Chapter 43
The party meets up at the school the next day. Choco was awaiting them at the entrance.
"Good morning," greeted the tiefling, "Is everyone ready?"
"As we'll ever be," replied Nene with a smile.
"Alright, let's go then," she said as she led the way in.
She led them straight to the dungeon level, where Master Conjurer Hirto was awaiting them with a teleportation circle. She then handed a bag of gold to the smiling wizard.
"Thank you for your donation, Miss Choco," he thanked her as he slipped the bag into his robes.
Nodding, she turned to the others as he started casting the spell and said, "Alright, we are heading straight for Huan Tuo and catch a boat to a little town called Isshoudai. That's where she lives, by the way."
"Is that where you met her?" asked the bard.
She chuckled a little and replied, "Ah… the town was a little way out, you see. They rarely get any visitors save for the supply ships. I think the last time I was there, I saw some smaller trade ships there as well. Anyway, I was there to look for new kinds of herbs that I might be able to use. No such luck. The town has never seen a tiefling before and thought I was a demon. I ran away onto the ship I had a ticket for and somehow got onto the same ship as hers. Keep in mind, this was the very first time she left her small port town. So-"
"It is done," announced the wizard. A shimmering blue portal was in the center of the circle.
"Thank you, master conjurer," she stated before turning to the others, "Let's go."
The portal led to a medium-sized room. A wizened old man grumbled a little as they stepped out of it, "More of Hirto's customers I see."
"Good to see you too, master enchanter," greeted Choco politely.
The old man harrumphed and waved them away. They exited the shop to a bustling port. Huan Tuo's market was in full swing, though it was close to a time where it should be dwindling down and closing up. The tiefling then asked them to wait for her as she went to buy tickets from the harbormaster's office.
"You look very eager," commented Lamy as she glanced over to the bard.
"We are going to meet the Smiter of Fear, the black dragon slayer. How can I not?" Nene stated excitedly.
"Hmm, who is she talking to?" asked Botan as she noticed the tiefling cleric walking and talking with someone. The newcomer had blonde hair styled in twin ponytails that trail from the back of her head and green eyes. Clad in studded leather that had fine black engravings along the trimming and a red heart patch over the left side of her chest, she had a rapier hanging from her belt.
"I'm just saying... when you're starving, anything would taste appetizing," she stated with finality.
"And yet you are asking your servants to fry scorpions and spiders as snacks for you. When you are not in want for anything. Don't you see how… weird and scary it would seem to other people," chided Choco.
"Nothing wrong with trying something new," she defended her stand.
"Hello! Who's this?" called out Polka with a wave.
The tiefling sighed and said, "This… is Haato Akai of the Red Hearts mercenary group. One of the first people who met us after we came to the town."
"Hello," she greeted as she waved.
"Ooh, do you have any stories about Subaru?" asked the bard immediately.
"You can ask her when we get back," said the tiefling cleric as she tapped the bard's head, "Our boat is leaving soon. Let's go or you'll miss your chance."
Saying their goodbyes, they headed straight for the boat.
During their journey, Choco regaled them with other stories of her travels with Subaru. Fighting giant scorpions. Fighting bandits with rabbit girls and crazy pink warlocks. Exploring ruins and stuffing lichs into flasks. Finding Rushia and her first-time greetings to Subaru. She was busy talking about finding Roboco by the roadside when the captain of the ship let them know that they were docking at the harbor.
The group walked down the harbor into the town, surprised by the busy town. It was not as packed as Huan Tuo would be, but there were still plenty of people walking around, visiting shops and the like. One of the buildings seemed to be busier than the others and the tiefling led them there. They waited outside for a while before a table was free. As they sat down, a waiter came up to take their order for food. After he went, a waitress came to serve them tea.
"Huh? This is a first," muttered Botan in surprise.
"Hng… no ale?" asked Lamy softly, a bit taken aback.
"This is a teahouse and inn, not a tavern, my dear girl," spoke up a motherly voice, "Besides, it isn't night time just yet."
Grinning, Choco got to her feet and greeted, "Mio! Nice to see you again!"
"Oh, you again? Are you here to break another of my doors down?" the wolf lady asked, matching her friend's grin as the both of them hugged.
"You'll never let that go, will you?" the former teased as she let go. Turning to the party, she stated, "Everyone, this is Mio, owner of the Jolly Tuna and used to travel with me and Subaru."
"Woah..." sounded Nene in awe.
The wolf lady laughed and said, "It wasn't very long. But, she is a good girl, for the short time I've been with them." She then looked around and hummed, "I think… right, why not all of you stay for the night? I have enough rooms to put you in for a few days."
"Oh, you're too kind, Miss Mio," stated the bard with a smile, "We accept."
