《Trials of the Inventor Hero》 Prologue: The Fifth Hero Horror and devastation surrounded Ophelia. Corpses of soldiers both human and monstrous littered the battlefield. Blood soaked the ground and smoke filled the air, stinging her eyes. Death was all that could be found, but Ophelia desperately searched for some kind of hope. There had to be something. Anything! Yet, all she could see was despair. Three flying castles loomed over the battlefield. From their towers came bolts of fire and lightning which tore through the human soldiers. Demons flew from the castle¡¯s ramparts to slay those that survived the volley. To the east swarmed the monstrous Horde. Orcs, hobgoblins, lycans, and many other monster races of Pa¡¯palla. Their savagery knew no bounds as they tore apart the humans. Those that were fortunate were given a quick death, but those that weren¡¯t released a harrowing scream. Ophelia had to turn away from the torture, especially when the victim was a woman. Then her eyes fell onto the worst sight she could witness. A demon in black armor strode onto the battlefield. In his left hand was a multipronged spear. Four heads adorned the prongs, their faces frozen in terrible suffering. The demon roared in victory, holding the spear aloft, and the humans broke at the sight. The horror forced Ophelia to wakefulness, and she wiped the tears from her eyes. ¡°Why does this keep happening?¡± Ophelia cried. ¡°That¡¯s the fifth vision I¡¯ve seen where the heroes die.¡± The pain in her chest was too great that it made her forget about the cold stone beneath her, or the icy chill penetrating through her sheer gown. The simple ornate room was lit by the moon¡¯s light and the four crystal balls that the mages used to observe her visions. A priestess wrapped a simple white blanket around Ophelia¡¯s shoulders. The mages¡¯ themselves were too enraptured by the vision. ¡°Are we truly doomed to fail?¡± One muttered under his breath. ¡°Not even the heroes are strong enough to save us?¡± Ophelia pulled the blanket closed, trying to take comfort in the soft cloth. ¡°Enough!¡± All eyes turned to the wizened woman sitting on plush chair overlooking the ritual site. ¡°If four heroes are not enough to save us, then we must seek out more.¡± ¡°More.¡± Everyone looked around confused. ¡°What do you mean more?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not speaking in riddles fool.¡± The old woman snapped. ¡°Please Lady Sage, explain your reasoning!¡± Ophelia replied, hope slightly burned in her chest as she looked up to her elder. The Sage sighed in disappointment. ¡°Do none of you know your history? How heroes were summoned in the past?¡± She looked around at the younger people below her. ¡°Of course! The kingdom of Gilbrant was the first to discover the summoning spell, and they made the greatest sacrifice to summon all four heroes at once.¡± Everyone nodded in agreement save for the more senior among them. The elderly looked to the ground in shame. ¡°Fools, who is spouting such nonsense?¡± The Sage coughed in anger. ¡°Gilbrant wasn¡¯t the first to summon the heroes. It was the first to summon all four.¡± Silence fell as the revelation hit the younger members hard. Her gaze fell to Ophelia. ¡°Child, as Oracle, your responsibility is to the kingdom. You must make the appropriate sacrifices to ensure that it survives. It is a position in which selfishness cannot exist. It demands sacrifices.¡± Ophelia nodded, eager to hear the words of her predecessor. ¡°Why are you lying to us?¡± A young mage shouted. ¡°Everyone knows Gilbrant has always been the one to summon heroes.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m lying¡± The Sage¡¯s eyes burned with anger. ¡°I was there. While the other kingdoms around us had their Oracles find a hero for them to summon, I found four.¡± She looked at Ophelia with a painful smile. ¡°It nearly took all my levels, but I found a future in which Gilbrant thrived. I found a future in which four heroes came to our aid, and you must now do the same.¡± Ophelia nodded with a determined gaze. ¡°Good girl. I recommend altering the future in which five heroes are summoned. Bring in another scrying stone.¡± Ophelia waited as another station was set up, and a mage was manning it. Then she tossed the blanket to the floor and laid back down. With a few deep breaths she fell back into her trance. The world itself around her became dark with the only light coming from the stream that represented time. The flow of time itself looked like an ever-growing tapestry, interwoven together by the choices of billions across all the realms. Some threads were sewn together into a single seam and then split into multiple while others remained completely isolated, only connecting with the other strands when those like herself made them do so. Ophelia ran her hand over the tapestry until she found the spot she was looking for. It was a focal point in which all the possible timelines of her world came together. It glowed with a deep crimson light, and the rotting smell of death struck her nose. Carefully, she pulled the point apart, trying desperately to keep it from unraveling. It was a delicate process of separating the thread until she isolated four strands that belonged to the heroes. Slowly, she followed the strands back until they crossed over to a different thread that belonged to another realm. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Ophelia closed her eyes and wished. ¡°I need a fifth hero. One who will forever change the fate of my world for the better.¡± She pinched the thread and pulled out a single strand. She stared at the strand in concern. Unlike the four strands belonging to the four heroes, this one was simply plain. There was warmth coming from the strand. The individual, whomever it was, was a decent person, but no one of relevance. Still, Ophelia plucked the strand free from its original timeline and knitted it into her own. Immediately, the strand turned black, and Ophelia couldn¡¯t help but feel regret knowing this individual would suffer. She continued following the stand and noticed that it wove itself into a single timeline, and whenever it tried branching out, the threads were immediately cut. Others started weaving themselves along side it, and the black stains started to make the hero¡¯s strand brighten until it outshone the others. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ophelia whispered as she gingerly cradled the thread. ¡°But I need your help in saving my world.¡± She watched the hero¡¯s strand connect to the focal point and pushed her consciousness into it. Devastation surrounded her, but this time stared at the battlefield in hope. The demonic castles laid in crumbling ruins, and the corpses of demons littered the ground. The Horde which had haunted her earlier visions were no longer there. Instead, giant metal birds flew across the sky. Their shrieks were so loud that she had to cover her ears. A hulking monstrosity stomped across the battlefield with a massive, spiked club in its hand. A flash of golden light shot across the sky, and she stared up in awe a figure with golden wings flew above her. Ophelia screamed when a blast of magic shot past her and struck the single demon fleeing the battle. Again, she stared in awe at the armored figure carrying a strange metallic staff. Ophelia fell to her knees and cried happy tears. No longer was the battle theirs to lose. Determination to see this hero pushed Ophelia back to her feet, and she scoured the battlefield. She approached the ruins of the demon castles she spotted a single figure standing on the rubble. Ophelia stared in awe at the knight adorned in white armor. Blue sparks shot from parts of the amor as the hero took a step forward, but their legs gave out and they tumbled down the pile of stones. Ophelia slowly approached the figure, her eyes focused on the pale blue light coming from the hero¡¯s chest. Ophelia reached out to take the hero¡¯s hand, but her fingers passed right through. ¡°Thank you.¡± She whispered with a warm smile. Her eyes opened and she stared up into the ivory moon. She sat up and smiled at the mages. ¡°Did you see that?¡± She fought against the exhaustion brought on from changing the timeline. ¡°No Lady Oracle, we didn¡¯t.¡± The mages gathered around the fifth scrying crystal stared at her in confusion. ¡°We were able to scry the heroes mana signature, but whenever we tried to scry their future, it was¡­ clouded.¡± All eyes turned to the Sage. ¡°Have you seen this before?¡± The Sage scratched her chin in thought. ¡°Something must have been interfering with the stone. Ophelia what did you see?¡± Ophelia¡¯s eyes brightened with excitement. ¡°The battle was ours! The demon armies were thoroughly crushed, and the Horde was nowhere in sight.¡± Everyone sighed in relief. ¡°What¡¯s strange is that there were giant metal birds flying in the sky, and I saw three individuals in strange armor that I had never seen before. I¡­ don¡¯t think they were human.¡± Everyone¡¯s ease turned to apprehension. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Sage said in concern. ¡°One was flying through the air with golden wings, and another was a giant brute of a man.¡± Ophelia¡¯s eyes grew heavy, and she forced herself to stay awake. A priestess held onto her shoulders to keep her from falling. ¡°One was definitely a woman, but I saw her cast a spell at a range that was beyond human ability.¡± Fear filled the eyes of everyone around her. ¡°And the Hero?¡± ¡°The Hero looked gravely injured. I couldn¡¯t determine their fate.¡± Ophelia groaned as she tried to keep her head up. She started shivering as the cold air nipped at her sweaty body. ¡°But It was amazing. Whoever it is looked to be a knight in armor the purest of white.¡± Remembering the scene made her heart skip. ¡°Could the Hero be a martial tamer?¡± ¡°Maybe a summoner?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a summoner that wears armor before.¡± ¡°Enough speculation.¡± The Sage focused on Ophelia. ¡°The Oracle is exhausted. Get her to bed and begin preparations to summon the heroes.¡± Everyone went about their task with renewed vigor, and soon the central chamber was empty. The Sage stared down at the divining table, and she hobbled down the steps towards it. She shouldn¡¯t be doing this. Her wisdom was needed to guide the future heroes, but her curiosity demanded it. The Sage scurried onto the table and after a few breaths, entered a trance. Time flowed before her, and she reached out to inspect the threads. After some time, she found the strand that belonged to the fifth hero. It was odd how it shined. As the former Oracle, she was familiar with how the strands worked. Key individuals, like the heroes, often shined brighter than all the others, but this individual shined brighter than even them. It worried her. The Sage tried pulling the hero¡¯s thread to better inspect it, but the surge of energy struck her finger. The Sage looked at her hand in fear as her fore and middle finger turned to ash. ¡°I should stop.¡± The Sage swallowed, but her gaze wouldn¡¯t leave the thread, and she twisted the thread around to look at the strands interwoven with the fifth hero. ¡°Non-humans.¡± The Sage snarled. ¡°It isn¡¯t right for them to be bound so tightly to a hero. Best remove them.¡± The Sage gripped a dark blue and gold strand, and she pulled, trying to tear it away. Again, energy struck her, but her fingers were stuck to the individual strand. The Sage screamed in pain as the energy coursed through her body. Fear and horror accompanied the revelation she had. ¡°Foolish girl, what have you done?¡± The Sage silently cursed as her body turned to ash. Ch.1 The Heroes Arrive Nathaniel checked his luggage for the last time. This was an important trip, and he didn¡¯t want to leave anything behind. He pulled out the tickets from the inner pocket of his suit jacket, nodding as he saw the extra ticket for his return trip. The generic ring of his work phone sounded from his other pocket. He answered the phone, ¡°This is Nathaniel,¡± ¡°Hey Nathaniel,¡± the voice on the other side said, ¡°We have a problem with the prototype robot.¡± ¡°The one for the conference,¡± Nathaniel said scratching his head, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know. All I can tell you is that the grippers aren''t grabbing properly, like the gripper actuators aren¡¯t maintaining pressure.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s personal phone chimed a cheery tone, and he pulled it out seeing a text notification. From: Mom Have a great trip sweetie, love you. BTW (by the way) your dad wants you to install the new ceiling fan. Nathaniel smiled at his mother¡¯s text. ¡°Are there any leaks?¡± ¡°No leaks.¡± ¡°Then there may be air in the hydraulic lines,¡± Nathaniel said putting away his personal phone, ¡°Recharge the lines and I¡¯ll take a look at it when I arrive.¡± ¡°See you then.¡± Nathaniel pocketed his work phone and grabbed his luggage. He opened the door, but a blinding white light caused him to turn away. Cheers assaulted his ears, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the center of a large open, sandy field. Large stone walls stood in front of him that turned into stands filled to the brim with people. Nathaniel recognized he was standing in a colosseum. ¡°What the hell?¡± Nathaniel turned to see four other people standing in line with him. Two men and two women. They wore white military style uniforms with golden buttons and braids draped against the left side with golden shoulder tassels. Nathaniel noticed he was wearing a similar outfit. ¡°Welcome heroes!¡± Nathaniel turned to see a middle-aged man in regal blue and white robes with a large crown, ¡°The kingdom of Gilbrant calls upon you in our greatest time of need. Terrible monstrosities from the north and west ravage our lands, and we are in dire need of your great prowess. I need you. My people need you. The world needs you. Please lend us your power, and I swear you will have everything your heart desires!¡± Nathaniel stared up at the King, Is he serious? ¡°Are you serious!¡± Nathaniel turned and saw the man at the other end smiling. He was muscular and athletically built with sandy brown hair with blond highlights. ¡°We help fight off some monsters, and in return we can ask for anything?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The man turned to look them over, ¡°We¡¯ll do it!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make decisions for us!¡± the woman closest to Nathaniel sneered. ¡°I am truly grateful to be in the presence of a upstanding hero,¡± the king said smiling at the blond man. The gates on either side of the colosseum opened and five carriages filed in, ¡°You shall be brought to the castle where the divine oracle shall bestow you with heroic classes. I look forward to seeing you all there.¡± The carriage door opened, and a young man in a fine suit stepped out, ¡°Please step inside hero,¡± he said with a bow. Nathaniel noticed the other heroes enter their respective carriages and followed suit. The attendant closed the door and sat on the other side of Nathaniel. The cheers started up again as the carriages left the colosseum. ¡°My name is Helmer,¡± the attendant said with a bow, ¡°And as of today I am your personal servant.¡± Nathaniel stared at him for a moment, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll need some time to grasp what¡¯s going on,¡± he said. ¡°I understand,¡± Helmer said, ¡°And please take you time. It will take thirty minutes for the carriage to finish the parade.¡± ¡°The parade?¡± Nathaniel said, and Helmer gestured to the window. Nathaniel pulled back the curtain to reveal swaths of people standing along the road waving and throwing rice. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°It is a momentous day after all,¡± Helmer said, ¡°It¡¯s been about¡­a hundred years since the last heroes were summoned.¡± ¡°How often do you do this?¡± Helmer scratched his chin, ¡°About once every four generations,¡± he said, ¡°It can vary depending on the need.¡± Nathaniel looked back out the window. It looked like a picture from a history book. Women wearing simple dresses and shawls. Men wearing tunics and hosen. Even the architecture reminded him of historical buildings found in Europe. ¡°Is this¡­¡± ¡°Another world?¡± Helmer said with a smile, ¡°Yes. It seems that for whatever reason, legendary heroes can only come from a different world.¡± Nathaniel leaned forward, ¡°Magic?¡± ¡°Exists,¡± ¡°Elves?¡± Helmer nodded, ¡°Dwarves?¡± another nod, ¡°Orcs? Goblins? Dragons?¡± Helmer nodded for each one. Nathaniel scratched his chin then smiled devilishly, ¡°Cute cat girls?¡± Helmer gasped, ¡°Sir, I am appalled,¡± he said, ¡°To even suggest that a Lycan is cute is downright preposterous. What with their disgusting snouts and course fur.¡± Good thing I¡¯m not a furry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Helmer,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I wanted to see how much knowledge from my world I can rely on.¡± ¡°Are there people in your world attracted to such monsters?¡± Nathaniel gave a pained smile, ¡°Yes, but they¡¯re not looked on fondly.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Helmer said with disgust. Nathaniel cleared his throat, ¡°So, the king mentioned classes. What¡¯s that about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to show you,¡± he said, ¡°Think the word status.¡± Status. A window appeared before Nathaniels eyes. Nathaniel Light (Health: 150/150) (Mana: 25/25) ? Class: ? Stats: o Strength: 15 o Dexterity: 13 o Constitution: 17 o Intelligence: 105 o Wisdom: 20 o Charisma: 12 ? Talents+ ? Skills ? Condition Nathaniel scratched his chin, ¡°All of my stats are in the teens, except for Intelligence which is in the hundreds,¡± he said, ¡°Can you explain that?¡± Helmer gave a crooked smile, ¡°That¡¯s common,¡± he said, ¡°Most people stop increasing their stats around fifteen, but certain classes do max out stats in the mid-twenties, like soldiers maxing out strength,¡± Helmer¡¯s smile brightened, ¡°But your high intelligence must be due to one of your talents. Perhaps you¡¯ll be a powerful spellcaster.¡± ¡°Talents?¡± The Talent window opened. Talents: ? Innovation (Legendary) ? Intuition (Legendary) ¡°It¡¯s common to have two talents, but some are blessed with three while others are cursed with one.¡± Helmer said, looking at him in anticipation. ¡°My mana maxes out at twenty-five,¡± Nathaniel said. Helmer¡¯s smile broke, ¡°A pity,¡± ¡°But my two talents are Innovation and intuition,¡± he said, ¡°Both have ¡®legendary¡¯ marked after them.¡± [Intuition activated] appeared before his eyes. ¡°Innovation, that explains the high intelligence,¡± Helmer said dabbing his face with a handkerchief, ¡°Legendary is the ranking of you talent. The rankings go basic, intermediate, advance, heroic, and legendary. Basic is the most common ranking,¡± he tapped his knee, ¡°Innovation is a special talent that is responsible for all societal advancements, even the basic ranking is found in about one and fifty thousand people, and even then, they¡¯re only responsible for one advancement in their lifetime. Intuition is a more common talent that provides additional information to the individual.¡± [Disappointed] appeared above Helmer¡¯s head. ¡°I can see that,¡± The carriage slowed to a stop, ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Helmer opened the door and stepped out, ¡°Please proceed into the castle.¡± Nathaniel stepped out of the carriage and stared up at the castle. The large dark stone fortress consisted of three large keeps with six towers all around it. Marble trimmed the castles entrance to showcase a sense of wealth. A single large stained-glass window sat over the entrance. Nathaniel climbed the steps alongside the other heroes. The interior of the castle portrayed wealth far better than the exterior. The clean whitewashed walls were decorated with masterful painting and tapestries with golden candelabras spaced evenly to provide the maximum amount of light. A large red carpet led them directly into the throne room. The throne room was filled with richly dressed people who were eyeing the five heroes. The king sat on the throne at the end of the hall with a woman sitting next to him looking down on the hall. [Queen] hung over her head. Another woman stood at the foot of the dais. If a man could design the perfect woman, it would be her. She was of average height, but she had the largest breasts Nathaniel had ever seen with a thin waist and wide hips. Her long, golden hair shined in the sunlight that bathed her. She looked like an angel in her flowing white dress. There¡¯s no way those are natural. [Natural] appeared alongside the woman¡¯s bust size. ¡°Men,¡± someone said in disgust. Nathaniel saw the two other men practically drooling as they stared at the woman in front of them, while the women looked at them in disgust. The blonde woman held up her hand signaling for them to stop a few feet away. ¡°Welcome heroes,¡± the woman said bowing, ¡°I am the oracle of the kingdom, Ophelia DeMare. Would you please grace us with you names, valiant heroes.¡± The blonde man stepped forward, ¡°Duncan O¡¯Donell,¡± He turned looking at the crowd and winked at a group of noblewomen causing them to blush. Duncan looked the stereotypical jock character from a teen movie. All muscles and style, but no brains. The next man stepped forward. He drew attention with his dark skin, and although he wasn¡¯t as muscular as Duncan, he was easily over six feet in height. [6¡¯5¡±]. ¡°Shawn White,¡± he said, then turned to Duncan, ¡°Save some for me man,¡± They both laughed as they smiled at the same group of women. The first woman stepped forward. The noblemen took an interest due to her caramel skin and silky black hair. Her uniform did a good job of accentuating her curves, ¡°Maria Gomez,¡± she said turning the men next to her, ¡°Will you two stop that.¡± Shawn chuckled, ¡°You going to start cursing at us in Spanish,¡± he said getting a high-five from Duncan. ¡°Just because I¡¯m Hispanic doesn¡¯t mean I speak Spanish.¡± ¡°Can you all stop making a scene,¡± the second woman said with a deep bow, ¡°I¡¯m Shizuka Tobishi.¡± Her black hair was braided into two pigtails, and her delicate skin was nearly pale white. Of all the heroes she was the shortest, which along with her petite frame gave her a mousy appearance. All eyes turned to Nathaniel. He took a deep breath and stood up straight with his hands clasped behind his back, ¡°Nathaniel Light, at your service,¡± he said. The crowd mumbled and nodded approvingly. ¡°Such wonderful names,¡± Ophelia said gesturing for an attendant holding a book to approach, ¡°I will now bestow upon you a blessing that shall reveal your class.¡± She approached Duncan, ¡°Please bow your head,¡± The oracle pushed herself up to kiss Duncan¡¯s forehead. Duncan lowered his head then at the last moment raised it so that he kissed Ophelia on the lips. The crowd gasped, and Ophelia pushed herself away giving Duncan a disgusted look. Duncan laughed as he looked at his menu, ¡°My class is Champion,¡± he said. The attendant wrote that down. Ophelia moved to Shawn. Shawn bent down for Ophelia as she struggled to reach his forehead, but he pulled the same stunt as Duncan. Ophelia tried to push away but Shawn had an arm around her waist. Eventually, Shawn released her with a smile, ¡°Looks like I¡¯m a Ranger,¡± The attendant recorded the class as Ophelia moved to Maria. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Maria said giving the men next to her dark looks. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Ophelia said kissing her on the forehead. Maria looked at her menu, ¡°My class is Saint,¡± Ophelia awakened Shizuka¡¯s class, ¡°Archmage,¡± Ophelia stood in front of Nathaniel, but she didn¡¯t approach. Her sharp glare made him a bit uncomfortable. [Untrusting] I¡¯d be untrusting too after those two. The awkwardness grew until an idea came to Nathaniel. He gave Ophelia a small smile and kneeled with his head bowed. It looks like the kiss is the only catalyst for the awakening. Hopefully she understands. Two hands pulled Nathaniels face upwards, and warmth spread through his forehead. Ophelia backed away with a warm smile. Clucking noises came from the other side of the room. Nathaniel pulled up his window when he rose to his feet. His eyes widened when he saw his class. Seriously! Ophelia stared expectantly at him. Nathaniel cleared his throat, ¡°My class is Inventor.¡± Ophelia cocked an eyebrow, ¡°Can you please repeat your class?¡± she said, turning to her attendant. ¡°Inventor,¡± Nathaniel said looking worried as the two consulted the book. The gathered crowd started mumbling. ¡°Inventor?¡± ¡°Never heard of it before.¡± ¡°Must be a new class.¡± Ophelia clapped her hands causing everyone to go silent, ¡°Sir Light, can you please give us the description of your class,¡± she said. She whispered, ¡°Focusing on the class will bring up the description.¡± The class window expanded. [Inventor (Legendary): An intelligence-based crafter class with the focus on the advancement of modern technology through the application of academical theory. The inventor specializes in a number of crafting skills based upon the ranking. *Legendary: Inventor can specialize in all crafting skills.] The crowd groaned in disappointment. ¡°He¡¯s a crafter class.¡± ¡°What a shame.¡± ¡°A waste of lives it is.¡± The last comment caught Nathaniel¡¯s attention, ¡°What do they mean ¡®a waste of lives?¡¯¡± he said, looking at Ophelia. The king spoke up, ¡°The summoning ritual requires vast amounts of mana that is beyond a casters ability, so an external resource is required,¡± he said, ¡°Souls are both an excellent source of power and easy to come by. This allows all citizens, no matter who they are, to aid the kingdom.¡± ¡°You sacrifice your own people!¡± Maria said, staring at the king in disgust. ¡°It is an honor to sacrifice one¡¯s life for a greater cause,¡± the king said, ¡°It¡¯s no different from a soldier dying in battle,¡± He turned to Nathaniel, ¡°It¡¯s just a shame that a hundred souls were wasted for a crafter.¡± A hundred souls! Nathaniel looked to the other heroes, ¡°You sacrificed five hundred people!¡± the king nodded. Nathaniel felt sick to his stomach, ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want me then send me back.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± the king said, ¡°The only way a hero can return to their world is for the original world to summon them back.¡± ¡°Our world doesn¡¯t have magic!¡± Shizuka said, her shriek echoed throughout the room. The king smiled, ¡°A pity.¡± [Aware] appeared above the king¡¯s head. ¡°We already knew,¡± Ophelia said with a bow, ¡°One of my abilities as oracles is that I can see through the many planes. I used this ability to find your world and provided the wizards with its location to summon you.¡± ¡°Regardless, what¡¯s done is done,¡± the king said tapping his staff on the floor, ¡°Please show the heroes to their rooms. They should get some rest before the banquet tonight.¡± He rose from his throne and walked through one of the side doors with his queen. ¡°This way heroes,¡± Helmer alongside the other attendants bowed. They followed the attendants up two flights of stairs and down a long hallway until they came to a corridor with six rooms, three on each side. The attendants led the heroes to the respective rooms, and when Nathaniel opened his, he found a man in a fine coat waiting for him. ¡°Pardon me hero,¡± the man said, ¡°I need to get your measurements.¡± ¡°My measurements?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± the tailor said, ¡°The royal family commissioned several sets of gear for you,¡± he gestured to a small platform in front of three full body mirrors, ¡°Please step up here.¡± Nathaniel stepped onto the platform and the tailor quickly took his measurements. After he wrote down the length of Nathaniel¡¯s inseam he stepped back, ¡°Thank you sir. These will be sent to Fort Cadarn right away.¡± The tailor quietly stepped out of the room. ¡°I take it that¡¯s where we¡¯re being sent?¡± Nathaniel asked Helmer who was standing at the door. ¡°Yes sir,¡± Helmer said, ¡°The five of you will be travelling with a contingent of soldiers to Fort Cadarn. It¡¯ll be the staging area for the kingdom¡¯s retaliation against the Horde.¡± ¡°The Horde?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Helmer said, ¡°It¡¯s the most imminent threat, but I¡¯ll leave it to the generals to explain,¡± he walked over to the second set of double doors, ¡°Your bedroom is in here,¡± he said opening the doors to reveal a large room with a walk-in closet and a king-sized canopy bed. ¡°Would you like to rest, or perhaps refreshments?¡± Nathaniel started unbuttoning his coat, ¡°Can I get a glass of water please?¡± ¡°Of course, sir,¡± Helmer said quickly coming over to help Nathaniel out of his coat. He gave it a good shake before hanging it on the mahogany coat rack, ¡°I shall have your drink up shortly.¡± He said closing the doors to the common room behind him. Nathaniel looked at the common room. A luxurious rug sat in the center of the room with a large couch and two plush chairs circled around a dark coffee table. An unlit fireplace filled with firewood sat on the exterior wall in between two glass windows with the curtains drawn bathing the room in natural light. A liquor cabinet and books shelf sat on the interior wall with a small table in between them. A silver platter with crystal tumblers sat on the table. Nathaniel walked over to the bookshelf and perused the books. Most of the books looked to be light reads. Clearly these were meant to entertain over educate which disappointed Nathaniel, but he picked one and sat in one of the chairs. ¡°The Fall of the Infernal Dragon¡¯s Dungeon,¡± Nathaniel read out loud, ¡°Do they have dungeons in this world?¡± He immediately realized he read the title, ¡°Do I have an innate understanding of the language?¡± [Yes] Nathaniel shook his head at the message and started reading. Nathaniel quickly skimmed through the book and discovered that this world did indeed have dungeons. More so, these dungeons were powered by a dungeon core that could create materials within the confines of the dungeon along with living creatures to populate it. It appears that the kingdoms of this world seek out these dungeon cores to power their cities. There was a knock on the door and Helmer entered with a rolling cart carrying a pitcher of iced water. ¡°Here¡¯s your water sir,¡± Helmer said pouring a glass and putting it onto the table with a coaster. ¡°An excellent choice sir,¡± he said noticing the book. ¡°Question. These dungeon cores, do they consistently produce power even after mined?¡± Nathaniel asked while taking a sip of water. ¡°Yes sir. Although it is possible to overtax the dungeon core, in which case another will be needed to offset the cost.¡± ¡°And I take it one of our¡­I mean their responsibilities will be to clear out these dungeons so the kingdom can claim these cores?¡± Nathaniel said setting the book down. ¡°Yes sir,¡± Helmer said, ¡°Whereas you¡¯ll most likely be responsible for implementing the core into the castle¡¯s mana chambers.¡± ¡°How many hours until the banquet?¡± ¡°Four, sir,¡± ¡°Is there a book that can educate me on the basics?¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Stats, talents, etc.¡± ¡°Of course, sir. Would you like me to bring it to you?¡± ¡°Please,¡± Nathaniel said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯d hate to go into this banquet completely ignorant.¡± ¡°I shall fetch it right away.¡± Nathaniel was completely immersed. The book gave a thorough explanation of how this world worked, and it was like some games he had played as a kid. The stats determined his overall physical capabilities. Strength was physical power, dexterity was his reflexes, and constitution his overall health. Intelligence didn¡¯t determine how smart he is, but rather affects his memory and understanding of natural law. Wisdom and charisma are a bit vague. Wisdom is best described as common sense while charisma was how likable he is. Then there was the leveling. To increase the class level, one had to increase the level of an appropriate skill. Since Nathaniel was a crafter, he would gain levels faster by increasing crafting skills. He could learn other skills, but they wouldn¡¯t affect his main level the way crafting skills did. Increasing his main level would in turn increase his stats based upon the skills he had. ¡°Sir, the banquet will be starting soon.¡± Helmer said, drawing his attention. Helmer held Nathaniel¡¯s coat for him. Nathaniel slipped on his coat, ¡°So, how is this going to go?¡± he said buttoning up the coat. Helmer smoothed out a few wrinkles, ¡°The heroes will be the last to enter,¡± he said, ¡°You will enter one at a time giving each of you your moment to shine. Then it will be up to you to socialize with the other nobles.¡± Nathaniel stepped out of his room at the same time as the other heroes. The attendants led them to the ballroom. Duncan spit into his palms and ran his fingers through his messy hair. Maria, however, glistened. ¡°I¡¯m impressed,¡± Maria said, ¡°The baths here are amazing!¡± ¡°The beds too,¡± Shawn said with yawn, ¡°I took a nap since I probably won¡¯t tonight.¡± ¡°Same,¡± Duncan said, ¡°I¡¯m hoping to have some private time with Ophelia.¡± ¡°Pigs,¡± Shizuka whispered then looked up at Nathaniel, ¡°What¡¯d you do?¡± she said with a dark glare. ¡°Studied,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°The first thing we should do is learn about this world. I don¡¯t like how quickly they¡¯re moving us into this hero role.¡± Shizuka gave him a small smile, ¡°What did you find out?¡± Nathaniel passed on all he learned. ¡°Interesting, thanks.¡± ¡°Here we are heroes,¡± an attendant stood next to the double doors, ¡°Will first start with the Champion followed by the Saint, Ranger, Archmage, then Inventor. Champion, please stand right here please,¡± the attendant gestured to the front of the door. Duncan stood with a charming grin and the doors opened with a loud fanfare, ¡°Introducing the Champion Hero, Duncan O¡¯Donell.¡± The crowd inside cheered loudly as Duncan stepped inside. A minute later Maria was introduced to another round of applause. Shawn and Shizuka were given similar if lesser cheers. Finally, Nathaniel stepped up to the door. ¡°Introducing the Inventor Hero, Nathaniel Light.¡± The fanfare rang but the cheers were almost nonexistent. Helmer led Nathaniel to a section of the ballroom floor away from the others. Nathaniel looked and saw the other heroes evenly spaced out around the room. Duncan, Maria, and Shawn had the largest groups gathered around them. Shizuka had a small group of elderly men with well groomed white beards, fancy robes and ornate staves. The mages were oblivious to her dark frown. Nathaniel stood off in his corner while Helmer ran off to get him some refreshments. Nathaniel¡¯s intuition went into overdrive. Intuition showed him the ranks of each noble with a cursory glance, and when his gaze lingered it went into deeper details. The constant flow of information gave him a headache, but the information was useful. Most of the higher rank nobles gathered around the other heroes, leaving the kingdom¡¯s hedge lords on the edges of the ballroom. Occasionally, one of these lords would approach Nathaniel with a customary greeting, but none stayed to engage in conversations. He was mostly left alone to snack on his food and wine. They must really be disappointed that I¡¯m a crafter. ¡°Are you enjoying yourself Inventor hero?¡± Nathaniel choked on his drink. Ophelia looked worried at him, ¡°I sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to scare you,¡± she said. Nathaniel got his coughing under control, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he said with a final cough, ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting anyone to approach.¡± His eyes fell onto her exposed cleavage which caused her bust size to appear. ¡°Are you sure,¡± Ophelia said getting closer, ¡°You look flustered.¡± ¡°My [Intuition] is¡­drowning me in information.¡± Ophelia laughed. A soft melody to his ears, ¡°I can fix that,¡± she said, ¡°Open up your talent menu then focus on intuition. You¡¯ll eventually learn to control it.¡± Nathaniel followed her instructions. [Intuition deactivated] Nathaniel sighed in relief, ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, ¡°You¡¯re truly an angel.¡± Ophelia blushed, ¡°You flatter me,¡± she said taking a sip. She looked out onto the ballroom, then a frown appeared on her lips, ¡°How deplorable.¡± Nathaniel followed her gaze. Duncan had his arms wrapped around two beautiful women with his hands resting on their breasts. He didn¡¯t need intuition to see that the women were uncomfortable. ¡°Why don¡¯t they stop him?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°They¡¯re wanting to earn his favor,¡± Ophelia said with a deep sigh, ¡°You must understand, it¡¯s impossible to give birth to children with talents of greater ranking than your own, unless one parent has a higher rank,¡± she cleared her throat and blushed deeply, ¡°For example, I have an advanced ranked talent, and if I was to have a child with a hero then the child would have a talent of heroic rank.¡± ¡°So, their houses are hoping that they can use the heroes to empower their bloodlines,¡± Nathaniel couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Somehow I don¡¯t think Duncan would mind.¡± ¡°Still, he should show some decorum, like you,¡± Ophelia said twirling her hair, ¡°I can¡¯t believe the advances he¡¯s made towards me.¡± She¡¯s cute when she¡¯s flustered. Nathaniel remembered something, ¡°Lady Ophelia, do you know when we¡¯re leaving for Fort Cadarn?¡± ¡°You can call me Ophelia,¡± she said, ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow morning. Personally, I¡¯m a little excited.¡± ¡°You¡¯re coming with us,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Won¡¯t it be dangerous to have you there with us?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said with a bright smile, ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility to aid the heroes in their training, since I have a deeper understanding of how your classes work,¡± she started blushing again, ¡°Well, most of you. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be of more help.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I know where to start.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°But I¡¯m here for you as well, so please come whenever you need.¡± Nathaniel nodded in understanding, ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me,¡± she said with a heavy sigh, ¡°I need to check in with the other heroes again.¡± She took a step forward then turned back to him, ¡°You¡¯ll come save me if I call, right?¡± ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± Ophelia gave him a smile as she walked off. Nathaniel watched as Ophelia joined the group around Duncan. He tried to wrap an arm around her, but she expertly dodged it with a strained smile, and a response that made Duncan dumbfounded. Looks like you don¡¯t need my help. Nathaniel laughed at the display. ¡°You must be quite the man to have the oracle¡¯s favor.¡± A lord with grey hair and a well-trimmed beard along his jaw approached. A beautiful woman with fiery red hair clung to his arms. Nathaniel was thankful that his intuition was turned off since her gorgeous figure was already hard to ignore, but he did notice that both had the same sharp dark green eyes. ¡°Thank you for the compliment, but I don¡¯t think lady Ophelia is treating me differently from the other heroes,¡± Nathaniel said with a polite smile. The woman giggled at his comment. ¡°You should turn your intuition back on,¡± the lord said, ¡°Forgive me, I¡¯m Marquess Ermon VuRant and this is my daughter Gabriella.¡± ¡°A pleasure, Inventor Hero,¡± Gabriella said with a curtsy. ¡°Nathaniel Light, if you please,¡± he said holding out his hand. Ermon stared at his hand with a cocked eyebrow, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this is how we greet people where I¡¯m from. I hope I didn¡¯t offend you.¡± Ermon gave a deep laugh, ¡°Don¡¯t worry son,¡± he said, ¡°You haven¡¯t offended me. Unlike the others.¡± His eyes turned to Duncan. ¡°A truly vile man,¡± Gabriella said, ¡°Trying to treat me like a lowly prostitute.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for his behavior,¡± Nathaniel said with a bow, ¡°Our world has different morals, and it¡¯s appalling how he¡¯s acting.¡± Gabriella leaned over to her father and whispered loud enough for him to hear, ¡°I like this one.¡± ¡°So do I,¡± Ermon whispered back. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to offend, but¡­is there a reason why you wish to speak with me?¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Most of the other nobles are either giving quick introduction or outright ignoring me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why though,¡± Ermon said smiling at his daughter. Gabriella released her father and latched onto Nathaniel, ¡°The other nobles are too busy trying to get into the other heroes¡¯ good graces, they left you, all alone,¡± Gabriella tightened her embrace, ¡°A hero with a new, never before seen class. That¡¯s an opportunity I simply can¡¯t pass up,¡± Ermon held out his hand which Nathaniel took, ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re being summoned,¡± Gabriella said gesturing to the crowd. Ophelia stood amongst the crowd around Duncan waving him over. ¡°I hope we meet again.¡± Gabriella kissed his cheek and let go of his arm. Nathaniel watched as the VuRants left. Nathaniel shook himself out of his stupor and crossed the floor. As soon as he was close Ophelia latched onto him. ¡°You kept me waiting,¡± she said with a pout. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°You enjoying the party Inventor?¡± Duncan said from his gaggle of admirers. ¡°Actually, I am,¡± Nathaniel said with a smile resting his hand on top of Ophelia¡¯s, ¡°How about you Champion?¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Duncan said, ¡°I wish the booze was stronger, but the women easily make up for it.¡± He slapped the butt of the woman on his left causing her to squeal, ¡°Hey Ophelia,¡± he said, ¡°How about we go back to my room. I could use some education on my class.¡± Ophelia gave a strained smile, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t,¡± she said, ¡°It¡¯ll be a long trip to Fort Cadarn, and I need to make sure everything¡¯s ready, but I¡¯ll gladly make sure your attendant is up to the task.¡± She turned to Nathaniel with a polite smile, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Would you please show me to my room, Inventor?¡± Duncan stared in disbelief. ¡°Gladly, lady Ophelia,¡± Nathaniel said waving to Duncan, ¡°Good night, Champion.¡± The crowd started mumbling as the two of them left the room. Nathaniel found the quiet of the castle halls more comforting than the loud ballroom. The halls were lit by the light of the moon, and the starry sky was unlike anything Nathaniel had seen. It was beautiful. ¡°Enjoying the sights?¡± Ophelia said with a soft smile. ¡°I am,¡± Nathaniel said looking back to the sky, ¡°I barely got to see the stars back home, too much light pollution.¡± ¡°Light pollution?¡± ¡°The cities in my world produce so much light that it makes it impossible to see the stars,¡± he said, ¡°Kind of like how you can¡¯t see stars during the day.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Ophelia said. They continued in silence for a moment. ¡°I saw you getting familiar with Marquess VuRant¡¯s daughter. What did you think of her?¡± Nathaniel looked at her, ¡°She¡¯s beautiful, and she dislikes Duncan,¡± he said with a laugh, ¡°But I can¡¯t say much more than that,¡± He remembered Ermon¡¯s words and cleared his throat, ¡°W-why do you ask?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking out for you,¡± Ophelia said looking away, ¡°You should know that the VuRant family is losing power in the kingdom. His lands are constantly attacked by the Horde which has been making it difficult for him to support the kingdom.¡± ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t he be trying to impress Duncan?¡± ¡°Ermon¡¯s a smart man,¡± Ophelia said stopping in front of her door, ¡°He isn¡¯t going to rely on one small team to fight his battles, but rather on someone that can improve his own forces. You must have a talent he really likes.¡± ¡°How does he know my talents?¡± Nathaniel said remembering that Ermon mentioned his intuition. ¡°It¡¯s one of his talents, [Appraiser¡¯s Eye],¡± she said with a chuckle, ¡°It¡¯s a rare talent, even at basic rank, that let¡¯s you see other people¡¯s information.¡± ¡°Good to know.¡± Ophelia stretched and kissed Nathaniel¡¯s cheek on the same spot as Gabriella, ¡°Thank you for escorting me,¡± she said, ¡°I look forward to speaking more with you during the trip.¡± Nathaniel nodded as she slipped into her room. He stood there for a moment trying to process what happened. ¡°Sir?¡± Helmer said getting Nathaniel¡¯s attention, ¡°Would you like to return to your room?¡± ¡°Yes¡­please,¡± Nathaniel said. He was still trying to process what happened. Ch.2 New Skill Acquired The carriage rocked violently as it hit a pothole. Nathaniel grabbed onto the side, his knuckles turning white from gripping the sides. The ride was killing his back, despite the plush cushions on the seats. Maybe I should develop a proper suspension system. Nathaniel opened his menu. Nathaniel Light (Health: 150/150) (Mana: 25/25) ? Class: Inventor Lv.1 ? Stats: + ? Talents o Innovation (Legendary) o Intuition (Legendary) ? Skills ? Condition ¡°Why¡¯d I get stuck with the sausage party?¡± Duncan said from the other seat, ¡°I was hoping to ride with Ophelia.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for your own safety,¡± Nathaniel said not looking up, ¡°Besides, I think Ophelia has seen enough of you.¡± Shawn started cackling, ¡°Her face was priceless,¡± he said. ¡°She just couldn''t handle my manly glory,¡± Duncan said with a smile. ¡°No, she was shocked that you answered your door naked.¡± ¡°Shut it Light!¡± Duncan said, ¡°You¡¯re just jealous since I got lucky last night.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Dunk,¡± Shawn said giving Nathaniel a sly smile, ¡°He did have Ophelia hanging all over him, and that smokin¡¯ red head. What was her name again?¡± ¡°Gabriella VuRant,¡± ¡°Oh yeah, that bitch,¡± Duncan said, ¡°She nearly clawed my eyes out when I gave her a friendly pat.¡± ¡°The women here aren¡¯t like the ones back home,¡± Nathaniel said. Nathaniel focused on his talents. [Innovation: A talent that greatly enhances the users intelligence. This talent allows the users to develop new/enhance skills by creating new recipes, styles, and processes to further civilization. The level of the creator, at the time of creation, will determine the level necessary to learn newly created skill. Legendary: User has a success rate of 100%.] [Intuition: A talent that allows the user to acquire information through the process of observation. Legendary: Talent provides all information requested by the user.] ¡°Those are some awesome talents,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°You got some good ones?¡± Shawn said with a large smile, ¡°Same here. I have [Wild Heart] and [Eagle Eye]. I recover one hundred percent faster than everyone else and all my ranged attacks are guaranteed to hit.¡± ¡°I have [Herculean] and [Battle Sense],¡± Duncan said, ¡°I¡¯m pretty much a super soldier with the ability to beat any enemy. My boons, [Keen Warrior] and [Adrenaline], make it so I learn fighting styles faster and give me an extended stamina pool.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Shawn said, ¡°I just have [Compass] and [Sharpshooter]. I essentially have a built in GPS and learn ranged skills faster.¡± Nathaniel looked at his talents and noticed he also had boons. Three in fact. [Creative Genius: User receives a 100% boost in experience when learning crafting skills. Guaranteed high quality items no matter material quality.] [Crafter¡¯s eye: User can appraise the status of crafted items through observation. User gains experience when appraising an item using a new technique.] [Crafter¡¯s intuition: User gains experience through observation and understanding the fundamentals of crafting skills.] ¡°My talents pretty much boost my crafting skills.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­kind of pathetic,¡± Duncan said. Nathaniel cocked an eyebrow, ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a hero, and yet, you can¡¯t fight anything,¡± Duncan said with a chuckle. ¡°He¡¯s got a point,¡± Shawn said, ¡°As a legendary ranked Ranger, I have access to crafting traps, bows, and arrows, and I¡¯m certain the others have similar abilities. It kind of makes you, well¡­useless.¡± ¡°The other¡¯s might be able to craft,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°But without [Innovation], you can¡¯t craft new items. You¡¯re unable to make new recipes.¡± ¡°And?¡± Both said. Nathaniel shook his head, ¡°Never mind.¡± Apparently, they didn¡¯t understand. This world looked to be in a time like the Low Middle Ages, meaning that there are plenty of discoveries that can greatly advance this world. Discoveries that were made back in their world he could introduce here and start off a scientific revolution. Not to mention, magic could be the catalyst that introduces new discoveries. As an engineer, the idea of discovering something new excited him. His excitement was interrupted by the carriage coming to a stop. ¡°We¡¯re stopping for lunch my lords,¡± the driver called to them. ¡°Good, my ass is hurting,¡± Duncan said jumping out of the carriage. They stopped alongside the road in an open field. A light breeze blew across the field kicking up the sweet scent of flowers and grass. There was a surreal peace to the scenery. Until it was disturbed by a fit of sneezing. Shizuka held a handkerchief to her face as she sneezed up a storm. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said blowing her nose. ¡°I¡¯m certain I can fix that once I learn healing magic,¡± Maria said rubbing her shoulders. ¡°Why not have Light whip up some medicine!¡± Duncan said, ¡°Considering that¡¯s all you¡¯re good for.¡± Shizuka ran over grabbing onto Nathaniel¡¯s arm, ¡°You can do that!¡± she said staring up hopefully. Nathaniel turned to Ophelia, ¡°Is there a medicine crafting skill?¡± ¡°There is,¡± Ophelia said with a smile, ¡°The [Alchemy] skill is a quite valuable, even if it¡¯s difficult to learn.¡± Nathaniel rubbed Shizuka¡¯s back, ¡°Let me get a few levels in [Alchemy] first,¡± he said with a smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll try creating a recipe for allergy medicine. Is that good?¡± Shizuka wrapped Nathaniel in a tight hug, ¡°Light¡¯s mine! No one can have him!¡± her shouting caused everyone to stare. An awkward silence hung in the air. The servants were giving them sly smiles as they set up the picnic. Shawn started mocking them with kissy faces while Maria gave them a thumbs up. Ophelia looked a bit disturbed. What is with everyone? Nathaniel tried prying himself away from Shizuka. Duncan slapped him hard on the back, ¡°Isn¡¯t that precious,¡± he said, ¡°I hope you two nerds have a happy life together.¡± ¡°We will!¡± Shizuka said. She quickly let go as she sneezed into her rag again. She blushed, ¡°Let¡¯s go eat.¡± Multiple blankets littered the field as the servants and soldiers sat down to eat. The heroes alongside Ophelia sat on a soft velvet blanket with two baskets in the middle. A wide variety of sandwiches were neatly organized in one basket while the other held an assortment of cakes and other sweet treats. Nathaniel picked up a sandwich with a green filling. It had a cool yet light taste that was hard to describe. Out of curiosity he opened it. The contents consisted of a lettuce leaf and a single cucumber. White and black flakes coated the cucumber, and out of curiosity Nathaniel licked it. He immediately recognized the taste of salt and black pepper. He noticed that there was a spread coating the bread, so he let it sit on his tongue. It had an oily, earthy taste. Is it butter? Nathaniel activated his [Intuition], and it confirmed his guess. The spread was butter with sweet basil and thyme. A message appeared in his vision. [New skill acquired: Cooking Lv.1.] [New recipe learned: Cucumber sandwich.] ¡°I learned a skill,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Let me guess. Cooking?¡± Shawn said with chortle. ¡°He can show the monsters some hospitality,¡± Duncan said, ¡°Make them a little treat before we kill them.¡± ¡°Just shut up and eat you two.¡± Maria said with a glare. A strained peace hung over the picnic. Nathaniel ignored the looks from Duncan and Shawn as he picked up another sandwich. This one had a meat and cheese filling. Nathaniel used [Intuition] to break down the ingredients of each sandwich which garnered him a few more levels in [Cooking]. It even helped with learning the recipes for the cakes. After everyone finished cleaning up, Shizuka started pulling on his arm, ¡°You can ride with us.¡± She said, ¡°Maybe we can activate your [Alchemy] skill.¡± ¡°You two love birds do that,¡± Duncan said, ¡°We¡¯ll gladly take Maria and Ophelia.¡± ¡°No thanks,¡± Maria said stepping into the second carriage. ¡°I need to stay with the Archmage Hero in case she has another bout of fits,¡± Ophelia said following. Nathaniel stepped in after Shizuka, ¡°Enjoy your sausage party,¡± He shut the door, but could hear Duncan cursing at them which brought a smile to Nathaniel¡¯s face. Nathaniel pulled up his menu when the carriages started moving. He was a bit disturbed that a recipe menu didn¡¯t appear. How am I supposed to check out my recipes? Immediately a recipe tab appeared at the bottom of his menu. Neat. What about an inventory menu? Again, another tab appeared for inventory. He opened it and noticed that there were items in the field. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. [Summoned Hero¡¯s uniform: A uniform worn by heroes summoned from another world. (No status affects)] I wonder if I can rearrange the tabs. Nathaniel focused on the Inventory tab and noticed it separate from the others. Using his eyes, he was able to place it right under the skills tab. After some time, he rearranged his menu to his liking. Nathaniel Light (Health: 150/150) (Mana: 25/25) ? Class: Inventor ? Stats+ ? Talents+ ? Skills: o Cooking Lv.4 ? Inventory+ ? Recipes+ ? Condition ¡°My [Cooking] skills already level four,¡± Nathaniel said in awe, ¡°The legendary ranked talents are no joke.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Maria said, ¡°My talents [Blessed] and [Sainthood] make all my divine spells more effective and help me learn new blessings fasters. Then there¡¯s my boons [Graceful Touch] and [Anointed]. [Graceful Touch] makes my healing spells more effective and [Anointed] makes me pretty much immune to negative effects.¡± ¡°The perfect healer,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°What about you¡­Shizuka?¡± Shizuka leaned against him, her face turning green. Maria quietly whispered, ¡°Motion sickness,¡± Nathaniel wrapped an arm around Shizuka, and she cuddled into his side, ¡°So-umph-sorry,¡± Shizuka said, ¡°I¡¯m not¡­up for ta-hic??-talking.¡± ¡°Give me some time and I¡¯ll create motion sickness medicine too,¡± Nathaniel said, Shizuka buried her face into his side. ¡°That¡¯s so sweet,¡± Maria said with a giggle, ¡°You two look like father and daughter.¡± Nathaniel gave her an awkward smile while Shizuka growled. ¡°So, Nate, what did you do back on earth?¡± ¡°Mechanical engineer,¡± he said, ¡°I worked for a company that made industrial robots. What about you?¡± ¡°I was going to be a school guidance counselor,¡± Maria said with a sigh, ¡°It was my first day too.¡± ¡°I know the feeling,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I was leaving for a big conference to show off our latest robot.¡± Nathaniel looked to Shizuka, brushing the hair out of her face, ¡°What about you Shizuka?¡± She mumbled into Nathaniel¡¯s coat. ¡°What?¡± Shizuka lifted her head, ¡°Second year student.¡± ¡°In¡­college?¡± Maria said with a small smile. ¡°Highschool,¡± she said. Maria gave her a sad smile, ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look,¡± she said with a glare towards Maria and Ophelia, ¡°Not all of us are built like you two.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, D-cup!¡± Shizuka said looking to Ophelia, ¡°And I don¡¯t want to guess your size.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an E-cup,¡± Maria said glaring back, ¡°And there¡¯s no need to get defensive.¡± ¡°You should apologize,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Shizuka said. Ophelia started giggling, ¡°I¡¯m glad you all are getting along well with each other,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m curious, what¡¯s a mekanik ingenair? I¡¯m familiar with a counselor and student, but not that.¡± Nathaniel scratched his chin, ¡°It¡¯s a crafter of sorts,¡± he said trying to find the right words, ¡°Engineers try to make life easier by building new items, like this carriage.¡± Ophelia gave him a sly smile, ¡°So an inventor.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± The two started laughing. ¡°Looks like someone else is into Nate,¡± Maria smiled towards Ophelia which caused her to blush and Shizuka tightened her grip. That night the carriages stopped in front of a walled off building alongside the main road. It was a simple wooden two-story building with a wooden barn in the back. The servants quickly entered the building. ¡°There are roadside inns here?¡± Shawn said. ¡°There are many hostels on the main road,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°A hero summoned over two hundred years ago suggested it. Carriers can use these hostels to pass on messages so that they can get to their destination. He called it a pony esspress.¡± ¡°I think you mean pony express,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°So, you¡¯re familiar with it?¡± Ophelia said in awe, ¡°It was a truly magnificent concept that helped Gilbrant grow into the kingdom it is today.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you introduce cell phones, Light?¡± Duncan said with a snicker, ¡°It¡¯ll be the only way you¡¯ll be recognized.¡± ¡°Enough Duncan!¡± Maria said, ¡°Let¡¯s just go inside. I¡¯m hungry and tired.¡± She stomped into the hostel. The main floor of the hostel was a large dining room with a bar that separated the kitchen from the dining floor. The servants were busy helping the hostel staff set up. Nathaniel along with the other heroes were sat at a table closest to the bar. He sat between Shizuka and Ophelia and across from Duncan, Shawn, and Maria. A maid approached them, ¡°What would you like to drink?¡± Duncan looked to Shawn and they both nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll take the strongest drink you have.¡± ¡°Would you like to share a bottle of wine, Saint?¡± Ophelia said. Maria nodded, ¡°A bottle of wine for the two of us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have a beer,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Me too!¡± Shizuka said with bright eyes. Nathaniel shook his head, ¡°She¡¯s having water.¡± Shizuka glared at him, ¡°No, I want a beer,¡± ¡°You¡¯re, what, sixteen years old?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°You¡¯re not old enough to drink.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be seventeen in a few months.¡± ¡°Nathaniel, she¡¯s old enough to drink,¡± Ophelia said petting his shoulder. Nathaniel sighed heavily, ¡°Fine, get a beer,¡± The maid nodded and ran off. Silence overcame the table until Duncan started smiling mischievously. ¡°So, sixteen,¡± Duncan said, ¡°That make you the baby of the group.¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Shizuka said grabbing onto Nathaniel, ¡°Besides, you¡¯re not much older than I am.¡± ¡°At least I¡¯m twenty-one,¡± Duncan said, ¡°And how old are you Light?¡± ¡°Twenty-seven,¡± ¡°Looks like you bagged yourself a sugar daddy, pipsqueak,¡± Duncan said slapping the table. Shawn joined in causing everyone to look at them. ¡°Maybe I like mature men,¡± Shizuka said blushing heavily. This caused the two of them to laugh harder. Nathaniel held his head. This is getting out of hand. A hand brushed his shoulder. ¡°You have nothing to be ashamed of,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°She¡¯s of eligible age.¡± Nathaniel whispered to her, ¡°That might work here, but where I¡¯m from, it¡¯s illegal to have romantic relationships with individuals under eighteen. And it¡¯s often frowned upon if there¡¯s a large age gap.¡± Ophelia looked between the two of them and nodded in understanding, ¡°I¡¯ll see if Maria and I can talk with her.¡± Nathaniel smiled in gratitude. The maid returned with their drinks and the staff started loading the table with food. There was a large bowl of stew, a basket of freshly baked rolls, sauteed vegetables, and two richly seasoned roasted chicken. Duncan and Shawn started digging into the chicken. Nathaniel ladled stew into everyone¡¯s bowls while Ophelia filled his plate. The food was delicious, but the beer was stronger than what Nathaniel was used to. ¡°Can I get a glass of water as well,¡± Nathaniel asked the maid as she passed, then looked to Shizuka who was downing her drink, ¡°Make that two please.¡± ¡°So how much longer until we reach Fort Cadarn?¡± Maria said wiping her mouth. ¡°It should be another nine days,¡± Ophelia said. ¡°Damn,¡± Duncan said with a full mouth, ¡°Isn¡¯t there any way we can get there earlier?¡± ¡°Well, there are transportation spells,¡± Ophelia said looking to the floor, ¡°But they require a lot of energy, and there¡¯s a chance you won¡¯t reach your destination.¡± ¡°So, they¡¯re unreliable,¡± Shizuka said finishing off her first mug of beer. The maid placed a mug of water in front of Nathaniel and a mug of beer and water in front of Shizuka. ¡°Take it easy on the beer,¡± Nathaniel said pushing the water in front of her, ¡°Make sure you drink plenty of water too.¡± Shizuka¡¯s face looked flushed, ¡°I can¡­handle it. Trust¡­me.¡± She drank half of the second mug then slumped against him. ¡°I¡¯m¡­feeling¡­¡± ¡°I told you to take it easy,¡± Nathaniel said holding the water mug, ¡°Drink.¡± Shizuka started sipping on the water. Nathaniel gently brushed her head trying to comfort her. Eventually, Shizuka set the mug down and buried her face into his arm. ¡°Helmer,¡± Nathaniel called to his attendant. Helmer quickly walked across the room and stood next to him, ¡°Do you know if Shizuka¡¯s room is ready?¡± ¡°Let me check,¡± Helmer ran off to speak with the owner. After a few moments he returned, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s ready.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get her to bed,¡± Nathaniel said. He picked Shizuka up, finding her surprisingly light, ¡°Can you lead me to her room.¡± Helmer nodded. They headed upstairs. The second floor consisted of a single hallway with six rooms along one side and three on the either. Helmer led Nathaniel to the third room of the six. It was a small room with a single bed, storage chest, and washpot. Shizuka started struggling in Nathaniel¡¯s arms. ¡°No¡­d-don¡¯t leave,¡± she said wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. ¡°I won¡¯t be gone long,¡± Nathaniel said brushing her hair, ¡°I¡¯m going to get you some medicine.¡± Shizuka looked up with tears, ¡°Promise,¡± she said. Nathaniel smiled, ¡°Promise?¡± Shizuka released her grip and allowed him to cover her up. Helmer quietly closed the door when they left. A woman in an attendant¡¯s uniform approached. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the Archmage from here,¡± she said with a bow. Nathaniel nodded and headed back downstairs. Everyone started getting rowdy now that alcohol started running through them. Duncan and Shawn were sitting with the soldiers, arm-wrestling each other. Maria sat alone at the bar nursing her wine glass. ¡°How¡¯s the Archmage?¡± Ophelia said standing at the foot of the stairs. ¡°Drunk,¡± Nathaniel said with a chuckle, ¡°You don¡¯t know where I can get some medicine for her, do you?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Ophelia said taking his arm, ¡°All hostels have a guild alchemist available for services.¡± Ophelia led Nathaniel outside. Ophelia rubbed her arms as the chill of the spring night touched her. Nathaniel undid his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. Despite the chill, the night was beautiful. Nathaniel couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of last night. Ophelia led him to a wooden shack at the back of the hostel and knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± The shack smelled of dried herbs that were hanging from the ceiling. A middle-aged woman sat on a stool grinding dried herbs with a mortar and pestle. She glanced at the two of them, ¡°Fertility or contraceptive?¡± Ophelia blushed, ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Do you two want a fertility draught or a contraceptive?¡± The alchemist turned to them, ¡°That¡¯s what lovers such as yourselves usually want.¡± Ophelia cleared her while trying to hide her face, ¡°We¡¯re not¡­lovers,¡± she said. ¡°Our friend¡¯s drunk and needs medicine to deal with a hangover,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Also, is there anyway you could teach me [Alchemy]?¡± ¡°Sorry son but I can¡¯t teach you,¡± the alchemist said, ¡°I can only teach you if you¡¯re a guild member.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mind if we watch do you?¡± Ophelia said giving Nathaniel a knowing smile. Nathaneil smiled back and activated [Intuition]. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not lovers?¡± the alchemist said, ¡°Never mind, You¡¯re free to stay.¡± The alchemist pulled out two jars. One containing dark brown wood shavings that reminded of Nathaniel of cinnamon and the other a dried flower with white weeping petals. [Intuition] labeled them as [bitter bark] and [grace willow]. She took out two pieces of the bark and one flower and ground them into a fine powder. The alchemist filled a kettle with water and sprinkled in a spoonful of [mineral salt] before setting it on the stove to boil. She then poured the ground [bitter bark] and [grace willow] into the boiling water. The mixture gave off a pungent smell that hung at the back of the throat. The alchemist let the solution cool before pouring it into a small waterskin. Nathaniel received a message. [New skill acquired: Alchemy Lv. 1.] [New recipe learned: Bitter willow tea.] ¡°Give this to your companion when he wakes tomorrow,¡± the alchemist said, ¡°Make sure they take this in small sips alongside water. It¡¯ll help with the headache and thirst.¡± ¡°I get it now,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°[Bitter bark] and [grace willow] must have properties that alleviate pain, and the [mineral salt water] will help rehydrate,¡± Another message appeared, ¡°My [Alchemy] is now level two.¡± The alchemist went pale, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing to concern yourself with,¡± Ophelia said placing two gold coins down, ¡°You were a great help.¡± She took the waterskin and walked out with Nathaniel. Nathaniel couldn¡¯t help but laugh when they stepped into the night air. ¡°I feel sorry for the poor lady,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s important for you to learn new skills,¡± Ophelia said laughing alongside him, ¡°As a hero, you¡¯re exempt from guild laws.¡± The two slowly made their way back to the inn but stopped in front of the door. Nathaniel couldn¡¯t help but stare into the night sky. It was a sight that would never get old to him. ¡°Are you enjoying our world?¡± Ophelia said brushing her fingers through a lock of hair. ¡°I am, but I won¡¯t lie, I am a bit homesick,¡± Nathaniel said with a deep sigh, ¡°I miss my family.¡± Ophelia stared at her golden lock she was playing with, ¡°You were married?¡± ¡°No, but my parents were still alive,¡± he said with a pensive smile, ¡°I was supposed to help my dad work on the house. I bet they¡¯re worried about me.¡± Ophelia stared at the ground, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­for spiriting you away,¡± she said, ¡°Please forgive me.¡± ¡°Why should you be sorry?¡± ¡°As the Oracle, I have the ability to foresee the future,¡± she said, ¡°And with my unique talent [Fate Weaver] I can even make small alterations that will change it.¡± Her hair blocked her face, ¡°I foresaw a future where the summoned heroes lost, so I altered it so that there were five heroes, but each vision resulted in the same, defeat. So, I made the greatest change I could make. I was unconscious for four days, but it was worth it.¡± ¡°What did you see?¡± Nathaniel said wrapping an arm around her. ¡°Victory,¡± she said leaning into him, ¡°A hero clad in armor the likes no one had seen before. This hero had three companions that wore similar looking armor, but I knew they were of this world. I then spent an entire week locating the five of you, and I made sure the fifth summoner wouldn¡¯t make any mistakes. So, you see, All those deaths, your lives being changed forever. They¡¯re my fault.¡± Nathaniel pulled her closer, ¡°Everything will be all right,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone will understand once you tell them, and if not, then at least you¡¯ll have me.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Ophelia said wiping her eyes. She passed the waterskin to him, ¡°Would it be alright if I left the Archmage to you? As much as I loathe the idea, I need to spend some time with the Champion and Ranger.¡± ¡°By yourself?¡± Ophelia smiled devilishly, ¡°I have the Saint join me.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take care of Shizuka,¡± Nathaniel said taking the bottle. ¡°Thank you¡­Nathaniel,¡± she said kissing his cheek. Ophelia gave him a bright smile before heading inside. Nathaniel smiled as the door closed and stared up into the sky, ¡°My pleasure.¡± Ch.3 Fort Cadarn Ophelia gave a strained smile at the two heroes sitting across from her. Duncan sat forward with his legs spread apart and his eyes lingering on her chest. Shawn laid against back against the seat with a sly smile. His eyes darting back and forth between Ophelia and Maria. ¡°We¡¯re glad you¡¯re joining us today, Lia,¡± Duncan said with a charming smile. ¡°I want to get to know you all, since I¡¯m responsible for you,¡± she said, ¡°And I would prefer you call me Ophelia.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind sharing in a more¡­intimate setting,¡± Duncan said with a chuckle. Ophelia¡¯s smile vanished, ¡°Please take this seriously Champion,¡± she said, ¡°I am your caretaker, and as such, your actions reflect back on me.¡± ¡°So quit being an ass!¡± Maria said. ¡°Fine,¡± Duncan leaned back, ¡°What do you want to know?¡± ¡°What did you do back in your world?¡± ¡°We were both freshmen in college,¡± Shawn said, ¡°We were part of the same football team.¡± ¡°I was a quarterback and Shawn was a running back,¡± Duncan said looking out the window uninterested. ¡°Football?¡± Maria said, ¡°It¡¯s a type of sport back home. There are two teams fighting over a ball, and the team in possession of it tries to get it to the opponent¡¯s side of the field to score points. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.¡± ¡°Sounds complex,¡± Ophelia said with a confused look. ¡°Not really,¡± Shawn said, ¡°It basically came down to getting the ball as far down the field as possible. As the quarterback, Duncan managed choosing how we played. While I, as the running back, oversaw getting the ball to other side.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Ophelia said looking at them, ¡°Your skills from this ¡®football¡¯ should easily carryover. Much like the skills from your counseling, Maria.¡± She smiled brightly, ¡°Now I can plan your lessons.¡± Duncan twitched, ¡°Lessons?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said, ¡°Once at Fort Cadarn, it will be imperative that you build up your skills. So, you¡¯ll be spending the next few months raising your skill levels.¡± Ophelia noticed Duncan go white, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Champion. Your lessons will mostly consist of weapons training with the occasional lesson on military strategy.¡± Duncan sighed in relief, ¡°Truthfully, the Inventor and Archmage will have the busiest schedules.¡± Shawn chuckled, ¡°Damn shame for them,¡± he said, ¡°Hope they enjoy what little time they have left.¡± Maria gave a nervous laugh while Ophelia sighed.
Shizuka sipped on the bitter willow tea, ¡°This is disgusting,¡± she said corking the waterskin. She pressed herself into Nathaniel¡¯s side, ¡°How come those two idiots weren¡¯t hungover?¡± Nathaniel gently rubbed her arm, ¡°Probably because their constitution stats are in the mid-sixties,¡± he said, ¡°While yours is only ten.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t remind me,¡± she said burying her face into his jacket. Her earlobes turned bright red, ¡°At least we have the carriage to ourselves.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s stomach tightened, ¡°Shizuka¡­I¡¯m glad you feel comfortable with me,¡± he said trying not to make it awkward, ¡°But don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit¡­clingy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she said tightening her grip. ¡°Shizuka, I¡¯ll be here to support you, but not in the way you want,¡± Shizuka looked up at him with tears, ¡°You¡¯re sixteen while I¡¯m twenty-seven. I think you should look for someone closer to your own age.¡± Shizuka pushed away from him, ¡°I understand,¡± she said. She looked at the floor for a minute. ¡°Stop the carriage!¡± the carriage came to a stop, ¡°Please leave.¡± Nathaniel nodded, and opened the door, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shizuka,¡± he said stepping outside. Nathaniel closed the door and stepped away from the carriage. The door to the front carriage opened. Ophelia and Maria came out. ¡°What happened?¡± Maria said, approaching him. ¡°I¡­told Shizuka that our relationship couldn¡¯t be more than friends,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°I see,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°You can ride in the other carriage while we talk to her about it.¡± Nathaniel nodded and entered the first carriage. ¡°Trouble in paradise?¡± Duncan said with a laugh. Nathaniel sighed and sat down, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±
Nathaniel stared out the window. Once again, riding in the carriage with Duncan and Shawn. ¡°How long are you going to be in the doghouse?¡± Shawn said, ¡°It¡¯s been over a week.¡± ¡°Drop it,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Pardon me, my lords,¡± the driver called to them, ¡°We¡¯re close to Fort Cadarn. We should be there within the hour.¡± ¡°Thank god,¡± Nathaniel said with a heavy sigh. Small farmhouses dotted the surrounding area with freshly tilled fields. The farmers were out sowing their fields for the upcoming year. The road smoothed out and they entered the town surrounding the fort. The simple wooden buildings with thatch roofs didn¡¯t look structurally sound. The sound of grating metal came from in front of them and they passed by the stone walls of the fort. The carriage came to a stop, and the door opened. They stepped out of the carriage and were greeted with a grand welcome. Soldiers stood in two columns from the carriages to the fort¡¯s entrance. Three men and two women stood in front of the carriage. Ophelia approached a young man with brown hair and bright blue eyes. ¡°Crown prince Ollimier,¡± she said with a bow, ¡°I brought the summoned heroes.¡± The crown prince nodded, ¡°Thank you,¡± he said turning to the heroes, ¡°I am Ollimier Gilbrandt, and these are my advisors.¡± He gestured to the four people next to him, ¡°As the commander of Fort Cadarn, I welcome you.¡± He gestured to the fort, ¡°We have your accommodations ready. If you¡¯ll follow me, we¡¯ll get you into more comfortable attire.¡± Ollimier led them into the fortress, the soldiers saluting them as they passed. The fort had no opulent decorations. Everything from the architecture to the furniture was made solely for functionality and simple comfort. A few portraits of the royal family decorated the walls, to remind the inhabitants of their lords, but otherwise the walls were completely barren. Even the windows were few and sparce. ¡°I thought a castle would look more¡­grand?¡± Shawn said looking disappointed at the d¨¦cor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for disappointing you,¡± Ollimier said, ¡°But since this fort is constantly under threat of attack, we keep it clear of flammable materials. Also, it gives us more room to store the citizens outside.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°I¡¯m glad you understand¡­Inventor, correct?¡± Ollimier said looking over his shoulder. Nathaniel nodded, ¡°I look forward to seeing what you create.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, your highness,¡± Ollimier led them into a large fitting room with two rooms on either side, ¡°The ladies will find their new clothes in the right room, the men on the left,¡± he said, ¡°Afterwards your attendants will show you to your rooms to rest and prepare you for tomorrow.¡± Nathaniel and the other men entered the left room. In the room were three individual baskets, and on the other end of the room were two mannequins wearing armor next to a table filled with weapons and tools. Nathaniel approached the basket marked ¡°Inventor¡± and picked up a simple white shirt with thick brown leather pants and a simple leather belt. There were a set of cloth undergarments at the bottom of the basket. Nathaniel changed into his new attire and looked himself over in the mirror. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Besides the clothes being made from higher quality material, he looked no different from any of the locals he saw on the street. However, he could see in the reflection that both Duncan and Shawn were wearing clothes closer to the nobility. They both wore thick velvet pants and doublets of vibrant colors with an exquisite black leather belt with a golden buckle. Nathaniel looked himself over once more before stepping over to the table. Nathaniel didn¡¯t bother looking at the armor as it was clear it wasn¡¯t for him. On the table sat a pristine arming sword in a gilded scabbard next to a dagger. A finely crafted yew bow sat on the table alongside a quiver full of arrows and two daggers. Lastly, a thick leather apron with an organized set of tools which consisted of tongs, files, scissors, and a hammer. Nathaniel put on the apron and wrapped the tools in their leather case before putting them in the apron pocket. ¡°You look like a real hero,¡± Duncan burst out laughing as his attendant helped him in his armor. Shawn was laughing alongside him. Nathaniel ignored them and left the room. Ophelia and Ollimier turned to him. ¡°You look wonderful,¡± Ophelia said with a smile. ¡°Really?¡± Nathaniel looked himself over. ¡°I apologize if you don''t like your clothing,¡± Ollimier said, ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re the first of your class, we didn¡¯t know what to make you. So, our seamsters decided to make your clothes like those of other crafters.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I doubt I¡¯ll be leaving the fort much anyways.¡± The door to the other room opened. ¡°How do I look?¡± Maria said, stepping out wearing a slim robe that showed off her legs and cleavage. A white veil draped over her head. ¡°You look quite lovely,¡± Ollimier said. Maria blushed, looking away. ¡°Thank you,¡± Maria said, ¡°Ophelia¡­could you come here?¡± Maria whispered into Ophelia¡¯s ear. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Saint, but I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing,¡± she said, ¡°And I doubt that the seamsters or tailors could make it.¡± She turned to Nathaniel with a sparkle in her eye, ¡°But, perhaps the Inventor could.¡± ¡°No, No, I¡¯ll deal with it!¡± Maria said, covering her chest and walking back into the room. ¡°What was that about?¡± Ollimier said. Ophelia gave him a polite smile, ¡°Nothing that concerns you.¡± Duncan and Shawn entered the room. Duncan wearing a white breastplate, bracers, greave, and pauldrons with his sword strapped around his waist. Shawn wore a sleeveless dark green brigandine with his bow strapped to his back and quiver on his waist. ¡°You both look nice,¡± Ophelia said with a polite smile, ¡°But, you don¡¯t need to wear your armor unless you¡¯re training.¡± ¡°We know,¡± Shawn said flexing. ¡°We couldn¡¯t wait to try it on,¡± Duncan said flexed too. Ollimier started laughing, ¡°I know the feeling,¡± he said, ¡°Nothing feels as good as trying that first set of armor.¡± ¡°Shame you won¡¯t know that feeling Light.¡± Duncan said. Maria and Shizuka stepped out of the other room. Maria wore a cloak that covered her upper body. Shizuka wore a white robe with a red skirt that ended mid-thigh. A golden circlet rested on her head, and she carried a wooden staff with a golden topper. Her leather sandals were strapped up to her mid-calf. ¡°You look nice,¡± Nathaniel said, but Shizuka quickly turned away. Ophelia whispered to him, ¡°Give her a bit more time,¡± ¡°I hope you all enjoy your new attire,¡± Ollimier said, ¡°But, feel free to call on the tailors if you would like something changed, or want any new outfits.¡± He gestured to the door, ¡°Your attendants are waiting outside ready to take you to your rooms. I apologize that I can¡¯t give you a more celebratory welcome, but you¡¯ll need to start training as soon as possible, and I would like for you all to be well rested.¡± ¡°I feel the same as the prince,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°I¡¯ll be bringing you your training schedules later today,¡± She turned to Duncan and Shawn, ¡°Please take your time here seriously. As heroes, your skills will increase at a faster rate than the average individual. The next six months will be crucial in getting your levels up.¡± The heroes nodded. Nathaniel stepped out of the room and approached Helmer, who gave him a polite smile as he led him down the hall. Nathaniel quickly glimpsed the other attendants bow and address their hero before taking them to their room. Nathaniel noticed that Helmer¡¯s shoulders were hitched. He activated his [Intuition] and [Stressed] appeared over Helmer¡¯s head. It must be hard serving a hero. Helmer led him to a room that was smaller than the one in the castle, but still comfortable. A single bed sat in the far-left corner of the room with a small side table and a dresser at the foot of the bed along the same wall. A desk and chair sat in the adjacent corner on the right side next to the door with two chairs sitting in front of a fireplace along the back wall. A door to the right led to a small bathroom. ¡°What would you like for supper?¡± Helmer said, ¡°Keep in mind that the chef¡¯s might not have the time for more extravagant meals.¡± ¡°A sandwich will do,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°And water.¡± ¡°I shall see to it at once.¡± Helmer quickly stepped out. Nathaniel walked over to the desk. A quill sat in its stand next to a pot of sand and a well of ink. A leather bound journal also sat on the desk, its pages empty. I can use this to take notes. He found more writing utensils waiting for use but decided to hold off until tomorrow. Nathaniel walked over to the dresser and set his tools down on top of it, and neatly folded his apron next to the tools. He checked the drawers and found them full of clothes like the ones he was wearing. Nathaniel couldn¡¯t find anything he was missing. Nathaniel sat down in one of the chairs and let himself relax, his eyes falling shut. A knock at the door. Helmer came in bring his food. Nathaniel took the plate from him. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me sir,¡± Helmer said giving him a strained smile and rubbing his hands together, ¡°But I¡¯ve been given duties I need to tend to, since the fort is short on staff. I¡¯ll only be able to serve you in the morning and evening. I¡¯m sorry.¡± [Lie] appeared above Helmer¡¯s head, ¡°I understand Helmer,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Don¡¯t let me keep you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Helmer said quickly leaving. Nathaniel took a bite of his sandwich. He couldn¡¯t get Helmer¡¯s lie out of his head as he chewed. Only one thought came to mind. Looks like he doesn¡¯t want to serve me. Nathaniel took another bite. I should see if I can release him from service. He continued eating and eventually set the empty plate onto the side table. Nathaniel sipped his water when a knock came at the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Ophelia entered. She looked around and pouted, [Distressed]. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°No,¡± Ophelia said trying to smile, ¡°Nothing wrong at all.¡± [Lie] ¡°Take a seat then,¡± Nathaniel said gesturing to the other seat. Ophelia sat down and handed him a piece of paper, ¡°Here is you schedule,¡± she said. Nathaniel stared in shock as he read, ¡°Smithing tomorrow. Alchemy the day after. Leatherworking, masonry, carpentry, arcane studies, and¡­general studies? This is a full pretty full schedule.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°But seeing as how your rank allows you specialize in every crafting skill, you have a lot of skills to learn, and there are a lot of crafting skills,¡± she saw Nathaniel¡¯s nervous smile, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll have a free day at the end of the week.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Truthfully, I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what I can make.¡± ¡°So am I,¡± Ophelia gave him a bright smile, ¡°I couldn¡¯t even begin to describe what I saw in my vision, but it was truly awe inspiring.¡± ¡°Is this the vision that knocked you out?¡± Ophelia laughed nervously, ¡°It was,¡± she said looking at her hands, ¡°Sometimes [Fate Weaver] is more of a curse than a blessing.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Nathaniel said leaning close to her. ¡°[Fate Weaver] actually hurts me,¡± she said, ¡°If I use it too many times or try to make a drastic change, I¡¯ll lose levels,¡± She looked at him with a bright smile, ¡°But five levels are a reasonable price for victory.¡± ¡°You lost skill levels?¡± Ophelia laughed, ¡°Not skill levels, class levels,¡± she said. Nathaniel opened his menu. [Class: Inventor Lv. 1] ¡°I¡¯m level one,¡± he said, ¡°What level are you?¡± ¡°Currently, fifteen,¡± Ophelia said. Nathaniel scratched his chin, ¡°So you were level twenty. How easy will it be to get those levels back?¡± ¡°Pretty difficult,¡± she said, ¡°You gain levels when you hit a certain skill level threshold. For example, you¡¯ll get to level two when you have one skill get to level five, then hit level three when one skill is level ten or two level five skill.¡± ¡°How many class levels are there?¡± Nathaniel said trying to do the math. Level four needs fifteen accumulated skill levels. ¡°There¡¯s one hundred class level,¡± she said, ¡°But many skills have around two hundred levels, but it takes more experience to level skills to higher levels.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t add up,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I would need to accumulate fifty levels in skills just to hit level ten, which would mean that you¡¯d only get to levels twenty or thirty by maxing one skill?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it is important to learn as many skills as possible,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°But without boons that boost experience, it becomes difficult to level up skills. So, you¡¯re right, most people max out in the mid-twenties. Only five people reached level one hundred and they¡¯re all heroes.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ll level up faster by focusing on crafting skills,¡± Nathaniel said with a smile, ¡°But I¡¯m glad I can learn other skills, even if it¡¯ll take longer to level.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re excited,¡± Ophelia said standing up, ¡°I¡¯ll let you get some rest for tomorrow. Good night.¡± ¡°Good night,¡± Nathaniel said. Ophelia moved through the halls of the fort. The servants bowed as she passed, but she didn¡¯t acknowledge any of them. She was angry. She came to a set of double doors and knocked on the door and stepped in before getting permission. Prince Ollimier sat at his desk with his four advisors standing around him. Ophelia stared at the one man filling the prince¡¯s cup with tea. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be attending to the Inventor, Helmer?¡± she said, staring him down. ¡°I-I was,¡± Helmer said, ¡°But master Light said he wanted me to help around the fort instead of attending to him.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ophelia said stepping closer to the desk, ¡°I¡¯ve finished speaking with the heroes. They¡¯re ready for tomorrow.¡± Ollimier folded his hands and smiled, ¡°Excellent,¡± he said, ¡°We¡¯ll need the heroes ready for the counter offensive.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t the Inventor housed with the other heroes?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s not a hero.¡± The large general said, crossing his arms. ¡°He is!¡± Ophelia said, ¡°I saw it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry lady Ophelia, but I find that hard to believe,¡± the elderly woman said, ¡°Perhaps you misremember from the effects of [Fate Weaver].¡± Ophelia looked Ollimier in the eye, ¡°I know what I saw,¡± she said, ¡°Of all the heroes, Nathaniel will be the most important.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry lady Ophelia,¡± Ollimier said standing up, ¡°But you¡¯re asking me to believe that a crafter will be more instrumental than a fighter. That¡¯s something I can¡¯t do.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re throwing him away?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ollimier said, ¡°But I need to see some results from him first.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Ophelia said glaring, ¡°I¡¯ll see to it that the Inventor gets those results.¡± ¡°Your duty is to all the heroes,¡± the well-groomed advisor said, ¡°And frankly, the other four need your attention more than the Inventor.¡± He straightened his glasses, ¡°If the Inventor is as skilled as you say, then he shouldn¡¯t need you.¡± Ophelia¡¯s head started hurting, ¡°So you¡¯re saying that the other heroes are incompetent?¡± she said with a growl. ¡°Enough!¡± Ollimier said getting everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°Lady Ophelia will give her assistance to all the heroes equally.¡± He matched Ophelia¡¯s stare, ¡°And if the Inventor proves himself, we will apologize and make it right. Does that work for you?¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Ophelia said, bowing, ¡°Please excuse me, your highness.¡± She slammed the door behind her. Ch. 4 Master Smith Nathaniel yawned taking in the cool early morning air. The sky was still dark with the rays of the early morning sun trying to rise in the northwest. He couldn¡¯t believe that the sun rose from west to east. According to the schedule Ophelia gave him, Nathaniel and the other heroes were to meet in the courtyard before sunrise, which his [Intuition] told him was around five o¡¯clock. The door opened drawing his attention. Ophelia gave him a tired smile as she walked into the courtyard. Heavy bags hung under her eyes. ¡°Good morning, Nathaniel,¡± she said. ¡°Good morning,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Did you not sleep well?¡± Ophelia nodded sadly, ¡°You¡¯re correct,¡± She said, ¡°I was told some¡­disheartening information,¡± she clasped her hands together, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll take you to the smithy.¡± ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still in bed,¡± Ophelia said with a chuckle, ¡°And truthfully, I don¡¯t see the Champion waking anytime soon.¡± ¡°Just make sure he¡¯s dressed before you go get him,¡± Nathaniel laughed heartily. Ophelia¡¯s face turned deep red, ¡°Don¡¯t remind me,¡± Ophelia calmed herself down and led Nathaniel to the backside of the fort. The soldiers¡¯ morning drills stole the serene morning, but their stares didn¡¯t stop Ophelia from walking shoulder to shoulder with Nathaniel. Soon, they could hear the ringing of metal as they approached an open shack with three large stone furnaces. An elderly middle-aged man worked the forge alongside two younger ones. ¡°Pardon us!¡± Ophelia said getting the men¡¯s attention, ¡°I¡¯m looking for the master smith.¡± ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± the elderly smith said. He was a large man with a bushy grey beard and bald head. Despite the cold morning, he wore a sleeveless shirt that showed off his massive, scarred arms. ¡°Name¡¯s Gordon, lady Oracle.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you Gordon,¡± Ophelia said pulling Nathaniel forward, ¡°This is Nathaniel Light, the Inventor Hero.¡± ¡°A pleasure,¡± Gordon reached out his hand with a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes. Nathaniel shook his hand and winced in pain, ¡°I look forward to learning everything you can teach me.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Gordon said confused. ¡°His class, inventor, is a crafter class,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°He¡¯ll need to learn as many crafting skills as possible to support the other heroes. He¡¯ll be coming every Meransal to learn smithing.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll teach him everything we know ma¡¯am,¡± Gordon said. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯ll come and check on you later Nathaniel.¡± Nathaniel watched her leave and turned back to Gordon, ¡°Shall we start being honest with each other?¡± Gordon sneered, ¡°Good, you¡¯re no fool,¡± he said leading him to the third furnace, ¡°This here¡¯s the smelting furnace. Do you know what that is?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°That¡¯s the process of making metal billets and alloys.¡± He pointed to an orange metal, ¡°This is copper, correct?¡± Gordon nodded and Nathaniel picked up a light shiny metal, ¡°And this is tin. Together these should make bronze.¡± [New skill acquired: Smelting Lv. 1.] Gordon gave a small smile, ¡°You¡¯re sharper than I expected. Watch me,¡± he said, ¡°Throw three pieces of copper and three tin into the smelting cup,¡± He demonstrated and with a pair of long tongs, he placed the cup in the furnace. ¡°Then heat up the metal until it melts and merges together,¡± he called to the others, ¡°Bring me a sword mold!¡± one of the apprentices brought clay mold, ¡°For softer metals it¡¯s best to use molds,¡± He pulled out the cup and poured the molten metal into the mold. ¡°Then we¡¯ll wait until it cools and pull it from the mold. Did you level up?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°[Smelting] is now level two.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Gordon said, ¡°I¡¯ll have you prepare a few more bronze swords before I teach you smithing.¡± Nathaniel nodded as Gordon opened the mold and pulled out the blazing sword from the mold. He put the mold back together by the time Nathaniel put the smelting cup into the furnace. ¡°If it looks like the flames are dying, use the bellows to get the heat back up,¡± Gordon said pointing to a wooden lever attached to a pair of large leather bellows, ¡°Temperature is an important part of blacksmithing, remember that.¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Nathaniel said. He checked the flames. They were a dark orange, so Nathaniel pulled on the bellows¡¯ lever. It was hard, but a large blast of air fueled the flames to a bright orange. Nathaniel pumped a few more times, he found it easier to pump consecutively, and got the furnace burning at a bright yellow. He checked on the metal, it was mostly melted but there were a few solid chunks. The metal fully melted after another three pumps of the bellows. Nathaniel checked on the mold, making sure it was properly secured, then poured the liquid metal into the mold. After a few minutes, Nathaniel opened the mold and saw his first crafted sword. ¡°Where should I put the swords?¡± Nathaniel called to the others. One of the two apprentices, a young man with dirty blond hair pulled into a small ponytail, pointed to a stone trough, ¡°Place them in there to cool,¡± he said. Nathaniel waved in thanks and placed the hot sword into the empty basin. He received a notification stating that his [Smelting] is now level four. ¡°Will these bronze swords be useful?¡± Nathaniel said preparing another batch. ¡°Of course,¡± the apprentice with a ponytail said, ¡°No one in their right mind will turn down a weapon. Besides, bronze weapons are cheaper and quicker to make than iron ones.¡± He gave Nathaniel a bright smile, ¡°My name is Ramsey,¡± he pointed to the other apprentice with a close shaved head, ¡°And that¡¯s my brother Moses. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Hero.¡± ¡°Please call me Nathaniel,¡± he said pumping the bellows, ¡°I¡¯m a bit uncomfortable with the title since I haven¡¯t done anything yet.¡± ¡°Being a bit modest, aren¡¯t ya?¡± Gordon said with a sneer. ¡°No sir, just being honest,¡± Nathaniel said with a laugh, ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing but break a girl''s heart, and that¡¯s nothing to feel heroic about.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, boy,¡± Gordon said with a distant look, ¡°Heroes are known for breaking hearts.¡± Nathaniel shook his head, ¡°They shouldn¡¯t though,¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Whose heart did you break?¡± Moses said beating on a hot sword. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t tell you,¡± Nathaniel said pulling out another bronze sword, ¡°I don¡¯t want to embarrass her anymore than I already have.¡± ¡°Good lad,¡± Gordon said with a slight smile, ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll one day earn the title of hero. What level is your [Smelting] now?¡± ¡°Level six,¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Ramsey said, ¡°It took me a week to get to level six.¡± ¡°He¡¯s legendary rank son,¡± Gordon said, ¡°He¡¯s supposed to level up faster than us. He¡¯ll probably be level ten by days end.¡± Gordon put down the shield he was working on, ¡°I¡¯ll teach you blacksmithing after you finish that sword. Moses, take over the smelter when he¡¯s done. Your brother needs more iron.¡± Nathaniel popped out the last sword and brought it over. Gordon worked the billows to get the furnace to glow a bright orange. He pulled out a set of tongs and hammer. ¡°You¡¯re going to reheat the metal until it glows then hammer out and straighten the blade,¡± he said, ¡°You¡¯ll want to thin out the edges while leaving the core of the blade as thick as possible.¡± ¡°That way we can grind an edge on the blade without taking away from its structural integrity,¡± Nathaniel said understanding the process. He noticed Gordon giving him a confused look. ¡°I mean without weakening the blade.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Gordon said with a laugh, ¡°Had me worried there for a moment.¡± [New skill acquired: Weaponsmith Lv. 1.] ¡°[Weaponsmith]?¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I thought I was learning [Blacksmith]?¡± ¡°You are,¡± Gordon said, ¡°Some skills are broken up into multiple subskills. [Weaponsmith] is the [Blacksmith] skill for weapon crafting. There are quite a few smithing skills, and we¡¯ll do our best to teach you all of them.¡± Nathaniel nodded and placed the bronze blade into the flame. He followed Gordon¡¯s instruction and pulled out the blade when it started to glow a dull red. He pounded out the blade until it was mostly evened out, but there were a few uneven lumps. Nathaniel wiped away the sweat from his brow. ¡°Now let it cool on the rack,¡± Gordon said pointing to a metal case with slotted shelves, ¡°Let me know when the others are completed.¡± Nathaniel nodded and picked up another blade. He fell into a rhythm of beating out the rough sword, and he finished the second blade quicker than the first. Nathaniel replicated the process and found that each blade came out smoother than the one before. Four swords laid on the rack. ¡°What next?¡± Nathaniel said waving Gordon down. ¡°We build the handles,¡± Gordon said setting down four wooden dowels and a carving knife, ¡°We¡¯re going to carve these into handles.¡± Gordon heated up the tang of the blade then pressed it into the dowel leaving a burnt spot. Nathaniel repeated the process on his own dowel. The two of them sat down outside of the forge carving a hole in the shape of the tang. It was a slow, calming process. Nathaniel looked up and saw the sun nearly in the center of the sky. ¡°Do you live in the village?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°No, I¡¯m not from here,¡± Gordon said blowing out the shavings, ¡°I¡¯m from a small village to the southeast called Treante. But when I was younger, I made a name for myself as a master smith. So, I was brought on to make weapons for the counter offensive.¡± ¡°Do you have any family back home?¡± ¡°A beautiful wife,¡± Gordon said with a sad smile, ¡°She¡¯s probably lonely with both her sons and husband so far from home.¡± Gordon gave Nathaniel a quick glance, ¡°What about you hero?¡± ¡°My parents,¡± Nathaniel said with a deep frown, ¡°My father wanted me to help work on the house, but now¡­I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t even talk to them anymore.¡± Gordon nodded. They went back carving in silence and after a few hours they carved through the rods. Gordon led Nathaniel back inside. He heated up the tang again and slid the handle on causing a small flame to burst out. He repeated the process a few times until it fit snug on the blade. Then he heated up a bronze pommel and hammered it onto the bottom of the hilt. Nathaniel replicated the process and took the blades to the grinder to put an edge on it. ¡°Not bad kid,¡± Gordon said admiring the blades, ¡°For a beginner. What¡¯s your [Weaponsmith] level?¡± ¡°Level five,¡± Nathaniel said. Gordon nodded with a small smile, ¡°I¡¯ll let you finish up the other two,¡± he said, ¡°That¡¯ll get you to level ten.¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Nathaniel said starting on the next handle. ¡°The boys and I are going to the tavern tonight,¡± Gordon said, ¡°You want to join us?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Gordon smiled and went back to his work. Nathaniel silently worked on the handle. From carving the handle to grinding out the swords, he found serenity in the singular focus of trying to complete a task. Like forging the swords, Nathaniel¡¯s work improved from one sword to another. Nathaniel placed the last bronze sword on the rack. [Skill leveled: Weaponsmith Lv. 10] [New recipe acquired: Bronze Sword] ¡°Level ten yet?¡± Gordon stepped up to him looking at the swords. ¡°Yes sir,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°And I have the bronze sword recipe too.¡± Gordon slapped his shoulder, ¡°Check your stats too.¡± Nathaniel Light (Health: 170/170) (Mana: 35/35) ? Class: Inventor Lv. 4 ? Stats: o Strength: 19 o Dexterity: 14 o Constitution: 20 o Intelligence: 110 o Wisdom: 22 o Charisma: 13 ¡°My stat growth is imbalanced,¡± Nathaniel said scratching his head, ¡°I get why intelligence increased by five points because of my class, but why did strength, constitution increase more than the others?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because the skill that cause you to level up dictates stats growth,¡± Gordon said, ¡°In this case, [Smithing] increases your strength. Constitution is a stat that increases every level regardless of the skills, but more exhausting skills increase it more.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Nathaniel said with a small smile, ¡°So I can control my stat growth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right son,¡± Gordon said with a laugh, ¡°But you can think about this later. After you¡¯ve had a few beers.¡± ¡°Lead the way.¡± Gordon and his sons led Nathaniel out of the fort. Soldiers were marching through the muddy streets. A few of the villagers waved at them as they passed, and Gordon responded with a large smile. A group of young women waved at Ramsey and Moses with sly smiles which they responded with a wave of their own. ¡°You¡¯re pretty well known around here,¡± Nathaniel said with a laugh. ¡°We¡¯ve done some extra work for the village,¡± Gordon said waving to an elderly couple, ¡°Establishing a good report with the community helps make our jobs easier.¡± ¡°And it helps you with getting dates,¡± Ramsey said with snicker. Gordon entered a single-story building with a mug sign hanging from the rafters. It was loud inside. Farmers, workers, and soldiers crowded inside trying to enjoy the last remaining hours of the day. Gordon led them through the crowd to the only remaining table. A middle-aged barmaid approached, ¡°Evening Gordon, what can I get ya¡¯ boys?¡± ¡°Four beers and a roasted chicken please,¡± Gordon said. The barmaid nodded and gave him a flirty wink. Gordon chuckled as he saw Nathaniel¡¯s face, ¡°Darling there¡¯s sweet, but can¡¯t compete with the missus.