Chapter 42
We rounded the corner onto the street the Manor's front gate was on, and of course saw all kinds of curious people. I even recognized some of them since they were neighbours. Those I didn't however started to 'fuss' a little as I got closer. It wasn't much, just a 'It's the (Demon) Fox' or 'Of course she's involved' and even one muttering of 'run away'. Loki and Finn were mentioned as well, and even Hagane.
It was one of those things I couldn't change about the city. People were going to talk, be it behind your back or under their breath. And while those who I didn't know started to make way, those I did know waved and smiled. This included the old lady who Hestia worked for, with her legendary potato puffs.
"So that's them huh?" Loki asked. "Seem a bit uptight if you ask me."
Because yes, the 'crowd' was standing in a kind of bubble around the gate, because two JSDF were standing guard just outside. "Seems this isn't just a visit." I said, waving to the nice lady, applying a headpat to a neighbour's child, and nodding to anyone who met my eyes. Finn was going through the same automatic 'I'm popular' motions as well, and was far more natural at it than I was.
"Ma'am!" The two JSDF snapped to attention.
They didn't have their rifles with them, but were armed instead with a collection of bayonets and I think stun grenades. They were also wearing the full tactical vest as well. Sadly, it wouldn't protect them from much around here, but the 'non lethal' equipment told me they understood that.
"At ease. Really." I said, also noting they didn't even have a sidearm. "Now that I'm home, you can come in for tea or something."
They looked a little uncomfortable, probably because they were under orders.
"In Orario, trespassing gives the home owner freedom to eject the intruder however they wish." Finn said in a reasonable Eastern. "This is one of the safest places in the city."
"I insist." I said.
They looked at me and I nodded. "Very well Ma'am."
I opened the gate and let everyone in, then turned back to the onlookers, "Try not to make too much noise, hmm?" And closed it behind me to the sound of the neighbour's child saying 'awwwww'.
"Oh, you convinced them to stop cluttering up the front gate hmm?" Gros said, stalking up to the bars of his enclosure, "Welcome home I suppose. Finn. Loki. Whoever you two are."
Of course, the Phoenix stomped over to us as well, stopping well out of arms reach just so they could fix their big black eyes on us. "Ma'am? Are those ostrich?"
"Phoenix." I corrected.
"Nuisances." Gros exemplified.
One of the black Phoenix turned back to look at him, spread its stubby wings, and with a hiss emitted a little arc of electricity. It hit the bars metal bars of the cage and grounded out, but it was still quite impressive.
At least, everyone outside the cage thought so. Gros just said, "Oh? Come in here and say that." A pause as the Phoenix lost the staring contest, "That's what I thought."
"Well well, I see where the Blue Pharmacy gets their lightning oil ingredients from." Finn mused, "Now now, no need to be alarmed." He assured the JSDF, who were a little (heh) shocked that a puffy ostrich look-alike just used magic.
"Maybe." I evaded, "So who's here? And really, relax!" I stage whispered to Loki, "Yeah, these two are a bit uptight."
My question brought a bit of composure back to them, "The head of our diplomatic core, Sugawara, as well as First Lieutenant Itami and some of his squad."
"Hrrrm, why here though? The Guild Hall would have been more sensible." Hagane asked, "We are on the other side of the city in relation to the East Gate... Oh, right."
Loki Finn and I all spoke the same word at once, "Sightseeing."
"Speaking of sights." Finn said, pausing as we got within arms reach of the one of the Humvee (Itami's 'extra passenger' model), "So this is one of those Iron Chariots?"
I gave the JSDF a 'you can tell him' look, and the talkative one replied with, "We call them Humvee. It's short for Highly Mobile Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle."
"It reminds me of your Train." Finn looked at me.
"And it should." I nodded, "You look like you want to ask something." I said to the other JSDF, who'd been nervously quiet the entire time.
Caught out, he was (Japanese, and thus) too polite to lie or evade when directly asked, "Ah, pardon Ma'am, but is he an adventurer as well?"
