Chapter 30
Raphtalia was giving me the same look I'd gotten from...
Well, lets just say I have now gotten the same 'you skipped sleep again' glare in four out of four worlds. Added to this list, was the nose wrinkle of someone who didn't like the smell/recognized the smell of an Instant Coffee pill. Considering the taste? Didn't blame them. Not even this world of weirdness and odd convenience could fix the taste or smell. But at least I could make them. The Shield wouldn't allow me to store it in its inventory either.
However, before she, or anyone, could complain, I took three objects from around me, and placed them on the workbench.
"Before I make breakfast, I have something to show you all. Clive. This is your new bow." I motioned to one of them objects.
I wasn't one for 'fancy design'. In combat, most 'fancy design' got smashed off the object in question, so it saved time, effort, and a possible 'ornamental bit of object' in the eye when I kept things simple. The only time I'd ever make something ornamental, was when it was also functional.
Clive's new bow was made of three distinct parts. The upper and lower limbs, and the 'core'. The core almost looked delicate, but I'd made it from the best metals Erhard had, and wrapped them around the dragon shard/thread crystal amalgamation, leaving a small window just above where Clive's index finger would be. I'd also added a little 'rest' where a normal arrow could go, since it was still capable of being a 'real' bow.
"I've improved on the limbs to match your strength. There might be a dozen people in the kingdom who could pull this bow now. Not only will it work as a real bow, but if you touch the string to the back of this crystal, then pull back?" I explained while Clive did a little 'tour' of his new weapon.
He touched the string to the crystal in the grip, then pulled back. It took him a couple of tries, but when he figured it out, it was like an arrow was being made from 'nothing'.
However, for safety reasons, I told him how to turn it off first. "If you have no target, relax the string and let the arrow fall off the rest. It's made from your magic, but also your imagination. It might never be as powerful as one of the arrows we make, and things resistant to magic might be immune to them. But you'll never run out now."
He tried it again, creating a glowing arrow from 'nothing', pulling it to full draw, then relaxing and letting the arrow vanish into sparkles.
"You can try it outside on the test range, just don't think of anything 'explosive', since part of it is your imagination." I gave his shoulder a pat, then motioned to the second item. Well, a 'pair' of items. "Tetsu?"
She yawned, making me feel sleepy despite the magic awake pill of doom. "yawn oh? These are mine?"
They were gauntlets. Unlike any gauntlet I myself wore, they were clawed, mean looking, and made for every purpose you could put to a pair of clawed metal hands. They also had a lot of 'Tetsu Thread' in them, just like her outfit. I was pleasantly surprised when I didn't even have to show her how to put them on or strap them up properly. She'd been paying attention to everyone else, even if she only pretended to nap while we got ready for morning sparring.
"Ohhhh, they're comfy!" She said, admiring them like someone looking at newly painted fingernails. "Rawr!" She pawed at the air (but not towards anyone).
"I didn't have time to do ones for your feet. But these should change shape for your other form. As well, they have a similar enchantment to Clive's bow, except for claws. You just have to imagine them being super sharp, and they will be super sharp." And because I knew she would want to test them out, I reached over for a plank of wood and put it on the worktable, "Try scratching that a few times, see if you can make the claws appear."
By design, I made sure the 'magic' wouldn't extend far. A centimetre or so when she was 'humanoid' and about double that when she was a dragon. Accidents happened, but at those 'depths' it was less likely to be a fatal one if she grabbed someone's hand to show them where to pat her head.
She stopped scratching the absolute crap out of the poor bit of wood, "They will? Oh! Oh wait... um..."
"You can try them out in a minute or two, after I start on breakfast." I said, "Now. Raphtalia." She started reaching for the last object, but I put my hand over hers before she could lift it.
The last object was similar to 'the holy light sabre' I'd researched back when I worked with Rias in Kuoh. This one was stylized like a katana hilt, with a weighted pommel to compensate for a weightless blade. Though, just because losing your grip on a blade like this could cause no end of VERY bad things to happen (friendly fire isn't), the tsuba was more like a rapier's hand guard, a single solid length of metal that protected her fingers from either another blade, or someone's jaw if she wanted to punch someone.
