"So you are using the waypoints. How interesting," a shadowy figure, lean and tall, womanly voice sounded from it.

  "Ruby!!!!! What are you doing here?" Levy remarked, her eyes wide with surprise.

  "Oh, hello there, Levy. Long time no see," Ruby replied with a sly smile.

  "Ruby????" Era said, her brow furrowing in confusion.

  "Mistress, is your name really Ruby?" Era asked in a questioning voice.

  "Ruby is just one of many names I go by. As I told you a long time ago, true names have power, and you shouldn't give them to people you don't trust."

  "Well, Levy is a special case. It is her true name, but she is a faerie and a guardian, so she has the world's protection. No one could ever curse her," Ruby expined.

  "And you must be Lilith, the new Demon Lord. I can sense a dragon with you. Who might that be? It seems familiar, but I can't put my thought on it," Ruby continued, her eyes narrowing as she scrutinized Lilith.

  "Hello, yes, I am Lilith and a Demon Lord. This is Tami; she is a Fenrir pup. And the faerie next to Levy is El," Lilith introduced, gesturing to her companions.

  "The dragon you are sensing from me is around my neck. I have the soul of a dragon trapped in this amulet," Lilith expined, holding up the neckce for Ruby to see.

  "I see," Ruby pondered, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "And now you are on your way to the World Tree with help and guidance from Levy. So, Era, you are still more a knight than a maid, but you are getting closer. Remember that being a maid-knight is all about bance. You should be both, nothing more, nothing less."

  Era looked down and answered in a lower voice, "Yes, Mistress."

  Ruby's smile was enigmatic as she continued, "The World Tree is a pce of ancient power and immense significance. But be wary of the sea.

  "Well, well, well. That is the first time you ever said something like this to me," Levy remarked, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

  "Well, Levy," Ruby responded with a knowing smile, "I can't let anything happen to my little maid-knight Era, now can I? I am still her master, her teacher, her guide on this path she chose. But enough of that. Let's talk more about Era's past. Remember when we were in that castle hunting the thief?"

  Era blushed slightly, recalling the memory. "Oh, that was quite an adventure," she said with a shy smile.

  Lilith's eyes sparkled with interest. "Do tell! I love a good story from the past."

  Ruby leaned back slightly, her demeanor rexed. "It was a stormy night, and the castle was shrouded in darkness. Era, still a novice maid-knight, was determined to prove herself. We had heard rumors of a thief who had been stealing precious artifacts from the castle's treasury. Era took it upon herself to track down the thief."

  Era's cheeks reddened further as she added, "I was so nervous, but I knew I had to succeed. I couldn't let Mistress Ruby down."

  Ruby nodded, her expression fond. "With stealth and determination, Era navigated the castle's byrinthine corridors. She listened to every creak and whisper, her senses on high alert. Finally, she cornered the thief in the grand hall."

  Lilith and El leaned in, clearly captivated. "And then what happened?"

  "Era confronted the thief, and a fierce battle ensued," Ruby continued. "The thief was cunning and quick, but Era's training and resolve saw her through. She managed to disarm the thief and recover the stolen artifacts."

  Era smiled, a mixture of pride and humility. "It was a challenging experience, but I learned so much from it, and you could just have finished it at any point.."

  Ruby's eyes softened as she looked at Era. "yes i could, but what would you learn from that? And that, Levy, is why I care so much for my little maid-knight. She has grown so much since that day."

  Levy nodded appreciatively. "It's clear that you both share a special bond. Thank you for sharing that story, Ruby."

  Ruby smiled enigmatically. "It was my pleasure. Now, let us continue. Let me see... oh yes, that time you got your first maid duty to that spoiled little girl. Oh, what fun and joy it was to watch that."

  "Oh, do tell!" Lilith and El chimed in, leaning closer to Ruby to listen. Tami just y next to Lilith, getting nuzzled.

  Era's face turned a deeper shade of red. "Mistress, do you really have to bring that up?"

  "Absolutely," Ruby said with a mischievous grin. "It was a pivotal moment in your training. That little girl was quite the handful, wasn't she?"

  Lilith's curiosity was piqued. "This sounds interesting. Do tell!"

  Era sighed but couldn't help but smile at the memory. "It was my first official assignment as a maid. I was assigned to serve a nobleman's daughter who was known for being... demanding."

  Ruby chuckled. "Demanding is putting it lightly. The girl was spoiled rotten and used to getting her way. She tested Era's patience and skills to the limit."

  El leaned in, eyes wide. "So, how did you handle it?"

  "It wasn't easy," Era admitted. "But I remembered Mistress Ruby's teachings about bance and patience. I treated the girl with kindness and respect, even when she was at her worst. Over time, she began to soften, and eventually, she started to trust me."

  Ruby nodded approvingly. "It was a true test of your abilities, and you passed with flying colors. You showed not only your strength and skill but also your heart."

  Era looked at Ruby with gratitude. "Thank you, Mistress. That experience taught me so much about being a maid-knight."

  A growl could be heard from Lilith's stomach. "Oh, are we getting hungry, young one?" Ruby said, looking over at Era. "Now, this should be where the maid-knight covers her master."

  Era flinched, her face turning red once more. "You are right, Mistress."

  "Don't call me Mistress anymore, Era. You have a new mistress," Ruby said, pointing at Lilith. "I know you might not call her 'Mistress' as long as you are on this journey, but that does not make it any less true that she is your new master. So from now on, just call me Ruby."

  Era nodded with a smile and then began to prepare for breakfast. The sun's rays of light were shining into the cave where they were staying, and time had flown by quite fast.

  "Era," Ruby chimed in, "it is the afternoon. This cave is westward-facing, so the sun is about to go down. You should make a great feast for all of us. But don't worry, I will help. Levy, El, can you go out to the woods and bring back some timber? Era, Lilith, and I will start prepping everything."

  "Tami, you can go with them." Lilith said with a smile. I know you wanna go out side. Just be careful and help Levy and El.

  El and Levy flew out of the cave and Tami followed them.

  Ruby gnced at Lilith, a hint of wisdom in her eyes. "Remember this, Lilith: even though you are the mistress on this journey, it will never hurt to help others."

  "Oh, don't worry, Ruby," Era said with a bright smile. "Lilith always helps others, even with her status. She is only about a year old now. I know she looks like a sixteen-year-old, but that's just how it is, I guess. She was born into this world as a ten-year-old, and in one year, she looks like a sixteen-year-old."

  Lilith smiled shyly. "It's true. I've grown quickly, but I'm still learning every day."

  Ruby nodded thoughtfully. "It's remarkable, really. Your growth, both physically and emotionally, is quite extraordinary. Now, let's get started on that feast. We have a lot to prepare."

  As Levy and El headed into the woods to gather timber with Tami right behind them. Ruby, Era, and Lilith began organizing and prepping the ingredients for their meal. The cave was soon filled with the sounds of chopping and the fragrant aroma of cooking, a testament to their teamwork and camaraderie.