With a soft jingle, Satoru examined the copper plate in his hand. Just hardly blocking out the sound of the busy avenue, he walked with his eyes set on the identity tag. His name engraved into the item with the clashing characters of the native language made him feel… warm. Looking to his companions, he could see they weren't doing the same. Their eyes were forward, watching the city inhabitants wander through their day.
"That letter the Warrior Captain instilled you with is quite powerful. It's influence brought the Guildmaster out of his office to meet you. I am sure your name will circulate quickly, Satoru."
"Kiwi made an unexpected impression." Nabe was oddly smiling at the words she revealed.
This was retorted with a series of guttural sounds from Kiwi who remained nestled into Satoru's shoulder as it pointed her long beak at her.
"I… I'm not fighting you, Kiwi." Her smile nearly vanished as she gave the bird a sharp gaze.
Pluton Ainzach, the guild master of the E-Rantel Guild was an interesting fellow. He agreed with the reforms he had in mind the last time for the Adventurer Guild. So, he was sure once he was eligible to have a voice, Satoru was going to share it with him again.
Peering over his shoulder, he could see one of the Mythril groups hanging outside the Guild.
Kralgra, the idiot who let his ego get in the way of living. In a way, that wasn't going to happen, at least not in the same way as before. He made sure to send Shalltear away–to make sure she didn't get her mind warped by some World Item. Even though he could've easily given her a World Item. There was just no sending them out with such a valuable item.
Not with this 'Riku' individual lurking about in the shadows.
"Of course it will," Satoru sounded confident as he released the tag and let it fall against his chest. The copper plate was something that he could look at and see the reflection of his adventurous spirit. It was something that allowed him to look back on the days of YGGDRASIL and the fame of Momon the Dark Warrior.
As they sifted through the crowd, they systematically avoided bumping shoulders with anyone.
With ease, his gaze surfed from face to face. From children playing to adults doing work, there were people everywhere. It reminded him of the streets in the arcologies. Though children were a resource drain, there were plenty of them. Adults always worked around them, or worked in the factories and never saw the light of day.
Finally, his eyes rested upon a couple walking with their young son. The sad part was that he recognized two of them, particularly as the child that threw a stone at Ainz Ooal Gown. 'So, they were a happy family.' He could see the smiles on their faces.
The father looked like a merchant for the most part, but he had a sword at his hip.
He was likely a soldier that worked in the reserves, not a conscript. It was likely he was a member of the fortress local garrison. There was no real way to tell unless Satoru wanted to ask, but he didn't want to.
A sigh left his lips. He remembered the days his mother worked–how he would sit at home in their little apartment waiting for her to come home. Children were inherently selfish. They wanted everything under the sun. From capsule-toy vending machine prizes to the newest game system. All he could do as a child is to make wishes for those things. Television was a fantasy world–a diversion from reality.
She worked and It was all so she could send him to school, to get a meager education that put him behind a desk instead of in front of the assembly line. His mother gave him her dream, a better life.
Satoru could remember the first time his mother came home with a capsule toy. He smiled as he could remember the shape in his hand. She had spent a hundred yen on a single capsule toy, just for him. Even if it wasn't a toy he knew or wanted, his mother thought the world of him.
She fought the world for him.
He visualized his mother cradling him in her arms, remembering the smell of burnt oil on her hands. The roughness of her fingers. Most of all, he remembered her as she was–before she was gone. And then the visual changed–from his mother to the one he was watching walk with her child and husband. What he saw was heartwarming, if a skeleton even had a single heart to warm.
"We should probably make way for the Magicians Guild, to sell some bits."
There was no objection, just silent nods.
Satoru simply accepted it and moved along with his group. Soon though the trio was quick to come upon the Magician's Guild and just as they were about to open the doors–they opened. Four characters came walking out. Three blonds and a brunette.
He went to raise his hand, to wave, "H–" Cut short he gradually curled his fingers and lowered his hand. They didn't even notice him as they were walking close together. Lukruts arms around the shoulders of Peter and Ninya with Dyne Wonderwood beside them.
Satoru watched as the Swords of Darkness went on by. Smiling, alive as they should be. Although they didn't notice him immediately, he watched as Ninya peered over her shoulder. It didn't take him long to notice she was giving a subtle wave with her hand; behind the backs of her friends. She didn't know who he was, but she noticed. In the end, Satoru smiled in return.
So not missing his opportunity, Satoru walked into the Magicians Guild before the doors closed.
As they approached the front desk, there were plenty of eyes on them. Especially as his mask dissolved into light and revealed the entirety of his face. He was a foreigner in a different land, at least to them. He had spent almost two years ruling this place. Living in the Pavilion where he couldn't eat, and the Villa where he couldn't sleep.
