Chapter Five: Against Expectations


The innkeeper had given him a strange look when he asked for the one room, then looked at Raphtalia with something close to pity.

Naofumi clenched his fists under his cloak.

"Third door on the left, up the stairs," the man said slowly, taking the silver coin Raphtalia had given, "dinner's served early evening, paid for with the room, small breakfast too in the morn'."

Naofumi led Raphtalia to said room and examined it.

Turns out there's little need for her to worry, Naofumi thought darkly.

The room was quite spartan: a window to the left on entry with a desk, a dresser and wardrobe to the right, and two single beds.

Naofumi set the pack in front of the nearest bed, followed by Raphtalia with her smaller one.

Weird, she doesn't actually look all that pleased, Naofumi noted rather confusedly at her small frown.

"We'll do a quick inventory, then head out," Naofumi said, emptying the pack onto the bed.

First, the essentials. Their two waterskins, maps, utility knives and butchering knifes, firestarter and bedrolls.

Though we usually just end up using my larger one and hers as a pillow.

He took out his wooden potion case and did a quick tally of the vials.

"Do you know which is which?" he asked.

"Um, I think so," Raphtalia nodded.

"Show me."

He was pleased when she correctly identified each.

"The Medicine vials are bright green, the Basic Medicine are the dull green, Nutritional Supplements are the brown ones. Healing Medicine is bright red," Raphtalia recited.

Naofumi nodded.

"Good. Uses?"

Here she hesitated, and Naofumi patiently explained:

"Basic Medicine for colds and weak illnesses, Medicine for the more moderate ones. Nutritional is like the name, nutrition: helps keep you healthy or get you healthier if you've not had much food. Healing Medicine's for cuts and wounds, no use drinking that."

Naofumi patted a smaller wooden case about the size of two hands and opened it to show Raphtalia what he'd put inside.

"First aid kit," Naofumi said.

Raphtalia blinked, confused.

"If you need to treat something quickly, grab this. I've put the only two good quality Healing Medicines in, along with bandages. Apply the Healing Medicine, then wrap. Small pair of scissors in there too. This will be at the top of my pack, always."

Raphtalia nodded intently.

Naofumi then moved on, checking the other items they had and ones he'd sent her to buy.

Sewing kit, that'll be helpful for making their own small packs or containers, or repairs. Or stitches, god forbid.

Their supply of smoked and dried meats and fruits, of course. Lantern with candles since he'd balked at the oil fuel prices.

Worse than back home!

Finally, the tools. He bundled them but set the scissors to the side, and a small wooden comb he'd also asked her to pick up for some coppers.

Naofumi opened and checked the flat wooden case he used for his potion ingredients, humming in approval after confirming it was well stocked.

A squat ceramic cooking pot was next, which would make cooking a lot more straightforward for Naofumi. This had their wooden bowls fit neatly inside too.

Finally, his remaining usapil furs, a few spare sets of clothes and their sleeping bags.

I'll keep a hold on the furs, if the mine goes well they might be handy...

"Anyway..." Naofumi grunted, setting his mask down on the desk and unclasped his cloak, "grab that chair, take a seat."

Raphtalia did as bid, and looked up to Naofumi in confusion when he wrapped his cloak around around her. She got more nervous when he reached for the scissors.

Naofumi rolled his eyes.

"Relax. I'm just giving you a quick haircut. Your hair's gotten matted and tangled."

Naofumi emptied some of his waterskin into one of their bowls and scooped up some water to run through her hair.

Raphtalia flinched at the sudden cold, but kept still otherwise while he dampened it, then carefully applied some of the soap they had.

"Can see if there's some sort of product you can get, do demi-humans normally have such long hair?" Naofumi muttered.

"U-um, depends on the race," Raphtalia explained hesitantly, "Raccoon demi-human boys usually keep theirs short, but girls have long hair."

Naofumi hummed an acknowledgement at the smidgen of information of demi-human culture, then got to work cutting and pulling the easiest knots apart gently, and running a comb through her hair.

It was slow going since he wasn't exactly a professional, but eventually the mass of brown hair thinned into something presentable and groomed.

