Rise of the Eromancer

Chapter 279 Caterpillar

"Is… something the matter here?"

"Are you the High Priestess of your city?"

Rhys and Malenia stayed beside the carriage for a few moments, waiting if the people from the Hortho city would let them pass. But after a few minutes, they noticed the situation getting more and more heated up as the people from the city became slightly aggressive for some reason, and Malenia could no longer stand on the side.

"I was, I have since abdicated the honor to my sister, But I, and always will be, loyal to the Shrine of Medusa," Malenia then showed her wrist, which carried the tattoo proving she was a High Priestess, "I still carry the title, and I travel for a mission that would—"

"Tch. You are not allowed entry into the city, go back to where you came from." But before she could finish her words, however, the people from Hortho city raised their voices and even tightened their hold on their spears.

"How dare you speak to the High Priestess like that?"

"Shut your mouth if you do not want this spear in it, begone!"

"You—"

"It is fine." Malenia quickly moved in front of the shivellans before the commotion could turn violent — and judging by the way the people from Hortho city were reacting, there was a very high chance of that.

"It is not fine, High Priestess!" The gorgon warrior shook her head vehemently as she glared at the people blocking their path, "These people are disrespecting you! Even if they are from a bigger city, the High Priestess' authority will always be in the highest order, rip off your scales and repent!"

"Even if she is the reincarnation of Medusa herself, we don't care — now, scram, or this sand will be where your scales rest!"

"Y—"

"Enough," Malenia sighed as she raised her palm, trying her best not to lose her composure — being respected and followed was the only advantage she appreciated from her title, and now that it was being spat on… she was slowly reaching the limit of her patience, "We don't seek residence in your city, we only want passage.

Hortho City is between two long and tall plateaus, it would take us hours to go around it and—"

"We have already warned you once!" The female gorgon who was leading the group from Hortho pointed her spear at Malenia, and without even any hesitation, she rushed toward her with the intent to just stab through her eyes.

But of course, the shivellans quickly moved to protect her, parrying the spear and quickly countering with her own attack.

"No, stop it!" Malenia screamed as she truly did not want the altercation between them to reach their cities. Malenia's shivellan, of course, instantly stopped by her order. Her opponent, however, did not have the same restraint as the blade of her spear drew near and fast the shivellan.

Malenia's eyes were about to glow, but they only widened as she saw the person from Hortho's head just suddenly tilt forward and her body tilt back before she just dropped to the ground like a wet noodle.

"What…" The woman's companions all just stared at her, only for them to notice after a few seconds that there was a wet clump of sand sticking to her chin. Malenia and her shivellans also saw this, and they all quickly looked back — and there, Rhys had his arm stretched forward, with traces of wet sand slowly dropping from his fingers.

"They attacked first," Rhys then shrugged as he finally approached the group; patting his hands clean while doing so, which felt a little weird for him as he had already gotten used to having only a single hand, "I'm just returning the favor — it's okay if I just knock them down, right?"

"...No," Malenia slowly shook her head, "Violence is not—"

"Die!"

And with him still looking at Malenia, Rhys casually caught the blade of the spear with his bare wooden hand, and then also casually snapped it into two with his fingers — and without even giving the attacker any time to react, Rhys then tugged on the spear and pulled her close… before just striking her on the chin and also knocking her out with the same wooden hand.

But it would seem Rhys was not as used to controlling the strength on his new arm, however, as he almost snapped the woman's jaw in half.

"...Hm," Rhys breathed out while shaking his head. But after a few moments, he just rushed toward the remaining person; this time using his left fist so that it would not accidentally crush the woman's jaw.

"!!!"

Rhys, however, suddenly stopped advancing with his fist just inches away from the woman's chin. And not even a millisecond later, he heard a crack from his fist, he quickly looked at it, only to see his knuckles and fingers turning into stone.

He quickly leaped away and rushed to Malenia's side, before looking at the female gorgon that slowly slithered her way toward them, accompanied by several male gorgons.

No, the female gorgon was not slithering her way at all, as she was being carried on some sort of palanquin by the male gorgons; except the palanquin had no walls or roof at all… most probably because of the female gorgon's size — she was larger than Rhys in terms of width. She was fat—no, she was morbidly obese to the point that she couldn't even seem to move her snake-like limb.

"Hero, your hand…"

"Hm?" Rhys blinked a couple of times as he looked at his hand, and the petrification now reached his wrist. He was about to say something, but Malenia just very gently grabbed his hand; her eyes gently glowing as she stared at it — and almost instantly, his hand turned back to normal,

"...Thank you, High Priestess. I thought I was about to have two wooden arms."

"You do not need to thank me, Hero — it is my duty to serve and protect you," Malenia then closed her eyes as she placed Rhys's hand on her cheek. But after a few seconds, she realized what she was doing and quickly let go of Rhys's hand — slithering away to hide her reddening face,

"I am High Priestess Malenia, serving the Shrine of Medusa," Malenia then approached the palanquin and showed her tattoo to the fat gorgon, "Greetings, fellow High Priestess. I am here on a mission and was hoping to pass by—"

"Let me down," the fat gorgon did not let Malenia finish her words at all; interrupting her as she ordered her servants to lower the palanquin. The fat gorgon then looked at Malenia from head to toe, before letting out a scoff that caused her triple chin to giggle,

"I am Governess Rheadan, state your purpose for invading my city."

"...Governess?" Malenia whispered; squinting her eyes as she looked at the tattoo on Rheadan's arm. And although it was almost distorted due to her thick and plump arm, it was the same tattoo that Malenia had, "But you have the Shrine of Medusa on—"

"We have abolished that archaic and useless practice," Rheadan snorted. She tried approaching Malenia, but failed to slither as she could not even move her limb for even a single millimeter. And so, she just slapped one of her servants, making them slightly lift up the palanquin so that they could move closer to Malenia,

"And I, Governess Rheadan, hold the sole authority of Hortho City — and I say that you are not welcome here."

"...We only seek passage, Governess," Malenia's eyes tried their best not to twitch.

"No one from the other cities is allowed entry to the city!" Governess Rheadan raised her voice, "Especially not a High Priestess! You think I would let you undermine my authority after I worked hard to be in the position that I am in!?"

"I'm not—"

"Go back, if not — you will force us to go back to your city with our warriors and… and—What is that?" Rheadan slightly lost breath as soon as her eyes suddenly landed on Rhys; her eyes, looking at him from head to toe before settling on his face, "...Is that someone from another race? A… human?"

"Please, Governess — I would appreciate it if you address him with respect. He is the Hero of—"

"I will grant you passage," Rheadan then smirked as she looked Malenia in the eyes, "And in exchange, I will let you pass through the city."

"I am afraid that is not going to happen," Malenia raised an eyebrow, "He is the Hero of—"

"I will even add gold for your servant," Rheadan's plump lips started to rise as she once again looked at Rhys; her braids, barely even holding on to each other due to her thinning hair, "And you may even choose to pick one of my finest servants that you see here now — Ooh… I can't wait to taste that—"

"Look here, you fat disgusting caterpillar."

Not only Rheadan, but the shivellans, the servants, and Rhys all looked at Malenia as soon as she said that; her voice, extremely seething and furious.

"What… what did you just call me?"