ring on the ring finger. Interesting, both wore it on the right hand. Husband and wife. Just as she suspected.
— Mari, she helped us! Don’t be so grim! Without her, we wouldn’t be here! — protested the woman, looking gloomily at her husband. Still, she stepped back a little and gently sat down on a fallen tree. Apparently, they had made camp here. Night rest.
— Ugh... Frau... you do realize she’s a demon! She could... kill us easily, I don’t understand why we took her, it’s a risk! — the man sighed and stood up. He was tall, or maybe Sefi only thought so because she was lying down. The firelight didn’t make him any less intimidating. Slowly he approached and crouched, getting closer and just watching. — Those horns... she’s definitely a demon. And why... tch.
— But she... Mari... if it weren’t for her, those monsters would’ve torn me apart! — said his wife, and the man sighed again. Heavily.
— I’ll stay close and won’t move, — he simply said. Apparently, that was his approval, because the woman smiled, approached her, and also sat down, gathering the hem of her dress. A smile on her face.
— Maybe... we should introduce ourselves? My name is Frau, and his is Mari! And you? — she said clearly and waited for an answer. Sefi was silent... she wanted to answer, but... she couldn’t. Seeing this, the woman frowned and tilted her head. — Um...
Instead of sound, Sefi decided just to open her mouth. Wide enough for them to see...
— Horrible!
— Hm...
The woman’s reaction matched her character: she was horrified, seeing the absence of a tongue. The husband was more restrained and simply made a disapproving sound, shaking his head.
— Then... um... — the woman looked at Mari with those eyes, but he stepped back and shook his head again, frowning and disapprovingly.
— I’m not untying her hands, understand, that’s too dangerous already.
Hm, her hands were tied... annoying, but nothing serious. Sefi understood. Be that as it may, Frau only made a sound of frustration, but then, her eyes flashing, looked at her.
— Sorry, but let’s talk through nods for now, okay? I’ll ask questions, and you... well, nod down if yes, and like this... — she said and began turning her head left and right. — Understood?
A nod down
***
A lot of time passed. Deep night, but none of them had fallen asleep.
The husband, of course, tried to convince his wife to get some rest, but she only made a protesting sound and continued her storm of questions. Realizing that his words met with complete defiance, Mari sighed heavily but still didn’t take his eyes off Sefi, keeping the axe ready.
Frau, meanwhile, had learned a lot. That she had a name. That she didn’t want to harm them. And most importantly – she understood why Sefi had saved them.
Of course, the third question turned out the hardest, for to get even a shred of coherent information, the kind lady had to ask dozens of clarifying questions, and the demoness, lying in the warm... mmm... bed? Or perhaps a sleeping bag? – had to nod furiously or shake her head just as fiercely. Nevertheless, success came, and such that the mademoiselle grabbed her husband by the shoulders and began shaking him with joy.
— Waaa! Mari, can you imagine, she’s such a sweetheart! — she exclaimed, laughing. — She understood that there’s a baby inside me! And she doesn’t want to kill people! How adorable is that! — She laughed, then suddenly grew serious. — And such a sweet girl has been treated so horribly! She has no arm... no eye... and not even a tongue! What a tragedy! How cruel!
— You’re praising the wrong one and pitying the wrong one, — Mari said dryly, and immediately received a full, sorrowful look of reproach from his beloved. Of course, it could all be blamed on hormones… at least, Sefi hoped so, otherwise such emotional swings seemed frightening. Just a moment ago joy – and now tears. From a single word. What a curse and horror.
— You’re so mean! — Frau exclaimed, then turned to Sefi. — By the way, do you want to know the baby’s name?
A nod down
— Hehehe! Well, listen. If it’s a boy, then Glaus!
Pause
— And if it’s a girl, then Flamme!
She smiled so sincerely that even Sefi found it hard not to answer her with a look