¡± ¡°She just looking for a big tip, pa,¡± Ramsey said with a chuckle. The three of them started howling. ¡°I guess something things don¡¯t change, no matter the world,¡± Nathaniel said laughing with them. ¡°So, son,¡± Gordon said, ¡°Rumor has it that you and the Lady Oracle ¡®ve been getting cozy. That true?¡± ¡°You lucky bastard,¡± Ramsey said with a toothy grin. Nathaniel laughed with them, ¡°No, she¡¯s just doing her job,¡± Gordon sighed, ¡°Son, I bet you a gold coin that she¡¯s waiting for you,¡± he said as the barmaid brought their order. Gordon pulled off a wing, ¡°But let¡¯s talk about next week. I think we¡¯ll get your [Smelting] to level ten then teach you [Runesmith]. That way we can get your important skills before you hit the first breaker level.¡± Nathaniel grabbed a drumstick, ¡°What¡¯s a breaker level?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what we call every twentieth level,¡± Moses said chugging his beer. ¡°You¡¯ll start gaining less experience when you hit level twenty,¡± Gordon continued, ¡°This makes it harder to level up your current skills and even newer ones. Most people stop trying to gain class levels because of it. Hence, the name.¡± Nathaniel stared at his cup with a furrowed brow, ¡°Don¡¯t worry son,¡± Gordon patted his shoulder, ¡°Basic and Intermediate ranks tend to break at level twenty. Heroes are said to break around sixty.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s because there¡¯s nothing left to challenge them,¡± Ramsey said, ¡°There''s no need to grow when nothing will touch you!¡± ¡°What if I want to reach level one hundred?¡± Nathaniel said. Gordon leaned over, staring him in the eyes, ¡°Then you need to find yourself a burden,¡± he said taking a drink, ¡°My old man kept telling me ¡®find something that keeps pushing you no matter what.¡¯¡± Nathaniel nodded at the advice, ¡°You want to reach level one hundred, then make it a good one,¡± He gave a toothy grin, ¡°Like getting the most beautiful woman in the kingdom to fall for you.¡± The boys laughed as Nathaniel shook his head. Nathaniel enjoyed the warmth and life of the tavern. After a few beers and a slight buzz, the four of them left and headed back to the fort. It was another beautiful, but cold night. Nathaniel waved bye to the group and headed back to his room. As he approached the door, he noticed a shadow standing next to it. ¡°Did you enjoy your night out?¡± Ophelia said stepping into the light. ¡°I did,¡± Nathaniel said. I owe Gordon a gold coin. ¡°Would you like to come in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t,¡± Ophelia said with a frown, ¡°I came to check on your status.¡± Nathaniel relayed the information. ¡°You¡¯re doing well,¡± she said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯ll be level ten by the end of the week.¡± ¡°Can I walk you to your room?¡± Ophelia smiled warmly, ¡°Thank you, but you need to get ready for tomorrow,¡± she said turning to leave, ¡°Goodnight.¡± ¡°Night,¡± Nathaniel said watching her leave. Ophelia disappeared, and Nathaniel sighed heavily as he headed to bed. Ch. 5 Gift of Reconciliation Nathaniel looked at the sheet of paper in his hands. Nathaniel, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t take you to your alchemy lesson today. I¡¯ve commanded Helmer to take you. I¡¯ll check on you tonight. Sincerely yours, Ophelia, Nathaniel set the paper down and looked up at Helmer who gave him a strained smile. [Annoyed] sat above Helmer¡¯s head. Nathaniel smiled slightly as he finished off his small breakfast. He finished getting ready and turned to his attendant. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Excellent sir,¡± Helmer said tightening his fist. He led Nathaniel down the halls to a simple wooden door on the first floor. A heavy herbal scent emanated from it. ¡°Here¡¯s the alchemy lab sir. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have other duties I need to tend to.¡± He ran off before Nathaniel could say anything. Nathaniel knocked on the door. ¡°Enter.¡± Nathaniel stepped into the room and was silently assaulted by the musty scent. Two large tables sat near the center of the room filled with alchemical sets. A large bookshelf sat along the wall opposite a stove and counter with reagents on it. An elder man hung herbs to dry. ¡°The hero arrives,¡± the elderly man said, ¡°Are you ready to learn the secrets of [Alchemy]?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°But please call me Nathaniel.¡± ¡°A pleasure Nathaniel,¡± the alchemist said, ¡°I¡¯m Antron. How familiar are you with the skill?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already level two,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I learned it by watching a hostel alchemist.¡± Antron gasped a laugh, ¡°I would have loved to see that,¡± he said, ¡°The guild does everything in its power to keep its control over alchemists.¡± ¡°And now there¡¯s a hero that can specialize in [Alchemy],¡± Nathaniel laughed along, ¡°But I¡¯m surprised you don¡¯t have a problem with it.¡± ¡°The guild cares more about control than progress,¡± Antron said, ¡°It has caused my craft to stagnate and wither. I want to see it change, so I¡¯m thrilled to that you¡¯re here.¡± Antron pulled out a large book and flipped it open, ¡°So let¡¯s get started. Let¡¯s start with the basics, the health and mana potions.¡± Antron gathered the ingredients and placed them on the second table. One contained a sunny yellow flower shaped like a lily. Sol Flora was written on the side. The second was a powder that glistened blue, green, and violent labeled Powdered Arcanum. ¡°For the health potion, we¡¯ll take five Sol Flora petals and ground it up with two spoons of Powdered Arcanum,¡± Antron said gesturing to the mortar and pestle. Nathaniel plucked off the petals and tossed in the powder, ¡°What purpose do these ingredients do?¡± Nathaniel said grinding the ingredients. ¡°Sol Flora has properties that increase blood production and fight infections,¡± Antron said, ¡®Whereas Powdered Arcanum will infuse magic into the potion, amplifying the effects.¡± He turned to the small pot filled with water, ¡°You¡¯ll boil the ingredients for fifteen minutes while stirring gently the entire time.¡± ¡°The entire time,¡± Nathaniel said with a sigh, ¡°I need to invent an automatic stirrer.¡± He dumped the ingredients into the water and started stirring. About a minute in, he had to switch hands. Slowly, the water took on a dark red color making it look like tea but had a pungent coppery smell. ¡°Now we let it boil down until it thickens up,¡± Antron said, ¡°You¡¯ll stir occasionally to keep it from burning on the bottom.¡± ¡°Mind if I open a window?" Nathaniel asked rubbing his nose. ¡°Sorry,¡± Antron laughed opening the small window, ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this for so long that my sense of smell is pretty much gone.¡± Nathaniel continued stirring until he started scraping goop from the bottom of the pot. ¡°Scrape the spoon off on this,¡± Antron held out a large leaf the size of a plate, ¡°That¡¯s the main ingredient of healing salves, so you¡¯ll want to keep it.¡± ¡°Will all potion recipes create secondary ingredients?¡± ¡°Not all, but most will,¡± Antron said, ¡°The mana potion will create a substance that¡¯s mostly used for poisons, so we¡¯ll be throwing that one out.¡± ¡°A poison?¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Is there someplace safe to dispose of it?¡± ¡°No, but there¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± Antron said wrapping up the leaf and grabbing another, ¡°The substance is known to cause numbing when it gets on the skin. But it is used in poisons that can stop your breathing.¡± ¡°Do you have surgeons?¡± Nathaniel said scratching his chin, ¡°Someone who performs battlefield operations on wounded soldiers?¡± ¡°Yes, why?¡± ¡°Back in my world we had anesthetics,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°It¡¯s a drug that causes someone to lose feeling when applied. Doctors, I mean healers, back home used it all the time when treating patients.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Antron asked in shock. ¡°To help with surgeries,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Imagine how much pain someone goes through when you saw off a leg, or an arm. It was used help the patient from suffering through all that pain.¡± Antron stared with his mouth wide open, ¡°Bloody brilliant,¡± he said, ¡°If we could make a salve with the numbing substance then we could do the same thing. The potion¡¯s done.¡± Antron grabbed the pot and set it on the counter, ¡°Congratulations, you created a pot of lesser healing potion.¡± [Skill leveled: Alchemy Lv. 5] [Class leveled: Inventor Lv. 5] ¡°My [Alchemy] is level five now,¡± Nathaniel said with a large smile. ¡°Excellent,¡± Antron said, ¡°Now, for the mana potions we¡¯re changing out the Sol Flora for this,¡± he pulled out a jar filled with dried ivory mushrooms, ¡°Luna caps have a property that¡¯s used to rejuvenate stamina and magic.¡± He pulled out one mushroom, ¡°It uses a dried mushroom but follows the same instructions as the health potion.¡± Nathaniel nodded. He started grinding the ingredients together and placed them in a pot of steaming water. A thought came to Nathaniel, and he activated his [Intuition] skill. Fifteen minutes appeared at the top of his vision. This skill is quite useful. The water turned an iridescent blue-green and after the allotted time, he scooped out the dark teal residue. Then he set the potion to the side to cool. [Skill leveled: Alchemy Lv. 7.] ¡°Do certain recipes require skill levels?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°In a sense,¡± Antron said scooping the last of the health potion, ¡°You can craft any recipe at any level, but crafting certain recipes have better chances at certain levels.¡± He flipped to another recipe, ¡°For example, in order to have a guaranteed success at crafting a full health potion your [Alchemy] needs to be level fifty.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°So, at level seven, I¡¯d most likely fail,¡± Antron laughed, ¡°Probably, but as a hero you¡¯d have a higher chance of success than a basic alchemist.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the level needed for the healing salve?¡± Nathaniel said looking at the alchemy book. ¡°Level five, so you have nothing to worry about,¡± Antron said pulling out a wooden bowl, ¡°It¡¯s an easy recipe. We take the healing potion residue and mix it into a solution of flour and water until it becomes a paste.¡± He passed Nathaniel the bowl, ¡°Give it a try.¡± Nathaniel took the bowl and scooped a spoonful of the residue alongside a handful of flour and half a cup of water. He beat the solution together until it produced a bright red paste. [New recipe acquired: weak healing salve] [Skill leveled: Alchemy level 8] Nathaniel smiled then looked at the mana potion residue, ¡°Do you have a piece of paper and something to write with?¡± he said. Antron grabbed a sheet of paper and a quill. Nathaniel looked at the recipe for the healing salve. [Innovation] appeared at the top of his vision. So, it activates by intent. He copied the recipe for the healing salve but replaced the health residue with the mana residue. Afterwards, quickly whipped up the anesthetic paste. [New recipe created: weak anesthetic salve] Nathaniel handed Antron the paper, ¡°Here¡¯s a recipe for the anesthetic salve,¡± ¡°You were able to make it!¡± Antron said, ¡°This is amazing. I¡¯ll take this to the infirmary for testing, then I¡¯ll send it to the guild so that you will be recognized as the creator.¡± A large explosion sounded from the window. Nathaniel rushed to the window and saw Shizuka standing out in the practice field rubbing her face with a handkerchief. Five feet in front of her was a black smoking hole with a mage lying on the ground screaming in pain. ¡°Someone looks to be hurt badly!¡± Nathaniel said. Antron held up the salve bowls, ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing you made these.¡± The two rushed outside to the practice field. A group of soldiers gathered around the smoking hole while Maria and a group of priests gathered around the hurt mage. White magic showered down from Maria¡¯s hands and enveloped the mage as his burns rapidly healed. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Shizuka said crying and sneezing into her rag, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for him to get hurt.¡± ¡°We understand that lady Shizuka,¡± Ollimier¡¯s elderly advisor said, ¡°We¡¯ll see to his treatment, and will find a different method of training that doesn¡¯t require you to be outside.¡± ¡°How bad is it?¡± Nathaniel asked, ¡°We brought some medicine if anyone needs it.¡± ¡°Not too bad, thankfully,¡± the advisor said, ¡°Only one person was badly hurt. The Saint¡¯s healing has everything covered.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be that way Debin,¡± Antron said, ¡°We saw what happened and thought the Inventor¡¯s new recipe could help.¡± ¡°New recipe?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Antron showed him the blue salve, ¡°It¡¯s called weak anesthetic salve. It causes a numbing sensation to help treat wounds!¡± Debin sneered, ¡°And you want to test it on our wounded?¡± Nathaniel sighed and wiped a small amount of the salve onto his hands. A cool sensation spread throughout his hands. It reminded him of using vapor rub or the ointments used to treat sprains. ¡°It¡¯s not as strong as I thought it was,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°The most this can be used to treat minor injuries like sprains, burns, and joint pain.¡± ¡°Joint pain,¡± Debin said looking at the paste with interest. He rubbed some into his hands and he sighed in relief, ¡°I¡¯ll speak with his highness about using this on our wounded,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°Excellent work Inventor.¡± He turned to the mages, ¡°We¡¯ll have the Archmage continue practicing inside so that this doesn¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t!¡± the head mage said, ¡°There are certain spells that require us to be outside.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Shizuka said, ¡°It¡¯s these damn allergies.¡± ¡°I understand Archmage,¡± Debin said placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, ¡°We¡¯ll do our best to get you the best training possible. For now, go inside and teach her something less¡­volatile.¡± The mages grumbled but did as they were told. A pair of medics placed the wounded mage onto a stretcher and carried him away with Maria and the priests following closely. Left alone, Antron and Nathaniel made their way back to the lab. ¡°I¡¯m glad Debin saw reason,¡± Antron said laughing, ¡°Now we can start testing this new salve and send it to the guild for approval.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re going to spend the rest of the day making this?¡± Nathaniel looked at the paste apprehensively. ¡°Of course not,¡± Antron said with a sly smile, ¡°That¡¯s what medics and apprentices are for.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Nathaniel said scratching his chin, ¡°You don¡¯t happen to have a book about alchemical components, do you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°Would it be all right if I borrowed it?¡± Nathaniel asked clearing his throat, ¡°I want to make some medicine for Shizuka. Something to help her with her allergies.¡± Antron¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°A new recipe!¡± he said, ¡°You can have it, and the recipe book too.¡± He rubbed his hands together gleefully, ¡°The guild supplies them to every member, so I¡¯ll have them send me a new one.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it son,¡± he said with a bright smile, ¡°But I want to be there when you make it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to try and develop it today,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°My boons should guarantee a successful creation.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± They stepped into the lab and Antron pulled out a thick book from the bookshelf. Nathaniel cleaned up the second table so that Antron could lay it down. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Antron said as Nathaniel started flipping through the pages. ¡°Ingredients that treat symptoms of illness,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Runny nose, itchy eyes, etc.¡± ¡°Just the symptoms?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nathaniel said turning to the recipe book, ¡°Allergies are caused by the body treating things like pollen as potential threats. So the only way to deal with allergies is by treating the symptoms.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Antron said taking the book, ¡°Then I recommend ashwort, dried seranbell, and blue shawls.¡± He pointed to three pictures. Ashwort showed a black and grey truffle, seranbell was a pear-shaped fruit that looked like a cross between an orange and lemon, and blue shawl a flower with dropping hood like petals. ¡°These three ingredients are the most common in recipes meant to fight illnesses.¡± ¡°Do you have any?¡± Nathaniel said looking around. ¡°I have ashwort and blue shawls, but we could get seranbell from the kitchen,¡± Antron said, ¡°We¡¯ll have to dry it ourselves.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, we can use the oven for that,¡± Nathaniel said snapping his fingers, ¡°Does the kitchen have any honey?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need to grab a jar of that too,¡± Shizuka blew her nose into her moist handkerchief. She sniffled and rubbed her bloodshot eyes as she walked down the dark corridors. Another fit of sneezes struck her and she nearly ran into the wall. To call today a disaster was an understatement. After the accident, the mages took her into one of the labs and had her practice simple utility spells. Of course, being inside didn¡¯t help calm her allergies and she nearly blinded another mage with a simple light spell. After that, they had her study for the rest of the day, alone. ¡°This place sucks,¡± she said, ¡°Other worlds are supposed to be different,¡± a sad smile appeared on her lips, ¡°But that¡¯s only for the main character¡­which isn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t it be you?¡± Shizuka stared at the man standing next to her door. Her short stature made the man look like a giant as he stood a foot taller than her, and the gentle aura he produced help ease some of her tension. It¡¯s a shame that his presence brought on a sudden awkwardness, one that was her own fault. ¡°B-because I¡¯m not their precious champion,¡± Shizuka said sharply, ¡°Just a mage.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Nathaniel said scratching his chin, ¡°But I disagree. You can easily be a main character with your explosive presence.¡± Shizuka stopped her chuckle with a growl, ¡°Why are you here?¡± She said, trying to put some anger into her scowl. Nathaniel laughed nervously, ¡°Sorry,¡± he said holding out a leather bag, ¡°I came to fulfill a promise.¡± Shizuka took the bag, and inside she found a small glass jar filled with what looked like individually wrapped pieces of candy. A folded piece of paper was tied around the jar reading Allergy Meds. The recipe appeared to be written on the inside. ¡°Here¡¯s the allergy medicine I promised,¡± Nathaniel said expectantly, ¡°It was quite simple to make, but I thought, why not make them into honey candies. That way you can start building up an immunity to the allergens here. I¡¯ll try and have your motion sickness meds shortly, but I thought this was more important.¡± Shizuka couldn¡¯t stop the tears, ¡°Why¡¯d you make this?¡± she said, ¡°After our¡­fight, after ignoring you. Why make these for me?¡± Nathaniel placed a hand on her shoulder, ¡°Because I want to help,¡± he said, ¡°I mean, you saw the crater you made right. Next time make sure you target Duncan.¡± Shizuka laughed, ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± she said, ¡°Thanks Nathaniel, and I¡¯m sorry about earlier,¡± she held the jar close, ¡°I thought you would abandon me like everyone else.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll always be here,¡± Nathaniel said pulling her into a hug, ¡°Even if my class was something different. It¡¯s just¡­I think we should start off as friends.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Shizuka held on tightly, ¡°Maria and Ophelia gave me an earful on the way here, but I don¡¯t fully agree with all their reasons.¡± ¡°Good night, Shizuka,¡± Nathaniel said patting her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Good night, Nathaniel,¡± she said. The moment he was out of sight, she popped one of the candies into her mouth. Shizuka smiled at the sweet taste. Nathaniel felt satisfied. It felt good to help Shizuka by making her medicine. In fact, it was that feeling that made him choose to be an engineer, and now, he had an entire world that needed his help. Even if they looked down on him. Well, not everyone. Ophelia stood by his door, ¡°Are you here for an update?¡± ¡°I actually wanted to congratulate you,¡± Ophelia said with a bright smile, ¡°I heard about your first innovation,¡± she laughed, ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting Debin to speak so highly of you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that bad,¡± Nathaniel said with a heavy sigh, ¡°They don¡¯t see me as a valuable asset,¡± He looked to his room, ¡°Guess I¡¯m not crazy.¡± Ophelia lost her smile, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, ¡°I tried to convince them, but they wouldn¡¯t believe me. They needed proof,¡± she folded her arms, ¡°Which is absurd.¡± ¡°I have my work cut out for me.¡± Ophelia placed a hand on his shoulder, ¡°I have faith in you,¡± ¡°Thanks, I won¡¯t let you down.¡± Ch.6 Runesmith Nathaniel sat at the table trying to control his impatience. Maria and Ophelia completely lost theirs as their fingers tapped against the table, while Shizuka sat next to him reading a book. Nathaniel took the time to review his stats. Nathaniel Light (Health: 200/200) (Mana: 40/40) ? Class: Inventor Lv. 10 ? Stats: o Strength: 120 o Dexterity: 25 o Constitution: 26 o Intelligence: 140 o Wisdom: 30 o Charisma: 15 ? Skills o Cooking Lv. 4 o Alchemy Lv. 8 o Smelting Lv. 6 o Weaponsmith Lv. 10 o Leatherwork Lv.5 o Masonry Lv. 5 o Carpentry Lv. 10 o Arcana: 5 ¡°Where is he?¡± Ophelia said with a growl. ¡°Probably in bed with a beautiful woman,¡± Shawn said sharpening a dagger. Ophelia took several deep breaths, ¡°Can¡¯t he take anything seriously?¡± she said turning to one of the attendants, ¡°Someone go collect the Champion.¡± Ophelia watched the attendant leave with a hard stare, and the atmosphere grew colder. The Oracle''s furious tapping echoed loudly. ¡°Ophelia, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand,¡± Nathaniel said hoping to take her mind from Duncan, ¡°Why did I need to learn about magic yesterday?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll help with crafting,¡± she said softening her glare, ¡°You¡¯ll need to have magic skills in order to craft certain magical items like staves and wands.¡± ¡°So will I need to learn specific types of magic or just [Arcana]?¡± ¡°Both,¡± Ophelia tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, ¡°[Arcana] is used for most item enchantments, but you¡¯ll need to have skills in specific types if you want to imbue an item with a specific magic.¡± ¡°So, if I wanted to make a wand that casts [Light Magic], then I need to have levels in that skill,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I learn magic spells as well?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to learn spells to gain the skills,¡± Shizuka said closing her book, ¡°Magic skills can be learned and leveled by reading the appropriate books. When it comes to your class, you just need to know the principles behind the magic to enchant an item. Am I correct Ophelia?¡± ¡°You are,¡± The door opened and Duncan entered the room. His clothes hung loosely, and his hair was a complete mess. ¡°It¡¯s about time,¡± Maria said giving him a dirty look. Duncan smiled at her, ¡°I didn¡¯t get much sleep last night,¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Debin said, stopping an argument from starting. ¡°Why are we here?¡± Shawn sighed looking between the Oracle and advisor. ¡°You five will be having general studies every Bardcall,¡± Debin said, ¡°These lessons will be specially tailored to each of you so that you may navigate our world without any issues. However, this first lesson is something that concerns all of you.¡± ¡°This lesson will be a brief introduction to our world and a few of the major powers in it,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°It¡¯s important for you to know our allies and enemies.¡± ¡°Take a seat Champion so that we may begin,¡± Debin spread a world map onto the table. The map showed a single continent with four large landmasses on each side with an ocean in between. The western landmass connected to the central continent with a single land bridge. The central continent was the most detailed. Debin pointed to the central landmass, ¡°We are on the continent of Everhall,¡± he said looking at each of them, ¡°There are five kingdoms currently in power with the Gilbrant kingdom being the most powerful,¡± Nathaniel could see why. The borders of the Gilbrant kingdom took up most of the continent. The other kingdoms combined didn¡¯t even make up a third of its size. ¡°Because of this, we are the ones mainly fighting against the Horde and Demons.¡± ¡°The other kingdoms support us though,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°Even if it¡¯s not much.¡± ¡°The Umvral Kingdom tries to avoid their obligations though,¡± Debin said pointing to the second largest kingdom, ¡°The rats have no problem profiting off our suffering.¡± ¡°Is there a possibility of a war?¡± Maria said. ¡°Doubtful,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°The other kingdoms don¡¯t want to increase their standing, otherwise they¡¯ll be expected to be more active against the Horde and Demons.¡± ¡°We¡¯re fighting against monsters and demons?¡± Duncan snickered, ¡°Nice.¡± ¡°You should take this seriously Champion,¡± Debin said pointing to the western side of the continent, ¡°The hordes from Pa¡¯palla have taken over a large portion of the west. The monsters currently control the land bridge which allows them to freely enter Everhall. We¡¯ll try to retake the bridge once you¡¯re all trained.¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Monsters are kind of vague,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Can you elaborate?¡± ¡°The Horde consists of a loose alliance of Pa¡¯palla¡¯s different denizens,¡± Debin said with a sigh, ¡°So far, we¡¯ve encountered Orcs, Goblins, Nagas, and Lycans. But we¡¯re certain there are more since we haven¡¯t properly scouted out Pa¡¯palla.¡± ¡°Do you have any information on the other continents?¡± Nathaniel said looking at the blank four landmasses. ¡°Unfortunately, no,¡± Debin said, ¡°From what little we¡¯ve seen from Pa¡¯palla, it¡¯s a desolate land. Only the strong can survive there, and the only way there is the land bridge. As for Zechriel, we haven¡¯t been able to retake the north since they landed. Until that happens, we can¡¯t scout their lands.¡± ¡°What about the other two?¡± Shizuka said. ¡°The southern continent is called Nevermore,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°The kingdom of Melmaria sent expeditions to scout it out, but none of them ever returned. As for the eastern continent, we don¡¯t know anything about it. There¡¯s no place to make landfall, so all expeditions have ended in failure.¡± ¡°That covers the lessons for this morning,¡± Debin said rolling up the map, ¡°You all are free to spend the day as you see fit.¡± ¡°Good, I¡¯m going back to bed.¡± Duncan said quickly leaving the room. ¡°Let¡¯s go check out the town, Shizuka?¡± Maria said pulling Shizuka out of the room. ¡°Lady Ophelia, I have something I need to talk to you about.¡± Debin escorted Ophelia away. Nathaniel found himself alone in the room. Apparently, Shawn snuck out at some point which shocked him. He left the room and started wandering around the fort, unsure of what to do. Nathaniel didn¡¯t feel like going into town, even though he had a sizable allowance that was given to him. If he was going to stay in the fort, then it would make sense to try and increase his skills. Nathaniel saw a servant bearing a tray of food walk down the hall. The pleasant sweet and savory smell made him smile. He would try the kitchen first. Nathaniel made his way to the kitchen and was assaulted by the rich smells. The staff moved about with quick, deliberate steps as they prepared the next meal. It was busy. The kitchen staff was separated into individual stations so that the staff could focus on making their chosen food. Those baking bread, simmering stews, and roasting meat all hugged the wall as they managed the cooking while the inner stations were set up for food preparation. Nathaniel was a little intimidated by the sight, and the cold stare of the head chef, and decided to leave. Nathaniel went back to wander the fort. He knew that there were many other crafting skills he could learn, but he didn¡¯t know where to go. The thought of going to Ophelia for help crossed his mind. Spending the afternoon with her could be pleasant, but it would mean interfering with her work, and he didn¡¯t want to be a hinderance. With a heavy sigh, Nathaniel combed back his hair, but the sound of clanging metal drew his attention. The forge sat outside the window with Gordon and his sons working in the heat. He¡¯d be back in the forge in a few days, but maybe Gordon could teach him something new. Nathaniel made his way towards the forge. He could feel the heat even from the outside. Ramsey and Moses were hammering out a sword while Gordon leaned over a table branding a shield with a hot poker. ¡°Look here Pa!¡± Ramsey said noticing Nathaniel, ¡°The illustrious Inventor Hero graces our forge again. Did you miss us that much that you couldn¡¯t wait a few more days?¡± ¡°I was given the afternoon off,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°And I was bored, so I thought Gordon could teach me something new. You know since I¡¯ve already surpassed your level.¡± Ramsey stared at him in shock. ¡°Then why not spend it with the lovely Oracle?¡± Moses said with a slight smile. ¡°She¡¯s busy, and I didn¡¯t want to be a bother,¡± ¡°Understandable,¡± Gordon said wiping his soot-stained hands, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, son. Come over and I¡¯ll teach you [Runesmith].¡± Nathaniel walked over to the table, ¡°You mentioned that before,¡± he said, ¡°Is it different from regular smithing?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Gordon said looking down at a sword on the table. It glistened in the forge light with glyphs branded into the flat of the grey blade, ¡°It¡¯s a crafting skill that mainly focuses on enchanting equipment with unique properties. These properties can be anything from increased strength to elemental resistances.¡± ¡°So how do these runes work?¡± Nathaniel said. Gordon placed an iron bar that shined blue-green. ¡°First you¡¯ll need arcane alloy,¡± he said, ¡°This is made by incorporating powdered arcanum with any metal while smelting, but copper, silver, and gold work the best." ¡°So what alloy is this?¡± Nathaniel gestured to the bar. ¡°This is arcane iron,¡± Gordon said, ¡°This is used mainly for weapons and armor.¡± Gordon pointed to the sword, ¡°Then you carve these glyphs into the metal to enchant it.¡± ¡°So, it needs magic to work,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°But there can¡¯t be that much magic in the metal, can there?¡± Gordon shook his head, ¡°Then couldn¡¯t you use a magic crystal to power the runes?¡± ¡°Only if you want the runes to stop working,¡± Gordon said with a laugh, ¡°Magic crystals do store more magic, but they are quick to deplete that magic and slow to rebuild it. Whereas arcane alloy slowly cycles through magic making it more effective, if you don¡¯t overload it with runes. Crystals work better for supplementary items like wands and staves, that way spellcasters can have a secondary source of magic in case of an emergency.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t arcanum expensive? Which means that weapons with runes must be quite expensive.¡± ¡°True,¡± Gordon said with a frown, ¡°This is my personal supply, and the only reason I have some is because there¡¯s a dungeon next to my home village. I can gather arcane crystals to grind into the powder, but that doesn¡¯t mean that these items aren¡¯t worth it.¡± He pulled out a set of gauntlets with similar runes, ¡°For example, if multiple pieces are engraved with the same rune, like this one,¡± he pointed to a triangular rune with a perpendicular line on each side, ¡°Then the effect will increase by the number of runes on the entire set.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a set bonus,¡± Nathaniel said chuckling. Gordon gave Nathaniel a confused look that he waved away, ¡°So, it¡¯s more productive to use arcanum to build an entire set of gear rather than multiple of the same type, correct.¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± Gordon took a deep breath, ¡°I had several books back home on rune smithing but didn¡¯t have the time to pack them. They¡¯d help with the more complicated aspects of the craft. For example, I use these pokes to quickly stamp the rune into the hot metal, this allows me to finish quickly but at the cost of the rune¡¯s strength. But if I were to carve the rune by hand, then the rune¡¯s strength would be stronger.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Gordon scratched his beard, ¡°From what I understand, it has something to do with the intent,¡± he said, ¡°By carving the rune by hand, you¡¯re putting more focus on the intent of the rune.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Nathaniel looked at the gear with fascination. [New skill acquired: Runesmith Lv. 3] ¡°Thanks for the lesson, Gordon,¡± Nathaniel smiled, ¡°I¡¯m now a level three [Runesmith].¡± ¡°Then here,¡± Gordon pushed the pokers over to him and pulled out a breastplate and set of greaves, ¡°I need to finish up this armor set. Do me a favor and stamp the runes on these pieces, and make sure they¡¯re in line with each other. The runes won¡¯t be as effective if you place the runes randomly. Also, you only need to stamp them once with each one, it doesn¡¯t increase the runes¡¯ power if you apply more." Nathaniel stuck the pokers into the fire and pressed the blazing metal onto the breastplate. He placed the triangular rune in the center of the armor at the top, then the circular rune in the center, and the three parallel line rune at the base. He repeated the process with the other pieces. ¡°I¡¯ve finished,¡± Nathaniel said organizing the gear on the table, ¡°Who¡¯s this armor for?¡± ¡°The Champion,¡± Gordon said stamping the pauldrons, ¡°Prince Ollimier wanted it done before he reaches level twenty.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t he already have armor?¡± ¡°That armor¡¯s more ceremonial,¡± Gordon said quenching the armor, ¡°This is to prepare him for battle,¡± He set the armor on the anvil to cool and pointed to the engraved runes, ¡°The triangle rune will increase his strength attribute. The circular rune will increase his defense, and the three lines will increase his speed.¡± [Skill leveled: Runesmith Lv. 5.] ¡°Are these the only ones you have?¡± Nathaniel said looking around. ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Gordon nodded, ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to grab my engraving kit, and I only had these three pokers made.¡± ¡°So, you can¡¯t teach me anything else?¡± ¡°Not right now,¡± Gordon said with smile, ¡°But I¡¯ll see if the library has any books on runes. But I think someone else needs your attention.¡± He gestured out the door. Nathaniel looked out the door and saw a flash of golden hair disappear in the window. ¡°Thanks Gordon,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Go get her, hero!¡± the guys shouted back at him. Ch.6.1 Geography Lesson Nathaniel sat in the library of Fort Cadarn looking through several books trying to find any information that could be of use. Among the books was a map of the world. At the center of the map was Everhall. It was hard to tell due to its shape, but he guessed that Everhall was slightly smaller than the continent of Asia back in his own world. The five kingdoms inhabiting the continent were marked on the map. Gilbrant, the largest kingdom, took up the entire western side and most of the central part of the continent. It¡¯s size required the kingdom to have nearly a dozen duchies to properly operate. Umvral, the second largest kingdom, took up most of the eastern side of the continent, and it sat beneath the Dwarven kingdom of Nevran which was the third largest. Nevran sat in the northeast as a collection of mountains that bordered Gilbrant as well. The fourth largest kingdom of Turlen was a slim nation that ran along the entire eastern coast. Melmaria, the smallest kingdom, sat on the southeast of the continent separated from Gilbrant by the Black Iron mountains. The southwestern part of the continent was marked as The Wilderness. Pa¡¯palla, the continent that the Horde hails from, sat to the west of Everhall with a land bridge connecting the two continents. His [Intuition] informed him that the land bridge had to be around two hundred miles long. Across the ocean in the north was Zechriel, the demon homeland, and two more continents sat to the east and south with oceans separating them from Everhall. Nathaniel scratched his chin in confusion. ¡°What has you so deep in thought?¡± Nathaniel jumped and turned to see Ophelia standing behind him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to scare you!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Nathaniel calmed himself down, ¡°I¡¯m trying to make the most of my general study days by learning about this world. However, there are things about this world that doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°What has you confused?¡± Ophelia leaned over him to look at the map. Nathaniel cleared his throat, aware of how close she was to him, ¡°It¡¯s the geography,¡± he said pointing at the land bridge, Black Iron mountain range, and the Nevran mountains. ¡°Back in my world, we came to understand that the landmasses were moving. We called the phenomenon tectonic plates,¡± Ophelia looked at him confused. Nathaniel held out his hands with the palms down, so that his fingers were touching. ¡°When the landmasses collided and pushed against each other, it caused the land to shift and the result was mountains forming,¡± he demonstrated by pushing his hands together which forced his fingers upward. ¡°I understand now,¡± Ophelia¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°People in your world must be incredibly intelligent.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Nathaniel chuckled nervously, ¡°The point is, we could determine where these plates were thanks to mountain ranges. The problem is that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case here,¡± He pointed to Nevran, ¡°The northeast of Everhall is a clump of mountains. At first, I thought it was due to it being a collection of volcanoes,¡± he touched a book to his right, ¡°But then you have this mountain range that separates Umvral from Turlen, and then you have the Black Iron mountain range that runs east to west. Not to mention, it¡¯s too wide of a range to be explained by tectonic plates. Then there¡¯s the land bridge. Several of these books make it sound more like a mountain pass, or maybe a canyon, that splits the ocean. I can¡¯t see any reason to these landmarks.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s how Creation wanted it?¡± Ophelia tapped her chin, ¡°After all, everything exists as Creation willed it.¡± ¡°So, this world was created,¡± Nathaniel sighed scratching his head, ¡°As much as I don¡¯t want to accept that answer, it¡¯s the only one that makes sense now, and without a fully detailed map of the world, I can¡¯t look into this further.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ophelia frowned holding herself, ¡°Truthfully, Pa¡¯palla was the only other landmass we were aware of, but when we realized how inhospitable it was, no one wanted to scout it out. We mainly focused on reclaiming the Wilderness from the fairies.¡± ¡°What about the other landmasses?¡± ¡°We only recently discovered those,¡± Ophelia pointed to the northern coast of Gilbrant, ¡°When the demons landed their castles, Turlen thought it would be best to try and find any other potential threats. However, their ships aren¡¯t capable of long voyages, so as soon as the landmasses were found, we marked their locations. What you¡¯re seeing on the map is what we think the sizes of those continents are.¡± ¡°I kind of figured that when I saw pictures of your ships,¡± Nathaniel pointed to a picture of a ship that reminded him of an old Nordic longboat. ¡°The fact that you were able to make it though is interesting. It suggests that these bodies of water are closer to seas than oceans. Which could mean that this world is more land than water.¡± ¡°Is that not true for yours?¡± Nathaniel shook his head, ¡°No, our world was mostly covered in water,¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ophelia said sitting down, ¡°Is there anything else you want to know?¡± ¡°Yeah, how is it that Gilbrant has proper roads without having cement?¡± Ophelia chuckled, ¡°You can thank the previous Archmage for that,¡± she ran a finger over the map brushing them close to Nathaniel¡¯s, ¡°Apparently in his world, they used earth magic to manipulate clay and rock to create sturdy roads. It was thanks to these roads, and the previous Champion¡¯s courier service, that Gilbrant grew as large as it did.¡± ¡°You did mention that one of the previous heroes introduced the pony express,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°Nothing helps a kingdom grow than good roads and quick correspondence.¡± ¡°Many heroes provide new insights when they¡¯re summoned,¡± Ophelia smiled warmly at him, ¡°You¡¯re already leaving your own mark with that cement and anesthetic paste.¡± ¡°Still, I¡¯d like to do more,¡± Nathaniel sighed, looking at the shaded area around the Everhall entrance of the land bridge, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to learn as much as I can. Maybe there¡¯s something that I can create to help with the war.¡± Ophelia took his hand, ¡°I know you will, and everyone will acknowledge how incredible you are,¡± her smile made his heart skip. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll try not to let you down,¡± Nathaniel couldn¡¯t stop blushing. Ophelia chuckled as she rose to her feet, ¡°You¡¯re a hero, Nathaniel. Never forget that you¡¯re important to this war, even if you¡¯re not expected to fight in it.¡± She waved at him as she left the library. Nathaniel waved back as she left. His eyes returned to the map and his eyes landed on a spot marked as Castle VuRant. It sat near the Wilderness and was between the land taken by the Horde and the duchy of Rumand. Even though it was a brief exchange, Nathaniel couldn¡¯t help but remember the scarlet redhead with vibrant green eyes, and the warmth of her lips on his cheek. ¡°Maybe¡­I should try getting in touch with them,¡± The thought immediately elicited the image of an angry Ophelia, ¡°On second thought, I don¡¯t think that would be a good idea.¡± Ch. 7 A desirable garment Ophelia pinched the bridge of her nose as she stared at the sheets in front of her. It had been over a month since the heroes arrived at Fort Cadarn, and things weren¡¯t looking well. The heroes had reached level twenty about two weeks into their training, but now, it looked like the first breaker level had stalled the heroes. All except Shizuka and Nathaniel. ¡°Any ideas on how we can fix this?¡± Debin said from across the desk. He rubbed his face in frustration. ¡°There¡¯s nothing that we can do about the Champion,¡± Ophelia said grinding her teeth, ¡°He won¡¯t study any martial talent other than [Two-Handed]. Therefore, we can expect him to level slower than the others.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unacceptable, Lady Oracle,¡± Debin said, ¡°We need to find some way to get him to learn other talents. There must be something we can use.¡± Ophelia pursed her lips. There was something that could convince Duncan to learn other talents, but she didn¡¯t want to make that sacrifice. ¡°He¡¯s as stubborn as a mule,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°The only thing I can see changing his mind is shame. And that will only happen when the others pass him by.¡± ¡°Fine, but what about the Saint.¡± Debin looked down at his notes, ¡°According to the priests, she seems constantly distracted, not to mention that heavy cloak she wears.¡± ¡°She¡¯s still adjusting to our world,¡± Ophelia said with a polite smile. Debin sighed heavily, ¡°It¡¯s been over a month, surely she should be used to our world.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t speak on this anymore,¡± Ophelia smiled politely, ¡°But rest assured, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡°Lady Ophelia, please take this seriously.¡± ¡°I am,¡± she said while pulling out several sheets of paper, ¡°The Champion, Ranger, and Saint are falling behind. While the Inventor and Archmage are still growing at a reasonable rate. To deal with this issue, I¡¯m having the four heroes go on a scouting party, while the Inventor will stay here to better fortify the base.¡± ¡°Has the Prince approved of this?¡± Debin looked over the notes. ¡°He has,¡± Ophelia said, hiding her smile behind her hands, ¡°He¡¯s even agreed to allow the Inventor to make any improvements he sees fit.¡± Debin scrunched his nose, ¡°Do you still not approve of the Inventor?¡± Ophelia glared at the elderly man. ¡°My impressions of him have increased,¡± Debin said, ¡°He created that anesthetic paste,¡± ¡°Which you always keep on hand,¡± Debin cleared his throat, ¡°It has helped me greatly,¡± he said, ¡°Then there was that rock solution he made. It was called cement?¡± Ophelia nodded, ¡°Repairs to the wall are quicker because of it. Then there was that dark iron he created.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called steel,¡± Ophelia said with a proud smile, ¡°The weapons made from it are stronger and more durable than their iron counterparts.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Debin said putting the papers down. ¡°Then why are you still hesitant on him?¡± ¡°Because he isn¡¯t a hero,¡± Debin said with a sigh, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s made great strides in helping us towards defeating our enemies, I¡¯ll admit that, but he isn¡¯t going to be the one on the battlefield. That honor goes to the other heroes. And frankly, I think you are giving him too much attention.¡± ¡°Absurd!¡± Ophelia said, ¡°I spend the same amount of time with each hero.¡± ¡°Yes, but you spend more time praising the Inventor,¡± Debin stared her down, ¡°Even the staff knows of your favor for him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t they have anything better to do than gossip!¡± Debin smiled, ¡°The staff is easily amused,¡± he said standing up, ¡°I look forward to hearing about the excursion.¡± Ophelia glared at the elderly man as he left. When the door shut, she laid her head onto the desk. She stayed that way for a few minutes until another knock came at the door. Ophelia straightened herself up, ¡°Come in,¡± A maid stepped into the room with a stack of papers in her hands, ¡°I have messages for the heroes my lady,¡¯ she said handing them over, ¡°They look to be more visitation requests.¡± Ophelia flipped through the papers, ¡°Looks like most of them are for the Champion and Ranger,¡± she said, ¡°Looks like they¡¯ll be busy.¡± She chuckled as she sorted out the requests. Almost every noble had sent a request to have the heroes visit their estates. Duncan and Shawn had the most requests, their introduction left the impression that the two would bed any woman they saw. Maria had a few requests for more honorable dates, and poor Shizuka mostly had requests from wrinkled, old codgers hoping to impress her with magic. This was a normal occurrence according to the records. The only one not to have any requests was Nathaniel, not that she minded. Ophelia filed the requests for each hero, but the last request caused her to stare. ¡°This¡­is for Nathaniel,¡± Ophelia said with wide eyes, ¡°And it¡¯s from the VuRant family.¡± ¡°What would they want with the Inventor?¡± the maid said, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be of much use to them, not like the Champion or Ranger.¡± She shut her mouth when Ophelia glared at her. She opened the letter and found another sealed inside. Dear Lady Ophelia, I humbly request you deliver this to Nathaniel Light, the esteemed Inventor Hero, intact and unread. The words written are for his eyes only. Sincerely, Marquess Ermon VuRant, Ophelia scoffed at the Marquess¡¯ unwritten insinuation, but she opened the second letter. She was hit with a heavy scent of sweet perfume. My dear Nathaniel Light, I hope this letter finds you well. I¡¯m glad to have met you during the introduction ceremony. Now, more than ever, I believe you will be the greatest asset to our kingdom, and I so deeply wanted you to know that. I say this because your exploits at Fort Cadarn have made their way to our estates, but it seems that there are those that wish to deny you the recognition you so rightly deserve. So, I wish to offer you my full support. Anything you need, truly anything, please ask of it and I shall in due haste make it so. I so eagerly await your response. Sincerely yours, Gabriella VuRant, Ophelia stared at the letter in shock. Her eyes fell on lip marks pressed at the top of the letter next to Nathaniel¡¯s name. Though it wasn¡¯t stated, the undertones of the letter were loud and clear. This wasn¡¯t a visitation request, but a love letter. ¡°Is something the matter my lady?¡± Ophelia snapped out of her stupor. ¡°No, everything¡¯s fine,¡± Ophelia cleared her throat, ¡°Would you mind letting Nat-the Inventor know I wish to see him.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the maid curtsied and left the room. Ophelia rose from her seat and walked around the room. She reread the note again and again. She remembered the sight of Lady Gabriella grabbing Nathaniel during the banquet. A tightness appeared in her chest that made her jaw tighten, and that same feeling returned. The memory of Gabriella kissing his cheek caused Ophelia to tighten her grip on the note. Then, she tore it. She shredded the note into tiny pieces and then threw the pieces into the cold fireplace. She watched the pieces fall in between the logs. Shame suddenly came over her, and she hid her face in her hands. How could she have done this? If the VuRant family found out about this, it would make things more difficult for Nathaniel, and more importantly, give the Prince a reason to separate them. Ophelia sat back down and closed her eyes. How could she salvage this?
Nathaniel stood outside Ophelia¡¯s office. He wiped his hands on his pants before knocking on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Nathaniel pushed open the door and saw Ophelia sitting behind her desk writing down on piece of paper. She looked up and gave him a bright smile, ¡°Thank you for coming Nathaniel,¡± she came around and gestured to the sofa, ¡°Sit with me for a minute.¡± [Distressed] appeared over her head. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Nathaniel spent the last month mastering to control his [Intuition], and now he no longer needed to turn it off. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he said sitting down. Ophelia sat next to him, their knees nearly touching, ¡°I¡¯ve been a bit stressed,¡± she said twirling her hair, ¡°Prince Ollimier and Debin are disappointed with the heroes training, Duncan in particular.¡± ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Ophelia cleared her throat, ¡°I could use a massage,¡± she said turning her back to him, ¡°My shoulders are a little tense.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Nathaniel tried to keep his voice from cracking. He stood up and walked to the back of the sofa, then began kneading his hands into Ophelia¡¯s shoulders. Ophelia let out a slight moan as she leaned into his touch. Nathaniel couldn¡¯t help his eyes from peaking down at her cleavage. ¡°You really are tense,¡± Nathaniel said with a slight chuckle, ¡°Is this all from work, or is there something else you want to get off your chest.¡± ¡°Nathaniel!¡± Ophelia said turning deep red with a slight smile, ¡°It¡¯s quite rude to make a comment about a woman¡¯s chest, you scoundrel.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°But I am a man.¡± Ophelia laughed, ¡°I know,¡± Her shoulders relaxed, ¡°That feels much better, thank you.¡± ¡°Glad to help. Is there anything else you need?¡± Her face turned a deep red, ¡°There is,¡± she waited for him to sit down, ¡°I¡¯ve been speaking with Maria¡­and there was something from your world that I¡¯m interested in,¡± Nathaniel nodded waiting for her to continue, ¡°She said that there is a¡­particular undergarment that your women wear for their bosoms¡­and I was wondering if you could make some for me.¡± Nathaniel gave her a blank stare, and the meaning of her words came through, ¡°You want me to make you a bra?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said clearing her throat, ¡°All we have are woolen shirts and corsets, and I could use something that keeps them¡­in check.¡± Nathaniel tried not to look down as he took a deep breath, ¡°Fashion isn¡¯t my strong suit, but I could give it a try,¡± he said, ¡°I need to get some levels in tailoring first.¡± Ophelia took his hands and gave him a bright smile, ¡°Thank you.¡±
Nathaniel stood in the hot forge giving the blacksmiths a cold glare. Gordon and his sons were laughing up a storm after he told them about Ophelia¡¯s commission. Ramsey was close to burning himself on the glowing sword sitting on the anvil. ¡°Are you done?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°So, are you here for some sewing needles?¡± Ramsey said putting the blade back in the fire, ¡°Because I think you¡¯re in the wrong place!¡± ¡°I think we can have ma send some of her lace,¡± Moses said, ¡°She¡¯s got some colors that you would adore.¡± ¡°Funny, but you know what¡¯s really funny?¡± Nathaniel said getting their attention. ¡°Getting to see Ophelia in her undergarments.¡± This shut them up. ¡°Do you need any help?¡± Ramsey said. ¡°Back to work you two,¡± Gordon said ushering them away before turning back to Nathaniel, ¡°So, I take it you won¡¯t be joining us today?¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I¡¯m going to spend this week leveling up my tailoring and sewing skills.¡± ¡°Good luck son,¡± Gordon clapped his shoulder, ¡°Let me know if you need any help.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Nathaniel said leaving the shop. Nathaniel left the fort and headed into the surrounding village. He followed the instructions that Ophelia gave him and stopped in front of a small store with a dress and suit in the front window. Nathaniel pushed into the homely store. ¡°Good morning,¡± a middle-aged woman greeted him while sewing lace onto a dress, ¡°Is there anything I can do for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Nathaniel Light,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m here to train my sewing and tailoring skills. There should have been a letter sent yesterday from the fort.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re the Inventor Hero,¡± she said putting down her work, ¡°It¡¯s such an honor to meet you.¡± she turned to the back, ¡°Maelon, the Inventor Hero is here. I¡¯m Nadia. My husband and I will gladly teach you the trade.¡± A middle-aged man with grey hair stepped out of the back, ¡°Welcome hero,¡± Maelon said, ¡°I have everything set up back here if you¡¯ll follow me.¡± Nathaniel followed Maelon into the back room. Two workstations were set up on one side of the room, and on the other was a rack with rolls of fabrics. A spinning wheel sat in the corner next to the loom. ¡°I¡¯ve set you up here,¡± Maelon gestured to the station next to the loom. A thick sheet of wool laid on the table. Sewing needles, shears, and charcoal sticks populated the small shelves hanging on the walls. ¡°Normally you would start by taking the measurements but will skip that for now. We¡¯re start with making a shirt.¡± Maelon led Nathaniel through the steps. First, he drew outlines for the shirt and sleeves using charcoal and used a thin rope with evenly spaced knots for measurements. Second, Nathaniel cut the fabric and then sewed the parts together. The result was a decent, but cheap, looking shirt. [New skill acquired: Sewing Lv. 2.] ¡°Not bad for your first attempt,¡± Maelon said looking it over, ¡°The stitching is a bit loose, but you¡¯ll get better in time.¡± ¡°Well, I have all week to get better,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°With my talents, it shouldn¡¯t take me too long to get better.¡± ¡°What level are you now, Inventor?¡± Nadia said while working the weavers loom. ¡°Just Nathaniel, please,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m level twenty-four, but I wasn¡¯t expecting to have such troubles after level twenty.¡± ¡°That first breaker level comes as a shock for everyone,¡± Nadia said with a comforting smile, ¡°Poor Maelon here nearly tore out his hair when he couldn¡¯t get to level twenty-one.¡± ¡°And you were ornery for an entire month,¡± Maelon said with snicker, ¡°I had to sleep in the kids room because of her bad temper.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re going to sleep in there tonight,¡± her cold smile made Maelon sweat. After a few minutes, Nadia gave Nathaniel a sly smile, ¡°So, is it true that you and the Lady Oracle are lovers?¡± Nathaniel laughed nervously, ¡°What gave you that idea?¡± ¡°Our children work at the fort,¡± Nadia said, her smile growing, ¡°They mention that you two spend nearly every evening together.¡± The heat started getting to him, ¡°We do, but I¡¯m giving her a report on my progress, nothing more.¡± ¡°Truly,¡± she said, ¡°Because the gossip is that she spends the most time with you than any of the other heroes.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Nathaniel said staring down at the floor. ¡°Cheer up son,¡± Nadia said, ¡°You¡¯re doing this for Lady Ophelia, right?¡± ¡°Right,¡± ¡°Then remember, you¡¯ll need to get her measurements.¡±
Nathaniel stood outside of Ophelia¡¯s office with his fist hovering over the dark wood. The last several days were stressful to say the least. Nadia kept reminding him to get her measurements for their little project, and now, here he was. With a deep breath, he knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Ophelia smiled brightly as he walked in, ¡°Nathaniel, to what do I owe this pleasure?¡± Nathaniel cleared his throat, ¡°I¡­need to get your measurements,¡± he said. Ophelia¡¯s face turned deep red, ¡°I see,¡± She said standing up, ¡°Please lock the door,¡± she closed the curtains behind her. Nathaniel quickly did as he was told and turned to see Ophelia standing in the center of the room hugging herself, ¡°This is a little embarrassing,¡± she said, ¡°Could¡­you turn around, please.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to undress,¡± Nathaniel said tugging at his collar, ¡°My [Intuition] is more accurate than any measuring tool,¡± Ophelia stared in shock, ¡°If you could stand up straight with your arms out.¡± ¡°Like this?¡± She posed for him with a nervous smile. ¡°Perfect,¡± Nathaniel started writing down the measurements that appeared in his vision. Perfect was the only way to describe what he was seeing. Nathaniel tried to keep his eyes from lingering, but he could help it. From her large bust leading to a slender waist and wide hips, everything about her was perfect. Nathaniel noticed the blush on Ophelia¡¯s face grow, and he quickly lowered his gaze to his notebook. ¡°That should be everything,¡± Nathaniel said closing his notebook, ¡°Sorry if that made you uncomfortable.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Ophelia said twirling her hair, ¡°It was¡­exhilarating.¡± Nathaniel laughed, ¡°I¡¯m glad to be of service,¡± he said turning back to the door, ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when it¡¯s ready.¡± ¡°I look forward to it.¡±
Nathaniel checked over the materials. On one side sat a roll of thick hemp yarn along with a pile of hard leather strips. In the center of the workstation sat a plaster bust that matched Ophelia¡¯s size. It had taken two days to make it, and some serious heckling from Gordon and his son. With a deep breath, Nathaniel started working. [Innovation] appeared in his top right of his vision The plan today was to make two different versions, a standard bra, and a support bra. Nathaniel took the hemp yarn and looped it around the circumference of one bust. Then, he started creating a mesh pattern with the yarn which he replicated on the second bust. He sewed wool fabric around each cup and stuffed it with cotton before shaping it. Finally, he sewed on a leather strap for the back and shoulders. For ease, the bra would be secured in the front by a metal button. [Item created: Bra (standard)] The second bra took a little bit longer since the leather straps were weaved through each other. The hard leather was meant to provide extra support and hopefully ease some of the burden. It also allowed it to retain its shape. Nathaniel finished sewing the last strap together. [Item created: Bra (support)] The bell to the front door rang, and Nadia stepped into the back with a large smile. ¡°She¡¯s here!¡± Nathaniel chuckled as he stepped out of the back, but his eyes widened at the sight in front of him. Ophelia gave him a nervous smile. It was probably due to the two women on either side of her, each giving Nathaniel dirty looks. ¡°I¡¯m disappointed in you Nate,¡± Maria said tapping her foot. ¡°Same,¡± Shizuka said staring daggers at him. Nathaniel set the prototype bras on the counter, ¡°Why are you disappointed?¡± Maria slammed her hands onto the counter, ¡°Because I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m tired of running around with this heavy cloak.¡± ¡°And I want people to stop looking at me like a child,¡± Shizuka said with a pout. ¡°But you are a child,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Focus Nate!¡± Maria said holding up the newly made bras, ¡°I want you to make me a matching set. And dammit make them cute. These are just appalling.¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Nathaniel said grabbing the prototypes, ¡°You pick out the colors and I¡¯ll have them ready by tomorrow. Happy?¡± Maria gave him a charming smile, ¡°Yes,¡±
Nathaniel slouched in the plush chair sitting in the tailors front room. He rubbed at the dark circles under his eyes as he released a large yawn. He could hear the girls giggling in the back as Nadia finished fitting the undergarments. ¡°Here,¡± Maelon said holding out a cup of tea. ¡°Thanks,¡± ¡°Women are definitely a handful,¡± Maelon said with a warm smile, ¡°But you just found that out didn¡¯t you.¡± ¡°I was up all night,¡± Nathaniel said wincing as Maria let out a loud laugh, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize the damn woman could be so pushy.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t even get to see the fruits of you labors,¡± Maelon gave Nathaniel a sly smile, ¡°What a shame.¡± Nathaniel let out a chuckle. The women stepped out of the fitting room with large smiles, Maria especially. Shizuka ran over and gave Nathaniel a hug. Her specially made bra accentuated her slight curves. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shizuka said, ¡°Now people will stop seeing me as a kid.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Maria said, ¡°It was getting hot in that cloak. But I¡¯m surprised at how good this feel, much better than the ones from our world.¡± Nathaniel looked to Ophelia, ¡°How about you?¡± ¡°You have exceeded my expectations,¡± Ophelia said with a bright smile, ¡°The status effect on this support bra will make life much easier.¡± ¡°Status effects? But I didn¡¯t inscribe any runes on them.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need runes to imbue status effects,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°Sometimes effects will be naturally applied depending on the intent of the items.¡± She blushed heavily, ¡°Since this bra was made to support the bust, the [Weight Reduction] effect was applied.¡± Shizuka eyes went distant, ¡°Mine has [Charisma +10],¡± ¡°[Thermal Control]¡± Maria stated with wide eyes, ¡°Your class is pretty amazing Nate.¡± She gave him a sweet smile, ¡°Can you make me a few more pairs?¡± Nathaniel slumped deeper into the chair, ¡°Give me a few days to recover.¡± Ch.8: A Fallen Hero Nathaniel slammed the door to his car and rummaged into his pocket for the keys. He locked his car, and tried to fix his disheveled hair as he ran into the building. He took several deep breaths when he stepped into the building. ¡°Nathaniel, you¡¯re late!¡± His boss stormed up to him. ¡°Sorry sir,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°First you failed to show up for the conference, then you show up late,¡± his boss said with a sigh, ¡°I can¡¯t keep taking chances on you. Pack up your things, you¡¯re fired.¡± ¡°Sir it wasn¡¯t my fault,¡± Nathaniel tried to argue but his boss¡¯ glare stopped him, ¡°Yes sir,¡± he said staring at the ground. Nathaniel drove down the street. His things rattled in the passenger seat next to him. His hands barely hung onto the wheel, and his shoulders slumped. This day couldn¡¯t get any worse. A flash of red and white lights appeared down the street, and he found an ambulance sitting in front of his parent¡¯s house. He parked his car and ran to the front door as two paramedics were wheeling out his dad. ¡°What happened!¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Where have you been?¡± his dad said, ¡°I needed you here. You said you¡¯d be here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was busy with something.¡± ¡°What¡¯s more important than family?¡± the ambulance doors closed, and it drove off. ¡°What kind of son abandons his family?¡± Nathaniel turned to see his mom slam the door on him. Nathaniel gasped and sat up in his bed, ¡°Mom!¡± Sweat ran down his face and his chest felt heavy. ¡°Damn dream again.¡± He said holding his head. After taking a few deep breaths, Nathaniel leaned over and lit the lamp on his nightstand. The stars were still shining but he couldn¡¯t see the moon. [3:08] appeared at the top of his vision. With a deep sigh, he rose and took the lamp to his desk. A metal buckler sat on the desk with carving tools sitting next to it. Nathaniel started working on the shield. Nathaniel took the carving tools and started carving the runes on the inner buckle. The first rune was a triangle inside a circle. This new rune would increase the shields durability. The second rune was a lightning bolt in a circle with five lines coming out of it, and the third was a standard strength rune. Sunlight was starting to pour into the window as he finished working. Nathaniel slipped the shield onto his arm. [New Item created: arcane steel buckler. Status: Durability+, Strength+, Lightning Strike] Nathaniel made his way through the fortress to the training yard. The soldiers were standing in formation running through drills. The Commander stood by shouting out commands. He noticed Nathaniel approaching. ¡°Inventor, how may we be of service?¡± ¡°I was wanting to join in this morning¡¯s drills,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I think it¡¯s time that I started learning a few martial skills, so I can protect myself in case of an emergency.¡± The Commander nodded, ¡°I understand,¡± he said, ¡°Grab a practice weapon and I¡¯ll run you through some drills.¡± Nathaniel grabbed a wooden arming sword from the rack and approached the Commander. The Commander led Nathaniel through a few forms. It was surprising how much thought went into learning swordplay. There was a balance to attacking and defending, but thanks to the shield, defending wasn¡¯t nearly as difficult. As for attacking, the Commander showed him how to read his opponent, and how each strike could be parried and counterattack. After an hour, Nathaniel was breathing heavily and wiping off his sweat. [New skill acquired: Single-Handed weapons (Sword) Lv. 1] [New skill acquired: Shield Lv. 1] ¡°Thanks for the lessons, Commander,¡± Nathaniel said while stretching. ¡°A pleasure, Inventor,¡± he said, ¡°But I recommend you practice regularly. It¡¯ll take you longer to level those skill since you don¡¯t have any martial talents.¡± ¡°Hey Light,¡± Duncan approached, ¡°Are you training? Why not spar with me?¡± Nathaniel narrowed his gaze, ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°Just think about how much your skills will level up,¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°Just grab a practice sword first.¡± Duncan pulled out two wooden arming swords, ¡°I¡¯ve maxed out my [Two-Handed] skill, so I want to work on [Dual-Wielding].¡± He stepped into the sparring circle, ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± Nathaniel took a deep breath, then charged forward with his shield close to his body. He stabbed at Duncan, but the champion effortlessly dodged the attack with a side-step. Nathaniel followed up with multiple slashes, but Duncan continued to dodge with a smug smile. Again and again, Nathaniel¡¯s strikes didn¡¯t land. Nathaniel started breathing hard as he glared at Duncan. Duncan¡¯s smile turned vicious, and he charged towards Nathaniel. Nathaniel brought his shield up and felt the power of Duncan¡¯s strike hit. A strong gust blew against him followed by a hard impact with the ground. Nathaniel screamed in pain as pain ran throughout his entire body. [Critical damage taken: Health (175/325)] [Skill Leveled: Single-Handed weapons (Sword) Lv. 2] [Skill Leveled: Shield Lv. 2] ¡°Damn it, that hurt!¡± Nathaniel could hear Duncan shout, ¡°What the hell! The shield shocked me.¡± ¡°Inventor, are you all right!¡± the Commander looked down at Nathaniel. ¡°I lost half my health,¡± Nathaniel said through gritted teeth. ¡°Quick, someone fetch a healer!¡±
¡°What were you thinking?¡± Nathaniel grunted as Maria slapped his chest, ¡°You¡¯re lucky Duncan didn¡¯t outright kill you.¡± ¡°Agreed Nathaniel,¡± Ophelia said with wide eyes, ¡°You should have been more careful.¡± ¡°I needed to learn some kind of martial skill,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Why?¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°Because I need to be able to protect myself,¡± he said, ¡°There might be a time that I can¡¯t rely on the other heroes or the soldiers.¡± ¡°You still should have known better,¡± Maria said slapping him hard again. A knock came at the door and a servant stepped in, ¡°I apologize to interrupt, but his highness wishes to see both lady Ophelia and the Saint.¡± ¡°Relax for the day, Nathaniel,¡± Ophelia said with a small smile, ¡°We can discuss martial training later today.¡± Nathaniel nodded and watched the two women leave. He slowly stood up with a groan, and rubbed at his sore back as he left the room. Nathaniel aimlessly wandered the halls until his stomach started growling. He made his way to the dining hall and found himself walking behind the head mason Ruce, and his men. ¡°Are you sure you should have taken credit for the Inventor¡¯s cement, boss?¡± Nathaniel slowed down. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that the guild wouldn¡¯t give him the credit,¡± Ruce said, ¡°But I couldn¡¯t pass up on it. That bonus will help my family greatly.¡± Nathaniel stopped and let them disappear down the hall. With a heavy sigh, he turned around and once again wandered through the castle. His stomach no longer growling. A dull pain gripped his chest, and his mind wandered. He didn¡¯t notice Antron and nearly crashed into him. ¡°Sorry Antron,¡± Nathaniel said laughing nervously. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Antron said, ¡°But you look to be worried about something.¡± ¡°Duncan beat me in sparring practice,¡± Nathaniel said. Antron nodded with an understanding laugh, ¡°You haven¡¯t heard anything from the Alchemy guild, have you?¡± Antron¡¯s smile vanished, ¡°I¡­have,¡± he said. A long awkward silence surrounded them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Nathaniel, they won¡¯t recognize you as the creator of the anesthetic paste.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Nathaniel said clearing his throat, ¡°Thanks for letting me know. Have a good day Antron.¡± ¡°You too,¡± Antron said with a sad smile. The pain in Nathaniels chested deepened and his mind went blank. Strangely, everything around him started to turn to grey, and there was a sudden chill despite it being early summer. What am I doing here? ¡°What¡¯s he even doing?¡± the words pulled Nathaniel out of his thoughts. He recognized the voices of Maria¡¯s and Shawn¡¯s attendants. ¡°I think Helmer is trying to vie for a better position,¡± Shawn¡¯s attendant said. ¡°Serving the Inventor isn¡¯t going to advance his career, so he¡¯s trying to get in the Prince¡¯s good graces.¡± ¡°I feel bad for the Inventor,¡± Maria¡¯s attendant said, ¡°But I understand. Even if he can innovate the kingdom, he¡¯s still a crafter.¡± Nathaniel stared down at his shield. It had taken two weeks to make it, and now it sat on his arm with a big dent in the center. It barely did a thing. With a heavy sigh, Nathaniel headed to the forge. After three months, Nathaniel knew the quickest way to the fort¡¯s forge. Yet, there wasn¡¯t the usual rhythmic ring of hammers striking metal. When he entered, he found Gordon and his sons reading a letter. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Sorry to interrupt,¡± Nathaniel said drawing their attention, ¡°Do you mind if I use the forge?¡± ¡°Why are you even asking son,¡± Gordon said, ¡°You¡¯re free to use the forge whenever you want.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Nathaniel removed his shield and started to disassemble the leather straps. ¡°Did you make that?¡± Ramsey said looking over Nathaniels¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I don¡¯t recognize two of the runes.¡± ¡°This is one of my new inventions,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°An Arcane Steel Shield with strength, durability, and a lightning strike runes.¡± ¡°Why does it have a dent?¡± Moses said with a sly smile. ¡°I wanted to test it out,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°And ended up using it on Duncan.¡± Gordon took the shield and inspected it, ¡°Excellent work,¡± he said with a proud smile, ¡°You¡¯re a true blacksmith now.¡± He handed it back. ¡°Have¡­you heard back from the guild?¡± ¡°I have, and I¡¯m sorry,¡± Gordon said, ¡°They won¡¯t accept you into the guild, and have named me as the one to create your steel alloy,¡± he gave a small smile, ¡°But I told them to shove it up their ass, so they¡¯ll probably give it to someone else.¡± ¡°Why would they do that,¡± Nathaniel said through gritted teeth, ¡°The masons guild and alchemy guild both did the same thing.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a threat to them,¡± Gordon said placing a hand on his shoulder, ¡°Listen, you need to think of the guilds like small kingdoms. The families at the top have spent years solidifying their control and will do anything they can to hold onto it. And you, a hero that can master any form of crafting, are a major threat to their power. So, for the time being, it would be best to hold off on making any new innovations.¡± ¡°Then why am I here?¡± ¡°Pa, do you think they¡¯ll let Nathaniel leave for a bit?¡± Ramsey said, ¡°I¡¯m certain Ma would like to meet him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Gordon said slapping his son¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ll ask Lady Ophelia tonight.¡± ¡°What?¡± Nathaniel said looking at them. ¡°Our contract with the fort is almost done,¡± Gordon said, ¡°In a few more weeks we¡¯ll be heading back home to Treante.¡± He gave Nathaniel a warm smile, ¡°It¡¯s a small village to the southeast, down by the Black Iron mountains.¡± Nathaniel remembered seeing those on the map, ¡°If they¡¯ll let you come, I¡¯ll teach you everything I know. Besides, Lydia will want to meet ya as well.¡± ¡°Thanks Gordon, I hope they let me go,¡± Nathaniel said with a grateful sigh. ¡°I hope so too,¡± Gordon squeezed Nathaniel¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Now teach me how to make this shield.¡±
Ophelia sat at the table with her head in her hands, ¡°I don¡¯t know about this,¡± she said. ¡°I understand lady Ophelia,¡± Ollimier said staring at the map. His gaze fell to the forest to the west of the fort, ¡°But this isn¡¯t something we can ignore.¡± He riffled through the reports, ¡°Giant spiders are making a nest in the Ubold forest. If we don¡¯t deal with them now, then they¡¯ll be a problem later.¡± ¡°But to send the heroes,¡± Ophelia said. ¡°We were planning to send them out eventually, why not now?¡± Debin said handing her a few reports, ¡°They¡¯re no longer gaining levels from training. It¡¯s time for them to put their training to use.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Ollimier said, ¡°At their level, giant spiders shouldn¡¯t pose much of a problem. This will also teach them to work together as a team.¡± ¡°And they¡¯ll have the prince and yourself to aid them,¡± Debin said. Ophelia looked over her hands, ¡°What about Nathaniel?¡± ¡°The Inventor will stay here as we agreed,¡± Debin said, ¡°He¡¯ll be safe here. I promise.¡± Ophelia let out a heavy breath, ¡°When do we leave?¡±
A loud clatter woke Nathaniel. He rose from his bed and looked out the small window and saw a group of carts being loaded, and at the front was a carriage with the royal crest. Nathaniel quickly got dressed when a knock came at the door. Ophelia stood outside with a polite smile. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t disturb you,¡± she said. [Upset] ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Nathaniel said gesturing to the window, ¡°It looks like they¡¯re preparing for a trip outside.¡± ¡°They are,¡± Ophelia said. Nathaniel barely caught the quiver of her lip, ¡°Prince Ollimier and I are taking the other heroes out on an expedition. A group of giant spiders have made a nest in the nearby woods, and we¡¯re wanting to see how they do in the field. It shouldn¡¯t take more than five days.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m being left behind,¡± Nathaniel said letting his shoulder fall. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯ll be of more use here,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°While we¡¯re away, you¡¯ll have free reign to make whatever you want. Debin¡¯s been told to give you anything you might need.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Nathaniel said forcing a smile, ¡°Did Gordon talk to you yesterday?¡± Ophelia¡¯s smile fell, ¡°He did,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we can¡¯t let you travel without a proper escort. As a hero, you¡¯re too important.¡± Nathaniel couldn¡¯t hold back the sneer, ¡°I¡¯m not a hero,¡± he said, ¡°Please stop calling me that.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I mean it Ophelia,¡± Nathaniel said closing the door, ¡°I¡¯ll see you when you get back.¡± Nathaniel heard Ophelia walk away. He stood by the window and watched as the Prince, Ophelia, and the other heroes climb into the carriage and left the fort. His head gently struck the glass as another knock came from the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°I¡¯ve come to check on you sir,¡± Helmer voice came from behind. Nathaniel turned and scowled at him, ¡°Couldn¡¯t con your way into the party?¡± Helmer¡¯s eyes widened and his mouth opened. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°When they get back, I¡¯ll have you released from your obligations. Now please leave.¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Helmer said with a bow. The next four days dragged on. Nathaniel spent most of it learning new skills such as bow crafting, fletching, and trap making, so that he could get up to level thirty. However, he seemed to be stuck at level twenty-nine. He sat at his desk looking over his shield. Even though it was repaired, he could still make out the spot where it was dented. The light from the single lamp reflected off the metal surface. Shadows hung around the corners of the room, and the curtains covered up the night. They¡¯ll be back tomorrow. Nathaniel sighed heavily. A knock came from the door. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve brought you your meal,¡± Helmer said wheeling in a cart. Nathaniel rose from his chair and walked over to the cart. A sandwich sat on a plate with a pitcher of water. Nathaniel let out a humorless chuckle as he filled the glass. ¡°Cheers,¡± Nathaniel felt something force him to the ground, and his ears were suddenly ringing. A breeze ran through the room despite the windows being closed. Nathaniel slowly tried to get up, but a heavy weight rested against his legs and back. His hearing started to come back, and he immediately heard the ringing of the alarm bells. Nathaniel looked and saw the outside wall of his room falling apart with several large sections pinning him down. Rapid footsteps drew his attention to the door. Helmer was nowhere in sight. ¡°Help!¡± Nathaniel called out. Another loud explosion shook the fort causing more dust to rain down. ¡°Help!¡± Nathaniel could hear people scurrying through the castle. Their cries echoed off the walls drowning out his own. Nathaniel desperately searched the room, but his head felt clouded. His gaze lingered on the shield in front of him. With a ragged cough, Nathaniel clawed at the ground, stretching his fingers to the point of hurting, and pulled the shield towards him. Nathaniel strained and twisted himself, and he started striking the stone holding him down. The ringing of his shield blended in with the sound of fighting. Nathaniel screamed in pain and returned to laying on his stomach. The muscles in his lower back were burning. Nathaniel could make out the screams of people coming from outside, and the sounds of unfamiliar growls. This is it. Nathaniel laid his head on the ground. ¡°He¡¯s in here!¡± Nathaniel looked up and saw Ramsey standing outside his door. Gordon, Moses, and Antron appeared quickly after. ¡°Quick, get the stone off him,¡± Gordon pushed into the room, and started removing the stone. When they removed enough of the rock, Gordon, Ramsey, and Moses lifted the final section so Antron could pull Nathaniel free. ¡°Drink this,¡± Antron pushed a vial to Nathaniel¡¯s lips. The sour taste filled his mouth, but the energy that followed was worth it. ¡°W-what¡¯s happening?¡± Nathaniel said through deep gasps. ¡°The Horde is attacking,¡± Gordon said helping him to his feet, ¡°They must have noticed the heroes leaving the fort and decided to attack.¡± ¡°We noticed your attendant fleeing with the fort commanders,¡± Moses said handing him a sword, ¡°So we decided to come look for you.¡± ¡°Debin fled!¡± ¡°The Horde used some kind of weapon to break through the wall,¡± Antron said, ¡°They¡¯ve destroyed the village already.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this once we¡¯re safe!¡± Gordon pushed them out of the room, ¡°We can use the back gate.¡± Nathaniel fell in behind everyone as they rushed through the halls. The screams of the dying were echoing through the halls. They rounded a corner and saw a group of soldiers fighting. The monsters were hidden by the shadows, but Nathaniel could make out their thick, hairy arms. Gordon led them away from the fighting and out into the back garden. ¡°There should be a door along this back wall!¡± Gordon said. Shadows jumped from the bushes, and Antron screamed as a little green monster with large ears and nose landed on his shoulders. The monster drove a dagger into the elderly man¡¯s neck, and ferociously ripped it out. Two more monsters dashed around striking out at Moses and Ramsey¡¯s legs. Nathaniel stabbed at the monster clinging onto Antron¡¯s body, and the blade pieced the monster¡¯s heart. Gordon decapitated another monster while Moses finished the last one. Ramsey was on the ground with a dagger sticking out of his chest. Moses fell with his hair clung to his face, ¡°Damn, they coated their weapons,¡± he said through ragged breaths. Blood seeping down his leg, ¡°Sorry Pa,¡± Gordon nodded as Moses looked to Nathaniel, ¡°Take care brother.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Gordon pushed forward without looking back. A heavy silence followed as Nathaniel followed Gordon to the wall. There, Gordon kept his left hand along the wall as he snuck along it until they came to a single reinforced wooden door sitting behind a woodshed. Gordon shook the door, but it wouldn¡¯t open. With a growl, Gordon ran to the shed and grabbed an axe. He started hitting at the door until he created a big enough opening for them. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Something whistled pasted Nathaniel, and Gordon cried in pain as an arrow struck his back. One of the green monsters jumped out of the bushes and nocked another arrow at Nathaniel. Nathaniel dropped to one knee and brought the shield up. He felt the arrow hit, but the monster let out a scream. Nathaniel peeked over his shield and saw the monster twitching on the ground. He ran over and stabbed it in the chest. Nathaniel ran back to the wall and saw Gordon leaning against it. ¡°Damn goblin,¡± Gordon said. ¡°Let¡¯s get you out of here,¡± Nathaniel said moving to pick him up. Gordon pushed him away, ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± he said, ¡°Goblins poison their weapons. You need to get out of here.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t argue,¡± Gordon said pulling a simple golden ring from his pouch, ¡°Do me a favor son. Take this to Lydia for me. I¡­don¡¯t want these filthy creatures getting it.¡± Tears started streaming down his face, ¡°And tell her I¡¯m sorry¡­for not protecting¡­our boys.¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Gordon gave him a weak smile, ¡°Good boy,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m glad¡­there¡¯s a¡­hero like¡­you.¡± Gordon¡¯s head fell to his chest. Nathaniel closed Gordon¡¯s eyes, ¡°Good night old man,¡± Nathaniel squeezed through the hole and ran to a nearby group of trees. He kept running, using the trees as cover, and never looked back. The sounds of fighting faded away as the darkness engulfed him. I¡¯m no hero.
Ophelia stared into the forest. We¡¯ve been here longer than we should have. The heroes had gone in four days ago, and now they are coming back out. Duncan was covered in spider blood with scars running along his armor. Shawn¡¯s bow sported a broken string, and more than half of his arrows were gone. Maria and Shizuka were pale with disheveled hair and torn clothes. Bandages could be seen around Maria¡¯s right shoulder. ¡°What happened?¡± Ophelia said looking them over. ¡°This bastard!¡± Maria said pointing at Duncan, ¡°He charged into the nest without looking and was immediately trapped in the web. Then, while we were trying to get him out, the whole nest decided to attack.¡± ¡°Not to mention,¡± Shizuka said glaring at Duncan, ¡°He left Maria and I alone while he and Shawn pushed deeper into the nest. We nearly died!¡± ¡°We at least cleared the forest,¡± Duncan said, shrugging his shoulders, ¡°We should be celebrating.¡± ¡°No offence man,¡± Shawn said shaking his head, ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with improvising, but we nearly lost Maria. We should be thankful that we brought a few vials of antivenom.¡± ¡°Not to mention Nathaniel¡¯s paste,¡± Maria scowled. ¡°We know better next time,¡± Prince Ollimier said taking them in, ¡°The four of you will need to learn to work together. Otherwise, we won¡¯t stand a chance against the Horde or the demons.¡± ¡°Sir! A party is approaching.¡± A soldier called out. Ophelia looked down the road and saw a large group headed towards them. As they got closer, she could make out Debin at the front with his arm in a sling. Her eyes widened in horror. Debin rode up to the Prince, ¡°I¡¯m sorry your highness, Fort Cadarn is lost,¡± he said. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The Horde attacked,¡± Debin said sliding off his horse, ¡°They destroyed the village, then broke through the wall. Their forces overwhelmed us, and I was forced to abandon it.¡± ¡°What about Nathaniel!¡± Ophelia said looking through the group. She recognized Helmer, Nathaniel¡¯s attendant. ¡°I¡¯m sorry my lady,¡± Helmer bowed, ¡°The Inventor¡¯s room was destroyed in the attack. He¡­didn¡¯t make it.¡± Ophelia fell to her knees, ¡°No,¡± she said. Maria wrapped her arms around Ophelia, but the Oracle didn¡¯t acknowledge her. ¡°Gather everything up quickly,¡± Ollimier ordered, ¡°We move out within the hour.¡± He leaned closer to Debin, ¡°We¡¯ll head to castle VuRant, then make our way back to the capital.¡± He approached Ophelia and gently got her to her feet, ¡°Let¡¯s get her in the carriage,¡± he said, ¡°Will you take care of her lady Maria?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Tears flooded down Ophelia¡¯s cheeks. I failed, was the only thing running through her mind. Ch.9 A New Home Sierra sat at the bar lazily looking at the room. Worn, rough looking tables and chairs sat empty. The fireplace had firewood stacked ready, but they weren¡¯t needed due to the midday heat. A mounted bear head hung over the fireplace with its jaw wide open. She thought it was impressive when she was a kid but not anymore. It was normal for the tavern to be empty in the middle of the day, especially in a small village like Treante. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Sierra turned to the young boy next to her. His shaggy brown hair was pulled back into a small ponytail. His clothes were well fitted despite the worn state, and the brass buttons on his vest were properly polished. Of course, the headsman¡¯s son would have the finest clothes in the village. ¡°I¡¯m not thinking anything Barrett,¡± Sierra said with a sigh, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for customers since Pa is out.¡± Barrett scooched his stool closer, ¡°I know something that could distract you,¡± he said with a goofy smile. Sierra laughed, ¡°No thanks,¡± she said, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like kissing my brother.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not though,¡± ¡°Close enough,¡± she said, ¡°We grew up together.¡± The door opened drawing their attention. A man walked in. He was in desperate need of grooming with his scruffy light brown hair and beard. His clothes were stained and dirtied from countless days on the road. On his right hip, a bent bronze sword hung from his belt by a frayed piece of rope, and the shield on his left arm was cracked with a chunk missing out of it. Dark circles hung around his dull green eyes. He sat down at the nearest table and rested his head in his hands. Sierra approached the table with a polite smile, ¡°May I get you something sir?¡± The man took a deep breath and placed ten copper coins on the table, ¡°Whatever food and drink I can get for this,¡± he said, ¡°I don¡¯t care what it is.¡± ¡°Right away sir,¡± Sierra said taking the coins. Barrett nodded to the man, but Sierra responded with a shake of her head. This was the first time she¡¯d seen him, but that didn¡¯t matter since he was a paying customer. She filled a plate with cut fruits, cheeses, and meats, and filled a dented pewter mug with ale. Sierra set the plate in front of him, ¡°Here you are,¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± the man mumbled. He slowly nibbled on the fruit and cheese. His movements were tense. ¡°What brings you to Treante?¡± she said looking him over. The man¡¯s grip tightened around the mug, and his eyes moistened, ¡°Delivering a message,¡± he said, then downed his drink. Rivulets of ale spilled into his beard. The door opened again, and a group of hunters stomped in. Their noisy chatter filled the once empty room as they took a seat at the largest table in the tavern. They whistled at Sierra and gestured for her to approach. ¡°Bring us some food, sweetie,¡± Sierra gave the group a strained smile, ¡°Coming right up.¡± ¡°The season¡¯s nearly ending, and we¡¯ve haven¡¯t bagged a single kill,¡± Sierra heard the hunters from the kitchen. ¡°Maybe we should try the dungeon.¡± ¡°That place is empty. We won¡¯t find anything good until the dungeon core grows back.¡± Sierra slid a tray of food onto the table, ¡°Do you want anything to drink?¡± she said giving each man a look. One of the hunters pulled Sierra into his lap, ¡°What do you recommend?¡± ¡°Let go!¡± Sierra fought back. ¡°Leave her alone!¡± Barrett stood up but was pushed down. ¡°Sit down kid,¡± a hunter stood over him. Sierra tried to push herself off, but the hunter¡¯s grip tightened around her arm. The hunters laughed at her. Heat rushed to her face as she sneered at the filthy men. Another hand gripped her arm, and she squeezed her eyes shut. Then, she felt herself pressed against something solid. When she looked up, she found herself in the hold of the strange man. ¡°This doesn¡¯t concern you,¡± the hunters stood off against him. ¡°You¡¯re making a ruckus,¡± the man said, ¡°Please leave.¡± The closest hunter swung his fist, and the man brought up his shield. The hunter screamed in pain as his fist hit the shield, and then fell to the ground. His companions stared at the scruffy looking man in fear, then picked up their friend and rushed out of the tavern. The man let go of Sierra and returned to his table. His shield broke in two, ¡°Damn,¡± he said picking up the pieces. ¡°Thank you very much sir,¡± Sierra said, ¡°Is there anything I can do to repay you?¡± ¡°There is one thing,¡± he said, ¡°Do you know Lydia, Gordon¡¯s wife?¡±
Nathaniel walked down the streets of the small village. A group of housewives standing by a well stare at him and whisper to each other. His gaze fell to the girl walking next to him. Something about her reminded him of Shizuka. After all, she had to be close to her age [15]. Her petite frame made the twin braided pigtails look cute on her. She led him to a two-story building house with a built-in forge, and a small garden. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Here we are,¡± Sierra said. Nathaniel stared at the door. His breathing speeding up, ¡°Thanks,¡± he said knocking on the door. The door opened and a woman with grey hair in a single thick braid looked at them. Despite her age, Nathaniel could see the shadow of her former beauty, especially when she smiled at Sierra. ¡°What brings you here sweetie?¡± Lydia said turning to Nathaniel, ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± Sierra looked confused to Nathaniel as he bowed his head, ¡°I¡¯m Nathaniel Light ma¡¯am,¡± he said, ¡°I worked with Gordon, Ramsey, and Moses at Fort Cadarn.¡± ¡°Nathaniel!¡± Lydia said, her smile made her look a few years younger, ¡°Come in, come in. Are the boys with you?¡± ¡°No ma¡¯am,¡± Nathaniel said following her in. Sierra stepped in right behind him. ¡°But I do have a message from Gordon.¡± ¡°Please, sit at the table while I get us some tea,¡± Lydia gently led Nathaniel to a chair and rushed into the kitchen. She came out a few minutes with a metal kettle and three cups. After filling the cups she sat next to Nathaniel, ¡°What did Gordon want me to know?¡± Nathaniel averted his gaze from her smiling face, and he pulled out the ring from his pouch. He bit his lower lip to keep it from quivering and he cleared his throat. Then, he placed Gordon¡¯s ring on the table. Lydia stared at the ring with wide eyes and her hands over her mouth. ¡°He¡­says he¡¯s sorry¡­¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°For not¡­protecting your boys.¡± Lydia took the ring in her hand and held it close to her chest. Tears streamed down her eyes. ¡°Auntie?¡± Sierra said placing a comforting hand on Lydia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Can¡­you do me a favor?¡± Lydia said looking to Sierra, ¡°Go tell the headsman that Gordon and the boys are dead.¡± Sierra¡¯s gasped and a tear fell from her eyes, ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± She rushed out of the house. Lydia turned to Nathaniel, ¡°Please¡­tell me how it happened,¡± ¡°The Horde attacked,¡± Nathaniel took a deep breath, ¡°The heroes were out dealing with a nest of spiders, so the fort wasn¡¯t at its strongest. I was trapped¡­and they came to get me out. It¡¯s¡­my fault¡­¡± Lydia grabbed his hands, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± she said with a stern look, ¡°They chose to help you. It¡¯s your responsibility to make the most of their sacrifice.¡± Nathaniel nodded, ¡°You must be tired. I¡¯ll draw you a bath.¡± Lydia quickly ran to the back and returned about ten minutes later. ¡°It¡¯ll take a few more minutes for the water to warm up,¡± she led him to the bath, ¡°I left a mirror, razor, and a pair of shears in there for you. To help you clean up. And I¡¯ll bring you some clothes.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Nathaniel said stepping into the bath. Nathaniel was surprised at how spacious the bath was. The wooden tub was built into the outer wall with steam rising from the water. The stone floor was slanted so that the floor nearest the tub was lower than at the door so that the water could flow into a stone draining ditch. It looked like nothing he had seen back home. Nathaniel tossed his dirty clothes into wicker basket sitting by the door. He grabbed a brush and started cleaning himself. Having to cut his own hair and shave with a straight razor was a new experience, but he did feel better after it was done, and soaking in the warm water helped relieve his tired muscles. He let his eyes fall shut but was brought back by a knock on the door. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Lydia said. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Nathaniel said with a laugh, ¡°I dozed off a bit.¡± Lydia laughed as she walked away, and Nathaniel rose from the tub. He stared at the wrinkled skin. Must have been in there longer than I thought. He quickly dried himself off and dressed himself in the clothes that Lydia left outside for him. Nathaniel left the bath with a content sigh. He found Lydia sitting at the table rubbing her fingers around Gordon¡¯s ring. Her lower lip quivered, and tears glistened in her eyes. She cleared her throat and turned to him, ¡°I¡¯m glad you enjoyed your bath,¡± she said, ¡°You look much better now that you¡¯ve cleaned up.¡± Nathaniel laughed and sat across from her. ¡°I was quite surprised when Gordon mentioned you in his letters.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Gordon¡­didn¡¯t like heroes,¡± Lydia said with a fond smile, ¡°Probably because his grandfather was one.¡± ¡°His grandfather was a hero?¡± ¡°Yes, but his grandfather abandoned his father,¡± Lydia looked at her hands, ¡°I¡¯m glad you were able to change his mind.¡± A heavy silence fell between them. ¡°What do you plan to do next?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Maybe head back to the capital?¡± Lydia laughed lightly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay here?¡± she said, ¡°Gordon had the advanced rank [Genius] talent. I¡¯m sure there is plenty you can learn here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the [Genius] talent?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a talent similar to [Innovation],¡± Lydia said, ¡°But it has more limitations when making new items. But that didn¡¯t stop Gordon. He was always learning.¡± Nathaniel looked around. The house was larger than he had expected. It had two full stories with a hatch leading to the basements. He looked back at Lydia, her warm smile tugged at him. It¡¯d be cruel to leave her alone. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that offer.¡± Lydia¡¯s smile grew, ¡°Lovely,¡± she said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to the tavern for dinner. I¡¯d love to introduce to everyone.¡± Sierra moved through the tables placing down a platter of food in front of the patrons. The tavern wasn¡¯t at its busiest, but there were more than enough villagers to keep her on her toes. It was mainly the village youths that were here, but a few of the elderly were gathered in a corner. The village elders were puffing on their pipes as they spoke with the Headsman. Probably talking about the upcoming harvest. Sierra heard the door open, ¡°Welcome, I¡¯ll be with you shortly,¡± she said, but her gaze focused on the two newcomers. Lydia walked in with the stranger. That must be Nathaniel. He looked much better than he did earlier. Despite being choppy, his hair was cut short, and he looked much better clean shaven than with a scruffy beard. He was also much taller now that he wasn¡¯t hunched over. ¡°Lydia, how are you doing?¡± Sierra jumped when her father stepped away from the bar, ¡°Is there anything you need?¡± ¡°No, Oden, I¡¯m fine,¡± Lydia said with a polite smile. ¡°And this is¡­¡± Nathaniel held out his hand, ¡°Nathaniel Light,¡± Oden cocked his eyebrow and turned to Sierra, ¡°This him?¡± Sierra nodded and Oden beamed at Nathaniel, ¡°A pleasure to meet you brother,¡± he said shaking Nathaniel¡¯s hand vigorously, ¡°Thanks for keeping an eye on my little girl. Order whatever you want tonight, free of charge.¡± He turned to Lydia with a sad smile, ¡°Shame what happened to Gordon and your boys. Feel free to ask for anything.¡± ¡°Thanks Oden,¡± Lydia said wiping away a tear. Lydia pulled Nathaniel to a small table. Sierra brought them a tray of food. ¡°What do you want to drink?¡± ¡°Honey ale, please,¡± Lydia said. ¡°Same,¡± Nathaniel let his gaze wander through the room. It was livelier than it was earlier that day. The villagers were trying to relax after a long day. A few stared at him which made Nathaniel pull at his collar. An older gentleman who was sitting by the fireplace walked over and sat down with them. ¡°Evening Lydia,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m a little surprised you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll mourn later Barin,¡± Lydia said, ¡°Right now, I have a guest to see to.¡± ¡°I see that,¡± Barin said looking at Nathaniel, ¡°Pleasure to meet ya. I¡¯m the headsman of this village.¡± ¡°Nathaniel Light,¡± he said, ¡°I was an apprentice of Gordon.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re a blacksmith?¡± Nathaniel shrugged, ¡°Something like that?¡± Barin looked Nathaniel over, ¡°What¡¯s you level and rank?¡± ¡°Twenty-two,¡± Nathaniel said tapping his fingers, ¡°My rank is advanced.¡± Lydia smiled, ¡°Nathaniel¡¯s going to be staying here for a time,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m certain he could learn a few things from Gordon¡¯s notes.¡± ¡°We look forward to having you son,¡± Barin said, but his stare turned dark, ¡°But you should know, we have a tendency to be vengeful around here.¡± ¡°Warning taken sir,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I have no plans to cause any problems.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Barin rose with a smile, ¡°Welcome to Treante son!¡± Ch.10 Dungeon Master The morning light bathed Lydia¡¯s face. She groaned and buried her face in her pillow trying to stave off waking. Clang! Lydia¡¯s eyes shot open. She recognized the sound of a hammer striking metal. The rhythmic sound indicated a blacksmith was at work. She threw back the sheets and ran downstairs. Her heart throbbed in anticipation. It had been over a year since the kingdom recruited Gordon and their sons to man Fort Cadarn¡¯s forge. She had seen her boys off with a smile, but finally she could say goodbye to those long, lonely days. Clang! Lydia pushed open the door to the forge, ¡°Good morning,¡± she smiled but it faltered when she saw the man at the anvil. It wasn¡¯t Gordon. He was dead, alongside their sons. The man at the forge was one of the summoned heroes, and yet he didn¡¯t look it. Heroes were said to be brimming with charisma that made them shine, and that it was impossible to mistake them for another person, but that didn¡¯t describe Nathaniel. He had dark circles around his eyes, and his skin lacked a healthy color. He looked like an overworked village blacksmith. Nathaniel set down the sword and hammer and turned to her, ¡°Morning ma¡¯am,¡± he said with a tired smile, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to wake you.¡± Lydia wiped at her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she said, ¡°Truthfully, I missed hearing the sounds that came from here.¡± Nathaniel nodded as an uncomfortable silence filled the room. ¡°How about I make breakfast?¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it,¡± Lydia walked into the kitchen. She stood at the counter and held her face in her hands. The tears wouldn¡¯t stop flowing, and once again her heart was breaking. After a few minutes, she wiped away the tears and walked outside to grab a few eggs.
