This was an interesting chapter to write for many reasons.

Originally, I had planned to take this chapter in a different direction, but it wasn't working out when I actually began writing it. Thankfully, while my initial plans didn't work, I quickly found a workaround that wasn't only very interesting to me but also led to a surprising amount of character development that I think you will all enjoy.

Regardless, I am glad I split this chapter into two parts; it really saved me in terms of the pacing.

Now, I want to quickly answer the question of a guest reviewer on FFN, but this could apply to all the sites I host this story on.

How big will Alex's harem be?

The honest answer is I don't know.

The critical thing to note here is that I want every girl in the harem to complement and harmonize with all those already in it. Like, I'm not going to have another Tsundere because, one, I hate that trope to death, and two, I already have Elze. So, there is no repeat of an archetypal trope, hence why Rem wasn't included. In addition to not wanting repeat tropes, I want each girl to bring something unique to the table so that they can advise and counsel Alex once things escalate. This is why I made Elze a merchant on the side, and Yae is interested in an apothecary. At the same time, Linze is a scholar, and Shera is a ranger.

And because it's not even a spoiler, Yumina is 100% going to be in the harem, and she brings the qualities of a Ruler.

Anyway, I am looking at the girls introduced in season two and other ladies in the series I have tagged. If I am going to add them again, it needs to be a natural fit that adds to the story and does not overwhelm it. So, yeah, that's my honest answer.

I mentioned before that while I have a solid idea of how to take this story forward, it's not planned out like my main fic.

(The reboot is now available to read right now!)

Anyway, that covers it for now. Please enjoy the chapter.


In Another World With My Smartphone: The Lost Hero

Chapter Seventeen: Shadow of the Interloper Part 2


"Thank you for the invitation, Mika," said Finn as he finished his supper.

"It's no problem," the young woman answered with a small yet happy smile as she played around with the remainder of her soup still in its bowl. "Fleur's spending time with her grandkids, Dad's out drinking with Barral, and Alex's party is out on a job, which leads me to be here all by myself. So why not invite you for a nice dinner? You deserve it after being such a big help here."

"Oh, I'm nothing special," Finn said with a bashful smile, embarrassed by the compliment. "It's Mr. Springfield's dishes that's been bringing the clients in, not me."

"But even Alex said that you've been doing a great job covering for him whenever he's out," Mika quickly added with a slight frown. For all of Finn's charms, she hated how he had always thought so poorly of himself. "It's only a matter of time before you might be able to come up with your own recipes!"

"Maybe..."

Before Mika could say anything else, the inn's door opened, allowing a flux of familiar faces to enter. It was Alex and his crew, along with someone else, all of them covered head to toe in dust and dirt. Mika and Finn rose from their seats out of concern about seeing their friends in such a condition, only for the former to yelp and the latter to squeak as he went to cover his eyes.

"What are you wearing!?" Mika yelled out as she pointed at the elf who was with her friends.

"Aw crap," Alex yawned as it only really now dawned on him how open Shera's outfit actually was. The elf quickly covered herself better with her cloak, but it didn't help much, considering how small it was. Thankfully, Alex was one step ahead of the situation.

"Sorry, Mika. Stuff happened. So, is it possible for her to borrow some old clothes? Plus, we need a new room and get the baths running as soon as possible. Oh! Finn! Perfect timing! Mind helping me get started on the prep for the last set of steaks I have in the ice box? I'll pay you for the help. I'll start cooking when I'm out of the bath."

Mika instantly deflated as she looked at the shameless, strange young man and the rest of his crew. The twins looked tired and apologetic, while Yae simply looked embarrassed by the situation. The elf who Mika suspected was the Mia girl Alex was talking about this earlier this morning. Finally, she looked at Finn, who had nodded at Alex's offer but was still covering his eyes out of embarrassment over the elf's lack of modesty. It was all a little much for the young innkeeper to take in...so all she could really do...was laugh.

"Talk about an entrance," Mika answered after wiping a tear from her eyes. After enjoying her bout of laughter, she quickly changed her tune and returned to work mode. There was a new guest, and a new room needed to be prepared. "Alright, we'll log your new friend after you all get cleaned up. Finn, head to the kitchen and get started on that prep. I'll get started on the baths; now, who's getting bathed first?"

