Chapter 7

I trusted the ambient noise level in the room to wake me up, and I was not disappointed. Aside from my stomach being empty (mostly empty, I'd finally eaten the cookie I'd been saving and testing the Shield's inventory storage with, to see how food and 'time sensitive' items fared in the dimensional storage. Answer? Inconclusive, got hungry, spoiled experiment).

With one last check of my cage, I made sure none of my skin, or tail, was touching the metal of the cage (insulated with Orange Balloon skin), that the rope of my shield was looped around the bars of the cage just so, and waited.

Annoyed growling, the occasional howl of pain for being too loud, the Ringmaster sighing at the disobedience, and the heavy tread of two of his 'clowns' as they handed out breakfast. The ambient light of the room was increasing as well, telling me they were also relighting whatever it was they used for light sources (I didn't think to look closely on my way in).

Closer and closer... I kept my breathing controlled, my mind clear.

Then two huge shadows fell over my cage, and a huge hand gripped the cloth covering the cage, briefly touching the metal as he did so.

And I struck. Like the Alchemist showed me, I pushed my mana into the math-magic design on the bottom of the cage, and the entire front of my cage lit up with curling blue arcs of electricity. The Clown gripping the cloth who had the misfortune of touching the metal howled as he soaked up the lightning, but I didn't let up. I watched my status as my MP dropped to almost nothing before letting the effect go.

His hand, still gripping the cloth over my cage, pulled the fabric partially aside as I activated the Rope Shield. The rope of the shield, held in place with bits of rubbery 'Orange Balloon' skin against the bars of the cage to prevent slipping, retracted, and with a slow groaning creaking noise, started to bend the bars in the middle of my cage open.

The Ringmaster, obviously no fool, started backing up, "Stop him!" He motioned with his cane, his lack of smile bringing a smile to my face as the other Clown dropped his water bucket.

The bars were bending, but not quite fast enough. The Rope Shield had some serious pull, but some of the people in the cages were just shy of 'giant animals'.

But I was ready for that. I swallowed a pair of mana potion pills that I had (resisted eating prematurely) waiting in my cheek, waited for my MP to surge back to full, and made a pair of Seals with my free hand.

"Kori-Neru." I said, the water of the bucket seeming to leap out at the Clown as he went for a short club at his hip, the ice wrapping around his arm and leg.

It slowed him, but he was far too strong to be held for more than a moment, the ice shattering off him almost as fast as it had formed. But a moment was all I needed, the cage was open just enough for my small body to slip through the bars.

I didn't 'slip' so much as 'jump' however, getting as far from the cage as I could, so I could stand in the middle of the aisle of double stacked cages. My antics were already riling the prisoners again, but the noise didn't hide the sound of more Clowns tromping towards me.

The one that was still standing shook the last of the ice free, and swing the club down. I recalled the rope of the shield, side stepped the (alarmingly) heavy strike, grabbed the end of the Rope again, and started my 'lesson'.

Even without my strength or speed, I was still able to loop coils of Rope around the Clown's limbs as he tried to strike me. By the time I had him literally Hog Tied though, I saw two more Clowns coming towards me from the end of the aisle.

"Air Strike Shield." I pointed with a hand, honestly wondering what was going to happen, and hoping it was suitably flashy, and that the brief tutorial about it's use wasn't lying to me.

To my surprise, and a hint of childish glee, a spectral shield about the size of the Manor's double front door appeared in the way of the two Clowns. Unable to stop themselves they slammed into it and bounced, falling backwards onto their butts with a grunt.

This however, was where my plan kind of ended. It was time to bluff.

I looked at the Ringmaster, who was backing away from me and looking ready to run. "I have decided." I said with as much authority as an eight year old with a squeaky voice could, "I am not for sale."

I felt very satisfied when I took a menacing (again, as menacing as I could) step towards him and made him almost fall on his rear. I suppose, with one of his Clowns still drooling on the floor in (literal) shock, another tied up like an animal before slaughter, and two more holding bloody noses from suddenly slamming into an invisible wall...

Well, my short body was casting a long shadow over him.

