The Handbook for Completing Demi-Human Girls

Fisher, Eimhart, and Raphaela walked out of the cave, yet they weren't as hurried as when Lar had come, needing to bound over roofs and vault over walls. The journey with Raphaela was more like a leisurely stroll after a meal, appearing quite relaxed.

"Lar met you over there?"

"Ah, at first I didn't even recognize her; she grew up too fast."

Raphaela smiled faintly, merely saying,

"She still eats as much as before, and exercises often, so she grew up all at once. Even I sometimes get a bit dazed. But these years, she and the other sisters have helped me a lot. She, too, has matured quite a bit."

"It seems so."

One could tell this from the earlier battle and some of the related arrangements. She was no longer that little dragon from the past who would secretly eat his bread and run away covering her face.

"By the way, I just suddenly remembered. Just now my horn could suddenly touch you, even though it wasn't possible before..."

As they walked, Raphaela suddenly thought of this matter. Fisher smiled faintly, explaining to her,

"The Dragon Horns of you Dragon-kin are extensions of your Soul. In the past, my Soul and body were separated, unified yet possessing mutually independent properties, so your Dragon Horn couldn't touch me at all. But now, my Soul and body are connected together, therefore I can touch your horn."

"Body and Soul Unity?"

"Ah, that is the concept of the Mythic Rank. It's a bit troublesome to talk about; I'll discuss this matter with you in detail later."

"Alright."

Raphaela perhaps also acutely sensed that Fisher's body was still formidable. Furthermore, Lar couldn't possibly not explain their encounter to her earlier, so it wouldn't be too difficult for Fisher to explain later on.

However, he was somewhat surprised when he met Raphaela. After all, the average rank of an adult Dragon-kin was around the Eighth to Ninth Tier, yet Raphaela's current rank was a full Fourteenth-Tier. Even though it was still a very, very long distance away from the Mythic Rank, among the Dragon-kin it was an existence unprecedented in history and unrepeatable in the future.

But even such a special Dragon Queen was beaten back under the interference of the Mythical Species Demons; or rather, the destructive power of the Mythical Species was evidently higher than the several World-Enders mentioned in the prophecy within the Demi-Human Completion Handbook. Anyway you looked at it, that group of world-destroying Demon-kin had a greater probability of destroying this world than Raphaela, Jasmine, or even Valentiina, not to mention they were believers of Chaos...

This forced Fisher to begin doubting the authenticity of the World-Ending Prophecy. Or perhaps, the true meaning the prophecy signified was not merely what he had observed...

Then today, has the World-Ending Prophecy truly been resolved by him?

As Fisher walked, this doubt also suddenly sprang up in his mind, but for a time he couldn't obtain any answer.

Although because of some factors concerning her companions, Raphaela couldn't directly make Fisher's identity public, or even easily allow him to appear before her constantly tense companions, she trusted Fisher very much. As they walked, she also briefed Fisher on the circumstances of the defense line here.

The movements of General Barbatos, whom Raphaela dreaded, were extremely bizarre. When Raphaela was previously beaten by him into a crushing defeat, unable to escape and fleeing into the Southern Branch Mountain Range, Naris clearly had the opportunity to pursue the victory and annihilate them in one stroke. Raphaela even believed this was the moment of life and death, standing ready in full battle array on the defense line with illness and injuries, prepared to fight to the death.

Bizarrely, after Barbatos repelled Raphaela, he himself showed no signs of heading straight south to attack.

Although the main force of the Human Allied Army still engaged in a decisive battle with the Red Dragon Court beneath the Southern Branch Mountain Range, without Barbatos's help, progress appeared extremely slow, leading to the current stalemated situation.

This feeling of uncertainty displeased Raphaela. She dispatched spies to the northern mountains multiple times to gather intelligence, but the only news she received was that Barbatos was guarding Dragon Court City, unmoving.

After that decisive battle, both sides sank into an eerie silence. Although the opposing side organized several offensives, in Raphaela's eyes they were completely disorganized, not knowing if they were forced to advance under the pressure of the human Empress's orders.

