This chapter had parts that took quite a bit of rewriting. And went on longer than originally budgeted.
Five days. Five days of nothing happening and Naofumi hated every second of it.
A week since the Summoning. He was never summoned before the King for the crime of raping his daughter. He never had his money stolen from him, left in nothing but the shirt off his back. Soldiers did not so much as bother him.
It made no sense. The world was out to get him. It was just waiting to spring a trap to take everything he loved and cherished away from him, yet again. Where was the Three Heroes Church? They should have been doing something to destroy him if not outright killing him while he was still underleveled!
And so it was, Naofumi was filled with an ever growing sense of impending dread.
So much dread that he prepared an entire table full of assorted fruits, jams, and creams, before he realized he did not have to feed a very hungry filolial that wasn't there.
So much dread that he had already been half-way through a very large barrel of cooking batter and made an entire mountain of thin crepes, before he recalled that a particularly hungry girl may not be born yet.
So much dread that he completely forgot that he did not currently have a gluttonous demon bird that devoured everything he made.
Then again, it may have just been a sign he really missed Filo… If he knew where her egg was, he'd rush to get her, just as he did with Raphtalia.
At least Keel was happy. The dog boy laughed to himself as he stuffed himself full of sweet breakfast treats, the hardwon results of his first spell last night. Raphtalia was currently shouting at him about how to eat properly, whilst Rifana was currently writing on a wooden post because Naofumi asked her to.
Naofumi turned to the innkeeper. "Sorry about the mess, I'm normally cooking for hungrier mouths. Are you still up for the 50-50 cut?"
The old innkeeper grunted in affirmation, a fruity crepe in his mouth.
"Rifana!" Naofumi called out, his hands still making more thin crepes.
"It's ready, Sir Naofumi!" the weasel girl said eagerly as she raised the signpost.
On the top right, there was a depiction of a crepe with something gooey as its filling. It read in bright letters, all the better to catch the eye: TASTY CREPES! TODAY ONLY! 15 UNIQUE FLAVORS!
Naofumi raised his thumb. "Good work, Rifana! I'll hang up the sign and we'll begin selling the extras!" After all, the kids might have had a voracious appetite, but even they couldn't fill themselves with this many crepes… though Keel did try.
"Yes!" the weasel girl leapt. She seemed to be feeling much better now that her fever was completely gone.
Naofumi took the sign and hung it right outside the door. The inn they used had a small restaurant already. The only thing he and his group did was set up a place to sell thin French inspired pancakes.
As it turned out, the Color Change ability also applied to crafting items and particularly food; when crafting, Naofumi found he could change the color of an item, as if applying a dye or paint appropriate to the item in question. As a result, there was a section of colored crepes being sold at a significant upcharge.
Sweet crepes did not have the kind of odor that other foodstuffs did that rapidly attracted nearby customers. However, customers did come. First, one at a time. Then, two at a time. Then, four. Eventually, it became quickly overbearing as suddenly the entire building was bursting full of people, all of them wanting the same thing, in one of fifteen different flavors.
"One red jam coming right up!"
"Blueberry plus cream will cost extra!"
The procedure was simple: Naofumi took the orders and the kids would assemble them using the ingredients on the table.
Coppers trickled in quickly as crepes disappeared into gullets. Nothing made Naofumi realize the impact Filo had on his life than a visual demonstration of what it would be like without her… He didn't know whether or not he should feel guilty.
"Eclairs? We don't sell - Oh, sorry Raphtalia," Naofumi murmured. The bulk of orders was so overwhelming that he had zoned out into "cashier-mode".
The raccoon girl looked up at him. "Master Naofumi, we're done."
Naofumi rubbed at his temples. "Done?"
"Done," she repeated.
Naofumi rubbed his eyes. The table that had once been full of crepes had vanished. The only thing that remained of their stock was a few leftover crumbs of various fillings. How long had they been here exactly?
Raphtalia looked out the window, as if knowing what he was thinking. "The sun's high up in the sky, Master."
So, midday? They started at dawn, so that meant they spent 5 to 6 hours? The restaurant was starting to empty, the last of the diners finishing up their meals. The innkeeper and an assistant were already working to clean up.
Raphtalia then spoke to him again. "Master, I overheard some of the patrons speaking about Eclair."
Naofum squinted an eye. "What happened to her?"
"They say that she was executed last night," she said, keeping her voice low.
A jolt went through Naofumi's heart. "But, but why? How!?" he burst.
Raphtalia frowned. "I don't know. Was it something we did?"
Naofumi felt an illness in his stomach. The only thing he did that really changed things was deny Bitch from ever getting near him… and getting three child slaves as his first priority. Was this the trade off for pulling that stunt he did with Bitch? Or did it involve the kids? If so, how? "I… don't see how anything we could have done would have done it."
Raphtalia held her hands close to her chest. "I don't either, but she was a friend."
Naofumi brought himself closer and leaned down. "I know. I'll… I'll see if I can find out anything from Erhard today."
Raphtalia let out a frown. "Also, there's something about you attacking people with balloons!"
"I didn't do that!" This time! Naofumi balked. He only bothered with that strategy because he literally had no other weapons and the annoying things just kept latching on; the moment Raphtalia and Filo came into the picture he dropped them entirely. This time, he had an entire party that could kill for him plenty!
"That's what the rumors say. There's plenty of awful rumors going around. Not sure how much people believe them."
For some reason, that was oddly comforting. He supposed that this time around, he had opted not to be a public nuisance and hadn't had his reputation destroyed in a single stroke. He guessed the Three Heroes Church lacked plausible deniability or maybe politically it was untenable. "Oh, is that it? Well, I suppose it can't be helped."
"Master Naofumi, take it seriously!" Raphtalia shouted.
Naofumi cocked his head. "Don't worry, it's just better to know what's happening against me than to not know what they have set up. We'll just keep an eye out."
Raphtalia turned her back, not satisfied. "Alright, Master."
Keel let out a bark, a bag of silvers in his hands. "We've made some nice profits, Sir Naofumi! 20 silver after deductions!" The dog boy was oddly good at math despite his attitude would have you believe.
Naofumi took the bag. 15 silver might not seem like too much money, but it was money made entirely by an improvised store that shouldn't exist, especially since a large chunk of the profits were given to the building's owner.
"So, are we going to grind today?" Rifana asked, eagerly showing off her vocabulary incorporating slang from Earth. She had been eager to learn more and more about his world, despite everything.
"Yeah, we need to get stronger." Keel complained.
Naofumi brought up his HUD. The overall party level was around 10. Though they had made good progress, it was clear that their EXP gains from farming this close to Melromarc's capital were starting to hit diminishing returns; they would need to move soon.