"This is something that can go by many names. Atma weapon, virtual sword, force blade, light sabre... In exchange for your magic power, it will make a blade that is as sharp as your will." I explained, "This is a killing tool. Anything you strike with this, unless it is immune to magic, will likely die." I looked her in the eyes, "It is to be used on monsters. Do you understand?"
I knew that putting this weapon into the world could be disastrous. But at the very least, I was putting it in the hands of someone I hoped would use it responsibly. Case in point, the last one to get their hands on this tried to kill me, the three strongest of the Japanese Pantheon, and the strongest Fallen Angel.
I was better than that. But all the same, I was risking it anyhow.
"I understand." She said, waiting a moment after I took my hand away to actually pick up the weapon. "May I?"
After hearing that kind of warning, everyone backed off from Raphtalia. Helpfully, I took what was left of the poor plank of wood (aww but I was still scratching at it...) and leaned it up against the workbench.
Raphtalia held the hilt with both hands, took a deep breath... and then there was a blade sticking out of the end of the hilt. Emerging from the habaki (blade collar) was a blade made of wispy smoke almost exactly the length of the katana she broke, though only the last hand span was curved.
And yes, I could see on the Status Screen, that Raphtalia's MP was slowly draining away. "There are two 'blades'. The front edge cuts, the the spine is safe to touch." I explained, since yes, this was a similar blade to the one I made for Rias. "So if you want to parry or brace the blade, you can safely."
She nodded, then swept the blade through the plank of wood. Nothing. No sound, no reaction. Just 'smoke through solid object'.
"Nothing happ-oh." Tetsu started commenting, but the plank fell into two parts as if it had just realized it had been cut.
"That is very dangerous Sir." Usa said, "What is someone steals it?"
"Only Raphtalia can make it work now. I used the same kind of thing the Tailor used to make Tetsu's outfit. And if someone tries to make it work by just pushing magic power through it, it will explode." I said, "As for your weapon, you still have the backup?"
"Yes sir." Usa nodded.
"It will do for now, though we'll get a replacement made soon." I looked to Kunshu, who was poking Tetsu's new gauntlets with her finger. "Kunshu?" She stopped and looked my way, "Can you do this?"
I took a little metal disk, about the size of a coin from my pocket, and held it between my thumb and index finger in front of her. I then put a little magic power into it, and let it go. And it just hovered there. But that wasn't all. Using my eyes to direct it, I had it move around. It stayed exactly the same distance from me, but it was like a little drone I controlled with my eyes.
"Using the 'Air wake' enchantment mixed with something I figured out back home, it's basically a floating shield." I looked towards Kunshu, "Take it. Try and put your magic into it."
She plucked it out of the air, gave it a five degree head tilt, nibbled on it a moment with her mandibles, then held it out in front of herself again much like I had. Then with a little wobble, it 'stuck' in the air without her holding on to it.
"It's a little small for a shield..." Tetsu said, giving the Shield on my back a poke with a metal fingertip.
"I didn't have time to make more, let alone enough to be useful." I said, watching the little coin move around Kunshu. "But, where I have to move my head to make it move... Kunshu's eyes are special." I then held out another one. "Try two."
Yes... if she could get the hang of it, I was giving the Empress Bee her own swarm. Except hers would be made of metal.
"What's all the noise this-" Erhard came in from his 'house' door, then immediately ducked as Kunshu lost control of the little coin. With a thunk it sunk into the wood by Erhard's head. "Whoa! What did I say about testing stuff indoors?" He stood up and tugged the disc out of the door frame, "Oh, wow..."
"He's right though." I said, "Sorry about that. You guys? Get in some weapon time, I'm going to make breakfast."
We were on the way to the Church, where the Dragon Hourglass was located, when we met our first obstacle.
"Kodori." It was Motoyasu and his party.
I took note of where we were the Town Square that sat between the 'middle class' and the 'merchant' district, and sighed. It was basically an arena, except the 'walls' were made up of people's shops on one side, and homes on the other.
"I can't let you keep her any longer." He said, raising his spear, "And you owe me for the dragon too." He pointed it at me, then Kunshu, then Clive. "You even have your own poor versions of Itsuki and I." He then focused on Tetsu (in her humanoid form), "You've even added to your own harem!"