Nathaniel stood at the anvil and stared down at the remade sword. A simple shield sat on the workbench along with a gambeson coat. He shoved the sword on the rack to cool and hung the leather apron on the hook by the door. Nathaniel rested his hand on the wall and walked to the rain barrel to wash up. The cold water and morning chill helped burn away the guilt. Nathaniel wiped his face with a worn cloth. For the first time, he noticed how bare the forge was. Crates marked with different ores sat empty, and flakes of arcanum powder coated an empty spot on the shelf. However, next to it sat a finely decorated case for engraving tools. ¡°Breakfast¡¯s ready!¡± Nathaniel went back to the house with a sad smile. A simple breakfast of eggs, bread, preserved meat, and cheese sat on the table. Nathaniel took a seat across from Lydia. She bowed her head and muttered under her breath. After a few seconds, she started eating. ¡°That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen anyone pray here,¡± Nathaniel said before starting. ¡°Most people do it at the church,¡± Lydia said, ¡°But¡­I felt like doing it now.¡± Silence fell over them. ¡°Do the people of this world worship any gods?¡± ¡°Not gods per se. It is said that everything was created in a single moment. The land, the ocean, everything. And the last thing to be created were the Archons.¡± ¡°Archons?¡± ¡°The Archons are no longer around, but they are the ones who created all intelligent life and bestowed skills and talents upon us.¡± Lydia took a sip of tea. ¡°What happened to them?¡± ¡°No one knows. Of course, sister Rose teaches that the Archons left to prepare another world for us and left this world in our custody.¡± Nathaniel scratched his chin, ¡°Did they make the monsters and demons too?¡± Lydia nodded, ¡°It sounds like it, but the Church teaches that the monsters and demons were corrupted by their own hubris, and that they are going against the Archons¡¯ will.¡± Nathaniel cleaned his plate and cleared off the table. He started cleaning the dishes when he turned back to Lydia. ¡°I noticed that the forge is low on supplies. Is there someplace I can go to restock it?¡± ¡°The dungeon will be the best place,¡± Lydia said, ¡°Otherwise you¡¯ll have to go to the town of Rumand which is a day away. I¡¯ll get Gordon¡¯s mining gear ready for you, but you¡¯d better be prepared for combat.¡± ¡°Is it that dangerous,¡± Nathaniel wiped down the last plate and put it up. ¡°No, not since the dungeon core was extracted fifty years ago. But you¡¯ll still have to contend with weak level monsters while exploring it.¡± ¡°Thanks for the heads up.¡±
[Treante Dungeon. Warning: dangerous monsters inside. Core removed] Nathaniel stared at the sign standing next to the entrance of a cave. It sat at the base of the Black Iron mountains. Truthfully it was at the base of a hundred-foot cliff. Nathaniel shifted his backpack and lit the small lantern on his belt before entering the dungeon. The entrance looked more like a mine than a natural cave with wooden supports and evenly paced lanterns, the oil long dry in them. A lone, rusted pickaxe sat along the wall. [Iron vein: depleted. Respawn: 20 years:13 days:8 hours] ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to go deeper,¡± Nathaniel said. Nathaniel dove deeper into the dungeon. The tunnel branched off into three directions, the two tunnels on either side looked to have been carved out more recently. Strange clicking noises came from the left tunnel, and a beetle the size of a large dog scurried out of the darkness. It clacked its mandibles and charged at Nathaniel. Nathaniel quickly drew his sword and blocked the attack with his shield. The bug¡¯s pincers tried crushing him, but the metal shield kept the mandibles open. Nathaniel stabbed the bug in the mouth multiple times and drove the blade up into its head with the final stroke. Sticky green blood seeped onto the ground. Nathaniel wiped off the blood on his blade, but stopped when he heard more noises. Swarms of giant cockroaches appeared from both side tunnels, and they screeched angrily at Nathaniel. They charged forward, and Nathaniel fled down the central tunnel. The monsters scurrying echoed down the tunnel as they chased him, and eventually it ended in a large central chamber. A loud crash came from behind. Nathaniel turned and saw a giant centipede dive into the swarm of roaches. The roaches crawled over the centipede and tried biting into it, but the centipede¡¯s shell blocked most of the attacks. The centipede tore through the swarms. Its claws and legs easily broke through the cockroaches soft shells. A few roaches were able to get past and charged towards Nathaniel, but they were easily dispatched with a single strike. Nathaniel felt something strike against his side. He rolled to his feet and found the centipede staring down at him. It dove towards him, but Nathaniel dodged it and slashed at the bug. His sword bounced off the hard shell. The centipede turned and encircled Nathaniel. It continued to lash out, but Nathaniel kept it at bay with a stab towards its face. Nathaniel desperately looked around and saw a piece of the centipede¡¯s shell was missing. Probably from the roaches. Nathaniel dodged the next attack, and stabbed his blade into the exposed flesh. The centipede screamed as Nathaniel twisted and dug his blade deeper. The centipede screamed and retreated, but its back legs no longer moved. The centipede¡¯s back half got stuck on an outcropping of rocks, and in haste tore itself in two. A trail of sickly green blood disappeared into the cavern. Nathaniel wiped the sweat from his brow and approached the but remains. He struck at the centipede¡¯s shell, but it bounced off without leaving a scratch. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°It¡¯s not iron, but it¡¯s pretty durable,¡± he said pulling the carcass free, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± a small shining blue crystal sat in the middle of the outcropping. He reached out to take it. [Dungeon Core Bulb. Warning: Bulb has insufficient energy to awaken. Extracting bulb will result in its destruction] ¡°So, this will become a dungeon core?¡± Nathaniel leaned down to look at the bulb, but his weight caused the carcass to touch it. Right before his eyes, the centipede carcass started to disintegrate into the bulb. The bulb flashed brightly and a slim blue crystal about three feet high stood before him. [Dungeon Core Bulb awakened. Dungeon Core Lv. 1 established. Claim or extract?] ¡°I wonder what I can make with a dungeon core,¡± Nathaniel said, but his eyes fell to the last part, ¡°Wait¡­claim? What does that mean?¡± [Claim ownership. Owners of dungeon cores become Dungeon Masters] Nathaniel scratched his chin, ¡°Claim ownership.¡± [Selection acknowledged. Establishing connections] Nathaniel fell to his knees as pain ran through his head. He closed his eyes tightly, but the pain wouldn¡¯t subside. After what felt like an eternity the pain ceased, and a new menu appeared in his vision. Dungeon Master Menu Dungeon Core Lv. 1 (Energy: 100/100) ? Functions ? Minions (00/30) ? Domain ¡°More menus to explore,¡± Nathaniel scratched his head. He opened the minion option. [Select minion race to spawn] Nathaniel¡¯s eyes widened as a list of races appeared. He recognized many of the standard fantasy races as well as a few he had heard while being here. Human. Elf. Dwarf. Orc. Goblin. The list went on and on. ¡°This must be how the Archons created the other races,¡± Nathaniel said scrolling through the list, ¡°There¡¯s an option to create a new race.¡± He selected the new race option. [Opening Minion creator. Attention: Minions that draw energy from Dungeon Core have limited functional time outside of domain. Minions not drawing energy from Dungeon Core will need to acquire energy from outside sources] A screen appeared in front of his eyes. It reminded him of modeling software he used when he was an engineer. He smiled. Whatever he thought appeared on the screen. Its body consisted of a four-foot-long sled with a three-foot basket on the back. A three-foot column with four arms, two with claws and two ended with thin barrels, and an eye that allowed it to see in every direction. He finalized the creation by having it draw energy from the core. [Name new race category. Name new subrace] ¡°Robot,¡± Nathaniel said as the name appeared in his window, ¡°Extractor bot.¡± [Name accepted. Robot category added. Extractor bot added] The extractor bot materialized right in front of him. It hovered off the ground by a few inches. Its arms articulated and its eye scanned the surroundings. Nathaniel noticed that the core¡¯s energy dropped by one. ¡°Can I give it commands from the ¡®Minion¡¯ menu,¡± Nathaniel said. I wonder if it accepts voice commands. His gaze fell to the cockroach bodies, ¡°Extractor, collect those cockroach bodies at the entrance.¡± The extractor moved towards the entrance and started gathering the bodies into the cart. After it finished, it stayed at the entrance. Nathaniel scratched his cheek then looked towards the dungeon core. I wonder. ¡°Extractor, deliver those bodies to the dungeon core,¡± The bug carcasses dematerialized, and Nathaniel noticed a small yellow bar appear under ¡®Dungeon Core Lv. 1,¡¯ but not much. Looks like I must feed the core to level it up, but will it take anything? Nathaniel reached into his pack and started riffling through it. There wasn¡¯t much in it save for a lunch, a few bandages, and¡­his purse. Nathaniel pulled out the coin purse and noticed that it was heavier than he remembered. There was about twenty silver coins in it. Lydia must have filled it. Nathaniel looked at the coins then at the core. He pulled out three coins then placed them onto the core. The core absorbed the coins and the bar filled up to about halfway, but the core¡¯s level increased to three. [Dungeon Core level increase. New function acquired: Warp. Energy increased to 150. Minion count increased to 40.] Nathaniel opened the ¡®functions¡¯ menu. ¡®Command¡¯ and ¡®Warp¡¯ were the only functions in the menu. He selected command and a separate menu appeared with the extractor bot on it. So this is how I give it commands. He commanded the extractor to start gathering any metals in the domain. Then he selected ¡®Warp.¡¯ [Where in the domain would you like to warp?] A map appeared with a light shade of purple covering a small section on it. This must be the dungeon¡¯s domain. Nathaniel opened the domain map. Besides showing a map of the dungeon, it also had a few extra functions. The ¡®Build¡¯ option caught his attention. [Warning: Minion requires rest area to recharge.] ¡°Guess I better build one of those,¡± Nathaniel said picking the ¡®rest area¡¯ from the build menu. A ghostly image appeared before his eyes, and it moved wherever his gaze went. Nathaniel could even rotate it merely by thinking. When he selected a spot, the rest area materialized out of thin air with a vein of blue energy connecting it to the core. Nathaniel stared in amazement. He looked through the other options in the ¡®Domain¡¯ section. He stared at the dungeon core as he took a deep breath. What have these people been doing? He started laughing. ¡°They¡¯re completely wasting these dungeon cores,¡± Nathaniel said, his laughter turned to crying, ¡°Damn it! If only¡­¡± Nathaniel took a deep breath as he looked to the dungeon core, ¡°I¡¯m not going to waste this.¡± Nathaniel opened the ¡®Minion¡¯ menu and created two more extractor bots. He created another minion, the sentry bot, a small floating sphere that would shoot lasers at enemies and explode when it took damage. He made twenty of these to patrol the dungeon. Apparently smaller minions used less energy. Lastly, he created two maintenance bots, a floating robot with twelve arms and a head that looked like a tesla ball. He commanded the maintenance bots to start building fortifications. They started removing the stalagmites and stalactites while materializing concrete to create walls throughout the cavern. Nathaniel also used the ¡®Build¡¯ menu to construct storage units for the extractors to deposit their finds. The last thing built was a door at the cavern entrance to keep out the unwanted. Thankfully, the minions could operate the doors. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough for today,¡± Nathaniel said heading to the door, ¡°I¡¯ll check back tomorrow.¡±
It was two weeks since Nathaniel took ownership of the dungeon. The dungeon now looked more like a modern-day warehouse than the mountainside mine. The core stood eight-feet tall and three-feet wide. Magic lights powered by the core kept the room well-lit. A refiner and smelter were tucked in the back so that the ore the extractors brought in could be turned into proper ingots, and a third storage unit was placed along the wall that stored the materials that were fed to the dungeon core. Nathaniel stared at the ¡®Dungeon Master¡¯ menu. The core was now at level nine, thanks to the small amounts of precious metals and gems that the extractors brought back. The new levels made it so that the domain extended to the dungeon¡¯s entrance and gave him a function showing him resource nodes within the domain. He was finishing up a new defense robot. It was a seven-foot-tall bipedal robot with two massive claws that could fire power energy blasts. Its head was tucked into the top of the torso with a singular telescopic eye and laser sight. Due to its size, it took up twice the amount of energy than the extractor and maintenance bots, and four times the sentry bots. It was necessary though, as stronger monsters were appearing, and the sentry bots were having trouble keeping them away. The guardian bot slowly walked out of the central room and into the tunnels. An extractor bot returned and deposited its score. ¡°Please let there be something good,¡± Nathaniel said opening the crate. He smile when he pulled out several fist sized chunks of silvery-white metal, ¡°Platinum, this should get the core to level ten.¡± He ran to the smelter and threw the platinum ore into it. Unlike the smelter in Gordon¡¯s forge, the smelter used the core¡¯s power to turn ore into pure ingots. The downside though was the time it took to refine it. More valuable metals took longer to refine. That didn¡¯t bother Nathaniel. He spent the time commanding the extractors to mine out new tunnels, and the maintenance bots would reinforce with concrete. Nathaniel was pleased with how the dungeon was coming, but it was taking a lot of his time. If only there was a way to automate the process. He turned back to the smelter. A small platinum bar sat in the catch basket at the smelter¡¯s base. Nathaniel took a deep breath, ¡°Let this be enough,¡± he said. His [Intuition] told him that he would get a valuable function when the core reached level ten. Nathaniel pushed the bar into core, and watched the yellow bar slowly increase. Then the yellow bar disappeared, and the core¡¯s level increased. Nathaniel sighed in relief, but then shouted as an unbearable pain ran through his head. It forced him to the floor and curl up in the fetal position. The lights flickered wildly and then shut off completely. Slowly, the lights returned as Nathaniel¡¯s migraine disappeared. [Dungeon Core level increased. New function acquired: Dungeon Assistant.] ¡°Dungeon Assistant?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct master,¡± Nathaniel jumped as a voice came from the core. ¡°I apologize for scaring you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Nathaniel said sitting up, ¡°I was just surprised.¡± Nathaniel took in the core, ¡°So, what are your functions?¡± ¡°My purpose is to support you in running the dungeon,¡± the assistant said, ¡°As dungeon master, your time is extremely valuable. You shouldn¡¯t need to deal with the mundane operations.¡± Nathaniel couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± he said, ¡°I was wanting to automate the dungeon, but can you run it the way I want.¡± ¡°No need to worry master,¡± the assistant said, ¡°The core scanned your neural pathways when it created me. I would be a poor assistant if I went against your designs.¡± ¡°That explains the headache,¡± Nathaniel rubbed his head, ¡°I should give you a name then.¡± ¡°Whatever you desire.¡± Nathaniel rubbed his chin then smiled, ¡°Seneschal.¡± The assistant was silent for a time, ¡°Acknowledged,¡± it said, ¡°I shall refer to myself as Seneschal.¡± ¡°Glad to hear it,¡± Nathaniel said standing up, ¡°You understand what I desire for this dungeon.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Seneschal said making the dungeon map appear, ¡°Right now, gathering resources should be the top priority, but I¡¯ll have Extractor One focus on expanding the dungeon,¡± Several box outlines appeared alongside several tunnels, ¡°I recommend digging out rooms here. To plan for future expansions.¡± ¡°You really do know what I¡¯m thinking.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wanting to make this dungeon a base,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°One that is prepared for any possible event. Am I correct?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Two maintenance bots appeared in the room, ¡°Leave the dungeon to me master. You should focus on developing your skills and creating new inventions. I¡¯ll see to it that you have everything you need.¡± ¡°Thanks Seneschal,¡± Nathaniel said turning to the doors, ¡°I¡¯m leaving everything to you.¡± Ch.11 A Year Gone By Command Runes Nathaniel sat at the desk in the forge, engrossed in the book in front of him. All the known runes were written in its pages, but there weren¡¯t many. Seems like they mostly focused on enhancements. He turned the page. It described a rune that imbued armor with an enhancement that limited the damage from blunt weapons. Pretty useful for plate mail. He turned the page again, and he sat up straight. What have we here. The rune was shaped like an hourglass with a series of dots in both the upper and lower portions. Nathaniel read through the passage multiple times. A small smile came to his lips. ¡°So, this rune acts as a counter,¡± he said, ¡°The number of dots determines the length of time the rune is active, but this does me no good without¡­a command,¡± He flipped the page which described a movement rune. The rune itself was simply an arrow pointed in the direction the object was meant to move. Let¡¯s try it. Nathaniel pulled out a piece of copper ore and a jar filled with arcanum powder. Thanks to the dungeon, the forge was fully stocked. Seneschal made sure of that. Nathaniel used the smelter to create arcane copper. It¡¯ll be easier than smelting arcane iron. He created a simple wheel shape mold and poured the liquid metal inside. Once cooled, he carved the time rune, with three dots, and a movement rune that ran along the circumference of the wheel. Finally, he placed the wheel on a pole, and suspended it in the air. Nathaniel waited and after a few seconds the wheel started moving. He counted to three, and the wheel stopped. Then after another three seconds, the wheel started moving again. ¡°So, the counter is used to time the activation and shut off,¡± he said scratching his chin, ¡°Are there any other command runes?¡± He searched through the book, ¡°It looks like the only other command rune is this touch rune.¡± Touch Rune: This rune is used to control the flow of magic to items. Mages have tried using this rune in controlling the release of magic to other runes in order to make magic crystals more prominent in enchantments, but experiments have shown that this is highly impractical. This rune is best used to control arcane lights. No other uses found. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± Nathaniel groaned, ¡°This rune is the equivalent of a switch, and it¡¯s only used to turn on the lights.¡± Nathaniel looked at the turning wheel. ¡°Let¡¯s try it out.¡± He took the wheel off the rod and carved the touch rune on it, a circle with a single line through it. After reassembling the wheel, he watched it. The wheel didn¡¯t move. When he touched the activation rune the wheel started moving. ¡°Interesting,¡± Nathaniel said watching the wheel, ¡°Not only can I use runes for programming, but I can use them to replace electronic components.¡± he rested his head on the table, ¡°Shit! This could be a problem.¡± He pulled up his skill menu. [Runesmith lv. 22] ¡°I made the durability and shock runes at level eighteen,¡± Nathaniel rubbed his head, ¡°The system made that the required level needed to properly apply those effects. Which means I need to be careful when creating more complicated runes.¡± He took a drink from the nearby cup, but the cold soup didn''t taste good. ¡°What I wouldn¡¯t give for a¡­thermos,¡± Nathaniel stared at the cup in his hands as a smile came to his lips, ¡°I think I solved my dilemma.¡± Coming of Age ¡°Are you nervous dear?¡± Sierra stared into the mirror as Lydia brushed her hair, ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Well, you¡¯re turning sixteen,¡± Lydia said as she braided the girls hair, ¡°From now on you¡¯ll be seen as an adult.¡± Lydia¡¯s smile became mischievous, ¡°So, who are you going to dance with first? Barrett? Noran?¡± Sierra cheeks turned hot, ¡°I was thinking of asking¡­Nathaniel,¡± she said, ¡°As thanks for saving me.¡± ¡°Nathaniel,¡± Lydia couldn¡¯t keep the shock out of her voice, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lydia gave her a soft smile, ¡°And when did this come about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sierra wished the windows were open, ¡°But¡­he did save me from those hunters.¡± ¡°Sweetie,¡± Lydia gently brushed her hair, ¡°You understand Nathaniel has a high rank, right?¡± Sierra nodded, ¡°That means multiple women will pursue him, and he¡¯ll most likely have to take multiple wives.¡± Sierra looked to her lap, ¡°Did Gordon take multiple women?¡± ¡°Gordon was the exception,¡± Lydia smiled sadly, ¡°And it made our lives difficult. And unfortunately, Nathaniel will have it worse.¡± She said with a sigh, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to warn you.¡± ¡°But¡­maybe,¡± ¡°Sierra,¡± Lydia¡¯s stern voice made her flinch, ¡°This isn¡¯t some fairytale. If you decide to pursue Nathaniel, then you will suffer. You¡¯ll have to make sacrifices because he¡¯ll have to make them too. If you can¡¯t, then it will only hurt both of you.¡± Sierra nodded as Lydia finished braiding her hair and placed a floral circlet on her head. ¡°The last thing I want is for you to suffer a broken heart.¡± A knock came at the door, ¡°Sierra, we¡¯re ready for you,¡± Oden said peeking in. Sierra rose to her feet and looked Lydia in the eyes, ¡°Thanks auntie,¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, dear,¡± Lydia said, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t keep everyone waiting.¡± Sierra stepped out of the room with her father on the right and Lydia to her left. They walked into the foyer of the chapel and the soft music from the piper and lyrist played as the doors opened. The entire village sat in the pews lining the central aisle. Her eyes fell on Nathaniel sitting in corner. He had a polite smile on his face, but his eyes were still clouded with dark circles underneath. Is there anything I can do for him? Sister Rose, stood at the front of the chapel, her pale red hair fell over her shoulders underneath her white shawl as she smiled at Sierra. If only I could be more like her. The priestess was utterly breathtaking in the plain holy garbs. Sierra approached the front and Rose held up her hands cutting the music. ¡°Everyone, welcome,¡± Rose¡¯s soft and beautiful voice filled the room, ¡°We¡¯ve gathered here to witness Sierra¡¯s awakening. After today, no longer will she be a child but a beautiful young woman, whose presence will make our humble community that much brighter.¡± Applause filled the room as Sierra walked the steps. Rose kissed her on the forehead and menus started appearing in front of her eyes. ¡°What is your rank?¡± ¡°Basic,¡± Sierra¡¯s smile faltered a bit. Why couldn¡¯t it be higher. ¡°What are you talents?¡± ¡°[Caregiver] and [Advisor]¡± The crowd started whispering in excitement. ¡°What is your class?¡± Sierra stared at her class. I don¡¯t understand. ¡°Consular,¡± This riled up the crowd more. ¡°Silence!¡± Rose leaned in with a soft smile, ¡°You have a very special class, Sierra,¡± she said, ¡°That class is given to those who advise royalty. There will be great things in store for you. I know it.¡± Sierra smiled as rose took her shoulder, ¡°May Creation and the Archons bless you!¡± The villagers stood up and cheered as Sierra, Oden, and Lydia walked down the aisle as sister Rose followed. Outside, the snow was shoveled out of the village square to make way for the large bonfire. Smaller cooking fires sat on one end of the square where the housewives cooked their ¡®family favorite¡¯ stew while the kids ran around pelting each other with snowballs. The women circled around Sierra, each giving her advice on securing a husband and being a proper wife. Lydia handed her a wrapped package, ¡°This is for you,¡± she said. ¡°What is it?¡± Sierra opened the package and stared at the strange garments inside. ¡°Gordon sent me the recipe,¡± Lydia said with a knowing smile, ¡°The Inventor created these for the Lady Oracle and the two female heroes. Apparently, this type boosts your charisma.¡± ¡°Thanks auntie,¡± Sierra said with small smile. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Lydia hugged her, ¡°Now, I think it¡¯s time to ask someone for a dance.¡± Sierra handed over the package and walked away from the women. The eligible young men stood next to the bonfire. Barrett stood the closest with his wide, goofy grin he thought was charming. He can¡¯t take a hint can he. Noran stood way off but gave her a toothy smile. He was a few years older than her, and she did find him sweet, but¡­he was too simpleminded. Nathaniel sat at a table nursing a mug of beer, as he talked with her father. With a deep breath, Sierra approached him. ¡°Nathaniel, would you like to dance?¡± Sierra said with a smile. Her father choked on his drink and looked between the of them. Nathaniel gave her a gentle smile, ¡°Sure,¡± A valuable member ¡°Things are coming together nicely,¡± Nathaniel said as he looked around the dungeon. The concrete walls were replaced with hardened metal, and the central chamber with dungeon core looked more like a command center with a console that surrounded it. ¡°I am pleased you are liking the changes,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°I figured this setting might help you feel more at home.¡± ¡°It does,¡± Nathaniel said with a smile as he watched the robots work, ¡°I don¡¯t mind the medieval fantasy setting, but there¡¯s a reason why I wanted to be an engineer.¡± ¡°Is it because you like robots?¡± ¡°What gave it away,¡± Nathaniel laughed, ¡°So, how do you know about computers?¡± ¡°All your memories were copied into the core when your brain was scanned,¡± Seneschal said as a few images popped up on screen, ¡°I took the liberty of removing certain memories that you acquired during your youth.¡± Nathaniel cleared his throat as he tugged on his collar, ¡°Thanks,¡± ¡°I figured they would be a hindrance once you start looking for a wife,¡± There was a slight amusement to Seneschal¡¯s voice, ¡°Besides, there was no real value in those memories.¡± ¡°So, what level is the core at now?¡± Nathaniel really wanted to change the subject. ¡°Twelve,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°It appears that dungeon cores also have breaker levels. I¡¯ll start looking for more valuable resource nodes to harvest, but it might be best to look for a more immediate source.¡± Nathaniel scratched his chin, ¡°I remember using a few coins when I first claimed the dungeon. Would that work?¡± ¡°Yes¡­I believe that would,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°Although the purity of the currency could be a hinderance, but we could smelt the coins down and then purify them in the refiner.¡± ¡°Then it looks like I¡¯m getting myself a job,¡± Nathaniel chuckled as he loaded his pack with supplies. The twenty-minute hike back to the forge was quiet. The cold weather made traversing the wild forest surrounding Treante difficult, so most hostile creatures of the forest wouldn¡¯t be around. That was a relief to the village. It wasn¡¯t easy being a small village on the southern edge of Gilbrant, even more so when you¡¯re on the frontier. It¡¯ll be even harder since Fort Cadarn fell. Nathaniel reached the door to the forge, ¡°Please Lydia, there must be something you can do.¡± Nathaniel stepped into the entryway. Lydia and Barin were sitting at the table. Barin held his head in his hands. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Barin,¡± Lydia said, ¡°There isn¡¯t much I can do. Even if I sent a message to the guild, their reply would still be the same.¡± Barin slammed his fist onto the table, ¡°Damn monsters,¡± he said slumping in his chair, ¡°We can¡¯t go another year without a blacksmith to tend to our tools.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong,¡± Nathaniel said setting down his pack. Barin waved him off, ¡°It¡¯s nothing you can help with.¡± ¡°The village needs a blacksmith to tend to our tools,¡± Lydia said patting Barin¡¯s shoulder, ¡°But the guild won¡¯t send one out here because they¡¯re all helping with the war.¡± ¡°What the hell are those heroes doing!¡± Barin tore at his hair, ¡°I received word a few days ago that their assault to retake Fort Cadarn ended in a complete disaster.¡± ¡°They failed to take back the fort?¡± Nathaniel said. His mouth hung open. ¡°No, they took it back,¡± Barin said, ¡°But the kingdom had to abandon it because the damage was too severe. It wasn¡¯t worth rebuilding. Now they¡¯re managing the war from castle Warnmier.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a duke,¡± Lydia said, ¡°His castle is in between the two fronts.¡± ¡°So, his castles is threatened by both Zechriel and the Horde,¡± Nathaniel sighed in understanding, ¡°I don¡¯t mind working on your tools.¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Won¡¯t the guild call on you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not part of the guild,¡± Nathaniel said scratching his head, ¡°Is that a problem?¡± ¡°Thank the Archons!¡± Barin said taking Nathaniel¡¯s hand, ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with that. Afterall, Gordon wouldn¡¯t waste his time on a useless apprentice.¡± ¡°Do you mind if I charge for my services?¡± ¡°Son, I¡¯d be more concerned if you didn¡¯t¡± Barin said, ¡°Just keep in mind that we don¡¯t have a lot of coin here.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Nathaniel said with a laugh, ¡°I can start whenever you need me too.¡± ¡°Good lad,¡± Making a profit Nathaniel slowly engraved the runes into the arcane copper mug in his hands. He blew out the metal shavings and buffed out the edges with a sheet of sandpaper. I¡¯m glad Seneschal was able to get me the materials to make this. He sat the mug down on the table. Strips of leather were sewn to the mugs bottom and handle, with tin buttons evenly decorating the leather around the rim. It sat next to an identical cup that had brass buttons on the leather rim. [New Rune created: Chill Rune.] [New Rune created: Warm Rune.] [New items created: Chill Mug and Warm Mug.] [Skill level increased: Runesmith Lv. 35.] [Skill level increased: Blacksmith Lv. 50] [Class level increased: Inventor Lv. 37] ¡°Excellent work master,¡± Seneschal said from the monitor in the sterile white room. ¡°Thanks,¡± Nathaniel said stretching, ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°Almost 5:30 in the evening,¡± ¡°I better get going then,¡± Nathaniel packed the cups into his bag, ¡°Can you start fabricating more of these mugs today?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Seneschal said with a proud tone, ¡°The fabricator bots can easily have a few cases finished by tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Thanks Seneschal. [Warp]¡± Light coalesced around Nathaniel as he warped out of the dungeon. Its domain didn¡¯t extend far from the mine entrance, but it did shave a few minutes off his hike. There was still a chill in the evening air, but there was still light coming from the east. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it been a year already,¡± Nathaniel said with a heavy sigh,¡± I think¡­it was today that we arrived at Fort Cadarn. Wonder what the others are doing?¡± A sudden pain twisted in his chest. I wonder how mom and dad are doing. ¡°I need a drink.¡± Nathaniel made his way quickly to the tavern. Thank god it¡¯s empty. He smiled as he walked to the bar. Rapid steps came from the kitchen. Sierra rounded the corner as she brushed flour off her apron, ¡°Evening Nathaniel,¡± she said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, ¡°Do you want your usual?¡± ¡°Yes please,¡± Nathaniel said pulling out the chill mug, ¡°Could you put it in this mug please?¡± Sierra eyed the cup in confusion, ¡°Sure,¡± she said with a cocked eyebrow, ¡°It¡¯s a nice mug, but¡­you didn¡¯t need to bring it.¡± She poured the honey beer in and slid it to him. Nathaniel took a sip, ¡°Still warm,¡± ¡°Of course it is,¡± Sierra chuckled as she headed back into the kitchen. Nathaniel reached into his cup and touched the inside wall. He smiled as a cool sensation washed over his finger. Just got to give it some time. He heard the door open. ¡°Damn monsters,¡± a large man with thick mutton chops that formed into a bushy mustache sat next to him, ¡°This trip was a complete waste of time.¡± ¡°Bad day?¡± Nathaniel said taking a sip. The cool taste brought a smile to his lips. ¡°More than that,¡± the man said, ¡°Barmaid!¡± Sierra ran out of the back, ¡°Give me a cup of your strongest drink.¡± Sierra smiled and poured his drink into a wooden cup. The man eyed his drink then looked over to Nathaniel, ¡°Am I not good enough?¡± ¡°This is my personal cup,¡± Nathaniel said glaring at the man. He noticed that the man was wearing a finely tailored suit with colorful ascot. ¡°That¡¯s¡­arcane copper,¡± the man sneered, ¡°What foolishness possessed you to make a mug from it?¡± Nathaniel pushed his mug over, ¡°You tell me?¡± The man eyed Nathaniel then took a sip, ¡°Archons, it¡¯s cold!¡± ¡°How?¡± Sierra stared at the cup, ¡°We don¡¯t have any ice.¡± The man looked back and forth between Sierra and the cup, ¡°Do I look like a hobgoblin? You must have put ice in it.¡± Nathaniel pulled out his other mug, ¡°Can I get some cider in this cup please?¡± Sierra nodded and poured him a drink. ¡°Take a sip,¡± Nathaniel pushed the mug to the man. The man took a drink, ¡°It¡¯s just cider,¡± he said. Nathaniel stared at the cup for a few moments then smiled, ¡°Take another,¡± The man scoffed but took a sip. The man choked, ¡°Damn it¡¯s hot,¡± ¡°Hot?¡± Nathaniel took a sip and sighed, ¡°Warm cider hits the spot.¡± ¡°How?¡± Sierra stared wide-eyed at the mugs. ¡°I¡¯m planning on selling these,¡± Nathaniel said taking both cups. He placed a hand on the cup with tin buttons, ¡°I call this one a chill mug. It will make any drink in it cold,¡± he gestured to the cup with brass buttons, ¡°And this is a warm mug. It heats up any drinks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to sell these in this backwater village?¡± the man said, ¡°Preposterous!¡± ¡°I want to make extra money,¡± Nathaniel said with a sigh, ¡°That¡¯s what came to mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Pa would want to order some,¡± Sierra said looking at the mugs, ¡°But I don¡¯t think we¡¯d have the money.¡± ¡°Of course you wouldn¡¯t,¡± the man said, ¡°One of these cups alone would be about¡­five gold.¡± Sierra went pale. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Nathaniel looked at the man. ¡°Cause I¡¯m a merchant boy,¡± the man said, ¡°Porman Deluson Quarmane, proprietor of the Quarmane Trading Company.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°He owns the largest trading company in the kingdom,¡± Sierra said, ¡°His company sells practically everything.¡± ¡°What¡¯s he doing here then?¡± Nathaniel said looking at Porman. ¡°I came here hoping to see one of my key suppliers,¡± Porman said with a sigh, ¡°Unfortunately, the fool didn¡¯t make it out of Fort Cadarn.¡± Nathaniel stared at the man, ¡°Gordon?¡± Porman nodded, ¡°I didn¡¯t know the old man was famous.¡± ¡°You knew Gordon too?¡± ¡°Nathaniel worked with Gordon at Fort Cadarn,¡± Sierra said, ¡°He was the one who brought us the news.¡± ¡°Is that so,¡± Porman said eyeing Nathaniel, ¡°What¡¯s your class and rank?¡± ¡°Advanced rank blacksmith,¡± ¡°Truly,¡± Sierra looked stunned, ¡°But you''re skilled in both carpentry and masonry. And not to mention alchemy, sewing, and fletching.¡± Porman stared at her, ¡°He¡¯s been a real boon for our village.¡± ¡°My dear, please bring us the best meal you serve,¡± Porman said laying a gold coin on the counter, ¡°And take your time.¡± Sierra looked at the coin nervously then turned to Nathaniel. Nathaniel nodded and she took the coin and disappeared into the kitchen. Porman turned fully to Nathaniel with a hungry smile, ¡°Looks like my day has just turned around. Wouldn¡¯t you say so¡­Inventor.¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°Depends on who you ask,¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Porman said leaning forward, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be helping the other heroes on the front?¡± ¡°And how exactly would I do that?¡± Nathaniel said taking a deep drink, ¡°By spending my time inside a drafty castle while the guilds make a profit from my creations? Or do you think that I would be out fighting monsters with the others?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think they need you?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Because the Gilbrant kingdom pretty much told me to my face.¡± ¡°Then perhaps we should change that,¡± Porman said, his smile growing, ¡°And we both could make a massive fortune.¡± Nathaniel eyed him from the rim of his glass, ¡°How many of these mugs have you made?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­two dozen each,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°That¡¯s just a rough estimate, but I¡¯ll definitely have more in a few months.¡± Porman placed a platinum coin onto the counter, ¡°I¡¯ll buy those from you right now for a hundred gold,¡± he said, ¡°I have a trading house in Rumand. If they sell for more than five gold a piece, I¡¯ll split the difference with you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re coming back?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Porman said, ¡°I like to get in on good investments early.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Nathaniel held out his hand, ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡± Porman shook his hand vigorously while laughing. Dragon Slayer A raging battle was coming to an end. A castle laid on its side with a tower crumbling under its own weight. A warrior in silver-white armor fought against a demon in similar armor made from black infernal iron. A dragon-heart woman praised the Inventor for pushing back the demon forces. Ophelia gasped as she quickly sat up. Her head throbbed violently, and her stomach was twisted in knots. Tears ran down her cheeks as she gripped her sheets in frustration. Why can¡¯t I find him? A hand rested on her shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s enough Ophelia,¡± Maria said softly, ¡°Anymore and you¡¯ll lose levels.¡± ¡°I need to find him!¡± Ophelia said wiping her tears, ¡°Nathaniel¡¯s alive and¡­I need to make it right.¡± ¡°So, you saw him,¡± Shizuka sat in the corner staring at the floor. ¡°Yes,¡± Ophelia couldn¡¯t look at her, ¡°It¡¯s the same vision. A battle with demons in which Nathaniel is fighting in his special armor. And he¡¯s with¡­other women.¡± Shizuka tightened her grip on her staff, ¡°Then¡­we should take comfort in that,¡± she said in a soft voice, ¡°I¡¯d rather he be happy than miserable.¡± ¡°I feel the same,¡± Maria said with a sad smile, ¡°Besides, we need to get ready.¡± Ophelia nodded and rose from bed, and quickly dressed herself in a long white dress. The three women walked through the castle to the courtyard outside. The chilly autumn air stung at their skin. A contingent of soldiers stood ready next to the supply wagons. Three caged wagons sat next to the castle walls with their owners ready to leave. Prince Ollimier and the other two heroes stood by the royal carriage. ¡°About time you showed up,¡± Duncan said with a smug smile. Ophelia stared at the ground, ¡°Leave her alone Duncan,¡± Maria said comforting her. ¡°It¡¯s been a year,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°Light is dead. You need to get over it.¡± Ophelia glared at him, ¡°He isn¡¯t dead,¡± ¡°Then he¡¯s abandoned us!¡± Duncan glared back, ¡°Face it, he isn¡¯t coming back!¡± ¡°Enough, both of you,¡± Prince Ollimier said, ¡°We have more important things to worry about.¡± ¡°Like this dragon we¡¯re going to slay,¡± Shawn said with a sigh. Ophelia took a deep breath as she stood tall, "Yes, the ice dragon Ysa¡¯Meera made her nest in the dungeon a few miles from here,¡± she said, ¡°We don¡¯t want her joining the Horde or the demons, so we need you four to eliminate her.¡± ¡°Not to mention, she¡¯s been terrorizing this land for decades,¡± Ollimier said. ¡°Then let¡¯s go slay us a dragon,¡± Duncan smiled.
¡°What are these things!¡± Maria said, staring at the dead monster at Duncan¡¯s feet. It looked like a human, but it had a dark blue dragon tail, horns, and scales all over it¡¯s body. A pair of torn wings adorned it¡¯s back. ¡°They''re known as dragon-hearts,¡± Ollimier said cleaning his blade, ¡°They¡¯re a monster race that serve dragons.¡± ¡°Okay, but why is he only wearing armor?¡± Shawn said trying to avoid looking at the exposed monster. ¡°We¡¯re not quite sure,¡± Ollimier said also trying to ignore the monster, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s to distract their enemies?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m distracted alright,¡± Shawn scoffed. ¡°Where¡¯s this dragon anyway?¡± Duncan said looking around the clearing. They stood at the foot of a small mountain with multiple cave entrances. ¡°Inside the dungeon,¡± Ollimier checked the area, ¡°We need to be careful when we enter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to let us,¡± Shizuka pointed to the dozens of dragon-hearts standing above them. The monsters took flight and circled around them in the air. A female dragon-heart with blonde hair dove towards them. Her spear glowing with golden energy. She flew towards Duncan and jabbed at him, but he sidestepped and countered with a horizontal cut. The dragon-heart screamed in pain as she slid against the ground. Blood poured down her back from the stumps where her wings used to be. ¡°Ralia!¡± The dragon-hearts dove towards them. Shizuka slammed her staff onto the ground and ten of the dragon-hearts fell to the ground struggling to get up. Shawn fired five of his arrows and struck five in the neck. Maria¡¯s voice rang out as a golden light enveloped them and caused the last of the monsters to fall to the ground unconscious. ¡°Quick, secure as many of them as you can!¡± Ollimier commanded the soldiers. The soldiers rushed forward, but the female dragon-heart roared, ¡°No!¡± She threw he spear towards Shizuka, but Maria knocked her to the ground. The female monster fell to the ground. The ten dragon-heart held by Shizuka¡¯s spell rose, ¡°For Mother!¡± they cried. The battle was terrible. Duncan pulled his sword from the last dragon-heart, and he fell to the ground dead. The bodies from both sides littered the ground as blood soaked into the soil. The few remaining soldiers bound the five-remaining dragon-hearts in chains, one being the female that started the battle. Thunder shook the ground as they all stared to the dungeon¡¯s entrance. A ten-foot-tall blue dragon stepped out of the entrance. Her golden eyes blazed in anger as she looked upon the carnage. ¡°Filthy humans,¡± the dragon growled, ¡°Leave my children alone.¡± ¡°No can do,¡± Duncan said, readying his great sword, ¡°They gotta pay for all the trouble they caused.¡± Ysa¡¯Meera growled and blasted them with her ice breath, but Shizuka pointed at her, and a wall of fire blocked the attack. The fire circled around the dragon. Ysa¡¯Meera extended her wings. Arrows flew through the fire and pierced through her leather wings, and she roared in pain as fire burned through them. Ysa¡¯Meera jumped through the fire and swiped at the humans, but Duncan cut at her claw, severing several of fingers. The dragon screamed in pain as a golden light washed over her. She stumbled as her strength was sapped. Ysa¡¯Meera took a deep breath, but pain shot through her left eye, and she released her ice breath over the trees. More pain burned through her chest as Duncan shoved his sword deep into her chest. Ysa¡¯Meera fell with a final twist of the blade. ¡°Mother!¡± the female dragon-heart whimpered as the light left the dragon¡¯s eyes. Duncan climbed onto the dragon¡¯s corpse and rose his sword, ¡°The dragon is dead!¡± The cheers from the soldiers drowned out the dragon-hearts¡¯ cries. Good Night Mom ¡°Another year¡¯s coming to an end,¡± Nathaniel said wrapping himself up tightly. Darkness already threatened to overtake Nathaniel as he made his way back from the dungeon. The dungeon core was now at level twenty. The money from the mugs came in use. I wonder if Porman will like the knife? He knocked his boots against the door before stepping inside. ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± Nathaniel called out as he set his pack on the ground. No response. ¡°Lydia!¡± He stepped into the living area but found no one there. Lydia wasn¡¯t in the kitchen, or her sewing room. Nathaniel knocked on the door to the bath, but there was no response. So, he quickly peeked inside. Not here either. Nathaniel checked her bedroom and found her in bed. ¡°Lydia, are you all right?¡± Nathaniel said softly. Lydia groaned and barely opened her eyes, ¡°Sorry, Nathaniel,¡± she said, ¡°I¡­just felt tired¡­all of a sudden,¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Just rest.¡± Lydia nodded as she went back to sleep. Nathaniel quietly closed the door. She¡¯s been sleeping a lot lately. Maybe I should have sister Rose come look at her. The next morning, Nathaniel quietly checked in on Lydia. Her breathing was shallow and sweat poured down her face. He rushed downstairs and filled a bowl of water and snow and ran back upstairs. He soaked a cloth into the cold water and draped it over her forehead. I need to get Rose now!
¡°I¡¯m sorry Nathaniel,¡± Rose said wiping down Lydia¡¯s face, ¡°There isn¡¯t much I can do.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Rose sighed as she stepped out of the room, ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that grief can wear the body down more than any disease.¡± Nathaniel nodded, ¡°So it¡¯s from losing her family,¡± he said, ¡°But why now?¡± Rose looked to the ground, ¡°I believe her anniversary is coming up,¡± she said, ¡°I think they were married for over forty years. Not to mention, her sons were born in autumn. It¡¯s too much for her to bear.¡± Nathaniel nodded, ¡°I recommend making her comfortable. I¡¯ll be back to check on her later.¡± ¡°Thanks Rose,¡± Rose placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m here if you need to talk,¡± she said. The next few days were a blur. Nathaniel went through the motions of waking up, eating, tending to Lydia, waiting, speaking with Rose, and finally sleeping. Slowly, Lydia continued to get worse. Lydia finally woke on the fifth day. ¡°I¡¯m sorry son,¡± she said. ¡°For what?¡± Lydia smiled weakly, ¡°For leaving you alone,¡± she said weakly. ¡°Nonsense,¡± Nathaniel smiled, ¡°You¡­helped me get back on my feet,¡± he took her hand, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­son.¡± Lydia¡¯s shallow breathing stopped. Nathaniel gently laid her hand down. The tears wouldn¡¯t stop, ¡°Good night, mom.¡± The eerie quiet was disheartening as Nathaniel packed his bags. Pain, guilt, fear, and nervousness gripped his heart. I guess there¡¯s nothing left. He stared at his things, unable to continue packing. The cold stares. The mocking. The betrayals. The memories echoed through his mind, haunting him, taunting him, and worst of all was her. The bright blue eyes that sparkled when she looked at him. That warm smile that made him feel wanted. The faith that Ophelia had in him hurt the worst. ¡°I¡¯m no hero,¡± Knock. Knock. Knock. Nathaniel sighed and headed to the front door. He opened it and gestured for the man to come inside, ¡°What can I help you with Barin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver a letter,¡± the headsman said, ¡°Lydia wanted you to have this after she died. Also, she left everything to you.¡± ¡°Everything?¡± Barin nodded, ¡°Do with it what you want. If you need me, you know where to find me.¡± Nathaniel waited for the door to close before opening the letter. Nathaniel, I¡¯m sorry for leaving you alone, but I want you to know how much I appreciated you. It was hard, living by myself for the year Gordon was away, and truthfully, it was hard when he was gone, but you made it easier. It felt like I had a family again. No, I did have a family again, and I am grateful for what you did. Son, I know you feel unworthy of the title of hero. Compared to the others you feel inadequate, and that¡¯s fine. After all, you don¡¯t get to level one hundred without carrying some kind of burden, and I know Gordon¡¯s told you this too. Carry these burdens. If you can¡¯t develop the skills needed to become a hero, then invent them. After all, you are the Inventor Hero, and I¡¯m proud to have you as a son. Mom, PS. Find a nice girl or two to support you and give me some grandkids. Nathaniel sat on the ground as he held his head in his hand. Tears once again ran down his face, but he couldn¡¯t stop the soft laughter from escaping his lips. After all this, she¡¯s nagging for grandkids. Both of my mothers are something else. He picked himself up and headed back upstairs. Nathaniel dumped his pack out onto the floor, then rushed down to the study and filled it with as many books as he could. When he ran out of space, he filled another, and another, until he had four bags filled. It was heavy, but Nathaniel strapped the four bags on and headed out the door. Nathaniel struggled getting back to the dungeon, but once he was in the domain, he teleported to the central chamber. He dropped the bags onto the floor, ¡°Seneschal, begin archiving these books. Starting with this,¡± Nathaniel pressed Lydia¡¯s letter into the core, ¡°Also bring every available material to my workshop.¡± He started heading there. ¡°Yes sir,¡± Seneschal said instructing a maintenance bot towards them, ¡°Is there a particular project you wish to start?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± Nathaniel said turning around, ¡°But it¡¯s about time I started acting like the Inventor Hero.¡± Ch.12 The Dragon-heart Porman sat at the table inspecting the glistening butter knife he currently held. A heat rune was carved in the blade and a touch activation rune on the handle. He smiled as he placed it down with the others that sat on a velvet cloth in front of him. ¡°Another excellent product,¡± Porman said wrapping them up, ¡°What exactly are they meant to do?¡± Nathaniel took a sip from his mug, ¡°They warm up when you hold them,¡± he said, ¡°The main idea was that you¡¯ll use them to melt butter on top of bread, but I¡¯m sure there are spreads that taste better when warmed up.¡± ¡°Many jams taste wonderful right after they¡¯re made,¡± Oden said placing a plate in front of them, ¡°Or even that nut butter you made for Sierra¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°Butter from nuts?¡± Porman said with wide eyes, ¡°You¡¯re not holding out on me, are you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s still a work in progress,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Once I¡¯ve perfected it, you¡¯ll be the first to get your hands on it.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Porman said, ¡°As for these, I¡¯m thinking they should sell for about¡­ten gold for a set of six, but I won¡¯t know for certain until I get them back to Rumand. Speaking of which, you should see this.¡± Porman pulled out a dented copper mug from his sack. Nathaniel inspected it and noticed the mug had an iridescent teal shimmer, and a rune carved into the bottom. It was also abnormally warm to the touch. ¡°I found that at a Guild shop in Opren,¡± Nathaniel looked at him in confusion, ¡°It¡¯s the ducal city between Rumand and the capital.¡± Nathaniel sighed and placed the cup down, ¡°I expected the Guild to try and replicate my creations, but this is just insulting.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s it damaged so badly?¡± Oden said picking it up, ¡°Did it get damaged in transit?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s shoddy craftsmanship,¡± Nathaniel said taking a sip, ¡°This mug only has the heat rune carved in it, while mine have an activation rune. The rune is continuously producing heat, and since they made it so thin, it¡¯s causing the mug to warp. Not to mention it¡¯s missing the durability rune. I give it another month or so before it finally breaks down completely.¡± He turned to Porman, ¡°So what do you plan to do?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Porman said with a smile, ¡°As you said, the Guild failed to properly reproduce your mug, but they¡¯re trying to sell it for a similar price. This means I can charge even more since yours is the superior product. And nobles don¡¯t mind paying extra for superior goods.¡± ¡°If you say so. After all, you¡¯re the one with the store in Rumand,¡± ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Porman said, ¡°How would you like to visit the city? My wife has been dying to meet you.¡± Nathaniel scratched his chin, ¡°I guess¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re also looking for high quality materials right?¡± Porman said, ¡°I think I have a few bars of adamantium, orichalcum, and mithril stocked there.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be good for you,¡± Oden said patting Nathaniel¡¯s shoulders, ¡°You were pretty much cooped up for two months after Lydia died. Why not go out and see the world a bit, and who knows, you might find a cute girl too.¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°Lydia did mention grandchildren in her will,¡± he said, ¡°Very well Porman, I¡¯ll take you up on your offer.¡±
Nathaniel wasn¡¯t sure what Rumand would be like. He passed by it when he was traveling down to Treante after Fort Cadarn was attacked, but the guards promptly drove him away. It¡¯s walls weren¡¯t large, maybe ten feet tall, and made from simple stone, but they were sturdy and well maintained. The city itself wasn¡¯t that large. Truthfully, it would make more sense to call it a town. Porman cracked the reins and the cart slowly moved forward. The drebin, an oxen-like creature with hard leather skin that reminded him of a rhino, grunted as it walked through the gates of the city. The main streets were packed with merchants hawking their wares and criers vying for the attention of newcomers. The main road branched off into many side streets, but those led to residential areas, and the closer they got to the castle in the center, the richer the buildings became. Two wide roads intersected the main road, and Porman drove the cart to the left. After a few minutes they pulled into the courtyard of a three-story building. Several servants came out and tended to the cart. ¡°Welcome back master Porman.¡± Porman jumped off the cart, ¡°Let my wife know that I¡¯ve returned,¡± he said, ¡°And that we have a guest.¡± A servant rushed back in. ¡°The servants will take care of your things.¡± Porman led him inside. The large foyer was lit by a chandelier that hung above them, and a staircase that led up to the second and third floors. The mansion¡¯s opulence struck Nathaniel. ¡°Welcome back dear,¡± a beautiful woman sauntered down the stairs. Her brown hair flowed down her back, and her green eyes glistened as she looked towards Nathaniel. ¡°And who is this¡­Nathaniel?¡± ¡°Yes dear, it is,¡± Porman met her at the stairs and gave her a deep kiss. His hands lingered on her rear, ¡°He was kind enough to accept our invitation.¡± Porman¡¯s wife broke free from her husband, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you. I¡¯m Cymella,¡± she said pressing her bosom against him, ¡°If there is anything you need¡­don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡± The kiss she planted on his cheek lasted longer than was comfortable. ¡°I appreciate it ma¡¯am,¡± Nathaniel said with an awkward smile. Cymella tightened her grip and pulled him along, ¡°Dinner will be ready soon. Let¡¯s head to the dining hall.¡± The dining hall had to be twenty feet long with a ten-foot table in the center. Fine dishes decorated the table with floral arrangements placed evenly every two feet. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit here next to me?¡± Cymella gestured to a chair. Nathaniel helped her with her chair, ¡°Such a gentleman,¡± she said, ¡°I must say, your personality is far more enjoyable than the other two, even if they were decent partners in bed.¡± Nathaniel gave her a blank stare, ¡°Excuse me?¡± Cymella¡¯s playfulness turned to sincerity, ¡°Are you not aware?¡± she said, ¡°Part of your responsibilities are to sire strong bloodlines.¡± ¡°I thought the Lady Oracle would have told you this,¡± Porman said, ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d take a particular liking to my precious Cymella.¡± ¡°You¡­want me to¡­sleep with your wife?¡± Nathaniel had trouble understanding. ¡°Yes,¡± Porman said with a smile, ¡°You need not worry, I¡¯d accept your bastard as member of my own family. He would want for nothing.¡± ¡°Is this practice¡­common?¡± ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Cymella said, ¡°No one would turn away a child of heroes. The queen herself gave birth to twins a few months ago who were fathered by the Ranger.¡± Nathaniel took a calming breath, ¡°I see now,¡± he said giving Cymella polite smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am, but it¡¯s against my morals to sleep with a married woman. I hope you understand.¡± Cymella gave him a sly smile, ¡°You¡¯re making me jealous,¡± she said, ¡°The women in your life will be truly fortunate to have such a loyal man.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s smile faltered. ¡°Enough dear,¡± Porman said patting Cymella¡¯s hand, ¡°He¡¯s made his decision, and we should respect it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry Nathaniel,¡± Cymella said with a genuine smile, ¡°I can¡¯t help but tease you.¡± The door to the hall opened and a tall man with sandy hair walked in. His shirt unbuttoned to show off his toned chest. ¡°Pomran, you¡¯re back!¡± ¡°I am mother,¡± he said giving her a peck on the cheek. He slowly eyed Nathaniel, ¡°And who is this?¡± ¡°This is Nathaniel,¡± Cymella said. Pomran laughed and shook his hand, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± he said, ¡°So when can I expect a sibling?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a job for your father,¡± ¡°Sit down son,¡± Porman said, ¡°Nathaniel isn¡¯t like the others.¡± Dinner passed with relative ease, and Nathaniel was able to make himself comfortable. Talk about the state of the kingdom popped up every now and then, and he was surprised to hear about the raid on dungeon. ¡°How did the raid go?¡± Porman said sipping on his wine. ¡°Poorly,¡± Pomran said with a sneer, ¡°The heroes were able to kill the dragon, but they messed up the initial attack and killed most of the dragon-hearts. I was only able to acquire one, and she was in bad shape.¡± ¡°Dragon-hearts?¡± Nathaniel said. I think that was one of the races I could summon. ¡°They¡¯re a monster race,¡± Pomran said, ¡°They often congregate around dragons. They¡¯re extremely rare which makes them valuable.¡± ¡°Are you talking about¡­slavery?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my trade,¡± Pomran said gesturing to himself, ¡°I run the family''s slavery branch, and I must say there are no finer slaves in the kingdom,¡± Nathaniel couldn¡¯t stop the disgust coming to his face, ¡°I take it you don¡¯t care for my trade.¡± ¡°Slavery was outlawed back home,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°My country fought a civil war to end the practice, and since then we don¡¯t take kindly to treating people like property.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t treat people like property,¡± Pomran said with a smile, ¡°Here, slaves are a sign of luxury, like a thoroughbred horse. To treat something so valuable as a piece of furniture is honestly wasteful. Besides, most people turn to slavery to find proper employment. It¡¯s only the monsters and demons we capture that lack such choices.¡± ¡°Actually, you could do with a slave,¡± Porman said, ¡°They''re handy to have around, especially for a man living by himself.¡± ¡°I can vouch for that,¡± Pomran chuckled, ¡°Can¡¯t tell you how many times my Emary came through. We can go through my stock tomorrow. I promise you won¡¯t be disappointed.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Nathaniel said with a sigh.
¡°This¡­ isn¡¯t what I was expecting,¡± Nathaniel said, looking around the slave market. Pomran¡¯s parlor sat a few blocks down the road from the mansion, and if it wasn¡¯t for the slaves outside marketing themselves, he would have mistaken it for a high-end boutique. The main floor reminded him of a showroom floor from a furniture store. The slaves manned their own station showing off their skills. There were blacksmiths, tailors and seamstresses, apothecaries, and even mercenaries. However, the slaves manning stations at the windows specialized in entertainment since they were scandalously dressed as they tried to usher people inside. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what it¡¯s like back in your world, but this is the only path for those that aren¡¯t guild affiliated,¡± Pomran said, ¡°Without their approval, you can¡¯t open your own shop,¡± he gave Nathaniel a crooked smile, ¡°You got around that by taking over someone else¡¯s shop.¡± Nathaniel nodded as he looked around, ¡°I¡¯ll admit, I¡¯m pretty ignorant about this world,¡± he said, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I should bend my morals in order to conform.¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Pomran said, pulling Nathaniel into a friendly hug, ¡°You just need to understand we aren¡¯t in your world,¡± he pointed to a couple talking to an elderly woman, ¡°Looks like Mama Sery is getting purchased.¡± ¡°Even the elderly are sold,¡± ¡°Of course, in fact they¡¯re the second most expensive slaves on the market,¡± Pomran said, ¡°Because they¡¯ve mastered several skills, they¡¯re often purchased as caretakers and tutors. I take it that couple there is buying her to be a midwife and wet nurse.¡± Nathaniel couldn¡¯t see any signs of the woman being pregnant until his [Intuition] told him so. He¡¯s right. In fact, his talent showed him that most of the slaves speaking with buyers were mainly marketing their best skills. He noticed that the buyers and slaves were signing contracts. ¡°What¡¯s with the contract?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a simple contract,¡± Pomran said shrugging his shoulder, ¡°Both parties can write down their conditions and then sign agreeing to them. It¡¯s then bound with magic so that neither party can break it.¡± ¡°So¡­slaves aren¡¯t expected to attend to certain¡­needs,¡± Nathaniel said trying to wrap his mind around it. ¡°Only if the contract stipulates, and most do,¡± Pomran smiled, ¡°Both parties often benefit from such arrangements.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t slaves abused?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny that some do get abused, but if so, that¡¯s because the master is a fool,¡± Pomran said, ¡°It¡¯s expensive to buy a new slave. It¡¯s better to take care of them since their skills benefit the master.¡± ¡°So, it comes back to skills,¡± Nathaniel said scratching his chin. ¡°Of course. After all, the higher the skill the better the quality,¡± Pomran chuckled, ¡°A farmer that¡¯s mastered farming will grow better crops than one that just started. Even if farmer can be found a stone¡¯s throw away.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s head started hurting, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s a Farmer¡¯s guild,¡± ¡°No, there isn¡¯t. That¡¯s why you won¡¯t see many farmers in slave markets,¡± Pomran said, ¡°But enough about that. We¡¯re here to find you the perfect slave. So, does anyone catch your eye?¡± Nathaniel searched the showroom. There weren¡¯t any that he lingered on, except for the woman dancing in the window. Her dark skin glistened in the sunlight, and her silk top was cut short to show off her midriff. Her transparent silk skirt flowed with her movements, and its dark red color paired with her beautiful dark purple hair. She noticed his gaze and responded with a smile and a wave. ¡°I see someone has,¡± Pomran said with a snicker, ¡°Too bad, Emary¡¯s mine. But I¡¯m sure we can find a woman for you.¡± Nathaniel cleared his throat, ¡°I won¡¯t deny¡­the companionship would be pleasant,¡± he said with a sigh as he opened his menu. He stared at the two martials skills that were still in the single digits, ¡°But I think I need someone who can compensate for my lack of combat talent.¡± ¡°So, you need a slave with martial skills,¡± Pomran thought aloud, ¡°Most human women don¡¯t learn martial skills, and I don¡¯t have any available. But¡­ we can check out the monsters in the back.¡± Pomran led Nathaniel to the back. This room was closer to his expectation. Pens sat next to each other with a simple bed and side table in them. About half of them were filled, and each of the slaves wore a glowing violet collar. Nathaniel noticed a few humans back here. ¡°Why are they here?¡± Nathaniel gestured to the humans. ¡°They¡¯re criminals,¡± Pomran said, ¡°Unlike the slaves up front, the ones back here are dangerous, and under Gilbrant law are required to wear special slave collars to keep them in check. The collars will induce a painful shock should they go against their owner''s wishes or raise a hand against them.¡± ¡°Is that part of the contract?¡± ¡°These slaves don¡¯t have contracts,¡± Pomran said, ¡°Because they aren¡¯t humans.¡± Nathaniel nodded as he looked around. His eyes immediately fell to a cage with a human sized creature. It was clearly a female, but the long ears and rabbit-like face contrasted with her feminine beauty. Her entire body was covered in white fur with black spots, and her tail drooped when he approached. ¡°That¡¯s a rabbit lycan,¡± Pomran said with a slight smile, ¡°They¡¯re agile and fast, but their disposition isn¡¯t suited to fighting. I hear there¡¯s a noble in Umvral who breeds rabbit lycan for hunting, so I¡¯m planning a trip out there in a few months.¡± The rabbit¡¯s ears fell as she crawled into the corner. Nathaniel stared into her pink eyes. She may not be human, but he could tell she was more than an animal. This world really is awful. ¡°How about an orc,¡± Pomran gestured to the next cage, ¡°They¡¯re born with martial talents, and are second to none when it comes to bodyguards,¡± he let out a nervous laugh, ¡°But they are obscenely stubborn, and have been known to kill their owner whenever they sense weakness.¡± Nathaniel looked up at the seven-foot-tall woman with grey-green skin. She had all the curves of a voluptuous woman but there was no softness to them, just hard muscle. The small tusks protruding from her lower jaw made her vicious smile even more terrifying, and he finally noticed the rat bones that decorated her long braids. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°She¡¯s pretty, but I like living. Maybe sell her to the Champion, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d love to have his head crushed by those thighs.¡± The orc snickered as she glared at him. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Pomran said leading him further in. They passed another cell. This one had a woman that drew Nathaniel¡¯s eyes. Her beauty was undeniable, and she was comfortable enough to walk around exposed save for the leather skirt at her waist. Whereas the orc was all muscle, this woman was soft and supple, and she exuded an aura that demanded to be touched. It was only her horns and tail that gave her race away. Are her pupils¡­ hearts? The woman rose and sauntered towards the edge of the cell. ¡°I¡¯d be careful with this one,¡± Pomran said pulling Nathaniel back, ¡°She¡¯s one of the demonic races from Zechriel, a succubus.¡± The succubus smiled, and her leather skirt opened revealing itself to be a pair of wings. It also left her completely exposed. ¡°How is she dangerous?¡± ¡°Demons spend too much time scheming,¡± the orc woman said, which caused the succubus to stick her forked tongue out. ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Pomran said, ¡°Monsters value individual strength, this makes them easy to understand. Demons however, value cunning and intelligence. They¡¯re always scheming to get to the top, and it¡¯s only thanks to their king that they are united. If it¡¯s in name only. Besides,¡± Pomran glared at her, ¡°I think she let herself be captured.¡± ¡°And why would I do that?¡± the succubus smiled as the tip of her tail caressed her lower half. ¡°Also, succubi specialize in magic skills, not martial ones. We should keep looking.¡± They moved farther in, ¡°Ta-ta¡­ hero.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s spine quivered, but it wasn¡¯t from excitement. Pomran led him to a covered cell at the back of the room, ¡°This is the last one,¡± he said with a smile, ¡°But I think you¡¯ll like this one.¡± Pomran pulled off the tarp. A hand flew out from between the bars, the fingers clawing at the air violently. Dark blue eyes with long, thin pupils stared at them with fiery hatred, and blue horns peeked form thick locks of golden hair that shined from the light that came in from outside. A thick tail covered in blue scales slammed against the cell floor. ¡°She¡¯s beautiful isn¡¯t she,¡± Pomran said with a proud smile, ¡°And I got her pretty cheap too. She¡¯s a bit damaged but dragon-hearts always sell well.¡± So, this is a dragon-heart. Apart from tail and horns, she looked like a normal woman. Her beautiful pale skin shone, and the tunic she wore strained against her well-endowed figure. Pomran was correct, she was beautiful. The dragon-heart growled at them, then took in a deep breath. ¡°Stop!¡± Pomran commanded and she started coughing black clouds of smoke. ¡°So, they can breathe fire?¡± Nathaniel said stepping closer, but still out of reach. Pomran nodded, ¡°Dragon-hearts can do almost anything a dragon can,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s a shame she lost her wings.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t lose them human,¡± she snarled, ¡°They were taken from me!¡± she lowered her head, ¡°As well as my mother.¡± ¡°Your mother?¡± Nathaniel said kneeling down to look at her. ¡°She¡¯s talking about the dragon Ysa¡¯Meera,¡± Pomran said, ¡°Loyalty is a defining trait among her kind. Once you have it, it¡¯s nearly impossible to lose.¡± ¡°As if a human is worthy of it,¡± she glared. Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°I won¡¯t argue with that,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t mock me!¡± She flinched when Nathaniel stroked her head. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he said, ¡°I understand what it¡¯s like to lose a mother. I¡¯ve lost mine twice.¡± ¡°Two¡­mothers?¡± Pomran clapped his hands, ¡°So?¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°Fine, you win,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ll buy¡­what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Ralia,¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pretty name,¡± Nathaniel said with a small smile, ¡°I¡¯ll buy Ralia.¡± ¡°Excellent, that¡¯ll be seven hundred-fifty gold,¡± Nathaniel groaned, ¡°I currently have four hundred,¡± he said, ¡°I should have the rest once your father sells my latest shipment.¡± ¡°No, I think four hundred is fine,¡± Pomran said, ¡°I¡¯m willing to offer a discount since it¡¯s your first purchase,¡± Pomran opened the cell, ¡°You will follow me and behave.¡± Ralia growled but did as she was instructed. Pomran led them to a set of stairs and entered an empty sitting room. After a few minutes a clerk came in with a tray that held a contract, quill, and small knife. Nathaniel placed four platinum coins onto the tray and signed the contract. Pomran picked up the knife, ¡°Blood¡¯s needed to initiate the transfer,¡± he said pricking Nathaniel¡¯s thumb, ¡°Press it on the circular rune on the collar, and she¡¯ll officially be yours.¡± Nathaniel pressed his thumb to the collar and a new menu popped up. [Companion acquired: Ralia ¨C Slave (Advanced)] ¡°Congratulations on your first purchase,¡± Pomran said with large smile, ¡°May this be the first of many. As for you my dear, you should be thrilled to have the Inventor Hero as a master.¡± ¡°Hero!¡± Ralia¡¯s eyes turned bloodthirsty. ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t going to talk about it,¡± Nathaniel said with a sigh. ¡°I thought she should know,¡± Pomran¡¯s crooked smile grew. He led them to another room where a tailor waited on them. The tailor pretty much tore the tunic off Ralia and started taking her measurements, but throughout the entire time her dark glare never left Nathaniel. Maybe this was a mistake. After a few hours, Ralia was outfitted in a simple blouse and a skirt with a slit for her tail. The sky was turning a dark purple by the time they were finished. Nathaniel was exhausted by the time they stepped into the foyer of Porman¡¯s mansion. Several servants were taking Ralia¡¯s other outfits up to his room. ¡°Can you give my apologies to your parents,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°It¡¯s been a long day, and I would like to go to bed.¡± Pomran smiled as he looked to Ralia, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll understand.¡± What is wrong with these people! ¡°Thank you. Is there a place for Ralia to sleep?¡± ¡°Your room has a servant¡¯s quarters, master Light,¡± a maid said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Nathaniel headed upstairs with Ralia following closely behind. Her steps were quiet, but he could feel her staring into his back. He stepped into his common room and shut the door after Ralia entered. This is a bad idea. ¡°So, master,¡± Ralia said with a smile that made his breath stop. Her draconic eyes made him want to flee, ¡°Should we retire to the bedroom?¡± [Hostile] appeared in red above her. ¡°We shall, but you¡¯ll be sleeping in the servant¡¯s quarters,¡± Nathaniel said trying to keep his composure, ¡°There¡¯s a lot we need to discuss, but it can wait until tomorrow.¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± she said, ¡°But I think it would better if I attended to you tonight.¡± ¡°That sounds like a bad idea,¡± Nathaniel said heading to his room, ¡°Good night Ralia, I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡± Nathaniel released his breath as soon as the door closed. He stripped down to his nightshirt, finding the cool air refreshing, and got into bed after dowsing the lamps. Sleep was elusive. His mind raced with all that had happened, and it didn¡¯t help that a hostile dragon-lady slept so close. He rolled onto his back and took a few deep breaths, but the air was forced from his lungs as something pressed hard against his stomach. Sharp pain flashed through his neck as he felt someone wrap their fingers around his neck. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Nathaniel croaked as he stared up at Ralia. ¡°Shut up!¡± Ralia said pressing her fingers deeper into his skin, but she grunted in pain as the collar flared purple, ¡°If you make any noise, I¡¯ll kill everyone in this house.¡± Her grip loosened. ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nathaniel stared into her eyes, ¡°Then what,¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to kill the other heroes,¡± Ralia stared back at him. ¡°How?¡± She averted his gaze, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll steal a weapon then kill them.¡± ¡°Look me in the eyes,¡± Ralia groaned as she followed the command, ¡°You steal a weapon, then what?¡± Ralia fought, but couldn¡¯t look away, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t thought this through,¡± Nathaniel said with a sigh. ¡°They killed my mother!¡± Ralia spat, ¡°They killed my family, enslaved me¡­They cut off my wings! Because of them I lost everything. You wouldn¡¯t have any idea¡­¡± ¡°What it¡¯s like being torn away from everything you knew?¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°To know that you¡¯ll never hear your mother¡¯s voice again, or to apologize to your father for all the shit you put him through? I know exactly what it means to lose everything, because I¡¯ve lost it twice already,¡± he smiled, ¡°I can¡¯t go home you know. When they summoned us, they told us that the only way we could return to our world is for them to summon us back.¡± ¡°So,¡± ¡°My world doesn¡¯t have magic. They can¡¯t summon us back,¡± Nathaniel said, he could feel the tears coming, ¡°My parents will never know what happened to me. For all I know, they think I¡¯m dead, or worse, think that I abandoned them. Then¡­after coming to this shitty world. When I finally start feeling like I belong. I lose the people most important to me again, and I find myself alone. It¡¯s terrible¡­ being alone, isn¡¯t it?¡± Tears leaked from Ralia¡¯s eyes, ¡°It is. I¡­ want my family back,¡± she pressed her head into his chest. Ralia released her grip and started crying. Nathaniel pulled her into a gentle hug and softly stroked her back, his hand brushed against the rough stumps where her wings used to be. Nathaniel brought Ralia under the covers and she pressed further into him as her crying quieted. Ralia¡¯s breathing slowed and she was soon asleep. Nathaniel continued to comfort her, and she pulled him tighter against her. He felt Ralia¡¯s tail press against him and wrap itself around his left leg. At least she¡¯s not trying to kill me now. He smiled as she snored into his chest. Maybe this wasn¡¯t such a bad idea. Ch.13 Ralia Ralia groaned and buried her face into the soft fabric in her hands. Why do I smell a human male? She slowly rose and stretched. The morning light felt good on her tail, and she took comfort in the morning chill. She looked around, but she didn¡¯t recognize the room. Ralia scratched her neck and touched the collar around her neck. That¡¯s right. I¡¯m alone¡­Memories of last night returned and she looked around. The hero was nowhere to be found. ¡°What have I done?¡± Ralia hugged her tail tight, ¡°How could I have shown such weakness in front of a human, and a hero at that.¡± She remembered crying into Nathaniel¡¯s chest. The pain caused by the collar, and her own loneliness breaking her resolve. What¡¯s worse, she remembered his warmth as he comforted her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do,¡± Ralia took a deep breath, and the husky scent of a male invaded her nostrils. She sniffed around and found the smell coming from her tail. She growled in frustration as she threw her tail away and tore at her hair. Her face became unnaturally warm. He better be grateful! Ralia turned to the other side of the bed but found no one there. The only sign that Nathaniel was there was the wrinkled shirt in her hands. Ralia picked up the shirt and stepped into the common room. Nathaniel sat on the sofa reading while eating breakfast. Another plate sat on the table. He was fully dressed in a pair of leather pants, and a basic brown shirt and leather vest. His worn boots had an unnatural shine. ¡°Sleep well,¡± Nathaniel said. He coughed nervously and turned away, blushing heavily, ¡°Could you put some clothes on,¡± Ralia smiled. My body makes him nervous, good. She stood there for a few moments, enjoying the human squirming in front of her. ¡°As you command,¡± Ralia put on his shirt. It strained against her chest, and she had to pull it hard to get it to cover her hips. ¡°Did you have to use my shirt?¡± Ralia¡¯s smile widened, ¡°You told me to get dressed, so I did,¡± she said sitting down next to him. Nathaniel sighed and tried to ignore her exposed thighs, ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this too much,¡± ¡°Consider this revenge for last night,¡± Ralia said looking away, ¡°It¡¯s unbecoming to show weakness, especially to a human.¡± She plucked a slice of bacon from the plate. An awkward silence fell between them as Ralia continued eating. ¡°Are you not going to say anything?¡± ¡°About you sneaking into my bed naked,¡± ¡°About me trying to kill you,¡± Ralia cleared her throat and looked at him, ¡°Don¡¯t humans punish their slaves when they misbehave.¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s too easy,¡± he said, which caused Ralia to look at him confused. After a few deep breaths, he closed the book and looked at her, ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to punish you.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± she licked her fingers and grabbed another piece. ¡°Because I understand why you did it,¡± Nathaniel smiled, ¡°Besides, seeing you cry last night is enough punishment don¡¯t you think?¡± Ralia growled and turned away, trying to hide her flushed face, ¡°But I think it¡¯s important that we understand each other¡¯s abilities. Mind if I look at you stats?¡± Ralia nodded. Nathaniel opened his companion menu and pulled up Ralia¡¯s stats. Ralia: (Health 450/450) (Mana 150/150) ? Class: Slave (Dragon Knight: Locked) Lv. 31 ? Stats: (locked) o Strength: 95 o Dexterity: 80 o Constitution: 100 o Intelligence: 35 (Max) o Wisdom: 40 (Max) o Charisma: 60 (Max) ? Talents: o Chivalry (Advanced) ? Loyal knight o Polearm Master (Advanced) ? Lancer ? Skills: o Polearm (Spear) Lv. 55 o Polearm (Halberd) Lv. 45 o Shield Lv. 50 o Heavy Armor Lv. 60 ¡°Your level is thirty-one, impressive,¡± Nathaniel said looking through her stats, ¡°But why are some of your stats locked?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of the collar,¡± Ralia said with a sigh, ¡°You humans don¡¯t like it when monsters run wild.¡± ¡°Can I unlock them? I can!¡± [Master has unlocked your stat. Class: Dragon Knight restored.] Ralia looked at Nathaniel with wide eyes. ¡°Dragon Knight, is that a class unique to your kind?¡± ¡°I-it is,¡± Ralia said still shocked, ¡°My mother bestowed the class onto me a few days before our home was attacked.¡± ¡°How did she do that?¡± ¡°Through the dungeon core,¡± Nathaniel simply stared at her, ¡°Are you serious?¡± Ralia nodded, ¡°I need you to tell me everything thing she could do with her core.¡± ¡°Mother could do many things,¡± Ralia said, ¡°She used it to build us facilities to take care of our needs. She used it to manage our skill levels and bestow special classes to her favorite children. She even used it to increase or decrease our ranking.¡± ¡°Dungeon cores can change a person¡¯s rank,¡± Nathaniel held his head, ¡°These people are idiots,¡± he said, ¡°Thanks for telling me about this.¡± ¡°Your¡­welcome,¡± Nathaniel smiled politely, ¡°Go put some clothes on. The servants finished loading the last of the goods into the cart. Inside were four bars of Adamantium, three bars of Mithril, and two orichalcum. A trunk filled with magical tomes, and books on crafting magical items, and a crate filled with alchemical reagents, and valuable cloth. ¡°Are you sure about the cart?¡± Nathaniel said looking at Porman. ¡°Of course,¡± Porman said with a large smile, ¡°I see this as an investment into our fruitful partnership. I¡¯m constantly on the road since I must visit my trade houses in each city. Not to mention, I need to spend time with my other wives. So, it¡¯s more beneficial for you to bring your products here.¡± ¡°How¡­many wives do you have?¡± Nathaniel said quickly looking to Cymella who stood behind Porman. ¡°I have a wife in Gilbrant''s seven major cities, so, eight,¡± Porman said, ¡°Rumand is special since this is where I started out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand soon,¡± Cymella said with a smirk, ¡°It¡¯s important for capable men to have capable women at their side.¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, please feel free to call.¡± Her eyes glistened mischievously. ¡°You should watch out for her master,¡± Ralia said from the bench, ¡°I think she wants to devour you.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Nathaniel cleared his throat and climbed onto the bench, ¡°I¡¯ll see you all next month then,¡± he said trying to ignore Cymella¡¯s smile, ¡°Until then,¡± he cracked the whip to urge the drebin forward. ¡°Until we meet again!¡± Nathaniel gently guided the drebin through the streets and beyond the gates. The guards gave him a quick nod as the cart pulled onto the dirt road leading back to Treante. Nathaniel took a deep breath, enjoying the strong pine scent. ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re leaving that place,¡± Ralia said stretching, ¡°It was suffocating.¡± ¡°Oh, care to elaborate,¡± ¡°Those women wouldn¡¯t leave me alone,¡± Ralia said with a heavy sigh, ¡°Each night they demanded that I wash myself with their strange soap. Care to explain why it smells like food?¡± ¡°It¡¯s to attract men,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°¡¯The best way to a man¡¯s heart is through his stomach¡¯ as they said back in my world, and I think they have a similar saying here. Truthfully though, men like women who smell nice.¡± ¡°But it covers the pheromones,¡± Ralia said with a cocked eyebrow, ¡°How are you supposed to know when a woman wants to mate?¡± ¡°For me, [Intuition] will tell me,¡± Ralia gasped, ¡°You have [Intuition],¡± ¡°I do. I¡¯d show you my stats, but I don¡¯t know how.¡± ¡°You just have to desire it, and I¡¯ll be able to see.¡± Nathaniel brought up his menu and it suddenly appeared in front of Ralia. Her eyes narrowed as she read through it. Nathaniel Light: (Health: 300/300) (Mana: 80/80) ? Class: Inventor Lv. 43 ? Stats: o Strength: 45 (Max) o Dexterity: 50 (Max) o Constitution: 75 o Intelligence: 205 This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. o Wisdom: 85 (Max) o Charisma: 30 (Max) ? Talents+ o Innovation (Legendary) ? Creative Genius ? Crafter¡¯s eye o Intuition (Legendary) ? Crafter¡¯s Intuition ? Skills o Cooking Lv. 19 o Blacksmithing Lv. 52 o Armor smithing Lv. 43 o Alchemy Lv. 20 o Smelting Lv. 54 o Weapon smithing Lv. 31 o Runesmith Lv. 54 o Leatherwork Lv. 32 o Masonry Lv. 17 o Carpentry Lv. 24 o Sewing Lv. 32 o Arcana: 13 o Single-handed (sword) Lv. 9 o Shield Lv. 9 o Bow craft Lv. 14 o Fletching Lv. 13 o Trap making Lv. Lv. 14 Her glare made Nathaniel sweat, ¡°You are level forty-one.¡± ¡°I am,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I leveled up right before my trip. I wasn¡¯t expecting to need twenty skill levels to level up.¡± ¡°The skill requirement doubles with each breaker level,¡± Ralia said, ¡°But still, you¡¯ll have an easier time getting to higher levels than me.¡± She sighed heavily, ¡°My talents only boost polearm skills.¡± ¡°How many polearm skills are there?¡± ¡°You have spear, halberd, staff, and glaive, so four,¡± Ralia¡¯s shoulder slumped, ¡°Mastery of those skills end at level one hundred-fifty because not many choose to learn those skills, so new martial techniques are hardly developed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s more weapons than those,¡± Nathaniel said trying to rack his brain, ¡°And if not, I¡¯ll create new ones,¡± he smiled at her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Ralia, I see to it that you get to level one hundred.¡± Ralia turned away, ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool, I¡¯ll never get that high.¡± They continued down the road in silence. The winter chill still hung around despite the sun being at its peak, and the wilderness around them was quiet. Ralia¡¯s tail thumped against the wagon, and she turned back to him. ¡°Why did you say that?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m going to reach level one hundred,¡± Nathaniel said with a soft smile, ¡°But even if I reach it, I¡¯ll never be more than a crafter. I need someone I can trust to compensate for my weakness.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you mean control,¡± Ralia fingered her collar. ¡°Frankly¡­I hate that I gave in so easily,¡± Nathaniel¡¯s eyes turned cold, ¡°But Pomran was right. This is a different world, and I need to be rational,¡± Ralia gave him a strange look, ¡°It wasn¡¯t until I had to fend for myself, did I realize how fortunate I was back home. What would you think of a society in which food was thrown away in abundance, where people camped in the wilderness for fun, or where you didn¡¯t need to walk to get to places?¡± ¡°Such a place doesn¡¯t exist,¡± Ralia said with a smirk, ¡°But if it did, then it would be a land in which the streets are paved with gold and buildings made of diamonds.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t have streets of gold, but most people were wealthy, more than they realized,¡± Nathaniel said with a sad smile, ¡°Having to watch people sell themselves just to live makes me realize how easy my life was. I wonder if the other heroes realized this?¡± ¡°Then why not get the heroes to support you?¡± Ralia said. ¡°Because I don¡¯t trust the Champion and Ranger,¡± Nathaniel laughed, ¡°And from what I¡¯ve heard, they¡¯re just as bad now as when we first arrived,¡± he gave her a warm smile, ¡°I think I can trust you. If anything, you¡¯re earnest, and I like how loyal you are to Ysa¡¯Meera. It¡¯s a trait I¡¯ve come to cherish a lot lately.¡± Ralia huffed, ¡°Mother was worth it,¡± she gave Nathaniel a sad look, ¡°Did¡­someone betray you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nathaniel¡¯s eyes dulled, ¡°He abandoned me when I needed him most, but my friends came to save me. Only for them to end up dying.¡± Ralia frowned, ¡°If you are alive because of their deaths, then you should honor them by living every day to the fullest,¡± ¡°I plan to, but I can¡¯t do it alone. Will you help me Ralia?¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°And in return, I¡¯ll help you kick the Champion¡¯s ass.¡± Before she could answer, a tree fell onto the road in front of them. The drebin panicked and Nathaniel held the reins tightly to get the beast under control. Finally, it calmed down, but five men stepped out from the wilderness. Four wielded rusted short swords and a fifth wielded a bow. ¡°Get down from the wagon,¡± the largest man said, ¡°Except for you lass. You¡¯re coming with us.¡± Nathaniel reached behind him and grabbed a sword and shield, ¡°Sorry gentlemen, but I can¡¯t do that,¡± he said jumping down. He turned to Ralia, ¡°I think I can handle this.¡± ¡°Got ourselves a hero,¡± the bandits laughed, ¡°Kill him.¡± The archer shot an arrow at Nathaniel, but he ducked behind his shield. The arrow struck the metal and fell to the ground, but a rune on the shield glowed, and three bolts of lightning shot out and struck the archer and two other bandits. They fell to the ground with smoke rising from their bodies. The bandits gawked at the bodies, and Nathaniel charged forward and struck at the bandit leader. The leader blocked the attack, ¡°What the fuck! Where¡¯d you get that shield?¡± ¡°Not telling.¡± Nathaniel said, striking again. Ralia stared in awe. Three bandits laid dead after Nathaniel¡¯s shield struck them with lightning. Mother, what happened? She saw, but she couldn¡¯t believe it, and now Nathaniel was fighting against two other bandits. Nathaniel went in for a strike, but staggered as he tripped over a rock. One of the bandits took advantage and stabbed Nathaniel. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t result in a deep cut, and Nathaniel was able to recover. I see what he means. Ralia tapped her lower lip. A bandit went in for a strike, but Nathaniel raised his shield. The bandit flinched and backed off. He¡¯s able to fend off the two of them thanks to that shield. Otherwise, they¡¯d have killed him already. The wagon shook, and Ralia felt cold metal against her neck. ¡°Not so fast,¡± the bandit whispered pressing his knife against her neck. His other hand groped at her right breast, ¡°You may be a monster, but I admit, you have a great body.¡± Ralia growled and slammed her tail up hard. The bandit screamed, and she threw him off the wagon. She felt something warm run down her neck, and her fingers came back red when she touched it. ¡°Filthy human,¡± Ralia said jumping down and kicking him, ¡°No one¡¯s allowed to touch me without my permission!¡± ¡°Ralia!¡± someone grabbed her shoulder, and she turned to claw their face. She stopped when she noticed it was Nathaniel, ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± She noticed the other two bandits lying in pools of their own blood. Ralia continued kicking the bandit, ¡°This filth touched me!¡± she said, ¡°He needs to learn his place.¡± Nathaniel pulled her away and approached the bandit. The bandit raised his hand, pleading, but Nathaniel brought the blade down piercing his neck. Nathaniel cleaned off the blood, and then pulled out a health potion from his pocket. ¡°Drink this,¡± he said handing her the vial, ¡°This will tend to that wound.¡± Ralia downed the potion and felt the pain in her neck subside. She ran a finger over the wound. There was no trace of a scar. ¡°You should drink one too,¡± Ralia said when she noticed the many cuts across his body. ¡°That was my only one,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I should have some bandages to treat these cuts though.¡± ¡°Fool, if you only had one then you should have drunk it,¡± Ralia¡¯s tail slapped the ground kicking up dust, ¡°My wound was barely a cut.¡± Nathaniel laughed, ¡°You¡¯re probably right, but I saw you were hurt and decided to give it to you.¡± Ralia turned around and growled. Damn human, what is he thinking? ¡°Ralia,¡± ¡°What,¡± her face was feeling unnaturally warm. ¡°Your tail¡­¡± All the heat drained from her face, and she quickly turned around. Her tail had wrapped around Nathaniel¡¯s waist, and her movements caused the two of them to press together, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Ralia was unable to look at him, ¡°It¡­has a mind of its own.¡± Thanks to the bandit attack, it was pretty much nighttime when they entered Treante. ¡°There¡¯s someplace I want to stop by first,¡± Nathaniel said urging the wagon through the village, ¡°After that, we can go home.¡± ¡°Home¡­it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had one,¡± Ralia said twirling her hair. She growled and her tail thumped hard against the wagon. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Ralia¡¯s tail thumped the wagon again, ¡°Just fine.¡± Get a hold of yourself! Ralia kept sneaking glances at Nathaniel. Her emotions made her inside twist uncomfortably. He¡¯s one of the heroes. He¡¯ll have to work with them in the future, and I¡¯ll never forgive them for killing Mother. But¡­he did put my well-being first. The wagon came to a stop. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Nathaniel jumped off the wagon. Ralia looked around in confusion. They were sitting at the bottom of the mountains next to the cave entrance. Ralia jumped down herself and joined Nathaniel but growled when a group of strange creatures flew out of the cave. They looked like octopi with lightning striking in their glass heads. Nathaniel placed a hand on her shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± he said, ¡°They¡¯re friendly.¡± ¡°What are they?¡± Nathaniel gestured for her to follow, ¡°My minions,¡± Ralia stared at the creatures as she followed Nathaniel. Lanterns properly lit the tunnel. It¡¯s wooden supports made it look closer to mine, that is, until they came to a set of thick metals doors with a red glass hemisphere sitting above it. The doors slid open, and light flooded into the tunnel. It¡¯s like they stepped into another world. The walls were made of pristine metal with bright white lights running along the floor and ceiling. Ralia¡¯s tail shot straight up as a group of flying metal balls gathered around them. She clung tightly to Nathaniel and let out a deep growl. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to fear,¡± Nathaniel patted her hand. Ralia buried her face into his back. What¡¯s wrong with me? ¡°That¡¯s enough Seneschal, she¡¯s with me.¡± The orbs chirped in response then flew off. ¡°More of your minions?¡± Ralia said, her left hand held her tail tightly. ¡°They are,¡± Nathaniel said, continuing down the hallway, ¡°They¡¯re designed to defend the dungeon.¡± ¡°Dungeon!¡± They stepped up to another set of doors that immediately opened. The room was massive. Walls fifteen feet tall made of the same metal as the hallway. Metal counters with strange glowing lights were placed around the room, and at its center was the largest dungeon core Ralia had ever seen. It¡¯s bigger than Mother''s! ¡°I apologize for scaring our guest,¡± a voice echoed throughout the room causing Ralia to tighten her grip on Nathaniel. ¡°No need to be afraid ma¡¯am. Master Nathaniel has designated you as a guest.¡± ¡°Where are you,¡± Ralia said looking around, ¡°What are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m master Nathaniel''s dungeon assistant,¡± it said, ¡°You may address me as Seneschal.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m Ralia,¡± she said prying herself off Nathaniel, ¡°He purchased me in Rumand.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you Lady Ralia,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°Should I add lady Ralia as an administrator?¡± ¡°What would that do?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°It¡¯ll give Lady Ralia limited authority over the dungeon,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have the ability to create new facilities but can spawn new minions and control existing ones and can use lower-level dungeon master abilities.¡± ¡°Do it,¡± [Congratulations, you have been made an administrator.] Dungeon Master Menu Dungeon Core Lv. 21 (Energy: 450/900) ? Functions o Warp (Lv.2) o Advanced Minion control (Lv. 5) o Dungeon Assistant (Lv. 10) o Dungeon energy control (Lv. 15) o Minor Core Extraction (Lv. 20) ? Minions (100/240) ? Domain ¡°Level¡­twenty-one,¡± Ralia gawked, ¡°How?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been periodically feeding the core resources,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°This ¡®Minor Core Extraction¡¯ is new.¡± ¡°I rescanned the area and found a gold resource node about twenty feet up in the mountain,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°It was quite large, and I was able to use it to level up the core twice while you were away. It¡¯ll allow us to spend core levels to extract cores of similar levels.¡± ¡°So, if I extracted a level two core, then the main core would drop to nineteen?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Nathaniel scratched his chin, ¡°Seneschal, do the robots have ranks?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Seneschal said pulling up a menu, ¡°Here you can see the level, ranks, and skills of all minions.¡± ¡°What would it cost to raise their rank?¡± Seneschal was silent for a moment, ¡°It looks like it would cost levels to increase a minion¡¯s rank. Would you like me to do that?¡± ¡°Not right now,¡± Nathaniel said turning to Ralia, ¡°Do you want to see the rest of the dungeon?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± She followed Nathaniel through a set of doors and down the hall until they came to a large chamber. Forges, smelters, looms, and other crafting stations were organized in this room. More of those strange robots manned the stations. They stood about six feet tall with six arms, four on the back and two at their side, and four legs that reminded her of a spider. Various tools were attached to the hands on the arms on their backs. Their triangular heads had six glowing eyes. They remind me of the kuroban. ¡°This is the fabrication bay,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°The fabricator bots convert raw resources into materials that I use for my inventions.¡± ¡°Is that all they do?¡± ¡°A few fabricators make the products I sell to Porman, but they¡¯ll be instrumental for the future.¡± Nathaniel led her down the hall. It turned to the left while a door with red paint stood in front of them. The door opened and another robot came through it. ¡°That¡¯s an extractor. It mines the raw resources.¡± He turned down the hall and came to another door. This was the largest room Ralia had seen. Strange metal cocoons hung from the ceiling. Ralia flinched when they started moving along the ceiling, and one cocoon separated from the others. The cocoon moved along metal bars to the wall and slid down the wall until it reached the floor. The cocoon opened with a strange hiss, and a large robot with a single eye stepped out. ¡°This is the robot maintenance bay,¡± Nathaniel said with a smile, ¡°This is where the robots come for repairs and to recharge. That big robot is a guardian. They¡¯re responsible for taking out the bigger threats to the dungeon. I think I¡¯ll test advancing ranks on them.¡± ¡°How many of them are there?¡± ¡°We have five,¡± Nathaniel said leading her down the hall, ¡°I decided not to summon more since they take up two minion slots.¡± He stopped by a small door, ¡°This is my personal workshop. This is where I work on my projects, I don¡¯t want others to know about.¡± They turned down another hallway and came to a large set of thick metal doors with a strange glass panel on the side. Nathaniel touched the panel and the thick doors opened enough for them to walk through. Large shelves were evenly spaced and filled with large metal crates. An extractor, with a basket full of gold ore, pulled down a crate and opened it. It was filled to the brim with gold ore. Ralia stared at the gold, breathing heavily. ¡°This is the vault,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°All our materials are stockpiled here for use.¡± He tapped Ralia¡¯s shoulder and pulled her back. They followed the hallway back to the core room. ¡°What do you think?¡± The battle within Ralia ended. A twinge of guilt gripped her as she smiled at Nathaniel. Forgive me Mother. Ralia sidled up to him, ¡°I think I¡¯ll do well here, Master.¡± Ch.14 Rivals Sierra couldn¡¯t stop herself from smiling. Nathaniel should have returned yesterday. She walked down the streets carrying a basket with a steaming meat pie and warm honey buns. She spent all morning making them. I hope he enjoys them. ¡°Did you see her this morning?¡± Sierra passed a couple of housewives gossiping by the well. ¡°I did! I wasn¡¯t expecting him to come back with a monster.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think¡­¡± ¡°He is an unmarried man.¡± What are they talking about? Sierra eyed them with confusion. She shook her head and continued down the street. Nathaniel¡¯s house came into view, and she ran to the door. He should be up by now. She knocked on the door. Sierra heard steps approaching and she quickly straightened out her dress. The door opened, and for a moment she forgot to breathe. A woman with golden blonde hair stood in front of her, and Sierra suddenly became conscious of her own figure. The woman¡¯s large bust and wide hips made her envious, and her sharp blue eyes were beautiful, but Sierra couldn¡¯t stop staring at the dark blue horns poking out from her hair and the thick dragon tail swaying behind her. ¡°What do you want?¡± the woman sneered. Sierra gawked, ¡°Who are you!¡± she said, ¡°What are you doing in Nathaniel¡¯s house?¡± ¡°I live here,¡± the woman said tossing her long hair, ¡°If you have no other business here, then leave.¡± The woman slammed the door in Sierra¡¯s face. The nerve! Sierra pounded on the door again. The door opened, ¡°What is-¡± Sierra pushed past her. ¡°Nathaniel!¡± The woman¡¯s tail slammed in front of her. ¡°How dare you barge in here!¡± she said, ¡°The master is busy and doesn¡¯t want to be disturbed.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on out here?¡± Nathaniel looked down on them from the second floor. ¡°Forgive me master. I didn¡¯t mean to disturb your sleep,¡± the woman bowed, ¡°This girl barged into the house and started causing an uproar. I was about to throw her out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine Ralia,¡± Nathaniel said coming downstairs, ¡°Sierra¡¯s a good friend.¡± ¡°Nathaniel, who is she!¡± Sierra said glaring at the woman. ¡°This is Ralia. She¡¯s a slave I purchased in Rumand.¡± Sierra¡¯s mind went blank, ¡°S-slave,¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Ralia smiled as she snuggled up to Nathaniel, ¡°Truthfully, he pretty much stole me for what he paid,¡± Her smile grew as she stared down at Sierra, ¡°But it shouldn¡¯t be a surprise that he bought me. I was the best of the lot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not saying much considering the only other slave worth buying was an orc.¡± Ralia laughed while she dug her nails into his arm. ¡°But¡­why her?¡± Of all the women, why a monster? ¡°Because she can be useful,¡± Nathaniel said with a sigh, ¡°Ralia is level thirty-one, and has high levels in several martial skills. The village could use someone like her.¡± ¡°What do we have to worry about!¡± Sierra glared at him. Nathaniel simply stared back at her, ¡°Just because all the fighting is away from us doesn¡¯t mean we shouldn''t be prepared,¡± he said, ¡°We were attacked by bandits yesterday on our way back. Thankfully it was only a handful of them, but what if they were a larger force. Do you think we could fight against them?¡± Sierra¡¯s head fell, ¡°No,¡± Auntie told me this would happen. Tears started welling up in her eyes. ¡°What smells good?¡± Sierra gawked as Nathaniel gave her a small smile. She wiped her eyes, ¡°I thought you might be hungry, so I made a meat pie and some honey buns,¡± she said. ¡°Would you like to eat with us?¡± Nathaniel said with a smile. ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°Ralia and I will set the table if you¡¯ll set out the food,¡± Sierra nodded and headed into the dining room. She pulled out the warm pie and set the pan near the head of the table, and she left the honey buns in the basket. I should put them on a plate. She headed to the kitchen. Nathaniel reached into the upper cabinets to pull out three of his copper mugs while Ralia grabbed the silverware and plates. The dragon-heart noticed her and gave her a vicious smile. Her tail wrapped around Nathaniel¡¯s waist with the tip rubbing against his thigh. ¡°Ralia, your tail,¡± Nathaniel said with a nervous chuckle. Ralia pulled Nathaniel back and embraced him, ¡°I¡¯m sorry master,¡± she said, her smile growing when she saw Sierra gawking, ¡°It has a mind of its own.¡± She rested her head on his shoulder. Sierra bit her thumb and screamed internally. That filthy monster! Nathaniel freed himself from her clutches, ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for playing,¡± he said, ¡°Go set the table.¡± Ralia sauntered towards the dining room as she gave Sierra a toothy grin. Her tail snapped at Sierra¡¯s feet when she passed. Sierra glared at the monster. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about her,¡± Sierra turned to see Nathaniel looking at her, ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Sierra said twirling a lock of hair, ¡°May I have a plate for the honey buns?¡± Nathaniel gave her a plate and they headed back into the dining room. Ralia had set the table, with one plate on the other end of the table. She sat in the chair next to the one clearly meant for Nathaniel snacking on a bun. Sierra groaned as she plated the buns, and brought the other plate next to Nathaniel. The meal went by with relative peace. Nathaniel caught her up on what happened in Rumand, and Sierra caught him up on the very little that happened. Ralia wasn¡¯t paying attention, she was too busy wolfing down the third helping of pie. ¡°While I¡¯m here,¡± Sierra wiped down her mouth, ¡°Could you make me more undergarments.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°How many pairs?¡± Ralia perked up, ¡°Undergarments?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like enough for a week,¡± Sierra said, ¡°My old ones¡­are getting worn out.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go get your measurements then,¡± Nathaniel rose from the table. Sierra rose and gave Ralia a smirk as she followed. Ralia shoveled the last of her food and ran after them. Nathaniel led them to a room on the bottom floor. Several spools of fabric hung from racks on the wall, and a loom sat in the corner. Sierra hadn¡¯t been in here since Lydia passed a few months ago. Sierra stepped behind the paper curtain and pulled off her dress. She patted her cheeks, hoping to chase away the blush, and stepped out. The simple black bra and panty, as Lydia had called them, did little to accentuate her curves, and the frayed ends and missing threads were evident. ¡°I see what you mean,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°May I?¡± Sierra nodded, and Nathaniel gently touched her shoulder. She tried to hold back a shiver. He went over to a workstation and pulled out a measuring rope. Nathaniel approached her, ¡°Arms up please,¡± Sierra raised her arms, and blushed heavily as he wrapped the string around her, ¡°You can lower them now,¡± She did that, then squeaked when he tightened the string. Nathaniel loosened the string and kneeled to take her hip measurements. ¡°What colors were you wanting?¡± Nathaniel rose and put the string away. ¡°I was wanting something more¡­mature,¡± Sierra said, ¡°Something that¡­men might find attractive.¡± Why is it so hot. ¡°Mature and seductive,¡± Nathaniel said. Why did he have to say that! ¡°Black and red are good colors, but I think you¡¯d look good in yellow and light blue.¡± He checked the colored cloths, ¡°Do those colors work.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sierra finished getting dressed. ¡°I¡¯ll get started on them today,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I¡¯ll have them done by the end of this week.¡± ¡°Thanks Nathaniel,¡± Sierra smiled as she gave him a hug before leaving. Ralia was happy that the little imp finally left. She snorted in contempt and headed back to the sewing room. Nathaniel stood by the workstation, color coordinating the fabric with lace and thread. She sauntered over and leaned against the table. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to treat her like that,¡± Nathaniel said glancing at her. Ralia pouted, ¡°I found her rude and bothersome,¡± ¡°Sierra is the closest thing to family I have in this world,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be friends, but I want you to stop antagonizing her, understand?¡± ¡°Yes master,¡± Nathaniel gave her a smile of approval and returned to his work. He carefully selected the colors until he had five different sets. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What¡¯s with those strange undergarments,¡± Ralia said, ¡°Do human males truly find them attractive?¡± ¡°They did back in my world,¡± Nathaniel gave a slight chuckle. Ralia looked back at the cloth, ¡°I would like some too,¡± ¡°You want lingerie too!¡± Nathaniel gawked at her. ¡°Yes,¡± Ralia said taking her top off, ¡°Take my measurements.¡± ¡°Put your blouse back on,¡± Nathaniel sighed heavily, ¡°I¡¯ll use my [Intuition] to get your measurements.¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t do that with the girl,¡± Nathaniel rubbed his face, ¡°She doesn¡¯t know about my legendary talents. Now put your shirt back on!¡± ¡°Measurements first,¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Nathaniel said. Ralia smiled as she pulled off her skirt, ¡°Why are you women so damn pushy.¡± Sierra couldn¡¯t stop herself from smiling. She knocked on the door as she hummed to herself. Nathaniel opened the door and smiled at her. ¡°Morning Sierra,¡± Nathaniel said letting her in, ¡°You can head on into the sewing room, I need to sharpen my shears first.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Sierra watched Nathaniel disappear into the forge before she headed to the sewing room. Her smile grew, and she could help but skip to the room. She stepped into the room, and her heart fell. Ralia stood in front of a mirror, checking herself out in her undergarments. Her undergarments were made of a dark blue material with black lace and golden stitching. Sierra stared in shock because Ralia¡¯s pants left her cheeks exposed save for a single string that connected to a small triangular patch in the front. ¡°I don¡¯t like you,¡± Sierra noticed Ralia staring at her. Sierra crossed her arms, ¡°I don¡¯t like you either,¡± she said. Ralia smirked as she cocked her hip. ¡°Why did Nathaniel buy you?¡± Ralia snickered, which caused Sierra to glare, ¡°I can think of a few reasons,¡± she said running her hand over her body, ¡°A human male once told me I had an attractive figure.¡± ¡°Are you even attracted to Nathaniel!¡± Sierra said with a glare. ¡°Of course,¡± ¡°But¡­don¡¯t monsters think humans are ugly?¡± Ralia looked confused, ¡°What does looks have to do with it?¡± she said, ¡°A female should find a mate that can provide and protect her and her offspring,¡± she started laughing, ¡°Is that why humans are weak, because you choose mates solely on their looks?¡± Sierra couldn¡¯t stop herself from blushing, ¡°Shut up! I¡¯m not going to let you have your way with Nathaniel.¡± Ralia¡¯s smile vanished and she slowly approached her. The monstrous woman¡¯s presence caused Sierra to hold her breath. Sierra backed away until she came up to the wall, and was forced to look up at Ralia. ¡°How do you plan to stop me?¡± Ralia¡¯s cold stare caused a shiver to run down her spine. The words wouldn¡¯t come. Ralia sneered, ¡°What does the master see in you,¡± she said, ¡°You want to be his mate, but here you are, cowering in my shadow. The master deserves strong females at his side, not crying children,¡± she turned and slapped Sierra across the cheek with her tail, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go find some boy to satisfy you and leave the men to real women.¡± ¡°I¡­I am a woman!¡± ¡°You are a child thinking she is a woman,¡± Ralia said turning to face her. Sierra hated how confident and proud she stood, ¡°The master will perform great deeds, but those deeds will easily crush him if he¡¯s not supported. That¡¯s why he needs strong women at his side. You are not one.¡± Sierra couldn¡¯t stop the tears, ¡°And you are!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ralia said looking over her shoulder at her reflection. Scaly stubs protruded from her shoulder blades, ¡°I¡¯ve already lost my family, and I will not lose another one.¡± Her gaze softened, ¡°I care about him, and he cares about you. I fear what might happen if something happened to you, and the last thing I want is to see him suffer because of your weakness.¡± Sierra¡¯s clenched her fists. I hate her, but¡­ Auntie said the same thing. ¡°How¡­ do I¡­ become strong?¡± ¡°Struggle, and win.¡± Sierra¡¯s head throbbed as she walked down the street, and she hugged the package that carried her clothes tightly. Ralia¡¯s words stung, but it was the truth behind them that brought the most pain. She wasn¡¯t paying attention and ended up walking into something hard. Sierra screamed as she fell onto the ground. ¡°Are you all right miss?¡± a tall man leaned down and helped her back to her feet. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine,¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± the man said, ¡°Does this village have a healer? My friend¡¯s hurt.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have a healer, but we do have a priestess,¡± Sierra said. ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± he said, ¡°Would you mind helping me with him?¡± Sierra nodded and followed him. He led her to the brush on the edge of village, and he pushed into the wilderness. He led her deeper into the forest, and Sierra couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. ¡°How much farther?¡± Sierra looked around trying to see anyone. ¡°Not far,¡± Sierra screamed as someone grabbed her from behind and lifted her off the ground. Two other men stepped out of the brush, and they tied her hands and feet together. They then gagged her with a wadded-up cloth. ¡°Sorry about this miss,¡± the man gave her a sad smile, ¡°But we need you to come with us.¡± Sierra screamed against the cloth as she was tossed over someone¡¯s shoulder. They continued pushing deeper into the forest. Sierra struggled, hoping that she could get free, but the man tightened his grip around her waist. ¡°Please behave miss,¡± the large man carrying her said, ¡°We don¡¯t want to hurt you, but if you keep struggling then I might have to.¡± Sierra stopped. They continued walking through the wilderness, and she was forced to watch the ground move beneath them. The morning chill was starting to lessen, and the traces of winter were starting to disappear. Then, beyond the sounds of the forest, Sierra could hear the sounds of people. ¡°So, this her?¡± Sierra heard another voice but couldn¡¯t see the person. ¡°Yes boss,¡± she recognized the voice of the man that led her into this trap. ¡°Put her over there so I can speak with her,¡± Sierra screamed as the man dropped her onto the ground. The boss looked like a soldier with his metal breast plate and short hair. ¡°My men weren¡¯t too rough with you, were they?¡± he pulled off her gag. ¡°What do you want with me?¡± Sierra said, looking around. Their camp was small with only a few tents around a fire. ¡°We¡¯re here to send a message, nothing more,¡± ¡°A¡­ message to who?¡± ¡°Your friend the crafter,¡± the boss said, ¡°He¡¯s made some powerful people angry, and they want him to stop. You¡¯ll be free to go once he pays the ransom.¡± ¡°But¡­ who,¡± ¡°None of your concerns miss. I suggest you relax until your crafter friend arrives.¡± Sierra stared at the eight men surrounding her. They were heavily armed and most wore simple coats with leather greaves and bracers, but even she could see how well trained they were. She curled up into herself and laid on her side. She felt cold despite the blazing fire. Ralia finished cleaning up the few dishes that filled the wooden tub in the kitchen. After that, she walked to the forge and watched as Nathaniel took stock of his supplies. Sierra¡¯s words echoed in her head. It¡¯s true that she didn¡¯t find Nathaniel physically attractive. He lacked the bulging muscles that she was used to seeing on male dragon-hearts, and the lack of tail, horns, and wings made him look incomplete, but it wasn¡¯t his physical appearance that attracted her. Mother always emphasized judging a mate by their potential hoard. Ralia smiled as she remembered the vault. Even though it lacked precious metals and gems, the sheer size of it showed of Nathaniel¡¯s intent. No one builds that large a vault without a desire to fill it. Then, there was the dungeon core. Just remembering the size of the core made her tail shiver and face flush. She even felt her wing stubs twitch at the memory. Mother¡¯s core was level eight, to see one that¡¯s level twenty is¡­exhilarating. A loud knock broke her trance, and she glared at the door. Ralia threw the door open, ready to unleash her wrath upon the fool, but no one was there. She could smell the faint trace of a male, one that hadn¡¯t bathed in weeks, but he clearly ran away before she got to the door. She did, however, notice a note that was nailed to the door. Ralia read the note. Her fingers tore into the parchment, and it fell apart in front of her. That foolish girl! ¡°Who was it Ralia?¡± Nathaniel said from behind her. ¡°No one,¡± Ralia said closing the door, ¡°Just some fool causing trouble.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Nathaniel said with a sigh, ¡°I take it you¡¯ll handled it?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Ralia said with a vicious smile, ¡°Master, do you have any spears made. I have a sudden need to do some training.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not the best, but I do have some in the forge,¡± Nathaniel said giving her a serious look, ¡°Will those do?¡± ¡°Yes master,¡± Ralia stormed into the forge. ¡°Ralia,¡± she turned to see Nathaniel looking at her, ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± ¡°Meet me in the dungeon when you¡¯re done.¡± Sierra shivered against the cold ground. The sun was starting to sink in the east, and the men were huddled against the fire. A ninth man had appeared from the woods a few hours ago, and now they were waiting for Nathaniel. Please, don¡¯t come. Sierra kept eyeing the wilderness. ¡°He should be here soon,¡± the boss said looking at her, ¡°Soon this will all be over.¡± ¡°Are you sure,¡± the tall lanky man said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we kill the crafter then sell her into slavery in Umvral. I hear you don¡¯t need a contract to sell human slaves there.¡± ¡°Because the Guild doesn¡¯t want him dead you fool,¡± The boss glared, ¡°They want him to stop supplying Quarmane, and come under their authority.¡± The Guild! ¡°So that¡¯s what this is about?¡± Everyone turned to the dragon-heart woman standing at the edge of camp, ¡°You humans always try to bring down those stronger than you.¡± Her grip tightened around the shaft of her spear. ¡°Where¡¯s the crafter?¡± ¡°Not coming,¡± Ralia said glaring at them, ¡°I¡¯m not letting the master get caught up in your ridiculous plans.¡± ¡°Too bad,¡± the boss said, ¡°Maybe sending back your heads will be a clearer message.