Summoned and Unwanted

Plow recalled jumping Zero’s vines and how much fun she had playing jump rope. She felt the urge to ask Iris to let her play jump rope with the vines of the Seed Guardians.

On the other hand, Jun Ye Rim wondered how much more she needed to learn about the large Lionheart family. The more she stayed with them, the more the days being surprised never seemed to end.

The vines everyone saw emerging from the roof were not the last. More and more vines shot out from the building, causing the adventurers and the soldiers to move away from the building in a hurry.

The eleven people near the building couldn’t fathom what was happening inside, yet one thought was the same between them. The frail-looking maid inside the building wasn’t frail at all. She might be a monster, they thought instead.

The vines stopped emerging from the building, and destruction ceased. The noise stopped, and the situation seemed calm at last. It meant a winner was decided, but who was the question in their thoughts?

After a minute of silence, two glowing blue dots appeared from the entrance, yet they were too far apart to be considered eyes. Additionally, they were almost reaching the roof.

A moment later, two large figures with a glowing blue light in the middle of their heads appeared exiting the entrance. When their large vine human-like figures appeared in the light of the day, the adventurers, the soldiers, and the vice-captions stared with their eyes open wide.

The people seeing Seed Guardians for the very first time in their lives thought they were in a lucid dream. Were the two large vine figures real or an illusion?

.....

Yet what Lilith said soon flashed in their minds. The two seven-foot vine plant monsters were the special plant familiars only Iris could control and the reason they believed a Baron chose to make her his concubine.

“Are... are those the special plant familiars?” Asked the vice-captain with a perplexed expression.

The adventurers and the soldiers overheard the vice-captain’s words. Their eyes watched two Seed Guardians pull Deadeye wrapped in vines and Iris walking behind them with a faint blush on her cheeks.

‘How can special plant familiars exist? They also look stronger than us or any ordinary familiar. How is this possible?’ The adventurers and soldiers thought. Even the vice-captain felt he wasn’t strong to beat one of them.

“Place him in front of the gentleman with a cape.” Ordered Iris.

The Seed Guardians walked past the shocked adventurers and soldiers while pulling a man wrapped in vines. Only his head was visible, and it didn’t look like he was dead.

The vice-captain felt intimidated to see two seven-foot vine monsters walk up to him. They placed Deadeye in front of him as Iris ordered. Then they returned to Iris.

“Let’s return to the earth. ” Iris said.

The two Seed Guardians walked back to Iris, passing the adventurers and soldiers again. The two Seed Guardians kneeled as if Iris was their queen and looked at her.

Iris smiled warmly. “I will send you home.” She said with a sweet voice while inserting her hand in their heads and grabbing their blue, glowing seed core.

The vines of the Seed Guardians started to wither as if all their nutrients were being absorbed. The green vines soon became brown and cracked after becoming brittle.

“Bye. ” Iris said while removing the seed core from their heads. The withered vine bodies couldn’t sustain its body and broke into pieces. Shortly, a pile of sticks that would become wood dust upon touch was in front of Iris.

Iris looked at Ester, Lupa, Lilith, Jun Ye Rim, and Plow. She waved her hands happily and said with a beaming smile and cute dimples, “I did it, hehe. I captured a bad human alive.”

Iris walked past the adventurers and the soldiers in a good mood. The soldiers looked at Iris past them and recalled how their vice-captain was trying to get in the Baroness’s good graces and get sponsored.

As if all the six injured soldiers shared the same thought, they slowly followed after Iris. They stopped in front of Lilith, and even if their legs were hurting and the ground with barely any snow was cold, they lowered down to their knee.

“Please sponsor us. We will serve the Lionheart family with all we have.” The six soldiers said at the same time.

Lilith took a step back because of the surprising development. However, she understood the soldiers considered the Lionheart family as a family strong enough to serve.

‘I bet my father would become envious of Vincent right now. Our family was about to become a fallen noble family. Yet, now, after the appearance of Vincent and the women he won their hearts over, me included, the situation changed for the better.’