Naofumi adjusted himself. "We'll spend one more day here. Tomorrow we'll be heading for Lute because we need to find better hunting grounds." He had done some thinking on the invitation to Zeltoble; while a part of him really did want to leave the country, he didn't feel like it'd be safe to do so. He also realized that he'd rather value the time away from a certain Red Princess.
Raphtalia turned to face her friends. "That's where we'll grow up! It's nice there."
Naofumi nodded. As much as he liked having Raphtalia a child again, he couldn't wait to see her back to how he pictured her being. And this time, he could actually see it happening. But first, came the matter of equipment. "We'll hit Erhard first, pick up the gear I ordered and then we'll hunt."
Three demihuman faces lit up with determination.
All of this tension made the trip to Erhart's shop feel incredibly long.
When he finally got there, the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders. The old blacksmith was currently hammering away at a new project, nothing Naofumi ordered, so business must have still been good.
The door chime caused Erhard to turn around. "Well, if isn't, Kid and his puppies right now."
Naofumi blinked.
"What?! No!" It was Raphtalia who gave a concerned cry.
"Don't like that? Maybe squires? Followers?" the blacksmith smirked. "Just trying to think of a name for Shield Kid's merry band."
Naofumi recalled one of the blacksmith's quirks; he liked nicknaming when appropriate, granted this was a first since he never tried to come up with a collective nickname. Maybe it was all because of the fact he had 3 demihuman children. "... I don't think that fits. I'm not exactly a noble."
With a smirk, Erhard put aside his tools and walked over to the counter. He pulled out a variety of weapons and some leather breastplates that was sized for someone just slightly bigger than them. "Your order's done. Nothing fancy, but they'll be able to make use of this stuff."
The kids all quickly took the equipment and tried it. This was the proof that they had been growing. The armor and weapons would have been completely impossible for them to wear just a few levels ago; now this new equipment was just slightly awkward rather than oversized. Raphtalia in particular donned the new vest; she could just barely wear it. Longer blades made of iron were offered to them each: a proper short sword for Raphtalia, Keel wanted a cutlass, and Rifana would receive a larger sickle.
Erhard smirked, proud of his work. "Right, so, how's the gear they're currently using?"
"They can still use it if they want. Keel can use his spear though it's clear he'd need another foot before he'd be really good at it outside of fishing. Other than that, the weapons are holding up, but they'll probably be obsoleted." Naofumi figured that the savings of buying proper gear would have been better than having to buy the cheapest thing he could, having them break, and then being forced to buy more expensive gear anyways.
"Hey Mister," Raphtalia asked. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about the daughter of Lord Seaetto? She was from where I lived."
Naofumi's face hardened as he turned to the other kids. The happy mood they had from the promises of the future were replaced by dour reminders; Raphtalia probably told them if they didn't overhear it in the inn.
Erhard looked to Naofumi for a response.
"They can hear it," the Shield Hero responded. The entire 'NPC discussion' thankfully only bothered them the day after and after that they seemed to recover. It helped that they were actually curious about his world and could overlook less pleasing elements.
Erhard rubbed at his temples.
"Okay, so don't think I know everything, I heard some drunken knight was talking about her at the old watering hole the other day."
"So what happened?" Naofumi questioned.
"They say she got killed in her cell earlier this week. Rumor says it was on Idol Rabier's orders." Erhart answered.
Raphtalia stiffened. Rifana and Keel were startled and went to support their friend, holding her close. Only Raphtalia really knew Eclair, but they all lost someone to Rabier. She didn't cry.
Naofumi promptly stepped to the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder, a firm reminder of his existence. Given who it was who ordered the killing, he could imagine her thinking a monster took a friend away just as she saved a different one. At least now he knew who to punch if the rumor was true.
"Will she be okay?" Erhard frowned, gently adjusting the weapons. "Were you close?"
Raphtalia trembled. "She was a teacher and a friend…. And he killed her! "
"Don't believe rumors alone, Raphtalia. They're often wrong." Afterall, I'm the center of many of them. Naofumi turned towards Erhard again, his face stern. He couldn't fathom why Idol would have killed Eclair now of all times when he didn't do it the first time around. He suspected there was more to this than at first glance.
Raphtalia's face faltered. "We have to get stronger," she resolved. "That way, we can protect our friends!"
Naofumi agreed with a nod. More power meant more chances to fight back when the wolves came clawing at the door; and there were several in particular coming right up. "I have an ability called Weapon Copy. It allows my Shield to become a copy of another shield I have held and studied. I'd like to copy as many shields as I am allowed."
Erhard gave him a skeptical look, not quite believing.
"I'm willing to pay for it." Naofumi pulled out a gold coin. "You get paid and you get to keep your stock."
Erhard gave a thoughtful look. "Well, I know the first shield you're getting. It's something from my adventuring days." The blacksmith then got up and rushed into the back room.
Raphtalia turned towards her two friends. "I…I'm sorry. I wish you could have met her."
Rifana brought herself close. "It's okay, Raphtalia. We still have each other."
The tanuki girl's mood lightened immensely.
A small part of Naofumi wondered if Rifana's life was what had to be traded for Eclair's, yet there was no clear line of connection between the two of them.
Erhard came back, holding a rectangular shield in his hands. He looked… very upset.
"Something wrong, Old Man?" Naofumi turned.
"No, don't mind me, just thinking of something other customers did," the blacksmith said back, but didn't explain anything.
Naofumi then recalled that the others went and copied every compatible weapon they could find, probably even taking dozens in Erhard's shop. It technically wasn't illegal and he doubted Queen Mirellia would consider it as theft when it was essentially a way to strengthen the Heroes at no material cost in her eyes. Erhard would obviously disagree. The Shield Hero accepted the shield.
Siderite Shield Unlocked
[Locked] Equip Bonus: Shooting Star Shield
The Legendary Shield became a copy of the siderite shield. Naofumi turned towards his companions. Grim determination came from the children. "Let's get stronger."
Raphtalia pushed herself. The news that Eclair had been murdered had shook her, especially since it was that monster that only saw delight in taking her friends away from her. She had no idea how or why this happened, but right now, that didn't matter.
Blood and guts spilled onto the forest floor, balloon monster shards scattered into the dirt. Usapils fell into nice slices of meat.
Raphtalia tore open a dozen monsters in quick succession. Her frustrations with another friend being taken away ate at her, yet the cause of her sufferings today was far away. So the only thing she could do was to tear into monsters until she was strong enough to fight him once again.
Thankfully, this time, she'd have friends with her.
