Chapter 26
Van was well on his way to making it onto my Christmas Card list. He was obviously a victim of this new regime that had sprung up in the Queen's absence, but that didn't stop him from extending a hand to someone who would likely get him into even more trouble should he get caught dealing with them (me).
That aside, he was ticking all the boxes I had for 'good host'. Food was simple but filling. Questions were answered, needs were met, shelter provided, and his only expectation in return was 'try not to make too much more work for the staff'.
Speaking of questions... We were currently in Idol's territory. His manor was actually just up a hill. Van's 'domain' so to speak was what Idol considered the 'slums' of his territory, because he didn't want to deal with the Demi-humans. Because of Melromarc's weird topography, it was easy to keep the Demi-humans out of sight from the nicer areas of town.
This only worked out to Van and his resident's benefit, since being just a little hard to get to meant anyone who shared Idol's views on racism actually had to work to cause trouble. And for the most part, it seemed the closer you got to 'nobility' the deeper the hate for demi-humans went. But being a matriarchy, 'the people' just wanted to live happy lives, not fight, while the nobility actually had nothing better to do except think on 'who to annoy today'.
On that topic, I found out a little of what Itsuki (the Bow hero) had been doing. Or at least, rumoured to be doing. After we had all split up after the second wave, he'd gone north as I'd found out before. But apparently, some of the nobility in that direction had met with sudden and fatal accidents. No one knew who had been killing them. No one took credit. The suddenly dead nobles however, were suspected of being corrupt. It made me wonder however, who was the one saying they were guilty?
Another thing Van had, was a bath. This caused a little friction however, and I found myself wondering how much longer I should keep up the 'Sir' thing. Long travel times and the occasional dive into one of the many rivers and streams that veined through Melromarc made it easy to conceal my secret, but now that there was no danger of a monster jumping from a bush, the party, or rather, some of the party had time to think of other things...
That said, I felt that having a secret gave me something. It was one thing to only tell them bits of pieces of my past, to selectively share my experiences to help them grow. That scratched the itch of me wanting to teach.
It was another beast entirely however to keep a secret while walking among them. On the surface, to anyone else, it seemed to have no point. They all saw me as their 'master' sure. But I treated them all equally. Clive got just as many pats on the back as Raphtalia. Usa wasn't the only one to get 'the back rub' after our first day cutting down trees for the Wagon (I'll note that yes, he tried to cut down a tree, alone, with only his one arm and the same axe everyone else was using).
But if I were a Woman in their eyes... Would Raphtalia stop trying to peek on me? Would Clive and Usa start trying to compete for my affection? Me being married with children seemed to not matter to Raphtalia. Would it be the same for Clive and Usa? Tetsu didn't seem to care much past my being 'dominant', so I didn't know if she had noticed or cared I was a woman. And Kunshu...
"No, you and Tetsu go in together." I replied, "I'll bathe with Kunshu."
"But..." Raphtalia was almost pouting when I said I was taking Kunshu into the bath room with me.
She had deliberately waited until after Clive and Usa had washed up to ask if I wanted her to wash my back.
"Ohhh I've never had a little bath before!" Tetsu was of course excited for the new experience. She sniffed at her arm, "I don't think I smell? Do I?" She offered her arm to Usa, almost punching him in the face with the abrupt closeness.
"Just a little, Miss Tetsu." Usa said, "Though, now that I am clean, it's more obvious?" He looked to Clive for backup.
Bro Code initiated, and Clive nodded, but gave the dragon-newt a headpat to show there were no hard feelings. Being an easily distracted and affectionate girl, Tetsu leaned into the headpat.
"But Kunshu is a giant bee..." Raphtalia started to pout while Clive and Usa were guided to our room for the night by a bemused maid.
"Kunshu, stay please." I said before she could follow Usa. She basically froze in place, waiting for an order from her 'queen'. Stuck in place, I went behind her, did a little monster anatomy study, and put a fingertip between her wings, just a little lower than the middle of her back. "Try and grab my hand?"
Her arms moved and twisted a little, but all she managed to do was flail around. Her chitinous body and musculature wouldn't let her bend her arms that way. I took my finger off her back and let one of her hands 'find' my hand.
"See? She needs help, so it's my job to help." I had to use my other hand to pat Kunshu's head, since now all four of her 'hands' were holding the other one. "Thank you." And she let go, standing at attention again. "We can wait for last, and I can heat up the water myself if need be. Take your time."