Lilith raised her gaze and looked at the sun while continuing to think, ‘It feels like a miracle. Then again, Vincent is a person from another world that arrived more than two decades earlier. That is a miracle in itself.’

“Iris, could you take a look at their wounds?” Lilith looked at the injured woman and continued, “Could you also treat the woman’s injured shoulder?”

“Okay. Although what I have in the pouch couldn’t help the pregnant lady, I can help with minor injuries. ” Iris responded while her hand immediately her pouch to grab herbal pain relieving balms.

“You heard her. Remove the leg armor and receive treatment. Then visit the Emerald Lionheart Mansion to meet with my husband and hear the terms and conditions.” Lilith said. After getting used to his current situation, her heart wasn’t beating quickly with anxiety. Instead, Lilith felt energetic to speak, as if brimming with confidence and courage.

The soldiers sat on the ground and began removing their leg armor promptly. They knew quite well how nobles were. Thus, they didn’t want to take their time and hear the Baroness say how she changed her mind.

Iris went to offer help. At that time, Lilith felt two different hands touching each of her shoulders.

“You are doing well, sister. Your fight appears to be won for the moment. I really like watching confident Lilith, but please do not force yourself to change quickly.” Ester said in a low voice.

“Sister Lilith is ordering the humans like a pack leader. I am proud of my Bar... Baroness sister.” Lupa added in a low voice.

Lilith felt reassured to be praised by Ester and Lupa. Additionally, watching Iris helping the soldiers made her feel more reassured. The women she calls her sisters are dependable and will help her when she needed the most, similar to when she lost weight and almost her life.

Lilith placed her finger on her lips and said with a menacing smile, “Shhh. I hope the secret of the special plant familiar can remain a secret.”

Ester placed her finger on her lips and said, “Shhh. Yes. Keep it a secret, or your next job will be picking up the corpses of nobles.”

Lupa became interested. She also placed her finger on her lips and said, “Shhh. I heard my mate once say, snitches get stitches. I wonder if I should ask Maid Xu to buy a lot of string.”

“Our mouths will stay shut. The only special familiar we saw today is your cute blue fox familiar.” The vice-captain looked at the soldiers and adventurers behind him. “Isn’t that right?”

“Y-yes.” The adventurers and soldiers agreed, one after the other.

Jun Ye Rim remained standing at the side with Plow near her legs. She watched everything transpire like a spectator watching a show. She didn’t help, nor was her help needed.

Jun Ye Rim saw everything, and her consciousness became conflicted.

Jun Ye Rim saw Ester and Lupa acting like the strongest women around her.

Jun Ye Rim saw the nervous and usually quiet Iris become courageous and capture the last thug. She also offered to provide medical attention to injured people.

Jun Ye Rim saw the anxious Lilith, the one who usually stands behind Vincent, while her body nervously shivered, acting like a completely new person. The Lilith in front of her gave the impression of a dependable woman. One where Vincent didn’t need to protect her anymore.

Jun Ye Rim looked down and saw Plow with a proud expression on her face. Even the little fox had protected them from injuring their legs.

‘Why can’t I also provide assistance?... why am I this powerless?... why am I always the one being protected?... why am I feeling sad?... ‘ Jun Ye Rim deeply pondered all alone.

“Does Jun Jun have a belly ache?” *Pho?* Plow asked after feeling worried Jun Ye Rim was suffering from a nature call.

Jun Ye Rim snapped out of her contemplation and shook her head. She lifted Plow with one hand and approached Lilith. “Is it over soon?” She asked.

“Hmm. I think we can leave this situation to the authorities. We will leave after Iris is finished.” Answered Lilith.

“It is not like I care, but did you take medicine to win over your problem?” Jun Ye Rim, while acting as if she didn’t care how Lilith was currently acting.

Lilith shook her head and said, “No. I wanted to change, and the title of Baroness gave me the courage to speak my mind.”

Lilith revealed her hand to Jun Ye Rim. It was shanking from anxiety, yet Lilith didn’t allow her body to be won over by her mortal enemy, anxiety powerful enough to later lead to a panic attack.