Finn sighed, "Ah, you're wondering why I'm so short, aren't you?"
"Yessir." He replied instantly, coming clean with the potential 'offence'.
This time I gave Finn the 'you can tell him' look. "My race is Palum, or Prumm. Compared to humans, we are childlike in stature. But are just as capable as anyone else."
And just to prove it, he put one hand under the edge of the Humvee and lifted one side off the ground. He didn't flip it over, but tilted it to about 45 degrees. And just to show he wasn't offended, gently put it back down, dusting off his hands as if he'd just looked under a couch for loose change.
"Those are pretty heavy." Finn said, "Quite solid too."
"Let's stop surprising them and get them some tea." I said, "Come along." I looked over my shoulder, "Not you! You nibble on the curtains when you're inside."
The Phoenix stopped in their tracks and "woo."'ed sadly, turning around and heading back to Gros.
Loki, I could tell was laughing (quietly) but also observing everything. Her usually squinted eyes were open just enough to show her eye colour, and to anyone who knew her, that was a clear sign of interest.
After entering, taking off our shoes, putting on house slippers (surprising our guests with just how similar it was to their own home), we followed the noise of conversation to our living room. Some people had formal meetings across a desk, others are a big table. But us? Nah, we were more 'tea and cookies' here. Comfortable couches and a warm fireplace.
"That must be them." I heard Hestia say as we got closer, the sound of house slippers giving us away. A moment later, I saw her peek around the corner from the living room, "Oh you convinced them to come inside too?"
"A little shaken, but yes." I nodded, "So what's all this about?" I asked as we entered the living room proper, spotting Itami, Sugawara, Shino, Lelei, Mari, Wataru, Rori and Tuka. Takemikazuchi and Hestia were here though Astraea wasn't. But we also had Delly and Maki here as well.
I only had to give Hestia a little tilt of my head for her to mumble, "Keeping the children occupied until after."
"Lady-" Suguwara started.
"Just Kodori here. This is my home, and are all very practical people. Well, except this one." I used my tails to detach Loki from my shoulder, but left her one to use as a scarf. "This is Lady Loki, and Finn. A Goddess and fellow adventurer respectively."
"Kodori-san." Well, it was a middle ground at least, "While we have our negotiations and the like with the Guild, some of the things you discussed with Mari-san struck me as a more personal topic of negotiation." Question cleared, he then looked to Loki and Finn, "A pleasure to meet you..." And went about introducing everyone to them in properly formal fashion.
"Well, I tend to negotiate better on a full stomach, and tonight is pasta night." I replied once he'd finished and gotten a 'pleased to meet'cha from Loki'.
I looked to Hestia, who picked up the cue. "If you want to wander about a little before dinner, you may." She said, "Just don't open any doors. We share this home, but our rooms are their own domains."
"Just in case though, I'll show you guys to the nearest washrooms." Maki said, "And I owe at least one of you a rematch."
Shino didn't reply but gave Maki a thumbs up.
Hagane, before excusing himself (because, well, he wasn't very useful in a kitchen) looked up to me and said, "Told you so."
It took me a moment to wonder why, but then I remembered what he said just before I healed Duran's eye with the Occular Clear All. So I shrugged, gave him a headpat, then watched him saunter off to where ever it was he wanted.
Of all the people to join me in the kitchen to help me cook, Mari was the least expected. Maybe it was to keep an eye on me, or make sure our kitchen was 'sanitary', but she stayed out of the way and aside from that I hardly noticed her presence.
Of course I had to ask, "Something on your mind?" I lifted the lid off a pot of sauce, squinted at it, sniffed it, then put the lid back on.
"This layout is uncannily similar..."
"Because it's supposed to be." I said, "There is a lot I can't really tell you, but yes, this layout is certainly not my idea."
She was of course talking about my 'ultra professional' kitchen, and how it was a shamelessly pirated idea from Earth. "And even without electricity you can do all of this. And it's so clean too."
