So sorry I couldn't get this chapter out earlier but writer's block really hit me with this chapter and I got stuck on what should happen in it. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long but no promises.
Big thanks to Qinlongfei for beta reading this chapter and providing good critic.
Also heads-up to everybody but you need to turn on your email notification for updates. If you don't, then you won't be able to see update notifications for this story and others.
Stick around for the author's notes at the end for something I want reader's opinions on regarding some aspects of the story.
With that said, let's get it started.
Malty kept her head down as they made their way through the new city they found themselves in. She couldn't quite remember the name of the city, since she had been half-asleep when they snuck in through the east gate. He said that guards were typically at their sloppiest during the early hours of the morning, since that was right when they had their shift changed and the replacement guards were usually too sleepy to check the faces of people who entered.
" Stay close kid..." He warned as they made their way through the crowds.
Malty kept her hood that he had given her pulled up, the crowds seeming like an ocean tide that she could get lost in if she wasn't careful.
" I'm sleepy..." Malty complained, rubbing her eyes tiredly.
" I'll find us a nice inn later, for now let's go " He pulled her hand along, guiding her.
They walked through the city streets for a time, Malty doing her best to follow along and hold on to his hand as they passed by the busy crowds. It was easy to get lost in the sea of crowds if you weren't careful.
" People of Melromarc ! This is an announcement from the Queen herself !"
They stopped when they heard somebody yell, Malty turned her head to see a man dressed in professional robes with two knights flanking both of his sides holding a crystal ball and standing on a pedestal.
" What the..." He muttered as they got closer to see what was going on. Malty herself equally wondering what was going on.
A light shined from the crystal ball and Malty saw a face she hadn't seen in a long time.
" M-Mommy ? " Malty muttered in shock at seeing the face of her mother projected from the crystal ball.
Mommy's face was firm, her gaze was cold and her arms folded in front of her that gave her a serious look.
Malty couldn't explain why but she felt very scared all of a sudden.
" People of Melromarc...as many of you may know, my daughter, the first Princess of Melromarc, Malty S Melromarc was kidnapped about a month ago by the Shadow Demon-"
Malty could feel his grip on her hand tighten, not enough to hurt her, but a little to show that he was angry.
Mommy took a deep breath as if she needed a second for what she was about to say next.
" Despite our extensive search for her and the culprit, we have not found a single trace of her and we can only assume the worst has happened based on the bodies of the other victims of the Shadow Demon ...that is why I am officially declaring the first Princess dead "
Malty's heart sank and shattered into a million little pieces.
Mommy-Mother...was abandoning her ?
No no no no no no this can't be happening !
" The search for the Shadow Demon has turned into a hunt. I give full authority to all nobles and their armies to attack and kill the Shadow Demon on sight. Likewise a nation wide bounty has been put out so adventurers alike may collect. Good day to you all " The projection ended there.
T-That was it ? That was all she had to say after that !?
Malty couldn't breath right, tears were stinging her eyes and she started to howl in pain at what she had just heard.
As of this moment, she was no longer the First Princess. She was no longer a daughter.
And that hurt beyond anything she had ever experienced before in her life.
" Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh...! " Malty started shouting and crying incoherently.
" Kid, please be quiet " He tried to shut her up but it was no use.
" Kid, kid, kid !"
Chapter 34: Back to the Basics
" Mein...Mein !"
The princess in disguise head kicked up at the call of her name several times. She turned to see Naofumi opening up the flap to the back of the carriage, the wagon itself clearly having stopped. Mein realizing that she had fallen asleep during the ride, she silently chastises herself for allowing herself to fall asleep after breakfast when they could end up being ambushed again on the road.
Mein takes a moment to ponder on the dream she had before shoving it away to the back of her mind.
She'd rather not have to relive the third worst day of her life.
The Marked gently rubs the side of her head as she exits the carriage to find herself in a whole new location.
Around three days had passed with them riding in the carriage for the majority of the time, with the exception of taking breaks, resting and camping through the night. In that time, nothing really of notice happened aside from some casual killing of the occasional monster that was stupid or desperate enough to get close to them. So from the looks of it they had managed to make it to the next safe area without any trouble.
" What's going on Naofumi ? Where are we ? " Mein took in her surroundings to see their carriage had parked between buildings. She edged her head out the alley they were hidden in and saw they were in some kind of village ? But based on the people that passed them, had slightly nicer clothes on compared to the ones in Lute or Greenland. She couldn't even see any sort of wall or barrier from where they stationed their carriage.