¡± The bandits drew their weapons and approached Ralia. A shallow smile came to her lips as she spun the spear around. The bandits charged. ¡°[Rapid Thrusts]¡± Ralia stabbed at the bandits with multiple fast thrusts. Ralia spear pieced through the hearts of five bandits. The four remaining bandits circled Ralia and attacked her at once. Ralia deflected the attacks and swung the spear hitting two bandits in the head with the butt of her spear. She stabbed forward and pierced the neck of one bandit, and then danced out of the way of another attack. She slapped away an attack with her tail as she struck down another bandit. The boss took to fighting Ralia head on keeping her distracted from the second bandit. Sierra struggled against her bonds as she watched the second bandit circle around Ralia. She couldn¡¯t get the ropes to loosen, so she started crawling on the ground. The dirt and sticks dug into her, but she kept going. The second bandit charged at Ralia¡¯s back, but Sierra jumped and grabbed onto one of his legs causing him to fall. The bandit fell to the ground and glared at her. He kicked at her, ¡°Let go¡­¡± his words were cut short when Ralia stabbed him in the throat. The bandit boss staggered back from the death of his men and fled. Ralia chased after him. ¡°[Dragon Lance]¡± Golden light enveloped the spear as it sped through the air and struck the boss¡¯ back. The shaft of the spear broke, and the bandit¡¯s body fell to the floor. Ralia threw away the broken weapon and approached Sierra. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Ralia said undoing her bonds. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Sierra said, trying to ignore the pain in her shoulder from where the bandit kicked her. She was covered in small cuts from crawling on the ground. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Ralia said with a small smile, ¡°The master would be upset if you were badly injured.¡± ¡°Did Nathaniel send you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ralia helped her to her feet, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him you were taken, and I couldn¡¯t let these bandits cause him any more trouble. So, I came to deal with them myself.¡± Sierra nodded solemnly, ¡°Thank you for helping,¡± Ralia smirked, ¡°You¡¯re not nearly as weak as I thought you were.¡± ¡°Y-your welcome,¡± Ralia pushed her away from the camp, ¡°Let¡¯s get you back home,¡± Nathaniel stood by the dungeon core looking over the domain map. The extractors were working on expanding the dungeon upwards into the mountain. The door to the main entrance hissed open and Ralia stepped inside. She no longer held her weapon, and blood coated the bottom of her skirt. ¡°Take care of everything?¡± Nathaniel said, looking at her. ¡°Yes master,¡± Ralia said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the spear broke during my training.¡± ¡°Is Sierra safe?¡± Ralia sighed deeply, ¡°Yes master,¡± she said, ¡°Give her a few days and she¡¯ll be as good as new.¡± ¡°Who was it?¡± Nathaniel said he hid his clenched fist behind his back. ¡°They were bandits hired by the guild,¡± Ralia handed him a letter, ¡°I found this on the leader.¡± Nathaniel read the letter. He sneered and threw it into the dungeon core. ¡°Thank you for taking care of her,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°But you should have told me something was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have to use [Intuition] to figure it out.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to worry master,¡± Ralia bowed, ¡°After all, you wanted to take full advantage of my martial skills. I will do everything I can to protect you and those closest to you.¡± ¡°Very well, but be honest with me next time,¡± Nathaniel said with a small smile, ¡°As a reward, I¡¯ll start working on some proper gear for you,¡± He turned to the core, ¡°But I don¡¯t want this happening again.¡± Nathaniel opened the minion menu and created a new minion. It was the size of a hawk with four thin blade-like wings. The central body was spherical with a singular red eye that could freely move around the body. Small blue jets of fire kept the robot aloft and propelled it forward. ¡°I should have created these recon bots sooner,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Seneschal, create enough of these to properly patrol around Treante. I don¡¯t want this to happen again.¡± ¡°Yes master,¡± Seneschal said creating thirty more robots. Nathaniel rubbed his face, ¡°Dammit, I wasn¡¯t expecting the guild to interfere,¡± he said heading towards his workshop, ¡°Have the fabricators ramp up production, and have the parts brought to me immediately.¡± I can¡¯t let this happen again. Ch.15 Coming Spring Transfiguration Runes Ralia walked around Nathaniel¡¯s dungeon workshop. Strange workstations she had never seen lined the walls, and a central table filled with various items sat in the center. Nathaniel was working in the corner carving runes into a bronze dagger with an oversized hilt. Ralia picked up one of the strange items. It was a metal sphere with multiple runes carved into it. A circular rune with a single curved line inside it glowed, but there was a cube shaped rune and a pyramid shaped rune on it as well. Another rune sat on the top of the sphere. ¡°What are these things?¡± Ralia said, looking to Nathaniel. Nathaniel turned to her, ¡°Experiments,¡± he said going back to work, ¡°I¡¯m testing to see how powerful runes really are. So far, they are extremely powerful.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°See that touch rune on the top of the sphere, touch it.¡± Nathaniel smiled at her. Ralia gave him a confused look but pressed the rune. She yelled as the metal moved in her hand and dropped in onto the table. The outer surface of the sphere shifted. She stared amazed as the round edges flattened and a cube sat where the sphere once was. ¡°Apparently runes have the ability to change an object¡¯s shape, as long as there¡¯s enough mass to do so,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Pick up that rod and press the touch rune but point the ends away from you.¡± Ralia held the rod at a distance and pushed the rune. One end of the rod shot out until it hit the wall. Despite the rod¡¯s extension, it felt no heavier than when it was little. ¡°How,¡± Ralia stared in shock. ¡°That rune uses the object¡¯s internal mass to increase its length. The problem is that weakens the object.¡± Ralia pressed the rune, and the rod shrank. When she set it down, she noticed notches in the rod from her fingers. ¡°I see what you mean,¡± Ralia said, ¡°But why create such a rune?¡± ¡°For this,¡± Nathaniel showed her the bronze dagger. He pressed a rune on the hilt and the blade extended to the length of a short sword, ¡°If I pair the extension rune with a strengthening and durability rune, I can make swords that take up the same amount of space as a dagger. I can even apply it to weapons such as polearms and great swords.¡± ¡°But¡­why?¡± Ralia said. Nathaniel scratched his stubbly chin, ¡°How do you carry a polearm over long distances?¡± ¡°In your hands,¡± Ralia said still not understanding, ¡°Polearms are often too large to be carried any other way.¡± ¡°What if you could shrink it so that it straps to you hip?¡± Ralia stared at him for a few moments, until it finally dawned on her, ¡°You can free up your hands!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°You¡¯ll be able to stow away larger weapons, but you¡¯ll be able to carry more of them. Image if you could carry a halberd, spear, and great sword all at once.¡± Ralia¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°I¡¯d be unstoppable,¡± she said, ¡°What about a shield?¡± Nathaniel grabbed a leather glove with a metal disk on it. He tapped the thumb against the side of the forefinger, and the metal disk grew until it was a full round shield. A shiver ran down Ralia¡¯s spine which caused her tail to smack against the floor, and she tightly grabbed onto Nathaniel¡¯s arm. Ralia stared at him with shallow breaths, and her face felt warm, ¡°Master, please¡­ make me some gear,¡± she mewled. Nathaniel laughed nervously, ¡°I plan to Ralia,¡± he said trying to pry himself from her grip, ¡°Right now I have the fabricators making the components I need. Once those are complete, I¡¯ll begin on your gear.¡± ¡°Truly,¡± Ralia pressed against him. Her vision became hazy. ¡°I promise,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Now please, do something about your tail.¡± Ralia was aware that her tail had wrapped around Nathaniel¡¯s leg and was stroking his upper thigh. She didn¡¯t care. ¡°It has a mind of its own.¡± A Year¡¯s Worth Morning light fell on Maria¡¯s face, and she groaned as she stretched. She slowly rose to a seated position pushed her hair out of her face. There was a knock at the door and her attendant entered. ¡°Good morning, Lady Saint,¡± she said with bow, ¡°Would you like your breakfast in bed today?¡± ¡°Not today,¡± Maria said getting out of bed, ¡°I have a meeting with the others shortly. I¡¯ll take something light after getting dressed.¡± ¡°And what would you like to wear today?¡± ¡°The pink and blue dress with the matching underwear,¡± Maria slipped off her nightgown and headed to the closet. The morning air was cool against her bare skin, and her attendant hung up a rose-colored dress with blue lace around the collar and sleeves. Maria stared in disgust when she noticed the frayed seams and missing threads on the light pink and blue laced panty and matching bra. ¡°Damn it Nate, why did you have to go missing,¡± Maria cursed as she put on her underwear. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can find a tailor, or seamstress to fix them,¡± her attendant said with a strained smile. ¡°We¡¯ve tried that already,¡± Maria sighed, ¡°But they were unable to learn the recipe, even after destroying a set from myself, Shizuka, and Ophelia.¡± Maria slipped on the dress and let her attendant cinch up the corset, ¡°I hope Ophelia finds him, because I¡¯m going to lock him up in the dungeon until he makes me a year¡¯s worth of lingerie.¡± ¡°I pity the Inventor.¡± Maria laughed as she put on her slippers. After a quick breakfast she headed out into the castle with her attendant. She rounded a corner and nearly ran into Shawn. ¡°Morning Maria,¡± Shawn said with a smile, ¡°Heading to the meeting?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Maria fell in step with Shawn, ¡°Will Duncan be attending?¡± ¡°Not likely,¡± Shawn said with a chuckle, ¡°He was up late last night,¡± Maria scoffed with a shake of her head, ¡°We¡¯ve only been here three years, and yet you two have spawned enough children to populate a small town.¡± Shawn¡¯s smile turned sour, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true,¡± he said. ¡°You don¡¯t sound happy about it,¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t like thinking about it,¡± Shawn sighed as he scratched his head, ¡°The fact that I have children that won¡¯t know me,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s not easy living without a father.¡± ¡°Did you have a deadbeat dad?¡± Maria looked shocked. I guess there¡¯s more to Shawn than I realized. ¡°No, he just worked himself to death,¡± Shawn said, ¡°Four full-time jobs can do that to you, and my mother had to work her ass off too. It was thanks to my grandparents that I made it to college,¡± He gave her a sad smile, ¡°I hope my siblings can take care of them.¡± ¡°I know what you mean,¡± Maria said with her own sad smile, ¡°My grandpa worked his ass off to take care of my mother, but she ended up throwing her life away for an asshole. He took care of me when she wouldn¡¯t, and I wanted to repay him. I bet he thinks I abandoned him just like my mother.¡± ¡°Getting summoned to this world really sucks sometimes,¡± Shawn said with a sad chuckle. ¡°Agreed,¡± They entered the main hall of the palace. A group of elderly men and women stormed out of the throne room followed by a well-dressed couple. The group turned on the couple. ¡°Dammit Quarmane, give us the name of your supplier!¡± Quarmane gave them an apologetic smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know what to tell you,¡± he said, ¡°I have so many suppliers it¡¯s hard to remember all of them.¡± ¡°Enough lying!¡± ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡± Shawn said looking at the fight. ¡°It seems the Guild is upset with Porman Quarmane,¡± Ophelia said from behind them. ¡°What¡¯d he do?¡± Maria looked at the large man. It must be bad if the Guild is involved. ¡°You know those mugs that keep drinks cold and hot?¡± Maria nodded, ¡°Apparently, Quarmane knows the original creator, and he¡¯s keeping his identity a secret.¡± ¡°So, the Guild¡¯s upset that there is someone they can¡¯t exploit,¡± Shawn said. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°That¡¯s essentially it,¡± Ophelia said with a frown, ¡°What¡¯s odd is that no other craftsman has been able to replicate the product. Quarmane¡¯s has complete control of the supply.¡± Maria stared at the merchant in shock, ¡°No one¡¯s been able to replicate it,¡± she said, ¡°You¡­don¡¯t think¡­¡± Ophelia stared at the merchant, ¡°Master Quarmane,¡± she called out chasing after him. Maria followed. ¡°Please, wait a moment!¡± Porman turned and gave Ophelia a diplomatic smile, ¡°Lady Oracle, I¡¯ll always have time for you,¡± he said with a courteous bow, ¡°How may I be of service.¡± ¡°Your supplier, the one who makes the mugs. What¡¯s his name?¡± Ophelia said holding her hands tightly. Porman gave her an apologetic smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry my lady, but I can¡¯t disclose that,¡± ¡°Please¡­I¡­¡± Porman held up his hand, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, ¡°But I can tell you is that all his products are being shipped from my branch in Rumand. Perhaps, you should visit when you have the time.¡± Ophelia¡¯s smile fell as she nodded her head. ¡°I have a question master Quarmane,¡± Maria said placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, ¡°How skilled is he?¡± ¡°He is¡­ the best,¡± Damn bastard! ¡°Then can you ask him something for me?¡± Maria gave him a tight smile. ¡°I can try,¡± Porman said pulling out a notebook and pencil, ¡°But I won¡¯t see him again for several months. Probably until the end of the year.¡± ¡°Can he make me a year¡¯s worth of lingerie?¡± Geega¡¯Bulmesh Muffled screams echoed throughout the chamber. Sharp, serrated knives covered in blood and bile sat on the wooden table. The twisted goblin in fine robes poked around the chest cavity of the human lying on the table before him. The human cried into his gag as tears and blood ran down his face. A knock came from the door and a smaller goblin in simple clothes rushed in. ¡°Master Geega!¡± Geega held up a single bloodied finger, ¡°Not now,¡± He grabbed the shears. Geega reached into the human¡¯s chest and pulled on the heart. The human man screamed as Geega cut the blood vessels and set the heart aside. He then grabbed the glowing cloth sack and sewed the blood vessels into it. The human¡¯s screams intensified as his blood vessels glowed light blue from the magic infusing his blood. The magic continued to spread, but then his body started to vaporize. The human¡¯s flesh turned to ash and his screams eventually stopped. Geega shrieked in frustration, ¡°All those resources wasted on another failure,¡± he turned to the small goblin, ¡°What is it Ubaal?¡± ¡°I bring awful news,¡± Ubaal said, ¡°The dragon Ysa¡¯Meera is dead, and the humans have taken her dungeon core.¡± ¡°Damn humans,¡± Geega said jumping off the stool, ¡°We needed Ysa¡¯Meera¡¯s core for the fortress,¡± He headed to the door, ¡°Clean up this mess, I¡¯m heading to the Arcanist to find another core.¡± Geega stormed up the spiraling staircase of his tower. He was assaulted by Pa¡¯palla¡¯s intense heat when he stepped onto the top floor. Six support pillars held up the cone roof which protected the five furry hobgoblins from the sun. They stood there picking their noses as they stared out onto the wastelands, but Pa¡¯palla¡¯s barren wastes weren¡¯t much to see. Geega walked to the metal box that was tied to thick ropes that connected his tower to the large domed building in the center of the city. The rusted metal was pitted and held together with rope and wood. ¡°To the Evorium!¡± Geega glared at the hobgoblins. The hobgoblins grunted and began turning the large wooden wheel that operated the winch. The carriage jerked forward with the rope. Geega looked down upon the city of Kuka Bahl. Nothing can compare to goblin ingenuity. The cracking of whips permeated the air as humanoid slaves and imbecilic hobgoblins moved about the city performing their backbreaking labor. The gnolls cackled as they drove the slaves from the shadows of the rusted buildings and prodded the hobgoblins with their spears. Geega ducked into the carriage as it passed by a building that reflected the sunlight onto the carriage which caused it to heat up. Thankfully, the carriage cooled down once it fell into the shadow of the Evorium. The carriage screeched to a halt as it locked into place, and Geega marched through the Evorium¡¯s halls. The goblins working here moved out of his way and bowed in reverence. None dared bother the Master Innovator. Geega stepped into a large circular room where a map of the world was carved into the wooden floor. An apparatus made of metal and wood hung from the ceiling. Runes were carved into the metal and a large blue crystal sat in a special holster of leather and metal. A gnarled old goblin sat on a metal throne with multiple wooden levels around her. ¡°Arcanist, I need you to locate another dungeon core,¡± Geega said. ¡°Word of the dragon¡¯s fall finally reached you,¡± the Arcanist cackled, ¡°But if you want my services then you need to pay Geega¡¯Bulmesh.¡± Geega growled as he pulled out a leather cord with multiple metal plates on it. He flipped through the plates until he found one made of silver, then pulled it off and handed it to the Arcanist. The Arcanist took the plate then pulled several levers. The sound of grinding metal filled the room as the crystal moved along the wooden rails and hung in front of her. The Arcanist placed the plate into the crystal, and it started glowing with a bright light. Geega stood to the side as the Arcanist operated the levers. The crystal moved to hover over the continent of Pa¡¯palla, and the light that radiated from it coalesced into fifteen spots onto the map, one of the spots was on Kuka Bahl. Those cores should be ours. No other race knows how to use them like us goblins. ¡°Where do you want to look?¡± the Arcanist said with a crooked smile. ¡°The humanoid lands,¡± Geega said, ¡°They¡¯re the only ones too stupid to understand the core¡¯s true potential.¡± The Arcanist operated the machine, and the crystal hovered over Everhall. There had to be three times the number of glowing lights on the continent, but most were tiny specks with little presence. All except one. The largest spot Geega had ever seen glowed on the continent. ¡°It¡¯s grown,¡± The Arcanist scratched her stubbly chin, ¡°It wasn¡¯t that large when I performed the reading last year.¡± ¡°What level is that core?¡± The Arcanist pulled a lever and the crystal repositioned itself right over the location of the large core. She then lowered the crystal until it touched the map. With a lever pull, the ring around the crystal rotated and another beam of light shown at her feet as strange script. ¡°Level t-twenty-two!¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Geega said staring at the script, ¡°There¡¯s no way a core could get to that level in a year.¡± ¡°Unless¡­someone is feeding it,¡± the Arcanist said, ¡°Someone has claimed that core, and they are using it to amass power.¡± ¡°We must claim that core,¡± Geega said staring at the spot, ¡°We can¡¯t let it fall to anyone else.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to petition the Cabal to go after it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Geega said with a toothy smile, ¡°And I¡¯m going to request the use of the boom tubes.¡± The Trade ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this!¡± Pomran looked over his shoulder to the rabbit lycan sitting in the caged wagon. Her hands were bound together with iron manacles that were secured to the floor of the cage. Tears ran down the side of her face matting her furry cheeks. ¡°A deal¡¯s a deal love,¡± Pomran said with a chuckle, ¡°We have a buyer already lined up to take you. Nothing you say will change that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do anything!¡± the lycan laid down and spread her legs. Pomran couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Why would I want to lay with filthy animal,¡± he said. The lycan fell to the floor crying. Disgusting creature. Pomran let his gaze wander through the city. The ducal city of Danner easily outshined Rumand. Despite being on the open plains, most of the buildings were made of stone. At the center of the city, the golden domed ducal palace fought for his attention against the large multitowered academy. Pomran chuckled at the hubris needed to build such gaudy buildings. Pomran turned down the street and pulled the wagon into the two-story trading house that his family ran. It was a simple building made from the finest wood and stone, with intricately carved awnings to signify his family¡¯s wealth. He pulled the wagon to a stop and found his half-sister waiting for him. ¡°You¡¯re early,¡± his sister smiled as she used her ornate fan, ¡°Were you looking forward to my company.¡± ¡°Always Aramella,¡± Pomran said jumping down, ¡°I enjoy our little gossip sessions, but business first.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Aramella walked to the back of the wagon, ¡°She¡¯s a fine specimen,¡± she said eyeing the lycan, ¡°We¡¯ll easily make a few hundred gold off her. Too bad you didn¡¯t bring the dragon-heart.¡± ¡°I honestly wasn¡¯t expecting to sell her that quickly,¡± Pomran laughed. ¡°You must have made quite the profit?¡± ¡°Hardly, it was more of a loss,¡± Pomran said, ¡°But securing the client¡¯s trust will benefit us in the long run.¡± Aramella smiled, ¡°I see,¡± she said heading into the trading house, ¡°This is a trade after all. Let¡¯s see if one of the slaves I have here will catch your attention.¡± Pomran followed her to the back of the house where the slaves were stored. Furnished cages were lined up, and much like his own, there weren¡¯t many there. One cage held a goblin with stringy white hair and drooping ears. Its eyes were glassy, and drool seeped from its mouth. Pomran grunted and kept going. Another cage held a male orc. It¡¯s large barrel chest was covered in scars, and he was missing his left ear, and his head was completely shaved. ¡°You have a female don¡¯t you,¡± Aramella said, ¡°You could use this one to breed her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that foolish,¡± Pomran said laughing at the glaring orc, ¡°Orcs are harder to subjugate when they¡¯re grouped together, especially when they become mates.¡± Pomran sighed, ¡°Is this all you have?¡± ¡°Well, I do have one other,¡± Aramella said, ¡°But she¡¯s not in the best condition. I purchased her from the academy.¡± ¡°Damn wizards, always having to break things,¡± Pomran scratched his head, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s see her.¡± Aramella led him to the housing quarters of the trading house. Here, employees could stay the night when they worked late into the night and not have to worry about walking the streets at night. She led him to one room. An employee sat by the bed reading a book. Someone was laying on the bed. Pomran approached the bed, ¡°A fey!¡± ¡°Yes, the wizards were done with her, and sold her off to recuperate their losses,¡± ¡°What were they using her for?¡± Pomran said, sneering at the sight of her. A complete waste. ¡°This,¡± Aramella pulled out small vial, ¡°A potion of youth. They provided me with several cases which I¡¯m selling through third parties.¡± ¡°Do they work?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Aramella laughed, ¡°They¡¯re simply trying to make money off gullible nobles,¡± she said, then looked to the fey girl, ¡°Perhaps father¡¯s new friend could succeed where they failed.¡± ¡°Nathaniel,¡± Pomran scoffed, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with it, especially when he finds out about the ingredients,¡± he said, ¡°He¡¯s too kindhearted for that. It¡¯s a little infuriating if I do say so myself." Aramella smile turned seductive, ¡°I¡¯m certain I could fix that,¡± ¡°Trust me, he¡¯s not that easy,¡± Pomran chuckled, ¡°Not even mother could get him into bed.¡± He looked down at the fey, ¡°I¡¯ll take her. Maybe I can find a male to breed her with.¡± The Coming Spring Nathaniel sipped on the hot cider and looked at the others sitting around the fireplace. Sister Rose nibbled on the warm bun in her lap while Oden filled her cup with water. Several other key villagers sat with them as they waited on Barin who was sifting through his notes. ¡°Thank you for coming everyone,¡± Barin said, ¡°We need to discuss how we¡¯re going to get through this next year.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± a farmer said. ¡°Well, we had an abundant harvest last year, but we didn¡¯t see much income come in from the hunting season,¡± Barin said. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Sister Rose said. ¡°We¡¯re thinking that it¡¯s due to the war,¡± Barin said shaking his head, ¡°Most of the hunters are being drafted as soldiers, but there also seems to be less wildlife coming around the village.¡± ¡°So, how do you want to proceed with this next year?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°I want you to work on the farming tools again,¡± Barin laughed, ¡°The quality of the tools helped us grow far more crops this year than we ever have.¡± ¡°I can do that,¡± ¡°Good, and please do something with your¡­companion,¡± Barin said, ¡°She¡¯s been causing a ruckus lately.¡± ¡°What did Ralia do?¡± ¡°Nothing awful,¡± Oden said, ¡°Her tongue¡¯s a bit sharper than what the youngsters are used to.¡± ¡°Regardless, she¡¯s been causing trouble, and it needs to stop,¡± Barin said. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Good,¡± Barin looked around, ¡°Also, I think it¡¯s time we start looking for a healer. This winter was harder than last year, and sister Rose was overworked with treating the sick.¡± ¡°It was tough, I¡¯m needing to restock my medicinal supplies,¡± Rose said, ¡°Thankfully, Nathaniel was able to get me through the tough part.¡± ¡°Since when could a blacksmith master [Alchemy]?¡± a lumberjack said looking at Nathaniel. ¡°I haven¡¯t mastered it, I just dabbled.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Barin said, ¡°It just makes Nathaniel a more valuable member,¡± he looked through his notes, ¡°Will anyone be going to Rumand soon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be taking the livestock to the butchers.¡± ¡°I need to get some seeds I have ordered.¡± ¡°I have some metalworks that I need to take to market,¡± Nathaniel said. Barin finished taking notes, ¡°All right, when you all are there see if anyone is willing to move here, especially someone skilled in medicine.¡± They all nodded, ¡°Good, I hope everyone is looking forward to this next year.¡± Ch.15.1 Duncan’s Slave Duncan stretched himself out in his bed, and his hand rested against something soft and warm. He glanced over at the beautiful woman sleeping next to him. His hand rested against her naked breast, and he gave it a quick squeeze. She gave a slight moan and turned over. Duncan rolled his eyes. He remembered having a partner last night, but he couldn¡¯t remember anything about her. Was she the duke¡¯s daughter, wife, or maybe just a servant? Honestly, he didn¡¯t care. If the nobility were going to throw their women at him, then he was going to take advantage of it. With a chuckle, he rose from his bed and slipped on a robe before leaving the bedroom. In the common room, his attendant stood by the door. A plate of food sat on the sitting room table waiting for him. ¡°Did you sleep well sir?¡± His attendant said with a bored expression. ¡°I slept well,¡± Duncan chuckled as he started eating, ¡°You can even ask my partner to confirm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± the attendant sighed in frustration, ¡°I hope we won¡¯t need to find the Archmage another attendant like we had to find this one.¡± ¡°Shizuka can¡¯t blame me for that,¡± Duncan smiled mischievously, ¡°She was the one who took the fertility potion, not me.¡± The attendant shook his head, ¡°I understand sir, but if you could show a little restraint.¡± ¡°Restraint, isn¡¯t this part of my responsibilities as a hero,¡± Duncan sneered at the old man, ¡°If you people want me to show some restraint, then why do you keep throwing women at me!¡± ¡°I apologize if I offended you,¡± ¡°Damn, there went my mood,¡± Duncan said shoveling the food in his mouth, ¡°I need to go let off some steam.¡± Duncan stormed into his room and furiously dressed himself. The light reflected off a small glass vial sitting on the floor, and he sneered at the woman as she giggled in her sleep. Duncan grabbed his sword and slammed the door which caused the woman to yelp as she woke up. Before any words could be exchanged Duncan headed to the training ground. ¡°Damn, old bastard,¡± Duncan cursed under his breath as he stomped down the halls, ¡°Why won¡¯t they fucking make up their mind,¡± he passed a group of maids who curtsied to him, and out of the corner of his eye he saw them leering at him, ¡°That¡¯s all they ever do,¡± he bit his cheek, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault they¡¯re a bunch of whores.¡± The midday sun struck his face, and he held up a hand. ¡°You¡¯re up early,¡± Duncan turned to see Shawn approaching, ¡°It¡¯s not even the afternoon yet,¡± Shawn¡¯s smiled turned devious, ¡°By the way, Shizuka¡¯s pissed.¡± ¡°Why is everyone getting onto me for sleeping around!¡± Duncan snapped, ¡°You do it too, yet I¡¯m the only one everyone seems to have a problem with.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry man,¡± Shawn held up his hands, ¡°Didn¡¯t realize I touched a nerve.¡± Duncan stormed off to the training ground with Shawn behind him, ¡°I¡¯m just frustrated,¡± he sighed, ¡°One of the reasons they summoned us so that we could repopulate this world with Heroic ranked individuals. That¡¯s one of the reasons why they haven¡¯t pushed us to get married right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Shawn frowned with a sigh, ¡°And I agree with you. After fighting in this war for a year, I¡¯m ready to start a real family.¡± ¡°Still hung up on the Queen,¡± Duncan said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to take these nobles seriously when they have no qualms with us sleeping with their wives. Even more so, when they¡¯re glad to raise our kids.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Shawn scratched his head furiously, ¡°Damn, now I need to work off this frustration!¡± The two of them stepped into the training ground. Shawn grabbed a quiver of arrows and started piercing the training dummy in quick succession. Duncan grabbed a training sword and stood waiting for a soldier to approach. When one was foolish enough to enter, he didn¡¯t hold back. After a hour of practice, several soldiers had to be carted off to the infirmary, and several of the practice dummies were destroyed. ¡°Do you two feel better now?¡± Maria scoffed as she watched the two men wipe the sweat off their necks. ¡°A little,¡± Duncan said genuinely, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d feel better if I could go home.¡± Maria nodded, ¡°We all would, but that¡¯s not going to happen,¡± she sighed, ¡°You two need to get cleaned up for the ball tonight. Apparently, there¡¯s going to be some important people visiting,¡± her gaze lingered on Shawn, ¡°Including the Queen.¡± Shawn licked his lips, ¡°Alright,¡± he chuckled as he slapped Duncan and point to the window, ¡°And we better hurry before they tear us apart.¡± The entire female staff of Castle Opren were staring hungrily at them through the window. Duncan chuckled as he made his way back into the castle. After a bath and getting dressed, Duncan stood outside of the ballroom with the other heroes. Much like the first ball, they waited until they were called so that they each could have their time in the spotlight. Duncan quickly looked at the other heroes. Shawn straightened out his vest and coat and ran his hands through his hair. Maria and Shizuka stood in the back touching up their makeup. Shizuka¡¯s attendant tied bows into Shizuka¡¯s hair while giving him a suggestive smile. Duncan smiled while shaking his head while straightening his own suit. ¡°We¡¯re ready to introduce you,¡± the castle herald motioned them forward. Duncan took his spot by the door. The doors flung open with fanfare, ¡°Introducing Duncan O¡¯Donell, the Champion Hero!¡± Duncan strode into the ballroom with a bright smile, and he waved to the gathered nobles. The cheers sounded wonderful to his ears, and he winked at a group of beautiful noblewomen who tried getting his attention. The cheers started dying down which allowed him to hear the gossip. ¡°There goes the Champion, pursuing women instead of monsters.¡± ¡°He singlehandedly repopulated the kingdom with Heroic ranked children.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s the problem! Those children should be birthed by noblewomen, but he¡¯ll sire children with any woman he sets his sight on, regardless of birth.¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Duncan sneered as he took a glass of wine. By the time Maria entered the room, a gaggle of women gathered around him. Their hands lingered on his shoulders and arms, and they made certain to draw his gaze to their cleavage. He tried to keep polite conversation with the women, but their fake laughter and patronizing smiles got on his nerves quickly. The orchestral music helped in drowning out the buzz from the nearby conversations, and Duncan¡¯s gaze lingered on the dance floor. Maria danced with an unknown nobleman. She glared up at him when his hand lingered on her ass. The sight of her fighting the urge to slap him made Duncan chuckle. Then there was Shawn dancing with the Queen. Their height difference made it difficult for them to dance properly, but he could tell from their eyes that they were in their own world. Poor Shizuka was stuck in a corner trapped by the elderly wizards. Her face was a mixture of discomfort and frustration, and she shivered when one of them touched her shoulder. Something about seeing her in such a state made Duncan¡¯s stomach turn, but he sighed in relief when Ophelia crossed the floor to save her. A flash of red drew his eyes, and he snarled when he saw Gabriella VuRant approach the Oracle and Archmage. The two were clearly arguing, but another woman drew his attention. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again Champion,¡± A beautiful, mature woman pushed her way towards him. Something about her seemed familiar, and his confused look caused her to smile, ¡°Cymella Quarmane, we met in the capital about a year ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Duncan chuckled as she pressed her bosom against him, ¡°How could I have forgotten.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you have trouble remembering every woman you¡¯ve taken to your bed,¡± Cymella chuckled laying her head on his arm, ¡°Listen,¡± she whispered, ¡°There¡¯s something I wish to speak with you, would it be all right if I come to your room tonight?¡± Duncan allowed his eyes to linger on her supple breasts, ¡°Depends on what you want,¡± ¡°Trust me, you¡¯ll love it,¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we go now,¡± Duncan finished his drink, ¡°I¡¯m getting tired of this ball anyways.¡± Cymella ran a hand along his jaw, ¡°Allow me to get presentable first.¡± She sauntered out of the ballroom. Duncan¡¯s eyes lingered on Cymella¡¯s swaying hips, ¡°Are you truly going to take her to your bed?¡± the noblewomen glared at him. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s hot,¡± Duncan laughed as he left. Duncan ignored the nobles as they gossiped about him. He noticed Ophelia looking at him, and when he winked at her, she rolled her eyes. Same to you too bitch. He left the ballroom and found his attendant waiting for him. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too early to leave the ball?¡± the elderly man glared at him. ¡°Someone requested an audience with me, alone,¡± Duncan smiled. The attendant sighed in condescension, ¡°Is now the time for this?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Duncan snarled, ¡°And if you don¡¯t like it then go find another noble to serve. Actually, just leave, I don¡¯t want you serving me anymore!¡± ¡°As you wish, sir.¡± The old man bowed with a tight frown. Duncan growled as he turned down the hall and went back to his room. He was tired of dealing with the pompous nobles. Lately, they¡¯ve been second guessing his decisions ever since they retook Fort Cadarn, and it was getting on his nerves. Duncan slammed open the door to his common room and fell onto the couch. He threw his feet onto the table and took several deep breaths. He was starting to calm down when a knock came from the door, ¡°Come in,¡± Duncan groaned. ¡°You look so tense,¡± Cymella smiled down at him. A woman with dark brown skin with a green tint stepped in behind her. Her chocolate brown hair veiled her face, but he could see a green eye shyly looking at him. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize you wanted to bring a friend,¡± Duncan smiled as he took in the dark-skinned woman. She had a nice figure even if it couldn¡¯t compare with Cymella. ¡°No,¡± Cymella gave him a tight smile as she pulled back the hair revealing a collar, ¡°I hear you¡¯ve been having trouble with your servant, so I brought a gift.¡± ¡°A¡­ slave,¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Cymella came over to sit next to him, ¡°They¡¯re loyal, they won¡¯t question your actions, and, from what I understand, you heroes are more accepting of other races.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Duncan looked at the slave. Something about her drew his attention, and he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. ¡°She¡¯ll also satisfy you when you¡¯re away,¡± Cymella whispered in his ear, ¡°From what I understand, wood elves are highly desired as slaves, even half-elves like her.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Duncan smiled at her, ¡°I¡¯ll take her.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Cymella snapped her fingers, and the half-elf unfurled a scroll. Duncan signed the scroll, and had his thumb pricked. He pressed his bloody thumb against the collar and it flared violet, ¡°Congratulations, I hope she serves you well.¡± ¡°Is that all,¡± ¡°One more thing,¡± Cymella pulled out a fertility draught, ¡°A child¡­ your child.¡± Duncan looked at the vial, ¡°That¡¯s not a guarantee,¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to give it a try,¡± Cymella downed the vial. Duncan¡¯s gaze slowly took her in, ¡°Why not,¡± Cymella pulled him off the couch, ¡°You can go to sleep in the servant¡¯s room.¡± He smiled to Veyl as he disappeared into the bedroom. Duncan woke with the sun shining in his eyes. The other side of the bed was empty save for a single letter with red lip prints on it. He rolled his eyes as he tossed the letter aside and dressed himself. He noticed Veyl standing next to the sofa with a warm plate of food on the table. ¡°G-good morning¡­master,¡± Veyl said with a bow, ¡°I¡­brought you breakfast.¡± Duncan sat on the sofa and nibbled on a sausage, ¡°Have you eaten already?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Veyl¡¯s stomach growled. ¡°Why are you lying?¡± ¡°A s-slave should eat after her master,¡± Veyl hid behind her hair, ¡°I¡¯ll eat later.¡± ¡°No,¡± Duncan shoved the rest of his food in her mouth, ¡°You¡¯ll eat now,¡± Veyl stared in shock as she chewed on the sausage, ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, then you eat. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s before or after. You can¡¯t take care of me if you don¡¯t care for yourself.¡± Veyl nodded as she swallowed, ¡°T-thank you master,¡± Duncan look her over, ¡°Do you have any other clothes?¡± Veyl shook her head, ¡°Then let¡¯s go get you some clothes.¡± Duncan dragged Veyl out of the room and down the hall. He stopped one of the servants and they led him to Duke Opren¡¯s personal tailor. He sat by the side as the tailor stripped Veyl of her simple dress. The half-elf woman tried covering up her naked body, but the tailors forcefully dragged her to the stand to get her measurements. The tailor kept glaring at her but didn¡¯t say anything since Duncan was in the room. After the tailor was done, she threw Veyl¡¯s dress at her and disappeared in the back. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t need more clothes, master,¡± Veyl quickly got dress. He could make out the slight blush from under her hair. ¡°We¡¯ll be out in the field for months,¡± Duncan scoffed since the dress blocked his view, ¡°One dress won¡¯t be enough.¡± ¡°T-thank you, master,¡± Veyl gave him a small smile. Duncan couldn¡¯t help but smile back, ¡°Look, you¡¯re serving me, which means you need to look like it. I can¡¯t have you running around in the same dress day after day,¡± he stood up and gentle grabbed her hair, ¡°Also, you¡¯ll need to cut your hair.¡± ¡°No!¡± Veyl jumped back in fear. Horror filled her one visible eye, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± she cowered, ¡°But, please¡­don¡¯t make me cut my hair.¡± Seeing Veyl shake in fear stung Duncan, and he lightly touched her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered, ¡°You don¡¯t need to cut your hair. I just wanted to see your face.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± Veyl sniffled, ¡°My hair keeps people from seeing my hideous face and ears.¡± ¡°Let me decide that.¡± Duncan pushed her hair back. He gasped at the sight. A large scar ran down the right side of Veyl¡¯s face. Whatever caused it had damaged her eye as it was now a white orb. Her earlobes were scarred and crinkled as if someone had cut the ends off, but they still had the pointed structure. Veyl trembled as he gently touched her cheek. She would have been a plain beauty if it weren¡¯t for these defects. ¡°See, I¡¯m ugly,¡± Veyl sobbed. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Duncan scoffed as he pinched her slightly upturned nose, ¡°Only cute girls have noses like this, so stop calling yourself ugly. That¡¯s an order,¡± Tears leaked from her eyes as she nodded. ¡°Good.¡± He let her hair fall back into place. Veyl rested her head against his chest, ¡°T-thank you¡­for being kind,¡± ¡°You just remind me of my little sister,¡± Duncan scoffed, but he couldn¡¯t stop his smile from growing, ¡°I can¡¯t stand seeing cute girls get hurt, that¡¯s all.¡± Ch.16 The Fey Ralia slipped on the leather outfit that Nathaniel had made for her. She honestly hadn¡¯t seen anything like it. The legging completely covered her legs save for her upper thighs as the groin area was open so that her tail could fit through. Nathaniel was adamant that she wear the leather thong to cover herself. The leggings connected to the upper covering, but she couldn¡¯t close it. Two metal bars with teeth lined either side of the opening, and no matter how hard she tried she couldn¡¯t get them to close. ¡°Master, I think this outfit is defective,¡± Ralia said stepping out from the privacy screen, ¡°I can¡¯t close the front.¡± Nathaniel laughed as she stood there with her hands on her hips and her exposed cleavage. He walked over to her and connected the two bars together by a strange clip. ¡°It¡¯s called a zipper,¡± Nathaniel said zipping the suit together, ¡°This will secure the suit together better than buttons. How does it feel?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little tight, especially in the chest, but it shouldn¡¯t hamper my movements,¡± Ralia said. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Nathaniel said with a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be formfitting so that will explain the tightness.¡± ¡°I noticed runes sewn into it,¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Nathaniel said with a large smile, ¡°I found a way to create arcane thread. Now, I can imbue runes into cloth material.¡± Nathaniel punched her in the side. Ralia acknowledged the punch with a grunt, but she barely felt it. Nathaniel on the other hand was holding his hand and growling in pain. ¡°More effective than I expected,¡± ¡°Master¡­ why,¡± Ralia stared at him is fear and shock. ¡°I wanted to show you the rune¡¯s effects,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I imbued it with a special transfiguration rune that will harden the material upon blunt impact. I got the idea from armor that was in my old world. I also imbued it with a durability and a recovery rune.¡± Ralia looked at the suit, ¡°So¡­ it¡¯s armor?¡± ¡°This is just the under armor,¡± Nathaniel said pulling her to the other side of the workshop to a strange metal cylinder, ¡°Alright Seneschal, open her up.¡± The cylinder opened with a hiss as white mist poured out. Ralia stared wide-eyed at the suit of armor sitting on the mannequin in front of her. It was a full set of plate armor, and it was dark blue in color. ¡°Do you want to put it on?¡± Ralia nodded. Nathaniel helped put the armor on her. It fit perfectly. Ralia slipped the open-faced helmet onto her head, and she immediately felt armor¡¯s buffs affect her. It felt like fire surging through her body. Ralia smiled, ¡°I¡¯m unstoppable in this,¡± she said. ¡°Not quite,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I¡¯ve imbued the armor with strengthening and durability runes, but I also inscribed some new runes into it.¡± ¡°Like what,¡± Ralia¡¯s smile grew. ¡°I inscribed speed runes in the boots, so your running speed with be faster. The breastplate has a standard defense rune, but the helmet has a new rune I¡¯m calling an awareness rune. It¡¯ll warn you when enemies try to attack your blind spots, but the good runes are in your gauntlets,¡± Nathaniel went to a chest and pulled out a spear with a foot long shaft, ¡°You¡¯ll need your weapon for this.¡± Ralia took the weapon and immediately recognized one of the runes, ¡°This has a telescopic rune,¡± she pressed the rune and the spear extended to its proper length. ¡°Of course,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I¡¯ve also inscribed a special rune that will let you call the spear back to your hand,¡± he took the spear to the other side of the room, ¡°Hold out your right hand and say ¡®return.¡¯¡± Ralia held right hand, ¡°Return!¡± A rune on her right gauntlet glowed and the spear flew out of Nathaniel¡¯s hands and into her outstretched one. Ralia couldn¡¯t stop the joyous laugh from coming out. ¡°There¡¯s also a shield in the left gauntlet,¡± Ralia looked at her gauntlet and pressed the rune on the forefinger. A round shield formed from her wrist, and she started moving towards Nathaniel. She pressed herself against him and stared into his eyes. ¡°Thank you master,¡± Ralia said through heaving breaths, ¡°I¡¯ll cherish these for the rest of my life.¡± Her tail started wrapping around his waist. ¡°I¡¯m glad you enjoy them,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I¡¯m glad I was able to get them ready before our trip to Rumand tomorrow. We won¡¯t have to worry about any bandits now, will we.¡± ¡°No, we won¡¯t,¡± Nathaniel held the reins loosely in his hands as he and Ralia waited in line to get into Rumand. The others waiting in line occasionally glanced over to Ralia who stood tall next to the wagon. She was imposing, decked out in her full armor with her spear at the ready. Nathaniel couldn¡¯t help but smile as her tail happily waved back and forth. ¡°Next!¡± Nathaniel ushered the drebin forward and stopped in front of the guards. ¡°Business?¡± the gate guards said. ¡°I¡¯m bringing in metal works to sell,¡± Nathaniel said gesturing to the crates. The guards stared at Ralia, ¡°What¡¯s with the monster?¡± Ralia glared at them. ¡°She¡¯s my slave,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I purchased her to be a bodyguard.¡± ¡°Fine, you can pass, but you better keep your pet on a tight leash.¡± Ralia growled but walked alongside the cart as they entered. They moved through the streets of the city. His [Intuition] marked several groups hanging around the side streets that were watching them go by. One of the groups was about to approach, but the glare they got from Ralia caused them to back off. The Guild¡¯s still trying to stop us. Nathaniel drove the wagon to Porman¡¯s trading house. An attendant ushered him to the loading docks, and the workers started unloading the crates. ¡°Welcome back master Light,¡± the attendant smiled as Nathaniel jumped down, ¡°Lady Cymella is upstairs waiting for you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Nathaniel said. He gestured to the long crate, ¡°Can I get someone to bring this up. I have new products to show off.¡± The attendant¡¯s eyes shone, ¡°Certainly sir,¡± he gestured for two workers to grab the crate, ¡°Please follow me.¡± Nathaniel and Ralia followed the attendant upstairs. He led them to a set of double doors on the second floor. Inside, Cymella sat at a desk at the far end of the room, and she smiled brightly at him when he entered. ¡°Nathaniel, welcome back,¡± Cymella gave him a tight hug and sly smile, ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been well, ma¡¯am,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°How about you and your husband?¡± ¡°Well doesn¡¯t begin to explain it,¡± Cymella¡¯s smile widened, ¡°Thanks to you, our profits are exceeding all expectations. So much so that the Guild took their grievances to the King.¡± ¡°Really,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Is he all right?¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Cymella said, ¡°Our company is the greatest supplier to the kingdom¡¯s war efforts. His Majesty isn¡¯t going to take the chance to lose our support.¡± ¡°Do you supply weapons?¡± Cymella¡¯s gave him a toothy smile as she took his arm, ¡°We do,¡± She looked over at Ralia, ¡°Are you starting to craft weapons and armor?¡± She led him to the sofa. Nathaniel gestured to the workers, and they set the crate onto the table. They opened it and Nathaniel pulled out one of the bronze telescopic swords. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°A dagger?¡± Cymella said looking it over, ¡°It¡¯s made of arcane bronze, but I don¡¯t recognize these runes.¡± ¡°Please give us a demonstration Ralia,¡± Ralia bowed as she gave Cymella a glare and pulled out another dagger. She moved through a few simple strikes, then she pressed the activation rune which caused the dagger to transform into a short sword. Cymella stared in wonder and clapped happily at the sight. ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± Cymella said. ¡°Can you sell these?¡± Nathaniel said. Cymella hummed in thought, ¡°I certain we can,¡± she said, ¡°But I can¡¯t give you an estimated value since I don¡¯t have Porman¡¯s [Merchant¡¯s Eye]. I don¡¯t know if anyone would take a risk to buy them. Nathaniel scratched his head, ¡°What about VuRant?¡± ¡°The marquess, he might take a chance on them,¡± ¡°I have some in arcane steel. What if we sold those first?¡± ¡°I see what you mean,¡± Cymella smiled, ¡°We sell the superior product to the marquess, and then sell the cheaper product to the other nobles,¡± her smile grew, ¡°That¡¯s an excellent idea. It¡¯ll take a few months to get your money though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, but I may ask for supplies instead,¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Cymella escorted him out of the office, ¡°Are you staying in the city?¡± ¡°Yes, I was going to find an inn,¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± Cymella scoffed, ¡°You¡¯ll be staying at the manor. I can¡¯t let a valued friend stay anywhere else.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Cymella smiled as she walked him down to the ground floor. The workers unhitched the drebin from the wagon and guided it to the stable in the back, and they moved the wagon into storage so another wagon could pull into the dock. Pomran pulled the reins and stopped the cart. There were bags under his eyes as he jumped off the caged wagon. ¡°Welcome back son,¡± Cymella said, ¡°How did the trade go?¡± ¡°Not as well as I wanted,¡± Pomran said running his hands through his hair, ¡°Aramella took complete advantage of me.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°You remember that rabbit lycan,¡± Pomran said leaning against the cage, ¡°My sister runs the trading house in ducal city of Danner which is on the Umvral border. So, I took the rabbit to her house for a trade. Problem is, she didn¡¯t have much in stock.¡± ¡°She at least gave you the gold, right?¡± Cymella sighed. ¡°She gave me some, but she also traded this as well.¡± Pomran pointed to the cage, ¡°It was a pain trying to keep her alive.¡± Nathaniel stepped up the cage, ¡°What the hell?¡± A young girl lay in the cage. Her auburn hair was so long that it was nearly the length of her body. Her soiled sackcloth dress hung loosely on her petite frame, but that wasn¡¯t what caught Nathaniel¡¯s attention. Her arms and legs were missing past the elbows and knees. ¡°Mother,¡± Ralia gasped, turning away. ¡°Who could do this to a little girl?¡± Nathaniel said, covering his mouth. ¡°This girl is probably older than mother,¡± Pomran said, pointing to the girls ears. They were thin and pointed with feathers at the tip, ¡°She¡¯s fey.¡± Cymella leaned closer, ¡°They¡¯re one of the many fairy races that live in Everhall. They¡¯re known for looking likes youths despite their advanced age,¡± she said, ¡°Looks like the wizards used her up though.¡± ¡°What,¡± ¡°Danner has an academy,¡± Pomran said opening the cage, ¡°Wizards train there and try to advance magical knowledge,¡± Several workers pulled the girl out, ¡°Academies buy every fey they can get their hands on, and then sell them off when they¡¯re no longer of use.¡± Nathaniel watched as a worker walked past with the girl in his arms. Her hair parted to reveal glassy golden eyes. She looks dead. Her shallow breaths belied that. ¡°What are you going to do with her?¡± Nathaniel said clenching his fist. ¡°Breed her, if I can find a male fey,¡± Pomran sighed, ¡°There isn¡¯t much I can do with since she¡¯s in this state.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Pomran snapped his fingers to stop the worker. Am I going to do this again? Nathaniel glanced at the girl, ¡°H-how much for her?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to do this master,¡± Ralia said from behind, ¡°She¡¯s just going to drain your resources.¡± Nathaniel glared at her, and she backed off. ¡°Well,¡± Pomran said in thought, ¡°Considering her current condition¡­one gold.¡± Nathaniel flipped a coin to Pomran and took the girl. She smelled horrendously, ¡°You don¡¯t mind if I give her a bath?¡± he said looking at Cymella. ¡°Of course,¡± Cymella said, ¡°Please show Nathaniel to the manor, and have a bath ready. Nathaniel tucked the fey girl into the servant''s bed. She looked a little better now that she¡¯d been bathed, but her breathing was still shallow. Nathaniel closed the curtains to darken the room, and quietly left. Pomran handed the slave contract to a servant and sat down on the plush chair. ¡°I¡¯m curious, why¡¯d you buy her?¡± Pomran said. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± Nathaniel said sitting across from him, ¡°But I felt like I needed to do something.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Pomran said lighting a cigar, ¡°Is there anything else I can do for you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re needing to find a healer for the village,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Could you keep an eye out?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to rest.¡± An awkward silence fell on the room. Ralia glanced at the servants room then back at Nathaniel. Her tail swayed nervously, and her arms were crossed. ¡°If you have something to say then say it,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should have bought her,¡± Ralia said not looking at him, ¡°She won¡¯t be of any use to you in her current state.¡± ¡°So, I should have just left her?¡± ¡®Yes,¡± Ralia glared at him, ¡°The weak must be culled so that the strong can survive.¡± Nathaniel rose and glared at her, ¡°If you were in her position, would you want me to throw you away?¡± ¡°Yes, in fact, I would demand it,¡± Ralia said, her voice shaking, ¡°I¡¯d¡­ hate to be a burden.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, but I can¡¯t do it,¡± he said looking her in the eyes, ¡°We both know what it¡¯s like to lose everything, and so does that girl. If I can do something to help her then I will, just like I would for you. So, please put up with my selfishness.¡± Ralia nodded, ¡°As you wish master,¡± she said with a soft smile, ¡°If you aren¡¯t careful, someone will take advantage of your kindness.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Ralia¡¯s smile grew, ¡°I¡¯m sleeping with you tonight correct, since you gave my bed to the fey girl,¡± she said. Nathaniel stared in confusion, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t make me sleep on the floor, would you?¡± ¡°No¡­ you can sleep with me,¡± She did warn me. Ralia pressed against Nathaniel with hooded eyes, ¡°Thank you for being so kind master,¡± Nathaniel was learning a lot today. For example, dragon-hearts had a higher internal body temperature than humans, because of this they tended to sleep naked. Thankfully, he was able to convince Ralia to stay in her undergarments. Nathaniel also learned that dragon-hearts liked to cuddle, since Ralia was holding him tightly with her legs entangled in his. Lastly, dragon-hearts snore¡­loudly. Nathaniel freed one of his hands and rubbed his face. He wouldn¡¯t be getting much sleep tonight, and it wasn¡¯t because he was excited by the half-naked woman next to him. No, between the uncomfortable heat and snoring in his ears, he couldn¡¯t get to sleep. So, Nathaniel struggled to get out of Ralia¡¯s grasp and get to his feet. Ralia¡¯s arms lashed out and wrapped around his pillow. She buried her face into it, but it barely stifled her snoring. Nathaniel laughed and poked her cheek, and quietly left the room. What time is it? [12:19] appeared in his vision, and Nathaniel shook his head. I should check on the fey girl. He stepped into the servant¡¯s room and the smell of urine and feces assaulted him. Dammit, I should have checked on her sooner. He ran over and pulled the cord to call a servant. Thankfully, they arrived quickly. ¡°Can I get a bath ready for my companion,¡± Nathaniel said stripping the fey girl, ¡°And I¡¯ll need to have the sheets changed on the servant¡¯s bed.¡± ¡°Of course, sir,¡± the maids bowed. Nathaniel threw the soiled clothes onto the dirtied sheets and carried the fey girl to the baths. The lanterns brightly lit the stone room, and steaming water filled the wooden tub. He started washing the filth from her body. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nathaniel said, scrubbing her down, ¡°I should¡¯ve checked on you sooner. I promise I¡¯ll do better next time.¡± The fey girl was unresponsive through the scrubbing. He then slowly lowered her into the bath and used the large wooden ladle to rinse her hair and back. The poor girl stared into oblivion, barely blinking. ¡°Do you have a name?¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°There wasn¡¯t one in your menu.¡± There wasn¡¯t anything on her menu. He couldn¡¯t see any response but [No] appeared over her head. ¡°So, you don¡¯t have a name. We can¡¯t have that,¡± he brushed the wet hair from her face, ¡°I¡¯ll have to pick a good one for you.¡± A glance. She gave him a quick glance. Nathaniel smiled as he sighed in relief, ¡°I am getting through to you,¡± he said picking her up, ¡°You had me worried.¡± He dried her off and found a clean dress sitting outside. Thankfully, the dress was sleeveless with two thin straps, so it was easy to get on her. Nathaniel gently rubbed her back and hummed a soft tune as he carried her back to the common room. He smiled when she shifted her head to a more comfortable spot on his shoulder. Nathaniel entered his common room, and the maids bowed as they took away the soiled laundry. He sat down on the high back plush chair and sat the fey girl on his lap. For a few minutes, he held her and hummed a simple tune. The fey girl took a deep breath as she leaned against him. ¡°So, about that name,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Do you mind if I give you one?¡± [No] Nathaniel smiled as he petted her, ¡°Let¡¯s see, I better keep it simple,¡± he laughed, ¡°Engineers have a bad habit of coming up with absurd names,¡± Nathaniel sat there for a few minutes, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s harder than I thought,¡± he laughed, ¡°After all, this is your name, and it needs to be special. Something that I hope you come to cherish.¡± His eyes widened and he tilted her head up to look into her eyes, ¡°How about¡­ Hope?¡± A single tear ran down the girls cheek, and her dull eyes became a little brighter. ¡°I think that name suits you quite well,¡± Nathaniel brushed the tear away, ¡°After all, who wouldn¡¯t want a little hope in their life.¡± A slight blush came to her face, and Nathaniel smiled as the name Hope appeared on her menu. He pulled her closer, ¡°Can I tell you something Hope,¡± he whispered, ¡°I¡¯m not from this world. I was summoned as a hero, but I was thrown to the side because I have a crafter class,¡± He felt her shift, ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ come to hate this world. The way it¡¯s treated you, the way it¡¯s treated me, I hate it,¡± his hand gently touched the stub on her left arm, ¡°This should never have happened to you. I promise, I¡¯ll do everything I can for you.¡± They sat there for a few minutes. The quiet night started to make him drowsy, but he continued to hum and hold Hope. His hands brushed against the stubs of her missing limbs. If only I could give her new ones. Nathaniel chuckled. I¡¯m an idiot. ¡°Back in my world, there were stories about people who were in terrible accidents and ended up losing their limbs,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°But then, they would meet someone who would then give them new ones. We called these people cyborgs. They were incredibly powerful,¡± he smiled at the memory, ¡°These cyborgs could run great distances in mere seconds and were so strong that they could lift boulders with one hand. I was fascinated by the idea as a kid that I begged my parents to buy me a book on building machines. What do you think Hope?¡± ¡°C-C,¡± Nathaniel looked down in shock. Tears were running down Hope¡¯s face, ¡°C-can¡­ I be¡­like them,¡± she said. Nathaniel pulled Hope into a tight hug, ¡°If you want to be a cyborg, then I¡¯ll make you one,¡± he said, ¡°Otherwise, I don¡¯t deserve to be called the Inventor Hero.¡± Ch.17 The Surgeon Warmth enveloped her. It had been a long time since she had felt warmth. All she remembered was cold stone and dark rooms. Cold metal cutting her flesh, and cold hands always touching her, but now she found warmth. She pressed herself deeper into it and buried her face into the hard substance. She could hear a steady beating, and it soothed her. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and the morning light caused her to flinch. Where am I? Slowly, the fey girl looked up at the face of the man holding her. He held her tight, and she wormed her way deeper into him. Despite looking rough, with his stubbly face and hard jaw, he had kind eyes that had pulled her out of the darkness. The warmth of his body invited her to snuggle up closer, and she felt safe in his strong arms. She couldn¡¯t help but smile at the memory of last night. Everyone needs a little hope in their life. She rubbed her cheek against his chest. Hope, my name is Hope. ¡°Are you comfortable?¡± Hope jumped and she looked to the woman staring at them. Despite being in her undergarments, she looked imposing with her hands on her hips, and the sneer painting her face. The blue horns and tail gave her away as being nonhuman. Hope shivered as the woman¡¯s hard gaze lingered on her, and she tried burying herself deeper into the man¡¯s hold. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me!¡± the woman growled. Hope turned away and closed her eyes tightly. ¡°You have some nerve.¡± ¡°G-go away,¡± Hope squeaked, ¡°I-I¡¯m sleeping.¡± ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡± ¡°Yes, you are!¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Enough you two,¡± The man stirred underneath her, and his hand gently petted her head. Hope leaned into his touch, ¡°Did you sleep well Hope?¡± ¡°Y-yes, but I¡¯m still sleepy,¡± Hope said. ¡°Master, you were supposed to sleep with me!¡± The woman¡¯s whining brought a smile to Hope¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Ralia,¡± the man said, ¡°I had to take care of Hope last night and ended up falling asleep here. Please forgive me.¡± Ralia sighed, ¡°Fine, I can¡¯t blame you for that,¡± she said, ¡°But I expect you to remedy that tonight.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± he said, ¡°Now go get dressed so we can have breakfast.¡± Nathaniel gently spooned the eggs into Hope¡¯s mouth. She let out a delighted hum as she chewed, and then opened her mouth waiting for the next bite. Cymella and the maids giggled as they watched him feed the girl sitting on his lap. Their eyes fluttered rapidly and their breathing a bit fast and shallow. Ralia, however, was letting out a soft growl as she shoveled the food into her mouth. ¡°Is something interesting?¡± Nathaniel said looking at the women. ¡°You¡¯re exuding a strong paternal aura,¡± Cymella said with a sultry smile, ¡°It¡¯s quite alluring.¡± Ralia bent the fork in her hand, and a maid quickly replaced it. The bent fork was thrown onto a tray with the others she had bent. ¡°Quit breaking the silverware Ralia,¡± Nathaniel said with a sigh, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Cymella said, ¡°If anything I¡¯m quite enjoying the little drama playing out in front of me.¡± The maids laughed along with her. ¡°I¡¯m more surprised at how quickly the fey girl turned around,¡± Pomran said with a laugh, ¡°She looks like a completely different person.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Cymella smiled warmly, ¡°So what are your plans for today?¡± ¡°I need to go to the Guild and see if there are any healers willing to move to Treante,¡± Nathaniel said wiping off Hope¡¯s face, ¡°After that, I¡¯ll do some shopping and then relax,¡± he turned to Ralia, ¡°I¡¯ll want you to come with me, and wear your armor. The last thing I need is to be attacked by a Guild thug.¡± Ralia perked up, ¡°Gladly master,¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Hope said giving him puppy eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll need to stay here Hope,¡± Nathaniel said petting her, ¡°I don¡¯t want you getting caught up in this. Not until I keep my promise.¡± Hope pouted, ¡°All right,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry Nathaniel, we¡¯ll take care of her.¡± Cymella said. Nathaniel stared up at the three-story building. The first floor was made entirely of stone with the second and third floors made of wood. A large stone archway was the main entrance to the Guildhall. The inside reminded him of a mall. The prominent craftsmen had dedicated storefronts where they made and sold their wares while others resorted to selling their product from stalls. Nathaniel noticed the severe glares pointed in his direction. ¡°Let¡¯s get to the alchemy branch and then get out,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here longer than necessary.¡± Ralia nodded and followed him deeper into the hall. The hall split into a four-way intersection with a large fountain in the middle. They continued wandering around until they found the right storefront. It wasn¡¯t what he expected. Multiple rows of chairs were evenly spaced out in the main lobby, and a large front desk was manned by a bored looking receptionist. A single wooden door led to the main office¡¯s back rooms. A few patrons were sitting in chairs, waiting patiently for their turn. However, a raggedy looking man was shouting at the receptionist. ¡°Please, I need to renew my license!¡± the man said tearing out his hair. The receptionist gave him a polite smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, but I can¡¯t do that,¡± she said, ¡°Your license is currently on hold until you pay the penalty fee.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to do that,¡± the man slammed his fist on the desk, ¡°I need to work to earn money, but I can¡¯t work without my license!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, but that¡¯s for you to figure out,¡± the receptionist smiled, ¡°Have a nice day.¡± The man screamed and ran out of the office. ¡°And I thought Mother could be brutal,¡± Ralia scoffed. Nathaniel approached the desk, ¡°I¡¯m here representing the village of Treante,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯d like to file a request to have a healer move to our village.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, but we aren¡¯t taking such requests at the moment,¡± ¡°Why,¡± The receptionist smiled, ¡°Due to the war, all available healers are at the front lines,¡± she said, ¡°The only ones that remain are incapable of moving.¡± [Lie] ¡°But won¡¯t they be there for a few months,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Won¡¯t those healers be able to take the requests?¡± ¡°They will, but to keep the requests from getting out of hand we are no longer taking requests. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nathaniel sighed but turned around and left. ¡°Damn bureaucracy is everywhere,¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ralia said. ¡°The Guild¡¯s curating the requests,¡± Nathaniel looked around, ¡°Chances are they¡¯re accepting requests to give to their favorites, then they¡¯ll start taking requests for the remaining healers.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s all about control,¡± Ralia said. ¡°It¡¯s underhanded but effective,¡± Nathaniel said passing the fountain, ¡°After all, everyone wants a better life, and the Guild¡¯s doing everything it can to exploit it.¡± ¡°Then how can we get a healer?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to hope that Pomran will find a healer for us,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°The Guild doesn¡¯t have control over the slave trade. Maybe we¡¯ll get lucky and can contract a healer.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s [Intuition] marked his vision that he was being watched, but it marked the individual as someone above him. He looked up and an elderly man in fine robes and cap was looking down at him. The man stroked his white beard as he glared down at Nathaniel. Nathaniel just waved at him as he left. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. A few days had past and Nathaniel was sitting at a desk with Hope on his knee. He was scribbling down some designs for her new limbs. This is going to take a lot of resources. Hope stared at the drawing in fascination. ¡°Are these going to be my new arms and legs,¡± Hope said. ¡°This is just a rough draft,¡± Nathaniel said petting her head, ¡°I¡¯ll finalize the designs once we¡¯re back home.¡± ¡°Then you may be of some use,¡± Ralia said smirking at her. ¡°I¡¯ll be of more use than you!¡± Hope said, ¡°I¡¯ll be able to cook, clean, and tend to master. Unlike you.¡± Nathaniel could see the veins bulging in Ralia¡¯s forehead, ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try brat,¡± ¡°Enough, both of you,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°If you two don¡¯t behave, I¡¯ll have you both sit on the couch hugging each other, and you won¡¯t be allowed to move until I say so.¡± ¡°But she started it,¡± Hope gave him the biggest puppy eyes he¡¯d ever seen. ¡°True, but you were egging her on too,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°So, you¡¯re equally to blame.¡± Hope pouted in his lap while trying to cross her arms. It was strangely cute. A knock came from the door and Pomran entered. ¡°I come bringing good news,¡± Pomran said. ¡°A healer?¡± ¡°Not quite,¡± Pomran scratched at his thin moustache, ¡°He¡¯s actually a surgeon, but he does have some skills in [Alchemy] and [Medicine]. I¡¯d thought I¡¯d let you know first before I set up him up in the slave market.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Let¡¯s go check him out.¡± ¡°I want to come!¡± Hope said. ¡°Me too!¡± Ralia cleared her throat, ¡°As your bodyguard.¡± Pomran laughed, ¡°Aren¡¯t you loved,¡± Pomran led him through the manor and into a sitting room. Nathaniel took in the unnaturally thin man sitting on a couch staring at his shaking hands. His stringy grey and brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Thick bags hung under his grey eyes. He noticed them enter and his eyes widened at Ralia and Hope, but he shook the shock away and bowed. "Master Elias, this is Master Light,¡± Pomran said, ¡°He¡¯s looking to make a contract with a healer.¡± Nathaniel shifted Hope in his grip, and held out his hand, ¡°A pleasure to meet you sir,¡± Elias stared at the hand then shook it, ¡°A pleasure as well,¡± he said, ¡°I do have some skills dedicated to healing, but nothing¡­that could restore missing limbs.¡± Hope shifted in Nathaniel¡¯s grip, and he gently comforted her, ¡°I understand,¡± Nathaniel said sitting down, ¡°Only advance rank healers and priests can do that. Honestly, I¡¯m looking for a healer on behalf of my village. Since the Guild won¡¯t help, I¡¯m looking to find a work-around.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elias laughed nervously, ¡°Truthfully, I¡¯m a member of the Guild, but they revoked my license. That¡¯s why I¡¯m doing this.¡± ¡°Why¡¯d they revoke your license?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t report to Castle Warnmier,¡± Elias scratched his head, ¡°I tried to get permission, but they wouldn¡¯t grant it, and now, I have to pay the penalty fine before I can start practicing again.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to Castle Warnmier?¡± Pomran said. ¡°I¡¯m taking care of my niece,¡± Elias said, ¡°I¡¯m the only family she has left, and due to her condition, I didn¡¯t feel comfortable moving her so far away.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your niece?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°She¡¯s¡­blind,¡± Elias sighed heavily, ¡°It happened a few years ago when bandits attacked the village my sister''s family was living in. When the priests brought her to me, I promised I would take care of her as my own, but now I¡¯m forced to do this.¡± ¡°Will she be alright traveling then?¡± Elias shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t have much choice now. I need to earn money to take care of her.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯d gladly take you,¡± Nathaniel said with a smile. ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± Elias turned to Pomran, ¡°So, how do we proceed from here?¡± Pomran pulled out a scroll, ¡°It¡¯s quite simple,¡± he said, ¡°The two of you will negotiate the terms of the contract. Those that you both agree to will be written down. The contract then will be sealed in blood and magic. Should either of you break the contract, then a penalty condition will be extracted from the perpetrator.¡± ¡°I want to start with that,¡± Elias said, ¡°Should anyone in the village break the contract, then I will expect the village to pay my fee to the Guild.¡± ¡°How much do you owe,¡± Nathaniel nodded. ¡°Three hundred gold,¡± Ralia scoffed, ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous master!¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Should anyone in the village break the contract, then I¡¯ll pay the fee for you. As for our end, should you break the contact, you¡¯ll be expected to remain in the village and provided your services for a discounted rate of fifty percent for¡­ten years.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Pomran wrote down the conditions. The two went back-and-forth until they finalized the contract. In exchange for his services at a rate that the village could afford, Elias would move to Treante. To aid him with the move, the village would give Elias one year before needing to pay taxes and help build a house for him and his niece. Once that was finished, both men signed the contract and stamped a thumbprint in blood at the bottom. Pomran signed his name at the bottom, ¡°Congratulations gentlemen, the contract is finalized,¡± he said, ¡°As of this moment, master Elias is now a member of Treante village. Take good care of him.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think my life would turn out like this,¡± Elias said with a sad chuckle, ¡°What should I do with my belongings and property here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to you,¡± Pomran said, ¡°If you¡¯re in dire need to sell it off, the Quarmane Trading Company will gladly take inventory and sell it off on your behalf, for a twenty-percent cut.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll have to do,¡± Elias sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll purchase another cart and drebin for you,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°That way you can take what you¡¯ll need to Treante.¡± Elias bowed, ¡°Thank you sir,¡± ¡°Can you be ready in three days,¡± Nathaniel smiled, ¡°Now that my business is pretty much done, I¡¯d like to return home as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, it can be done,¡± Nathaniel finished strapping down the last of his goods into the wagon. Hope was safely secured in the back, snuggled in between two rolls of cloth. Ralia stood at the ready keeping her eyes out for trouble. Elias was finishing up with his cart. He still looked a little haggard, but there was a small smile on his lips. There was a young girl sitting on the wagon bench of Elias¡¯ cart. Her brown hair flowed down her back with her bangs braided along her temple. She wore a simple yellow dress, and a white cloth wrapped around her eyes. Nathaniel walked over, ¡°Is everything secured?¡± ¡°Yes¡­master Light,¡± Elias said with a shaky laugh. ¡°Just call me Nathaniel,¡± he said, ¡°Despite the contract, you¡¯re joining us as a new member, so I hope you come to think of me as a neighbor.¡± ¡°Of course, my apologies,¡± ¡°Thank you for helping us out, sir,¡± the girl said with a small bow. ¡°Don¡¯t mention sweetheart,¡± Nathaniel laughed, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m grateful your uncle is willing to move. I¡¯m Nathaniel Light.¡± ¡°Daisy Maplewood,¡± ¡°Glad to meet you,¡± Nathaniel turned to Elias, ¡°When we get to back, I¡¯d like to introduce you to the headsman. He might come off as a bit harsh, but he¡¯ll understand once I let him know what happened at the Guild,¡± He leaned closer to Elias, ¡°Keep your eyes open. I don¡¯t think anything will happen, but we have had issues with bandits.¡± ¡°Bandits!¡± Daisy held herself shaking. ¡°No need to worry sweetie,¡± Nathaniel said trying to comfort her, ¡°My friend Ralia will keep us safe. She¡¯s a level thirty-one fighter, so they won¡¯t even stand a chance.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Nathaniel gave Elias an apologetic look. ¡°He¡¯s right Daisy,¡± Elias said stroking her back, ¡°She¡¯s quite the sight to behold.¡± ¡°She must be¡­ truly beautiful,¡± Daisy gave them a sad smile. ¡°Are we ready to go master!¡± Ralia waved at him. Elias nodded and Nathaniel headed back, ¡°We are,¡± he said jumping onto the wagon, ¡°Keep your eyes out, and try to stick close to both wagons. We¡¯re relying on you to handle any trouble.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make the master look bad!¡± Hope called from the back of the wagon. ¡°At least I¡¯m able to do something, you little¡­¡± Nathaniel cut her off with a glare. Nathaniel cracked the reins and the wagons started moving. They¡¯re journey through the town was uneventful. Mostly small groups watching from the side streets, but none having the courage to fight against Ralia, and soon they were out on the dirt road back to Treante. Nathaniel kept his eyes out for any trouble, thanks to [Intuition] he couldn¡¯t see any signs of traps waiting for them. Due to the narrow road, they couldn¡¯t run the wagons next to each other, so instead, Nathaniel took the lead with Elias closely behind. Ralia sat in the back of Nathaniel¡¯s wagon with her spear at the ready. ¡°Master,¡± Ralia called out. Her eyes swiveled to both sides of the road. ¡°I see them,¡± Nathaniel said activating his shield, ¡°Four to the left and six on the right. The armor should make you fast enough to handle all of them, but I¡¯ll be ready just in case.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Ralia jumped off the wagon, ¡°[Dragon Lance]¡± Golden light surrounded her spear as she threw it. Screams soon followed, and Ralia ran into the brush. ¡°Get down!¡± Nathaniel called out as he drew his sword. Nathaniel brought his shield up as an arrow flew towards him, but it struck the shield. Three bolts of lightning shot into the left side of the brush, and he heard the terrible screams of the bandits. The fourth one emerged, his left arm completely black and charred, and he charged towards Nathaniel with a primal scream. A flash of blue flew, and the bandit was struck down by Ralia¡¯s spear. Before the body hit the ground, Ralia recalled her spear. She stepped out of the brush, her armor stained with blood. ¡°Is that all of them?¡± Elias said peeking out. ¡°It is,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Excellent work Ralia.¡± Ralia¡¯s tail thumped the ground, ¡°A pleasure master,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m glad I finally got to quench my gear in blood. After all, it¡¯s unsightly to have armor and weapons that haven¡¯t tasted the glory of combat.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Nathaniel gave her a confused smile, ¡°You can clean yourself up while we travel.¡± They arrived in Treante shortly before evening. Several of the villagers noticed them down the road, and Elias gave them a nervous smile and a wave. The villagers smiled back with a wave of their own. The gossiping housewives already gathered around each other. Nathaniel pulled his cart over in front of Barin¡¯s house. The headsman rushed out soon afterwards. ¡°Archons, please tell me he¡¯s a healer!¡± Barin said. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Nathaniel said jumping down. ¡°It¡¯s my wife, she started feeling ill a few days ago,¡± Barin wiped down his forehead, ¡°Now, she¡¯s looking awful.¡± ¡°Let me take a look at her,¡± Elias said, jumping down, ¡°Nathaniel, can you take care of Daisy.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Ralia, take care of Hope,¡± he walked over to the wagon and gently grabbed Daisy¡¯s hand, ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡± Daisy smiled as she leaned down and grabbed Nathaniel¡¯s shoulder. He then placed an arm underneath her legs and held onto her back as he slid her off. Daisy started laughing as he held her. ¡°Is this what it feels like to be a princess,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe, but I think you need to find yourself another prince,¡± Nathaniel laughed, ¡°You¡¯re a bit too young for me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, I¡¯m not attracted to old men,¡± ¡°Old, I¡¯m only thirty,¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that old?¡± Daisy said with a confused smile, ¡°Uncle is thirty-two, and my father would have been thirty-one.¡± ¡°Just keep digging that knife in deeper why don¡¯t you,¡± Nathaniel chuckled as he put her down. He led her into the headsman¡¯s house and sat her at the table. Elias soon came out of the back room, ¡°How bad is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything too serious,¡± Elias said, ¡°Once I get setup, I can start making medicine to help her.¡± ¡°Good, I¡¯m just glad the Guild finally did something,¡± Barin said with an exhausted smile. ¡°They didn¡¯t Barin,¡± Nathaniel said with a sigh, ¡°They wouldn¡¯t take any requests, so I ended up contracting him through the slave market.¡± ¡°What,¡± Nathaniel handed him the contract, ¡°It¡¯s not the best, but I feel the conditions are fair for both parties.¡± Barin read the contract, ¡°Damn fucking Guild!¡± he said, but then noticed Daisy sitting at the table, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± After a few moments he looked to Nathaniel, ¡°You¡¯re right it¡¯s not the best, but I¡¯m not going to turn away a good healer because I don¡¯t like how he got here. I¡¯ll talk with our carpenters to get you a house and shop put together.¡± ¡°I can help too,¡± Nathaniel said. Elias looked at him in surprise, ¡°But I thought you¡¯re a blacksmith.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more to Light than one might expect,¡± Barin shook his head, ¡°Almost like he¡¯s hiding something.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a simple blacksmith,¡± Nathaniel gave them a polite smile. ¡°And I¡¯m the Lady Oracle,¡± Barin scoffed turning to Elias, ¡°Welcome to Treante, master Elias. We¡¯re glad to have you.¡± Ch.18 Sacrifices Sierra knocked on the door to Nathaniel¡¯s house, and once again Ralia opened it. Ralia sighed and gestured for her to come in, and Sierra followed her into the dining room where Nathaniel was eating breakfast with a girl sitting on his lap. He was feeding her directly from his plate, and she was happily humming to herself. ¡°Morning Sierra,¡± Nathaniel said getting her attention. ¡°Morning,¡± Sierra said keeping her eyes on the girl. She noticed the girls feathery, pointed ear, ¡°Did you get a new slave?¡± her smile strained. ¡°In a sense,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°She wasn¡¯t in the greatest shape when I saw her, so I bought her to try and give her a better life.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so kind master,¡± the girl said rubbing her cheek against him. ¡°So, you wanted to take care of her?¡± Sierra said petting the girl. ¡°Pretty much,¡± ¡°Who are you,¡± the girl said smiling at her. ¡°I¡¯m Sierra, I¡¯m a friend of Nathaniel¡¯s,¡± ¡°I¡¯m Hope,¡± ¡°Good to meet you Hope,¡± Sierra smiled. ¡°Please stop humoring her,¡± Ralia said sitting down, ¡°She¡¯s already spoiled as it is.¡± ¡°You¡¯re jealous everyone likes me more,¡± Hope said with a smirk. Ralia growled but stopped when Nathaniel glared at her. ¡°Can I ask a favor Sierra,¡± Nathaniel said. She nodded and he stood up revealing that Hope¡¯s limbs were missing, ¡°Could you watch Hope for a few hours for me. I need to run to the dungeon for some supplies.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Sierra said, ¡°I¡¯ll gladly watch over her for you.¡± Nathaniel entered the core room of the dungeon, ¡°Welcome back master,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°How was your trip?¡± ¡°It went well for the most part,¡± Nathaniel said placing the drafted prosthetics into the core, ¡°But I need your advice. I purchased another slave, but¡­ she was abused by her previous owner, and she no longer has any limbs.¡± Seneschal projected the draft with updates, ¡°So, you¡¯re wanting to invent robotic prosthetics,¡± it said, ¡°I notice you are wanting to surgically attach them too, why?¡± ¡°For stability,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I should be able to use the runes of this world to make true cybernetic prosthetics.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°This¡­ will be a costly endeavor. First, I would recommend building the skeleton out of orichalcum,¡± a projection of the metal appeared in front of Nathaniel, ¡°Orichalcum is naturally infused with magic so it''s more effective than arcane alloys. We can then manufacture the outer plating with another metal, perhaps mithril. However, the biggest issue will be the surgery itself.¡± ¡°Why,¡± ¡°Simply put, I don¡¯t think this world has developed the surgical skills needed,¡± Seneschal replied, ¡°Together we can develop a surgical robot to aid in the process, but we¡¯ll need a proper surgeon to take part in the operation, and it will need to be one with at least an Advanced rank. Anything less will most likely cause the surgery to fail.¡± ¡°The new healer I brought is actually a surgeon, but I think he¡¯s of the basic rank,¡± Nathaniel frowned in thought, ¡°How many levels would it take to promote him to advance?¡± ¡°At least fifteen,¡± ¡°Damn, that would pretty much force us to start all over,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Do we have the resources to get the core back up to its current level?¡± ¡°No,¡± Seneschal brought up the dungeon¡¯s inventory, ¡°The most valuable items we have are the seven gold bars. That would restore the core to level twelve. I should be able to reconfigure the domain to encompass our current facilities, barely.¡± ¡°How long would it take us to get back to the current level?¡± ¡°About¡­ten months,¡± Nathaniel sighed heavily, ¡°An acceptable loss,¡± ¡°There¡¯s another problem,¡± Nathaniel rubbed his face in frustration, ¡°We¡¯re still lacking the necessary components,¡± the projection returned to the prosthetics, but it broke them down to individual components, ¡°We don¡¯t have enough orichalcum and mithril. It¡¯ll take at least eight bars of orichalcum to make the skeletal frames, and six mithril for the outer plating. Unfortunately, we only have two orichalcum and three mithril, which I should remind you, you were saving for ¡®Project Paladin.¡¯¡± ¡°And how much would I need for that?¡± Nathaniel scratched the back of his head. ¡°Seven orichalcum and ten mithril.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Can we ramp up production on the mugs, knives, and telescopic swords?¡± ¡°We could, but that would also drain our resources,¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I¡¯ll bring the surgeon in to get his rank upgraded. After that feed all the golden bars to the dungeon core. After that, I¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Nathaniel stepped into the small church sitting in the center of town. It reminded him of the churches you saw in westerns. A small single room with a raised platform and podium for the pastor, and a dozen or so pews lined up neatly. Sister Rose was kneeling at the altar behind the podium. Not wanting to disturb her, Nathaniel sat in the front pew. After a few minutes Rose stood, and smiled when she saw him, ¡°Good afternoon, Nathaniel, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I came to check on our new healer,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°How have you been Rose?¡± ¡°Blessed as always,¡± Rose said with a light chuckle, ¡°Even more so now that we have a true healer.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t mind Elias and Daisy staying here?¡± Nathaniel said looking around, ¡°Lydia¡¯s house has more than enough room.¡± Rose laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t you mean your house,¡± Nathaniel chuckled and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s fine Nathaniel. It may be small, but I enjoy having people here. It helps with the loneliness.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t realize,¡± ¡°You¡¯ve had a lot to deal with these last couple months,¡± Rose said with a sly smile, ¡°And I¡¯m sure you have your hands full now that you have a few women staying with you,¡± she led him to a single door to the side, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to them.¡± Rose led Nathaniel to a sitting room where Elias was sitting next to Daisy. He was reading a fairy tale to her. Daisy smiled as she looked up at the door which caused Elias to stop reading. ¡°Nathaniel, what brings you here?¡± Elias said. ¡°I have something I need to discuss with you,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Is it alright if we speak in private.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Elias looked at Rose, ¡°Do you mind watching Daisy for me?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Elias kissed Daisy¡¯s forehead and followed Nathaniel back into the sanctuary. ¡°There¡¯s someplace else I want to talk. It¡¯s a little out of the way,¡± Nathaniel said. Elais nodded and continued following, ¡°How are you liking Treante?¡± ¡°Quite well actually,¡± Elias smiled, ¡°I¡¯m glad everyone was so accepting of us. Daisy has even made friends with several girls around town, especially the barmaid.¡± ¡°How do you like staying at the church? You two could have stayed with me until your house is built.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thankful for the offer, but I think this is for the best,¡± he said with a slight smile, ¡°Besides, I think staying with sister Rose is good for us. Daisy needs a motherly figure to rely on and I¡­¡± Elias cleared his throat and brushed back his hair, ¡°I have come to enjoy her company,¡± He glanced over at Nathaniel, ¡°I¡¯m sure you agree.¡± ¡°Not in the way you¡¯re thinking,¡± Nathaniel said with a sad smile, ¡°But I agree. I relied on her a lot before Lydia died.¡± ¡°Was that¡­your wife?¡± Nathaniel shook his head, ¡°No, adopted mother,¡± he said, ¡°I became close friends with her husband when I was stationed at Fort Cadarn. When it fell, I traveled all the way here to tell her the news, and she ended up taking me in.¡± ¡°Fort Cadarn!¡± Elias stared at him in shock, ¡°You were stationed there?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Made a lot of friends there, but none seemed to have made it. Some kind of hero I am.¡± ¡°H-hero?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m about to tell you needs to stay between us,¡± Nathaniel said and opened his menu to Elias. ¡°Y-you¡¯re the Inventor Hero,¡± Elias said, ¡°Everyone says you¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still alive,¡± Nathaniel laughed nervously, ¡°I¡¯ve been staying here to level myself up, and working on my new inventions,¡± he looked to the dungeon entrance, ¡°Speaking of which. [Warp]¡± Elias blinked rapidly as the light surrounded them, and then his jaw dropped when he noticed their surroundings. The white lights reflected off the metal walls, and the blue lights coming from the computer consoles were trying to steal his attention, but his eyes eventually fell onto the dungeon core. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°By the Archons,¡± ¡°Welcome Dr. Elias,¡± Elias jumped, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Seneschal, I assist master Nathaniel in running the dungeon,¡± ¡°Dungeon¡­you claimed a dungeon!¡± Elias gasped staring at Nathaniel is amazement, ¡°I thought only monsters and demons did that.¡± ¡°Why not claim a dungeon?¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand why no one besides myself have tried it.¡± ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not sure,¡± Elias said in thought, ¡°Although I can read and write, I¡¯m not as educated as I¡¯d like to be. But from what I know, the Church of the Archons warns about claiming dungeons. Maybe sister Rose could tell you more.¡± ¡°Perhaps you should complete this conversation at another time,¡± Seneschal said. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Elias, I brought you here to ask for a favor,¡± he nodded to Seneschal and a projection of the cybernetic limbs appeared, ¡°I¡¯m wanting to invent these for Hope, but the problem is that I need a surgeon of Advanced rank to perform the operation.¡± ¡°Are these¡­metal arms, and legs.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I¡¯m still working on getting the materials, but I¡¯d like to use the core to increase your rank to Advanced.¡± ¡°I-increase¡­my rank,¡± Elias stared at the core, ¡°It can do that?¡± ¡°Easily, but you¡¯ll first need to become a minion to the dungeon,¡± Seneschal said. Elias stared at the core in terror, ¡°You won¡¯t be bound to the dungeon, it¡¯ll recognize you as a member and allow you to enter whenever you want.¡± Elias stared at the blueprints, ¡°C-could you do the same for Daisy,¡± he said, ¡°Could you invent something to help her see again?¡± ¡°I could,¡± ¡°But you¡¯ll still be needed,¡± Seneschal continued, ¡°Much like the cybernetic limbs, surgery would most likely be needed.¡± Elias stared at his shaking hands, ¡°What must I do?¡± ¡°Touch the core,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°A prompt should appear asking if you want to become a member. Accept and I shall begin the rank upgrade process.¡± Elias touched the core. Nathaniel waited for him to accept and noticed several maintenance bots bringing in the gold bars. The core started glowing, and Elias fell to his knees, screaming in pain. When the light faded, The dungeon core was back to the size of a mid-sized human. Elias got to his feet, but his legs were violently shaking. ¡°Did it work?¡± Nathaniel said holding onto Elias. Elias was laughing hysterically, ¡°I-I¡¯m now Advanced rank,¡± he said turning to Nathaniel, ¡°I even have boons now.¡± Several loud explosions shook the dungeon, ¡°Seneschal!¡± Nathaniel looked to the core. The core¡¯s level seven now. Which means he¡¯s no longer active. ¡°Apologies master,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°I was taking care of some issue that suddenly arose. I¡¯ll have the maintenance bots feed the gold bars now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still active!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°Once an ability has been unlocked, it will remain so until the core is fully extracted.¡± The core glowed once again, and it grew slightly, ¡°We are now back to level twelve. I¡¯ll begin reconfiguring the domain. I had to permanently shut down a few of the robots since we now exceed the minion limit. Better than letting them go rogue and attacking the dungeon.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°Focus on gathering high valuable resources first. I want to try and get the core back to level twenty.¡± Nathaniel sat at the table looking at the records in front of him. A month had passed, and he still couldn¡¯t think of a way to get the materials. He sighed as he placed his head in his hands. Someone tenderly touched his shoulders, and he felt the tension ease a bit. ¡°Is everything all right master?¡± Ralia said, her thumb gently massaged his collarbone. ¡°I was able to make a new plan to get the core back to level twenty,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°But I still can¡¯t think of a way to get the materials needed for Hope''s cybernetics.¡± ¡°Do you not have the money to buy them?¡± ¡°Not even close,¡± Nathaniel pulled out another sheet, ¡°From what Porman told me, a single bar of mithril is about two hundred gold, and a single bar of orichalcum is three hundred-fifty. I need four thousand gold in total for everything, but what I¡¯m bringing in from the metal works is barely making a dent in that. And I probably won¡¯t see a return on the weapons for several months, if not a year.¡± ¡°Then why not breed the Quarmane woman,¡± Ralia said with a slight growl, ¡°I¡¯m certain the merchant would gladly give you the materials for a child.¡± She¡¯s not wrong. Nathaniel shook his head, ¡°No, I won¡¯t do that,¡± he said, ¡°I need to have some principles if I want to be a hero.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so against it,¡± Ralia said, ¡°It¡¯s a male¡¯s duty to continue the bloodline.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not arguing with you Ralia,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Leave it alone.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Ralia huffed, ¡°But isn¡¯t Hope worthy of some sacrifices?¡± She walked off before he could respond. Nathaniel rose from the table and quietly went upstairs. He stepped into the room next to his and looked down at Hope sleeping. He gently brushed the hair from her face. Ralia¡¯s right. The next morning, Nathaniel loaded the cart, and dropped Hope off at the church before heading to Rumand. The trip was calm with no issues, and that afternoon he was pulling into the Quarmane trading house. The workers quickly emptied the wagon as Nathaniel and Ralia headed upstairs. Cymella smiled as he stepped into the office, ¡°Welcome back Nathaniel,¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again,¡± Nathaniel said taking a seat on the couch, ¡°I¡¯ve brought another shipment.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Cymella said sitting next to him, ¡°I also have the new sales figures.¡± She passed him a piece of paper. Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°Three hundred gold for the last shipment,¡± he said, ¡°That¡¯s less than I expected.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, so,¡± Cymella said, ¡°Considering that we¡¯ve been selling your mugs for six months it¡¯s safe to say we¡¯ve saturated Rumand¡¯s market, but we¡¯re working to sell them at our other branches. It¡¯ll just take a little longer for the sales to come back.¡± ¡°What about the swords?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still negotiating with the marquess,¡± Cymella smiled, ¡°And it looks like they¡¯ll buy the lot for a thousand gold, but we still need to finalize it.¡± ¡°And how long before I see my cut?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°A few more months,¡± Cymella said, ¡°Is there a reason why you need the money?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the money really. I have a few personal projects that require high end materials like mithril and orichalcum.¡± ¡°And how many do you need?¡± Nathaniel cleared his throat, ¡°fifteen orichalcum bars and sixteen mithril.¡± Cymella¡¯s smile broke, ¡°That¡¯s¡­going to take some time,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m sure we can work something out.¡± ¡°Right now, I need six orichalcum and three mithril,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I need those for a project that I¡¯m working on for Hope.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we sleep on it,¡± Cymella said pressing against him, ¡°I¡¯m certain we can work something out, tonight. Why don¡¯t you head over to the mansion to get some rest.¡± Nathaniel nodded as he left. Ralia watched as Nathaniel sat on the sofa in his common room. His legs were fidgeting, and he stared at the ground. He¡¯d been acting like this ever since they arrived at the mansion. ¡°Master, did you bring a whetstone?¡± Ralia said standing behind him, ¡°I noticed my spear was looking a little dull and I want to sharpen it.¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be dull,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°It¡¯s made of an alloy from arcane steel and adamantium.¡± ¡°Still, better to be prepared,¡± Ralia gave him a small smile. ¡°I¡¯ll go check,¡± Nathaniel headed off to his room, and as soon as the door closed, she quickly ran to her room and pulled out the bulging sack carrying her armor. She quietly stalked down the hall until she ran into a maid. ¡°Where is mistress Cymella¡¯s room?¡± The maid jumped, ¡°It¡¯s over on the other side of the mansion,¡± ¡°Take me there, now,¡± Ralia stared down the girl. The maid squeaked and quickly led Ralia down the hall. It wasn¡¯t as far as she thought it was, in fact, Cymella¡¯s room was almost next door to Nathaniel¡¯s. She was clearly planning this from the beginning. The maid gently knocked on the door, but Ralia pushed past her. The guest rooms were luxurious but simple, which was a complete contrast to Cymella¡¯s. Fine paintings and curtains covered the walls. A mahogany liquor cabinet was fully stocked and a few steps from the soft sofa that could snuggly sit two people. Fresh incense gave the room a lovely lavender and cinnamon scent. Cymella simply stared at Ralia, ¡°You¡¯re not who I was expecting,¡± she said holding a vial. Cymella¡¯s sheer silk nightgown clung tightly to her hips and bust, and in the right light it silhouetted her curvaceous figure. The deep neckline exposed the beauty mark on her right breast, and the high slit on the left side allowed her to show off her supple legs. I can¡¯t deny her beauty. ¡°Well, what do you want?¡± Cymella said cocking her hip, ¡°I¡¯m expecting someone in a few minutes.¡± She smiled coyly. ¡°I¡¯ve come to make a trade,¡± Ralia threw the bag onto the ground, ¡°My armor for the materials my master needs.¡± Cymella smiled in amusement and snapped at the maid. The maid pulled out the armor and laid it onto the small table in front of the sofa. Slowly, Cymella inspected each piece, her eyes taking it in greedily. ¡°Obviously Nathaniel¡¯s work,¡± Cymella cooed, ¡°It¡¯s so¡­beautiful,¡± she looked to Ralia, ¡°But do you truly think this is worth the six orichalcum bars and three mithril?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ralia stared daggers at the woman, ¡°I think it¡¯s worth twice that, if not more,¡± She tapped the armor, ¡°It¡¯s made from an alloy of adamantium and arcane steel which makes its stronger than any other armor out there. It even has runes that can be found on no other armor like the awareness rune on the helmet and recall rune on the right gauntlet for the spear. There¡¯s even a telescopic shield on the left gauntlet, and speed runes on the boots. There is literally no other armor like it.¡± ¡°Quite impressive, but who would buy it?¡± ¡°A noble obviously,¡± Ralia scoffed, ¡°They¡¯ll easily buy it for themselves, whether to wear or for decoration. They could even gift it to the heroes,¡± the thought caused Ralia to growl, ¡°Or even sell it to the Guild. Mother knows they would pay any price to get their hands on it.¡± ¡°True,¡± Cymella smirked as she stepped close to Ralia, ¡°But I think I¡¯d rather discuss this with Nathaniel. He has something¡­more valuable to me and my husband.¡± Ralia growled, but underneath the heavy scent of incense and perfume there was another. A sweet smell that reminded her of milk. Ralia smiled back, ¡°Have you laid with your husband recently?" ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± Cymella said, ¡°But I did enjoy a few nights with the Champion at a ball over in Opren. It was a celebration in honor of their next expedition to the front lines.¡± ¡°A pity,¡± Ralia¡¯s smile turned victorious, ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult to sire master¡¯s child, seeing as you already pregnant.¡± Cymella¡¯s smile vanished, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You reek of a woman becoming a mother,¡± Ralia said touching her nose. ¡°Dammit, you¡¯re lying!¡± ¡°Am I?¡± Ralia said standing over her, ¡°I could always call master over. His [Intuition] can settle this matter for sure,¡± Cymella bit her thumb, ¡°You¡¯re in quite the predicament,¡± Ralia chuckled, ¡°You could terminate the filthy spawn, but that would be waste of a hero¡¯s child, and by the time you¡¯ll be ready for another, master will easily have enough saved to buy the materials outright.¡± ¡°Dammit,¡± Cymella glared at the armor, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take the trade,¡± she said staring at the potion in her hands, ¡°Looks like I won¡¯t need this fertility draught,¡± she smiled waving in front of Ralia, ¡°Do you want it?¡± Ralia stared at the small glass vial. Her hands itching to take it, ¡°No thanks,¡± she said. ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Cymella said tucking the vial between her breasts, ¡°It¡¯ll take me a few days, but I¡¯ll have the materials gathered before you both return home,¡± her smile vanished to a challenging glare, ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before I have my way with him, you know.¡± Ralia returned the glare, ¡°It¡¯s my job to protect him, even from you.¡± She turned and quickly left the room. Ralia walked down the hall for a few feet before she let out a deep sigh. Her tail shivered and a sad smile came to her lips. Ralia walked boldly back to Nathaniel¡¯s common room. When she entered, Nathaniel rose from the sofa and approached her. ¡°Where¡¯d you go Ralia,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I thought you wanted to sharpen your spear.¡± Ralia hugged herself, ¡°I¡­won¡¯t be needing it, now,¡± she said trying to fight the tears, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­about that.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°Ralia, what did you do?¡± ¡°You bought me to protect you,¡± Ralia said, ¡°And I will protect you from everything, even yourself,¡± she gently touched his cheek, ¡°I¡­couldn¡¯t stand seeing you suffer, so¡­I made the sacrifice for you,¡± she rested her head against his chest, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I won¡¯t be able to cherish the armor you made.¡± Nathaniel embraced her, ¡°Thank you,¡± he said petting her hair, ¡°Thank you for doing that for me. I promise, the next armor I make you will outshine this one.¡± ¡°Can¡­I ask for something else,¡± ¡°You can ask for anything,¡± Nathaniel smiled at her. Ralia kissed his cheek, ¡°Please¡­take me to your bed.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Nathaniel kissed her back. Nathaniel let his head rest against the pillow. He scratched at the bruises that were starting to form along his neck and chest. Ralia was a bit overzealous in showing her affection. Apparently, dragon-hearts prefer rough lovemaking. He let his left arm drape around Ralia¡¯s middle, and he pulled her close. ¡°I regret not taking that fertility potion,¡± Ralia sighed as she took his hand and moved it to her breasts. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡± Nathaniel kissed and gently bit her shoulder. Ralia moaned, ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to owe that woman anything,¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s good you didn¡¯t take it,¡± Nathaniel smiled, ¡°What would I do without my beautiful dragon-lady protecting me.¡± ¡°You¡¯d figure something out,¡± Ralia chuckled kissing his knuckles. She playfully nibbled his fingers, ¡°You¡¯re a hero after all.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Nathaniel kissed her neck, ¡°But I still need you by my side.¡± Ralia rolled around and kissed him deeply, ¡°I¡¯ll never leave you,¡± she said, ¡°Not until you get rid of me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m never getting rid of you,¡± Nathaniel said fingering her collar, ¡°If anything, I want to set you free.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather keep the collar, if it means I can stay.¡± ¡°I¡¯d want you to stay even after I remove this shitty collar,¡± Ralia tightly hugged him, ¡°I look forward to that day.¡± Ch.19 Hope Nathaniel sat at the workstation in his dungeon lab with Elias sitting next to him. They were looking at a projection of Hope¡¯s body along with the cybernetics sitting to the side. Elias scratched his head still impressed with the display. ¡°So, for the surgery,¡± Nathaniel shifted the image to focus on Hope¡¯s arm as a thin tube moved next to it, ¡°We¡¯ll surgically insert these guides into Hope¡¯s arms and legs. Then we¡¯ll surgically open the ends of her arms,¡± Another device appeared next to the arm and pressed against the opening, ¡°The interface will line up with the opening, and we¡¯ll use the large screw to anchor it deep into the bone marrow,¡± A screw slid into the small bowl in the center of the interface. The four flaps on the ends laid flat against the arm, ¡°We¡¯ll use the guides to screw in four screws into her humerus. That way the interface will be securely attached.¡± ¡°This is quite complex,¡± Elias said with a nervous chuckle, ¡°But I don¡¯t see any issues.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°We¡¯re going to perform this on all four limbs.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll take some time, especially for one person,¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be alone doctor,¡± Seneschal said changing the image. It looked like a maintenance bot, but it had fewer arms and it had saws and scalpels as a few attachments, ¡°Master and I developed these medical bots to aid you. We¡¯ve had them practice their surgery skills on the wildlife we¡¯ve captured, and their talents will prove to be useful. I¡¯ve also built out a surgical suite here in the dungeon that is fully stocked with healing potions.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Elias sighed in relief, ¡°Then all that¡¯s left is to prepare the patient.¡± Nathaniel nodded, ¡°She¡¯s already here,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ll go check on her.¡± Nathaniel left the workshop and rounded the corner to the medical room. Hope laid in the one bed with a simple sheet over her. She eyed the medical bots flying around nervously. Nathaniel brushed the hair from her face, ¡°How are you feeling,¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m¡­ fine,¡± Hope said with a fake smile. ¡°You can be nervous Hope,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Will¡­ it hurt?¡± Hope looked up to him with watery eyes. ¡°No, you¡¯re going to sleep through it all,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Then you¡¯ll be one step closer to being a cyborg.¡± Hope smile, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± A medical bot flew over to her, ¡°Lady Hope,¡± Seneschal spoke through the bot, ¡°I¡¯m going to administer the anesthetic. This will help you sleep through the operation.¡± Hope turned to Nathaniel with tears in her eyes, and Nathaniel leaned over kissed her forehead. The bot stuck Hope with a syringe, and she grunted in pain. Hope cried a little as the medical bot flew away. ¡°Will you wait here,¡± Hope said, ¡°Until I fall asleep.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Nathaniel stood next to her gently brushing Hope¡¯s hair. Eventually, she fell asleep. The bots then wheeled the bed into the surgical suite next door, and Nathaniel watched from the glass window as Elias and the bots performed the operation. Blood quickly coated the clean metal floor, and Nathaniel flinched as the nails screwed into bone. It felt like the surgery was taking forever, but it did end, and Hope was brought back out. The orange orichalcum interfaces shined in the white light. Slowly, Hope started waking up, and she started crying. ¡°I-it hurts,¡± Hope looked to him, ¡°Why does it hurt so much?¡± ¡°Everything will be all right sweetie,¡± Nathaniel said gently trying to comfort her. Nathaniel carefully locked the ball joint to the cybernetic forearm into the interface on Hope¡¯s left arm. The maintenance bot helping locked the joint down. Piece by piece they worked together to construct the skeletal frame of the left arm. The orichalcum metal glistened orange in the light. The runes carved in it were gently glowing. [Skill leveled: Runesmith Lv. 100] [Congratulations! You have achieved mastery of the Runesmith skill. Alert: Experience gained from skill will no longer be boosted by rank buffs] [New skill developed: Cybernetics Lv. 1] ¡°Not now,¡± Nathaniel dismissed the alerts as he connected orichalcum wires from the fingers to the wrist module. ¡°Is everything all right?¡± Hope said. ¡°Just some new alerts,¡± Nathaniel smiled, He took a longer wire and attached one end to the wrist, ¡°Let me know if you feel anything.¡± He said connecting the wire to the interface on her arm. Hope screamed, ¡°Did that hurt?¡± ¡°No, it felt¡­strange,¡± ¡°Let me know if it starts to hurt,¡± Nathaniel said as he secured the wire to the skeleton, ¡°I had to create nearly two dozen runes just to make sure these cybernetics work.¡± Hope¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°There¡¯s the multiple sensory runes carved into the fingers that should simulate touch. The wires are carved with neural transmission runes, and of course I carved strength and durability runes into the skeleton. So, your strength stats should be on par with Ralia¡¯s, hopefully.¡± Hope screamed again as he attached the other wires. After they were secured to the frame, Nathaniel removed the straps holding it in place. ¡°Can you try moving the fingers?¡± Hope stared intently, but they didn¡¯t move, ¡°Why¡­aren¡¯t they moving?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry sweetie,¡± Nathaniel said petting her, ¡°You keep trying while I work on the other limbs.¡± Nathaniel moved to the other side and began assembling Hope¡¯s right arm. He could hear her grunting and groaning as she tried to make the fingers on her left arm move. Hope hadn¡¯t made any progress by the time he finished her right arm. ¡°Why won¡¯t it work!¡± Hope cried as Nathaniel started on her right leg. ¡°How are you trying to move it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Hope said, ¡°I¡¯m just thinking ¡®move fingers.¡¯¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s the issue,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Why not try picturing the fingers moving?¡± ¡°How,¡± ¡°Close your eyes,¡± Hope took a deep breath and closed her eyes, ¡°Now imagine your left arm,¡± he said, ¡°Picture it as your arm, your fingers, and that you¡¯re making a fist.¡± The fingers on Hope¡¯s left arm started twitching, and slowly they curled up into a fist. ¡°Now imagine your fingers uncurling.¡± Her fingers uncurled but it wasn¡¯t smooth. ¡°Now open your eyes and imagine the same thing.¡± Hope nodded and stared at her left arm. Her forehead wrinkled in concentration, and the fingers started twitching again. Tears started streaming down Hope¡¯s face as the fingers clumsily closed into a fist and raised it up to her face. Nathaniel reached out and gently took her hand. ¡°We¡¯re almost there, Hope,¡± He smiled wiping away her tears. ¡°I-I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡± Hope stood in the center of a bare room with several stone bricks stacked up in front of her. After undergoing physical therapy for two weeks, which is what Nathaniel called it, she had better control over her new arms and legs. There were still times when she would have trouble with them, but that mostly happened after waking up. ¡°Alright Hope,¡± Nathaniel¡¯s voice came from behind a glass barrier, ¡°We¡¯re going to test the capabilities of your new cybernetics. Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s start with picking up the cinderblock,¡± Nathaniel pointed to the dull grey block with two holes cut out it in. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Hope squatted down and ran one of her fingers against the stone, ¡°It feels weird,¡± she said giggling. Her fingers produced a scratching sound, but the runes allowed her to feel the rough, bumpy exterior. The white mithril metal that covered her new limbs reflected the large block as she wrapped her fingers around it. She easily lifted the stone from the floor and started swinging it around. It¡¯s so light. ¡°Be careful Hope,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°You can still get hurt, so please take this seriously.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Hope said as she quickly raised her arms. The block flew into the air and shattered as it hit the ground, ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I mean Hope,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°That could have killed you if it hit your head.¡± A maintenance bot appeared through a door and started building a wall with bricks. It¡¯s sixteen arms were a blur, and, in a few minutes, a six-foot wall stood in front of Hope. ¡°Alright Hope, try punching the wall.¡± Hope shifted her feet and punched the wall. Her fist broke through the bricks, and it toppled in front of her. ¡°How?¡± Ralia said, ¡°How can she do that. I can¡¯t do that.¡± Hope giggled triumphantly, ¡°Too bad for you Ralia,¡± ¡°Enough you two,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Looks like the strength runes are working properly. Now, let¡¯s test your speed.¡± A light appeared at the far end of the room, ¡°Go stand by the light,¡± Hope skipped to the light while humming to herself, ¡°Face the far wall. Another light will appear, and I want you to run to it as fast as you can.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Hope turned around and readied herself. As soon as the light showed up, she ran. There was a rush of air against her face, and she held up her arms to brace herself as she slammed into the wall. ¡°Are you all right Hope!¡± Nathaniel called out to her. Hope started laughing , ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said, ¡°That was fun.¡± ¡°Looks like the speed runes are also working,¡± Nathaniel said out from the barrier, ¡°I¡¯d say your cybernetics are running at one hundred percent. We¡¯ll continue rehab, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to worry about.¡± ¡°Then, can we go home!¡± Hope said jumping up and down. ¡°Yes Hope, we can go home,¡± Hope cheered as she ran over and hugged Nathaniel. Nathaniel petted her head, ¡°What do you want for dinner?" ¡°Can we go eat at Sierra¡¯s?¡± Ralia groaned, ¡°Must we,¡± Nathaniel shook his head with a chuckle, ¡°Of course sweetie,¡± he said, ¡°We can go to the tavern tonight.¡± Hope squealed in delight as she tightened her hug. Hope threw off the plain white dress she¡¯s been wearing for the last two weeks, ¡°Seneschal, bring me my pretty dress!¡± Sierra hummed to herself as she cleaned and dusted the tables of the tavern. It was still too early for the locals to visit, so she was taking her time. She sighed as she dunked the rag into the water bucket. I hope Nathaniel and Hope are doing well. It had been several weeks since she¡¯d last seen them. The door opened and Sierra gave the visitors a smile, ¡°Wel¡­come¡­¡± she stared unable to understand what she was seeing. The rag slipped from her grasp. ¡°Sierra!