"What? You think electricity is what stands between the savages and civilization?" I asked, lifting another pot lid, giving it the same squint/sniff and then adding a little spice.
"That's not-"
"I'm teasing you." I said before she could panic. "The first lesson the Gods taught us, the Children, was cleanliness is close to godliness. To your standards, it's not perfect, but well, we don't go out of our way to pour bleach on everything that offends us." I looked at her, "Yes, still teasing."
She gave me exactly 0.5 seconds of pout, then asked, "I'll admit to being curious about how medicine is handled here. Aside from those 'potions' you have."
"Any adventurer who makes it past their first week learns first aid. But potions are luxury items to non-adventurers. But that said, my skill level is only a little past a good bone setter." I motioned to my nose, "More or less."
"You can hardly tell." She gave me the same 'teasing you' smile.
"I'll bring you to meet our family doctor if I get the chance. He'd love to talk to another practitioner who doesn't think a tourniquet goes on everything but a head wound." I smiled, "Now, help me get this to the table."
Dinner was of course a rousing success. Aside from the Oni (who were doing what they did best in the Dungeon), everyone was home. With our guests, it was a full table, and while a little hesitant at first, got used to the nearly festive atmosphere at our dinner table.
Loki helped of course, both her and Rory getting along with hardly a word spoken to each other. Tuka, a shining beacon of good cheer was a hit with my children with just how sparkling she was. Lelei was a little quiet, but wasn't withdrawn, just quiet. The big heavy weapon expert Wataru was getting along with Welf and Ouka, the three of them sounding like long lost drinking buddies. The two JSDF soldiers were at the far end of the table and amusing our collection of orphans simply by being 'new and different'.
Itami, Sugawara and Shino were mingling as well, though even now Itami was looking like he wanted to be sleeping. Shino and Maki were talking like old friends already. And Sugawara was quite interested in Takemikazuchi and what ever story he was telling.
It was about here that Haruhime gave me a very subtle swish with her tail, "Stop worrying." She mumbled behind her teacup.
"Yes love." I nodded, then frowned, "Hey... Where's, ah okay."
I spotted Chime eating daintily from her plate next to Mari, the Doctor occasionally glancing at the bunny and looking like she REALLY wanted to pet her. Loaner and Maki's fox were sitting on the table by Hestia and Astraea, also eating in a civilized manner and being politely ignored by Sugawara.
"He's probably a little nervous around all the new people." Haruhime said, "But we've already put some aside for him."
"Yeah, not sure how a giant spider would go over... I'll be sure to introduce him later." I smiled, "Only so much strangeness at a time."
After dinner, some of us filtered into the living room. Of the JSDF, only Mari and Sugawara stayed. The rest went to explore, and most of the Adventurers went with them to keep them out of trouble and guide them around. This also included most of Itami's girls, with only Lelei staying behind. I could tell though that more than a few people wanted a word with me in a little more 'personal' of a setting. Like Rory, and Welf, and Lelei, and... yeah. Just about everyone really. It was one thing to explain things when it was happening on the other side of the Occulus, but now that those things were here...
"I hope you'll forgive me." I said as I sat on the floor with all the children gathered around me. Even if they were getting closer to five years old, I wasn't going to stop them from latching onto me when ever they wanted to.
"Not at all. We're often away from our loved ones when we deploy." Sugawara said, "Something of a similarity between us and Adventurers."
"Any soldier, professional or otherwise will suffer the same issues." Takemikazuchi said sagely.
"I am a little surprised." Mari said, "But seeing your wife and you side by side..."
"Magic." I said with a smile, "Magic and effort." I added, doing my best to hug all seven children without banging heads together. I was rewarded with seven pairs of arms doing their best to hug me back before I let go and let them pick a spot on me to succumb to what was probably an oncoming food coma. "We don't have things like X-ray machines, so I can only guess past the obvious."
