A/N - Well guys I'm back, and its Christmas season! Finally got a laptop which makes things a lot easier too.
This chapter is the beginning of the new arc, that will encompass the period until the third wave in Melromarc, with that said it will also be bigger than the previous two, since there will be a lot to cover, and uncover, along with the start of the true derailing from canon.
Also If anyone is interested, I'm currently looking for a Beta-reader, mostly to help a little on the grammar, and such, do take into consideration that I update every week, or every two weeks, so there's that, if anyone is interested just feel free to PM me.
With all that said here we go. Where Ryou starts multitasking, and powering up, Rishia questions her place in his party, and the Bow Hero completely nails it, or not... And where Ryou finally acknowledges something that as been eating since setting foot on Melromarc.
Chapter 22. Braving Into a New World: Meaning of Home
Teleporting was an interesting if weird experience, after the blue pillar of light came down on him, there was a small moment where everything almost seemed to stop, then Ryou felt a pull on his stomach, and the blue light vanished back into the skies, leaving them in front of the familiar gates of Northern Village. The gates seemed the same, with the addition of two guards on each side, that were looking at them with some degree of curiosity.
Straightening himself, Ryou took in a deep breath. The slightly colder air filled his lungs, along with the fragrance of the pine trees, that while not all that different from the forests around Castle Town, always brought a feeling of nostalgia to the small hero. Last time he had set foot on Northern Village, everything had been erratic, but it still reminded him deeply of his maternal grandmother's village, and that also added to the feeling.
Turning to the side to confirm he hadn't misplaced his partner across time, and space, he saw Rishia crouched on the ground, her hair hiding her face from view. The incubator clutched against her, and Ryou almost feared it would break from the strain his partner seemed to be applying on it.
"You alright there Rishia?" He questioned worriedly, making his way towards the girl, before crouching near her. The girl in question turned to look at him, her face having a little less color than usual. Shaking her head slightly, her eyes widen a little, and one of her hands rose to her mouth, as she gave a dry heave.
"Fuee… I-I think I'm going to be sick…" Her voice came out muffled and strained.
Ryou could only sympathize with her while he reached with his arms, and took the egg back. The last thing he wanted to see was their newest party member getting covered in Rishia's lunch before it was even born. There was no need to traumatize the poor thing so early even if he acknowledged that it would have made a funny story to retell down the line.
"Sorry, but there was no other way unless you wanted to walk…" He admitted, changing to support the egg on one arm, as the other went to her back rubbing it slightly. Unfortunately, she would have to get used to it, because Ryou had no intention of not using such a convenient ability.
"I-It felt like someone grabbed my stomach, and shook it really hard…" She commented, giving another small heave before rising wobbly to her feet.
"Yeah, I felt the same, but it didn't make me sick…" Ryou commented lightly. Rishia seemingly pondered on the subject for a few seconds before adding her two cents.
"It's probably something to do with Ryou-sama being a Hero…" Ryou hummed, considering her words. Naofumi had also been fine riding a carriage with Filo pulling it, while Raphtalia had a bit of trouble. The Shield Hero, however, could also hold his alcohol like a champion, and while Ryou could take a couple of drinks, he had one devastating weakness… Wine… The Bow Hero could down almost any drink no problem, but two glasses of wine would make it very hard for him to synchronize his steps. That, along with the fact that getting drunk on hostile territory was a very bad idea, had been the reason he had stayed away from the beverage in this world.
Taking another look at his partner his lips twitched a little.
"Maybe that's the case, or maybe..." He drawled purposely,"…you just have a sensitive stomach…" He said in a light joking tone. Having spent some time with the girl, he knew how to push her buttons, and it was with some satisfaction that he watched, the normal shy, or apprehensive girl depending on the mood, turn slightly aggravated.
"Fuee, I do not!" She exclaimed, slightly angry at the accusation. Ryou smile grew an inch, taking in her angry stare.
That glare of yours needs a lot of work… Ryou observed. Her look could hardly be described as a glare, however, he also doubted that Rishia would ever be able to pull intimidating in her life, it just wasn't in her blood. The best-case scenario would be the girl intimidating people with her skills, without even meaning too.
Messing with Rishia was becoming his favorite hobby, especially since she just made it so easy.
Keep going like this, and one of these days I'll wake up with a knife between my ribs or smothered by a pillow… It's always the shy ones… Such a sad ending for a Legendary Hero, and somehow I'll still be able to say that it was worth it… Shaking the slightly idiotic thoughts that never failed to come to his mind, Ryou motioned towards the gates with his head.
"Whatever you say Rishia. Come on let's go meet your father…" Ryou said, before turning to move towards the gates. The green-haired girl only released an inaudible huff, before falling in step slightly behind the hero.