Raphtalia narrowly avoided a silvery tentacle as it lunged right at her.
"Come here, ugly!" Master Naofumi dove headfirst with a shout. "Hate Reaction!" Red light shone from the shield.
A gigantic balloon monster, the size of three men put together, lunged right at Master Naofumi, its monstrous mouth agape.
Master Naofumi stood his ground and let the monster attack. He held his ground, his shield upraised. The monster's jaw was stuck open, its metallic skin reflecting sunlight.
Raphtalia was the first lunge, moving to the right of the beast. She took a swipe, bringing her sword down. The chromium balloon monster was not something Raphtalia had faced before, but she did not fear.
Clink!
Startled, Raphtalia jerked back as the creature's tongue immediately snaked out and tried to grab her while its mouth was still focused on her master.
"No good, it's almost entirely metal!" Naofumi barked, iron saliva dripping on his coat. "High defense, go for magic!"
"Right!" Rifana shouted from the other side. With an upraised hand she chanted. "As source of thy power, heed my words and singe my target. First Fire!" A small wisp of flame darted from her finger tips, striking the pinned metallic monster. It seemed to deform at the touch of heat, its coat bubbling.
Raphtalia saw an opening. She lunged at where Rifana burned it. Her sword punched through, metallic slime oozing out from the wound.
Enraged, the chromium slime rapidly tried to force itself down on Master Naofumi, expanding and contracting its jaw in rapid succession.
More balloons started to come in, as if called by their leader. Rifana was nearly surrounded and the weasel girl went to slash the forces with her sickle.
Raphtalia couldn't defend her friend directly as she kept slashing at the monster's bleeding side. Instead of fighting her battle for her, she instead decided to use magic to buy her time. "First Illusion!"
An illusory Raphtalia danced around Rifanal before darting off away; masses of balloons followed them.
"First Fire!" Free from attack, Rifana blasted the chromium balloon from the other side, creating another weak point.
"First Boost!" Keel, covered in orange and red balloon guts, dashed forward, the magic he put himself giving him increased speed. He plunged his blade deep, his hands covered in slime.
The metallic tongue of the chromium balloon split into many different pieces. Some went to stab Master Naofumi, but failed to penetrate his defenses.
Others however lunged right at Keel. With his increased speed, he dodged the first strikes, but the tendrils were reeling back for another pass.
Raphtalia, sensing her friend in danger, sprung into action. She saw the knotted mess that was the creature's tongue and cut at it in a single cleave. The tendrils that would have struck Keel lost their strength!
The chromium balloon reeled back in pain, metal pouring out from multiple wounds.
And then it died, deflating into an empty sack as the fluid inside of it spilled out.
Master Naofumi tossed the remains onto the ground.
Experience gain notifications flashed before Raphtalia's eyes.
"What was that all about! Tell me you fought this thing before!" Keel sounded exasperated.
"We didn't!" Raphtalia gave her friend an awkward grin. Back then, such a monster would have been very terrifying. They would have lacked the spells to wound it. "See, I told you magic was worth it."
"But why do we gotta read it?" Keel complained, kicking the dirt.
Rifana stepped forward, approaching from far away. She was also covered in red and orange balloon guts come to think of it. "Because as Sir Naofumi says, it's the only way to get the best magic!"
"And don't forget it. Crystal balls are rip-offs." Master Naofumi made a gesture in the air and suddenly three items appeared right in front of him. "Chromium metal boots, chromium balloon toy, and a chromium ingot. Mostly garbage."
Raphtalia pursed her lips. It was so strange to think that the mythical "item drop" was nothing more than a convenience that existed because Heroes expected it to exist, but Raphtalia was starting to understand where Master Naofumi and the other Heroes were coming from. In their world, "drops" didn't exist at all.
Suddenly, bottles of antidote were handed out to everyone. "Just remembered, chromium is mildly toxic. Drink one of these!" Naofumi ordered.
Keel grunted, but accepted the medicine anyways.
"Good thing there's only one antidote!" Raphtalia added. In Master's world, apparently, each and every type of poison needed its own specific antidote made from the poison. It sounded very convoluted. Thankfully, she lived in a world where the strength of the antidote simply had to be stronger than the poison. Magic potions must be so limited in Naofumi's world.
Rifana picked off several pieces of balloon gunk off her dress. "We should probably wash our clothes, too. There's the stream we passed on the way here."
Nodding, Raphtalia led the group down to the stream to rinse off the worst of the splatter. It was a fair distance away from where they fought the chromium balloon. Then, making use of the last of the sunlight, the party returned back to slaughtering monsters to eke out the last bits of experience the place could offer them.
No longer as terrifying to the three of them, Raphtalia started a game of who could kill the most balloons. After all, their stats had grown high enough that the balloons were little threat. Master Naofumi was the judge.
Rifana used fire magic along with her sickle. Keel primarily went with attacks using his blade with his speed boost to aid him. Raphtalia however, had the skill advantage, and it let her close the gap left by her teammate's current spells.
However, sometime during the fighting, Naofumi called on the group to pull back. "Hang on. We just stopped getting exp! There's another Hero nearby!"
Squinting her eyes, Raphtalia noticed that he was right. The moment she sliced another balloon, it didn't give out any exp. Turning her head, she saw there was a rustle in the bushes as someone came over to them, someone very short.
Raphtalia's eyes widened as the newcomer came bursting out of the bushes, landing into the river. "Beryl!?" she hollered, spotting a familiar face.
Balloons went to chase after the girl.
Raphtalia intercepted the balloons, killing three in a swing.
Rifana similarly slashed away two.
Keel dove into the water and went to save the girl. Within seconds, he dove in and pulled out a familiar face.
The new girl coughed up water.
The others went to protect her. It might have taken 30 seconds, but eventually the balloons were forced into retreat.
Raphtalia knelt down to the new girl, holding her hand to pick her up.
"Raphtalia…" the girl murmured. Beryl was a fox demihuman with an unkempt bush of dark hair. Her current outfit was a simple beige dress. On her back appeared to be a large leather backpack.
Raphtalia stared. This was a girl that she hadn't seen since Lurolona's destruction. And during her travels the first time around, she had never ran or so much as heard of her again. Now she was, inexplicably, right here.
Rifana and Keel hovered over the girl, their expressions overjoyed. Beryl was not a close friend to any of them, but she was still a survivor who endured and suffered along with them. She could have been covered in sludge and they'd still have been happy to see her alive.
Beryl herself cracked an awkward smile, a tooth missing. "You're all staring at me."
Raphtalia shook herself. Now wasn't the time to freeze. "But, how? Why are you here?"
