Chapter 12

With various little adjustments to our equipment, a full belly from breakfast, and a goal in mind, we went back to the forest. The plan was simple. Return to where we found the leftovers of the porcupine, attempt to track the thing that ate it, find it, then set up an ambush for it.

Oh, and just because I didn't want to litter, or leave behind potential profit behind, I made sure to pick up the bright Balloon Skin fragments I'd left to mark the trail. When I had time, I'd maybe try and make this world's version of Supporter's Gloves. Maybe try and see how resistant the stuff was to things other than sharp objects.

On the way, we encountered minor resistance. But at this point, with Usa listening, Clive sniping, Raphtalia helping Clive or Usa with a combination of bow or sword, and me making sure the monsters focused on me, we had no trouble dealing with them. Even a couple of porcupines. Now that the shock of encountering an aggressive omnivore with more pointy bits than a barrel of arrows had worn off, we had no issues with them.

And it was a little before lunch when we got to the last, or first, marker. Our hunt started in earnest now.

"Sir? Are you okay?" Usa asked as we cleaned up from our last encounter.

Carefully, I worked a porcupine quill out of my leg, thankful that it hadn't gone too deep. "Going to itch later." I said, "Some attacks seem to ignore some of the Shield's defence." And yes, while not the first time, it was very weird to see my HP bar drop. Unlike every other world I'd been to, I didn't have to really guess at how badly I'd been hurt.

"Gr." Clive offered me a roll of bandages, but Raphtalia took it instead. As soon as my hands were clear, the quill removed, she started binding the wound.

"Why don't you use the Shield like a shield?" She asked with a frown, "Usa should be the one using a whip." She gave the bandage a pat.

"ow." I winced, "The Rope Shield is just... so useful." I said, "Would be even more amazing if it had a hook or something, and porcupines would damage Usa's whip, while the Shield is apparently immune to damage."

"Sorry I'm not more useful..." Usa sighed.

"Hey." I said sharply, "My job isn't just protecting you all." I stood to my not quite normal full height, "A captain's job, is to make sure everyone is where they need to be. You're weapon isn't suited to fighting porcupines, so you don't fight them and keep watch for things you can fight. Clive doesn't know how to cook, so Clive does not cook." I gave his good shoulder a pat. "Your ears and cautious nature are what make you stand out among us four."

"Yes sir..."

I sighed, setting the matter aside for the moment. "Now that we're here." I plucked the bit of Balloon skin off the branch I'd left it, then stored it in the Shield.

"See?" Raphtalia gave Usa's back a pat, her hand having no trouble reaching now since she had also been growing like a weed. "We need your talent now. Right?" She looked at me.

"That's right. Clive? Help me find the trail that thing left, and keep watch for a tree you can climb. Raphtalia, keep Usa safe. Let's find ourselves a monster for the Hunter's wall."

Finding an animal trail wasn't as easy as you might think. In the desert, you had constant winds that swept tracks away. Snow? Same thing, along with more snowfall. Mud was better, unless it was still raining. But a forest floor? With all the leaf litter and moss around, it wasn't easy to find something that crawled around like a snake.

This also eliminated one of the things I'd been worried about. It wasn't leaving behind a trail of slime. However, that meant that whatever had dulled the porcupine's quills was likely 'breath' based. So we'd have to be ready for that. At least it wasn't fire.

"Gr click." Clive said, tapping his beaked mouth closed to add a quite 'exclamation mark' to his word.

I raised a hand, the four of us stopping, then went to Clive. He motioned with his half drawn arrow at... oh... oh! Wow...

At a nearly perfectly smooth depression scraped away from the side of a hill. This furthered the theory that we hunted a snake, but also gave us a clue to it's size. Any one of us could have laid down comfortably in that depression...

"Not the biggest snake I've fought..." I mumbled to myself, "Limits hiding spots..." I mused.

"Gr?"

"Good job." I said, not answering the obvious question, "That way?"