"My beautiful daughter you have returned, and so soon too!" The loud voice brought Ryou to a very sudden stop, and he almost turned back to the gates to verify if they were indeed in Northern Village. Halfway through the Ivyred's courtyard, the door of their home had almost been wrenched from its hinges by Lord Almond. Now the Bow Hero could only stand in shock, observing the one-eighty, the man's personality and demeanor had done since last time.
"Fueee! Yes, father! I have so much to tell!" Rishia exclaimed before she was promptly engulfed in a giant hug. Ryou continued to watch, comparing the composed Lord he had met, to this new far more lively version, and he couldn't help but wonder…
Is this anime..?
After letting her go, but still maintaining her within arms reach, with his hands on her shoulders, Almond proceeded to inspect every inch of his daughter from various angles, probably trying to verify if anything was out of place before his eyes widened when he realized Ryou's presence. In record time, the man straightened himself, one hand going behind his back, the other going to his mouth, before releasing two light coughs, and turning to address him.
"Ryou-sama its an honor to see you again, and in good health too…" The man stated going back to the personality that Ryou had associated the noble with, in his mind, much to the Bow Hero's silent amusement.
Trying to save face, are we? A little too late for that isn't it Lord Almond..?
Moving towards the noble Ryou offered his hand in greeting, "Yeah for the most part. It's also good to see you, Lord Almond, you almost seem younger now."
The man took his hand, before coughing again in the other, and looking just a small bit embarrassed, "Well yes… Now that my village is finally stable, even with having much more work, it feels like a huge burden has been taken from my shoulders."
Ryou believed that one hundred percent, especially since the specter of Gentlewood no longer hovered over it. It was clear just by having walked through the village that the inhabitants had a bit more life in them, there were also a few merchants that had set their stalls along the dirt road, something that had also been absent in the past.
The man once again turned to Rishia, and his posture went back to exuberant, along with his voice. "My darling daughter! Even here, I received word of how magnificently you fought, and helped subdue the wave! Come you must tell me everything!" The man shouted, and color rushed to Rishia's face at the praise, and even when she tried to deny it, it fell mostly on deaf hears, as she was ushered inside.
Finally Almond turned to Ryou who was watching the entire thing silently, "Ahh you come to Ryou-sama, I also want to hear tales of your bravery…"
At the request Ryou made his way to follow them, shaking his head slightly at the entire interaction. The Ivyred's were a sight to behold.
From the might Yumi-no Yuusha-sama to an afterthought… Well, I can't blame him, she is his 'darling daughter' after all… Ryou chortled at that one, vowing to use it when the opportunity presented itself.
"So Aultcray is still holding too his hatred with such conviction after all this time…" Almond murmured sadly.
Now an hour later, Rishia had recounted everything that had happened in these two weeks, with Ryou only interjecting when needed, being far too comfortable just listening from his place on the couch. From her meeting Naofumi, and Raphtalia, to the wave, and even the celebration, and the ensuing duel, Rishia had hardly left anything out.
"That's something that has been bothering me since I first set foot on this world… What exactly is Aultcray's beef with Naofumi, or rather the Shield Hero?" Ryou finally interjected. He had ignored it in the beginning because it had nothing to do with him, but now it was truly weighing on his mind.
Almond released a sigh, after taking a sip of his tea, "It's not Naofumi-sama or being the Tate no Yuusha-sama that's the problem, it's what it represents…"
Ryou nodded at the comment, he knew there was a correlation between the Demi-humans worshiping the Shield Hero, and Aultcray's hatred, but he was missing a piece of the puzzle.
"I know that much, it's because Demi-humans worship the Shield Hero, and so he became the focus of Aultcray's hatred, but that's common around Melromarc… The King, however, takes it several levels above that…" Ryou added. Hating Naofumi was in the Shield Hero's own words a trend, but Aultcray took it to the next level, and it seemed completely out of proportions even by national standards.
"The reason behind it was most likely the war with Siltvelt, and maybe what came before that…" Ryou's eyes widen at the new information. The Bow Hero knew there was tension between the two countries, especially with Siltvelt being a country of Demi-humans, but he never considered there had been an outright war.
"Melromarc went to war with Siltvelt?" Ryou asked, leaning forward.
Almond smiled, but it looked sarcastic, before expanding, "Went? Ryou-sama you speak as if the war is over… On the surface that might be the case, but in reality, we are only living in a period of ceasefire…"
That made a lot of sense and explained a few things. Initially, it had only been explained that the summoning of the Heroes had angered the other nations, and so the Queen had moved to quell those fires. Now living in this reality, Ryou had a feeling the situation was a little more serious than that, and that a war could break out if things went south, but he had no idea it was this serious.
"Is the King trying to officially restart the war?" The Bow Hero questioned after a moment. The ceasefire in any shape or form was surely the work of the Queen, and Aultcray had probably opposed that decision, but couldn't do much against the true ruler, so maybe now with the Queen away, and The Four Legendary Heroes on his home turf he was in a very good position to restart the flames of war.
