Shout out to StoryPointA for his one-shot "Melromarc Café". I enjoyed the AU story she presented there. If you haven't read it yet, I'd recommend that you do. I look forward to seeing what else she'll write for her one-shot series in her spare time.
Don't think there are any questions from the reviews that I haven't touched on before, so...
Chapter Fifty-Five: Sense of Longing
The next day eventually came, and the group of three left the inn to begin making preparations for their journey to the capital.
"I'll take the left side of town. You take the right." Naofumi instructed Kizuna. "We'll either meet back up at the guild building or outside town where we entered once we have all our purchases done."
"Why are you dividing the town between us anyway?" The Hunting Hero cocked her head in confusion. "We could just go together to get everything done."
"Because…" Naofumi cracked his knuckles together. "By the time I'm done, the merchants on my side will be wishing that they'd set up shop on the other side of town."
Kizuna looked at the Shield Hero with dread in her eyes. There was an aura of malicious intent coming off Naofumi that hadn't been there before.
"F-Feh?! Sir Naofumi?!" Even Rishia looked surprised.
"Come on, Rishia. You could learn a thing or two if you watch." Naofumi curtly replied as he began to walk towards a street that went left.
"Feh?!" Rishia scrambled to follow him.
"And stop making that noise!" The Shielder barked over his shoulder.
"F- I'm sorry!" Rishia quickly bowed and continued following along.
'Weird, for a moment, his eyes reminded me of Alto…' Kizuna shivered. That probably wasn't the best person to be compared to, in all honesty. She went to the other side of town, hoping she didn't catch word of whatever Naofumi was pulling off.
Rishia, in the meanwhile, obediently followed behind Naofumi, feeling a bit out of her element at the market. She watched as Naofumi passed by shop after shop after shop. The strange thing, many of them were open, but he was barely giving them a second glance.
Weren't they supposed to be selling their items out here? Why was Naofumi passing by all these perfectly good shops? Rishia did understand business somewhat, thanks to her parents. But Naofumi's actions didn't make any sense to the green-haired girl.
"Hey, you!" Naofumi suddenly veered to the side, approaching a stall that looked like it'd barely just opened.
"Eh?" The man inside suddenly jumped to attention at the customer's approach. He quickly prepared to give Naofumi his patented "welcome to my shop" speech that he gave to all his customers to gauge their interest in his wares so he'd know what to price. The Shield Hero had other plans, however.
Naofumi slammed several bottles of medicine on the counter, surprising the man before he could even open his mouth. "I've got some extra medicine on hand from my last adventure. And I've noticed you seem to be low on your stock."
"I-I have some on the way, the shipment is just a bit late!" The merchant exclaimed in surprise.
"Perfect, and I'm here now, so I can help fill your shelves before your customers arrive for the day," Naofumi smirked widely as he trapped the man in a metaphorical bear trap.
Rishia watched, stunned as Naofumi engaged in a battle of words with the merchant. Wherein she saw the man's defenses were almost completely beaten down within the first minute of conversation. He was unable to go on the offensive, and could only offer up token resistance to Naofumi's rapid haggle blitzkrieg on his finances.
"T-This is ludicrous, 75 doumon per bottle is the best I can do! How do you expect me to make a profit off anything higher than that?!" The man protested.
"Strange. I could have sworn medicine was in high demand these days. The prices on your competitor's stalls certainly make it look that way. Though, I guess if you'd rather lose customers to your competitor because your shipment was late, that's on you." Naofumi shrugged.
The man started to sweat like a fish, and Naofumi gave him a small smirk. Eventually, the man caved in. "90 Doumin a bottle, but no higher!"
"Thank you. Your business is appreciated." Naofumi firmly shook the merchant's hand. The poor guy looked absolutely and utterly defeated. "Hey, Rishia, help me give him his stock!"
Rishia barely clamped her mouth closed in time to keep from whimpering. She helped Naofumi with pulling out the box of medicine he had in his pack and counting the bottles on the counter before Naofumi took his money for it and they walked away.
She was still in awe at the whole exchange. She'd never seen anything like it before.
"H-How did you manage to do that?" She asked.
"I simply paid attention to what shops were selling medicine, saw or heard what they were pricing it at, made a guess about his relationship with his competitors, and determined what'd be a reasonable price to ask for as a supplier after factoring in transport costs and the profit margins they'd be seeking over other merchants here," Naofumi answered. "Simple, really."
"F… Fueh?" Rishia nearly stopped in her tracks as she processed the sheer magnitude behind the business transaction Naofumi had just accomplished.
"Now, let's continue with the fun." Naofumi grinned widely and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "It's been so long since I was able to do this with somebody besides Elhart. There's plenty of money to be made, good sir!"
Rishia… was starting to wish she'd gone with Kizuna to the other side of town instead.
This version of Naofumi was downright terrifying.
What Naofumi proceeded to do to the merchants on that side of town would forever go down as one of the biggest embarrassments for merchants in the history of the world. This story would later be used as a case study for students, as well as a story that merchants would tell their children at night to scare them into being obedient and honest in their dealings when they grew up. For none would want to deal with the Merchant Demon as the people came to call Naofumi that day.
His attacks were swift. Spotting merchants ripping people off in the blink of an eye. He'd rapidly approach with a confidence and swagger that prevented them from saying their usual jingles. And he'd then go for their metaphorical throats offering his own wares, whether they were medicines or high-quality drop items from monsters in Kizuna's world that he claimed to be worth way more than what would usually be offered by a regular adventurer.
The merchants, complacent from dealing with locals and the occasional adventurer passing through their territory, had been completely unprepared for someone of Naofumi's caliber to appear on their doorstep.
"You call this a shop? There's dust on top of the dust you're selling, cheapskate!" Naofumi yelled at one man, who began to cry as Naofumi haggled down the price for the Earth Crystals he was buying to something far lower than it had been before.
Naofumi was ruthless. And whether he was buying what he needed, or selling what he had on hand to others, his haggling was at the top of its game. Without Raphtalia to restrain him either, there was truly no mercy.
It was great because Naofumi didn't need a merchant's voucher to sell his goods here. He was completely basking in the profit margins he was making as well as the fact that he was entirely destroying an economy the merchants had worked hard to set up in their favor over many years within a single day.
Naofumi did show somewhat of a soft spot, however, to the weapon and armor shops when the pair visited them. And he showed that same respect when they visited a magic shop.
Rishia noted after the intensity of the other duels that Naofumi didn't haggle nearly as hard and was even somewhat pleasant with them. Complimenting them on their skills and even paying the armor merchant a bit extra for their gear as a thank you.
When Rishia asked the Shield Hero about the change in his approach, he simply shrugged.
"Those people not only have to sell their goods, but a lot of them have to make and experiment with them too. They are shopkeepers that I can respect. As long as they don't try to take advantage of others' kindness and goodwill." Naofumi explained.
"And the extra payment to the armorsmith for our gear?" Rishia asked in confusion.
Naofumi smirked. "That was because he had a few shields in his shop that I hadn't copied yet." He'd been nice, but that hadn't stopped him from acquiring 'free' gear.
And so, a lot of the day passed by, and by the end of it, these were the results:
Naofumi had made enough money to get him and Rishia some stronger equipment that fit their current budget. Naofumi looked more like a samurai adventurer than ever before, though he still had a shield on his arm. The equipment still didn't fit him quite right, making him wish he could have something custom again, but at least he had something that wasn't meant for a beginner.
Rishia had a new kodachi on her side, as well as some ofuda, either imbued with spells or blank, which he got for her after she expressed interest in learning about another world's magic system.
