Subaru rested his back against the wall of the ship. Wiz had apparently spared no expense for their journey. This came in the form of their own private room within the large galleon sailing towards Tempest as they speak. A magic ball was near his nightstand, ready to be used to call Wiz and check up on Sophia if necessary. Kazuma had gone out to gather information about some of the other occupants.
Kumoko though...
'Come on, let me out!!!!' She telepathically shouted. Kumoko was currently in storage, sealed in a massive crate of Iron Bark and reinforced with Adamantine. Not even her ridiculous spider strength could free her from such a box. The only way to open it was by using two keys at the exact same time, down to the second.
He had one, Kazuma had the other.
Wiz had told them it was the only safe way to transport Kumoko on a ship like this. If she did break out, then she'd bring an entire ship full of powerful adventurers down on the group.
He didn't want to gamble with that, no matter how strong the three of them were. 'Remember, we can't let you out. If it makes you feel better the moment we get out of reach from them then we'll cook you a feast.' he offered. 'No, neither of you guys can cook well. If it weren't for the runes that Lich put on this box I'd be free.' Kumoko retorted. 'Well, best of luck. It's time for my two pm report from Wiz on how my daughter's doing.' Subaru thought as he forced the connection shut.
Turns out spending time in the presence of Mind breaking, nigh eldritch in nature, Witches builds up quite the mental strength.
Subaru just sighed before he poured a bit of mana into the crystal ball and called Wiz.
Rem stepped off the ship with baited breath. This would put her one step closer too finding her hero, her Subaru.
When she awoke, her old self, she was horrified by what she found. That Subaru had been convicted of being an Archbishop and Witch Cultist, by Beatrice herself. When she had broken their contract, fired Minya Crystals at him, and let Emilia freeze his legs to keep him still.
When THEY did such a thing to a boy they proclaimed to care about. Too the same one who had practically been carrying the Camp in the royal election. The same boy who had fought tooth and nail for them. Who was head over heel in love with Emilia.
It took all the strength of her sister and Roswall to stop her from tearing the two women apart with her bare hands. Garfiel, someone she had only known for a couple hours at most yet had the gall the call Subaru his "Cap'n", had messed their search up. Otto tried to placate, but he lacked the strength to do so.
Now it's her turn.
Even if she has to bend people into knots, snap knees and break spines, and stare into their very souls.
She was going to find her hero, and never let him be harmed by them again.
It was dark in the box. She could hear the thoughts of everyone on board the ship thanks to her telepathy and far speak skills, yet she could only talk to Kazuma and Subaru.
Something about the runes enscriped on every possible surface of the box, was keeping her from doing anything.
Her magic was weakened, her psychical strength didn't matter in the face of one of the strongest metals in the world(s). Her burgeoning psychic skills couldn't create any new bridges between herself and any of the passengers.
'How rude, seal me in a box while I'm sleeping. How was I supposed to know that the organs of certain beast were adapted to make their devoirers sleepy afterwards.' She went on a tirade. 'Wiz drugged me with food, now I'm stuck in a box. Subaru can just cut the connection, and Kazuma's using an undead skill to surpress his emotions so I can't even harass them to release me.' she continued.
'It was supposed to be enough food to knock you out for the entire journey. Had you told us about your resistances we would have increased your meal size.' the emotionless voice of Kazuma retorted. Of course Kazuma was still there, even without his emotions he can't cut her off like Subaru can.
'Screw you,' Kumoko retorted rather angrily. 'Would you stop complaining if I slipped some food into the box, I don't have to eat remember.' Kazuma offered, his tone carrying only staleness. 'When I get out of here, I'm going to use your head as a soccer ball.' Kumoko retorted.
'Beldia would be a better choice, don't have to rip his head off to get the ball.' Kazuma dryly replied. Kumoko just groaned as she retracted in on herself and tried to relax.
Vanir hummed to himself as he waved off the next set of merchants. Adventurers may not frequent this place, but the other worlders were obsessed with it. The Shop of Wonders as they would call it, the gifts that Kazuma and Subaru helped him create being the reason for this name.
Oh course they got their slice of the profit, but most of it was for him.
If only the other worlders stopped bringing their own problems here, then it would be perfect.
"Alas Moi can not remove his mask, though can not make me remove it." he said too the other customer in the shop. "How can I trust your wares if you don't show your face." The customer replied. Vanir resisted the urge to disintegrate the arrogant fool in front of him, all he would get would be a mess on the floor and the ire of both Axel and the 'famous' customer's kingdom.
The man in front of him was from a country far off from Tempest, he hadn't bothered to search deeper.
