Carne Village, Shortly after the fall of E-Rantel
A beam of sunlight shone through the window, lighting up the interior of the darkened bedroom. The change in lighting prompted the occupant of said room to slowly but steadily awaken, sitting up in bed with a yawn and a crack of her back.
Enri wiped away at her eyes, clearing away the last of her tiredness. She stretched her arms upwards and quietly got out of bed, making her footsteps as light as possible while she got dressed and ready for the day.
She and her sister were the only ones in the house they lived in, which was the same house their whole family had lived in before the attack on her home. There were still days she expected to walk down the hall and hear the sound of her mother making breakfast, or her father heading out with his hoe in hand to work the fields.
It was only the two of them now, and with that understanding came all the responsibility that should've remained out of her reach until she was married and with children herself.
Making her way out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, she made herself a light breakfast and set aside a plate for her younger sister, who was still asleep in her own bedroom. Sometimes they would share a bed together, on the nights when the nightmares were especially bad, but last night had been peaceful.
Ensuring everything was in place for her sister, Enri nodded with satisfaction and walked out the front door, nearly bumping into someone as she was doing so. She grunted, feeling like she almost smacked into a brick wall.
A pair of strong arms caught her. "Apologies, Miss Enri. I didn't see you coming out. It would seem my mind is otherwise occupied."
The voice that spoke set her at ease, for she recognized who it was instantly. "Oh, no worries Mister Rowan. If anything, it's my fault for making sure I wouldn't crash until anyone."
"Ah well, no harm done anyhow. I was actually coming to grab you and see if you were ready. Time for field work," Rowan said with a good-natured smile.
She smiled back, her day getting just a bit brighter already. Out of all the Sunlight Scripture she dealt with on a daily basis, Rowan and Aeliana were her favorites by far. They seemed to "click" with her almost instantly, creating an easy-going and friendly relationship.
Which helped in dealing with the members of the Scripture that were less than ideal members of the community.
"I'm surprised you wanted to join me today out in the fields," she said to Rowan while they walked to their destination. "I thought the mages would've preferred to let their magic do all the work."
"If the men and women under my command were allowed to use only magic, they'd become lazier and fatter than some of the noblemen I've met. No, this sets a good example for the rest of them, to give back to the community and to try and make an impact wherever we go," the commander said with mirth in his eyes.
"Well, I definitely appreciate the thought. I didn't think you had much experience as a farmer."
"Most of what I know is from books and some community service I did in my earlier years. I was born fortunate, but my father instilled in me a sense of duty to try and help out those less fortunate than me."
Enri hummed in understanding, and their small talk ended for the time being. That was fine with her, as sometimes she appreciated the comfortable silence the two shared.
For some strange reason, the commander and his right-hand woman seemed to gravitate towards her and her little sister. Rather than going straight to Chief Haru and his wife, they referred to her on important matters concerning the village, as did some of their members and the villagers themselves.
She couldn't fathom why. She was just a simple girl, who just so happened to be gifted the items of the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown. She used up one of their items, the Horn of the Goblin General, as a defense for the village, but she was no magician, nor a warrior by any stretch of the imagination.
All she did was go around to make sure the people were alright! She helped people with building their houses, kept the Goblin Troop on their best behavior, not that they needed it, and made sure that the Sunlight Scripture played along nicely with the people of Carne.
That hardly made her a leader of any kind, right?
It seemed like the others would disagree. Important figures like Rowan and Aeliana came to her with certain issues, and Chief Haru was more than happy to let her take the reins with village problems. If she didn't know any better, she'd almost say she was being groomed for the position as village chief.
Her mouth drew into a thin line. She didn't feel ready for that kind of responsibility. She should still be managing the fields and taking care of the house, not hosting town hall meetings and settling disputes between all the different groups that lived in Carne.
"Something on your mind, Miss Enri? You look a tad troubled," Rowan casually commented to her. She turned to him in surprise, her brow furrowed.
He wasn't even facing her, but she could see the gentle smile. "You're fidgeting in place, even in my peripheral I can see the frown you're carrying. Is everything alright?"
For a few moments, her mouth opened and closed, trying to find something to say. Her shoulders slumped, looking slightly defeated.
"I'm sorry, I don't want to burden you with my worries. I didn't mean to make you upset or concerned."
"Not at all. Am I to assume that perhaps you're stressed about the new duties that you've taken upon yourself?"
Her eyes widened. "I-er, I mean I haven't really spoken with anyone about it. I didn't think anyone would notice, to be honest."
With a chuckle, Rowan stopped in his tracks, turning to face her. His normally stoic and intimidating appearance was much warmer now, almost fatherly. Enri would go so far as to say he seemed kind.
"You don't get to my position without picking up on some skills over the years. I didn't want to say anything at first, as I felt it might be better if you came to me of your own initiative, or someone comparable to my position."
"I understand it can be very stressful, so please, allow me to lend you an ear. It's the least I can do for someone in your unique situation."
While she was sure he hadn't meant anything by it, Enri pursed her lips thinking about why exactly it was she was running around like a maniac, and why it was she was sharing a conversation with Rowan in the first place.
The Sunlight Scripture have done really good, for the most part. The Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown took care of the really bad ones, and they'll protect us if the others turn back to evil too. We won't be left to die again.
Keeping that in mind, her defenses lowered, and she began to spill everything she'd been feeling up to that point.