"How may I help you?" A young woman with braided hair in a guild outfit asked, looking him over.
"I have some magic items I'd like to sell to a Rakheshir-san."
She blinked a few times, but before she could say a word he took out an item that made her jaw drop. In his hands was a sealing crystal with a seventh tier holy spell within it and placed it on the desk. It was the national treasure of the Slane Theocracy. Personally, he had no use for it other than to flex it on the Black Scripture. All the same, he was also sure that the Black Scripture could handle it a little too easily.
"I'll get him immediately."
Her reaction was prompt and her movement swift. A few seconds after he took the item back off of the front desk, Theo Rakheshir himself came rushing to the front desk from his upstairs office. He was a thin man, dressed in robes fitting for a member of the magicians guild.
"Ah, you must be the copper plate Adventurer…" His eyes skimmed, "Satoru-san is it? Come, follow me." With his slim form, the man led Satoru and company into his office reception area. There were two couches and a coffee table.
Satoru sat on one side, Theo sat on the other. Instead of sitting, Sabastian stood behind the couch like a member of some security detail. Not that Satoru minded, even as Nabe sat down beside him. Finding it somewhat humorous, he didn't say anything about it.
"Now let's see what you have..." Theo leaned forward as Satoru placed the sealing crystal on the table. His eyes immediately widened. Judging by the movement of his lips and how he swallowed, it was safe to assume he was salivating and failing to hide it.
"It is a Sealing Crystal containing a seventh-tier spell that summons an angel known as a Dominion Authority." A grin was resting on Satoru's lips as he spoke, already seeing the man's interest peaking and his mind bubbling over.
Reaching over, the man held his hands over the magic item.
"[Appraisal Magic Item][Detect Enchant]."
If one thought another's eyes couldn't get any wider, they were wrong. Theo's excitement went from bubbling to exploding. He seemed to shake where he sat, clearly becoming neurotic. "W-where did you get it? No–nevermind. Don't tell me. I have an inkling of an idea… How much?"
"If I were to sell this item to you, for money, then I could buy Re-Estize two times over." Satoru crossed one leg over the other, resting one hand in his lap and the other on the couch. He kept a superior posture of a salaryman trying to sell wares. What's more, he was telling the truth.
Just having a seventh tier spell could stop a war in its tracks. Selling it to the Country meant he could use it to buy titles or even Princess Renner–not that he wanted her. That human had the mentality of a heteromorph and her genius mind made him wary. Plus, gaining a noble title now of all things was a bad idea if he wanted to follow that whole famous Adventurer that became a King one day ordeal.
"We can get funds to purchase it off of you within a month…"
"Do you have any dragon hide?"
The question caused the Magician Guildmaster to pause for a few seconds only to shake his head. "No, we do not have something that rare and priceless. Why do you ask?"
"Dragonhide can be used for making high-tier scrolls and equipment. Not to mention Dragon Steak is to die for…" Satoru rolled his jaw slightly as he emphasized every word that rolled out of his mouth.
"Hmm…"
"We recently just arrived in E-Rantel. While we plan on staying at an Inn for a couple of weeks, we would like a place to use as a place to stay whenever we're in town." Satoru tried to push into him. This was a rare item. You couldn't make Sealing Crystals, even in YGGDRASIL, they had to be found.
"Ah… That might make purchasing this item a little easier… There should be some houses in the noble quarter. This item is more than enough to pay for a proportionate amount of land and a fully furnished home and more..."
"Do you have any plots in mind that could be prepared by the end of two weeks?"
Theo lightly nudged the item back towards Satoru, across the flat surface of the coffee table.
"We'll go to the Merchants Guild tomorrow and browse some locations. I have it in good conscience that there are some plots open near the noble plaza, close to the main avenue gates."
"That would make it easier to sell wares should we feel the need… Or make purchases." Satoru thought aloud as he made himself seem visibly interested in what Theo was giving. "And close to the Royal Villa if I am not mistaken..."
"Have you been there before?" The bubbling of Theo's brain began all over again as he was wrapping his mind around what was going to come next.
"No, but the Warrior Captain has invited me to Dinner–he's staying there while his men are being tended to, thanks to the City Mayor." Satoru placed the same letter of introduction he had shown to the Adventurer's Guild onto the table.
Anyone listening had to have sworn that Theo's back was creaking like an old unoiled hinge as he leaned forward to take the folded parchment. It had the Warrior Captain's seal. As he flipped the letter open, a few beads of sweat formed and rolled down the side of his face. Sitting right before the Magician's guild master was a mage. One capable of teleportation, close-range combat, and wiping out an entire special operation squad of just under a hundred with only a handful of spells. He used the only magic resurrection item to bring back five warriors with minimal loss of life force. This introduction letter only sang praises of truth, there was no false garnish.