Beryl whimpered, the reaction of a child slave. "My new master… he wanted me to do chores for him while he went adventuring." Tears streamed down her face. "Oh no! Master might punish me when he finds out!"
Raphtalia gave a pleading look to her master. "We… gotta do something!"
Master Naofumi gave a sigh. "If we destroyed her contract, we'd be stealing her for ourselves; I could offer to buy her, but that's all dependent on the owner offering to sell."
Raphtalia gave a whimper, wishing that she could think of something. Oh, if only she was older.
"...when did you get taller?" Beryl said abruptly.
The mood suddenly changed as Raphtalia, Rifana, and Keel all looked to each other and compared themselves to Beryl. Before the destruction of Lurolona, the four of them were around the same height. Now, each cleared a good three inches above the fox girl.
"Your master isn't leveling you?" Raphtalia asked.
Beryl shook her head. "... I did get bought just yesterday, but no. I am not meant to fight, he says."
"Figures," Naofumi said calmly. "Your master wants to keep you weak and dependent on him."
Beryl whimpered, her head down. "Yes." Her eyes darted to the weapon in Raphtalia's hand, a clear sign of interest.
Raphtalia felt her gut twist. She could almost imagine herself looking at the girl in front of her; if Master Naofumi did not allow her to become strong, she would have remained trapped for her whole life.
Rifana scowled. "Who is your master? How has he harmed you?"
Beryl turned her head down. "...Master hasn't hurt me yet. But I think that's because I've been diligent so far. With this failure, I'll be punished for sure!"
Master Naofumi knelt down and brought a hand onto to the girl's head. Beryl stilled and then slowly relaxed. "Don't worry. If we can, we'll help you."
"BERYL!" a voice shouted. Heavy footsteps pounded against the earth. Balloons were slashed away by the newcomer.
Raphtalia turned her gaze towards the sound of the noise. She held her sword up, ready to defend if the worst happened. Her friends stood right behind her.
With a single swing, bundles of grass fell.
Master Naofumi was the first to shout. "... MOTOYASU!?"
Raphtalia froze at the sight of the Spear Hero. What was he doing here? Why was he calling out for Beryl?
Motoyasu, the Spear Hero, who had in a different life attempted repeatedly to steal herself and others away from her master, stepped forward. Raphtalia did not know why Motoyasu wore a red and white cloth gambeson instead of the chainmail that she remembered him wearing, but assumed it didn't matter. His attention turned to Master. "Oh, uh. Hey there Iwatani! I… uh… you have Beryl?"
Beryl ran forward. She immediately knelt down in front. "I'm… sorry, Master! I'm sorry, I just… I got scared and I ran and…You'll punish me!"
Motoyasu leaned down. "Punish? No, I'm just glad you're not hurt, Beryl-chan!" He tried to touch the fox girl, but Beryl reflexively pulled away. He stepped his approach.
Raphtalia just… stared. Everyone stared. Motoyasu was Beryl's owner. Motoyasu was Beryl's owner… She could try thinking about it again, but it'd still make no sense. He even used that "-chan" thing that he only did for Filo.
Master Naofumi looked like he was thinking something cruel.
"Master." Raphtalia pulled at his coat. "What do we do?"
"Motoyasu isn't going to sell her," Naofumi grimaced. "We can at least assume he wouldn't beat her."
Raphtalia frowned as well. Motoyasu's interactions with her did often involve violence, but she could tell the air was different here.
"Sir Spear Hero!" Rifana called out. "Beryl's our friend!"
Motoyasu blinked.
Raphtalia, sensing the opening made by Rifana, spoke honestly. "Yes, Sir Spear Hero. Beryl was from our village back when the Wave hit."
Motoyasu froze. "You mean that… Wave that the King talked about, right? You're all from there?"
"It's a fishing village!" Keel added. "Well, was…"
There was an uncomfortable pause.
Raphtalia wanted to speak more, but Master Naofumi placed a hand on her.
Naofumi stepped forward and rose. "Motoyasu, if you want to do something, don't be reckless. You might not like what I could tell you."
The Spear Hero narrowed his eyes. He had that look on him that he reserved whenever that cruel Princess claimed to be harmed. "...Is it that serious?"
Master Naofumi gave a nod.
"... If someone hurt Beryl-chan, shouldn't I know?"
"Remember what I told you about demihuman slavery?" Naofumi said flatly. "Well, there was a village of free demihumans, but members of the nobility and the Three Heroes Church destroyed it and enslaved the survivors. The Lord was killed and recently, we heard a rumor of the Lord's daughter having been executed."
Motoyasu turned down to the small fox girl. "How much of this is true?"
There was an unsettling feeling within Raphtalia and all of the other former slaves.
Beryl cried. "It's true, Master!"
Motoyasu clenched his spear tightly. "We should do something about it!"
Raphtalia felt like she should back away, even if for the first time since she knew him, she was in agreement with him.
"Wait until we're strong enough first." Master Naofumi said bluntly. "Way I see it, the Queen returning is our best hope for survival, but she's stuck in peace talks to prevent a war right now."
"So we just… let them roam free?"
"Better fight when we can win."
Raphtalia frowned. There was no chance that she could free Beryl from Motoyasu now. That strange man had a friend of hers, just like he always wanted her or Filo. "Sir Spear Hero?"
The Spear Hero looked down at her. "Yes, that's me!"
"My name is Raphtalia." The way the Spear Hero looked at her made Raphtalia feel strange. His eyes didn't see her the same way as he did when they first met; it must have been because she was a child. "I want to ask… can we spend time with Beryl tomorrow?"
The Spear Hero made a frown as he thought, but eventually made a smile. "Alright, Raphtalia-chan, if Beryl-chan wants to play tomorrow, we can swing around by breakfast."
"Really?" Beryl sounded incredulous.
The Spear Hero nodded.
Keel and Rifana gave a shouts of approval.
"We were heading for Lute tomorrow, but I can make arrangements," Master Naofumi sounded disappointed. "We can have a proper conversation ourselves then."
"Oh, that's right, we're about to head to Zeltoble, the day after tomorrow!" Motoyasu snapped a finger. "You coming?"
Naofumi shook his head. "We've decided against it."
Motoyasu frowned. "Alright. Well, we gotta go!" He then took Beryl into his arms, much to her surprise. "We have to run! My party is waiting for me!"
Raphtalia almost leapt to save her, but realized it would be incredibly awkward.
"Don't bring your other party members tomorrow!" Master Naofumi shouted as they disappeared.
Raphtalia shook her head. She'd just to talk with Beryl tomorrow.