Behind him, I could see Myne, or Malty, or whatever her name was, smirking at me.
"Are you sure?" I asked, "This is a public place, and you still don't know how to hold your spear properly." I looked side to side at my party, "What's really going on here?"
"You owe me for all the humiliation you've put me through! And for keeping Raphtalia and forcing her to fight!" He was working himself up to fight.
If I threw the first punch, I'd be the aggressor, if I let him keep yelling at me, he'd start wrecking the place. I sighed, "Raphtalia?"
She started to step forward, but Motoyasu practically screamed at me, "SEE! Even now you're getting her to fight for you! Now that you aren't under the eyes of all those people, you won't even stand up for yourself!"
I looked at his 'party'. Two mages, one bitch, and himself. All but one of them a woman. "Fine. Stand back." I said to my party, making little head motions with my chin to spread out. "If you think a fight between us will go any different, go ahead." I stood in front of him, the Shield still on my back, but my hands up in an 'arrow catcher' stance. Eyes forward, legs a little more than shoulder width apart, both arms up like I was holding a log or something over my elbows.
"You won't even use the Shield!? Are you mocking me?!" He thrust forward with the Spear, but I swatted it aside with one hand and punched him in the chest with the other. He was wearing some very nice armour, and combined with my lack of physical attack all it did was make a nice sound and push him back a little.
He surprised me with a new 'move', sweeping the end of his spear around to try and smack me across the head with the counterweight on the end. But again, it was nothing new and I blocked the blunt end of the spear against my forearm, "The Shield is always in use." I said, "I just don't need to put it between me and your clumsy attacks."
He tried a few more 'fancy' moves. A leg sweep. A 'held behind the spear head' slice. A whirling helicopter that led into a downward chop... "You're learning. Good." I said, actually a little pleased he was learning something other than 'point and click'. "Foot a little more forward. Come on, thrust like you mean it!"
Sadly, he was not the type to gain encouragement from being criticized, and he made his first real error... It wasn't picking a fight with me in the first place, or even (still) listening to that red headed twit. No, he was about to involve civilians.
"Lightning SpeaaaaAAAH!"
His spear glowed, crackled with electricity, and looked like it might shock me if I used my hands to touch it and block the spear. So instead, I hooked my right leg behind his front leg and pushed him with a double palm to the ribs. I wasn't aiming to hurt him, but it did sprawl him out flat on his back, a literal lightning bolt zipping off into the sky, though the thunder it brought was rather weak.
"This is between us." I said while he gathered himself up.
The crowd, for there was no way we weren't going to attract one, started to cheer a little. But one of the city guard, someone I recognized from Ake's party (who also looked like he'd done some real work on his equipment since last I saw him) (oh, to be fair, he was covered in blood and just finished repelling a Wave with me in Riyute so even a bucket of water would have 'improved' his look) stepped into our impromptu battle circle.
"Halt! Shield Hero, Spear Hero! You cannot fight in the city!" He called out.
"Back off! This is a sanctioned fight, by royal decree!" Myne snapped at him.
"But you will put the people in danger!"
"Hear that!?" Motoyasu growled, swinging the Spear around some more, "Stand still!"
What was Myne even trying to do? I mean, maybe, if I missed stopping Motoyasu from hurting someone, she could blame me for endangering people... But that was such a stretch...
"Punch him in the butt, Boss!" Tetus called out, hopping back and forth and cheering me on.
Again, Motoyasu surprised me. This time though, he let one hand off the spear as I pushed it aside, and hit me with a clumsy but reasonable hook to the cheek.
I even felt it! And I wasn't even mad!
"Progress!" I grinned, feeling my horns tingle. Now it was becoming a fight! "See? It's not all about the silly weapon!"
My encouragement only made him more angry, and he started flailing at me with everything. He threw his spear, but I caught it with an Air Strike Shield before it could smash through a shop window. He let out another bolt of lightning, but I nudged his aim towards Usa, who ducked behind his lightning proof Nue cape. He punched, he kicked, he used special skills to make his attacks faster, or heavier...
"Yes!" I laughed, "Everything is a weapon! Your spear! Your feet! Fists! Knees! Elbows!" This must have been how Ryuu saw me, the first time I started to spar with her. Clumsy, flailing, weak... But at least putting in some effort to grow.