Rendered mute for a few seconds, Theo pushed the letter back to Satoru across the table before clearing his throat and nodding. "That is quite an impressive feat… And an interesting background." Taking a handkerchief from his pocket, he dabbed at his forehead before clearing his throat.
"Ahem. Come to think of it, we have a property that hasn't been in use for over a year–we used it to host an annual gala. However, with the state of the local economy and continuous annual wars, we will be unable to keep using it for some time. Would you be interested in seeing it?"
Satoru purposely cocked his head to the side and gave a short pause for thought.
"You have the layout of the home filed away?"
"Ah, yes. One moment," He gave a point of his finger before getting up and going over to a safe. After a few seconds, he came back with a folder with a dozen or so pieces of parchment and placed it on the table. Opening it, Theo pushed it towards Satoru.
Nabe leaned forward but quickly scrunched up her face as she leaned back against the couch. She couldn't decipher anything on the document as Satoru opened it. She couldn't read natively yet.
As he looked over the pieces of parchment before him, Satoru noticed one thing. The documents were older than the folder but each page appeared to have been restored recently. Looking over the layout of the house, he could see there were three floors and a cellar. The first floor and cellar were made of stone while the upper floors were made of wood. Most prominently, there were six regular bedrooms, two guest rooms, servant quarters, a dining hall, a reception room, and a study. The best part appeared to be the magically enhanced plumbing–not that he needed it. Other than those things, there was a common room that was big enough to be a small ballroom led into by the large foyer.
If he wanted to know more about the layout including any changes–he had no choice but to go see it. Satoru's gaze flickered to Theo then back down to the documents as he scrutinized the next few pages. Details about the furniture and valuables being stored there. Apparently, there was some hundred-year-old wine in the cellar, which was a nice touch.
The next page was a miniature map of the city with the location marked in red. Then he went back to the page with the list of valuables and furniture. There were over a hundred items here.
"So… Everything on this list stays?"
"As payment for the Sealing Crystal, y-yes."
"Alright, let's go see it then."
Theo stood up, gathered the parchment into the folder, and tucked it under his arm. "I hope you don't mind the walk..." He walked towards the door and opened it, before gesturing for them to move ahead of him.
Just then Satoru placed a hand, almost warmly, on the fellow's shoulder with a businessman's smile. Though he only had an elementary school education, he had spent two years in this world before, and before that, he was a salaried worker. Acting like something else was his second nature.
"Sa–"
The moment Nabe and Sebastian placed their hands on their master's shoulders, Satoru activated [Teleportation]. In a split second, they appeared directly outside of the house in question.
"...Eh?" Theo's head whipped from side to side as he took in his new surroundings. He was at the mansion he was attempting to sell to him. Shock and awe came over him–the fact that he could so casually teleport spoke legions. Even Fluder Paradyne of the Baharuth Empire wasn't known to just teleport around for any reason whatsoever.
Satoru on the other hand was just looking over the garden. From a glance, he could see someone had been taking care of it. The stone pathway that leads through the front part of the property also held the appearance of a well-maintained location. Leaning on the wooden rail-fence, Satoru set his eyes on the animated fountain with a stone sculpture built into it.
He cocked his head, the sculpture looked like a pile of rocks.
The mansion on the other hand looked very stately and a mix of both European and Mediterranean architecture. Very eye-pleasing. Everything was as the documents said, at least on the outside.
"R-right this way, Satoru-dono!"
Satoru raised a brow at being addressed in terms of an equal. If he remembered correctly, Theo was a former adventurer who once shared a party with the current Adventurer Guildmaster. A smile tugged on the corner of his lips.
"Alright, I'll bite."
"Eh?"
"Figure of speech."
"Oh… I see."
"Either way… I'm a hugger." Satoru snickered–he was the only one who knew what he had done.
Nabe raised a brow as he glanced towards her, but there wasn't much there. She obviously didn't remember their little skirmish against the undead cult. How she had defeated their skeletal dragons and he crushed Clementine in his arms.
So as the tour of the estate began, Satoru found exactly what he expected. The furniture was not on par with the luxurious pieces from Nazarick or the ones created by Demiurge. All the same, everything there was expensive based on the resource value of the New World. The interior floors were dark polished hardwood on top of a stone foundation and the exterior walls of stone brick. As expected of a home meant to be used as a gala, everything was of exquisite taste.