"I appreciate you taking the time to listen to me," the demihuman man said. He was dressed in a thick heavy cloak and dense leather armor that concealed most of his features and body. The only thing truly notable about him was his messy hair and canid or vulpine ears. "I am a representative of my home country of Siltvelt and I am here to provide assistance to you, Sir Shield Hero."
Naofumi kept a close watch, scanning the newcomer from the opposite end of the table. He couldn't remember exactly if he met this man before, but he knew he had gone a bit mad by the time Raphtalia came into the picture. So, he could have and simply forgot it. Either way, the guest came in the dead of night, just when he was about to turn in.
Speaking of, Raphtalia sat on the bed, her eyes intent and looking at the newcomer. Rifana compounded a mixture, while Keel was noting their stocks. If it came to a fight, Naofumi knew his group would lose, especially with the emissary's two bodyguards right outside the door to their room.
"What kind of assistance would you be providing, exactly?" Naofumi asked directly. He had doubts the man was really an emissary, but as it was, fighting was a losing option.
The representative carefully chose his words. "Ideally, we would like to bring you to Siltvelt, but barring that, I was advised to assist you in whatever way I could."
Siltvelt, of course, was very eager to have the Shield God in their borders, as a holy figure and as a powerful political instrument. Mirellia had convinced him sometime in the future that it was something akin to a gilded cage. "I have… duties that I would like to resolve here first," Naofumi explained. "Similarly, I'm worried about crossing the border into Siltvelt might be seen as an act of war. Even if unofficial, I know that many in Melromarc wouldn't want me to leave for Siltvelt out of fear I might launch a crusade against them."
The representative frowned but gave a nod. "I see. The rumors of Sir Naofumi being well versed in Worldly affairs is not idle gossip."
Naofumi raised a hand. He didn't particularly like the praise. "I do not feel a border crossing without proper preparations would be feasible. Further, I do not want both countries to be at war if I were to somehow disappear from Melromarc."
The emissary bowed his head. "Then you will not be coming?"
"I will come, but only when the Queen returns from the Summit and I am strong enough to visit. Any earlier and radical elements will not be held at bay." Naofumi explained plainly. The border between the two nations was heavily guarded, as he remembered. The promise was something that cost him nothing as well, as he felt he'd be traveling there eventually.
"That is a rational assumption," said the emissary. "So, you are saying it would be best to encourage the Queen to return as soon as feasible?"
Naofumi paused, thinking of the implications. Part of the reason the Queen would be staying so long in the conference is because the other nations, especially Siltvelt, demanded that she continued negotiations. If he could get Siltvelt backing Queen Mirellia return early, it might save all sorts of headaches down the line… and cause new ones. "It might be the best option, though I assume the ruling powers in Siltvelt would not approve of it."
"Indeed, they would prefer not to acquiesce to a powerful enemy."
Naofumi scowled. Obviously, it wouldn't be so easy getting rid of Trash and Bitch. "Then if that's not possible, I will request what is."
The emissary's eyes lit up.
"Material support would be the best. Materials and items found only in Siltvelt."
The emissary turned towards the kids, who were currently studying. "Yes, I can already see you might need a few things. Such as the therianthrope transformation art."
Keel overhearing this, burst into a mad grin.
The emissary silently bowed his head. "I think I can arrange something like that. Honestly the biggest concern there would be that we might have an overabundance of donations."
"Then pick what is best," Naofumi explained. "Nothing irreplaceable, nothing too large. Just enough so people think you're a materials seller. You can deliver the items to us in Lute village, or if we are not there, this blacksmith named Erhard could hold onto most of it. He is trustworthy… and I'd probably be bringing that stuff to him anyways."
"Very well. Anything further?"
Naofumi thought a bit more. "Books. Recipe books mostly, but other kinds might be useful. Magic tomes might have spells we don't have." He then remembered that not every country had the same language; being a hero meant he could understand everything, but not read everything. "Preferably in Melromarc's language, if possible."
"I will see to it then." The emissary rose from his seat.
"The last thing I need is sand from a dragon hourglass. It will facilitate long distance transportation back and forth from Siltvelt. In the meantime, I'll be out traveling, but I'll be having an extended stay in Lute Village for the rest of the month. Afterwards, your best bet will be to stop by Erhard's shop."
The emissary bowed. "If that is all, I am pleased to be of assistance to you, Sir Shield Hero. I will see what could be done."
"Thank you for coming here," Naofumi said, trying to sound respectful.
The emissary stepped out of the door and into the dimly lit inn. Then he and the body guards that followed him disappeared.
Naofumi turned towards his charges. They were mostly bored from the proceedings. "I'm glad that's over with."
Yawns went up throughout the room. Rifana had fallen asleep while reading.
Raphtalia spoke up. "Master, why does Motoyasu have Beryl?"
Naofumi rubbed his eyes, took the book from Rifana and set the young girl into bed. Raphtalia brought up a good question. In a different timeline, Motoyasu nearly stole Raphtalia from him all because he thought she was his slave; then again, it might have been because unlike last time, he wasn't convicted of rape. "I'm guessing Motoyasu got curious considering the other two saw you."
"But why her?" Raphtalia said. "I… we never saw her at all last time!"
Unintended consequences. "I'm a week early, Raph. She must have been sold off before I got to you last time, assuming she was even at Beloukas's tent. She might have been sold from somewhere else, it's not like he's the only slave merchant in Melromarc or even this city."
Raphtalia made an uncomfortable expression, likely assuming where the fox girl went, she died or was out of reach shortly thereafter. "So, because you came to me so soon, he decided to do what you did? And that meant that he bought Beryl?"
"Pretty much," Naofumi shrugged. "It's called the butterfly effect; change one thing slightly and other things might change drastically because of it. In this case, Motoyasu bought a slave because he heard I bought three." He probably doesn't consider her real enough to think she's a slave.
Keel snorted. "Well, I think it's a good change! Beryl was always a weirdo, but at least she's okay."
Raphtalia contemplated that. "I guess that's right… Even if it's Motoyasu that owns her."
Naofumi groaned. As much as he hated to admit it, Motoyasu wasn't a cruel man. He was a bumbling idiot who trusted the wrong type, but not necessarily cruel. On the other hand, Bitch was cruel, Bitch saw little value in anything that wasn't herself. He really hoped she wouldn't harm that fox girl. He did not want to voice this to Raphtalia; because that would just ruin her mood. Come to think of it, I hadn't told her Bitch was near Motoyasu again. That's why she never considered it.
One thing was sure, he needed to have a word with Motoyasu. "You better get ready. You'll be meeting her tomorrow."
Raphtalia yawned and took a lie down. "I'm looking forward to it."
Keel stretched. "Right."
