My Reincarnation as a Chicken

Yokino dropped from the roof top silently. She surveyed her surroundings to ensure that no one had noticed her. That is, no one but the person currently tailing her.

“You can come out, you know? I’m not going to bite you or anything.”

She said. There was no response.

“Men like you are such a bore, you know? You probably don’t even have a woman at your side.”

The ground crunched as someone approached her. To her side she noticed a man shrouded in the darkness with only a red light coming from his forehead. His features were too hidden to be made out for her, even though she possessed [Night Vision].

“What are you doing in this city. It’s quite the journey to Larm.”

The spider king’s lips curved upwards slightly.

“I know right? But the thing is, I’m under orders from someone I believe you are familiar with. So It’d be best you don’t bother me while I’m enjoying my stay.”

“Oh? Someone I’m familiar with? May I know who you speak of, then?”

“Oh my. I wouldn’t dare speak the name of the Duchess.”

Grimm tensed up in the shadows and Yokino’s grin widened after sensing his fear.

“Normally, I would be hunting you down because of her, but I’m here for a different purpose.”

“You… You aren’t here for the dhampyr?”

“I am. My current orders are to retrieve her and go to Larm. The hunt for you is secondary. In fact, that can be ignored in the long run as long as I get my quarry.”

Grimm Black walked out of the shadows and went down on one knee before Yokino. His demeanor was now different from the one he always showed. A composed air that showed elegance and unfailing loyalty. There was something even more different. Something that made him appear even more dangerous than before. That was the fear. The subtle anxiety he gave off that only a handful of people would have noticed. His increased heartbeat he had tried to subdue. The amplified breathing and little flinching. All so subtle barely any would notice a difference, yet any who did would know that he was way more dangerous than normal now.

“So, shall I present the child to you?”

He asked.

“Why so serious all of a sudden? Hmm? Besides, will there not be any problems were the child to disappear all of a sudden?”

“Neigh. I had already been planning the death of the noble man Percy McAllister since long before. My plans were going to take place soon. I can kill him and hand over the child if that is what you wish for?”

“And you won’t even bother asking why we want the child?”

“I believe that to be imposing on my side. I wouldn’t dare dishonour the Duchess in such a manner.”

“I see. In that case, R- No – Grimm Black. Let us do well to work together, hmm?”

“Understood. How shall we be communicating?”

“Worry not about the minor inconveniences. Think only about the end. I left my, erm, superior with a couple of humans. Please do ensure that she does not end up killing a lot of humans? She isn’t in the best of states mentally at the moment.”

Yokino delivered her orders and faded out into mist, leaving Grimm to the ground by himself. The vampire also walked back into the shadows and disappeared.

The Next Night

“Honestly~ This city just keeps on giving, no?”

Yokino said in a loud seductive voice while taking a cup of beer with a few men all around her.

“Hehehe! You said it Sister~ This city is just the best for us!”

Another woman replied and both of them rose their cups up high with joyous expressions.

The bar was noisier than usual tonight and that was because of its new member. The girl from nowhere who went by the name Kumo. She was a really wild girl who quickly became the hot topic for the night. Now there was an ongoing debate amongst the men as to who would be the first to get in the bed.

“Come on! Come on! I stake 20 silver coins that it’s none of you!”

She said joyfully as she joined the circle of men.

“What? No way in hell! I stake 1 gold coin that it’ll be me!”

A man said. By no means was he handsome and from the looks of his clothes, a gold coin was way more than he could afford.

“Yeah, go look in a river before you make any more bets! Who’s next?”

“I stake 3 gold coins that you’ll be spending the night with me~”

A sweet voice said. Yokino looked up and saw a beauty with Cherokee-like skin.

“Sorry sweet stuff, but I’m into men only. Ok, now drop those 3 gold coins! Imma be a billionaire at this point.”

Crimson didn’t pay any more attention to the beauty and just looked at the other men. However, the beauty moved forward and grabbed her hand.

“Oi, what do you want? I told you I’m not into girls.”

“Won’t you reconsider? For me?”

She opened Yokino’s palm and dropped a coin in her palm. Crimson was starting to get annoyed, but when she looked at the coin, she realized that it wasn’t gold. Neither was it copper nor silver. No. It was something of higher value than money in this kind of setting.

She looked up and met serious emerald eyes on a cute face. An unbelievable contrast in moods that made it almost impossible to tell exactly what she wanted. This person was a master in the art of playing with hearts.

“Ok, sweet stuff. You win me for the night.”

Crimson said and the other men just whined.

“Oi, Nike! You gotta stop doing this. You never leave the good stuff for us.”

Nike grabbed Crimson by the arm and proceeded to drag her out of the bar.

“Sorry, but this one’s just too much of a knockout to let her go. I’ll leave the next one to you boys.”

The men grunted in annoyance, but none would dare touch her. After all, she was Tyvnn’s favorite.

The two appeared on the streets.

“So. What’s the big idea?”

“Hmm~ I just wanted to go out on a date with you~”

She said.

‘Do you possess [Telepathy]?’

Nike asked while saying her sentence. Crimson wasn’t certain whether it was good to respond honestly to that or not, so she would lead her on for now.

“Is that so. I would have assumed you wanted to talk to me about something in private.”

“Nope~ Just a light cute date. You see~”

‘So you do. In that case, this conversation is about to get serious.’

“I see.”

Both walked arm in arm, looking at the stalls and all the women lined up on walls, chatting and surveying the area for men.

“Do they even get men? The body merchants, I mean.”

“Body merchants?”

“Yes~ You know, the people who sell their bodies for one night.”

“Ah~ Yes they do. This city’s actual residents may be poor, but there is no end to traveling adventurers and nobles who look for high quality service.”

She waved at one of the women, who all bowed to her.

“You like some kind of princess to them?”

“Something like that~”

‘I basically have this city at my fingertips.’

“Scary~ I better be careful around you then.”

“Fufufu… don’t be.”

‘If you don’t mess with me, no one gets hurt.’

Crimson took out a piece of fruit she had been storing in her clothes.

“Want some? Moko fruits are quite tasty.”

She offered the dark purple peach shaped fruit to Nike, who curiously accepted the offer.

“I haven’t seen one of these before. Never even heard of them.”

‘Where did you get these?’

“Of course you haven’t heard of them. They only grow in Larm.”

Crimson said and took a bite out of hers.

“Interesting. How did you get it then?”

‘Black market? Secret task force?’

“Nothing too special, honestly. I simply go pluck one whenever I feel like.”

She took another bite and looked at Nike who had paused in her tracks. A wicked smile that was almost inhumane formed on her face.

“Dearest Nike~ You have something face. Lemme get that for you.”

Yokino wiped away some of the fluid from the fruit off Nike’s face. Nike was dead still, her mind still trying to understand exactly what Yokino just said.

“Are you ok? You look deathly pale? Maybe you should get some rest. And next time, when you try to interrogate someone, make sure it’s someone weaker than you~”

Her crimson hair turned turquoise blue as it swayed from side to side. She squirmed about for a while before stretching and yawning.

“Anyway, it’s too late for me. The early spider kills the human, as they say. It was a pleasure meeting you, Nike~ Don’t worry about your man. I won’t kill him if he follows my orders to the letter.”

Yokino walked past Nike who was still frozen.