Behind the Southern Branch Mountain Range, the Red Dragon Court had established a total of five defense lines: three facing the Southern Branch Mountain Range, and two facing the coastline. From Sunset Valley at the beginning to the end of the Southern Branch Mountain Range was the "rear" hinterland, which was also the place where the Red Dragon Court organized production and recuperation.

Having understood the general situation, Raphaela quickly led Fisher through countless dense forests and traps. As they paced, the sound of the Horn that had echoed once before transmitted from the distance again—the sound calling for Raphaela.

"It seems the scouts must have discovered something, which is why they are so eagerly calling for me... Fisher, we are here. Rest here for a while. I will come back very quickly after I finish my business, wait for me. Oh, right, are you hungry? If you are, I will have Lar send some food over later..."

Her so-called temporary resting place was indeed sufficiently crude, basically positioned within a cave excavated before a patch of woods. Not a few traces of previous encampments lingered at the entrance of the cave, but all had moved out. This should be a place where quite a few Dragon-kin lived previously, because Fisher saw the signature Mosquito Coils and Rope Knots of the Southern Branch Dragon-kin.

The excavated mountain cave was cool. Raphaela lit a torch; the firelight slowly diffused, revealing a bed piled with a heap of animal furs deep inside the cave. Beside the bed lay assorted weapons and pieces of armor; they seemed to be the Dragon Queen's personal items.

Among those items, a damaged Cardinal structure bearing the Sanctuary's insignia lay on the ground. The Cardinal that Raphaela said she researched without results earlier was likely this item.

Fisher and Eimhart on his shoulder surveyed the surrounding environment, then he said to Raphaela,

"It's okay, I'm not hungry, and Eimhart doesn't need to eat. You go, we will wait for you to return right here."

"Mhm, okay."

Raphaela smiled slightly. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly remembered something. Amidst the dense steam, she hesitated for a moment and walked back.

Following that, she straightforwardly grabbed Fisher's clothing, pulling him towards her.

Eimhart was so scared he flew up because the next moment, Raphaela domineeringly kissed Fisher's lips, coming into contact with him as if demanding and also as if giving.

Bop.

That kiss was very deep and lasted for a long time. High in the sky, a dumbstruck Eimhart couldn't endure the smoke from the steam anymore, flying onto the bed beside them to pretend he saw nothing.

Only after a long while did their lips separate. Raphaela pulled away with somewhat blurred eyes, the tail behind her resembling one drunk, incessantly shaking its head and wagging to no end.

"Hah..."

"Raphaela..."

"I'll be right back."

"Okay. In passing, give Lar's Dagger back to her as well."

With those words, she smiled faintly and released the collar of Fisher's white robe. Taking the Dagger Fisher handed her, she prepared to turn and leave, teasingly adding,

"Mhm, and also bring a suitable set of clothes back for you in passing. My man can't keep dressing like this all the time."

Her armor-clad figure, tail wagging, swiftly walked to the entrance of the cave. Facing the radiant illumination outside, the Scales that were originally laid flat layer by layer stood erected once again, turning into a form resembling a second layer of armor.

Watching her disappearing back, Fisher took a long time to turn his head back. First to catch his eye was Eimhart lying on the ground acting like a corpse.

He shot a glance at Fisher, soullessly mocking,

"Do you know, Fisher, right now you're simply like a concubine waiting for the Emperor's favor! My heavens, I can even imagine exactly what will happen tonight! A Dragon-kin who hasn't seen you for a long time encountering a guy like you... tsk tsk tsk... Heh, I've decided, I'm sleeping outside tonight. I must stay far away from you filthy people, and return tomorrow afternoon!!"

"Just don't get carried off by some wild beast."

"Even if that's the case, whose fault do you think it is?!"

Eimhart angrily sat up, but seeing the smiling corners of Fisher's mouth, he knew that he was also happy about this reunion after a long separation. Thus he didn't say any more wet-blanket words, merely muttering,

"...Hmph, you go ahead and be happy for now, you'll cry the day the secret is out."