While Raphtalia examined it in the mirror with fascination, he made to clear up the hair.

To his surprise, the hairs were promptly vacuumed into the Shield greedily and unlocked a Raccoon Shield.

Huh, have a feeling she wouldn't be pleased about that. I'll check it later.

Once Raphtalia was done checking her hair from every angle, he started packing up their things.

"Light stuff at the top, heavy stuff at your shoulder blades, medium stuff at your lower back, sleeping bag and other at the bottom," Naofumi went about repacking the items, explaining as he went, "roll gets strapped, here," he grunted, closing the top of the back, ensuring the bedroll was firmly in place.

"Even though it's supposed to be at your lower back, need to get a better pack at some point," he muttered.

"Huh?"

"Nothing." Naofumi strapped the lantern into the centre-back of the pack.

As much as he enjoyed technology back home, sometimes it was great to just go camping for a few days with a light novel or two and get away from everything.

Raphtalia had an easier time of it when it came to her pack, only having to store away her ball, some food, whetstone, newly bought oil for her dagger and her own bedroll.

"You have a lot more stuff in yours," she frowned, finishing, "shouldn't I have more in mine?"

Naofumi shook his head.

"This is both of our stuff," he corrected, "by all means, if there's stuff you're wanting that's yours, you can keep it in there like your ball. But the lighter you are, the safer you are in a fight."

Stretching, he hefted the pack over his shoulders and turned to the door, adjusting his hood back up, "Come on, let's get going."

The innkeeper looked surprised to see them again so soon.

"We'll be back later in the day, we have work to do," Naofumi said shortly.

He turned and left without further conversation, causing Raphtalia to quickly run after him.

"So, uh... why do you want to go to the mine anyway, Naofumi-san?"

"The merchant mentioned the Light Metal veins found there," Naofumi explained, "that's something we will need urgently."

"For selling?" Raphtalia queried. To her surprise, Naofumi shook his head.

"For our gear." Naofumi answered, "from what I've heard, this Light Metal stuff is better than copper or iron, and isn't as heavy as steel. It will make good armour for you, and I can see about getting an improvement on the chainmail for the wave. Plus, I don't have a metal shield aside from this," he finished, gesturing discreetly to the Small Shield he had equipped under the cloak.

Raphtalia nodded at his explanation.

"We're going to make a quick stop by your 'Ekil-san', though," Naofumi said, chuckling.

"Huh?"

Naofumi glanced at Raphtalia, "I can do a lot of things, and I've got a few things in this pack. What I don't have is a mobile forge or even the skills to use one if I had."

"Ah," Raphtalia mumbled, "it's just... you look like you can do anything, Naofumi-san."

Naofumi bowed his head and looked away, briefly speechless.

"W-well, I'm not exactly infallible. The stuff I can't do is a far bigger list than what I can."

"Still a big list though," Raphtalia argued back quietly.

Naofumi swallowed, and gestured for Raphtalia to take the lead in showing him the way to Ekil.

He knew where the smithy was located of course, but he'd rather she didn't get a look at how red he knew his face was under his hood or the mask.

When was the last time anyone said something like that, huh?

Certainly not his parents. While he had an improved relationship with his brother who he knew to be grateful for his support, it was always with the elephant in the room that Toshiro was just... smarter. Better. It was even in their damn names.

They had hope for their first born Naofumi, but that was shifted to Toshiro.

Had he been bitter? He liked to say it never bothered him, and that was true. He knew he led a pretty spoiled life, but they never... cared, like they did for Toshiro. They tolerated Naofumi in an 'out of sight, out of mind' way, except when it came to keeping Toshiro in line and not straying off the good path.

But sometimes when he'd stopped to think about it, it did hurt. When was the last time someone had looked at him like Raphtalia had, with admiration?

He'd thought this world would be different. He thought he'd be able to actually establish himself, but he was the square peg to the round hole of what these people expected of the Shield Hero, apparently.

He didn't blame the common folk for their whispered talks about him. He raged against the damn royalty who forced him into this situation however, it didn't matter what he did or had planned, he was going to be hammered into the designated role, because it suited their purposes.

He'd seen the opulence of the palace, the feasts and the expensive silks.