The baths and showers had hot water for one, which was more than he could say for the Inn or the Adventurer Dormitories. All of the bedrooms had single king size beds, large wardrobes, and walk-in closets. At the same time, it couldn't even compare to the Royal Villa at the very center of the City. The ceiling wasn't as high and it wasn't as large. Not that it mattered–this was more of a vacation home where he could host friends and move effortlessly between the City and Nazarick via a Gate spell.
"It doesn't look like anyone has been in here for years…" Sebastian swiped dust from a nearby counter as they entered the kitchen.
"As I've said, we haven't been able to hold our annual gala and no one actively lives here." Theo sighed as he peered over the room, Satoru could see the disappointment of the current condition of the kitchen. "Though for the most part, it looks like the halls and bedrooms have been taken care of..."
"Uh-huh…"
Sebastian scoffed at the lack of care the place seemed to have as he went through the assorted knives and cooking utensils. Everything he touched was put back where he found it in an orderly fashion. He then dutifully returned to Satoru's side but said nothing.
"This will do for payment… Though you should get a group in here to clean it before we settle in," Satoru had his eyes centered on Theo who nodded hurriedly.
Though his servants went to protest, Satoru raised a hand before they could even get a breath out. Specifically, Nabe who was more than likely ready to clean it herself, same with Sebastian. Yet there was no need, no need at all.
"Of course, of course. I can do it myself! I am sure your parents focused your mind on offensive magic. It's very common for noble fami–" The Magician Guild's master clasped his hands together and rubbed his palms, but he was quickly cut off by Satoru.
"I am not a noble, nothing of the sort."
That came as a surprise to the man, as seen when his eyes simply remained wide and set on him. "Oh? Well, no matter. Your talent must have been a godsend. They must be proud of what you've become."
Satoru wore a faint smile on his lips as he heard the baseless praise the guild master was endlessly pouring out. It did make him question if his mother was proud of him. Of what he had done, of what he became, and what he will become.
Not even an hour later, the house was spotless as he witnessed Theo use the magic spell [clean] with the metamagic [boost magic]. It wasn't the first time he had seen something like it, but the two denizens of Nazarick with him grew curious.
Lifestyle magic was useful in this world. Particularly when a broom was no longer necessary to sweep the floors. Using metamagic to boost the cleaning spell nearly cleaned the entire house from top to bottom. Although he was a lesser magic caster, Nabe's eyes showed a hint of being impressed with the man's ability to 'instant clean' an area.
Once things were said and done, Theo went handing the documents over. Each piece of parchment was important, but the one at the bottom of the dozen or so pages was the deed. What's more, is the magic iron keys for the manor were now settled on top of the folder as Satoru took it.
Then with a swift movement of his hand, Satoru handed the Sealing Crystal to Theo in trade.
Shifting his gaze toward Sebastian as Theo made his way out the door, Satoru cocked a brow. "Based on your opinion, which one of the Pleiades would be the best choice to take care of the E-Rantel safehouse?"
With a hand tucked under his chin, Sebastian flexed his knuckles.
Entoma was probably a bad idea. While she won't eat or bother with humans unless she was hungry, she didn't exactly look human. Solution on the other hand was pretty much the same, but she quite literally wants to actively kill innocent humans… Though she was good at acting. Now, that left three individuals who could take the position. Yuri Alpha, Lupusregina Beta, and Shizu Delta.
Satoru was going through the same thought process, except Shizu was a liability and abnormal. The last thing he needed was for her to start pasting her one-yen stickers on the city's children. Or hugging a baby to death, on accident, for that matter.
Lupusregina in the meantime had become good friends with Enri in the last timeline when she was sent to protect the village. That was one thing he hadn't done. Satoru tapped his lower lip.
The silence the three of them shared was natural. Nabe and Sebastian often didn't talk unless talked to or asked the opinion of, with the exception of tasks being given to them to interact with others.
In the end, there was Yuri. After Sebastian was to become one of his traveling companions, she was placed in charge of the Pleiades when they were within Nazarick. Removing her from the place of power meant that someone else had to take her place. The only person in place to take that position was Aureole Omega, the only human that for the time being lived in the Great Tomb of Nazarick.
"On second thought… A pair of Homunculus Maids and some Eight-Edged Assassins might work to keep the places safe and clean without causing issues."
"That is an excellent idea for the time, Satoru." Sebastian immediately agreed with him, likely having held back the thought before for the ego of his master. "Which of the forty-one do you have in mind?"
"The head maid could be useful in using resurrection spells or transferring mana to allies without the draining of our resources and time. Pestonya Shortcake Wanko and Foire would be the top candidates."
"Foire?" Nabe blinked, having not expected it.
"She's a chronic liar, and really bad at it from what I hear… But that's not the reason. Out of most of the Homunculus Maids, she has the most normal name when compared to the regional naming culture."