He made ready to throw his spear again, and my Air Strike Shield was still on cool down. Not only that, if I dodged, he'd be throwing it directly into a crowd of onlookers. So I decided to end the lesson.
As his arm came back, I stepped in and slammed my head into his pretty nose. Again, I lacked 'attack' but with my comparable weight he still felt the force and reacted accordingly. Off balance, his spear sailing into the sky (and appearing again in his hand a moment later) the back of his head bounced off the cobblestone.
"Even the Ground is a weapon!" I laughed, grabbing the top of his nice shiny breastplate, lifting then slamming him against the ground again. Once, twice, three times, "Tell me how the ground tastes pretty boy!"
"Stop this at once!"
The cheering, the booing, the crowd stopped. It was Melty.
"What do you think you are doing sister! Letting them fight in the middle of town!" And even though she was only like... ten years old... she had an angry voice that made you pay attention. "I will not allow the personal disputes between Heroes to be settled in the middle of the street like some ruffians!"
"Oh, little Melty! What business do you have here? Interfering with the business of your elder sister?" Myne asked with a sneer.
I had crouched over Motoyasu, my fingers still curled around the top of his breastplate, "Let me up." He growled.
I diverted my attention away from the slowly building cat fight, and looked down at him, "Shut up and listen to me." I hissed quietly, "I don't care what sort of sick ideas you have running about in your head about my party and I. This isn't a game. These people, this world will be destroyed unless you pull your head out of your ass," I paused as my tail slapped the back of my head, "And learn to really fight. As for the dragon, you want something like her? Fine. I'll even help."
"I want you to free the-"
"I said listen." And for the first time in a long time, I felt the One Language slip past my lips. And it only tingled a little in the back of my throat, "I won't explain so you'll forget. I will involve you and make you understand. Meet me, without her, in two hours by the bridge underpass stairs."
"How is that goin-" He stopped as glared at him like I would a monster in the dungeon.
"Just meet me there, without her, and I will do my best to help you." I let his collar go and stood up. And while I didn't give him a potion for losing, I did offer my hand to help him up.
Melty and Myne were glaring at each other so hard you could imagine sparks arcing between them, but once Motoyasu gripped my hand and let me help him up, they stopped. He didn't say anything until he had gotten next to the red head, "We aren't done."
"The next lesson will cost you." I bowed, feeling my adrenaline simmer down.
Him and his party left, with Myne glaring over her shoulder at my party and I, then Melty before giving poor Motoyasu a pat on the shoulder. Melty ignored the envenomed look and walked/stomped over to me.
"What were you doing?" She was just barely keeping her voice civil.
My party said all at once, "The Spear Hero started it."
Melty sighed like an old woman, "I understand now why mother has so many grey hairs."
I held up a finger to halt her next words. "Anyone hurt? Usa?"
"No sir. The Nue skin was perfect."
"Tetsu?"
"He's got a weak arm." She grinned, looking at one of her metal clad hands, "Hardly felt it when I got in the way of that stall of fruit. The nice merchant man even gave me one!" She stopped smiling, "But it's gone now." And pouted in memory of the fruit.
"Sir, you were... Were you enjoying your fight?" Raphtalia asked.
"A little." I said, able to lie, but not. "Huh... I actually was."
"You cannot be fighting in the streets like that." Melty repeated herself, intent on giving a lecture it seemed.
"I know. But your sister is filling his head with poison, and he can't see past the end of his penis when it comes to pretty girls." I sighed much like she had, even as she blushed at the statement. "I need a huge favour from you Melty."
She glared up at me, but didn't say no right away.
"I need you to keep your sister occupied for a little while in about two hours. You wanted to talk to your father, so why not involve her too. Even if all you do is get her away from the Spear for a little while." I explained.
"You're not going to continue your fight, are you?"
"That was hardly a fight." I sighed, "Can you do that? Please?"
"Very well. What will you do in the mean time?" She asked.
"Try and attain a class up for my party, and then maybe have lunch." I shrugged, "Maybe get some supplies for the Wagon."
"And?"
"Don't worry about it just yet. I'll tell you tomorrow, and maybe we can have you gain a few levels before the Wave hits." I smiled, "Be sure to join us for breakfast if you can."