" We're in the town of Woodpine. Not exactly a village since they have a stonewall and stuff " Naofumi explained " More of a proper town so I figured it would be a good place to spend the night "
" Hey Ake, how far off are we from your friend ? " Mein asked.
" Let me check..." Ake took out the map from the back of the carriage and examined it for a moment " We're actually pretty close. If we leave early tomorrow than we can be at his camp by the afternoon or so "
Mein nodded in agreement " Excellent. A proper town is likely to have a clothes shop and maybe even a blacksmith that we can acquire what we need for Raphtalia "
" We can get clothes for me ? " Raphtalia asked hopeful. She had been forced to wear those blankets as her clothes for the past 3 days and she clearly did not enjoy it in the least since the blankets were said to be chaffy.
" Yes Raphtalia, I'll take you to buy some clothes and then we can see about getting you some weapons " Mein said with a smile, patting the raccoon girl's head gently.
" Are you sure you can take care of Raphtalia, Mein ? "
" Is that a serious question ? " Mein raised an eyebrow at the Shield Hero.
" Fair enough. We'll meet up with you guys later at the inn here " Naofumi shrugged.
" Got it, come now Raphtalia " Mein said as she took the hand of the little girl and the two made their way into the busy street. The town street was definitely much more populated and lively compared to smaller villagers but not quite matching up to the crowds in Castle Town. Mein making sure Raphtalia was at her side to make sure she didn't wander away into the crowd.
Upon questioning some residents and getting some basic directions down, Mein decided to head to the general store where she was told she could get some proper clothing for Raphtalia. As they walked through the town, Mein couldn't help but glance around the new location they were in. The buildings definitely looked much better built and made up of better stone materials compared to places like Lute. There didn't seem to be any major damage from the Wave that she could spot either, this town likely suffered minimal damage and was able to repair quickly.
The attitude and atmosphere of the place was different compared to Lute too, whereas even after the Wave was over there was still tragedy to be found laying all around and suffering still apparent. She can still vividly remember the aftermath of the Wave, dead bodies littering the streets, the cries of the dying and smell of death in the air permeating as you walk past all of the fallen.
But this town felt different...there was peace and hope in the air. You would almost think the Wave never even touched this place. A foreign feeling to someone like Mein.
The princess in disguise glanced at the sound of children's laughing, turning to see a group of kids playing ball. Stopping for a brief moment to stare at their smiling faces as they played...she remembers when she used to be that happy. Before she discovered how cruel the world could be to its own people.
"...We used to play ball back at Port Harp..." Raphtalia's voice made the princess turned to her, who was also staring at the children " We had a team- Me, Keel, Rifana and some of the other kids...I was never any good at it, but we were happy back there. It was home..."
Mein said nothing as Raphtalia's reminisces about the good times she had back at Port Harp, that are now only just passing memories in her mind. She thinks back on the dog boy they had lost, Keel had been a pain in their asses but...even that brat didn't deserve to have his life taken from him.
" Let's go..." Mein didn't say anything more as she led them away.
After a few minutes of walking around the town and having to ask for directions a second time, Mein managed to find the general store. Entering the building, the inside is an unimpressive as the outside made it look, the shelves were stacked with knick knacks and other miscellaneous items. Behind the counter was a middle aged man with a beard, reading a book who glanced up at them upon hearing the bell of the front door.
" Welcome...good afternoon miss " The shopkeep stood up straight as she approached the counter " What can I do for you ? "
" You have any kids clothes ? " Mein gestured over to Raphtalia who hid behind her leg " Throw in some good boots too if you have them "
The shopkeep gave Raphtalia good look over " Hmmmm...yeah sure, I think I got something in her size. Give me a minute to check in the back " The man went into the back leaving them there.
" Thank you for doing this, big sis Mein..." Raphtalia quietly thanked her.
" Its no problem Raphtalia, I can imagine those blankets aren't exactly the most comfortable thing to wear " Mein shrugs. It really wasn't much trouble and she felt like stretching her legs a bit after her nap.
The raccoon went silent for a moment, seeming to ponder what to say next.
" Do you have any family or siblings, big sister ? " Raphtalia suddenly asked out of the blue.
