We returned to the forest where the Moon Magic Grass was said to bloom, bringing the hentai along for the ride. It didn't take long for the Witch of the Forest to show herself. She spared us a frigid glance before directing her vitriol toward Ana.
"What have you come here for? You incompetent Saint."
She clearly found our return suspicious and was likely looking for an excuse to drive us away. Still, I couldn't afford to back down now.
"The situation has changed," I said. "We've come for the seeds of the Moon Magic Grass. With them, we might be able to achieve our goals—and save Mary in the process."
"No matter how many seeds you obtain, someone like you who has neglected her training will never be able to liberate Mary. I have no intention of relying on others. Leave."
"But—!"
"You are persistent. Begone. Otherwise..."
The air around the Witch shifted. Mana was beginning to pool around her, radiating an overwhelming sense of dread.
"Peace," the hentai said, stepping forward to address the Witch. "Now is not the time to be venting your mana."
"You...!"
An expression of naked fury crossed the Witch’s face the moment she saw the hentai.
"I’ve come to set Mary free," the hentai continued. "This is our chance to finally fulfill that promise."
"I see... You'd go that far?"
I didn't quite grasp the details, but there was clearly some deep-seated history between the Witch and the hentai.
"If we join forces, we can liberate Mary. We can finally bring all of this to an end."
"...Very well."
The Witch’s expression softened slightly.
"Then let us go and retrieve the seeds."
With the Witch leading the way with a grim expression, we ventured deeper into the woods.
We reached the edge of the spring where the Moon Magic Grass grew and settled in to wait for nightfall.
Milly was already out cold. For some reason, she’d been tucked away inside a cardboard box. The hentai was the one responsible, claiming the girl would be safe as long as she was inside.
To be honest, I had no idea what she was talking about, but since she said it with such total confidence, I figured she knew something I didn't. I mean, despite her being a total freak, she is a Light Spirit and a former Great Sage. There was probably some kind of defensive enchantment on the thing.
Still, this was the first time I'd seen corrugated cardboard in this world. How the hell did she even know what a box was? No, maybe it was tactless to even ask.
As for the Moon Magic Grass itself, a single bud looked ready to burst at any moment. Since tonight was a new moon, we had high hopes for a bloom.
"Allen. Anastasia. Are you ready for combat?" the hentai asked.
"Yes," Ana replied.
"Yeah. I’ve got my gun, but..."
"Indeed. It would be ideal if that weapon works against our guests."
"Are we expecting something that tough?" I asked.
"I cannot say for sure."
"You don't know?"
"I don't. However, the seeds of the Moon Magic Grass are highly coveted by powerful monsters seeking to bolster their strength and longevity. You can expect some truly formidable creatures to come sniffing around. The last time I was here, I was forced to contend with a Gryphon."
"A Gryphon!?"
A Gryphon was a legendary-class monster. In the Otome Game, it was a hidden boss that only appeared in Hard Mode. You had to grind all the way to the max level just to stand a fighting chance against one of those nightmares.
"Lord Roh, did you actually drive off a Gryphon by yourself?" Ana asked.
"No. At the time, I lacked the power. My presence here today is due to a debt from that very encounter."
"...I see."
Right. So the hentai really did have a history with this forest. And judging by the interaction between her and the Witch earlier, it definitely involved this Mary girl.
Wait, does that mean this creep actually knew Mary back when she was alive five hundred years ago? No, there’s no way...
While I was lost in thought, the sun dipped below the horizon, and the veil of night slowly descended upon the forest. Shortly after the world went dark, the bud finally began to unfurl.
"Allen! Look at the bud!"
"Yeah. It's blooming."
"It's beautiful..."
Ana looked spellbound as she witnessed the mystical sight of the flower opening. We watched in silence until the bud had fully bloomed into a delicate, solitary flower.
"Now we must protect this flower throughout the night," the hentai warned. "Many monsters will be drawn to its seeds."
"Grrrrrr..."
Right as she spoke, a low growl echoed from the depths of the forest.
"What was that?" I asked.
"A Great Wolf," the Witch answered succinctly. "They are common in these woods and are usually the first to come for the grass."
I see. So that was a Great Wolf. If it was just a wolf, it had to be easier than taking down a Wyvern.
"I've got this."
I readied Karashi and took aim at the Great Wolf as it poked its head out from the brush. Then, I squeezed the trigger.
The report of the shot thundered through the nocturnal woods.