The owner of the teahouse laughed again and replied, "Then it's settled. I'll take your particulars down when you've finished your food. Oh, and sometimes, Subaru would stop by after her guard shift ends before she goes home for the night, so you might bump into her."
"Truly!?" exclaimed Nene eagerly, "Sounds wonderful."
"Hey, calm down, or you'll scare your hero away," teased Aloe with a grin.
"Nah, she wouldn't," disagreed Botan with a smirk, "If Subaru does show up, she'd more likely be speechless and go all blushy-blushy."
"Alright, alright, enough with the teasing," chided Lamy, "She will be fine."
"...Yeah, I'll be fine," the bard agreed after a pause, "I just need to do things… calmly. Yeah, that."
"Well, I suppose I shall let you be for now," stated Mio as the dishes started coming in, "Do send someone to the counter to register the six of you." Then, she bowed a little before leaving them.
The dishes served at the teahouse were mainly seafood. On the table itself were two fish dishes and one shrimp dish. There was also a vegetable dish and an egg dish. Asking Choco about this, she explained that local vegetables were grown in personal plots around the town with excess being sold to the teahouse while other produce was brought in by supply ships. Then, she continued with more tales about her travels with Subaru. Meeting Aki. Taking out bandits that were threatening Dusktown. Discovering why Roboco was the way she was. Meeting Shion, Aqua, and later on, a half-oni named Ayame. Getting Ayame's swords back. As the food on the table slowly dwindled down to scraps, the tiefling stood up.
"Well, I need to go now," she told them, "Originally, I came here to search for new herbs and I intend to do this as soon as possible."
Saying their goodbyes, she left the teahouse, but not before bumping into someone outside. Polka could hear them from inside.
"Woah, Choco, good to see you again! Going up the mountains again?"
"Same here. Yes, I am. I have yet to see the whole place. Who knows what I could find? Oh, hello, Ayame."
"Hello. How about I accompany you? I'm searching for something in the mountains too."
"Eh? What about your dinner?"
"Haha, I still have my rations. I'm sure I'll be able to survive out there with Miss Choco's help."
"Well, I won't turn down some company. Let's be off then."
"See you two later then."
"Bye. Good to see you again, Subaru."
The fennec fox girl's ears shot up the moment she heard that name. "Hey, Nene," she said as she nudged the bard in the ribs, "I think your hero is here."
The lore bard immediately got to her feet and looked at the entrance. A short-haired young lady clad in a well-made leather shirt with some gleaming chain-link rings peeking out from the edges. Her guard uniform was worn over it. A sword with beautiful engravings on its guard and its sheath hung from her belt and a shield was strapped to her back. She headed straight for the counter manned by Mio and chatted with her.
The bard sat down, her nervousness coming out in full force. Palms were sweaty, knees weak, and arms heavy.
"Hello! I heard you're looking for me," greeted tomboy cheerfully as she stepped up to their table.
"Ah! The Smiter of Fear!" exclaimed Nene the moment she heard her.
Subaru blinked. "Eh? Who's that?" she asked in confusion.
Silence.
"Er, that's what they call you," stated Botan, the first to speak.
The guard blinked and then scrunched up her face, trying to figure out what they were talking about. Eventually, as if a lightbulb went off, she said, "Oh, you mean those villages north of Port Viridis?"
"...Not sure? I do not think we ever went to Port Viridis," replied Lamy.
"Well, that's where we fought that fear demon all that time ago," the tomboy explained before she shrugged, "Oh well, I'm just surprised that they still remember me."
"But you led the party that slew the dragon," quipped up Polka in surprise.
The former then frowned, "Honestly, I barely did anything. Rushia did more than me in the fight. I just helped to protect her."
"...Oh," murmured the lore bard, "The stories always said differently."
"Ha, so I'm the one that killed the dragon?" asked Subaru as her brow scrunched up, "Eh, never mind that. All those stories don't really matter to me. I was just a girl who wanted to see the world. I never intended to become a hero." She sighed and continued, "I met so many people and became friends with a lot of them. Some of them even visit me from time to time. I pray that the ones that don't are doing well."
"Well… can you tell me your story? Where you went? What you fought and seen?" asked Nene, her eagerness started to rise up again.
The guard chuckled and replied, "Sure. I don't mind."
The next morning was a welcome thing after the previous night. It was quite eventful for Nene. Getting a retelling of Subaru's travels from the person herself was exciting. Traveling through the swamp with Matsuri and Fubuki. Going through the network of villages. Hunting and being hunted by the fear demon. Meeting Flare and Noel and the events leading up to that. Getting tricked by Marine. The were-people village. Around that time, the teahouse portion of the building had closed down and she had to go back home. She promised to continue her tale the next day.
So, it was expected to have a very excited and happy Nene who was quite eager to listen to the tale of Subaru the adventurer rather than Subaru the Smiter of Fear. Perhaps she could put all this down to writing. Maybe sell it. Maybe…
"You seem to be happy this morning," stated Mio, her kind voice derailing the bard's thoughts.