He stood his ground, though he wasn't smiling, "You understand, I can't just let you go. I accepted money for keeping you here." Behind me, my 'Air Shield' faded, and in my vision a little icon appeared, the '12 second cool down' for the skill starting. "If I let you go, my client will be... disappointed."

"A good merchant puts truth above all." I said firmly, motioning with my head at my abused cage, "You didn't 'let me go'." Six seconds... "So merchant, what's my price?" Three seconds...

"Very well." He drew himself up to his full height, "I think I will cancel any bids placed on you. I can see, in the end, there will be no profit in it." That smile of his slowly returned, "This does leave me in a bit of a bind you see..." He waved with his hand, and I heard the two Clowns stop their advance towards me just as my Air Strike Shield came off cool down.

"I won't ask you to give up a Client's name. But I'm sure I can guess." I waved a hand over the Gem of my Shield, and the Rope started to coil back into it, coming free of the Clown I'd tied up. "Probably upset that I didn't let them join me."

"I will neither confirm or deny your suspicion." He said, "Of course, I must now make up for a sudden shortfall."

"I'm assuming it was 'payment on delivery', except, my pockets were empty of money." I glanced away, "I want you to understand something, merchant, I hate the idea of slavery."

"Yet you still require people to help you in your quest." The smile was back in full effect, "I would be remiss in my job, no my duty if I didn't tell you of the advantages of owning a slave!"

"Get your Clowns to go back to feeding people, and we can talk business." I growled.

"Of course!" He did a smooth little spin in place, "Chop chop! Clean that up and get back to feeding time."

One of the Clowns picked up the bucket, the other the basket of little bread loaves, and continued, while the one I tied up helped the one I'd electrocuted back to his feet and dragged him off. Satisfied I wouldn't be attacked, since the Ringmaster and I were the only ones out of a cage, I motioned for him to go ahead.

"The Slave Curse is very interesting you see." He nodded, reminding me a little of Ganesha as he 'hand talked' with his cane, "You can set as many conditions as you wish, use them how you like, and if they are disobedient, well, you have already seen the effect." He looked me up and down, "We even have that kind of slave, if you wish to satisfy any growing currrr..."

I started growling before I even realized I was doing it.

"ahem perhaps you are a little young for that yet." His smile faded and he looked nervous, but a moment later he recovered, "Let me show you some options that would be suitable for your quest!"

He led me away from the cage I'd ruined. The smell of 'animal' got stronger, as did the construction of the cages. But he stopped in front of one, and did another one of those smooth spins, ending with a 'here's your prize' motion at the cage in front of him. Inside was a literal 'wolf man', not unlike the Volralden I'd brought over from Falmart. This one however looked far more vicious, and I suspected that only the Slave Curse (that I could see glowing on his chest) stopped him from reaching through the bars at us.

"Sir, hold this." He said, offering me a little green gem.

I did, and a little status window popped up in that 'in between' place in my vision, "Level... 75." I said, reading out loud, "I find it ironic you are showing me the one who captured me by the burning Inn I stayed at."

I knew those eyes... and as the monster and I stared at each other, it quieted down and started pacing back and forth, keeping its stare fixed on me as it paced.

"This one." The Ringmaster started, oblivious, or ignoring the byplay between the prisoner and I, "Can be bought for 15 gold. Therianthrope for all their beastly appearances, are quite adept at combat. This one was injured in a fighting arena, one of the ones I mentioned. A little discount in his price, and a little time under my care to heal, he's ready to fight again, though you already know that."

I wondered how he could smile like that and not have his face hurt.

"Of course, you know that's far out of my price range, considering everything but my shield and clothes were taken from me." I countered, handing him back the gem. "I'm guessing his... rental fee wasn't covered, was it?"

The smile dropped off his face, "No. It wasn't." He paused, "How did you know?"

It was my turn to smile, and it was not a nice smile, "I do not forget people who have wronged me." I motioned with my shield, making him jump just a little, "Knowing that my budget is a little tight, what would you suggest?" Of course, he didn't know that I still had 650 silver and a handful of bronze in my shield's inventory.