He walked the streets of Riyute, only some hours walk away with Castle Town as their market town, and he saw the poverty.

"Ah, Raphtalia-chan, back so soon?"

Naofumi blinked and realised they were already at the smithy. It looked like a simple home rather than a store, the smithy built like an afterthought. There was the stone firepit with the bellows, a simple anvil, tool racks and cooler. The grinding wheel was to the side, with a worksurface beside it.

Ekil was a stocky man with tree trunk arms and a head like a lions mane - long and untamed, with a grizzly beard to match.

"Yes, Ekil-san! Um, my master wanted to talk to you," Raphtalia stepped to the side and Naofumi stiffened under the brown eyes of the smith.

"Hum, so I see. Well, if he has questions, he'd better ask."

Naofumi straightened himself up, and explained.

"I've been told before it was abandoned, the mine had just found deposits of Light Metal. Are you able to work it?"

Ekil paused and set aside the work he was doing - forging nails, from the looks of the growing pile - and leaned against the wooden fence of his open workshop space.

"Normally I'm makin' nails, sharpenin' axes an' the occasional sword, repairin' the sawmill. But I had a good master, I know my way around makin' blades and armour, just not somethin' I do all that often, unless Elder Riyute asks for one of the guards."

Ekil hummed.

"Light Metal, I can work it aye. When word first got out before the first Wave, I'd been preparin' for an influx, so brushed up my rusty knowledge. Whatever you need with it I'll be able to make it mos' likely, but I'm no Erhard."

Naofumi nodded, "It will just be armour for myself and the girl, maybe some better knifes or a blade."

Ekil sucked in air through his teeth, brow furrowed.

"When you're done up at the mine, visit me then with wha' you have, and we'll see what we can do."

Nafoumi nodded again, and exchanged a few silvers for a pickaxe. He made to leave, until Ekil spoke again.

"Oh, girl! I forgo' to give you a couple of coppers of your change from when you were here, I'd left them on the table over there, mind getting them?"

"I- you did? Oh, sorry! I should have counted it out!"

Raphtalia entered the forge and went to search the rather busy work-table for the coppers in question, while Ekil approached Naofumi.

"She's a good girl, Sir Beastmaster," Ekil said quietly, "deserves better, she does."

Naofumi tensed, but didn't make any movement.

"Don't think I don't know that," he murmured quietly.

Ekil nodded slowly, "I'll do a damn fine job when you get back with the ore, if only to make sure she doesn' get herself killed fightin' your battles."

"The day she dies is the day I can no longer protect her," Naofumi stated simply, and Ekil left it at that with sigh as Raphtalia returned.

"Thank you so much Ekil-san, I didn't know, I'm sorry-"

"It's fine, it's fine," Ekil waved her off with a grin, "look after yourself, hear!"

"Yes!"

When Raphtalia went to give Naofumi the coins, he instead closed her fist gently.

"Keep it, it's about time you started getting some pocket money anyway."

Ekil gave Naofumi an appraising look, before returning to his forge.

Naofumi took the dismissal as it was and started leading Raphtalia out of the village with the pickaxe hefted over his shoulder, on their way to their next destination.


"Air Strike Shield!" Naofumi called, examining the thick floating magical construct. "Hey, Raphtalia... give it a whack."

Raphtalia eyed him, but did as bid, giving a half hearted jab.

Naofumi rolled his eyes.

"A bit of heart into it, please. Maybe a slash?"

Raphtalia sighed. The next moment the Shield shimmered but held firm while she grunted, stepping back after the attack.

Naofumi stepped up and examined it closer.

No mark.

Neat.

"Well, hopefully that means I don't need to be throwing this again when I can't reach you in time," Naofumi said, knocking the equipped Rope Shield, before changing back to the Pickaxe Shield.

"Come on, down to business."

Naofumi lit the lantern and entered, followed closely by Raphtalia.

For a little while, the tunnel was supported by wooden beams but as the duo went deeper, the cave was only formed from the natural stone walls. Naofumi paused.

"Do you hear that?" he asked.

Raphtalia's ears twitched and nodded, "Waterfall, and a stream."