"It's just… why am I the one who has to step up and handle these responsibilities?" She said," How was it that I was picked to manage everything like Chief Haru and his wife does?"
"Am I really cut out for this? What do the people see in me to think I'm somehow able to run everything around here? Who made that decision, and what if they're making a mistake?"
Now that she started, the words kept piling on, steadily building up a mountain of insecurities. Rowan watched her with careful eyes, remaining quiet while she unloaded.
"Not only am I almost certain they want me to replace Chief Haru, but it feels like it'll happen soon. You, Aeliana, the villagers, all of them are looking at me like I'm the next big chief."
"I think you're an honest man Rowan, but I can't help but remember- remember how it was that you and your people got here. And why it is that you stayed."
She made sure never to raise her voice, but the absolute venom in her voice when she described how their friendship began startled her. Her fists were clenched at her side.
There were no tears yet, thankfully. She felt like she cried all of them out the day her parents died. Instead, she felt only this simmering anger inside her, an anger that she kept a tight leash on when dealing with others.
After all, it wouldn't be fair for so many people to depend on her, only for her to turn around and unleash all her pent-up emotions on them.
A strong, fatherly hand landed on her shoulder, which instantly calmed her down. She looked up at the grizzled man, who met her eyes with a profound sense of sorrow.
"I… wish that we hadn't met this way, Miss Enri. I wish we hadn't ended up in the situation that we did. My group and I can never make up for the part we played in the village massacre. All we can really do is try and help you rebuild, become stronger in case someone else like us ever shows back up."
The look of sorrow passed. "The people rely on you because you've really stepped up to make sure that everyone was alright. You're the one who keeps the Goblin Troop in line. You're the one who greeted those adventurers who came here and made them feel welcome. You're the one who people look to because, even after losing so much, nothing has impeded the path you've taken."
"Well, I wouldn't say all of that," Enri replied abashedly, "I just do my part to keep everyone feeling okay. I do what anyone else would do in my shoes."
"Except there is no-one else to fill those shoes. They had their opportunity, and you took it and went running with it. I think, though, that people forget that you're still young, and you have a right to spend time with your loved ones. Your family, your friends, all of them really."
She frowned at that. "My… friends?"
"Certainly. You have friends that you spend time with, don't you?"
The question made her think for a moment. Did she really have friends? There were people she associated with, but no-one really popped to mind as true "friends".
Most of the men and women her age were either too busy helping their family repair their homes, were killed in the initial attack on the village, or flat out didn't have the notion to come see her.
In a sense, she only had her little sister left. The villagers and Sunlight Scripture members respected her, but that wasn't the same. The Goblin Troop revered her, so she doubted that a friendship like Rowan suggested would be truly possible.
Before she gave up though, one person did come to mind, someone she, admittedly, hadn't seen in quite a while. She recalled a thin, but somewhat handsome man who would come to the village and visit her.
He would usually stop by their way as he spent time in the Forest of Tob harvesting herbs for his pharmacy in E-Rantel. He would stay at her house sometimes after he was done working, enjoying lunch with her family.
"I do," she finally said, somewhat hesitantly. "He doesn't live here, however. He's still at E-Rantel, running his business with his grandmother. I haven't gotten the chance to see him in a while."
"It might do you good to write him a letter then, or once everything settles down, you go and visit him. I'm sure you and he can enjoy catching up. We'd be able to handle everything from here."
"Are you sure? I'd hate to think I was overburdening you," she asked, some of her old worries coming back. "I won't be gone for long, and I'll only leave once everyone here is okay."
"Alright. We should get going though, before the sun gets any higher and it becomes too hot," Rowan said, gesturing to the path they were originally taking.
She nodded in agreement, and they continued the rest of the way in comfortable silence. Enri felt a touch lighter, relieved that she had someone to confide to when she was feeling overwhelmed.
When they arrived, it was to an expansive, open field that was just outside the village walls. However, there were talks of expanding the border, so it was possible the field where they planted would be on the inside soon enough.
As the population grew, Aeliana had taken it into her hands to expand on their crop growth, trying to work integrating some form of automatic irrigation to make watering the crops easier.
The project was in its earlier stages, but the extra labor from the mages and the villagers interested in the project saw the field abuzz with activity. Around two dozen people were swarming the field, filing in and out of a nearby barn and surrounding sheds to grab the tools they needed to do their work.
Everything had been outlined in the dirt with markers, essentially sticks and string attached to them, to lay out where the rows of crops would go. The only thing that would need to be done was to follow the lines, whether a person was on their hands and knees, or whether they were using an alternative method of farming.
Some of the mages had summoned two Archangel Flames, tying plows to their glowing bodies like common mules or horses. The magical creatures made no reaction whatsoever to being used for their new purpose, so Enri didn't feel too bad for them.
Others were dressed up in their overalls, an assortment of hoes and picks in their hands. The only distinguishing feature those mages had from ordinary farmers were the patch of the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown they wore proudly.
No-one had dug into the dirt yet, likely to give everyone who planned to show up that day a chance to actually make it. A number of faces brightened when they saw Enri and Rowan approaching the field, waving and shouting greetings to them.
"Ah, good Miss Enri! You're here, now we can get properly started," a villager said to her when she walked up.
"What? How does me showing up mean we can get started? Don't we have people still arriving?" She asked in confusion.
