‘For a child abandoned by her goddess and obstructed by humans, you seem to be adapting well to living in the Forest of No Return.’

It was officially two weeks since Salem had made this forest her home. Salem had expanded her house. She now had rooms and though it was still empty, she was living well. Her magic practice had also gotten better. All her practice and ideas came from animes and cartoons she had watched on Earth though. But they worked. 

Memories she had thought she had lost, were slowly coming back to her. It was such a memory that inspired her to look for minerals that could be molded into cooking pans and pots. Another such memory had inspired her to make a tub of sorts so she could bath in peace in her home. At the beginning of the second week, she recalled the basic ingredients to make a shampoo and conditioner.

She recalled the memory of a longtime friend she had. Her name was Nelly. She was into all organic stuff and nature. Salem was lazy about things she wasn’t passionate about, but once she learned something, it stayed in her head. Her nickname was the Blackhorse and her favorite quote had always been ‘A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.’

That’s why she easily recalled the recipe her dear friend had shown her. Nelly had gone green and wanted to help her friends practice even the smallest green activity. Salem begrudgingly agreed to try making D.I.Y. soaps in support.

She was currently in the middle of smashing these berries and tea leaves when the sexy voice she heard when she broke out of the temple came back. Her hair was growing exceptionally fast and just river water would not cut it anymore. 

Before she could focus on the sexy voice, she had to ask.                             

“Did you say this place is called the Forest of No Return?”

Salem shivered, What kind of cringey ass name is that? 

‘You’re a rude one huh? I do not know what ‘cringey’ means but I am sure it’s an insult.’

Salem blinked in surprise that the voice could hear her thoughts. She then recalled how it was possible. 

“You must be another god. What do you want from me?”

Salem had no intention of doing the gods any favors. Dawne or whatever her name was had clearly shown Salem the way to the treasury as a means of recompense for her suffering. 

And since she said thank you and goodbye two weeks ago, she hadn’t come back to bother her once. So, what this god wanted with her now, she cared not. 

‘I don’t know if I find your attitude cute or disrespectful. But worry not abandoned one. I am not here to ask for a “favor” as you have put it. I have come to thank you.’

Salem’s eyes narrowed and her head tilted in a ‘what for?’ manner.

She heard a baritone chuckle that gave her body chills she had not felt in ages. It made her lick her lips and sit up. 

‘Those two eggs in your possession are my children. They had been locked up in that temple even longer than you. None of my followers could get them for me as that temple refused to admit they had them. In the two weeks, you've had and watched them though, they’ve grown exponentially. They seem to also be quite fond of you.’

Salem looked toward the eggs. During the day, the eggs sat outside with her. When she went to scavenge the forest, she took them. When she went to the river, she took them and washed them. They slept beside her as well at night. She truly took them everywhere. While they had not grown in size, she could also tell they were getting heavier. Heavier with mana she believed they were gathering from nature and probably Salem herself. 

She could not hear the eggs, but she could feel the fondness he spoke of.

So, Salem just nodded her head.

“You’re welcome then. I am guessing they are not in fact dragons?”

The voice once again chuckled.

Unfortunately for you, they are not. They will appear to be human in shape though. 

“Not like that matters…” Salem said subconsciously as she began crushing the berries again. She had taken them, so they were her responsibility whether they were dragons, humans, elves, or trolls. She wouldn’t abandon them when she was part of the reason they would come into this world.

‘…’

The voice went silent. Salem figured the owner of the voice was done speaking to her so she moved the bowl of crushed berries to the side and grabbed the plum seeds she had collected. She began to wrap them in a piece of her dress before smashing them. 

‘What if they turn out to be disasters?’

Salem stopped hammering and tilted her head, He’s still here?

Salem sighed, “What are you talking about?”

‘The children you are raising, what if they are meant to be a disaster?’

Salem had a look of utter confusion on her face, “Who are you to determine a child’s path? Parents just need to teach, love and support their children until they are adults. They choose their path in life. If that path is a disaster for just them, let them grow from their mistakes. But if you mean a worldwide disaster, as their guardian I would step up. I’m the one raising them. So, I have to take responsibility. But then again, this world has done me no favors...” 

The voice had gone silent again and the sound of Salem’s makeshift hammer hitting the plum seeds stopped. She soon brought the bowl of berries back in front of her and began to strain the oil from the seeds into the bowl. 

She mixed the concoction together smoothly before standing up. She stretched her arms over her head before making her way to the earth house she made. She used magic to levitate the eggs and her shampoo inside. 

She headed to her bed and lied down. She would take a quick nap. She was dead tired. Even the simplest tasks left her drained. It would take a while for her stamina to come back but this was a start. She grabbed her phone and opened her music app. 

She had learned that sending a quick and small amount of mana into the phone would turn it on again. Despite being in a different world, all her songs were still on the phone. She had no signal so she could not make a call, but the songs were saved directly to the device and did not need a signal to play.

She used the songs to keep her sane and put her to sleep.

Salem looked down at her outfit. The dress was long since gone and now worked as some sort of crop top and underwear. Her skin was out in the open and vulnerable. Not that any creature in the forest would dare to harm her. She tried not to look at her scars often but she could feel them whenever she touched her body.

“Doesn’t this world have mountain bandits or adventurers? Why is no one traveling near this forest so I can take their stuff…” 

Salem grumbled before petting the two eggs and going to sleep. She thought she heard someone whisper something in her ear but she ignored it.

‘My name is Azrael…’