Sugawara was the first to try and brush the topic aside (surprising me since it was usually Hestia) by very professionally 'Ahem'ing into his hand, "We can add that to the many things we are interested in learning." He said, "But on the topic of medicine, I'll defer to our expert."
Mari nodded, "After what we've seen Ryuu-san do, along with your 'potions'. As well as the restoration of Duran-dono's eye, and the beginnings of restoring his arm and leg... We would like to know more, and if need be, purchase aid from you for our own wounded."
With the three Gods of the house here, each with their own 'coloured viewpoint' I didn't want to answer carelessly. Takemikazuchi would think along a more practical and harsher line, Hestia would be more of a 'bleeding heart', and Astraea would be a measured mix of both.
"The first problem is price." I held up a hand, "Not money, not really, but the time and resources. Most Familia don't have an in-house alchemist, so their members go into the dungeon and sell the magic stone they find, for the money they need, to buy the potions they want. Others have more of an 'idea' and might find or grow some of the materials, and offset the cost by selling those to the alchemist. Finally you have those who have an in house alchemist, who's Familia can bring those materials to them."
Thankfully, no one in the room even frowned at the simple and very basic breakdown of 'potion economics'. Though I might have gotten distracted from watching too carefully by giving headpats to one of my now snoring children.
"My lab isn't the largest, and honestly, since I'm constantly getting distracted, I almost can't keep up with our own potion needs. Our teams bring me what I need, I grow what they don't, and when ever I have spare time, I'm in the lab."
"So you are saying you can. But have your own limits." Sugawara translated.
"Exactly that."
"Can you teach us how to make them?" Mari asked.
"Kind of. One of the things we need is magic stone. There is an alternative to it, but..." I looked to Lelei.
"She showed us how to infuse plants with raw eter. It is not easy, but I am not well versed with plants." Lelei said.
"Now, I know there are ways to grow everything needed without the dungeon, but without an actual source of 'bound' magic, it just won't work." I said.
"Bound magic?" Mari asked.
"Mana, or eter that is inside a physical form." Lelei said for me, "uwu?" She looked down, and a moment later she had a SUPER FLUFFY bunny in her hand. Not Chime but the only one of her kits to stay behind. Lelei needed no prompting to start applying headpats.
"So you can't help us?" Mari asked.
"Not as directly as you want. Not practically at least. But, you are who you know." I did quick look around, did a little 'ahem' of my own, and said, "Loaner? Where are you Loaner? Is my dear friend and messenger Loaner sleeping already?"
The Gods in the room smiled at our guest's confusion, and a moment or two later, Loaner trotted into the room. He sat down like a good foxxo and accepted headpats in payment up front for the job I was about to give him. "We saw him at the table, is he another of the Xenos?" Sugawara asked.
"No, he's a spirit fox." Mari said, "Isn't he?"
"Yes, he is." I said, making sure I didn't go overboard and put Loaner to sleep with my attention to his ears, "Loaner? Go to Nazza, or Airmid. Message is as follows." I paused, much like you would when dictating to an answering machine, "I am asking for our Guests, but we need the lab to test a bunch of plants. Please give Loaner proper payment, but no food since it was pasta night."
He gave me 'the raised eyebrow of betrayal' but gave my nearest finger a little lick before trotting out of the room again.
"Loaner is more discreet than the Crystal Network." I said, "What I need from you two, is a collection of your local plants. It would take me alone weeks to figure out what plants might be suitable for potions. But they have a production facility that is almost the size of one of the Manor's wings."
"And what will this cost us?" Sugawara asked, not angrily, but in that diplomatic way that could very well turn angry if he didn't like the answer.
"Less time." I said first, "But she's a friend, and I asked them. That aside, you might not have what you need over there anyhow, but if you do, well, we will already have access to it."
"We don't generally charge for things if there is nothing to charge for." Astraea said.
"Ah, if you do find the plants of our world work, then you will have alternatives to your own." Lelei said with a nod.
"Would you be willing to share seeds of plants we need, if our own don't suffice?" Mari asked.