"Uh-huh."

Fisher perfunctorily responded, quickly setting his sights on the items near Raphaela's extremely crude bed. Aside from those armors and weapons specially forged for her, there were also some books and newspapers near the bed.

Looking closely, quite a few were written in Nari Language, but most were newspapers from one or two years prior...

Seeing the content reported on them, Fisher had a feeling of both familiarity and strangeness.

And among that pile of books and newspapers, there was a much older newspaper dating back to five years ago.

It recorded some obscure gossip news regarding himself and Elizabeth's "Universal Request." Fortunately, since Elizabeth was the Eldest Princess after all, the newspaper offices didn't dare to write down the details too brazenly openly; it was mostly catching wind and grasping shadows.

Previously, Fisher might have felt these guys weren't professional enough, but now he only wanted to thank this group of newspaper offices who didn't dare to write the details too clearly.

Because precisely on the front page of that newspaper, the orthodox news—the group photo of Prince Lausanne of Schwari visiting Saint-Nazareth University at the time—the figure of Elizabeth standing beside him had been torn open by someone's sharp claws. One could imagine that even such an obscure piece of news had incensed her at the time.

And that was the last time his news appeared in Nari's media. Since then, he had been subjected to Elizabeth's arrest warrant.

Elizabeth's arrest warrant probably didn't need any specific reason; Fisher never cared and wasn't too clear about it. Even if there was one, it would be an unfounded crime of "treason."

Raphaela, far away in the Southern Continent, wouldn't understand the inside story of Saint-Nazareth back then either. Thus she naively believed that his exile was caused by the exposure of their journey and relationship in the Southern Continent by people who recognized Fisher along the way.

Raphaela had many things to busy herself with, and rightfully so, many fetters; otherwise, she wouldn't be this cautious now. But even though she was walking on thin ice, she still continually kept him in her heart...

Fisher gazed at himself on the yellowing newspaper. Above it, Raphaela's claw marks had perhaps traced over it thousands of times, as if wanting to catch hold of his traces through the surface of the paper...

He hadn't moved for a long time. After a long while, his gaze lifted solemnly again, and he abruptly asked Eimhart,

"Eimhart, tell me all the intelligence concerning that Barbatos."

Hearing Fisher mention serious matters, Eimhart hurriedly flew onto Fisher's shoulder and opened his mouth to tell him,

"Fisher, the birth of Demons also has an order of precedence, but the order of birth does not indicate their status. Their status is determined by the strength of their Tier, the region they govern, and their prestige within the Dynasty. But generally speaking, the strength of their power plays the decisive role. The arrangement of nobility goes from [King], [Duke], [Marquis], [Earl], down to [Noble Childe], corresponding respectively to Tiers Nineteen down to Fifteen. Therefore, the Demon Eliog you encountered previously is an Eighteenth-Tier Duke, and Barbatos shares the same rank as her, also positioned as a Duke."

"Among them, there are two relatively special ones. One is that accursed Baimon whose strength is clearly only at the Eighteenth-Tier, yet is positioned as a [King]; the other is Agreas, whose strength is clearly at the Eighteenth-Tier, but is positioned as a [Marquis]... I heard Agreas was originally also a Duke in the Dynasty, but because she loved poking her nose into other people's business too much, she was demoted to Marquis by the other two [Kings], Baal and Astaroth. The result was that not only did she not settle down, but she also loved to establish various standards of virtues, scaring the Demons into staying far away from her..."

Agreas...

That is, the Demon who intercepted the Death Rune as Eliog stated previously. At the time, the operation pursuing Erwind was also drawn up by her. So there was such a weirdo among the Demon-kin.

As for Helaire being positioned as a [King], Fisher wasn't completely surprised at all.

After all, specifically speaking, she might be the most ancient of all the Demons; she was even toiling in the Sanctuary before their birth.

