In a small village far away from the Glorious City

  Marvell sat on the grass, the warm afternoon breeze brushing against him as he gazed at the village in the distance. The sun was slowly descending, casting an orange glow over the horizon. His hollowed eyes fixated on the settlement, while his three draconic tails stared alongside him, their faces marked with worry.

  He closed his eyes for a brief moment, letting out a slow breath before reopening them, his gaze returning to normal.

  "To be honest, I didn’t like this idea. I never even signed up for this," he muttered, his voice laced with quiet frustration.

  The middle tail sighed, its thoughts echoing into Marvell’s mind. "Same, I hate this. I wish there was another way."

  "Yeah, it’s unfortunate we don’t have another way," the left one agreed, resignation clear in its tone.

  "I knnooowwww…" the middle tail groaned, still in disbelief.

  Marvell remained silent for a moment before addressing the left one. "Just… make sure nobody gets killed. We burn down the village while sparing the villagers, and we’re done."

  The right tail, listening carefully, spoke with a tone filled with confidence. "Huh… that sounds easy. Just… spreading… fire? That’s basically what we’re capable of."

  Marvell exhaled, his expression calm but his tone laced with unease. "Yeah, easy, you say. But what happens if the village fights back? We all saw what happened during that time, right?"

  The three tails fell silent. The weight of past mistakes pressed down on them as they recalled an incident from long ago—one they had no desire to repeat.

  In the Past Long Time Ago

  Marvell stood alongside his three draconic tails and Drake, watching as the village chief and the rest of the villagers stood their ground against the demon army. Despite being outmatched, the villagers fought fiercely, refusing to back down. In the midst of the battle, younglings were being evacuated to safety, shielded by those who stayed behind to fight.

  Marvell remained awkwardly silent, his gaze fixed on the scene. Beside him, Drake's eyes widened in shock at the sheer resistance before them. The village chief, leading the charge, moved with the precision of a seasoned warrior, his every strike calculated, his stance unwavering as he protected his people.

  Marvell let out a sigh, drawing confused glances from his tails before he finally spoke. "Come on, let’s help them."

  Drake snapped out of his daze, shaking his head multiple times before quickly following Marvell onto the battlefield.

  Back To The Present

  Marvell and his three tails lowered their heads, lost in thought. A heavy silence hung between them as they glanced at one another, exchanging unspoken concerns. After a moment, they sighed in unison.

  "I hope we can get this done easily… without that happening," Marvell muttered, his voice laced with unease. The memory of what could happen—what had happened before—sent a chill through him. His three tails quickly nodded in agreement, sharing his apprehension.

  Shaking off the tension, Marvell stood up and began walking toward the village. As he moved, a faint fire flickered across his body, shifting his form. His dragonic features faded, replaced by the guise of a human traveler, his figure wrapped in a simple brown cloak.

  The middle tail let its jaw drop to the ground before resting its head atop Marvell’s, as if this transformation was nothing new. Soon, the other two tails followed, their heads settling on his left and right shoulders like decorative accessories. Then, in an instant, all three tails vanished without a trace, leaving Marvell appearing as nothing more than an ordinary wanderer.

  With his disguise complete, he continued toward the village, his eyes set on whatever awaited him ahead.

  In A Village, As The Sun Already Goes Down

  Marvell entered the village in silence, his head lowered, the hood of his robe casting a shadow over his face. His steps were steady, deliberate, as he walked toward the village center. The villagers glanced at him with fleeting curiosity, but none paid him much mind, soon returning to their daily tasks.

  As he moved forward, he slowly lifted his head, his gaze sweeping over the bustling scene before him—people working, tending to their routines, unaware of the weight he carried.

  "Ugh..." A quiet, regretful sigh escaped him. Then, in a barely audible whisper, laced with sorrow, he murmured, "Please forgive me."

  Raising one hand, he scanned his surroundings with careful precision, his eyes absorbing every detail of the village.