"It… Would be strange for someone to be named Increment or Decrement in this region."
Satoru stared at Sebastian as he made this observation. 'It would be weird for anyone to be named Increment or Decrement in any region, Sebastian. Though there are others that may fit the criteria… It's just Foire may offer some form of entertainment.'
Even though he knew Nazarick stood on the top, and that the nonplayer characters could be respawned with the use of gold… Taking possible countermeasures against stronger foes was still on his mind. This Riku who was most likely the Platinum Dragon Lord, as well as the Hero called Platinum, could strike at any moment. Especially if he was responsible, or if he was just watching.
Looking at the time, he snickered to himself.
"It's time to get going. We should meet with Gazef-dono at the villa before it gets too late.."
Resting his eyes, Gazef started to stare off into the sunset over the cityscape's horizon. Artificial light was slowly rising to the skies, touching and hiding the stars. If they stayed here for too long, it may take over a week to get home. Not that he really cared, but he wanted–no–he needed to get back to the King. A heavy sigh left his lips as his shoulders sagged. Turning his chocolate brown eyes to his subordinates, he watched as they were setting up camp in the grass around the villa grounds.
The mayor had given them permission to stay in the city for the night, which he was thankful for. All of the Warrior Troop members had been tired, but most of them had been healed by the temple priests. Still, many lay comfortably on their cots, for they had a rushed departure and were running to one side of the country from another.
"Satoru-dono is definitely taking his time," The man snorted as he joked with himself, peering towards the inner walls. "I suppose we could have offered to give him a room…"
Gazef caressed his chin as he thought to himself in silence. From the corner of his eye though he could see the Vice Captain approach. "Ah, Vice Captain, is there something to report?"
"No. Not as of yet. The men seem to be settling in quite well." A chuckle left his lips as he scratched the back of his head. "Though I… am quite put off by the nobles factions' involvement with the Slane Theocracy. To think they'd go to such lengths to eliminate you."
"I can only imagine their reaction when they learn of Satoru-dono's existence. Perhaps I should warn him to be wary of the Kingdom's less than gracius elements..." Gazef lidded his eyes as he peered towards the dirt at his feet. He was a proud citizen of this country, and proud friend of the King.
Even if Satoru was his friend, should the Nobles try to make a move he was sure the aftermath wasn't something he wanted to see. The once adventurer-to-be had wiped out an entire scripture, something not even the Blue Roses had done when they faced off against the Sunlight Scripture in the past. Now as an Adventurer Satoru had the protection of the Guild–but there was only so much that could do.
"I am sure he would be thankful for that," His second in command chuckled.
"You're probably right. However, I'd like to see how dinner goes first."
"I'll keep that in mind, Gazef-sama." The Vice Captain stepped away, returning to the other warriors.
Gazef in turn watched as his subordinate vanished amongst the many others who wore the same colors and armor. A light shake of the head was all that came of that, with a stupid grin on his face. His men always supported him and stupidly came rushing back into the fray. This Warrior Captain could only thank Satoru for speeding up the fight and for fighting beside him when he needed him most.
"That's a surprising smile to see on you, Gazef-dono."
Gazef stumbled back with eyes wide. Standing before him was Satoru and his party members Nabe and Sebastian. He hadn't even heard them coming. At first he didn't have any words, but he knew one thing.
'He's a cunning one... He just teleported into one of the most secure areas in the Fortress City...'
That's when he paused as he came to think–how did he do that? Not too far away he could see a number of mages rushing about. A simple grin rested on his lips once again as he turned his gaze to Satoru, who innocently averted his gaze. He had dispelled the interference that kept beings like Fluder from just teleporting into the section of the city.
"Well, aren't you a devious one..." Gazef held back from bursting into laughter.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Gazef-dono." It was the glint in his eye that showed Satoru was full of it. Not only that his grin never seemed to fail either, the corners of his lips didn't even twitch.
"Shall we head inside?" Satoru's gaze flickered towards the large doors of the castle-like facility.
"Right this way," Gazef gestured for them to follow as he made his way inside with them in tow.
As they moved through the large corridors, Gazef began to notice that Satoru wasn't glancing around. Most people who entered such a place were absorbed by the wealth that it boasted. Yet, he hardly glanced at the paintings or the decorative pieces on display. Perhaps he wasn't a materialist? He wasn't quite sure, but he knew a lot about the types of mages there were. Most of them didn't really show much interest in anything other than their own power. Meanwhile others may have an honorable goal to obtain for themselves or for the sake of someone else.
All the same, Magic was what made the world work, in quite the literal sense of the word.