"The problem is, according to your statement, there are a total of seventy-two true Demon-kin. Besides those three Nineteenth-Tiers, there's an unknown number of Eighteenth-Tiers and below. Besides Barbatos, is it possible other Demons have also escaped?"

Eimhart shook his head, adding,

"I'm not sure either; it wouldn't be surprising whatever that accursed Baimon guy does. But I don't think all of them could have run out, otherwise why would they hide in Naris's army to sponge meals? A lot of the Demons among them aren't good items. After running out, they should either be smashing, destroying, and looting everywhere, or going to suck Fallen Self-Nature to their heart's content. After all, right now there are no Holy Progeny or that group of Elves to obstruct them. It's simply like an all-you-can-eat free buffet; they'd be fools not to eat it..."

"Besides, I heard this Demon God Barbatos is rather similar to Agreas; among Demons, he is relatively kind-hearted and likes meddling in others' affairs. This could also explain why he is willing to mingle amongst humans to become some general. So, what can roughly be confirmed is that the number of Demons that ran out is certainly not many, but enough to give the Dragon Court trouble... An Eighteenth-Tier of this era, not to mention factoring in that bada Baimon with unknown objectives. They could bulldoze the Southern Continent once over!"

Fisher nodded, also agreeing with Eimhart's analysis.

He had formally confronted the Nineteenth-Tier Tao Gong head-on before. Naturally, he knew how large the gap between Mythic Ranks was; one could tell from when the Chaos-kin invaded the Northern Border and almost completely leveled it...

After a moment of silence, he abruptly recalled the hints and paths the Demi-Human Completion Handbook had given him.

His eyes narrowed slightly. Following that, he slowly pulled out two square books from his bosom; they were the two Completion Handbooks seized from the hands of Pherone and Erwind.

His fingers slowly brushed the text on the book covers. As if sensing something, strands of a terrifying squirming sensation suddenly surged on his fingers, as if unable to maintain a human form, sounding out murmurs of ravings Fisher was all too familiar with...

They sounded like enticing蛊惑(bewitchments), and also like rational persuasion. They said,

"Soul Completion Handbook..."

The sky gradually grew dark. An unknown amount of time passed. In the dense forest, Raphaela, having finished her meeting and made the corresponding arrangements, led Lar into the dense forest once more, walking towards the cave where she had settled Fisher.

Except the expression on both of their faces wasn't very pleasant. The reason the army called Raphaela back earlier was that the scouts at the front brought heavyweight news.

Owing to the prolonged stalemate, the frequency of scouts returning was gradually decreasing. But once they returned, it also signified the Pseudo-Court in the north made a clear move.

This time was precisely so. The Pseudo-Court already showed signs of mustering their army once more. It wasn't hard to imagine where the target of their gathered army would be. And this meant Raphaela and the rest would have to fight a tough battle again.

Lar following behind watched Raphaela remain completely silent throughout the journey. Unconsciously stroking the two Daggers secured at her waist, she spoke up,

"Perhaps the Pseudo-Court is like last time, all thunder and no rain, Raphaela."

Hearing this, Raphaela shook her head. She said,

"I have a premonition, this time is different from before. Before, that Barbatos had no actions to follow the large army, but the scout's intelligence clearly indicates that Barbatos will personally lead the unit for this encirclement."

Lar also profoundly understood the terror of that Allied Army General. After all, she was also present when the other party struck Raphaela into an utterly defenseless state in a single blow. If Sister Jasmine hadn't been there... she truly didn't dare to imagine.

Looking at the silent Lar beside her, Raphaela smiled slightly. Afterward, she rubbed Lar's head, consoling,

"...We still have time, don't we? They have just begun mustering. From departing with a completely marshaled army until the first unit arrives at the Southern Branch Mountain Range requires at least one month. Before that, I need to return to the rear first; I must ensure the stability of logistics. Only then can I return to fight the Pseudo-Court with no lingering worries at the rear."

"What about Fisher then?"