From the brief bit he'd gotten at the magic shop, it appeared that advanced magic users could take these strips of paper, wood, stone, or whatever material was used to make the ofuda, and imbue them with magic power to turn them into a magic tool for one-off spells or other uses. Once imbued, even a non-magic user could throw one at an enemy or an ally to release the magic within. Though a magic-user adding their magic power to it would amplify the effects of the spell contained within.
In other words, if Naofumi could find out a way to imbue Zweite Aura into a blank ofuda, he could use it in the middle of battle instead of chanting to save precious time and magic power if he was low on the latter.
Also, Naofumi had gotten a ton of Earth Crystals for both of them, as well as some extra ores so he'd be able to use Motoyasu's Smelting method on some of his shields.
Naofumi was whistling to himself merrily while tossing an earth crystal that he held in his hand up into the air and catching it repeatedly as he and Rishia walked along the street towards the guild building. Rishia could hear many of the shopkeepers from the side of town they'd visited crying and cursing their names as they walked.
"D-Do you enjoy doing this?" Rishia asked nervously.
"Of course. I studied business before I was summoned. And whenever I played games, I preferred learning the trading systems instead of fighting monsters." Naofumi replied happily. It seemed like all the bargain shopping they'd done today had really put the Shield Hero in a good mood.
His upfront honesty about his past surprised Rishia. And he then gave the girl a brief description of what he meant since it involved stuff from his world. Yet after the initial surprise, Rishia looked at him with understanding. "Itsuki described a lot about his world and about games to me already." She admitted when he asked her about it. "Some hero texts have also talked about it. It's kind of fascinating, but I can't imagine spending so much time sitting still and doing something that wouldn't help me out in real life."
"Huh. Yeah, though there are things you can learn from games." Naofumi described to her the joys of online trading. Of finding the best items and getting the best deals off of them and of then reselling those items to other players when demand was high for them. Even going as far as changing servers, which he explained to be like changing worlds, so you could take advantage of markets when they sold goods for low prices and bringing them those items to worlds where the prices of those goods were astronomically high due to the differences in demand and supply.
"You can learn a lot about how to run an economy from the right games," Naofumi smirked. "I always got a lot of satisfaction whenever I managed to sell an item for over a thousand times what it was worth."
"It sounds like you really enjoyed trading before being summoned." Rishia eventually said, smiling a bit because she'd learned more about the worlds the Heroes had been summoned from thanks to the Shield Hero.
"Of course. But there's a different feeling doing it face to face instead of anonymously. Not a bad one, mind you. It's actually a lot easier to read people when you're talking in real life instead of guessing what they're thinking from behind a screen. Sure, it makes it easier for people to read you as well, but as long as you guide the conversation the way you want it and keep them from being able to do the things they're comfortable with, things will pretty much go your way."
"But how did you do so well when we're in a new world? Surely there had to be some cultural or local etiquette issues to overcome?" Rishia asked.
"Money is a universal language no matter where you go. True, there was some local flavor mixed in here, and that's precisely why I looked and absorbed all the information that I could from the shops around us before we started. More than that, I listened to the merchants and the customers as we walked. Even if you're the best haggler around, you won't get far if you don't know the value people price goods at in an area. You could either ask for so much that people laugh you off, or undersell and get ripped off." Naofumi explained.
Rishia thought about the wisdom Naofumi had shared with her. She studied his words over in her mind.
Eventually, the girl nodded to herself, making a mental note to look into it in-depth later. But while she did that, Naofumi had suddenly frozen in place. The Earth Crystal that he'd been casually juggling as they walked slipped out from his hand and fell on the ground, shattering into many pieces upon impact.
"I believe I understand. Thank you for giving me something to think about, Sir… Naofumi?" Rishia began to reply, oblivious to what just happened, and was subsequently surprised when she didn't immediately see the Shield Hero.
She looked around frantically, wondering where he'd gone. And after a few seconds, she barely made out his cloak as he moved forward through a group of people. "Ack, Sir Naofumi!" She rushed off behind him to try and catch up.
Naofumi, however, wasn't paying her any attention. "Filo!? FILO!' He began to shout.
He'd spotted a girl further up the street. She was turned away and dressed in a kimono, but he would recognize that long, light blonde hair of hers anywhere!
"Filo!" Naofumi called out again.
"Fue! S-Sir Naofumi!" Rishia called out behind him.
He didn't acknowledge her though. Tears of relief were falling down the sides of his face. He could hardly believe it. But they'd actually found his daughter! Filo was okay! Filo was safe!
He kept pushing forward, forcing his way through the crowd, forcing everyone out of his way and getting complaints, but he was desperate not to lose sight of the girl. Rishia was yelling something behind him but he didn't care enough to pay attention.
His hand fell on the blonde girl's shoulder, and she let out a shriek of surprise as she turned and backpedaled away from him. "Filo! It's okay, it's me-!"
...
Whatever words Naofumi was going to say next died in his throat.
The girl had long pointed ears on the sides of her head. On close inspection, she had no wings on her back. And her frightened freckled face looked nothing like Filo's.
The Shield Hero's mouth opened and closed, as he struggled to speak.
"Hey what the hell are you doing to my daughter, you creep?!"
A fist suddenly appeared in the corner of Naofumi's vision and punched him in the face. The Shield Hero was sent falling backward as an angry elf woman appeared next to the girl. She must have been pretty high-leveled because that punch had hurt. Naofumi rubbed the side of his face, still looking to be in a dazed state.
His hand briefly rubbed against his lip, and he grimaced as he found it'd been split in two by the punch. The wound was slowly leaking blood. "I… I'm sorry." He muttered. "I mistook her for someone else."
The mother glared at him suspiciously. Naofumi didn't say anything else though, and she eventually picked her startled daughter up, walking away with her. Naofumi saw her cradle her close and examine her with concern to make sure she was fine.
Around him, onlookers continued to stare at Naofumi, who slowly sat up. Staring after the mother-daughter pair, a pained look slowly came onto his face.
'It was her… I thought it was her…'
"Sir Naofumi."
A hand rested on his shoulder, and he finally looked up at the green-haired girl above him.
Rishia was staring down at him with a frown. "Are you alright?"
"I… I thought it was her… I thought it was Filo…" He croaked out. Fresh tears leaked down the sides of his face.
Rishia looked around. People were beginning to go about their business again. But several were still standing nearby, staring at her and Naofumi.
She bent down and whispered to Naofumi so others wouldn't hear her strange language. "Naofumi, we need to go. We're attracting unwanted attention here."
…
Slowly, the shield hero nodded, and after she'd helped him up, she led him away from the area.
Because it'd happened so close to the guild building, the pair ended up going to where they'd entered the town to meet up with Kizuna.
Even with what'd happened, Naofumi didn't think he'd be welcomed back anytime soon anyway because of his stunt with the merchants.
They ended up waiting outside of town for over an hour. During this, Naofumi gradually came out of his shocked state. Only, his good mood from earlier was gone, and he wasn't very talkative. A small bruise was forming on his face where the woman had punched him, but he didn't think to heal it or his split lip.
Rishia tried to speak in the beginning, but eventually, she realized what Naofumi needed was space. So she stood guard nearby, making sure that he was okay as she did so.
Finally, Kizuna arrived, looking at Naofumi in disbelief.
"What the hell did you do? I've been hearing rumors about the Merchant Demon popping up all over town!"
Naofumi didn't immediately answer, so Rishia answered for him. "Naofumi showed off his merchant skills and showed no mercy haggling with every merchant he came across. He made a lot of money for us."
"My… you really are like that merchant friend of mine." Kizuna sighed as she pressed a hand to her temple. "I must never allow the two of you to meet, ever, or this world might just implode from the vicious feedback loop induced collective haggling singularity that it would create." She smiled brightly as she joked. "Though I guess one of your haggles didn't go so well if that face of yours is any indicator!"
"Um… he didn't get that from haggling," Rishia said almost too quietly for Kizuna to hear.
