Nezrin, a mouse demi-human, and her companion walked steadily along the well-worn road of Melromarc, their steps measured and deliberate. Outwardly, they carried themselves with an air of calm, as if they belonged there, as if they weren't out of place. But inside, she couldn't shake the uneasy shiver that crawled up her spine every time a human passed by. No matter how many times she reminded herself to stay composed, the ingrained fear never fully faded. The weight of past experiences clung to her like a shadow, a constant reminder of how dangerous it was to let her guard down.
Beside her, Ariel, a fox demi-human with sharp, watchful eyes, likely felt the same unease. Though she remained silent, her flicking ears and the occasional twitch of her fox tails betrayed her tension. She wasn't one to openly express fear, but Nezrin knew her well enough to recognize the subtle signs. They were both unwanted here, viewed as lesser beings, threats, or worse. Even if they pretended not to notice the wary glances and murmurs that followed them, the truth was inescapable: this country was not kind to their kind, except for a few. And no matter how calm they appeared, neither of them could truly relax.
She let out a quiet sigh, the weight of her thoughts pressing heavily on her chest. She really didn't want to return to this city—the very place where she had once been held captive, treated as nothing more than a slave. The mere thought of stepping back into those streets sent a chill through her, stirring up memories she would rather keep buried. But alas, necessity had a cruel way of overriding personal feelings. No matter how much she despised it, their current situation left her with little choice. The need for supplies, information, and perhaps even alliances outweighed the discomfort churning in her gut.
At the very least, she took some solace in knowing that the person they were meeting today was nothing like that wretched man who had once owned them. Unlike him, this individual had a reputation for fairness—perhaps even kindness. Still, that reassurance only went so far. After all, she and Ariel would eventually have to face their former owner again. That inevitable encounter loomed over her like a dark cloud, and no amount of preparation could ease the dread curling in her stomach.
Grabbing the note given to her by Miss Eclair, Nezrin glanced over its contents, mentally going over their tasks for the day. The first stop was to meet with Mr. Erhard, followed by a visit to the magic store, and lastly—the part she dreaded the most—they would have to meet their former owner. She sighed at the thought but quickly pushed it aside.
At the bottom of the note, a few additional tasks were scrawled in a somewhat hurried script, courtesy of the still-learning Ariel, listing miscellaneous items to pick up if they had the chance. Most of them were food-related—primarily vegetable and fruit seeds. Their current diet, after all, consisted almost entirely of meat. Meat for breakfast, meat for lunch, and more meat for dinner. Oh, and mushrooms, apples, and potatoes too, she supposed. At least those provided some variety. Ariel, of course, was perfectly content with their carnivorous lifestyle, savoring every meal with enthusiasm, while Nezrin and Miss Eclair were growing sick of it.
In fact, their party had so much excess meat that they had to give it away nearly every time they visited a city or passed through a village. It had become something of a routine at this point. The ironic part? The very first village she planned to visit during her reconnaissance for any news regarding the Waves and the Heroes was one that had been devastated by the first Wave—its farms and livestock destroyed, leaving the people starving. It was almost laughable how circumstances aligned, though she doubted the villagers would find the situation particularly amusing.
Even then, their stockpile of meat hadn't diminished in the slightest. If anything, it had only grown larger. No matter how much they handed out during their trips to towns and villages, it never seemed to make a dent in their supply. In fact, thanks to their constant level-grinding alongside Miss Eclair, they were accumulating meat at a faster rate than they could give it away. Every battle against monsters and beasts meant more meat added to their already overflowing reserves. At this point, it was becoming less of a food source and more of an ever-growing burden.
Anyway, the main reason they were heading to Mr. Erhard's shop was to acquire more suitable weapons and armor for themselves. Nezrin and Ariel both needed proper equipment, while Raphtalia—having chosen to follow the path of a swordmaster like Miss Eclair—only required new armor. They already had some gear, thanks to the Shield Hero, but those were meant for the most basic purpose: self-defense while grinding levels. Even with the enchantments he had placed on their equipment, it was clear they would eventually need something better suited to their individual fighting styles.
And, honestly, they were grateful for Miss Eclair's interference when it came to their armor situation. Otherwise, the three of them would have ended up wearing the same overly heavy, black armor or the diamond armor as the Shield Hero himself. That two armor wasn't just impractical—it was absurd. Even the smallest piece, like the footwear, required at least two people just to lift it off the ground. There was no way they could fight efficiently in something like that.
Yep, they were lucky that the brains of their little group had enough sense to realize that outfitting three underdeveloped demi-human kids with not one, but two sets of armor worth as much—if not more—than the entire country was probably not the best idea. A ridiculous, impractical, and downright reckless idea, at that.