Lar nodded, but then suddenly thought of something, saying to Raphaela,

"Previously, he merely exerted a bit of effort and almost defeated my entire squad... He differs greatly from ordinary humans, very formidable. With his help, plus Sister Jasmine, we would have a somewhat greater chance of winning against that Barbatos..."

"I..."

Raphaela paused for a moment and gave a helpless smile again.

"I'm not sure... But after all, this is my war. Unless necessary, I do not want to involve him. Moreover, when I left him previously I resolved to rise in vigor and pursue him until I caught up to his footsteps and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. I never expected that five years later, I'd still have accomplished nothing, still gazing at his back. I am truly..."

Lar opened her mouth, catching a glimpse of Raphaela, and her footsteps paused in due course.

In the distance, the mountain cave where Raphaela resided was vaguely visible, but Lar showed no intention of advancing further.

She glanced at the somewhat conflicted Raphaela before her. She knew that Raphaela certainly wouldn't reveal these thoughts in front of Fisher.

Raphaela might have daydreamed countless times that when she secured freedom and a future for the Southern Continent, she could openly and properly find Fisher, asking him to come back... rather than like now, unable to even let him show his face in front of her fellow compatriots...

Lar deeply understood that Raphaela felt guilty and sad for this.

After a moment of silence, Lar handed over the complete set of clothes draped over her hand to Raphaela. Later, she said,

"This set of clothes should fit his build; they are newly sewn by me, Mill taught me."

Raphaela nodded. At this moment, Raphaela, having suffered consecutive setbacks in the war, was no longer as scorching as she was in front of Fisher.

Of course, she would be lost and feel at a loss, but the instinct to put up a brave front made her unwilling to expose this before her lover...

"Thank you, Lar."

Looking at the neat and tidy stitches of the clothing in her hands, she shot Lar a very grateful look. Raphaela knew how to fight a war, but was absolutely incapable of doing chores like cooking or needlework.

Looking at the heavily burdened expression of Raphaela in front of her, Lar sighed, wearing an expression of "truly impossible to not worry about."

She lifted her hand, raising the somewhat drooping head of Raphaela up a bit, and spoke up,

"Alright, Sister Raphaela, my good sister, stop pulling a long face. Since we still have time, let's not tangle over these things today. We'll take our time, okay? As for now, it's time for you to go back and find Fisher. He is still waiting for you, properly relax for a bit..."

Looking at the Lar in front of her acting like a little adult, Raphaela couldn't help but be unable to help laughing.

She rubbed the other's head in return, re-igniting her unbounded vitality and bringing a smiling expression to her face.

"You little squirt, truly..."

"Wuu Wuu... Are you sure you're going to wear this set to go? You're not going to wear some 'decisive battle gown' or something—Wuu wuu wuu!"

As Raphaela listened, her face turned red. She hurriedly rubbed apart the expressionless words about to exit Lar's mouth, and even spurned her, saying,

"Truly shameless, where did you hear these things?"

"Raphaela... the storybooks in your carriage... Wuu Wuu Wuu..."

Raphaela rubbed her little cheeks, then snorted, blushing as she turned her head away, lightly coughing.

"Alright, alright, say no more. Let's call it a day. Hurry up and go rest, good night, Lar..."

"Yes, yes, good night, Lord Raphaela..."

Lar smiled slightly, stepped back once again, and leaped up high into the nearby tall trees.

Raphaela shook her head to prepare to leave, but behind her, Lar's voice suddenly sounded again,

"Lord Raphaela, Fisher came for you. He perhaps never cared where you stood, because a very, very long time ago, you already stood in his heart... It's just, Lord Raphaela, you yourself didn't know it..."

Raphaela's steps paused for a moment. But behind her, the tree branch Lar stood on swayed slightly, with her petite silhouette nowhere to be seen above.

Raphaela looked at the cave flickering with faint firelight ahead. Smiling faintly, she lowered her voice,

"I know..."

Then walking towards the direction of the cave, she draped the clothes in her hands over her arm. Synchronously, she reached out her claws, bit by bit undoing the bindings of the armor on her body.