"For that you'd have to talk to Demeter." Hestia said, "She's-"
"The God of agriculture?" Sugawara asked, surprised.
"An army runs on its stomach." Takemikazuchi said, "Who better to oversee our vast fields?"
"I'd offer to get you more tea, but I fear I'm stuck here." I said, "But if that's all, did you want to stay the night? Or were you needed back at base?"
"We wouldn't want to impose..."
"We have plenty of room here." Hestia said, "Before we rebuilt it, it had space for over a hundred people."
"I will ask command." Mari said, "Or rather, find Itami-san, and have him ask."
The Gods saw to our guests, leaving me with the children in a small pile on the living room floor. While I hardly needed rescue from such a thing, Haruhime came by with Bell, Lilly, Aisha, Ryuu and Asuka. Moments later, we had sleeping children in arm and were carrying them to their room. While I would have liked to just not bothered and slept in the living room with them, or now that they were moved, in their room... I had work to do and it wasn't late enough to go to bed yet.
So once I'd given all my helpers a thank you hair ruffle/shoulder pat/hug/kiss, I went about finding the people who wanted to talk to me.
"Welf, Maki, Shino." I greeted as I entered the workshop, "And Sir Skitters. Made a new friend I see?"
"I always thought you'd be the type to own some kind of exotic pet." Maki said, since Shino had Sir Skitters on her shoulder like it was the most natural thing.
"I was a bit of an oddball. But yeah, had a Cobalt Blue tarantula as a pet once." Shino shrugged, "No where near as personable as this guy though." She put her palm near Sir Skitters, and he tapped it with a leg in a high five.
"Sister, you made this outta those scales?" Welf asked.
He had Shino's newest knife in his hand, and was poking and prodding it with various things. Tapping it with a little hammer, brushing the edge with a whetstone, rubbing some of the filings between his thumb and forefinger.
"It's pretty incredible stuff." I said, "Though, before you try and test it in the forge, it's not alloyed. If you get it too hot or cold you'll shatter it."
"Thought so..." He hmm'ed, then gave it a final test for sharpness by passing it through a bit of scrap wood, "You've gotten a lot better with sharpening." He grinned.
"Thank you." Maki replied, making Welf's eyes widen a little, "What? She can't test the edge, so she gave it to me."
Shino put the bayonet away with a nod of thanks, "It's like I'm in my own fantasy game or something... You have all this weird magical stuff, and act like it's normal."
"It is normal. To us at least." Maki shrugged, "But, it's no game."
"Yeah, we try and have fun while we work, but lives depend on our work." Welf said, "It's why I do weapons, she does armour, and she does fine detail. It's what we're good at, but it doesn't stop us from dabbling." He looked to me, "Speaking of, I have all of the Amazon's measurements."
"And you're still alive." I laughed.
His eyes nearly bugged out of his head, "Don't even joke sister... they're a wild bunch, and I think that Brisid lady was the only reason I got it all done in an hour."
Poor Welf was outnumbered by the women in the room, and sighed while we laughed at him. Maki recovered first, saying "Brisid seems more mercenary than most Amazon I've met. Keeps her Room on a tight leash when it comes to business."
"Can you deal with them next time?" Welf pleaded with me.
"Sure." I nodded, "Oh, Hagane wants a little work done. He's tried of having to dig through things to kill them."
"So... some kind of blade or the like? We can brainstorm later." He grinned.
Exiting the workshop, with Sir Skitters abandoning Shino's shoulder for a place in my arms, my next stop was apparently our training field. Following the sound of clashing weapons, I spotted Aisha and Rory fighting.
Thankfully, they didn't seem to be going all out. Our training field was tough, but nothing in the world could hold up against super human combat for very long. But it also seemed like Aisha was just playing with poor Rory. Now that I was able to look at Rory's skill from the side, and not directly in front of me, she wasn't terrible just... so unpolished. But she was very creative with her weapon. As silly looking as it was, she used its greater mass and her small body like a pro.