  A fire emerged from Marvell's hand as he pointed his palm at the ground, staring down at it. The villagers who witnessed the sudden act were confused.

  In mere seconds, a burst of flames erupted from his palm, spreading rapidly. Panic surged through the crowd as the unexpected attack sent people scrambling, their shocked cries filling the air.

  Marvell, watching them flee, closed his eyes.

  He slowly unwrapped the hood covering his head, revealing his red, draconic, demonic face—five burning eyes scanning his surroundings. Beneath him, fire surged upward, lifting him effortlessly into the sky. From above, he could see the entire village.

  Raising his hand, he conjured a fireball above his head, his sharp gaze analyzing the landscape. He focused only on empty areas. The flames in his hand lashed out one by one, striking precisely where no villagers stood.

  Explosions tore through the empty spaces. Houses ignited instantly, flames devouring the structures without mercy.

  The villagers, now gripped by fear, abandoned their homes, fleeing in desperation.

  "As long as I attack only the empty places… there will be no dead," he murmured, his five eyes tracking each target with precision.

  As he continued his assault, one of the dragon tails resting on his head stirred. Its hollowed skull shifted, an eye emerging from the empty cavity, staring intently at something.

  Sharing the same vision, Marvell frowned.

  "Hmph?"

  His demonic eyes followed the tail’s gaze—spotting a White Knight in the distance. An armored warrior, draped in a flowing white cape, rescuing villagers.

  Seeing this, a smile crept across Marvell’s face.

  But before he could react—

  An arrow struck him from behind.

  The impact sent a shock through his body, making him lose control of the fierce tornado of fire beneath him. The flames flickered and collapsed, his footing vanishing beneath him.

  Eyes narrowing, he reached behind and yanked the arrow free with ease, his gaze snapping toward the source.

  A group of adventurers had arrived—swift and prepared. His eyes widened slightly in surprise.

  "Well, I’d better take my leave," he muttered to himself.

  Hearing his words, the three dragon heads resting on his shoulders suddenly sprang to life.

  His tails reappeared, towering over him. Then, from their gaping jaws, a wave of frost erupted.

  The advancing adventurers froze in place as an icy mist swallowed the battlefield. The freezing fog thickened, obscuring their view.

  A massive wall of ice formed between Marvell and his pursuers, blocking their path completely.

  Taking advantage of the moment, Marvell pressed his palm to the ground. Beneath him, a brilliant blue magic circle flared to life, its arcane symbols glowing ominously.

  As he lifted his head, he saw the White Knight standing far away, watching him in silence.

  Marvell met the knight’s gaze. Then—

  Marv vanished from the place.

  Outside Of The Village, Far Away From It

  Marvell suddenly appeared in midair, his teleportation complete—only to immediately plummet to the ground.

  "Ow," he muttered after impact.

  Meanwhile, his tails cheered in celebration, their expressions filled with excitement over yet another successful mission.

  Marvell, however, remained lying in the grass, exhausted. He slowly turned over, now lying flat on his back. His sudden movement caught the tails off guard for a moment.

  Feeling relieved but drained, he let out a tired sigh.

  "Finally… onto step two," he murmured, breathing heavily.

  The left tail, struck by a sudden thought, quickly turned to the middle, right, and Marvell with a question.

  "I wonder how they got there so fast?"

  Hearing this, Marvell glanced at him with a disappointed expression.

  The left tail flinched in shock.

  Still staring at the starry night sky, Marvell sighed before answering.

  "Yeah, teleporters suck. They just make things more problematic for us," he muttered, still exhausted.

  He continued with a drawn-out groan.

  "Aaaahhhhhh… I wish I could just go to bed after this," he said lazily, sleep creeping into his voice.

  His five eyes remained fixed on the beautiful night sky, lost in its vastness.

  But before he could drift off—

  His tails suddenly appeared in front of his face… and bit him all at once.

  With a sharp tug, they yanked him upright.

  Marvell groaned, trying to resist.

