The village didn't look like much.
A wooden palisade surrounded it, tall enough to keep out wolves but not enough to stop anything truly dangerous. Inside, the roads were muddy from recent rain, lined with vendors, livestock, and watchful eyes.
Farmers and traders paused mid-conversation as the party passed through the gates.
And they definitely noticed the tall, white-haired demon trailing behind them.
Yui—still going by Yui—kept his head down and his tail tucked as best he could. Even with the ill-fitting borrowed cloak Marie had thrown over him, his horns and glowing violet eyes drew attention like a bonfire at midnight. A few children stared. One ran off crying.
"Cheerful place," Yui muttered.
"Keep walking," Cael said without looking back.
They crossed the square and reached the village inn. A sign swung lazily in the breeze, carved with a muddy wood carved by a sword. The building was tall for the village, two stories with soot-stained windows and the smell of stew and sweat wafting from inside.
Cael pushed open the door and motioned for Yui to enter.
The inn's common room fell awkwardly quiet. Villagers looked up from their tables, tankards paused mid-drink. The innkeeper—a thick-armed woman in her forties—eyed Yui with open suspicion.
"He's with us," Cael said.
"...You sure?" the woman asked bluntly.
Cael didn't flinch. "For now."
The woman nodded stiffly and gestured upstairs. "Got a room open."
As they climbed the creaking steps, Cael finally spoke again—quiet but sharp.
"We do not found you by coincidence."
Yui, who'd just tripped on the last stair, looked up. "Excuse me?"
Cael turned at the landing, arms crossed over his chestplate. "this morning, our mage Thorne felt a surge of demonic energy near this village. Raw, unshaped power. It pulsed like a beacon, scaring away the villagers. We were sent to investigate."
Yui blinked. "…Sorry?"
"Forgiven." Cael stoically replied. "But when we arrived to the power source, guess what do we find? A naked demon in a field, claiming to be from another world."
Yui opened his mouth to respond, but Cael continued.
"I don't buy it. Not entirely."
Yui frowned. "You think I'm lying?"
"I think you might think you're telling the truth," Cael said, voice low. "That's different."
Yui almost rolled his eyes.
"So you're saying, because Thorne lie detecting spell didn't detect any lies from me, you concluded that what I'm saying was the truth… because I think it was the truth?"
Cael nodded his head "Exactly"
Behind them, Thorne stepped forward—the mage's long black robes trailing behind him like smoke. His voice was clipped, efficient.
"Regardless of if he is telling the truth or not, we can't let you walk around looking like that. I'll mask your form."
Yui stiffened. "Mask?"
"yes mask," Thorne said, raising a gloved hand. "It'll hide your horns, eyes, tail—your aura too, mostly. You'll appear human, at least to casual observers."
Cael then added. "It's that or shackles."
Yui raised his hands. "No argument here."
Thorne muttered a spell, His palm glowed briefly before a wave of warm energy rolled across Yui's skin.
He gasped as it settled into place. The shift was subtle, but powerful. The tingling sensation faded, and when he glanced at his reflection in a darkened window, he saw… a human. Still tall, still pale-haired, but no horns, no glowing eyes, no tail.
His face looked softer too, but it doesn't reduce his beauty one bit
'another win for me'
"I look normal"
"You'll pass." Thorne turned away, rubbing his gloved hand. "Don't expect it to hold under stress."
Cael finally opened the room door.
"You're staying with me tonight."
Yui blinked. "...Come again?"
Cael stepped inside and gestured to the single bed. "We share."
Yui leaned in slightly. "There's only one bed."
"I'm aware."
"You're serious?"
"I don't trust you," Cael said flatly. "You're a walking unknown. If you turn violent in the night, I'd rather be the first to know."
Yui gave him a long, slow blink, then let out a short chuckle. "Romantic."
Cael ignored the remark and began unbuckling his armor. Metal clinked softly as the chest plate hit the floor, followed by his gauntlets and the leather straps that held everything in place. He moved efficiently, focused, and very much pretending Yui and the other wasn't still standing there watching him.