"Me and Shera," Alex answered promptly, considering that he needed to get into the kitchen to help make the girl's dinner. The teams had managed to silently agree that if Shera really was a Princess, she would get top priority when it came to things like this.

"Alright," Mika answered as she rolled up her sleeves while Finn bumbled his away into the kitchen. "I think I have some old clothes from my mother that she can borrow. I'll have her room ready after I prep the baths."

"Cool," said Alex with a nod before turning his attention to the rest of the girls. "I'll try to be quick so you can take your turn."

"As long as we get to eat soon," said Elze with a tired grin.

"Food and bed..." was all Linze could say as she looked almost dead on her feet.

"Thank you for your consideration," said Yae with a quick bow.

"Alright, let's get started!" Mika called out with a hearty clap.


Linze was happy to sit down at the dinner table, freshly bathed and ready to enjoy a delicious meal. The day had been long, strange, and tiring. As much as she wanted to join her before bed, everyone agreed that they couldn't exactly wait for specific answers until the morning. The quicker the air cleared, the better they could rest without anxiety running in the back of their minds.

Everyone was quiet. After closing up for the night, Mika had gone to her quarters, while Finn went home after helping Alex. Dolan was likely going to be out late tonight, which left the party alone to join their meal and really speak their minds. That being said, they first had to tame their growling stomachs, which began to roar with excitement when a familiar smell began wafting into the dining room.

"Sorry for the wait," said Alex as he came rolling with the cart that carried their dinner. "But I did keep my promise."

It took every ounce of willpower in Linze's body not to dig in the moment the plate with a still-sizzling steak resting appeared in front of her. This sentiment was shared by everyone else at the table, especially Shera, whose eyes had gone wide at the alluring smells of the food that had been placed in front of them. Fresh bread, salad, a small cup of soup, and another nice bottle of wine for them to enjoy.

"I thought the sandwiches were tasty already..." Shera whispered with a heavy gulp as her mouth continued to water.

The elf was currently wearing the hand-me-down clothes of Mika's mother, which, while more appropriate to wear than her usual outfit, was still quite revealing due to her generous features straining the fabric. Even Linze couldn't help but stare as she finally had an inking of her elder sister's jealousy towards girls with bigger chests. It didn't help that she had repeatedly caught Alex taking swift glances at the elf's bosom from time to time. While the younger Silhoueska twin wanted to help Shera, she didn't want to compete with her for the boy's possible affection. She already had Elze and Yae to worry about!

"Wait until you actually taste it," Elze answered as her hands twitched in anticipation.

"Indeed," Yae sighed as Alex finished serving everyone and finally took his seat.

"Alright, let's dig in while it's still hot," Alex quickly declared without fanfare, not that the girls were complaining. Everyone quickly began digging into their meal with the typical exclamations of delight.

"Just as good as I remember it," Elze moaned after sipping her glass.

"Simply divine," said Yae as she tore the soft bread to dip into her soup.

"This is the best meal I've had in years!" Shera declared as her long ears wiggled in delight.

Linze, however, couldn't really say anything because her mouth was full of food. Mana regeneration was always taxing on her body and could leave her beyond famished. Nonetheless, the girl was entirely in love with the food and the one with the talent to make such an extravagant dinner that almost made her feel like a queen. The small feast continued with light casual chatter, primarily focused on learning more about Shera.

As the food slowly disappeared, their moods rose as their bellies filled; it was time to get down to business.

"Alright, I hate to ruin the moment, but it's time for you to answer some questions, Alex."

Linze wished her sister could have phrased that better as she saw the smile instantly disappear from the boy's face. Instantly, there was tension at the table. It wasn't heavy, but it was notable, given how uncomfortable Yae, Shera, and herself were feeling. Yet, they all wanted answers; it was just that Elze was the most determined to get them, lack of tact be damned.

"I did say I would explain myself," Alex answered calmly after draining his wine glass. But before you ask me anything, please be aware that I don't know everything. There are things I know, things I don't, and things I can make educated guesses about."

"Okay," Elze followed after taking a deep breath.

She didn't like to show it, but Linze could tell that her older sister was just as nervous as she was, if not more.