I mean, as 'pro' as you could get with a silly plank weapon.
The other problem Rory had was a lack of originality. And of course, Aisha was quick to punish her for it, and the second time the killer Loli tried to pole-dance her way around Aisha's attack, she was met by a reverse spin kick to the gut, and slid to a halt just next to me.
"Rough day?" I asked, not helping her up, since I could visibly see her ribs bending back into place as her body restored itself. Once she stopped groaning and her torso stopped making quiet pop noises, I extended my hand to her.
"Humbling." She replied shortly, letting my hand go and patting her rear to get some of the dust off it, "In my own world, only another apostle could do that to me. Yet here, I seem to be...less than average."
"Hey." Aisha frowned, "I'm well above average thank you very much." She came over with Rory's weapon, "Here you go."
Rory nodded thanks, though she still looked a bit depressed by it all. "The city has many strong adventurers in it sure, but the average level is only two. As I said..."
She nodded, "Bigger fish from a bigger pond?"
"That's right. I'll let you decide on what kind of luck it was that you met us." I stood next to Aisha, "You wanted a word?"
"What's under us?" She asked, "It's faint, but part of my job is seeing the dead off to the afterlife."
"Right, you mentioned... Emroy?" Aisha's hand wandered over to my rear, since I was close enough. "Darkness War Violence and Death, right?"
Rory nodded, "And I can feel it, under my feet, the constant movement of life and death." She pouted a little, though I didn't know why, "But it seems lacking somehow."
"Well, what I can tell you, is that's where the dungeon is. The entire city is built on top of it." I said with a shrug, giving Aisha a bit of a sideways look for her wandering hand. "I have my own ideas on what else it is, but it's not really important."
"Yeah, all that matters is that we keep the monsters in, and the magic stone flowing." Aisha shrugged.
"No one wants to admit it, but the world would fall to bits without the dungeon." I said, "Anyhow, it's getting late, and while it's not against the law we try not to make too much noise after dark."
"Speak for yourself." Aisha smirked. So did Rory. I just facepalmed.
Figuring at this point I should just let people find me, my next visitor was Itami. He was in the library of all places, sitting in one of our custom made super comfortable reading chairs. He had a book on his lap, and was even awake, but he seemed to have relaxed to the point of being in a near liquid state as he flipped pages. Poor boy must be under a lot of pressure with all the crap he had to do.
"Itami." I greeted, going to the one of the shelves. I wasn't here for him, but for a new book to read at story time. "Hiding?"
"Not exactly. Orders were to stay and take a little time to sight see." He replied, his eyes scanning the page he was on, then putting a bookmark in and closing the book.
"So you found the most comfortable spot you could and occupied it?" Book in hand I sat across from him. He just shrugged, admitting without words I was right. "But now that I'm here, what was on your mind?" And before he could get too nervous at being put on the spot, I added, "I'm sure you have all kinds of questions."
"Most of those go way above my pay grade." He shrugged, letting out a breath that hid a bit of a chuckle, "But yeah, I mean, you have so many little things around here that are obviously not from around here." He motioned to the light 'switch' I installed that turned the hanging chandelier above us on and off, "And I know I've tasted that pasta before... someplace..."
"Are you sure you want to know? You might be familiar with magic now, but you had to go to another world to see it for yourself." I held out my hands, palms up, fists closed, in an obvious movie reference, "I could tell you the basics," I opened one hand, my palm empty, "Or what I am allowed to." I opened the other, a small ghostly fox appearing on my palm and flailing its tail happily, "I made the mistake of involving Nanami without her consent, so this time I'm asking. Are you sure?"
Even now, he had a calm expression. "How did you end up here?" He asked, leaning forward and poking the fox in my hand. "hey ow." And getting nipped for being rude.
"I promised to never speak of that." I replied, "And even a world away, I can't break that contract."
"Sounds like a deal with the devil." He tried again with the fox, applying a much less offensive headpat.