The villager shook his head. "Nope! You and Sir Rowan are the last to arrive, just in time. You're not late or anything, but the others showed up early. They're especially excited to get this whole field finished so we can see what Miss Aeliana comes up with."
"She's always been one for practical inventions," Rowan confirmed, "Everytime my people and I were out in the field, we could count on her for coming up with something to improve our quality of life."
"Those new cranes she's working on will help with unloading and loading supplies we get from traders," the villager said.
Enri hummed in thought. "I didn't think everyone would be so motivated to do work like this. Farm work never had much fanfare."
"That's because you're here with us, miss!" The villager said with a laugh. "You inspire us to do our best, given all you're doing so far for us. I mean, from what Chief Haru has said, I wouldn't be surprised-"
Before he could finish his thought, the boisterous man shut up, smiling sheepishly at someone. Enri frowned, tracing his sight back to Rowan. He had a glare that seemed to say "shut up, you're talking too much".
She stared inquisitively, which the older man noticed. He gave her a polite smile. "We should get to work, right? Sooner we get done, the easier it'll be to avoid the hot sun."
"Wait, hold on, what was he about to say? He would be surprised about what?" Enri asked, raising an eyebrow. She put her hands on her hips for emphasis, waiting for an answer.
"Oh, er, it's nothing, Miss Enri. I'm just running my mouth is all," the villager wiped his brow. "Sir Rowan's right. I already feel like I'm gonna melt, and the sun has just barely risen over the horizon!"
He pointed off in the distance, showing that, indeed, the sun was slowly rising up in the sky. The younger woman decided to shove her questions away for later, as working on the field would be more worth her time.
She jogged over to a shed, quickly grabbing what she would need for the back-breaking labor that was to follow. Her usual attire wouldn't get in the way, thankfully, but she would be filthy afterwards, likely needing a bath.
Rowan studied each tool closely, following in right behind her. He picked up each one, weighing it like he would a sword. He even gave the hoe he was holding a test swing, chuckling lightly to himself.
"Planning to defeat the wheat with your hoe-wielding skills?" Enri asked in a deadpan voice.
"You never know, maybe a potato monster grows out of the middle of the field and we all have to fight for our lives," he responded dryly, "Knowing you, you'd probably be strong enough to wrestle it to the ground."
"Hm. I wouldn't count on that."
Having had their fun, they made their way back outside, the commander signaling to the men to begin. Enri, likewise, copied the motion to the villagers, who promptly set to plowing the field.
Over the course of the next few hours, all one could hear was the constant pattering of tools hitting the packed dirt and creating the rows needed to plant wheat. One half of the field was separated into purely manual labor, while the other half was worked on by Archangel Flames plowing.
The reason for this was because the village wanted to test how effective Archangel Flames were at other uses besides intensive labor and defense. So far, they'd only been used as guards for the border of the village, or as impromptu pack horses for moving building materials around.
Because they floated around, they should, in theory, be able to pull a plow more efficiently than an ordinary horse or mule. Their combat prowess also indicated they had strength of some sort, so it was hoped that the summoned creatures would be able to outright replace the need for any manual or animal help.
So far, they were more or less doing alright. The mages controlling the pair of flames had them moving extremely slowly, carefully watching their progress and speeding them up when it was deemed they were safe to do so.
On the opposite side of the field, progress was coming along in increments, but the amount of people working in tandem saw them moving along at a pace that was pleasing. They used pickaxes first to soften up the dirt, plucking any weeds that may have been growing and tossing them aside into another pile.
Then the dirt was stirred up as further assurance that nothing would be growing that wasn't a crop of their choice. No-one planted seeds yet, preferring to wait until the entire field was fully plowed.
Unsurprisingly, the mages finished first, having figured out a speed that the summons could move without accidentally tearing apart the plow or shredding the dirt in a way that was a hindrance. They waved over to the people who carried seeds, to which the rows were then sprinkled with water from pails after each seed was individually planted.
The manual laborers weren't far behind, finishing up their portion of the work around forty-five minutes afterwards. Like their mage co-workers, they set to planting and watering the seeds.
Just about everyone was sweating, the oppressive heat of the sun beating down on them even in the early morning. Enri herself had rolled up her sleeves while she dug, wiping her brow with a cloth she had the foresight of bringing with her.
Rowan, likewise, was in a similar boat. Even as a veteran of what the young village girl presumed to be many battles, the older man was not immune to the heat. He made excellent progress, putting his strength to good use by tilling the dirt.
A few of the more meticulous villagers pulled out miniature garden spades, or hand-held rakes to further agitate the ground. Once they were satisfied with their work, then and only then did they plant their own seeds of wheat.
By the time they were finished setting up the field and planting everything they needed, Enri saw out of the corner of her eye another group of mages walk out of the village gate, pulling along two wagons.
One was laden with various pipes, which Enri recognized from some plans drawn up by Aeliana only a few days prior. They were made from spare materials that the Sunlight Scripture themselves had gathered, so it was at no additional cost to the village.
The other held strange, metal canisters, nearly as tall as a man. There were four of them, and from the way they bounced so easily in the wagon, it seemed like they might be hollow.
"I'll be damned. I didn't think Aeliana would be able to cook up that irrigation system yet for the crops," Rowan said, sounding both surprised and exasperated. "She just barely came up with the idea a few days ago, which means if she produced something this fast, she's been pulling all nighters again."