"I honestly don't know, what I do know is that if it was up to him, the war wouldn't have ended until every single Demi-human had been exterminated from the face of the world…" Almond stated, shaking his head.
That confirmed another theory of the Bow Hero, and that was, that the King's hatred had to be personal, there was no way that wasn't the case. However, before he could question it any further Rishia beat him to it.
"Fuee… T -That's horrible, why do s-such a t-thing..?" The green-haired girl asked, her expression morphing into one of slight horror. Ryou could understand her shock, Rishia spent most of her time in Faubley studying were there was no discrimination, and she was close to Raphtalia, so such notion was completely atrocious in her head.
Almond leaned back, his fingers rubbing the sides of his head, before exhaling, " My daughter while our King's actions may be out of proportions, do take into consideration that Siltvelt and the Demi-humans who ruled it at the time were far from being in the right when they started the war… That being said I can only start to guess with the information I have, take into consideration this is mostly rumors from the court… Aultcray is not originally from Melromarc, he came here to fight against the Demi-humans since we were already at war back then… Apparently, his whole family was murdered by them…"
That would surely do it... Ryou thought finally having the answer to that particular mystery. He felt he could connect with the King on some level even if their situation was different, what he could not connect with, was what the King was currently doing.
You can't reason with hatred I know that much, but to condemn an entire race over it… Ryou shook his head. That was taking it to far, especially since Aultcray's actions, might not condemn just Demi-humans, but the entire world, his own family included to oblivion.
"Fuee…T-That's terrible, but most Demi-humans aren't at fault! Some of them weren't even born back then…" Rishia exclaimed. Ryou knew exactly who was on her mind at the moment but he only shook his head. The green-haired girl was too innocent.
"That doesn't matter to him Rishia… If the King is truly blinded by hatred, he won't see anything until its far too late... It's just like I told you, people will only see what they want to see, and Aultcray can probably only see evil when he looks at Demi-humans, and the personification of that evil in his eyes is without a doubt Naofumi..." Ryou finished, leaning back into the coach. Demi-humans were everywhere, even in his own country, but the object of their faith was only one, and that made Naofumi, Aultcray's nemesis, and a far easier target.
I wonder if it ever crossed his mind, that if he had played his cards right with Naofumi, he could have had the Shield Hero on his side, and with a few well-placed words, he could have turned the Hero the Demi-humans adore into their worst enemy, especially with how Naive Naofumi was back then… Ryou considered. Thankfully the King never thought about such a thing, because a world where to Naofumi, Raphtalia was an enemy and evil was one he couldn't even begin to picture.
"The man that I used to know was one full of hatred but he wouldn't go about it in such a roundabout way. The Hero of the Cane... Now that was a truly fearsome man…" Almond commented, with a tone that surprised Ryou since he could detect respect in those words, however it was the content that made his eyebrows rise.
"Hero? Aultcray's a hero?" He questioned in slight disbelief. That couldn't be true, after all, according to what he remembered The King had almost pissed himself when Naofumi threatened him.
Almond looked amused at the look of disbelief on the Bow Hero's face, "Yes... Aultcray Melromarc XIII, Sage King of Melromarc, and Vassal Hero of the Cane! That was what he used to be known as…" Ryou just leaned back again, letting that particular piece of information sink.
Vassal Hero… That's what Glass introduced herself has… That only made the situation even stranger. If Aultcray only possessed half of the strength, Glass could throw around, why be intimidated by Naofumi in the first place? Not only that but just like Almond had said previously, why go about it in such a roundabout way?
However, there was another thing that crossed the Bow Hero's mind.
"Just what are these Vassal Heroes, and how do they differ from us?" Ryou asked. That particular piece of information had never been explained, or maybe it had, but he couldn't recall.
"Fuee… The Vassal Heroes are the heroes closest to us… Or at least that's what it feels like since instead of being summoned with consent, they are chosen among the people to wield a vassal weapon…" His partner explained. Ryou had to wonder if it was the same for Glass, coming to the conclusion that was most likely the case, The woman had always given an honorable and extremely loyal feeling.
Nevertheless, there was something in Rishia's explanation that he couldn't let go.
"What do you mean with consent? I never sign up for this you know!" Ryou retorted, throwing a side glance to his partner, who shrunk a little.
"B-But R-Ryou-sama you did. You said so yourself, that y-you wished for a second c-chance. I think that this counts…"
The look in Ryou's eyes might have turned slightly colder, before crossing his arms with a small frown.
Damn you, and your surprisingly logical arguments! The Bow Hero fumed silently, his mood getting even worse when Almond's chuckles echoed in the room.
