Chapter 68 – Alone
"—nte? Little Dante?"
"Hm?"
Dante turned to the person calling his name.
"Is everything alright?" Sadeena asked him.
"Yeah."
It was the morning after they took the capital without a fight. The conflict would be over soon, according to the generals. They and the leadership of the revolutionary group sent messengers to what remained of the Q'ten Lo army. More specifically, Siltvelt shadows were sent to the lower ranking members, offering their lives for those of the higher ups. Since the forces dispatched from Siltvelt combined with the mercenaries and revolutionaries outnumbered them three-to-one, and the now Heavenly Empress was against them, the generals were confident they'd have the high ranking officials as prisoners by the end of the day.
Given that the alternative was a sure death, Dante had to agree.
Thanks to the fact that the raccoon boy wasn't legitimate, there weren't any giant monsters to fight from the scattered burial mounds around Q'ten Lo. At least, Dante thought that had something to do with it. Either that, or the enemy wasn't crazy enough to try it. Dante didn't question it, since it meant the war was over that much faster.
Raphtalia performed the ritual to become the Heavenly Empress yesterday. Dante watched over it as one of the officials on their side went through it with her and Sadeena. After that, it was resting after all the marching.
Now, with victory nearly complete, Dante was asked to return to Melromarc. Motoyasu had told him when he returned this morning. Ren and Itsuki stayed behind, given what the generals had said.
"Sadeena, are you absolutely sure—"
"Little Dante, we'll be fine." Sadeena assured him for the umpteenth time. She patted JoJo on the head, who was glued to her side.
Since all they were doing at this point was waiting in the palace for a response, Dante wasn't needed to be the vanguard for any battles.
"Yeah…I suppose so." He looked over to Raphtalia, who was speaking with an official.
He didn't pay much attention to the exchange. It sounded like a lot of bureaucracy and ceremony. Outside of the initial attack, Raphtalia hadn't spoken much to the people. It was mostly greetings and thanks for joining, nothing like what he had to do in Siltvelt with the parades. At least, not yet. That seemed to be the next topic they started on. Dante heard the official speak.
"…towns and cities will be the focus. As for your attire, a suitable outfit is being prepared. I understand the spirit implement is bound to you, but everything else will need to be set aside."
Raphtalia's expression, which was mostly impassive until that point, faltered. She reached down and placed a hand on the bound ashes of Eclair at her side. "These stay."
"But, Heavenly Empress—"
"These. Stay." She emphasized her will by gripping the shaft of her hammer on her back.
"Y-Yes, Empress!" The official quickly bowed and scurried off.
Raphtalia relaxed her grip and turned to face them, slowly walking over.
"I'll be busy while you're away." Sadeena said, her gaze drifting from Raphtalia to him and back again.
"I see." Dante saw the look in Raphtalia's eyes. It was the same look he remembered seeing in the mirror the weeks leading up to his death. Unfulfilled. That battled with the other look she had, which was directed at him.
"Sadeena's right, Dante." Raphtalia said as she reached them. "You should go…see the queen."
"Yeah." Dante gave a light nod. Raphtalia's eyes bored into him. At least she would meet his gaze.
"We'll call for you if anything comes up." Sadeena added. "And we can always use little Raphtalia's portal skill if we need to. Little Rifana's, too. With little Keel, little JoJo, and I, we'll be more than fine."
"Alright." Dante didn't need any more convincing. Sadeena's face being turned to the side was enough.
"Dante." Raphtalia said, holding out her hand. "I would like the familiar."
"Oh. Right." Dante pulled the amulet from behind his shield. He set it in her extended hand. "Pour some MP into her to make her transform."
She gives him a slight nod before turning around.
"Be safe." Sadeena said.
"Don't worry, Sadeena!" Atla said happily, quickly coming up behind Dante and wrapping her arms around one of his. "I'll watch over Mister Dante for you."
Sadeena gave her a small smile. "Then I know he's in good hands."
Dante looked at the other person he was leaving behind here. Rifana stood nearby, but she said nothing. When their eyes met, she looked down. Keel wasn't even in the room.
With nothing left to say, the remaining members of Dante's party, along with Motoyasu, teleported out. They made a quick stop in Siltvelt, dropping off a number of leaders and nobles that were no longer needed, then went on to Melromarc.
Despite her proclamation, Dante didn't take Atla with him there. She was still more than willing to be as far away from her uncle as she could. She stayed in the village with the others. It was just the two heroes, plus one devout vampire that went to Melromarc.
The three of them walked through the halls to where they would find the queen. The silence between them felt heavy. Motoyasu knew what Dante did the day before, and he didn't approve. At the very least, it was tempered by his belief that this was all still just a game.
When they arrived, they found Malty waiting just outside the room. She was seated in a chair, biting her nails when she looked up and saw them.
"Ah! Sir Motoyasu. Sir…Dante." She stood, straightening out her dress.
"Hey, Myne." Motoyasu greeted. "Is the queen inside?"
"Yes, she's just filling out some paperwork." Malty waved down a servant before continuing. "This shouldn't take long. Sir Motoyasu, would you go and wait with the other heroes? Mother needs to speak with Sir—with Dante and me in private."
"Sure thing, Myne!" Motoyasu gave her a bright smile, which she didn't see before knocking on the door and entering.
"Hey, Motoyasu." Dante stopped the Spear Hero from leaving. "She seemed off. Did you tell her about…"
Motoyasu shook his head. "No, I didn't think she needed to hear that. But, Itsuki might have said something. He really wants to make you look bad."
