Chapter 33 : Kill Her!

“Huh?”

What was going on? Why were the townspeople staring? Why were they screaming? The baker who’d just looked concerned now shrieked and fled into the back room.

One second ago, everything was fine.

Now—chaos.

Milly turned to the shop window—

Her reflection:
Red eyes.
Black wings.
A tail flicking from beneath her skirt.

Like a demon child.

She hadn’t had these before.

Why did speaking that one phrase trigger this? She didn’t even know what it meant. Scrolling through the languages in her mind, she found no match.

The warm sunlight now felt icy.

What was happening to her?

She turned to the crowd—

And they retreated, creating space around her.

But earlier, while running, no one reacted like this. She drew attention, yes—but not this.

Say something! Someone, anyone, tell her why they were afraid.

Then—

A red fruit flew from the crowd—smacking her forehead.

Ripe pulp burst, juice and seeds sliding into her eye, staining her vision crimson. Milly numbly wiped her cheek, watching red streak down her fingers.

“Why…?”

As if answering—

A roar erupted from the crowd.

“Demon! It’s a demon!”

The fleeing people stopped.

They turned.

Saw the girl with wings—exposed.

And began grabbing whatever was at hand.

“Kill her!”

Another voice—raw, furious.

Milly looked up—

Too late.

A shadow larger than her head loomed—

THUD!

A cabbage smashed into her shoulder.

Before she could react, the mob unleashed.

Vegetables rained down—carrots, tomatoes, potatoes—each strike stinging, humiliating.

“Filthy monster!”

A basket of eggs soared—splattering across her wing bones, dripping like thick tears.

Children mimicked their parents, hurling half-eaten apple cores at her tail.

“Demons out of Starlight City!”

Someone hurled a jar of pickles. It shattered beside her ear.

An onion struck her temple—juice burning her eyes.

The curses grew louder.

“Stone her!”
“Cut off her wings!”
“Her eyes! Rip out those demon eyes!”

Milly stumbled back—crashing into the bakery’s glass display.

Inside, her reflection:
White hair tangled with lettuce.
Dress stained in rainbow splotches.
Wings crumpled under blows.

The crowd blurred into monstrous shapes. Their voices—like swarming bees.

She picked up a mostly intact apple, took a bite.

…Not bad.

She didn’t understand. In her old world, a white-haired, red-eyed loli with wings would be adorable.

Here? They wanted her dead.

And they weren’t joking.

The commotion drew the city guards.

When armored knights saw her wings—

They drew their swords. No hesitation.

Bad.

Vegetables hurt, but weren’t deadly.

But those blades?

They’d kill her.

Run. Now.

She snatched a few unbroken vegetables—grimacing at the waste. Back home, food wasters got publicly shamed.

She bolted into an alley—knights chasing behind.

Glancing back—dammit.

They wore heavy armor, yet ran fast.

Even at full sprint, she couldn’t shake them.

“Damn it… these tin cans won’t quit.”

If caught, they’d impale her—turn her into kebabs.

After the things they screamed… they might behead her. Hang it on the gate.

Gritting her teeth, she pushed harder.

But she didn’t know the city.

They did.

Ahead—another alley.

She turned—

And froze.

Knights waited at the exit—swords drawn.

Behind—closing in.

On both sides—civilians gripping clubs, knives, stones—waiting for the kill.

Trapped.

Only one option left.

But she hadn’t used it in so long—would it still work?

She touched her right collarbone—the spot where Stacy’s thorn sigil once burned.

Before she could activate it—

Black smoke surged from the ground—blinding her.

“Come with me.”

A hand grabbed her arm.

She didn’t know who it was. Or why they helped.

But she had no choice.

Smoke cleared.

The demon girl—gone.

The knights huddled, helmets hiding their faces—but despair radiated from them.

“A demon infiltrated the city—and escaped. Report immediately. Alert all patrols.”

“Yes, sir!”

They scattered.

By dawn, the news would spread: A demon walks among us.

In a hidden alley—

Milly chewed a salvaged carrot.

She’d planned to apologize to Eileen if they met again.

But fate had other plans.

“Um… Miss Eileen… why did you—”

Then—she saw it.

Eileen unfolded black wings from her back.

The carrot slipped from Milly’s fingers.

“You’re… also…”

Eileen stepped forward—fingers pressing Milly’s lips shut.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t walk around like an idiot, flashing my identity in public.”

That smile—so familiar—sent chills down Milly’s spine.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

Seeing Milly freeze, Eileen dropped the smile.

Did the girl suspect?

But Milly shook her head, picking up the carrot.

“Nothing. Just… remembered something unpleasant.”

Probably just a coincidence.