"Huh? How did he get it then?" Kizuna asked, sounding confused.
Rishia looked from Naofumi to her. Then, she walked up to Kizuna and whispered in her ear what'd occurred earlier.
…
"Oh?... … oh." Kizuna blanched, and then stood in her spot awkwardly next to Rishia.
"Um, I'm sorry, for being insensitive…" The Hunting Hero apologized awkwardly to Naofumi.
…
Naofumi slowly shook his head. "It's fine. It's not like it's your fault that I thought I found my daughter…" Naofumi looked incredibly sad as he said that.
The sudden increase in his depression put both girls on edge. "Fue, um, did things go well for you, at least, Kizuna?" Rishia asked.
"Yeah, I wasn't sure if I'd manage it thanks to somebody riling up all the merchants." Kizuna glared at Naofumi in an attempt to play with him and cheer him up. But when his face didn't change, she pulled out a thick sheet of paper. "Still, I managed to get enough money to buy the travel voucher we need to get into the Capital."
Naofumi didn't say anything, so Kizuna felt to continue. "If this works, we'll be able to get to Sickle. And then, we'll be able to do whatever we can to find your daughter and lover, Naofumi. I promise."
…
Naofumi slowly nodded and stood up at last. "Before we go… Rishia, use these." Naofumi pulled some of the Earth Crystals he'd bought out of his shield, tossing them to the green-haired girl, before pulling out the rest and using them himself.
A lot of the crystals gave varying amounts of experience. Naofumi noted that those that looked purer and that were bigger gave the most experience. Some gave as much, if not more, exp than the Cal Mira Island bosses.
By the time they'd gone through the entire pile, their levels looked like this:
Naofumi: Lv: 38
Rishia: Lv: 46
This was truly astounding. They were literally spending money to get EXP. What could be more convenient than that? Unless it tapered off at higher levels… though he had no evidence that that could happen yet.
He was curious why Rishia went above level 40 but wasn't in the mood to ask about that now. He merely assumed it was because she'd already gotten a class-up back in their world… though, Dou-Lon had needed a class-up again after he'd been deleveled…
He'd ask later. When he was in a better mood than he was now. It felt like he was on autopilot, and any deviation from his course would have him crying and pondering over dark thoughts all over again.
"I think we should be good to travel level-wise." Naofumi pulled up the list of shields he could access now and equipped one he hadn't unlocked the equip bonus of yet. He also pulled up the strongest shield he could equip then on his HUD in preparation for using some of the power-up methods on it.
He still looked down, but having a purpose seemed to help with distracting him at the moment. "Alright, then I'll lead the way! Make sure to keep up! We have a long road ahead of us!" Kizuna said happily as she turned away from the town.
The Hunting Hero marched down the road, with Rishia following behind her, and Naofumi following at the back of the group.
Already, only a day after escaping the Labyrinth, they were beginning the few-day journey needed to get to the Capital of this country. Where they'd hopefully be able to access the Dragon Hourglass and escape to Sickle…
And yet, even knowing they were making progress, Naofumi still felt a tear leak from the corner of his eye.
'Raphtalia… Filo…'
He really hoped that the two of them were ok, wherever they were right now...
"Wow…"
Raphtalia slowly looked down at herself after exiting the dressing booth. She was dressed in a white and red kimono and had a new white hood over her head to hide her animal ears. Her tail was tucked away inside the outfit.
Therese was looking at her in amazement, and Dou-Lon, who'd been jerking at the sleeve of his new kimono, also looked similarly surprised under his own hood. "You look really good in that, Raphtalia." The gem girl complimented.
"Thanks…" Raphtalia said in a quiet voice.
It'd been several days since they'd escaped from the regression prison. They'd spent most of that time traveling through the large thick forest, taking great care to avoid the roads so they'd avoid other people and dealt with strange monsters that Raphtalia and Dou-Lon had never seen before.
It was nothing that L'Arc or Glass couldn't handle though, even with the latter suffering reduced stats thanks to her Cursed Series. Raphtalia and Dou-Lon had gained a few levels thanks to the vassal heroes fighting monsters, but they couldn't contribute much without weapons or proper outfits to defend themselves with outside of Raphtalia's magic.
Today, they'd come across a village at the base of some mountains in the forest. L'Arc had figured it'd be remote enough. They'd be able to go in, get what they needed, and find somewhere to rest their travel-weary muscles.
Glass and L'Arc were currently visiting the local temple to get some holy water for the spirit woman's burns. Therese was with Raphtalia and Dou-Lon, helping them with their new outfits as well as weapons.
"What do you think?" Therese asked Dou-Lon.
Dou-Lon nodded his head. "Sir Naofumi would definitely approve."
Raphtalia shuffled in place. "I don't know what Naofumi would think if he saw me in this, but it doesn't feel quite right to me." She said sadly.
"I know. But you need something to wear while in our world in the meantime." Therese said gently, and quietly so no one else would overhear them.
"I wish I didn't have to wear this dastardly thing either, Miss Raphtalia. The fur on my arms feels trapped and my tail longs to be free. But if it means blending into this world and avoiding drawing suspicion from others, then I shall gladly bear it." Dou-Lon nodded with determination.
Raphtalia slowly nodded in return, but couldn't stop herself from clasping her hands together while looking off to the side.
"Now I understand why Victoria cut her tail off for her garb. Perhaps we should consider doing the same?" Dou-Lon smiled as he joked to try and cheer her up.
It didn't work, as Raphtalia stared at him in horror. Dou-Lon coughed into his arm. "On second thought, never mind."
The half-raccoon girl found the outfit pretty comfortable, besides her thick tail being unable to poke out from it. It was unlike the armor she'd worn before where instead of having to be modified for her specific body type, the kimono simply rested on her. It would help with mobility even as she grew, and this outfit had good stats to boot.
Still, she couldn't help but miss the outfit Naofumi had gotten for her. The one he'd helped to sew onto as she grew bigger. That'd survived countless battles with the two of them side by side…
She went to the counter with Therese, who paid for her and Dou-Lon's outfits. After which, they left the store and crossed the street, entering a weapon shop.
"Do they have gauntlets or lances?" Dou-Lon asked as he saw a limited variety of strange weapons on the walls. There were katanas and some of their variants from odachis to wakadashis, as well as shurikens, a spear that looked like a polearm that he later learned was called a naginata, and other such weapons instead of normal spears, bows, and swords. The closest weapon he recognized from their world was a single large mace.
Therese shook her head. "The gauntlets were at the last shop. However, the ones they had were geared towards defense stat-wise, not offense." She answered. "And since this village is remote, our weapon options are rather limited."
"Oh…" Dou-Lon's head fell.
They hadn't expected too much while in this other world. But it appeared even their choice of weaponry would be affected.
The two demi-humans perused the weapon shelves. After a while, Dou-Lon grabbed a naginata, as it seemed closest to the lance he normally used. A naginata was a pole with a single curved blade on the end of it. The one he gripped was made from wood like oak, and the blade was that of steel.
He practiced swinging it around a few times and thrust forward at an imaginary enemy. A frown adorned his face.
"This isn't the weapon I trained with." It felt flimsy and the weight balance was weird. It'd give him more reach, but the wooden pole would be far less useful than the length of metal he'd grown accustomed to gripping with inch-thick gauntlets covering his hands. "Do they have lances or any variant of it?"
Therese shook her head. "These are the weapons that most people in this world use. Even our country Sickle, which has had less heroic influence than other countries, prefers using weapons such as these."
Dou-Lon scowled as he put the naginata back against the wall. "Blasphemy. You are telling me these weapons were inspired by the worlds of Heroes? How could that have ever been allowed?"