" What brought this on ? " Mein raised an eyebrow as she gave the raccoon a look, the girl looking away shyly.
" I'm just curious " Raphtalia said, with a sad look on her face " Been thinking about my own family..."
Mein thought for about a minute about what she should say. Anything she says about her past should be strictly in line with anything she's already said to Naofumi or anyone else close to them, since there's always the chance it could come back to bite her later.
Any good liar knows they need to keep their lies consistent.
Raphtalia asking about her own family, Mein didn't need to think hard on it and she didn't even technically need to lie.
" No. I have no family or siblings " Mein shook her head " They are lost to me now "
Her mother is a stone cold harpy with no love in her heart, her only sibling is a naive brat who was birthed by mother purely to steal what was rightfully hers and father while the only living relative she gives a shit about, is the one who caused the death of her closest friend.
She has no family in this world anymore.
Mein Sophie was an only child anyway.
The princess felt a hand grip hers and she looked down to see Raphtalia gently holding her hand. It was a sweet gesture and Mein returned it by gently squeezing Raphtalia's left hand.
The shopkeeper returned a moment later with the clothes " I'm back. Pretty sure these should fit "
" Thanks, do you have a changing room ? "
" In the back with the curtain " The shopkeeper handed off the clothes to Mein.
" Alright Raphtalia, just go get dressed and we'll be on our way " Mein turned to Raphtalia who looked very shy all of a sudden.
" Um...big sis, can you help me get dressed ? " Raphtalia shyly " Its a bit difficult with only..." Raphtalia raised her stump where her right hand should be.
Right...Raphtalia still isn't used to getting dressed with one hand yet.
" Alright come along Raphtalia " Mein led the girl to the back where she helped get her clothes " Its about time we got you out of that blanket..."
Mein got to work helping Raphtalia get dressed which wasn't nearly as bad as she thought it would be. Raphtalia was
Raphtalia's new clothes were pretty similar to her previous ones, with perhaps a slight change in color from red to blue. The boots were made of leather and while Mein briefly considered getting Raphtalia some proper gloves but she figured that would be in bad taste since it would only cover one hand. They exited the dressing room to a waiting shopkeeper.
" Sorry if they don't fit right , I don't have much from the kid's section " The shopkeep apologized.
" They fit fine. How do I owe you ? "
" Uh...let's chock it up to 20 coppers " The shopkeeper thought for a moment.
" Deal " Mein took out the money and paid him " Hey, is there a blacksmith in this town ? "
" Try Doris's place. She ain't the best smith in the world, but she knows how to make good weapons " The shopkeep gave direction " Just keep heading down the road outside and you'll find it "
" Thank you good sir " Mein nodded at him as they left the shop and back into the street, Raphtalia in hand.
As they walked down the street, Mein couldn't help but start feeling nostalgic about her past life, when she would go on some shopping trips to the richer part of castletown with Melty who wanted to see what the city below them was like.
It honestly did feel odd bringing Raphtalia around as they shopped around, she had never done this sorta thing with her brat of a younger sister. At least not willingly. Back when she was officially the First Princess of Melromarc, there were times she was essentially forced to babysit her sister as they went into Castletown on shopping trips. She had no idea why father insisted on having her accompany Melty when she wanted to go into town, Father could have just given her a squad of knights to protect her, she didn't need to be there.
But this was different. She didn't feel forced to be here with Raphtalia, she came here of her own volition. Maybe that was the difference or maybe it was the clean slate she had with Raphtalia that she didn't have with her own family. Its honestly a little sad.
She pushes that thought away as she spots the sign for the blacksmith shop hanging from the top of a building. Entering she sees that the shop was comparatively smaller to Erhard's shop, but it still had several weapons on display to truly show that it was a weapon's shop. Giving some of the weapons a critical look, Mein could easily tell that they weren't the best weapons ever but they did look like they could do the job.
" Good afternoon, here for some weapons ? " A voice from behind the counter called out. Mein sees a blonde woman in maybe her early 30's, dressed in the garments of a proper blacksmith, the light soot on her face indicating she had just been recently working on a weapon.
" Good day, miss Doris-"
" You can just call me Doris, I ain't nobility and I don't need any of that formality crap " Doris waved her off as they approached the counter " So what are you in the market for ? "
" Do you carry any lightweight weapons ? Rapiers, tucks, short swords ? " Mein clarified.
