My Goblin System : Levelling up with my SSS Class Devouring skill-Chapter 263

"I accept that designation," Satou said with a smile.

Then Jessica seemed to notice the others for the first time, her healer’s instincts kicking into high gear. Her eyes widened as she saw Kelvin’s awkwardly positioned shoulder, Grimnir’s barely-healed chest wounds, Urgot’s multiple bandages.

"Oh my gods, you’re all injured!" She immediately shifted into professional mode, moving toward them with purpose. "Why didn’t you say something immediately? Come here, all of you!"

Her hands began glowing with healing magic before she’d even reached them. [Instant Heal] activated, and Satou watched as his companions’ injuries began closing at visible speeds.

Kelvin’s dislocated shoulder popped back into proper position with an audible crack, making him wince but then sigh with relief as the pain vanished. Grimnir’s chest wounds sealed completely, new skin growing over what had been deep gashes. Urgot’s broken ribs mended, the young orc taking his first deep breath without pain in days.

"Better?" Jessica asked, already moving to check each one thoroughly.

"Much better, Thanks sis" Kelvin said gratefully.

"You should have gotten proper healing immediately," Jessica scolded, though there was no real heat in it. "Letting wounds like that sit for days is dangerous. What if they’d gotten infected? What if—"

She cut off mid-sentence as she noticed two new faces in the group. Her eyes moved from Freda—a young elf with green hair who looked exhausted—to Sylvara—a dark elf with silver-white hair and violet eyes who seemed nervous.

"Who are these?" Jessica asked, turning back to Satou with curiosity replacing her earlier anger.

Satou gestured to each woman in turn. "This is Freda, apprentice to Lady Morgana. She accompanied us on the mission and her magical abilities were crucial to our success. And this is Sylvara Nightwhisper. She was our guide through the Illusion Forest and... well, she has her own connection to Merc Assault."

He looked at Sylvara, who nodded slightly, giving him permission to share the basics.

"Merc Assault was her father," Satou continued quietly. "She spent three years hunting him for revenge after he killed her mother. She helped us reach his fortress, and she was the one who struck the final blow."

Jessica’s expression immediately softened with sympathy. "Oh. I’m... I’m so sorry for your loss. Both losses, I mean. having to... having to do that to your father."

"Thank you," Sylvara said quietly, clearly not used to sympathy. "It was... necessary."

"Sylvara will be staying in our settlement," Satou added. "At least for the foreseeable future. She has valuable skills, and she deserves a place where she can figure out who she is beyond revenge."

Jessica studied Sylvara for a moment, then nodded with understanding. "Then welcome to our settlement. I’m Jessica, one of the healers here. If you need anything, just ask."

"Thank you," Sylvara repeated, seeming surprised by the warm welcome.

"I’ll explain everything in more detail later," Satou said to Jessica. "When we’re alone and have time to talk properly."

Jessica nodded, accepting that. "Alright."

"Lord Satou!"

Everyone turned to see Morgana approaching, her elegant robes flowing as she walked with practiced grace. Her ageless face carried a knowing smile.

"Welcome back, Lord Satou," Morgana said formally. "Lord Loki believed you would be able to kill Merc Assault. I’m pleased to see his faith was justified."

"Master!" Freda’s exhausted face lit up with joy. She immediately rushed toward Morgana, her professional composure forgotten in the happiness of reunion.

Morgana caught her apprentice in a hug, though her expression remained calm. She placed a gentle hand on Freda’s head, the gesture almost maternal.

"I hope you didn’t give Lord Satou a hard time while you were with them," Morgana said, though her tone suggested she already knew the answer.

"Don’t worry about that," Satou interjected before Freda could respond. "She was a great help. I can vouch for that. Her magical abilities and knowledge were crucial, especially during the final confrontation at the temple. Without her purification magic, the situation could have been much worse."

Morgana’s smile widened slightly, genuine pride showing through her usually controlled demeanor. She tapped Freda’s head again. "I’m glad to hear it. I trained you well, it seems."

She turned her attention fully to her apprentice. "I hope you gained a lot of experience from this journey. Real-world application is far more valuable than any amount of theoretical study." 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Freda nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, Master! I learned so much! About ritual magic, about purification on a massive scale, about combat magic under pressure. And Lord Satou’s companions taught me about teamwork and trust and—" She cut herself off, realizing she was babbling. "I learned a lot," she finished more calmly.

"Good," Morgana said simply. Then her expression grew more serious as she turned back to Satou. "Now, I imagine you have important information to share with Lord Loki and the other demon lords?"

Satou’s expression shifted to match hers—serious, focused. "Yes. Can I speak with you privately for a moment?"

Morgana gestured, and they moved away from the others, far enough that their conversation wouldn’t be overheard.

Once they had some privacy, Satou spoke in a low voice. "Before Merc Assault died, he revealed some information about Chronus. Dangerous information about secret dealings and betrayals."

It was a lie, of course. Merc Assault hadn’t told him anything before dying—Satou had gained the information through devouring the assassin’s memories. But he couldn’t admit that without revealing [Devour], so the lie was necessary.

Morgana’s expression sharpened with interest. "What kind of information?"

"The kind that could get Chronus executed by the council if it became public knowledge," Satou said carefully. "Dealings with humans. Intelligence being sold about demon lord positions and activities. Possible involvement in the death of Demon Lord Baelor."

Morgana’s eyes widened slightly—genuine shock on her usually controlled face. "That’s... that’s an extremely serious accusation."

"I know," Satou confirmed. "Which is why I need to discuss it with Lord Loki and preferably Lady Seraphina as well. They need to know what I’ve learned, and we need to decide how to handle it carefully."

"Agreed," Morgana said immediately. "Information of this magnitude requires careful handling. Used incorrectly, it could cause a civil war among demon lords."