"Believe me, or don't. Regardless, our world has developed far differently than your own. Even our swords are different. I apologize if this sounds demeaning but, If you want a weapon, I'd suggest getting used to the ones offered in our world." Therese replied in a quiet voice. She then went back to helping Raphtalia.
Dou-Lon's scowl deepened. But every other weapon he tried gripping felt foreign in his hands. Be it the katanas. The kunai. A kanabo club. Nothing felt as warm and familiar as his lance or his gauntlets.
Nearby, Raphtalia sadly grabbed a wakizashi off a shelf, and Therese also grabbed a katana for when the girl would become older again and would need the longer blade. Therese rested a hand on the young Tanuki's head, promising that they'd help her to get used to it. Raphtalia stared at it for a moment, looking lost, but then her features solidified somewhat and she nodded her head at the gem girl.
Dou-Lon's scowl lessened at the sight. Even though she was sad about Sir Naofumi's absence and had no expertise with the weapons of this world, she'd chosen a blade and chosen not to complain.
Dou-Lon swallowed his pride. He remembered Eclair asking him to learn a new fighting style from this world to surprise her with. It appeared he was going to do that sooner than he'd thought. 'For Sir Naofumi's sake.'
He looked at the naginata he'd set against the wall, but then shook his head. No, he wouldn't use a weapon like that. It could impact his handling of lances when he got back.
And besides, he'd realized some time ago, if he ever truly wanted to best Eclair in combat, he needed to learn to do so with his own blade.
After a little while, he grabbed a dark katana from off the shelf and showed it to Therese.
"Good. Let's make our purchases then." The two demi-humans followed her to the weaponsmith at the back of the shop, and Therese took out the same strange currency she'd used to buy their new kimonos earlier from a pouch in her pocket.
The kind man waved to them on their way out, and the group of three waved back. Dou-Lon had a random thought that, even though they were in a new world with new outfits and new weapons, there was still familiar kindness to be found from other people.
It was a humbling thought for the hakuko man. Though he'd have to grow used to the weight of the sheath he now carried on his waist as well as the blade it carried within.
They slowly made their way through the village, taking in the interesting architecture which Therese informed them to be yet another inspiration from past Heroes. They then passed under a Torii gate into a small garden area. At first, Dou-Lon felt at peace with the sight of nature, until Therese mentioned how this kind of garden design had become popular under a past Jewel Hero, and that peace was dashed once again.
"I understand that you said before that Heroes were treated differently in this world than in our own. But still, this is too much. People shouldn't just replicate things wantonly from the worlds of Heroes!" Dou-Lon griped.
"Watch your volume." Therese gestured with her head as she warned the hakuko. There were others there to enjoy the serenity of the garden.
Dou-Lon grumbled but heeded her advice. "I know of no nation in my world that would have ever become like this besides Faubley."
"Maybe so, but our world is not like your world, remember?" Therese shrugged.
"Miss Raphtalia, don't you feel the same as I do?" Dou-Lon asked the Tanuki girl desperately.
…
"Perhaps, I would have at one point," Raphtalia answered after a short pause. "But now, I guess… it feels good to see hints of what Naofumi's home could have looked like." She admitted softly as she looked around the garden again.
Dou-Lon's shoulders sagged. "I… I could agree with that. But, I still can't say that I enjoy the thought of people so openly using that which should be sacred to them."
"Perhaps. Or, perhaps this is this world's way of showing their love for the Heroes of the past. Heroes who have helped to save their homes countless times." Raphtalia replied with a small smile.
…
Dou-Lon considered that line of thought over heavily in his mind. At some point, he realized he was breathing in and out deeply, and that on some level, he was truly enjoying the beauty of the small garden they were in. Just like everyone else there.
This troubled him. He still couldn't bring himself to agree that this was right. But he didn't voice it either. And he never had the chance too, as Therese straightened in her stance.
"Let us meet up with our friends." She turned and began to walk towards another walkway leading out of the garden. Raphtalia followed behind her.
Dou-Lon hesitated for only a moment, then swallowed hard and followed behind the pair once again.
They headed to the inn where they were supposed to meet up with Glass and L'Arc.
However, as they approached it, their two friends walked out of the entrance. Troubled looks were on their faces. "Thank goodness you're here," L'Arc said in relief.
"Did you get the holy water?" Therese asked, surprised to be meeting them outside.
"Yes, I already bandaged up Glass's arms with clothes soaked in it, but we've discovered that we can't stay here," L'Arc said seriously.
"What is it? Did somebody recognize us?" Therese asked. "Did you have to…"
"No, no, nothing like that... but there are soldiers inside the inn. They're setting up wanted posters for us on the message board as we speak." L'Arc hastily explained.
"We will have to depart immediately before anybody who saw us connects the dots," Glass added while looking over her shoulder suspiciously.
Therese bit her lip and then looked apologetically at Raphtalia and Dou-Lon, who still had their hoods up. "I'm sorry, we thought this village would be remote enough for us to sleep on a warm bed for a night. But it looks like we won't have that chance."
"We'll live," Dou-Lon responded calmly. "It is not my first time having to sleep extensively in the wilderness and knowing Miss Raphtalia's history, the same likely applies to her."
"You two are made of sterner stuff than me then," L'Arc smiled as he slapped a hand on the Hakuko's back. "I was looking forward to not sleeping under the stars."
"Enough. Let us go, before those soldiers exit and find us loitering around," Glass said sternly, and with an edge in her tone.
They soon left the village behind them and retreated back into the forest where it'd be hard to find them.
Several hours passed as they traveled as one group. Not much was said in that span of time, as they had to put more distance between themselves and the village in case someone recognized them on the new wanted posters and reported it to the soldiers.
A few monsters attacked them during that time. Large lizardlike men like the ones they'd fought at the Ghost Ship Wave. Creatures that looked like large squirrels, only angrier and more aggressive. Even a couple of small Soul Eaters like the ones they saw before they'd combined into the big giant ugly fish boss of that Wave.
Glass looked wary every time those particular monsters appeared. But L'Arc and Therese handled them easily, and, at one point when they found one weak enough they allowed Raphtalia and Dou-Lon to kill it with their new weapons.
Well, Raphtalia killed it. Dou-Lon had struggled with unsheathing his katana, and even after he did he found it awkward to grip the small hilt with his hands. He'd hoped that the training he'd had with swords when he was studying to be a royal knight for Siltvelt would help somewhat. But it'd been too long since that time. He was barely able to contribute to the battle at all.
'Perhaps I should have grabbed the naginata or that club after all?'
Too bad they'd left the village far behind by that point. He was stuck with his choice.
Eventually, when the sun was low in the sky, the group came to a halt in a small forest clearing. "Let's set up camp before it gets too dark. If there are Soul Eaters in the area, we'll want to get set up as quickly as possible." L'Arc recommended.
The group was divided. Glass and L'Arc got to setting up tents as Dou-Lon and Raphtalia gathered firewood and stones. Therese went around the clearing, placing gems on tree branches and whispering something to them. These would warn her if monsters or some other danger approached the camp while they rested.
After a while, the tents were set up. A fire-pit for cooking was made, and watch gems were set up around the campsite.
"Mmm, yes, meat stew. My favorite, just like the last three nights." L'Arc said in a lighthearted joking tone as Therese stirred the pot over the fire.
"I'm sorry. I should have thought about buying supplies after we outfitted our new friends." Therese sighed apologetically.
"Hey, I don't mind. We thought we'd be getting a warm meal at that inn. But your wonderful cooking is more than fine by me!" L'Arc flirted.
"Maybe I should do the cooking next time." Glass looked at the fire calmly as she sewed up a hole in her sleeve that a branch had made earlier that day. "I feel a bit bad about always putting that responsibility on you, Therese. I would make L'Arc do it, but we all know what happened last time."