" Fancy yourself a fencer, eh ? Can't say I've ever been into all that formal training crap, looks like glorified dancing but I get it " Doris shrugged " Don't really carry much lightweight weapons. Prefer mid-to heavy weapons myself. Pretty sure I got at least a few good rapiers and short swords lying around, let me just..." Doris pulled up a chest from beneath the counter and opened it up, taking a minute to rummage for a moment before pulling out a handful of swords and laying them on the counter" Here we go, not much I know but take your pick "
Mein lifted Raphtalia up onto the chair by the counter to let her get a good look at the selection of swords too. There were a mix of rapiers, tucks and short swords. Varying in quality and material built from.
" Hmmmm...what do you think Raphtalia ?" Mein subtly gestured for Raphtalia to take a pick of the swords. This was really her selection, but Mein didn't feel like explaining to the blacksmith why she was getting such big weapons for a little girl.
Thankfully Raphtalia seemed to pick up on it and played along " Um...I'm not really sure "
" Most of them are made out of iron. A few made out of light metal ore, but none of them are enchanted. Don't really have the skills for that sorta thing " Doris explained.
" Good to know " Mein turned back to Raphtalia " So what's your take Raphtalia ? "
Raphtalia didn't seem to have the best grasp on the weapons presented to her, so Mein decided to refresh her memory.
" I mean, the short sword is undoubtedly the lightest but its meant more for stealth and scouting than a straight-up fight due to its limited reach. The rapier is the second lightest but has less ATK rating than a tuck, and the tuck has more ATK rating at the cost of a heavier weight " Mein explained " So what do you think Raphtalia ? "
" I think...maybe the rapier ? " Raphtalia placed her hand on one made of iron from the looks of it.
Should be a good starting point for her training if nothing else.
" Alright, we'll take the rapier " Mein nodded.
" Good choice. That'll be...40...nah 35 silvers, I'll throw in a sheath too " Doris said.
" Deal " Mein handed her the money and took the rapier along with the sheath.
" Anything else you need ? " Doris asked.
Mein took a look at the weapon's shop and at their own equipment. Her own armor and weapons were appropriate for her level, aside from maybe getting herself a higher quality bow. Ake and Naofumi seemed well adjusted with their own equipment.
Mein briefly considered getting Raphtalia some armor, but considered the fact that Raphtalia hasn't had much training yet with transforming from her adult body to her child body, along with the fact that they haven't had time to train Raphtalia in extending her magic to her clothing, so any armor they buy for her might break if she fails her first attempt...
Mein is starting to regret not getting Raphtalia a spare pair of clothes back at the general shop. A thought for later.
She glanced over at some slings hanging from the wall and an idea came to mind.
" Hey Raphtalia, how would you like to learn how to use a sling ? " Mein suggested.
She had thought about getting a handheld crossbow since it would be more effective and damaging, but reloading would be a fucking nightmare. A sling is moderately more easier when it comes to reloading with one hand, even if you take into consideration the added time.
" Um...we use to have them back in Port Harp...Keel got one once and broke a Mr Kyubey's window...I never really learned how to use it "
" Well, picking up the skill wouldn't hurt and it would give you some more options in a battle "
" Okay !" Raphtalia nodded her head.
" We'll take one sling if you please " Mein took one off the wall.
" I'll count it as part of your payment for the rapier, pretty sure I overcharged you there and you're literally just buying a piece of string and leather " Doris went into the back " Pretty sure I got some special pellets for slings in the back I can throw in too, just give me a few minutes to check "
Mein gave the sling a test throw, it seemed to hold steady. She honestly preferred bows since slings were admittedly a bit harder to use because you needed to time your throw just right, but she knew how to use one at least.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the bell of the front door open up and she glanced to see a man, maybe just a few years older than her dressed in a black cloak and had armor underneath it along with the hood pulled up. A sword at his hip. An adventurer perhaps ? She couldn't see his tag from where she was standing, a drifting merc then maybe ?
She saw that he in turn gave her a curious glance before looking about the weapons in the shop, examining the axes and swords. Raphtalia standing by her side as she checked out the weapons.
" Excuse me miss ? "
Mein felt her instincts flare up as she turned back to the man, who was now just a few inches away from her. He had just been standing across the shop from her and she definitely would have heard his footsteps and breathing, even Raphtalia looked surprised at his sudden appearance. The fact that he managed to do that implies some kind of advanced stealth capabilities...