Raphtalia pouted, giving Kunshu a mildly jealous look that didn't reach her tail, but nodded and grabbed Tetsu's arm, "Come on you, I'm going to get you clean."
"Yay!"
I looked to Kunshu who's mono-expression face reminded me of Hagane and his shiny metal skull. The little reminders of home made me smile, and I pulled the brush out of the Shield's inventory, "Lets get a little of the 'grooming' out of the way first."
"Buzz." And we went to find a chair.
That night, while doing my usual 'end of day' things with the others (you know, chatting, learning to read, learning to write so others can actually read it...) I was sifting through the Shield's inventory to see if there was anything I could have it make 'on auto'. If there was one thing I actually liked about the Shield, it was this 'mass production' thing. Sure, I could do it better, and did when I had time...
But with our side job of 'medicine merchants', and the 'automatic bonus' effects of me spending time to 'master' each shield (no matter how stupid they looked... like one of them was a giant leaf... that was about as durable...) the mass produced medicine was still a grade above the 'common' stuff you'd find in a merchant stall. So long as we'd been picking up the abundance of wild medicinal plants while we wandered about, I could make many of the cheap, high demand potions and salves people needed.
The good stuff was for my party. I fully intended to live through this, and my job as Captain came before that of Hero. And my job was only done when everyone got home safe.
But I digress. Usa, with his big fluffy listening devices (I think Kunshu was trying to compete with me for who gave the most ear scratches. Not best, just most. And Usa didn't mind it seemed), noticed my tiny subsonic 'hm?' and called me out on it.
I didn't mind. It kept me honest, and kept them informed. It also gave Kunshu the excuse to give me a headpat when the reason irritated me.
"Something different?" Usa asked, his ear twitching in my direction, his nose lifting out of one of our newest books (a children's book with pictures but also lots of words).
"Yes?" I wasn't sure exactly, and I was still trying to 'look' through the menu in question. "Something new with your levels."
Kodori: LV 38
Raphtalia: LV 40 X
Clive: LV 40 X
Usa: LV 40 X
Tetsu: LV 40 X
Kunshu: LV 39
"There's a little star beside most of our names. Not mine, since I'm basically unable to kill stuff, or Kunshu, who missed out on most of the fighting in Lerno... But the rest of you are at level 40." I explained, closing one eye so I could sift through the oddly lacking help menu. Usually the Shield was falling over itself to tell me stuff...
Of course, this was a number based system, so when left with nothing but numbers, you looked at them a little harder.
"But I think I know at least part of what's happening." I pointed to Raphtalia, who looked left and right, then pointed to herself, "Yes you. Looking at the exact numbers... Your 'experience to next level' is One. I suspect, this is as far as you go unless something changes."
There was a little look of disappointment, then puzzlement. But none of them came up with anything either. "We could ask Lord Van?" Usa offered finally, his hand leaving its place on the book to pet Kunshu. This prompted her to turn her head just a little, uncurl a little from her 'I'm a fuzzy ball' mode, and place a claw/fingertip onto the page where he'd left off.
"It's a little late for that. But we can." I nodded, "Tetsu? Are you still awake?"
"Don't wanna... bed fluffy." She had a book next to her pillow, but had rolled over and ignored it as soon as Raphtalia took her attention off teaching her to read it. "Word squiggles are boring."
We all sighed, shrugged, and went back to our 'study time'.
Van's answer the next morning at breakfast was, "I'm not sure. But I may have a book on the topic in my library."
"You have a library?" Usa covered his mouth as soon as he'd blurted the question.
Van smiled and 'forgave' the slip of manners without calling it out, "It's one of the few things I was able to keep. I cannot guarantee it's there, but I will certainly look."
Of course, this would take time. But, a town would have things our wagon would not... Like an actual forge... And maybe the people would buy stuff from us...
I was about to ask, but Van proved his bookish looks weren't just for show, "Of course, you're welcome to stay a little longer. I'm sure my little district would be glad to have you take a tour, maybe conduct some business."
The party looked at me, and I was assaulted by a veritable rainbow of hopeful sparkles. Oh, except from Kunshu, she just focused on Usa's fork so she could help him cut up his food.
"A day off then." I nodded.