The rest of the afternoon passed with small talk between the three, although eventually, Almond had to return to his duties. Rishia had then taken upon herself to dive into the attic in search of her college books, and personal notes. Faubley had a surprisingly competent educational system, and curriculum. Unfortunately, that did little for Ryou who couldn't understand squat of what was in her notes although he had to admit that Rishia had amazing, and precise calligraphy.
I don't understand the language, but even I can tell that her calligraphy is amazing, though how it remains a mystery with how clumsy she is sometimes…
A different approach was then taken, and between the two of them, they began associating Melromarc's Language with both Japanese, and English… The result was the realization that Melomarc's written language had some small similarities with the western alphabet, something that made learning a new language slightly easier for Ryou, what shocked the Bow Hero however was how effortlessly Rishia picked the concepts, and rules behind the languages of his old world.
If she had been born in my world with the right chances, and her intelligence she would have had an amazing future in front of her… That is if she survived high school… Ryou finished with a silent chuckle. People like Rishia either had the luck to find a group of friends that would stick by them from the get-go, or would have a very hard time in school.
...and if she attended the same high school as I did, Ohh boy would she have been swallowed whole… All things considered, that did happen in a way when her counterpart was in Itsuki's party… Ryou stopped his train of thought there. Since Rishia had joined his party, his distaste for the previous Bow Hero had shot too much higher, and almost dangerous levels, and he already had the teen in very low consideration as it was.
Looking back at the chart they had made for the association, Ryou returned to his studies. After all, learning to read, would open up a lot of doors for him.
Now is just a matter of association, and re-formatting my brain…
In the evening after dinner, Ryou had taken the first turn at watching the mysterious egg as agreed, while Rishia retired for the night.
He took the time to delve into the upgrade system, and finally powered up something with it, just to test the waters. The final result…
[Great Fang Bow + 4 - Uncommon - Awaken- Equipment Bonus - + 12 Attack, Rapid Shot - Special Effect - Attack Speed Bonus (Medium), Projectile Speed Bonus (Small), Piercing Bonus (Small) ]
Looking at his upgraded bow, Ryou was left amazed at the increased in stats, and it wasn't even that big of an upgrade, he had been mostly playing around with the system. However Upgrading with Tempering required Ores, and the ones he had managed to collect were very low quality, the same could be said for the souls of monsters, and because of that, he had refused to use the Enhancement's system for now. The other problem was Energy points... those were currency he could use to get stronger, however as with every amount of currency he had a limited amount, and even if he could, in theory, acquire an infinite amount of them, it would still take time. So instead of wasting them on a single weapon all at once, Ryou had decided to use only half of what he had managed to save, especially since they were used in different systems.
The reason behind choosing the Great Fanged Bow, instead of the ones he had gotten from the Chimera was simple.
The Chimeric Dragon Bow is inherently a fire-based weapon, just like the Chimeric Goat Bow is a Crowd Control one, so It's better that I focus on a neutral weapon for now… That had been the thought process, behind that decision, along with the fact that the Great Fanged Bow had served him well, up until now.
Opening his Status Window, Ryou quickly focused his vision on the Passive Skill Tree, bringing up his own Strengthening Method. Eying it for a few moments he brought up the first, obligatory node.
[Agility Attribute Increased by 0.5%]
Selecting the confirmation option, he saw the number of skill points available go down by one. The upgrade was minimal at best, though the percentages did increase down the line, or on specific clusters, and even if he could only reach something like thirty percent overall, it was a point three multiplier to one of his main stats, and that was nothing to scoff at.
Beyond that node, lay two different branches, and analyzing them for a few minutes, he came to a decision. One followed nodes that were attack specific, focused mostly on his attack speed and damage. The other one - the one he had chosen, was a slightly more defensive one, or perhaps versatile was a better way to put it. Bringing up the first node from that specific branch he took a moment to consider his options once more.
[HP increased by 1% / Movement Speed Increased by 1%]
While it's true that a ranged character should focus mostly on damage, this isn't a game and that's truly what matters here… He considered, leaning back on his elbows. Unlike Naofumi, Ryou couldn't tank hits at all, not with his very feeble defense, even armor could only do so much, so in the beginning, he had decided to focus on speed, because not getting hit was also a very good defensive mechanic. While he had been able to get by using that tactic he knew that eventually there would be a need to take a more back-line approach on most occasions, even if he hated the idea of leaving his future party members on the front lines.
There also existed the counter-point to that mentality, and that had been what made him chose a more speed focus approach.
On monsters sure I can get by standing in the back, but I have to be able to deal with stuff on my own… There was also the fact that people like Glass, and L'Arc could easily just avoid his party members and go straight for him. No matter how game-like the world was, there was no such thing as aggro, or at least not on anything more intelligent than the average critter, so being able to dodge, and avoid attacks was still his strategy for staying alive.