"I could offer to put your purchases on a..." And I could tell he had a hard time saying the word, "Tab. So long as you promised to pay me back, considering the debt owed to me by... other parties."

"Truth above all." I repeated, walking with him.

We of course came to a stop back at my former cage. "Unless you wished to go see my selection of... lost causes..." He motioned towards a still unlit path of cages.

My attention brought to it fully, I could now smell the hint of rot and hopelessness coming from that direction, overpowering the already present smell of poor hygiene and sadness around me. "We can talk about that in a moment." I said, connection to Hestia or not, I couldn't help myself from wanting to help...

"Quite." He nodded. At least he wasn't smiling as we both looked away, "Your neighbours last night are also my least profitable prospects."

"You kept me here?" I paused, "You kept me here so I wouldn't be bought before you could advertise a little to raise my price."

"Of course." He nodded, "Clever Fox, yes you are."

"Get on with it."

He stepped ahead of me, and pulled aside the fabric covering the cages. The cage that had been on my left (while in the cage), was occupied by a... lizard man. Kind of. His skin was indeed scaly over his arms and legs, but he still had 'human' skin over most of his body. His face however, was something similar to a chameleon's. Most of it was human-looking, but he had a beak-like mouth and jaw, two holes for a nose, and eyes that looked like they focused independent of each other. His cone shaped eye sockets darted about, as if incredibly nervous... or hungry.

The one who had been above me... Was a rabbit man. Human looking otherwise, his two rabbit ears poked out of the shaggy hair on his head sadly. Aside from the thin look of an underfed slave, he looked healthy, save that his left arm was twisted and deformed. I saw no scars or other signs of injury, so I guessed it was a birth defect. He paused his slow scratching on the bottom of his cage to squint at me as I examined him.

The last, still coughing intermittently, was a young girl who looked about my (current) age. Rail thin, terrified and shivering, she had small rounded ears and a tail that looked like it might have been very fluffy... if it wasn't dirty.

"From your right." The Ringmaster started, doing another cheerful 'here's your prize' motion, "Level eight, five, and one." The point of his cane 'tapped' into the sandy floor, "As you can see, they are... not very desirable, but they are quite affordable." He pointed his cane at the cages in turn, lizard, rabbit and... dog? "40, 25 and 30 silver."

I looked at all three, then the Ringmaster. "I'll take all three." I said, opening my Shield's inventory and summoning a hundred silver from storage, "100 silver, if you also give me a couple of those sheets over the cages." I then put the silver back, 'pouring' it back into the green gem and smiling.

That little spot in my soul where my inner Kitsune rested couldn't help but grin as the Ringmaster looked at me dumbfounded as I made the money I 'apparently didn't have' appear out of thin air, then vanish again. "Ah, right away! This way Sir!" He recovered though, and tap-tapped his cane on the floor, "Get these three out of their cages!" He said, a pair of Clowns appearing from around the corner.

Surrounded by bodybuilders wearing white face paint, the three slaves were... very docile. It hurt to watch, the three of them being led by chained collars around their necks, but as I was, there was little I could do. Even if I spent all my silver on every 'lost cause' he had here, I had no where to treat them, no where for them to go, and they wouldn't be able to fend for themselves. Giving them a last look at sunlight before they were eaten by an mutated orange Pac-man seemed... unfair.

Now, if that changed...

"Here we are!" The Ringmaster grinned as the dozen of us (yes, there were seven Clowns surrounding the Slaves) stopped in front of a nice wide table covered with paperwork, a small fancy looking porcelain dish, and a moment later, one of the Clowns set down a super fancy inkwell. This thing was either made of cut quartz, or a glass blower spent hours on the fist sized container.

"First we... ah, one moment..." He paused as he looked at me, patted his pockets, looked at the Clowns, "The ritual requires a drop of blood from you, for each of them."

"Blood rituals... slaves... I wonder if this country deserves the Heroes." I sighed, waving my hand over my shield, summoning the Medicine Shield. The little edge on one side had enough of a blade on it to let me cut my fingertip.