"Ah, there is one... one thing I must insist on. You cannot be armed as you are." Van stopped smiling for a moment, "A knife is all my people are permitted outside of tools for their jobs."
I frowned, but nodded, "I'll work on them in the smithy. Hope they don't mind me taking over..." And I started taking their weapons and storing them in the Shield.
Either Van hadn't gotten around to telling people who I was, or he didn't tell anyone. Our party split up to explore what amounted to 'the slums' of Rabier's territory. Technically, it was Reichnott's territory, but well, he'd been essentially annexed and absorbed. Stupid nobility...
I made sure they all went in pairs. Clive and Tetsu went together, since Tetsu could apparently translate for Clive. Weird, but that seemed to be this world's thing. Usa and Raphtalia paired up, and said they were going to 'scout the market' and find out if our medicines would actually sell here. This left Kunshu with me, who stuck to my back while I talked to the smith. Also of note, I had given them a bit of spending money, mostly snack money, and encouragement to come back to me if they saw something noteworthy for sale.
"So... You want to just..." The smith was a wiry cat-folk, who lacked a large build, but his bare arms looked to have cable for muscles. "Borrow my workshop?"
"I see you've got two workstations. I need to take care of my party's weapons, then if I have time make a few things." I reached under my cape, making Kunshu Buzz at me for disturbing her, and summoned Raphtalia's sword from the Shield hidden under there. "I can only sharpen it so much before I just need a bit of heat, you know."
He eyed the sheathed katana, "Suppose... Probably have to re-wrap that too."
"I have my own materials, just need the furnace."
"I can't lend you a..."
I took my hammer from its loop on my belt, "Lend me a hammer? Wouldn't hear of it."
He nodded and smiled, "Go ahead then. My apprentice will just have to run errands or something since he slept in."
Negotiation done, I stepped into the shop and started towards the 'lesser' anvil next to the brick and coal furnace.
"Is that a..."
"This is Kunshu. She just likes the warmth. Don't mind her." I looked up, and gave Kunshu's antenna a swish, "Go hide up there, away from the sparks."
Not much needed to be said about the weapon care. I made sure to make good use of a simple pedal grind stone to sharpen and polish the barb on Usa's whip, the edge on Raphtalia's katana and her (now backup) cutlass, and the edges of Kunshu's spear. With the furnace nearby, and my already made arrow moulds, I stamped out a few dozen arrow heads and sharpened them up nice too. With how diligent we were with 'cleanup' Clive's real worry was making proper arrow shafts and fletching.
I also took out a small block of Balloon resin, put it in a little clay jar, and let it soften into glue by the furnace. Handy stuff if you took the time to figure it out. I re-wrapped the lacing on Raphtalia's katana, made sure Usa's whip was as easy to grip and hold on to as possible, and treated some fresh bow strings for Clive's longbow and Raphtalia's 'filolial' bow (horse bow).
I was just finishing that up, and carefully making some of that 'thread crystal' into little bits I could add to enchanted jewellery later, when I heard someone 'pull up' outside the shop.
I thought for a moment it was Tetsu back in her dragon form, stomping over slowly (yes, I'd taught her 'the scary walk' all true apex predators should know), but leaning over I saw that it was just a very tired filolial. Usually, they held their heads up proudly, alert. But this one had all the markings of a tired horse. It also had a striking light blue plumage.
Then I saw a pair of muddy black shoes and dusty white socks touch down on the other side of the bird. A moment later, after the filolial lowered its head down to get what even I would consider a very good scroofle (that the bird soaked up like a happy dog), the rider stepped around the bird and stopped at the door of the shop.
Short, blue and white frilly dress, a pretty face framed by four(!) pigtails of the exact blue of her dress. My first impression was 'noble'. But what would they be doing here? Not my problem.
I started hammering again, learning more about the weird 'thread crystal', seeing if I could soften it with heat like glass, or like metal. The 'Light Metal' even though it looked like crystal, acted like metal so maybe...
"Sir Kodori? Ahh!"
I brought the hammer down a little harder than intended, and the little shard of 'thread crystal' sent out a wave of sparks as it shattered. Acted like glass then...
I looked up at the girl, who was swishing her dress clear of crystal bits. "I am." I said, correcting myself that this girl might in fact be my problem. "Sorry about that." I tried not to glare at her, but 'human' and 'noble' did not have a good record with me so far. I dusted off the face of the little anvil and set my hammer down on it, "Do we have business?"