Especially since unlike fantasy, here there is no such thing as plot armor…
The other point that made him, chose a slightly more diversified route, had also been the deal breaker on the entire thing. Down that path, the branch intersected with the first cluster where he could find nodes that increased his party members attributes, and that had immeasurable value. Any node that multiplied his stats would be amazing, especially those that affected more than one thing, like the previous one, however one single node that affected anyone besides him would be exponentially more important. He had two and a half members currently, but eventually he would want to add more members, even if finding people he could honestly trust would be a challenge in on itself.
Worst case scenario, I'll just sacrifice all of my remaining sanity and buy a bunch of Filorial eggs, trading what little mental stability I still have, for an army of Filorial Queens might be a good idea… He acknowledged half-halfheartedly repressing a shudder. Ryou had nothing against Filo in general, it was the opposite actually, but she had been a handful, and the idea of multiple ones was in its way a terrifying one.
Turning his attention back to the Passive skill Tree he continued to follow the path to the party member cluster, even if he knew he would be lacking a couple of points to reach it, he did get however a couple of stray nodes for his party, though he very much doubted Rishia would even begin to notice the difference. He bounced the idea of using his Energy Points for skill points a couple of times, before dismissing it. He didn't have that many to even make a noticeable difference, so it was better to save them for later use.
Thankfully the Passive Skill Tree had an option of summarizing the bonus from all nodes currently taken, and that made everything a lot easier to keep track of.
[Max HP Attribute Increased by 12%]
[Max SP Attribute Increased by 8%]
[Max MP Attribute Increased by 6%]
[Agility Attribute Increased By 12.5%]
[Attack Attribute Increased by 9%]
[Magic Attribute Increased by 3%]
[Defense Attribute Increased by 3%]
[Attack Speed Increased by 6%]
[Movement Speed Increased by 11%]
[Potion Efficiency Increased by 4%]
[Party Members HP Increased by 3%]
[Party Members Attack Increased by 1.5%]
Ryou went back to his character profile menu, and with a flick of his wrist, he brought the upgraded bow into existence for a few moments, watching as his stats skyrocketed even more.
All-in-all, I'm more than twice as strong as I was yesterday, as far as numbers go, and that was just based on a very few mild upgrades, unfortunately even those numbers can only get you so far, after all, that was exactly the reason why Naofumi started looking for other ways to increase his strength, but there's still a long way to go before I hit any kind of ceiling… Ryou acknowledged mentally, his eyes on the embers cracking in the fireplace. With a sigh, he banished the bow and leaned back until he was laying down on the wooden floor on top of a blanket Rishia had given him. Northern Village as the name implied was to the north, and far above the sea level, so the temperature was a lot colder, at least at night.
Small noises echoed in the darkness, alerting Ryou that he had company. Turning his head, he found Rishia with a glass of milk in her hand, taking a seat on the couch behind him.
Looking at the girl Ryou took a minute to observe her. She was covered in a white blanket, her eyes half opened, probably from the fact she had just woken up. Her green hair cascaded along her back, some escaping to the front and Ryou not for the first time found himself fascinated by both the length, and the color. Finally, she curled on the couch, pulling her knees to her chest, enshrouding herself in the blanket…
She looks really small, and fragile like that… Although he knew personally that, that description was far from the truth, at least the fragile part was.
The girl in question covered her mouth to try and prevent the yawn, that still manage to escape her, before rubbing her eyes slightly and turning to him.
"Fuee… Ryou-sama it's my turn now…" Her voice was heavy with sleep and came out almost like a mumble that put a smile on his face.
"I know…" However, the Bow hero did not move to raise himself from his spot, far to content receiving the warm from the fire. After a few moments, she shifted in place, before voicing her thoughts once more.
"Ryou-sama you should really go to sleep, it as been a long day, and I know how much you like your rest…"
Yeah, no… Since she was still half asleep, Ryou had been almost inclined to give her a pass, but he quickly decided against it. Calling him lazy was something that could not go unpunished.
Grabbing the blanket under him, Ryou made a ball out of it, and threw it at the half-asleep girl, who raised her arms in defense, releasing a "Mep". As the projectile hit her arms, it was sent upwards before coming down landing on top of her head.
"Get out of here you! You have no room to talk since you can sleep through a stampede even if its happening right next to your head!" Ryou chastised her in jest, watching in amusement as she blinked twice, before grabbing the projectile, and hoarding it against her chest having no intention of giving it back. her lips taking a turn down forming a small pout.
"Fuee… I think Ryou-sama is projecting himself on me for some reason…" She quipped, making Ryou release an amused if ugly snort.
Well, aren't you cheeky all of the sudden… The shy girl was slowly but surely getting a little bolder, and that was actually a good thing.
"On a side note Rishia, when are you going to stop adding the honorific to my name?" Ryou questioned, his eyes going back to the fireplace.