Not like those of a scout, more like those of an assassin.
Mein subtly put her hand on her sword as she faced the men " Yes ? "
" Sorry for the intrusion but...are you part of the Shield Hero's group ? "
Mein's instantly tensed and inched her hand towards her sword " Who are you and what do you know ? "
" Whoa, whoa, hold on...I'm not looking for a fight " The man held his hands up in surrender " I'm actually a friend " He pulled down his hood revealing a pair of raccoon ears and pulled on something around his neck, which revealed to be a pendant of a shield.
The Church of the Shield to be exact.
" A Church of the Shield Hero member...thought your faith was non-existent in Melromarc " Mein said with a bit of sarcasm in her tone.
" There are a few. Some demi-humans who practice our faith in secret and others who are a bit more open about it " The man explained with a small smile.
" How'd do you know who I was ? " Mein questioned.
" I remember seeing you and the Shield Hero at the adventurers guild and well-"
" You tracked us here ? " Mein gave him a suspicion.
" Not tracked really. I was on a quest and I saw you enter the town by coincidence..." The man explained " But anyway, I wanted to give you this " He took out a bag and handed it to Mein.
She gave him a suspicious look before opening it up, revealing several silver coin.
" That's around 450 silvers " The man gave the amount he had given her " Consider it tribute to the Shield Hero "
The princess in disguise looked at the money and then at the raccoon in suspicion...something wasn't adding up here.
For one, it didn't make sense that the Church of the Shield Hero would send a sole raccoon to deliver money as a form of good faith and tribute, especially when the raccoon people are notorious for being thieves and conmen. Granted, there are some that are legitimately faithful but it still looks bad on the faith itself to send someone who is part of a race who has a reputation of being thieves and undesirables.
And she had also heard a nasty rumor from Siltvelt about the raccoon clan receiving a hit to their reputation after the war, she didn't know all the details but it had something to do with some raccoon commander that took part in the war with Melromarc. So it doesn't make sense to send one of them.
Maybe he was from Shiltfreeden ? No, he would have approached Naofumi directly...or the bastards from Siltvelt would have sent Ravens to collect Naofumi, no need to bother with all this.
Mein's suspicion just increased as she glanced at the raccoon man " This is a lot of money for a tribute...what are you playing at ? Hoping to join the Shield Hero's party perhaps ? "
" Nothing of the sort, just please accept this donation as a token of...good faith " The man leaned in and whispered " That the Shield Hero has more people willing to help him for the right price "
Before Mein could question the man some more, he was already out the door and Doris had returned with a bag full of pellets.
" Did I miss anything ?" Doris asked.
" No...nothing" Mein answered as she turned back to the blacksmith.
Mein couldn't shake the feeling, that raccoon bastard was hiding something.
" You met somebody while you were shopping ?" Naofumi asked with concern in his tone.
The inn they had settled in was decently sized and par for the course, it had a decently sized restaurant in which they were having lunch. Jun and Filo had temporarily stopped their fighting to dig in, while Mein took the opportunity to explain to Naofumi what had happened on their trip.
" Yeah...he claimed to be an adventurer who was also a devotee to the Church of the Shield but something seemed off " Mein explained her suspicion " Something about him told me that he wasn't telling the full truth about who he was "
" Do you think he could be a envoy from Siltvelt ? I wouldn't put it past those sons of bitches to send some spies to try and track the Shield Hero " Ake suggested.
" Doubt it. They would have tried to approach us already, why bother sending in an agent to give some funds to buy good will " Mein shook her head " No, it has to be something else, but what ? "
" Well, whatever it is let's just keep our eyes and ears out unless we see him again, hopefully we can question him the next time you see him " Naofumi said with a frustrated sigh " No point worrying ourselves with theories and ideas we can't prove anyway "
The Three Heroes Church, bandits, envoys and spies...sounds about right.
" So you picked the rapier Raphtalia ? " Ake asked, glancing at the new sword that Mein had been carrying for her.
" Yes...I thought it looked okay, so I just picked at random " Raphtalia admitted " Big sis also bought a sling for me "
Mein couldn't help but sigh, she should have known that Raphtalia still wouldn't have the best grasp on weapons. No matter, the rapier was a decent enough choice anyway.