Enri frowned at the wagons. "Will she be alright? I hadn't really noticed her acting any differently from the times we spoke."
"Probably, most likely. This wouldn't be the first time I've had to go and reprimand her for this, but it just seems to go out one ear and out the other. It never helped that Nigun encouraged her behavior before I managed to take command."
"That's the man with the scar down his cheek that you mentioned previously. The one that the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown took alongside two of your friends."
The mage rubbed his face tiredly. "Nigun I'm not so worried about. Whatever that bastard gets his way is deserved. It's my other people I'm more concerned about, but I'm sure that the Sirs will keep their word and keep them from harm."
Given that most of the work was already done in the field, those with nothing to do rushed forward to help the mages unload everything from the wagons. They were directed to place the metal canisters at the corners around the field where the Archangel Flames had plowed.
Once set up, the pipes were laid out in-between the rows, stands made of wood propping them up so they wouldn't lie down in the dirt directly. The pipes had built in spigots, with handles to, presumably, release water that would flow through.
There was only a limited amount of pipes, which meant only one field for now would have the new automatic irrigation system. Enri felt that was for the best, since that meant the field with pipes could serve as a test to see if it was more feasible than their current methods of irrigating.
"We'll need to figure out a way to direct water from that wheel you have set up near the river in the Forest of Tob. A canal system would work, but I'm debating if it's something we could make above ground or try to set up a system below ground," Rowan commented.
"That would take a lot of digging, especially since the water wheel is closer to the back-end of the villager with the other fields," Enri said, crossing her arms. "Aren't you able to make water with the magic you know?"
"We could, sure, but the water we would make either would not last forever, or it wouldn't taste all that sweet. I suppose the latter isn't as much of an issue, so we'll have to see. However, if we can set up a pipe system of some kind, we could allow each home to have running water of their own."
"You could do that?"
Rowan gained a special gleam in his eye. "Certainly. Back in the Slane Theocracy, the Great Six introduced concepts like running water and even plumbing in individual households. I've heard that the Minotaur Nations in the Far East have similar technologies, introduced by a sage of theirs from long ago."
The concept sounded like an absolute marvel to someone like Enri, who, all her life, was used to having to fetch water from a nearby spigot to do… anything really. Cooking, cleaning, and bathing could all be improved if running water was sent directly to a person's house.
A water wheel served to help water the village's agricultural ventures, but because the river that it fed from was near the backend of the villager and deeper in the Forest of Tob, it was not feasible to have to run to it with a bucket everytime someone needed water.
If there was a way to get the pipe system that Aeliana proposed working for the new fields they were setting up out in front of the village, it would massively improve everyone's quality of life.
I still can't imagine having such a thing in my own life, and Rowan says they used to have it in each individual house! I wonder what his home must've been like, what kind of place could make something like that.
When the thought passed her mind, a touch of sadness came through alongside it. Rowan and his people were traitors to their home country, because of the willingness they exerted forth in trying to help Carne Village rebuild after the initial attack.
The circumstances that brought the two together was undeniably bathed in blood, and the spats between groups like the Goblin Troop and more harsh members strained relations, but Enri couldn't lie and say that everything that occurred since then to now was terrible.
Slowly, but surely, the Sunlight Scripture was making their mark on the place. Friendships were being formed, expansion was commonplace, and inventions that a backwater like Carne couldn't imagine were booming.
Who knows what the village would look like in a few more months, or maybe even a year, if the Sunlight Scripture remained that long. Only time would tell.
"We should get going to the townhouse, Miss Enri," Rowan gently nudged her out of her thoughts. "Our part is done, and the lunch bell will be ringing soon. We can grab a bite to eat before we get flooded with the afternoon appointments."
She blinked, not realizing how much time had truly passed. She looked up to the sky, watching the bright orb crawl ever higher in the sky. Looking all around, she could see activity was slowing down too, as the last of the pipes were being set up and the men took a break to quench their thirst.
Incredible to think they accomplished what should've been a full day's work in only a few hours. That's the power of magic and mass teams working together for one purpose, she supposed.
They quickly made their way off the field, waving goodbye to those they worked with. It would likely be another hour or so until the lunch bell rang, but Enri didn't want to get caught up in making food and then miss her appointments for the day.
Rowan and her split paths, making her way to her own house while the veteran man went to the barracks he and the rest of the Sunlight Scripture lived in. Nemu, her younger sister, was already up and about, playing with some toys in the living room.
Cooking up a quick but easy meal of stew and bread, Enri ate as quickly as she could, making small talk with her sister. By the time she was finished and out the door, Enri heard the lunch bell for the rest of the village sound off, drawing everyone back in from their chores for the day.
At the town hall, she met back up with Rowan, who brought along Aeliana with him. The older woman looked somewhat frazzled and annoyed, as if she'd been dragged away from a particularly interesting project. Her sour mood softened a bit when she saw Enri, the two women giving each other a courteous smile.
Strangely, Chief Haru was there as well, his expression lost in thought. He came back to the present when Enri arrived, nodding at her in greeting.
"Nobody showed up before grabbing lunch, did they?" She asked out of reflex, her mind orienting itself to business already.
"No, no, not at all. I expect the people will be coming shortly though, so we should make sure we have the meeting notes sent up for the day beforehand," Rowan said, holding open the door for her.