  "Nooo, just let me stay here for at least five more minutes," he pleaded, struggling against them.

  But his tails were restless, refusing to let him rest. They kept pulling him up, their grip firm.

  Feeling the pain intensify, Marvell finally gave in.

  "Fine," he grumbled.

  With a sigh, he forced himself to stand, rolling his shoulders. He cracked his neck left and right, then rotated his body, his bones popping with each motion.

  After a while, he stretched his body upward, then finally lowered his arms.

  Feeling refreshed, he smirked.

  "Act two… The General Interferes," he declared.

  At the grand party hosted by the lord of the city, Angel leaned back, dressed in elegant, royal attire, a complete change from her usual look. In her hand, she held a drink, but disappointment was carved into her face as she slowly swirled the liquid, staring at the lively celebration.

  "I infiltrated this place… only to realize I got nothing I wanted," she thought, watching the nobles dance gracefully.

  She sighed in frustration before finally taking a sip of her drink.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  The moment the liquid touched her tongue, she froze. Her expression twisted in disgust.

  "Ugh… I thought this world didn’t have wine. Turns out they do," she muttered, glaring at the drink with pure dislike.

  Still frowning, she scanned the room and spotted a table full of food, glasses, and more wine. Without hesitation, she made her way toward it, intending to place the unwanted drink down and free herself of the burden.

  But just as she was about to reach the table—

  A teenager, dressed in royal attire, suddenly stepped in front of her, blocking her path. His clothing suggested he belonged to a noble family.

  With a charming smile, he greeted her.

  "Hello, young lady."

  Angel blinked, momentarily confused, but responded with a polite nod.

  "Hi? May I help you?" she asked, uncertain.

  The young noble extended his hand toward her.

  "You looked so lonely over there. I would love to have a dance with you," he said smoothly.

  Hearing this, Angel politely declined as she took a small step back.

  "I’m sorry, but I already have someone," she said firmly.

  At her refusal, the noble’s expression darkened.

  Without warning, he grabbed her wrist—tightly.

  Angel flinched as pain shot through her hand.

  "Who said I was asking?" he sneered.

  Before she could react, he snatched the wine from her hand.

  Without hesitation, he tried to force the glass to her lips, attempting to pour the drink into her mouth.

  Angel resisted, keeping her mouth tightly shut.

  "Shit… Is he trying to get me drunk?" she thought, struggling against his grip.

  People nearby noticed the scene, some even glancing in her direction.

  But despite the clear tension, no one stepped in.

  Instead, they turned their eyes away and continued their conversations and dances, unwilling to interfere.

  Angel, unwilling to let this escalate any further, remained persistent in her resistance. The noble, growing frustrated, tightened his grip and continued to force her.

  As things grew more and more uncomfortable, Marv watched from the window in the middle of the night, his presence unnoticed. His eyes remained fixed on the scene below, his tails watching alongside him.

  "Hmph, getting any ideas for a cool demonic form?" Marv asked, his voice calm and steady.

  The middle tail, still staring at the same scene, sighed. "Sorry, I can't come up with anything special."

  The left tail, however, voiced a different thought. "You know, that noble seems cruel, don't you think?"

  The middle tail smiled in agreement. "You know, we could put him to good use for something."

  The left tail's mouth opened slightly as he fixated on the noble. "Hungry," he muttered, his head slowly inching toward the window.

  Noticing this, Marv, the right tail, and the middle tail quickly dragged him back, pinning him down. Helpless and unable to resist, the left tail remained still.

  For a moment, they all exchanged glances before shifting their focus to the right tail. The right tail, seeing Marv and the middle tail staring at him, groaned in annoyance.

  "Ugh, fine... but I get to eat him," the right tail grumbled.

  Hearing this, the left tail let out a desperate whine. "Aww, but I was the one who thought of it first!" he complained, still pinned down and clearly disappointed.

  Feeling increasingly uncomfortable and having had enough, Angel shoved the noble away and slapped him across the face. She breathed heavily, exhaustion creeping in as fear began to freeze her skin, sending a chilling shiver down her spine.