" Its alright Raphtalia, the rapier is still a good choice. We can start our lessons as soon as after lunch, if that's okay with you ? "
" Okay !"
" Do you even know how to use a rapier ? " Ake gave her a skeptical look.
" Yes, I do as a matter of fact " Mein rolled her eyes at Ake " I trained with them quite a bit and know more than just the basics. I can also teach Raphtalia how to use her sling "
" Okay, how do you know how to use so many weapons Mein ? Were you like a mercenary or something before you met us ? " Naofumi asked, with a curious expression.
Mein smirked at him " A girl has to have some secrets, I'm going to make you work for them "
Naofumi groaned as Ake patted him on the back.
Once lunch was concluded, Mein took Raphtalia again and headed out from the town of Woodpine. She couldn't very well have Raphtalia transforming in a small town when there could be the possibility that they were being watched, so she managed to sneak them out by scaling over the wall and after checking to see that nobody was following them, she guided them to the grassy plains that was about a few hundred meters from the town. Well out of sight.
Mein took in the grassy plains and saw a few balloons, mush and eggies in the distance. Should make for some decent practice targets. But Mein supposes that they should start with the most important subject...
" Alright Raphtalia, today we will practicing your transformation magic and more importantly we will learning how to extend your magic to your items..."
" O-Okay, where do we begin ? " Raphtalia asked.
And then the princess ran into her first problem. Which was that she had absolutely no idea how to do that.
Transformation magic was exclusive to demi-humans and beastman, granted humans could do it with the help of some black magic but that was even rarer than transformation magic and the topic was not widely discussed or researched. Mein herself had never paid much attention to that fact, since she never anticipated actually meeting someone who had transformation magic.
The princess turned Marked looked at her tattooed hand, watching as the Mark glowed beneath her glove. She wondered if it worked somewhat similar to her own abilities.
" Try to...extend the magic to your clothing " Mein struggled to explain " Take a deep breath and concentrate on not just transforming, but transforming with everything on you "
" Okay..." Raphtalia took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
About a minute past...before a puff of smoke blocked her vision, when it faded, Raphtalia stood in her adult form with all her clothes still on.
" I did it !" Raphtalia said in amazement of herself.
" Excellent Raphtalia...let's try doing that a few more times to help get it down "
" Okay !"
They continued doing transformation exercises for a few minutes, Raphtalia shifting between her child, adult and raccoon form. Raphtalia not once tearing her new clothes, which made Mein feel strangely proud.
" Alright, you seem to have gotten the transformation magic down...let's start the real work " Mein took the rapier out of its sheath and handed it to Raphtalia, who had already transformed into her adult form.
Raphtalia's hand first made contact with the rapier grip, she almost dropped it, seeming surprised by the weight even if it was lighter than most swords. She almost fell over had Mein not caught her.
" Whoa, you okay ? "
" Sorry, its heavier than I thought it would be " Raphtalia recentered herself as she kept the sword pointing to the ground.
" Usually a rapier is meant to be used with both hands, but it is possible to use it effectively with one " Mein took a moment to recall her training with the rapier and tried to convert that to if she only had one arm " Let's start simple and with the basics, try raising your sword up "
" Alright, let me just-Eeeeghhhh !" Raphtalia grunted as she used all her grip strength to lift up the rapier and try to keep it steady.
" Let's start with some basic slashes, try swinging your blade from left to right, and then do some thrusting movements " Mein said, sticking to the basics.
" Okay, let me just-AGH !" Raphtalia tried to swing her sword but lost her balance and almost toppled over.
" Goddamnit " Mein muttered as she helped Raphtalia keep balance.
This is going to be harder than I anticipated.
The next two and a half hours was filled with Mein trying desperately to teach Raphtalia the basic movements of a rapier with little to no success. Attempts at teaching her how to slash would result in Raphtalia quickly losing her balance and falling into the dirt, or she would lose her grip on her weapon and it would fly out of her hand. Learning how to thrust her weapon forward was equally difficult since her footwork was non-existent and when she thrusted, she would end up overextending her arm and losing balance over herself.
Progress was not going great. While Raphtalia was stronger in her adult form, it wasn't by a lot and strength in her left arm as a whole wasn't strong enough to hold the blade steady, let alone perform complex or even basic movements. They really did need to get Raphtalia that prosthetic if they wanted to start making headway in her training.