"I'll have you know I am a noble of the house-" "In your own land yes, but you have no influence here." Vanir interrupted him. "I'll-" "You'll what? destroy the Shop if Wonders, earn the ire of all around Moi? Attack me, get yourself thrown in prison if Moi can survive a fight." Vanir railed off.
The man sputtered in anger. "Please buy something or never come again." Vanir said calmly. "They'll hear about this, then you'll be ruined." The man threatened as he turned to the door.
"Was that wise Vanir?" Wiz said from the back. Vanir turned to her, seeing that she was cradling the small child right in her bosom. "Not that they are a threat, they might not know but Moi's products are experiencing sales like never before. Many folks with money to spare are grasping and bidding for our products. One noble, no matter how powerful, would be helpless in trying to stop our business." Vanir responded.
He turned back as the door opened again. First walked in a grey haired man with a large green hat. Followed by a blue hair maid with a strange energy around her. "What can Moi do for you?" Vanir asked in his typical showman fashion. "I would like to buy some Mayonaise, a friend of mine enjoys the sauce and desired more of it." The Blue haired one said. "Ah yes, we have mayonaise sealed in those jars over there." Vanir said as he pointed to a shelf on the far right of the shop.
The shelf was filled with various condiments that Subaru and Kazuma had told him about. Some were harder to make than others, but seeing Subaru create his own homemade Mayonnaise was a great head start. The other one approached the front and stood nervously.
"I... would like to apologize for the actions of my comrade taken against one of your employees several nights ago." he said. Vanir didn't show it, but this was the most obvious sign that they were who Kazuma had told him about. The overwhelming subconscious desires of the blue haired maid too find Subaru just hit it home. "Ah yes, they had told me about what had happened. Rest assured that punishment has already been delivered, but there is something else, isn't it?" Vanir asked, leaning closer to the merchant.
"You see-" The merchant took a deep breath. "Our friend, someone that we care about is missing. I can give you a poster if you'd be willing to inform us should you see him." Otto said. Vanir just shook his head. "Why would Moi do that?" he asked. "Because you've met him before. I know what Mayonaise tastes like, how different it can taste when made by different people. The mayonaise you sell in this shop tastes exactly like the kind he made." Otto said. Vanir smirked, seeing an opportunity.
"Ah... What was the lads' name again Wiz?" he asked, turning to the loch in question. Wiz just raised a brow at this, before her eyes widened. "He never gave it, we just made a deal in exchange for getting him a carriage too the city of Alcanretia. He didn't say why." Wiz said, quickly catching onto his plan. "How far to Alcanretia?!" The maid spoke up, her head turning fast enough to give her whiplash.
"Oh, its a long journey. If Moi wish to go too Alcanretia then Moi should request the Guild to get some carriages and adventurers to act as guards." Vanir said. Otto dropped several Eris on the desk as the maid did the same. "Thank you." They said, walking out having paid for more than just their purchase. Vanir shook his head, the echoes of their thoughts still fresh in his mind.
Kazuma laid awake in bed. His Emotion Surpression skill no longer active as Kumoko had fallen asleep some time ago. Subaru lay in the bed on the other side of the room, tossing and turning every second. He moaned and cried, muming out gibberish in his sleep as Kazuma just lay not far from him.
Then Subaru started screaming. "Don't leave me!!!" he shouted in his sleep. Kazuma's eye twitched before stood up and walked over to his roommate. Subaru was growing more hasty and panicked by the second. "Must... Use... Re.return..." he muttered out. Kazuma just watched, before pulling out a small note pad.
This wasn't the first time Subaru had screamed and thrashed in his sleep. The two of them spent at least a week and a half together before Kumoko and Sophia were thrown in the mix. At first he thought it was just the psycological scaring from the two months Subaru had spent in the dungeon.
But what he said, what he infered, didn't say it. Kazuma quickly wrote down what Subaru had just muttered. The line taking its place with many other much like it.
The list was a mash of game terminology, inferences of death, and sorrowful words.
His current best guest was foresight, usually how he would die.
What a great gift Isekai gods, great gift.
Thunder was heard from outside as he thought this.
His second best guess related to these "Loops" Subaru talked about. If he didn't have foresight then he can probably affect time.
But how?
If he can manipulate time, why let himself be trapped in the dungeon? spend two months being tortured?
Unless he can't control it.
In which case, double great gift.
Either way, this had brought his friend nothing but pain. Kazuma calmly wrote down several other things Subaru muttered before he let a hand close to Subaru's shoulder. "Drain Touch." he said quietly before Subaru calmed down as Mana was drained from him.
"Welp, here's my life." Kazuma said as he sat on a chair near Subaru's bed. His notepad ready for when Subaru has another night terror.