Judging from itâs subsequent reactions to having itâs legs cut off, Herja could at least surmise it wouldnât be able to attack innocent civilians anytime soon; still, she couldnât bring herself to feel entirely relieved⊠not when they have yet to ascertain anything about the situation. Thankfully, though, Robin seemed to have an idea on how to proceed, and upon figuring she should let him take the reins for now, sheâll soon bring herself to nod.
   ââŠVery well. I shall leave it in your capable hands,â Herja acknowledges while taking a step back and watching him approach that blasted arachnid creature. Of course, seeing his hand shift into something resembling a dragonâs claw did happen to make her brows briefly shoot up in surprise, but considering Siegfried had turned into a dragon before, she supposes it wasnât the most shocking thing to witness; regardless⊠she had to wonder who exactly was Robin.
   The moment he reveals the creature was indeed a human, however, a melancholic gloom would soon descend over her features.
    ââŠI see. So they were human once. How truly awful,â Herja comments, allowing her brows to gradually droop. Honestly, were it not for the fact the captain would likely disapprove of them killing it, she would have already delivered a merciful end to this creature by now. Even so, Herja begins to mull over her options, the longer she listens to him speak. Before she was about to tell him sheâll kill any who would stand in their way to minimize casualties, however, the sound of more than a few footsteps would approach them from behind, prompting her to finally turn⊠and there, standing at the ready, were her Iron Spear agents.
    Sure enough, Herja then proceeds to breathe a sigh of relief, for it was about time they had shown up.
    âGood heavens⊠there are more of these creatures?â one proceeds to exclaim with sheer, utter disbelief while another begins saluting her respectfully. âMâaam! We came as soon as we could! What are your next orders?â one calls out, and by that point, her expression grows stern.
    âWhere in the skies were you all?â Herja questions incredulously. âBut still, you have excellent timing⊠listen, these monsters were human once; therefore, could I ask that you try not to kill them while Robin-dono and I go searching for the spell caster responsible for their ghastly transformation? From what we have observed, it seems cutting off itâs legs or using magic should prove sufficient enough in stalling their movements,â she explains.
    âYes, mâaam! We will try to hold back as much as possible.â A third agent then tells her, before the others followed suit in stating their compliance, and Herja turns to face her comrade once more. âLetâs go, Robin-dono! My men shall be taking it from here.â
  Robin's attention briefly shifts from Herja to her agents when he hears the clink of their boots against the earth. His nose wiggles slightly at the words that leave one of the agent's mouths. He suspected there were more--for all they knew just about everyone in this town could have already been forced to endure this transformation--but knowing, and actually having confirmation were two different things. His tongue clicks against the roof of his mouth in growing agitation. Just how long has the spell-castor been allowed to run amuck in this village, and just how powerful were that they've been able to avoid capture or death by now? The more information they learned, the less desire he had to take part in this mission--not that his willingness to cooperate was terribly high to begin with.
  He makes no effort to address her agents, nor acknowledge them. He had nothing to do with them or the actions they might take, after all. At the very least, they seem enthusiastic about following their commander's orders. And, sure enough, she chooses to hunt down the castor rather than to kill these pitiful creatures. With a silent sigh, he flexes his hand beneath the hem of his long sleeve. The scales still littering his skin crack slightly with the movement. He knows he's not from this world, but, for a moment, he wonders how similar his own situation is to these horrid creatures'. He's not unlike them, after all, a monster that appears human. But he harbors enough knowledge about spells to know the beast dwelling within his own body isn't the same as the spiders controlling these humans. Still, perhaps hunting down the spell-castor will give him some insight to his own situation, or so he can hope despite not being the type to entertain the idea of a wild goose chase.
 "Just make sure they keep their guard up," he warns, relaxing his fingers once more. "I can't say for certain, yet, wether or not this spell can take shape in outsiders, and how long it might take for it do so." He also can't say what type of people it tends to target, but if the elderly woman was anything to go off of, he would hazard a guess that it was easier for the week to succumb to its effects. Or so, he prays that's the case as it would make Herja and her men unlikely targets. As for himself, well, there are benefits to already having one monster inside of you--especially one as greedy and violent as his.
  "Very well." He casts his glance upwards, towards the hill beyond the village, and the terribly uninviting forest, because of course it would--why would anyone pick a nice, not bizarre place to slink off to. "It's faint, but I can sense traces of magic coming from the forest." A forest he's not too keen on venturing into when the plant-like looked suspiciously worse for wear.
  "And be careful. There's something off about everything here. If you feel or sense anything strange, tell me, and we'll stop immediately." There's likely a price the castor has to pay to use such a powerful spell, and he has a feeling the life contained within that forest very well could have been it. Â
   Heâll keep his own advice in mind, as well, he has no desire to die in a world thatâs not even his own, nor does he have any wish to die before recovering his lost memories. Heâs come to far, and gone through too much to simply perish without accomplishing the only goal he had set about reaching when he awoke in the middle of that lonely field.Â