Yui lingered in the doorway, glancing behind him.
Marie met his eyes, gave him a big, smug grin, and wiggled her eyebrows. Selene—the priest gave a small, polite smile before disappearing with Marie into their room. Thorne just muttered, "don't do anything weird" and shut the door with a thud.
Yui sighed. "Okay, okay."
With a casual shrug, he crouched near Cael and started to remove his cloak.
Immediately, Cael stiffened.
"W-What are you doing?" he asked, whipping around so fast his loose blond hair swung.
Yui looked up, blinking. "Taking off my cloak?"
Cael looked at him like he'd just dropped shit in the middle of the room. "You could've warned me."
Yui raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"Relax. I'm not stripping until I'm naked. you don't want a second time do you?"
Cael's eye twitched. "I wasn't— I didn't think—!"
Yui smirked, tossing the cloak over the nearby chair with a flourish. "Come on, Cael. You've already seen way more of me than this, why act so shy?"
Cael turned bright red. "That was different!"
"Was it?" Yui teased. "Because if I remember correctly, I felt your eyes lingering on my abs and ass—"
Cael made a strangled noise and immediately reached out—thwack—delivering a solid (if slightly embarrassed) smack to Yui's shoulder with his hand.
"Hey!" Yui whined, rubbing the spot. "geez I was joking… of course your eyes wasn't lingering on my abs and ass…"
He smirked. "it was lingering on my dick—"
Thawack!
—
The bar attached to the inn wasn't large, but it was lively. Marie, Thorne and Selene had already claimed a table near the hearth, drinks in hand, conversation soft and tired.
Yui—still disguised—slipped inside, ignoring the glances from nearby patrons. Without his demon features, he looked like just another traveler, though an unusually pretty one (hehe). He grabbed a seat next to Marie, who slid a mug toward him.
"Surprised Cael let you out of his sight."
"I snuck out," Yui said brightly. "now i feel like a teen escaping their overprotective dad."
Marie barked a laugh. "Cael does have dad energy, doesn't he?"
Thorne, while sipping his drink, muttered, "Strict, humorless, always threatening to ground someone…"
Selene, the priest, smiled softly. "At least he means well."
'wow, now I feel bad for him if this is how his party looks at him.'
Marie leaned closer to Yui, elbow on the table.
"So. Demon boy."
"Otherworldly," Yui corrected.
She smirked. "Sure. Anyway—you need a new name."
Yui raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with Yui?"
"Nothing," Marie said. "But it's weird here. Doesn't roll off the tongue."
"I don't need a name that rolls off your tongue."
"You will if you want to blend in." She tapped his forehead. "You're undercover now, remember?"
Yui paused, then leaned back with a sigh.
"Fine. Hit me."
Marie grinned. "Yuriel?"
"No, too angelic." chimed Thorne
Marie suggest once more "Dazyr? no"
"Ooh—Yuvira."
Yui blinked. "...That's not even close to 'Yui.'"
"But it sounds exotic," Marie said. "Like some sexy warlock prince with a tragic past."
"You're projecting."
"Let me dream."
Yui swirled his drink, repeating the name to himself. "Yuvira..."
It did sound cool. A bit dramatic, sure, but why not?
"Alright," he said, raising his mug. "To new names."
"To Yuvira!" Marie toasted.
The others chuckled. Even Thorne cracked a small smile.
Then, from across the room, a sharp voice cut through the laughter.
"Yui!"
The entire Tavern went quiet.
At the entrance stood Cael, arms crossed, gaze sharp.
Yui froze mid-sip.
"In my room. Now."
A few villagers ooh'd like children on a schoolyard.
"Ooooohhh…"
Yui groaned. "...Why did he word it like that"
Marie leaned over and whispered,
"You sure he just wants to keep watch on you?"
"Shut up…"
With the entire tavern watching, Yui stood, dramatically drained his drink, and saluted with mock solemnity.
"Need to warm someone's bed."
and with that, the whole Tavern erupted in whistles as he strode briskly toward the angry Cael.
"Don't word it like that."
"Back at you"