"Right." Itsuki's reaction to what he did was the most severe. He actually aimed his bow at Dante, though Motoyasu stepped in before he could attack. It was good Motoyasu did that. The way he was feeling, Dante might have broken the younger hero's arms.
Motoyasu left with the maid and Dante went into the room, which turned out to be the queen's office. Elvira stood watch outside.
"Good morning, Hero MacRory." Mirellia greeted him from her seat at the desk. It was piled high with papers.
"Queen." Dante gave her a nod. From her indication, he sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk, next to Malty. The princess fidgeted in place a moment before calming.
"Do you know why I called for you?" Mirellia asked, setting her quill to the side.
"I assume it is because Cal Mira is activating." Dante said. Motoyasu had mentioned that when he arrived in Q'ten Lo. Given the timeframe and Q'ten Lo's imminent defeat, it seemed the most likely reason.
"There is that." Mirellia shuffled some papers around before lifting one. "But there is another matter we must discuss."
She handed the sheet to Dante across the desk. He took one look at it before returning it.
"I cannot read that language." He told her.
"My apologies." She placed the paper in front of her. "This is a message from the king of Faubrey."
"Ah." He thought those characters looked familiar. Dante didn't bother learning a third language here, or technically a fourth. The base understanding of Melromarc's and Siltvelt's was more than enough to aid in reading magic script.
"The focus of his letter is the demand that my daughter be turned over to him." Mirellia folded her hands on top of the paper. "We'll need to move up our plan to safeguard Malty."
"What do you recommend?" Dante asked, though he thought he knew.
The best way to keep Malty safe was to be married to Dante. He wanted to hold off for a short while, at least long enough to marry Sadeena first. While the position of 'first wife' wasn't set in chronological order, he still wanted the woman he loved to be first. Of course, after Q'ten Lo…
"Malty is pregnant." Dante's eyes widened at the queen's statement. "Of course, this isn't true, but we will spread the rumor. A whirlwind romance between the first princess of Melromarc and the Shield Hero during their time working against the Three Heroes Church."
Mirellia gave further details of the timeframe and how this romance came about. All the while, Dante began to grimace. He'd long made peace with the idea of marrying Malty, largely due to her aid of Lurolona and the fact that she wasn't a sociopath, though that thought took some getting used to. It was more what this plan implied, which Mirellia verified.
"Obviously, Malty will need to become pregnant, and soon." The queen finished her explanation.
Dante had questions, but most could be worked out on his own. Someone being pregnant with a hero's child was a big deal, given how many women in Siltvelt wanted that, not to mention how they reacted to the attack on Sadeena. If he had to guess, the Pig King wouldn't care if they were engaged. That, plus her being pregnant, would likely be enough.
"Would marrying Malty sooner not also work?" Dante asked one of his less obvious question.
"Unfortunately, we have many preparations to make." Mirellia said. "The marriage between a princess and a hero isn't to be taken lightly."
"And…becoming pregnant out of wedlock is better?" That didn't seem right to Dante.
"Moderately." Mirellia nodded.
Well, Melromarc is not in the best place at the moment. I suppose this is what the queen has to work with. Politics are such a pain.
"Very well." Dante agreed to her proposal.
He had discussed the possibilities with Sadeena before, including the potential need for Malty to be designated as his first wife. Sadeena was far too understanding about the politics. Truly, in the back of his mind, Dante knew he might need to have someone other than Sadeena be his first wife, given his position in Siltvelt.
"Excellent!" Mirellia clapped her hands together. "And, since you mentioned Cal Mira, I believe that will be a great opportunity to further your bonds with one another. Think of it as a honeymoon of sorts. In addition to the activation event, the archipelago is also known for its curse healing hot springs and as a resort. I recommend…"
Dante didn't mean to let the queen's voice fade from his mind. He was too busy observing Malty's reactions. From the moment Mirellia started explaining her plan, he saw Malty's expression sullen. By the end of it, he could see her shaking slightly in her chair, her head down and away from him.
"Now then, we should discuss the rest with the other heroes." Mirellia said as she stood.
The three of them exited the study, Malty right behind her mother. "Please excuse me." She quickly said, turning the other way Mirellia was leading Dante.
Elvira gave the princess a glance before falling in line behind Dante. The Shield Hero walked next to the queen down the hall.
"I do not imagine this is easy for her, being with someone like me." Dante said as he walked.
Mirellia nodded. "It is difficult. Were the situation different, we could go about this another way."
"She surely knows what I did in Q'ten Lo. After what she told Melty about me…"
"I've heard what happened." Mirellia spared him a glance. "But I don't believe it's an issue."
Dante sighed. "Then you did not hear correctly. I killed a child."
"I am aware." Those words made Dante stop in place. The queen turned to face him, pulling out her fan and covering her face. "He was the leader of the enemy, no?"
"More like the figurehead." Dante corrected. "Though, he did have authority. He practically admitted to sending assassin after us."
"Then there is no issue." Mirellia reaffirmed. "Malty understands this, too."
"She does?" Dante cocked an eyebrow. "But, in your office…"
"Malty understood the optics of the situation in Q'ten Lo. Whether or not he was a child, the emperor was the head of the nation. Killing him was likely a forgone conclusion." Mirellia explained. "Though, a public execution would have been preferable for the people."
