Wild Journey
It was a beautiful day. The Sun was shining brightly. The flowers were blooming. The birds were singing. On the day like this…
"Stop! Thief!"
"Get back here!"
"If you don't stop, then I swear to gods...!"
…a wizard was busy being chased by a bunch of Harpies. To be more precise, a murder of furious, screeching Black Harpies that tried to catch him with an almost suicidal effort, considering how some of them were willing to crash into the trees if it meant making him crash as well.
Speaking of which, Merlin wondered if a group of Black Harpies was called "murder." He knew that a group of crows were called that and considering that Black Harpies were, well, black, he wondered if they were based on the cunning birds.
"Eh, it doesn't matter." The wizard concluded. "I am pretty sure they won't like it if I call them 'murder.' So, even more reason to use it."
"Got you!"
Hearing that, he immediately jumped forward, just in time to avoid a Black Harpy that almost grabbed him by her talons. Merlin smacked her with his staff, sending the monster back to where she came from.
The white-haired man resumed his escape. He started to consider his strategy, which was simply running away until they give up, due to how already far away he was from their nest. Thus, he decided to change it.
When the Black Harpies managed to catch up with him, suddenly – without any warning – his body disintegrated into flower petals.
"Man, that was a hassle," Merlin commented as he sat on the ground. "Seriously, there's no need to be that vicious."
He picked up the bag that was with him when he went into their nest. His hand went into it to retrieve a certain item; the reason why the Black Harpies chased after him with reckless abandon.
The egg of the Black Harpy.
"Well, I have heard that Black Harpies, while friendly to each other and their family, are wary with strangers." He started to monologue. "But yeesh, I didn't expect that kind of reaction."
He picked up a pan and put it in front of him.
"Then again, I did kind of sneaking in like a burglar." His hand went to the egg. "On the other hand, many of them are not in the nest, likely trying to find mates. They take something from humans, I take something from them. Fair deal."
He used the edge of the pan to crack the egg.
"Still, their sheer determination doesn't make much sense." The wizard opened the egg and poured the content into the pan. "The book says that egg-laying monsters have no problem having their eggs eaten. Could it be...wrong…"
Merlin noticed something on the egg. Throwing away the shell, he picked up the pan and moved it closer to his face so that he could see it better. There, on the yolk of the egg, was a small black dot.
"Ah, this is fertilized egg…" He commented, remaining silent for a while, before shrugging. "Oh well, no use of crying over spilled milk."
It finally explained their action at least.
As he put the pan over the fire, the wizard wondered where he went wrong. He remembered that the eggs of egg-laying monsters have different sizes, depending on whether or not it was fertilized. When he approached a bunch of eggs, seeing that all of them were of similar size, he concluded that they were unfertilized.
As it turned out, it was the opposite. For some reason, the murder of Black Harpies was very fertile and managed to make many fertilized eggs. They decided to put them together, likely to foster sisterhood among each other even before they were born.
"Well, at least this egg disappearance doesn't end up in vain," Merlin commented, looking happily at his sunny side up egg. "Thanks to that, I will not suffer hunger in my journey."
When she returned to the orphanage, Sasha was still trying to comprehend that this was the same orphanage that she and her mother had to take care of for years.
While the food was never a problem, it was an abundance in Lescatie, other necessities were a different story. Clothes were often hand-downs and had to be sewed or even patched. Medicine could be hard to acquire and despite having the money, she needed to make sure that she could buy other kinds of stuff like woods for heating, hygiene products, and others. The building itself was in the state of disrepair; not just some holes being covered but a renovation.
Life was good but it was not easy either.
It all changed after Elt departed with his mentor. When the first letter arrived, it was along with three big pouches full of gold coins. There were so many coins that Sasha could buy new clothes for all of the children and treating them sweets weekly for two months straight without compromising funds for other necessities.
More and more letters arrive and with them, gold coins. At some point, it was enough for her to fund the renovation of the orphanage and renting another place for them to live in until it was complete.
"Still, I wish you're here." The nun said as she put down her grocery. "Enjoying all of this with us."
"Well, he keeps sending us money. So, I don't think it's a good idea to complain about that."
Sasha turned around and saw Primera entering the building, one of her hands holding a dead turkey by the neck. The former couldn't help but simply shook her head and sighed with a small smile on her face.
"Oh, there's no need to lie, you know." She stated, causing the half-elf to look at her strangely. "Remind me, who is it that every time a letter arrives, always demanding that I quickly open it and read…"
"OK, OK, no need to continue." The archer hero immediately shouted with a red face. "Anyway, as much as I like for him to return, it's also thanks to him traveling, learning with his wizard mentor that he manages to get all this money."