Naofumi nodded slowly, "Thought that's what it was, yeah. Good ears."

If there was a water source, then there was definitely going to be inhabitants of the mine who wouldn't need to stray far outside for food.

There was a soft light from far above, filtered through a small hole. Naofumi took the chance to examine the map they'd found in the abandoned rest station.

The map was marked with an 'X' up near the source of what was likely the waterfall from the diagram.

"Naofumi-san..."

"Hm?" Naofumi turned his attention to Raphtalia who was tugging at his sleeve.

"Look."

She was pointing down.

Naofumi knelt to inspect closer with the lantern light.

There were large footprints there, and looked canine in origin. From the size of the prints, it was a big dog.

"Let's keep going. Eyes and ears open."

They moved closely together and slower until echoed growling sounded.

At the top of the waterfall, they ran into it. A large, black furred two-headed dog.

Fuck, I wasn't expecting something this size, it's taller than me!

The beast sounded a challenging howl and charged. Naofumi shrugged off his pack, threw the lantern to the side and readied his shield.

Naofumi hadn't taken damage from an enemy yet, but he had a feeling that was about to change. He was definitely going to take some hits, he could only block one head.

"Raphtalia, get ready," Naofumi shouted, "I'll take the hits, when it bites down, go for the head!"

To his surprise the dog leapt and clawed at him, forcing him to hold back its weight with the shield. The jaws of both heads snapped wildly, slobbering with hunger for his flesh.

Naofumi grunted and shoved it back to make some space.

"Now Raphtalia! Raphtalia?!"

That was her chance, only he realised she wasn't responding and was instead staring off to a point in space, white with fear.

Damn it, just like with that usapil! This is worse, it's like when she had those nightmares!

Her sudden shrill cry rang through the cave, attracting the dog's attention. Both heads were thrown back in howl, then it charged her.

As if I'd let it!

Naofumi knocked Raphtalia out of the way with his shield. Instead of of returning her attention to their fight, she panicked and stumbled, falling near the waterfall.

"Ah! H- Help!"

Naofumi cursed, smacking the biting heads away.

If she falls, she shouldn't die, but..

"No! No! Dad! Mum!"

Damn it!

He had to pull back for now, eventually it would land a solid hit.

Naofumi ran over to her, wrapped Raphtalia up in his arms, and leapt into the waterfall.


Everything was swirling, he had no idea where he was, but eventually they stopped falling and landed in a lake. He carried the girl over to the shore, shivering.

"What was that?!" Naofumi barked, confused.

"Dad?"

She looked dazed, confused.

"Raphtalia, it's Naofumi. What's wrong?!"

He spared a glance up. The dog had ran to the edge of the cliff, glared down at them before turning away and running.

Naofumi firmly gripped her shoulders.

"Raphtalia, it's Naofumi. Are you okay?"

"I... I..."

"What happened back there?"

She shivered, before explaining slowly.

"My... my village..."

Naofumi listened as she explained when the first Wave hit and the horror of the masses of skeleton warriors that flooded into the town. Then other animals showed up. Giant insects, beasts from nightmares, they showed up in droves and the adventurers who had been at the town couldn't hold against the force.

A three-headed dog appeared, something nobody could face. A boss creature. The villagers fled, adventurers were dying, but the monsters kept hunting down the inhabitants, butchering survivors, devouring people alive.

Raphtalia and her parents were cornered at a cliff overlooking the ocean. Their last act was giving her a reassuring smile before pushing her over into the water.

Naofumi swallowed back the bile in his throat as she whimpered, her last sight of them alive being the three-headed dog feasting on them.

Then she had to bury their remains.

Naofumi shut his eyes.

She had suffered so much, hadn't she? And here he was, pushing her back into it.

"That dog is back! We need to run!" she suddenly shrieked, panicking.

Naofumi gently grabbed her, "Raphtalia, you need to calm down, please. It's not the same dog. It's not that three-headed one."

She wasn't listening.

"Who am I?" he asked.

She blinked, confused.

"Naofumi-san."

Naofumi smiled, "I'm the Shield Hero. Up until now, I've been protecting you, haven't I? I can't defeat these enemies myself."