Clive nodded, and I looked back to the others, pointing out our new direction.

"sir!" Usa hissed quietly. I looked back to him, and his ears were sticking straight up in alarm, "it's moving!"

I looked around, my ears hearing... something... but not from where. I pointed to Clive, then up, and his eyes started darting around. Raphtalia nodded as I looked at her, and she too went to look for a tree to climb. Usa didn't climb a tree, but instead looked for something to hide behind.

I then waved my hand over the shield, and pulled out the 'newest' item. 'Balloon bag of guts'. Sewn together from Balloon skins and water tight, the bag held all the porcupine entrails we could salvage before Clive's bottomless stomach got to them. I then took a couple of running steps, and heaved the bag away in the direction of Usa's pointed finger. Horrible smelling meat and fluid squished to the forest floor, along with a few other things I'd hidden in the offal. Like as much 'paralytic butterfly powder' as I could make.

Then we waited.

It didn't take long, but just enough time for me to think it wasn't going to work. Usa snapped his fingers to get my attention, then held up four fingers. Forty metres away. Thirty... twenty... This thing was hungry and moving fast!

It showed up in a sudden slithering rush, the bag of Balloon and the 'meal' inside vanishing almost as fast as I could blink. But as my eyes focused on it, the Shield did its usual 'LOOK I'M HELPING!' thing.

Bone crested worm viper

Level 25

Followed not by a (I'm really red) grey arrow pointing at its head, but a purple one. Even though this was not a game, I could feel the old instinct from two lifetimes ago perk up and almost drool at was was going to happen.

It was huge though! Like the name suggested, the top of its head was covered with an interlocking set of bone ridges. They weren't sharp though, but smooth, meant for digging. The rest of its head though... I couldn't see anything resembling eyes.

Then it opened its mouth, its body aiming for the pile of guts on the ground ahead of me. With a sudden though short range huff of thin green/brown mist, I could see the Balloon skin vaporize just before a tunnel shaped mouth filled with bony ridges and slime opened up and just... scooped the entire mess up.

Behind the head, now that enough of it had gotten close enough to see, was also segmented, the meal making the 'rings' of muscle contract in unison as it was swallowed.

"Air Strike Shield!" I called out, not needing to, but using it to signal the others.

My voice got its attention, but before it could even rear up, a spectral shield appeared over its back, the top of its head slamming into it and bouncing it back to the ground. Just as fast though, I dispelled the effect so I could get it to go on cool down as soon as possible.

Oh, and get it out of the way of arrows.

Both Clive and Raphtalia fired, and no sooner had the spectral shield vanished, then two 'quill arrows' stuck into its back. I rushed forward, Rope extended from the Shield and made into a lasso. But I missed! "Usa! Ready!"

"Ready!" He called back.

I ducked under its darting mouth, my nose burning from the smell of its breath as I 'retracted' the Rope from the Shield. The full size of this thing was massive though! A tube of bone and flesh wide around as my shoulders, and at least the length of two buses!

I got my feet braced as two more arrows glanced off its back, and changed my Shield to the 'Animal Needle Shield'. With a swipe of its head, it tried to knock me over, but I angled the shield up, and all it did was scrape some of its lower jaw off against the spines of the Shield.

Then the spike of Usa's whip glanced off its side, followed by two more shallow furrows from incoming arrows. This thing was tough! We weren't hurting it!

"Sir!"

I saw it coming, and with no other choice, I got my shield up and crouched behind it, the top edge resting on a tree trunk the bottom touching the ground.

Its tail looked similar to the bony ball on the end of an Ankylosaurus tail. The oval ball of bone slammed into the Shield, compressing me under it painfully as it ricocheted off it, the tree snapping in half above me as it soaked up the rest of the impact.

I didn't have time to shake the stars from the corners of my vision, and managed to change the Shield back to the Rope Shield just in time to matter. It growled again as another Quill arrow found its way between two of the bony ridges along its body, then started to thrash as my Rope looped over its back, and I called out. "Raphtalia!"