¡± Hope ran up to her and hugged her. She was wearing a lacy pink dress with multiple layers of frills. The slim straps exposed her shoulders, and the metals arms. The puffy skirt stopped right above the knees which also exposed her metal legs. ¡°Hope¡­how¡­you¡­what¡­¡± Sierra took her in, ¡°You have legs¡­and arms.¡± ¡°Like them?¡± Hope smirked as she spun around, ¡°Master made them for me.¡± Sierra looked at Nathaniel standing at the door, ¡°How?" she said, ¡°You¡¯re just a blacksmith. I can understand you creating the mugs and knives, but¡­making Hope new arms and legs,¡± Tears started filling her eyes, ¡°Who¡­are you?¡± Nathaniel gave her a small smile, ¡°Nathaniel Light,¡± he said, ¡°That¡¯s all that matters, right.¡± Sierra nodded, ¡°I guess,¡± ¡°Enough whining child,¡± Ralia pushed past them and noisily sat down, ¡°We¡¯re here to eat, not entertain your whims.¡± She gave Sierra a knowing smirk, ¡°Come now, don¡¯t keep us waiting.¡± Sierra couldn¡¯t help the growl. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Sierra jumped at Nathaniel¡¯s shout, ¡°Do you understand Ralia.¡± Ralia nodded as her tail slithered underneath the chair, ¡°Yes master,¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go get you some food.¡± As Sierra left, Hope turned to Ralia, ¡°That wasn¡¯t nice,¡± ¡°I know,¡± Ralia sighed. A few moments later, Sierra came out with a few plates full of food, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sierra.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Sierra smiled, ¡°I¡¯m sure Nathaniel will punish you later.¡± Ralia growled but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re capable of such a thing.¡± She eyed Hope as she grabbed a piece of fruit. ¡°Why,¡± Ralia scoffed skewering a piece of meat, ¡°You¡¯ve known the master longer than any of us, and yet, his abilities still astound you. Have you not thought about it or are you purposefully ignoring the signs.¡± Sierra huffed, ¡°What are you talking about,¡± she said, ¡°Even if he is a blacksmith, he¡¯s advanced ranked. Uncle Gordon was advanced, and he was able to master several skills outside of the smithing ones.¡± ¡°Did his skills vary as much as masters?¡± ¡°No,¡± ¡°Master¡¯s truly is skilled!¡± Hope interrupted them, ¡°Not only did he make my new arms and legs, but he made me this dress too. Not to mention, Ralia always brags about the stuff he makes for her, especially her undergarments.¡± Sierra cleared her throat, ¡°He does make nice¡­clothing,¡± she turned away trying to hide her blushing face. ¡°Did he make you some too?¡± Hope started lifting Sierra¡¯s skirt, but she cried and backed away. ¡°That¡¯s inappropriate, Hope,¡± Sierra covered her face. ¡°So, he did make you some,¡± Hope started pouting, ¡°Master, I want undergarments like Sierra and Ralia.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little young,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡®Actually¡­how old are you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Hope said tapping her chin, ¡°I was a kid when those mean men captured me. After that, I don¡¯t remember much.¡± ¡°Let me check your menu,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°We¡¯ll need to talk with Rose about getting you awakened,¡± He continued looking through Hope¡¯s menu, but then, his gaze flicked between her and the menu multiple times, ¡°It¡­says you¡¯re forty years old.¡± ¡°Truly,¡± Hope stared at him, and then looked at her hands, ¡°I was in that terrible place for almost thirty years.¡± Sierra hugged her, ¡°It¡¯s all right Hope,¡± she said, ¡°Why don¡¯t I make you a honey cake, as congratulations for your new arms and legs.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Hope smiled. ¡°Why are we seeing the priestess again,¡± Ralia said sneering at the church. ¡°We¡¯re going to awaken Hope¡¯s class,¡± Nathaniel said. He had to hold Hope¡¯s hand to keep her from running off. ¡°But the core should be able to do that,¡± Ralia scoffed, ¡°Are you¡­attracted to her?¡± a slight growl escaped her lips. ¡°She is beautiful, but no,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I think it¡¯ll help integrate Hope into the village, and she¡¯ll have information on the class if I¡¯m not familiar with it,¡± He gave her a sly smile, ¡°Besides, I think you¡¯re prettier than she is.¡± ¡°Is that so,¡± Ralia scoffed, but smiled, ¡°At least you have good tastes.¡± She slid up to him. ¡°Stop it!¡± Hope pushed her way between them, ¡°You can¡¯t flirt with master while I¡¯m here,¡± she said hugging Nathaniel¡¯s side and glaring at Ralia. ¡°You little brat!¡± ¡°Stop now, both of you,¡± Nathaniel said gently rapping Hope¡¯s head, ¡°That¡¯s not nice Hope. Ralia¡¯s deserving of my time too.¡± ¡°But¡­what about me?¡± Hope gave him the biggest puppy eyes he¡¯d ever seen. ¡°You¡¯ve had my complete attention for these last few weeks,¡± Nathaniel said petting her head, ¡°I¡¯m certain Ralia¡¯s feeling lonely after all that,¡± he smiled down at her, ¡°We¡¯re family now Hope. Even if we don¡¯t see eye to eye, it¡¯s important that we get along in the end.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Hope pouted, ¡°But I want some of your time too.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ll get it,¡± Nathaniel smiled, ¡°Now let¡¯s go see what your class is.¡± They walked into the small church. Sister Rose hummed a simple tune as she dusted the iron candlesticks on the altar. Daisy sat on one of the pews humming along as she swayed in her seat. Rose gave them a large smile, ¡°Welcome, what can I¡­¡± She gasped as Hope ran up the center aisle, ¡°Hope¡­you¡¯re running.¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Hope gave her a big smile. ¡°So, Uncle and Nathaniel were successful,¡± Daisy said clapping her hands, ¡°Congratulations Hope.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Hope sat next to her, ¡°Wanna touch them?¡± Daisy ran her fingers along Hope¡¯s right arm and leg, ¡°They¡¯re made of metal,¡± she said, ¡°And you¡¯re not having any troubles?¡± ¡°At first I did, but master helped me learn to control them,¡± Hope said, ¡°Now I can run faster than anyone else, and I¡¯m stronger than everyone too, even Ralia.¡± ¡°Quite impressive,¡± Rose said giving a Nathaniel a quizzical smile, ¡°We¡¯re glad you decided to show us.¡± ¡°We¡¯re also here to awaken Hope¡¯s class,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°She was captured as a child, and so, she was never given a class.¡± ¡°I can try,¡± Rose tapped her chin, ¡°But to be honest, I don¡¯t know if my ability to awaken classes works on other races.¡± She gestured for Hope to approach. Hope jumped onto the dais and stood in front of Rose. Rose kneeled and gave Hope a kiss on the forehead. An alert appeared in front of Nathaniel stating that Hope¡¯s class had been awakened but was still locked. After unlocking it, Nathaniel stared in confusion. ¡°Harbinger, that sounds kind of¡­ominous,¡± ¡°She has the Harbinger class, interesting,¡± Rose said, ¡°It¡¯s rare for someone to awaken to that class as it¡¯s considered an evolutionary class.¡± ¡°What do you mean,¡± ¡°Not all classes are bestowed by awakening,¡± Rose said, ¡°Some classes like bandit and thief are acquired by engaging in those activities. Some classes can evolve after the owner meets certain milestones, for example someone with the Knight class can evolve it into the Champion class if they meet the right criteria. Harbinger just so happens to be another of those classes.¡± ¡°What can I do!¡± Hope beamed up to her. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Rose turned and flipped through the large leather-bound book, ¡°According to the book of classes, the Harbinger specializes in being a symbol that represents their master¡¯s strength. Their devotion is their greatest strength. This results in them being able to withstand most attacks while also returning such damage in kind. Their main stats are strength, constitution, and wisdom.¡± ¡°Are you certain you have the right class,¡± Ralia said which got her a glare from Hope. ¡°It definitely checks out,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Her strength stat easily surpasses yours,¡± Ralia started pouting, ¡°What I find interesting are her talents. [Optimistic] with the boon [Ray of Hope], and [Iron Will] with [Nerves of Steel] and [Unbreakable].¡± Rose continued flipping through the book, ¡°[Optimistic] is a talent that provides resistance to any negative effects that would try to break her spirit, and¡­also boosts experience to all skills!¡± Rose squinted at the text, ¡°That¡¯s quite impressive, what¡¯s your rank Hope?¡± ¡°Basic,¡± ¡°A five percent boost is nothing to sneeze at, especially when it affects all skills,¡± Rose smiled, ¡°But I don¡¯t see the boon [Ray of Hope] it must be new. What does it say for you Hope.¡± Hope squinted at her menu, ¡°It says that all allies receives a boost to morale while in my presence. They also get resistance to negative mental boosts,¡± Hope smile widened as she beamed at Nathaniel, ¡°It says that the effects are enhanced when I¡¯m with you master!¡± Rose gasped at Hope, ¡°That¡¯s a powerful boon,¡± she said, ¡°Could I get you to write the full definition for me Nathaniel,¡± Nathaniel nodded as she continued, ¡°[Iron Will] boosts her constitution and wisdom stats and essentially helps her deal with pain easier. The [Nerves of Steel] boon boosts physical damage resistance while [Unbreakable] grants resistances to enchantment spells,¡± Rose turned to Hope, ¡°Given time, she¡¯ll be a formidable fighter.¡± Hope ran and hugged Nathaniel, ¡°You hear that master,¡± she smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll grow big and strong, so that I can fight all your battles,¡± she smirked at the dragon-heart, ¡°And I won¡¯t need Ralia¡¯s help at all.¡± Nathaniel petted her head, ¡°You won¡¯t be fighting alone Hope,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ll be with you the entire time.¡± He groaned as she tightened her grip. Ch.20 The Summer Season A New Understanding Hope stared at her reflection as she looked down on the steel breastplate. It shimmered with a beautiful teal sheen, and the runes slightly glowed. The breastplate sat next to the rest of her armor that Nathaniel had made for her. Hope looked over her shoulder at Nathaniel. He sat at another table carving runes into a bronze sword. Ralia stood next to him with her hand resting on his shoulder. Her tail was wrapped around his waist with the tip resting on his lap. Hope huffed and pushed her way in between them, which caused Ralia to glare down at her. Ralia sneered at her, but addressed Nathaniel, ¡°Why are you carving runes into a normal bronze sword?¡± ¡°I noticed something when I was assembling Hope¡¯s cybernetics,¡± Nathaniel said blowing out the shavings, ¡°I carved runes into every part that was forged from orichalcum. The effects of the runes should stack but it looks like the effects are being applied to the mithril parts as well, and they aren¡¯t infused with magic,¡± He grabbed a roll of glistening silver wire with a teal shine. Using thick shears, he cut the wire into small pieces and placed them into the carved runes, ¡°So, it made me wonder. Can any metal conduct magic from arcane metals or is it just mithril,¡± Nathaniel heated up the metal and watched the silver wire melt. He gently shook the sword to level out the liquid metal, and then pulled it out of the fire. After it cooled, he sanded and polished the runes before fully assembling the sword. ¡°If this works, then we¡¯ll be able to save on arcanum powder,¡± Nathaniel said. [Item crafted: Bronze sword. Status: Durability+] Nathaniel smiled at the girls, ¡°It works,¡± he said setting down the sword. ¡°So, you can make enchanted equipment by using that wire,¡± Ralia said picking up the spool, ¡°What¡¯s it made of?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an alloy of tin and silver,¡± Nathaniel took it from her, ¡°I¡¯m calling it arcane solder. We had something similar back in my old world which is what inspired this.¡± He walked over to the armor, ¡°And that¡¯s not the only thing I learned.¡± He picked up a breastplate, ¡°Runes apply an effect on whatever it¡¯s applied to, but the effect can¡¯t be multiplied by applying rune multiple times to the same item.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Ralia nodded, ¡°That¡¯s why the same rune must be applied to multiple pieces of the armor.¡± ¡°Right, but right now blacksmiths are applying runes to six parts of the armor. The breastplate, both greaves or thigh guards, bracers or pauldrons, and the helmet,¡± he started disassembling the breastplate, ¡°But what if you applied the runes to the different parts that make up the breastplate?¡± ¡°It¡­wouldn¡¯t take effect,¡± Hope said with a shrug. ¡°It actually stacks, to a degree,¡± Nathaniel smiled, ¡°That¡¯s why the durability multiplier on your cybernetics is so high. Every part on the skeletal frame is carved with a durability rune.¡± ¡°But¡­why hasn¡¯t anyone figured this out,¡± Ralia said tapping her chin, ¡°If they did, then enchanted armor would easily exceed the standard [5x] multiplier they are known to apply.¡± ¡°Ranking, I guess,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Since I¡¯m legendary ranked, I pretty much succeed at everything I craft, but almost every blacksmith is basic ranked, so the current method is the most efficient.¡± ¡°Then, you¡¯ll need to be careful,¡± Ralia looked worried, ¡°If the nobles or the Guild find this out¡­I don¡¯t want to think about it.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Nathaniel pulled them both close, ¡°This needs to stay between us okay.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The Guild Pt.2 ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Elias glanced over at Nathaniel. They both stood in line waiting for their turn to approach the front desk in Rumand¡¯s Guild Hall. ¡°Yes,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Getting your license reinstated will be a boon to the village,¡± he leaned closer to whisper, ¡°Besides, I¡¯d like to get my hands on the latest alchemy manual.¡± Elias chuckled as they approached the counter. ¡°How may I be of service?¡± the receptionist smiled politely. ¡°I¡¯d like to renew my license,¡± Elias said sliding the wooden plaque over to him. The receptionist took the plaque and disappeared into the back. He returned with a rolled-up scroll that was wrapped with a braided red cord. ¡°There are some issues that need to be addressed first,¡± the receptionist said, ¡°You have a penalty on your record, so you¡¯ll need to pay the fee of three hundred gold. Then you¡¯ll need to pay the yearly fee of five gold. You¡¯ll also need to retake the test, which will be another gold.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Elias said handing the coins over, ¡°I have the payment right here.¡± ¡°Excellent, I¡¯ll take care of the paperwork. Once you¡¯re ready for the test come let me know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready now,¡± The receptionist gestured to the side door, ¡°Please step through the door and follow me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait here for you,¡± Nathaniel said gesturing to the seats. Nathaniel took a seat near the door. There wasn¡¯t much to do as he waited for Elais. At times like this he really missed his phone. With a sigh, Nathaniel opened his menu. [Runesmith] hadn¡¯t increased since he mastered it. Apparently, engraving runes into everything you could get your hands on didn¡¯t provide that much experience. It was only thanks to the experience boost that it grew as quickly as it did. So, he decided to spend his time working on [Armorsmith] and [Weaponsmith], but they too were growing slower than he liked. I¡¯ll need to put more effort into them. ¡°Pardon me,¡± Nathaniel jumped and looked up at the elderly man standing over him. The man wore finely made grey robes with gold and silver trim, and a matching cap. His long white hair and beard were properly groomed, and golden rings hung from six of his fingers. He stared down Nathaniel with a fake smile. ¡°Do you have business here?¡± the man said. ¡°I do,¡± Nathaniel stood up. He was amazed that he towered over the elderly man, ¡°My friend is renewing his license, so I¡¯ve come to give him my support.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the man said, ¡°He¡¯s most fortunate to have such a good friend. Where are my manners, I¡¯m Guild master Aerick.¡± ¡°Nathaniel Light,¡± Aerick¡¯s mouth twisted in thought, ¡°That name¡­sounds familiar. Have we met?¡± ¡°No sir, this is the first time we¡¯ve spoken to each other,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°But I did see you on my way out the last time I visited.¡± ¡°I remember,¡± Aerick said, ¡°Are you also going to join the Guild?¡± ¡°I tried, but I was rejected,¡± Nathaniel shrugged his shoulder, ¡°Now I just tend to my master¡¯s old shop.¡± Aerick¡¯s smile faltered, ¡°You understand you¡¯re going against regulations,¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that, but I don¡¯t quite understand why the Guild has this authority,¡± Aerick chuckled and gave him a smug smile, ¡°I¡¯ll enlighten you,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s to protect craftsmen from being taken advantage of. You see, in the Great War one hundred-fifty years ago, the various kingdoms of Everhall were extorting artisans, healers, and the like so that they could overpower each other. Families dying of starvation, knowledge being horded, and worst of all, the rampant corruption of the nobility,¡± he sighed, ¡°Unless you were a noble or a hero, then your life¡­didn¡¯t mean much. So, the Guild leaders from the strongest nations at the time banded together and rallied all the artisans to their cause. With production halted, the ten Guild leaders negotiated with the nobility,¡± he smiled with his hands spread wide, ¡°The Guild was reborn as it is now. No longer do artisans have to worry about being exploited, and we act as an arbitrator whenever the other kingdoms thought about going to war.¡± ¡°What about those that can¡¯t get membership,¡± ¡°True it¡¯s a shame that we can¡¯t take everyone on,¡± Aerick said, ¡°We have a reputation to maintain, but we¡¯re more lenient than you might think. Almost everyone is allowed to join the Guild. You were probably rejected for a lack of experience, but I¡¯m certain you¡¯d have no problem getting in now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Nathaniel said which caused Aerick to smile, ¡°I¡¯ll think it over.¡± ¡°I hope you don¡¯t think too much about it.¡± Training Hope looked through the various weapons lining the racks. Now that she had a class, Nathaniel wanted to start her training. She wore a simple arcane iron breastplate, greaves, and bracers meant for training, and she was currently looking for a weapon to train with. Ralia stood by the rack with the polearms. She wore similar training armor, but she had a shield strapped to her left arm. ¡°There¡¯s more than I expected,¡± Ralia said. ¡°I got a little carried away,¡± Nathaniel said with a chuckle, ¡°Besides the four weapons you mentioned, I created a trident, bident, poleaxe, war scythe,¡± he pointed to a polearm that ended with four hooks protruding from the center, ¡°I¡¯m calling this one a battle hook, since I don¡¯t think it has a name,¡± he pointed to another with a three-foot sword at the end, ¡°And this one is from my world. I think it was called a¡­naginata.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°So, this weapon is from your world as well,¡± Ralia picked up the bladed staff, ¡°I¡¯m interested in more of your weapons, especially after seeing that crossbow.¡± ¡°Master, I want a weapon!¡± Hope said hugging him. ¡°You¡¯re free to pick any weapon you want,¡± Nathaniel patted her head, ¡°We need to start your training anyways.¡± Hope looked at the many weapons. One caught her attention, and she ran to it, ¡°I want this one,¡± ¡°A spiked club,¡± Nathaniel said watching her pick up the weapon that was as tall as she was, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°Suit yourself, but I think you should pick a smaller weapon,¡± ¡°These cybernetics make me strong,¡± Hope said giving Ralia a challenging glare, ¡°And I want to show Ralia just how strong I am.¡± ¡°Then show me, brat!¡± Ralia walked to the center of the training room and taunted her. Hope picked up the weapon and charged at Ralia with a scream that was cute rather than intimidating. Hope brought the club down hard. Clang. Ralia simply stepped out of the way, and the club hit the ground. The sound echoed through the room. Before Hope could recover, Ralia swiped the naginata at Hope, which caused the fey girl to fly across the room. ¡°Very impressive,¡± Ralia smiled as she leaned against her weapon. ¡°Shut up,¡± Hope slowly got back to her feet, ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡± After fifteen minutes, Hope panted as she lay on the ground. In all that time, she couldn¡¯t even get close to hitting Ralia. The dragon-heart stood over her with a smug grin, but she held out a hand. Hope groaned and accepted Ralia¡¯s help so she could stand up. ¡°I¡¯ll get you next time.¡± Girl Talk Sierra knocked on Nathaniel¡¯s door. She adjusted the basket nestled in the crook of her left elbow, and she held Daisy¡¯s hand with her right one. Loud stomping sounded from behind the door, and Hope opened it with a large smile. ¡°Come in,¡± Hope said, ¡°We have everything set up.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Sierra smiled and guided Daisy inside. Hope led them to the dining table. Snacks littered the table alongside a steaming teapot. Sierra led Daisy to the table and helped her get settled into one of the chairs. Ralia stepped out of the kitchen with a plate full of sweets. Sierra couldn¡¯t help but notice the gentle sway of her tail and the soft smile on her lips. ¡°The master made these for us,¡± Ralia said setting them down. ¡°Will Nathaniel be joining us?¡± Sierra said combing her hair. ¡°No,¡± Ralia smirked, ¡°He has other work he needs to tend to.¡± ¡°You sound in good spirits,¡± Daisy said, ¡°Did something happen?¡± Ralia¡¯s smirk grew as she looked at Sierra, ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Ignore her,¡± Hope pouted, ¡°She¡¯s bragging because she had master all to herself last night.¡± Sierra gasped, ¡°You¡­mean,¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ralia sighed contently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m certain once you grow, you¡¯ll capture the master¡¯s eye.¡± Sierra growled, but Daisy interrupted, ¡°I don¡¯t know if Nathaniel is lucky or cursed,¡± she laughed, ¡°He must have his hands full with you three.¡± ¡°No, just one,¡± Sierra said, ¡°The one who has no household skills.¡± She smirked at Ralia. ¡°I was purchased for my martial skills.¡± Ralia spat then turned to Hope, ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not the only one.¡± ¡°I can do things around the house!¡± Ralia scoffed, ¡°The last time you did, you nearly burnt the house down.¡± Daisy laughed as the three women glared at each other, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying there¡¯s room for another woman.¡± ¡°No!¡± the three said at the same time. A Disappointing Battle Geega¡¯Bulmesh sat on top of his iron golem looking down at the battle raging before him. An army of monsters which consisted of orcs, hobgoblins, nagas, trolls, and the kuroban, an arachnid-based monster, fought against the amassed humans. The battle was a stalemate. The monsters had superior strength, but the humans had superior numbers, not to mention equipment. Geega looked to the orc warlord next to him, ¡°This is¡­disappointing,¡± he said pulling out a thin wooden tube. He stuffed it with an herbal mixture, then lit the end with a fire crystal, ¡°I expected better from the fearsome Grangk Bloodtusk, Slayer of the Green Drake, and Heroes Bane.¡± A thick cloud of smoke escaped his lips. Grangk looked down at the small goblin. He did look fearsome in his armor made from the Green Drake¡¯s bones which did little to cover the multitude of scars covering his body. The skull helmet made him look truly monstrous, and his hands hovered over the bone axe at his side. A leather patch hung over his left eye, but the thick scar running down his face made it clear what happened. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you do better,¡± Grangk snarled. ¡°Gladly,¡± Geega turned around to the group of goblins behind them, ¡°Prepare the boom tubes!¡± The goblins rushed and set up three cylindrical tubes made from iron and mithril. The tubes were propped up on wooden supports with the open end pointed towards the sky. A goblin poured a fine black powder into each tube while another pressed it down with cloth and long stick. A third tossed in a black metal ball into each tube while another prepared fuses for each tube. Geega returned to looking at the battle and activated his [Intuition], ¡°Rotate to mark thirteen point four,¡± he said pointing to his right. The goblins acknowledged and confirmed the tubes were in position. ¡°Raise to twenty-six point seven,¡± The goblins acknowledged again, ¡°Ignite!¡± After a few seconds a loud blast sounded behind them, and the whining sounds of the projectiles soon followed. Geega watched as the black metals balls reached the peak of their arc then broke up into multiple pieces. The sharp metal projectiles rained down onto the human forces, and he cackled in delight as the humans cried in anguish. A large chunk of the humans¡¯ center line fell, and it finally broke under the monsters¡¯ assault. ¡°Prepare another round,¡± Geega said. A group broke from the humans¡¯ ranks and started approaching, ¡°Looks like they¡¯re trying to stop us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the heroes,¡± Grangk said, ¡°Pal¡¯eet, to me!¡± A group of heavily armored females surrounded the warlord. Most were orcs, but Geega couldn¡¯t help but eye the towering ten-foot fire giantess among them. ¡°You intend to take your gaggle into battle with you?¡± Geega spat. ¡°Of course,¡± Grangk said with a smirk, ¡°Unlike your kind, we orc cherish females that can stand by us in battle. That is what makes the pal¡¯eet so special.¡± ¡°Then go, and fight the heroes with you battle-wives,¡± Geega said. Grangk chuckled and charged into battle with his wives. ¡°Fool,¡± he scoffed, ¡°Females are only good for breeding and nagging,¡± Two of the heroes broke away from the group. Both wore armor while one wielded a two-handed sword, and the other a bow. The other two that fell behind were women wearing robes and carrying staves. Geega chuckled and ordered the tube operators to aim for the women. The tubes fired, and he watched as the two women stopped and stared at the sky. The shorter of the two pointed at the projectiles and tried to erect a magical barrier, but it was too late. The balls broke through the weak barrier and exploded a few feet from the women, sending them both flying in multiple directions. ¡°Quick, prepare another round!¡± Geega ordered keeping his eyes on the two heroes. This will turn the tide. After the goblins confirmed the tubes were ready, Geega gave them orders to target the woman in white robes, ¡°Fire!¡± Thunder rumbled behind him, and he watched with a wide smile. A flash of light blinded him, and he missed the impact. Two bodies tumbled out of the dirt. A man in armor lay on the ground with the woman in white on top of him. The two humans rose to their feet quickly, and the man blew a horn. The heroes broke free from their fight with Grangk and returned to the army. Grangk roared in triumph and returned to Geega. Blood seeped down his arm, but he stood tall and proud. Geega sneered at the clinging gaggle of women. ¡°Another victory against the heroes!¡± Grangk said, ¡°At this rate we¡¯ll take the entire continent.¡± ¡°It was fun watching your little struggle,¡± Geega said, ¡°But I have my own plans.¡± ¡°Is that why you sent a group away from the battle?¡± ¡°Yes, what I¡¯m looking for is to the southeast, away from the current front.¡± In The Wilderness Kiera watched as the hunters prepared their equipment. Swords were sharpened, bowstrings waxed, arrows counted, and the food evenly distributed. She busied herself with finishing up the last of the slave collars. They weren¡¯t perfect, a common problem when lacking the proper resources, but they would work. She eyed the dark forest around them. ¡°Are you ready to give me the details of this hunt,¡± Kiera said turning to the headhunter. ¡°We¡¯ve discovered an Elven grove here,¡± the headhunter said. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised Torman,¡± Kiera nodded, ¡°These woods in the southern frontier have been around for thousands of years.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter how long they¡¯ve been here,¡± Torman said, ¡°What matters is that we found a grove and were ordered to raid it.¡± ¡°What kind of grove?¡± Kiera said with a grin, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s wood elves?¡± ¡°Dark elves,¡± Kiera¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°How did you find a dark elf grove?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been scouting these wilds for years,¡± Torman gave her a sly smile, ¡°Me and my boys know the telltale signs,¡± he looked to the collars, ¡°You sure those are up to snuff? The last batch you gave us barely worked.¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t plan on transporting the entire grove,¡± Kiera scoffed, ¡°Slave collars are delicate, and without the proper materials making complete ones are impossible.¡± ¡°Count Delimaar will be displeased if we don¡¯t return with something,¡± Torman sighed, ¡°He was excited when he heard about the dark elves.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not surprised. Dark elves are known for their magic prowess, not to mention, they¡¯re one of the few races that can enchant gear without using runes,¡± Kiera smiled, ¡°We have a good find here.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go hunt us some elves.¡± Kiera followed the hunters, and they stopped in the brush. Two dark elves knelt by a tree picking up mushrooms. Two hunters drew their bows and shot arrows at the elves. The arrows struck the elves arms, and they screamed out in pain. The elves fell to the ground, their cries falling silent. The hunters approached the elves and collared them. They dragged the elves into the bushes and continued further into the forest. Every time they came upon a group of elves, they would shoot them with poisoned arrows knocking them out. Seven elves had been enslaved when they approached the groves front entrance. A large wooden arch made from woven trees acted at the entrance to the grove. Several guards stood watch, and Kiera marveled at the two satyrs sitting on stumps just past the entrance. Torman signaled for his men to advance. Arrows flew through brush and struck the eight guards. The hunters charged into the grove while two stayed to collar the guards and satyrs. Kiera followed and provided more collars. ¡°This is a bit disappointing,¡± Kiera sighed as she watched the hunters gather the new slaves. ¡°I was hoping they¡¯d have a few nymphs and dryads. Maybe a pixie or two, but they only have satyrs.¡± A group of hunters cheered, and Kiera stared in awe. It was the Green Lady of grove, the elves leader. She stood tall and regal, despite the black collar around her neck. The hunters leered at her as she passed them, but she ignored them and kneeled alongside her people. Her face was an unbroken mask of resolve. ¡°We¡¯ll be taking her back to the count,¡± Torman said leering at the elf, ¡°We¡¯ll prepare a cart to send her and the loot back.¡± ¡°Damn shame,¡± Kiera said with a chuckle, ¡°She¡¯s too good to be a count¡¯s slave.¡± Town Gossip Barin sat at the bar of Oden¡¯s tavern. It was late, much later than he normally stayed, but Barin wanted to enjoy some time with his closest friend. Oden sat next to him. They both took a deep drink, the cold beer felt refreshing to their throats. With a satisfied sigh, they both slammed their mugs onto the bar. ¡°Things are getting interesting, aren¡¯t they,¡± Oden chuckled. ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Barin laughed too, ¡°I never would have thought we¡¯d have a monster roaming around, or fey.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t deny that.¡± ¡°Have you gotten over Sierra pursuing Nathaniel?¡± Oden rubbed his face, ¡°I have,¡± he said, ¡°Can¡¯t quite blame her though. What about Barrett?¡± ¡°Damn brat won¡¯t stop pining after her,¡± Barin groaned, ¡°Every day he¡¯s complaining about how close those two are. Not to mention, he keeps snooping,¡± he chuckled, ¡°Listen to this, he thinks Nathaniel is in league with the monsters.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because he says that he saw Nathaniel talking with a monster at the dungeon,¡± Barin roared in laughter, ¡°He said the monster had a glass head with lightning inside it, and these strange worm-like arms. I had to slap some sense into the kid.¡± ¡°You know,¡± Oden said looking at the mug, ¡°He does spend a lot of time in the dungeon.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you believe that too,¡± ¡°No, of course not,¡± Oden chuckled, ¡°But you have to admit there¡¯s a lot about Nathaniel that doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Barin took another drink, ¡°I think¡­he might be an exiled noble.¡± ¡°Why do you think that?¡± ¡°A few years back, when I was delivering a report to count Harmond, I was invited to his eldest son¡¯s awakening,¡± Barin stared into his drink, ¡°The boy awakened to the Seamster class, and I swear, the look on the count¡¯s face¡­I don¡¯t think I could ever look at my son like that.¡± ¡°All because he was a crafter,¡± Barin nodded, ¡°Yep. I learned that day that the nobility look down on artisan classes,¡± he said taking a drink, ¡°The next day, the count loaded his son onto a wagon and shipped him off to a small manor in Rumand with a small stipend. Poor boy struggled, but he eventually opened his own shop, and married the daughter of a baronet. I frequent his shop when I visit Rumand from time to time.¡± ¡°You think the same thing happened Nathaniel?¡± ¡°Most likely,¡± Barin sighed, ¡°He was probably treated better since he was a blacksmith. I bet that¡¯s why he was at Fort Cadarn, and after it fell, I doubt he had anywhere to go. His family won¡¯t take him back, and if he chose to stay here, then they never gave him a place to call his own.¡± Oden stared at his mug, ¡°Their loss then,¡± he said. ¡°Agreed,¡± Barin smiled, ¡°So make sure that lass of yours snags his heart.¡± ¡°Archons, I don¡¯t want to image having a son-in-law around my own age.¡± Ch.21 The Dark Elf Hope watched as Nathaniel worked on a strange contraption in the training room. A strange glass tube sitting on a metal table. A strange apparatus contained a level one power core extracted from the dungeon core connected to one end of the tube. On the other, sat a circular piece of glass on a singular stand. Hope hummed as she peeked around Nathaniel and noticed him using the arcane solder and a ¡®soldering iron¡¯ to create runes that connect the power core to the glass tube. ¡°So, what is this?¡± Hope said trying to poke the device. Nathaniel grabbed her hand and pulled it away, ¡°In my world we called these things lasers,¡± he said, ¡°What it should do is create an intense beam of light.¡± ¡°And what is the purpose of this ¡®laser?¡¯¡± Ralia said, placing a steel breastplate on the far side of the table. ¡°Well, if all goes well, I should be able to turn it into a weapon,¡± Nathaniel wiped his brow, ¡°Back in my world, we were using lasers for industrial use, like cutting metal, but it required a lot of energy to power such lasers, so they ended up taking a lot of space. Since this world has these cores, I¡¯m certain I can create the first ever laser weapon.¡± ¡°Like what the guardians and sentries use?¡± Hope said remembering seeing the large robot turn a giant cockroach into ash. ¡°To a degree,¡± Nathaniel patted her head and led them away, ¡°I tried disassembling their laser weapons to see how it worked, but there were no components to reverse engineer. The dungeon mistook my intent in their creation and made the robots¡¯ laser weapons a racial trait fueled by magic,¡± Hope and Ralia gave him a blank stare, ¡°It¡¯s more like spell that only the robots can use.¡± The girls nodded as they finally understood him. ¡°Lower the shields Seneschal!¡± Sections of the floor and ceiling enclosed the table, and they stood a few feet away. Projections appeared in front of them showing what was happening behind the shield. ¡°Fire on my mark,¡± Nathaniel said. The core started glowing as the energy gathered inside, ¡°Fire.¡± Boom! The walls shook, and the displays disappeared, ¡°Evacuate any smoke, then retract the shields,¡± Nathaniel said pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°Smoke has been evacuated,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°Shields retracting.¡± The metal dividers returned to their place. The laser contraption was destroyed. Both the glass tube and lens were shattered into fine dust, and the power core lay on the table free from its contraption. A massive hole sat in the middle of the breastplate. ¡°Did it work?¡± Hope said looking between the table and Nathaniel. ¡°No,¡± Nathaniel sighed as he approached the table. ¡°Then what happened?¡± Ralia stared nervously at the smoking breastplate. Nathaniel circled the table, ¡°Looks like the core discharged all of its energy into the laser,¡± he said, ¡°But it was too much. The atoms in the tube were energized to a point that it caused everything to explode,¡± he looked to the breastplate, ¡°But it did fire a laser beam, a powerful one too.¡± ¡°Are you really going to make a weapon out of this,¡± Hope looked worried. ¡°Eventually,¡± Nathaniel hugged her, ¡°But I¡¯m not going to mass produce them. This is something I plan to keep to myself.¡± Hope nodded and hugged him back. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s back to the drawing board.¡± ¡°Can I go and play outside?¡± Hope said, she gave him the biggest puppy eyes she could muster. ¡°Fine, just stay within the perimeter,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°After all, you just became level five.¡± ¡°I will!¡± Hope hugged Nathaniel again then ran off. She passed through the central chamber, ¡°Bye Seneschal!¡± she waved to the core. ¡°Be careful.¡± Hope ran as fast as she could out of the dungeon, and into the woods. Thanks to the speed runes in her legs, Hope flew through the trees. The wind felt good in her hair, and she laughed as she jumped over a fallen log. She hadn¡¯t done this in decades. Hope could feel the energy of the forest around her, a perk to being a fairy-based race, but it felt muted and distant. Even with the sensory runes in her cybernetics, the feeling of the dirt in her toes, or the leaves on her hands felt off, but that didn¡¯t make her sad. She was simply happy to run through the wilderness on her own. Hope jumped onto a fallen tree and ran up it. This was the farthest she had ever been from the village, and she knew that she was well outside the drone¡¯s perimeter. She chuckled to herself and sat down on the trunk. Hope allowed the sounds of the forest to envelop her, and she sighed contently. A strange sound caught her attention. It sounded like something was running through the forest, and soon a woman came running through the brush. She was pretty. Her long silver hair hung low and was covered in sticks, and mud caked her ashen skin. Her violet eyes looked around in fear as she scanned the forest, but it was her pointed ears that caught her attention. ¡°An elf!¡± Hope called out which caught the woman¡¯s attention. The woman waved her down, ¡°Run away, quick!¡± Hope stared confused and jumped down to her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The elf grabbed her hand and dragged her away, ¡°We need to run away,¡± she said, ¡°There¡¯s monsters in the forest!¡± ¡°Monsters,¡± A goblin jumped out of the brush behind them and started chasing after them. It had a large dagger in its right hand. Hope pulled herself free from the elf and turned towards the goblin. The goblin jumped with a wide smile. Hope reached out and grabbed the dagger which caused the goblin to cackle, but its eyes became wide when she crushed the blade in her left hand. Hope threw a punch and struck the monster in the face. It went flying through the forest and slammed into a tree. Blood coated the bark as the corpse slid to the ground. Hope stared in horror at her hand, ¡°Gross!¡± she frantically looked around for something to wipe her hand on. The elf handed her a torn piece of cloth, ¡°Here,¡± Hope smiled at her, ¡°Thanks,¡± she wiped the blood of her hands. She noticed the elf¡¯s dress was torn then looked at the cloth, ¡°Your dress is torn.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± the elf smiled. ¡°But it¡¯s a pretty dress,¡± Hope said, ¡°I know, master can fix it!¡± ¡°Master,¡± the elf brushed away Hope¡¯s hair to reveal the collar, ¡°So you¡¯re a slave too.¡± ¡°I am?¡± Hope looked at the elf and finally noticed the collar around her neck, ¡°You have one too. You should meet master,¡± she took her hand and dragged her through the forest, ¡°Come on!¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Hope led the elf through the forest back to the village. The sun was hanging over the eastern horizon by the time they reached the village¡¯s edge. The few villagers they passed gawked at the elf, but quickly turned their expression to nervous smiles when Hope waved at them. ¡°Here we are,¡± Hope gestured to the two-story house. She pushed inside, ¡°This is mine and my master¡¯s home.¡± The elf slowly looked around and gave a slight chuckle. The house wasn¡¯t in its best condition. Ralia¡¯s and Hope¡¯s clothes littered the ground, and dirty dishes still sat on the table. A few books were precariously stacked on a side table with a mug sitting on top of them. The elf bent down and picked up Ralia¡¯s emerald-green bra, ¡°I¡¯ll help you clean up,¡± she said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want your master to punish you. I¡¯d hate to see you suffer after helping me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Hope took the bra and threw it away, ¡°Master is really nice, so he won¡¯t punish me. Besides, master does all the cleaning anyways.¡± ¡°Your master¡­does the cleaning?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Hope smiled, ¡°And the cooking, and the sewing,¡± her smile turned mischievous, ¡°And sometimes, he¡¯ll let me sleep with him if I tell him I had a bad dream.¡± The elf blinked several times while staring at her. ¡°You¡¯re all dirty though,¡± Hope pulled her to the bath, ¡°Let¡¯s take a bath!¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Once inside Hope threw her dress onto the floor along with her undergarments. The elf stood there staring at her. ¡°Your arms¡­and legs!¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Hope smiled tenderly as she looked at her cybernetics, ¡°I was captured by these horrible, old humans. They¡­cut me a lot¡­¡± tears glistened her eyes, ¡°So much so that they cut my arms and legs off.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awful,¡± the elf gently brushed her hair, ¡°I¡¯m sorry the humans did that to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Hope gave her a large smile, ¡°Because of them, I met master Nathaniel, and he made me these new arms and legs,¡± she said. The elf ran a hand over her arm, ¡°He made these,¡± Hope nodded, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s nice,¡± Hope said, ¡°Hurry up so we can take a bath.¡± The elf chuckled and stripped off her clothes. Hope couldn¡¯t help but stare, ¡°I think you¡¯re bigger than Ralia.¡± Nathaniel groaned as he stepped into his house. The last several hours were rough. He spent the time trying to understand how to regulate the power coming from the core, but he couldn¡¯t find an answer. Ralia tried to help, but her low intelligence made it difficult for her to understand what he was trying to do. Nathaniel noticed the mess, ¡°Dammit, I forgot to clean up,¡± he rubbed his face, ¡°Dinners going to be a bit late, is that all right Ralia?¡± ¡°Of course, master,¡± Ralia smiled, ¡°Take all the time you need. I¡¯ll go take a bath in the meantime.¡± ¡°You do that,¡± ¡°Master!¡± Hope rushed out of the bath naked. Hope jumped into Nathaniel¡¯s arms and hugged him. The water soaking her body seeped into his clothing. ¡°Don¡¯t run around the house naked, Hope,¡± Nathaniel sighed trying to secure an appropriate hold on her. ¡°But Ralia does it all the time,¡± Hope pouted. ¡°And I¡¯ve told her not to do that too,¡± he chuckled. Nathaniel noticed someone peeking out of the bath. ¡°Hope, who is that?¡± Hope turned, ¡°She¡¯s an elf,¡± she said with a smile, ¡°I found her while running around the forest. She was being chased by a nasty goblin.¡± ¡°You left the perimeter?¡± Hope cleared her throat and looked away, ¡°No,¡± ¡°Look at me!¡± Hope groaned as she followed the command, ¡°You aren¡¯t supposed to leave the perimeter. I had Seneschal set it up for a reason. It¡¯s for your own safety!¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry,¡± Hope lowered her head, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make you mad.¡± Nathaniel hugged her, ¡°I¡¯m not mad, I¡¯m worried,¡± he set her down and pushed her back to the bath, ¡°Now go finish getting dressed.¡± Hope nodded and shuffled to the bath. ¡°Ralia, go check on our guest and get her some clothes.¡± ¡°Yes master,¡± Nathaniel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. After a few moments, he started cleaning up the mess to keep his mind occupied. Dammit, I wasn¡¯t expecting to see monsters this soon. Once everything was clean, Nathaniel entered the kitchen and looked at the food in the pantry. There wasn¡¯t much, so he decided to make a simple stew. Ralia stepped into the kitchen, ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of the elf,¡± she said crossing her arms. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Ralia scoffed, ¡°I just don¡¯t trust her,¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m a bother,¡± the elf walked in and bowed. The elf was beautiful. She had an ageless beauty that made her look both young and mature. Her curvaceous figure strained against the clothes that Ralia let her borrow. She noticed Nathaniel staring and looked away blushing. I can see why she doesn¡¯t trust her. ¡°Ralia¡¯s just being mean,¡± Hope said glaring at Ralia, ¡°You can ignore her¡­What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Belladryn Nightingale,¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pretty name, Bella,¡± Hope smiled at her. ¡°Can you girls set the table,¡± Nathaniel said. The girls nodded, and Ralia brought out the dishes from the cupboard. While performing their task, Hope happily chatted to Belladryn. The elf smiled and laughed at her stories while helping set the table. Ralia, however, kept an eye on them from the kitchen. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Keeping watch,¡± Ralia said, ¡°I¡¯m your bodyguard remember.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Belladryn¡¯s going to attack me,¡± Nathaniel chuckled. Ralia scoffed, ¡°You never know, especially if she finds out you¡¯re a hero.¡± ¡°Bella!¡± A crash came from the dining room. Nathaniel and Ralia rushed to them and found Belladryn groaning in pain as she clung to her collar. The violet magic flared an angry red for a few seconds before returning to its normal color. ¡°I¡¯m¡­fine,¡± Belladryn panted and wiped the sweat from her brow. ¡°Slave collars don¡¯t normally do that,¡± Nathaniel knelt next to her and reached towards the collar. Belladryn flinched, ¡°I¡¯m just want to look at the collar, I promise.¡± The elf glared suspiciously at him but nodded. Nathaniel gently lifted the collar away from her skin so that he could get a better look. [Slave Collar (Flawed). Warning: Due to a failure in the collar¡¯s construction, it¡¯ll induce 5 points of damage every 8 hours. Time duration will decrease as the collar loses magic.] ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Nathaniel said helping Belladryn up, ¡°This collar is broken, and it will continue to cause you damage.¡± ¡°No, master do something!¡± Hope clung to Belladryn. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± Belladryn said petting Hope. ¡°There is something to worry about,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°If we don¡¯t take care of that collar then it will continue to hurt you, and the pain will get worse the longer we leave it,¡± Belladryn lowered her head, ¡°After dinner, I¡¯m getting the cart ready so we can go to Rumand. We¡¯ll see if Pomran has something that can fix it.¡± ¡°No!¡± Belladryn said grabbing his arm, ¡°I swear, I¡¯ll do anything, but¡­I can¡¯t leave this area.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The¡­people who enslaved me are in the area,¡± Belladryn said looking away, ¡°Chances are, they¡¯ll come looking for me. They may even come to this village. I should wait for them to come get me.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Nathaniel said trying to look her in the eye. Belladryn simply nodded, ¡°Fine, we can talk about this later. First, we¡¯ll eat dinner, then I¡¯m making you some clothes that fit.¡± Belladryn finally looked at him, her eyes wide in astonishment. ¡°You can use this room,¡± Belladryn stepped into a small room with a single bed, side table, and wash basin. ¡°Sorry it¡¯s a bit bare, it¡¯s a spare bedroom.¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Belladryn said, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be here long anyway.¡± Nathaniel nodded, ¡°Hope and Ralia are next door, so if you need anything, let us know.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Nathaniel closed the door behind him. Belladryn waited until his footsteps quieted before sitting on the bed. She sighed and held her head in her hands. After a few minutes, she stripped down and slid into bed. Belladryn tossed and turned. The faces of her people continued to haunt her along with the glowing collars around their necks, and the vicious smiles on their captors. She remembered the slaver woman who made the collar. How she kept touching Belladryn, treating her like a prize, and how the blood poured out her neck as the goblin arrow struck her. Eventually, she rose from bed. Belladryn pulled the shirt on, and quietly left the room. The sun no longer shone in the windows, and she could hear someone snoring down the hall. A light glowed downstairs. Belladryn snuck downstairs and found the light coming from one room. Inside the room, Nathaniel stood at a workstation sewing a shirt together. ¡°Is someone there?¡± Nathaniel called out, still focusing on his work. ¡°I didn¡¯t disturb you, did I?¡± Belladryn stepped into the room but kept to the shadows. ¡°No, I just thought you were Hope or Ralia,¡± Nathaniel turned to look at her, but then quickly turned back around, ¡°I¡¯m still working on your clothes.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Belladryn looked to the floor. She noticed that the shirt left her undergarments and legs exposed. She swallowed hard and stared nervously at his back. A pair of shears sat on the edge of the workstation, and her hands itched to take them. ¡°There¡¯s a blanket over there, if you want to cover up,¡± Nathaniel pointed to the wall on his right. Belladryn quickly wrapped herself up in the blanket, ¡°Is there a reason why you have this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for times like this,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°I sometimes fit clothes on people, and I keep it here for my fairer clients. I appreciate you using it though. It¡¯s nice to have a woman in this house with a sense of modesty.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­I see,¡± ¡°I love those two to death,¡± Nathaniel smiled sweetly, ¡°But sometimes, it can get aggravating having to constantly tell them to put clothes on. I bet Ralia¡¯s sleeping in my bed now.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯ve taken her to your bed,¡± Belladryn couldn¡¯t help the sneer on her face, ¡°What about Hope?¡± ¡°God no,¡± Nathaniel said shaking his head, ¡°I know she¡¯s older than me, but her appearance, it¡­doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just Ralia you¡¯re having relations with,¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± Nathaniel said with a small smile, ¡°As I said, I love those girls. They¡¯re my family, and I¡¯ll do anything for them.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you free them?¡± Nathaniel shook his head with a sigh, ¡°I want to, but the kingdom¡¯s laws state that all monsters must be collared and anyone who isn¡¯t a citizen of the five kingdoms have no rights when it comes to slavery. If I take them off, then another slaver could take them away,¡± he said turning to her, ¡°Now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t heard of an elven kingdom despite elves existing.¡± ¡°We elves don¡¯t have kingdoms,¡± Belladryn said slowly approaching, ¡°We tend to congregate in small groups of twenty or so.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that hinder procreation,¡± ¡°We keep a close eye on our populations,¡± Belladryn ran a finger over the table, ¡°Elves could easily overpopulate the forests if we reproduced with reckless abandon since we live far longer than most races. Not to mention, it takes longer for us have children.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Nathaniel said finishing up the shirt, ¡°I guess that¡¯s why I haven¡¯t seen any half-elves around. But don¡¯t you want to return to your people?¡± ¡°No,¡± Belladryn turned away, ¡°I¡¯m too afraid to return to them. I¡­let them down enough as it is.¡± ¡°I see,¡± ¡°Master,¡± they both turned to see Hope standing in the door, ¡°I had a bad dream.¡± Nathaniel gently patted the girl¡¯s head, ¡°That¡¯s terrible sweetie. Do you want to sleep with me tonight?¡± Hope nodded. Nathaniel picked her up and turned to Belladryn, ¡°I¡¯ll finish your clothes in the morning.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Nathaniel nodded and left. Hope gave her a sly smile as she held tightly to him. Belladryn laughed, extinguishing the candle, and closing the door behind her. A week went by, and nothing had changed. Belladryn wandered around the house dusting. She didn¡¯t want to be a burden to the kind folks who took her in, so she started taking care of the household chores. ¡°Thanks for taking care of the chores,¡± Nathaniel stepped out of the door wiping the soot from his face. ¡°I¡¯m glad I could be of use,¡± Belladryn said, ¡°You¡¯ve taken great care of me, especially during my fits.¡± She gently touched the collar. ¡°I still think we should try to take it off,¡± ¡°Thank you for worrying,¡± Belladryn smiled, ¡°But I don¡¯t want to cause you any more trouble.¡± A knock came from the door, ¡°I¡¯ll get that.¡± Belladryn opened the door and found a young woman standing there. She looked up at Belladryn and gave her a tired sigh, ¡°Another one,¡± ¡°No Sierra,¡± Nathaniel said coming to the door, ¡°Hope found her in need, so we¡¯re giving her a place to stay for a short time.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Sierra gave her a small smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for giving you a hard time.¡± Belladryn chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m used to it. Ralia¡¯s been giving me a hard time for the past week.¡± ¡°She gives everyone a hard time,¡± Belladryn stepped aside to let her pass, ¡°Would you like something to dri-¡± She screamed in pain and clutched her collar. [Warning: Magic of the collar has decreased. Collar will induce 15 points of damage every 4 hours.] ¡°What happened!¡± Sierra stepped away staring at Belladryn in horror. Nathaniel kneeled next to her, ¡°Your collar¡¯s gotten worse,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m taking you to Rumand to get it removed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­fine,¡± ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± Nathaniel turned to Sierra, ¡°I¡¯m going to get the cart ready. Do you mind keeping an eye on Ralia and Hope for me?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Belladryn grabbed onto Nathaniel¡¯s arm, ¡°You¡­don¡¯t need¡­to,¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry Belladryn,¡± Nathaniel said helping her to a chair, ¡°But I can¡¯t watch you suffer anymore, especially now that it¡¯s causing your more damage.¡± A tear fell from Belladryn¡¯s cheek as she nodded. Ch.22 Bella Ralia sat at the table with her foot tapping against the floor furiously. Hope sat next to her pouting over the note sitting on the table. Ralia herself was not happy either. ¡°How could master do this!¡± Hope huffed and crossed her arms, ¡°We should have gone with him and Bella.¡± ¡°We¡¯re needed here,¡± Ralia said taking a deep sigh, ¡°Remember the goblin you fought? Seneschal has increased the number of patrols to keep an eye out for more of them, but we¡¯re needed to defend it.¡± ¡°But I wanted to go,¡± ¡°So did I, but the master has given us our orders,¡± Ralia tapped her fingers on the table, ¡°So we need to follow them,¡± she rose from her seat, ¡°Let¡¯s get to the dungeon so Seneschal can increase your rank. Trust me, you¡¯ll want that ten percent experience boost.¡± Hope pushed herself away from the table, ¡°Fine,¡± Before they left the dining room, a knock sounded from the door. Ralia opened it and found the headsman standing there. A man in a brown brigandine coat stood next to him, he perked up when he saw them. Ralia glared at the man as he leered at them and stepped in front of Hope. Barin coughed to get their attention, ¡°Is Nathaniel here?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ralia said keeping her eyes on the stranger, ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Tormen,¡± the man said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for my slave, a dark elf, and I heard that she may be here.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not,¡± Ralia sneered at him, ¡°Her collar ran out of magic and came off. After that, she ran away in the middle of the night.¡± ¡°Damn it,¡± Torman said, ¡°Why did you let her escape?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t belong to my master, so why should we,¡± Ralia growled causing Torman to flinch, ¡°Besides, you¡¯re the one who lost her. Don¡¯t blame us because you can¡¯t keep track of your slaves.¡± ¡°Then maybe your master should compensate me,¡± he gave them a dark smile, ¡°A dragon-heart and fey should easily cover the loss of my dark elf.¡± Ralia couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°You¡¯re mad,¡± she said wiping away tears, ¡°To compare my value to a dark elf is insulting. Besides,¡± she gave Torman a deadly glare, ¡°I¡¯d rather kill you than let you anywhere near my master.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that was a bad joke,¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Ralia began closing the door, ¡°Goodbye headsman.¡± She sighed heavily when she heard them walk away. ¡°I don¡¯t like him,¡± Hope growled, ¡°I bet he¡¯s the one who put that broken collar on Bella.¡± ¡°We can agree on that,¡± Ralia walked to the forge and grabbed a spear, ¡°We¡¯d best keep our eyes out for more than monsters now.¡± ¡°Please¡­don¡¯t do this,¡± Bella said trying to ignore the pain coursing through her body. Sweat poured down her face, and she had to rest against Nathaniel to keep from falling over. ¡°We¡¯re getting that collar off you,¡± Nathaniel said wrapping one arm around her, ¡°After that, you¡¯re free to do whatever you want.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just cause you trouble,¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Nathaniel snapped the reins which made the drebin move, ¡°I can¡¯t stand watching you suffer like this.¡± Belladryn sighed. Normally she wouldn¡¯t have accepted a human¡¯s help so easily. She was aware of their cruelty, but her [Insight] talent told her Nathaniel was different, despite not wanting to believe it. In fact, it seemed like he wasn¡¯t human at all, or at least not a human from this world. In the past week she had seen how the other humans of Treante had treated Ralia and Hope. They weren¡¯t outright hostile with them, but her talent showed that most of the villagers didn¡¯t care for them. There was an underlying distrust in their interactions, but Nathaniel wasn¡¯t like that. In their first interaction, there was no distrust, hostility, or haughtiness to his words, and that made her suspicious. Her [Insight] talent revealed that he was concerned for her wellbeing. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a tad early,¡± the guard at the gate drew her attention. She pulled the hood of her cloak further to cover her face, ¡°And who¡¯s this with you?¡± Nathaniel pulled her closer, ¡°This is my wife,¡± Belladryn could feel her face getting hot, ¡°She hasn¡¯t been feeling well, so I¡¯m hoping a healer in town could take a look at her.¡± ¡°Finally found yourself a proper woman,¡± the guard laughed waving them on, ¡°Good for you.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Nathaniel waved as they rolled through the gates. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± he said when they were out of the guards¡¯ hearing. ¡°I understand,¡± Belladryn chuckled putting more of her weight on him, ¡°You don¡¯t mind if we continue this farce for a bit longer, do you?¡± ¡°By all means,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°You can rest on me for as long as you need.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Belladryn closed her eyes and allowed herself to find comfort in Nathaniel¡¯s heartbeat. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Belladryn felt Nathaniel shift under her, and she opened her eyes. They stopped in front of a two-story building. Six wide panel windows sat on both sides of the double doors with humans standing behind them trying to usher customers inside. An attendant stepped out of the building and approached them. ¡°Master Light, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you again. To what do we owe the pleasure?¡± ¡°Is Pomran here?¡± Nathaniel helped Belladryn down. ¡°He is,¡± the attendant said, ¡°He¡¯s in the back evaluating the new slaves that just arrived. Are you looking to purchase another slave?¡± ¡°No,¡± he looked to Belladryn. She nodded and pulled the cloak apart to reveal her slave collar. It glowed an angry red that pulsed every few seconds. ¡°I was hoping he could provide some answers for me.¡± The attendant¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°I see, very serious. This way.¡± The attendant ordered another worker to keep an eye on the cart before leading them through the main hall into the back rooms. Belladryn swallowed as she saw the cages. Thankfully, most were empty, but they were led to a man standing in front of two cages that were occupied. One cage had a goblin sitting on a stool and rambling incoherently in its native tongue. In the other cage was a monster with the upper body that looked like a human man, but his lower half consisted of a snake¡¯s tail. His skin glistened a golden bronze that matched the scales along his body. There was no prominent nose, just two nostrils on a slight bump where one should have been, and his scaly webbed ears were a strange sight. ¡°Greetings Nathaniel,¡± Belladryn¡¯s gaze turned to the man, ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°What happened to the orc and demon?¡± Nathaniel said gesturing to the new monsters. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a buyer for the orc here, so I shipped her to my father¡¯s third wife in the capital,¡± Pomran shrugged, ¡°Even if she doesn¡¯t sell there, she can still make us money as a gladiator. As for the succubus, I had her shipped as far west as I could. She was starting to become¡­unnerving.¡± ¡°So, you replaced her with a naga?¡± ¡°Naga¡¯s are quite useful,¡± Pomran said, ¡°Their venom is used for many potions, and their scales make excellent jewelry. You should buy him, I¡¯m certain he¡¯d be of great use to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually here for another reason,¡± Nathaniel gently brought Belladryn forward. She unclasped her cloak and let it fall to the ground. Pomran smiled at Belladryn which caused her to shiver, ¡°A dark elf, and a lovely one at that,¡± He continued to eye her, ¡°Where¡¯d you find her?¡± ¡°In the forest east of Treante,¡± Nathaniel said placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, ¡°But it seems like someone tried enslaving her already. However, her collar is inflicting damage to her every few hours, and I was hoping you might be able to fix it.¡± Pomran turned to the attendant, ¡°Go fetch one of the slave crafters,¡± the attendant bowed and ran off. Pomran leaned in to get a closer look at the collar, ¡°Definitely flawed. You have my apologies my dear. It must be terrible to be the victim of an arrogant upstart.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Slave crafters are a secretive bunch,¡± Pomran chuckled with a shrug, ¡°Most of the times, they run their apprentices ragged which causes a few to try and¡­usurp their master¡¯s position. The result is this, a flawed collar.¡± ¡°Slave crafters, is that a class?¡± Nathaniel scratched his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s a title,¡± a burly dwarf with a short curly ponytail and thick beard and eyebrows approached. Multiple scars ran down his arms and neck with a large scar in the center of his forehead. ¡°Any artisan and crafter working in the slave trade are referred to as slave crafters.¡± ¡°This is Corbrand, he¡¯s responsible for making all of my slave collars.¡± Corbrand held out his thick hand, ¡°A pleasure to finally meet you master Light,¡± he said giving Nathaniel a hardy handshake, ¡°So, have you finally unlocked the secrets to crafting my collars?¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I have, but I don¡¯t plan on making them anytime soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful to hear,¡± Corbrand gave him a dark smile, ¡°I¡¯d hate to have to fight for my position here.¡± ¡°No need to feel threatened,¡± Pomran said, ¡°Nathaniel here needs you to look at this flawed collar.¡± Corbrand nodded, ¡°I¡¯m going to need you to come down to my level missy,¡± Belladryn kneeled and tried not to flinch when his hand grasped her collar. ¡°You have my condolences,¡± he said, ¡°This is the work of a third-rate amateur. The fool even inscribed their name on it,¡± he started laughing, ¡°This Kiera definitely has some iron balls to put their name on this rubbish.¡± ¡°Is there anyway to take it off?¡± ¡°Not unless you¡¯re the master,¡± Corbrand sighed, ¡°Collars like these may be flawed, but their good at keeping slaves in line. And we can¡¯t reassign a new master without the current one.¡± Nathaniel gave Belladryn a worried look, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The collar is fueled by the mana in the master¡¯s blood,¡± Corbrand stroked his beard, ¡°Properly made collars maintain the appropriate levels of mana to keep them from failing, and if it does, it¡¯ll draw mana from the master to restore it,¡± he turned to Nathaniel, ¡°I doubt you would have noticed it since you don¡¯t use magic, right,¡± Nathaniel nodded, ¡°These flawed collars don¡¯t do that. When they leak mana, it causes the slave to feel pain, but if the master chooses to provide mana to the collar that won¡¯t happen. As for taking it off, you just need to wait for the mana to run out.¡± ¡°How long will that take?¡± Nathaniel sighed. Corbrand hummed in thought as he studied the collar, ¡°I¡¯d say¡­about a week.¡± ¡°Then we better go find an inn to stay at,¡± ¡°You¡¯re free to stay with us again,¡± Pomran said, ¡°And you won¡¯t have to worry about mother. She¡¯s gone to our summer home to rest. It¡¯s not easy being pregnant at her age.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that offer then,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°And give your mother my congratulations.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have purchased that many healing potions,¡± Belladryn watched as Nathaniel stashed the vials in the common room cabinet, ¡°My passive recovery should be able to keep up with the collar.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t know that for certain,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°So, I¡¯d rather be safe than sorry.¡± Belladryn lowered her head, ¡°Thank you,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, why don¡¯t we get ready for bed.¡± Belladryn nodded and headed towards the servant room connected to the common room. It was a small room with a single bed, side table, and chest for her belongings. The room was humbler than what she was used to, but she wasn¡¯t going to complain. She pulled out her night gown from the chest. She unbuttoned the top of her dress and let it fall to the floor around her ankles. Before she could move, pain from the collar shot through her and forced her to her knees. [Severe damage taken: Health 310/325] Belladryn panted heavily. A soft blanket wrapped around her shoulders, covering her exposed body, and she felt Nathaniel pull her into his embrace. ¡°Are you all right,¡± Nathaniel gently held her. The tension left Belladryn, ¡°I will be in a few moments,¡± she said with a soft smile. ¡°Are you certain you¡¯ll be fine on your own?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she chuckled, ¡°But I appreciate you looking out for me. I¡¯m¡­sorry to be a burden.¡± A shiver ran down her spine when he started petting her. ¡°You¡¯re not a burden,¡± he whispered, ¡°Just let me know if you need anything.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Belladryn enjoyed the comfort for a moment, ¡°I¡¯m feeling better now,¡± she said feeling the heat in her face, ¡°I¡­still need to get dressed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be outside if you need anything,¡± Belladryn waited till she heard the door close before standing up. I never would have thought humans could be so kind. A tear ran down her cheek as she slipped into her night gown. Why did it have to be this way? That night was brutal. Just as Belladryn was on the verge of sleep, her collar would activate. She spent the entire night hugging her pillow and biting into it just to keep herself from screaming. I don¡¯t want to wake him. The birds singing told her that the sun was starting to rise. I better get up. She released a large yawn as she dressed herself. When she stepped into the common room, she found Nathaniel sleeping on the sofa. Was he¡­out here all night? Belladryn gently touched his shoulder which caused him to jolt. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you sleep in your bed?¡± Belladryn stared at the dark circles around his eyes and the drool staining his chin. ¡°I wanted to be close in case you needed me,¡± Nathaniel stretched his tired body, ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°As well as I could,¡± Belladryn smiled, ¡°Why don¡¯t I go get us some breakfast.¡± ¡°I can go get it,¡± Belladryn placed a hand on his shoulder, ¡°Let me¡­please,¡± Nathaniel nodded, and she quickly left the room. Belladryn was thankful that a maid was nearby to escort her to the kitchen. She filled up a tray with breakfast and made her way back to the common room. Nathaniel wasn¡¯t there. Belladryn took a few steps to the center table before her collar flared. The pain caused her to drop the tray. Food and broken dishes littered the floor in front of her. She cried as she tightly closed her eyes. Belladryn heard a door open, ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry¡­I¡¯ll clean¡­this up,¡± She opened her eyes and found Nathaniel kneeling in front of her already cleaning up the mess. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that.¡± ¡°Why do you push yourself,¡± Nathaniel said gently picking up the broken porcelain, ¡°You should take it easy until that collar comes off.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Belladryn sighed, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t understand until you tell me,¡± Belladryn couldn¡¯t stop the tears, ¡°All my life, I¡¯ve been raised to work for others,¡± she said wiping her tears away, ¡°That¡¯s how it is for us elves. We all work to support the grove and all those that live in it,¡± she finally looked at him. ¡°We¡¯re a family, even if we aren¡¯t of the same blood. Now I¡¯m¡­all alone.¡± Nathaniel sighed and pulled her into a tight hug, ¡°Haven¡¯t you been listening,¡± he said in her ear, ¡°I¡¯m here for you.¡± Belladryn buried her face into his shoulder and hugged him back. She held onto him tightly. She cried into his shoulder, letting the fear and loneliness stain his shirt. Nathaniel just held her until her tears finally stopped. When she pulled away, he wiped her tears away with his sleeve. ¡°From now on, you take it easy until that collar comes off,¡± Nathaniel smiled, ¡°Once it¡¯s off then we can decide what¡¯s next,¡± Belladryn nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this while you go get some rest.¡± Belladryn watched as Nathaniel cleaned up the mess and walked out of the room. A sweet smile came to her lips. ¡°Thank you.¡± Nathaniel sat on the couch with his head resting on a plush pillow. The last five days were a struggle. He had to constantly remind Belladryn to relax. He would walk in on her doing chores which he would scold her for. This resulted in Nathaniel having to sit with her on the couch. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Belladryn said leaning against him. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Nathaniel gently petted her, ¡°Has there been any changes in the collar.¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Belladryn tightened her hold on him, ¡°But, I¡¯m scared.¡± Nathaniel nodded, ¡°That¡¯s why I got the potions. You¡¯ll pull through this.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Belladryn smiled, but her collar sparked causing her to scream in pain. The pulsing on the collar increased, and her screams sounded more painful than before. Belladryn¡¯s nails dug into Nathaniel¡¯s arms, and she buried her face into his chest. Finally, she pulled away, but she was sweating profusely. ¡°The collar¡­has reached the¡­next stage,¡± Belladryn whined, ¡°Now it¡¯s going to inflict forty-five points of damage every hour.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get you to the bed,¡± Nathaniel said picking her up. Belladryn¡¯s face flushed purple, ¡°What are you doing!¡± ¡°I¡¯m moving you somewhere where we can stabilize you,¡± Nathaniel pushed the door to his room open. ¡°But why your room?¡± ¡°Because my bed is larger,¡± he said, concern etching his face, ¡°That way I can hold you down if need be. I don¡¯t want you hurting yourself.¡± She hid her face in his shoulder, ¡°Thank you,¡± ¡°I made you a promise remember,¡± Nathaniel said setting her down, ¡°I¡¯m going to go get the potions.¡± Nathaniel quickly ran out to the cabinet in the common room and gathered as many potions as he could carry. When he got back, he set them on the side table next to the bed. Belladryn laid there with her back towards him and her hands over her face. ¡°What¡¯s your health at?¡± Belladryn mumbled something but he couldn¡¯t make it out. Nathaniel grabbed her and turned her towards him, pulling her hands away, ¡°I need to know.¡± ¡°280,¡± she said not looking him in the eye. ¡°Okay,¡± Nathaniel sighed in relief, ¡°These potions heal 100 points of damage. Let me know when you get close to two hundred points,¡± Belladryn nodded, her face still flushed. ¡°I¡¯m going to go get a chair.¡± Nathaniel pulled in one of the chairs and sat it next to the bed. Awkwardness filled the room, but Nathaniel¡¯s worry was stronger. He gently took Belladryn¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m right here,¡± he smiled. Belladryn smiled as she squeezed his hand, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m¡­glad that you¡¯re here.¡± That day felt like it would never end. Every hour was painful to watch, but it was even worse for Belladryn. Sometimes she would crush his hand in her grip. Other times he had to hold her down to keep her from hurting herself, and by the third hour, they had to use a healing potion. That night was even worse. Nathaniel wiped away the sweat pouring from Belladryn¡¯s brow, then he stripped her down so he could clean off her body. Belladryn was too exhausted to do it herself. After feeding her another vial and a cup of water, Nathaniel lay down in bed next to her. Tears poured down her cheeks as the new hour approached. Nathaniel couldn¡¯t think of anything, so he embraced her. Belladryn reciprocated the embrace. Then, the collar activated again. Belladryn¡¯s fingers tore through his clothes and into his flesh, and she buried her face in his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± Nathaniel growled as he pulled the sheets over his shoulder, ¡°Bite into this so you don¡¯t bite your tongue off.¡± Belladryn brought her face up and bit into the sheets, but the force of her bite pierced through and into Nathaniel¡¯s shoulders. Finally, the pain stopped, and the two of them lay there panting heavily. This was the start of a long night. Belladryn laid on the bed panting. Her eyes were heavy, and her throat sore, and she felt a desperate need to bathe. What¡¯s worse was the guilt gnawing at her heart. Her arms were wrapped around the man at her side. Blood stained her fingertips, and the taste of it lingered on her tongue. Nathaniel never left her side at all the last two days, and it ended with him being wounded. Yet, Belladryn tightened her hold on the human. ¡°Is it over?¡± Nathaniel groaned as he pulled the collar from her neck. Belladryn nodded which caused him to chuckle, ¡°Good, now we can throw this fucking thing into the nearest furnace.¡± Slowly, he rose to his feet, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the collar while you clean yourself up.¡± Belladryn nodded as he left, and she slowly got out of bed. She wrapped herself in the sheets and headed into the common room. There was a tray of food on the sitting room table along with a large jug of water. Belladryn poured herself a glass of water and sighed as the cool water eased the pain in her throat. ¡°Finally got that collar off I see,¡± Belladryn glared as Pomran walked into the room, ¡°It¡¯ll be nice to end this little drama. I had to move to a guest room on the other side of the house because of your screaming.¡± She bowed which caused him to chuckle, ¡°There¡¯s something we need to discuss,¡± He set another slave collar on the table. Belladryn glared at him and threw it across the room, ¡°Never¡­again,¡± she croaked. ¡°Unfortunately for you, this is your only option,¡± Pomran said with a sly smile, ¡°You¡¯ll be enslaved again if another slaver finds you, and Nathaniel won¡¯t be there to save you,¡± he picked up the collar from the floor, ¡°So, why not become his slave,¡± Belladryn gave him a confused look, ¡°Nathaniel can protect you, surely you realize that, and he can help with whatever situation you¡¯re caught up in. You become his slave, he solves your problems, and then the two of you can live together happily.¡± Belladryn blushed and hid her face in the blanket which caused Pomran to laugh, ¡°Stop¡­that,¡± Pomran held up the collar, ¡°Well, what do you say?¡± Belladryn stared at the collar. Fear, anger, and guilt tore at her, but after a calming breath, Belladryn nodded. ¡°Well then my dear, we need to get you cleaned up.¡± Nathaniel rubbed at his eyes, trying to remove the crust around his eyes. The pain in his shoulders and back throbbed, but he couldn¡¯t stop smiling now that Belladryn was free from the collar. He pushed into the common room and fell onto the couch. His hunger and tiredness fought for his attention. Hunger won. The food tasted so good, and the water was sweet to his parched throat. His eyes slowly closed now that his hunger was sated. He woke to the door opening and found Belladryn and Pomran standing there. Belladryn stood tall, but her face flushed as she stood there in a revealing purple dress. However, Nathaniel could only see the collar around her neck. Nathaniel stood up and glared at Pomran, ¡°Explain, now.¡± ¡°She wants to be your slave,¡± Pomran said pushing Belladryn forward, ¡°So she won¡¯t have to worry about other slavers coming after her.¡± ¡°Why would they come after her?¡± ¡°Look at her,¡± Pomran scoffed, ¡°She¡¯s a dark elf, not to mention gorgeous, and since she isn¡¯t a citizen of any kingdom, slavers will hunt her down once they find her,¡± Pomran slowly pushed her until she stood in front of Nathaniel, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to abandon her now?¡± Belladryn stared up at Nathaniel with glistening eyes, ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡± She gave him a large smile. ¡°Then congratulations on your new slave, Inventor Hero.¡± Ch.23 Family Belladryn sat on the wagon watching Nathaniel secure the drebin. Watching him work was strangely¡­ amusing. Nathaniel was doing nothing different from what she could tell, but her eyes couldn¡¯t stop watching him. ¡°Is something the matter Belladryn?¡± Nathaniel gave her a worried look. Belladryn cleared her throat, ¡°No, everything¡¯s fine,¡± the human Pomran chuckled at her. Nathaniel jumped onto the wagon, and Pomran waved at them, ¡°I look forward to your return,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but I¡¯m not looking forward to that,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re a terrible friend.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing we¡¯re not friends,¡± Pomran smiled, ¡°You¡¯re just a valued customer.¡± Nathaniel shook his head and cracked the whip. The cart slowly moved through the city, and they were soon traveling on the open road. Nathaniel kept his gaze out on the brush to the side. Nothing happened. With a deep sigh, Nathaniel allowed himself to relax. Belladryn gently massaged his shoulder, ¡°You should relax more often,¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard,¡± Nathaniel said letting out a moan, ¡°Being a hero isn¡¯t easy, especially when you three are counting on me.¡± ¡°I am grateful,¡± Belladryn said with a soft smile, ¡°But you need to learn to rely on us as well. I promise, I¡¯ll do everything I can to take care of you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Belladryn,¡± She snuggled up to him, ¡°Please, call me Bella,¡± ¡°All right. Do you mind if I look at your menu?¡± Bella nodded. Nathaniel¡¯s eye glazed over as he looked at her stats. She couldn¡¯t help but smile as she watched him chew on his lower lip. ¡°You¡¯re level thirty, but why do you have two classes?¡± ¡°I awakened to the Arborist class, but I unlocked the Green Lady class when I took over my mother¡¯s position in the grove,¡± Bella twirled a lock of hair. ¡°I see,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I surprised at how diverse your skills are. Which class is responsible for that?¡± ¡°Both,¡± Bella smiled, ¡°The Arborist class has perks from the Druid, Archer, and Herbalist classes, even if my skills aren¡¯t as strong as those. My other skills are enhanced by the Green Lady class.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad someone else will have household skills,¡± ¡°just leave the housework to me,¡± It was late afternoon by the time they pulled into Treante. Nathaniel stopped the cart in front of his house. ¡°I need to stop by the dungeon first, do you want to come?¡± Nathaniel helped her down. ¡°I¡¯d love to, but I want to get dinner prepared,¡± Bella smiled. ¡°God, I¡¯m happy you chose to stay,¡± Nathaniel laughed, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few hours.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have everything ready for you, master,¡± she bowed as he rode off. Bella took a calming breath and stepped into the house. She sneered at the sight. It was worse than when she first arrived. Dishes littered the floors and tables, and spoiled food left out. Clothes were thrown around haphazardly with Ralia¡¯s undergarments littering the floor in front of the door. ¡°Bella, you¡¯re back!¡± Hope came running down the stairs only wearing nothing but her panties. Ralia stood at the top of the stairs, completely naked, ¡°So you decided to stay,¡± ¡°I did,¡± Bella said smoothing out her skirt, ¡°Master Nathaniel sacrificed much for me, and now it¡¯s my turn,¡± she took a disgusted look around, ¡°Things need to change around here.¡± ¡°I think you need to know your place elf,¡± Ralia growled standing against her, ¡°I was the master¡¯s first slave.¡± ¡°Then how can you let the house look like this?¡± Bella scoffed, ¡°The master works himself to the bone for you, and yet you two do nothing but put more work on him. This ends now.¡± Bella held her head high, ¡°You two are to get dressed immediately, then you will start cleaning this mess. Hope, you¡¯ll take care of the laundry. Ralia, you¡¯ll do the dishes,¡± The two of them stared at her, ¡°Now.¡± They both nodded and quickly headed upstairs. [Skill leveled: Leadership Lv. 15] [Class leveled: Slave (Arborist/Green Lady) Lv. 32] A proud smile came to Bella¡¯s lips, ¡°Now to make things perfect for master Nathaniel.¡± Nathaniel stepped into the central chamber of his dungeon, ¡°How has everything been going?¡± ¡°Well sir,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°Hope¡¯s rank was increased to intermediate, as you commanded, and she has progressed to level seven. The fabricators have made an advancement while you were away as well.¡± A maintenance bot appeared from the side door carrying a glass lens that shined with a teal coating. ¡°We¡¯ve finally made arcane glass.¡± Nathaniel took the glass, ¡°Do you think this will make the laser more stable?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think a traditional laser can be built in this world,¡± Seneschal projected the laser blueprint, ¡°At least not yet, but if we use a magic crystal instead of a laser tube, then it may be possible to create a weapon using a beam of concentrated magic,¡± The projection changed. A magic crystal replaced the tube, ¡°Magic crystals store less power than power cores, so the chances of explosion are less likely.¡± ¡°What about the rapid draining of magic?¡± Nathaniel said scratching his chin, ¡°At most we¡¯d get one, maybe two shots out of it before it¡¯s useless.¡± ¡°We create ¡®battery packs¡¯ to charge the magic crystal,¡± another projection appeared. It was a metal, slender box with a rune on the top, ¡°These cartridges will contain multiple smaller magic crystals to provide magic to the crystal in the weapon. This should increase their magic capacity and allow the weapon to fire several times based on the number of crystals in the cartridge.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll also be rechargeable,¡± Nathaniel smiled, ¡°I can design a station that charges these magic cartridges here in the dungeon. How would this effect Project Paladin?¡± ¡°I suspect that this will benefit the project in the long run,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°The magic crystal and arcane lenses will be easier to incorporate into the armor than the laser tube, and you won¡¯t have to worry about your arm exploding.¡± ¡°Excellent, begin making changes to the blueprints. I¡¯ll be in tomorrow to start working on the new weapon.¡± ¡°As you command.¡± Nathaniel handed the lens back to the maintenance bot and [Warped] to the dungeon¡¯s entrance. It was late by the time he made it back to his house, and with a tired sigh, he pushed inside. ¡°Welcome home, master.¡± Nathaniel stared dumbfounded. He had expected the house to be a complete mess but instead it was spotless. Bella, Hope, and Ralia stood in the main hallway, each wearing their best dress, and their makeup enhancing their natural beauty. Their smiles warmed his heart, and he fought back the tears. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°You all look lovely,¡± Nathaniel cleared his throat, ¡°So, what¡¯s the special occasion?¡± ¡°Does there need to be a special occasion for us to greet you?¡± Bella said with a chuckle. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen you in forever,¡± Hope gave him a bright smile, ¡°That¡¯s special enough!¡± ¡°I have to agree with her,¡± Ralia smiled with a hooded stare, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you master.¡± ¡°Dinner is ready master,¡± Bella gestured to the dining room. Nathaniel smiled, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± Nathaniel headed to the dining room and sat at the head of the table. Hope sat on his right side with Ralia sitting next to her. She didn¡¯t look happy about it. Bella pulled off the dish lids revealing the steaming chicken and roasted vegetables. She also poured him a glass of wine before sitting down on his left. ¡°This looks wonderful Bella,¡± Nathaniel said looking around, ¡°And I¡¯m surprised the house is so clean. I kind of expected it to be a complete mess.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll be a thing of the past,¡± Bella gave the girls a tight smile, ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll work hard to ease your burdens,¡± Ralia returned the smile. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll work really hard to keep the house clean,¡± Hope said, ¡°That way I¡¯m not a burden.¡± Nathaniel rubbed Hope¡¯s head, ¡°I appreciate that Hope, but you¡¯ll never be a burden,¡± They ate in silence for a few minutes. Ralia kept glancing at the other girls, ¡°So, how did you determine seating?¡± ¡°We took lots,¡± Bella said, ¡°After tonight, we¡¯ll cycle seats daily. That way we each get the honor to sit by you.¡± ¡°You seem to have everything under control don¡¯t you,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°Be patient Ralia, you¡¯ll have your chance later.¡± Ralia¡¯s tail thumped against the floor, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Happiness overwhelmed him, and he took Bella¡¯s and Hope¡¯s hands, ¡°I¡¯m grateful to count you all as family.¡± [11:45 PM] sat at the top of Nathaniel¡¯s vision. Ralia held him tightly as she snored into his chest, and her tail wrapped around his leg stroking his thigh. He lightly kissed her forehead which caused a goofy grin to appear on her lips. Nathaniel gently freed himself from her grip and slipped on a shirt before leaving his room. A light illuminated the ground floor, and Nathaniel made his way down to investigate. Bella was working in the kitchen preparing for tomorrow. She wiped the sweat from her brow which left a smear of flour. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the flour-coated beauty which caused her to jump. ¡°Master, what are you doing up?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep,¡± Nathaniel smiled, ¡°Ralia tends to snore.¡± ¡°Would you like me to make you some tea?¡± Bella said pulling the kettle out, ¡°I still have some work left to do before I go to bed.¡± Nathaniel gently grabbed her hand, ¡°I¡¯m fine Bella,¡± he said, ¡°Please don¡¯t burden yourself with me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a burden master,¡± Bella smiled gently at him, ¡°It is my pleasure to serve you with my entire being,¡± Her eyes glistened, ¡°So please, don¡¯t hesitate to ask me anything.¡± ¡°Then, would you accompany me to the dungeon tomorrow,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I need you present in order to make you an administrator.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± ¡°Then finish up and get to bed,¡± Nathaniel leaned down and kissed her hair, ¡°I plan to leave early tomorrow." ¡°I¡¯ll be finished shortly.¡± Bella stared in awe at the blue core. The power from it tickled her skin, and its soft pulsing mesmerized her. Thanks to the humans and dwarves, the fairy-races had long since given up on acquiring dungeon cores of their own. The threat that owning one held wasn¡¯t worth it, but she knew that Nathaniel had taken claim of the dungeon before becoming his slave, but she hadn¡¯t realized how extensive it was, or how unusual it would be. ¡°Welcome lady Bella,¡± she snapped out of her musing when the core spoke, ¡°I¡¯m Seneschal, I assist master Nathaniel with running the dungeon.¡± Bella curtsied with her head bowed deeply, ¡°It is an honor to make your acquaintance,¡± ¡°The pleasure is mine, but you need not humble yourself to me. I am merely an extension of the dungeon, here to serve you all, so there is no need for such decorum.¡± ¡°Tail licker,¡± Ralia scoffed, but she looked away when Bella glared at her. [Congratulations, you have been made administrator of the dungeon.] Bella smiled and curtsied to Nathaniel, ¡°Thank you for this honor,¡± she said, ¡°I shall not let you down.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to have you on board,¡± Nathaniel said, turning to Seneschal, ¡°Have you made the appropriate changes to the laser?¡± Bella¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°I have, and I had the fabricators start working on making the components,¡± an image appeared in front of Nathaniel, ¡°You should be able to make a prototype, as long as nothing breaks.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Nathaniel laughed, ¡°Ralia, can you continue Hope¡¯s training?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Ralia smirked at the fey girl. Hope growled at her, ¡°I¡¯ll beat you this time!¡± Nathaniel leaned in and whispered to Bella, ¡°Can you keep an eye on them?¡± Bella nodded. ¡°Thanks. All right girls, behave yourself.¡± ¡°Yes master,¡± they all said. Bella followed Ralia and Hope down the corridor until they entered a room with armor stands and metal counters. Ralia and Hope stripped down to their undergarments folding their clothes into the metal cabinets. Bella had seen them before, but she hadn¡¯t paid them any mind, until now. She couldn¡¯t help but blush at the sensual nature of Ralia¡¯s scarlet unmentionables. It drew her eyes to places that weren¡¯t proper. Hope¡¯s on the other hand were adorable. The pink frills and lace made her look innocent and precious. ¡°Has something caught you attention?¡± Bella cleared her throat trying to ignore the heat building in her cheeks, ¡°I was admiring the master¡¯s handiwork, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°He gets to admire it all the time,¡± Ralia¡¯s crooked smile grew. ¡°You should have master make you some too Bella,¡± Hope said with bright eyes, ¡°You¡¯d look pretty in them.¡± Bella¡¯s smile turned to a smirk, ¡°I think you¡¯re right, and I¡¯m sure the master would appreciate it to.¡± Ralia slammed the metal door, ¡°Enough, we have training to get to,¡± She had changed into a leather thong and was putting on a strange leather suit. ¡°Hurry up Hope!¡± Nathaniel looked at the components sitting on the work bench. The steel frame of the arcane rifle was already engraved with the necessary runes, and the fist sized magic crystal glowed with energy. The only thing out of place was the wooden stock that would be the butt of the rifle. ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± Nathaniel started by setting the two lenses into their sockets in what would be the barrel. Their placement needed to be precise as it would condense the magical energy into a concentrated beam. Once they were set, he attached the top of the barrel which consisted of two steel rods connected to the two curved frames that secured the lenses in place. Then, he attached the trigger which had a special rune that would fire the energy when it met its partner rune on the chamber. Last was the crystal chamber. The magic crystal was stored into an orichalcum attachment that connected to the barrel. One thick wire sat right over the trigger with a metal slide to act as a safety and another wire leading to the handle for the magic cartridge. [New item created: Arcane Rifle] [New skills developed: Gunsmith, Firearms] [New skill acquired: Gunsmith Lv. 1] The magic cartridge was easier to make. Nathaniel set five small magic crystals into the orichalcum frame. The frame swerved in an S shaped pattern so that each crystal was in series with each other. He set the frame into the steel cartridge and sealed it with solder. Nathaniel nodded as he looked at the prototype rifle, but his attention was drawn to the door when it opened. Hope ran up to the table, ¡°Is that the new laser?¡± ¡°Yes, if it works,¡± Nathaniel petted her. ¡°It¡¯s a little¡­underwhelming,¡± Ralia leaned against him staring incredulously at the gun, ¡°I was expecting something more.¡± Nathaniel laughed and kissed her cheek, ¡°This is just the prototype,¡± he said, ¡°If it works, then it will lead to many new weapons. I might make something special just for you.¡± Ralia smirked at him, but Hope pushed them apart. ¡°Stop it!¡± the two girls glared at each other. ¡°Enough you two,¡± Bella snapped causing the two of them to stop, ¡°Behave yourself in front of the master.¡± Her eyes lingered on the magic gun, ¡°Could I¡­hold it?¡± Nathaniel handed it to her, ¡°Be careful, I haven¡¯t tested it yet.¡± Bella held the gun at a distance as she took it in. Her eyes lingered on the magic crystal in the chamber, then onto the arcane lenses. A small smile came to her lips as she handed it back. ¡°I was about to go test it out. Do you want to come?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Yes,¡± they all said. Nathaniel led them to the training area, ¡°Seneschal, have a target set up please,¡± a maintenance bot appeared and started building a wall, ¡°I need you three to get behind the safety glass.¡± After the girls were safe and the wall was built, Nathaniel shouldered the rifle, ¡°Test firing commencing!¡± Nathaniel lined up the shot and pulled the trigger. The magic crystal¡¯s glow brightened, Nathaniel had to look away because it was so bright, and a beam of condensed magic shot through both lenses. The intensified beam flew and melted through the brick wall and into the metal wall behind it. The maintenance bot destroyed the test target before going over to fix the wall. [New skill acquired: Firearms Lv. 1] ¡°That¡¯s¡­more effective than I expected,¡± Nathaniel rubbed at his eyes, ¡°But I¡¯ll definitely need to get it plated before firing again.¡± ¡°Are you all right master?¡± Bella rushed out to him. ¡°I¡¯m fine Bella,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I just wasn¡¯t expecting it to be that bright.¡± ¡°Another excellent weapon master,¡± Ralia laughed at the damage, ¡°This easily exceeds anything you¡¯ve made so far. To bad I don¡¯t have any ranged weapon talents.¡± ¡°I bet I can use it,¡± Hope said staring at the gun with wide eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll let you all practice once it¡¯s completed,¡± Nathaniel smiled at them, ¡°This is the most dangerous weapon I¡¯ve made so far, so you¡¯ll need to be properly trained.¡± ¡°May I ask for something master?¡± Bella said, rubbing her hands nervously. ¡°Of course,¡± ¡°I¡­would like¡­¡± her face was a dark purple, ¡°Could you make me some undergarments?¡± Nathaniel sighed heavily, ¡°I kind of expected this,¡± he chuckled, ¡°Bring them in Seneschal.¡± A maintenance bot flew into the room carrying a whicker basket. It set the basket in front of Bella, and she looked at the clothes inside. ¡°Y-you already made some,¡± Bella said, not looking at him. ¡°I had these made during your first week with us,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°It seems that every woman who finds out I can make these asks me to make them, so I was certain you would want some too.¡± ¡°M-may I try them on?¡± ¡°Of course, they¡¯re yours after all,¡± Bella smiled and took the basket back to the changing room. After a few minutes, she came out wearing a set made of black silk and red lace. Bella gave him a nervous pose, ¡°How do I look?¡± ¡°You look beautiful,¡± Nathaniel cleared his throat. ¡°That¡¯s enough of that!¡± Ralia said as she and Hope pushed Bella back into the changing room, ¡°Time for you to get dressed.¡± Nathaniel couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the girls'' jealousy. Ch.24 The Heroes Frustrations Cries echoed over the plains as men and monsters fell from the fort walls. Blood soaked into the ground, and corpses were crushed under many feet. The Horde was attacking the small fort that protected this part of Duke Warnmier¡¯s land, and they were succeeding. ¡°Dammit!¡± Duncan growled as he quickly glanced at the battle. His senses kicked in and he dodged the attack that was aimed at his head. The orc warlord Grangk pressed the attack. Duncan parried an attack with his great sword and went to strike at the monster¡¯s open side, but the orc woman carrying two shields blocked his attack. Shawn skirted around the battle getting ready to shoot the warlord. ¡°Look out!¡± Duncan said. Shawn jumped out of the way as the fire giantess slammed her flaming mace into the ground. Flames erupted from her body which forced Shawn to roll out of the way. Duncan growled as his attack was blocked again. He dodged another attack and looked over his shoulder. Why isn¡¯t Maria buffing me? Maria radiated golden light as she cast her miracles, but the spell landed onto Prince Ollimier. Blood stained the prince¡¯s armor as he protected the spell casters from two orc women, but he was struggling to keep them back. Shizuka cast a spell that caused the prince¡¯s blade to catch on fire, then she shot a bolt of lightning which caught one of the women in the leg. ¡°Why not boost someone else for a change?¡± Duncan said trying to push back against the warlord. ¡°I¡¯m trying, but the prince is taking a lot of damage,¡± Maria scoffed as she buffed the prince again, ¡°Is there anything you can do Shizuka?¡± Magic coalesced around Shizuka. It caused the winds to shift, and clouds started to form in the sky. About time that pipsqueak pulled her weight. Duncan smiled as he charged the warlord again, but it was wiped clean when heard Shizuka scream in pain. The sky cleared up as the warlord roared in laughter. ¡°Dammit Shizuka,¡± Duncan turned and saw Shizuka laying on the ground with a dagger sticking out of her shoulder. Duncan growled, but gasped when the warlord grabbed the ricasso of his sword. Grangk kicked him in the stomach which sent him flying. Duncan recovered by rolling to his feet and drew the arming sword at his side. Grangk took Duncan¡¯s great sword into his left hand, ¡°I expected better, Hero,¡± a horn blew three times from the fort, and Grangk bellowed in laughter, ¡°Victory! [Empowerment]¡± The warlord¡¯s companions roared with him, and their eyes glistened with a primal fire. The orc woman with the shields charged into Duncan pushing him off his feet again while the giantess struck at Shawn who barely dodged the attack. Ollimier took two slashes to his side and arms as he protected the women. ¡°We need to retreat!¡± Ollimier shouted pushing the women back, ¡°We need to regroup with the main force. Duncan cursed and ran away. He picked up Shizuka and threw her over his shoulder. Shawn kept the orcs back by rapidly shooting arrows at them, but the warlord wasn¡¯t worried about catching them. His taunting laughter made that clear. Ophelia ran past a group of soldiers standing in line for their dinner. She blushed as they howled at her, but her fear pushed her to keep running. The soldiers leering eyes bore into her, and she fought the urge to drop her skirt to cover her chest, but that would mean she couldn¡¯t run to the heroes. After passing another group of soldiers, the healers'' tent stood in front of her. ¡°Is everyone alright?¡± Ophelia panted pushing through the flap. Duncan, Ollimier, and Shizuka were being tended to by the camp healers. Ollimier looked to be in the worst condition as his chest, arms and legs were covered in bandages. Shizuka sat behind a screen, her blouse off so the healer could properly treat the wound in her shoulder. Duncan had a few cuts along his arms and cheeks. A tall, thin woman with chestnut colored hair and dark skin with a green tint massaged his shoulders. Her slave collar was mostly hidden by her hair. Maria and Shawn stood to the side to give the healers room. ¡°What do you think,¡± Duncan snarled as the he turned to the woman behind him, ¡°Dammit bitch, that hurts!¡± ¡°S-sorry¡­master,¡± The woman cowered behind the curtain of hair covering her face. ¡°Don¡¯t take your frustration out on her asshole,¡± Maria glared at him. ¡°Fuck off Maria,¡± Duncan said, ¡°She¡¯s my slave, got it.¡± Maria flipped him off. ¡°Enough!¡± Ophelia said looking between them, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°We were too late,¡± Ollimier sighed as he pulled on his shirt, ¡°The Horde had already scaled the walls and were in the fortress, so we decided to fight the warlord.¡± ¡°But our illustrious Champion decided to fight the warlord all by himself,¡± Shizuka snapped as she wrapped herself in her cloak. ¡°I had Shawn with me,¡± Duncan glared at the short woman, ¡°It¡¯s not our fault you''re completely useless in battle.¡± ¡°Useless!¡± Shizuka stormed towards him, but Ollimier held her back, ¡°Do you know how hard it is to cast spells while being attacked. It¡¯s nearly impossible. If it wasn¡¯t for the prince, Maria and I would be dead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Maria snapped. ¡°Of course you¡¯d say that about your boyfriend,¡± Duncan said, ¡°You spend more time tending to him than the rest of the party. The same goes for you too, short stack.¡± Both women stared at him with red faces. ¡°That¡¯s enough man,¡± Shawn pulled Duncan to his feet, ¡°Let¡¯s go get some food.¡± Duncan scoffed and stormed out of the tent. Ophelia sighed and massaged her forehead. ¡°Thanks for protecting us again,¡± Ophelia glanced and saw Maria smiling at Ollimier, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t heal more of your wounds.¡± Ollimier kissed her hand, ¡°It was my pleasure, my lady,¡± he smiled back, ¡°I would escort you back to your tent, but I need to speak with lady Ophelia.¡± Maria nodded and watched the two of them leave. Ophelia and Ollimier walked through the camp. Campfires burned every few feet which kept the camp well-lit in the darkness. The two of them stepped into the command tent and stared at the map on the central table. ¡°This isn¡¯t going well,¡± Ollimier said swapping out a piece on the map, ¡°We keep getting pushed back.¡± ¡°Do we try to retake the fort?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ollimier sighed leaning against the table, ¡°There¡¯s no way we¡¯d win, morale is too low.¡± ¡°Then what do we do,¡± Ophelia looked at the map, ¡°We can¡¯t keep losing battles like this,¡± Her chest seized at the sight of another loss, ¡°Maybe, we should do what they did in the past. Let the heroes form their own parties to fight the enemy.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Ollimier scratched at his newly formed beard, ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said, ¡°We¡¯re already straining our resources having them in one party. I¡­don¡¯t know how we would be able split them among four parties. Not to mention the amount of time it would take to find the people who work well with each hero, especially the Champion.¡± ¡°I¡­ regret finding him,¡± Ophelia said holding herself, ¡°I was too focused on Nathaniel.¡± ¡°Yes, you were,¡± Ophelia chuckled at the prince¡¯s blunt comment, ¡°But, I wonder how we¡¯d be fairing if the Inventor was here.¡± ¡°Sire,¡± a voice came from outside, ¡°A party for Castle VuRant has arrived. They wish to speak with you.¡± ¡°Let them in,¡± A knight in green and red brigandine armor stepped into the tent. His dark red hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and a large scar ran across his nose. He kneeled to the prince, ¡°Report, Sir Marian.¡± Ollimier stood before the knight. ¡°Your highness, I regret to inform you that my Uncle is unable to send reinforcements to your campaign,¡± Marian said, ¡°Horde raids have increased around his holdings, all the way to the frontier lands, in fact.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Ollimier sighed as he added more pieces to the map, ¡°How have your forces been fairing?¡± ¡°Surprisingly well sir,¡± Marian pulled the weapon from his belt which looked like a large dagger with an oversized hilt, ¡°My Uncle purchased some new weapons to outfit our forces, and they¡¯ve greatly enhanced our fighting power.¡± Ollimier took the dagger with a skeptical look, ¡°How can a dagger¡­Is this enchanted?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Marian smiled, ¡°If you touch the rune on the hilt, the one right above your hand, the weapon will show its true form.¡± Ollimier scoffed but touched the rune. The blade extended to the proper length of a longsword, but it¡¯s weight felt lighter like it was made of mithril. Ollimier gasped as he stared at the weapon, ¡°And that¡¯s not the only one sire,¡± Marian chuckled, ¡°We purchased a new type of ranged weapon called a crossbow. It allows us to shoot arrows at a greater distance, and with enough power to break through most armor.¡± ¡°Where did you get such weapons?¡± Ophelia said staring intently at the sword. ¡°Lady Cymella Quarmane showed them to my Uncle a few months ago,¡± Marian said taking back his sword, ¡°They have a crafter there in Rumand who made them. In fact, we should be receiving another shipment by the end of the month.¡± ¡°Your highness, we need to visit this crafter,¡± Ophelia pleaded. ¡°I agree,¡± Ollimier said, ¡°We¡¯ll return to Castle Warnmier, then make our way down to Rumand. Our forces here should be able to keep the Horde at bay until we return.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sick and tired of that asshole!¡± Maria scrubbed her arms with a wet rag. ¡°Agreed,¡± Shizuka snarled as she washed her legs. ¡°What¡¯s worse is how he treats Veyl,¡± Maria said moving to clean her chest, ¡°Seriously, why the hell did he accept a slave in the first place. It¡¯s wrong!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a common trope in fantasy isekai stories,¡± Maria gave her a confused look, ¡°Isa-what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ fictional genre that originated in Japan,¡± Shizuka said, looking away, ¡°The gist of the genre is that a person is somehow transported or reincarnated into another world. The slave trope has been popular lately.¡± ¡°How ¨C¡° ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± Shizuka held herself. Maria moved to sit next to her, ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to talk about it?¡± ¡°Because I finally have friends now,¡± Shizuka said quickly glancing at her, ¡°And I don¡¯t want you thinking I¡¯m weird.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to think you¡¯re weird.¡± ¡°Really,¡± Maria nodded and smiled at her, ¡°Fine,¡± Shizuka took a deep breath, ¡°I¡¯m an otaku.¡± ¡°A what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a geek, but for Japanese culture,¡± Shizuka said, ¡°I collected manga, played video games, and figurines.¡± ¡°I understand now,¡± Maria laughed hugging Shizuka, ¡°I had friends who collected action figures all the time, so I don¡¯t understand why you were worried.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not action figures!¡± Shizuka glared at her, ¡°They aren¡¯t toys you play with, they¡¯re collectables, especially the rare bunny-maid Amiri-Chan figure I had preordered.¡± ¡°Wait, bunny-maid?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I won¡¯t be able to get it,¡± Shizuka completely ignored her, ¡°It even came with the rare strawberry pa-¡± Her face turned red when she noticed Maria looking at her. ¡°You¡­ are really into this,¡± ¡°Sorry, I tend to lose myself when I¡¯m talking about my favorite character,¡± Shizuka hid behind her hair. ¡°I see, and what¡¯s she in?¡± Maria gave her a strained smile. ¡°She¡¯s in Lovely Peach Maids. It¡¯s a¡­Yuri otome game.¡± Maria sighed heavily, ¡°I¡¯m afraid to ask, but what is that?¡± Shizuka leaned in and whispered into her ear. Maria couldn¡¯t help the sad smile that came to her lips, ¡°Sweetie, you need help.¡± Duncan stared up at the top of his tent. He breathed heavily and was covered in sweat, but his mind felt clearer than it did back in the medical tent. He laid there in the open, completely exposed, hoping to cool down, but the summer heat even invaded the night, and it didn¡¯t help that a woman snuggled against him. He playfully slapped her ass which caused her to moan, and she buried her face into his chest, ¡°Master¡­please,¡± the woman peeked out from her long hair. ¡°Please what, Veyl,¡± Duncan chuckled as he slapped her again. She let out a small whimper, but he could see her flushed cheeks when he brushed her hair way. It also revealed her slightly pointed ears. ¡°Do you want this?¡± He ran his fingers along her earlobe. Veyl squealed into his chest as he pinched and pulled on her ears. ¡°S-stop,¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Duncan sighed as he rubbed her back. The silence felt heavy between them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­about what I said in the tent.¡± Veyl¡¯s glistening, emerald eyes pierced him. ¡°Maria was right, I shouldn¡¯t have spoken to you like that.¡± ¡°You¡­don¡¯t need to apologize,¡± she mumbled as she held him tighter, ¡°I understand that you were frustrated.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± he kissed the top of her head, ¡°Sometimes¡­I just really hate this world.¡± Veyl rested her chin on his chest, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°How would you feel if someone took you away from your family and expected you to work your ass of for th¡­shit, I''m sorry,¡± Veyl chuckled at his flushed face, ¡°You needn¡¯t worry. I get the last part, but¡­ I¡¯ve never had a family,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯ve been a slave my entire life. What was your family like?¡± ¡°They were¡­ normal,¡± Duncan chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t know how else to explain them. Dad ran many successful franchises, so we never had to worry about money. Mom stayed home most of the time doing her thing, and my little sister was cute. Damn, I miss that brat, I bet she¡¯s cried her eyes out when I was summoned here.¡± Duncan fought against the ache in his chest, ¡°Dad could be a dick sometimes, but that¡¯s because he was pushing me. ¡®If you aren¡¯t a winner, then you¡¯re a loser¡¯ he¡¯d always say, and he was even worse when coaching.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about that sport¡­ football, was it?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± he sighed heavily, ¡°He pushed me hard, but that¡¯s because he wanted me to understand how important I was to the team. I had to lead the team when we were on the field, and even if some of my teammates didn¡¯t like me, they at least listened when I called plays. Not like here.¡± A small growl left him, ¡°Here no one respects me. Ophelia never shuts up about Nathaniel. Maria¡¯s more focused on getting with the prince, and Shizuka¡¯s holding everyone back. Even Shawn¡¯s acting differently after having kids with the Queen. Then you have all these nobles throwing their wives and daughters at me. I just get sick of it sometimes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ grateful for that last part,¡± Veyl hugged him tightly, ¡°Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have you as a master.¡± Duncan laughed remembering the night two months ago. He was sitting in his room one night eating dinner when Cymella Quarmane came to visit him. She offered Veyl as a gift, and then offered herself as well. He remembered being annoyed at Veyl¡¯s docile personality, but slowly over time, it became comforting. Duncan returned her embrace, ¡°I¡¯m thankful too,¡± he closed his eyes. Shawn looked out into the starry sky. It was stupid for him to be this far from camp, but he needed to be alone. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, braided cord. It was made from soft honey brown hair with a small section that had two different hair colors woven in it. Shawn brought the cord to his face and breathed deeply as he remembered that night. He was laying in bed, resting from the banquet that was just held. A beautiful woman was wrapped in arms with her head on his chest. He ran his fingers through her long hair, enjoying the comfort of her weight. ¡°So, this is it,¡± Shawn sighed. ¡°For now,¡± the woman said, ¡°But I¡¯m sure his majesty wouldn¡¯t mind us rendezvousing every now and then.¡± ¡°I¡¯m to fight monsters and knock-up the queen,¡± he scoffed getting out of bed, ¡°Is that all I¡¯m here for Haelie?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± the queen sighed sitting up, ¡°After the war is over, you¡¯ll be a part of this kingdom¡¯s future. You¡¯ll be a noble with responsibilities¡­ and you¡¯ll¡­ build yourself a family.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll still be expected to impregnate you whenever the king wants, right,¡± Haelie nodded, and Shawn snapped, ¡°That pisses me off.¡± The queen glared at him, ¡°Am I truly that terrible?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the fact that I¡¯ll never be able to hold my kids,¡± he growled, ¡°I¡¯ll never be in their life, despite it being obvious who their father is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the responsibility of the heroes to replenish the rankings of the nobility. Without you no one would be above basic rank.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± Shawn sighed sitting on the edge of the bed. Haelie wrapped her arms around him, ¡°Then tell me what I¡¯m not understanding,¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ want to be alone anymore,¡± Shawn took her hand in his, ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t mind it, but now I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m tired of waking up every morning to find my bed empty. Every time I come back from the battlefield I come back to an empty room,¡± Haelie kissed his cheek, ¡°You¡¯ll find someone.¡± Shawn sighed deeply as he put the braided cord away, ¡°Why can¡¯t it be you?¡± Ch.25 Summer’s End Memory Lane Bella quietly made her rounds through the dungeon. Unlike Ralia and Hope, she took her duty as an administrator seriously. So far, the fabricators were on track with their latest batch of weapons and goods meant to be sold. The extractors were behind on their quotas, but that¡¯s because Seneschal had them clearing out areas for future expansion. The guardians and sentries stood at the ready, but there hadn¡¯t been any major threats to the dungeon lately. All in all, everything was running smoothly. Bella rounded the corner and noticed a door slightly open. It was to one of the sleeping quarters that were built a few days ago, so that they could sleep in the dungeon if they needed to. She approached the door and saw Ralia sitting at the table with her back to the door. A projection sat in front of her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Bella said. Ralia shot to her feet and blocked the projection, ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything,¡± Bella scoffed, ¡°Seneschal,¡± ¡°She¡¯s perusing the master¡¯s memories,¡± ¡°Traitor!¡± ¡°I can only withhold information by orders from the dungeon master.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re looking at the master¡¯s memories,¡± Bella scoffed and pushed her to the side. The image displayed a large group dressed in fine clothing. It showed Nathaniel as a child of five. He wore a black suit with a tie around his neck, and he was dancing along with a group of people. Well, to call the flailing arms and legs dancing would be a stretch. ¡°How adorable,¡± Bella couldn¡¯t stop laughing. ¡°For some reason this memory intrigues me,¡± Ralia laughed too, ¡°It had the master performing in some sort of bonding ritual.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a marriage ceremony,¡± Seneschal chimed in, ¡°The master had the honor of being the ring bearer.¡± ¡°How interesting,¡± Bella rewound the memory to watch the ceremony, ¡°We don¡¯t have such ceremonies since our groves have so few people. I think the closest thing to it is when groves trade members.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Ralia nodded, ¡°We don¡¯t have these ceremonies either. Whenever two people wish to mate, they just do it.¡± ¡°What are you two doing?¡± They turned to see Hope standing in the door. ¡°Looking at some of the master¡¯s memories,¡± Bella said. ¡°I want to see them too!¡± Hope pushed her way in between them and took control of the projection. She flipped through several memories until it stopped on one with an adolescent Nathaniel. He was sitting on a wire bench with a beautiful young woman eating some kind of pastry. ¡°Who is she?¡± Ralia growled at the girl leaning on Nathaniel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That is the master¡¯s high school girlfriend,¡± Seneschal said with a strange tone, ¡°They were quite close.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me!¡± ¡°What are they eating?¡± Hope drooled over the pastry. ¡°It¡¯s called a donut. It¡¯s a type of sweet bread that is fried rather than baked, then topped with a glaze.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a glaze?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a coating made from sugar, milk, and butter,¡± Seneschal said changing the image to show each ingredient. Bella tapped her chin with a small smile, ¡°Maybe I should try making some,¡± ¡°You could try, but without the master¡¯s help you¡¯d most likely fail,¡± Seneschal replied, ¡°Without the sugarcane plant, we are unable to make sugar.¡± ¡°There are other plants that are used for sweets, we could try using those instead.¡± ¡°Good point,¡± Seneschal said with a warm tone, ¡°I¡¯m glad that the master took you on lady Bella.¡± The other two women glared at her. ¡°Would you like to see other memories?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± they smiled leaning closer.