Some ink was poured into the nice little dish, he directed me to bleed into the ink (after standing on a stool so I could properly see over the table), and with a fine haired brush, he motioned to the Clowns. First, was the child. One Clown reached down and pulled down the front of the ragged shirt she was wearing, exposing the skin below the V of her throat, and with a little swish, the Ringmaster painted a bit of the ink there.

As she curled into herself with pain, the little Status Icon in my vision blinked, and a little window popped up.

Slave acquired. Now opening settings for conditions of use.

This opened a second window, with a long list of 'Do' and 'Do Not' options. Simple stuff mostly, don't attack me, don't disobey, etc etc. Essentially how 'word of law' my orders were, and how much pain the slave crest would inflict on them when they went against the set conditions. I took my time going through them. If I was going to own a slave, I would to my best there would be no 'accidental' punishments.

"Payment for the-" The Ringmaster started.

"One moment." I said, sifting through the list, flicking my eyes left and right to adjust the settings. Yes, there were even ones like 'sex with other slaves' and 'obeying conflicting orders'. "Your payment for..." I paused, as I noticed the Party Menu open as well.

Slave A, Level 1, Raccoon Demi-Human

By now, the girl on the floor had finished groaning in pain, and was getting back to her feet. So, I got off the stool and stood in front of her, "What is your name?"

She backed away from me, stammering, but had to stop as she bumped into the legs of one of the Clowns.

"Sir, it would be better to order her to tell you." The Ringmaster said.

"Oh yes, let's punish them for being afraid of the stranger who now owns them." I said sarcastically, looking back at the terrified girl. "Please, what is your name?" I reached out a hand, keeping out of arms reach of her so she would have to come to me on her own.

Sigh... yes, like a shy animal.

"Ra..." She coughed, caught her breath, then tried again, "Raphtalia."

"Good. My name is Kodori." She didn't take my hand, but stopped trying to escape through the Clown's legs. I backed up, then looked to the Ringmaster. "Thirty Silver, and let me guess, one more for the Ink?"

He watched as each coin fell from my Shield's inventory, into my hand, then into HIS hand when I gave it to him. "The ritual is part of the cost Good Sir."

"If that's the case, use the extra for a bit of the Ink, for personal use." I said, getting back up on the stool, and tipping the Ink left in the porcelain dish onto the Gem. I'd noticed it react as the brush passed close to it...

Slave user's Shield unlocked!

Level too low.

Slave user's Shield II unlocked!

Level too low.

"Let's continue." I said, eager to be done with this place.

Next, was the Rabbit Man. Since I'd emptied the dish, I had to cut my finger again to mix the ink, but that wasn't a big deal. Like Raphtalia he also curled up with pain as I became his new owner, and yes, another long list of 'Do and Do Not' opened up in my Status Screen. Once I sorted through that, paid the Ringmaster and hopped off my stool as he was also added to my party screen.

Raphtalia, Level 1, Raccoon Demi-Human

Slave A, level 5, Rabbit Demi-Human

"Please tell me your name." I said, looking up at him and wishing I'd stayed on the stool.

"I don't h-" The crest on his chest started to glow, and he winced in pain.

"I do not lie, so you do not lie." I said as the glow faded. Yes, there were even 'levels' of pain, it would have been worse if he'd continued.

He sighed, defeated, "My parents called me Useless... before they abandoned me."

His party name changed to match it. But I wondered... "As the party leader, owner or not, my job is to make you useful. So that is no longer your name. Do you agree?"

"Will... will it hurt if I don't agree?"

"No. I need people around me to tell me if I'm doing something stupid." I replied, the Ringmaster giggling behind his hand.

"Useless is no longer my name."

And his name returned to being 'Slave A' in my party listing.

"Can you think of something better?" I asked, my question making him freeze in place as if he was suddenly faced with a large animal or oncoming truck. "Relax. Until you do think of something. Your name is now Usa. It means Rabbit where I'm from."

He relaxed, then nodded, and then his name changed to Usa in my party list.

"This is incredibly amusing!" The Ringmaster said as I turned and started counting out coins for him, "Twenty Five, not six?" He looked at me, hopeful.

"I'm not taking ink this time, and you said it was part of the service." I said, stepping back.