"Sir!" She jumped down, on the other side of the serpent, grabbing the end of my Rope, and running towards the nearest tree.

This time however, I didn't have the Shield to stop its head as it lashed back on itself towards me. Just before the top edge of its bone covered head slammed into me though, I summoned up the Shield Prison around myself.

It wasn't perfect, but my inability to let go of the Shield was all that saved 'the plan'. I was protected from the worst of the impact, but was still a prisoner of physics as my body was first slammed against the inside of the shield towards to point of impact, then rolled around like a nut inside a tin can. Outside the Prison, I heard (and felt!) multiple impacts as the sphere of shields bounced and rolled off several trees and at least one rock, the Rope Shield letting out more and more as I went.

I came to a stop, dispelled the Shield Prison, and without really looking around, ran towards the nearest tree just as I heard, "GOT IT!" From Raphtalia.

I managed to get around the tree once, when the line suddenly went tight. Hoping I made it in time, I jumped over the rope, then ducked under it, rolling back the way I'd come to make a simple knot. Just in time! The tree swayed ominously, as it pulled on the rope now tied to the end of its tail thanks to Raphtailia.

"BACK OFF!" I yelled out, "We have it now!"

The beast thrashed. Slammed its head from side to side. Rolled. Tried to burrow. But its own tail and the indestructible nature of the Shield, stopped it from doing more. It actually did figure out where it was tied, but when it tried to get to me, it just wrapped itself up more on the trees.

And then, a few minutes of thrashing later, the poison from the butterfly wings it ate along with the meal we'd given it, started to take effect. Slowly, the thrashing stopped, and it was reduced to a growling mass of bone and muscle.

"So... how do we actually kill it?" Usa asked, "I mean... even the arrows we made..." He pointed to the sleeping beast, "Four? Out of how many?"

"Ten?" I guessed.

"Gr." Clive nodded.

"Well." I said, "We'll finish up the lesson on 'how to hunt monsters'." I still hadn't changed the Rope Shield, so the creature was still tied up. "If it bleeds, it probably has a similar collection of organs that we do. Heart, stomach, brain, lungs." I pointed to its head, "Bone on the outside is great, but since it doesn't bend, it can't be perfect. Raphtalia? Climb up onto the back there, just behind the crest." I waved a hand, and the Air Strike Shield appeared over its head, sandwiching it between it and the ground.

She hopped up onto its back, "Oh! I see what you mean!" She pulled out her lucky knife, put her palm behind the pommel, and with a "Ya!" she stabbed it into the back of the beast's skull.

EXP 640

Level up!

You have reached level 18!

I grinned, "Well done. Now lets get this cleaned up."

Bone Viper Shield conditions met!

Bone Viper Shield: equip effect: acid spit: equip bonus: acid resistance (small)

After cleaning up a huge amount of stuff, from its bony head, the hard chitinous shell of its outer body, the meat, and even the ball of its tail, we headed out of the forest for the day. We didn't have to, but after all this time trying to just power level ourselves, I figured we could use the rest of the day to just... not fight.

It also gave me a little time to do some book keeping, so to speak.

Looking at our levels now I was noticing a little trend. Raphtalia was now getting ahead of me, and on par with Clive. That last fight had brought Raphtalia a full two levels over me, in the middle of level 20, while Clive was now just under 21.

Hmm... More EXP for the one doing the killing blow? Seemed that way. But that was fine. The Shield gave me all kinds of little bonuses, so my actual stats were still higher overall. Just super focused on defence.

Usa however, was just under me at 17. His weapon could be lethal, but it still wasn't suited for it. Even so, he would eventually pass my level, just slower than the others already had.

Also, I liked the look of the new shield. It was similar to the Black Dog shield, with a 'Bone Viper' face on the front, but instead of animating and biting what ever I was blocking, it spit a glob of acid. The Shield was also just as wide as the Pipe Shield, and had a hard point on the bottom. I could brace far better with that, than a flat edge.