Fashionista Nathaniel quietly eased himself out of Hope¡¯s grasp as he got out of bed. She groaned in complaint, turned over and started hugging his pillow. He smiled at the scene before heading downstairs to get a glass of water. On his way back, he noticed a light coming from the sewing room. Inside, he saw Bella stripped down to her underwear standing in front of the mirror. She ran a hand over the fabric as she inspected her image. She sighed and shook her head as she went to inspect a different part. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Nathaniel laughed as he stepped inside. Bella shrieked and tried hiding herself with her dress, ¡°Master¡­ I-I was trying to see if I could learn how to make these bras,¡± she blushed heavily as she looked to the floor. ¡°You could have just asked you know,¡± Nathaniel said turning around, ¡°You should get dressed.¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± He could hear Bella¡¯s dress rustle as she put it on, ¡°You¡¯ve been busy lately¡­ and I didn¡¯t want to bother you. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t ask; I¡¯m finished,¡± Nathaniel turned to see Bella back to her prim disposition, except for the purple flush to her face. Bella cleared her throat, ¡°You didn¡¯t need to do that, as my master¡­ you¡¯re free to look¡­ whenever you want.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve embarrassed you enough, and besides,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°I got a good look,¡± Bella covered her face, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°You can be terribly mean sometimes,¡± Bella whined. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nathaniel hugged her, ¡°I find this side of you cute. What can I do to make it up to you?¡± ¡°Well, firstly, you could teach me how to make these undergarments,¡± Bella smirked at him, ¡°Then there¡¯s something else I want you to make.¡± The next day, Nathaniel stared at the projected image coming from the dungeon core. He sighed heavily and shook his head. ¡°You want me to make this?¡± He groaned in disbelief. ¡°Yes,¡± Bella smiled deviously, ¡°Ralia, Hope, and I were going through your memories the other day, so we could better understand your preferences, and I found this quite intriguing.¡± ¡°You want me¡­ to make a cocktail dress,¡± Nathaniel said incredulously, ¡°Doesn¡¯t this go against this world¡¯s sensibilities or something?¡± ¡°I¡­ won¡¯t deny the dress is rather scandalous,¡± Bella said trying to stay calm, but the blush on her face gave her away, ¡°But, it¡¯s from your world, and I thought it might help you get more accustomed here. Besides, I¡¯d¡­only wear it for you.¡± Nathaniel gave her a small smile, ¡°I see, thank you for thinking of me, Bella,¡± ¡°I just want you to be happy,¡± Bella smiled back, ¡°But, could you make it less¡­ revealing?¡± Nathaniel nodded as he looked at the image, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll start by lengthening the dress to the ankles, and then throw in some elbow length gloves,¡± he hummed in thought, ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have the materials to make this exact style, I¡¯ll have to make it out of silk or satin.¡± ¡°I think silk will be better,¡± It took two days for Nathaniel to make the dress, but he did finish. Now, he stood outside of the sewing room waiting for Bella. Should I be concerned that I¡¯m possibly changing this world¡¯s cultural values? He hadn¡¯t thought about the repercussion, since he didn¡¯t understand fashion at all. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± Nathaniel stepped into the room but was stopped in his tracks. Bella stood in the center of the room with one hand around her waist. The black silk dress she wore clung to her lovely figure with a slit showing off her legs up her mid-calf. The black gloves ended right before her elbows leaving her upper arms exposed, and the straps of her dress were wider than on the image. It showed a decent amount of cleavage without being tasteless. Bella patted at her bun and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, ¡°How do I look?¡± Nathaniel shook the shock away, ¡°Beautiful,¡± Bella¡¯s smile grew, ¡°Thank you,¡± ¡°What are you wearing!¡± Ralia and Hope stormed into the sewing room. Ralia turned to him, ¡°Master, I want a dress like that too.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Nathaniel gave them a tired sigh as Bella laughed.
Dark Ages During the age of the Archons, we lived in paradise. Through their abundant wisdom and mercy, we didn¡¯t worry about wars, poverty, hunger, all the sufferings we know of today weren¡¯t on our minds, but then, it all fell apart. The other races, in their arrogance and greed, sought to usurp the power of their creators, and they did. After harnessing the power of the dungeon cores, their corruption transformed them into hideous abominations that scoured the land, destroying everything in their wake. We did our best to fight back, to serve our creators, but it was in vain. The Archons, seeing the abhorrent state that our corruption could lead to, fled our world, and the Abominations tore through the once great palaces, and destroyed every dungeon core they could find. Then, they disappeared to the south, never to be seen again. In the days following the devastation, we humans were forced to wander, for the fairies quickly took advantage of our weakened state and began covering the continent in forests. Slowly, we rebuilt by relearning all the Archons taught us, and that is when we found the mana chambers. The last remaining artifacts of our creators. We searched the land, locating every dungeon we could find, and extracted their cores. After purifying them of their corrupting influence, we were able to restart the ancient device, and with its power, we retook the lands that were rightfully ours. Nathaniel stood by the church doors listening to sister Rose¡¯s tale. She sat in front of a group of children with a book in her hand. Something doesn¡¯t seem right. He scratched his chin. The dungeon core doesn¡¯t corrupt¡­ does it? He quietly stepped out of the church and made his way to the dungeon. Thankfully the summer heat was starting to die down, so the walk wasn¡¯t nearly as unbearable as it usually was. As soon as he was in the domain field, he [Warped] into the central chamber. He was met with blaring music. Hope, Ralia, and Bella stood by the core shouting at each other, but their words were drowned out by the annoying pop song from Nathaniel¡¯s youth. He regretted learning that the core could play music from memories. ¡°Seneschal, shut it off!¡± Nathaniel screamed at the top of his lungs. He sighed in relief when it stopped, ¡°Thank you,¡± His gaze turned to the women, ¡°Are you trying to make yourselves deaf?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry master,¡± Bella rushed over, ¡°I tried to stop them.¡± ¡°We were trying to find a good song to train to,¡± Ralia scoffed glaring at the fey girl, ¡°But the brat has no taste in music.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good song!¡± Hope glared back. ¡°Enough,¡± Nathaniel silenced them, ¡°Seneschal, music is not to exceed volume levels that could deafen us.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± ¡°Now then, Seneschal, are there corrupting influences in the dungeon core?¡± ¡°No sir,¡± Seneschal said projecting an image of the core¡¯s mana flow. It reminded him of a tree, ¡°The dungeon core draws energy from the World¡¯s core and then distributes it out into the world. It then pulls impure mana from the land, filters it, and returns it back to the World¡¯s core.¡± ¡°So, Rose¡¯s story on the Dark Ages is wrong,¡± Nathaniel tapped his chin, ¡°But what happened then?¡± He looked to the three women. Ralia and Hope shook their heads in confusion. ¡°Well, the fairies believe that the Abominations were caused by an imbalance in the world,¡± Bella said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Fairies are one of the longest living creatures in this world,¡± Bellas replied, ¡°They¡¯re only rivaled by the dragons, and a few sub races of demons. To preserve their memories of the past, the fairies used their magic to create the Tree of Knowledge. This way we fairy-races could remain connected to the past, since we have long lives, but this resulted in most of the fairies giving up their lives. There¡¯s only a handful left.¡± ¡°But what does this have to do with the Dark Ages?¡± ¡°There should be memories of the Dark Ages in the tree,¡± Bella said with a heavy blush, ¡°But since I¡¯m only seventy-nine, I¡¯m still too young to partake of the tree¡¯s fruit. I should be able to once I reach one hundred and twenty.¡± ¡°Seventy-nine, that pretty much makes you a baby,¡± Nathaniel chuckled. Bella gave him an angry pout, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Bella. So, in other words, you don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Bella bowed, ¡°All I know is that the world was ravaged by the Abominations and that they later fled to the south.¡± ¡°To the south¡­¡± Nathaniel felt something nagging at the back of his mind.
Blackmail The tavern was packed. Everyone from the village were there enjoying the last few days of summer before needing to prepare for the harvest. Oden and Sierra were running around trying to tend to everyone, but they weren¡¯t alone. Many of the village¡¯s young women helped tend to the young men, hoping to garner their attention, and Bella was helping as well. Elias and Rose sat at a table talking with each other. Elias blushed heavily as he spoke which earned a polite smile from the priestess. Daisy, Hope, and the younger children sat at their own table playing some kind of game with sticks and rocks. Ralia was in the back with a few of the youths. She had a small pile of bronze coins which she earned from arm wrestling, and she was downing another mug of beer as another young man failed to beat her. Barin and the village elders sat by the fire watching everyone. Nathaniel sat at the bar smiling at the lively atmosphere. Yet, he couldn¡¯t help but feel isolated from everyone, as if he didn¡¯t belong, and in truth he didn¡¯t. He took a sip from his mug when Barrett threw himself into the stool next to him. The boy glared at Nathaniel as he chugged his drink. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Nathaniel sighed. ¡°I want you to leave,¡± Barrett said eyeing him, ¡°Pack up and take your filthy slaves with you.¡± Nathaniel set his drink down and glared back at the boy, ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°Because I know your secret,¡± Nathaniel glanced back at the tavern, ¡°What do you know exactly?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re working with the monsters,¡± Barrett leaned closer, ¡°You¡¯ve been reporting to them daily at the dungeon.¡± Nathaniel couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. His [Intuition] marked the side of his vision which pointed to Barin. He was glaring at his son and shaking his head. ¡°What will you do if I don¡¯t leave?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going with my father to Rumand next week,¡± Barrett smiled victoriously, ¡°If you don¡¯t, then I¡¯ll bring this to the nobles.¡± Nathaniel nodded, ¡°So, you¡¯re trying to run me out of town!¡± he shouted for all to hear. Silence fell over the tavern. Barrett snarled at Nathaniel while trying to make himself smaller. Barin stormed over to the bar and slapped his son across the back of his head. ¡°Dammit boy,¡± Barin snarled, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to protect this village,¡± Barrett growled back, ¡°He¡¯s working with the monsters hiding in the dungeon. Why won¡¯t you believe me!¡± he looked around the tavern, ¡°Why won¡¯t anyone believe me.¡± ¡°Why should we?¡± Sierra scoffed at him, ¡°All Nathaniel¡¯s done is help our village.¡± ¡°And what about them!¡± he pointed to the non-humans, ¡°He¡¯s taken monsters and fairies into his home. The same filth that ¨C¡± Nathaniel struck Barrett, forcing him to the ground. He stared dumbfounded at the smith. ¡°I won¡¯t have you talking about my family like that,¡± Nathaniel said rubbing his knuckles. ¡°See!¡± Barrett spat, ¡°He admits it.¡± The villagers mumbled with each other while giving the non-humans wary glances. ¡°How dare you!¡± Sierra screamed with tears in her eyes, ¡°They may not be human, but that doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she looked around, ¡°I may not like her, but Ralia saved my life. Not to mention, she constantly patrols the village chasing off dangerous animals,¡± she gestured to Hope, ¡°Do you truly think Hope is a monster. She¡¯s always playing with the children, and keeps them out of trouble, and she helps bring the kids to sister Rose¡¯s lessons,¡± Hope blushed at the compliment, ¡°And even though Bella hasn¡¯t been here long, she¡¯s proven herself to be valuable. She makes deliveries around the village for everyone, and she makes clothes and food for anyone who needs it.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Just shut up!¡± Sierra glared at Barrett with crimson cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for you!¡± Barrett replied. An awkward atmosphere blanketing the room, ¡°I¡­love you.¡± Hatred filled Sierra¡¯s eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t love you. I never have.¡± Barrett stared at Sierra with glistening eyes, then he turned to Nathaniel with a hateful glare, ¡°Why did you have to come here?¡± he ran out of the tavern. Sierra started crying and ran upstairs. No one moved as they stared at their cups. The was¡­ unbearable. Nathaniel noticed his three slaves staring at him worriedly. He nodded at them and gestured for them to follow Sierra. They quietly headed upstairs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that Nathaniel,¡± Barin rubbed his face in frustration. ¡°It¡¯s okay. He¡¯s just being a stupid kid."
A Future Target Geega¡¯Bulmesh sat on top of his iron golem as it slowly trudged through the southern wilderness. He quickly glanced back at the small army of goblins and hobgoblins following them. Many were worn, tired, and injured. The humans in this area were well equipped and had proven difficult to defeat. Geega growled at the state of his forces and pulled out one of the swords they took off the humans. It was made from arcane bronze, but why someone would waste valuable arcanum on bronze weapons was a mystery, as were the unfamiliar runes carved into the blade. Geega slowly looked over the blade, letting his [Intuition] provide the details. [Arcane Bronze Sword. Effects: Durability, Telescopic, Damage+] [Durability Rune: Increases the items hardiness by a percentage equal to the crafter¡¯s rank.] [Telescopic Rune: Allows the item to change its length.] [Damage+ Rune: Increases the amount of damage inflicted on a target by a percentage equal to the crafter¡¯s rank.] ¡°Did a human make this?¡± Geega scoffed at the idea, ¡°Most likely a dwarf.¡± ¡°Master Geega?¡± Ubaal squeaked from behind him. ¡°What have we done with the rest of the equipment?¡± Geega stared down at his apprentice. ¡°We¡¯ve secured it as you commanded,¡± Ubaal said with a bow, ¡°Once our reinforcements have arrived, they¡¯ll take it back to Kuka Bahl for study.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Geega said with a snarl, ¡°To think that there is crafter here who could rival us is¡­ disconcerting.¡± ¡°Surely it¡¯s more than one person,¡± ¡°No, my [Intuition] tells me that one person made all that gear we collected,¡± he said looking beyond the tree line. His [Intuition] could make out the silhouette of a castle on the horizon, ¡°The soldiers came from that castle, which means the crafter is there. Once we¡¯ve captured the dungeon, we¡¯ll find this crafter and make him squeal.¡± Ch.26 Teserra’s wedding Nathaniel stepped into the training room with Bella at his side. Hope lay on the floor panting while Ralia looked down on her with a smile. He carried a three-foot long case at his side. A table materialized in front of him, and he set the case onto it. ¡°It¡¯s completed,¡± Nathaniel said pulling out the latest version of the arcane rifle. He pressed the rune on the side and the barrel extended. ¡°Damn, I love these runes,¡± Nathaniel laughed giddily, ¡°Who wants to try it first?¡± The women looked at each other. ¡°It looks interesting¡­ but I¡¯ll pass,¡± Ralia said, rubbing her spear, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t benefit me much with my talents.¡± Hope gave a nervous smile, ¡°I¡­want to get better with melee weapons first before I start with range weapons,¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try it,¡± Bella said taking the gun. ¡°Seneschal, prepare a target,¡± a maintenance bot came in and built a target wall for them. Nathaniel guided Bella into the appropriate stance to hold the weapon, ¡°Your off hand needs to be on the stock for balance, and you want the butt of the stock to rest against your shoulder,¡± Ralia growled at how close the two of them were which brought a small smile to Bella¡¯s face, ¡°Line up the sight at the end of the barrel with the two on the stock, and keep your finger off the trigger until you¡¯re ready to fire.¡± ¡°Ready,¡± Bella nodded. Nathaniel gently moved her right thumb to the safety switch, ¡°This is the safety. When it¡¯s up like this then the gun won¡¯t fire. Pull it down with your thumb,¡± he heard the switch click, ¡°Now gently squeezed the trigger.¡± He stepped away. Bella took a few breaths, then pulled the trigger. A blast of arcane energy shot from the muzzle and blasted a hole in the target but dispersed before hitting the wall. Bella flipped the safety on and handed it back to Nathaniel with a large smile. ¡°That was exhilarating,¡± Bella laughed, ¡°Would it be alright if I continued training with it?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Nathaniel said putting the rifle back into the case and handed it to her, ¡°You can have this one.¡± Bella curtsied low, ¡°Thank you master,¡± she smiled hugging the case, ¡°I¡¯ll cherish this.¡± ¡°Master, what about me!¡± Hope whined as she jumped all over him. ¡°I offered you a chance to use it, remember,¡± Nathaniel sighed gently shoving her away, ¡°You have only yourself to blame.¡± Hope stared up at him with watery eyes, ¡°How about I get you a present when we go to Rumand tomorrow.¡± Hope cheered hugging Nathaniel tightly, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re spoiling her rotten,¡± Ralia scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t complain,¡± Nathaniel kissed her forehead, ¡°I spoil you too.¡± Ralia gave him a small smile as he walked away, ¡°Can I trust you to get them ready for tomorrow, Bella?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Bella ushered the two girls out, ¡°You can trust me.¡± Nathaniel made his way back to the central chamber. Several maintenance bots were moving the crates full of his wares outside and loading them onto the cart. He watched them from the display when a small blur of movement caught his attention. ¡°Seneschal, magnify on the brush,¡± The image zoomed in on the bushes. Barrett sat crouched in the brush staring intently at the dungeon entrance. ¡°He¡¯s been there for a while,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°Should I chase him away?¡± ¡°No, but keep an eye on him,¡± Nathaniel pulled up the project list, ¡°How are we looking with Project Paladin?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still running short on materials,¡± Seneschal said, pulling up the list, ¡°We¡¯re short two bars of orichalcum ore and six mithril. Hopefully this newest batch of weapons can get us the materials needed.¡± ¡°If we can¡¯t, can we substitute with another material?¡± Nathaniel scratched his chin, ¡°I¡¯m concerned about the monsters attacking sooner than expected.¡± Three dots cycled on the screen. Then newer images popped up. ¡°We can supplement the missing mithril with steel,¡± Seneschal showed the alloy¡¯s properties, ¡°However, the heavier steel may place more of a strain on the armor¡¯s power core.¡± ¡°What if we increase the power core to a level three core?¡± ¡°That should work. A level three power core will still be of an appropriate size to fit onto the under-armor.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s prepare some steel then,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°If I can¡¯t get the rest of the mithril, then we¡¯ll go with the steel-mithril alloy.¡± This was the first time Nathaniel felt claustrophobic. Bella and Ralia sat with him on the bench of the wagon, pressed tightly against him, and Hope sat on his lap humming. The guards chuckled as they waved him into the city. The main street was decorated with a multitude of flowers and ribbons. Most of the stalls weren¡¯t selling their usual wares, instead they were loudly hawking corsages of many colors. Nathaniel noticed that men and women walking alone wearing white corsages, couples wearing matching red ones, and families where the parents wore purple and the children green or yellow. ¡°Sir, sir!¡± a seller waved him down, ¡°Would you care to buy a corsage for you and your¡­lovely companions?¡± His smile faltered when he noticed the nonhuman features, ¡°It is Teserra¡¯s wedding after all.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Nathaniel said fishing out a few coins. ¡°Excellent. What¡­ colors?¡± ¡°The green one,¡± Hope smiled, ¡°It¡¯s really pretty.¡± Bella took another look around, ¡°Red, please,¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a red one too,¡± Ralia smiled viciously. ¡°I changed my mind!¡± Hope yelled, ¡°I want a red one.¡± Nathaniel sighed with an amused smile, ¡°Red as well,¡± The vendor¡¯s eyes took all of them, his smile completely broken, ¡°You are¡­ quite the lucky man,¡± he said. ¡°I guess I am,¡± Nathaniel smiled as he snapped the reins. ¡°This Teserra must be important if everyone is celebrating her wedding,¡± Bella said pinning on Nathaniel¡¯s corsage, ¡°Will we be able to get through the city?¡± ¡°This is a holiday in remembrance of her wedding,¡± Nathaniel shifted Hope on his lap, ¡°This is a day to celebrate love, most prominently lovers.¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Ralia started laughing, ¡°Now I know why he made that face,¡± she said leaning against him, ¡°He must have been jealous.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go with that,¡± Nathaniel chuckled. They continued down the road, slowly due to the number of people, until they came to Quarmane¡¯s trading house. Like the street vendors, they were also selling corsages along with expensive jewelry. The staff waved to him as they unloaded his cart. ¡°Welcome back, and the blessings of Teserra on you,¡± the worker said, ¡°Master Quarmane will be pleased to see you.¡± ¡°Porman¡¯s here?¡± The trading house workers gawked at Hope as she ran down the halls. They gestured at her mithril limbs, and several of the agents stared at Hope hungrily. They were led to the office. Porman sat behind the desk going over a series of documents. He peeked over his glasses and smiled when Nathaniel approached. ¡°Good to see you again,¡± Porman shook his hand. His gaze turned to the women, ¡°I see my son¡¯s been taking care of you.¡± ¡°You could say that,¡± Nathaniel said sitting across from him, ¡°But I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you again until this winter.¡± ¡°I wanted to check in on Cymella,¡± Porman smiled looking at Ralia, ¡°She wants you to know she has a few more months left.¡± Ralia scoffed while rolling her eyes. ¡°How is her pregnancy going?¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Very well, but she¡¯s at that phase where she has weird cravings,¡± Porman laughed, ¡°The chef was in tears when I was visiting,¡± his laugh quickly ended as he pulled out a notebook, ¡°Truthfully, I was waiting for you.¡± ¡°Did you need me for something?" Nathaniel leaned forward. ¡°I received a¡­ special request,¡± Porman glared at him, ¡°From the Saint.¡± ¡°Maria?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he opened the notebook, ¡°She wants you to make her a ¡®years¡¯ worth of lingerie,¡¯¡± he gave Nathaniel a hard stare, ¡°Have you been holding out on me?¡± Nathaniel stared dumbfounded, ¡°Did you tell her I¡¯m alive?¡± ¡°Anyone with an average intelligence could tell you¡¯re still alive,¡± Porman scoffed, ¡°Now, tell me what this lingerie is.¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°It¡¯s women¡¯s undergarments¡­ from my world,¡± Porman looked at him confused. ¡°Master,¡± Bella stepped up to them blushing, ¡°We¡­ can show him ours?¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Ralia said stripping. She seemed to enjoy the attention. Hope and Bella followed her lead and removed their clothes. Porman rose from his seat and inspected them closely. He nodded and smiled as he took in the details. ¡°How interesting,¡± Porman said, ¡°So they can be adorable to¡­sensual,¡± he turned to Nathaniel and grabbed him by the shirt, ¡°Why have you not mentioned this to me. We could have made a fortune!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think about it,¡± Nathaniel tried pulling away, ¡°It¡¯s not like you have department stores here to sell them in!¡± ¡°Department store? What¡¯s a department store?¡± Nathaniel gave him a basic description, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ telling me¡­ that you had stores that sold clothes separately? What about tailors and seamsters?¡± ¡°We still had them, but tailored clothes were a luxury,¡± Porman stroked his chin with a crooked smile, ¡°This is¡­ quite interesting,¡± he said, ¡°What do you think I need to open my own ¡®department store?¡¯¡± ¡°Well, first you¡¯ll need to differentiate between sizes,¡± Nathaniel said finally breaking free, ¡°For example, back home, some clothes were categorized by small, medium, and large while others were averaged numerical sizes. Then, you¡¯ll need to find a way to make a large quantity of clothes.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re here,¡± Porman chuckled. Nathaniel smirked, ¡°Then I expect a decent cut of the profits,¡± Porman gave a hearty laugh, ¡°Looks like I¡¯m rubbing off on you son,¡± Nathaniel sat at his desk scribbling on a piece of parchment. One of the Quaremane¡¯s maids was led out of the common room by Bella. The maid gave him a sly smile before the door closed. Nathaniel sighed heavily as he ran his hands through his hair. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is worth it,¡± Nathaniel groaned. ¡°You¡¯re not enjoying seeing these women in their undergarment?¡± Bella chuckled. Ralia came up behind him, ¡°I agree with you master,¡± she said massaging his shoulders, ¡°Someone else should be responsible for making this size scale for the merchant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re my favorite Ralia,¡± Nathaniel smiled when Bella pouted, ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t need them to take their clothes off. My [Intuition] can give me their measurements just by looking at them.¡± ¡°They just want to earn your favor,¡± Bella said with a smirk, ¡°And there¡¯s no better way than showing a little skin.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as effective since I have a slave that likes to run around naked,¡± Nathaniel smirked as Ralia dug her nails into his flesh. ¡°I¡¯m making myself ready for you,¡± Ralia growled digging further into his shoulders, ¡°It¡¯s a male¡¯s responsibility to spread his seed, and a female should be ready to accept it.¡± ¡°I see, thank you for educating me,¡± Bella smirk starting to undo her dress. Her face was deep purple. ¡°Stop!¡± Bella¡¯s smile grew, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say a woman should be ready for a man to breed her?¡± ¡°Enough you two,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°I need to finish this chart.¡± ¡°Sorry master,¡± They both said. Hope burst into the room, ¡°Master, let¡¯s go outside!¡± ¡°That sounds like a good idea,¡± Bella smiled, ¡°It¡¯d be a waste not to enjoy the festivities.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Nathaniel laughed raising to his feet, ¡°Let¡¯s go ladies.¡± They wandered around the decorated streets. Hope ran in front, pointing out everything that drew her attention, while Ralia and Bella clung to his side. Nathaniel had to turn off his [Intuition] because it kept pointing out the nasty looks. Bella tightened her hold on his left arm when they passed a group of men with white flowers. Their eyes lingered on Bella and Ralia. ¡°Look!¡± Hope drew everyone¡¯s attention to a large open pavilion. Crowds gathered around the center as a couple stood with a priest. After a few words, the couple kissed and exchanged their red flowers for purple ones, and the crowd cheered as they walked off holding hands. A few minutes later, another couple approached the platform. ¡°Maybe I should have gotten the purple corsage,¡± Bella laughed when Nathaniel looked at her, ¡°I¡¯m your wife, remember.¡± ¡°When did this happen!¡± Ralia growled tugging on his arm. ¡°It was her cover when I brought her a few months ago,¡± Bella dragged him towards the crowd, ¡°Not if we actually get married,¡± she smirked at Ralia. Hope grabbed onto him, ¡°No, I want you to dance with me,¡± she pointed to another part of the square where people were dancing. ¡°Alright Hope,¡± Nathaniel pulled free from the women, ¡°Let¡¯s go dance.¡± Hope laughed as they joined the dancing. To call it dancing was a bit of a stretch since the two spun around in a circle. After a few minutes, Ralia took Hope¡¯s place with her tail wrapped around his waist. Dancing with Ralia was just as simple as with Hope, but she pressed herself close making it more sensual. When the song ended, Bella stole Nathaniel away. Of course, the prim and proper elf knew how to dance, and it was beyond his skill. She threw in twirls, dips, and chasses. By the end of the song, Nathaniel was panting, but he couldn¡¯t stop the smile coming to his lips. Bella released a charming laugh as she took his arm and led him back to the other girls, who stared jealously at them. Hope took Nathaniel¡¯s hand and dragged him down the street. They bounced between stalls eating food, playing games, and buying souvenirs that could only be bought during the festival. Nathaniel watched as the women enjoyed a cup of sliced fruit with cream, their delighted faces brought a smile to his face. For a moment, the ghosts from his past surrounded the girls. His parents were laughing as his mother wiped clean Hope¡¯s face. Gordon, Ramses, and Moses stood next to Ralia, each offering her a piece of equipment they made. Lydia smiled next to Bella and gave him an approving nod. Nathaniel wiped his eyes, hoping to clear the tears before they fell. ¡°Master!¡± Hope ran up to him holding out a cup for him, ¡°I brought you some.¡± ¡°Thanks sweetie,¡± Nathaniel leaned down and took the cup. He hummed in delight when he took a bite. Hope leaned up to him and kissed his cheek, ¡°I love you master,¡± She gave him a large smile. ¡°I love you too, sweetie,¡± Nathaniel pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead. ¡°She¡¯s not the only one!¡± Ralia stood over them with her tail swaying wildly. Bella smiled down at them, ¡°I¡¯m grateful you have accepted me as family,¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we stay for the entire week,¡± Nathaniel laughed, ¡°That way we can enjoy Teserra¡¯s Wedding to the very end.¡± The women nodded and dragged him down the road. Nathaniel knocked onto the door to Porman¡¯s office, ¡°Come in,¡± Nathaniel stepped inside and Porman smiled at him, ¡°How¡¯s the project coming?¡± ¡°I have a rough chart for now, but it should be enough to start making the lingerie in bulk,¡± Nathaniel said handing over the parchment, ¡°A skilled tailor should be able to make any adjustments.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Porman laughed, ¡°I¡¯ll have my clerks get familiar with this chart while you make product.¡± He slipped the paper into his desk, ¡°I was able to acquire the orichalcum you wanted. However, I couldn¡¯t secure the mithril. The dwarven kingdom of Nevran heavily regulates the amount of mithril and adamantium bars.¡± ¡°That makes sense, considering how valuable they are,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°But what about orichalcum?¡± ¡°Orichalcum has less uses,¡± Porman said, ¡°It makes terrible weapons and armor because it¡¯s so soft, and there isn¡¯t a market for enchanted jewelry since not enough jewelers are skilled enough to work with it. The only ones who work with it a lot are the arcanists who use it for wands, staves, and the mana chambers.¡± ¡°Then that benefits me in the long run,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could gather as much orichalcum as you can.¡± ¡°Big plans then,¡± Porman gave him a devilish smile. ¡°Yes, and in exchange, I¡¯ll even invent maternity clothes for your new store,¡± Porman¡¯s eyes gleamed brightly, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to that,¡± he chuckled, ¡°And I¡¯d like to get lingerie for my wives.¡± Ch.26.5 Matchmaker The sunlight glistened off the water spewing from the ornate fountain. The flowers happily danced in the light autumn breeze causing the garden to fill with the lovely floral scent. Bright multicolored ribbons decorated the pagoda in honor of Teserra¡¯s Wedding. It was a sight Maria would have enjoyed, if it were for the nobleman sitting across from her. ¡°My lady Saint,¡± the noble said, ¡°You are truly a sight to behold. I swear, you are far more beautiful than any Melmarian woman.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Maria smiled uncomfortably. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that you must spend your time on the front lines.¡± He scoffed. ¡°What is the prince thinking? Your place is in the city where it¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°What about my duties to the soldiers and the other heroes?¡± Maria sipped her tea, trying to keep her hand from shaking in anger. ¡°True.¡± the noble rubbed his chin. ¡°I know, why not create your own temple! Previous saints have built their own temples to train and recruit priests. By doing so, you can delegate your duties to others, leaving you free for your more important duties.¡± ¡°And where would I get the money?¡± The noble stood up and kneeled to her side. ¡°Were you to marry me, then I¡¯d gladly give it to you.¡± He took her hand. ¡°Lady Saint, I would support you with everything that I have. You would want for nothing!¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite generous,¡± Maria stuttered, ¡°But what about you?¡± ¡°To have you would be enough.¡± He kissed her hand. ¡°After all, you are the Saint.¡± He clearly mistook her tight smile as an invitation as he pulled Maira to her feet. He wrapped her in an embrace. ¡°I truly mean it,¡± he whispered, ¡°I would even accept any children you bear for you lovers.¡± ¡°W-why would I need a lover?¡± Maria pushed herself away. ¡°As a Legendary ranked hero, it would behoove you to have as many children as possible.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Preferrable your lovers would be of Advanced rank or higher, but perhaps you may find a lesser ranked man with talents you desire your children to have.¡± Maria sighed heavily. ¡°I see now.¡± she tapped her foot furiously. ¡°I glad.¡± Maria was losing patience with his obliviousness. ¡°It¡¯s important for a woman to do everything in her power to aid her family rise to power.¡± And there it is! Maria¡¯s smile turned to a sneer. ¡°Pardon me Saint.¡± They both turned to man standing just outside the pagoda. ¡°Lady Ophelia wishes to see you.¡± Prince Ollimier bowed slightly. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± Maria smiled as she quickly left the noble. She took Ollimier¡¯s arm when he offered it, and they both headed back to the castle. When they were out of sight, Maria sighed in relief. ¡°Thanks for getting me out of there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t take the credit.¡± Ollimier chuckled as his gaze lingered on her. ¡°Lady Ophelia did ask for you, but I¡¯m glad to have been of service. Were you not enjoying yourself?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Maria snapped. ¡°What the hell is wrong with these men? Every single one who tries to court me, they always bring up lovers. Isn¡¯t there any self-respecting man here.¡± ¡°Truthfully, it¡¯s more complicated than that.¡± Ollimier smiled. ¡°Every man in the kingdom is seeking your hand, but they don¡¯t know your preferences. So, they¡¯re trying to offer whatever they think will entice you. Besides, I think some are hoping you¡¯ll have a slight attraction to the other heroes.¡± ¡°So, they¡¯re hoping I take Duncan or Shawn as a lover and have a Legendary ranked child.¡± Maria rolled her eyes. ¡°Back home, we called those men cucks.¡± she gave Ollimier a playful smile. ¡°So, are you seeking to marry me as well?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ollimier laughed. ¡°Would you care to join me for dinner tonight?¡± ¡°Only if it¡¯s the two of us,¡± ¡°Then I shall make it so, my lady.¡± Ollimier kissed her hand. Maria¡¯s face became warm. ¡°I should go see Ophelia.¡± she smiled as she pulled away. She was nearly inside when Ollimier called out to her. ¡°By the way.¡± he smiled warmly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t share you with anyone.¡± ¡°Even if I fell for one of the other heroes?¡± Maria laughed. ¡°Yes.¡± Ollimier¡¯s smiled faded into a serious frown. ¡°I¡¯d seek to be the only man you desired.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to see there¡¯s one self-respecting man in this world.¡± Maria smiled as she waved at him. Maria glided through the castle with a soft smile on her face. She passed a few maids who curtsied to her, then started chuckling when she passed. However, she didn¡¯t care. For two years, she had these nobles chasing after her. Each one was a disappointment. ¡°Why are you so happy?¡± a gruff voice grated her ears. Shizuka stormed down the hall, her face red with anger. ¡°You had a bad date too.¡± Maria smiled in understanding. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that!¡± Shizuka snapped, ¡°You clearly had a great date since you¡¯re practically floating down the hall.¡± ¡°No.¡± Maria laughed in embarrassment. ¡°But I have a good one planned for tonight.¡± ¡°With the Prince, right.¡± Maria¡¯s blush deepened at Shizuka¡¯s accusing stare. ¡°If you like him that much then why not bag him?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a certain order to this.¡± Maria huffed. ¡°Unlike Duncan and Shawn, I¡¯m not going to let the Prince jump on me right away. Surely you understand from your dates?¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°My dates keeping asking me when I¡¯m going to grow!¡± Shizuka snapped. ¡°I¡¯m eighteen years old, I¡¯m not growing anymore, and yet they keep asking when I¡¯ll start looking like you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Maria couldn¡¯t stop herself from laughing. ¡°Yes, apparently every past Archmage was a bombshell.¡± Shizuka started crying/ ¡°It¡¯s not my fault they summoned a damn loli.¡± Maria hugged the small woman. ¡°Is that one of your nerd terms.¡± she chuckled. Shizuka nodded. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go see Ophelia.¡± Maria led Shizuka down the hall in a half hug. The Archmage was so upset that she started to hiccup as she blew her nose. Maria couldn¡¯t help herself and she started laughing underneath her junior¡¯s glare. Shizuka eventually calmed down when they stood outside Ophelia¡¯s room. After a quick knock, Ophelia called to them. ¡°Come in.¡± The Oracle smiled at them when they entered. ¡°Good you both came.¡± ¡°If only they were more prompt.¡± their gaze fell to the woman sitting next to Ophelia. The woman looked like Ophelia; except she exuded a mature confidence that made her look far more beautiful. However, her light blue eyes had a steely look to them. ¡°Mother, please don¡¯t upset my friends.¡± Ophelia sighed. ¡°Friends?¡± Ophelia¡¯s mother glowered. ¡°You are supposed to be their caretaker.¡± she rubbed at her eyes. ¡°I swear child, you are far too soft for your own good.¡± Ophelia was about to speak, but Maria interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have been a burden, Duchess Euphiere,¡± she said, ¡°How has your day been?¡± ¡°I wish it was better.¡± Euphiere sighed. ¡°The four of you have been causing me a mountain of work. The other nobles aren¡¯t happy that none of you have taken a liking to them.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am.¡± Shizuka swallowed as she slouched in her seat. ¡°Posture,¡± Euphiere replied with a glare. Shizuka sat up straight. ¡°I swear child, puff out that chest. Archons know you need to accentuate any feminine charm you can.¡± Shizuka nodded with a heavy blush. ¡°It must be difficult being the nobility¡¯s matchmaker.¡± Maria chuckled. Euphiere nodded. ¡°Yes, it is,¡± she said, ¡°But it helps bring honor to my family, as a woman¡¯s duty should be.¡± She looked over at the two heroes. ¡°So, how did your rendezvouses go?¡± ¡°Not all that well.¡± Maria sighed. ¡°The Viscount was a complete sycophant. Don¡¯t any of the noble men have spines?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, you heroes have thrown the whole system into chaos.¡± Euphiere sipped her tea. ¡°Rank and class are the greatest factors when determining one¡¯s value. You heroes will always produce children of Heroic rank, and your children are most likely to awaken to advanced classes close to your own. That¡¯s why you are all given privileges that others don¡¯t have. It¡¯s also what makes you more desirable partners.¡± Euphiere sighed. ¡°Take the Champion as an example, since many in Everhall hold martial classes in such high regard, many women desire to sire his child, even the married ones. Thankfully, that elf of his has kept his lust away from other women.¡± She turned to Ophelia. ¡°You¡¯ll need to keep a healthy stock of contraceptive draughts on hand.¡± ¡°Yes mother.¡± ¡°What about you child?¡± Euphiere looked at Shizuka. ¡°I-it¡­ didn¡¯t go¡­ well,¡± ¡°Speak fluidly and with confidence.¡± Euphiere scolded her. ¡°And pull in your stomach to speak from your diaphragm. It¡¯ll give you the power to project.¡± Euphiere stood up and gestured for Shizuka to follow. The girl sheepishly followed and Euphiere moved her to stand in front of a mirror. ¡°Let¡¯s remove this robe.¡± Shizuka squeaked when Euphiere tore the baggy robe off her body. She wore a simple blouse and skirt that hung down to her knees. Shizuka slumped at the sight of her own reflection. ¡°Stand up straight!¡± Euphiere shoved her fist into Shizuka¡¯s back then shoved a hand into her abdomen. ¡°Pull your stomach in!¡± Euphiere sighed as she cupped Shizuka¡¯s breasts. ¡°We¡¯ll need to change your wardrobe. These clothes do nothing but hide your assets.¡± She undid Shizuka¡¯s braids and combed out her hair. ¡°But you do have lovely hair. Long and silky. A change of hairstyle will do wonders for you.¡± Shizuka looked down. ¡°You think so?¡± Euphiere tutted as she lifted Shizuka¡¯s head. ¡°Head up child.¡± A motherly smile appeared on her face. ¡°You may not have the sexual appeal that the Saint or my daughter have, but don¡¯t undersell your own beauty. By the end of this week, I¡¯ll have the men fawning over you.¡± ¡°Really!¡± Shizuka stared in awe at her. ¡°Yes,¡± Euphiere said, ¡°As for you Saint. You have appeal and decent posture, and your wardrobe choice is quite excellent. We simply need to find the right man that works well with your personality. I believe¡­ the prince would suit you well.¡± Maria blushed. ¡°I think so too.¡± Euphiere smiled at them. ¡°Why don¡¯t you two rest for a bit. Archmage, we¡¯ll work try some different hairstyles tonight.¡± Shizuka smiled brightly at her as she and Maria left.
Ophelia stared in awe as her mother watched the two heroes leave. The warm smile remained on her lips as she glided back to her chair and elegantly sat down. ¡°That is how you should act as a caretaker.¡± Euphiere smirked as she sipped her tea. Ophelia nodded with a sad smile. ¡°I guess I still have a lot to learn.¡± ¡°Yes, you do,¡± Euphiere said, ¡°You should also think about your future more. Speaking of which, the royal family as sent you another marriage offer.¡± Ophelia groaned, rubbing her face. ¡°You aren¡¯t getting any younger child, and there is prestige in being married to the prince, even if it¡¯s as his second wife.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good fit is all.¡± ¡°Child, are you still fawning over that Inventor?¡± Euphiere sighed in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m not fawning!¡± Ophelia snapped, then blushed under her mother¡¯s glare. ¡°I know he¡¯s alive. Hopefully, we¡¯ll find him when we stop by Rumand.¡± Euphiere chuckled. ¡°You sound like a girl struck with flights of fancy.¡± She shook her head with a sad smile. ¡°Let¡¯s say you do find him, and he does return your feelings. Do you truly believe that you¡¯d be allowed to be together?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Ophelia gave her a shy smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be daft.¡± Euphiere laughed as she moved next to her daughter. ¡°No one in court would allow that.¡± She brushed a lock of hair out of Ophelia¡¯s face. ¡°The Oracle has always married into the royal family or been wed to the Champion.¡± ¡°I can barely stand being in Duncan¡¯s presence now!¡± Ophelia whined. ¡°It would be a nightmare if I had to marry him.¡± ¡°Your father and I wouldn¡¯t like it, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Euphiere smiled. ¡°Your father was ready to attack the Champion and Ranger for assaulting you.¡± They both laughed at the image. ¡°Dear, if you truly want to be with this man, then we¡¯ll need something more tangible than your visions to prove his worth. Even if his class is brand new, it¡¯s a crafter class. Isn¡¯t there any useful information you can give me?¡± ¡°His talents are [Intuition] and [Innovation]. That¡¯s what allowed him to make the cement, steel, anesthetic paste, and¡­ this.¡± Ophelia slipped down the sides of her dress to show off her bra. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean dear.¡± Euphiere groaned while rubbing her eyes. ¡°These innovations are all well and good, but they won¡¯t sway the court.¡± She took her daughter¡¯s hands. ¡°Think, there must be something. Your father and I will gladly support you.¡± Ophelias scrunched her nose in thought. ¡°He was an¡­ engineer back in his old world.¡± Euphiere gave her a blank look. ¡°Apparently, they are a class that greatly changed society. They made horseless carriages that could travel great distances in a short amount of time. They made it possible for two people to communicate instantly from opposite ends of the world. They even found a way to fly, and they were able to go to the moon.¡± Euphiere snickered in disbelief. ¡°Do you expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°The other heroes confirmed it.¡± Euphiere slowly tapped her lips. ¡°Do you think the Inventor can replicate those creations?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°I¡­ couldn¡¯t quite grasp what he was telling me.¡± ¡°Neither can I.¡± Euphiere hugged Ophelia. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can get your father on your side, but I can¡¯t guarantee anything. He¡¯ll want actual proof that supporting the Inventor will benefit us in the long run.¡± ¡°Thank you, mother.¡± ¡°I¡¯m your mother dear, as well as your matchmaker. It¡¯s my responsibility to make sure you have the best prospects you can.¡± Ch.27 Calm Before the Storm Ralia quietly went around the house dusting off the dust that accumulated on the furniture when they were away. She sneered when her tail thumped against the sofa causing it to screech. The soft clinking of dishes came from the kitchen as Hope cleaned them, and Bella effortlessly glided through the house carrying two large baskets of laundry. The differences in their household skills are plain for all to see. A crash came from the kitchen, and the two of them rushed inside. Water soaked the front of Hope¡¯s dress as she stared at a broken plate laying on the floor. ¡°Are you trying to wake the master,¡± Ralia hissed. Hope stared at them with teary eyes, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± ¡°Be a little more careful dear,¡± Bella set the baskets down, ¡°I¡¯ll clean the mess while you get changed into clean clothes,¡± Hope nodded and ran out, but she quickly pulled off her dress and threw it onto the clothes pile. Ralia sighed as she watched the fey run upstairs in her undergarments, her stomps echoing through the house. A growl reverberated from her throat. ¡°Be patient with her,¡± Bella sighed as she threw the pieces into the rubbish bin. ¡°You¡¯re going too easy on her,¡± Ralia said crossing her arms, ¡°She needs discipline.¡± Bella smirked, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you do it,¡± Ralia growled at the taunt which caused Bella to chuckle, ¡°It¡¯s because of you, she has the habit of running around naked.¡± ¡°Is everything alright down there?¡± They both jumped and quickly rushed into the main hall where they found Nathaniel leaning against the second-floor railing. Dark patches sat under his eyes, and his hair a mess. He scratched at his stubbly cheek as he yawned. ¡°We¡¯re sorry for disturbing your sleep master,¡± Bella said with a bow, ¡°Hope had an accident in the kitchen, but Ralia and I are taking care of it.¡± Nathaniel perked up, ¡°Is she alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine master,¡± Hope ran up behind him and hugged his waist, ¡°But¡­I did break a plate. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Nathaniel brushed her hair, ¡°It¡¯s alright sweetie,¡± he said, ¡°Just be more careful next time.¡± Hope nodded vigorously against his side. ¡°Please master, go back to bed,¡± Bella said, ¡°You were up late last night, so you must be tired.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right, you need your sleep,¡± Ralia stepped forward, ¡°We¡¯ll take care of everything.¡± ¡°How can I argue with that,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°Thank you ladies. Really, I¡¯m glad to have you here.¡± ¡°We¡¯re glad to be here too,¡± The three of them said. Nathaniel smiled at them and disappeared back into his room. ¡°Once we¡¯re done, we should probably leave the house,¡± Bella said turning around, ¡°That way the master can get some proper sleep.¡± Hope stormed down the stairs. Ralia hissed at her, ¡°Quiet, the master is sleeping,¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Hope whimpered, ¡°It¡¯s my cybernetics.¡± Bella gently brushed Hope¡¯s hair, ¡°Just be more careful. Now let¡¯s finish cleaning.¡± The women went back to cleaning and were finished by the end of the hour. They slipped outside. The cool autumn breeze blew as the late morning sun provided some warmth. They passed a group of housewives, who greeted them before going back to their gossip. ¡°Do you think that they¡­¡± ¡°Of course, look at them. Nathaniel must be taking them to his bed, especially the elf.¡± ¡°Scandalous, he should settle down and find himself a proper human wife.¡± Ralia growled, but Bella couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The women¡¯s voices disappeared as they continued down the street. Not many people were out now. Most were taking care of the harvest or out logging, but a few of the youths wandered about trying to avoid work. They passed two young men, who snickered at them as their eyes lingered over Bella and Ralia, and they passed a group of young women who greeted them warmly. ¡°I¡¯m starting to like this village,¡± Bella smiled tenderly. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Ralia scoffed as she snapped her tail as another group of young men approached, ¡°I only care that the master is here.¡± ¡°I like it here a lot!¡± Hope laughed, ¡°It¡¯s nice to be around the forest again, even if stuff gets stuck in my hair.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask Sierra to give you a haircut,¡± Bella said, ¡°Cutting it short should stop that problem, and the master might enjoy seeing you with a new style.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go see her now,¡± Hope ran off to the tavern. They made their way to the tavern, and Hope burst inside. Oden and Sierra were cleaning the main hall. A few of the village elders sat around sipping on drinks as they enjoyed the peaceful quiet. ¡°Good morning,¡± Sierra smiled at them, but she continued to look past them, ¡°No Nathaniel?¡± Ralia smirked as she sat at the bar, ¡°Master was up late last night, so he¡¯s still asleep,¡± she said biting her nails. Sierra glared at the dragon-heart which caused Ralia to chuckle. ¡°Stop teasing her,¡± Bella said sitting next to her, ¡°Master was working late last night.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Sierra sighed in relief. Hope grabbed onto Sierra¡¯s arm, ¡°Can you give me a haircut?¡± ¡°Of course, sweetie,¡± Sierra smiled taking her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go up to my room.¡± ¡°May I come,¡± Bella said. ¡°Of course,¡± The three of them headed upstairs. Ralia scoffs but followed behind them. Sierra pulled out a stool and wrapped a towel around Hope¡¯s shoulder. She pulled out a pair of shears and a comb from a drawer as Hope sat on the stool. Sierra slowly snipped small pieces of Hope¡¯s hair away. Bella leaned in, ¡°You¡¯re quite skilled,¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Sierra laughed as she combed Hope¡¯s hair, ¡°A lot of villagers have been coming to me for haircuts, so my barber skill is a decent level.¡± ¡°What¡¯s you class level?¡± Ralia said, sitting on the bed. ¡°Level six,¡± Sierra glanced at her. Ralia laughed, ¡°Only six!¡± ¡°I¡¯m basic rank,¡± Sierra scoffed, ¡°I don¡¯t level as fast as higher ranked people.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Ignore her,¡± Bella knocked Ralia on the head. Sierra nodded as she continued to cut Hope¡¯s hair. After a few minutes, Sierra stepped away. Hope brushed the hair off her dress and looked in the mirror. Her hair barely brushed against her shoulders with the ends curling inwards. A large smile came to Hope¡¯s face, ¡°It¡¯s so light,¡± she laughed, swinging her head. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it,¡± Sierra hugged her, ¡°Just let me know when you want another one.¡± Hope hugged her back, rubbing her face into Sierra¡¯s chest. ¡°Would you guys like to stay for lunch?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± the three nonhuman women said. Nathaniel stretched and rose from his bed. He peeked out of the window and noticed the sun setting on the eastern horizon. The multiple long nights finally took their toll. He pulled on his clothes and headed downstairs. The smell of food filled the main hall, and Nathaniel¡¯s stomach growled loudly. ¡°Master¡¯s up!¡± Hope ran up the stairs and hugged him. ¡°You got a haircut,¡± Nathaniel smiled running his hand through her short hair. ¡°Yep, we went to Sierra¡¯s, and she cut it for me,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°It looks good. We should get her something nice as thanks.¡± ¡°Why not more underwear!¡± Nathaniel smiled nervously, ¡°We¡¯ll¡­talk about it,¡± Nathaniel and Hope made their way downstairs. Ralia and Bella were setting the table. A pork stew was ladled into each of the bowls and water filled the cups. They each took their seats and enjoyed the simple meal. Laughter rang through the room, along with friendly teasing. Nathaniel was grateful for the comforting atmosphere that the women brought. They all worked together to clean up, and then sat together in the sitting room. Ralia and Bella sat on either side of him with Hope sitting on his lap. They all watched the fire burn in the fireplace. ¡°Are you going to work late tonight again,¡± Hope yawned looking up at him. ¡°I am,¡± Nathaniel kissed the top of her head, ¡°I¡¯m almost done with this project, then I¡¯ll go back to a normal schedule.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t you hold it off for one night?¡± Ralia leaned against him running her finger along his arm. Nathaniel kissed her, ¡°I know you¡¯re lonely,¡± he said, ¡°This should be the last night, I promise.¡± Ralia sighed on his shoulder. ¡°We look forward to that,¡± Bella smiled, ¡°We¡¯ll be the first to see it, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Nathaniel hugged Bella, ¡°I¡¯m sure you all are going to love it.¡± ¡°Then we shouldn¡¯t keep you,¡± Bella nodded taking Hope, ¡°Come ladies, let¡¯s get ready for bed, so the master can get to work.¡± Ralia and Hope looked at Nathaniel with a sad smile, then they followed Bella into the bath. Nathaniel watched them disappear before heading to the dungeon. Once he was close, Nathaniel [Warped] into the main chamber. ¡°Welcome back master,¡± Seneschal said. ¡°Evening Seneschal,¡± Nathaniel said heading to his workshop, ¡°Let¡¯s finish Project Paladin tonight.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get the training room ready while you finish the project,¡± His workshop was a mess. Multiple armor pieces made of mithril-steel alloy sat on the central table. Nathaniel grabbed a piece that consisted of smaller segmented pieces. He flipped it over to reveal the orichalcum circuitry underneath the armor piece and started carving runes into four of the pieces. To most people, the rune would look with an intricate swirl with a cross, but he could make it out as a large e with small x near the top. [New Rune created: Exponential Enhancement Rune] [New skill created: Power Armor smith] Nathaniel brushed off the shavings, ¡°That should be it,¡± he smiled, ¡°I¡¯m going to get changed Seneschal, please have the armor pieces moved to the training room.¡± Nathaniel headed to the changing room and stripped out of his clothes. He slipped on a skin suit and pulled up the zipper on the side of the chest. Orichalcum bars with neural transmission runes ran along the suit giving it a skeletal look. A level three power core sat in the center of his chest encased in an orichalcum ring. He stepped into the training room where the pieces of the armor sat on a long table. Two maintenance bots were waiting on him. Nathaniel stared at the pieces on the table, ¡°Two years,¡± he said with a sad smile, ¡°I¡¯ve taken everything that I¡¯ve learned and put it into this single armor. Is it enough though?¡± ¡°Only one way to find out,¡± Nathaniel nodded as the maintenance bots set two boots on the ground. He stepped into the boots and the bots secured the plates to the skeleton of the under armor with a satisfying click. Piece-by-piece the bots secured the plates of the legs, and then took the piece with the exponential enhancement runes and locked it to the spine. The back pieces locked to the spine and wrapped around to the side so that the front chest pieces could be secured. Lastly, the neck was secured, locked to the chest and back, and the helmet slid on with a hiss. The moment the helmet was secured, the magic from the power core shot through the orichalcum circuits. This resulted in veins of blue energy pulsing along the armor. An image of the room appeared in front of Nathaniel¡¯s face making it like he wasn¡¯t wearing anything over his face at all and status information sat along the edge of his vision. [Paladin power armor created. Status: UA] [New skill created: Power Armor Lv. 1] [As the creator of power armor, you have been granted the talent: Power Armor Expert] ¡°Testing movement,¡± Nathaniel said. Slowly, he raised his hand. There were no restrictions to the articulations of the fingers, wrists, elbows, and shoulders, and the neck moved freely as he looked around the room. His footsteps sounded with a heavy thud, but he couldn¡¯t feel the weight of the armor. ¡°Movement test complete,¡± Nathaniel smiled, ¡°The motor runes are working. Next, testing the neural control rune.¡± Nathaniel focused on his HUD. A comprehensive list of all the runes carved into the armor appeared along with the amount of power still available from the power core. Power: 100/150. Fifty points of power were diverted to the motor runes. Nathaniel activated the speed runes in the legs by focusing on the winged symbols on the HUD, and the power dropped to ninety-six. He ran the length of the training ground in seconds, and the power remained the same. He activated the shield rune in the left arm causing a medium sized heater shield to appear, then he activated the arcane cannon in the right arm. The power dropped to fifty points, and with a thought he deactivated all three runes. ¡°Test complete. Activating the runes seems slow, but I¡¯m thinking that¡¯s a skill issue rather than a defect in the armor,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°The last thing I want to test tonight is the exponential enhancement runes. Lower shields.¡± The walls enclosed around him. A single light kept the enclosure lit as he activated the first enhancement rune. The power dropped to seventy-five, and electricity coursed through his body. ? Stats: o Strength: 45 (Max) (2,025) o Dexterity: 50 (Max) (2,500) o Constitution: 90 (8,100) o Intelligence: 205 (42,025) o Wisdom: 85 (Max) (7,225) o Charisma: 30 (Max) (900) ¡°First rune is a success,¡± Nathaniel said licking his lips. There was a tingling sensation in his mouth, ¡°All stat values have been squared.¡± ¡°Should we test two?¡± Nathaniel nodded, ¡°Activating second rune,¡± The electrical sensation intensified, but thankfully it was not painful. ? Stats: o Strength: 45 (Max) (91,125) o Dexterity: 50 (Max) (125,00) o Constitution: 90 (729,000) o Intelligence: 205 (8,615,125) o Wisdom: 85 (Max) (614,125) o Charisma: 30 (Max) (27,000) Nathaniel grunted as the tingling ran through his mouth and down his whole body, ¡°Test complete,¡± he said raising his arm. It felt like his arm wasn¡¯t even there, ¡°Note, base stats values have been cubed.¡± ¡°So, two runes enhance your base values by a power of three,¡± Seneschal said worriedly, ¡°Master, you have four runes carved into that armor. If the pattern holds, then all four will enhance your stats by a power of five. I doubt the armor, or you, would be able to handle that much power.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I¡¯m certain my legendary rank is what¡¯s allowing me to handle this much power already. After testing, place a lock on the armor so that I can¡¯t inadvertently activate all four runes,¡± Nathaniel took a deep breath, ¡°Deactivating runes.¡± The power ceased coursing through Nathaniel¡¯s body, and it was replaced by exhaustion and pain. Nathaniel¡¯s screams tore through the space as the walls quickly retracted, and the maintenance bots rapidly disassembled the armor. Finally free, Nathaniel walked around the room with a stiff gait, and after a few moments the pain subsided. ¡°Damn, I think that was the worst cramp I¡¯ve ever had in my life,¡± Nathaniel panted as the maintenance bots held him up. ¡°I¡¯ll need to train myself up before I can use more than one rune.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have your room ready for you,¡± ¡°Thanks Seneschal, I don¡¯t think I can make it home in this condition.¡± Geega sat on top of his golem with a green oculus over his left eye. The contraption allowed him to see through the eyes of his familiar, a mechanical owl that he had sent up ahead. It showed him a small human village sitting on the edge of the dungeon. ¡°I don¡¯t understand!¡± Geega scratched at the few strands of hair still on his head, ¡°Humans don¡¯t claim dungeons, they strip them bare. So, why is one here?¡± ¡°Could the humans have changed,¡± Ubaal said staring up at his master. ¡°Humans don¡¯t change,¡± Geega snarled, ¡°Their strength lies in numbers, and their ability to come together. With Everhall being as lush as it is, they have no need of harnessing the power of the dungeon cores.¡± ¡°Then, what should we do?¡± ¡°We¡¯re taking that dungeon,¡± Geega sighed pulling off the oculus, ¡°Regardless of anything else, we need that core!¡± Ch.28 Inventor’s Redemption Clanging echoed through the home forge. Nathaniel struck a copper pan, flattening out the side. When it was finished, he set it on the cooling rack and then headed to the pile of knives that needed sharpening. He was exhausted, since he was trying to return to a normal day schedule. He still had a few more days to go. A knock came from the forge door, and Sierra walked in. ¡°Morning Nathaniel,¡± Sierra smiled setting a basket on the table, ¡°Could I get you to fix these pots for me?¡± Nathaniel nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll get to them after I¡¯m done with these,¡± he said gesturing to the knives, ¡°I should finish them by tonight.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Sierra said playing with her hair. ¡°Light,¡± Barrett stormed in carrying a sack full of pewter mugs, and dropping them at Nathaniel¡¯s feet, ¡°Pa wants these fixed before the harvest festival.¡± He glared at the smith. Nathaniel looked at the cups, before picking up the bag and placing it on the table, ¡°I¡¯ll have them done by then.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Barrett sneered looking at the door to the house, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be tending to your-¡± ¡°Leave Barrett!¡± Sierra glared at him, ¡°Now,¡± Barrett snarled and rushed out of the forge, ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry you¡¯re getting caught up in all this.¡± ¡°I was once his age too,¡± Nathaniel sighed setting a knife to the side, ¡°As long as he directs it towards me, I¡¯m fine,¡± he smiled at her, ¡°Thanks for sticking up for the others though.¡± ¡°O-of course,¡± Sierra cleared her throat and covered her face, ¡°They¡¯re my friends, after all.¡± She straightened her dress, ¡°I need to get back to the tavern.¡± She ran off waving goodbye. Nathaniel chuckled as he continued sharpening the knives. He made his way through the work, and by late afternoon he was finishing up with the last pot Sierra brought in. The cool autumn air felt wonderful as it blew through the forge. ¡°Master, dinner¡¯s ready,¡± Bella called out to him. Nathaniel dunked his head into a water basket and dried his hair with a dirty towel. As soon as he stepped inside, the savory scent filling the room made his mouth water. He made his way to the dining room where the women were finishing setting the table. ¡°How did training go?¡± Nathaniel asked Ralia and Hope when he sat down. ¡°I¡¯m level ten now!¡± Hope jumped up and down. Ralia affectionately patted Hope¡¯s head, ¡°She did well today,¡± she said with a smile, ¡°She finally got a hit on me.¡± ¡°Congratulations,¡± Bella said warmly, ¡°How about some donuts to celebrate?¡± Hope cheered as she took her seat. The evening ended with wonderful chaos. Hope ran around the house, joyful about having sweets. Bella hummed to herself as she mixed the dough together. Ralia stood to the side, and as Hope ran by her, she threw flour into the fey¡¯s face. This caused the two to end up in a flour fight. Nathaniel quickly shielded Bella from a stray puff of flour, and she smiled up at him, only to throw a small pinch into his face with a laugh. Nathaniel laughed too, before throwing some on Bella¡¯s head, and soon the kitchen was filled with laughter. After enjoying their dessert, and a hot bath. They gathered in the sitting room around the fireplace. Hope sat on Nathaniel¡¯s lap, dozing off against his chest, and Ralia lay against his right arm, her eyes closed. Bella sat in the high back chair next to the sofa, and she was knitting a scarf from brightly colored wool. Nathaniel enjoyed the silence as he sat on the couch watching the fire. ¡°I wonder how long I have left,¡± Nathaniel mused out loud. ¡°Does something worry you?¡± Bella said with a small frown. Nathaniel nodded as he pulled Ralia and Hope close, ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before I have to return to the war,¡± he sighed, ¡°The Guild has their eyes on me, so I¡¯m sure Gilbrant does too. My identity as the Inventor Hero will get out there eventually.¡± Bella nodded, ¡°Do¡­you want to go back?¡± ¡°Honestly, no,¡± Nathaniel looked down at his girls, ¡°But what kind of hero would I be if I continue to run from my responsibilities. Especially now that I have you all to look after.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Bella stared at her hands, ¡°It¡¯s irresponsible to keep running,¡± she set her scarf to the side and made her way over to him. Bella knelt in front of him and stared up into his eyes, ¡°Know this master, no matter where you go, we will follow you. If the world looks down on you, then we¡¯ll cherish you,¡± she cupped his face, ¡°And if no one acknowledges you as a hero, then know this, you are our hero.¡± A tear leaked out and Bella wiped it away, ¡°I¡¯m glad to have people I can trust,¡± he smiled at her, ¡°After Fort Cadarn¡­I¡­¡± ¡°Master, who hurt you?¡± Bella¡¯s eyes glistened in the light. ¡°When I was summoned, they gave me an attendant,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°But Helmer didn¡¯t like that I was a crafter, and when the fort was attacked, he left me to die.¡± Rage burned in her eyes, ¡°We will never abandon you,¡± ¡°I know,¡± Nathaniel leaned down and kissed her forehead, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m working on something special for all of you.¡± Bella gave him a large smile, ¡°We look forward to it,¡± she looked out the window, ¡°We should probably get to bed.¡± Nathaniel nodded and gently nudged Ralia awake. The dragon-heart stretched as Nathaniel carried Hope to her room, and they all went to bed. Nathaniel woke up early the next morning. He stepped out into the cool air with the stars still shining. He jogged over to the dungeon and [Warped] into the central chamber. He headed over to the training room where a cylinder sat ready. After changing into the under armor, the cylinder opened revealing the newly made power armor. Mechanical arms outfitted the armor onto Nathaniel, and it hummed to life when it was complete. ¡°Preparing training scenario,¡± Seneschal said as three guardian bots entered the room, ¡°Commencing test of glide runes.¡± The guardian bots aimed their lasers at Nathaniel and fired. Nathaniel leaned back and he moved backwards gliding over the floor. However, he leaned too far and ended up falling onto his back. Several lasers struck him, but the damage was minimal. Nathaniel deactivated the rune, and rose to his feet, ¡°Again,¡± Time and time again Nathaniel continued practicing with his power armor. Each time he ended up falling with the lasers bathing the armor. Nathaniel got to his feet, thankful that the armor was protecting him, and he activated the rune again. The guardians fired their lasers, and he leaned to the right, but he kept his feet evenly spaced out. When he neared the wall, he shifted his feet so that the left leg was behind the right, and he leaned backwards. Nathaniel glided backward with his back leg bearing his weight, he shifted the right leg back and leaned to the left. Once Nathaniel returned to the starting point, he deactivated the hover rune. ¡°Congratulations sir,¡± Seneschal said as the guardians stopped firing. ¡°Thanks,¡± Nathaniel panted, ¡°That finally got my power armor skill to level three. Bring up the project list.¡± A menu appeared in front of him [Projects] ? Paladin: Ongoing improvements ? Valkyrie: R&D ? Chariot: Fabrication underway ? Citadel: Implementation ongoing ? Iron Legion: Gathering resources Nathaniel walked over to the cylinder and let the arms remove the armor, ¡°How goes the research into a flight rune?¡± ¡°Difficult sir,¡± Seneschal said with what sounded like a sigh, ¡°Magically induced flight drains a lot of mana. Our drones can do it because of their small size. To make power armor fly, will take some more research. Fabrication for the other armors are underway.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make it my top priority, once the festival is over,¡± He stripped out of the under armor and put his clothes back on. The canister closed and [Warped] back into storage. ¡°Lady Ralia and Hope have arrived,¡± ¡°Thanks. Clean up the training room for them please.¡± Nathaniel stepped out of the room. Hope ran up to him, ¡°Are you going to watch us train?¡± ¡°No sweetie,¡± Nathaniel patted her, ¡°I need to finish my work for the festival tonight.¡± ¡°Come Hope,¡± Ralia said leaning on Nathaniel, ¡°Let¡¯s go train so we can spend tonight with master.¡± Hope cheered as she ran into the changing room. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Ralia chuckled as she kissed him. Jovial cheers filled the air as the villagers of Treante gathered in the center of town. The children ran around with the boys sparing with wooden swords and the girls playing with their dolls. The carpenters set up the stage where a few of the villagers played handcrafted instruments and sang songs. The youths danced around the central bonfire, the young men hoping to impress the young ladies. The housewives cooked the feast that filled the air with a wonderful aroma, and their husbands sat at the table where Oden had barrels of ale set up. Barrett sat at one of the side tables, his eyes never leaving Sierra who was helping serve food with Bella. Hope danced around the fire with Daisy, their laughs helping the cheerful atmosphere. Ralia sat at the beer table with a sneer as she glared at a few of the housewives who surrounded Nathaniel. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s pretty. She¡¯s beautiful right?¡± ¡°My girl¡¯s a wonderful cook. You¡¯ll never want for a meal again.¡± ¡°Look at my gal, don¡¯t you find her figure enticing. She has hips meant for childbearing.¡± ¡°Get back you vultures,¡± Oden came to Nathaniel¡¯s defense, ¡°He¡¯s marrying my Sierra!¡± ¡°Pa!¡± Sierra buried her face in her hands. ¡°Go on, go on,¡± Barin shooed the women away, ¡°Leave poor Nathaniel alone.¡± ¡°This is important,¡± the women stood defiant, ¡°A man of his age needs to find a proper wife.¡± Their glares shifted to Bella and Ralia. Nathaniel sighed rubbing his face, ¡°Ladies, please,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your concern, but don¡¯t you think I¡¯m too old for your daughters.¡± ¡°What nonsense is that.¡± The women scoffed. Ralia slammed her drink onto the table and stormed up to them. She slid onto Nathaniel¡¯s lap and wrapped her tail around his waist. Ralia smiled wickedly at the women, ¡°What need would he have for your daughters when he already has me?¡± Nathaniel sighed, but then felt another slid onto his other leg. Bella held him close with a smirk. ¡°And me,¡± ¡°And me!¡± Hope jumped onto the three of them. ¡°You heard them ladies,¡± Nathaniel groaned under the weight. The women sneered as the walked off, ¡°Thanks ladies, but could you get off me.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m quite comfortable,¡± Ralia smirked at him. Bella smiled, ¡°As am I,¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Nathaniel chuckled hugging them, ¡°You three are going to be the death of me,¡± Master! ¡°Seneschal?¡± Nathaniel looked at his slaves worried. Warp to the dungeon, quickly! ¡°Why,¡± Before Seneschal could answer, thunder sounded from the west. A sharp whistle sounded before transforming into a loud explosion that destroyed one of the houses. Cries of terror filled the village center ran around in confusion. The Horde is attacking. The moment the drones spotted them I reshaped the dungeon¡¯s domain so that you can warp. Nathaniel looked around in fear, ¡°Damn it, they¡¯re here,¡± Memories of Fort Cadarn came rushing back. Gordon laying against the wall. Ramsey and Anton laying on the floor with daggers sticking out of them, and Moses with his sad smile. ¡°Master,¡± warmth flooded him as his women hugged him. The three of them gave him a determined look. Nathaniel felt his heart return to a normal rhythm, ¡°Alright girls, I¡¯m leaving the villagers to you. [Warp]¡± Nathaniel stood in the dungeon¡¯s central chamber. A table with his under armor sat nearby with the canister containing his power armor. ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°They¡¯re on the border of the village,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°They¡¯ve stopped their bombardment and are preparing for an invasion. I¡¯ve sent every available robot out to help with the defense.¡± ¡°Have them assist the girls in getting the villagers into the dungeon for safety.¡± Ralia growled at the destruction. The Horde had stopped with their strange attacks, and thankfully no one was hurt, but most of the villagers were too scared to act. The children and women cowered while the men attempted to remain brave with makeshift weapons. Ralia held a simple bronze spear that was in the forge while Bella had her rifle ready. Hope carried a wooden club with a few nails sticking out of it. Elias ran up to them, ¡°Where¡¯s Nathaniel?¡± ¡°He at the dungeon,¡± Ralia said scanning the area, ¡°He¡¯s getting ready to fight.¡± ¡°We need to get everyone to the dungeon,¡± Bella waved Barin over, ¡°Ralia and I will cover everyone¡¯s retreat. We need you and Hope to lead them.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Barin said with shallow breaths. ¡°The Horde is attacking,¡± Bella took a calming breath, ¡°We need to get everyone to the dungeon. They¡¯ll be safe there.¡± ¡°The dungeon, are you mad!¡± Barin¡¯s shout drew everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°It¡¯s a trap Pa!¡± Barrett snarled, ¡°That¡¯s where the monsters will come from.¡± Elias shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not a trap. Nathaniel has made the dungeon safe. It¡¯s the only place we can run to.¡± Barin looked at the villagers. Barrett shook his head, ¡°Everyone, head to the dungeon!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it, it¡¯s a trap!¡± Barrett snarled. ¡°Let¡¯s go everyone,¡± Sierra stood up, ¡°If they¡¯re telling us to go to the dungeon, then it must be safe.¡± Barrett turned to snarl at her. Ralia sniffed at the air, ¡°Get going now,¡± she cried, ¡°They¡¯re coming!¡± A feral roar filled the air as a group of hobgoblins charged out of the brush. Ralia rushed forward and quickly speared two of them before backing off. A hobgoblin roared and charged forward, but a blast of light struck it in the chest leaving a gaping hole. The villagers screamed as they ran to the dungeon. Ralia and Bella continued to fight back the monsters. Since they weren¡¯t wearing armor, the women had to fight defensively. Bella kept herself at a distance, sniping any monster that tried to attack Ralia¡¯s blind spot, and Ralia used the length of her spear to keep the hobgoblins away. ¡°If only we had the robots,¡± Ralia growled as she removed her spear from a hobgoblin¡¯s chest. ¡°I need to reload,¡± Bella called out. Ralia nodded as she backed away from the charging horde. She took in a deep breath and released a fiery blast from her mouth. The hobgoblins yelped in fear as they backed away. Some had their fur singed. Eventually she inhaled and started coughing. The monsters roared and charged at her, but a small flying ball ran into the face of one. It exploded killing five of the hobgoblins. ¡°It¡¯s about time!¡± Ralia growled as more sentry bots flew around them. ¡°Forgive the delay,¡± Seneschal¡¯s voice came out of a drone, ¡°We are ready to start the counterattack.¡± ¡°Good timing,¡± Ralia smiled viciously at the monsters, ¡°I¡¯m ready to have some fun.¡± Hope led the group of villagers out of the village. It normally took twenty minutes to walk to the dungeon, but they came to the entrance in half the time because they were running. Hope smiled when three guardian bots stepped out of the cave. The villagers stopped and screamed as the robots came into view. ¡°See, I told you it was trap!¡± Barrett pointed at the giant robots, ¡°There are monsters waiting for us.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not monsters,¡± Hope snapped, ¡°They¡¯re robots!¡± ¡°What¡¯s a roe-baat?¡± ¡°They look like monsters.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t we listen to Barrett sooner!¡± As the crowd stared at the machine¡¯s in fear, Elias stepped forward, ¡°It¡¯s safe, trust me.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Barin glared at Elias. Elias swallowed, ¡°Because¡­ Nathaniel has brought me here before,¡± he said, ¡°He¡¯s claimed the dungeon, and these are his servants.¡± The crowd¡¯s murmured anxiously. Sister Rose stepped forward, ¡°What do you mean he claimed the dungeon?¡± she glared at him. ¡°He¡¯s been using the dungeon for all manner of things,¡± Elias scratched his head, ¡°Like making all his wares. Did none of you think that it was strange that he could make so much metal works in such a short time?¡± ¡°But why did he claim the dungeon?¡± Rose snapped. ¡°So, I could use it,¡± Nathaniel stepped out of the dungeon wearing a suit of armor. It looked like full plate mail, but it had veins of glowing blue energy, and a strange helmet with a singular glowing line running across the eyes. ¡°Why are you all standing around? Quickly, inside!¡± ¡°We¡­ aren¡¯t sure,¡± Barin said looking at the villagers, ¡°All this has us worried.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Nathaniel pulled up his menu to show them, ¡°Does this help?¡± Barin¡¯s eyes widen, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ the Inventor Hero,¡± The villagers stared at Nathaniel in awe. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this later. They¡¯re here,¡± Nathaniel materialized a sword and shield. A roar came from the brush, and a group of hobgoblins charged at them. The villagers screamed and stormed into the dungeon as the guardian bots addressed the attackers. Their lasers tore through the hobgoblins before they could even approach. ¡°Master, I¡¯ll join you,¡± Hope pulled on Nathaniel¡¯s arm. ¡°No sweetie, I need you to stay and keep everyone safe, okay.¡± Hope nodded and Nathaniel patted her head, ¡°Good girl. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± A rune on the armor¡¯s spine, and two on the legs, lit up and Nathaniel ran back to the village. The glide runes allowed Nathaniel to get back to the village in no time. He passed by Ralia and Bella who were taking the fight back to the village. The sentry bots continued their kamikaze strikes which caused the hobgoblins to distance themselves from each other. Nathaniel charged forward and attacked the monsters. It was strange. The hobgoblins appeared to be moving in slow motion, and he weaved through the horde slashing at them. His sword easily cleaved through their flesh, and they were dying instantly. ¡°Are you recording this, Seneschal?¡± Nathaniel said as he dodged another attack. ¡°Yes master,¡± Seneschal¡¯s voice echoed through the helmet, ¡°I think you¡¯ll find the footage intriguing.¡± ¡°Am I tearing through these monsters as easily as I appear to be?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Seneschal sounded slightly interested, ¡°It seems as if the exponential enhancement rune is having an unforeseen effect on your abilities.¡± Nathaniel sliced through two hobgoblins, ¡°You mean how I seem to have masterful control over the armor,¡± he chuckled, ¡°It seems that the enhanced base stats are compensating for my low skill level. Even if one¡¯s ability to use equipment is heavily determined by the skill and not the stat.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Seneschal said with a slight chuckle, ¡°Also, I located where the Horde was bombarding us from. They have cannons.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Nathaniel struck down three more hobgoblins, ¡°I think I¡¯ll test my own cannon against them.¡± Geega stared in horror as he watched the battle from his familiar. He had hoped the boom tubes would have the humans swarming around in a panic, so that his forces could easily tear through them. Instead, they immediately started running to the dungeon while a dragon-heart and dark elf fought. The dark elf had a strange weapon that released beams of concentrated magic, and Geega was itching to get his hands on it. Then, bizarre flying metals balls appeared and joined the fight by exploding. If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, golems he had never seen before appeared from the dungeon, and they tore through his men with beams of red magic, but the worst of all was the knight. He appeared from the dungeon, and ushered the humans inside, then he joined the fight. He was effortlessly gliding through the battle, it was the only way to describe, cutting down every hobgoblin he came across. Geega¡¯s fingers curled as if he could force the armor into his grasp, but then one of the flying balls struck his familiar. Geega screamed in fury as he tore off the oculus, ¡°Prepare the boom tubes!¡± he spat at the goblins, ¡°Destroy that accursed village.¡± ¡°Master Geega!¡± Ubaal stared in horror behind him. Geega turned and saw the knight rapidly charging. ¡°Quick, ignite the boom tubes!¡± The goblins ran around panicked as they prepared the boom tubes. Thunder shook the area as the weapons launched their projectiles, but the knight easily dodged every single one. The knight stopped and pointed his arm at them, and then the metal on the arm shifted into a smaller version of the boom tubes. Magical energy coalesced into the weapon. Geega squealed as he tore at his pouches. He flung the useless tools from his pockets, desperately trying to find the right one. He smiled as he spotted the small glowing green crystals, and he held it up, shattering it in his hands. A magic circle appeared beneath him, and the nearby goblins rushed to be inside it. The knight released the magic as a powerful beam of energy, and Geega covered his eyes in fear. Geega¡¯s breathing came out in rapid breaths, and there was the strong smell of urine, but no pain. Slowly, he lowered his arms. He was standing in a large chamber with a seeded power core sitting in the middle. It¡¯s light painted the brick walls an eerie blue, but Geega couldn¡¯t help but laugh in relief. ¡°I¡¯m safe,¡± Geega wiped the spittle from his mouth, ¡°Ubaal!¡± he turned around and groaned in frustration. The goblins that were with him all lay at his feet, their blood spilling onto the floor. Their bodies were split in half, an unfortunate circumstance that happened when one wasn¡¯t fully in the teleportation circle. Ubaal himself was split right down the middle with his left side being the only thing that made it. Geega pulled on his ears as his screams echoed through the stone room. His eyes were filled with a fiery hatred. The long night finally turned to day. The corpses of monsters littered the ground, their blood turning dirt to mud. The remains of the festivals were scattered about with the bonfire being nothing but ashes. Several houses were destroyed while others had large holes in their roofs. The church was missing a wall with the sanctuary exposed and the altar destroyed. The tavern was the only building to escape unscathed. The villagers moved through the wreckage, letting their tears fall as they cleaned up. Nathaniel and his girls stared at their home. The roof collapsed on one side, exposing the rooms to the elements. The forge was undamaged, but many of his tools lay scattered on the floor, tossed from the explosion. When they stepped inside, the damage was much worse. The bedrooms, bath, and sewing room were gone. Broken and dented dishes lay throughout the kitchen, and the furniture lay broken and scattered. ¡°Our home,¡± Tears ran down Hope¡¯s face. Ralia glared at the mess with smoke seeping from her mouth, ¡°Damn goblins, I¡¯ll kill them!¡± ¡°They¡¯re already dead,¡± Bella sighed, trying to keep her own tears from falling. ¡°Come here,¡± Nathaniel embraced them in a group hug, ¡°I¡¯m just glad you all are safe,¡± He let himself enjoy their presence, ¡°We can always rebuild, right girls. I¡¯ll have Seneschal summon new robots, ones that can operate outside the dungeon. Now that everyone knows, we don¡¯t have to keep it a secret anymore, and together, we can rebuild. We can make it bigger even.¡± ¡°You are right master,¡± Bella wiped her eyes, ¡°As long as we have the dungeon, then there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± The three women smile proudly at him. ¡°Then let¡¯s get started girls,¡± Nathaniel smiled back. Ch.29 Reunion Nathaniel stood around the central chamber of his dungeon looking at the others gathered around. Sister Rose glared at him with a pout while Barin stood there gawking at the core. Elias worriedly looked between Rose and Nathaniel, but he looked too afraid to say anything. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you claimed a dungeon,¡± Rose snapped pointing at the core, ¡°Don¡¯t you realize how dangerous it is. The corruption they generate caused the Archons to leave!¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Nathaniel said genuinely. ¡°Because our ancient texts say so,¡± Rose said with a huff, ¡°Those texts go back as far as eight thousand years.¡± ¡°But the Dark Ages ended nine thousand years ago,¡± Nathaniel cocked an eyebrow, ¡°Which means there¡¯s a thousand years between the text and the actual events.¡± ¡°Well, I was told that we used to pass these stories through speech,¡± Rose cleared her throat. ¡°And that¡¯s the problem,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°Passing stories orally can result in misunderstandings.¡± ¡°Are you saying our texts are wrong?¡± She gave him a dark look. ¡°Yes, to a degree,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°The problem with telling stories through speech is that you¡¯re relying on your memory to retell it, and no matter how good your memory is there¡¯s always a chance to miss something. Are you telling me that humans have perfect memories and never forget things?¡± Rose growled but wouldn¡¯t look at him, ¡°No, we don¡¯t.¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°Rose, I¡¯m not saying your sacred texts are all wrong, but I do question how accurate they are,¡± he said leaning against the console, ¡°I¡¯m not from this world, so I don¡¯t have the biases you all do. So, when I heard that your texts blame the Dark Ages on the other races and the dungeon cores, it made me curious, so I checked into it,¡± A projection of the dungeon core appeared in front of them, ¡°The dungeon cores don¡¯t corrupt anything. All they do is cycle mana through the land. This is why the land around dungeon cores are more fertile and resource nodes can respawn. They maintain the world, not corrupt it.¡± Rose glared at him then sighed in defeat, ¡°That may be true, but dungeon cores are known to draw monsters. They¡¯re dangerous and should be avoided.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for this core, then the village would have been destroyed,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°And even now, it¡¯s because of this dungeon that the village reconstruction is going faster than expected.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right Rose,¡± Barin said with a grimace, ¡°As much as I don¡¯t like it either, this dungeon is helping more than hurting. However,¡± his stern gaze pierced Nathaniel, ¡°When were you going to tell us you are the Inventor Hero?¡± ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°After Lydia passed, I was going to leave without telling anyone, but then she left me that letter. I didn¡¯t want anyone to know because I didn¡¯t want the other heroes to find me yet.¡± ¡°Truthfully, I¡¯m pissed that you didn¡¯t trust us,¡± Barin sighed, ¡°But I can understand. You¡¯re a crafter, and I doubt the nobles treated you well.¡± Nathaniel nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll speak to the others. You¡¯re too valuable to this village now, and I¡¯ll see to it that you stay here.¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°Thanks,¡±
Maria walked down the streets of Rumand with Ophelia and Shizuka on either side. Normally they would have taken a carriage, but sometimes it was nice to get out and walk among the normal citizens. It was one of the few times she felt like a normal person rather than a hero. ¡°Are you certain about this?¡± Shizuka said messing with the sleeves of her dress, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we make an appointment first?¡± ¡°That merchant said we should stop by when we¡¯re in Rumand,¡± Maria smirked as she shooed off a group of men, ¡°Besides, if Nate is there, then you two need to give him a piece of your minds,¡± she let out a low growl, ¡°It¡¯s the least he can do after disappearing for two years.¡± ¡°But¡­ what if he doesn¡¯t want to come back?¡± Ophelia frowned playing with her hair, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t blame him after the way he was treated.¡± Maria turned to face them with her hands on her hips, ¡°He¡¯s coming back,¡± she said with a vicious smile, ¡°You two simply need to convince him,¡± she looked to Ophelia, ¡°Let him get a good look at the girls. Remind him what he¡¯s missed out on,¡± she turned to Shizuka, ¡°And you need to be as cute as possible. Give him those big eyes that will melt his heart.¡± Both women blushed heavily as they started moving again. They continued down the road until they came to the Quarmane trading house. They stepped into the lobby and a gangly looking man approached with a weaselly smile. ¡°How may I be of service to you fine ladies?¡± ¡°We wish to speak to whomever is in charge,¡± Maria smiled back, ¡°We wish to commission some work from your best craftsman.¡± The worker¡¯s smile shifted, ¡°I see. Please follow me, I¡¯m sure master Quarmane can assist you with that.¡± The women looked at each other confused but followed the man through the house. He led them to an office on the second floor. Porman sat behind a desk while a young man sat on the sofa smiling hungrily at a beautiful Melmarian woman. The woman was wearing lingerie that was more sensual than anything Maria had seen before, but the woman danced to show off the flattering nature of the undergarments. ¡°You¡¯re right Pops,¡± the young man said, ¡°We¡¯ll make a fortune from this, and I can think of several other shops that would benefit from this lingerie.¡± Porman chuckled then stood when he noticed the women, ¡°My ladies, it is an honor to have you three visiting my humble establishment,¡± he gestured to the young man who stood as well, ¡°This is my son Pomran, and this is his slave, Emary.¡± Pomran took their hands and kissed, ¡°It is a pleasure to finally meet the lovely Saint and Archmage, and lady Oracle, your beauty is beyond descriptions.¡± Ophelia smiled nervously, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance as well,¡± Shizuka nodded, but Maria stared intently at the slave. ¡°Does she¡­ interest you, lady Saint?¡± Pomran chuckled but stopped when Maria glared at him. ¡°So, it is him,¡± Maria growled staring down at them, ¡°Where¡­ is¡­ he?¡± Porman sighed, ¡°Are you sure you want to know,¡± he said seriously looking at Ophelia. ¡°He¡¯s happy you know,¡± Pomran gave them a sly smile, ¡°He has friends who care about him and¡­ three lovely ladies who shower him with affection.¡± Ophelia clutched at her chest trying to fight back the tears, ¡°Y-yes,¡± she said rubbing her eyes, ¡°I need to apologize¡­ for not being there when he needed me.¡± ¡°He¡¯s our friend,¡± Shizuka said, ¡°He¡¯s important to m¡­ to us.¡± Porman sighed deeply and looked to his son who nodded to him, ¡°He¡¯s based in a small village called Treante to the southwest. If you leave early in the morning then you should get their shortly after midday,¡± he looked sternly to Ophelia, ¡°You should know, he may not leave with you.¡± Ophelia nodded, ¡°I¡­ understand,¡± Maria handed Porman a few gold coins, ¡°Thanks for the information,¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for this my lady,¡± Porman handed the coins back, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll enjoy spending them in my new department store I¡¯m planning to open in the capital.¡± ¡°That bastard,¡± Maria scowled as she stormed out.