"That might be closer than you think to the truth." I said, "My return to your world was just as unplanned, and it took most of a year to come back here." I shrugged, leaving the little fox on the reading table between us and leaning back in the chair, "I thought I was careful with how much public exposure I had, but well..."
(Someplace in the Underworld)
Once again, Serafall felt like Sona was hiding around a corner someplace, and being disappointed with her.
"So your saying..."
"I'm not saying anything."
"So you're implying that there is magic on Earth?" He corrected himself, nodding when I smiled at him.
"When a person or group is shunned hard enough, long enough, the only way to survive is to either pretend you're like 'them' or hide from the ones persecuting you for being different. Witch hunts, crusades, torches, pitchforks. Looking back at history, especially after my brief return to Earth, made me realize just how systematically humans had all but eliminated magic from the public eye." I sighed, "So while you'll see many things similar here..."
Itami actually looked guilty. As if he himself were responsible for some of that erasure of magic. But it was only on his face for a moment, "I get why you were so firmly against us bringing our usual weapons over."
"Well, not only can they be dangerous in the wrong hands, you guys wouldn't stand a chance if someone wanted to steal them from you. Like any city, we do have crime, and pickpockets are a thing." I shrugged, "I know, that when things settle a little more and people start wondering what your side of the Gate is like, they're going to wonder 'how you managed' against the jungle monsters. But until then..."
"I'll be sure to report that to the commander." He nodded.
"Which?"
"What do you mean 'which' you've only told me one thing." He smiled ever so slightly, "He'll probably be surprised you don't want our weapons."
I returned the smile, "Swords don't need reloading." Then I stood, collecting my book, but leaving the fox on the table, "Try not to go to bed too late. We're up pretty early around here."
"Lelei, Mari." I greeted the two of them as they peeked into my laboratory/alchemist shop/observatory/ROOM OF SCIENCING. "Found me at last I see."
"Ah, we followed Loaner." Lelei said, holding up Loaner, who was as usual shamelessly soaking up headpats in someone's arms. "His way of speech is quite interesting."
"Loaner himself is quite interesting." I said, puttering between my alchemy sets, making sure nothing would burn/melt/explode/vaporize into toxic gas. "He tells some great stories, so long as you don't put him to sleep by petting him."
Lelei looked down at Loaner, then set him down on the floor. He then trotted over to me and sat at attention. Once I'd finished putting in one or two more things into my alchemy sets, I knelt and gave Loaner's head a pat. "Airmid, who's headpats are much better than you might think, has replied with..." and in Airmid's calm and dispassionate voice, "We will be sure to free up as much lab space as we can when you have the materials ready."
I nodded, then got down to really giving Loaner some scroofles. "Good. I hope you sent that message back to base, Mari-san. They'll be ready for those plants."
She looked relieved, but Lelei asked, "What exactly is expected?"
"Ideally, leaf, stem, flower, root and seed. Each part of the plant holds a little something different, and the fresher the better." I then just picked Loaner up, though I stopped giving his ears attention and just pet his back. He promptly yawned, and just relaxed in my arms a moment later.
Lelei and Mari nodded, "I will radio that to the outpost." Mari said, "And with luck have we'll have something brought over by noon tomorrow."
I nodded, and watched Mari leave, "Lelei?"
"I wanted to see." She said, looking at my lab and all its neat things, "Oh... a star chart?"
"I'm going to be watching them very carefully. I know about what happens when the Gate is open too long." I said, standing next to her and looking at my primitive map of the sky.
"How did you learn of it?"
"Why would I know how to speak across worlds before I'd even met you?"
"Question withdrawn." She turned to the telescope itself, "May I?"
"Of course. Lemme open the dome."
I felt bad, but I couldn't entertain Lelei for very long. Once the last batch of potions were done, I had to (very carefully) give her a headpat for being so adorably inquisitive, and promise her she could visit later. As a sort of... not a peace offering because she was pouting at me... okay yeah, not fooling anyone. In trade for cutting her time short with the telescope I gave her a copy of 'The Dungeon Handbook'.