  The noble stood in stunned silence, his face twisted in shock. His teeth clenched in rage, and he raised his hand, intent on striking her back. But before he could land the blow, a red magic circle suddenly appeared beneath him. Flames erupted from it, sending a wave of heat through the room and throwing the gathering into panic.

  The noble stumbled backward, fear overtaking his expression, while Angel, shocked, collapsed to the ground, helpless.

  A monstrous figure emerged from the flames—a towering demonic entity wreathed in fire, its form massive, with three draconic heads sprouting from its neck.

  The right dragon head wasted no time. Its mouth opened wide, and in an instant, it lunged at the noble. The man let out a terrified scream, but he was powerless—his small frame was swallowed whole in one swift bite.

  The left head turned its gaze toward Angel, observing her for a brief moment before sighing. Without hesitation, it opened its jaws and consumed her in an instant.

  Gasps and horrified screams filled the hall as the guests, paralyzed by fear, scrambled toward the exits. But before anyone could escape, walls of fire erupted at every doorway, trapping them inside. The windows, too, were engulfed in flames, leaving no way out.

  Then, the demon spoke.

  "I am the great Flamendous, the loyal servant of the Demon King. I have come here only to deliver a message."

  The remaining nobles cowered in terror, their eyes locked on the towering entity.

  Flamendous continued, his voice calm yet laced with menace.

  "We, the army of Hell, declare war on humanity. Though we once fell in battle long ago, we have risen from the depths of death itself to avenge our defeat and conquer this world. Take this warning and spread it, for we desire this war to be a game worth playing."

  A wicked grin spread across the demon’s face as he loomed over the trembling nobles.

  Then, without warning, the magic circle beneath him erupted in a final explosion of flames, sending another wave of screams echoing through the grand hall.

  As the terrified survivors opened their eyes, they found the palace engulfed in fire, the heat licking at the walls, consuming everything in sight. But the demon—Flamendous—was nowhere to be found.

  Everyone inside the palace was in a state of panic. The flames blocking the exit had vanished, and the moment the doors were freed, the nobles wasted no time in rushing outside, desperate to escape before the fire consumed them.

  The explosion had been loud enough to alert the guards patrolling outside the castle. Without hesitation, they stormed in, working quickly to extinguish the flames while aiding the injured nobles. The sight of the guards rushing toward the castle sent a wave of unease through the streets. Onlookers murmured anxiously among themselves, trying to piece together what had happened.

  Adventurers who had heard the explosion were just as alarmed. They immediately abandoned whatever they were doing and rushed out, their eyes fixed on the thick smoke rising from within the castle. Without a second thought, they sprinted toward the scene, urgency driving their every step.

  As the commotion spread, the entire city began to spiral into chaos. Fear gripped the people, and in mere moments, the streets were filled with frantic voices and hurried footsteps, the city descending into disorder.

  As the city erupted into chaos, in an alley shrouded in thick darkness while everyone was busy, Angel woke up in the middle of it. Her eyes slowly opened, confused and dizzy from what had happened earlier. She scanned her surroundings, but all she could see was darkness covering her vision in a middle of the night, moon was covered by the cloud making the sky darker.

  "Waking up already? As expected from the hero who not only creates problems for me... but offers a new set of course for the plan to succed" a familiar voice echoed from the shadows.

  At first, Angel remained confused until she recognized the voice—it was Marvell speaking. She called out while stretching her hand forward, trying to feel her surroundings, her heads move left and right looking aroung like a blind creature.

  "Marvell, are you there?" she asked, calling out his name.

  There was silence for a moment. Remaining confused, she called his name again.

  "Marv?" with low voice and wondering tone

  Hearing it a second time Marv sigh for a moment after hearing it, a small flame erupted, its sudden brightness stinging her eyes. She instinctively raised her hand to shield herself before lowering it, adjusting to the light.