Soon enough they were entering the main kitchen of the Villa. The sound of burning oil, the scent of spices. Gazef peered over his shoulder towards the party of Adventurers who had their eyes on the cooks. While the aroma from the food was breathtaking, all but Satoru seemed to be unaffected.
Cutting through that room and into the next, they stepped into the Mayor's first floor dining room.
While it wasn't the royal hall, this was where the Mayor and his family ate.
Speaking of which as they entered the dining room, there was already someone seated at the end of the long dark wood table. He had receding white hair with a distinguished widows peak and an obsese form. From a single glance, one could describe him as an overweight pitbull, or maybe even a pug. He had a dignified air about him despite his appearance and a kind smile on his face.
Panasolei Gruze Day Rettenmaier, the Mayor of E-Rantel and a loyal friend of the King. One could say he was the King's Dog. Though Satoru appeared to have a vague sense of familiarity written on his face, it wasn't enough for Gazef to know how much he knew of the man.
"Ah, Gazef-dono, you've come with the Adventurers you had spoken highly about. Satoru-dono was it? Come sit, come sit. Dinner should be served shortly." He waved his hands, gesturing towards the open seats set along the table's edge to his left.
Satoru followed Gazef to the other side of the table.
The Warrior Captain proceeded to pull out each seat he came across for his new friends and battlefield allies. Each of them sat down with the Warrior Captain seated closest to the Mayor.
"Your group has some uncommon faces, compared to those around here." Panasolei was quick to point out, "Gazef-dono said you came from a settlement to the north of Carne Village?"
"Uh, hm. Underground ruins that recently surfaced actually." Satoru speedily corrected with due haste. This caused Gazef to lean back in his seat and watch as the conversation moved on.
"Your companion is quite the beauty," Panasolei as usual kept a friendly tone for as long as Gazef knew him. Despite his laboured breathing though, he was quick to get talking.
"Kn–" Nabe was about to speak, though Gazef was unsure of what she was about to say, but she was cut off by Sebastian elbowing her in the side.
"Are you two related…?" Mayor Panasolei raised a brow, likely curious of their group's dynamic. Though it was also apparent to Gazef that he was fact checking, comparing what he had told him. So far he was confident everything was adding up.
"Nabe is my cousin–Sebastian is my godfather and she is his ward."
Rubbing his double chin, Panasolei kept a compassionate smile on his face. "I suppose that means your parents are no longer with you. If I may ask…?"
Satoru hesitantly bobbed his head in response, causing Gazef to shift in his seat to face him. Even he didn't know about Satoru's parents. Though he assumed since he was with his godfather, something must have happened.
"I never met my father–my…" Satoru swallowed air and his eyelids flexed for a moment like a person looking back on an emotional past. "Ahem. My mother died of overwork. Population and resources were limited. Death... wasn't a stranger."
Theo's baseless praise wasn't something Gazef knew about, but if he did he could tell that wasn't how Satoru saw himself. He had just met the man a day ago–if that–but his gut felt like it knew a bit more.
"So, did you have any issues finding a place to stay?"
"No, not quite. We might be staying in an Inn for a couple days, or a week–but we found a place."
"Oh really? Is it anywhere near the Central Plaza?"
"I sold a magic artifact to the Magician's Guild… They wanted it enough to hand over one of the estates in the Noble Quarter. I'm going to have a friend of mine replace the furniture though..."
Gazef's eyes widened at the words that left his friend's lips. "Noble Quarter? That's a bit far from the Adventurer's Guild... Let alone the Central Plaza. Even if you can teleport that's..."
"Thanks for your concern, Gazef-dono." Satoru chuckled, "But I'm confident in my stamina pool."
Sighing, Gazef nodded his head. He was sure he could take care of himself, but at the same time having to walk that at night or early morning sounded like a stretch. Did he want the exercise? He couldn't quite tell what was on his friend's mind. On top of that, what kind of relic did he give the Magician's Guild for a house…? Gazef could recall the staff he had, but it was nowhere to be seen. Then again, he didn't have it out when they left either. Come to think of it, there were no weapons on Satoru.
"Now then, I hear that you're capable of casting fifth tier magic spells? To have such a talent at your young age. That is impressive." Panasolei wanted something, Gazef could hear it in his voice. Though it wasn't unlike him to search for something to fix a problem that he couldn't handle himself. "As an adventurer, I can give you a personal request and if you can get it done, your esteem rises."
Satoru's lips pursed as he was visibly in thought, he probably caught onto what he was selling.
Gazef though quickly noticed that Satoru didn't correct the Mayor this time around. Satoru had used higher tier magic, at least sixth, he was sure of it. Though he was no mage and couldn't judge the power he had shown accurately. One thing he knew for sure though, was that he was on par with Fluder.