Naofumi took a paper and wrote several things down.
"Raphtalia, you're in charge again!" Master Naofumi commanded her.
"You, kids, enjoy yourselves!" Motoyasu shouted with an upraised hand.
Raphtalia turned to face her friends with a satisfied smirk. She didn't mind being in charge.
"Wait, why does she always get to be in charge?" Keel complained.
"Because she's the most mature, Keel!" Rifana reprimanded.
Raphtalia hoped that it wouldn't be too long before she wasn't alone there. Being young and with her friends was enjoyable, but she couldn't wait to grow up, again. It would make things much simpler for her, too.
There was really only one rule in this entire conversation; do not talk about the future.
Beryl, an old friend, fidgeted in the corner, her eyes moving everywhere. She was clearly nervous, worried about something. She said nothing as she followed her owner's orders.
With a gesture, Raphtalia ushered the children into the room. "We'll see you Master!"
Master Naofumi waved back at her as she then closed the door.
As soon as the door was shut, Beryl fell onto the floor, tears in her eyes. She wept and moaned uncontrollably.
Raphtalia knelt down grabbing onto the fox girl with a high hug. This must have been what Master Naofumi did for her. She wondered if she looked like her, terrified and heart broken.
Rifana went and grabbed on, but Keel stayed back.
The fox girl grabbed back, the tears slowly petering out. "I… I'm so scared. I worry that I'll be punished."
"Sssh," Raphtalia whispered. "We're all here. You can relax."
"Relax?" She sounded like she didn't know what that word even meant.
"Take deep breaths."
Beryl took several breaths, each time grabbing a little more control over yourself.
"See? We're still here."
Beryl groaned, the sudden outburst drained from her.
"We didn't see you in Rabier's dungeons, so we thought you died," Raphtalia spoke slowly, calmly. It might have been direct, to ask something like that so soon, but it was better she knew.
Beryl shuddered. "I was sold to become a maid because I was a fox. I and some of the others, like Francia and Perideth, were there, too. I don't know where they went. I hope they're alive."
Raphtalia knew those girls indirectly. "For us, a noble tortured us. We received beatings and were kept in cages."
"I nearly died from a fever. Raphtalia, too." That was Rifana, reminding the smaller girl that she was here for her, too.
Beryl sniffled. "They didn't give us beatings; because, if they beat us, we'd become unattractive and our price would be lower… Instead, they prettied us up, gave us nice clothes that barely fit you even after you starved. And if the outfit breaks while doing work, you were punished."
Raphtalia did not have any words to respond. She held the girl close.
Beryl wept just a bit more.
Raphtalia tried to recall the girl as she used to be, a distant memory now. Beryl was the strange kid, someone who generally stayed at the outskirts, but was welcome at any time. She had an interest in unusual things and was always eager to talk about them; Raphtalia couldn't find that girl in front of her.
"What about now? Is it the same now that Sir Motoyasu bought you?"
"Master Motoyasu… I don't know. He's constantly looking at me. I worry about him punishing me if I get things wrong, like all of the head maids."
Raphtalia didn't know what to say. Motoyasu was someone she did not have the best experiences with.
"Then there's the ladies, all four of them! One of them doesn't hate me, but the way two of them look at me… They say I'm just a pet, an animal that Master Motoyasu owns. I… I just know I'll be punished if I don't do my chores!"
Raphtalia brought her hand to the girls lip, gently encouraging a silence.
Beryl quieted herself.
Raphtalia held her tight. Even though, on the inside, Raphtalia burned. She had forgotten one of Motoyasu's companions was the evil witch from her nightmares.
"... I feel like I'll be eaten up," she whimpered.
Raphtalia looked at the girl in the eyes. "Don't worry. Master Naofumi is talking to your Master now. He'll do something to help you." A thought crossed her mind. "... Do your duties include fighting?"
Beryl shook her head. "I asked when we were out in the field yesterday. Lady Haven said I shouldn't. They also said something about me not being in the party."
Raphtalia squinted her eyes. She didn't know any of the women that Motoyasu had with him, save one. Lady Haven was someone she hadn't properly met. "If you could, do you want to be stronger, to level up?"
Beryl pursed her lips and thought before answering. "I… you guys are taller than me. And you look so much… more than I am. I'd like to be as strong as you, so I won't be helpless, but Lady Haven says I shouldn't get bigger, because it might be dangerous."
Keel raised a fist as he moved close. "Why'd it be dangerous? It's normal for demihumans to grow fast."
"Maybe they just want her small. Same reason they wouldn't let us train before we met, Sir Naofumi." Rifana countered.
Raphtalia said to them. "If she wants it, maybe Master Naofumi could convince Motoyasu." She after all was only saved from her horrible conditions because she was willing to fight and was given the opportunity.
Beryl gave a frown. "Do you really think so? What about Lady Haven?"
Raphtalia raised a finger. "Sir Motoyasu is your master, right? He's the one who has to decide, not Lady Haven. You just gotta ask him. Does he let other people train with him?"
Beryl pursed her lips. "... Not really, no. He likes to fight for the ladies, though I think that's because they asked not to fight..."
"Then ask him if you could fight. We'll ask Master Naofumi for support, too," Rifana promised.
Beryl relaxed. "Alright, I can try that." She already seemed more herself, though she still had a long way to go. "Thanks guys!"
There was a wave of silence in the air as the four children looked at each other. The serious part of their meetup had come and gone; now they were left sitting in the room with a topic that didn't need to be talked about.
"So, have you met the other Heroes?" Beryl asked eventually.
"Only the Sword Hero," said Keel.
"And he's very mean," Rifana supplied.
"So, does that mean he's meaner than Sir Naofumi?" Beryl asked quite bluntly. "Just… the way he looks at people. It's very scary."
Raphtalia froze. "Not exactly… he's really nice and all." Though Master Naofumi does have his moments if it means he could get his way.
"Oh, so… does that mean you like him?" Beryl tilted her head.
Raphtalia's eyes widened. Where did that question come from!?
"Very much! Raphtalia has a MAJOR crush on Sir Naofumi!" Rifana laughed.
"Rifana, how could you!?" Raphtalia felt her cheeks flush. "... You… you also had a crush on Shield Hero!"
Rifana stuck out her tongue. "Well, that was before I met him. And it's clear you're really fond of Sir Naofumi!"
Beryl stood up, an eager look upon her face. "Oh! Oh! If Raphtalia likes Sir Shield Hero, can I help?"
Raphtalia wanted to sink beneath the floorboards. Her best friend just stabbed her in the heart!