  Marvell's draconic tails appeared, their mouths open, each creating a flame that flickered within their mouth, casting a warm glow in the darkness. Their fire kept the cold at bay. Marvell sat in the middle of his tails, his eyes hollow and empty, staring directly at Angel with a serious expression, creating unease in the place.

  Angel noticed this and fell silent, unsettled by his gaze. Marvell slowly closed his eyes, then reopened them, returning them to normal before speaking in a disappointed tone.

  his eyes was half closed staring at her "I know you're the one who lied about a demon attack in a nearby village. The fact that I had to make it happen just so everyone in this city would believe it..." remain serious tone

  Angel remained confused, tilting her head slightly.

  "Wha—what do you mean?" she asked, still not understanding the situation she was in.

  Marvell let out a calm sigh and explained.

  "You told a guard that a demon was attacking a village, and they believed you. They sent scouts to see it for themselves. And guess who was the only girl with purple hair?" His eyes locked onto Angel with seriousness.

  Realizing what she had done, she remained silent in guilt. She sighed and then asked calmly,

  "Oh... I thought they wouldn’t bother to do so. I... I am sorry," she said, looking down.

  Marvell sighed before expressing his thoughts.

  as he look down on the ground "To be honest, on my way here, I was thinking of calling you a dumb person who brings problems to my doorstep. But then I realized... you're not dumb. None of you are. You're just new and have never known anything beyond the castle," he said calmly, looking at Angel with worrying face. He sighed again, closing his eyes in regret after saying what he wanted to say to her.

  Angel, hearing Marvell's thoughts about what had happened, apologized while bowing her head.

  "I am sorry," she said.

  Marvell then told her, with his eyes appearing slowly back to normal yet feelings guilty on his expression.

  "No need to apologize. It's already done, though."

  Hearing this, Angel went silent, unsure of what to say. Marvell remained still, his gaze lowered to the ground. Something came to her mind, and she asked,

  "So... what did you do after knowing the guards sent their scouts?" she asked calmly.

  Marvell slowly raised his head, revealing hollow, empty eyes staring at her as he answered.

  "I BURNED down a village," he said, his tone serious, his expression eerie.

  Hearing this, Angel was shocked.

  "Wha—What?" confused.

  Marvell closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them, his gaze returning to normal. Then, with a smile, he reassured her.

  "Without killing people, of course. I'm not a murderer." while looking sideways and close one of his eyes.

  His lighthearted tone shifted the mood slightly. Angel let out a breath of relief after hearing it.

  "Phew... I thought my actions had cost someone their life," she said, feeling reassured.

  Marvell then responded with a casual yet almost cheerful tone.

  "Nah, don't worry. Actually, your actions did kill someone."

  Angel's expression shifted instantly to shock.

  "My actions... killed someone...?" she asked.

  "Yep," Marvell replied with a happy smile. Then, continuing in a calm yet proud voice, he added,

  "A noble—the one who was forcing you. I made good use of him."

  Angel, feeling no concern over the noble's death, asked,

  "What did you do to him?"

  Marvell replied simply,

  "Simple. Our right friend here—" he pointed at the right tail, its mouth wide open, flames still bursting inside to light the room—

  "—ate him."

  He said it casually, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

  Hearing this, Angel didn’t seem to mind and told Marvell,

  "Yeah, I feel like he deserved it," she said, showing no concern at all.

  Marvell let out a short laugh, realizing they shared the same view on the matter.

  "My brother would be bothered by it and would ask me why I did that. Guess I was wrong about you," he said as his laughter slowly faded, while angel have something in her mind as she look down.

  "Anyway, on my way here, something got me thinking. But before that, I want to ask you something."

  Angel’s eyes lifted in curiosity.

  "Now that you mention it, I’m curious. Why?" she asked.

  Seeing her attention fixed on him brought a smile to Marvell’s face. He quickly answered with enthusiasm,

  "Well, aside from rescuing you, your actions gave me an idea. This idea will ensure your friends’ safety, but... you better hope it works."