She gave me a squint eyed look, then nodded, "Very well. I will distract my sister in two hours time."
The interior of the Church was much the same as last time. Nice stone, nice windows, dirty looks from the ladies in church robes...
The Dragon Hourglass was just as impressive and weird looking as before, with all kinds of moving parts and bits that seemed to float within other bits without any visible attachments. The sand was almost out again as well, the little clock in my status down to four days. Had we done enough? Would we be ready?
Needing to look for monsters was kind of a new thing for me. It was slowing us down, but at the same time, there was a lot to see in this world... even if I'd so far spent most of my time here so far cleaning up after...
"Another sigh?" Usa mumbled to me.
"Just a bit worried." I replied. "And I forgot to talk to the Spear about the mess in Lerno."
Clive gave my shoulder a pat, like one brother to another. Raphtalia put voice to the action, "We'll be okay. You've been teaching us everything you can."
Everyone (except Tetsu and Kunshu, who were looking at the Hourglass or still playing with the little enchanted coins) gave me a nod.
"Thank you." I smiled, "Time to pull the bandage, so to speak." I looked for the nearest 'unhappy the collection of Demi-humans and the Shield Hero were here' lady in robes, spotted her, and walked over. "Ma'am. I have several party members who require the Class Up ceremony."
She looked disgusted (she hid it well) and said a little too quickly, "That will be 15 pieces of gold for each person."
I looked down at her just long enough to make her start fidgeting, "If that is what it takes." And I reached back for the Shield so I could pull from the inventory.
She looked shocked, almost horrified, and as I started counting coins she blurted out, "The Shield Hero is prohibited from Class Up!" She then ran away!
Though not very far, only to a nearby desk in the corner. After a moment of rummaging, she took out an official looking scroll and held it up.
"It is a royal order!" She said, the paper rattling a little in her hand. "The Shield Hero and his party are prohibited from Classing Up!"
Behind me, my party sounded alarmed. They were too well mannered to shout or curse, but I could feel the dismay in the air around them. But I'd walked in here expecting this, so instead of complaining, or even feeling angry, I said, "Suppose we can just go to Shieldfreeden." I turned away to face my party, "Let's go, this place smells of ignorance."
"You dare say that?!" The robed lady said angrily, "When you're the one who-"
I turned to look over my shoulder, "If I really did do what that Fool on the throne says I did, I'd have burnt his castle to the ground, murdered everyone who's been trying to stop me from helping your world survive, and stolen everything I wanted. Because your three heroes are useless." I turned away and waved over my shoulder, "But I hear Shieldfreeden actually appreciates a good hero."
I heard the lady slump to her knees as my eyes left her, and Usa gave me a quiet, "That was very mean Sir."
"You wouldn't really do those things, would you?" Raphtalia asked.
"Come on Tetsu, Kunshu." I called for the two Xenos, who were looking at all the complex shiny things around the hourglass. Then to the other three I said with a serious tone, "I certainly know how, but I don't tolerate collateral damage."
"Aww but it's so... pretty..." Tetsu had to be urged to follow us by Kunshu, her middle arms pushing, an upper arm applying headpats. But now that the shiny object was out of sight, she focused on her next obsession, "Lunch time?"
We all sighed, "Yes." I said.
Aside from being able to shake the proprietor's hand (now that I was tall enough to look over the bar top without standing back), lunch was uneventful. Even so, we took our time eating. It had already been 'one of those days', and a slow lunch to unwind a little seemed to be in order.
After lunch I got us all roaming in the direction of the meeting place near the Slave-... The Ringmaster's tent.
We got there a little early of course, since it wouldn't do to waste time. Melty only needed to keep her bitch sister away from Motoyasu long enough for him to slip away, but the longer she could the better his chance to do so.
And even if the other three Heroes were bumbling idiots, I couldn't help myself in wanting to try and fix that.
"Sir?" Usa pulled me from my thoughts, "I hear him. He's alone."
"Thank you." I nodded, looking in the direction he had turned his head.
"You know what he sounds like?" Tetsu asked, looking up at Usa.
"His armour has a certain rhythm to it." Usa explained.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were going to mug me." Motoyasu said as he stepped off the staircase leading to the bridge underpass. "Under a dark bridge, poor lighting, your gang behind you..."