"Why were you acting so weird? That would be my first question," Elze started up as she leaned on the table. "You didn't start acting up until we reached the ruins."

"Aside from that weird energy that was screwing with me and Shera?" Alex answered with the sightliest hint of sarcasm. The boy let out a long sigh as he leaned forward against his hands. "I've been having strange dreams lately. Some of them turn into complete nightmares."

"Nightmares?" Elze blinked in surprise.

"Yeah," Alex continued with a shudder. Linze could only hazard a guess at what could make someone as strong as Alex react like that. "They started when I first met you and Linze. But after I healed the Duchess...they changed...but in the end, I sometimes wake up in a cold sweat..."

"What kind of dreams?"

"It's difficult to go into detail...just like trying to recall any dream is hard. But it always ends with a really creep voice...telling me to Seek the King...and I haven't a clue on what the fuck that really means."

The girls took a moment to look at each other with some concern.

"But what does this have to do with what happened earlier today?" Yae questioned with a softer approach.

"I was taking a nap when we were getting close to the ruins," Alex explained as he recalled the details. "Just before I woke up...I heard that voice clear as day telling me the same thing."

"That's just before the horses started acting up," Linze interjected with wide eyes.

"Yeah..." Alex nodded as he tried to move things along.

"Creepy..." Elze said with a shudder.

"Yeah," Alex repeated softly in agreement with a nod. "When I used Search, I found a statue of a seated king. After that...I guess my dreams started to make sense? Maybe I was supposed to find this statue? I don't know. But before I could really check out the statue for answers, we got attacked by that...what the hell that was. Now it's all buried, and all I can do now is hope that the Duke can have a team arrange a dig up of the site."

'What about the images you took with your device?' Linze knew that Alex was holding back, only giving the most basic answers he could give them. She recalled the brief time she had managed to poke at the device when Alex was still unconscious. Every instinct in her body told her that whatever that thing was, it was important. 'Maybe I'll ask him in private later...'

"Do you have any idea of what the thing that attacked us was?" Elze asked next.

"I have a theory," Alex began, seemingly more comfortable asking this question, given that he actually sat up straight in his seat. "But no real proof to back it."

"Alright...what's your theory?"

"Remember those murals?" Alex asked as he looked at the rest of his party. "I believe that the thing that attacked us was some kind of shadow or a memory of the one in the white cloak."

"What makes you say that?"

"Shera," Alex answered as he turned to look at the elf.

"Y-yes?" Shera answered, spooked that everyone had turned their attention to her.

"You said that you could sense that something bad happened to those in the murals, right?"

"Only the one that was called the Demon Lord," Shera answered as she began to fidget with her hair. She suddenly looked a little more melancholy. "The Spirits that surrounded it felt so sad...I could almost feel my heart break."

"You think even if Shera could not feel the spirits of the other murals, that they all might have met a similar fate?" Yae interjected with curiosity.

"Again, it's just a theory," Alex emphasized as he leaned his head forward. "But when I defeated it, the shade covering its body disappeared, and I saw the boy's body draped in that white cloak. As if he had popped right out of the mural, yet he just disappeared into that mist."

"Freaky..." Elze spoke up again.

"Maybe a defensive measure?" Linze finally spoke up. But that doesn't explain why, after all of these years, the pulsing dark energy started up recently. Maybe that has something to do with his dreams? No, the pulses started before Alex healed the Duchess. Or something else?'

"That's my best guess," Alex concluded as he leaned into his hands again. "That's likely the best answer we can give when we report this to the Duke and Chapter Master tomorrow."

"I...I think I'm good for tonight," Elze suddenly spoke up as she rose from her seat, surprising everyone at the table. "Thanks for dinner; I'll see you in the morning."

'That's it?' Linze mentally questioned as she watched her older sister head upstairs. 'She was the one who was the most determined to get answers, and she left just like that?!'

Linze looked at everyone else at the table, who were all looking at her with a mixture of confusion, surprise, and awkwardness. Feeling her face heat up from the stares, the younger twin immediately decided to follow suit. In a heartbeat, the younger Silhoueska rose from her seat, thanked Alex for dinner, and made her way up to her room without another word.