For someone who might have been almost a teenager, her almost purple eyes didn't flinch at my nearly hostile tone. Instead, she took a bit of a deep breath and spoke just loud enough for me to hear over the hammering of the Master Smith, "My name is Melty Q Melromarc, second princess of Melromarc." Even in the heat of the workshop, she managed a perfect curtsy, "My mother, Mirellia Q Melromarc, Queen of Melromarc, sent me to find you."
I picked up my hammer again, stood, and slotted it into the loop on my belt. "Rather brave, giving me your name, and travelling alone too?"
Now she was a little unnerved. Then again, I was much taller than she was, and cast a long shadow over her with the furnace at my back. But she clamped down on it and replied without a single stutter, "I was told you wanted a sign of good faith."
I'll admit, I was a little shocked. I had not expected this kind of... 'answer' to my demand. I was expecting say... one of the ninja or maybe an official letter or something like my Merchant's License. But the Queen's daughter?
"Sir Kodori?" She didn't seem to know how to take my silence.
"Your mother is quite the gambler." I said finally, sighing. "How did you find me?"
Figuring I should at least pretend to be diplomatic, I started to clean up the borrowed workspace. Melty wasn't used to the temperature of a forge. "It wasn't easy!" She said, showing a little temper, "Though, when the Fox-Light shone over Mirso, I went there to see if it was you who did it."
"Fox... light?" I paused in mid motion, then continued and put a handful of 'thread crystal' bits I'd cut into various 'ornament sized' shapes and into the Shield's inventory.
"Yes. I would be surprised if the entire continent hadn't seen it. After inquiring with the Pastor there about what happened... How did you get rid of the curse that had settled into the ground?"
I finished cleaning up, then raised a hand up towards Kunshu. As the Empress Bee climbed down my arm, over my shoulder, then onto my back, I looked at the girl, "I ate it. And what I didn't eat, I made into the tree."
I moved my hair up a little, showing off my horns, and she went a little slack jawed. Then with an amusing shake of her head that moved most of her body side to side as well, she recovered, "You will have to tell me more."
"We can go find my party first." I said, "Master Smith." I got his attention as I made for the exit, "Thank you for the workspace."
"My thanks to you!" He replied with a grin, "You're more deserving of the title than I am for sure!"
"In this shop? No." I bowed, "I made a fresh arrow mould for you, since I had to retool my old one."
"You didn't have to. But thank you."
I stepped out, with Melty following close enough to grab my tail (she looked like she wanted to as well, but it was a fluffy tail). "You are more humble than I was told." She said as she reached to pick up the reins of the much recovered blue feathered bird of hers.
"Most of my time in your world has put me in a bad mood. But its people like him that make me care about the role I've been given to save it." I looked down at her, "And yes, that is a giant Bee on my back."
"Oh, I've been told about The Silent Spear."
"Her name is Kunshu. Kunshu, this is Melty."
Kunshu's response was to stick out her middle leg/arm, wait for Melty to grab her 'hand', then shake it. "Pleased to meet you?"
"click."
"I suppose she's earned that nickname. Now, where is everyone?" I asked.
"buzz." Kunshu's other middle arm, and the opposite upper arm pointed in two different directions. I responded with a headpat and then started in one direction.
Introducing Melty to the others was... odd. Kunshu had met her with the same 'meh whatever' I had, but had since given her a well meaning headpat when Usa hid behind Raphtalia, and the little princess started pouting.
Raphtalia seemed pleased to meet her, but I could tell from her tail she was cautious as well. But since I wasn't going to lie to my party, I introduced the blue haired mini-noble properly as 'Melty Q Melromarc'. If my 'outing' her identity bothered her, she didn't let it show, and Melty covered it up with a formal curtsy and finished up with 'second princess of Melromarc'. Raphtalia bowed (palm in fist, like I had done before, and she'd taken a liking to it apparently), and managed to at least keep a neutral face while giving her own name.
Usa, after working up the bravery to stop hiding behind Raphtalia, bowed and managed to stutter out his name. I had no idea why he was being so shy, but Kunshu crept off my back to cling to his, likely in an effort to cheer him up.