Raphtalia put her heads in her hands.

Naofumi could hear the growls echoing as the dog hunted.

He didn't have any time, and he knew he would curse himself for the rest of his life for his next words.

"Your parents aren't coming back. But you can help other kids. You can keep the same from happening to them. But we need to be stronger. We need to fight monsters like this. This isn't the three-headed dog. We can beat this. But only together. I need you to fight, Raphtalia."

She looked up at him with fear in her eyes.

"All I can do is give you the best environment for you to use your fighting skills. I'll make sure you don't get hurt, but you need to fight. Will you help me?"

"R-right."

Naofumi exhaled.

The dog had found them.

Naofumi swallowed, and stood up to face it. He checked Raphtalia's menu.

Flee was disabled. Good.

"It's not going to get past me. Go. Run."

"What?!"

'You're not going to die a painless death', huh? Maybe not, but this mutt is going to choke.

"What did I say?! Go! I can't fight. All I can do is protect you."

The beast howled and charged Naofumi, clawing again. He punched the second head as it lunged for his shoulder.

"I don't want to run away!"

"Then what will you do?" Naofumi barked. "Just die here?!"

"No!"

She stabbed into the neck, nicking the flesh, slashing wildly.

Then the dagger shattered.

The dog yelped as it flinched back, then charged the panicking girl.

"Air Strike Shield!"

The beast slammed heads first with a sick crunch that seemed to daze it briefly. Naofumi took the chance to rip off the sword belt at his hip. Before he could do anything further, it was already rushing for him.

Fuck!

He threw the sheath to the side, and the dog took the opportunity to sink it's teeth into his shoulder.

Pain that he hadn't felt in this world, pain he hadn't known to this level in his own erupted through the nerves, followed by a spray of blood.

"Naofumi-san!"

Naofumi couldn't reply back as the left head was lunging.

He punched it's jaw and grabbed it by the neck, holding it at bay while the other bit deeper.

If it could overcome his defence rating, it must be pretty strong, and its fangs had actually pierced the chainmail.

It must be down to the Shield, but the pain wasn't debilitating.

"The sword!" he shouted as the right head reared back, several teeth broken on the chainmail. "Take it!"

The dog seemed to sense the threat coming and tried to divert its attention to the demi-human.

Like I'll let it!

Naofumi swung his right arm back around, ignoring the pain and clocked one of the heads with his shield. When it reared back howling, he threw himself into its centre between the heads, arms outstretched to grapple it.

He heard Raphtalia charging in and grimly bore the the two bites. The left head into his arm, the right into the same shoulder wound, trying in vain to force him to let go, to shake free.

All of a sudden, blood sprayed in his face as the sword tip poked clean through the right heads skull from the force of Raphtalia's thrust.

Heaving, he shrugged it off to slump at the side to focus on the one now utterly rabid left head.

With a yell of rage, he gripped its neck from throat to base and bodily threw it to the stone floor, ignoring the flailing claws.

Raphtalia charged in with the sword again, wordless cry on her lips. The head darted forward to bite her before she could decapitate it.

Naofumi had intended to grab it's jaw, but instead ended up shoving his fist down it's throat.

The sword came down and severed the neck between his arms, the two headed hound twitched thrice in death.

EXP 340

Raphtalia EXP 430

They were both rewarded with a level up for their efforts.

"You did it. Good work."

The duo was covered in blood, Naofumi more than Raphtalia, though some was his own.

Naofumi winced, and gently rubbed the sitting girls head before groaning and collapsing to his knees.

"Naofumi-san... Don't die, please, please... M-my place..."

He knew what she meant, even if she was having trouble saying it.

"I... your sword..."

She made to give it back to him, but he shook his head with a grunt.

"It's your sword."

"But..."

God, he felt stupid vocalising it, the real reason he'd kept the damn thing.

"It's the Shield Hero's sword, right? Only, I can't use it. So it's down to my companion to use it for me."

He'd bought it in the hopes that, that Bitch would be the sword to his shield. The Shield Hero's companion.

She'd betrayed him.

He thought Raphtalia would too, given the chance. But when she'd tried to kill it with her dagger instead of taking the chance to run, he knew.