"True." Sasha sighed. "It's unfortunate that him traveling means that we can't write any reply either."
Primera couldn't agree more.
"Speaking of which, I don't see her here these last few weeks." The half-elf commented. "Did something happen to her?"
"You mean Lucian?" The nun asked back and received a nod. "Well, I am sure you have heard the news, of the establishment of new knightly order under Wilmarina Noscrim."
"So, she's training hard to be accepted and show Elt that she is as good as Wilmarina."
"Yup. The girl's crush on him is almost obvious."
"Well, let's hope that her family being rabbit farmers won't be a problem."
The two heroes sighed, knowing just how bad the system in Lescatie was.
"Ah, so soft~" He commented as he let his face sunk into the big ball of wool. "No wonder this thing is popular."
One thing that made him complain of always traveling was that sometimes, he had to sleep in the open. While he had enough money to buy the best tent and sleeping bag – which he did, there was still the fact that not even the best sleeping bag could beat the comfortability that a bed could offer.
As he walked towards his destination, the wizard was wondering on how to make his sleep more comfortable. Then, as if on cue, he saw her at the nearby hill, happily chewing some blueberries.
It gave him an idea.
"Release me, you damn wizard!" Speaking of which, she looked as if she wanted to choke the life out of him.
Which was impossible, because she was tied to a tree.
"Relax. I already put an enhancement on the rope." Merlin told her. "When the time runs out, it will untangle itself. Thereby, setting you free."
"I don't ask you to release me later. I ask you to do it now." The Weresheep shouted back.
"No can't do. Without this wool on you, you will attack me like a beast." He cheerfully retorted. "Besides, I am a) not in the mood and b) you're not exactly my type."
"Oh, I am sure you will find me very beautiful…if you don't use a spell that causes all of my hair to shed!"
"Oh. Well, …there you go."
The Weresheep let out curses that were better not be repeated.
"Such a foul language! If you ever find a husband, give him my condolence for having to deal with something as dirty as that mouth of yours."
She exclaimed even more curses.
On the farm located in Lescatie, many rabbits were hopping around, enjoying the calm and beautiful sunny day. Walking among them was a blonde girl, carrying a basket full of carrots, the food of the rabbits. As she gave them to the little balls of cute, one thing that stood out about her was the sword on her hip.
"Hah, that should be all." She stated as she wiped the sweat on her forehead. "Time to rest, I suppose."
After hard work, she walked towards the cottage. Before entering the building, she put the empty basket near the doorway. Once inside, she grabbed a pitcher and a glass, pouring herself a glass of water.
"Ah, that feels better." She commented after drinking the water.
She took a seat and put the glass back on the table. Her hand then went towards the piece of paper. She read its content with the intensity as if her life was on the line. This was even though she had read it many times before.
"This is it…" She spoke. "This is my chance."
Her mind went to the fateful meeting. One that occurred years ago.
The little girl was walking around the crowded street. The city was in full celebration as usual in this time of the year; the harvest festival. The food was at its most plentiful as if it wasn't plentiful during other times of the year. The time when even poor people could have a taste of luxury.
While she came to the city with her father, he was – unfortunately – preoccupied with his work, selling the rabbits to various people that would turn them into a delicious meal with the meat and comfortable clothes with the fur. Though some want them as pets, like some of the nobles.
He did give her some pocket change to buy something from the many stalls on the street. So, it's not all bad news.
"Whoa!"
"Ah!"
Due to how crowded it was, it was simply a matter of time until she crashed into another person. The two of them took a step back, dusted themselves off, before looking at each other.
"Sorry about that! I should…have…been…"
"No, no. The blame is mine, dear."
When she looked at his face, she found herself staring at the most beautiful face that she had ever seen. She knew women who would be envious and willing to kill to have the look that the boy in front of her has.
"Hm, is there something wrong?" The boy asked as his hand went to his head, causing his eyes to widen. "Ah, that's why."
He immediately put his hood on, showing only a bit of his face.
"It's quite a hassle, you know. Having to hide my face when I am outside." He spoke up. "Well, I don't exactly need to. But it's better than having people pausing like you, right?"
"To hide such a beauty…it's a shame." She thought while pouting.
"Ah, where are my manners?" The boy offered his hand. "I am Elt. What's yours, milady?"
"I-It's Lucian." She accepted his hand before frowning. "Wait, 'milady'?"
