Monsters Among Us

You and Eve spend a couple hours (which you time based on the goblin's hourly 'needs' that you help her with) helping Camilla train the recruits. The group ends up pretty exhausted by this point, and Camilla decides to dismiss them until evening. "And remember to keep exercising. We need to build up your stamina as much as we can." They walk off, presumably to return to their homes.

Camilla escorts the both of you inside her home. "So you got some more clothes, I see."

"Yeah, someone decided to drop them off in my room last night." You sit down in one of the chairs, Eve quickly jumping up to your lap. "Speaking of, whoever left these for me left something for you too, Eve."

"You mean you don't know who left them?" Camilla sits in the chair across from you, setting down three cups full of water that she got from a jug on the counter.

"No, they showed up before I got there. I didn't even think to ask Garth this morning." You softly facepalm.

"Any other idea on who could have sent them?" She sips her water.

"Well...I think Eve and I might not be the only monsters here..." You wait for a spit take, but thankfully don't get one. "They left a note, saying they were glad that they might be able to reveal themselves to the public soon. It sucks that they're kind of using me as a guinea pig, but I'll probably get over it."

Camilla cocks an eyebrow as she sets down her cup. "Guinea pig?"

You slouch. "That's the part you're questioning?" You sigh. "Test subject, I mean. It's a sort of animal from my world."

She shrugs. "Well, I'm not too surprised that there are more monsters in town. We're on the edge of the Demon Kingdom, in territory they lost during the last Crusade. And why should you be the only monster able to look like a human? Even if they can't go all the way, like Runa Ruya, they might be able to hide their heritage using clothes. The only question becomes: who among us is a monster?"

"You have any ideas?"

She shakes her head. "Could just use God's Eye on everyone, but if they're already planning on revealing themselves, it might just be wasted effort."

"True..." You scratch your chin.

The three of you sit in silence for a bit, even though Eve was already content to listen to the two of you. After a moment, you hear a knock on the door. Camilla goes to open it, revealing Kara carrying a familiar basket.

"I see I was right to bring extra." The blond chuckles. "May I...come in?" She looks anxiously to Camilla.

The brunette exhales, but you can't see her face because of the angle. "Get in here, already." She embraces her girlfriend, and you're briefly confused why this seems like a big moment for the two of them.

Eve and Kara swiftly make lunch, but that's where 'normal' seems to end. Once the four plates of sandwiches are set on the table and Eve sits on your lap, Kara almost immediately sits sideways on Camilla's.

"K-Kara, what're you doing?" The brunette tries desperately not to look at Kara's eye-level bust.

"Would you prefer we take this to the bed?" She giggles.

I have to admit, it's a lot funnier when you're not in that position yourself.

"That's not-...I'm not-..." Camilla looks to you nervously.

"If you don't want me to sit in your lap, maybe you should get more chairs." Kara continues giggling as she wraps an arm around her girlfriend.

Eve speaks up for the first time in the conversation. "Two chairs seems fine to me." She munches down on her sandwich.

"O-oh!" Kara seems surprised for a second, and you quickly share a look with Camilla, who's face is entirely red, as you remember the 'present' you'd given her the chance to test out. "It looks like I'm going to need to braid your hair again, Eve."

You and Camilla both release the breaths you'd been holding. You pick up your sandwich. "Regardless of the number of chairs, thanks for the meal. Both of you." You rub Eve's head with your free hand.

"No wonder I have to braid it again."

"A smite spell? I feel like this makes me some kind of priest at this point." Camilla swings her sword, and you deflect it with ease, now back in your true form.

"I don't know what to tell you, but I'm definitely not a god." You thrust with your light blade, testing out the new feature. "And I'm definitely not able to tell you what your other abilities are going to be." I don't even know what to say about her 'experience lock' on the Acolyte class. What's up with that, anyway?

She parries with her shield and pulls her sword back. "Well, I might as well try it, right?" She swings with all her might, and even though you know it shouldn't actually hurt you, the entire point of the exercise is to build your reaction time and test new abilities.

Kara speaks up from one of the logs next to the arena as she braids Eve's hair. "Don't push yourself, Cammy!"

You deflect another strike as you begin to coach Camilla. "Alright, so try to channel your mana into the blade before you strike." You brace yourself, even if you don't really need to. Your Physical and Magical Defense should be more than enough to handle a strike like this.

She pauses, readying another strike. Slowly, you see a faint, flickering glow appear in her blade. Well, it's technically your blade, but you don't really need it anymore. She swings the blade, and you can feel the magical energy as the swords connect, but it's not quite as much as you'd expect.

You pull back, lowering your sword. "That's...not it, is it? You seem like you've got more power than that."

"Don't patronize me!" She swings harder, but the blade's glow continues to flicker, not adding much to the swing itself.

You barely block the blow, and need to continue blocking the barrage that follows. "I'm...not trying...to do that!" You use your strength to slam your blade into her own, sending the blade into the dirt a few feet away. "I'm just saying that...I don't know... You seem like you're capable of so much more than that, even though you just started with magic."

"You think I don't know that?" She sighs frustratingly, bending down to pick up the queen's blade. "I'm barely able to use magic and even I can sense that."

Kara chimes in, a teasing tone in her voice. "Why don't you try kissing your boyfriend?"

"You're not helping, Kara..." Camilla covers her eyes.

You pause. "Why am I suddenly her boyfriend if you two are the ones in a relationship?" You point your finger between the two of them.

"That's not important!"