Linze had every intention of speaking her mind to her elder sister, given how awkwardly she had ended that conversation despite making such a fuss about getting Alex to answer questions. However, finding Elze looking like she was deep in thought, staring at the ceiling from her bed as Linze entered, forcing her to pause. She was entirely disarmed by such an alien expression on her elder twin's face.

"Sis, what was all that about?" Linze finally spoke up in a much calmer voice but still determined to get some kind of answer.

"Just thinking about what Alex had said earlier," Elze answered calmly, keeping her eyes focused on the ceiling.

"That's it?" Linze responded as she closed the door behind her and sat on her bed, completely lost for any other words.

"Yeah," Elze responded as if that was sufficient. "Why are you making sound like such a big deal?"

"Be-because of how you spoke to him earlier!" Linze answered while trying to keep her voice low. "I thought you would wring him dry with questions. But you only asked a few, and that was it!"

Elze didn't answer right away; she continued staring at the ceiling for a little longer. After a few blinks and a deep breath, Elze sat up to look at her younger sister with a smile, surprising Linze again.

"I considered it, and if it the me from a few weeks ago, I would've," Elze answered calmly after a moment of mulling her words. "But after...well, living with Alex. I learned something about him just from seeing how he acts. I know he's still holding back; anyone could see that he was holding back."

Linze felt her jaw drop; she had never seen her sister act so thoughtfully.

"He likely has a lot on his mind right now. That job with the Duke in a few? Finding out Shera is a Princess? Hearing creepy voices after almost dying? Good lord that can't be fun," Elze continued with that same smile as she playfully kicked her legs from the edge of her bed. "I just wanted to spook him a little. Just to remind him that...we're here. That we have some kind of influence on him and could get answers if we really wanted them."

"Th-then why didn't you..."

"Because I know he could become resentful if we really forced his hand," Elze admitted, her smile turning melancholic. "The last thing I want to do is drive him away. It's important that he actually trusts us with what he wants to share and does so willingly. I think he only answered now because of the danger it put us in, even though I was the one who elected to go on this Quest, not him."

'Elze...you...really have changed...'

"So yeah, I wanted to spook him and keep him on his toes," Elze answered honestly. "But I wasn't going to force him to spill everything because we knew he felt guilty. That's just completely backhanded after all we've been through. Is that a good enough answer for you, Sis?"

"Yeah," Linze responded with some relief. If she was being frank, Elze had hit the nail on the head; she was afraid that Alex would simply disappear from their lives if they pressed too hard. He could do it when he wanted, and they wouldn't be able to do a thing to stop him if he really tried. But it was also crucial for all of them to keep some kind of balance in their collective partnership, right?

Before the sisters could say another word, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Can I come in?" Yae's voice came from the other side of the door.

"It's open," Elze responded before Linze could get up to answer it.

The door opened wide enough to let Yae poke her inside.

"Is everything alright?" Yae asked with a slightly awkward air, like Linze; she had expected Elze to be more thorough in her inquiry.

"Yeah," Elze answered calmly with that same disarming smile. "I'll explain everything tomorrow, okay?"

"Oh...very well," Yae responded, sounding a little surprised by Elze's casual answer before motioning to close the door, but Elze was quick to stop her.

"Sorry about how I left..." Elze continued with a more apologetic tone. "How are things downstairs?"

"I do not believe I have ever heard Alex sigh harder than after you two left," Yae answered with an awkward half-giggle. "He was likely expecting you to storm him with questions until dawn."

"I figured," Elze retorted as she gave her young sister a knowing glance. "What about Shera?"

"She was a little confused about everything," Yae responded with a slight frown. "But rather than dwelling on it, she simply began helping Alex clean up. Last I checked, she was helping him wash the dishes in the sink."

"Only Alex could really make a princess clean up," Elze joked, but it seemed like Yae didn't understand.

"Oh no, he actually planned to clean up by himself," Yae answered with a more serious expression. "But she insisted on helping."

"Well, if she's going to be living with us here, she should get used to working here," Linze interjected, hoping this would mean fewer times she would need to help the inn.

"I suppose," Yae concurred with a nod before pausing. "I plan to give Alex some medicine to help him sleep better."

"You do think it could help with his nightmares?" Elze asked with some curiosity.

