Since she was much stronger than the beasts she encountered, Yara didn't have much trouble dealing with them. A single swing of one of her knives, infused with shadow magic to extend its blade, was enough to take the life of a beast, or even several if they were close together. It could be said that Yara spent more time moving from one beast to another than actually fighting them.
So, it's no surprise that she returned to where she had left Lucy and Rina in less than two minutes, during which Lucy barely managed to update Rina on the dangerous situation they were in.
"For now, no beasts are heading toward us…", Yara said as she emerged from behind a tree, her hands busy wiping blood off a knife.
"You really moved fast…", Lucy was impressed by how efficiently Yara had taken down the beasts circling them, even more efficiently than she herself could have. Checking from time to time how much work Yara still had left, she had once seen Yara strike the vital points of three beasts in a single blow.
"Well, now that we're in a safe area and no longer disturbed by anything, we should bring the marquis's subordinates here as quickly as possible, before any remaining beasts spot them. My idea is to send a team of five substitutes after them, two responsible for carrying them and three for protection since transporting three wounded people is likely to attract attention. But I'll need to climb a tree to get a better view and guide them…", Lucy shared her plan, which, although not very efficient, was the safest.
"There's no need to complicate things that much. Since the three men still have their shadows marked by me, I can teleport them here…", Yara said nonchalantly, as if everything was under control. To be fair, Lucy had told her that the marquis's subordinates were not of vital importance, so Yara hadn't paid them much attention, focusing only on keeping herself and her lovers safe. If she were a gamer, Yara would likely be the type to focus solely on the main storyline and ignore side quests.
"....", Lucy facepalmed, realizing she had completely forgotten about Yara's teleportation ability.
'Why didn't Yara do that the moment we stopped? Well, I did ask her to eliminate the beasts chasing us, but it wasn't exactly urgent; they were more of a nuisance than a real threat. Bringing the marquis's subordinates here was far more important…', Lucy couldn't understand Yara's logic.
Believing Yara didn't have any ill intentions, she concluded that the situation likely resulted from poor leadership on her part, as she hadn't clearly stated the objectives, combined with Yara's personality—someone who disliked stepping out of her rhythm to solve problems that didn't directly affect her.
"Then, Yara, bring them here as quickly as possible…", Lucy concluded that there was no point in crying over spilled milk or, in this case, lost time. After all, Yara's plan was far faster than hers.
"Right away...", Yara said proudly, oblivious to Lucy's mental journey. She assumed Lucy was simply overwhelmed with joy at having such a capable lover.
"Oh, right! There's also Silas… Since he usually talks nonstop, I forgot about him now that he's asleep…", Yara finally remembered the dark elf man who, in the name of friendship between their families, had volunteered to help her get treatment for her brother.
Of course, she had known from the start that his intentions weren't entirely pure and that he probably wanted to win her favor. However, since he was a decent fighter, she figured having his help would be easier than going without it. As for his feelings for her, they were none of her concern. Was a goddess obliged to fulfill the prayers of those who offered her tributes? As long as she hadn't asked anyone for help, she didn't feel indebted to them, no matter how much assistance they provided, knowing full well they were thinking only of their own gain, hoping to win her affection.
Since she still held a grudge against the dark elf for injuring Rina, Lucy didn't think it would be much of a loss if Yara forgot about him and left him behind. However, considering he might be a relative of Yara's, she kept this opinion to herself and simply nodded in agreement.
'Maybe he's somewhat pitiful. Not only did Yara leave him behind in a beast-filled area at risk of being blown up, but she didn't seem to feel any remorse for doing so...,' Lucy thought, finding the dark elf's situation rather tragic.
Still, Lucy had no intention of correcting Yara or suggesting she be more responsible toward her comrades. Wouldn't she be shooting herself in the foot if she did that? If Yara became more sociable, she'd likely attract many people eager to get closer to her. Lucy didn't want to see a swarm of men and women hovering around Yara like bees drawn to sugar, vying for her attention. As long as Yara cared about her and Rina, that was more than enough.
It took Yara less than a second to teleport the four men in front of her. This time, the process was much easier, not only because she had gained experience, but also because she could visualize their location more clearly. Since the marquis's three subordinates were unconscious from pain and Silas was deeply asleep, they fell limply through Yara's portals, collapsing into the grass in awkward, unnatural positions. Of course, the fact that Lucy had broken many of their bones likely contributed to that outcome.
Lucy and Rina breathed sighs of relief upon seeing that the three subordinates were safe. Convincing the lionkins from Rina's village that the marquis's kidnapping plot was real would have been extremely difficult without the men as proof. Both promised Yara a generous reward for her efforts once everything was resolved, offering her truly enjoyable moments.
After recovering her mana by drinking a potion Lucy provided, Yara was asked by Lucy whether she could open a portal beneath the treasures they'd left behind. However, being separated from their location by hundreds of meters of forest and not having a mark in the shadow of any of the valuable objects, Yara had no choice but to give a negative answer.
"It's all right, Yara. The most important thing was getting the marquis's subordinates back alive. As for the treasures, I've thought of a way to shield them even from a powerful explosion. Besides the substitute I'll send to decapitate the marquis's son, I'll also send two substitutes capable of transforming into an ice-based shield that will protect the surrounding area…", Lucy reassured Yara. There was no need for her to be omnipotent.
Eager to resolve the uncertain situation as quickly as possible, Lucy wasted no time creating the three substitutes. After placing her black steel sword in the hand of one to help deal with the marquis's son, she climbed a tall tree to guide them toward their destination.