"Hey now, no need to start pointing fingers, and besides, it was just that one time." L'Arc sweated as he pulled at the top of his kimono.
"It's okay Glass, I like to cook so I don't mind." The gem girl smiled over the pot that she was stirring. Still, I'm nowhere near Master Craftsman's level." Therese then said to herself thoughtfully. "Perhaps, when we find him, I should ask for some cooking lessons from him?"
A look of shock and anger passed L'Arc's face while Therese stifled a giggle in her hand. It was almost too easy to rile the redhead up.
L'Arc hmphed and demonstratively walked over to Glass before striking up a conversation with her. While that was happening, Raphtalia and Dou-Lon stood some distance away from the fire with their hoods pulled back. Both of them were practicing swinging their katanas down in front of them.
They were quiet, silently practicing what Eclair usually made Wyndia do, since the dog girl usually used the weapon that the two demihumans had chosen. Raphtalia struggled as she was more used to bastard swords that had thicker blades, and Dou-Lon's hands still felt uncomfortable on the short hilt of his blade. More so, he wasn't so used to doing the downward slash exercise. Even with his years of physical conditioning, it wasn't long until his arms started to burn while his shoulders ached.
It didn't help that it was easy to accidentally drop the blade, due to him having trouble finding a proper grip on it. There was enough room on the hilt for two hands, but he was more used to keeping his hands far apart, bringing them together on the hilt only when he needed to.
He almost did drop it a few times and it made him frown each time it happened.
Scratch the weapon shop, he was lamenting that he hadn't grabbed a spear from one of the fallen guards at the regression prison. Even if it might have been too high level for him, at least he would have had a weapon he'd know how to use.
Still, both kept at it until dinner was done, and then they sat with the others to eat the same meal they'd had the last few days.
If anyone had any complaints about it, they didn't make them known.
In the middle of it, Dou-Lon felt so hot that he pulled the sleeves of his kimono back so his furry arms would be free. "That looks mighty uncomfortable man. If you want, I could shave your arms using my scythe? And don't worry, I know I can get pretty wild and reckless in fights but I can use finesse when necessary, so I won't skin you by accident." L'Arc offered.
"Probably," Glass added dryly, making L'Arc pout at her.
"No." Dou-Lon immediately replied. "I already decided earlier that I'd learn to bear with it. To a Hakuko, to shave off the fur on our forearms is the equivalent of rejecting our whole heritage. I have only done so once, and that was due to injuries I'd sustained from Sir Naofumi's flames. And while… some people, will do it to reject their heritage, I am not yet ready to give up that part of myself yet."
L'Arc shrugged. "Alright, suit yourself, dude."
After the meal, L'Arc helped Glass to change the bandages on her arms. And then, because of the stress from the day, they retired early.
"Have a good night everyone!" L'Arc walked off to his own tent.
"Sweet dreams, L'Arc," Therese said as she and Glass walked into a tent together. Raphtalia silently walked in after the pair, but the third tent remained empty.
Dou-Lon stayed sitting next to the fire, taking the first watch of the night with the watch stones Therese had set up while staring at the slowly dying embers. Noises came from the tents as the group settled in for the night.
…
After a while, things became quiet, besides the cracking sounds of the fire.
'Ah, finally.'
Slowly, the hakuko male moved the log he'd been sitting on away from the fire. He then unrolled a meditating mat in front of him. Imagining the fire to be the candles he normally had lit in his room, he bent his legs into the lotus position and began to meditate for the first time in several days.
It'd been a while since he'd last been able to do this. There was a lot he had to think over.
He recalled their battle with the Spirit Tortoise. Having to escape the carnage of the camp. There were the faces of those he'd saved, already blurry in his mind. And then there were those he'd failed to save.
Their faces were still as crystal clear as they'd been that day. Whether from him not being fast enough to reach them before a monster. Because of a wagon or a pole crushing them and him being unable to lift the heavy object up to rescue them. Or some other reason, yet what they all had in common was that he hadn't been strong enough to rescue them…
He could accept his failures, but he would not forget them. It would be a great dishonor to all the soldiers who'd died that day. And it'd only make him a terrible person if he thought they were of little importance. So he silently offered up a prayer for their souls, currently held in the hands of their enemy.
After a while, the faces retreated from his foremost thoughts, and he remembered the battle inside the Spirit Tortoise next. What a long, arduous ordeal it had been. A continuous battle with little pause for breaks all the way to Kyo and even after with them chasing him to this world.
He would have thought the thing that troubled him the most was Kyo himself. But no, it was the conditions of the Heroes they'd rescued. He saw Sir Motoyasu, thin, shaking, and covered in his own bile. He also saw Sir Ren, his armor in tatters, the whites of his eyes tinted red from the stress, and his face one of perpetual despair and sadness.
He knew they'd rescued them. He'd fought alongside Wyndia and Eclair as they ferociously fought to protect Ren and the Spear Hero. And yet, there was still worry in the back of his mind about whether or not they were ok. If something had happened to them while they were gone, or if Sir Ren had fallen into despair again and…
No. The more Dou-Lon thought about it, the more foolish it sounded. He'd seen the look on Wyndia's face before they'd left. The Sword Hero would be in good hands. And Sir Motoyasu had still been the same despite the horrible torture he'd undergone. He was just going to have to trust that the others would take care of them while they were gone and that they'd be able to handle things should issues arise.
He went through his memories of their trip over there. Of being separated from Sir Naofumi. Of their stay in the regression prison and the surprises they'd discovered there. Of their subsequent escape and their running up until that day.
It truly bothered him that there existed nations that would kill the Heroes of another nation to further their own ends. It was something not even Siltvelt would ever do. There was hardly any love for the other three heroes, yes, but there was much respect for the Vassals of their world. They would not dare to do what the people here had done. And even if they didn't like the other Holies Heroes very much, many people still understood their importance in protecting the world from calamity.
It wasn't long until he finally reached the events that occurred today.
It troubled him that the simple village they'd visited had taken so much inspiration from the Heroes of the past. He'd gotten better at not worshipping Naofumi himself. Still, he'd grown up his whole life learning that the Heroes and the worlds they came from were sacred. That unless a Hero permitted it or gave it as a gift to the people, to make something from the worlds of Heroes would be nothing short of blasphemy.
This wasn't his world, as Therese had said. But he still had his worldview. Something he could not simply align with the others overnight.
But if even a simple remote village took after the manner of the Hero's world… Dou-Lon shuddered.
It was likely he'd encounter what Siltvelt would call blasphemies all over this world.
The thought shook him, and he found himself moving on to the next topic on his mind to protect himself from it.
He had chosen to learn how to fight with a katana. He wondered if he'd chosen it since it was one of the few weapons that existed in his world…
Or, perhaps, it was the same thought process that'd driven him to not choose the naginata. Since it and the other weapons in that shop had been tied to past Heroes. The katana and its various blades had also drawn on knowledge from the worlds of Heroes. But they'd still been made in his world, meaning that some Hero had to have given it to the people as a gift… right?
…
Regardless, his choice had put him on the path of learning not only a new fighting style but learning how to fight with a new weapon entirely. He opened his eyes and looked at the unfamiliar sheath on his side with a frown.
'Perhaps… letting my sense of belief guide my choice there was a mistake…' Dou-Lon shook his head at the thought. 'No, there is nothing wrong with acting on faith. Unless my faith was misguided, which I don't believe to be the case here.'
Maybe he could look at this as a trial that the Shield God had placed before him to overcome? He had grown complacent before with his lance and his fists. It wasn't until he'd met Eclair, and she'd begun to drive him to improve at a drastic rate that he…
At the thought of the crazy swordswoman, Dou-Lon felt an ache in his chest. It was unexpected and caused him to pause in his meditation and frown because it was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. It was like there was something missing inside him. A part of him he hadn't even realized that was supposed to be there until that moment.