Dante winced. He didn't disagree. In fact, that was what the leadership of the revolutionary group believed as well. No, it was because that's what Dante told himself about the situation. The boy's fate was sealed. Dante was just the one to kill him. Still, hearing Mirellia say it so matter-of-factly made him feel like she was something of a psychopath. An exaggeration of her character from the books, or at least the web novel, but not entirely inaccurate.
"Then, what was wrong?" Dante asked, gesturing over his shoulder.
Mirellia lowered her head. "While she has had time, Malty has not yet fully healed from what that knight did to her."
"Oh…" Admittedly, that had slipped Dante's mind.
He thought of Eclair and how she handled herself after her experience. She had it far worse, yet she strived to improve. She was also a warrior, and few people would work as hard and as fast as she did to become better. Dante couldn't think of anyone else who would, really, maybe not even Sadeena.
"Malty isn't against this plan." Mirellia brought him back from his thoughts. "You've played a part in her healing. She also tells me you know of her…condition, yet you are not appalled by it."
"There are far worse things in this world." Dante said. He'd seen plenty.
It was good to hear Malty wasn't bothered by his actions. In a sense. Seeing how his party, his family looked at him…It wasn't something he wanted. He'd much rather listen to Itsuki go on about how he's a vile killer than see his family's faces right now. He'd even settle for listening to Siltvelt's leadership saying his actions were just and good.
And, despite what the queen said, Dante was certain Malty cared about what happened in Q'ten Lo.
"I am aware." Mirellia gave him a nod. "A number of black spots in my country have been removed thanks to your efforts. I look forward to working with you."
"Yeah." Dante followed behind Mirellia, letting silence hang over them.
~The Wrong Hero~
The meeting went about how Dante expected it would. A little better, in fact. A couple disapproving looks from Motoyasu and Ren, and a death glare from Itsuki. Of course, the Bow Hero tried to pick a fight about all the blood on Dante's hands. That led to a discussion about all the people affected by their actions.
Ren killed a dragon near Mirso, causing a plague that Dante cleaned up. Dante had told him about it before, so it wasn't a shock to bring it up. Neither was meeting Gaelion, the dragon's father. Since the younger dragon chose to stay and ignore the Shield Hero's warning, Gaelion wasn't particularly concerned with his death.
Motoyasu had unleased the bioplant in that remote village, which Dante only stopped from spreading more. He had a lot more time to come to terms with his actions.
Itsuki was more shocked, having learned the country he helped overthrow was experiencing a famine due to his actions. Dante hadn't done anything for that one, since he didn't search out Itsuki. He did give the Bow Hero a few modified bioplant seeds to help get things back in order, when he had the time.
Dante wasn't immune to these talks, but most of the negatives were due to other people. The biggest one was the power vacuum he created by killing Idol Rabier, resulting in the death of Van Reichnott and the destruction of his lands. Saving the people helped alleviate that.
Before long, the queen was able to bring back the correct topic. The details of Cal Mira were close to what Dante remembered. The event would start tomorrow, giving them just enough time to arrive by boat. Mirellia chartered one for just that. Since Malty already got the heroes to share power with one another, all that was left was agreeing on how to hunt monsters.
And, of course, what to do about the two otherworlders that were likely to show up.
"You really think they won't be a problem?" Motoyasu asked.
"They should not be." Dante said. "I have an agreement with Glass. If she finds the person she is looking for, she will take those two with her, assuming they even show up."
"Assuming you're telling the truth." Itsuki added with his usual dismissal of him. "What if she doesn't?"
"Then we kill all three of them." Dante told them as if it was obvious.
The looks on their faces told him they were not exactly in favor of that plan.
"Well…that shouldn't be a problem." Ren was the first to speak up. "We've gotten much more powerful than when we fought that extra boss before."
"Even if the option you chose doesn't work, we already know what she can do." Itsuki added. "A repeat opponent shouldn't be that much stronger."
"Yeah, yeah!" Motoyasu jumped in. "Plus, Dante has that spell to increase all our stats. This'll be easy!"
Oh. I thought they would take issue with killing people. I guess if they are just special Wave enemies, it is not an issue.
"Not entirely." Dante objected. "The two in this world will have their levels from both worlds added together during the Wave."
"Then would confronting these invaders before the Wave be preferable?" Mirellia asked.
Dante thought about it for a second, but dismissed the idea. L'arc was still a hero, and Therese was quite powerful. Should they die, their world would be in trouble, or more trouble than it already was in, depending on the situation. Dante wasn't so far gone that he'd weaken another world and risk its death like that just because it would be more convenient.
"We should focus on increasing our own strength." He told the other heroes. "Oh, I almost forgot. How is learning magic script?"
Once again, silence seemed to take hold.
Motoyasu raised his hand slightly. "Myne's helped me a lot. I can almost read a spellbook now."
"Good." Dante gave him a nod. "On the island, there should be a plaque with a spell for you three. I got my Aura spell from one in the North Ferret Forest."
Itsuki slammed his hands on the table as he stood. "You mean we have to learn to read before we can use those powerful spells!? Why didn't you say that before!?"
"Make up your mind on whether or not you want to believe anything I say." Dante flatly told him.
"What are the spells?" Ren decided to ask the more important question.
"Hm." Dante had to pause for a moment. "I …do not remember. I believe Itsuki's is the opposite of mine, weakening enemies, but that is all." He really couldn't remember all the specifics, mostly because he didn't remember those spells being used too much. He'd probably remember more if he heard the names.