" Let's take a break " Mein suggested as she rubbed her temple to nurse the coming headache.
Raphtalia looked dejected as she reverted back to her child form and sat leaned up against a tree, taking in the shade. Mein leaning up against the tree with her.
" I'm sorry big sis Mein " Raphtalia apologized.
" Don't be. We probably shouldn't expect you to master the blade in so short a time, I had years of training and preparation before all this " Mein said with a sigh " These kinds of things take time "
Raphtalia didn't reply right away, instead the two just sat there in silence, feeling the breeze pass them by.
" Do you remember when I asked if you had any family...big sis ? " Raphtalia broke the silence.
" Back at the shop, yeah..."
" Back at Port Harp, Keel and Rifana were my closest friends. They were like family to me " Raphtalia rambled on, her eyes looking distant " Rifana...she was always the most mature of the three of us, making sure we didn't get into trouble and keeping us safe...she-she used to talk a lot about meeting the Shield Hero and...marrying him. She really idolized the heroes..." Raphtalia lifted up her only remaining hand and staring at her sole hand " And it makes me feel dirty and unfair. That I was the one who got to live out Rifana's dream...
" Raphtalia, you can't think like that " Mein said softly.
" But I have to. Rifana was the mature and smart one, Keel was strong and fast...both of them would have been much better companions than me " Raphtalia said sadly " All I do is have everybody look out for me and even with my transformation abilities, the strange powers from you...I'm still useless " The raccoon hugged her knees as she let a few stray tears out.
Mein grimaced, she knew that Raphtalia struggled with personal confidence and was insecure about her place in the group. But she had no idea it was this bad...
" You can't judge your worth based on how useful you are to the group " Mein tried to comfort the girl, moving closer " Its like Naofumi said, you're still just a kid. You shouldn't be expected to be useful in combat "
" Maybe...but Filo and Jun are younger than me and they're still more useful to the group as a whole " Raphtalia refuted, as she held up her stump where her right arm used to be " And after I lost my right arm, I can barely do anything useful...it was even my own fault that I lost it in the first place "
" Hang on, what are you talking about Raphtalia ? " Mein asked in surprise
" Before the Wave, you tried to get me to stay with Uncle Erhard...but I didn't listen, I wanted to come with you and fight. And all I managed to do during the wave was...lose my arm..." Raphtalia said " Now I can't even take care of myself without somebody's help..."
Mein opened her mouth to try and say something, anything comforting to Raphtalia but she couldn't find the right words to say. For what can she truly say, to the girl who had lost everything in her old life...that wouldn't sound like empty placation ?
Raphtalia seemed to notice her struggle and gave her a sad smile " You don't need to try and refute me big sis...we both know I'm right "
Mein was silent as she moved to sit shoulder to shoulder with Raphtalia and pull her close. The two enjoying the breeze that passed them by.
" Its not going to be easy from here on out Raphtalia...for any of us "
" I know big sis...I know..." Raphtalia leaned into the hug.
The two remained like that for some time, just enjoying the moment. Mein glanced over at the sun and saw that it was close to coming down, which meant evening was almost upon them.
" Come on, let's head back " Mein stood up and held Raphtalia's hand, leading them back to the town.
It was an eye opening conversation to say the least.
The next morning, they set out early so they could meet up with Ake's friend sooner rather than later. The faster they get this business with getting Filo and Jun some clothes, the better. As per usual formation, Mein was riding on Jun while Ake took the reigns of Filo.
The trip was actually shorter than expected and by the time they reached the area where it was said Ake's friend was working, it was already approaching afternoon.
The dig site was actually in the side of a mountain, Mein could see from her position on Jun that they had a whole work camp set up with various tents and there was even an entrance deeper into a mine. The princess didn't know much about mining, but from what she could tell this looked like a very professional set up. There were workers all around carrying pickaxes and other heavy equipment into the mine. Some of the workers stopped and glanced at them for a moment, before carrying on their way.
They stopped their carriage on the outskirts of the camp, not close enough to raise any eyebrows yet. Mein got off Jun the same time as Ake.
" Come on, let's go meet Jonas " Ake got off the carriage as Naofumi and the others disembarked " Stay with the kids Sir Naofumi, I'll go talk to Jonas with Mein. I'd rather not have the kids get into a fight in the middle of a work camp "
" Got it " Naofumi nodded.