"Mayhaps," Yae answered with a slight frown. "The sleeping medicine recipe I found in the book differs from the one I am more familiar with from my homeland. But if it should work the same, hopefully, it will provide Alex with a more peaceful rest."

"That sounds like a good idea," Linze interjected with a nod.

"I thought as much," Yae concurred with a hopeful smile. "Well, if there isn't anything else...Good night, my friends."

"Good night, Yae," The twins said in unison before the door closed again.

"Ready to go to bed?" Elze asked as she lay back down and pulled the covers up.

"In a little while," Linze answered as she carefully lit a candle and pulled a book from under her bed. "I've got to catch up on my reading first."

"Alright," said Elze as she turned on her side to get more comfortable. "Night, little sis."

"Night, big sis," Linze answered in kind as she opened up her book.


"Fucking hell, of course, it won't turn on," Alex swore under his breath as he had been trying to get the smartphone he had discovered in the ruins to turn on. "Trying to get any kind of answers about that fucking voice can never be easy, huh?"

It didn't help that Alex's nerves had been pretty frayed by this point in time. He had been waiting for Elze to give him the nth degree on everything. He had tried his damnedest to provide short and direct but not dishonest answers. Instead, she had asked what, three, four real questions at best, and then she just up and leaves, just like that? Honestly, the young man had almost blown a gasket right there. If he hadn't realized that the girl had given him the biggest Hail Mary ever.

'She had me by the balls, and yet she decided to show me mercy,' Alex thought as he tried to turn on the phone again.

At this point, he figured the mysterious phone was neither completely broken or the battery was completely drained. He didn't have the means, let alone how to fix it, if it was the former, or to charge it since his smartphone was tied to the amount of mana he had. Something he had discovered after checking the battery after training a few times. It's not like God had provided him with instructions on how to switch phones so he could charge this one. So for the time being, he had risked aliening his party for a fucking paperweight for the good it was to actually have the damn thing in his possession.

'Even my actual phone hasn't been of any help,' Alex added as he looked back at his phone on the counter beside his bed. He had got on one hell of a searching spree for anything he could find on Touya Mochizuki. Hoping that Touya had come from his respective universe. He found plenty of Touya Mochizukis, but much how he likely wasn't the only Alexander Springfield in existence within his own universe. Nothing lined up with what little information he had about the Touya he had encountered. 'So he was either a recluse, Pre-World War III, or even older than that. Or he's from a completely different universe.'

In other words, Alex still had no answers to any of his burning questions.

'Did God know? Did God send me here specifically to solve something? To fix something? Was this the price for my second chance at life? Why didn't you tell me? Or was there something else going on that's simply reacting to my existence here?'

"Goddamn it," Alex groaned as he laid back down in bed. He just wanted to live a somewhat normal life! He was done with the Hero Business! That was his past! He was cool to live the life of semi-mercenary in this fantasy world! Do some good deeds here and there! Fight bad guys if needed! Get paid! Maybe finally get laid, as the idea of possibly dying a virgin a second time was bullshit!

He didn't ask for any of his magical abilities! Hell, it was likely the only reason he even had the girls hanging out with him. Who would even turn his way if he didn't have them? He was cool with helping people from time to time, but now? What is he getting himself mixed in with? Between this and the whole thing with the Duke, and now he's helping a Princess from a foreign country? He getting too deep into shit that could lead to a goddamn war, and it was starting to feel like there was no real way out save from just running away from all of it.

'It's too much...' Alex sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. Hell, he didn't even want to go sleep out of fear of hearing that goddamn voice again. 'It is so wrong that I just want to be a little bit selfish? After I already paid out so much?'

"Ugh, just stop it," Alex chided himself as he shook his head, trying to rid it of his darker thoughts. "You didn't pity yourself before, and you're not going to start now. Let's just deal with whatever comes."

With one hearty slap to his own face, Alex looked at the tiny vial of a sleeping concoction Yae had provided for him. He had considered asking Yae for something like this, but his pride had gotten in the way as he didn't want to appear crazy about the voices. Well, now that the truth about his nightmares was out in the open, Yae had proven to be thoughtful enough to provide him with the medicine without even having to ask.