The group made their way inside, sitting down at the massive table that dominated most of the longhouse and settling themselves in. Aeliana had a binder in her hands, shuffling around paperwork and muttering to herself.
Chief Haru sat down, clasping his hands and waiting patiently. Every-so-often, he would glance at her with a strangely excited look, but look away when she caught his eyes. Her brows furrowed, but she gave it no further thought.
Rowan stood slightly off the side next to Enri's chair, his hands behind his back. The way he presented himself and asserted his presence, it reminded Enri of a bodyguard, which was absurd, as she didn't think she required protection of any kind while in the village.
Over the course of the next few minutes, more people began to trickle in, either bare-handed or carrying small plates of food. Mostly, it was people the village would consider "representatives", or those who spoke on behalf of their specific group.
They usually brought one or two extra party members, but no more than that due to limitations on space. The system of representatives was set up due to the new factions that were now present in the village, like the original inhabitants of Carne, the mages of the Slane Theocracy, and the Goblin Troop.
In this way, the growing population would still be heard by the leaders of the village, and the system would be expanded as Carne grew in the future. The accommodations would be rough at first, since nothing like it existed previously, but time would smooth the rough edges and make something to be proud of.
There was a pair of mages, Aeliana's representatives. They positioned themselves closer to the eccentric woman, cursing under her breath as she wrote and crossed out several figures in her binder.
Then came a trio of villagers, their lead representative trailed by his two helpers. They made it a point to sit on the opposite side of the conference table, away from the Sunlight Scripture members. They were on the younger side, slightly older than Enri but not quite true adults.
Jugem and two of his Goblin Troop were the next to come in, the three of them saluting Enri playfully when they saw her. She giggled, waving them over to take a seat. Jugem did not, instead choosing to take the only empty space next to Enri's chair like Rowan did. The goblins took the middle seats, separating the villagers and the scripture members.
Mirroring each other, Jugem and Rowan completed the image of her having guards in today's meeting. Giving off her best impression of someone important, Enri tried to live up to the image in her head and sat up straight, her shoulders rolled back and her face set to a neutral expression.
However, she still couldn't help but to feel slightly silly about all of it. Before she could really do anything about it, Chief Haru spoke up.
"I think that's just about everyone here. We can get started right?" Chief Haru asked, "There was an important announcement I wished to make, but only once we've heard everyone's concerns."
"And we will, Chief Haru. First, we should begin with the people of the village and their representatives. How is it that we may help you today?" Rowan reassured, gesturing to the ones he spoke of.
The man who represented the villagers cleared his throat. "Yes, thank you. We're here because we wanted to talk about some of the house restorations that were going on, and why they haven't been completed yet."
"We understand that it's still only been a few weeks since we got to know each other, but I would think that with the magic these mages use, the houses would've gotten done a lot faster. Instead, we're setting up an irrigation system to water fields we don't even necessarily need yet," There was muttering from his guests while he continued.
"They're working on it as fast as they can," Chief Haru interjected, "But please understand, our population has grown significantly, and there are many more mouths to feed than before. If we don't have the proper protections in place, we may all well starve."
"Except there are whole families having to fit into a single house while the repairs go on. Things aren't progressing fast enough, and the people are getting angry because so far, we've only completed three new houses. We still need another five."
Aeliana didn't even look up from her binder, tracing a new design in her notes for a future project. "I wouldn't worry about the houses, we can always expand those if we need to. Haru's right, if we don't get some new fields set up, there's gonna be a lot less food to go around."
"Have we thought about maybe going to E-Rantel to try and get some more supplies? We should have money saved up to buy what we need, at least until we can get crops growing," Enri asked.
The village representative nodded. "Sure, of course, but we really should try and conserve it for an actual emergency. I'm just here because I've been getting a lot of complaints from the families who have to share homes. They want to move into the guest houses as soon as possible, like those adventurers who came here."
"I'll make sure to talk with the volunteers about it the next time I see them," Aeliana said, flipping to a new page in her binder. "If you don't have anything else, the Sunlight Scripture formally requests that we be allowed to make a recreational area for the mages to sit in and relax after duty and training. They're getting antsy, and all the extra energy they have is starting to piss me off."
"How's that going to happen when we still don't even have the houses set up," the village representative immediately shot back. "Are you going to put everything else on hold just because it's your mages that loan us those… angel creatures?"
"Definitely not. This is just a request for us to look into the idea once we finish all our current projects. I'm thumbing through my agenda right now and going down the list of things planned."
The eccentric woman looked up from her binder, a vacant look in her eyes. "Do you have any idea how many times I've had to duck my head just trying to get from the living quarters to the kitchen from a stray fireball or magic arrow? The men and women under my command are getting feisty. I want them out of the damn barracks."
She looked back down into her binder, completely missing the mortified expressions on her subordinates' face. They couldn't look at her after that, their eyes darting in every direction except hers.
Having said her piece, Aeliana left the floor open to those who were present. Enri got the feeling if she tried to talk with her again, she would have little luck doing so. Whatever project she was engaged in, she fully checked out of the meeting mentally and focused solely on that.
Rowan chuckled lightly, shooting his second-in-command a soft look. "And what about you, Master Goblin? How might we help you today?"
"Not really anything we got to bring to the table," Jugem grunted, "Me and the boys came here just to keep an eye on Miss Enri and make sure she was doing okay."
"Are you sure? If you had anything to add, anything at all, now would be a good time to say it on behalf of the goblins that live here. You're just as much a part of this place as anyone else living here."
