After a long trek we came back into town where we met the eager looking quest giver.

"How did the battle go? I felt some weird vibrations a while back."

"Worry not, the mine monsters are mashed into paste. However a really big and burning stone struck on the way back, leaving a wicked looking crater in the forest."

"That grave tidings if the waves themselves were not enough, now stones are attacking as well?"

"It was most likely a freak accident that left my arm vibrating."

"Since you and your raccoon have helped us out, you can stay for free and get a discount on food."

"Now that's what I like to hear."

Internally I began to ponder a very peculiar predicament. I have way too many skills to keep track of. I have mastered magic, various skills related to crafting, the ones I can unlock with the shield, and whatever else I will learn down the road, and a handful I keep neglecting. However two things were for certain, I require more of the local currency, and I need to get my gear enhanced. Where did that blacksmith live again?

"Come on then, we're traveling back to the castle city to get armor upgrades if possible and this little hamlet has none of that. Would you kindly keep an eye on my cargo?"

"Certainly." Said the quest giver looking slightly perplexed at the tree.

The little girl leaned in close to me as we left. "Why would anyone steal that gaudy thing?"

"Wouldn't you?"

"Where would I put it? It's not like I can stick an entire tree into my pants."

"You can't do that?"

"Only legendary hero weapons have that ability."

"Woah, the shield has an inventory without a weight limit? My back will thank me later."

"Just how much are you lugging around to be exact?" Wondered Raphtalia out loud.

"A lot, several weapons, fake gold bars, some wands, books, scrolls, ore, potions, body parts, and other oddities."

"Just feed it to the shield and be done with it."

She made a fair point and I began doing just that as we went onwards.

"A door is really just another shield."

Boomed the voice out as a wand was absorbed. The sound had the unfortunate effect of attracting some rather vicious looking ankle biters that my minions easily dispatched.

"A glass shield will yield, but potions make it all better." So much for that water bottle. If nothing else I'm getting some rapid alchemy improvements.

"This kind of regeneration is trolling." Better health regen due to troll blood? Don't mind if I do.

The voice kept aggroing more and more monsters.

"They said It couldn't be done, but I'm just that good." Did the artifact somehow decode the voynich manuscript? That

should not be possible.

"I got the power!" And there my potion of hero went down the drain. By now we were assailed from all sides by at least thirty monsters and that was without counting the corpses.

"A little help here?" Asked the little girl looking ever so haggard with her health bar in the red. I did the only logical thing I could think of, tossing a potion at her head. With a thunk it smashed into a million pieces on impact

"Ouch! I said help, not harm!"

"It worked, didn't it?"

"Ding!"

Note to self, do not throw things at allies, it makes them angry. With that unfortunate business taken care of, my cover ability put me in the way of a lunge going straight for my girl. Rapidly jumping between my party members this way was working like a charm, and slowly, but surely the monsters were turned into bloody pulp.

"Crappy, or quality cooking." The portable cooking tool made my shield even more utilitarian than I thought possible, even if more snarky than needed.

"Quickly now, put the bodies onto my shield, I have to grind my cooking skills."

With an inquisitive gaze Raphina tossed a bunny body onto my cast iron skillet. In two seconds flat the smell of sizzling meat permeated the air and the result was simply grotesque. A minor setback really.

"Do it again, we're not leaving until this lot is cleared of corpses, leave nothing but scarps."

"Sure, sure, but what will we do with so much food? Will it not expire in a day or so?"

"Probably, but I intend to sacrifice it to my deity."

"I thought gods preferred fresh sacrifices?"

"It's the thought that counts, besides I gain favor, and skill experience faster this way.

Thirty minutes later I was finally finished and we could get moving onwards, while enjoying a fried beast croquette. I'm also very certain that the sacrificial altar light will draw more attention from the wildlife, I better wait until I get to an inn.

Let it not be said that the way of an adventurer is an easy one, for a measly kilometer later something pinged my shield's danger sense. I threw my hand into the air, expanding a protective cover over myself and my party. Just in time to intercept another burning, but bigger boulder than the last one. The impact nearly broke my arm the same way the shockwave demolished every tree in a neat circle around us.

"Naofumi, I think someone is actually out to kill you, and it's probably not heaven itself."

"Then who? These stones register as meteors."

"Gravity magic?"

"Is that a thing?"

"I think so. Unless there is a man on a mountain throwing stones at us."

That was not where I thought the conversation would go.

A while later we skulked into town where I came across a slight issue once I entered the apothecary.

"That disguise might fool the guards, but you ain't putting wool over my eyes. Scram, get out of here you filthy demi human." The man gave me an evil glare, pointed at the door and threw a potion at me. With practiced ease blocked the attack, but the bottle shattered against the surface and I was green and putrid smelling liquid. The smell seared through my nose, causing me to gag and wheeze uncontrollably. All I could do was to cast, dimensional door. I was gone in a flash, only to land in a thorn bush. My party cake rushed over looking very amused at my predicament. The little girl reacted at least, I could never read the emotions of my bell though. This minor setback did perturb me in the slightest, since I had wares to sell, which led me to the general goods store.