"I'll make a personal request to you tomorrow morning through the Guild. Since you can take out a group of highly trained soldiers from the Theocracy, I can only assume this request will be done easily."
That's when Satoru's eyes widened and Gazef could tell exactly what he was talking about.
"But it takes me back. Gazef was just a common Mercenary, a swordsman employed by the Kingdom, but then became the King's famous Warrior Captain following a tournament… I would love to see your magic someday."
"I could show you a good spell worth seeing..."
"Oh?" Panasolei cocked a brow.
There were no mages in the room, except for Satoru and Nabe. Gazef didn't know what to expect. So, just like the mayor, he stayed tuned on the guest that had been invited to dine with him and the mayor. As they witnessed the 'young' mage as he put his hand out before him, Gazef squinted his eyes.
"[Create Greater Item]."
In a pulse of light and mana, a construct appeared.
"That's…"
Standing in the palm of Satoru's hand, Gazef felt like he was staring at a mirror. A single action figure stood there in his half plate armor with a sword held over his head. The detail was completely absurd. His gaze moved back and forth between Satoru and the toy. Slowly he lifted his hand and poked the item in the chest with his index finger.
All he could do was watch as the unsteady figure fell over onto the table after tumbling out of his friend's hand. "I've seen people make salt and spices out of thin air–water even. I've never, never, seen someone make something so detailed or complex."
"It's better than I can draw," Satoru snorted, causing everyone else to join him in small laughter.
In a split moment the figure vanished into blue harmless flame-like light.
"They're temporary constructs, unlike your water, salt and spices. Though they can remain as long as I want them to." Seeing his eyes move from him and to the Mayor of the castle, Gazef nodded to Satoru's words.
"Either way, that spell is impressive…" Panasolei didn't ask the tier, and it most likely wasn't because of his lack of interest. It was more so he didn't want to know if he could cast over a certain tier.
Gazef himself personally didn't want to put a number to the boy's prowess. All it did was make him a target for the nobles of the Kingdom, specifically the Noble Faction. Satoru was an unprecedented threat and an unusable strategic resource. He could end wars before they began.
"If you hadn't become an Adventurer, I might have advised the King to take you on as the Court Wizard. Our King needs as much support as he can garner in the Royal Capital, as his loyal servant and closest of friends I know this well." Sweating the mayor dabbed at his forehead with a handkerchief that he took from his coat pocket.
"Perhaps one day, I could consider working with the court, but on a reputation I've built."
Gazef grinned at his words.
'I couldn't have said it any better myself… Though I still wouldn't recommend it.'
"That would be wonderful!" Panasolei blurted and nearly snorted like a piggy just before the dinner bell sounded. Like clockwork the cooking staff came out of the kitchen with various covered metal trays. The aroma, steam, and smell alone was trapped under the thin tray lids.
Briefly Satoru's forehead wrinkled as his brows raised because of the mayor's enthusiasm for the idea. "Second thought…" A petty smirk appeared across his lips, "Who knows if I'll survive that long."
"Pardon, M––Satoru, but what about your ambitions?"
Gazef hardly caught Sebastian's mistake and simply took it for a slip of his tongue, though he was curious about the young man's ambitions. "Indeed, there is no need to rush things. Your adventure has only just begun, right?"
"Yeah, I know…" With his voice droning quietly, Gazef's attention began to shift towards Satoru.
By the time he rested his eyes on Satoru, he blinked seeing the blank stare on his face.
Sitting before the Mage was a silver plate–but that wasn't what had him in a daze. On the plate was meat with a translucent dark reddish-brown gravy. Something akin to steak sauce. Drool nearly rolled out of the side of his mouth, before a hand reached over with a napkin and wiped his mouth. It was Sebastian, his arm reaching well around Nabe to get to the young man.
"It's like you've never seen Ignonick steak before… Then again… You lived underground."
Satoru swallowed his saliva, something he hadn't done in two years.
"Uh, oh… It's exactly as you say."
"Well, Ignonick is pretty popular for its meat."
Satoru nodded at the pointer, visibly not quite sure what to make a comparison with.
"Feel free to dig in."
Bearing witness to the young man picking up his knife and fork, Gazef felt like he was watching a child who was eating a steak for the first time. Just listening to the sterling silver fork cutting into the meat, he could see the juices pooling on his plate.
Though he was guilty of saving up money without much purpose other than by habit, he had never really met anyone who hadn't tasted meat. Even when he lived in the village, hunters brought in meat all the time. Smoked, marinated, roasted. There were so many different ways he has had it, but the eyes that Satoru was giving the meat before eating it were beyond bewildering.
He was savoring every bite and chewing it even slower each bit he took in.