Ophelia kneaded her hands together as the carriage rocked down the road. She tugged at the low collar of her rose collared dress. The thought of Nathaniel seeing it made her blush. Shizuka sat across from her fidgeting with the puffy sleeves of her black and gold dress. The skirt of her dress ended at the knees with black stockings covering her legs. The outfit with her braided pigtails made her look adorable. ¡°Calm down you two,¡± Maria sighed as she watched the two of them. ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say,¡± Shizuka snapped, ¡°What if Nathaniel doesn¡¯t want to come back.¡± ¡°Look at you two!¡± Maria smirked at them, ¡°He would have to be insane not to come back to the two of you.¡± She¡¯s right. Ophelia sat straight which caused the other two women to stare at her chest, ¡°Please stop,¡± she tried to keep herself from blushing. ¡°My ladies, were approaching Treante, but¡­ it doesn¡¯t look good.¡± The driver called out to them. Ophelia gasped and pulled back the curtains. They passed a house that was destroyed with only a few walls still standing. A few villagers carried materials needed to rebuild, but Ophelia couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the giant metal golem that carried the heavier materials. There were multiple golems moving about the village. ¡°Are those¡­ robots?¡± Maria stared at the golems. ¡°I think so,¡± Shizuka went bright-eyed. The carriage came to a stop, and the women stepped outside. Duncan, Shawn, Ollimier, and Veyl stepped out of the second carriage, and they also stared in awe and confusion at the robots. ¡°Hey!¡± an older, rotund man with a thick beard approached, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to offend, but we¡¯ll need you to move your carriages. We need the road clear so we can move materials.¡± Ophelia gestured for the drivers to move, ¡°We¡¯re sorry about that,¡± she said with a polite smile, ¡°Do you happen to know where the headsman is?¡± ¡°That¡¯d be me, my lady,¡± he said with a bow, ¡°You may call me Barin.¡± Ollimier stepped up, ¡°Master Barin, we¡¯re here looking for a master craftsman. Where can we find him?¡± Barin sighed, ¡°Damn, I hoped we¡¯d have a little more time,¡± This caused everyone to look confused, ¡°He¡¯s out checking the surrounding area, but I¡¯m certain he¡¯ll be back soon. I¡¯ll take you to his slaves. They can take care of you while you wait.¡± They followed the headsman down the road, ¡°Old man, what¡¯s with these robots?¡± Duncan eyed a strange spider looking bot. ¡°They¡¯re minions to the dungeon,¡± Barin said, ¡°Light claimed it and made these robots to man it. They¡¯re helping rebuild the village after the Horde attacked.¡± ¡°Nathaniel claimed a dungeon!¡± Ophelia gasped. ¡°The Horde attacked!¡± Ollimier snapped. Barin looked over his shoulder, ¡°Yep, and it¡¯s because of that dungeon that he was able to fight the Horde off,¡± a smirk came to his lips, ¡°If only we had heroes to fight them off.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s something you want to say, then say it,¡± Duncan snapped as Veyl tried to hold onto his arm. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Very well,¡± Barin scoffed, ¡°Nathaniel¡¯s been an important member of our village for two years, because of him, we have a healer, and our funds have been steadily growing. We don¡¯t want to lose him like we lost Gordon and his sons when they were at Fort Cadarn, understand.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Ophelia looked at the ground. ¡°There are his slave, they should be able to take care of you.¡± Three women stood next to a half-destroyed house. The dark elf and dragon-heart were stunning. A man would have to be a fool not to pursue them, especially if they were his slaves. The third looked like a little girl, but her feathery ears gave her away as fey. Yet it was her metal arms and legs that made her truly stand out. ¡°Damn, those are his slaves,¡± Shawn said eyeing the group, ¡°How in the hell did he pull that off?¡± ¡°Right, I¡¯d love to get my hands on that elf,¡± Duncan hungrily eyed the voluptuous beauty. Veyl hid behind her long hair. Maria looked at the group then at Ophelia and Shizuka, ¡°This¡­ may be harder than I thought,¡± The slaves turned to the approaching group. The dark elf and fey looked at them with distant fascination, but the dragon-heart stared daggers at them. The monster tightened her grip on her spear. ¡°A blue dragon-heart,¡± Shizuka couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the blonde-haired monster, ¡°Shit, look out everyone!¡± They barely dodged the spear as it flew past and struck the ground behind them. The heroes drew their weapons ready to fight, but the other slaves were holding the dragon-heart back. ¡°Let me go!¡± the dragon-heart screamed as she fought against the other women, ¡°Those damned heroes killed Mother. I¡¯ll kill them!¡± ¡°Stop it Ralia,¡± the fey cried. ¡°You¡¯re making the master look bad,¡± the dark elf snapped. The heroes stayed ready, but they lowered their weapons a little, ¡°She must be talking about Ysa¡¯Meera,¡± Ollimier looked around, ¡°Where¡¯s their master?¡± ¡°I-I¡­ there he is,¡± Barin pointed down the road. Ophelia stared dumbfounded as a person in white-silver armor approached. Blue energy pulsed in veins along the armor. She had seen this person before, the thought nagged at the back of her mind. The other heroes looked to the newcomer wearily as it approached the slaves. ¡°Is that¡­ power armor,¡± Shizuka said with a slight blush. The knight placed a hand on the dragon-heart¡¯s head, ¡°Calm down Ralia,¡± ¡°But¡­ master¡­¡± Ralia cried. The knight petted her, ¡°I know,¡± he turned to the heroes, ¡°Put those weapons away, you¡¯re causing a scene.¡± Several of the villagers looked at them scared. ¡°She attacked us!¡± Duncan pointed his sword at the knight, ¡°Why don¡¯t you do something about her.¡± ¡°Quit being an asshole Duncan,¡± Ophelia gasped, but Shizuka spoke first, ¡°Nathaniel¡­ is that you?¡± The helmet slid apart to reveal Nathaniel¡¯s face, ¡°Hey Shizuka,¡± he smiled, ¡°How are those allergies?¡± Ophelia fell to her knees as tears ran down her face. The guilt finally broke her, and it all came out as she cried. Nathaniel came over and gently held her, and she wrapped her arms tightly around him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ophelia cried, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry too,¡± Nathaniel rubbed her back, ¡°I should have let you known I was alive sooner.¡± ¡°Yeah asshole,¡± Maria glared down at him, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come back! These two were worried sick.¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°I was afraid,¡± he said, ¡°And I didn¡¯t want to go back to those condescending nobles,¡± He glanced up at Shizuka, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I hurt you too.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s fine,¡± Shizuka sniffled, ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re alive.¡± Ophelia was still crying into his shoulder, ¡°Why don¡¯t we take this somewhere else,¡± he said picking up Ophelia up. She couldn¡¯t stop herself from blushing, cradled in his arms. Everyone followed closely with the non-human women separating Nathaniel from the others. They stepped into the damaged house, and Nathaniel set Ophelia down. ¡°Bella, please get some refreshments ready,¡± Nathaniel smiled to the dark elf, ¡°Ralia, Hope, please set the table.¡± The women smiled as they disappeared. ¡°Damn Nathaniel, did you make that armor,¡± Shawn whistled appreciating Nathaniel¡¯s new armor. ¡°I did,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°I finished making it a few days ago, and the Horde were kind enough to help me test it.¡± ¡°So, you fought against the Horde,¡± Duncan scoffed with a sneer, ¡°It¡¯s about time you started being useful.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, I can be useful now,¡± Nathaniel smirked looking over his shoulder, ¡°Thanks for going easy on the monster for me, but don¡¯t you think you should take this war more seriously.¡± Duncan growled, but Maria stepped up, ¡°So¡­ Nate, do you have my lingerie?¡± she smiled sweetly. ¡°Sorry Maria,¡± Nathaniel said wiping his face, ¡°I only heard about your¡­ order a few weeks ago. I only have a few sets ready.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Maria scoffed, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take them.¡± ¡°Inventor,¡± Ollimier approached with a commanding stance, ¡°We need you for the war. You are hereby expected to appear at Castle Warnmier to aid in the fight.¡± ¡°What would my role be?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be providing weapons for the war front,¡± he said taking in Nathaniel¡¯s armor, ¡°Including this armor you¡¯re wearing.¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re not getting this armor,¡± he shook his head, ¡°And as for making weapons, it¡¯s more effective to keep me here.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ollimier scowled. ¡°I can make two, no, three time the number of weapons here than I can at Castle Warnmier,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°All the materials I need are here as well as my assistants.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have assistants at Warnmier,¡± Ophelia looked at him with big eyes. Nathaniel placed a hand on her shoulder, ¡°Guild assistants,¡± he said, ¡°The Guild has done nothing but take advantage of my skills, and honestly, the weapons they would make would be inferior to my own. Here, I have the dungeon and my minions to make them. The room fell quiet as they stared at him. ¡°You¡­ truly did claim the dungeon,¡± Ophelia whispered. Ollimier growled, ¡°What level is the core?¡± Nathaniel looked between both, ¡°It¡¯s level six,¡± The slaves came out carrying refreshments. ¡°Inventor, in the name of King Rogmier of Gilbrant, I hereby command you to relinquish your dungeon core,¡± Ollimier said with his hand on his sword. Ralia growled at the prince, but Nathaniel held up a hand, ¡°Really, I need the dungeon for the sake of the village,¡± he said glaring the prince. ¡°Without it, they¡¯ll be defenseless, and my minions are currently helping with the reconstruction. Why should I hand it to you?¡± ¡°To keep corruption from spreading, the royal family has rightful claim on all dungeons,¡± Ollimier said, ¡°You are to extract the core at once and present it to his majesty.¡± ¡°Please, it¡¯s for your safety,¡± Ophelia grabbed onto Nathaniel¡¯s arm. ¡°His safety!¡± Ralia snapped pulling Nathaniel away, ¡°What right do you have to say it¡¯s for his safety?¡± ¡°Back off monster,¡± Ollimier drew his sword. Duncan drew his as well, ¡°Inventor get your slave under control!¡± Ralia hissed but stopped when Nathaniel touched her head, ¡°That¡¯s enough Ralia,¡± he sighed, ¡°A level six core is not worth dying for.¡± Ralia looked confused, ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Enough, not another word. That¡¯s an order.¡± Ralia nodded and fell silent. Nathaniel turned to Ollimier, ¡°I¡¯ll go extract the core. I suggest the rest of you help with rebuilding. The people here don¡¯t view the heroes fondly, so this could be a good chance to fix that. By the way, can you restore sight to the blind, Maria?¡± ¡°Yes, but only once a day,¡± ¡°Hope, take Maria to Daisy,¡± Nathaniel¡¯s helmet slid into place, ¡°Bella, Ralia, I need you to join me at the dungeon.¡± ¡°Of course, master,¡± Bella gave him a sad smile. Ralia nodded but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you,¡± Ophelia rose from her seat. ¡°No need for that,¡± Nathaniel said warmly, ¡°Besides, I think you should keep an eye on Duncan. We don¡¯t need him having his way with any of the women, right.¡± A tear ran down Ophelia¡¯s face as she nodded.
Nathaniel stepped into the central chamber of his dungeon. A chest sat next to the dungeon core. ¡°Did you catch all that, Seneschal?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Seneschal said, ¡°I have level six core ready for you.¡± ¡°Good, now dematerialize the robots save for a few drones. We need it to look like the dungeon is shut down.¡± ¡°Done, you should know that the villagers are in an uproar,¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Ralia growled, ¡°Why are you giving into their demands? With your armor you could easily best the heroes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but that would be shortsighted,¡± Nathaniel sighed turning to her, ¡°What do you think Gilbrant¡¯s response would be if I chose to fight them?¡± Ralia shook her head, but Bella spoke, ¡°They would come after us,¡± she frowned. ¡°Then we fight back!¡± Ralia snapped, ¡°We have the dungeon, the robots, and master¡¯s armor. We could easily defeat them.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s not true lady Ralia,¡± Seneschal said projecting the DM menu, ¡°We fed the monster corpses and their gear to the core which returned it to level twenty-one. However, if you notice, we can only summon two hundred-forty minion slots.¡± ¡°And?¡± Ralia crossed her arms glaring at the core. ¡°Gilbrant can muster an army of hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions,¡± Seneschal actually sighed, ¡°Even with master¡¯s armor, they would overwhelm us.¡± Realization slowly came to Ralia, ¡°And it wouldn¡¯t just affect us,¡± Nathaniel rubbed her shoulder, ¡°But everyone in the village as well,¡± Ralia turned to him, and he could see the tears in her eyes, ¡°Why do they have to keep taking from us!¡± she cried, grabbing his shirt, ¡°They took Mother, and now they want to take you.¡± Nathaniel lifted her head, ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± he smiled, ¡°Seneschal, show them projects Citadel and Iron Legion.¡± Two projections appeared before them. One showed the dungeon but the mountain that it resided in was transformed. It was a multilayered fortress with housing and medical facilities, storage for years of supplies, a fully stocked armory and barracks for a future army. There were even facilities that both women were unfamiliar with such as the hanger and motor pool. The second image showed a robot they had never seen before. Its dimensions resembled that of a human. Several images showed it holding weapons, which looked like a smaller version of the arcane rifle appeared alongside the robot. Nathaniel hugged both women, ¡°I want you two to know that I have plans for the future,¡± he said, ¡°But right now, I can¡¯t properly implement these plans.¡± ¡°What¡¯s stopping you,¡± Bella stared at the images in awe. ¡°Resources,¡± Nathaniel scoffed, ¡°Citadel is slowly being implemented with the growth of the core. However, my current inflow of resources going to the core will take it years for the core to get to the proper level. I need to greatly increase our income.¡± ¡°And what about this Iron Legion?¡± Ralia tapped her chin. ¡°Master hasn¡¯t unlocked the proper DM skill to begin their implementation,¡± Seneschal replied. ¡°There must be a DM skill that allows me to create minions without taking up minion slots,¡± Nathaniel explained, ¡°The Archons must have used this skill to populate the world. Otherwise, everyone would have disappeared when their dungeon cores were destroyed. The moment I unlock this skill, I¡¯ll begin building a proper army of robots to protect us.¡± He looked to both, ¡°Until then, I¡¯ll need to work with Gilbrant, but I¡¯m not going to let them walk all over me.¡± Bella looked quizzically at the projections, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you ask the merchant for help?¡± she said, ¡°He has some pull with the nobility, and it would be in his best interest to support you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll pay Porman a visit when we stop in Rumand. Hopefully he¡¯s still there. Can you two start getting everything ready?¡± ¡°Of course, master,¡± they smiled at him and headed out of the dungeon. Nathaniel stared at the projections one last time before picking up the chest, ¡°Wait a full day after we leave before respawning the robots,¡± he waved to Seneschal. ¡°Yes master,¡± Seneschal replied, ¡°It¡¯s good to see lady Ophelia again, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Nathaniel said with a sad smile, ¡°But I fear I¡¯m not the man I once was.¡± ¡°True, you¡¯re a proper hero now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Nathaniel chuckled. Nathaniel headed back down the trail. He hadn¡¯t made it halfway back to the village when Barin came running up, sweating buckets. The older man held his hands on his knees as he took deep breaths. ¡°Your¡­ minions¡­ disappeared...¡± Barin huffed. ¡°I know,¡± Nathaniel sighed, ¡°Prince Ollimier demanded I hand over the core to him, so I extracted it.¡± Barin looked horrified, ¡°But they were helping with reconstruction,¡± he gasped, ¡°We could have been done by the end of the week!¡± ¡°I know Barin, but this is an order from the crown prince. I don¡¯t want to cause the village any more trouble by denying him.¡± Barin nodded and fell into step behind Nathaniel. They made their way back to the village in silence. A group gathered around the temple, and when they approached, they saw Elias holding Daisy tightly. Daisy looked up at them with her deep brown eyes and gave them a big smile with a small wave. Nathaniel waved back and headed over to the Prince. Nathaniel dropped the chest at the Ollimier¡¯s feet, ¡°Here it is, a level six power core,¡± Ollimier nodded to Shizuka, and she opened the chest. The core was about the size of a medium sized pan, and it glowed with the same blue light at the dungeon core. Shizuka held her hand to the core, her eyes shifting as she read the prompt only she could see. ¡°This is a level six power core,¡± Shizuka said closing the chest. ¡°Get this loaded up!¡± Ollimier shouted to the drivers, ¡°As for you Inventor, gather your things. Once we get this core back to the capital, you¡¯ll be joining us back on the front.¡± ¡°What!¡± The villagers gasped as they looked to the group of heroes. ¡°Y-you can¡¯t take Nathaniel!¡± Sierra cried while blushing heavily. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Barin scowled, his face turning red in anger, ¡°He¡¯s a valuable member. We need him here.¡± Ollimier looked to the villagers, ¡°His duty is to the kingdom as a whole,¡± he said coldly, ¡°He needs to be at the front.¡± ¡°The last time you took our blacksmiths, they ended up dead!¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of Nathaniel that we were able to survive that Horde attack!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s going to defend us! If Nathaniel leaves, then his slaves will go with him!¡± Barin stepped forward, ¡°I humbly request, please don¡¯t take Nathaniel. We need him here, especially now that we need to rebuild.¡± Ollimier shook his head with a sad sigh, ¡°I understand your plight Headsman, but we need him on the front more than you do. The weapons he can create could turn the tides in the war.¡± ¡°Then why couldn¡¯t he make them here!¡± The villagers glared, ¡°Some heroes you are! The only one to help is the Saint!¡± ¡°W-we¡¯ll get the Guild to send a blacksmith over,¡± Ophelia said trying to calm everyone. ¡°The Guild wouldn¡¯t even assign us a healer. Nathaniel had to buy one from the slave market.¡± The villagers were getting more riled up. ¡°Calm down everyone,¡± Nathaniel held up his hand, ¡°I understand how you all feel, but I¡¯m not going to let you all suffer.¡± Everyone quieted down. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Sierra said with big eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever I can,¡± Nathaniel said with a small smile, ¡°Hopefully, I can talk my way out of going to Warnmier, and if I can¡¯t, then I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help Treante from the front.¡± This seemed to satisfy the villagers. Nathaniel turned to the others, ¡°Give me a few hours to get out of this,¡± he gestured to his armor, ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take long to get my wagon ready.¡± ¡°Very well, we¡¯ll leave in the morning,¡± Ollimier looked to Barin, ¡°We¡¯ll need any rooms you can provide.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the only rooms available are at the inn, and their already occupied with the wounded and elderly.¡± Ollimier was about to protest but Maria stopped him, ¡°We can sleep outside,¡± she said with a stern glare, ¡°Headsman, please show me to the injured. I¡¯ll do the best I can to heal them.¡± ¡°I can use my magic to help set up fires,¡± Shizuka raised her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll go get us some food,¡± Shawn drew his bow and headed off into the woods. Duncan looked around, his eyes landing on an axe, ¡°I guess I can chop some wood.¡± Barin smiled, ¡°We thank you for your help heroes.¡± Ch.30 Hurt Feelings Ophelia huffed as she watched the scenery go by. Her fingernail clacked furiously at the wooden frame. She could feel Maria¡¯s concerned gaze but didn¡¯t want to engage with her friend. Ophelia quickly glanced and noticed Shizuka sitting across from her also pouting. ¡°I wish Nathaniel could have ridden with us.¡± Ophelia sighed heavily. ¡°There¡¯s so much I need to discuss with him.¡± Maria patted her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of time for that,¡± she said, ¡°Once we get back to Rumand, we can stash his stuff with our own.¡± Ophelia gave her a small smile. ¡°Besides, when we get back to the front. He¡¯ll be staying in the camp, with you, alone.¡± Ophelia blushed at the insinuated tone. ¡°Don¡¯t forget his slaves.¡± Shizuka mumbled and bit her thumb. ¡°They¡¯re probably hanging all over him now.¡± Ophelia looked up at the view port behind her. She fought the urge to look through it, but in the end her desire to check on Nathaniel won. Just as Shizuka had said, Nathaniel¡¯s three slaves sat close to him with the fey girl hanging off his shoulders. The four of them were laughing. The sight made her chest tighten and she couldn¡¯t help but grind her teeth. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised.¡± Shizuka came up behind her to look. ¡°I wonder if they cosplay for him?¡± Ophelia turned to the young mage. ¡°Cause-play?¡± ¡°Dress up in costumes.¡± Shizuka said with slumped shoulders. ¡°I bet that elf would look amazing in a bunny outfit.¡± Maria gently petted Shizuka¡¯s head. ¡°Sweetie, now¡¯s not the time for your fetishes,¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a fetish!¡± Shizuka snapped with fiery eyes, ¡°It¡¯s the truth, men love bunny girls,¡± a strange smile came to her face, ¡°The bunny girl is the ultimate symbol of feminine sexuality. Why do you think it¡¯s a common outfit found in men¡¯s clubs?¡± Ophelia gawked at the idea of men having desires for a rabbit lycan, especially Nathaniel, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ just disgusting!¡± Her face a deep red. ¡°No man in their right mind would want that.¡± ¡°Wrong,¡± Shizuka said haughtily, ¡°It¡¯s a common trope that every harem protagonist have at least one animal girl, and they are either a cat, bunny, or fox.¡± she nodded imperiously, ¡°Occasionally, they¡¯ll have a dog, or wolf, and if the author is trying to be creative, then they¡¯ll give them something unique like a dragon, mermaid, or fairy.¡± Shizuka gave Ophelia a serious look. ¡°It¡¯s the non-human elements that gives them that exotic appeal, and men love exotic women.¡± Ophelia shook her head furiously and looked through the opening again. As much as she wanted to deny Shizuka¡¯s claim, she couldn¡¯t deny the possibility. Nathaniel¡¯s slaves were all non-humans. She groaned when the dragon-heart wrapped her arm around Nathaniel¡¯s shoulder and had her tail stroke his leg, the dark elf hugged his arm, and the fey kissed his cheek. ¡°Enough!¡± Maria slammed the slot closed, ¡°You¡¯re simply working yourself up.¡± she grabbed Ophelia by the shoulders and forced her to sit down. ¡°This is Nathaniel were talking about. Do you really think he would abuse his authority and force himself onto his slaves?¡± Ophelia nodded trying to fight back the tears. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± she took several deep breaths. ¡°Nathaniel is a proper gentleman.¡± Shizuka stared at window with a depressive smile. ¡°Who¡¯s to say they didn¡¯t initiate first?¡± ¡°Will you stop that.¡± Maria snapped. Ophelia started rubbing her hands. The very thought of Nathaniel being intimate with a non-human brought pain to her heart.
Nathaniel was impressed as his wagon followed the heroes¡¯ carriage through the gates. He had seen the ducal palace from a distance, but this was the time he saw it up close. Castle Rumand wasn¡¯t nearly as large as Castle Gilbrant. The main keep was two-stories with two single-story wings on either side and two towers, and it was made entirely out of marble. The carriages stopped in front of the castle, and a horde of servants rushed out to tend to them. The servants gave Nathaniel a side glance and went to work unloading the noble carriages. None approached his wagon. ¡°All right ladies.¡± Nathaniel turned to look at the contents. ¡°How are we going to get this all off?¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± a pompous looking servant approached. ¡°Care to explain who you are and why you¡¯re here?¡± Nathaniel cocked an eyebrow at him. Ophelia quickly glanced over, and he smiled. ¡°Should I tell him or continue the charade?¡± Ophelia looked at him confused. ¡°Of course you should tell him,¡± she said, ¡°You¡¯re the Inventor Hero after all.¡± she played with her hair. ¡°You should be proud of your position.¡± The servant stared in awe as he looked between them. ¡°I see.¡± Nathaniel chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m the Inventor Hero, Nathaniel Light. The beautiful lady Oracle brought me back from the dead to aid in the fight against the Horde!¡± Ophelia blushed heavily as the servants started applauding. Duncan scoffed and stormed inside with his half-elf slave. Shawn joined in with a loud whistle which made every cheer louder. Ollimier shook his head but couldn¡¯t hide the small smile on his lips. Maria held Ophelia giving Nathaniel a stern glare while Shizuka looked to the ground with a deep frown. ¡°Forgive my rudeness, hero.¡± the servant snapped his fingers and others quickly came to the wagon. ¡°We¡¯ll take your thing in. Is there anything you want taken to your room first?¡± Nathaniel rapped his knuckles on the steel chest. ¡°This one first please, and be careful, it¡¯s heavy.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The servants unloaded the wagon. It took four servants to carry the chest holding his armor inside. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on them.¡± Ralia hopped off the wagon to follow them. Nathaniel, Bella, and Hope approached the other heroes, but Hope latched onto Nathaniel¡¯s side. She glared at Shizuka and hid behind Nathaniel. ¡°What¡¯s wrong sweetie?¡± ¡°N-nothing.¡± Hope buried her face into his arm. Nathaniel rubbed Hope¡¯s head and let her cling to him. They followed the other heroes into the foyer. The servants taking his stuff broke away from the other servants and headed down a different hallway. Nothing¡¯s changed Nathaniel shook his head ready to follow. ¡°Pardon.¡± Ophelia called out to the servants. ¡°See to it that the Inventor is placed in a room next to mine.¡± she gave him a shy smile. ¡°I¡¯ll need him close so I can assess his growth, and make sure his servants are close as well.¡± The servants looked at each other with concern but performed the task. ¡°Making sure I don¡¯t run away.¡± Nathaniel chuckled as he followed behind her. ¡°No, I meant what I said.¡± Ophelia cleared her throat. ¡°It¡¯s been two years, and I need to check on your status.¡± ¡°And here I thought you simply wanted to enjoy my company.¡± Nathaniel sighed sadly. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have gotten my hopes up.¡± ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t mind¡­ spending time with you.¡± Ophelia tightly grasped her skirt. ¡°Master, you shouldn¡¯t tease her.¡± Bella replied with a small smile. ¡°You may give the Lady Oracle the wrong idea.¡± ¡°Yeah, stop being mean master.¡± Hope gently bopped his arm. ¡°Y-you were teasing me.¡± Ophelia turned to glare at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you!¡± Tears ran down her face. ¡°For two years¡­ two damned years, I thought¡­ that you¡¯d hate me, because it was my fault you were left behind. I tried looking for you! Every day. I sought you out with my visions, and every level I lost was worth it¡­ if I could apologize.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Ophelia, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Nathaniel reached out, but Ophelia slapped his hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Ophelia cried. Many emotions filled her eyes, and she ran away with her cries striking his chest. Nathaniel stood there dumbfounded until something hard struck his cheek. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you!¡± Maria shouted. ¡°For two years, she agonized over meeting you again, and you make fun of her.¡± Her glare felt like a knife stabbed him. ¡°You should be ashamed of yourself Nate.¡± Maria stormed down the hall to chase after Ophelia with Shizuka close behind. ¡°Woof, woof.¡± Duncan and Shawn were laughing at him. ¡°Enjoy the doghouse.¡± Ralia glared at them. ¡°Should I deal with them?¡± She said with a growl. ¡°No, this is my fault.¡± Nathaniel sighed rubbing his cheek. ¡°It¡¯s what I deserve for being an asshole.¡± ¡°I have to agree with you there.¡± Bella looked down the hall sadly. ¡°Your words hurt her. You should apologize once she¡¯s calmed down.¡± Nathaniel nodded. ¡°I think I¡¯ll go see Porman and let him know I¡¯ve been found out. Can you ladies take care of everything?¡± ¡°Of course, master.¡±
Ophelia sat on her bed staring at her hands. The incident replayed in her mind constantly. She took some solace with Maria and Shizuka at her side. ¡°He¡¯s going to hate me now.¡± Ophelia felt the tears running down her cheek. ¡°No, he won¡¯t.¡± Maria cooed. ¡°And even if he does, then that¡¯s his loss.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right Ophelia,¡± Shizuka earnestly said, ¡°Do you really think Nathaniel would hate you, and then sleep with his beautiful slaves to spite you?¡± Ophelia let out a small sob at the very thought. ¡°Sweetie, stop talking.¡± Maria sighed and hugged Ophelia. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what Nathaniel¡¯s feeling, but it did look like he regrets what he said.¡± Ophelia looked up at her friend. ¡°Truly?¡± ¡°Yes, I think he understands that he hurt you, and I think he¡¯ll want to apologize.¡± Maria smiled. ¡°And to prepare for that moment, we should get you cleaned up/¡± she laughed. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to make his heart stop when he sees how beautiful you are.¡± ¡°I¡­ think it would be nice to make him squirm a bit.¡± Ophelia chuckled. ¡°Then let¡¯s go take a bath.¡± Maria pulled Ophelia to her feet. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to get cleaned up after roughing it last night.¡± The women gathered their things and headed down the halls to the bath. Unlike the other castles they had been to, Castle Rumand had a singular heated pool to bathe in. They stepped into a changing room with wicker baskets to place their clothes in. Ophelia slipped out of her dress and undergarments, neatly folding the clothes, when she noticed three baskets were full. Clothes were thrown haphazardly in two of the baskets with the clothes in the third properly stowed away. ¡°Looks like there someone in there.¡± Ophelia called out as Maria and Shizuka headed to the door. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Maria smiled as she opened the door. ¡°They¡¯re women¡¯s cloths so we can all relax together.¡± ¡°This bath is so big!¡± ¡°Stop splashing you brat!¡± ¡°Enough you two, we need to be on our best behavior.¡± Ophelia stared in shock at the three non-human women. The fey girl was running around laughing as each of her steps caused water to splash. The dragon-heart stood with her hands on her hips snarling at her fairy companion, and the dark elf sat on the edge running her hands through her hair. The three women stared at the door. ¡°Just great.¡± Maria sighed as she carefully walked inside. ¡°I was hoping to enjoy a peaceful bath.¡± ¡°What are you three doing here?¡± Ophelia gawked at them. The three non-human women looked at each other then back at them. ¡°Taking a bath.¡± ¡°At this time of day, the bath is open only to the nobility and guests.¡± Ophelia blushed at how curvaceous non-humans. ¡°Servants are meant to take a bath in the evening.¡± When Shizuka stepped in, the fey girl ran and buried her face into the dark elf¡¯s bosom. ¡°No one told us that.¡± the dark elf comforted the fey. ¡°And at this point, does it truly matter.¡± ¡°We were here first.¡± The dragon-heart scoffed as her tail slapped the water. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it then leave.¡± Ophelia glared at the monster, but Maria gently grabbed her arm. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She said with a calm smile. ¡°The bath is big enough for all of us.¡± Ophelia sighed but followed Maria into the water. Now that things had quieted down, she got a good look at Nathaniel¡¯s slave. The dragon-heart and dark elf were both beautiful, and she had to admit they both had lovely figures. The fey girl was cute, and she felt a slight weight taken off her shoulders when she looked at the petite girl. Ophelia let out a relieved chuckle. ¡°Something funny.¡± the dragon-heart glared at her. ¡°N-no.¡± Ophelia cleared her throat. ¡°I just thought that the fey girl looks cute is all.¡± ¡°Her name is Hope.¡± the dark elf said as she slipped into the water. ¡°I¡¯m Bella, and this is Ralia.¡± Hope slid next to Bella trying to hide in her curves. ¡°I¡¯m Maria.¡± the Saint smiled. ¡°This is Shizuka and Ophelia. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± Ralia scoffed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that.¡± She dropped into the water. ¡°Behave, Ralia.¡± Bella scolded her companion. ¡°Our actions reflect back on the master, remember that.¡± Ralia growled but nodded in response. ¡°I¡¯m actually surprised Nathaniel bought slaves.¡± Maria said with a strained smile. ¡°I expected it from Duncan, but not Nathaniel.¡± Ralia smiled victoriously, ¡°That¡¯s because the master knows value when he sees it.¡± Her tail swayed in the water. ¡°He practically bought me the moment he laid eyes on me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how the master tells it.¡± Bella smirked. ¡°Shut up, at least he bought me.¡± Ralia sneered. ¡°You two are strays he just so happened to take in.¡± ¡°The master seemed pleased to have me.¡± Bella chuckled. ¡°Especially since I made his life easier. I can only image how frustrated he was with a slave who couldn¡¯t even perform the simplest of chores.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Shizuka took them all in. ¡°So you¡¯re the prim beauty.¡± she pointed to Bella. ¡°And you¡¯re the firebrand.¡± she gestured to Ralia with heavy breaths. ¡°Which means you must be the little sister!¡± Her shout caused Hope to flinch. They all looked at her in confusion. ¡°Shizuka¡­ what are you talking about?¡± Ophelia looked at the Archmage. Shizuka flinched and tried to hide in the water. ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t.¡± Maria pulled her back up. ¡°Ophelia asked you a question.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ their roles in the harem.¡± Shizuka chuckled shyly. Maria rubbed her face. ¡°Is this more of your otaku shit.¡± she sighed. Shizuka nodded. ¡°Shizuka, I mean this from the bottom of my heart, but you really need to stop. This isn¡¯t one of your weird games.¡± ¡°Of course it is.¡± Shizuka stood up pointing at the group. ¡°And we have Nathaniel¡¯s harem to prove.¡± She started breathing heavily. ¡°A arrogant dragon lady with a fiery temper, yet has a tender side. The mature dark elf who exudes maternal charms that is a comfort to those around her. Lastly you have the adorable fairy girl who is clearly is the ray of sunshine of the three.¡± There was a strange glint in her eyes. ¡°I bet Nathaniel¡¯s created costumes to fit all of them!¡± ¡°Is she alright?¡± Bella looked worried. ¡°Is the heat getting to her?¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s just a freak.¡± Maria shook her head. ¡°Please ignore her.¡± ¡°Ignore me all you want.¡± Shizuka huffed. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Nathaniel¡¯s sleeping with Bella and Ralia.¡± ¡°I sleep with the master too!¡± Hope snapped. The three human women looked shocked. ¡°Not in the way they¡¯re talking about sweetie.¡± Bella chuckled as she gave Hope a hug. ¡°Truthfully, I haven¡¯t been intimate with the master yet either.¡± Ralia chuckled. ¡°Poor you. The master¡¯s just satisfied with me.¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯ve had¡­¡± Ophelia looked horrified at Ralia. Ralia¡¯s smile grew bigger. ¡°Of course.¡± she ran a hand down her body. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t the master want me?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t deny that.¡± Shizuka¡¯s eyes followed Ralia¡¯s hand. ¡°Nathaniel wouldn¡¯t indulge in something so abhorrent.¡± Ophelia snapped. Ralia glared back at her. ¡°What do you know.¡± Ophelia flinched as Ralia stood up. ¡°Ralia, don¡¯t,¡± ¡°No, I will.¡± Ralia snapped pointing at them. ¡°It¡¯s because of them I lost my wings, my Mother was killed, and family enslaved. The humans experimented on Hope, then sold her when they had no use for her.¡± Hope nodded while burying her face into Bella¡¯s arm. ¡°Not to mention, they invaded your home and enslaved you with a defective collar. The humans have ruined our lives, and yet they talk as if he¡¯s one of them.¡± Her glare made the human women flinch. ¡°He¡¯s nothing like them.¡± ¡°S-she¡¯s right.¡± Hope squeaked as she stood up. For the first time, Ophelia noticed the metal arms and legs. ¡°Why are your wearing metal in the bath?¡± Maria asked with a slight smile. ¡°These are the limbs my master made.¡± Hope screamed with tears in her eyes. ¡°After the evil men like her cut them off.¡± She pointed to Shizuka. ¡°Master took care of me, gave me a name, and put all his heart into making these cybernetics for me. He¡­ sacrificed so much, and so did Ralia.¡± The dragon-heart looked shocked. ¡°I know you sold your armor so the master could get the resources to build my arms and legs. That armor¡­ was specially made for you. Thank you.¡± Hope rubbed her eyes as the tears flowed freely. Ralia smiled softly as her tail wrapped around Hope¡¯s waist. ¡°Stop crying brat. It wasn¡¯t that much of a sacrifice.¡± She hugged the fey girl. ¡°B-but you loved that armor.¡± Hope sniffled into Ralia¡¯s stomach. ¡°I remember you always had a big smile every time you looked at it.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Maria looked ashamed. Bella sighed sadly. ¡°You should be. You call yourself heroes, but what have you done to deserve it?¡± She ran a finger across her collar. ¡°The master, even though he bought us, has never treated us as slaves. Truthfully, he¡¯s hesitant to issue commands because he knows that damage these collars can inflict, and that frightens him.¡± Ralia and Hope looked sadly at Bella. Bella stood up and gestured to the door. ¡°Nathaniel may not be a hero to you all, but he is our hero, and we will support him with everything we have.¡± The three slaves headed for the door. ¡°I know he¡¯s a hero.¡± Ophelia shouted at them with a challenging glare. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it in my visions.¡± She clutched at her chest. ¡°I know the type of hero he is!¡± ¡°Do you, now.¡± Ralia scoffed. ¡°So, you¡¯ve seen a few glimpses of the future. You still don¡¯t know anything about him. All you¡¯ve done is fallen for an image and are forcing him to fit into that mold.¡± There was a mocking tone to her chuckle. ¡°Isn¡¯t it interesting he came into his own away from your influence?" Ophelia¡¯s chest tightened and she stared at the floor. ¡°Why don¡¯t we all sleep with the master tonight!¡± Hope smiled as she left. ¡°What, it¡¯s my turn to have him.¡± Ralia scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s a wonderful idea Hope. The bed is big enough for all of us. By the way.¡± Bella smiled mischievously at Shizuka. ¡°I¡¯m interested in hearing about these costumes you think the master would like.¡± As the door closed Ophelia fell to her knees ¡°They¡¯re right¡± She wiped at her face. Maria and Shizuka hugged her as she cried. Ch.31 The Inventor’s Return Nathaniel rolled his stiff shoulders, and he shifted to get comfortable in the carriage seat. ¡°I really need to invent a proper suspension system,¡± he groaned, ¡°I forgot how uncomfortable these carriages could be.¡± ¡°I look forward to that,¡± Porman chuckled writing down notes in his notebook. Nathaniel chuckled as he went back to watching the landscape pass. He was thankful that Porman was willing to join them back in the Capital. However, the industrious man wasn¡¯t about to let his golden goose fly the coop. That was the main reason why Nathaniel trusted him. ¡°Look master, it¡¯s so big!¡± Hope leaned out the window and pointed to the capital city, ¡°It¡¯s bigger than Rumand.¡± Nathaniel gently held onto her as she hung outside, ¡°Yes, it is sweetie,¡± Hope gave him a bright smile as she jumped onto his lap. ¡°Do you remember the capital much?¡± Porman asked. ¡°No, I was only in the city for one day, and the only time I got to see it was during the parades,¡± ¡°And I take it you weren¡¯t well received either,¡± Porman chuckled, ¡°You remember the plan, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Nathaniel turned to Ralia, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to do this to you, but this plan revolves around you.¡± Ralia beamed with pride, ¡°Leave everything to me master,¡± her tail swung wildly, ¡°I¡¯ll show these good for nothing nobles how powerful you truly are!¡± ¡°I could do it master!¡± Hope pouted as she turned around, ¡°My class is perfect for this.¡± Nathaniel petted her head, ¡°I know sweetie, but your level is just too low,¡± he said, ¡°If you did it, you¡¯d just get hurt. Ralia is nearly level forty, which will make this fight easier on her. Besides, I promised her that she could kick Duncan¡¯s ass.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry Hope,¡± Bella pinched her cheek, ¡°The master will need help on his end, so we can help out there.¡± Hope gave them a small smile but pretended to be pouting. ¡°Bella¡¯s right,¡± Nathaniel looked to all of them, ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on all of you.¡± The girls smiled back at him, but there was a falter in Bella¡¯s smile, ¡°Are you alright Bella?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready to get out of this carriage,¡± Bella chuckled nervously as she rubbed her thighs. ¡°I¡¯m surprised considering how big your¡­¡± Ralia went quiet when Bella glared at her. Nathaniel sighed, ¡°Enough ladies, we¡¯re almost there,¡± The carriages rocked down the road and passed through the large gate into the city of Gilbrant. The city had a different feel to Rumand and Treante. The capital city was far louder than Rumand, and Nathaniel sneered at the trash lining the side of the road. The people went around town performing their errands with scowls on their faces. The buildings became nicer when they entered the upper city, and the citizens flaunted their wealth with rich clothes with servants following behind. He noticed a slave collar peeking out from a few of the followers. They passed a building that had walls made completely from cement, and unlike the road in the lower city, the upper city road was recently paved with a layer of cement. Nathaniel noticed that the guards were carrying steel weapons when they passed through another walled gate. Fanfare sounded outside as soldiers stood off to the side saluting the carriages. They followed the well-paved road through the courtyard and stopped in front of the castle. The door to the carriage opened and they stepped out. Nathaniel stared up at the whitewashed castle, ¡°Here we go again,¡± he sighed running a hand through his hair. ¡°We¡¯re right behind you master,¡± the girls smiled at him. Nathaniel smiled at them, and joined the other heroes as they ascended the steps. He glanced backwards as several servants grabbed the chest containing his power armor and followed them. The castle servants and vassals gossiped as they entered the foyer. Nathaniel noticed a group of elderly citizens watching them enter with sneers. ¡°Those are the heads of the Guild,¡± Porman said, ¡°They¡¯re probably upset that Gilbrant will try conscripting you instead of handing you over.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what they want,¡± Nathaniel rreplied, ¡°What¡¯s important is getting Gilbrant off my back.¡± ¡°Leave that to me,¡± Porman chuckled, ¡°By the end of this month, you¡¯ll have everything your heart desires.¡± ¡°Only because it makes you a fortune,¡± Nathaniel smiled which caused Porman to chuckle. The doors to the throne opened wide, and Nathaniel couldn¡¯t help but shiver at the memory of his last visit. King Rogmier sat on his throne with his queen next to him. Nathaniel noticed Shawn¡¯s gaze flick between the queen and then to a pair of twins being held by their nannies. It was obvious that Shawn was the father because of their skin color. Ophelia and Ollimier kneeled before the king while the heroes stood behind them. Ralia, Hope, and Bella remained standing, which angered the court. ¡°Father, I have returned, and I have found the craftsman that made the weapons for VuRant,¡± Ollimier said, ¡°It was the Inventor who was behind their creations.¡± The crowd gasped as they stared at Nathaniel. ¡°Wait, the Inventor¡¯s alive!¡± ¡°Where has he been all this time?¡± ¡°Damn coward¡¯s been hiding while the others fought, disgraceful.¡± King Rogmier raised his hand and quieted down the crowd, ¡°I see,¡± his gaze fell onto Nathaniel, ¡°I¡¯m disappointed that one of our heroes would shirk his responsibilities.¡± ¡°And what were my responsibilities exactly?¡± Nathaniel replied calmly, ¡°During my time at Cadarn, no one defined them. The only thing I was told was that I wouldn¡¯t fight along with the other heroes.¡± ¡°You knew what your responsibilities were Inventor,¡± Debin stepped out of the crowd, ¡°You were to provide support through the creation of weapons, armor, alchemical products, and any other things you could craft.¡± ¡°Long time no see Debin. Are you still using that anesthetic paste?¡± Nathaniel chuckled when Debin straightened his tie. ¡°That¡¯s irrelevant,¡± Debin said. ¡°It¡¯s completely relevant,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°You¡¯re using my inventions right now. Your soldiers are using steel weapons, your roads are paved with cement. Does anyone know that I made these things or does all the credit go to the Guild.¡± ¡°Inventor,¡± Nathaniel turned to the group from the Guild. ¡°I understand you¡¯re frustrated,¡± The elderly woman gave him a smile that a parent gives their child when they say something stupid, ¡°The nobility doesn¡¯t understand the value of crafters and artisans, but you shouldn¡¯t try disparaging your fellow crafters.¡± The crowd laughed at this. ¡°Have you replicated my mugs yet,¡± Nathaniel smirked, ¡°Or are they still warping because you can¡¯t control the temperature.¡± The elderly Guild head stared at him in shock. ¡°You see everyone,¡± Porman addressed the room, ¡°The Inventor is my supplier. Those mugs and knives were all created by him.¡± This shocked the crowd. ¡°Father,¡± Ollimier drew everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°The Inventor has created a weapon that could turn the tide of this war.¡± King Rogmier glared at Nathaniel, ¡°Show me this weapon,¡± Nathaniel glared back at the king, but Ophelia drew his attention with a nod of her head. With a sigh, he stripped out of his clothes. The crowd gasped as he stood there in the leather under armor with the power core sitting in the chest. Nathaniel touched a crest on the steel chest, and it shifted. It stood taller than Nathaniel with the pieces of the armor hanging from the arms attached to the frame. Nathaniel stepped into the boots, and when they locked into place, the arms snapped the armor into place. They all stared in awe as Nathaniel stood there in his power armor. ¡°Inventor, explain this weapon,¡± King Rogmier eyed the armor with a greedy smile. ¡°It¡¯s not a weapon, but rather armor,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Officially, it¡¯s called power armor.¡± ¡°This power armor allowed the Inventor to win against a Horde army,¡± Ophelia said proudly, ¡°This is the same armor that I saw in my vision and was the reason why I desired to have him summoned.¡± The crowd murmured excitedly. ¡°We owe you an apology lady Ophelia,¡± King Rogmier said before turning to Nathaniel, ¡°Inventor, you are to relinquish this power armor over and have it fitted so that the Champion can use it. Then you are to make more for the other heroes.¡± ¡°No,¡± the room when quiet. Rogmier stroked his beard as fury filled his eyes, ¡°What do you mean, no?¡± the guards grabbed their weapons. ¡°I can¡¯t make any more,¡± Nathaniel said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t have the materials, and I designed the armor so that no one else but me can wield it.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Rogmier stood up, but the queen gently stopped him, ¡°Inventor, we simply want to secure our kingdom,¡± she said sweetly, ¡°What do you need to make more of these armors?¡± ¡°A dungeon,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°This armor is powered by cores extracted from dungeons. Without it, I can¡¯t make more.¡± The crowd buzzed with excitement. ¡°Fine, you can¡¯t make any more,¡± Duncan scoffed approaching Nathaniel. ¡°Then just hand that one over. Someone else can do more with that armor than you ever could.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t need it,¡± Nathaniel laughed, ¡°Or are you that weak that you need my armor to win this war.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it!¡± Duncan spat, ¡°Give it to Ollimier, give it Shawn. Hell, anyone would be able to use it better than you.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± the king shouted quieting the room, ¡°Inventor, hand over the armor now!¡± the guards drew their weapons. The girls moved to the side as the guards surrounded Nathaniel. The king nodded, and the guards charged forward. Don¡¯t want to kill them. Nathaniel activated the transfiguration runes to summon two shields onto both his arms. He deflected and dodged attacks, but without the enhancement runes, his movements were sluggish as he relied solely on the motor runes for movement. A guard struck his back, but the armor didn¡¯t register it as the blade shattered. The guard stared in horror at his broken sword. Nathaniel sighed as he sent the guard flying. The other guards hesitated when they looked at their fallen comrade. ¡°What the hell are you all doing?¡± Duncan charged forward with his blade drawn. Nathaniel barely got his shield up in time to block the attack, ¡°He¡¯s just a crafter. How can you let him beat you?¡± Duncan gave Nathaniel a wolfish grin as he pushed him back. Nathaniel smiled back, ¡°I don¡¯t have to go easy on you,¡± The armor¡¯s power dropped as the enhancement rune sent energy surging through the armor. Duncan¡¯s smile faded when Nathaniel started pushing him back. Then Duncan flew across the hall from a shield bash. Duncan expelled the air from his lungs when he struck one of the stone pillars, and he struggled to regain his breath. The room went silent as everyone stared in shock, but the silence was broken by Ralia¡¯s laughter. Rogmier stared daggers at Nathaniel, ¡°Guards seize the Inventor!¡± the soldiers slowly gathered around him, but their swords were violently shaking. ¡°Sire, wait,¡± Ophelia stood in front of Nathaniel, ¡°We need the Inventor on the front line. If he isn¡¯t then the other heroes will die, and the Horde will sweep across the land.¡± Rogmier sneered, but the queen placed a hand on his shoulder, ¡°And you are certain of this, lady Oracle,¡± her eyes flashed over to Shawn. ¡°Yes,¡± Ophelia nodded, ¡°And it¡¯s not just the heroes, but Prince Ollimier as well. Sire, he needs his armor.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wanting me to rely on a crafter to save us,¡± Rogmier¡¯s growl echoed through the room, ¡°Our kingdom will be the laughingstock of the entire continent!¡± Before Ophelia could answer, Nathaniel stepped forward, ¡°Let me prove it,¡± he said, ¡°I can make a suit of armor that will allow my dragon-heart to beat the Champion in single combat.¡± This riled up the crowd. ¡°Bullshit!¡± Duncan spat as he pushed himself off the floor, ¡°There¡¯s no way a monster can beat me one-on-one.¡± Despite the hit, he still stood tall. ¡°Then you have nothing to worry about,¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°However, I have concessions if she wins.¡± King Rogmier scratched his beard, ¡°Very well Inventor,¡± he smiled wickedly, ¡°In three weeks, your slave will fight against the Champion. We can discuss the terms of victory tomorrow. Now, get out of my sight.¡± Nathaniel bowed slightly which earned him deadly glares from the crowd, and he grabbed his chest before leaving the throne room. He didn¡¯t get far. ¡°Nathaniel!¡± Ophelia approached with a stern gaze. ¡°You had me worried. Why did you anger the king?¡± Nathaniel retracted his helmet and smiled at her, ¡°I¡¯m not going to let this kingdom take advantage of me anymore,¡± he said, ¡°If I¡¯m expected to fight in this war, then I¡¯m doing it my way.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Ophelia held back her response, ¡°Do you understand the dilemma you¡¯re in. The King won¡¯t let this go, and I¡¯m worried at what that may entail.¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°We¡¯re going to come out on top Ophelia. Have some faith in me.¡± ¡°I do have faith in you,¡± Ophelia looked away while blushing, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t worry.¡± Before she could say more, a servant approached, ¡°Please follow me Inventor,¡± the maid said, ¡°Your room is ready.¡± ¡°Nathaniel, I¡¯m sorry about what happened in Rumand,¡± Ophelia said shyly, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ check on you later.¡± She quickly walked down the hall before he could respond. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, Nathaniel,¡± Porman slapped his shoulder, ¡°I need to let my second wife know I¡¯m back. She¡¯s going to want to meet you soon enough,¡± he laughed as Nathaniel sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Shazelle isn¡¯t nearly as¡­ aggressive as Cymella.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I¡¯ll need you there for the negotiations.¡± ¡°You can count on me,¡± Porman smiled brightly as he walked out of the castle. Nathaniel turned to follow the maid. She led him down the halls, he barely remembered them from the day he was summoned but he was sure that she was taking down a different route. His assumption was proven correct when the maid opened the door to a richly furnished common room. It was larger than the one he had on his first visit. On top of being fitted with two sofas and a sitting table, there was a small dining table nestled by the window. There was also a well-stocked liquor cabinet. A set of double doors sat on one side of the room with a single door on the opposite wall. ¡°Her majesty, the queen, apologizes for housing you away from the other heroes,¡± the maid said with a slight frown, ¡°This is one of the few rooms with servant quarters large enough to house your three¡­ slaves,¡± an acidic tone coated the word, ¡°She also wants to apologize for asking that you eat your meals in here for the time being. She hopes you understand.¡± ¡°I do, and please give her my thanks,¡± Nathaniel smiled. The maid scoffed, ¡°Her majesty may ask you to tea one day. She has¡­ expressed interest in some garments that you made for lady Ophelia, Maria, and Shizuka.¡± Nathaniel couldn¡¯t stop himself from laughing which caused the maid to growl, ¡°Please take this seriously.¡± ¡®I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nathaniel wiped away a tear, ¡°Please inform her majesty that I¡¯ll be happy to be of service.¡± The maid nodded and quickly left. Nathaniel couldn¡¯t stop from smiling, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll be making underwear for the queen now.¡± He set down the power armor chest and activated it. ¡°That could be dangerous,¡± Bella frowned as she watched the chest arms remove the armor, ¡°One wrong move, and you could be imprisoned, or worse.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Ralia¡¯s eyes lingered on Nathaniel¡¯s muscles that the under armor accentuated, ¡°It¡¯s most likely a trap.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible, but unlikely,¡± Nathaniel chuckled as he placed his clothes back on, ¡°After all, you three practically begged me to make underwear for you.¡± ¡°And you enjoyed every minute of it,¡± Ralia smirked. Hope jumped up and down, ¡°That¡¯s right, you enjoy giving us stuff master!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what Ralia meant Hope,¡± Bella sighed while trying to hide her blushing face, ¡°Come girls, let¡¯s get settled in.¡±
Bella was the first one up. She quietly stripped out of her nightgown and slipped on the high collared white and blue dress. She tied a simple apron around her waist and set a portion of her hair into a bun while letting the rest hang down to her midback. She gave her two companions a motherly glare. Hope had cocooned herself into her blankets as she hugged her pillow tightly while Ralia laid halfway out of bed with the sheets on the floor. Bella scoffed at the naked dragon-heart as her snoring shook the walls, but she quietly left trying not to wake them. Bella gazed around the common room, and for a moment she had no idea what to do. One of the castle maids had brought them dinner last night, and she had taken the dishes away when they were done. They even cleaned up the mess that Ralia and Hope had made. Truthfully, there was nothing for her to do. As Bella tapped her lips, her gaze fell onto the double doors into the master bedroom. A small smile came to her lips as the thought of sneaking a peek at Nathaniel sleep came to mind. It was followed by the thought of even slipping into his bed. As she took a step forward, she was stopped by her own reflection. She stood there staring at her image, but she wasn¡¯t admiring her beauty. Instead, her gaze lingered on the collar around her neck. Goosebumps ran along her arms as the pain from her old collar ran through her, and alongside her image were the faces of her people. Their hateful stares exposing her cowardice. A knock at the door pulled her out of her thoughts. She opened the door and gave the human man on the other side a polite smile, ¡°How may I help you?¡± The man gawked at her, but composed himself with a cough, ¡°I¡¯m here to check in on the Inventor,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m his attendant, Helmer.¡± Bella fought to keep her smile in place as she stepped out into the hall, ¡°I¡¯m afraid master Nathaniel has no need of your services,¡± she said while quietly closing the door behind her, ¡°However, you may be of service by showing me to the kitchen.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to deal with a slave,¡± Helmer sneered as he tried to get around her, ¡°I¡¯ll leave once I checked in on the Inventor.¡± Bella tightened her grip on the doorknob, ¡°Why would I allow you to see my master,¡± her smile faded, and fury filled her eyes, ¡°Especially since you left him to die last time.¡± Helmer stepped back, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he snapped with sweat forming on his face. ¡°I¡¯m talking about Fort Cadarn,¡± Bella whispered, ¡°About how you abandoned your post and left your master to die.¡± ¡°No one would believe you,¡± Helmer glanced down the hall. Bella¡¯s smile turned vicious, ¡°They don¡¯t need to,¡± she said coyly, ¡°I know how you humans love to gossip.¡± Helmer¡¯s face turned white, ¡°Now, show me where the kitchen is.¡± ¡°F-follow me,¡± Bella¡¯s smile turned sweet, ¡°Thank you,¡± Helmer mumbled under his breath as he led Bella down the halls to the kitchen. Bella took in the rich interior with a scoff. Humans weren¡¯t the only race that decorated their housing to impress, but the obnoxious levels of wealth on display were garish. Helmer stopped in front of a set of double doors, ¡°Here¡¯s the kitchen,¡± He sneered, ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯ll need to speak with his majesty about a new posting.¡± Bella smiled as the man disappeared down the hall, and she stepped into the kitchen. The staff went about their work preparing the meals for the nobility. The head chef, a large, round woman, approached her with a wooden spoon in hand. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to acquire food for the Inventor and his servants,¡± Bella said politely. The chef eyed her with contempt. ¡°One minute," she trudged deeper into the kitchen. ¡°G-good morning,¡± Bella turned and noticed the Champion¡¯s slave enter, ¡°I-I need two plates of breakfast for the Champion.¡± ¡°Hold your horses, elf!¡± the slave girl flinched at the chefs harsh tone. Bella turned to the girl, ¡°Good morning,¡± she smiled brightly, ¡°I¡¯m Bella. ¡°Good morning,¡± the girl stuttered, ¡°My name is Veyl.¡± The two stood there in silence as they watch the staff work, ¡°How long have you been in the Champion¡¯s service?¡± Bella asked. ¡°A few months, lady Cymella gave me to him at the start of the year,¡± Veyl smiled warmly, ¡°I¡¯m grateful he is my master.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Bella said in genuine surprise, ¡°The rumors I¡¯ve heard suggest the Champion to be a terrible man.¡± ¡°The Champion is a great man!¡± Veyl snapped, giving Bella a fiery gaze, ¡°Unlike the cowardly Inventor.¡± Bella slowly approached Veyl and glared down at her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry that my words offended you,¡± she said calmly, ¡°But I won¡¯t accept anyone disparaging my master either.¡± Veyl shrank under Bella¡¯s stare. ¡°Oey, I won¡¯t have you two fighting in here." The chef returned with their food. ¡°Take it and get out of my kitchen.¡± Bella peaked under the tray lid and nodded in satisfaction. She picked up the tray and gave Veyl a polite smile before heading back. As she headed back, she noticed a small figure lumbering down the hall. Bella chuckled as the Archmage swayed wildly with her hair unkempt and nightgown barely hanging on her frame. ¡°What are you doing up this early?¡± Bella smiled at her. Shizuka yawned, ¡°Getting breakfast,¡± she sighed, ¡°Ever since Duncan got my second attendant pregnant, I¡¯ve been getting my own breakfast,¡± she rubbed at her eyes, ¡°The servants keep getting my order wrong because they think I need to put on some weight,¡± her mouth started watering as she smelled the food, ¡°That smells good though.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome to join us,¡± Bella laughed which caused Shizuka to perk up, ¡°I¡¯d truly love to hear about these costumes.¡± ¡°Really,¡± Shizuka smiled brightly. ¡°Of course,¡± Shizuka¡¯s smile faded, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know,¡± her eyes fell to the floor. She yelped in surprise when Bella bumped her with her hip. ¡°Come, we don¡¯t want breakfast to get cold.¡± Bella laughed. Shizuka couldn¡¯t stop her smile from returning as she followed. Ch.32 The Inventor’s Challenge Nathaniel slowly sat up and stretched his stiff body. The blue sky shone through the window, and he chuckled at the thought of having slept in. He rose and dressed himself, but his ears perked at the sounds of laughter coming from the common room. When he opened the door, he found the women gathered around a short girl with her hairs in pigtails. ¡°What are you doing here Shizuka?¡± Nathaniel rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Shizuka looked downward, but Bella placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I invited her to breakfast. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Nathaniel chuckled as he noticed the food scraps. Thankfully, there was a full plate for him. ¡°I just wished you all waited for me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my fault master.¡± Bella said with a sheepish smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to wake you. It¡¯s rare for you to get a full night¡¯s sleep.¡± ¡°Thank you, Bella.¡± Nathaniel said sitting down. ¡°You¡¯re all getting along well?¡± ¡°Shizuka¡¯s pretty nice, even if she does remind me of those evil men.¡± Hope beamed as she ran over. ¡°Look, she even drew me a picture!¡± Nathaniel smiled as he looked at the rough sketch. Though it wasn¡¯t colored, he could tell it was Hope because of the ears. She was wearing a frilly dress with a poofy skirt and hearts decorating the seams. She was carrying a wand with a winged heart on the top, and she was posed with a leg cocked upward and she was smiling with her left hand by her cheek, the middle and ring tucked in and thumb, forefinger, and pinky outstretched. Hope stared expectantly at him. ¡°That¡¯s lovely, sweetie,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°It makes you look even more like a fairy.¡± ¡°Shizuka says I¡¯m supposed to be a magical girl.¡± Hope pouted. Isn¡¯t that what a fairy is? ¡°I sorry, Hope.¡± Nathaniel cleared her throat. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what that is.¡± ¡°How do you not know what a magical girl is?¡± Shizuka gasped. ¡°The magical girl is a staple in popular fiction. They¡¯re very presence inspires hope and joy to all who see them.¡± She was staring into space. ¡°I was more into science fiction.¡± Nathaniel chuckled. ¡°The kind with artificial intelligence, space travel, and robots.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no excuse.¡± Shizuka snapped, pointing a finger at him. ¡°You¡¯re a geek just like me! You should be familiar with the concept of a magical girl. Have you been living under a rock!¡± ¡°I was more into the classics,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Shizuka whispered, fidgeting with her hands. ¡°I just assumed that you would know. I¡¯m such an idiot.¡± ¡°No, we just enjoy different things.¡± Nathaniel smiled at her. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s a lovely drawing.¡± Shizuka blushed a little. ¡°It¡¯s much better than your drawings.¡± Hope laughed. ¡°Yours are always so blocky.¡± She yelped when Nathaniel pinched her cheek. ¡°That¡¯s because mine are diagrams, you goof.¡± Nathaniel laughed. ¡°I draw them to get a better understanding of how my inventions will look.¡± Ralia slid a piece of paper to him. ¡°Master, could you make these clothes for me?¡± Nathaniel flipped the paper. It was an image of Ralia, but she was wearing a tank top with tight leather pants. A leather jacket hung over her shoulders, and she had heeled knee-high boots. ¡°So, you want a biker outfit?¡± Nathaniel appraised the picture. ¡°It¡¯ll take me some time, but I should be able to make it.¡± ¡°Make mine too!¡± Hope jumped up and down. Nathaniel petted Hope¡¯s head and turned to Bella. ¡°Did she draw an outfit for you that you want made?¡± Bella pulled out a folded piece of paper. ¡°I think I¡¯ll make my own.¡± she smiled with a deep blush. She undid the buttons on her collar and slipped the paper into her bra before redoing her dress. A knock came from the door, and a maid entered. ¡°Inventor, master Quarmane is here for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s time then.¡± Nathaniel wiped his face and stood up. ¡°Ralia, you¡¯ll need to start training and try to get familiar with Duncan¡¯s fighting style.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t one of us come with you?¡± Ralia said, looking at the others. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Nathaniel smiled at them. ¡°Could you show them around Shizuka?¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Nathaniel waved at her. ¡°You¡¯re free to join us whenever you want.¡± He left the room before she could respond. ¡°Nathaniel, wait!¡± Shizuka ran to catch up. She fidgeted when he looked at her. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ about how you were treated at Cadarn. Had I known¡­ I would have¡­¡± She stopped when Nathaniel placed a hand on her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine Shizuka.¡± He smiled. She gave him a shy smile and returned to the others. Nathaniel followed the maid down the hall. Another servant came into view, leading Porman behind her. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Porman said with a hungry smile. ¡°Ready when you are.¡± Nathaniel returned the grin. ¡°Let¡¯s see how much we can get away with.¡± Porman laughed as they were both led to the King¡¯s office. King Rogmier sat at his desk with his head deep within a stack of requests. Nathaniel¡¯s eyes fell to the attendant standing next to the King. Helmer glanced at him several times with several beads of sweat forming along the side of his head. ¡°Sire, the Inventor and master Quarmane are here.¡± Helmer cleared his throat. King Rogmier sighed deeply. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± He growled as he gestured to the seats across from him. Nathaniel and Porman took their seats. ¡°The Inventor has issued a challenge. His dragon-heart slave will fight against the Champion.¡± A smirk came to the king¡¯s lips. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to reconsider?¡± ¡°I stand by my challenge,¡± Nathaniel replied solemnly, ¡°I¡¯m confident my companion can best the Champion with my gear.¡± ¡°You plan to make her a set of power armor?¡± Rogmier glared. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t have the components. Don¡¯t you need a power core?¡± ¡°I will not be making Ralia power armor.¡± Nathaniel took a deep breath. ¡°It will be a set of standard armor with a weapon and shield.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Rogmier¡¯s smile grew. ¡°Then the challenge will be this: the Champion and your slave will fight until one of them yields or is unable to continue.¡± His smile turned dark. ¡°You should know there¡¯s a possibility that your slave could die.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s fingers dug into his palms. ¡°I have faith in her skills,¡± Nathaniel said in a strained voice, ¡°As for the conditions of victory¡­¡± He looked to Porman. Porman pulled out a slip of paper and placed on his glasses. ¡°The Inventor demands the immediate control of the Treante dungeon be handed over to him, along with the village and surrounding area,¡± he said, ¡°He also demands the right to sue the Guild for the money he would have made as the creator of steel, cement, and the anesthetic paste. He also demands the right to control how his inventions are deployed and their distribution methods.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Rogmier glared at the two of them. ¡°There are more, but I believe we should get the primary conditions out of the way first.¡± Nathaniel smirked. ¡°No sense in us continuing if we can¡¯t agree on the terms.¡± ¡°True.¡± the king smirked. ¡°Then these are my conditions.¡± He pulled out a metal collar from his desk. The collar made a heavy thud when it landed on the desktop. ¡°You will be a slave to the royal family for the rest of your days. Every innovation you¡¯ve made and will make will belong to the royal family, and you will hand over your power armor to my son.¡± ¡°Not Duncan?¡± Nathaniel frowned. ¡°No,¡± Rogmier said, ¡°What will it be, Inventor?¡± Porman leaned over and whispered harshly, ¡°It¡¯s not worth it,¡± Nathaniel sighed deeply and stood up. ¡°Deal.¡± He held out his hand. The king tightly grabbed his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to use one of the castle¡¯s forges, but we won¡¯t be providing the supplies.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Nathaniel smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve already secured the supplies, and I commissioned the Quarmane Trading Company to negotiate the remaining conditions on my behalf.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Rogmier smirked at Porman. ¡°We¡¯ll continue the negotiations this afternoon.¡± he returned his gaze to Nathaniel. ¡°Is it true you released Helmer from his position?¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I didn¡¯t release him.¡± Nathaniel scoffed, smiling wickedly at Helmer. ¡°He quit when he abandoned his post and left me to die at Fort Cadarn.¡± King Rogmier glared violently at Helmer. ¡°Is that so.¡± he snarled. ¡°I¡­ apologize for entrusting your safety to him. Would you reconsider relieving him of his post?¡± ¡°I have no need for him,¡± Nathaniel replied calmly, ¡°He¡¯s proven himself untrustworthy. If I need anything, I¡¯ll rely on my slaves.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Rogmier nearly broke the pen in his hand. ¡°Then as his last duty, he¡¯ll show you to the forge you¡¯ll be using.¡± ¡°P-please¡­ follow me.¡± Helmer shook as he headed to the door. ¡°Helmer,¡± Helmer stopped and slowly turned around. ¡°Yes Sire?¡± ¡°Return here immediately.¡± The king growled. ¡°We need to discuss your failures.¡± Helmer bowed, but his knees were quaking violently. Nathaniel and Porman followed him out of the office and down the halls. They made their way through the castle and the courtyard and stopped at a small shack nestled in a corner of the castle walls. Helmer opened the double doors. A thick layer of dust coated everything, and the forge and smelter itself were cold and needing to be cleaned out. Nathaniel sighed when he noticed it was completely bare of tools. ¡°Unfortunately, the main forge is currently being used to maintain the equipment for the guards. You¡¯ll have to use this back-up forge,¡± Helmer¡¯s said with a vitriolic smile, ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me Inventor, I need to get back to his majesty.¡± He quickly left before Nathniel could respond. ¡°You ruined that boy¡¯s career.¡± Porman chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Nathaniel sighed as he opened the windows. ¡°I have a lot of work to do just to get this place up and running, and I¡¯ll need tools as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get everything ready,¡± Porman said with a smirk, ¡°So you know boy, I¡¯m going to make you pay through the nose for all this trouble.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Nathaniel chuckled. ¡°But I¡¯d rather be indebted to you than the kingdom.¡± Porman laughed as he waved goodbye. Nathaniel looked around the forge and smiled when he found a broom propped up in the corner. He swept the cobwebs and dust bunnies from out of the corners and out the door. ¡°My, my, what have we here? A hero who knows how to clean.¡± Nathaniel looked up and gawked at the beautiful red head. Gabriella smiled suggestively. ¡°Remember me Inventor?¡± ¡°Of course I do Lady Gabriella.¡± Nathaniel cleared his throat. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be here.¡± ¡°A little bird told me I should come to Gilbrant.¡± Gabriella slowly walked in taking in the sight. ¡°To think that the Inventor Hero would come back from the dead.¡± Her eyes shine with mischief. ¡°You don¡¯t sound too surprised.¡± Nathaniel took a deep breath, trying to keep himself calm. ¡°Oh, I was.¡± Gabriella approached to the point they were nearly touching. She stared up at him with a genuine smile. ¡°Thanks for the weapons,¡± she whispered, ¡°They¡¯ve been a great help. Is there any way I can return the favor?¡± Before he could answer, two women approached. ¡°Master!¡± Bella and Hope stopped and stared at them. ¡°Are we¡­ interrupting something?¡± Bella smiled politely, but she clutched her apron tightly. ¡°No, I was simply saying hello.¡± Gabriella smiled. ¡°Good luck with your challenge Inventor, I¡¯m rooting for you.¡± She sauntered out of the forge with a small wave. Nathaniel tugged on his collar, trying to cool off. ¡°Master.¡± Both women were glaring at him. ¡°Nothing happened, I swear,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Now, would you two help me clean out the forge. I¡¯d like to get it ready for tomorrow.¡± Both women sighed but joined in cleaning.