The meeting was basically over after that. Once they got to the main island, they would decide who went where. Mirellia made the suggestion to do a party swap to give everyone an idea of how their parties functioned as a group, but the idea didn't get farther than that. Dante and Itsuki refused. There were people in Itsuki's party that wanted Dante dead, and Itsuki wanted him to stay away from them. Reiko being part of Dante's party was also a contributing factor.
With the meeting concluded, the heroes got on their way. The queen prepared carriages to take everyone to the port town the ship was at. Dante and Motoyasu went back to the village to get the rest of Dante's reduced party, and then returned again. Once everyone was assembled, they set off.
Dante sat in the driver's seat, the filolial pulling the carriage his party was in. Per the queen's suggestion, Malty had left Motoyasu's party and joined his. She sat in the back of the carriage, with Rishia one side of her and Fohl on the other. Elvira and Reiko were opposite of the trio, and Fohl sat closest to the front. Every time Dante turned back, he saw Fohl turn away from him. Her watchful eye wasn't unexpected, since Atla had joined him at the front. Lilith flew above them all, doing loops to keep from flying ahead.
Dante sighed as they continued on to the port.
~The Wrong Hero~
The ride to Cal Mira was unexpectedly uneventful. L'arc and Therese weren't onboard, as far as anyone could tell. Either they were somehow already on the island, they would arrive later, or they wouldn't show up at all. It was possible Glass came by during another Wave outside of the hourglasses Dante registered to and picked the pair up. If that was the case, there'd be nothing to worry about, aside from a certain Book Hero starting something if Glass didn't handle him already. One thing at a time.
During the trip, the members of the other heroes' parties came down with seasickness. The heroes still had some of Dante's diminished medicine, but not enough for the others. He decided to be generous and hand out some to them. To all, except for one.
Armor's sister made the mistake of trying to kill him again. Normally, he would have snapped her neck for the attempt, but he decided to give her a pass. After all, it seemed Dante killed her sister as well.
Karta, one of the knights from the list, who was also in Ronota when that mercenary group took control, was her sister. Dante had given his list to Mirellia to help track down the remaining knights. That information was passed around until it came to that woman, who had been investigating her sister's disappearance. Of course, Keel was the one to kill both of her siblings, but Dante didn't bother bringing that up.
It probably would have been best to kill her. But, by her own admission, she was the last of her parent's children. Should she move against him again, however, Dante would extinguish that family line.
In the end, the shadows Mirellia dispatched to watch over the heroes took care of the situation. Dante found out they weren't around much before because they were dealing with the church's shadows.
A bit of great news was finding someone familiar on the ship. Elrasla Ragnarok, the old Hengen Muso master Dante treated, was traveling to the archipelago with her son. They got to talking, and it turned out the queen asked her to help train the heroes after the activation event. In exchange, she could go to the islands to train and level herself. As a 'thank you' for treating her, Elrasla agreed to give Atla some early training to hone her already existing abilities. Rishia would get training too, once they got back and traveled to her training grounds. She was also impressed that the three other heroes seemed to be in Muso Activation, much like Dante was when they first met. He'd forgotten that's what the Energy Boost power up method was basically like.
The only other thing of note was the sleeping arrangements. Cabins were provided for the heroes and their parties, but there was a special arrangement made by the queen. Dante and Malty were to have their own private cabin. Mirellia really leaned into the whole 'honeymoon' idea.
"Are you sure you are ready?" Dante asked. He was on the bed next to Malty.
"Y-Yes." She gave a quick reply, though it had been obvious she was anything but.
"We can postpone this until later." Dante offered.
"No, I can do this…" Malty sounded unsure, but Dante had been willing to go through with it if she was.
They began preparing for it, removing their clothes and, in Malty's case, armor. She insisted they do it quickly, though Dante knew rushing in would have been unpleasant, if not painful. With her armor off and only her underclothes remaining, she laid back on the bed. Dante slowly approached. She steeled herself for it. Their lips were only inches apart. Then…
They stopped. Dante straightened out and let out a sigh.
Malty had passed out. He wasn't entirely surprised.
In the end, he opted to simply sleep next to her. Malty's resolve was still noted, so hopefully waking up next to him would help for the next time. Or, it would hamper it.
She ended up apologizing profusely when she woke up in the morning.
~The Wrong Hero~
"Ugh…"
The sound of seasick adventurers greeted Dante when he came above deck in the morning. The medicine didn't last as long as he thought it would and he didn't have the components to make more. Well, he did, but not enough for everyone, or even most of them. Plus, the medicine required a lot of a component that was used in other potions he might need, however unlikely that was. It wasn't really worth it.
"These are the party members of the other heroes?" Atla skeptically asked.
"They are." Dante knew she was being sarcastic, especially since she came into contact with Itsuki's party before. Not to mention the fact she met Motoyasu's at the village.
Most of Dante's current party gave him a wider berth than before, with the exception of Atla. She continued to stay by his side, despite what he did in Q'ten Lo.
"Damn Shield…How are you…hurr!" The complaint of Armor's sister was interrupted with her heaving over the side of the ship.
"If I got seasick so easily, my days in Panama would have been quiet unprofitable." Dante commented.
"What's Panama?" Atla asked, turning her face up at him.
"Huh?" Dante looked down. "Did I not already talk to you about…oh…"
Realization hit him. The only members of his party that knew about that part of his past were in Q'ten Lo. Or dead.
Atla shook her head and grabbed Dante's hand. "No, but I'd like to hear all about it!"
"…Yeah, okay." Dante decided to indulge her. Anything to not think about his party, either here or far off.