With the evolution of the printing press here in Orario, Eina and many other Guild Advisors had gotten their heads together and produced 'a rookies guide to dungeoneering'. Because the two most common languages were Kione and Eastern, I had a copy of both. Considering that myself and Delly were part of the effort, (me for the pictures and Delly for the illusions I was drawing), the Guild basically told me I couldn't refuse a copy of the finished product.
So, I handed the Eastern version to Lelei and sent her off to bed. Oh, and just because I wanted her to get there safely, and not have Loaner around when I got to my room, I also put Loaner into her arms, tasking him with getting her to her room before he could go 'off duty'.
His reply was a sleepy, "Her headpats aren't very good. But I find her very comforting somehow. Like sleeping in the sunlight in a library."
And because it was just that kind of night, I had one last person to talk to before I got to my room.
"Sister." I greeted Ryuu quietly, "Problem?"
She peeled herself away from the wall, "No." She shook her head, "But I have been curious. How are you going to deal with our Guests in regard to the Dungeon?" She gave me a serious look. Not mad serious, just 'teacher to student' serious. "They will want to enter it at some point, certainly."
I nodded, "I suspect it will be Itami's Girls who will be sent in. Maybe some of the Third Recon."
"He seems to get all of the dirty jobs, doesn't he?"
"I also suspect there will be some mild ceremony to send them off. Just to show off a little to the city. But they will also have escort, because we don't want any of them to die." I added.
"You think Royman would make a spectacle of it?"
"He probably doesn't want to. And I'm sure if he had his way he'd let them in without announcing it, just like every other adventurer... But the people will want to 'see the new people' and how they handle it."
"Politics." We said together. "Will you go in with them?"
"If asked directly. Sure. But I have so many things to do. And this thing with the Amazon doesn't feel finished yet. I also need to talk to Shakti about a bunch of things. And Odds. And probably give a tour of the Railway..."
"What about the City? I'm sure the Gods have questions as well."
"Yup. And I'm trying to put that off too. But as strong as I am, I can only be responsible for what I can reach. They'll come to me, or not."
"Get some sleep sister, and you'll at least be better rested when your problems come to visit." She started to walk away, swishing a hand through one of my tails as she turned.
"Oh, how'd you get along with Tuka?"
She paused, "She's kind of fun to be around. Astraea likes her as well. She didn't even bat an eye when she met Jiru. Like a little sister I never had." She winked at me, "And didn't adopt."
"He does make friends easily." I nodded, smiling at her joke. "But that's good. See you in the morning."
Finally in my room, I very quietly stripped down and joined Aisha and Haruhime, who had fallen asleep without me. Though by the scent lingering in the air, all this excitement had caused me to miss some excitement of another sort. That was okay though, I'd rather them fall asleep while 'making up', then waking up to them arguing with each other.
After falling asleep behind Haruhime and waking up between them somehow, the next morning started almost exactly like every other when I was lucky enough to be home. Wake up, feel good about the world, feel sad I had to get out of bed, then actually get out of bed to get on with the day.
It was someplace in the middle of our morning stretching (trying not to stare too much as Haruhime and Aisha did their own stretching... and failing), when I felt someone unfamiliar step onto the property. Not wanting to interrupt my morning entertainment, I closed one eye and let myself see through one of my sentry foxes.
"Ko-san?" Haruhime called to me.
"Problem?" Aisha asked.
Yes, the problem with having an adventurer for a lover was they were almost impossible to hide things from. No doubt my slight distraction from the distraction I was already enjoying alerted them too. "We're about to be raided."
NOTES!
By who I wonder? And will they be eaten by Fen-chan? Find out next time on, Foxgate! And the JSDF had no idea who they were messing with.
Daeore on Ko-fi, for Art! And my donation cup.
Daeore on Inkitt, for my actual book, Were Too?
And if you play Azur Lane, I started a Guild: Foxxo Orario. ID 268452286