Clive and Tetsu actually unnerved the brave girl just enough to really notice. But despite his bestial appearance, Clive bowed (a good mimicry of this world's nobleman bow) and even managed a growling raspy hissing, "haaaaaaarrrrrrrooooo." This is what made Melty flinch.
But Tetsu, with her near infinite energy, tried to calm the poor girl down and 'translated', "He said hello!" A pause, "And would like to say pleased to meet you." Clive nodded agreement, made a couple of clicks and hand gestures, and Tetsu added, "Heehee. Praise me more."
"Is this your party? Where is this... Lucky Dragon?" Melty asked, "A shame it's not a Filolial..." She trailed off as we all pointed to Tetsu. "Wait, what?!"
"Can I?" Tetsu asked, doing a little excited jump.
"Let's get to the Manor first. Don't want to scare everyone." I said.
"But... I do want to scare everyone!" Tetsu pouted, reaching back, grabbing, then hugging her tail.
Kunshu reached out a hand, and Usa sidestepped a little so the Bee could apply a headpat on the dragon-newt.
"So, this is everyone." I said, "Let's get back to Lord Van. Say, where did that bird go?"
"'That 'bird', was a kind volunteer, who offered to carry me from someplace near Melromarc, to Mirso, then to here." Melty huffed. "It is a filolial worthy of praise!"
I was a little shocked at the tone of voice, but shrugged ever so slightly, "The question stands."
Another displeased huff, "I told it to go to Lord Van's home. I am confident his staff will care for it before it does what ever it wishes to do from here."
"Good to know." I said.
"Oh oh! Do I get to try and make friends with it?" Tetsu asked.
"Aww... It doesn't want to be friends." Tetsu, back in her full dragon form, was holding the end of her snoot where the filolial had pecked her.
The bird in question had been resting in the small courtyard (or front garden if you want to call it that) of Van's home, when Tetsu stomped up to it, and offered it a hand/claw. She even said, "Hello! I'm Tetsu!"
The filolial stood, backed up, and squawked at the dragon, puffing up and spreading its stubby wings to make itself look threatening. Tetsu didn't care, and took another step forward, and with a hiss, the filolial pecked Tetsu as hard as it could.
Raphtalia comforted Tetsu, and I looked to Melty, who was trying to calm the big bird down on the other side of the little garden. "I wonder if it's a mixed signal thing like dogs and cats from my world." I mused, "You okay over there?"
The big mean bird who probably tasted good was giving Tetsu the GLARE, but Melty was still stroking its feathery chest without issue. "Well, dragons and filolial have never gotten along."
"Ah, you've returned." Van said as he exited his manor, "I was wondering what the noise was, but it seems we have a guest? M'lady, it is good to see you again." Van didn't just bow, but went to one knee, "You've met my other esteemed guests I see?"
"I have." She said, stepping away from the bird, and putting a hand on Van's shoulder, "Please, stand, I am... not exactly making myself known yet." She gave me the smallest of dirty looks, "But I was told specifically to be as up front as possible to the Shield Hero."
Van certainly caught the look, and turned his head to look at my party and I, "And I hope your first impression was favourable?"
"It was." I said, "Raphtalia and Usa found some interesting food in the market, if your maids haven't started dinner yet?"
He saw the offer for what it was and replied, "We should all go inside to see. At the very least I will have tea for everyone." We all started to file back into the manor, "Miss Tetsu? Are you not joining us?"
"I wanna try making friends again." She said.
"Be gentle." I said, "And if you get bored, remember to change before you step inside."
Tetsu returned just in time for dinner, her enthusiastic face, arms and what we could see of her chest covered in little scratches. However, she was still smiling when she said, "I think we've come to an understanding!"
"And what's that?" Raphtalia asked, frowning and patting Tetsu's face with a damp cloth.
Tetsu winced a couple of times, but replied with a pleased sounding, "It knows I don't want to eat it, and stopped trying to peck my eyes out... eventually. Heehee."
"But you do want to eat it." Usa said.
"Well, I wouldn't mind trying one!" She admitted, making Melty gasp in horror, "But not that one! Cause we have an understanding!"
"Well, one must start somewhere when trying something new." Van said, "What have you made for us tonight, Sir Hero?"
"With the help of your maids, a few surprises in the market and something that's growing in in Lerno now, we made something similar to 'lemon fish' from my home world. And after dinner, something sweet."