"W-What?" The green-haired stammered not understanding the question.
"The honorific... I understand if you get self-conscious of dropping it in public, but when it's just the two of us, it's fine... I don't care much for it, actually, I would even prefer if you didn't use it at all." During his childhood days, they were a big thing, but after his paternal grandmother passed away, his family had moved to his mother's home country, and Ryou had lost all need to use them.
You kinda get desensitized when your friends greet you as Cunt or Bastard…
"Fuuee! I-I could never! That would be too disrespectful!" She exclaimed in a slighter high pitch.
"Rishia… Naofumi calls me an ass, or bastard every two seconds when I'm in his company… Do you honestly think I'll take offense if you call me without the honorific, especially since your the person that I'm closest to, and my partner?" Ryou couldn't understand that thought process. He hardly cared for what Naofumi called him, so what was up with that? They were close enough to not have that wall between them, at least in his opinion.
"B-But…" Rishia stammered looking slightly flushed and hugging the blanket tighter.
"Come on... Is it really that hard?" If possible the girl shrunk even more, and Ryou wondered if she would suddenly collapse into a singularity at the rate she was going.
"Fuee… Then R-R-Ry-Ryou…-san…" Ryou face-palmed, she had been so close.
Well at least its progress, even if small… Ryou conceded, before exhaling a small annoyed breath.
"Good, now you just need to stop midway...Close your mouth after you say my name…" Ryou instructed, and the poor girl squirmed a little at the request, before focusing and taking a deep breath.
"Fuee… R-R-Ry-Ryou…" The Bow Hero had to make an effort not to laugh at the sight, she had done as instructed if a little extreme, since Rishia now looked like a puffer-fish with how she was holding her breath and was turning an interesting tone of red.
"Good Job knew you had it in you, Rish." Ryou congratulated with a thumbs up.
The Green haired girl's cheeks immediately deflated, her eyes almost popping out with how wide they had become.
"R-R-R-Rish?!" She sputtered, both extremely embarrassed, and confused. Ryou crossed his arms and closed his eyes before launching into an explanation.
"Yup, honestly Rishia is a little bit of a mouthful, so I made use of my amazing wisdom and decided to shorten your name, unless you disapprove?" Said girl just buried her face in the blanket, but shook her head negatively.
"Well, then it's settled! Now with this done, I'm going to turn in for the night, a pillow with my name awaits me…" He rose himself, before stretching, and making his way towards the stairs that led to the second floor where the bedrooms were located.
It wasn't until he was almost halfway through the stairs that her voice reached him again…
"R-Ryou…" He had to hide his smile at hearing it, before turning to look at the top of her head, since she wasn't looking at him.
"Yeah Rish?" He asked doubling over the handrail to get a better look at her.
"Raphtalia-chan, she as a slave seal on her, right?" Rishia questioned in a very low voice.
What's with that question, especially since she already knows that for a fact? He wondered confused.
"Yes, why do you ask?" Ryou asked, noticing the girl, had her face turned towards the fire.
"S-She was freed from it, at t-the castle... So why d-did she decided to get it again? I d-don't think there was any need…" Ryou hummed, collecting his thoughts, his sight also falling towards the fireplace again.
"You're right in thinking there was no need, and I think everything would have worked out even without it. However you're missing the true point behind her decision, and even if I completely disavow the notion of someone owning a person, I can at least acknowledge the reason behind it, and that was the important part, it was her decision in the end…" the corner of his lips when up a little, "…As for the why? Well… There's a saying in my world that summarizes her actions quite well, and it goes more or less like this…' To love someone is to give them the power to hurt you, and trust them not too'."
"L-L-Love?!" Her voice came out in a high pitch.
Ryou released a small chuckle, "Well I don't think those were her exact feelings when Raphtalia made her decision, at least not in the manner your thinking about…" Not yet at least, though she does have her work cut out for her, but when you add the age issue it just becomes kinda weird, even if that's mostly my world's standards talking… "…but the meaning still holds. She freely gave Naofumi the power to hurt her, even kill her, and trusts him enough not to do it." Ryou finished, and both of them fell into silence, deep in thought, only the small crackling of the embers could be heard, until Rishia broke the silence.
"Fuee… S-Since I-I joined you… Since I joined this party, I-I've always been wondering what I can be… What's m-my role in this party… Raphtalia-chan is N-Naofumi-sama's sword, and I-I am your p-partner… That's what you keep saying, b-but what meaning does that word, t-that position holds for you?" She asked in a mumble, and if it wasn't for the silence around him, Ryou doubted he would have understood the question.
"Well…" Ryou began turning his eyes towards the ceiling, "...I suppose, what it means is that I don't want an underling, and hero relationship, but for us to stand on equal grounds… I want someone to watch my back as I watch theirs, and to stand by my side as I stand by theirs… Like walking side by side with me everywhere, not just in battle...Kinda like that, I think..?" He honestly found it difficult to put the whole thing into words, it was the feeling behind it that mattered, so he thought it would be self-explanatory.