That night, after an odd tasting, but not bad tasting meal of worm/snake/whatever steak and onions, we got to planning again.

"Hmm. The taste is like fish, without the smell of fish." I mused.

"Maybe a little oily?" Raphtalia commented, "The little onions go great with it!"

Clive made a bubbling noise, and wiggled his fingers a little.

"It might taste better fried." Usa nodded, willing to try the 'white' meat, then more when it didn't upset his stomach. "Do you think that was the only one?"

"Likely." I said, "Considering how dry the meat was, it probably wandered in from a desert environment. Once it found something it liked eating, it stayed. Just a guess though."

"It was a tough opponent." Usa said.

"It was." I agreed, "But, in true adventurer fashion, we are going to use it to get stronger. We've done a lot of work in the past few days, and the Shield has a lot of stuff in it that we can sell or use for better equipment." I gave everyone's equipment a glance, noting the general level of wear on it. "We'll take the rest of tonight to celebrate, and before lights out we'll make sure our equipment can handle another couple of days out."

"Then we visit Sir Erhard again?" Raphtalia asked.

"Yes. Now that I am tall enough, I can help Erhard for real, not just make fittings." I said. "It feels good to be able to actually have enough weight to not get thrown around all the time."

"I'm older but you're taller..." Raphtalia pouted.

"Men are usually taller." Usa mumbled.

"Clive, they're teasing me." Raphtalia hid behind the lizard man's shoulder.

"gr gr." Followed by a headpat.

We shared a laugh, and I felt better about the world for a moment or two, "Well, tomorrow we'll do another run through the forest, maybe one day after that, then head back to Melromarc. Unless they've declared me some kind of outlaw, we should be fine."

"But... what if they have?" Usa asked.

"Well, it would cause problems for sure. But... If they do, they'll have to admit I got out of their prison. Not that I actually made it there. They might end up caught in a lie, and lose face. Just in case though, we can walk in like we left, like we belong there. I'll just hide the Shield, and we'll just be another band of demi-human adventurers."

"Sir?" Usa pulled me out of my thoughts, nearly making me miss a tap of the chisel on the Ko-steel card. "Oh... Who is that?"

"Is it your watch already?" I asked, "Was I too loud?"

"A little yes... My ears are very sensitive."

"I'm very sorry." I replied, leaning back and doing a side to side roll of my head to stretch, "This... She's kind of my mother, back home. Everyone's mother really." In front of me, on the makeshift table, was a careful etching of Hestia.

Just as I had dozens of times before, I was making a Tarot of her, in the hopes I could talk with home. Funny enough, when I could spare some attention to the little status window in the corner of my vision, my MP was slowly draining away. So, I knew I was doing something magical as I worked.

But I'd been gaining levels with the rest of them, and I miss timed when I would have had to pause my work due to low MP, like I had the last couple of nights.

"She looks very kind. This is what you've been working on?"

"Yes. They're probably very worried about me. And with this, I hope to be able to talk to them. Or at least give them an idea I'm alive." I sighed. "Anyhow. I left a little soup and bread by the fire. Have some during your watch."

We returned to Melromarc three days before the Wave. I mean, it was three days before the Wave unless someone lied to us four Heroes the instant we got our assignments. Considering the total depths of ineptitude I'd been shown so far on how to treat a potential world saviour? I wouldn't have put it past them.

We had no trouble getting into town either. With hoods up, a casual swagger in our step, a steady amount of foot traffic already going in and out of town, and not making eye contact with the guards, we were just like any other adventurer.

The uptick in traffic was a big hint something was happening though. But, since the sky hadn't fallen, the ground hadn't cracked, and the sea hadn't overflowed, the Wave hadn't happened yet.

The other three went through the markets, looking for merchants interested in the various loot we'd gathered, then I would show up after they reported to me, with an armload of what ever it was they were buying. This kept the Shield out of sight, along with its 'dimensional storage', and kept the four of us distant from one another, just in case someone recognized me.