"Ah, caught in my own truth!" He theatrically put a hand to his forehead for a moment, "I can see dealing with you will require a bit more finesse than my usual client!" He laughed, doing one of those little spins in place, then motioned with his cane to the third one.

Again, a painted circle, hiss of pain, then a slow return to his feet as I sorted through the permissions list.

Raphtalia, Level 1, Raccoon Demi-Human

Usa, level 5, Rabbit Demi-Human

Slave A, level 8, Therianthrope Lizard

"What is your name?" I asked after I was done with the list.

He replied with a bit of a hissing noise, and opened his mouth a little, then closed it with a 'click' of small pointy teeth and ridged chitin for 'lips'.

"You can't talk, can you? Can you write?

He shook his head back and forth 'no', then tried to say something, but it sounded like he had a mouthful of wet gravel.

"I will teach you a way to speak without words. Your name will be Clive." Clive the Chameleon... This is why Haruhime and I worked together on naming our children... I wasn't as bad as Welf though.

He nodded, his independent eyes focusing on me as his name changed in my party listing. "And..." The Ringmaster stopped as I started counting out coins. "Annnnnd?" And added the 'tip' for something these three could wear, as well as the extra silver for the ink. 101 silver spent.

"I don't suppose you do 'courtesy' service?" I asked as I looked at my shield's inventory, "I need information, directions mostly."

"Looking to get out of town without being seen?" He grinned.

"The King said five days. It's been one."

"A good point! Oh dear... Since I'll have trouble of my own if you are seen 'escaping'..." He actually did 'air quotes' for that, "Well, we can't have that!" He clapped, "See our valued customer and his newest acquisitions out the back." He paused, pointing to the three slaves, "After you've given them the cloth. Service paid for must be given!"

With a bit of fiddling, some cutting, the 'amateur sewing kit' I'd bought, a bunch of giggles at how 'clever' and 'handy' I was from the Ringmaster, I got the four of us covered in canvas cloaks. Then we were all led down some back streets, to the wide canal that acted as a natural moat between the 'merchant' and the 'poor residential' sections of the Castle-town. We went down a shadowed flight of steps, and found a canoe already waiting for us, complete with a Muscle-clown with a river pole.

There were no inspections, no guards, hardly even any people in sight as we drifted out of the city through a barred archway (that was just barely wide enough to let us through) that would have eventually led us out to sea.

But, the Clown planted his pole in the water at the edge of what looked like a wetland marsh a good distance away, and motioned us to get off. He had been silent the entire time, so I assumed he was under the same 'restrictions' to not talk. There were also other things in the canoe, and he didn't look like he was about to turn around.

"Is there a town that way?" He nodded yes. "Trade goods for them?" I motioned to the sacks and little wood crates still in the boat. Another nod yes. "Do you have a knife?" No. "Do they close the gates at night?" Yes. "What about the way we left?" No, but then a pointed finger towards his eyes. "Guarded?" Yes. "Humans?" Yes. "Be safe, thank you." Yes, followed by a polite bow.

He then poled himself towards the middle of the thin river, then pushed himself along to gain speed and out of sight down stream.

"Okay you three... Survival lessons start now. Tools, water, shelter, food. It's just barely past breakfast time, and we're going to have to survive at least a couple days out of town."

Without any real metal tools, we had to rely on what nature had left out for us. Aside from the small cutting edge of my Small Medicine Shield (that only let me cut plant material, not cloth... stupid picky world mechanics...), a sewing kit that could cut cloth but had limited thread, we had to make our tools.

We did have our canvas 'cloaks' though, and with a few rocks, some reeds that Raphtalia gathered, and a bit of 'here's how you do it', we made fish nets.

We then had to pause for some monster slaying. Sadly, the only 'weapons' I had on hand were the wood stakes I'd made. But Clive was strong enough to help me kill the overly curious Mush and a couple of Yellow Balloons.

Food secured, though Clive didn't care about raw fish, we started cooking them with cut up Mush caps. Finally able to eat something, even if it was monster bits, none of us had a problem.