Jugem considered that. "To be honest, we're simple creatures, Rowan. We don't want for much, especially since we're summons and bound to Miss Enri's will. The only thing I can think we'd want is possibly some better weapons, but that's it."
"I'll see if I can find some good weapons on discount the next time I go to E-Rantel. You should've said you needed them sooner," Enri gently admonished the goblin.
"Bah! We got it covered. We're hardy folk, so there's no need to start wasting money on us when we can run on equipment that's practically falling apart at the seams."
"You can't be serious! I'll do what I have to if it means you're better equipped to protect the villagers. I'm not going to just let you jump into danger when you say that your armor and weapons can be better!"
A minor back and forth between the two ensued, their stubbornness plainly apparent to those who watched. There was a mixture of amusement and exasperation at their antics, but otherwise no-one interrupted them.
Eventually, they conceded their points a few minutes later, when neither was able to reach a consensus about how to handle the issue. It would be something that Jugem and Enri discussed in private later on.
"Since we were on the topic earlier, I did want to bring up the possibility of expanding the village borders in one way or another. While rebuilding houses is well and fine, it could be of benefit to increase the range that our walls encompass," Rowan mentioned shortly after.
"Would that be possible? We've already reinforced the walls once, so trying to take them down and move them would be difficult work," the village representative said.
The older mage pulled a folded up piece of parchment out from his pocket. He spread it out onto the table and pulled out a piece of charcoal. It was a map of Carne Village.
"Which is why I propose we make Carne have the layout of a fortress city," he started, drawing two additional circles. "We map out the amount of area we would need for our people, and then we create a perimeter to follow. From there, we build up the second wall to protect us and, when the time is right, do the same for a third wall."
"There are only twenty-five families here," Chief Haru pointed out, "it would be a long time before we ever get to the size needed to make extra rings of walls around here. What you're proposing is beyond the scope of our abilities."
"But maybe not beyond the scope of the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown? If we were to find them and appeal for their help, I have no doubt they'd be able to help us. The only problem would be trying to reach them." Enri suggested.
"They're constantly keeping an eye on us, or so they claim. If we were to leave them a message, they'd likely see it," Rowan agreed.
The village representative scoffed. "How? Do we just start sending out smoke signals and think they'll somehow be able to see us from wherever they're living? They're not all-seeing."
"Or we could try and get their attention with the statue we're making. I don't know how but we'll figure out a method to do it. It's really all ideas at this point, so unless you have a better alternative, we just wait."
Everyone quieted down after that, a sense of acknowledgment that no-one could vouch for a viable solution. Having nothing better to say, Enri glanced at Chief Haru when the older man started talking.
"Ah, then if we've finished the meeting proper, I have an announcement to make, one that concerns Miss Enri here, actually."
"Chief Haru, sir, are you sure you wish to do this now? There's no rush to do this, now when there's still more for Enri to learn herself," Rowan attempted to interrupt, but he was waved off by the chieftain.
"No, I must do this now rather than later, lest I give anyone a chance to object about this. We've talked about it already in private, and I'm sure everyone else is pretty much guessing at what I'm about to do."
The two men spoke as if Enri wasn't present in the room, which both annoyed and intrigued her as to what they meant. What had they discussed in private, and why did it pertain to her specifically? She couldn't be that important, could she?
"Chief Haru, with all due respect, this is a matter that needs to be handled delicately. I just don't think she's ready yet, and it hasn't been brought up to her for approval yet. Now's not the time," Rowan insisted.
"Please, it's important to me, and for the future of the village. This meeting couldn't be a better place to announce it, especially when we have the representatives of each group gathered."
"What are you guys talking about?" Enri asked, her patience running thin now. A frown replaced the neutral expression she wore earlier, showing her displeasure.
Finally, both men took notice of her then, appropriately embarrassed at having started their own conversation about her without bringing her into it. Rowan was about to say something, but Chief Haru cut him off.
"Miss Enri, please know that I do this with all of our best interests at heart. I've spoken with everyone about this, and a majority of us agree that you are, by far, the best candidate among anyone else," he began excitedly.
"Chief Haru-," Aeliana tried this time, her attention drawn away from her binder for once. Like her superior, she too was interrupted.
"Out of everyone, you're the one who rose up to the challenge and took responsibility to ensure the people's safety. It's you that keeps the peace between the groups. It's you that people like me, Rowan, the goblins, the Sunlight Scripture, everyone respects most."
Gradually, an understanding came to Enri on what the chief was trying to get across to her. The others must've realized it too, with the sympathetic looks that came her way. Rowan's lips were drawn into a thin line of agitation.
But I- I didn't think I would be doing this! He can't possibly be serious about this, not when I haven't done much myself. There has to be others he's looked at, people more reliable than me at taking his position.
He must have been reading her thoughts, as he confirmed what she was hoping against. "Enri, I wish for you to replace me as village chief. The people agree, and those of us here wanted to surprise you with the announcement."
"That being said, you don't start right away," Rowan finally managed to get in, "You're young and have much to learn, but yes… We've gone over this in great length because no-one else displayed the tenacity and determination to take care of the people like you have."
Enri looked down at her lap, her brave facade cracking a bit. "It can't be me though, can it? I don't- this isn't-,"
Meekness made her cheeks burn with second hand embarrassment, reminding her of her younger days, when she was still a child, long before her little sister was even a thought in her mother's head.