During dinner, but more and more as we got to then finished desert, we answered all of Melty's questions. My treatment from the King. What those rumours of arson and theft were really about. Why I had essentially five slaves (three people, two animals, all 'slave marked'). Why I still had them, since they were basically unlimited in their freedom. What happened in Riyute before, during and after the second Wave. Acquiring Kunshu and Tetsu. Travelling to Mirso, fixing it, then going back the way we had come then past it to Lerno, and fixing that...
I could tell that Van was taking great interest in story time, as it were, but was content to let Melty have the 'floor' for all the questions that were asked. Either he respected Melty and the authority she represented, or respected the Queen and her choice of 'diplomat' to placate me. Either way, I could tell he was just itching to take notes or something.
But, dinner came to a close, and with it the excuse to remain in one place and be interrogated.
"You said my Mother was a gambler? Why?" Melty asked.
"You know of the talk I had with the Queen's messenger, correct?" I asked.
"Every word. They are very reliable."
They? More than one? The Queen had a secret service? "In the eyes of the Kingdom at large, I am a thief, an arsonist, a violent brute who beat the Spear Hero, a slaver, and I'm sure there are other things people are saying about me. Yet, here you are, a girl only a tiny bit older than Raphtalia..."
"Hey! I'm older than you are!" Raphtalia pouted.
"You are." I nodded, since she was technically right, "Alone. And basically offered yourself to me."
To my surprise, her reply improved my opinion of her a great deal. "Mo... The Queen sent me to you, to answer what she hopes is an honest request for aid, to help save her kingdom, and the world we live in." Aside from the slip at the beginning, her voice was sincere. "Your exchange with her Majesty's Shadow also gave the impression you would accept, provided I followed instructions and came to you without hiding who I am."
There was a pause.
Then I said, "You pass. How can you help me?" Almost everyone let out a held breath. Melty knew about my 'three rules' for my Party, and seemed to be following the most important one already.
She looked relieved as well and replied, "I have been following the Queen since I learned to speak, learning what is expected from me when she steps down."
Van seemed a little shocked, but tried to hide it behind a polite cough into his hand.
"Being of noble upbringing, I can read, write, do calculations, and have been trained by the court wizards to use water magic." She continued, a tiny bit smug.
I almost didn't have to act impressed. I had assumed she lived a bit of a soft life, but she had what this world called a formal education, could use magic, worked with a diplomat (of incredible skill, since Melromarc wasn't being invaded by everyone the King just screwed over...) and seemed to be taking her job as Heir to the throne seriously by getting her hands dirty. It was that little hint of arrogance at the end...
Except... she was ten. When I put that particular light on her, the scales tipped and I had to admit. "I'm impressed."
The others, except Kunshu and Tetsu (one was napping on Usa's back, the other submitting to a food coma shamelessly, quietly snoring while the boring adults talked) were impressed as well. "Will you join our party?" Raphtalia asked.
"If you wish me to." Melty looked to me.
"Well, let's see... I heard something about having a party that was too large..." I refocused my eyes to work on the status screen, then looked at Melty after I 'clicked' 'add'. She blinked, and it seemed everyone (except Van) got the same message.
Party is in excess of six(6). 20 percent EXP penalty.
I also noticed, under all our names and levels, the new member. Level 8.
"Sir?" Usa caught my covered up sigh.
"The EXP penalty and your level is going to be a little problem." I said plainly, holding up a hand as Melty's face started to twist into what was clearly going to be 'indignation'. "I'm not putting you down, but we're almost all at level forty." I looked to Van, "Speaking of?"
"Ah. There is mention of a 'class up' ritual, that can be done. Sadly, the condition of the book is... poor, and I was only able to find small amounts of information about it." His smile remained, even as we all frowned, "One thing I do know, is that a Dragon Hourglass is needed."
"Aha. Progress." I smiled, "Wait... 'A' Dragon Hourglass? There is more than one?"
"I know of three." Melty said, "Of course, Melromarc is one of them. But there is also one in Silvelt and Shieldfreeden."
"Oh another sigh." Usa said.
"Well, suppose we do have to go back there after all." I said.
"I do want to go there as well." Melty said, "While I have been told to help you... I would like to try and have my father and you-"
"No." I said flatly. "Your father stole me from my home, helped frame me for attempted murder, stole my wedding ring and when I won it back, lied to my face and said he had thrown it away." Melty flinched with almost every other word, "I value family, and won't stop you from visiting when we go there, but if you put me in the same room as him, only one of us will leave unless he returns my ring."