Where I yet again had no luck when I was thrown out head firsts due to the smell.

The commotion had the unfortunate side effect of attracting a very vindictive guard.

"Who's that messing about, a stinking smelly bum? Begone with you wench"

"Okay." I replied hastily retreating backwards and out of sight.

"How did it go?" Wondered Raphtalia holding her nose.

"Badly, really unpleasant people about this town."

"Have you tried using magic on them?'

"Girl, let me tell you something that will keep you alive for a long time."

"What would that be?"

"Never fight a merchant and avoid guards when they see you as a criminal."

"The latter I can see, but store owners?"

"They're usually very difficult to kill, have absurdly high stats, and are exceedingly hard to replace."

"I never thought of it that way. Does that mean the blacksmith can fight the wave on his own?"

"Probably, anyhow I stink and water is one thing magic can't conjure up."

Navigating the busy crowd was an easy affair when everyone gave us a wide berth. Several people held their nose and frantically pointed me in the direction of a bathhouse. Said establishment was one of immaculate craftsmanship. The entrance itself was held aloft by two tall pillars and a rounded arch. The interior was nothing to scoff at either, with lavish flower displays and room enough to get around fast.

The fellow behind the register was also well groomed. However he held his head high and eyed me with badly hidden contempt.

"That will be twenty silver." He said with a nasal voice while trying not to breathe. I could not blame him to be honest, so I paid up and went towards the nearest wardrobe.

"Hem, hem, hem. That door is for humans only, your filthy slave goes over there." He gestured towards an opening where a towel with a battery stitched on hung. Begrudgingly we went over there. I refuse to let the party out of my sight when near water. Before you know it they get the urge to drink the bathing water and somehow get pregnant, or drown.

The Room we entered could best be described as pitiful. Instead of a big inviting pool, there stood rows of steaming barrels.

"Warn and clean clean water is just that." I lamented.

"What are you waiting for then? Let us get undressed and jump in. The Shield made the process incredibly efficient, with a mere thought everything we wore was stored.

"Naofumi, what would happen if you absorbed soap water?" Suggested Raphtalia who was nearly concealed by bubbles.

"After a nice soak, now turn around and I'll fix your crows nest into something less tangled and more pretty."

"It's not that bad is it?"

"Yes it is, hold still, I do not want the conv t to get stuck."

Thirty minutes or so it took to untangle her hair, through a lot of complaining. However the results were so worth it. On the way out I remembered that I also had a music disc in store, which I applied to the shield gem. It was gobbled up instantly and yet again the voice rang out. "Get down with the beat, not everyone will find your theme song neat." I have my own situational soundtrack and an earplug skill.

"Clean as a baby bottom." Exclaimed the shield loudly when introduced to soap. The bonus it have was pitiful, the skill on the other hand gave me a chance to cleanse status effects.

Once we were properly dressed we agreed on visiting a nearby bakery. This time around the disguise held up to scrutiny. The store itself was filled to the brim with baked goods, buns, bread and it smelled heavenly. With big teary eyes Raphtalia looked at me pointing at swirly bun with some sort of brown spiece in the middle.

"You want one of those I see? Pray tell, how much would that be?"

The Baker bent over the table and saw the little girl begging. "That will be 15 silver, ok have you know that cinnamon is hard to get these days."

"This is akin to highway robbery."

"Beggars can't be choosers. Now are you going to buy anything?" I decided not to argue with the plum shaped person and handed over my hard earned silver.

"Good now scurry out of here, I can not have filthy beasts tarnish my reputation."

Another face full of sour grapes, swell.

"Raphtalia I have a serious question. Why are we working to save this unpleasant kingdom again?"

"Is it a heroic thing to do?"

"The only good deed I feel like doing is burning the castle to the ground, but I have no detonator."

"Say what now?"

"A device that makes things explode from a distance much akin to a fireball."

"How would that help?"

"I simply hid an ungodly amount of gunpowder under the throne. Once it catches fire the monarch will be blown up to the Kingdom come."

"Okay then, let us not do that, yet."

I decided to withhold from her one of my most deviating spells in my repertoar. On the other hand, I could attempt reading a difficult book. Those always lead to interesting results. Despite yet another setback I decided to visit a stall selling fruits instead. "Shield demon begone." Shouted the sales person before a tomato hit my face. Which made the rest of the stalls join in on throwing things at us. A myriad of junk struck us, forcing a hasty retreat. Once we were out of danger, the only option left was the smithy.

The only sane person in the whole city, besides the slaver I dare say, which is frankly quite depressing. With a little luck I might convince him to help me purchase supplies, or find me some less hateful vendors. With the way they act, you'd think I had unleashed an alien infestation upon them.

kashriramji

Thank you for the input and interesting addition. Yes, the story is treated as a sandbox.

I have a over at Zaceron

A web comic here nettserier.no/Isekaid/

Njål signing out.