To be fair, I wouldn't have recognized myself if I hadn't watched myself grow into this shape again. The deep aches of growing had stopped a couple days ago, and I was back to my original height. Just about everything was exactly how it had been, except for two things.

My tail had simply remained singular. It was still 'just a tail', only swishing about on reflex or when I thought about it. Instead of doing things on its own, like picking up random items or wandering over to people to look for attention. But, it was still a good tail, and for once, properly groomed. Raphtalia insisted I not look 'scruffy' all the time, and all but ordered me to sit down and brush my tail. This was followed by her brushing her tail, as if to prove it wasn't a bad thing.

I went along with it, just so she could feel like she was being a Big Sister.

The second thing? My nose wasn't ever so slightly off centre. I was sure someone back home would unfix that as soon as my attention wandered during training. But for now? It was as if I'd never had my nose broken.. um... a dozen times?

As for my gender... Thankfully, my breasts had never been very large. And with some binding and clever ways to tighten down my temporary armour (the Black Dog fur 'straps'), I only looked 'effeminate'. Very much the 'pretty boy'.

I even had a silent betting pool in my head on who would figure it out first. Would it be an accident? Like someone walking in on me in the bath? Casual contact? Purposeful contact? Random woman trying to get into my pants? Suddenly having my clothing burnt off me?

That last one was leading on the odds, just from empirical evidence.

Anyhow...

With the four of us covering the markets for places to sell most of our monster loot, we came away with a respectable sum of silver. This didn't include the stuff we were keeping for Erhard and I to use either.

I also went to the Alchemist, and my party's war chest was further expanded by selling spare 'mass produced' medicine (the Shield apparently had it's own mastery system, and the 'somewhat poor' default it was doing was now improved to 'normal'). I also wrote down (in my recently learned yet still not very good writing of the local language) my recipes for other stuff I'd made for our hunting trips. Offshoots and minor improvements on stuff he already knew, and had even sold me the original recipes for. He had no pride stopping him from learning from someone much younger either.

But finally, we got to Erhard's shop.

"Welcome in... by the Four you've grown up!" Were his first words to us.

"And you have no idea how thankful I am not to have to look up people's noses." I replied with a little bow and a smile, "As you can see, we have returned, grown from our trials, and bringing interesting stuff for your workshop."

"Money too I hope?" He gave me a bit of a squint.

"Thanks to your advice, we brought back all kinds of stuff!" Raphtalia said cheerfully, "And we made quite the profit selling it around town too!"

"Did you now?" He stood to his full height (just a tiny bit taller than me now), "Suppose that just means you can pay full price for stuff now." He grinned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Only if you don't want the leftover materials we don't use. I'm sure I can find a rock flat enough to make upgrades."

You see, we all liked Erhard. He'd treated us fairly, gave us things to do to speed things along, and told us about a hunting ground that no one else would have thought about. So before entering the shop, we all decided to play a 'good merchant, bad merchant' game with him.

Raphtalia 'gave away' our good fortune. He reacted with a predictable 'no need for kid gloves'. And I brought it back to our favour with a 'well, you don't get to keep the cool things we don't use'. If he was anything like the weapon and armour smiths in Orario, he'd cave in and go back to giving us a break on the price.

Or not. I loved to play merchant, but Erhard could have asked for every coin I had and I wouldn't have minded. He was a true asset in this mess I'd ended up in.

"Oh? And what could you have possibly found that I haven't already seen?" He frowned.

"Clear a table, and we'll show you." I reached back under my cloak and took the Shield off my back.

"I've been a lot of places. But I have no idea what this came from." He admitted once we'd piled up all of the 'armour grade' loot we'd found. "You say this thing just ate porcupines whole?"

"Bounced arrows off its hide too." I said.

"Gr..." Clive and Raphtalia nodded.

"The nice whip you made for me as well." Usa said, pointing to one of the segments we'd skinned off the worm that looked like something pointy had just... poked it.