"Fuee! I-I'm g-going to get a-another glass of Milk!" Rishia yelped suddenly, jumping away from the couch, and disappearing into the darkness towards the kitchen in an instant.
What the?! What's up with that reaction? Ryou just stood there dumbfounded looking towards the direction the girl had disappeared. After a moment he scratched his head wondering if he should go after her or not, before deciding against it and moving upstairs.
"I never understood the thought process of women in my old world, and apparently the same applies here…" Ryou mumbled to himself before he too disappeared into the darkness.
The following day, Ryou had awoken with a new idea, or maybe not so new but it would be beneficial to Rishia, and for himself. After breakfast, Ryou had questioned Almond if he had any guards to spare, and the man confirmed that he could indeed spare a few guards for a couple of hours at least.
Ryou wanted to hit the Northern Cavern as quickly as possible, however, it would be a bad idea taking something as fragile as an egg to a place that was supposedly filled with strong monsters, so he decided to wait at the very least until the weird thing hatched. He hoped it wouldn't take too long, because then the only alternatives were either go alone without Rishia, or they would leave the egg behind, and none of those options were particularly appealing.
So now Ryou was seated on the porch, as Rishia spared with a guard. The poor man had a hard time keeping up with the smaller girl, the only thing that prevented him from losing outright was experience, and that was exactly what Ryou hoped, Rishia would gain from this.
Watching as she approached the guard far faster than the man could move, a stab aimed at his shoulder with a shout, yet the man quickly deflected the strike sideways, yet he was unable to capitalize on the small opening because she threw a kick that the guard almost failed to avoid. Finally, they separated themselves, to catch their breath…
Increasing attributes is all fine, but it only works well against mobs, anything with more intelligence than rock might be able to cross that gap, even if it's large… Ryou thought as Rishia clashed with the guard again, her rapier meeting his sword in the middle.
Ryou had partly stolen the idea from the Queen, because he had remembered while in bed that even if she was at a much lower level, Eclair had been able to easily surpass Ren with technique alone.
If you take the Spirit Turtle from the equation, then most of our future enemies will be mostly human, so I can't count on attributes, and skills alone… Glass wasn't just strong because her level was higher, although her strength still eclipsed Ryou on that front at the moment, but because she also was an exceptional warrior…
I need to find sparring partners too, and polish my skills even if it will be a pain in the ass… It would be something he would have to add to his schedule when possible, especially after the queen's return.
In reality, most of his fights had been against monsters, with the small clash with the maid being his only true fight.
I could only get a draw, and her specialty isn't even combat, if anything she's the living definition of a spy or saboteur… That was a painful realization to reach. No matter how strong he was, or how high his level was, he could still lose without the necessary experience to use his abilities.
I'm pretty sure I can take Motoyasu, Naofumi and probably Ren now, even with the level gap, but two of those three are hardly high standards to have… Ryou placed his chin on his palm. If the other two heroes applied themselves, they would be a terrifying force to deal with, unfortunately, that wouldn't happen for a long time...if ever...
The guard finally conceded the match, before going to the side, another heavier guard took his place, eyeing Rishia with caution. It was almost hilarious, the man was twice as big as his partner yet he was cowering, under her focused look.
Well then again, Fitoria probably only reaches my chest if that, and she could make me the second coming of Neil Armstrong with a single kick if she tried hard enough… Size truly meant nothing in this world…
Ryou continued to watch, as Rishia took on all four of the knights, getting ready for a second round although she was sweating and panting a little. In an hour Ryou watched as she began to pick a few things, and her stance became a little tighter.
It was at that moment, watching Rishia sparing, that another memory appeared in his mind for some reason… One that filled him with melancholy, but most of all sadness.
Flashback
"Hey, Big Brother look! I can swim now!" A small girl exclaimed, waving one hand, and Ryou could only shake is head.
"You know shrimp… It doesn't count if you have a ball under you…" Ryou interjected prompting a pout from the small girl on the pool.
"Bahhhh, It soooo counts! As long as I'm standing above the water, I'm swimming!" Ryou chuckled at that, shaking his head again, before leaning back to move his head into the shadow, his brain was starting to fry under the sun.
"It doesn't work like that… Icebergs stand above water, yet you can't call that swimming can you?" He watched as his sister, made a move to stand before losing her balance, and fell into the water. Ryou erupted with laughter at her clumsiness. After a moment she appeared again, spitting water before sending him a glare.