He told her of his time in Panama with Eddy, and what they did to make a fortune. Mostly, it involved smuggling and appropriating ill-gotten goods, though a murder here and there was needed. In no time at all, Cal Mira came into view.
Once they arrived in the port, Dante got a sense of déjà vu. They were greeted by a man who introduced himself as the Earl of Habenburg. Dante's party was the only group that truly heard the greeting, as the other hero parties were still mostly out of commission.
After taking a short breather off the boat, the earl led them around the main island, explaining the history and culture and whatnot of the archipelago. It was very much like Dante's time in the North Ferret Forest, but less like a hunting lodge association and more like an island resort.
Of course, no one was particularly interested in the history lesson. They at least paid attention to the rules of the islands, mostly about not interfering with other adventurers here. And, most importantly—to them—there was a totem with a plaque at the base of it.
Dante looked at the plaque with the other heroes. Just like he thought, it gave him the chant for Zweite Aura. Ren and Itsuki tried to read it, but their proficiency with magic script wasn't nearly good enough. Motoyasu, on the other hand…
"Faust Fire Shot!"
"Zweite Absorb!"
When he declared that he could read it, he and Dante got prepared to test it out. Dante fired of his spell, which Motoyasu easily absorbed with his.
"Hah! My MP just went over the limit!" He yelled, thrusting his spear in the air.
"Good." Dante nodded, a small smirk on his face.
"And, hey, it didn't even cost any MP to cast! That means I can always use it to get more MP!" Motoyasu added.
That was also good, and unexpected.
After that, they finished up the tour. Once the earl left them to their business, they discussed their plans.
"We should each go to different islands so we don't run into each other." Ren said.
"Then we can rotate so we all get the drops from all the different monsters." Itsuki spoke next.
"Hey, Dante, you went to a place like this before, right? Any tips you want to share?" Motoyasu asked.
"Nothing you probably do not already know." Dante said. "Four islands have boss monsters on them that are stronger and have many minions around them. Their drops are good, too, as well as the XP gains. All the other monsters should be incredibly weak."
"Then I guess we just need to decide who goes where." Ren nodded.
If they were all going to play nice and rotate, it didn't really matter where they started. It wasn't as if the bosses gave anything specific to certain…
"Oh!" Dante realized something.
"What's up?" Motoyasu looked to him.
"We should all go to specific islands for the bosses." Dante said.
"Why should we?" Itsuki snarked.
"For these." Dante reached into his shield and pulled out a rather large piece of equipment.
The three heroes looked at him with blank expressions.
Ren was the first to speak up. "Dante…what?"
"A kigurumi." Dante answered. "They give good stats and everyone in your parties should be more than high enough level for them. I told you all this before, did I not?"
"Yeah, but…" Ren was at a loss for words.
Dante mentioned them during one of their meetings. Rishia was currently wearing her kigurumi, so it wasn't as if the sight of it was a surprise.
"We aren't wearing those!" Itsuki told him flat out.
"Then let your party wear them." Dante said.
"Why should we listen to you!?" Armor's sister yelled.
"To help the hero you follow." Rishia answered her question, stepping forward.
"As if a fallen noble has any room to talk!" Armor's sister fired back.
"Then remain weak." Rishia gave a calm response to the outburst.
Armor's sister drew her sword. "I dare you to say that again!"
Dante was starting to tire of this woman's aggression. He decided he would break her arm is she attacked him again. If it was Rishia, she could choose what to do.
Her choice, incidentally, was to draw her own sword.
"Ha! Looks like I get to see how my soon-to-be apprentice has grown!" Elrasla barked out a laugh. She and her son tagged along for now, until the heroes split for the islands.
It didn't look like a full-on fight would break out, thankfully. Itsuki actually backed off, looking smug. He must have figured his party member was stronger than Dante's. No one in Dante's party was wanting to jump in, either. Atla remained calm, likely knowing what was about to happen. More surprising was Elvira, who hadn't made any move at all. Perhaps she wanted to see how Rishia would handle the woman who kept insulting her god.
Armor's sister inched forward, sword at the ready. Rishia remained still. Her hood was down, but her sight wasn't impaired.
Armor's sister sprung forward, her weapon poised to thrust into Rishia's chest.
It never got close. In fact, it was flung back, embedding in the stone-laden walkway.
"H-How…" Armor's sister looked dumbfounded at her weaponless hands.
"You are weak." Rishia calmly replied, sheathing her sword.
Huh. I am surprised how she handled that. I would not have expected her to fight.
"Haha!" Elrasla gave Rishia a slap on the back, sending her forward slightly in a stumble. "I'm really looking forward to teaching you!"
"Grrr." Armor's sister glared at her, gritting her teeth.
"Alright, now." Dante stepped forward. "We should not have a fight in the center of town." It was a bit late for that, but they were starting to draw the eyes of passersby.
"Hmph!" The upstart woman turned up her nose and went to retrieve her weapon.
"Anyway," Motoyasu cleared his throat, "we could always get the kigurumis and do something with them later." He then looked at Dante. "Does it really matter which boss we fight?"
Dante nodded. "Yes, I believe so. I was only able to get these from one boss out of the three we faced. I think it will be the same for you."
"Alright. Which ones do we go to?" Motoyasu asked.
Dante had to think of that one for a moment. He had to think back to the web novel, deep into New Reprise. There was an arc where the four heroes all turned into specific animals, each one being one of the founders of this place and the forest.