When Naofumi Iwatani returned to this world, he did so with the intention of caring and protecting Raphtalia, even if she did not remember him. He said to himself that he would suffer the hell he went through again, even the torture that Motoyasu put him through, just to save a sick girl.
Never in his wildest dreams did he ever consider a world where he and Motoyasu would both have demihuman children and that they would organize a meetup for said children.
Someone out there was laughing at his expense, he just knew it.
"Raphtalia, you're in charge again!" Naofumi commanded.
"You, kids, enjoy yourselves!" Motoyasu hollered to the bundle of assorted children.
"Wait, why does she always get to be in charge?" Keel complained.
"Because she's the most mature, Keel!" Rifana reprimanded. They might be around the same age, but Raphtalia has experience being an adult. Thankfully, Rifana had been told to keep the specifics on that a secret.
Beryl, the fox girl, kept quiet. There was a certain tension within her.
The children all ran into the room, with Raphtalia closing the door behind them. "We'll see you Master!"
Naofumi waved at them and then led Motoyasu down the hall to the door directly adjacent to them.
The old innkeeper had the spare room open and available when Motoyasu came around. Technically, it didn't even cost anything to rent for the hour or so Naofumi wanted to use it, but he paid the old man one silver to avoid annoying complaints later.
"So, where'd you get her?" Naofumi asked the first question. "Or maybe I should be asking why you got her?
Motoyasu rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well we went to Flintbrand's, a high class… servant store? Myne wanted to have some of her retainers follow us along to do chores, but after you told us she would be bad news, I was sure that might have been a problem. The other girls, most of them are nobles and not exactly used to… roughing it."
"So, without a means to do chores other than yourself, you needed hired labor to solve the problem?"
Motoyasu nodded. "The others said you had slaves, though Itsuki and Ren both said you didn't exactly act like a slave master, so I thought maybe I could do the same. You seemed very knowledgeable."
If there was a hell for Naofumi Iwatani, this was it. He took a seat and offered Motoyasu to do the same. "The big reason I do it is because one of my weapon unlocks has a stats bonus to slave growth as they level. If you have your weapon consume slave ink and blood, it might do the same thing for you."
Motoyasu seemed to flinch at the mention of blood.
"Only a drop, nothing major." Naofumi did not like the fact Motoyasu had one of Raphtalia's friends, but the only thing he could do from his options right now was to ensure her safety. He didn't care that he'd have to give up some of his secrets if it meant others did not suffer pointlessly.
"So, you're leveling them up?" Motoyasu asked.
"Arguably, it's the other way around. My attack stat is literally 1. Without them, I'd be stuck at level 2 at this point." Which was an experience he did not want to have ever again.
Motoyasu twiddled his fingers. "It's just that Elena said it was bad for her health."
Naofumi squinted his eyes. "What?"
"Elena said it'd be bad for Beryl for some reason. Lesty also said dividing the exp would slow down the growth of the others. Malty says she's just a servant and doesn't need it."
Naofumi gave that a thought, trying to piece together a group dynamic of people he only knew one member of. Given Motoyasu's caution on Bitch this time around, he might have been relying on the other members to give feedback in place of her. So, were they trying to hoard exp while Motoyasu did all of the fighting for them? Or was there a legitimate reason? "I don't know much about them. I just know that demihuman children grow as they level."
"Oh, like many monsters?" Motoyasu looked very uncomfortable. "...isn't that a bit wrong forcing them to… grow up?"
Naofumi did actually agree on that. It was a shame that in a very literal sense he was forcing children to grow up early to fight in the Waves on his behalf. At the same time, in a way, they stopped being kids the moment the Waves destroyed their home village. "In an ideal world, their village would not have been ravaged by both the Waves and the kingdom and their parents would be alive to raise them in warm homes. Unfortunately, we don't live there. Instead, the best I can do is make them strong enough to survive."
Motoyasu sulked, his head down. "So, you think I should level Beryl-chan?"
"If it helps her survive, yes. She'll probably grow into a nice young lady." As Naofumi mentioned it, the justification for why Motoyasu's party members did not want Beryl to grow popped into his head.
It's likely that Elena knew Beryl would grow older as she leveled. It might mean that as long as Beryl stayed young, she wouldn't be exposed to certain things… perhaps a certain Bitch's ire and jealousy. A child slave that is significantly younger and awkward looking is not a threat compared to an older woman who was physically a near equal.
Motoyasu lifted both of his hands, as if imagining two separate choices and measuring them.
Naofumi narrowed his eyes. He gestured for Motoyasu's attention. "If you can't decide, let her decide for herself. I did the same for the others."
Motoyasu gave him a thoughtful look. "That's… that's a good idea then."
Naofumi nodded. He pulled out the list he made last night and gave it to the Spear Hero.
Motoyasu looked at the list. "Vitamin pills? Cutting her hair and putting it in the weapon? …food expenses?"
"Demihuman metabolism is something else," Naofumi said offhandedly. He was sure that the amount they ate was proportionate to their effective growth. It's also why Raphtalia was eating three times what he was.
"... medicine recommendations… magic books?"
"You should read them yourself, too," Naofumi said offhandedly. "I didn't get any crystal balls, but the kids are already learning their first spells. I'll get them to Zweite level stuff pretty early at this rate. I'll get there someday, too." Technically, he should already be at Zweite spells, but for some reason, he was just missing them. And it wasn't like he could just look up at a book to relearn them instantly.
"...Toys?" Motoyasu, predictably, did not understand. "That's different from everything else, like I get most of that stuff, but toys?"
Naofum looked away, he forgot he added that in. He continued despite that, "She's a child, Motoyasu. She needs to be a child, too, even if just for a little bit."
Motoyasu made an uncomfortable expression.
Naofumi focused. Maybe he could intimidate Motoyasu into handing the girl over if he didnt' want the responsibilities. "She's probably scared all of the time, even if you don't know. You probably didn't know it when you got her, but her home was destroyed. Her parents are likely dead, she doesn't know where her friends are. Maybe a few nightmares. Same story with the ones I ha-"
Motoyasu raised his hand. "...I'll care for her."
Naofumi scowled. Will you? Did you understand or are you thinking it's something like a mood bar for a digital pet?
"So, I know you fell into a Light Novel and all, but did you like to play a game like this before coming over?" Motoyasu asked sheepishly. He looked desperate to change the topic. "You've been here for a week and you're already making lists on strategies and stuff!"
Naofumi groaned at the comparison to this world being a game. It was similar to a game, but the people in it were real. He desperately tried to keep focused. "In the MMO I played, I was one of the top 3 Guildmasters. There, you happy?"
Motoyasu frowned. "Not really."
Naofumi scowled.