It was unnatural. The closest experience he could think of to compare it to was…
The cloth of one of the tents parted, and Dou-Lon's thought process was scattered. He looked up from the slowly dying flames of the fire, annoyed that he hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings. Then, the annoyance was washed away when he saw who it was.
"Oh, it's you, Miss Raphtalia. It's still early for your watch. Are you having trouble sleeping?" The hakuko asked.
"Yes…" Raphtalia answered. Her voice sounded a little sad, but also pained. "Is it ok if I sit by the fire too?"
"Of course. Go ahead." The man gestured to the area across from him.
The two of them sat in silence for a couple of minutes, watching the small fire until the hakuko broke the silence again.
"If I may ask, what is troubling you tonight? It looks like you are in pain, but I don't recall you getting injured today."
"It's growing pains," Raphtalia answered dismissively to alleviate his concerns. "It's nothing I haven't gone through before."
Dou-Lon still stood up though. After looking the Tanuki girl over, she didn't appear hurt, much to his relief.
But… she was right. She was still short in his view, but she'd grown at least an inch since he'd seen her that morning. Checking their levels, they were both at level 15.
"Already? I would have thought it'd be at least another ten levels before you started showing any growth." Dou-Lon said in surprise.
Raphtalia shook her head. "No, this is normal for me. When… when I was first with Naofumi, it was around this level that I started to grow." She admitted. "Although I didn't quite become a teenager until I was closer to 20. And then around 25, that was when I became an adult."
"From ten to young adulthood at such a low level… Amazing… you must possess a strong bloodline for that level of growth." Dou-Lon said in awe.
"I wouldn't know. My parents never told me…" The girl replied quietly.
…
"Come to think of it, you have never told me much about your parents, Miss Raphtalia," Dou-Lon said as he sat back down, staring at the girl across the fire with curiosity. "Are they still alive?"
Raphtalia silently stared at the fire. The flames reflected off her deep tea-red eyes. "Their gravestones are behind our home. Next to Rifana's, who was my best friend."
"Ah…" Dou-Lon breathed in sharply. He'd seen Miss Raphtalia and Sir Naofumi go together every now and then to stand in front of those graves at night or in the morning, sometimes bringing Filo along with them. But he'd never felt to pry because it felt too private. Too sacred, for someone such as him to interrupt.
"How… did they die?" Dou-Lon asked, his ears lowering onto his head.
"... they died, protecting me and those who'd survived escaping the first wave of catastrophe from the Wave Boss. I… I heard it was because of their efforts that the Wave Boss was weakened enough for the knights to kill it." Raphtalia answered hesitantly.
"In the first wave… so they only died a few months ago, when you were still a child?" Dou-Lon said, sounding sad.
"Yes. I didn't understand why they did what they did back then. But… I think I understand now." She said with a small smile.
Despite her initial sadness, a precious memory ran through her mind. She was that same little girl, crying as she hugged the Shield Hero in a cavern full of glowing ore. Her parents' voices whispered to her from beyond the veil. And their voices brought peace to her heart.
"They'd always been kind, and often helped with the problems of others before their own. That day though, they sacrificed themselves so me and everyone else they cared about would live…" Raphtalia's eyes gleamed before the memory sank back into her mind and she looked at Dou-Lon again. "I haven't forgotten them to this day."
Dou-Lon nodded in return. "A sacrifice like that would forever immortalize them in living memory for the bards of Siltvelt. Especially so since you became the companion of the great Shield Hero because of it."
"Heh. I doubt that'd actually happen. My parents only helped to save their fellow villagers. Not the entire world." Raphtalia smiled a little more at his joke.
"I… I was actually being serious." Dou-Lon said. "You should never underestimate what Siltvelt would do in honor of the Shield Hero and those closely connected to him. Especially since it's because of you that Sir Naofumi is on track to saving our entire world right now."
"... Oh…" Raphtalia blinked in surprise.
They stayed quiet for some time after that. Both looked down as the fire slowly died down into hot embers, which gave enough light for the two demi-humans to see by in the night.
"What about your parents?" Raphtalia suddenly asked. "Are they still alive?"
"My mother is, as far as I know. I haven't seen her in a couple of years." Dou-Lon grunted. "My Father. He left to compete in the Zeltoble arenas when I was little. Every month, he sent a portion of his winnings back to us to help sustain us. Until one day, the payments just… stopped."
…
He was silent for a moment as he pondered his next words. "I have no idea what happened. If he is still alive and has just forgotten about us. Or… … …"
Raphtalia didn't press. But eventually, Dou-Lon found his voice again. Though emotion choked the back of his throat. "It is common for people to die in the arenas and for families to never know of it. I can only hope it was that though. Since the alternative would be that he lost a match, and lost money from it and was… sold into slavery to pay off his debt."
…
Slowly, he raised his sleeve to wipe tears from under his eyes. "It's common for that and other terrible things to happen out there, you know. Yet, that hasn't stopped the people of my race from going to compete in those wretched arenas. Those of us who stayed loyal to Siltvelt after the expulsion and enslavement of the Raccoon Race were scorned by the other races because of our decline in power, and for the Claw King's defeat in the Great Siltvelt War. It is a shame my people have had to bear ever since."
"And that same shame took even my Father, the nephew of the Great Claw King himself, away to those blasted arenas. Where our mighty warriors wish to find even a semblance of the honor they had before." Dou-Lon clenched and unclenched his fist. "As if one could find honor in those worthless pits."
"Do… do you ever hope that your Father is still alive?" Raphtalia asked.
"... I don't know. Eventually, sometime the payments stopped, we figured he'd perished, and my mother, she grieved as any woman who'd lost their husband would. As for me... all I can say is that it was then that I decided to work hard to overcome the shame of our race. I couldn't allow it to take any more of my friends or family ever again. It was in part my inspiration for working to get into the Royal Guard. And why it was my dream to be able to serve alongside the Great Shield Hero."
"If I… a hakuko, could prove that the Great Shield God still loved us. Then perhaps, I could finally bring the shame on my race to an end. Perhaps, I could finally stop parents and youth, driven by desperation and a desire to attain the glory we once held, to try and find it in those accursed arenas beneath the merchant's shops of Zeltoble. Or amongst mercenaries serving and dying in unknown lands."
...
After the moment of seriousness, Dou-Lon chuckled. "But maybe those were just the foolish thoughts of a young hakuko boy. After all, I never expected to meet the Shield Hero in my lifetime. And when I finally did, I found that Sir Naofumi is no God."
Raphtalia smiled. "No, he's not… but he's something much better than that."
"Aye. He is." Dou-Lon agreed.
"And he does care about you. Whether you're a hakuko or not." Raphtalia gently added.
…
...
"I really miss him." Raphtalia eventually said. "I wish I could see him. That I could know that he was ok, wherever he's at right now." Her voice grew sadder as she looked down at her chest, where the slave mark was imprinted on her skin. "And yet… ... as much as I miss him, I miss Filo just as much, if not more, right now."
She sniffled, and Dou-Lon looked at her again. "A short time before we met you in that village… Filo had just hatched from an egg. When Naofumi first bought it, I couldn't help but think that he was wasting our money. I didn't need some monster to help me fight. But when she burst out of that egg with her cute pink feathers and that adorable innocent look on her face…" Raphtalia wiped tears from under her eyes.
"The money Naofumi had spent hardly mattered. And when she revealed she could transform, I couldn't see her as a monster anymore and began to see her as a daughter. And me as her mother…" Raphtalia began to openly cry after that.
Dou-Lon got up again. This time though, he moved across the fire pit and sat beside Raphtalia, putting an arm over her shoulders and patting her on the back. She leaned against him and continued to cry.