"We both know I don't need my 'gang' to mug you." I smiled, "I'm glad you showed up. Nice cape too."
Yes, he had put on 'generic brown cape with hood' to hide his appearance. That it worked at all was a wonder in of itself, but I also didn't notice the Spear at first. But then saw he had changed it's form to a simple metal tipped throwing javelin, about the length of his arm.
My compliment seemed to fluster him a little, "Eh well, being this good looking has its down side. Even after you bloodied my nose."
"Got your attention." I shrugged as I started walking, "Ever have a pet? Cat? Dog?"
He walked beside me, giving a nervous glance to the rest of the party, then ignoring them as they just fell into a semi-circle behind us. "Had a cat, even a couple fish. But they weren't really mine."
That would make things a little harder... I wanted to help him, not give him a responsibility he would fail at... "Hm, okay. Clean your ears out, and I'll give you the basics. And please, take me seriously."
Ten minutes wasn't near enough time to teach him about 'how to train an animal who is super smart'. But to his credit, he was listening. Even asking serious questions. I suppose now that he didn't need to 'look good for his fans' he was much more level headed. I was kind of glad I looked like a man...
"We're here." I said as we turned the last corner. "I'll explain more after introductions."
"What... is this place?" He looked away from me and at the giant circus tent. He moved a hand up to his nose, "Smells like a zoo."
I could see the former slaves of my party give him a microsecond of a dirty look. "Just means you'll have to bathe after." I shrugged, walking ahead a little.
Two steps before we got there, the tent flap flew open, and the stout form of the Ringmaster revealed himself, "Yes Sir! I knew you would return!" He looked up at the shocked Spear Hero, "Ah! And you've brought another esteemed guest with you!" And then past him to Tetsu and Kunshu, "And who are these two I wonder!?"
"This is the Ringmaster." I said, "Meet Motoyasu, the Spear Hero." I made a hand gesture at them each in turn, "As usual Sir. I bring business."
"And I could not be happier! No Sir!" The almost manic grin widened, "I wonder, why would your bring your rival here? An interesting choice considering your fighting in the streets hardly two hours ago! Yes Sir!"
"We have the same job." I shrugged, "Is the Lottery still on?"
The smile on his face faded, and he took a longer look at Kunshu and Tetsu. The wide brim of his silly hat couldn't hide his intelligence. I could almost hear him putting things together in his head. "Sadly, no Sir!" He brightened up again, "But, we do have other Eggs! Now, if you returned in a few weeks, I might! It is a Seasonal event Yes Sir!"
That made sense, as much as anything did in this world. "Well, let us in. I think my fellow Hero needs a good mount that won't run away from him like the last one did."
"C'mon dude... That was uncalled for." Motoyasu mumbled to me.
"This way! Yes Sir! We have only a few eggs, Knight Dragon or Filolial! Either would make for a good steed for a Hero." He grinned, leading us towards a row of stables, brightly coloured filolials peeking out from them.
"Why an egg?" Motoyasu asked, "I mean... We don't have time for that, right?" He was looking at me, but his hand occasionally went to pat a feathered neck, seemingly by reflex. Huh, maybe there was hope after all?
I was about to explain, but I heard an unhappy warble and a girlish 'eek' from behind me. "Aww... They don't want to be friends either..." Tetsu pouted.
"I was getting to that. But if I tell you, you might forget. So I will involve you, and you will understand." I looked back to Tetsu, "You know dragons and filolial don't get along."
"But... I like fluffy things! Like big sister's tail!"
This time it was Raphtalia who made the squeak, as Tetsu hugged her entire tail like a pillow. This had the effect it usually had on me when someone surprised my tail, and Raphtalia went ram rod straight for an instant before swatting Tetsu away and hugging her abused tail to herself.
"Well if that's the case, I want a filolial." Motoyasu declared, not quite glaring at me. "Anger can get past fear."
He wasn't wrong, but his reasoning was a little unhinged. However, the Ringmaster picked up on the oncoming awkwardness and deflected it with a slightly too loud, "This way then! Yes Sir! The eggs I sell are all from reputable breeders!"
