D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

Chapter 1225 Chapter 1225 Burgandy’s Backstory

”So, now that weʼve finished that little debate,” said Marigold, ignoring Oditrʼs rolling eyes, ”Iʼm curious about your backstory Burgandy. Iʼm sure itʼs interesting,”

”Iʼm not sure I agree with you,” said Burgandy with a wave of her mug-filled hand. ”Itʼs a touch complicate without knowing all the facts so just keep listening, I promise I WILL get to explaining everything.

”The first thing you should know about me is that I planned to stay a solo adventurer,” Marigold, Burnice and Oditr looked shocked at this, while March obviously knew, while Kat and Lily didnʼt have the context to know why that was supposed to be shocking, ”Sure itʼs dangerous, but I felt the increase in pay, and the extra danger was actually worth it.

”Iʼm sure youʼve all noticed Iʼm not exactly a people person. Iʼve known a whole lot of fae growing up that never believed I had an earth affinity. I was constantly angry as a child, and I still am to some extent. Iʼm not even sure why, I just WAS. Fighting was how I blew off steam.

”My parents tried desperately to find something else for me to occupy my team. Iʼve tried painting, a whole slew of instruments various sports and I even know how to sew. My parents threw me at just about every potential hobby they could think of… and it just didnʼt work. I loved to take my anger at… well everything? The world? Whatever you want to call it, I would throw that energy at anything, or anyone that seemed to be looking for a fight.

”Did you know I won a fight with a giant hawk when I was seven? My parents were horrified, I nearly died in the attempt, but it was the happiest Iʼd ever felt in my life. Though admittedly Iʼm quite lucky my great-grandmother is both alive and a healer. She patched me up for free… the first time. Every time after that sheʼd force me to do chores if I came to see her for injuries.

”Which of course, as a younger woman just made me angrier but I still DID it. The one time I really complained grandma whooped my ass so quickly I didnʼt even realise I was beaten until I was tied up on a chair facing the wall. Of course, she couldnʼt just beat me into the ground as punishment, Iʼd have probably risked angering her for a chance to fight… even if I was going to lose.

”No the punishment was to sit there, tied to a chair and stare at the wall… for hours. It felt like weeks for me at the time, and grandma never told me exactly how long the punishment was for. Just gave me a long straw attached to a cup and told me to sit there and not move. Then she silenced the chair, so she couldnʼt hear me complaining,”

Marigold looked like she really wanted to ask a question, but recognised Burgandy had asked not to be interrupted. Marigold was debating asking anyway when Burgandy answered, what was apparently her question, ”Yes, indeed I did… soil myself more than once on that chair. I was board and drank all the water… which kept getting filled up. So I drank it again, anything to stave off the boredom. It was mortifying later… but next time I was on the chair? Well… I was really that bored.”

*Thatʼs… kinda gross. And I ʼsay thisʼ as someone who had to clean up all sorts of things at an orphanage filled with children.*

[Iʼm not saying I disagree… but Iʼve read about studies where people left alone in a room where thereʼs just a button that shocks you. People eventually start pushing the button, even though all it does is cause pain because being in pain is less… I was going to say ʼpainfulʼ but thatʼs obviously not the right word. I suppose it is less against the human condition to be in pain, then to be bored.]

*Burgandy isnʼt human though, sheʼs a fae.*

[Yes well clearly it implies to all sentient creatures.]

*Mint has said before, dryads literally canʼt get bored.*

[Ok, so maybe itʼs a bit more nuanced then I was laying it out, but you get the point.]

Kat just smiled as she turned back to Burgandy, distracted enough to put that previous bit of information out of her mind. ”So yeah, I canʼt say I was particularly normal child, or a normal teenager. Some days, I think the only reason I managed to pass school was because if they failed me theyʼd have to put up with me for another year. Iʼd get into fights all the time,

”Now, I want to be clear, I wasnʼt bullying any kids. That shit is boring. I tried it once after I saw some older dude bullying this little boy my age, but it was just… boring. I mean, they didnʼt even try to fight back after I punched them once. So I picked bigger targets… until they graduated.

”Then I tried fighting with the teachers. Man I loved the athletics instructor. That woman was the best. Sheʼd fight me any time of day, no matter when I jumped her, and beat me into the ground. Enough to hurt, but not enough to need healing. Truly, it is what made that school bearable. I should really send her a letter. She deserves that much… maybe some gold.

”Anyway, for me, things turned around when my cousin, whoʼs really more like my brother, got married to Willowʼs older sister. Hmm… what to explain first. Right, so for my cousin. His parents died, and heʼs only a touch older than me so my parents decided to take him in instead of having another kid themselves.

”So weʼre more like siblings, but weʼre technically cousin. Anyway, heʼs a lot calmer than me, and my parents are merchants. So weʼve got a decent amount of money, mostly built off the back of my grandparentʼs who took the starting capital great-grandmaʼs healing provided them and really got our company off the ground.

”Weʼre the biggest supplier of medical herbs in the entire fae kingdom. We also do good business in some of the beast, and human kingdoms but not really the elvish or dwarven. Anyway, enough bragging. So, thing is, Willowʼs family are semi-important nobles from the human kingdom but they arenʼt exactly doing so well financially… they also only had daughters in a traditionally patriarchal house. So they were looking for a husband that would do decently amongst the nobility and could give them an injection of money.

”Well, it just so happens that while my cousin, his name is Midori, by the way, well he was with one of our caravans while traveling through their lands. He was acting as the manager, because god knows Iʼm not taking after my parents and running the business. When Willowʼs family saw him? Well they tried to snatch him straight up. They really needed the help apparently.

”Midori turned them down though. Said he was only interested in marrying for love. You see, heʼd just met this lovely human woman while he was in the previous town and despite only seeing her a few times things were already pretty serious. So the parents are arguing with him about this, and then suddenly, Willowʼs sister, Aspen, is literally thrown into the room by the head maid… youʼll never guess who it was though?”

”I feel like we very much can,” bit out Oditr.

Burgandy nodded, ”Yeah I mean, it wouldnʼt be such a crazy story otherwise? Needless to say, my bro was no longer complaining about the marriage. So that was all fine and good. I was off adventuring by myself, when I get this letter from my parents that they need to discuss something with me back at home. I wasnʼt too far away, just a few towns over. So of course I come see whatʼs up.

”Well, it turns out that Willow was looking to become part of an adventuring team, but they only had four members. I wasnʼt interested at all… but my parents more or less tricked me into it. Looking back, it really wasnʼt hard for them to do it. I fell for the bait hook line and sinker. It was probably in my best interest.

”March has really helped me out with my anger problems. Sheʼs normally down for a fight… but if I ever got too angry? Sheʼd just sit on me while lifting weights so I couldnʼt get up. It has surprisingly helped me calm down quite a lot. Iʼm still not the most stable person, and Thymeʼs nonsense about ʼhaving a relaxing tournament roundʼ has been really grinding my gears. Iʼd much rather fight but… well… you donʼt say that to someone like Thyme, not when theyʼre in charge. So… Iʼm trying my best to relax. Itʼs going… alright,”

*Fascinating. I wonder how long sheʼs been with the team? I mean, she canʼt be that old. So I wonder how long she was off fighting things by herself? And when she decided to join up with everyone else on her team?*