"I miss Naofumi… I miss Filo. I miss Melty. I miss Eclair. I miss our home. I miss our friends. I… I miss all of our family." Raphtalia sniffled. "I just want to see them again. I want to know that they're ok. That they're… that they're happy right now."
"It's ok... I miss them too. Probably not as much as you, but I miss them." Dou-Lon said.
"You think I care for them more than you do?" Raphtalia asked innocently.
The hakuko smirked. "I have no doubt that even at my most zealous, you'd still care for Sir Naofumi more than I." Dou-Lon shook his head as Raphtalia chuckled while blushing. "But you have a big heart, Miss Raphtalia. Far bigger than mine."
"Don't put yourself down. You have a heart under that thick head of yours too." Raphtalia giggled.
Dou-Lon laughed. He was happy Miss Raphtalia was no longer crying, but did she have to do it at his expense? "Thick head?"
"Eclair always said that about you, alongside other things during our training." Raphtalia smiled.
"Ha, that crazy swordswoman should have her own head examined. She probably has more muscles in her brain than both of us have in our bodies combined." Dou-Lon smirked as Raphtalia giggled once more, but then he smiled again. "I appreciate it though. Just as I appreciate you and the Shield Hero for accepting me."
"... I feel guilty that I didn't accept you at first," Raphtalia admitted. And to think out of everyone, he was the one who'd ended up with her and the Otherworlders. The person she'd trusted the least in their party for a while. "I'm sorry."
"There are a thousand things I could say for why that was, but I believe we're well past that by this point." Dou-Lon shook his head. "After all, I don't think the you from when I first joined would have ever accepted comfort from a lowly hakuko like me as you have now."
He finally pulled his arm off the little girl's shoulder and moved back to his spot on the other side of the fire. Raphtalia shook her head after he'd sat back down. "You're not a lowly hakuko. At least, you're not as lowly as when we first met."
"I'm honored to be regarded so highly by a little girl." Dou-Lon bowed mockingly, and Raphtalia giggled.
"If you ever find yourself bogged down missing them…" Dou-Lon looked into the dying coals in front of them. "Try to think about what they'd want you to do now instead." He smiled across the fire at her. "Worrying about the things we don't know will make it harder to focus on the worries of the here and now. And if we don't address them, then truly, we shall never get out of our situation and see them again. And I don't believe that they'd want us wallowing in our own misery."
"I know, it's... just hard, not to miss them," Raphtalia said sadly.
"We can miss Sir Naofumi," Dou-Lon stated seriously. "We can miss Miss Filo and Miss Seaetto and everyone else we care about. But we can't allow that to stop us from overcoming the problems we're facing here and now. We can't let that impede us in our own personal growth.
"After all, you still have a lot of growing ahead of you." Dou-Lon laughed at his own joke.
"Hmph. I can still feel the growing pains, you know." Raphtalia huffed. After a moment, however, she smiled a little after thinking over Dou-Lon's words.
She'd sworn to be Naofumi's sword, but… lamenting that she couldn't be there for him now wouldn't help her. Lamenting that she missed Filo and everyone she cared about wouldn't help either…
"There is wisdom in his words."
Glass's voice surprised the pair, and they looked up to see her standing nearby. The spirit woman's sleeves were pulled up, showing her bandages. Her red eyes were focused on the pair.
"H-How long have you been standing there?" Dou-Lon asked in surprise.
"Not long. But I overheard most of what you said from my tent." The spirit woman spoke plainly.
"Oh, I'm truly sorry that we kept you awake and-" Dou-Lon stood up and tried to bow in apology.
Glass, however, sharply swung forward with one of her fans, unfolding it at the same time in a single fluid motion. The gust of air that washed over Dou-Lon from the action silenced him. "There is nothing to apologize for. I could not sleep, and I pondered going off to train on my own without bothering you when I heard what you said about not allowing our worries to impede us from overcoming our struggles."
The Spirit Woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Miss Raphtalia, I speak this from experience. I have allowed my worries and my struggles to impede me for years. For the longest time, it has felt like my life has been on standby. And it is only because of recent events that my perspective has… shifted, somewhat." She looked down at her arms. Thinking over everything from the Cal Mira wave to now.
"I am not yet over my loss, and I doubt I shall ever truly get over it. But I cannot let it define who I am right now. For I must ensure we all make it to safety. That we reunite with Hero Naofumi and the others. And above all, I must prove that the Fans chose me for a reason." Glass nodded at them. "Do not let what has happened to us weigh heavily on your mind. Otherwise, you just might follow the same path that I once did."
"..." Raphtalia stood up. "I'll… I won't let that happen. I promise."
"Good. You are already proving to be wiser than I was." Glass folded her fan back and put it away before crossing her arms over her chest.
Dou-Lon nodded in response as he looked at Glass again. "I cannot say I know you and your friends too well… but I'm glad my words could be of some help to one as honorable as yourself, Miss Glass."
Glass stilled at his words. For a moment, he wondered if he'd said something wrong. But then, a small, genuine smile appeared on the Spirit Woman's face. "It has been a while since I felt I had any sort of honor… I thank you for those words, Dou-Lon."
Dou-Lon dipped his head in respect, and Glass did so in turn before she wandered into the trees to practice with her fans.
Raphtalia looked from her back to Dou-Lon. "Thank you… I feel better than before."
"Did I fix your growing pains?" Dou-Lon asked mischievously.
"No, but… I feel as if I can sleep better now." Raphtalia bowed her head at him. "I'm glad to know more about my friend."
"And I'm glad to know more about you," Dou-Lon said. "Sir Naofumi couldn't ask for a better future wife."
Raphtalia smiled, only slightly blushing as she turned and walked back towards her tent. "Good night."
"Good night, Miss Raphtalia." Raphtalia disappeared inside. Dou-Lon's sharp ears caught as she settled down and, to his relief, her breathing quickly settled as she fell into a deep slumber.
Good. He'd been able to help the Shield Hero's companion with her troubles. He'd at least been able to accomplish something good today…
No, his words had also helped another of their travel companions. He'd done two great goods today.
…
Dou-Lon sat in silence for a long while, thinking over what was said and what he'd learned.
…
…
At some point, his legs moved back into the lotus position, and he found his mind clear of the thoughts from before.
It took a moment to realize why.
He was still troubled by this world… but his troubles didn't seem so big, nor as important as before.
Even if he still considered it blasphemy to take inspiration for common things from the Hero's worlds… it wasn't near as important as reuniting with Sir Naofumi and the others. It wasn't near as important as keeping Miss Raphtalia safe and making sure she grew big and strong again. That she and the rest of their companions would remain ok until they managed to reunite with their friends and loved ones.
With that thought in mind, only one of his previous concerns rose up in his mind as he acknowledged the weight on his side once more.
'If I am to help out, I must learn to use this blade.'
That, he figured, would be his best course of action.
Surprising even himself, he stood up and walked through the trees. Trusting in his good eyesight to guide him away from the darkness of the fire to where Glass was training by herself.
He'd had a break from it for the last few days. But… it appeared a part of Miss Seaetto had rubbed off on him. His arms and shoulders still ached from earlier, but he found he couldn't put it off any longer, and even looked forward to the burning feeling coursing through him again.
Eclair… what the hell had you done to this poor hakuko? He never would have looked forward to training before he'd met her.
Upon seeing his approach, the spirit woman paused in the middle of her stance. Both her fans were held in her hands. "Is there something else you need, friend?" She asked curiously.
"Yes… there is… I have no training in the fighting styles of this world. And I have no training with this blade. I am of little use to everyone like this, and I want to be able to help should I be needed, so…" Dou-Lon detached the katana at his side and got down on his knees as he held the sheathed blade in his hands and bowed his head in humility. "I know this is not the weapon that you are bound with, but I can't help but feel like you know of it somehow, despite that. Would you please teach me the way of the blade as it is taught in your world?"