"It's just…. Do I remind you of someone you hate?" Motoyasu twiddled his thumbs. "Like, I can tell, you seem to not like me."
Naofumi felt a sting in his heart. It was here he realized: this was not the Motoyasu he knew, who scorned him at every turn at the drop of a hat because some witch cast a spell over him. Instead, now he was looking at… someone else: a colleague? a compatriot? He didn't know; "You do," he admitted. "You remind me of someone I did not get along with."
The Spear Hero looked down at himself. "Is it the hair? The looks? The armor?"
"Not the armor, but everything else does." Naofumi said bluntly. The only thing that physically separated this Motoyasu and the other Motoyasu he remembered was the fact he didn't have that stupid chainmail that was Bitch stole from him. It honestly felt like he was looking at a new person the more he thought about it.
"That hurts, you know that?"
"I'm sorry," Naofumi apologized to Motoyasu. "The person I knew stabbed me in the back because of a girl who manipulated his emotions after also stabbing me in the back. They caused problems for a lot of people around me, the girl did it seemingly out of pure malice."
Motoyasu grumbled. "Well, I hope I never become anything like that guy… Honestly, I should be really cautious about women because of how I died. Like, I'm worried what'll happen if I get too close to Malty because of what you told me... but I really like to please girls. I can't just abandon her."
The Shield Hero looked at the Spear Hero very intently. Now he was starting to wonder if Motoyasu had been replaced when he wasn't looking. He looked the same, his priorities were somewhat the same. He still kept a demon around him despite being told she was dangerous. Yet Motoyasu didn't bear him any ill-will.
"So, will you give me a chance?" Motoyasu extended his hand with a nervous look on his face.
Naofumi hesitated. He did not come here to make friends with Motoyasu or with the other Heroes; he was here to protect Raphtalia and her world. That was the plan, to do everything in spite of those three making everything a mess that would fall on him to clean. One of them being capable of introspection and being willing to listen was never something that he truly believed would happen. And yet… he grabbed the Spear Hero's hand. "I'll try. I don't exactly do it on purpose."
They shook.
The world changed.
"See? It wasn't that hard!" Motoyasu laughed.
Naofumi trembled. You're not the one holding the grudge.
Motoyasu trusted him. What did that mean he had to do? Should he help Motoyasu in some way? Could he trust Motoyasu more? Did he share anything about the future he lived in? And if so, would Motoyasu really believe him? Would any of it be applicable now?
There was only one thing he could think of. "Motoyasu, I want to share something, but first I need something from you."
Motoyasu raised a thumb. "Name it."
"Okay, so you have a weapon strengthening method, don't you? Can you tell me?"
Motoyasu pursed his lips. "Why that? Isn't it just like Emerald Online?"
"I didn't play that game, Motoyasu. So, bear with me. Tell me your method, only the first one."
Motoyasu pursed his lips, but nodded his head. "Okay, it's very simple: Weapon Mastery means that the more you use a weapon form, the stronger it gets."
Naofumi checked his HUD. Sure enough, "Weapon Mastery" was just unlocked. "Okay, so on my end, I just unlocked the ability to use it, because you told me."
"Oh, really? Is it that simple?"
"Yes. Now, did you know Itsuki has a strengthening method, too, one different from what you had? It's from Dimension Wave."
Motoyasu seemed skeptical. "I don't buy it, but okay."
"It's called 'Rarity Powerup'. Weapons have rarity values and the rarer the weapon, the stronger it is. You can augment it by using ores. Trust me, it's there."
Motoyasu stared at empty space for a minute, his face furrowed in concentration. "I found it!"
"You did?"
Motoyasu gave Naofumi a smile. "You said to trust you, right?"
Naofumi felt a surge of pride. He had done it, something that months later that became impossible, he had done in the first week. He was trusted.
"You okay, Naofumi?" Motoyasu looked at him.
"...I wasn't expecting this," Naofumi replied back, truthfully. It was like an entire weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
Motoyasu raised his hand. "Oh, I get it. That woman must have really done a number on you."
She must have done the same to you. It felt… good, better than he thought. But he wasn't here to deal with his issues. He had a task to complete. "I'll recover. We should probably focus on our work, Motoyasu."
Motoyasu gave a look of disappointment. "Shame, I was wondering what kinds of things you liked. Like, I know you liked light novels, but I mean what kinds of genres?"
Naofumi felt a twinge of temptation. He was a former Otaku after all. When was the last time he talked to anyone about that stuff? No, it wasn't right. He switched the topic to a serious matter, one that Motoyasu could accept. "...I'm not heading to Zeltoble, but the rest of you are. The way I figure it, there's 4 Heroes. Each of us will likely head off in separate directions and encounter different materials and resources. We should organize an exchange before each Wave."
Motoyasu gave an excited laugh. "Oh, I see. That's really smart. Is this something you did in your Guildmaster days?"
"Yeah. It saves a lot of time if people didn't have to backtrack areas friends already went to," Naofumi said proudly before realizing his slip of the tongue. Did Motoyasu count as a friend now? He did not know.
Motoyasu beamed, likely pleased with what was said. "So, the best player is the biggest contributor, right?"
Naofumi gave a grumble of discontentment. Motoyasu may not have directly said it, but he would still treat the world as a game. He didn't think the Spear Hero could be dissuaded from that mindset easily, but at least he wasn't actively malicious. "It's not really a contest, but if you want to think about it like that, just bear in mind that all sorts of things you wouldn't think of are valid materials, like random blades of grass or hair from party members. Blood, meat, even shiny rocks. And even if they aren't for the Legendary Weapons, they could be useful for other things. Get carts if you have to. Maybe take up a skill in something you like doing."
Motoyasu raised his fist. "Alright, Naofumi, this is a great plan. Anything else?"
Naofumi backed away. Was he ever going to get used to Motoyasu being like this? Maybe that kid of his would turn out okay. "Well, since you're asking, let me introduce you to the difference between handcrafted and automatic."
Especially early parts had the equipment and abilities of Keel and Rifana adjusted to better fit canon, though I understand it is not perfect.
Beyrl is an OC and largely came as a result of needing to show off the consequences of changing fate. I hope she is palpable to the readers. She was not originally intended, but a logical consequence of the portrayal Motoyasu would be getting coupled with Naofumi not being the villian to the group. Gamers tend to see what their peers did and replicate it; which is exactly what Motoyasu did in Reprise with his first filolial even with Naofumi being a "rapist" by reputation - he wanted his own Filo.
As for Eclair, you'll find out more about what happened later.
Credits to Sebazu for helping me write this fic so far. Beryl's looks and personality come from him as well.