He led us past the stable row to a small room with a door. I could feel the warmth radiating from the room itself, and the air was slightly more humid. Aha, an incubator room. "So, why an egg?" He asked again.
The Ringmaster opened a door, and I spotted a similar setup to the lottery. Much smaller, only seventeen eggs, not two hundred or so. But before Motoyasu followed my gaze to look into the room as well, I reached over and covered his eyes. "Here is where it all starts."
"Hey!" He started to struggle, "What gives!?"
"Relax." I said, "When I uncover your eyes, I want you to pick the first egg you focus on. No take backs, no second guesses. It's important." It might not be important, but considering the success of Tetsu and Kunshu, I would use everything I could, real or not, to help this work.
"Such a weirdo..." But he relaxed, moving his head so he faced forward. "Right, go ahead."
I uncovered his eyes.
Two seconds later he said, "Second row, third from the left." Then, "What's with the weird marks?"
"We'll get to that." I said.
"Good choice Sir!" The Ringmaster said, snapping his fingers and summoning a Muscle Clown from... where ever it was they hid. The silent mass of muscle very carefully picked up the egg in question and waited, "This way." The Ringmaster said, tottering off towards a nearby table.
A few moments later, the egg was resting in one of those little mini-incubators from before, and another Muscle Clown had set up the little ritual dish and ink.
"Now Sir Hero!" The Ringmaster directed, "You have never owned a Slave, yes?"
"A sla-" Motoyasu glared at me.
"It's how this works." I said, "Think of it like summoning a familiar." I hoped the game term was still a 'thing' in his world.
He looked away and back to the Ringmaster, "No, I haven't."
"Very well Sir!" He poured a little bit of ink into the dish, "You must put a drop of blood into the dish, then draw the symbol on the egg with the brush! It's that easy!"
A tiny knife was provided on a little cushion from another Muscle Clown, and Motoyasu poked his thumb with it. A drop of blood and a moment later (Motoyasu's skill with a brush was almost as bad as mine) the Egg glowed.
I saw the moment Motoyasu's status screen showed him something new. "Wait..." He mumbled, his eyes flicking around, "Huh..."
"When it hatches, it will be bound to you." I said, "You will be, for all intents, its parent. But our weapons apparently have a way to alter their growth, this includes things like this." I reached over to Tetsu. "Who's a clever girl?" And applied a headpat.
Tetsu's tail lashed around happily at the sudden attention, "I am! Me! I'm clever!"
He held out the Spear, and it changed from a short Javelin to something like a Sheppard's crook, with the green gem set at the base of the (bladed) hook at the end, "Oh wow... So this is how you're so strong?"
"Me? No. It's how I've helped them become stronger." I stopped trying to tame Tetsu's wild hair, and she just leaned on me even though the headpats had ended. "I steered, they pushed."
"Huh... But then..." He looked at Raphtalia (of course) then the others.
"Come with me, and don't forget that. It's yours now." I looked to the Ringmaster, "To the back please."
Poor Motoyasu thought the 'outer' tent smelled bad? The Slave Tent was much worse. While still smiling, the Ringmaster was quiet as he led, as if he wanted to let the Spear Hero make the first comment.
And he did. "This is... terrible."
"This is where I ended up hours after getting Altcray sent me to the dungeons. Remember that." I said.
He looked a little silly with the mini-incubator held to his chest, but the look on his face made the entire trip worth it. "You can't be..."
"Very serious." I said, the Ringmaster leading us past the wrecked cage I'd been in, and the three empty cages around it, "This is where I met them, and using the money she failed to steal from me, they are now my trusted friends. Ringmaster? All the way back."
"Sir Hero, are you sure?"
"After the wave, they are leaving with me." I said, "And I need him to understand."
Past the sobbing. Past the sick. Past the snarling madness... The only thing stopping Motoyasu from running away (and he tried once) was my party. No hands were raised, but each of them fixed him with a look that practically dripped the word 'coward'. As poor of a person he was, his ego wouldn't let him run away now.
But then we got to the far back. The place where the Ringmaster fully expected to take a loss. The worse than damaged goods.
They didn't cry out, or reach through the bars, or anything really. There was so little energy here that my horns were starting to take on a heartbeat of their own.
"Raphtalia? Can you tell him?"