"Can you find your way to our packs?"

"I... yes."

"Good," Naofumi grunted, then adjusted himself into a sitting position, "you're going to need to get them, if you can. If you can't carry them, just bring the emergency kit..."

He could see his HP slowly ticking down from what he guessed was bleed damage.

"Yes! I'll be back right away!"

Naofumi nodded as her steps echoed, and stared into the lifeless eyes of the dog.

Of all the animals he'd ran into, he hadn't felt such satisfaction to see one dead at his feet.

"Told you that you'd choke before I die, you bastard," he muttered, spitting at the left head.


Two-Headed Black Dog Shield conditions met.

Two-Headed Black Dog Shield

abilities locked equip bonus: alert shield

equip effect: dog bite

The shield looked like a two-headed dog. It was made from leather and so realistic that the heads almost looked alive, and it came with some pretty good abilities. Not bad.

Naofumi did wonder what the 'alert shield' did, same with the 'dog bite'. Something to check later.

"Keep still, please."

Naofumi huffed, but did as bid while Raphtalia treated his shoulder.

The different butchered parts didn't cause the shield to react, but Naofumi cared not. While Raphtalia had gone to collect their things, he'd spitefully planned on what he was going to do with it, the main idea he kept was 'skin the bastard and use it as part of the armour'.

It was an appealing thought.

"Here I am, Sir Beastmaster, with my armour made from the leather of the two-headed mutt that tried to eat me," Naofumi chuckled.

Raphtalia coughed. Naofumi knew it wasn't from her old illness, however.

"Well," Naofumi tilted his head slightly to the side, careful not to interrupt her work, "I guess I did have a little help. Definitely little."

He gave a very manly yelp when Raphtalia roughly tightened the bandage more than it should've been done.

Once he'd been treated as best as she could, Naofumi packed up the butchered parts they'd be keeping. The dog skin, some bones, teeth and claws, along with a bit of the meat.

"The next one we find," Naofumi grunted, hefting the back over his left shoulder, "I'm going to turn their damn skulls into masks and their flee-ridden ass into a rug."

Naofumi smiled at Raphtalia's muffled giggle.

"Well now that ugly's taken care of, let's actually find some of that ore."

"Okay!"

It was good to see she was more chipper.

Pickaxe Shield equipped, he led Raphtalia to the marked X on the map. When Naofumi swung the pickaxe, a small X appeared on the wall, glowing a light green.

"Hm?" Naofumi paused, examining it and taking a breather as it took a bit out of him after the fight. "Guess 'X' marks the spot."

"Huh?" Raphtalia looked confused, so he gestured to the marking. "I... I don't see anything."

Naofumi shrugged, "must be the shield or something, then."

He swung again as hard as he could and the wall groaned, spiderwebbing cracks erupting. Then the wall collapsed.

Didn't expect it to crumble so quickly.

Keeping a more careful, closer eye on the clearly fragile surroundings, Naofumi started digging around for the ore.

Eventually his efforts paid off though, and after a swing he unearthed a piece of shining ore.

Light Metal ore.

There wasn't that much in the vein, but the duo kept digging until what he guessed was early evening, going by the dimmer natural light available in the cave.

They ended up with two pieces of ore from that first vein, both of which he offered to the Legendary Shield.

Light Metal Shield conditions met!

Light Metal Shield

abilities locked equip bonus: defence 1

equip effect: magic defence up

Naofumi whistled appreciatively. The defence rating on this was the highest yet, probably down to the fact it wasn't from battle loot but solid metal.

"How is it?" Raphtalia asked.

"Pretty good, will probably use this one more than the others once I've got their abilities unlocked."

"Right, then we should head back Naofumi-san, you should rest tonight."

Naofumi nodded, a bit surprised at her newly found confidence and followed beside, led by the hand.

They returned to Riyute and in turn, Ekil. He took the ore off their hands to be smelted.

"So, what sort of armour are you thinkin'?" Ekil asked.

"Something not mobility restricting," Naofumi stated, "for myself and the girl. I'm going to be making that two-headed dog's skin into some workable leather too. Think you could use that?"