His was obviously the penguin. For the others, he had to rely on context. Ren had the dog, since Dante remembered him being carted off by one of Motoyasu's filolials that liked cute animals. Dogs, specifically, like Keel. Motoyasu was the rabbit, since Dante remembered reading—or thinking it'd be funny to see—Motoyasu spinning his ears around and flying like a helicopter, much like one of his abilities in that part of the story. And Itsuki was the squirrel, by process of elimination. Though, Dante also vaguely remembered Rishia wearing a squirrel kigurumi from the books and anime.
The web novel had gotten strange at times.
Dante relayed the information, but not the exact source of it.
"Seems like we have everything we need. I'll tell you all where to grind once we get there." Ren said, turning to his party to give instructions before walking away with them.
"We're off as well." Itsuki left without another word, his party following behind.
"Good luck out there. And, uh, watch Myne." Motoyasu nodded to his former party member.
"Be safe, Mama!" Fleonne ran up and hugged Malty's legs tightly.
"I will, sweetie." Malty gave her a pat on the head.
"And don't let Shield Guy be mean to you!" The filolial girl added, sticking out her tongue at Dante.
"Fleonne, that's not nice." Motoyasu rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that."
"It is fine." Dante waved it off. After what he's done, her concerns were valid.
Motoyasu was able to coax Fleonne back to him, allowing him to leave with his party.
"Well then, Holy Saint, we should get going as well!" Elrasla barked out.
"Can't I stay with you, Mister Dante?" Atla asked, grabbing his tunic.
"Not for today." Dante answered. "Today, observe Elrasla, and let her observe you. You have had some training on the ship. Now you should put it into practice."
"Okay…" Atla sighed.
Dante grimaced. "We…will meet back up at the end of the day." The earl had shown them the hotel they'd be staying at. "We will not be separating until we arrive at the island, anyway."
"I'm going with Atla." Fohl said.
"That is fine." Dante didn't object.
With a party that large, not only would the XP gains be much smaller due to the penalty, but Atla wouldn't be able to train as much. So, Elrasla, her son, Fohl, and Atla would be in their own party. After offering, Dante lowered Elrasla's level with the Whip power up so she could gain more stats. She didn't say what her level was, but she had him drop it by 30, so it must have been fairly high.
That left Dante with Reiko, Rishia, Elvira, Lilith, and Malty. Most of them could still benefit from having their levels reduced, and Malty could still sacrifice her class up. They might do that at the end, since they couldn't get her another one until they returned, and higher levels still give better stats than most of the post-sacrifice lower ones.
Splitting up had one other benefit. Now there was one less person around who wouldn't meet Dante's gaze.
~The Wrong Hero~
They spent hours on their designated island, grinding away at the weak monsters available. Making it to the boss wasn't difficult, nor was killing it repeatedly after it respawned. Dante was able to get a sizable number of kigurumis to use later, plus an assortment of other drops. Most of it wasn't better than his party's current gear, but it would still sell for a good amount.
That reminded Dante of Erhard. He didn't see the blacksmith at his shop, which was still closed down. The place looked to be ransacked, from what Dante could tell. The outside didn't look too good, and the inside wasn't much better. While Mirellia couldn't dispatch any of her limited number of shadows to search for him, the broadcast of Dante's innocence and the denouncement of the Three Heroes Church should be enough to clue the old man in.
His wasn't the only place targeted. Ann's shop was, of course, destroyed as well, and the magic shop and apothecary's place. So was the demi-human bar Dante stayed at and met the Siltvelt emissaries. It was burned to the ground, the remains of the bear therianthrope that owned it being found. For that, the queen did dispatch shadows to search for the missing employees, who were likely sold into slavery. The crown would cover any cost to free them.
With his thoughts turned downcast and the sun starting to set, Dante and his party returned to the boats. Their gains were more than adequate.
To his somewhat surprise, Malty was a rather exceptional fighter. She was skilled with a sword and her magic was above nearly everyone else in his full party, with the exception of Sadeena. Without using the power up methods, Rifana with the Staff would've been around the same level of expertise. It shouldn't have been surprising, since Dante saw how competent Melty was with her water magic, especially at her age. Their bloodline was a good one.
After cleaning up and getting some food, the party retired to their suite in the hotel. Unlike in the North Ferret Forest, each hero party was given one suite. However, these suites had multiple bedrooms to each of them, plus a common room connecting them all. Dante offered a room to Elrasla and her son, but the queen already made separate accommodations for them.
Most everyone had gone to bed. Dante was no exception, but the bed in question came with someone.
"Are you sure you are ready?" Dante asked his soon-to-be-bedmate.
"Y-Yes." Malty quietly responded.
She'd already removed her armor in preparation. Her legs dangled over the edge of the bed, her hands folded on her lap, fingers intertwining and separating again and again.
"I do not think you are." Dante walked to the other side of the bed.
"I know what's at stake." Malty tried to sound confident, but her anxiety leaked out. "I have to do this."
"We have the whole week…" Dante tried offering her some reprieve with the duration of the activation event, but he didn't actually know how long she was able to…well, become pregnant.
"I know…"
Dante scratched the back of his head. "Look." He began again. "We can work up to that. I have an idea that may help some."
"What is it?" She asked, though she continued to face away from him.
"Give me a moment. Do not look." He began to pull off his clothes.
It was obvious the action upset her. Dante could see her twitch and shudder with every move and sound he made. The slight wind that seemed to come from nowhere didn't help.
"Okay. Turn around." He told her, his voice off.