"A habit of mine. One that I doubt will ever disappear." He explained with a smile. "Big Sis Sasha always chastises me for it."
"Can see why."
"Ahahaha…"
She decided to spend the time with her new friend. There were many attractions, offered by the many stalls that only existed during the duration of the festival. There was a stall that sold freshly grilled meat and vegetable on a skewer. Not far away, there was another one that sold lemonade. Then there were the stalls that instead entertained, like the game of knocking out pyramids of bottles.
As the two of them enjoyed the festival, Lucian slowly knew better of the boy with her. It surprised her that he was an orphan from the orphanage at the slum. While the clothes did give it away, his face and how well it was taken care of indicated someone with higher status. Perhaps he was simply gifted with such beauty.
Another thing that she learned – or rather confirmed – was that he was indeed a flirt. Unsurprisingly, he was approached by many girls, likely wanting to take a glimpse of his face. Each time, he would talk with them and each time, there would be a compliment or two regarding them. And considering how some of them reacted – like how a girl who's a bit older than both of them asked if he used the same compliment with her sister – he was well-known for his behavior.
Despite that, many of them took it in stride, even if some were blushing a bit. She could understand why; his words were not empty but full of sincerity. He indeed appreciated the beauty that each of them possessed. He also merely using compliments without having any further intention.
"Ah, we should turn around." Elt suddenly said. "I don't think it's a good idea to go there."
"Eh? Why?" Lucian asked. "Others can go there without any problem."
"From this point on, we will enter the district where the priests and nobles live." He explained. "While this is one of few times, they allow other, lower people to enter, the history of my family means that I am a persona non grata."
"What happened?" The two of them turned around and walked away.
"My Ma and Pa were servants of the Noscrim family before they were expelled by the priest. That alone is a mark that would send people straight into the slum."
"Noscrim…that's one of the most powerful families in the kingdom, right?"
"Yep. Actually, the daughter of the patriarch, Wilmarina, is a friend of mine. Before the banishment, I am her playmate."
"So, she's the type of girl you like, huh?"
When Elt explained his backstory, when it came to the part about Wilmarina, he appeared to be reminiscing about the good old time, holding dear to the memory that he had.
"Which means if I can be like her, then…"
"Huh, look at the time." He suddenly said while looking at the sun. "I remember Big Sis Sasha said that I must return around this time."
"So, it's goodbye, then?" Lucian said, her mood went down.
"It appears to be the case, young lady." He took her hand and kissed the back, causing her to blush. "Thank you for willingly spending your time with this good-for-nothing man."
"A-Ah, it's no problem! I enjoy it as well!" She immediately replied. "Also, don't call yourself that."
"I'll take that into consideration, then."
With that, the two of them parted away. Before they were far though, she remembered something and quickly shouted back to him.
"Hey!" The boy turned around and looked at her, curious. "D-Do you think we can meet again?"
"I don't see why not." That was the reply along with the smile.
It was, however, turned out to be their first and last meeting.
"No, it's not the last!" Lucian thought as she shook her head. "Elt is simply unaccepted in Lescatie. If I can become a hero, then…"
It could go two ways. One, she could become one of the greatest heroes of Lescatie. With that kind of power, it would be easy for her to have Elt being accepted back in the kingdom. After all, he was a mere orphan with no name (damn, that hurts to think about).
Two, being the hero of Lescatie, she would likely travel often to Order realms as part of her job. During her journey, she could gather a clue on his whereabouts or even – if she was lucky – meet him.
She was somewhat conflicted regarding the Noscrim. While on one hand, they did banish Elt and his family to the slum, it was also thanks to the banishment that she could meet him in the first place. Furthermore, there was Wilmarina Noscrim herself; someone that – while she admired – could be considered a rival for his affection.
"Is it though?" She wondered. "Considering him, I think he will simply say nice things to both of us."
She put that thought aside. This new heroic order would be her best chance of rising her status. The Noscrim faction would be all over the place, trying to gain as many talented people as possible, no matter their social rank.
"Just you wait, Elt! When we meet, I'll make you amazed by how far I have come!"
"Well, I suppose I would," Merlin commented as he waited for the water to boil. "Hopefully, this story will have a better end."
After it reached the boiling point, the wizard picked up the pot and put in several pinches of tea leaves. He then stirred the water with a spoon until its color changed. He picked up the pot and poured the tea into the cup that he had already prepared.