Yep, they were lucky that the brains of their little group had enough sense to realize that outfitting three underdeveloped demi-human kids with not one, but two sets of armor worth as much—if not more—than the entire country was probably not the best idea. A ridiculous, impractical, and downright reckless idea, at that.
Oh, you think they were overestimating the worth of the Shield Hero's crafted armor? Nope. Not in the slightest. The sheer power of its enchantment alone was already beyond what some of the brightest and most powerful mages in this world could ever hope to cast. And unlike typical enchantments, which were often temporary, his were permanent. A single piece of his work was a treasure in itself.
Miss Eclair was convinced that anyone who could wear—no, more like lift—that armor without struggling was effectively at Hero level. The sheer weight and enchantments made it impossible for ordinary people to use. Even their previous leather armor, which seemed simple at first glance, was leagues ahead of anything she had ever encountered. That was because the Shield Hero had enchanted those as well—mostly temporarily, but with a few permanent enchantments sneaked in without Miss Eclair's knowledge.
And secondly, the material he used? Pure diamond. Yes, an actual diamond. The entire set of armor was crafted from a material more valuable and durable than nearly anything else in this world. So, no, they weren't exaggerating—giving such an extravagant and impractical set of armor to a group of underdeveloped demi-human kids was absolutely overkill.
Thus, their main priority for today was clear: they needed to acquire proper armor—something appropriate for their chosen roles in the party. Something they could actually wear without needing multiple people just to lift a single piece.
Ariel had chosen to be the resident mage and caster of their party, a decision that came after an unexpected discovery during a visit to the magic shop. When Miss Eclair took them there for an aptitude test, something remarkable was revealed about Ariel. It turned out that she wasn't just an ordinary fox demi-human—she belonged to a rare subspecies known as Kyuubi. Unlike regular fox demi-humans, Kyuubi had a natural affinity for magic and possessed abilities tied to two mysterious arts: Hengen Muso and Senjutsu.
With such an extraordinary potential for magic, Ariel naturally embraced the role of a mage. However, despite her excitement, there was one frustrating issue—there was almost no information available on Hengen Muso or Senjutsu. The magic shop's owner, an old woman who had spent decades studying all forms of magic, had no books or records detailing either of these abilities. Even with her vast knowledge, she had never encountered those terms before. Not a single tome or grimoire in her collection so much as mentioned them.
That left them with more questions than answers, but for now, all they could do was move forward with what they did know.
As for Raphtalia, her magic aptitude leaned toward light, dark, and speed magic. It seemed she intended to blend her swordsmanship with her magical abilities, using her spells to enhance her combat effectiveness. With speed magic increasing her agility and light and dark magic offering versatility in both offense and defense, she had the potential to become a highly adaptable fighter.
When combined with the enchantments from the Shield Hero, her offensive physical prowess would become truly formidable. Unlike Miss Eclair, who specialized in defensive swordplay, Raphtalia was shaping up to be a swift, high-impact attacker, capable of overwhelming enemies with both her blade and magic.
As for herself, she had a natural aptitude for Wind and Earth magic, but she also possessed illusion magic.
For now, both she and Raphtalia had only mastered the basic spells of their respective affinities, while Ariel was already at a more advanced stage in her magic learning. Unlike Raphtalia, who had at least learned to read, write, and count before being sold into slavery, Nezrin and Ariel had been taken at a much younger age. With no guidance and no parents to teach them, they had been deprived of any formal education, leaving them illiterate for most of their early lives.
Despite this, Raphtalia's dedication to swordsmanship meant she only put in the bare minimum effort when it came to magic. While she had the potential to grow stronger in it, she much preferred the feel of a sword in her hands over the casting of spells. To her, the swing of a blade was far more satisfying than the flow of magic.
With the help of Miss Eclair and Raphtalia, Ariel and Nezrin were slowly learning to read and count. Though her progress was slow, Nezrin didn't mind. Unlike the others, she wasn't aiming to be a frontline attacker or a support caster from the back.
No, her role was something like her species, she will embodied all the traits of a truly unpleasant little mouse—sly, sneaky, and always up to cause little distraction.
All the magic she had learned so far revolved around silencing sound and muffling presence. Unlike melee fighters like Miss Eclair and Raphtalia or arcane casters like Ariel, Nezrin intended to be a destabilizing force on the enemy's side. That was why the skills and spells she focused on were primarily speed- and stealth-based, along with debuffs and passive-effect magic. Rather than confronting enemies head-on, she would weaken, disorient, and eliminate them before they even knew she was there.
And if she ever got caught—well, a certain Totem from her Hero's world would be the answer.