Perhaps she was too modest for her own good, thinking like this. Obviously the others saw something in her that she didn't. She had faith in their judgment skills, so why couldn't she be happier for being chosen for such a monumental position?
Before she could really answer those questions for herself, a hard knocking filled the room, directly from the door leading into the longhouse. Everybody jumped, not expecting anyone to come bother them yet at this time.
"If you're here to collect the minutes for the meeting, we're still in the middle of it, please come back later," Rowan yelled at the door, so that whoever was on the opposite side could hear him properly.
A few seconds passed, long enough that they all collectively assumed the person who knocked had left. Right when they were about to get back into discussing other important matters, the same knock resounded throughout the longhouse.
"Alright! Hold on, give me a second, I'll get it," Jugem said this time, grumbling as he shuffled around Enri and walked towards the door.
Those in attendance sat and stood awkwardly, waiting to see who Jugem would find. They peeped at his diminutive, green form as he gripped the door and opened it.
"Look, unless this is an emergency, I don't understand why you're here. We need to get this meeting finished so the rest of us can get on with… our… day…,"
Enri's eyes widened when she saw a familiar, tall figure standing in the doorway, one wrapped in a cloak of fur and with the skull of an animal on her head. A smaller woman wearing an eyepatch and with a strange weapon slung over her shoulder was next to her, staring at Jugem with a blank expression.
There was a third person behind both of them, but she couldn't see who it was due to the hood over their head. They were hunched over, shivering like it was the middle of winter.
"Cerise, Aria? What are you guys doing here? Is everything alright?" Enri asked, getting up from her chair and going to the door to greet the new arrivals. "I wasn't expecting to see you guys for a while."
"Lady Aria and I have come at the request of the one behind us," Cerise said in her usual inorganic way of speaking. "Much has occurred since we were last here, and we bring information that is pertinent to you all."
Aria, silent as always, made a gesture that asked "may we come in?" to Jugem. The goblin leader nodded, stepping aside and allowing the pair of women and their plus one through.
Enri found it incredible to see someone so tall that wasn't a man, and she idly wondered if all the people where Aria came from were like that. She guessed so, as Momon and Roger were similarly giant.
Cerise was the odd one out of the group, being closer in height to someone like Enri. She surmised the one-eyed girl either didn't come from the same country the other adventurers came from, or she was just an anomaly among her people.
I'd die from embarrassment if that were the case. Having to look up their noses when talking to your neighbor would get annoying after a while. Poor Cerise, at least her friends are good people.
She still couldn't see the face of the one under the hood, but they perked up when they heard her voice. Did they know her? Until she saw their face, she couldn't tell for certain, but something about the way they walked and their general demeanor was familiar.
The newly arrived trio were led to the table and sat down. Like last time, they refused any refreshments brought their way. Aria's shoulders were tensed up, and she sank into her bear-skin cloak. Cerise was calm and collected, but she exuded an aura of worry for the taller woman.
"I hope everything in E-Rantel went well for you guys. I'm sure the people at the Adventurer's Guild were happy you brought back that huge monster that killed the old Wise King of the Forest," Enri began, taking her original seat back.
It was meant as a way to settle the air and start a friendly conversation, but the shaman winced, sharing a look with Cerise.
"Lady Aria and I are well, as are the others, but not all went according to plan regarding the fortress city," Cerise said, "Rather, we ran into complications once we arrived."
Aeliana scribbled down some notes in her binder. "That's to be expected. You bring a beastmen like that into the city, you're sure to attract attention. Fame must be nice for beginners like you."
"Unfortunately, while a promotion to the rank of adamantine was acquired, we could not bask in it for long. Indeed, the issues that arise left little room for what occurred that night we came."
Rowan frowned. "Congratulations on the promotion, but I can't imagine what would happen if the mood was soiled. Care to fill in the details?"
Instead of either woman answering, it was the third figure, who sat hunched over in their chair. Aria and Cerise protectively hovered around him, but they conceded the floor to the one they guarded.
A man's voice spoke, the familiarity rushing back to Enri all at once as soon as she heard him. The hood didn't have to fall away, but it was pulled back anyway to reveal the one beneath.
Nfirea stared back at her, offering a hollow smile as greetings. Dark bags hung dreadfully under his eyes, tinted red as a sign of recent crying. His cheeks were thin and his lips parched.
"There… there is no more E-Rantel," he hoarsefully said, "It's all gone, and it's all my fault."
Stunned silence filled the room, the people there either uncomprehending or unwilling to understand. They glanced at Cerise and Aria to see if the young man was joking or not, but their grim expressions explained volumes more than mere words ever could.
Gradually, Nfirea began to tell them the entire story, with Cerise jumping in every-so-often to fill in details the pharmacist forgot or wasn't aware of. What followed was a series of events so extraordinary to the people of Carne it wouldn't be out of place in a story book.
Enri placed a hand over her mouth when she learned that all of E-Rantel had fallen into the clutches of the undead, empowered by the might of a crafty necromancer and his subordinates.
Thousands of people had perished in the initial wave of monsters, forcing the survivors to take refuge wherever they could to escape the onslaught. Experienced adventurers were no safer, dozens dying to protect the people and themselves.
