Living in another world as an Oni!

Chapter 62: Secret

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Secret

*Scarface's POV*

"The boss left."

Gorn's voice broke the silence as we watched the runt disappear into the distance.

"Yeah," Tink muttered, shifting uneasily on his feet. "Should we... tell her when she comes back?"

I didn't answer immediately, my gaze lingering on the spot where she'd vanished. She had her own battles to fight, her own dreams to chase. This? This wasn't something she needed to carry—not yet.

"No," I said firmly, turning to face the others. "Not yet. She's still just a kid, no matter how tough she pretends to be. Let her have this time. She deserves it."

The air around the group grew heavier, but they nodded.

"Just keep acting like you always have," Fen added, her voice calm but commanding. "Don't give her a reason to suspect anything. She doesn't need to know about this yet."

"We won't," Kirk, the lizardman chief, said solemnly. "We've all seen the problem, and we've all agreed—we won't drag her into it."

The others murmured their agreement, but the gloom in their expressions spoke volumes.

"Good," I said, clapping my hands to break the somber mood. "Now, let's move. We can't have her noticing this kind of atmosphere around camp. Keep things light, yeah? Pretend like nothing's wrong."

Bjorn(Grumpy) tried to force a grin. "Right! Let's go hunt or something. Show her some results when she gets back."@@@@

The group slowly began to disperse, returning to their tasks or preparing for the hunt. As they left, I lingered for a moment, staring at the path the runt had taken.

We'd promised to change. To be better. For her. And we would. Even if it meant keeping secrets.

---

The eastern forest was dense, the canopy overhead casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. Me, Fen, and six others walked in silence, our steps light despite our size. We didn't like coming this way often—this part of the forest was dangerous, even for us.

A lot of the monsters in the forest avoid this place, even the red-eyed ones.

"Are you sure about this?" Fen asked quietly as we approached a hidden path.

I nodded, placing my hand on the rune that concealed the trail. The magic rippled under my touch, and the illusion faded, revealing a narrow, overgrown path.

"This is the fastest way," I said. "If we want results, we need something stronger than the corrupted beasts near camp."

We stood over the body, catching our breath.

"Great work," I said, wiping the blood from my axe. "That could've gone worse."

"Could've gone better too," Nell grunted, leaning on his weapon. "Damn thing didn't go down easy."

"That's not a deer," one of the others muttered, staring at the creature. "That's... something else. Who would create such things?!"

"Humans," Fen said quietly, retrieving her arrows. "The ones from that cursed tribe. They thought they could play gods."

I didn't respond. The memory of that tribe's atrocities was still fresh in all our minds. The things they'd done, the abominations they'd created... it was no wonder the humans had sent their crusaders to wipe them out.

If only they could wipe these things out as well...

"Doesn't matter," I said finally. "It's dead. Let's take what we need and go before something worse shows up."

The others nodded, and we got to work.

The stag's body yielded plenty of valuable materials. Its antlers were infused with magic, its hide was tough enough to rival steel, and its meat—though unsettling to think about—was said to boost strength and stamina.

"This should be enough," I said as we finished harvesting. "Lots of us can evolve from this. The runt will see progress."

"But not the truth," Fen reminded me, her voice low.

I hesitated, then nodded. "Not yet. Not until she's ready."

As we made our way back, the forest seemed darker than before, the silence heavier.

"She's going to find out eventually," Fen said quietly as we walked.

"I know," I replied. "But not now. Not while she's still..."

"Still a child," Fen finished for me.

I didn't answer. The truth was, she wasn't a child—not really. She was stronger, braver, and smarter than any of us gave her credit for. But she still had hope, and that hope was something we couldn't bear to take away.

The path back to camp stretched before us, uncertain and treacherous. But for her sake, we'd keep moving forward.

We owed her that much.