Looking over towards his friend's companions, they were slow to begin eating themselves. Though it was as if they had been waiting for their leader to begin eating first. Their relationship was an interesting dynamic to witness, that was for sure.
Following the end of the meal, Gazef had learned something new about his friend. Satoru Suzuki of some mysterious underground ruins to the North of Carne Village, had never eaten meat before.
"That was filling…" Gazef swore he could hear Satoru uttering.
"I assume It's not everyday you eat six steaks, a few pounds of mashed potatoes and a dozen different fresh vegetables." Was the only thing the Warrior Captain could bring himself to say. His dark brown eyes centered on his guest.
'He hasn't eaten a good meal since his arrival on the surface? How many days did the villages say he stayed for... Four days? How did he become so strong with such a bad diet?'
Scratching his chin, he watched as the three of them stood from the table. Startled slightly, Gazef stood wondering if it was something he said. With his hands out in front of him, he sighed. "Everything alright?"
"Yes, everything is fine." Satoru patted at his stomach, despite how much he had eaten there was barely even a drop of food on his attire. Everything had made it to his mouth without fail. "Ugh, just feeling the need to stand is all…"
"Haha! I know the feeling," Gazef scratched the back of his head with his dominant hand.
Shortly thereafter, their conversations continued into the night. Panasolei at first didn't seem like he was going to let Satoru go. Though who could blame him? The more they heard, the more Gazef wanted to keep him there too. His life was filled with trauma, sacrifice and loss. He couldn't help but relate to the young mage who was seated before him. Even as the stories began to feel like an entire lifetime, he felt every word that came from Satoru's lips was the truth.
Yet little did he know, everything had been crafted that way. The truth was twisted to fit the setting. His mother dying from overwork was no lie. Never meeting his father was no lie. The white paladin that saved him was no lie. Gazef was even surprised that Satoru Suzuki had the courage to hold a smile from such loss. Though perhaps he smiled for his current companions, he was the type.
Living in a village where there was no hero to save him, his family, or the people he knew. Gazef was familiar with the one known as death, the one who brought the irrefutable guest known as loss. From monster attacks to simple animals roaming into their village, life there was on the edge.
His resolve to save the villagers without much gain of his own, Gazef felt the appeal hard.
With the sun down and the stars in the clear night sky, Gazef walked out the front doors of the Villa with Satoru beside him. "So what do you think the request is that the Mayor has for you?"
His friend turned to him and raised a brow. Satoru didn't seem puzzled at all, it was as if he didn't even have to think about it. "Hrm. When I went into the Adventurer Guild I saw a request form on the board that hadn't been taken for a while. It was the only one posted by the mayor. So, he probably wants me to wipe out a bandit camp nearby that he can't risk his men for."
Gazef raised a brow, "Oh...?" His eyes darkened under the moonlight as his brows creased. Though he knew the Mayor couldn't send him to deal with ruffians, he was surprised he didn't ask. Either way, he had to get back to the King and considering how strong he was there was no need for concern.
"I'm sorry I cannot assist you in this task, Satoru-dono."
"There is no need for such apologies, Gazef-dono, I happen to know who I am dealing with... You have already done enough by vouching for my name with your own."
Reassurance from the young man made him smile–it wasn't something he was necessarily expecting. He had no idea how much Satoru held to people's names, let alone how grateful he was. "For someone who selflessly risked themselves for a village on the frontier, I'd want to do more."
"You are already a Hero to the common people, Gazef-dono. You don't have to be mine." Though he certainly meant these words as he spoke them to the Warrior Captain, his gaze was empty. A fragile, painted, smile rested on his lips as he was looking off towards the cityscape.
"Satoru-dono…"
"...Do me a favor. If one day you meet me on a battlefield, and I happen to be the enemy commander–do not charge me–remind me who I was a day ago."
"Cheh, is that your way of saying you want to be friends?"
Those dark round eyes flickered over to Gazef, an inhuman hint of a red glow shone from between his pupils and dark-colored irises. It was nothing like that of a Vampire or that of an undead. Not one that he could recognize.
'Is he ... Perhaps a half-demon like the Black Knight of the Thirteen Heroes?'
The Warrior's smile slowly faded as his lips parted. Such a red hue was prominent in the dark, to the point he took notice without a doubt. Before he could say a word though, Satoru began walking away. Nabe and Sebastian followed closely behind; flanking the young mage at either side.
"Your deeds speak for themselves, Satoru-dono! Until we meet again, my friend!" Gazef shouted after him, holding a hand to the air to bring urgency to his voice before waving Satoru off.
As an anti-climatic response, Satoru freely waved his hand over his shoulder towards Gazef.