The afternoon after the night between Raven and Maria, the mansion's deconstruction had already begun under Tan's watchful eyes. But before the walls could be taken down, Erika had to purify the entire place, ensuring the safety of workers from the mummified humanoids.
Taking the workers with her to the basement as it was infested with the worst of the horrors, Erika was busy with Amedith as well as Liliyana, all the while, the rest of the party was hanging out in the mansion's garden. Not merely because it was a nice place to spend a sunny day, but instead because of something peculiar that nobody had expected.
Watching the Asmodia training Maria from under the gazebos, the benches, and even sitting on the grassy ground, everyone curiously stalked the ex-queen's every movement. She was being taught to cast magic–something she had never been good at and was even now continuously failing.
However, the spells and casting weren't the cause of their interest, instead, it was the sudden shift in Maria's actions that had everyone's full interest.
"What changed?" Turning back to the front in her chair, Mel quickly reached Raven for answers. "How did you convince her to stop moping in one night?"
Hearing that question, Raven's eyes darted to Arche for a moment. Mel noticed the shift in his and followed it to the queen, but knowing nothing of the conversation between them, she quickly repeated the same question.
"I found an alternative answer to our problem," his eyes shifting from Arche to Asmodia, Raven explained further. "Even if we didn't find the soul in the demon's den, it would've only worsened the situation for Maria as her hopes would once again have been shattered, but..."
Taking a deep breath as he turned to Mel, Raven placed his hand on top of hers.
"I found another answer, something that wouldn't shatter her even if we don't find her soul down under." Going silent for a bit couldn't find any flaws in Raven's logic, not that she wanted to, but the suffering of Maria being culled entirely wasn't something she was completely happy about.
"Whatever, at least we don't have to snoop around if we don't need to now," Mel responded, getting off of her seat.
Picking up the trays of snacks, cups, and fruity drinks, she decided to take it all back since the maids had been far too busy helping Erika and the others. In the meantime, while she was busy cleaning up, Raven watched the monster girls who were in turn watching Maria struggle with magic.
Although a bit neglected in recent days, having each other as company none of them seemed all that bothered as of yet. But how long will that last, especially with Ophelia and Amelia still fitting in, Raven wasn't exactly sure.
"AGHH!" Clenching a fist over her heart, Ophelia struggled through the pain coursing through her chest.
"THAT HURTS! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Amelia cried, her eyes already teary.
"BITCH! YOU NEARLY STOPPED MY HEART!!!" Overcoming the pain, Mino lifted herself to her feet and rushed to grab Maine by her tail.
"EY! EY! YOU STARTED IT!" Making use of her hereditary talent, Maine grew a pair of wings like the turkey she'd been eating. Flying back from the minotaur girl, she lifted up in the air with a smile, but that didn't last long as Arche easily grabbed her by the wings. "EH? WH-WHAT?!"
Being turned upside down, the Lamia was utterly disorientated and by the time she regained proper vision, she was met with the glaring eyes of the Arachne.
"Try that again and I'll be eating turkeys in my belly..." Even though she never used any talent like Maine, her words froze everyone around her, especially the upside-down and winged Lamia.
"Y-yes!" She replied, nodding frantically up and down.
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However, that didn't stop Maine's punishment as a massive spirit minotaur flicked Maine off Arche's fingers like a fly.
Crashing into a bed of flowers, she didn't incur much injury but from the sight of her circling eyes, it was clear that she'd been punished severely.
"Bitch almost gave us a heart attack over a turkey leg..." Said Mino, her chest puffed out angrily.
Once their conflict was over, however, Raven who'd been watching afar had to order the maids to get Maine some extra turkey that night.