It was still not done yet. He picked up the small bottle that contained Alraune honey…
He knew that there were Alraunes in the forest. And when there was an Alraune, it was almost certain that there were Honey Bees nearby. He had just located where they hive was and if his prediction was correct, then…
"Ah, there she is!" Merlin whispered before he went to hide inside the bush.
Not realizing the danger that about to fall upon her, a Honey Bee casually flew while happily whistling a song. When she was close enough, he emerged from the bush with a burlap sack. The Honey Bee, not expecting it, froze and let herself be captured.
He threw the sack to the ground and pinned it to the ground with his body, preventing the monster from escaping. As she struggled inside, Merlin started to cast a spell at the Honey Bee. When he finished, her struggle slowly weakened before finally disappearing, replaced by snoring.
…and another one that was filled with Holstaur milk…
Inside a cabin, a man and his new Holstaur wife were just about to enjoy their meal when suddenly…
BLAM
"Nobody moves!" A man in a white robe suddenly broke into their home. "This is a heist!"
"Wha…?"
Before anyone inside could react, the man suddenly went to the kitchen, opening every drawer before stopping at the one that contained bottles of milk. The Holstaur's breast milk, to be exact. He took one, ran back to the door, and then threw a pouch to the man's head – likely coins, considering the sound – before shouting.
"I am a gentleman thief!" He said out loud. "Not a common burglar!"
The husband and the wife could only stare at each other, not sure at what the hell they just witnessed.
…before pouring them into his tea; a teaspoon of honey and a tenth of the cup of milk. He put them down and picked up the spoon that he used earlier, stirring the tea.
"Hmm…" Merlin picked up the cup. "Having tea with milk and honey is very enjoyable."
After days of traveling, he finally arrived in a settlement. A small town, judging from its size. As he walked around, trying to find a place to sleep, he saw a woman that had an exotic look. Her physical appearance indicated her to be from the Far East.
He also knew that from her spiritual presence, she was a monster.
Seeing that she was busy haggling with a merchant, he went towards a wall and leaned on it. When the woman was done and walked away, he immediately followed her. Once he was close enough, he whispered several words into her ear.
"So, what is a Gyobu Danuki doing this far from Zipangu?"
She hissed and turned around to glare at him. Without wasting any second, she took his arm and dragged him into an empty alley.
"You seem to be scared," Merlin commented with a playful tone. "This settlement is not monster-friendly, I take it?"
"No. From what I know, they're still somewhere in transition. So…" The Gyobu Danuki explained before suddenly stopping. "Wait, that doesn't matter! How do you know? I am sure my disguise is foolproof!"
"Never underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools." He replied. "Also, I am a wizard."
"That doesn't…you know what, forget it." She sighed. "So, what should I do to buy your silence? How much gold? Or do you want exotic goods instead? Ones available only in Zipangu?"
"Nah, I just need someplace to sleep…" Merlin then put his hand on her shoulder. "…and a 'company' for the night."
"Hell no!" She swatted his hand away. "You're way too obnoxious! Fix that attitude first and I'll consider."
He simply shrugged.
"Anyway, there are some empty rooms where I stayed." The Gyobu Danuki continued. "Especially thanks to those Amazonesses…"
"Excuse me?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, nothing. Just a bunch of bloody Amazonesses kidnapping my employees away!" She exclaimed. "They don't even have the decency to ask my permission first!"
"Well, you know how the Amazonesses are. They're what we called 'barbarians.'"
"Doesn't make it any better. In any case, it's kind of annoying since I will likely lose more employees when I finally leave this town."
As she continued to grumble, Merlin put his hand on his chin, thinking about the next action that he should take. Using his Clairvoyance, he saw that the men that were kidnapped were now the mates of their kidnappers. As expected. Considering the distance between this settlement and their village, this was not something he could just leave alone.
"Hey, I have a suggestion." He said, catching her attention. "What if I go there, tell them your beef, and get the compensation for your lost employees?"
"Err…" The Gyobu Danuki didn't sound convinced. "You do realize the problems with your plan, right? Also, what's in it for you?"
"Let's just say I can blow off some steam."
"Eh, you know what? Go ahead." She smiled. "It's not like I'll lose anything. If you can do as you say, then I'll give you some of my best merchandise."
"I'll take your offer then."
The two of them shook each other hand. With that, Merlin emerged from the alley, heading outside despite having just arrived.
He had some business to do first.
Answer to a review:
MoonCell: Fou, huh? I am still not sure about that.
Yes, Merlin knows about Grand Order events.
Yes, I will use characters from other books.
If you have a question or suggestion, feel free to tell me.
Review, please!