…
Glass slowly put her fans away and walked over to the kneeling Hakuko. One of her pale hands reached out, grabbing the katana. Her other hand brushed over the handle as if to pull it out, but then she decided against it.
She slowly handed it back to Dou-Lon and looked up at the stars above.
"You are right, this is not my weapon, not anymore at least. A long time ago, my master taught me how to use it along with the fan as well as many other weapons. But it has been so long since then. I am not certain if I will be able to properly recall and impart his knowledge to you."
For a moment, Dou-Lon thought she would reject.
…
"Nevertheless, I shall do my best to teach you and Miss Raphtalia what I can."
The spirit woman bowed deeply in respect and gestured for him to stand beside her.
Feeling grateful, and oddly welcoming the coming exercise after the moment of meditation and reflection he'd had, the hakuko moved next to the kimono-clad woman. Who began to instruct him in the stances of their world.
And thus, Dou-Lon began training to learn the way of the blade with Glass as his mentor.
Author's Notes:
Happy Easter everyone! I hope the majority of you were able to enjoy it and that you got to spend time with friends or family!
I'll say, I really enjoyed this chapter. I laughed a bit imagining Naofumi swaggering towards the merchants. I thought, man, I wish I could expand this more. Then, I decided, why not?
Enjoy the omakes!
Hero Clips!
Zap!
Glass slowly put her fans away and walked over to the kneeling Hakuko. One of her pale hands reached out, grabbing the katana. Her other hand brushed over the handle as if to pull it out...
It had been so long since she'd held a weapon besides her fans. A sense of nostalgia hit her as she remembered lessons with her master. A strict, yet kind man who'd taught her everything he knew. Who hadn't discouraged her or put her down like the town she'd once lived in, but had instead helped to foster her talents and to excel in combat.
Maybe, just this once, she would hold it once again. Just so she could remember those days as a beginner. So she could recall the lessons he'd taught once more, and-
ZAP!
As her hand grasped the hilt to pull the katana out of its sheath, her sheathed fans began to zap her with an immense shock. "Ah!" She cried out in pain. Yet her hand had clenched around the hilt of the katana.
Warning: Vassal Heroes aren't allowed to use weapons beside their own!
"M-Miss Glass!" Dou-Lon cried out in surprise.
"L-Let, g-g-g-go!" Glass tried to tell herself through chattering teeth. Her hand seemed unwilling to part from the blade, no matter how much she was zapped as the blade tried to fly free from her body.
Crap, her stubbornness was betraying her! She really wanted to hold the katana despite the pain it was causing her if only to prove that she could withstand the pain, and-
With one mighty jerk and a shock that brought the spirit woman to one knee, the weapon finally flew from her grasp and landed on the ground behind Dou-Lon.
"A-Are you ok?" Dou-Lon stuttered nervously.
"... yes, I should be fine." The spirit woman sighed as she stood back up. Wow, that'd been incredibly stupid of her. But at least it was over, and…
Wait, why was Dou-Lon staring at her? Had holding the weapon done something to her that she hadn't noticed? What would it…
Wait, she didn't feel her hair resting on her shoulders anymore.
Seeing where his eyes were looking, her hand moved up to her head and felt her hair.
It was all puffed up and smoking from the electricity. Had she had a mirror on hand, she would have seen how ridiculous she looked right then and there.
"Pbth." It was also then that she realized that Dou-Lon wasn't nervous. Rather, he was trying to hold back his laughter. "M-Miss Glass. I-I swear, it was not my intention to... to..." The fool was struggling to hold back a grin now too.
The normally serious spirit woman just... looked so ridiculous right now! He wanted to roll on the ground, releasing everything in his lungs so his laughter would shake the trees, and-
"You mention this to anyone..." One of Glass's fans appeared under his chin like a bolt of lightning. His eyes widened as her red irises appeared inches from his. "... And I will not hesitate to kill you." Glass said in a flat voice that betrayed only a hint of her rage.
"Eep!" Dou-Lon's eyes bugged out, and he gulped at the waves of power suddenly coming off the spirit woman's form.
Though… she didn't look near as scary because of the way her hair looked now. But he'd probably die then and there if he pointed it out. "M-My lips are sealed!" He promised.
She glared at him, making sure the message sank in. She continued to glare until long after she'd fixed her hair, and began training him.
And so, they continued in their travels, and Dou-Lon never mentioned what he'd witnessed that night to anyone else. Not even to Sir Naofumi when they reunited with him.
Because as funny as it'd been to see, he did not want to risk the spirit woman's wrath.
Ever.
…
Though he did laugh whenever he was alone and thought about the memory.
That was safe, right?
Right?...
Hero Clips!
Beware the Merchant Demon
"Ahhhh..."
A random merchant, we'll call him Bill, sighed as he stared out the front window of his shop.
It'd been several years since Bill's shop had been ravaged by the one known as the Merchant Demon. Just like the other victims, it'd only taken him a few days to recover financially. But it hadn't been until recently that Bill had finally regained his former confidence.
You see, for months after that day, Bill and the others had lived in fear of the Merchant Demon's return. Never before had they been more honest in their dealings than they had in any other time.
It'd sucked! Bill's profit margins had been at their lowest. And while he'd had more customers, it was like customers were able to take advantage of him and get something at a price that only barely made Bill any money! He'd nearly quit as the stress became too much for the poor man to handle. Several other merchants actually had quit and moved on to other careers!
It'd taken many trips to a therapist. Who'd helped to convince Bill that he'd merely had a bad day when the Merchant Demon went through town. And that he wouldn't have to fear such a thing ever happening again.
Bill eventually convinced himself that he was a good businessman. Sure, he conned people of a few extra doumon every now and then, but it was a trifling thing. And it allowed Bill to buy gifts for his wife and kids that he otherwise wouldn't be able to afford.
Bill was a good person. Bill was a good merchant!
Those merchants who hadn't gone to therapy were fools and suckers to think their form of 'honest' business was the way to go! As long as Bill made money, and as long as the customer was happy, even if it involved a little lying here or there to make them happy, everything was as it should be!
Bill had those thoughts on his mind as he saw a shadow approaching the door of his shop. "Ah, yes, another customer." Bill straightened up behind his chair, adorning his face with his signature merchant smile. One that'd help put his customers at ease, and get him more money, and-
Wait... what was this foreboding feeling traveling down the length of Bill's spine.
With a slam, the door opened harshly. Just... just like... JUST LIKE THAT DAY!
"Hmhmhmhm." With a hum, Naofumi, the Merchant Demon, strutted into Bill's shop, swinging his hips around with a high and mighty swagger and fixing the merchant with a crap-eating grin that said he was about to take the man out of everything he'd ever owned.
"No, no way." Bill gripped his desk fearfully.
"Hello there, good sir! Hmmm!" Gold coins flashed over the glasses Naofumi was wearing. He was also dressed in an outfit that eerily resembled a certain slave trader. "You've been very naughty lately, haven't you?! Mistreating your loyal customers left and right! Your poor wallet must be so full with their money!"
"Don't worry though." Naofumi's glasses flashed as the gold coins that'd been reflecting on them morphed into bags of gold and his grin became even bigger. "I'm sure the deals I have for you will fix that bothersome problem straight away!"
"But, but I..." Bill weakly spoke.
'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!' The man cried in his mind as the Merchant Demon haggled him into permanent financial ruin.
Remember kids, if you go into business, be honest, don't cheat, and above all, hold to your integrity as if your life depended on it.
Otherwise, there will be a day when you too shall receive your day of reckoning by the hands of the Merchant Demon.
As a wise magician once said: The Bill comes due.
Till Next Time
Allen