The armor plates continuously ground against each other. Pieces of armor fell straight onto the ground just like that, while Raphaela showed absolutely no intention to pick them up and put them away.

She somewhat anxiously followed the firelight ahead, until at the end, her body only bore a single piece of thin clothing and the clothes left for Fisher to change into.

Walking deep into the cave, on that bed, Fisher was sitting cross-legged, reading the Naris book she previously placed at the head of the bed; it seemed to narrate Naris history, which she had read before.

Raphaela gulped down a mouthful of saliva. Perhaps even she herself hadn't expected she would turn into a shameless, so desperately horny individual.

But there was no other way, right?

They were clearly Tail-Compatible Partners, clearly separated for so long; asking for a bit more today wouldn't hurt...

Her gaze was evasive, pretending to evaluate her surroundings as she asked,

"Where is that... Eimhart, Fisher?"

Fisher glanced behind Raphaela at the scattered pieces of armor along the road from the cave entrance, and the excited swinging tail behind her, and said, unable to help laughing or crying,

"Him? He volunteered to go investigate out in the wild. Mhm... perhaps an expedition? Anyway, he's only coming back tomorrow."

"I see..."

Raphaela blushed slightly, completely not asking further, even feeling a billion points of joy regarding Eimhart's departure.

Yet in the next second, carrying the clothes Lar sewed, she moved a bit closer to the bed, placing the clothes on it.

"Clothes, I brought them."

"Alright, thank you."

"Want me to help you change?"

"What?"

"Do you want me... to help you change?"

Her eyes darted back and forth over Fisher's body, repeating her words embarrassedly.

"No need."

"I see... Then do you want something to eat?"

"No need..."

"Something to drink?"

"...Really no need."

"Then it's still best I help you change clothes."

Here we go again, back to it.

"..."

Fisher was truly speechless, and there was no way to follow up the conversation.

Perhaps, this was Raphaela wanting to demand under the support of the Tail-Compatible Partner status: seemingly very tactful, yet straightforward to the extreme.

This was the very first time Fisher even felt that he was the fish meat on the chopping block; this feeling was many times stronger than in front of Alagina.

Mhm, she was dying of thirst.

Seeing Fisher not reply, Raphaela took it as his tacit consent. Thereupon she pursed her lips, and her entire self sat onto the bed, the tail behind her sweeping back and forth over the uneven animal skins like a windshield wiper.

That tail, like a propeller in the water, propelled her forward continuously, rushing towards Fisher before her, blocking him onto the bed with no place to dodge.

"Then I'll help you..."

"..."

Raphaela was frighteningly straightforward. Fisher dared not make a sound, watching wide-eyed as that flushed face of Raphaela drew closer to him bit by bit.

Following that, in his astonished line of sight, she gently opened her mouth and bit Fisher's unlined garment, dragging upon the point of contact bit by bit. It was like a bright spark falling onto dry firewood; in but a moment, it took on the momentum of a prairie fire...

He inhaled a breath of deep air. After a helpless smile, however, he didn't unmask her clumsy acting, instead lightly embracing her waist...

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

In a split second, traces of warm steam erupted from the Dragon-kin before him, lingering around their two silhouettes, blurring their outlines, making it unknowable for outsiders to see.

The deep night enveloped the earth little by little, casting a secretive flavor over this originally sparsely-populated Southern Branch Mountain Range...

Only outside in a certain tree, a square book was staring deadpan into the distance—at the mountain, the water, the forest, the sky.

"Voluntary Explorer" Eimhart was about to begin his "magnificent" journey for tonight!

Before parting, he cast dead fish eyes a glance far away to that cave continuously emitting steam visible to the naked eye. What he thought in his heart was unknown.

It wasn't until a long while passed that he flew up expressionlessly, deciding to temporarily keep his distance from this filthy land to seek unknown magnificence and poetic horizons.

It goes without saying, his opening adventure words ought to be sufficiently deafening to the ears!

He said,

"Fisher, your mom!"