Ekil's eyes widened. "That beast was living up in the mine?! Jeez, if I'd known, I'd have said somethin'! It tore apart three guys during the first Wave."

"Well we killed it, so the mine should be clear now. I'll be taking a couple of trips back up once my shoulder is healed, though, to make sure."

And to snag whatever metal I can before the village resumes operations...

Ekil hummed, "well, if you're wantin' that worked into it as well as the metal, we should probably do somethin' custom. If you have some usapil skins, porcupine skins an' also some pikyupiktu feathers, I can make somethin' pretty good for you, will take some work."

"I have some usapil skins," Naofumi said, "where can I find the porcupine or pikyupikyu around here, though?"

Not that he even knew what a pikyupikyu was.

Ekil marked some good nearby locations on their map.

"It'll take me some time to sort the metal, same with you and the skins. Tell you what, once you've got the rest of the materials, we'll see about makin' the armour then. Shouldn't take more than the end of the week. I'll be willin' to buy your haul of ore here an' now, so you don' need to go luggin' it around."

Ekil then glanced at Raphtalia. "Should give the girl some time to grow, less adjustments for hers."

Grow? What's he talking about?

Raphtalia reddened but nodded, so Naofumi took that as her understanding. Must be a demi-human thing, or something.

"Now, let's talk price," Naofumi stated.

"Hundred and twelve pieces of silver." Ekil responded.

Naofumi's eyes narrowed. That was about... 14 silver per ore.

"Hundred and twenty." Naofumi challenged. "Make it a nice fifteen silvers per ore."

Ekil snorted. "And where am I going to be getting my profit from, huh? Most travelling merchants woul' be generous to give you twelve per, though you'd probably be lookin' at hundred, for about ten."

"And how much supply do you think you'll have?" Naofumi retorted, "You don't know how common it will be in the mine."

"You've just opened the mine back up, Sir Beastmaster. Coal an' metals will soon enough be flowin'. I plan on makin' my profit by gettin' high price for the first swords from the stuff, which is why I'm givin' you a good price."

Ekil leaned in closer over his fence.

"When that opens back up proper, the stuff is goin' to go down to thirteen, maybe fourteen for the purer stuff. That's with selling direct to someone who can actually work it, too. Tell you what. I'll buy it from you at hundred an' forty every ten you bring me for this week only. That's how long it'll take for operations to get set back up. You'll see the price after that, an' be grateful ol' Ekil was nice enough to you for it plus your custom armour."

Naofumi pondered this for a few moments, before nodding and they shook hands, "do you mind paying the hundred in a gold coin, though?"

They left for their room 1 gold coin and 12 silver richer than they had started the day.


Wincing as he took a seat at their desk, Naofumi emptied their coin pouches to count the profits.

"You should try and get some sleep," he told Raphtalia, focusing on stacking the silver coins in piles of 10.

Before they could get settled however, there was a sudden cracking noise coming from his pack.

Confused, he gestured for Raphtalia to take a look.

She withdrew their monster egg, and Naofumi exhaled in surprise.

It's hatching!

He pushed the coins aside and set it carefully on the desk and they both watched with excitement.

The fluid spilled out of the small opening, then after a few moments, a reptilian head poked out.

"Is that..." Naofumi started, only to have his suspicions confirmed by the flicker of a forked tongue before it retreated back in, "a snake?"

Not what I was expecting exactly, from what the dragonnewt said, I thought it would be something more... draconic.

Carefully, he peeled the shells back, noting the shield gem glowing in response.

The snake peaked again, and Naofumi gently lifted it's wriggling form to examine closer.

LV1 Couatl

A couatl? He had no idea what that was. The snake definitely odd, with a weird bony crown formation and two growths on it's upper body, but it might just be some kind of monster in this world.

"Any idea about what a couatl is?"

Raphtalia shook her head. Naofumi hummed.

He took out a small portion of the dog meat and diced it carefully. His unnamed couatl stopped swaying and wriggling to stare.

He brought the fingernail size chunk closer on the tip of his knife.

In a blink of his eyes, the meat was gone and being swallowed down.

Naofumi blinked again.

"Well, he eats dog meat at least. You're going to do just fine with us."