"Well well... And this." He ran a hand over the smooth segmented skull, "I always like working with chitin. Lighter than metal, tougher than leather. Oh? What's this?" He gave what used to be the 'mace' of the tail a pat.

"Tail." We all said (except Clive, though he nodded).

"Nasty... Well, suppose I'll hang the 'no new orders' sign up. Gonna have to get you a real sword now too." He gave Raphtalia a nod, "You been taking care of your blades?"

"Sir has shown us all how to sharpen and polish our blades. Even me." Usa said with a rare smile, "I can also sharpen our recovered arrow heads."

Erhard held out a hand to Clive, who soundlessly handed over his long hunting/skinning/all purpose knife. "Not bad... You're not using a proper stone for it, I can tell, but..." He tested the blade with his thumb, "Still good though."

"Gr." And Clive put the blade away, "Gr click?" He added, tapping the bow slung across his chest with a finger.

"Think you're ready for something meaner?" Erhard looked to Raphtalia, "You too?"

"We've gotten much stronger!" She beamed at him, "But a longer bow would get in my way, and I don't want to just... drop it on the ground unless I really have to."

"Good." He looked at me, "I can tell you really want into my workshop."

I looked back at my tail, and it froze in place with an air of guilt. I however didn't feel guilty at all. "I've been teaching them everything I can about how to tend and make more of their own equipment. But your workshop has actual tools to make them that much better." I looked down at my hands, "And, I no longer need half a chisel to work properly."

"Would you consider this 'not running around like a headless Pikyu?" He crossed his arms again, giving me that 'you've been naughty' look a father might give a child.

Unlike just about every other time I just blurted out a secret into a room, I made sure the shop was empty save for us five, then said, "Sure. Just don't miss the anvil when you hear it, and don't speak a word of it past these walls."

I made sure to look at the rest of my party as well, only continuing when they all nodded agreement.

"Then let's get to work. I'm going to show this world exactly who it was they borrowed from another world." I cracked my knuckles and grinned.

Erhard, now that I was full sized and able to reach things without interrupting his own work, gave me and the others free run of his workshop. Well, mostly. It was very much a 'if you don't know, I don't have time to teach you' situation.

Clive and Raphtalia worked on making arrows. We had made a point to salvage as many porcupine quills as possible, and as many metal arrow heads as possible. Add that to heaps of Pikyu feathers, and a previous trip to the tailor (who was quite happy to sell us all new clothing once she realized who I was), we had everything we needed to make heaps of arrows.

Usa, while limited to smaller tasks, spent a lot of time sharpening and grinding down materials. Arrow heads, small fittings like rivets and fasteners, polishing surfaces, fetching tools, reminding us to eat, interrupting Erhard when none of us heard the store front's bell chime, pushing the bellows... He had all kinds of things to do even if he only hand one hand. And thanks to Raphtalia's lessons, he could also write simple messages, like how big something needed to be.

Erhard and I though... He and I got along like Welf and I in the workshop back home. My experience, once I knew where things were in the unfamiliar workshop, had me reaching for tools before he knew he needed them. Likewise, when ever I needed an extra hand, or tool, or a reminder, he was there to provide.

And over the next two days, when we weren't sleeping on the workshop floor or out eating at that same tavern we went to before, or me cooking for them all when Raphtalia suggested we save a little money, I told them... stuff.

Not just 'the first story', but more about Orario itself. Our own brand of adventurers. Magic. Our style of 'the status window', monsters, people, places, things...

"Well, that explains why you're not really surprised by any of this." Erhard nodded as I ladled out a bowl of 'all the meat Usa can't eat' stew. "But one thing is really bothering me." He also got a bit of 'Clive attempts to make bread'. And for the first time, Clive's attempt at bread actually looked like bread.

I switched ladles and heaped a bunch of 'all the meat Usa CAN eat' stew into Usa's bowl. Our Rabbit party member also accepted a bit of Clive's latest attempt at non-brick bread, nodding a thank you to both of us.