Malty placed her hands on the bedsheets and gripped them tightly. She took in a loud, deep breath. Slowly, her body pivoted in place, her head slowing turning to face him. Her eyes were screwed shut, but once her face was in his direction, they began to open. When she finally took in the sight, her mouth hung open.
"My word…" She brought up a hand to cover her mouth.
"I hope this makes it a little easier." Dante said, his voice a bit higher, while his stature was shorter. He'd switched to his Golden Idol Shield, named for the cursed idol he absorbed.
"You…" Malty couldn't get her words out.
"Motoyasu said the other women in your party would help comfort you…I think." He turned his head to the side. "He was rambling at that point, but I understood basically what he was saying. Eclair could barely tolerate being around men, let alone being touched by one. After some work, she—"
"What happened to you!?" She cried out, pointing at him.
Dante stood still for a moment before facing her again. "…Yes, I was about to say. This shield lets me transform my body to—"
"No, the scars!" Malty vigorously shook her head. "How did you get so many!?"
"Oh, those." Dante gave a shrug. It was fairly dark in the cabin yesterday, so she likely didn't see them. That, or she was too nervous to notice. "Some here, some from my world. Although, I have been getting many more recently." He traced his hand over a number of scars that weren't there a week ago. "I think my newest curse makes even minor cuts into scars."
"But the larger ones, and to have so many…" Malty's voice quieted down. "Around your shoulders, your arms, your stomach…you've truly been through hell."
"I suppose I have." Dante sat on the opposite side of the bed, still relatively close to Malty. "You have been through your fair share."
Malty shook her head. "Nothing compared to you."
"I doubt I have felt as helpless." Dante said. "I have had people wanting me dead for years. Being here has simply added monsters to that list, and made everything much more overt."
He didn't mind that as much as he probably should. It was the more complicated problems he didn't like, such as anything to do with politics. He was better at killing problems, not talking them into submission.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Malty asked him.
"We could, but it will make little difference now." Dante said. "I am not the one who needs to talk about my problems, though."
Malty nodded and slowly turned back around. After taking a calming breath, she began removing her clothes.
"Have you gotten more used to being around demi-humans?" Dante asked.
Malty flinched, but kept her hands moving. "You noticed?"
"I have. Reiko and Elvira make you uncomfortable. So do Raphtalia and Sadeena."
Malty let out a breath. "I know I shouldn't be worried about them, but…"
"I understand the circumstances. Your father hates demi-humans. Your brother was murdered by one. Siltvelt has been your country's enemy for a long time, with the past few decades being the most intense, as far as I can tell."
Dante remembered his conversation with Eclair while traveling to Zeltoble. She said Malty was scared to be in Lord Seaetto's demi-human territories.
"It's been easier, lately." She said, removing the last of her garments. "Talking with Atla and Fohl has helped me a lot."
"That is good to hear." The two of them being hakuko, the embodiment of Siltvelt to Aultcray and his hatred, was a large factor. Since they were her cousins, and with a man Malty had trusted enough with her younger sister, they were safe to be around.
Malty took another breath. She glanced over her shoulder. "Could you turn around for a moment?"
Dante did as she asked. He could hear the sheets ruffling behind him.
"Okay."
When he turned back around, Malty was covered up to her neck. Her eyes were closed again, but she didn't look as panicked as yesterday.
"Alright, then." Dante dimmed the oil lamp next to the bed and joined her. "We will only sleep tonight. Tomorrow we can try again, if you are able."
"Mm." Malty gave a nod and reached out her arm. "I can…hold onto you. I think it'll help. And, if you could hold onto me to…"
"Alright." Dante agreed, moving closer.
Their bodies became entwined, Malty laying on Dante's extended arm with hers wrapped around his back. Dante's shield arm was carefully draped over her side. Her breathing was heavy at first, but slowly became even and quiet.
Minutes passed and, eventually, Malty was peacefully sleeping.
~The Wrong Hero~
It was several hours later.
Malty moved from her initial position, laying on her back while remaining only partially covered.
Dante was able to easily slip out. He gathered up his clothes and dressed himself, leaving the Axe behind. Malty knew not to touch the weapon, and there was at least one shadow of the queen watching the suite. Once out of the room, he changed out his shield to revert back to his normal form.
The night would be long, and he needed something to do. He recalled what the queen mentioned, and what he remembered from the books. The hot springs here were effective against curses. Perhaps they would help where holy water and magic couldn't.
Thankfully, the hotel had a number of private baths available that used the springs. Dante knew where they were and reserved one. Inside the room was a small pool of steaming water built into the ground. Towels were available, and a space to store his clothing.
After getting undressed, he slid over to the bath and stepped in, the towel set behind him. It had enough room to fit about five people comfortably, allowing him to stretch out and relax. He tried to, at least.
Dante was able to restrain himself from using any of his curse powers throughout the day. Mostly, he did what he originally planned to do when he first learned he could use attack magic. After an opening volley of fire, he focused solely on defense and attracting monsters, no attacking. The few times he actually took damage, he quickly transferred over his SP to HP, since that recovered more quickly than MP.
Now that he was in a hot spring known for treating curses, he wanted to make the most of it.
He also needed a distraction, though he knew nothing would truly save him from his thoughts.
"Hello, Mister Dante."
Dante spun around at the voice as he stood. "Atla!?"
The short tiger woman stood near the bath, already relieved of her clothes and holding a towel against her. She had a large smile on her face.
"You didn't sense me?" She asked in a chipper voice.