After breakfast, it was right back to work. I had Usa keep alert for more monsters while Raphtalia not only washed herself, but looked for reasonably good stones. Clive then took a lesson from me about 'napping'. Using stones to hit other stones into shape. Chipping them into something more useful.

Now armed with much sharper stone knives, lunchtime was taken up with simple cooking lessons. Skinning fish, using stone to cut wood without snapping the stone, that kind of thing.

All done from a small dry patch of gravel near a reedy marshy river.

"Master? I hear more." Usa said, his head snapping around, his two (no longer sadly drooping) rabbit ears focusing in one direction.

"Got it, Clive?" I paused, "Raphtalia, pick up that spear, stand with us."

She started to hesitate, but the slave crest started to glow on it's 'lowest' setting. Combat required orders to be followed. "cough cough...Y...yes! Um..."

Clive, with his own stone tipped spear, motioned to her, and showed her where to put her hands.

"They can't hurt me. So I will hold it for you. Thank you Clive." Even at level 8, he wasn't very strong due to his recent imprisonment, but he had a little experience and it showed.

Again, it was just another handful of weak monsters, but this time there was a Red Balloon in the 'ranks'. I stepped forward to get its attention, while Clive 'hid' behind me and to my right, waiting for something he could stab while it was distracted by the 'noisy one with the shield'.

It didn't last long, and we had a couple more Mush caps to eat (yes, I was hungry... again... even my children weren't so bottomless...were they? I'd have to ask about secret snack stashes again...) And in the end, I had my hands on a very angry Red Balloon. It was much meaner than the Orange and Yellow versions, but still unable to nibble through my high PDEF stat.

"Here." I said, holding it so it was looking directly at Raphtalia. "We must work, to eat. And that means you will need to occasionally kill what you eat."

"May I not eat that?" Usa asked quietly.

"Well, okay, we aren't eating this." I sighed, "Raphtalia." I looked past the shivering point of her spear and into her eyes, "It's like fishing. You're still killing it, but now you're holding the hook." I got just a little closer, and she started to retreat as well, "This is Work. And it's almost dinner time."

It was really just past lunch... But I was still hungry!

She started to close her eyes and step forward, but I called out, "No! Eyes open. You must be able to see what you are doing. Missing will put you and others in danger."

She backed up, opened her eyes properly again, and I took another half step forward. This time, she didn't back up, and with a little war cry, she 'YAAA'ed forward and stuck the point of the spear into, and through the Balloon's mouth.

My hands clapped together on either side of the spear's shaft as the Balloon popped between my palms. Clive clapped a couple of times, Usa cheered quietly, and I let Raphtalia's spear go and gave the top of her head (she was just a tiny bit shorter than me, a literal first in this world so far!) a pat. "Well... oh..." She then had a coughing fit and fell into me. "Hmm." I didn't mind giving her more headpats, but this needed to be fixed...

"Okay, let's clean this up. Once you're done getting your breath back, help Usa cut up the Mush. Clive? I'm going to need your hands to peel up some tree bark. Usa? Yell if you hear anything."

Also... Small Red Shield Unlocked! This one gave me (no surprise...) more PDEF, but also made my little kite shield a nice Hagane Red colour.

Clive and I found the nearest couple of trees, and using stone knives, cut the largest sheets of bark off them that we could. Carefully, we brought them back with us, and made them into a very simple (and very brittle) pot. Using woven reeds to hold it together, and keeping it away from any licking flames from our little campfire, we started boiling water.

Next, after (sigh) yet another small wave of monsters, I went to gather up the few medicinal herbs I could from the local shrubbery. I had to return to the little camp quickly once, but after a second trip I got back with enough herbs to start making a simple medicine. If my heating stone hadn't been stolen, I could have done this without the bark pot.

But in the end... with the other three looking amazed as my little hands crushed up herbs with a little mortar and pestle (I'd have to thank the Apothecary if I got a chance), poured them into the bubbling pot, then added cut up Mush caps, some fish, and other things my shield and lessons from the Apothecary said were safe, we now had medicinal soup.

I was still hungry, but Raphtalia's cough eased up for a little while. My status window also popped up a message...