"Stop laughing you idiot! Icebergs are made of water, and water can't swim on water so that doesn't work, you idiot of a brother!" Ryou only slapped his face with his hand while he kept chuckling, his sister never stopped to be entertaining…
Flashback End
"Ryou-sama you seem to be lost in thought…" A voice interrupted his thoughts, and Ryou quickly wipped away the traitorous tear that had managed to escape.
"Yeah... Just, you know... Memories…" Lord Almond, hummed in consideration, before taking a seat next to him.
"A sad one was it?" He asked after a beat, and Ryou shook his head lightly.
"No, it was a happy one, about my family, from a long time ago…" Ryou answered, the words coming out before he had time to consider what prompted him to answer honestly.
"That's right… You were summoned from your world, so you have a family out there, as well as a home…" Almond commented, remembering that particular fact.
A small humorless chuckle made its way out of the Bow Hero's mouth, "What's left of it at least… And, I would be hard-pressed to call that place home, it was mostly a place where I lived, filled with painful memories..."
Almond hummed again, and crossed his leg, watching with no small amount of pride as his daughter tore through the poor guards, that were finally running out of steam even when they had been taking turns to rest.
"Then maybe you will be able to make a new home here…" Almond proposed, and Ryou scoffed at the thought. He didn't hate this world, not to the degree that Naofumi appeared too, but he would be hard press to call it his home either.
"It's not that simple Lord Almond…" Almond chucked at the answer even when Ryou sent him a less friendly side glance.
"It probably isn't to you… You, youngsters, like to overthink things, and make everything more complicated than it has to be…" He commented with amusement. Ryou scoffed again, turning to the front even if deep down he knew the man's words had some truth to them.
Finally, the last guard, the biggest among the group gave up and offered his hand to Rishia. The green-haired girl was panting and almost tripped on her feet trying to reach the outstretched hand, much to the amusement, and disbelief of the other guards. The guards then formed a semi-circle in front of the girl and started talking, along with hand gestures that indicated they were commenting on her performance.
"Ryou-sama, do you know why I call this place my home?" Almond asked out of the blue, however, the hero remained silent.
Since the Hero offered no response, Almond answered his own question. "Its because this is where the memories of Rishia and my dear wife are… From the moment she was born, until today… So as the man of the family it's my job to make sure, this house... This place remains unchanged, to preserve those memories… That way when they return, they can come to a familiar, and warm place, one full of happiness, and love…"
A place where someone is still thinking about you, that's a place you can call home… Ryou didn't know why that particular phrase had come to mind at that moment, but it got him to consider his situation.
I wonder if you are thinking about me shrimp… I wanted to see you, even if it was just once, just to say goodbye… Since setting foot on Melromarc, Ryou had pushed those thoughts, and feelings to the back of his mind, even keeping himself busy, or hunting monsters… However Northern Village had made him recall long lost memories, and he couldn't stop the thoughts from resurfacing, as well as the pain.
"If a home is a place where memories are, or where people are thinking about you, then… My home is probably forever out of my reach." Ryou whispered, leaning back to look at the blue sky, his hand rising trying to grasp something just out of reach.
"That's why I told you to try and make a new home here… It doesn't have to be now, or even the next month… However as you create new memories, you will find that you might just make a home for yourself even if you don't realize it…" Almond explained, making Ryou release a shaky breath.
I might not ever make it back to my world… Naofumi was sure they could return to their original worlds, but Ryou had serious doubts about that. Unless the summoning ritual could be reversed to a 'T', or they were sent back to their original worlds after the waves were done, then it would probably be all but impossible. The mages from the court did say they could return after the waves were over but Ryou took that information with a grain of salt.
If multiverse Theory rings true, and it does appear that's the case, then there's probably an infinite amount of universes out there...If that's the case, then finding ours is all but impossible… The Bow Hero had already decided to live his life and make the most of his second chance, however, that didn't mean he could ever forget about is first one.
Even then… I suppose I have to start letting go… He would miss his little sister until the day he died… But until then, he had to at least try, and make the most out of it, he wouldn't be able to look his parents in the face, if the other side existed if he didn't do at least that much.
…and I suppose after the waves are cleared, I'll need a place to live… Looking at Rishia who had taken a seat on the ground resting, his eyes met hers, and she waved in his direction. Raising his hand he sent a lazy wave in her direction, yet at that moment another image stacked on top of what he was seeing, one of a little girl in a pool also waving at him.
A sad smile formed in his face, and with watering eyes, Ryou waved at her too… One final time... The image vanished, as quickly as it came leaving only Rishia.
Closing his eyes, Ryou took in another shaky breath…
Maybe one day, I'll be able to call this world mine, and maybe if I keep making memories here, I'll be able to make a new home for myself… With that conclusion, Ryou got up, and stretched himself, before making his way towards his partner, who was, slowly but surely becoming one of the fundamental cornerstones that would make the foundation of his will to defeat the waves, and to defend the world...
Next Chapter - Enter Quartz...