Most of it was second-hand knowledge, information that came to Nfirea after the fact. He himself was used as a battery to power the ritual that brought upon E-Rantel's destruction, and he wasn't rescued by anyone until after the ones responsible were dead and buried.
Well… most of them, at least.
"There was a woman there, who kidnapped me with an older man. She was absolutely evil. She hurt me just because she could, because it made her happy. Her eyes were… so red, like blood," Nfirea whispered, shaking harder than before.
A comforting hand from Aria was placed on his shoulder, while tear streaks traced their way down the young man's face. Enri's heart clenched, seeing him in such a devastated state.
The representatives were horrified, their jaws practically on the floor as they processed what they heard. People like Aeliana and Rowan saw their normally stoic personalities fade away, frowning deeply in thought.
"All of E-Rantel, all of the people…," Chief Haru trailed off, unable to complete the thought. Likewise, the villager representatives struggled to come to terms with the idea that an impenetrable fortress city could so easily fall.
"N-not everyone is dead," Nfirea sniffled, "There were still a lot of people alive when I left. There were so many wounded though, and scores more dead. All those families, those wives, those husbands, those children. I can't- I don't know- why-,"
Enri stood up suddenly from her chair, the legs making a harsh grating noise. She walked around the table and brought the man close to her in a hug. He clung to her desperately, breaking down in sobs finally. His body felt thin, but not dangerously so. Recovery would not come easily to the pharmacist, and likely not fully.
She wanted to ask about his grandmother, to ask if she had stayed behind to help out the survivors still in E-Rantel. Cerise must have been reading her mind, for when she caught her eye, the one-eyed woman subtly shook her head.
All worries about her clothes getting sullied by tears and snot were thrown to the wind. The man she considered a friend was in dire straits, left with no-one to turn to. Not on her watch, not while she still drew breath.
Her lips drew in a thin line. Vaguely, she could hear the other chairs being pushed back as people stood up. Rowan came in her line of sight, imposing as ever with his bulk.
"We're glad you made it out alive, Master Nfirea," he said in a somber tone. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. We'd heard much about you and your exploits."
Nfirea sniffled again, but he managed to calm down slightly. "I- thank you. I wish we didn't meet like this either… I wish I wasn't visiting Carne like this."
"Either way, we're glad you made it here safely. But, if I may ask, what brought you here to us specifically? I figured that someone who suffered what you did would spend a few days recovering in E-Rantel before making the trip here."
"My Lady Aria took diligent care in healing his body, Sir Rowan. However, what he suffers from are the illnesses of the mind. He made it clear he wished to be in a space where he felt secure, where he could be among allies and protectors."
Cerise said this all with a straight face, clinically relaying how it came to be that Nfirea came to them. Enri's eyes widened, lightly stroking his hair without thinking.
Soft looks were directed the young man's way, but he didn't take notice, merely clutching onto Enri with all the feeble force he could muster. In a way, though the two hadn't known each other long, she could tell it was the most vulnerable Nfirea had ever been, perhaps since he was a young child himself.
Voices echoed back and forth between the two parties, sharing stories about what had happened since the short time they saw each other last. She only caught bits and pieces of the conversation, diverting all her attention to the one in her arms.
"So Roger and Momon didn't stay to help with the cleaning efforts," Rowan asked, his voice incredulous.
"Unfortunately, we could not. Though we are new adventurers, we are preoccupied with another mission, one that takes top priority at the moment. Lady Aria and I believed Nfirea's transport to this village to be an adequate use of resources before we were to depart once again," Cerise said in a monotone.
"However, the Swords of Darkness also departed, making the journey to Re-Estize to acquire aid. While we of the Argonauts are to continue our own mission, those of the Swords of Darkness perform at maximum efficiency to complete theirs."
A representative grunted in disbelief. "Right, so what's so important that you couldn't be bothered to stay? Don't tell me you're off hunting another monster like the Wise King's Killer."
"That is precisely our objective. A powerful vampire from our home country has followed us here, and reports from our sources tell us it has begun to wreak havoc among villages not dissimilar to yours."
Gasps of surprise were heard, and the mysterious woman told of an account of a beast that was even more terrifying than what the Wise King's Killer was capable of. A monster from legend, spoken in hushed whispers throughout the home country of the Argonauts, as the adventuring team now apparently called themselves.
"Nosferatu has terrorized our people for numerous generations. It must be eliminated as soon as possible, or else it may eventually make its way here," Cerise warned, "If that were to occur, and we were not present, the end result would not be satisfactory."
"Not satisfactory?!" One villager representative cried out in outrage.
"Indeed. Lady Aria and I are in agreement, for we must do all within our power to eliminate Nosferatu and its partner. Because we are still unsure as to its exact whereabouts, we deemed it possible to drop off Nfirea before we continued our mission."
Mulling over her words, a sense of dread settled over the room, nearly suffocating in how thick it was. Enri clenched Nfirea closer to her, and he held her back as tightly. Both Aria and Cerise rose from their spots.
"We shall take our leave. Once we have ascertained where Nosferatu will make its next move, one of us will return to update you all on the situation. May you perform at maximum output and efficiency until our return."
The pair left the room without another word, leaving the longhouse to stew in the atmosphere they left behind. An overload of new information had been thrown at the representatives of Carne, leaving them floundering as to what to do next.
All Enri could be certain of was this: Nfirea and her had reunited afterall, but with this fateful meeting, bad omens came alongside the wayward pharmacist.