Healing medicine created: efficacy increased slightly!

Right, the Medicine Shield's special ability (not just the little plant cutting edge on the side) was something like that... I almost felt insulted, but any help was good to have.

After dinner, I looked at the three of them, "Okay... Water and food are secure, now shelter."

"Master?" Usa started, before I cut him off.

"Kodori." I said, "My name is Kodori. I only 'own' you because I need help, and buying help was the only real way to get it."

"Ah... Sir?" He still hesitated, but when I didn't interrupt he continued, "How do you know so much? You... You were like us until this morning."

"No. I wasn't like you. I was summoned to this world to 'save' it from the Waves of Disaster. Yet the instant I show up, I'm treated like you."

Raphtalia and Usa went wide eyed, while Clive rocked backwards a little at the news. "Then..." Raphtalia started, "You're... The Shield Hero?"

"That's what they call me here. Yes." I nodded, "And before I came here, I was taught all of what we did today by my parents and peers. But, due to the limits placed on me by this..." I shrugged my shoulder, making the shield (that was currently 'stuck' to it wiggle a little), "I have an offensive ability weaker than you." I motioned to Raphtalia, who had gotten to level three today with all the little mobs we'd killed.

Silence.

Then, "Are you going to?" cough cough "Going to save us? From the Waves?" Raphtalia asked.

I weighed the question, a long moment of silence stretching between us, then I replied with, "I'm thinking about it still. But, we." And I made a point to look at them in turn, "Aren't saving anyone without proper equipment, and food..." My stomach, as well as Raphtalia's growled again. "oh come ON !" I stood up, "I JUST ATE!"

Raphtalia looked embarrassed, while Usa laughed nervously exactly once before clapping a hand over his mouth, while Clive's beak/mouth clicked together a few times in a chuckle.

Clive made a few gestures. A hand over his belly, a raising motion with his hand, then motioned to Usa with a 'go ahead' motion. The Rabbit blinked, and his ears perked up suddenly, "Ah! It's... um..." He paused, both Raphtalia and I looking at him with keen interest. "It's something that we Demi-humans do. We can grow with age." He motioned to himself, and Clive nodded as well, "Or as we gain experience and level."

"Seriously?" I was... dumbfounded.

Usa flinched at my disbelief but when I didn't question him he found a little courage and continued, "One of the reasons the humans hate us..." He paused, and looked in that 'between' place, "You are level six now... But as your levels outmatch your age, you will quickly mature. But there is a cost you see..."

"I'm hungry all the time because my body is trying to grow faster..." I sighed, "We're going to need something other than fish and Mush caps. And lots of it."

"Um..." Usa looked nervous again, "I don't... I mean... your cooking is good but..."

"You don't eat red meat?" I asked.

"N..no."

"That's fine." I shrugged, "Okay... Shelter time. At least... after I eat again... stupid rules stupid world..." I grumbled, starting to walk towards the river and one of the nets we'd made from woven reeds and Clive's canvas 'cloak'. But I stopped. "Oh. Raphtalia?" My shield glowed, and spit out my brush and the scissors from my tailoring kit. "You are far too shaggy looking for your own good."

Raccon Shield unlocked!

Level too low.

Yes, my shield ate Raphtalia's hair, though I was too low levelled to unlock the 'Raccoon Shield'. But, after carefully cutting some of her hair so it wasn't a sad shaggy mess around her too thin frame, she seemed much happier about life in general. Even more when I handed her my brush. After that, while she bathed again and scared fish towards my net for an evening snack, I thought about 'what next'.

We needed supplies, real weapons, actual armour, and... I had to figure out what to do with Usa. His lame arm was essentially dead weight. No muscle on it at all, the hand didn't work, and the best he could do with it was use his shoulder to flail it around, and even that didn't have full range of motion. About all he could do with it was feel things when he bumped into them. His other arm worked just fine, and he had no trouble with anything that could be done with one hand.

Raphtalia had made a couple of kills past the Red Balloon. But aside from being level three now, being 'carried' by Clive and I... But she was young enough to learn anything. Clive... His weird eyes made it difficult to hit things if they were moving too fast. More than once he'd missed a Mush or Balloon as it went for my leg or something. But if he had a bit of time to line up his eyes...