  He spoke calmly, leaving Angel intrigued. She remained silent, waiting to hear what Marvell had to say.

  Marvell then continued,

  "Given the fact that this city's safety is now threatened because of the report about demons attacking a nearby village, the so-called king would probably think of sending the heroes to guard this place. Because, when you think about it... the king wants all of you dead rather than having you return safely."

  Angel’s expression shifted as she listened, frozen in silence.

  "Considering the demon lord was defeated by an unnamed hero a year ago, and the fact that the king knows this... my assumptions only grow stronger and stronger. Not only would he want demons outside his walls eliminated, but sending all of you to your deaths could easily be his second priority," Marvell said calmly, his eyes locked onto Angel.

  Angel remained still, completely silent as she processed Marvell’s words, his suspicions weighing heavily on her mind.

  "But unfortunately, that remains just an assumption. It could be wrong, and staying here might be a waste of time," Marvell said calmly, making it clear he wasn’t entirely sure of his own theory.

  Hearing this, Angel was confused and asked curiously,

  "What makes you think you might be wrong?"

  From the palm of Marvell’s hand, an ice stick formed. He took a bite, savoring it for a moment before answering her curiosity.

  "This city holds value for being important—it produces things like runes and other magical stuff. For example, the teleportation devices I mentioned earlier. There's a huge mine under this city."

  He took another bite, then pointed the ice stick at Angel.

  "If he knows this city is threatened… well, there are a lot of possibilities. I’m too lazy to list them all, but sending your group of friends here isn’t the only option."

  Lowering his hand, he took yet another bite.

  Hearing this, a question struck Angel’s mind. Without hesitation, she quickly asked,

  "Why didn’t you think of this plan earlier? Why now?"

  Marvell looked up and casually replied,

  "Simple. What does every creature always do?" angel curiosity was risen up as he hears what Marv said to her.

  Then, lifting his hand to his shoulder, he answered jokingly,

  "Because we always forget things, okay?" with eyes looking sideways

  Hearing his response, Angel could only sit in awkward silence before replying with mild understanding,

  "…Okay." simple word

  After eating the ice stick, he stood up and shook his body from left to right, cracking the bones in his back. Felt fresh he then, he told Angel in a calm tone,

  "For now, we take a rest. In this hard time, people will not rest in peace knowing their city was under attack for a moment. I already signed a place to rest, it was near, so you don’t have to worry about it." he closed his eyes with a smile for a moment before then reopening his eyes.

  He then started walking past Angel, who immediately stood up. As the light from the tails illuminated the darkness, it revealed that ice had been blocking the alley path for a long time.

  Marvell placed his palm against the ice and closed his eyes for a moment. Angel tilted her head to the right, watching his actions. One by one, his tails started closing their mouths, extinguishing the flames they had been producing, making the entire place dark again.

  Marvell opened his eyes, and slowly, the ice he touched melted into the ground. As soon as the path was clear, he walked out of the alley, where the place was now empty—no people, just the two of them. Angel followed closely behind.

  Marvell glanced back at her, suddenly remembering something.

  "Oh yeah, your stuff and staff. Heheheh." He pointed at the alley with his finger, and then his hand upward.

  Angel’s belongings had been placed inside a giant sack, and her staff was floating toward her. She quickly grabbed it and looked at Marvell with gratitude, Marvell lower his hand.

  "Thank you." bowing down before then stand up again.

  Marvell stand for a moment telling angel.

  "Come on, we need to rest, not stand here and realize how much a waste of time that is." before then walk away forward.

  Angel, struggling with the heavy sack, adjusted her grip. Noticing this, Marvell raised his hand, and almost instantly, the giant sack became lighter, making it easier for her to carry. " thanks Marv for your help " Thanking Marvell again for his assitance.

  She then followed Marvell from behind while opening the sack and looking inside, wanting to make sure everything was there in the middle of the quiet night, While Marvell tails looking at her closely as they walking together in the middle of the night.