There was utter silence for a moment as Melty looked to me, then the rest of my party, likely finding the exact same reply in their silent faces. Even Van was a little shocked at my reply. "I understand." She said after a moment, looking a little dejected. "Mother said I should at least try to make amends between you and father..."
"Sir?" Raphtalia started, reminding me of the other thing I was going to do as soon as possible.
My opinion of Van went up, again, when he realized what the next topic would be. "I think that is enough for me tonight. When you are ready, Lady Melty, simply ask one of my staff and they will show you to your room." He looked like a scholar, but he was evoking the legendary art of 'plausable deniability' by leaving.
Likely sensing that I still wanted to talk to her, Melty stayed seated, "Of course, thank you Lord Van."
Usa's ears followed Van's exit, then his steps down the hall, until a moment or two after I couldn't hear him, he said, "It this wise Sir? She's nobility herself..."
"I said I would. And I will." I replied, "Lady Melty." I put no inflection on the honorific, making it sound more like 'miss' than a noble moniker. "Tonight, maybe tomorrow night, I plan on killing Idol Rabier."
She looked like I'd already done it and confessed to her, shocked, horrified. But, she mastered her surprise, "But, you, ah... WHY?" She finally blurted.
"I have it on trusted authority, that he buys young demi-human slaves, tortures them until he's bored of them or they die, then sells the survivors back and buys new ones." I replied coldly, my breath literally frosting in the air before I could pull back on my anger.
Melty looked at me, glanced at my party, then focused on Raphtalia. I wasn't looking at her, but her tail had gone slack, a sure sign of her mood. "I see..." Melty said finally.
"You don't have to come with us. Maybe you can start on your way home now and meet us later. But he is a monster."
"You fight people, hunt animals, and kill monsters." Melty said, "I remember."
I nodded, "When we are done, we'll head to Melromarc, and likely make a worthless attempt to class-up my party. Then, with your permission, I would like to have you slave marked to me."
That ruffled everyone's feathers (except my two animal friends who just kept sleeping). "Sir Kodori!" Raphtalia blurted, actually using my name. "You can't mean to... but..."
"Dungeon rule?" I asked.
"Use every tool you can to return home?" Usa said, almost getting it exactly right.
"The mark will allow me to increase the effects you get with every level you gain. You already know my rules, and that I follow them as well. I might also pick up another egg or two, and discuss something with the Ringmaster as well..."
Melty took my explanation better than I'd hoped, "If that is what it takes for you to trust me..." But got it wrong too.
"No. Not trust. You have my trust until you break it. This is to help me get home, and all of you to survive. That said, I hope you are used to physical effort. We are either learning, fighting or recovering." I said, "Get some sleep, you can answer later. But please, don't tell-"
"I am coming with you." She said, very firmly, "If you have declared one of the nobility of my country evil, I want to see proof of it with my own eyes." She smiled, "If I do, and he has committed such atrocities as you say he has, then I will make your execution a decree."
There was no arrogance, no pride, no pity. Even at ten years old, she was taking her job very seriously. Now, how much of that was being in my presence and likely being unable to stop me, or genuine concern that a fellow noble tortured children in his spare time, I didn't know. But she had conviction. I could respect that, no matter how old the person was.
Even if they were wrong and were convinced they deserved another cookie or something before dinner. I missed home...
Notes
Well well, seems we have another person to add to the pile, and she's been informed about the Fox's disposition to the world around her.
Now that I've introduced her... (deep breath)
IN THE BOOKS. (happy sigh). Naofumi goes to Lerno to deal with the plants first. Then he goes to Mirso and cleans up the zombie dragon. He has no way to cure the curse on his own, so he goes to the Church in Melromarc, and meets Melty on the way. Melty herself had been sent to try and A: find Naofumi, and B: fix the relationship between the Shield and the King.
But, Kodori did things out of order, and managed to chat with one of the Queen's Secret Service first. So Melty knew exactly who to look for, and after a few clues, found her too. No beating around the bush in this story. Kodori made it clear it was 'help or sweep up what I leave behind', and Melty is there to help.
Thank you for reading! And if you want to see any full colour art, join the discord!
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And my actual book, Were Too? is on Inkitt.
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