Mein went along with Ake as they were approached by one of the workers.
" Can I help you adventurers ? " One of the workers, most likely the foreman asked.
" I'm looking for Jonas, I'm an old friend...from the Rorik family "
" Rorik ? What are you guys doing all the way out here ? " The foreman asked in surprise.
" Visiting an old friend. Is Jonas in ? "
" Yeah, he's in the tent over there " The foreman pointed at one specific tent on the far side of the camp.
" Thanks " Ake nodded in gratitude as he walked away.
The two of them made their way over to the tent, in that time Mein striked up some conversation with the knight.
" Think we can trust this Jonas ? " Mein whispered to the knight.
" Jonas is good people. My parents worked with him and his crew to unearth some precious ores which they sold for a tidy profit " Ake said " The guy knows his work and if anybody can tell us where we can get that magical gemstone, he can. Its not as if we have any better leads "
Mein shrugged, fair point.
Entering the tent, Mein could see a man around Erhard's age, probably older than that standing over a table looking over a map of the local area.
" I thought I told you miserable mooks not to disturb me " Jonas said without even raising his head.
" Is that anyway to say hi to an old friend ? " Ake says as he takes off his helmet.
Jonas raised his head in surprise, checking if his ears were working right as he saw Ake's face.
" Ake ? Is that you ? " Jonas asked, not believing his eyes.
" No, I'm a mimic that has managed to perfectly copy Ake's face and mannerism " Ake said sarcastically but smiled " Of course its me, come here you big oaf "
Jonas smiled as he walked up to the knight and hugged him. Mein just stood there observing the scene before her, this Jonas must have been a close friend or associate of the Rorik family.
" Its good to see you my boy " Jonas pulled away and had a sympathetic look on his face " I'm...sorry to hear about the family "
" Its fine, I'll survive..." Ake said calmly.
" Who's this fine lady ? Your girlfriend ? " Jonas turned to Mein, giving her a look over.
" Hell no " They both said at the same time.
" Adventuring buddies, its a long story but that's beside the point. I need your help Jonas " Ake cut to the chase.
" Well, what can I do for you Ake ? Need some precious ores ? "
" Not quite. We're looking for magic gemstone, the kind that demi-humans use to make magic thread " Mein explained.
" Magic gemstone, eh ? Those aren't easy to come by " Jonas turned back to the map on the table " While I don't have any in stock right now...I did hear some rumors through the grapevine about a vein of magical gems in this monster dungeon near Balafon" Jonas told the story " Apparently some adventurers were commissioned to explore the ruins, but most of their party got wiped and only one survived. They said something about seeing some kind of gemstones along the dungeon walls which might indicate that a deposit is nearby "
" Hmmm...where's this dungeon exactly ? " Mein asked.
" Right here " Jonas pointed on a specific area on the map " Its about a half a day's travel from here "
" That's pretty close to here...did you say that it was a monster dungeon ? " Mein caught what the Jonas said.
" Yeah, didn't get all the details but apparently it was used as the base for some mad Outsider cultist " The miner explained " The poor bastard went mad and some monsters moved in, Chief God knows what's in there now "
Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be ?
" Sounds right about our area of speciality, right Mein " Ake patted her on the back with a knowing smirk.
Mein gave him a death glare as a result.
" Well, thanks for your help Jonas, we've got to go-" Ake was about to leave when he was pulled back by his armor strap by Jonas.
" Oh no, you don't boyo. You're not leaving until you tell me all about your trips with the Shield Hero, yeah Erhard told me about that "
Ake let out a sigh but he began telling stories about their adventures with Naofumi, carefully omitting anything damning about the Mark or her connection with the Outsider.
Mein was left to wonder what this former Outsider base had in store...
And what horrors awaited them inside.
Goddamn this chapter was difficult as hell to write, not only because I had no idea what to even put here for a filler chapter but because I couldn't even manage that properly which led to why this chapter took so long to write.
My own incompetence aside, I do want to pitch a new idea that has been on my mind for a while now: What do you all think about memory interludes ?
Like interludes that focus on a character's backstory and shows it in a more concise way. Because if I'm being real with you all I'm not sure if the way I'm slowly showing Malty's whole extended and changed backstory is really working or if anybody is really understanding the scattered dream/flashbacks I randomly put in different chapters that aren't totally clear.
Let me know what you all think about this idea and if you think it would work.