'Welp...hope this works,' Alex thought as he drank the thick, bitter medicine that actually reminded him of cough syrup he had as a kid. The taste was still terrible, but there was something nostalgic about it that at least put his mind at ease. Setting the vial aside while pulling up an episode of a new anime that premiered a short while ago. It wasn't long until Alex was out like light halfway through the episode as the medicine took effect, lulling the young man into the deepest, most restful sleep he would have had for the last few days.


"I knew there was something to be discovered at those old ruins!" Alfred Ortlinde exclaimed excitedly as Alex finished relaying the events that transpired yesterday. The story and the life-like pictures of the site Alex had provided showing everything he had discovered with his party had energized the Duke as if he were a young man again. "This is amazing!"

"Oooh yeah," Alex agreed with a nod, relieved to see that the Duke seemed more happy than anything else with the news. He was surprised to discover that it was, in fact, the Duke himself who had arranged for the Quest on his brother's behalf. That made things infinitely more straightforward when it came to making sure he and his crew wouldn't get in trouble for their underground excursion in the Old ruins. 'Looks like the drawing spell was the perfect way to show the photos without drawing more attention to my phone.'

"There's quite a bit hidden underground; who knows if there could be more than just the one tunnel we found."

"Indeed!" The Duke followed with a broad grin as he straightened himself on his chair. "And you've confirmed that the pulses are gone, correct?"

"I checked the ruins for about an hour before coming here," Alex answered promptly with a reassuring smile. "Nothing felt weird; you could even hear the wildlife nearby."

"Excellent!" Alfred said with a massive sigh of relief. "You have no clue what a relief it is to hear this news as the summit looms ever closer. I wish I could have told you about the Quest earlier, but we didn't want to cause any friction with the Guild. Only the gods know how much we annoyed the Guild by how many times they deployed only to find nothing."

"I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual," Alex countered to try to ease the Duke's worries. "The Chapter Master stressed the urgency of completing the Quest as quickly and discreetly as possible."

"Ah," The Duke nodded with satisfaction. "Yes, Master Baudelaire has always been reliable and thorough. It's a shame we couldn't convince her to join us at Court, but alas, she preferred the more casual life in the Guild."

'Well, I can't blame her for that,' Alex mentally commented while nodding along.

"Very well," Alfred continued as he pulled out a piece of parchment, ink, and quill, after a few moments of writing, topped off by a satisfying stamp of the Duke's personal seal. The man handed Alex the letter excusing their impromptu excavation for the sake of completing the Quest. "I cannot wait for this summit to be over, and hopefully, if things go well I can convince my brother to raise an expedition to properly excavate the Old Capital ourselves."

"If that happens, would you mind keeping me posted?" Alex requested, trying to look more curious than interested. "I'd like the chance to take a look again! It was just so interesting to see what life was like in the past."

"I do not see why not," Alfred agreed readily with a nod as he handed Alex his sealed letter. "In fact, it might be crucial to have you take part...assuming I can make it happen. But for the time being, we still have the summit and marriage ball to get through."

"Fair enough, sir," Alex said as he pocketed the letter into his jacket and moved to rise from his seat before the Duke spoke up again.

"Before you go, Alex," Alfred continued, making the young man sit back down to be polite. "I was wondering if you knew any fun games to play?"

"Excuse me?" Alex questioned with a raised eyebrow, unsure if he had heard the man correctly. "Games?"

"Indeed!" Alfred answered with a kind smile. "The summit isn't all business after all! We do our best to entertain all of our guests with events and games—feasts, jousting, melee fights, archery, and many more! However, we could always use more events for those of us who are unable to compete in the more physical games."

"Oh!" Alex exclaimed, surprised by the request but actually interested in looking into these games. 'Shit...I can do everything from Chess, Checkers, and all sorts of other crazy stuff!'

"Yeah, I know tons of games, including board and card games that are both fun and easy to play," Alex answered as he began forming several ideas at the mile a minute. "Just give me a list of games you already have to ensure nothing is repeated."

"Excellent! I thought you would have something up your sleeve," Alfred praised with a jolly laugh as he began drawing up another list. "I look forward to seeing what you bring."