But... If I was seen in town, there would be problems. Not just for the Ringmaster, though I hardly cared about him, but for me as I would be chased down again... And these three, who, like it or not, I had full responsibility for.

Then there was that other thing... But as I was, and as they were, getting my property from the King would have to wait...

Before bed, we set up a reasonably decent tent. Made with smoked moss (to get the insects out of it and keep us off the cold hard ground), our canvas cloaks (I saw this scenario, and that's why I wanted them), some long sticks we'd carved up a little for poles, and a little campfire outside for whomever was keeping watch, we decided on watch rotation.

I also told them about every single limit I'd set in the 'Slave option menu'. Full transparency. I didn't want them to think they could 'get away' with something, but also wanted them to know that some things were actually allowed. Encouraged even! Like Usa and his aversion (or allergy?) to red meat. Or having them tell me I was wrong. And yes, I quoted some Dungeon Rules at them. Information saves time, and lives.

I also didn't want to deal with them 'testing' certain things. They hadn't caught on that I wasn't a boy, and Raphtalia couldn't fight an Orange Balloon on her own, let alone a grown man with an itch. And, shield or not, I was physically weaker than either Usa or Clive. Thankfully, both of them actually looked offended that I'd even considered the 'no touchy' rule. But again, full transparency.

Then, shifts set up for watch, we went to sleep.

Only to have Raphtalia wake up screaming a short time later. Something had started to wake me up a moment before I heard her start thrashing around, but when I sat upright, expecting more monsters or something, she started crying out.

It was painful to hear, and I felt it echo in my soul. I knew exactly what it was, since I'd done it for a time as well. So I did the only thing I could, and hugged her to my chest as tightly as my short arms could while she howled at what ever past trauma she'd had, clawed at the edges of her vision.

Usa, who'd been on watch, and Clive, also sitting upright with his eyes pivoting wildly while looking for danger, figured out what was going on quickly as well. Clive sighed, and just flopped back down on his side, used to this already it seemed.

Usa on the other hand spoke quietly, "She's done that every night since she was... brought in."

"Any ideas?" I asked.

He started to shake his head, but the slave crest glowed slightly, making him wince, and he stopped, "Y...yes. It was a little after the first Wave." He rubbed at his chest, "I only heard about it, since I'd been there much longer, but... many new people arrived afterwards, her included."

Raphtalia had been reduced to a sobbing coughing bundle against me, but she wasn't on the edge of a seizure anymore at least. "Once..." I felt something start to burn in my chest, I'd read enough books to guess at what happened and thinking about it made any hope of sleep vanish, "Once she settles, I'll take watch."

"Yes sir." Usa ducked out of the tent.

It took about ten minutes of back pats, head pats, and the occasional look down at her face, but Raphtalia drifted back to sleep. For that entire time, I imagined exactly how corrupt and useless the King was.

They should have known the Waves would come. It was written down! It had happened MANY times before! Yet they were not ready. Fine, it might have been a 'once a century thing'. Time enough to think it was over with. Whatever. But then, when they couldn't save everyone, instead of helping them rebuild, they just made slaves of the survivors? Took in the homeless as 'free labour'?

I slipped out of the tent and gave Usa a pat on the shoulder, then took his place on the rock he'd been sitting on and poked at the fire with a a branch.

"Well then..." I mumbled, taking out my brush from the Shield's inventory and grabbing my tail, wincing as I pulled a little too hard at it. "They summoned me to do a job, but they aren't going to like how I do it."

NOTES!

Gotta say, I'm having a lot of fun with this... And yes, IN THE BOOKS, the Ringmaster gives Naofumi three choices. In the Anime, there is only Raphtalia. But Kodori is all about 'fixer uppers'.

Thank you for reading! And if you want to see any full colour art, join the discord!

aKAQg4bnYu for the discord!

And my actual book, Were Too? is on Inkitt.

And! I'm looking into getting some story themed merchandise made. Join the Discord to find out more!