"And what might that be?" I asked, waiting for Raphtalia to point to what ever pot she wanted to eat from, then filling her bowl. She also took some bread, but instead of waiting until her bowl was almost empty, she buried the sort-of-roll shaped object under the stew to soften it.

"Sir Kodori didn't tell us anything about himself." Raphtalia said as she sat down.

The four of them looked at me, and I let them simmer while I filled Clive's bowl with a half a ladle from both pots. "Gr." He nodded thanks.

"Since you've already promised." I started, looking around again even though we were in Erhard's workshop, after hours, in a small corner away from any windows. "My name, is Kodori Haruhime. And I am an adventurer. I arrived in Orario, fully grown in a body that was new to me, just over eight years ago. By the Rules of your world, my body was reshaped to suit its true age, while my mind remained that of someone with a lifetime of experience, as well as eight more years of almost nothing but 'how to deal with monsters' experience."

Even though the story took us well past this world's usual 'bed time', I had their full attention for the next couple of hours. I hoped, with their promise to me, they would keep things to themselves.

But I told them almost everything. Including, but not the exact details, of me being married. Poor Raphtalia looked surprised, then pouted when I said so. Usa and Clive just looked surprised though. I didn't mention children though, or that I was a woman. I couldn't help myself, and I figured that too many surprises might make my story unbelievable.

Telling it, even watered down, still made it seem far fetched. I also left out a lot of 'fine details'. They didn't need to know I was 'the Strongest' or how I'd killed the Balor. Or about the Train, or the Gate, or any of that stuff.

But, story told, the two stew pots empty, the bread gone, the drinks finished, I finished up my story.

"I hope you can understand why I'm so upset with this world now." I said, wondering if I should take out a Nourishing Beverage or two.

Erhard nodded, crossing his arms, "Stealing your wedding ring like that, along with the rest of the nonsense... Well, I'm not going to speak out against him. But I'm too busy these days to tell anyone your opinion of the king." He nodded, "But that explains a lot."

"I'm... I'm glad Sir is only using the Crest to help us grow." Usa said, touching the spot where the slave crest was.

"I'm surprised you left it on, considering your view on it." Erhard frowned.

"Since it's a day for telling secrets..." I said, "The Crest only has..." I brought up the 'Slave Options' list in that 'in between' place in my vision, "Three things it will punish."

"We follow orders in combat. Do not lie. And do not attack each other in anger." Raphtalia said. She smiled, "I've been paying attention!"

My other two 'slaves' nodded, and I added, "When it comes to monster hunting and party management, I am an expert. So, I need them to obey battlefield commands, keep me and themselves honest, and beat the crap out of each other when we get a chance to spar one on one, myself included." I explained. "In exchange for these three things, the Shield allows me to push their abilities just a little more than what ever passes for natural in this world."

Erhard absorbed that, then nodded, "It's not like you have time to cram years of combat discipline into them. And using anything you can to survive out there... Yeah, I get that."

Now it was time for people to start yawning. But I clenched my jaw to resist, "Speaking of time. The wave is tomorrow isn't it? We have work to do still."

"You're going to get yourself killed if you fight tired." Erhard grumbled, "Or smash your fingers with a hammer." He stood up and looked at his workshop, "Still, we've gotten a lot done. What else do you need to make? I mean... We've got proper armour for everyone, a new sword for little Raphtalia, short swords for both Usa and Clive. A proper bladed whip for Usa. Metal and horn composite bows that are almost done. More arrows than I can count... What are you missing?"

"Just one thing. But yes, no way I can finish it before passing out. But I can get the metal started in the crucible before bed."

The next morning, after we'd all woken up and Erhard returned to his shop (yes, he trusted us in his shop without him), we got started on the final fitting touches to our new equipment.

