My Girlfriends Are Hardcore Yanderes - Chapter 123

Chapter 123: Unwelcome
The moon hung high, casting long shadows across the clearing as the group of beastkin prepared to move. Asher kept his pace behind them, his eyes scanning for any signs of danger.

Rovan, the wolf-like leader, slowed down . His sharp gaze darted toward Ava, the cute dog girl whom Asher had saved.

“You’re making a mistake,” he said, his voice tinged with frustration. “We can’t bring him to the town.”

“Why not? He saved us. He didn’t have to, but he did. I don’t think he’s a bad person.”

Rovan growled under his breath. “And what if he’s dangerous? What if he’s using you to get close to us? To hurt us? You saw what he did back there. No one with that kind of power is harmless.”

Another woman with dog-like features spoke up. “I agree with Rovan. His power isn’t normal. What if he turns on us?”

They spoke in hushed tones, trying to stay quiet, but even their whispers couldn’t slip past Asher’s sharp hearing.

He didn’t know how things worked in this world, but he wasn’t like those who abused their power—he still held on to his morals. As long as they didn’t provoke him, he wouldn’t resort to unnecessary violence.”

Still, being afraid of him was a normal reaction, so he decided to stay silent. It wasn’t like their little talk would affect him in any way.

Ava, on the other hand, wasn’t having it. “If he wanted to hurt us, he wouldn’t have bothered saving anyone. We’d all be dead already.”

Her blunt words made several of them flinch, but no one could argue with her.

It was true—Asher had the ability to kill them all if he wanted and could have easily extracted any information through torture instead of saving them.

Rovan pinched the bridge of his sharp nose, exhaling sharply. “Ava, you don’t understand. It’s not just about us. The entire town could be at risk.”

“Then let me take responsibility,” she snapped back. “If anything happens, blame me. But I’m not going to abandon someone who saved our lives,”

The group fell silent, their eyes darting between Ava and Rovan.

Finally, Rovan sighed and ran a hand through his thick, gray hair.

“Fine,” he said reluctantly. “But don’t expect everyone to welcome him with open arms.”

The journey resumed, but the atmosphere remained tense.

Asher continued walking at the back, his senses picking up every whispered comment and sideways glance.

Ava stayed close to him, occasionally shooting him an apologetic look.

“They’re just scared,” she said softly. “It’s not personal.”

“I know,” he replied, his tone indifferent.

Ava kept stealing sideways glances at him. It was obvious she liked and admired him, which wasn’t surprising. After all, he had saved her, and she probably had that White Knight syndrome.

However, he made sure to keep his distance, careful not to give her any signals she could misinterpret.

She was super pretty—cute enough to be a model in his world. The problem?

She looked like the type of model used for advertising backpacks to middle schoolers, not someone who would soon go to highschool.

The last thing he wanted was to be mistaken for some kind of criminal. He’d rather be labeled a murderer than a predator.

At least murderers could argue they had a reason—he couldn’t think of a single excuse that would make the other option look even remotely okay.

“Sorcerer, can I ask you something?” she asked, leaning closer with her hands tucked behind her back. She looked almost too adorable, like a puppy hoping for a pat or someone to play with.

“What is it?”

“How old are you, exactly? You look really young, and most people I know who can use magic are grandpas and grandmas,” she asked, genuinely curious.

He paused for a moment, thinking about how to answer. Being stuck in the void meant he technically wasn’t 30 yet. But if he said that, he would look way too young. So, he settled on, “100 years old.”

“Only 100 years old? That’s quite young!” she said with a wide smile. “By the way, I’m 18 years old.”

The moment she said “18,” Asher couldn’t help but wonder if someone was playing a prank on him.

Just when he thought he would be labeled a criminal, she casually dropped that she was of legal age. It was a strange relief, but also a bit worrying.

“Is that in dog years?”

“Dog years? What’s that?” she touched her lips in confusion.

“Never mind,” he muttered, shaking his head and deciding to focus on other things.

It was true that he had matured a lot, but some of the things he used to ignore were starting to bother him. He couldn’t tell if that was a good thing or a bad one.

In addition, he was so used to living with Index, who, though not as young-looking, would still be considered very cute. She was very different from Lucy, who had a more mature demeanor, especially in the way she carried herself.

‘Lucy…’ His thoughts drifted.

Deep inside, he hoped this was really the Demon World so he could check on her.

Though he already had Index, that didn’t mean he had forgotten about Lucy. She was still very important to him.

‘I’m being greedy,’ he thought, letting out a heavy sigh. But he’d be lying to himself if he said otherwise.

On the sideline.

Ava’s chest tightened as the silence stretched between them. She had hoped for more, but his short, blunt answers made it clear he wasn’t interested in talking.

She bit her lip, lowering her gaze to the ground below.

After hours of walking, the forest opened up to reveal a breathtaking sight.

Giant trees, their trunks as wide as small houses, stretched high.

Wooden platforms and houses were built into their branches, connected by a network of rope bridges.

Bioluminescent lanterns hung from them, casting a soft, ethereal glow over the village. The air smelled of fresh wood and blooming flowers.

Ava’s face lit up. “We’re here.”

Meanwhile, Asher was deeply intrigued by the barrier that concealed this area.

He hadn’t seen or felt it when flying around, and if it hadn’t been for them guiding him, he probably would have missed it entirely. This showed that the magic in this world was far more advanced than he had expected.

Looking closer, he took in the intricate design of the structures. The houses were made of polished wood, with walls adorned by carvings of animals and forest scenes.

Beastkin of all kinds moved about—some with fur, others with scales, feathers, or horns.

Children laughed as they chased each other across the bridges, while adults carried baskets of fruits and vegetables or sharpened tools.

The group’s arrival didn’t go unnoticed.

Villagers stopped and stared, their conversations halting as they noticed Asher.Whispers spread like wildfire, and he could feel their unease.

Ava stepped forward, addressing a group of elders who had gathered at the largest tree. “Everyone, this is the man who saved our lives.”

The feline elder, Nyra, narrowed her eyes and step forward. “And you thought it wise to bring him here?”

“He saved us,” Ava repeated with a firm voice. “I couldn’t just leave him behind.”