'I got three days before I come back for etiquette training,' Alex mentally noted as he thought about the material he could need to make the boards, pieces, and cards while making them look nice and fancy for such an important event. 'Wood, paper, wax, clay, and a few other materials, plus a little bit of silver and gold from my own wallet. As long as I keep magic usage to a minimum for Modeling, I should be able to make several of each game. This actually sounds like a lot of fun. I could even ask everyone back home to help me test them. Huh...maybe this thing might be better than I originally thought!'


"Good heavens!" said Celes as the party finished relaying what occurred yesterday. While initially irked at the idea that they had broken an essential rule about the Quest, she was quickly pacified by the Duke's letter and the results that the Quest was actually completed this time. "Who could have known that the Old Capital held such a secret?"

"It was surprising," Linze said determinedly. "But this may help explain why the Capital was moved at the beginning of the dynasty. Since all of the records from that era are lost, this could prove to be the finding of the century."

"To think it all started with investigating an illegal campsite," Celes pondered as she remembered when this strange chain of events led to this moment.

"I have been traveling alone for the last two years," Yae interjected with a rueful smile. "But the last few weeks traveling with my new friends have been the most interesting. Now I am waiting to see what comes next with great anticipation."

"Well, shit," Alex sighed as Yae seemed to be hitting a bit too close to home at the moment. "Now I have to live up to the hype."

"Anyway," Alex continued casually. "The Duke would appreciate your continued discretion regarding what was found at the site."

Of course, the Duke actually didn't tell Alex this, but he felt like it was just the logical thing to say to keep up appearances.

"Of course," Celes nodded in agreement as she filed the Duke's letter and eased back into her seat. "Although I am surprised to see that you are friends with the Duke."

"No less surprised for us to learn that Shera is a Princess from Mismede," Alex swiftly countered as he motioned to the awkward-looking elf who had waved apologetically. He saw that brief look of suspicion in the older woman's eye and wasn't going to have it. The young man was perfectly fine with the rule about keeping politics out of the business; hell, he actually respected it. But he wasn't here to deal with any of the possible bullshit that came from a hypocrite.

"Fair..." Celes responded as she closed her eyes, looking like she was deep in thought. "The Guild always tries to maintain a neutral stance regarding politics. But some things simply become unavoidable. We should all be fine as long as the relationship doesn't directly interfere or put the Guild into conflict. Now, it's time for your reward."

"Yes, please," Elze interjected with a growing smile.

"Now, there is a true adventurer if I have ever seen one," Celes laughed as she brought up a small chest and her stamp on her desk. "At fifteen gold each, that comes up to a total of seventy-five gold."

"Thank you!" said Elze as she damn near snatched the chest from the woman's hands.

"And now, please present your Guild Cards," Celes continued with that encouraging smile. As everyone presented their cards, Celes applied her stamp to give them credit for the Quest. "By my right as the Chapter Master of this Guild Hall and on behalf of the Adventurer's Guild. I am pleased to promote Alexander Johnathan Springfield, Elze Silhoueska, Linze Silhoueska, and Yae Kokonoe to Blue Rank. Congratulations."

"Thank you," The four newly promoted Veteran Adventurers said in unison as they collected their cards.

"You're welcome," said Celes with a nod before turning her attention to Shera. Even now, she could see Shera looking happier and more relaxed. She was even wearing new clothes that were more appropriate for human sensibilities. "So, you're really leaving us, my dear?"

"Only until things get back to normal," Shera answered with a somber smile as she looked at her guild card. "But at least Reflet is a nice place, and Alex's food is really good! Way better than any of the restaurants here!"

"That's quite the claim," Celes teased as she turned to look at a half-embarrassed-looking Alex. "Mayhaps I could attend to one of these meals one day?"

"We'll see..." Alex answered half-heartedly. "I'm going to be very busy for at least the next week."

"Very well," Celes continued as her smile turned somber. "Before you go, I was hoping to get your permission to message you to see how you are doing occasionally."

"Of course," said Shera with a happy smile. "I'm staying at the Silver Moon Inn and..."

"No, my dear," Celes interrupted with a chuckle. "With my null magic spell, I can use it to send mental messages to anyone I know by name and face. It also allows them to respond once per message. While I can do it whenever I want to whomever I please, I prefer to ask before simply springing it up randomly on anyone."