"Erm, ah-ha, sorry. I was just thinking back to what I heard last night," she stated with a sheepish laugh.
"Ah, sounds nice," the wolf lady replied with a smile, "Where did she leave off?"
"Oh, at… the journey back to the capital. After the were-people village," she told the innkeeper.
"Ah, that… hmm, since there aren't that many people here right now, I think I can continue that. I heard everything from her, you know?" the former disclosed with a wink.
And so, the bard got another earful of stories as the others woke up, came downstairs, and slowly sat at the table she was sitting at. Going to the kobold base and rescuing Towa. Escaping and ending up in Merkath. Meeting with the mimic on the way back to the capital again, which Nene mentioned they heard before from Choco. However, by that time, there were more people at the teahouse and Mio had to step away to manage the place.
"Wow, that was amazing to listen to," stated Nene with a satisfied sigh.
"Huh, never knew Towa was like that," said Aloe with a smirk, "This is some good blackmail."
"Is it possible to meet Lord Wilford, I wonder..." mused Polka with a starry glimmer in her eyes.
"You want mimics in your circus?" asked Botan.
"Yup!"
"I find myself curious as well," added Lamy in thought, "Maybe we can try when we get back."
It was then Subaru came in. The guard went up to the counter and started talking to Mio in low voices. Curious, the party got up and approached them.
"Is something wrong?" asked the lore bard.
The two at each other and then at the party. The tomboy sighed and told them, "Follow me please."
The party and surprisingly, the innkeeper, followed her to the harbor. As they walked, she explained, "We have fish people at the docks, threatening the town with raids if we don't meet their demands."
The old harbormaster and several guards were standing at the pier, staring at something. The five were startled by the three figures at the end of the pier. Three sahuagin stood there, scowling at the sailors that were managing the docked ships. Two were warriors; more muscular and were armed with spears. They were quite protective of the other one, who wore a striking purple robe and a coral necklace with a roughly carved-out shark. It was also the only one with a yellow frill on its tail.
"So, you wish to fight against us? Chosen of He Who Hunts?" snarled the robed sahuagin.
"We never even agreed to this," retorted Subaru, "If you wish to try and raid my town, be my guest. We'll be sure to send all of you running."
"You dare challenge the chosen people of He Who Hunts?" rasped out the robed one with a toothy smile and they cackled amusedly, "We'll be sure to shower your streets with blood."
"Hey, this town is protected by another power," shouted out Nene suddenly.
"Oh, pray tell, who? What lies will you spout out to run away from us?" they sneered.
"Urm… did that seaweed man ever tell us who he follows?" the lore bard asked as she turned to her friends.
Polka blinked at her in disbelief. Botan and Lamy looked at her incredulously, not believing she just said that. Aloe slapped her hand to her face while groaning.
"What?"
"I expected Polka to pull this kind of thing, not you," deadpanned the succubus.
"Hey!"
The robed one cackled, "Lies, lies, lie all you want. All useless. You will-"
"Oh, great merciful goddess, bring my guardian to life," the others heard Mio muttering, "Awaken, Hatotaurus!"
A shimmering outline shone into existence above her, forming a ten-foot-tall humanoid shape. As it formed and filled out, it crossed its beefy arms and glared at the sahuagin with its gleaming red eyes. It had the head of a pigeon with goat-like horns, the body of a minotaur, and the legs and tail of a wolf.
Shocked, the sahuagin took a few steps back as they stared at the large amalgamation. They then glared at the group at the pier, the robed one saying, "This is not over." The trio turned around and dived into the sea.
"Mio, did you always have this… thing?" asked Subaru as the others turned to look at the innkeeper and her… summon.
"Ah, I always had him," the wolf lady said mysteriously with a nod and a smile.
"Oh well, that almost got out of hand," stated the guard as she turned to the party, "So... who is this seaweed man you're talking about, and do I need to be worried about it?"
AN: Hello again, readers. Welcome back.
Once more, we intrude in the enchanter's shop thanks to Master Hirto. Nice old guy. 'Nice' old guy. Then they bump into Haato. Or is it Haachama these days? Who knows? Eating scorpions and spiders will do that to you. Anyway, we journey all the way to Isshoudai with Holo5 and Choco-sensei. There, they meet Mio. More stories ensue until Subaru shows up. Surprise, surprise, Ayame is here too! Now, she is there for her own thing, namely looking for new challenges and checking up on Subaru. A night and a day go on. Strange visitors appear the next day. No, there won't be any fights going on. This will be... a lot of talking before they get dragged into the next arc.
Next chapter, we find out how the Holo5 solves this little trouble. Thank you for reading and have a good day, dear readers.
PS: AWAKEN, HATOTAURUS!
AYAYAYYYYYY