"No…No, I did not." Relaxing, Dante lowered himself back into the bath. He let his arms rest on the sides.
Atla gave a light laugh as she came closer. "I'm glad! I learned a lot from Miss Elrasla."
"In just two days?" Dante watched as she stepped into the bath, sitting next to him, her towel discarded behind her near the edge.
"Yes!" She beamed at him. "She helped me focus on manipulating life force around me."
Dante was rather shocked. The only people that were able to escape his Life Sense ability were the Q'ten Lo shadows, and even they weren't completely invisible to him. Atla, on the other hand, didn't come up at all just now. Elrasla could no doubt do that too, if she wanted.
"I am really impressed." He said.
She gave him a toothy smile and quickly hugged him, her chest pressing up against his side. "Thank you, Mister Dante!"
"Uh, yeah…" Dante's arms instinctively rose at the contact before slowly going back down. "You know, Fohl would be incredibly upset if she saw us."
"That's why Sister is blissfully asleep!" She replied. Dante decided not to think about whether or not there was any deeper meaning to that statement.
Atla released him from her grip, placing her back against the side and leaning back. Her head rested on his arm.
They sat in silence, for a moment. Relatively, since noise could be heard from outside the hotel.
"Mister Dante?" Atla's voice caught his attention.
"Yes?" He turned to her.
"They don't hate you."
Dante winced. "I know…I think."
"They really don't." Atla straightened out and looked at him, eyes closed. "You aren't alone. They aren't going to leave you. They're just…"
"They are scared." Dante finished her sentence. "Of me."
Atla said nothing. There was nothing to say about that.
"I have seen it in their eyes." Dante leaned his head back this time. "The ones who still look at me, anyway. Sadeena can barely do that. Rifana…she could not even speak to me. Keel avoided me completely. Even JoJo, my son, does not look at me the same."
"I know." Atla nodded solemnly.
"It is not just them." Dante continued. "Reiko was always a little scared of me, and now she is even more. Rishia keeps her hood down almost all the time around me, and your sister does not give me her usual treatment."
Lilith, thankfully, wasn't any different. But then, she was a dragon. While she was smarter than normal monsters, and people for that matter, it wasn't the same thing.
"What about Elvira?" Atla asked.
"Elvira is in awe of me." Dante continued to stare at the ceiling. "My blood is a literal gift from god to her. She has not been the same since I fed her my blood. I do not think she is sane anymore."
It wasn't as if she'd done anything particularly crazy, but Dante knew she could. He could order her to do anything, even kill herself, and she would likely do it with a smile on her face.
Though not in his party, even Melty looked afraid. He saw her and Malty hug briefly before they got to the carriages. Just after the sisters parted and waved goodbye, the moment Melty saw Dante, she hastily rounded a corner. Malty seemed to compartmentalize it, but she must understand the significance of Dante willingly killing a child, even in anger.
That stupid raccoon. If he just kept his damn mouth shut…
The boy would have died regardless. The only difference would be his blood on someone else's literal hands. That's what Dante told himself, and what other officials in Q'ten Lo basically told him. Though, there version was more about the political side of things. The queen said it too.
That was before. But now? Dante didn't feel anything about it now. The act itself no longer really bothered him, only the consequences of it.
That alone was enough to confirm that he was a monster. He remembered telling Sadeena once that she was forced to be an executioner. Dante wasn't. He chose to be one.
Dante turned his head to Atla. She looked straight at him with her dull blue eyes.
"Are you afraid of me?" He asked, his voice nearly unsteady.
Instead of a reply, she slid on top of him. He gasped softly at the contact, her arms reaching behind his head as her chest pressed against his. She pulled his face to hers, locking their lips together.
Dante stared into her blind eyes, both unblinking from the act. His hands gripped the side of the bath tightly before relaxing.
Atla slowly pulled her head back, continuing to look into him.
"Never." She said softly, before bringing her lips against his again.
This time, Dante slowly brought his arms forward. He wrapped them around Atla's lower back, earning a soft moan from her.
Dante was a monster. He knew that was true. He failed to protect his family, both here and his old world, and never stopped to grieve properly. The most he did was attend to the bodies of his daughter and his friend here. A week later, he killed a defenseless child with his own hands. He didn't become a better person, he didn't even really try. Instead, he gave in to his worst traits.
But right now, he didn't care. Right now, he knew he wasn't alone. There was one person he cared about that wasn't afraid of him. That really was the truth of the situation.
I may not be alone, Atla, but I fear that you are.
Author's Notes:
I was wrong before. I think I am feeling a bit burnt out on this story. Part of me wants to take a break to think things through, but I don't think I will. Mostly it's because I already jot down notes at work for the current/next chapter and for things in the future. I haven't really gotten too many ideas for the future, though, and I don't imagine I'll get many more.
Another reason is that, if I do take a break, I'm worried I won't finish this story, or I'll take so long that I lose track of where I wanted it to go. I'd rather make a lackluster ending than no ending at all and leave it in purgatory. Besides, doing this still helps to keep me writing and stay in that habit.
I think part of the problem was the premise and how I approached it. Namely, someone with knowledge of the series replaced Naofumi. With that, a lot of things don't need to be said, or merely mentioned for context, since it's assumed to be known (by the readers).
Suffice to say, I will finish this story, continuing with more descriptions of events rather than going through them with dialogue and such. I'll have character interactions where it's needed so it won't have as much of a rushed feeling.
I feel like I'm rambling at this point, so I'll leave it here.