"That sounds useful," Alex nodded along, looking impressed. "What's the spell called?"

"Messenger," Celes answered proudly, not realizing that Alex had just acquired a new spell in his arsenal. The girls all looked at each other as they realized what their leader had just done, save Shera, who, while agreeing to keep Alex's secret, felt awkward seeing how his list of spells grew with a simple question. "So, is it alright with you?"

"Yes," said Shera with a sad smile. "That's just fine."

"Alright then," said Celes as she rose from her seat. "I'm counting on all of you to keep each other safe."

"We'll be fine," Alex said with a reassuring smile. "Are you ready to go, girls?"

With a collective agreement, the party exited while bidding farewell to the Chapter Master.

"Alright, let's find an alleyway and head home," said Alex once they were outside. He was looking forward to starting on the Duke's side project because it was a nice change of pace from simply making more weapons.

"Actually, Alex," Elze suddenly spoke up with a playful grin. "We actually planned to go shopping to see if we can find any deals with our new funds."

"When was this decided?" Alex questioned with a raised eyebrow as he was privy to this new information.

"When you left to check the ruins and speak with the Duke," Yae answered as she pocketed her share of the money within her kimono.

"I...uhh..." Alex tried to think of a way to counter this sudden and unexpected change in plans. "What about Shera?"

"I...actually wanted to shop too," said Shera with a nervous raise of her hand. "And I wanted to see a few friends I still have in town before my stay in Reflet becomes more permanent."

"We thought it might make Shera more comfortable," Linze interjected with a slight fidget of her fingers. "For all of us to stick together while we go shopping."

In reality, Linze didn't want to leave Alex alone with Shera, primarily out of fear that Alex's eyes would continue to wander if, say, they would split up. Or worse, if Alex left with Shera back in Reflet alone...and. Yeah, Linze didn't want any more possible competition as she continued her efforts to finally admit how she truly felt about him, warts and all.

'Somehow, I feel like while I was given a break last night. I'm still not completely off the hook,' Alex realized as he saw the smile on Elze's face in particular. 'Better not push it...'

"Alright," Alex nodded in agreement, much to his hidden chagrin. "You've all made your point. I guess I could use a little shopping for my next project anyway. So, let's go and hit the town."

"YES!" The four girls exclaimed together as they followed Alex with gusto and renewed excitement.


Author's Commentary

So, in my original plans for this chapter, I had planned for Alex and Shera to have a meeting with Olga, the Mismede Ambassador, but three scenes of back-to-back meetings were getting dull, plus they were starting to hurt the pacing. However, this meeting isn't out of the picture yet; it's just pushed back for the next chapter, which will give a little more breathing room.

Now, let's talk about the dinner scene. I know that I may have hyped up that moment in the last chapter, but honestly, we're not at the point for Alex to reveal everything just yet. I did want to tease the idea of Alex finally telling the truth to the girls, but that will only happen after Yumina gets involved and once Yae and Shera discover their real feelings for the idiot in question.

While this story isn't planned out, I do know when Alex will reveal everything (at least to the girls closest to him). Plus, it was fun to give Elze a chance to pull a fast one on basically everyone and the developer in a way that no one else seems to have tried. The next chapter is the final chapter before what I have come to call the Summit Arc, which means the next chapter is another slice of life for those who love those.

Don't let the name fool you, though. Despite being called an arc, I don't believe it will be too long, but it's going to be longer than the anime, and I am really going to have fun introducing Yumina my way.

I won't lie when I say that Yumina was my favorite character in the series.

However, I really like her because of how quickly she dropped her bow in favor of a gun. She fucking gangsta shot a golem in the kneecap! I laughed so damn hard when I watched that scene! So you can say that out of all of the girls, she'll be the one picking up on the ideals of the Second Amendment very fucking quickly and have fun with it.

This chapter was technically finished about two weeks ago. However, I was still trying to determine if I would include the meeting with the Ambassador before I decided to drop it. So yeah, sorry about that delay, but it should make the next chapter more interesting. That's all I have for now. Check out the reboot of my main fic, and keep an eye out for the next chapter. I have a good feeling that the turnaround time for that one will be quicker this time around.

Until next time!

-ZX