She understood what I meant, and Clive and Usa gave her a pat on either shoulder for support. "I can, yes."
"Thank you. I'm going to talk with the Ringmaster."
Even the Ringmaster couldn't hold on to his smile, or even his usual showman's act. "Are you sure Sir? Serious Sir? You will buy them all? Even at my best price, already a bargain considering their condition..."
"I cannot take them from here until after the Wave, which is soon I will add." I took out a bag from the Shield, and rested it on his shoulder. It was a rude gesture, but I wanted him to feel the weight of gold coin inside. "So part of this money will be to prepare supplies, escort, and maybe a wagon or two to help those unable to make the trip on their own." I let the bag slide off his shoulder, and into his waiting hand.
He set it down, not even counting it, "Incredible Sir. Yes Sir. I expected this from you, when you bought the other three and made them into something extraordinary, then refused to even consider selling them. Or on your return, choosing two eggs to account for your larger party size." He gave me a look from under his wide silly hat. "I expected a bleeding heart, but this is something else Sir."
"I will even provide medicine for them. They need to be well enough to make it to Van Reichnott's territory. I've set up shelter there." I said, looking through the Shield for the medicine I'd made.
"Ah, I knew you might make a mistake. Lord Van Reichnott has fallen out of favour, and his land has been annexed by Lord Idol Rabier." He frowned. "That man has a long record of-
"I killed him." I said flatly. "He won't be a problem."
There was a pause, and for a moment I thought the Ringmaster might have been laughing. But after a moment he looked up at me again, "While I regret to hear I will no longer have a noble's patronage, I am pleased to deal with you in his stead. Medicine you say?"
I held up one of the special vials I'd made. "I made it so it could be dispersed into a closed room. Pour this into a big pot of water, and put the water on one of those big braziers you have in the middle of this area here. I've had to deal with a lot of 'sick rooms' in the past little while, so I've had time to make a good formula." I looked back over my shoulder to where the others were still telling Motoyasu what had happened after the first Wave, "It cured Raphtalia's cough, and more, so it should help them start regaining their strength." I laid out several more vials, one for each day before the Wave, "One a day."
"Truly, the Shield is still the most compassionate Hero, yes sir..." He looked over to the bag of gold, "Are you not going to even try and negotiate?"
He seemed genuinely upset about that. "Well, if you insist." I said, feeling my merchant soul stir a little, "Let's start with how many people you have, show me your ledgers. I won't let you make me guess."
His own smile returned, likely at the prospect of making some kind of money back from 'defective stock', "I wouldn't think of it, No Sir! This way please!"
It would take a lot of work to get the money back, but negotiations went well I thought. At least, I got what I wanted, he accepted payment, and neither of us seemed angry at the end.
And just in case I didn't return, the instructions were already in place to have them moved anyhow. They were mine, one of my party members, or Van's.
The others, with Kunshu leading the way, found the two of us finishing our negotiations. Poor Motoyasu looked like he was fighting off a bout of food poisoning though (but he still had the egg, and was carrying it carefully).
"I've..." He started, stopped, "I'm really sorry."
"Oh, here." I took two more gold coins back out from my much deflated coin pouch and slid them over to the Ringmaster. "For his new friend."
"Yes Sir." He nodded, "I hope you care for your new companion!"
"You didn't have to." Motoyasu said, "I mean, I feel..."
"I said I would, thus I have." I replied, "Now, guard it with your life, and get back before you're missed."
"Yeah... Um, how do I get out of here?"
The Ringmaster snapped his fingers, and a Muscle Clown appeared from the nearby shadows. "He will lead you back, Yes Sir. Thank you for your business!"
"How did it go?" I asked Raphtalia, who was getting 'the Bee Backpack of hugs' from Kunshu.
"He didn't want to believe it. But he couldn't be blind to it." She replied.
"Let's hope the lesson sticks." I nodded, "Ringmaster, we have a little more business before we go."
"I haven't taken all your money yet, it's true!" He grinned just a tiny bit wider.
We laughed a little thinly, "I need help getting my party into a Class Up ceremony."
NOTES!
You can stick your fingers in your ears, you can cover your eyes, but eventually, you run out of ways to hide from the truth. Let's see how the Spear Hero changes from here. If at all.
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