For Usa, and his all important arm, Erhard and I had carefully boiled, steamed, then dried out some of the Worm Viper's skin. Only slightly heavier than leather, we layered his right arm and shoulder with just a little extra protection. The next time something tried to bite his shoulder it would have to to much better than the Black Dog did. That isn't to say we didn't make proper leather and chain for the rest of him! Just that his one arm got a little extra.

His weapon, to replace the simpler 'Light Metal spiked whip' we made after the Black Dog encounter, was properly braided sinew with a very thin chain core and a small knife blade on the tip. This was a truly dangerous weapon, and Usa promised never to use it unless he was sure it was needed. As a back up weapon, he was given a small mace, the head made out of a small part of the Worm Viper's tail. He wouldn't ever do as much damage as someone with two hands, but the extremely solid and lightweight mace would keep him from trying to use his whip on someone standing next to him.

Clive, to go with his stone coloured Black Dog cape and hood, got similarly treated armour. The Worm hide was great stuff, and with a bit of time with some dye, Clive looked like he'd blend right in to either a tree, or a stone cliff. Weapon wise, he also got a mace. His slower 'aim time' with his eyes meant he might miss more often in close combat, so something more painful than deadly was given. His bow however, was a steel armed re-curve. Twice as strong as the one he had, since he was twice the level as before.

Raphtalia, now that she was fully grown (she still pouted about being shorter than I was), was also wearing proper leather/hide armour, with bits of metal where flexibility wasn't an issue. This included metal bracers, hardened leather gauntlets (for all your 'suddenly need to punch a jaw' needs), bits of chain for the truly sensitive bits that 'just leather' wouldn't do for, and shin guards.

Her bow was also made of metal, but also horn and wood. My version of the 'seven layer' composite short bows that Genghis Khan was famous for. She could fire it quickly, and either hang it from her belt or anything near by to fight with her sword. Speaking of swords, she picked out a nice sensible Falchion. The mostly straight blade had a nice cutting curve near the last hand-span or so, and I made sure to retool the hilt so she could use it with one or two hands. We also remade the hilt of her lucky knife, just so it fit her hand a bit better.

Then there was me...

Like the others, and my usual style from back home, I'd gone with the 'long coat and vest'. Using little metal plates, toughened and stitched together leather and Worm hide, all dyed black of course, I'd recreated my old scale coat. At least, as best I could without actual dragon scale. The coat itself also had a few other things. Like some fur lining on the inside. I wasn't protected by my Adventurer tolerance to heat and cold, so a bit of protection from the elements was needed.

Oh, and I also had the spiked bracers I'd never have been able to use before all this. It wasn't much, but my attack power was actually close to what Raphtalia had... back at level one with her stone knife. Sigh...

"You know..." Erhard said as I stepped out of the fitting room, my secret identity still intact (though the binding around my chest was going to itch if I got sweaty, I could tell...). "If we had time, I'd have suggested making an entire suit of plate. With an Air Wake enchantment, even something like tha- why are you staring at me like that?"

"Air Wake?" I asked.

"Um, yeah, it's a type of production process that allows the piece to absorb the users magic power to keep the arm- why are you smiling like that?" Erhard stopped and started to look very nervous.

"That... That was the missing piece of my equipment back home!" I felt excited, genuinely excited. "Look, we don't have time, but when we do, I'm going to draw up some diagrams, and we will make the greatest suit of armour your world has ever seen." I almost felt the urge to cackle with glee. Maybe even a full on evil overlord laugh.

"Oh dear... Could Sir Kodori have something he's obsessed with?" Raphtalia stage whispered to Usa and Clive, who laughed quietly.

The moment ruined, I shook Erhard's hand, "After the Wave, I'll be back to finish my Mask."

"Sure. I'm really curious how that'll turn out."

"Sir? I hear people gathering outside, just down the street." Usa said, his ears twitching.

"What's down the street?" I asked, walking towards the door.

"Come back alive, you hear?" Erhard said, "And the only thing I can think of down that way is the church clock tower."

NOTES!

Wave next episode. :)

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