Ophelia hurried down the halls until she came to the king¡¯s office. She knocked on the door and entered when the king called out to her. King Rogmier set aside his pen and parchment when she entered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to pull you away from the heroes lady Ophelia.¡± Rogmier smiled at her. ¡°However, there¡¯s been a development that I believe you should know.¡± Ophelia looked confused. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve finished negotiating the conditions of the Inventor¡¯s challenge,¡± Rogmier said. ¡°And what did you agree to?¡± ¡°If the Inventor¡¯s slave wins, then he¡¯ll be given control over the village of Treante and the dungeon.¡± Rogmier scoffed. ¡°If the Champion wins, then the Inventor will relinquish his freedom and become a slave to the royal family.¡± Ophelia struggled to keep the smile on her face. ¡°Sire, is that truly necessary? Hasn¡¯t the Inventor shown himself to be an asset to the kingdom?¡± ¡°Not when he doesn¡¯t know his place.¡± Rogmier sneered. ¡°There has never been a hero with a crafter class, and do you know why.¡± He stood up to stare out the window. ¡°Because there¡¯s no honor in it. Our forefathers fought alongside the previous heroes, shed their blood, struggled, and died so that this kingdom could be the greatest on the continent. The very existence of a crafter hero is a mockery to my own predecessor.¡± Ophelia bit her cheek. ¡°Sire, the Inventor¡¯s existence is not a stain on the former Champion. If anything, it proves that we truly don¡¯t understand the summoning spell. Perhaps there are other heroic classes.¡± ¡°Like what, a Farmer Hero, or maybe a Miner Hero.¡± Rogmier¡¯s laugh sounded unhinged. ¡°No, heroes must have classes of noble stock, otherwise it just means they¡¯re regular people.¡± The king returned to his seat. ¡°Have you considered our marriage proposal yet?¡± ¡°I¡­ have.¡± Ophelia cleared her throat. ¡°I don¡¯t think now is the right time.¡± Rogmier gave her a challenging look. ¡°The heroes are far from ready to be left on their own, and now that the Inventor has been found, I¡¯ll be even more busy. It simply isn¡¯t the right time.¡± ¡°My dear, you¡¯re twenty-two years of age. You don¡¯t have much time left.¡± Rogmier sighed in frustration. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be considering what¡¯s simply best for you, but also for your family. You should know, your mother has already given her approval. We¡¯re simply waiting on you.¡± ¡°But, to marry prince Ollimier¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to marry my son.¡± Rogmier smiled. ¡°I¡¯d gladly have you as my second wife.¡± Ophelia couldn¡¯t stop her hands from twitching. ¡°Sire, I¡¯m honored, but what about queen Haelie?¡± Rogmier¡¯s smile slowly faded. ¡°She¡¯s become distant lately,¡± he said, ¡°I believe she¡¯s fallen for the Ranger, and I¡¯ll gladly step aside so that they can be together. However, it would look bad if I divorced her and then took on a younger queen.¡± ¡°So, you plan on letting the two of them continue as lovers while keeping her reputation intact.¡± Ophelia nodded with a polite smile. ¡°Yes, and I¡¯d gladly do the same for you.¡± Ophelia couldn¡¯t stop herself from blushing. ¡°When the Inventor is enslaved, he¡¯ll have to abide by any command given to him by the royal family. If you were to join, then he¡¯d have to do whatever you desired.¡± Ophelia swallowed hard as her palms started sweating. ¡°And what about his slaves?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll belong to us of course.¡± Rogmier smirked. ¡°The fey will be sold to the academy, but we¡¯ll keep the dragon-heart and dark elf. You won¡¯t mind if I keep them for myself, since you¡¯ll have the Inventor.¡± Ophelia¡¯s heart throbbed violently as the image of Nathaniel in chains appeared before her. ¡°I-if¡­ the Inventor does lose¡­ I¡¯ll accept your proposal of marriage.¡± She felt the blood rush to her face, ¡°B-but¡­ why don¡¯t we gift his slaves to the other heroes. After all, the Archmage is having trouble finding a new attendant, and the Saint could use a proper bodyguard.¡± Rogmier smiled victoriously. ¡°Very well, my dear,¡± he said, ¡°I shall gift the dragon-heart to the Saint, and the Archmage shall get the dark elf. However, the fey will still be sold to the local academy.¡± ¡°I-I understand. If you¡¯ll excuse me sire.¡± Ophelia rose with an uncomfortable smile. ¡°I should get back to work.¡± She desperately clung to the front of her dress as she left the study. When Ophelia closed the door behind her, she released a deep sigh. Her hands shook violently, and it felt like her legs would give out any second. She fanned her face, hoping to drive away the intense heat coming off her cheeks. She heard footsteps coming towards her, and she quickly composed herself. ¡°You don¡¯t look too well, Lady Oracle.¡± a shiver shot down Ophelia¡¯s spine. She turned to see Gabriella VuRant politely smiling at her. ¡°Has something happened?¡± ¡°Nothing is wrong.¡± Ophelia returned the smile. ¡°I was simply speaking with his majesty.¡± Gabriella nodded, her smile growing larger. Ophelia couldn¡¯t stop herself. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to be here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver reports to his majesty.¡± Gabriella chuckled. ¡°To think I¡¯d be lucky enough to be here when the Inventor returns.¡± ¡°You knew he was alive, didn¡¯t you?¡± Gabriella¡¯s smile turned to a condescending smirk. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°As the Oracle, it¡¯s my duty to look into everyone who shows interest in the heroes.¡± Ophelia growled. ¡°With your [Deduction] talent and Spymaster class, you should have easily figured out that the craftsman was the Inventor.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Gabriella¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight. ¡°Perhaps, I was interested in seeing how the Inventor would grow on his own, or maybe, I was trying to keep him out of your hands.¡± her smile turned malicious. ¡°What would the Inventor think when he finds out you¡¯re conspiring with the king.¡± Ophelia rubbed at the goosebumps forming on her arms. ¡°I¡­ was doing no such thing,¡± Gabriella approached and whispered into Ophelia¡¯s ear. ¡°It¡¯s terrible when other¡¯s interfere with your plans, isn¡¯t it. If you don¡¯t want him to find out, then stay out of my way.¡± Gabriella leaned back with a sweet smile. ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I must speak with the King. The VuRant family desires to aid the Inventor in his endeavors.¡± Gabriella stepped past her and knocked on the King¡¯s door. ¡°Excuse me, Sire. It¡¯s Gabriella VuRant, may I speak with you?¡± ¡°Come in,¡± ¡°Have a nice day, Lady Oracle.¡± Gabriella¡¯s words dug deep into Ophelia¡¯s chest. Ophelia stood there shaking violently. She ground her teeth together to keep herself from breaking down. After several deep breaths, she finally calmed down enough to start walking. She made her way back to her office on the second floor and stood there for a few seconds. Her shoulders felt heavy, and her lower lip quivered violently. There was laughter coming from outside her window. Ophelia looked down upon the courtyard. Tucked in a corner was the small backup forge. Nathaniel and two of his slaves were cleaning up the old forge. Hope ran around with a dusting rag wiping down random pieces of furniture that was sitting out in the yard. Bella stood there sweeping, she had accumulated a large pile nestled to the side. Her heart stopped for a moment when a shirtless Nathaniel came out with a wheelbarrow full of ash and coal. His sweat stained muscles glistened in the sunlight, and her gaze lingered on his well-toned muscles. Slowly, Ophelia started chewing on her forefinger nail. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Ophelia squealed and turned to face her guest. ¡°Maria¡­ you scared me.¡± ¡°I knocked but you weren¡¯t answering.¡± Maria gave her a slick smile as she looked out the window. ¡°So, what are you looking at.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°Damn, I didn¡¯t realize Nate was that ripped. You don¡¯t mind if I take in the view, do you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re free to do as you wish.¡± Ophelia recomposed herself as she sat down at her desk. ¡°They look like a happy family, don¡¯t they?¡± Maria chuckled with longing. ¡°It must be nice don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ well, he deserves it,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°Especially after Cadarn.¡± Maria pulled herself away from the window. ¡°And what about you?¡± She smiled as she sat down. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be part of that happy family?¡± ¡°I want Nathaniel to be happy,¡± ¡°Dammit Ophelia!¡± Maria slammed her desk. ¡°Why won¡¯t you be honest with yourself.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think I want to.¡± Tears started streaming down her eyes. ¡°I desperately want to, but then I¡¯m reminded that he has others to rely on. I¡¯m¡­ not needed anymore.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it common for heroes to have multiple lovers?¡± Maria smiled uncomfortably. ¡°Human lovers.¡± Ophelia wiped her face. ¡°Contrary to what you believe, very few nobles take non-human slaves to their bed. It¡¯s like¡­ being intimate with a dog.¡± Her face turned deep red. ¡°And yet, that dragon-heart¡­¡± Maria gave her a stern glare. ¡°They¡¯re not animals Ophelia. They¡¯re people, even if they aren¡¯t human.¡± ¡°And I hate it!¡± She slammed her fists on her desk. ¡°I hate it. I hate it. I hate it! Why can¡¯t it be me.¡± ¡°Then why not use your visions to see into the future? Surely that¡¯ll help ease your suffering.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that.¡± Ophelia tried to calm herself down. ¡°I can only foresee that which is for certain to come to pass. That¡¯s why [Fate Weaver] is such an important talent for an Oracle, and if I¡¯m not in a right state of mind, then I could possibly damage the future.¡± She hung her head low. ¡°My abilities¡­ aren¡¯t meant for my own selfish desires. If I''m not careful, then I could end up like the Sage. Besides, what if I¡¯m not there.¡± Maria rose from her chair and pulled Ophelia into a comforting embrace. She ran a hand along her back as her shoulder became damp from Ophelia¡¯s tears. Ophelia tightened her grip as her emotions ate away at her heart. Ch.33 Striking while the Iron’s Hot The rhythmic ringing filled the forge. Sparks flew off the glowing metal as the hammer struck, and it slowly formed into Nathaniel¡¯s desired shape. The thin curved plate cooled to a dark grey that shined with the teal glare that arcane metal was known for. With a satisfied smile, Nathaniel threw the plate back into the fire. Hope playfully strained against the wooden lever of the bellows and she giggled with each pump. The metal glowed bright once again, and Nathaniel dunked the fiery steel into the quenching barrel. Flames shot out from the oil causing Hope to stare at it in awe, and Nathaniel pulled out the dirtied black plate. Nathaniel ran a file across the hardened metal, filling the room with a harmonic ringing. The plate was placed onto the side table along with five other similar pieces. ¡°Master, I¡¯m level eleven now!¡± Hope cheered as she hugged him. ¡°My [Blacksmithing] reached level five.¡± ¡°Well done,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°Soon enough you¡¯ll be level thirty like the others.¡± ¡°She still has a way to go though.¡± Bella chuckled as she sat by the door sewing. ¡°By the way, I reached level thirty-three yesterday.¡± She gave Nathaniel an expectant smile. ¡°Congratulations.¡± Nathaniel shook his head while smiling. ¡°Is there anything I can get you.¡± Bella tapped her lips. ¡°Well, there is some- oh my!¡± She gasped as Ralia limped towards the forge. Ralia was a complete mess. Her skirt was torn at the hem, and she was completely covered in dirt. Several bruises dotted the exposed skin on her arms and legs, and she sported a busted lip. Her hair was bunched up in knots around her neck. Nathaniel bit his lower lip as he took her in. ¡°What happened?¡± He gently touched her shoulder, but Ralia hissed in pain. ¡°You¡­ told me to study how the Champion fights.¡± Ralia kept her face towards the ground. ¡°I sparred with him during training¡­ and he beat me, effortlessly.¡± Nathaniel slowly wrapped his arms around her, and Ralia tightly embraced him. Her nails dug into his skin. ¡°I¡¯m not strong enough!¡± Nathaniel brushed her cheek and lifted her head. ¡°You will be,¡± he whispered, ¡°I promise, this armor will let you beat Duncan.¡± Ralia stared up at him with shining eyes, and he gently kissed her. She tasted of dirt and blood. ¡°I think you should get cleaned up. Bella, can you tend to her wounds?¡± ¡°Of course, master.¡± Nathaniel tried to pull away, but Ralia kept her hold tight. ¡°Master, I want you tonight.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Nathaniel smiled at her. ¡°But first, you need to get cleaned up.¡± Ralia smiled as she let go. ¡°You can join them Hope.¡± Nathaniel looked to the crimson sky. ¡°I¡¯ll clean up here, then we can have dinner.¡± Nathaniel watched as the women disappeared into the castle before returning to the forge. He opened a chest in the corner of the forge and stowed the armor pieces inside. After closing the lid, he ran his thumb over the runes on the lock, and they started to glow a dark violet. Nathaniel ran his hand over the chest as he fought the burning in his chest. His hand flexed into a fist multiple times as he took several deep breaths. His mind wandered, and he imagined going to the training ground in his power armor. A toothy smile came to his lips as he pictured beating Duncan into a bloody pulp. His hands itched as he continued the fantasy, and the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to give in. ¡°No.¡± Nathaniel growled as he continued to take deep breaths. ¡°Stick to the plan.¡± A knock came from the forge door. ¡°Nathaniel, are you okay?¡± Nathaniel stared in awe. The waning light made Shizuka¡¯s yellow gown come off as gold as it hugged her body. She no longer looked like a child but a proper young woman. Her black hair hung in ringlets and was pulled back in a ponytail. A silver tiara decorated with emeralds and topazes adorned her head. Nathaniel cleared his throat as he stood up. ¡°Just trying to calm down. I found out Ralia sparred with Duncan.¡± ¡°I heard about that, and I wanted to come check in.¡± Shizuka stepped inside. ¡°How is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s banged up, but I think her pride took the brunt of it.¡± There was no mirth in Nathaniel¡¯s chuckle. ¡°I really want to go kick Duncan¡¯s ass.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s do it.¡± Shizuka smiled ruthlessly. ¡°Go get your power armor, and then we jump him.¡± She groaned when Nathaniel rubbed her head. ¡°Thanks, Shizuka.¡± Nathaniel laughed. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid that would be extremely short sighted.¡± ¡°You know, it¡¯s okay to get angry Nathaniel.¡± ¡°I know, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I should act on it. I don¡¯t want my actions to cause suffering to those I love.¡± Shizuka huffed as she crossed her arms. ¡°Are those¡­ slave runes?¡± She looked down at the chest. ¡°Yep, I used them to make the first ever biometric lock.¡± ¡°What about this one?¡± Shizuka¡¯s eyes glowed with excitement. ¡°Durability rune, makes it harder for someone to destroy it.¡± ¡°This one!¡± ¡°That one will give you a nasty shock if you try to tamper with it.¡± ¡°So cool.¡± Shizuka smiled brightly. ¡°But can¡¯t someone just walk off with it?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Nathaniel tapped on a trapezoidal rune with the number ten in it. ¡°This rune makes the chest weight ten tons. Not even Duncan could lift this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty smart.¡± Shizuka laughed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to use magic to lift it.¡± Nathaniel led her out of the forge and locked it up. ¡°Do you want to join us for dinner?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to!¡± Shizuka beamed. ¡°I could use some good company after the day I¡¯ve had.¡± ¡°That explains the dress.¡± The guards eyed them as they entered the castle. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, it looks good on you.¡± ¡°T-thanks.¡± Shizuka twirled her hair. ¡°Ophelia¡¯s mother was a big help. Her advice has made my dates more bearable.¡± ¡°When will I meet Prince Charming?¡± Shizuka feigned a condescending smirk. ¡°You don¡¯t have much room to talk considering you bought your girlfriends. Talk about a clich¨¦.¡± She started laughing genuinely, and Nathaniel couldn¡¯t help but join in. As they moved through the halls, Nathaniel took her in. He was still amazed that it was Shizuka. No longer did she slouch, instead she stood straight with her head held high. A soft smile decorating her face reached up to her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re doing well.¡± Nathaniel smiled at her. ¡°Honestly, I haven¡¯t done anything.¡± Shizuka looked down at the floor. ¡°I¡¯m simply following everyone¡¯s lead. Even this change is because of someone else.¡± ¡°Do you feel this is a change you needed?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nathaniel placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Then don¡¯t sell yourself short,¡± he said, ¡°Even if someone showed you how to change, you¡¯re the one acting it out.¡± ¡°T-thanks, Nathaniel.¡± Shizuka turned away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­ I¡¯d like to go get cleaned up. I¡¯ll¡­ join you another time.¡± She quickly ran down the hall before he could say anything. Nathaniel shook his head with a soft smile. ¡°I forgot how shy she could be.¡±
Nathaniel groaned as he slowly woke. The warmth embracing him would¡¯ve felt nice, if it wasn¡¯t for the pain wracking his entire body. He slowly opened his eyes and flinched at the sight of a blue horn pointed straight at his face. The movement caused Ralia to tighten her death grip and she buried her face in his chest. Nathaniel grunted, desperately trying to free himself. He yelped as Ralia nipped at his chest in her sleep, and her tail constricted around his right leg. Finally, he freed himself from her grasp and he quickly jumped from the bed when Ralia¡¯s hands lashed out. Ralia hugged his pillow tightly and quietly mumbled into it. Nathaniel chuckled at the sight and covered her up in the sheets. Ralia¡¯s grin grew, and she started making out with the pillow. ¡°I wish I could take a picture.¡± Nathaniel whispered and gently kissed her cheek. Nathaniel pulled on his clothes before stepping into the common room. Bella glided around the table, gently setting the plates down. Nathaniel watched her work, but he couldn¡¯t help but notice that she wasn¡¯t smiling. His [Intuition] showed her to be upset. Nathaniel stepped closer, and Bella smiled at him. ¡°Good morning master,¡± she said, ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°As well as I could considering my partner.¡± Nathaniel rolled his shoulders. ¡°I think I¡¯ll need to wear armor to bed though.¡± Bella chuckled. ¡°Perhaps a different bedfellow could sooth your pain.¡± Nathaniel noticed that her smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Nathaniel placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°You seem upset about something.¡± ¡°I¡¯m simply¡­ jealous.¡± Bella turned away, but she kept glancing at the mirror tucked in the corner. ¡°About what?¡± Bella looked up at him, but their attention was drawn to the servant door opening. ¡°Morning.¡± Hope yawned as she stumbled out of the room. ¡°Is breakfast ready?¡± She scratched her stomach. ¡°I¡¯m setting everything up now.¡± Bella quickly stepped away and guided Hope to a chair. ¡°Just give me a few more minutes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hope smiled sleepily. ¡°Mornin¡¯ master.¡± ¡°Morning sweetie.¡± Nathaniel kissed her head. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Hope nodded and rested her head on the back of the chair. Her breathing slowed down. ¡°I think she fell asleep again.¡± He gently picked Hope up, laid her on the sofa, and covered her with a blanket. ¡°Then it looks like it will just be the two of us.¡± Bella whispered as she sat down. ¡°Shizuka said she couldn¡¯t join us this morning. She and the other heroes have an important meeting with the king.¡± The two sat down next to each other and quietly ate breakfast. Every so often, Nathaniel noticed Bella smile, but there were times where she would stare at her plate vacantly. He reached over and took her hand which brought her back to reality. Bella tightly took hold, her hand shaking violently, and she smiled warmly at him. After they finished eating, Bella went to work cleaning the table while fixing plates for the other two. ¡°I¡¯m heading to the forge.¡± Nathaniel pulled on his coat. ¡°Can you check on Ralia before coming.¡± ¡°Of course, master.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Nathaniel enjoyed the silence of the morning, until he ran into the staff. The staff kept their distance from him when he passed, and many simply ignored him. Nathaniel took several deep breaths when he was alone, and a small growl escaped his throat. He ignored the glares of the guards as he passed through the castle¡¯s main entrance and headed towards the forge. He immediately recognized something wasn¡¯t right. Nathaniel scanned the area around the forge, and his [Intuition] pointed to the window. He had closed the shutters last night, but now, it swayed slightly in the morning breeze. The door was still locked. Nathaniel undid the lock and peeked into the dark forge. Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he couldn¡¯t make out any threats waiting for him. He stepped in and his [Intuition] pinned a body laying next to his storage chest. He couldn¡¯t make out the features, but it looked like a child. Nathaniel placed his fingers against the child¡¯s neck and felt a steady heartbeat. With a deep breath, Nathaniel opened the shutters to let in the morning light. Nathaniel sneered when he noticed the child was a young boy dressed in fine clothing. In the boy¡¯s hand was a charred piece of metal, and the hand showed signs of burning. He flipped the boy over and went out to the well to draw some water. Mumbling under his breath, Nathaniel threw the cold water at him. The boy sputtered and woke up with a start. ¡°Who are you, and why were you messing with my stuff?¡± Nathaniel glared at the boy. The boy crossed his arms and glared back. ¡°Fine.¡± Nathaniel grabbed the boy by the neck and dragged him outside. ¡°Let me go!¡± the boy struggled. ¡°Then tell me what I want to know.¡± Nathaniel continued approaching the castle door. The boy didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s make a scene in the throne room.¡± The boy started struggling again, but he didn¡¯t have the strength to fight back. The guards stared in shock as Nathaniel dragged the boy inside, but they didn¡¯t do anything. If anything, he felt it strange that they were smirking at them. ¡°Sir, you¡¯re causing a disturbance.¡± A servant snapped at them. ¡°I¡¯m trying to return this boy to his family. Do you know him?¡± Nathaniel shook the boy. The servant sneered. ¡°No sir, I¡¯ve never seen him before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s terrible. To think someone snuck past the guard.¡± Nathaniel smirked. ¡°We should let the king know.¡± The servant gasped, trying to regain his composure. ¡°T-That¡¯s not necessary!¡± he stuttered. ¡°I think he deserves to know.¡± Nathaniel approached the throne room doors and addressed the guards. ¡°I have something important to tell the court. It concerns the challenge.¡± ¡°Damn, you¡¯re giving up.¡± One of the guards snickered. ¡°I wanted to see the Champion kick that dragon-heart around again.¡± ¡°Just open up.¡± The guards scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s your head, Inventor.¡± The guards opened the door. The heroes, save for Duncan, stood in front of the throne with a few of the nobles standing on the side. The nobility weren¡¯t happy with his intrusion. ¡°What is it Inventor?¡± Rogmier growled as Nathaniel approached. Nathaniel threw the kid towards the king. ¡°I found him trying to tamper with my work, and no one seems to know who he is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Countess La¡¯ Maire¡¯s son.¡± Shizuka gasped. ¡°Boy, did you do what you¡¯re being accused of?¡± Rogmier said dismissively. ¡°N-No.¡± The boy cried. ¡°He started attacking me and then dragged me in here!¡± The gathered nobles started mumbling under their breath. Rogmier took a deep breath. ¡°Come now Inventor,¡± he said, ¡°I understand you¡¯re worried since the Champion bested your slave in training, but this is unbecoming.¡± Nathaniel couldn¡¯t keep the sneer from his face when the crowd laughed at him. ¡°I-I can figure this out.¡± Shizuka stepped forward, shaking violently. ¡°If¡­ I cast Truth Seeker then- ¡° ¡°No.¡± Rogmier snapped. ¡°You will not waste your magic on something so trivial.¡± Shizuka flinched and looked between Nathaniel and the king. ¡°I-I- ¡° ¡°Do it Shizuka.¡± Maria said glaring at the king. ¡°Lady Ophelia, make the heroes see sense!¡± Rogmier¡¯s shouts echoed through the hall. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that, Sire.¡± Ophelia bowed. ¡°With what¡¯s at stake, any accusation of sabotage must be taken seriously.¡± She stepped over and stared down at the boy. ¡°Krietsky La¡¯ Maire, this is your one chance to come clean, otherwise, the Archmage will cast the Truth Seeker spell on you.¡± Krietsky looked around pleadingly, but he was met with haughty glares. ¡°I¡­ I did.¡± He sighed in defeat. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± Ophelia¡¯s lower lip quivered as she stared at the boy. ¡°Because he¡¯s a foolish child.¡± A well-dressed woman along with a short statured guard stepped into the throne room. ¡°Forgive my impudence, Sire.¡± The woman curtsied. ¡°I heard that this boy was here and I came as quickly as I could. This boy was exiled after his awakening. He must have thought that sabotaging the challenge in your favor would get him reinstated.¡± Nathaniel didn''t need his [Intuition] to tell she was lying. Krietsky crawled towards the woman. ¡°M-Mother¡­ I- ¡° The Countess slapped the boy hard. ¡°Don¡¯t come near me!¡± Nathaniel and the other heroes stared at her in shock. ¡°That¡¯s your son!¡± Maria gasped, taking the boy in her arms. ¡°How could you do that?¡± ¡°This boy ceased being my son when he awakened to the Potter class.¡± The Countess scoffed. ¡°Even with the blood of a dwarven warrior, he still awakened to a crafter class.¡± ¡°What the hell do all of you have against crafters?¡± Nathaniel gritted his teeth. ¡°I¡¯d like to know that as well?¡± Maria glared at everyone. She turned her gaze to Ophelia. ¡°Why are they acting this way?¡± Ophelia looked to the floor in shame. ¡°Lady Saint, not all classes are the same.¡± Ollimier sighed with a shake of his head. ¡°No one here would deny the value that crafters bring to our society, but they are a class commonly awakened by commoners.¡± ¡°My son speaks the truth.¡± Rogmier stood up staring at them. ¡°Every noble here can trace back their linage to a summoned hero. The honor and responsibility of ensuring their legacy bears down on us.¡± ¡°What the king means is that every time the heroes are summoned, the political landscape of Everhall changes.¡± Ophelia took a deep breath. ¡°The last heroes summoned each became a ruler of Gilbrant, Umvral, Turlen, and Melmaria.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget what the Guild did during the Great War.¡± A noble shouted. ¡°That¡¯s true. How many soldiers died while the crafters were withholding their abilities.¡± Angry mumbling filled the room. Nathaniel sighed while rubbing his eyes. ¡°This place is truly messed up.¡± ¡°I have to agree with you there.¡± Shawn scoffed as he looked at all the nobles. ¡°Now I understand why you didn¡¯t want to come back.¡± Maria and Shizuka nodded in agreement. ¡°Regardless, this matter is moot.¡± The king sat down. ¡°Guards, throw the boy out, and Inventor, you should get back to work.¡± Nathaniel growled and gave the boy one last look before storming out of the throne room. When he stepped into the foyer, he noticed Bella, Hope, and Ralia approach him. The three of them looked worried but remained quiet as they followed close. When Nathaniel made it back, he immediately got to work. Nathaniel poured all his frustrations into igniting the forge. It was soothing having the heat burn against his skin. He watched the arcane steel heat up until it glowed a bright red, then he pulled it out to be shaped. Nathaniel lost himself in the cathartic beating of the hot metal. With each strike, he pictured the face of the King, the Countess, and all the other nobles in that court room. Then, Kriestsky¡¯s face came to mind, and his swing lost all momentum. ¡°That poor boy,¡± Nathaniel whispered. ¡°Master.¡± He looked up to see his slaves staring at him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Nathaniel stuck the metal back into the fire. ¡°What¡­ do you all think of me being a crafter?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s this coming from?¡± Bella sounded scared. ¡°I just watched an entire room of adults attack a child because he awakened to a crafter class.¡± Nathaniel set down his hammer and looked at them. ¡°I was aware that the nobility didn¡¯t like crafters, but¡­ to see it given to someone else. It made me sick.¡± He looked at the floor. ¡°Do¡­ any of you have such feelings?¡± Nathaniel went wide eyed when Ralia grabbed his shirt. She then pulled him into a passionate kiss. ¡°Does that answer you question.¡± She growled when she pulled away. Nathaniel chuckled. ¡°I guess I asked a stupid question.¡± ¡°You did.¡± Ralia snarled. ¡°The next time you ask that question, I¡¯ll take it a step further.¡± She released her hold and straightened out his shirt. ¡°Besides, Mother taught me to avoid the weak and foolish which you are neither of.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right!¡± Hope pushed her way in between them. ¡°Don¡¯t let those mean people speak down to you. Let¡¯s show them how great you are.¡± Nathaniel chuckled at her wicked smile. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see Ralia kick that mean Champion¡¯s ass.¡± Bella knocked Hope on the head. ¡°Watch your language.¡± She sighed. ¡°Master, I can guarantee you, that none of us look down on you, and that includes the people of Treante too. If anything, we¡¯re grateful for everything you¡¯ve made.¡± She smiled at him. ¡°Please don¡¯t let these nobles words affect you so.¡± ¡°Thanks ladies,¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I let myself get distracted and took my eyes off what was truly important.¡± He rubbed Hope¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re right Hope, I need to show these nobles just what I¡¯m capable of. Let¡¯s get to work!¡± ¡°Do you mind if I watch?¡± Gabriella strode into the forge with a soft smile. ¡°Why?¡± Nathaniel looked at her suspiciously. Gabriella carefully kept her distance from him. ¡°I understand your distrust,¡± she said, ¡°But¡­ I can assure you that not all nobles see you as inferior. Especially when it¡¯s thanks to your weapons that their lands are safe from the Horde.¡± Nathaniel eyed her, using [Intuition] to see if she was lying. ¡°That may be true, Lady VuRant, but with what I just saw, it¡¯s hard to believe.¡± ¡°Then, I may have something of interest to you.¡± Gabriella cautiously stepped forward. ¡°You should know, I¡¯m in charge of the betting for this challenge, and currently, many of the nobles are betting against¡­ Ralia.¡± She turned to the dragon-heart. ¡°Did I pronounce it correctly?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Gabriella smiled. ¡°The betting has increased since her sparring match yesterday. The collected gold is quite sizable, enough to set someone up for life should they bet against the Champion.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Nathaniel scratched his chin. ¡°What do you get out of this?¡± ¡°Your trust, maybe even a proper relationship.¡± Gabriella smiled while stopping outside of his reach. ¡°You should know, there¡¯s more to this challenge than what you and the king wagered.¡± Nathaniel stared at her in shock. ¡°I need a moment alone with her.¡± Bella, Hope, and Ralia looked at him in worry, but they slowly left the forge. When they were alone, Nathaniel took a deep breath and stepped closer to Gabriella. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he whispered. ¡°The King presented terms to Lady Ophelia as well.¡± Gabriella whispered into his ear. ¡°Should Ralia lose, then she will marry into the royal family as the second wife to either the King or the Prince. Ralia will be given to the Saint as a bodyguard, and Bella will be given to the Archmage. Hope¡­ will be sold to the Gilbrant Academy.¡± ¡°The King presented terms to Lady Ophelia as well.¡± Gabriella whispered into his ear. ¡°Should Ralia lose, then she will marry into the royal family as the second wife to either the King or the Prince. Ralia will be given to the Saint as a bodyguard, and Bella will be given to the Archmage. Hope¡­ will be sold to the Gilbrant Academy.¡± Nathaniel yelled and slammed his hammer against the anvil. ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen!¡± Gabriella yelped and covered her ears. Nathaniel stood their fuming at the revelation. ¡°I won¡¯t let that asshole get his hands on those three.¡± He stared into the fire and watched the wood break apart. ¡°And why wouldn¡¯t Ophelia tell me about it?¡± ¡°Rumor has it that Lady Ophelia is jealous of your slaves. I¡¯m sure that the king found this out and is using this challenge against her. After all, that¡¯s the kind of man he is.¡± Gabriella moved in front of him while keeping the anvil between them. ¡°For decades, he utilized my family¡¯s abilities to keep himself one step ahead of his enemies, but he¡¯s always done everything in his power to keep us from achieving any true power in court. Even now, he¡¯s using the Horde to keep us weak.¡± ¡°Why,¡± Gabriella sighed and revealed her menu to Nathaniel. ¡°My family often awakens to intelligence-based classes. My father awakened to the Strategist class while I awakened to the Spymaster.¡± She took a deep breath and brushed a lock of hair back into place. ¡°We¡¯re useful to have around during times of war, but we aren¡¯t sycophants. My father and the King have gotten in plenty of fights over the years, one of them being on how to deploy you heroes.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re wanting to use me to get back at the king?¡± ¡°No, at least not in the way you¡¯re thinking,¡± Gabriella replied, ¡°The writings on the wall Inventor. If we were at peace then Rogmier may have been seen as a decent king, but we¡¯re not. He¡¯s appointed his son to lead the army, and the Prince has lost more battles than he¡¯s won. Rather than allow the heroes to build their own parties, he¡¯s made them form a singular party, and it has been a complete disaster.¡± She sighed heavily as she rubbed her forehead. ¡°He¡¯s a terrible king, and it¡¯s only a matter of time before Gilbrant crumbles. I can¡¯t let that happen to my father, or my people. That¡¯s why I¡¯m turning to you.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s [Intuition] couldn¡¯t pick up any lies. ¡°I understand.¡± He nodded. ¡°Thanks for the information, but I still need time before I can trust you.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She curtsied. ¡°May I¡­ call you by your name Inventor? You may do the same for me as well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Excellent, hopefully this is the start of a wonderful relationship.¡± Gabriella smiled as she headed to the door. ¡°Gabriella.¡± She stopped and turned back to him. ¡°What do I need to do to join this betting pool?¡± ¡°Simply tell me the amount you wish to bet,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯ll have a contracted drafted for you to sign later.¡± ¡°Fifteen platinum pieces on Ralia.¡± ¡°You should know that the odds are against her.¡± Gabriella chuckled. ¡°However, that doesn¡¯t account for any enhancements she may receive from her equipment.¡± ¡°Then make it twenty on Ralia.¡± Gabriella laughed. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll bring you the contract tonight to sign.¡± Nathaniel watched her leave, then turned back to the forge. Pulling out the glowing metal, he began pounding it into shape. His anger fueled the hammered, and a smile came to his lips as the metal took the shape he desired. ¡°Master, how did everything go?¡± He looked up as the women returned. ¡°Terrible,¡± he said, ¡°The thing Gabriella told me enraged me.¡± Nathaniel continued pounding the metal. ¡°I had half a mind to destroy this entire castle with my power armor.¡± ¡°What¡¯s stopping you?¡± ¡°You are.¡± His words shook them. ¡°If I destroyed this place, then the entire kingdom would be after us. We wouldn¡¯t be able to go home.¡± Ringing continued to fill the air. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be able to have any peace. I don¡¯t want you three to suffer because I couldn¡¯t control my temper.¡± With a final swing, the metal had taken its final shape, and he threw it back into the fire. ¡°So, I¡¯ll use this anger to build. Not just this armor for Ralia, but something greater, something more powerful than all the heroes combined.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what the power armor is for?¡± Bella looked confused. ¡°The power armor was for me.¡± He quenched the flaming metal causing fire to spit out of the barrel. He pulled out the breastplate and set it on the anvil, then turned to the women. ¡°It was built so that I could stand with the other heroes, and now that it¡¯s finished, I need to move onto something else.¡± He turned to the three of them. ¡°You don¡¯t get to level one hundred without carrying any burdens, and I now have three new ones to bear.¡± ¡°So¡­ what do you plan to do?¡± Ralia smirked. ¡°First, You¡¯re going to kick Duncan¡¯s ass.¡± Nathaniel smiled back. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll build us a home in which you three are no longer slaves.¡± He headed towards the window and stared up at the white palace. His rage returning as he remembered Gabriella¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let this kingdom walk all over us ever again.¡± Ch.34 Ralia’s Revenge Nathaniel slipped the leather strap through the buckle securing the armor plate around Ralia¡¯s tail. He had to sit on her tail to line up the metal plates so that they linked to the rest of the armor. He groaned when Ralia¡¯s tail pressed up against him, and he had to shift his weight to get comfortable again. ¡°I need you to relax your tail.¡± Nathaniel pushed the scaly appendage away. Ralia chuckled and smirked at him. ¡°It has a mind of its own.¡± The tip of her tail trailed his lower back. ¡°Eventually that excuse will run its course.¡± Nathaniel sighed as he fitted the next plate. ¡°But I need you to take this seriously. If I don¡¯t get these armor plates on right, then the bonus effects won¡¯t stack.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never worn armor on my tail before.¡± Ralia sighed as she shifted her weight on the stool. ¡°Normally, our armor leaves our lower backs free.¡± She began purring. ¡°In fact, we often left our loins exposed.¡± She yelped when Nathaniel tightened the strap too tight. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time to be flirting.¡± He gently ran a hand along her exposed scales. ¡°You could get seriously hurt in this fight, and I want to make sure you¡¯re fully protected.¡± He ran a finger underneath the base of her tail. ¡°That includes this beautiful tail of yours.¡± Ralia shuttered with deep breaths. ¡°I¡­ thought you said¡­ no flirting.¡± She moaned. ¡°It¡¯s called payback.¡± Nathaniel slipped on the tail cap and attached the chains that protected the underside of her tail. He stepped away. ¡°How does that feel?¡± Ralia waved her tail around. ¡°It¡¯s a bit heavy.¡± She groaned in effort. ¡°I think losing the chains and cap would be for the best. Otherwise, I¡¯ll tire myself out simply trying to maintain my balance.¡± Nathaniel nodded and quickly detached the armor pieces. ¡°Much better.¡± Ralia smiled at how light her tail felt. She admired herself in the mirror. The armor was dark grey that shone with a teal gleam. The full plate mail fit snugly against the leather under armor. The many runes carved into its surface slightly glowed in the dimly lit staging area. When Ralia placed on her helmet, the enhancements took full effect. She sighed in satisfaction as the power surged through her body. ¡°I think this armor is stronger than the last set you made.¡± Ralia smiled as she tenderly caressed the metal. ¡°I wanted to make it out of mithril.¡± Nathaniel hugged her from behind. ¡°But that damned king hoarded the resources, so it¡¯s made from pure arcane steel.¡± He rested his chin against her shoulder. ¡°That being said, all the techniques I learned from making Hope¡¯s cybernetics were used to make this armor as well. I wanted you to be as safe as possible.¡± He took Ralia¡¯s hand and placed it against her heart. ¡°This is your fight Ralia. So, forget about me, and fight for your own reasons.¡± Ralia tightly grasped his hand. ¡°You won¡¯t be mad¡­ if I avenge Mother and my family, right?¡± She mumbled. ¡°Go for it,¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± She kissed his callous knuckles. ¡°I¡­ love you so much.¡± ¡°No tears.¡± Nathaniel came around and wiped her face. ¡°I want everyone to see just how beautiful you truly are.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Ralia smiled as she pulled out her spear. She touched the extension rune, and it transformed into its full size. A round shield formed on her left arm. Nathaniel followed her down the tunnels, and they stopped at the barred gate that led into the arena. They stared in shock as they watched a female orc fight off five knights. She towered over the armored clad humans with her muscles shining from sweat. Her leather top and skirt were torn and cut with her left breast threatening to come free from all her flailing. Her left arm was missing from the upper arm. ¡°Now that¡¯s impressive.¡± Ralia smiled viciously. ¡°I want to fight her next.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ I recognize her.¡± Nathaniel chuckled. The female orc drove her axe into lodged the axe into a knight¡¯s wooden shield then twisted the weapon, breaking his arm. ¡°That¡¯s the orc from Pomran¡¯s slave market. The one that was there when I bought you.¡± The female orc released her hold on the axe and grabbed the knight with the broken arm. With a furious scream, she hoisted him into the air and charged towards another, using him as a shield. She barreled through three of the knights and slammed the fourth to the ground. Without losing any momentum, she summersaulted back to her feet and stomped hard on the back of the top knight¡¯s head. The force knocked both knights¡¯ out as they butted heads. She picked up her axe and bellowed into the air. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s impressive.¡± Nathaniel laughed as he watched the female orc tear apart the other knights. She dodged a thrust, but the blade tore off her top and sliced into the skin above her breasts. ¡°I¡¯m more impressive than she is.¡± Ralia huffed as her tail wrapped around Nathaniel possessively. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Nathaniel groaned as Ralia¡¯s tail tightened its grip. The crowd¡¯s booing returned their gaze to the match. The female orc held on knight by the neck while stepping on the other two. At some point, she had lost her skirt, and the only piece of clothing she had left was her loincloth. Pain wracked Nathaniel¡¯s waist as Ralia continued to tighten her hold on him. The orc sauntered back to the gate and gave them a vicious smile. ¡°Enjoy the show hero,¡± she said. Nathaniel winced in pain. ¡°It was definitely impressive, but the last time I saw you, you had two arms.¡± The orc looked to the stump that was her left arm. ¡°The Champion did this a while back. Apparently, he lost to a warlord and decided to take his frustrations out on me.¡± She gave Ralia a steely gaze. ¡°Be careful, durak. He has a nasty temper and will try to taunt you when he¡¯s losing.¡± ¡°Thanks for the advice.¡± The orc nodded and headed inside. ¡°I need to go speak with Shazelle.¡± Nathaniel gave Ralia a quick hug, but she glared at him. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± ¡°Good luck.¡± Nathaniel ran back inside, and quickly caught up to the orc. She leaned against the stone wall breathing heavily. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine human.¡± She growled pushing herself off the wall. ¡°I¡¯m catching my breath.¡± Nathaniel tried to ignore her exposed flesh. ¡°S-Shouldn¡¯t you put on some clothes?¡± ¡°Does my body offend you hero?¡± She chuckled, stepping closer. ¡°Do you find me ugly¡­ or maybe, you¡¯re aroused?¡± She pushed him away and continued down the hall. ¡°Also, I enjoy the cool air against my skin. Unlike here, Pa¡¯palla is a land constantly on fire. Doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s day or night, it¡¯s always hot.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s gaze lingered on her missing arm. ¡°You know, I could fix that for you.¡± He gasped for breath when the orc slammed him against the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare pity me!¡± She bellowed. ¡°I am Keriesha, daughter of Ulberyk Ironfist. My tribe was the first across the land bridge, took over your fort, and laid waste to your armies.¡± The fire in her eyes slowly dimmed. ¡°I may have lost my family, my clan, and my honor, I still have my pride, even when chained like a dog.¡± ¡°I¡­ wasn¡¯t pitying you.¡± Nathaniel gasped, trying to ignore the pain in his chest. Keriesha released him, and he coughed, trying to regain his breath. ¡°You are human.¡± Keriesha scoffed. ¡°My pride is the only thing I have left, and I¡¯m not giving that up for anyone. Besides, why would a human help me?¡± She started walking away. ¡°Because I help anyone who needs it.¡± Nathaniel rose to his feet and chased after her. Keriesha sneered without a word. ¡°It¡¯s true. I don¡¯t care about your race, and you can ask the dragon-heart, fey, and dark elf I¡¯ve taken in if you doubt me.¡± ¡°Very well, human.¡± Keriesha sneered in doubt. ¡°Should the day come when I have no pride left, then I¡¯ll let you have me.¡± ¡°Should I put it in writing?¡± They turned to the woman approaching. She wore a black fur coat over her green dress, and her hair was pulled up into a high bun. Her bright amber eyes took them both in with a shrewd gaze. ¡°If that¡¯s what you humans do, then do it.¡± Keriesha said. Nathaniel sighed under Shazelle¡¯s piercing gaze. ¡°Yes, that way it¡¯s for certain.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Shazelle smiled as she pulled out a small purse. ¡°Here¡¯s your twenty-platinum loan, Nathaniel.¡± ¡°Thank you, and you know what should happen if Ralia loses?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Shazelle nodded with a sad smile. ¡°My husband told me about it last night. We¡¯re to take immediate possession of your slaves, and then transport them to Treante. I¡¯m curious though, who in the that small village has the money to pay off such a debt?¡± ¡°My partner is there, and the girls will make sure he pays off the debt.¡± Nathaniel smiled. ¡°Hopefully, I won¡¯t need him to bail me out.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Shazelle nodded. Nathaniel returned the gesture and left the staging area. The citizens were wandering around, taking advantage of the break. He was amazed at how much it reminded him of sporting events back home. There were vendors selling food, and there was a stall selling wooden swords. Another vendor sold stuffed dolls of the various races along with ones dressed as knights. There was even a stall selling jewelry that looked to be made from broken pieces of armor. ¡°Master!¡± Hope and Bella ran up to him with Gabriella following behind. ¡°Is Ralia ready?¡± Hope smiled at him. ¡°She is.¡± Nathaniel rubbed her head. ¡°Why don¡¯t we get some food and head up to the box?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Gabriella smiled at them. ¡°There¡¯s already food and drinks waiting for us.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get going.¡± Nathaniel took Hope¡¯s hand. Gabriella took his other arm and led him through the coliseum. ¡°You should know, we are sharing a box with the Oracle, Saint, and Archmage. They¡­ insisted on joining when they found out we would be watching the match together.¡± She huffed in annoyance. ¡°I see.¡± Nathaniel said with a slight frown. ¡°Are you still upset with Lady Ophelia?¡± Gabriella replied. ¡°I¡­ just don¡¯t know what to think.¡± They moved through the crowd to the stairs and climbed them to the box. The box sat over the stands and looked down upon the arena. A table sat in the corner filled with all manner of food and drinks. The roasted chicken and pig still had steam raising off it along with the pastries sitting next to them. Fruit sat in an ornate bowl next to the meat and pastries, and several pitchers of wine sat next to an array of cups. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Come Nathaniel.¡± Gabriella tugged on his arm and led him to one of the two sofas. The sofa was large enough for three, and Gabriella snuggled on his left side. Nathaniel pulled Hope into his lap, so Bella could sit on his right. ¡°Comfy?¡± Gabriella smirked at him. Before he could say anything, Ophelia, Maria, and Shizuka stepped into the box. Ophelia sneered when she saw Gabriella pressed against Nathaniel¡¯s arm. Shizuka sighed and stared at the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down,¡± Maria whispered to the two of them and led them to the other sofa. ¡°How are you feeling Nathaniel?¡± Gabriella asked while looking at Ophelia. ¡°Are you worried for Ralia?¡± ¡°Enough, this isn¡¯t a game.¡± Nathaniel glared at her. Gabriella loosened her grip. ¡°Sorry, of course your worried.¡± Booing filled the air, and Nathaniel turned to see Ralia step into the arena. Hope pressed herself into his chest while Bella took his right hand. He gave the girls a small smile which they returned. The booing turned to cheering as Duncan stepped into the arena. The sunlight glared off his dark blue armor, and he hoisted his spear high into the air. Nathaniel bellowed in laughter at the sight. ¡°Master?¡± Bella looked at him, confused. Hope squinted her eyes. ¡°His armor looks familiar.¡± ¡°It should.¡± Nathaniel took a deep breath. ¡°I made it.¡±
A flurry of emotions ran through Ralia. The crowd booing brought forth feelings of anger and nervousness, but when it turned to cheering, she suddenly felt fear. The last time she fought against the Champion, he had taken her wings, enslaved her family, and killed Ysa¡¯Meera, her beloved mother. She fought the urge to tuck her tail in, and instead slammed her spear into the ground. After chasing the nerves away, she glared up at the Champion and busted into a fit of laughter. She immediately recognized the dark blue armor that the Champion wore. A smith had refitted the armor to his dimensions, but it did little to hide the fact that it wasn¡¯t made for him. The bulges in the breastplate were clearly meant for a well-endowed woman, and the tapered waist strained under his bulk. The gauntlets looked like they barely fit his hands, and that they were recreated by a smith will less skill than the armors original creator. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± The Champion growled. Ralia calmed down. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t need my master¡¯s creations, and yet he was the one who made that armor.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Truthfully, he made that armor for me.¡± ¡°Nathaniel didn¡¯t make this!¡± The Champion shouted. ¡°This armor was given to me by the Duke of Rumand. It was made by the best smith he had!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you had such large breasts.¡± Ralia fought against another bout of laughter. The Champion¡¯s face turned red, and he looked down at the breast plate. His eyes widened in horror when he noticed the similarities between their armor. ¡°What the hell!¡± The Champion slammed his spear into the ground. ¡°You¡¯re telling me someone let me come out here in armor made for a woman. I was told this armor was one of a kind.¡± ¡°It is.¡± Ralia¡¯s mirth turned to anger. ¡°And to see it in your possession pisses me off.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡± The Champion looked at the box where the King sat. ¡°Hear ye!¡± the crier called out. ¡°In this duel, the honorable Champion Hero shall fight against the slave of the Inventor Hero. The fight shall end when one either yields or dies.¡± Ralia tightened her grip on her spear. ¡°Fight!¡± Ralia charged forward and thrusted her spear towards the Champion. The Champion dodged with his shout drowned out by the ringing caused by her spear running along his armor. Her left arm flew up, blocking the attack on her flank, and she knocked the Champion across the field when she whipped him with her tail. She wasn¡¯t going to give him a moment to breathe. ¡°[Armor Piercer]¡± Energy coalesced around the Champion¡¯s spear, and it shot towards her. Ralia dodged, using her shield to deflect the attack, and it whistled past her ear. I know what you¡¯re thinking. The Champion held out his right arm, and she dropped to the ground. The Champion¡¯s spear flew above her head. Ralia pushed back to her feet and charged the Champion. ¡°[Wyvern Strike]¡± Her spear shot forward in a series of rapid strikes. The first one struck the Champion¡¯s shield with a sharp thud while the second struck his right shoulder causing an opening for the third to strike his stomach. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t break through the armor. The Champion twisted around. ¡°[Rapid Strike x10]¡± Ralia barely got her shield up as the Champion rained strikes against her. Many of the strikes glided off the metal armor, but a few did cut into the leather armor underneath. Thankfully, the cuts were shallow. [Damaged received. Health 465/475] ¡°Afraid I¡¯ll scar that pretty face of yours!" The Champion laughed as he continued to strike. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure Light won¡¯t throw you away over a few marks.¡± Ralia ground her teeth. ¡°[Deflect Strike]¡± She parried his attack with her shield, leaving a wide opening. ¡°[Dragon Lance: Hyperion]¡± Golden energy surrounded her spear, and the force of her strike kicked up dust. The attack struck the Champion¡¯s chest, and it shot him across the field. ¡°You¡¯ve left enough scars.¡± Ralia glared at him. ¡°I¡¯m here to give them back.¡±
Nathaniel sighed in relief. He was worried when Duncan rained down a flurry of strikes on Ralia, but she was able to turn it around. Now, she had Duncan on the backfoot. ¡°You should be proud.¡± Ophelia called out to him. ¡°Your armor is holding up pretty well against the Champion¡¯s attacks.¡± ¡°I¡¯m prouder of Ralia¡¯s bravery than my armor.¡± Nathaniel replied. ¡°I told her to fight for herself rather than for me.¡± ¡°But what about the wager?¡± Gabriella gasped. ¡°If she loses then you¡¯ll become a slave to the royal family.¡± ¡°What!¡± All the women except for Ophelia shouted. ¡°Master, how could you agree to that!¡± Bella grabbed his arm. ¡°Ralia¡­ if she had known then she- ¡° ¡°Why master?¡± Hope cried cutting Bella off. Nathaniel pulled Hope into a hug, trying to calm her down. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell Ralia because she has enough to worry about.¡± He said apologetically. ¡°She¡¯s already fighting against the man who took her wings and killed her mother. This is her chance to avenge them, and I didn¡¯t want to take that from her.¡± ¡°But still,¡± Shizuka said, ¡°You¡¯re putting your own life at risk.¡± ¡°True, and of course his life won¡¯t be the only one, right Lady Ophelia?¡± Gabriella smirked at Ophelia who looked to the ground. ¡°H-How did you know?¡± Ophelia mumbled. ¡°His majesty told me all about it.¡± Gabriella scoffed. ¡°He was thrilled when you agreed to marry into the royal family.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to marry the Prince?¡± Maria stared at her friend in shock. ¡°Maybe,¡± Ophelia replied, ¡°I told the king that I would marry into the royal family if Duncan won the battle. I¡­ I did it to protect Nathaniel.¡± ¡°And what about his slaves?¡± Gabriella tapped her chin. ¡°You were going to split them up, and even allow his majesty to sell Hope to the Academy.¡± ¡°Ophelia, how could you?¡± Maria and Shizuka jumped away from her. ¡°I-I tried to spare them.¡± Tears started streaming down her face. ¡°He wanted to keep the slaves from himself, but I was able to talk him into giving the dragon-heart and dark elf to you two, but he wouldn¡¯t budge on selling the fey.¡± She turned to Nathaniel. ¡°I know you care for them deeply, so I did everything I could to protect them, honestly.¡± Nathaniel glanced at her. It hurt seeing [Truth] sitting above her head. ¡°I understand Ophelia, but why didn¡¯t you tell me about it?¡± He held Hope close. Ophelia tried to respond, but no words came out of her lips. Even though she didn¡¯t say anything, his [Intuition] made everything clear. [Fear] hung over Ophelia¡¯s head in ugly yellow font. Nathaniel turned away from her. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Nathaniel.¡± Ophelia cried. ¡°I should have told you. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ need some time.¡± Nathaniel took a deep breath. ¡°What about Bella, Hope and Ralia?¡± Shizuka looked at them in worry. ¡°If Ralia loses then they¡¯ll be separated.¡± ¡°No, they won¡¯t.¡± Nathaniel took both of his slaves into his arms. ¡°I¡¯ve seen to it.¡± ¡°Master?¡± Hope and Bella stared at him with concern. The crowd below gasped in unison, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to the arena. Duncan held his left arm close to his chest and cut ran across his face. Ralia pounced on top of him, beating him with her fists. At some point, her spear had broken, and she tossed it aside. Even from their seats, Nathaniel could tell something had changed. ¡°I guess Duncan knew about the deal too.¡± Nathaniel sighed. ¡°Idiot couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut.¡±
[Damage received. Health 500/600] Duncan gasped for breath through his gritted teeth. How was this filthy monster beating him? He was level forty-two while she was level thirty-nine, and yet, she was stronger and faster than him. It had to be that armor she wore. Nathaniel had to have found a way to cheat because there was no way a monster three levels beneath him could beat him. Ralia smiled at him. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be taking this seriously?¡± Duncan snapped. ¡°I am.¡± Ralia¡¯s smile grew more vicious. ¡°Is that so.¡± Duncan returned her smile. ¡°Does Light think so? After all, if you lose, then he¡¯ll end up wearing his own collar.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ralia¡¯s smile turned into a horrified gasp. ¡°Didn¡¯t he tell you?¡± Duncan started laughing. ¡°If you lose, then Light becomes a slave to the royal family, and you all will be split up. Maybe I¡¯ll ask his maj- ¡° His [Battle Sense] screamed at him to dodge, and the edge of Ralia¡¯s spear barely grazed his helmet, yet she was still too close. Pain ran along his face with his warm blood seeping from the long cut Ralia had given him, dislodging his helmet as well. Before he could react, she struck again. The golden blow struck his chest plate and sent him flying, and he landed with a deep thud. His back screamed at him from the hard landing. [Severe damage received. Health 425/600] He tried to rise to his feet, but Ralia took a deep breath. Again, his [Battle Sense] alarmed and forced his left arm up so that the shield covered his face. It was just in time as Ralia threw a torrent of flames upon him. The armor¡¯s [Fire Resistance] helped with the heat, but with his helmet gone, the flames still lashed at his face with searing heat. He wouldn¡¯t have to worry about severe burns, but it was ticking his health down one point at a time. Duncan growled at his predicament. He needed to move, but the shield was the only thing protecting his face. Slowly, he tried crawling backwards while keeping his shield up. He couldn¡¯t see anything, but his [Battle Sense] told him the monster was approaching, and she was moving faster than he was. He positioned his spear, ready to strike. The flames stopped as Ralia struck his shield. ¡°[Armor Piercer]¡± Duncan smiled victoriously when his spear shot forward, but it quickly faded away. Duncan¡¯s spear shrieked as it deflected off Ralia¡¯s shield, and she took advantage of the failed attack to grab and twist his wrist, forcing him to drop the weapon. Ralia¡¯s spear slammed into his shield forcing him into the wall. She continued stabbing with violent screams. Pinned against the wall, Duncan used both his hands to hold his shield steady. Pain shot through his left arm with each strike, then came the horrible cracking noise. For a moment, he feared his shield had broken, but it quickly faded when he noticed Ralia wasn¡¯t attacking. Her spear must have broken. Before he could recover, Ralia tore his shield off his arm with a agonizing snap. [Critical damage received. Health 375/600] [Condition applied: Broken Arm (Left)] Duncan screamed and raised his right arm trying to recall his spear, but Ralia grabbed his good arm and started punching him. He slowly slid down the wall with each strike in the face. Ringing filled his ears from the constant beating, and he couldn¡¯t find the strength to breathe. Thankfully, she stopped, but the pain soon followed. [Severe damage received. Health 250/600] ¡°Yield Champion.¡± Duncan could barely see her, but that didn¡¯t stop him from spitting blood at her. ¡°Fuck you!¡± His voice came out muffled. Ralia sighed and threw him to the ground. The light from the sun seared his eyes. He screamed as Ralia stepped on his right hand, and he stared in terror as she placed the spear tip against the inside of his elbow. ¡°Yield Champion, or else.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll¡­ kill you¡­ then Light.¡± ¡°[Dragon Lance]¡± [Critical damage received! 50/600] [Condition applied: Severed arm (Right)] Duncan howled as the golden spear drove into his flesh. His blood painted the blue spear as Ralia pulled it out of the dirt. Tears seared the cuts on his face as he stared in horror at his severed arm. Ralia kicked his left arm and stepped on his hand. ¡°Will you survive losing this one?¡± Ralia glared down at him. Fear wracked Duncan¡¯s mind. ¡°I yield! I yield!¡± he cried. ¡°For the love of god stop!¡± Ralia huffed as she stepped away. Darkness crept in at the edges of his vision, but thankfully the ringing had died down. The sudden urge to sleep came over him. ¡°Master! Master!¡± Duncan barely had the strength to open his eyes, but he smiled at the beauty in front of him. ¡°Veyl,¡± Duncan could no longer fight his exhaustion.
Nathaniel sighed deeply as looked down at the arena. The crier reluctantly called the match for Ralia when Duncan failed to rise, and Ophelia, Maria, and Shizuka ran out of the box. He was surprised that there was no booing. Apparently, the crowd was in too much shock to react, and Ralia was able to leave the arena unmolested. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go meet up with Ralia.¡± Nathaniel somberly said. The women rose along with him and quietly followed. ¡°Do you think Ralia will be all right?¡± Bella asked, trying to keep her composure. ¡°Won¡¯t there be retaliations for nearly killing the Champion?¡± ¡°There might, but they won¡¯t be open attempts.¡± Gabriella tried reassuring her with a smile. ¡°After all, the Champion was aware that death was a possibility. That said Nathaniel, I suggest you keep her close and keep your [Intuition] on. The nobles won¡¯t take this loss lying down.¡± Nathaniel nodded with a sober expression. ¡°So, how much did we win?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to get back to my room to calculate the winnings.¡± Gabriella¡¯s smile turned vicious. ¡°But I¡¯d say it¡¯s enough to fund a small kingdom.¡± ¡°Good, I have need of it.¡± Gabriella gave him a curious gaze but kept her mouth shut. The citizens were still sitting in their seats which left the common areas of the colosseum empty, and they quickly made their way to the fighter¡¯s staging area. Ralia leaned against the wall hugging herself, and when she noticed them, she charged forward. Tears filled Ralia¡¯s eyes, and she raised her hand ready to slap him, but it hung there shaking violently. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± She gasped while crying. ¡°Because I wanted you to fight for yourself.¡± Nathaniel took her raised hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t want this fight to be about me.¡± ¡°You fool!¡± Ralia cried as she wrapped her fingers in his hair. ¡°You bought me to fight for you. Why won¡¯t you let me?¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s because I¡¯m a foolish man.¡± Nathaniel chuckled. ¡°You were beautiful by the way.¡± Ralia laughed and wiped away her tears. ¡°So, you know, I¡¯m not letting you get any sleep tonight.¡± She said with a vicious smile. ¡°And I¡¯m not taking any contraceptives either.¡± ¡°I get that you are angry, but let¡¯s not be hasty.¡± Ralia threw herself against him in a passionate kiss. I guess I¡¯ll let her have this one. Ch.35 Moving Forward Duncan groaned in agonizing pain. It seared through his entire body, each movement sending lightning through every nerve. His tongue felt coarse, and his throat screamed for water. His eyes opened slightly, but he flinched at the sudden appearance of light. ¡°Veyl.¡± he moaned. ¡°Veyl! ¡°I¡¯m right here master.¡± Veyl¡¯s sweet voice eased some of his tension. ¡°Here, drink this, slowly.¡± The water slid down his throat with a sweet, refreshing taste, but pain followed with each swallow. ¡°What happened?¡± Duncan mumbled. ¡°Why am I in so much pain.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± ¡°I remember a fight, and I lost.¡± Duncan sneered in shame. ¡°I lost to that damn orc again, didn¡¯t I.¡± His eyes were slowly getting accustomed to the light. ¡°No, master.¡± Veyl sniffled and gently touched his cheek. ¡°You didn¡¯t lose to the warlord.¡± ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re awake. I feared what the dragon-heart might have done to you.¡± ¡°Dragon-heart?¡± Memories flooded Duncan¡¯s mind, and the shame he felt intensified. He bit his lips trying to keep himself from crying. ¡°Dammit! Why was I such an idiot?¡± ¡°Master, you did nothing wrong.¡± Veyl cooed. ¡°Of course I did!¡± His throat burned with pain when he screamed. ¡°I underestimated that damned monster, and she humiliated me.¡± He gasped. He tried turning his head, but the pain was too much. ¡°My arm! What happened to it?¡± ¡°The Saint was able to reattach it,¡± Veyl said, ¡°But you were nearly dead, so she had to use the remainder of her power to get your health back up. You¡¯re going to have scars master.¡± ¡°So that explains the pain.¡± He opened his menu and sighed. ¡°Looks like my left arm is still broken.¡± ¡°Once you¡¯ve recovered enough, the other priests will tend to your wounds.¡± ¡°What happened to Light?¡± ¡°The Inventor is still here.¡± Veyl snarled with hatred in her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s staying for the banquet in a few days, and then he¡¯s going back to his village.¡± Duncan nodded. ¡°Is there a reason why you asked?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Duncan sighed. ¡°I hate to admit it, but he may be needed to help with the war. However, I still want to kick his ass.¡±
Ophelia held her head in her hands. The blowback from the Champion¡¯s loss had hit her hard. Doubt about the Champion¡¯s ability to protect the kingdom were spreading like wildfire. The very foundation that supported Gilbrant broke when the Champion lost to a monster. What¡¯s worse, many of King Rogmier¡¯s enemies were gathering around the VuRant family with Nathaniel becoming their figurehead. ¡°How do I fix this?¡± Ophelia stared at her clenched fists. ¡°Quit scowling dear.¡± Ophelia stared in horror as her mother walked in. ¡°It¡¯ll give you wrinkles.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry mother,¡± Ophelia said, ¡°It¡¯s simply that things are getting out of hand.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard.¡± Euphiere sat down with a motherly smile. ¡°After all, it¡¯s causing trouble for your father and I.¡± ¡°What do I do?¡± Ophelia pleaded with her mother. ¡°Nathaniel is now in the middle of a political squabble between the King and his naysayers. I want to protect him, but I don¡¯t know how?¡± Euphiere sighed while rubbing her eyes. ¡°Ophelia, quit treating the man like he¡¯s inept.¡± Ophelia gawked at her. ¡°You are the Oracle, it¡¯s your job to oversee the heroes, not protect them.¡± ¡°But,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt.¡± Euphiere snapped, a fire burning in your eyes. ¡°I may not know the Inventor personally, but I¡¯m aware of what he¡¯s going through.¡± Ophelia shrank under her mother¡¯s stern gaze. Euphiere rose from her seat and stared out the window. ¡°The nobility will never accept him if he doesn¡¯t prove himself. That means he¡¯ll have to struggle and earn their respect one family at a time. Then, once enough nobles have come to support him, the others will fall in line, even if they don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s hard getting even one family¡¯s support, and he doesn''t need you holding him back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not holding him back.¡± Ophelia stared at her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t want others to lead him astray.¡± She couldn¡¯t keep the sneer off her lips. Euphiere huffed with a knowing smirk. ¡°Quit being spoiled Ophelia. You¡¯re going to have to share him.¡± ¡°I¡­ know that.¡± ¡°Then you should start acting like it.¡± Euphiere patted her daughter¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You should start by asking for forgiveness from both him and his slaves. Then you can start repairing your relationship.¡± Ophelia nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right mother.¡± She rose to her feet. ¡°I should go speak with him.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± Euphiere smiled, following her. Ophelia looked confused which caused her mother¡¯s smile to grow. ¡°It¡¯d be best if I come along, to make sure you two have proper compatibility.¡± Ophelia sighed but let her mother be. The two women walked down the fully staffed halls to Nathaniel¡¯s room but found Porman approaching with a group. She recognized Porman¡¯s wife, but she didn¡¯t recognize the young woman with black hair that shined blue in the sunlight. Her tall, lithe frame gave her a delicate beauty that reminded Ophelia of the glass figurines her mother owned, and the beauty mark under her left eye drew attention to her stunning teal eyes. What surprised her was that Krietsky La¡¯ Maire following behind them. ¡°Lady Oracle, your Grace.¡± Porman bowed to them. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you this morning.¡± ¡°Master Quarmane.¡± Ophelia nodded back. ¡°Are you here to visit Nathaniel?¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Porman pulled out a thick roll of parchment. ¡°We need to discuss business.¡± ¡°May I join you?¡± Ophelia smiled warmly. ¡°I need to speak with Nathaniel as well.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Porman knocked on the door. The dark elf opened the door and smiled warmly at Porman. ¡°Good morning master Quarmane.¡± Her gaze turned to Ophelia and her smile lost its warmth. ¡°Lady Oracle.¡± ¡°Is Nathaniel awake?¡± Ophelia asked, trying to produce a warm smile. ¡°He¡¯s still asleep.¡± The slave welcomed them inside. ¡°Ralia¡­ kept him up late last night.¡± Porman bellowed out a laugh while Ophelia swallowed the words she wanted to say. ¡°I¡¯ll go see if I can wake him.¡± Ophelia led her mother to one of the sofas and sat down. She noticed the fey girl glaring at them. ¡°It¡¯s rude to glare at your guests.¡± Euphiere said imperiously and snapped her fingers. ¡°Come here.¡± The fey slowly stepped towards them, pouting at the ground. Euphiere gently straightened out the girl¡¯s dress and fixed her stray strands of hair. ¡°Quite lovely, what¡¯s your name?¡± She smiled. ¡°Hope.¡± She noticed the girl¡¯s metal limbs and tenderly inspected them. ¡°And what are these?¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Some mean humans cut my arms and legs off.¡± Hope said shyly. ¡°Master¡­ made these to replace them.¡± Euphiere¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°The Inventor made these?¡± Hope nodded and quickly looked up at her. ¡°He truly is an impressive man.¡± A motherly smirk came to her lips. ¡°And I¡¯m certain you love him dearly.¡± Hope blushed with an enthusiastic nod. Euphiere leaned in and whispered into the fey¡¯s ear. Her smile grew along with the red on her face. When Euphiere pulled back, the fey gave her a loving smile. ¡°Really?¡± Euphiere nodded, and Ophelia was surprised when Hope gave her a quick hug before running into the servant¡¯s room. ¡°What did you say?¡± Ophelia watched her mother smoothen out her dress with a bright smile. ¡°I simply gave the girl some advice.¡± Euphiere chuckled. ¡°The poor girl has to compete for her master¡¯s attention after all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised, most noblewomen wouldn¡¯t engage with a slave.¡± Porman smiled warmly at her. ¡°Being a Matchmaker has given me a soft spot for young girls.¡± The door to the master bedroom opened and they all rose to their feet. ¡°Sorry to keep you all waiting.¡± Nathaniel tucked in his shirt and desperately tried tidying his hair. ¡°I heard you had quite the night.¡± Porman chuckled which caused his wife to playfully slap him. Nathaniel smirked, but it quickly faded when he spotted Ophelia. ¡°Ralia¡­ didn¡¯t take the news of the wager well. So, she¡¯s being a little clingy right now.¡± He strode across the room and pulled an armchair over. ¡°We haven¡¯t been introduced.¡± He held out his hand to Euphiere. ¡°I¡¯m Ophelia¡¯s mother, Duchess Euphiere DeMare.¡± She gently took his hand. ¡°A pleasure.¡± Nathaniel smiled and turned to Ophelia. ¡°Was there something you needed, or is this a courtesy visit?¡± Ophelia wringed her hands, trying to find the words. ¡°I¡¯m here to ask for your forgiveness,¡± She said, ¡°I should have told you about my talk with the King, but I let my emotions get the better of me.¡± She looked at Nathaniel and then the dark elf. ¡°I apologize to both you and your family.¡± Nathaniel looked at Bella who gave him a quick nod. ¡°It¡¯s okay Ophelia.¡± He sighed with a small smile. ¡°After thinking it over, I realize that you were helping me. I hope we can move past this.¡± Ophelia nodded with a hopeful smile. He turned to Porman and his family. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to pay the piper.¡± He tossed two small coin purses onto the table. ¡°There¡¯s the original twenty coins along with ten gold coins as interest. You¡¯ll get the rest when Gabriella can pry it from the nobility.¡± Porman took the larger sack. ¡°Keep the ten,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯d rather you sign this instead.¡± He handed Nathaniel the rolled-up parchment. Nathaniel unfurled the paper and slowly started reading. ¡°You¡¯re wanting to own land in Treante, a pretty large plot it seems.¡± Porman nodded. ¡°Oh, you want to build a warehouse. Not a store?¡± ¡°A store isn¡¯t needed. However, you won¡¯t have the time to make regular trips to the trading house, so I thought it would be best to take that over.¡± Porman looked at the girl sitting between him and his wife. ¡°Also, I want to build an estate in Treante as well.¡± ¡°Please tell me its¡¯ not for Cymella.¡± Nathaniel looked concerned. Porman¡¯s family laughed at the merchant shook his head. ¡°Good.¡± Nathaniel flipped to the next page. ¡°You want to be the sole distributor of my product. You¡¯re offering a great rate, so I have no problems with that. Quarmane Trading will be my primary agent for negotiations. That¡¯s fine.¡± He flipped the next page, and his face went pale. ¡°You¡¯re daughter¡¯s hand in marriage?¡± Ophelia tried to keep calm as Porman smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Shazelle and I discussed it, and we feel our daughter Aniphrae would make an excellent wife for you.¡± The girl in between them smiled warmly at Nathaniel. ¡°Of all my daughters, I feel Aniphrae is the best suited to you.¡± He gestured to his daughter with a dazzling smile ¡°She has the Merchant class so she¡¯ll be of use promoting your works, and she has the [Merchant¡¯s Eye] talent which means she can price your works.¡± His smile turned vicious. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t turn me down after all I¡¯ve done, would you?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have any issues with marrying your daughter.¡± Nathaniel tried to smile politely. ¡°It¡¯s just that she might not want to. I¡¯d hate to force her into something that she doesn¡¯t want to.¡± Sweat started forming on his forehead ¡°Unfortunately, most of my other daughters are underage, and the ones that aren¡¯t are married.¡± Porman sighed looking at the servant¡¯s door. ¡°Besides, marrying you would put my mind at ease. After all, a father wants his daughter to find a good husband, and there I can see none better than you.¡± Aniphrae smiled warmly. ¡°Master Light, I would consider it an honor to join your household.¡± She rose and gracefully glided over to him. ¡°If your concerned for your slaves, then don¡¯t be. I wish not to break the bonds you¡¯ve formed with them, but only wish to strength the bond between our two families. Although, I understand if I¡¯m not to your liking.¡± The girl¡¯s smile became half-hearted as her eyes became tearful. ¡°You should take note.¡± Euphiere whispered to Ophelia with a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± Nathaniel gave her a reassuring smile. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to you to rush into things. I don¡¯t want you to resent this decision later in the future. We barely know each other. It would be foolish for us to get married right away.¡± Her eyes grew wider as her lower lip started quivering. Nathaniel looked ashamed as the girl was nearly in tears. ¡°How about you come live in Treante. We can get to know each other, then after some time, we can plan after that?¡± Aniphrae took his hand with a bright smile. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to that day!¡± When she turned around, she gave her mother a victorious smile. ¡°Bella, can you bring me a pen.¡± Bella set down the quill and ink set on the table and Nathaniel signed the documents. ¡°You trained your daughter well.¡± He chuckled as he handed it back. ¡°Even with [Intuition] I couldn¡¯t help but give in.¡± Porman chuckled as he slipped the papers into his pocket. ¡°So, do you think the king will keep his end of the bargain?¡± ¡°I think he will,¡± Porman said, ¡°King Rogmier has a reputation of backing out on deals. You¡¯ll need to find some way of backing him into a corner, so that he can¡¯t worm his way out.¡± Nathaniel tapped the arm of his chair in thought. ¡°Which nobles are currently under threat from the Horde and demons?¡± ¡°Currently, Duke Warnmier¡¯s and Duke Sigmund¡¯s domains are under threat.¡± Ophelia replied, fidgeting with her hands. ¡°After that, Duke DeMare, my father, and the nobles under him would be the next under threat should either of them fall.¡± ¡°What¡¯s their relationship with the king like?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the most stable.¡± Euphiere sighed deeply. ¡°Duke Warnmier is upset with how poorly the royal army has been performing lately. As for Duke Sigmund, he¡¯s too busy rallying his own forces to keep his lands stable. He¡¯s mainly been dealing with the refugees that are coming in from the north.¡± She turned to her daughter with motherly concern. ¡°My husband and the King have had a few scuffs when it comes to the war, but the King¡¯s desire for my daughter has made him overlook my husband¡¯s opinions. However, I doubt that will last after yesterday.¡± ¡°Did your husband watch the duel?¡± Nathaniel¡¯s lips quirked into a smile. Euphiere returned the smile. ¡°He did, and he was quite impressed.¡± ¡°Porman, what would you say to selling armor to the three dukes at a steep discount?¡± Nathaniel smiled viciously at the merchant. ¡°In exchange for their support against the King. That makes sense.¡± Porman¡¯s eyes shone mischievously. ¡°I say we extend it to all the lords under them as well. After all, it¡¯s a hero¡¯s duty to serve the kingdom.¡± Euphiere stood, pulling Ophelia to her feet. ¡°Then I should go speak with my husband.¡± She smiled sweetly at Nathaniel. ¡°Any chance I could persuade you into making power armor for my husband and sons?¡± ¡°No,¡± Nathaniel replied, ¡°I¡¯d be a fool to hand out power armor frivolously. However, I can make them a suit of armor like what Ralia wore in the duel.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Euphiere curtsied. ¡°I look forward to our next meeting.¡± Ophelia followed her mother out of the room. They were a few steps from his room when she started whispering. ¡°I wonder if little Illuiene would oppose an arranged marriage.¡± ¡°Are you considering marrying my cousin to Nathaniel instead of me!¡± Ophelia gasped in horror. ¡°You¡¯re my mother, why are you working against me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m simply doing my duty.¡± Euphiere smirked at her. ¡°Who¡¯s to say he can¡¯t marry multiple women from the same family.¡± Ophelia pouted at her. ¡°But I¡¯ll hold off for your sake.¡± She gave her daughter a warm smile. ¡°Thank you, mother.¡±
Nathaniel waited for the door to close before turning back to Porman. The La¡¯ Maire boy stood behind them with his face towards the ground. Every now and then he would look up but then return his gaze downward when he noticed Nathaniel staring. ¡°Thanks for finding him, Porman.¡± Nathaniel said with a tired smile. ¡°It wasn¡¯t hard.¡± Porman chuckled. ¡°The boy walked right into my trading house to sell his talents. It¡¯s a shame he doesn¡¯t have any.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me he hasn¡¯t learned any skills?¡± Nathaniel stared at the boy in shock. ¡°No,¡± Krietsky mumbled, ¡°Moth- Lady La¡¯ Maire didn¡¯t invest in any. My father wanted nothing to do with me either.¡± Porman leaned over to whisper. ¡°Dwarves are a strange bunch. They have a crafter caste, but the hierarchy favors crafters with more practical uses like blacksmiths, carpenters, and masons. As a Potter, he¡¯d be considered the bottom rung of the crafter caste.¡± ¡°Jewelers are the only exception.¡± Krietsky snapped. ¡°Simply because jewelry can make them rich.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s just stupid.¡± Nathaniel scoffed. ¡°Back in my world, ceramics were used in practically everything.¡± He rose from his chair and walked up to the boy. Krietsky couldn¡¯t have been more than five feet tall. His short curly hair hung around his misshapen ears, and a scruffy beard was starting to appear on his jaw. It must have been the half-human side of him that made him look more like a child. ¡°So kid, I¡¯ll take you.¡± Nathaniel smiled at him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± Nathaniel patted the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°In my world, ceramics were very important, and I¡¯m going to bring those ceramics here.¡± He chuckled and held out his hand. ¡°You want to help me?¡± ¡°What could they do?¡± ¡°God, what couldn¡¯t they do.¡± Nathaniel tapped his chin. ¡°Ceramics are well known for being able to handle heat, and I mean intense heat, but that¡¯s just scratching the surface. As I said, we used them in practically everything.¡± Krietsky stared up at Nathaniel in wonder. ¡°So, want to join me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The boy wiped at his face. Krietsky started crying hard. Nathaniel hugged the boy. ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be alright kid.¡± He comforted the boy. ¡°Can I get you to buy pottery books for me?¡± He asked Porman. ¡°I¡¯ll get to it.¡± Porman smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll even throw in the tools you¡¯ll need.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Nathaniel rubbed Krietsky¡¯s back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry son. I¡¯ll see to it you have a place to call home.¡± Ch.36 Making Connections Nathaniel stood in front of the full-sized mirror straightening out his suit. The ascot felt too snug around his neck, and he wasn¡¯t a fan of the ornate embroidery. What he wouldn¡¯t give to have his old, simple suits, instead, he had to wear clothes that belonged in some museum. ¡°Master, we¡¯re ready!¡± Hope ran out in a pink and white floral dress with a short poofy skirt and sleeves that showed off her legs and arms. a lacy belt wrapped around her waist with a large bow resting on her hip matched the ones in her hair. Two braids hung from either side of her head, leaving her ears exposed, and her radiant smile was infectious. Ralia came out in a dress the same dark blue as her scales and golden bangles hung off her arms. The waves of her golden hair flowed freely with each step she took. Her sheer dress hung from her shoulders leaving her arms and back exposed, and with the amount of cleavage she was showing, he feared something would slip out. Although, it¡¯s not like Ralia would care. Bella was the last to enter the common room. The prim beauty was lovely in her silky black dress with matching gloves that nearly covered her entire arms. Her long ,flowing hair was decorated with a series of braids that came together in the back. Of the three, she¡¯d easily fit in with the nobles during the banquet. ¡°What do you think?¡± Hope said rocking on her heels. ¡°I think someone might kill me out of jealousy.¡± Nathaniel chuckled as he tried fixing his tie. Bella came over and adjusted his tie. ¡°Then we¡¯ll protect you master.¡± She smirked mischievously. ¡°Especially from those awful temptresses that have been pursuing you lately.¡± Nathaniel sighed deeply. After the duel, several noble families had started vying for his favor, and it was exhausting trying to escape their advances. ¡°Then I¡¯m in good hands.¡± Nathaniel smiled back. ¡°Shall we get going?¡± They nodded at him and followed him out of the room. Nathaniel moved through the halls with a smirk on his face. The staff that weren¡¯t tending to the ball stared dumbfounded at the two beautiful women at his sides. Bella and Ralia both took his arms, clearly aware of the attention directed towards them. Hope was oblivious and waved warmly at each servant. When they approached the door to the ballroom, the crier choked on his own breath. ¡°Are you okay mister?¡± Hope asked with a concerned frown. The crier waved her concern away. ¡°Nate, what are your slaves wearing?¡± Maria glared at him from the other side of the hall. She hung off the arm of a young nobleman he''d never seen. ¡°Dresses obviously.¡± Nathaniel chuckled. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would be appropriate for them to come in rags.¡± Maria sighed in frustration. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant Nate.¡± She rubbed her temples, eyeing the dresses. ¡°What I wouldn¡¯t give to wear a normal dress. These damned corsets are killing my ribs.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make you some when I get back to Treante.¡± Maria smiled warmly. ¡°Thanks Nate.¡± ¡°Are you certain I look acceptable?¡± They turned to see Shawn approaching the door with Queen Haelie. ¡°You look great.¡± Shawn gave her a large, toothy smile. ¡°Then I think you¡¯ll enjoy how I look tonight.¡± Haelie chuckled, but her face turned deep red when she noticed the others. ¡°Nathan, I understand you have a harem, but why do you need to show them off like that.¡± Nathaniel jumped and turned around to see Shizuka glaring up at him. ¡°I¡¯m ready to introduce you whenever you¡¯re ready Saint.¡± The crier cleared his throat and took his position by the door. Maria nodded and he introduced her to the crowd with a round of applause. ¡°Where¡¯s Duncan?¡± Nathaniel looked around. Shawn laughed. ¡°Veyl decided he wasn¡¯t healed enough to attend,¡± he said, ¡°I figure she has him tied to the bed to keep him from going anywhere.¡± He gave Nathaniel a salute when the crier beckoned him forward. Shizuka sighed dejectedly. ¡°I better get ready. Alone. Again.¡± Bella gently grabbed her arm, gently moved Ralia out of the way, and gave the spot on Nathaniel¡¯s right arm to her. ¡°What?¡± she looked at Bella confused. ¡°You should be entering this ball with a smile, not a frown.¡± Bella smiled warmly at her. ¡°So, for tonight, we¡¯ll let you have master. Besides, we need your help in keeping those filthy noblewomen away.¡± Shizuka blushed heavily, but she couldn¡¯t keep the large smile off her lips. The crier waited for them to get into position, and then opened the door. ¡°Introducing the Archmage, Shizuka Tobishi, and the Inventor, Nathaniel Light.¡± The applause that followed was broken and disjointed. Shizuka shook violently under the intense gaze of the crowd. Nathaniel placed his left hand on hers, gently patting it, and she smiled gratefully at him. ¡°Wait, the Archmage and Inventor are entering together?¡± ¡°Are they courting?¡± ¡°Preposterous, heroes have never courted each other.¡± ¡°How are we supposed to compete with another hero, and what about those slaves!¡± ¡°Indeed, truly scandalous, especially that dragon-heart.¡± Ralia¡¯s smirk grew under the gossip, and she puffed out her chest more. Bella smiled gently but her eyes sparkled with mischief as she copied her friend. The two women received hateful glares from the noblewomen and lustful ones from the noblemen. Nathaniel looked at the group of mages standing to the side. The old men looked at Hope with wide, hungry eyes and they were talking amongst themselves. A noble with a rough looking attendant sneered at him with his eyes flicking over to Bella. ¡°Stay close you three.¡± Nathaniel warned them. ¡°Yes master.¡± They nodded in understanding. Nathaniel took his designated place and was immediately swarmed by the nobles. The nobles began lauding him praise over the duel. Their words nothing but incessant buzzing of false praises. A few noblewomen tried taking his left arm, but thankfully Bella kept them off by presenting him with food and drink. Ralia¡¯s presence was invaluable, as a few noblemen tried pulling Shizuka away, but the sight of the scandalously clade monster kept them distracted. Hope stood in front of Nathaniel and Shizuka, showing off her arms. The nobles stared in absolute amazement. ¡°Pardon me, Inventor.¡± The nobleman who was staring at Bella approached. Ralia released a low growl when the rough-looking attendant glared at them. ¡°I¡¯m Count Delimaar, and I believe you have something that belongs to me.¡± His burning gaze landed on Bella. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Nathaniel smiled politely. ¡°The dark elf, she¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°Count Delimaar took possession of the dark elf several months ago.¡± The attendant barked. ¡°Then I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re looking for a different dark elf.¡± Nathaniel tried to give the noble an apologetic smile. ¡°I bought Bella here in Rumand from the Quarmane trading company. They have a copy of the contract if you need to see it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Delimaar growled in disgust. ¡°Then, how much would you sell her for?¡± ¡°Sell Bella.¡± Nathaniel laughed which caused the attendant to snarl. ¡°She¡¯s been completely invaluable to me. I¡¯d be an idiot to sell her.¡± Count Delimaar sneered in rage. ¡°Well, if you do decide to sell her, then please let me know. Come Torman.¡± Nathaniel watched the count walk away. ¡°So, that¡¯s the asshole who enslaved you.¡± Bella stared at the ground in concern. ¡°Yes.¡± Her eyes were shining like she was on the verge of crying. Before he could ask, a familiar red-headed woman approached. ¡°There you are Nathaniel.¡± Gabriella pushed her way through and took his left arm. ¡°I was hoping to accompany you tonight.¡± She smiled warmly at Shizuka, but there was a fire in her eyes. ¡°But it looks like you found someone else.¡± The other nobles stared furiously at her, but it made her smirk grow. ¡°Come, let me introduce you Duke Sigmund¡¯s wife.¡± Bella and Hope stayed with Shizuka. Gabriella led Nathaniel out of the group and towards a lovely, platinum blonde woman. Her almond shaped eyes were perpetually downturned and her small, full lips gave her a perpetual pout. ¡°Duchess Sigmund, this is the Inventor Hero, Nathaniel Light.¡± ¡°A pleasure, my lady.¡± Nathaniel kissed her hand. Duchess Sigmund smiled. ¡°Lady VuRant mentioned an arrangement. You would supply our domain with weapons and armor in exchange for backing your claims.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± Nathaniel cleared his throat. ¡°I fear king Rogmier won¡¯t uphold his end of our agreement, so I¡¯d like to begin establishing good reports with several of the noble families.¡± He smiled at Gabriella. ¡°I¡¯ve already sold weapons to the VuRants.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been a great boon to us, Lady Sigmund.¡± Gabriella nodded. ¡°My father has secured our lands with the Inventors weapons, and I¡¯ve now finished negotiations to acquire armor. The Inventor has even agreed to make armor for my father and cousins. Archons know, I¡¯d hate if something happened to them.¡± ¡°You are willing to take orders on personal armor?¡± The Duchess¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Could I possibly order a set for my own husband.¡± She wringed her hands. ¡°My husband has been struggling to keep our domain intact.¡± She swallowed hard and gave Nathaniel a worried, tearful look. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything to see him safe.¡± ¡°Have things truly been that bad?¡± Nathaniel tried to keep from staring at the [Fear/Guilt] over her head. ¡°Yes.¡± Her lower lip quivered. ¡°My husband is the last of his line, and I married him right after he inherited his title. He¡¯s been tirelessly trying to secure our domain, but the brigands keep appearing. I fear he¡¯ll die just like his brothers and father, and I have yet to give him an heir.¡± She took a deep breath and looked at him with determination. ¡°Name your price Inventor. I¡¯ll pay it, for my husband.¡± Nathaniel stared at her in astonishment. His [Intuition] had never lied, and yet he couldn¡¯t believe that there was a noble willing to make a grave sacrifice for someone she loved. Nathaniel could ask the duchess for anything, but staring into her earnest eyes made him feel guilty for trying to take advantage of her. Nathaniel took her hands which shook violently. ¡°My lady, I simply want the King to keep his end of the bargain we made,¡± he said, ¡°If you are willing to support me, then I¡¯ll make your husband his own suit of armor.¡± Her hands stopped trembling. ¡°If that is all you ask Inventor, then I shall give it.¡± A single tear ran down her cheek. ¡°From this day forward, House Sigmund will support you Inventor.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll even speak with the Quarmanes about giving you a larger discount on purchasing armor for you soldiers.¡± Nathaniel smiled at her. ¡°Thank you.¡± Duchess Sigmund chuckled. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to go speak with the nobles under me.¡± She looked to the head table where the King sat. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time.¡± She quickly made her way across the ballroom. ¡°You did that on purpose.¡± Nathaniel sighed looking at Gabriella. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Gabriella nodded. ¡°After how you¡¯ve been treated, I knew you¡¯d have terrible opinions of the nobility. So, I used the duchess as a sacrifice.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°A part of me thought you¡¯d exploit her, but I¡¯m glad to see I was wrong.¡± She twirled a lock of hair. ¡°I¡¯d understand if you want me to leave.¡± Nathaniel took a deep breath. ¡°Who should we speak with next?¡± ¡°Duke Warnmier.¡± Gabriella pointed to the skeleton of a man across the hall. His miserly glare scanned the room, and his wispy, grey hair was combed back revealing the liver spots dotting his forehead. A beautiful, raven-haired woman with unnaturally pale skin stood behind him. She noticed Nathaniel and gave him a hungry smirk. ¡°He won¡¯t be as earnest as Duchess Sigmund.¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°So, I need to be more ruthless.¡± Nathaniel squared his shoulders and cracked his neck. He noticed Gabriella giving him a longing look but chose to ignore it. Duke Warnmier snickered when they approached. ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯d approach.¡± He gave Nathaniel a vicious smile. Nathaniel tried fixing his smile, but the noble waved him away. ¡°Let¡¯s get to business.¡± ¡°Very well. I made a wager with the King, and I want your support in pushing it through.¡± ¡°I know that already.¡± Warnmier gave Nathaniel a crooked smile. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one with a lovely Spymaster.¡± He squeezed the ass of the woman beside him. ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡± ¡°Armor and weapons,¡± Nathaniel replied, ¡°The nobles that support me will get first rights to any weapons and armor I make, at a steep discount.¡± Duke Warnmier rubbed his chin in thought. ¡°What else?¡± He sneered mirthlessly. ¡°It¡¯s not truly in my favor since I have the wealth to purchase your armaments without the discount.¡± ¡°What about a suit of armor for you sons.¡± Warnmier sighed and rolled his eyes. ¡°Again, I can purchase that without you. What do I get out of this?¡± A slimy smile came to his lips. ¡°What about that power armor of yours?¡± ¡°That¡¯s off the table.¡± Nathaniel growled. ¡°Pity, then I have no other reason to speak with you.¡± ¡°I hear you don¡¯t like Prince Ollimier leading the army?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Warnmier spat. ¡°Do you know what the Prince¡¯s class is?¡± Nathaniel shook his head, and the duke barked. ¡°He¡¯s a Chevalier. They¡¯re great for boosting morale but terrible at battlefield tactics. It doesn¡¯t help that this stock of heroes are completely inept.¡± His gaze fell to Ralia, and his eyes remained on her chest. ¡°Especially if the Champion can¡¯t best a single dragon-heart.¡± Warnmier tapped his cane against the floor. ¡°Did you ever get a dungeon core for your mana chamber?¡± Gabriella smiled politely while tugging on Nathaniel¡¯s arm. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Warnmier growled, wiping the spittle from his face. He stared at the head table. ¡°That bastard promised me the dragon¡¯s dungeon core, but instead, he took it for himself. How is my castle supposed to run without a core to power it.¡± Ralia growled behind Nathaniel. ¡°I¡¯ll supply it.¡± He said with a smirk. Warnmier glared suspiciously at him. ¡°You should already know, but part of the wager was that I would get control of a dungeon. Meaning I can provide you with power cores for your mana chamber.¡± Warnmier barked a laugh. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking. So, I help, and in return you¡¯ll provide me with cores. I don¡¯t have a problem with that.¡± ¡°Not so fast.¡± Nathaniel smiled when Warnmier¡¯s own smile faded. ¡°Power cores are expensive. I¡¯ll need to keep the dungeon fed to keep producing them.¡± ¡°So, what do you want?¡± ¡°Supplies, highly valued supplies to be exact.¡± Gabriella smiled sweetly. ¡°You¡¯re one of the few dukes who can negotiate with Nevran for adamantium, mithril, and orichalcum.¡± Warnmier smirked. ¡°Very well Inventor. I¡¯ll support you, but I still expect that discount.¡± He looked up at his Spymaster. ¡°Chilala, go let the other¡¯s know they need to support the Inventor.¡± ¡°Right away sir.¡± Chilala smiled seductively at the duke. She smiled at Nathaniel and ran a tongue across her crimson lips. Nathaniel stared at the split tip of her tongue. Warnmier started laughing. ¡°Demon slaves make excellent spies. Not to mention their other skills. Go, I¡¯m certain there are more people you need to speak to.¡± He shooed them away. Nathaniel nodded and led his companions away. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can trust him.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Gabriella whispered with a shaky breath. ¡°Archons, I heard the rumors, but I didn¡¯t have any proof they were true.¡± She gestured to a couple standing close to the head table. ¡°Last is Duke DeMare.¡± Nathaniel swallowed at the sight of Duke. He was nearly as tall as Shawn and built like a brick wall. The grey hairs in his golden mane made him look more imposing, especially with the scar running down his right cheek. His piercing blue eyes remained fixed on Nathaniel when they approached. ¡°Inventor.¡± The Duke held out his hand. ¡°Your Grace.¡± Nathaniel took his hand, and desperately tried to match the crushing strength of the duke¡¯s grasp. After what felt like a long time, they let go of each other¡¯s grasp. ¡°My wife has mentioned your arrangement. There¡¯s nothing left to discuss.¡± DeMare nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll support you with your claim.¡± A low growl rumbled in his throat. ¡°However, after what you put my daughter through, my impression of you has dropped considerably.¡± ¡°Dear, we spoke about this.¡± Euphiere sighed, petting her husband¡¯s arm. ¡°You need to let Ophelia handle her own issues.¡± She smiled apologetically to him. ¡°I do hope you and Ophelia can reconcile.¡± ¡°I do as well.¡± Nathaniel gave her a small smile. ¡°And I do apologize for make Ophelia suffer.¡± Euphiere¡¯s smile turned to a frown. ¡°I suggest you get back to Shizuka.¡± She growled. ¡°Those damn mages are trying to keep her for themselves.¡± Nathaniel quickly crossed the ballroom. Nathaniel growled when one of the mages grabbed Hopes arm and tugged at it to get a better look. ¡°Tell us Archmage, how do these false limbs work?¡± ¡°Quite remarkable.¡± Another mage in highly ornate robes started pulling on Hope¡¯s fingers, and the fey yelped in pain. ¡°Stop it!¡± Shizuka snapped trying to push the mages away. Bella tried pulling Hope away, but the mages kept pulling on her cybernetics. ¡°You¡¯re hurting her!¡± ¡°She¡¯s a slave. What does it-¡°The mage fell to the floor after Nathaniel punched him in the face. ¡°Magus Zander!¡± The mages gathered around the mage Nathaniel struck. ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Nathaniel shoved the old men away from Hope and picked her up. Ralia pushed the other mages away. ¡°We were simply wanting to learn the secrets of your creation.¡± Zander rose to his feet. ¡°Imagine Inventor, your metal limbs could change humanity in an instant. So, why waste it on a fairy?¡± ¡°Waste it!¡± Nathaniel¡¯s heartbeat drummed violently in his ears. ¡°I made them specifically for her. After you assholes amputated her limbs.¡± He took several breaths, trying to get his anger to subside. The mages looked at each other in confusion. ¡°Why are you upset? The fey¡¯s flesh was a valuable ingredient for potions of youth. Without them, we wouldn¡¯t have the capital to continue our research.¡± ¡°Oh god!¡± Shizuka gasped covering her face. Nathaniel gently set Hope down, and then slammed the Mage against the wall. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you butcher fey for damned cosmetics!¡± The whole room went quiet, and all eyes fell on them. ¡°You put her through hell for thirty years.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s hands shook violently. It took all his resolve not to strangle the old man. ¡°It only makes sense.¡± Zander snapped. ¡°Their kind live for hundreds of years while humans only live for a single century. These potions allowed the Sage to live for nearly two hundred years. Why shouldn¡¯t we use them to preserve the best of humanity.¡± The Mage¡¯s eyes burned with a mad fire. ¡°Progress is a hungry beast, and we mages will feed it everything we can get our hands on, and we will progress. We must progress!¡± Nathaniel threw Zander away. ¡°Get out of my sight!¡± He snarled as the old man fell to the floor. ¡°You can¡¯t stop progress Inventor!¡± Zander barked, spit hanging from lips. ¡°Work with us. Together we can see to it humanity surpasses even the Archons.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s fist turned white, but before he could take a step, Hope grabbed his hand. She looked up at him with big, tearful eyes, and she shook her head. Staring into her warm, golden eyes helped eased his anger. ¡°If you want to see progress old man, then I¡¯ll show you progress.¡± The mages grumbled as they shuffled away. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Nathaniel checked over her cybernetics. ¡°I fine.¡± Hope smiled brightly at him. ¡°Thanks for saving master.¡± She jumped into his arms and kissed his cheek. ¡°Nathaniel, I didn¡¯t know, I swear.¡± Shizuka stuttered on the verge of tears. ¡°Hope, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± ¡°I helped make some of those potions.¡± Shizuka rubbed her eyes. Hope jumped down and gave her a hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Nathaniel gently rubbed Shizuka¡¯s back. ¡°If the Inventor is done causing a scene.¡± King Rogmier stood up addressing the crowd. ¡°Thank you to everyone who could make it. This banquet was to commemorate the return of the Inventor Hero, who has been diligently honing his skills while the heroes protected our kingdom.¡± Nathaniel sighed as he gently pulled Shizuka closer. ¡°To demonstrate his skills, his slave fought against the valiant Champion in a suit of armor made by the Inventor and bested our Champion by the skin of her teeth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how I remember it.¡± Ralia scoffed under her breath. ¡°To reward such diligence, I hereby bestow the Inventor a noble title.¡± The King¡¯s smile was lopsided. ¡°And what about his other earnings!¡± a young noble he hadn¡¯t seen shouted. ¡°Looks like Duke Warnmier got more than his own nobles to support you.¡± Gabriella whispered. ¡°Well, the Inventor shall be given land of his own.¡± King Rogmier¡¯s left eye twitched. ¡°Since he has made a home in Treante, I figure that¡¯d be the best fief to give him.¡± ¡°Surely that¡¯s not all your majesty?¡± Duchess Sigmund gasped in shock. ¡°To give a hero a single village is hardly a reward. After what we all witnessed, I¡¯d say the Inventor has shown himself worthy of something more.¡± Nathaniel was surprised at the number of nobles who cheered in agreement, but his [Intuition] exposed their greed. ¡°You are truly right, Lady Sigmund.¡± Veins could be seen in Rogmier¡¯s neck as he smiled at the duchess. ¡°Since the Inventor has shown the initiative, it would be wise to allow him control over his creations as well as provide him with the resources he needs.¡± He sighed dramatically. ¡°In truth, I can¡¯t stand by knowing that the Guild took advantage of him. We shall sue the Guild for every coin they stole from him, and demand reparations for the kingdom as well.¡± Nathaniel sighed with a disgruntled smile. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I believe the Inventor has earned.¡± Nathaniel looked up in awe as Ophelia approached the king. ¡°When I found the Inventor, he had claimed the dungeon next to Treante.¡± This garnered hushed gasped from the crowd. ¡°Under his care, he used the dungeon to better the lives of the people of Treante. I request the ownership of the dungeon be granted to him as well.¡± ¡°Preposterous!¡± An elderly woman in gold, white, and purple robes snapped. ¡°The dungeons are dangerous. They will surely corrupt him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the head of the Church.¡± Gabriella whispered into his ear. ¡°We¡¯ve heard enough of your wives tales.¡± Duke Warnmier rose to his feet and hobbled towards the king. ¡°Your majesty, if the Inventor is willing to take the risk onto himself, then let him own the dungeon. In return, I suggest he provide a yearly contribution of a level five core to every domain with a mana chamber.¡± ¡°An excellent idea!¡± Rogmier¡¯s eyes gleamed with a greedy light. ¡°The ownership of the Treante dungeon will also be granted to the Inventor. At the start of next year, he¡¯ll provide us with power cores, and if he can¡¯t he¡¯ll then supplement it with his creations until he has paid his debt in full.¡± The crowd murmured in approval. ¡°I¡¯ll gladly accept your terms.¡± Nathaniel smiled which caused the crowd to cheer. ¡°Can you afford that?¡± Gabriella looked at him in concern. ¡°After all, two active mana chambers are here in Gilbrant.¡± ¡°That should be easy.¡± Nathaniel chuckled at Rogmier¡¯s deep frown. ¡°But it would be easier if you could get me the rest of the money.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. It¡¯ll mostly come in smaller payments, but I¡¯ll get it.¡± ¡°Thank you. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± Nathaniel walked over to Ophelia who was speaking with her parents. The duke glared at him but allowed his wife to pull him away. ¡°Thanks for supporting me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± She smiled warmly at him. ¡°I wanted to show you that I believe in you. So, if owning this dungeon will help, then I wanted to support you however I could. I¡¯m sorry that Duke Warnmier used it for his own gain though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Nathaniel shook his head. ¡°I get the feeling that old man always tries to get the upper hand whenever he can.¡± Ophelia chuckled. ¡°So, where will I need to go when I¡¯m ready to join the war?¡± Ophelia¡¯s smile faded, and her gaze fell to the women in his life. ¡°Castle Warnmier. Even if we¡¯re not there, the army is regularly supplied from there, so you should be able to follow the supply trains.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Ophelia fidgeted from the awkwardness. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to take some advice. Winter is the best time to prepare. It seems the Horde isn¡¯t used to the cold weather and they often hole up in the forts they¡¯ve captured.¡± She licked her lips and twirled a lock of hair. ¡°We¡¯ll do our best to retaliate, but winter is essentially a time in which we cycle out the troops.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll try to get everything done by then,¡± Nathaniel replied, ¡°I should get going. I need to get my papers from the king. I¡¯d like to head home tomorrow.¡± ¡°Of course. Have a good night.¡±
Bella splashed cold water onto her face and wiped the droplets away with a towel. Her long silver hair shone in the moonlight and her violet eyes sparkled like stars. She smiled at her reflection, but ghostly faces flitted around her reflection. For a moment, she could feel the sting of the broken collar. Her eyes were drawn to movement in the mirror. Ralia washed herself with a wet towel. Despite several scars, her skin was nearly flawless, and her scales did accentuate her unique allure. A hungry smile touched her lips as she ran the cloth up and between her legs. ¡°May I ask a favor?¡± Bella whispered, not wanting to wake Hope. ¡°What kind of favor?¡± Bella hesitated but turned around to face Ralia. ¡°I want to tend to master tonight, please.¡± A sad frown came to Ralia¡¯s lips, but she nodded. ¡°Very well.¡± She sighed throwing the rag into the water. ¡°It¡¯s only natural for a man of his rank to have multiple women. Who am I do deny him that.¡± ¡°Ralia¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Ralia glared at her. ¡°Simply make sure that he enjoys himself. Am I clear.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bella smiled warmly at her. ¡°Thank you.¡± Bella silently stepped out of the room. Her knees shook as she approached the master bedroom, and for a moment, her hand hover over the doorknob. With a deep breath, she stepped inside. Nathaniel laid on the bed with his hands behind his head. ¡°Can we just sleep tonight Ralia?¡± He sighed slowly sitting up. ¡°We¡¯ve got a¡­¡± He stared in surprise as Bella stood by the door. ¡°Is something wrong Bella?¡± ¡°No.¡± Bella ran a hand through her hair. ¡°I wanted to attend to you tonight.¡± She was thankful for the dark room, and let her nightgown fall to the floor. She hugged herself as the cold air ran along her exposed skin. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t, but are you sure?¡± Nathaniel¡¯s eyes slowly looked downward. He swallowed hard, and Bella smiled at his obvious attraction. She glided across the room, pressed herself against him, and looked into his eyes with a warm smile. ¡°Yes, master.¡± She took his head into her hands. ¡°I want to be with you.¡± She gently kissed him, and she shivered in anticipation as his hands rested on her hips. She gingerly pushed Nathaniel onto the bed and straddled his lap. Her kisses becoming more intense. Traitor. Bella moaned when Nathaniel placed a hand on her stomach, and she guided his hand up to her breasts. Traitor. She squeezed his arm tightly and shoved her tongue into his mouth. His tongue fought back against hers, and she sucked on his when it entered her mouth. Traitor! Nathaniel pushed her away and stared into her eyes. ¡°Bella, why are you crying?¡± Warmth ran down her cheeks, and she brought her fingers up to touch the tears. Bella stared down at Nathaniel. Warmth filled her heart as she looked on his face, but her eyes lingered on the rounded lobes of his ears. The voices of her people rang in her ears, their harsh words beating her mind. The tears flowed freely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She cried, begging the ghosts of her people for forgiveness. Warmth embraced her, and Nathaniel cradled her head in his chest. ¡°Everything will be alright.¡± Nathaniel whispered into her ear. Bella tried burying herself into his form, and she cried into his chest. Her fingers clutched desperately at his back, and her legs tightened around his waist. His warmth was comforting, and Bella did everything she could to get closer to it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry master.¡± Bella choked on her tears. ¡°I can¡¯t. I so desperately want to, but I can¡¯t.¡± She looked up into his face and she found herself lost in his warm smile. ¡°Take your time Bella.¡± Bella held back a sob. ¡°Can I ask a favor?¡± Nathaniel nodded with a warm smile. ¡°Please, save my people.¡± Nathaniel placed a hand on her cheek and kissed her. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll do everything I can to save them.¡± Bella pulled Nathaniel into a passionate kiss. Her fingers ran through his hair, and she accommodated when his hands pulled her hips closer. They pulled away for a quick breath, only to go back in for a kiss. Bella finally pulled away. ¡°Thank you.¡± She smiled and ran a hand down his chest. ¡°I wish we could stay like this.¡± Nathaniel chuckled and pulled her onto the bed and threw the covers over them. ¡°You¡¯re free to stay for as long as you like.¡± Bella snuggled up to him and threw a leg over his. ¡°Thank you¡­ for everything.¡± She buried her face into his chest, taking comfort in his presence. Ch.37 Heading Home ¡°Thanks again for the wagon.¡± Nathaniel chuckled as he loaded up the remaining luggage. Chests sat neatly along either side of the wagon¡¯s side, so that the weight was evenly distributed, and the chest that held his armor sat snuggly against the bench. The castle servants stood to the side watching them. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, son.¡± Porman chuckled with a dastardly glint in his eye. ¡°Father please, don¡¯t tease Nathaniel like that.¡± Aniphrae huffed in disapproval. Porman turned to his daughter. ¡°You¡¯re already turning against me?¡± He gasped hurtfully. ¡°It¡¯s only natural I¡¯d side with my future husband.¡± Aniphrae turned to Nathaniel. ¡°I¡¯ll be out there as soon as the manor is finished.¡± She smiled wistfully. Nathaniel cleared his throat and smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯ll see to it that you are properly welcomed.¡± His voice cracked in discomfort which made Aniphrae laugh. ¡°Do you have everything Krietsky?¡± The boy stood up straight. ¡°Yes sir, thank you for having me, sir!¡± ¡°Relax kid.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Krietsky blushed as he sat in the bed of the wagon. ¡°Nathaniel!¡± Gabriella hurried out of the castle doors and ran towards them. ¡°I¡¯m glad I caught you in time.¡± She held out a leather binder. ¡°Here¡¯s everything I could remember about Count Delimaar. I¡¯ll send you the everything I do have once I get back to my father¡¯s castle.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Nathaniel sighed in relief and handed it to Bella. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to ask this on such short notice.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to be of help.¡± Gabriella said. She leaned close. ¡°Be careful. Delimaar may be a count, but he¡¯s been making big moves lately. As of late, he¡¯s been the biggest supplier of rare items. Luna Caps, Hallowed Silk, and even Hollywright.¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± Nathaniel scratched his chin. ¡°Those are all ingredients with magical properties. Those shouldn¡¯t be easy to procure, especially for a lowly count.¡± ¡°Agreed, but the King has taken an interest in him, so be careful.¡± Nathaniel nodded. He looked around the courtyard for the last time, then his eyes raised to the castle. Ophelia stared down at him from her window. She gave him a large smile and waved at him. Nathaniel returned the gesture with a wave of his own. ¡°She should come down here to see you off.¡± Ralia said snidely. ¡°That¡¯s enough Ralia.¡± Bella scolded her. ¡°Maybe she doesn¡¯t want to say goodbye.¡± Nathaniel nodded as he took the reins. ¡°We¡¯d better get going,¡± He said, ¡°I want to get home before winter fully sets in.¡± He waved to them all one last time and cracked the reins. The wagon crushed the light layer of snow as they rolled out of the courtyard.
Aniphrae smiled as she waved goodbye, and once the cart was out of view, she glanced over at Gabriella. ¡°He¡¯s quite the man, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Gabriella smiled with a fire in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure that out soon enough.¡± ¡°I already have.¡± Gabriella nodded with a half-smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have any reservations about marrying a man that takes non-humans to his bed?¡± Aniphrae laughed. ¡°Of course not, especially since those slaves are what tied him to my family.¡± She gave Gabriella a challenging smile. ¡°And what of you, my lady?¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to accept them, even if I¡¯m not fond of it.¡± Gabriella replied, ¡°They keep him grounded here. Without them, he probably wouldn¡¯t have stayed.¡± Gabriella¡¯s smile faded. ¡°There¡¯s too much at stake to let my prejudices sway my actions.¡± Aniphrae nodded. ¡°I understand,¡± she said, ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡±
Chilala looked down at the courtyard. She didn¡¯t want anyone seeing her, so she stood off to the side of the window. The freezing air outside barely tickled her naked flesh. The wagon slowly rolled over the snow on the cobblestone road, and she laughed when the dragon-heart released a puff of fire to warm herself up. The two women from the VuRant and Quarmane families were speaking. They gave each other a nod before parting ways. Chilala smirked at their cute display before returning her gaze to the Inventor. She had to move to another window, but she could still see his cart amongst the rabble. The wings on her hips fluttered in excitement, and her tail caressed her right thigh as it rubbed against her. Her finger ran along her pink lips, and she nicked her lower lip. The sweet taste of her black blood tingled her tongue before the cut healed. When the Inventor¡¯s cart disappeared, she gave a small wave with her fingers. ¡°Ta-ta hero.¡± She chuckled before sauntering back to Warnmier¡¯s room. Inside, she found the old man sleeping. His wispy hair a complete mess, and his eyes were sunken into his skull, but it was the marks along his skin that drew her eyes. The words carved into his skin were all the contracts he had made with the demons under his authority, and a part of her couldn¡¯t wait for them to run out. Warnmier slowly woke when the sun hit his face. ¡°Chilala, close the curtain and feed the fire.¡± ¡°As you command.¡± Chilala replied with a sweet tone. She held the curtain open so that the sun light accentuated her figure, aware of the old man¡¯s leer. ¡°What did you think of the Inventor?¡± she closed the curtains. ¡°I don¡¯t think much of him.¡± Warnmier coughed and wiped his face. ¡°He¡¯s like the other heroes, an upstart that¡¯ll soon be irrelevant.¡± Chilala bent over to throw a long into the fire, allowing him to see her completely. ¡°However, I am surprised he survived Fort Cadarn.¡± ¡°I told you didn¡¯t I.¡± Chilala smirked at him before standing up. ¡°He was alive and in the area of Rumand.¡± She slid onto the bed and cuddled up to him. ¡°Although, even I¡¯m surprised that he claimed a dungeon.¡± She ran her fingers across his wrinkled chest. ¡°May I send a letter to the Matron, please?¡± She smiled seductively. ¡°She¡¯ll be most grateful. As will I.¡± Warnmier glared at her. ¡°You will draft a letter, and you will hide nothing from me.¡± His voice echoed in her ears as the command took root. ¡°Only after I¡¯ve read it will I make my decision.¡± Despite her frustration, Chilala gave him a loving smile. ¡°Thank you very much.¡±
¡°Thirty-one. Thirty-two. Thirty-three.¡± Duncan groaned through his morning exercises. Despite the cold air, sweat streamed down his body, and his muscles ached from his weeklong rest. He lay on the cold floor to catch his breath, and he looked at his right arm. A thick scar covered his elbow. He flexed his hand to make sure everything worked properly. It was still a worry that nagged at his mind, but thankfully, his fears were unwarranted. ¡°Master, what are you doing?¡± Duncan winced when Veyl yelled at him. ¡°You should be resting.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had enough rest Veyl.¡± Duncan growled as he rose to his feet. ¡°It¡¯s time I get off my ass and start training. I have until the end of winter to get ready, and I¡¯m not letting Light stay ahead of me.¡± He slipped on a shirt and his boots. ¡°Where¡¯s that leather armor someone gave me?¡± Veyl tapped her chin and pulled out a chest at the back of his closet. She sifted through the contents until she pulled out a hard leather plate with a thick fur lining. She also pulled out a pair of bracers, greaves, and pauldrons. She set them on the bed and Duncan held out his arms ready for her to put it on. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is wise master.¡± Veyl sighed as she strapped on the armor. ¡°You should be resting.¡± An ugly snarl twisted her face. ¡°That vile Inventor and his disgusting dragon caused you great suffering. It¡¯s appalling that they were able to leave unscathed.¡± Duncan sighed and patted her head. ¡°Don¡¯t coddle me,¡± he said, ¡°I have about three weeks until Light gets back to his village. That¡¯s three weeks to make up fifteen levels.¡± He lifted her face and smiled at her. ¡°I need to catch up.¡± Veyl nodded in defeat. ¡°As you wish master.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± Duncan pinched her ears affectionately. Her moan sent a shiver down his back, and he found her flushed face adorable. He stepped out of his room and headed down to the training grounds. The guards were already set up in sparring pairs, and Duncan looked at the rack of training weapons. His hand itched to grab the great sword, but he hadn¡¯t been able to advance the skill since reaching level one hundred. It had remained at level one hundred-five for more than a year, so he turned his gaze to the other weapons. ¡°Still alive I see!¡± Duncan turned to see Shawn approach with a large smile. ¡°Did Veyl let you out on good behavior?¡± ¡°If she had her way, I¡¯d still be in bed.¡± Duncan chuckled, turning back to the weapons. ¡°I need to get training, but I don¡¯t know what weapon to train with.¡± ¡°Why not try the bow?¡± Shawn gestured to the series of bows with quivers next to them. ¡°You¡¯ve never touched one, and having a ranged weapon can be helpful.¡± ¡°Ranged is your thing.¡± ¡°Dunk,¡± Shawn sighed, slapping his friend¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be offended because you took up the bow.¡± A tight frown came to his face. ¡°Things must change, otherwise Nathan¡¯s going to leave us in the dust. Image what would happen to me if he made guns.¡± ¡°Good point.¡± Duncan grabbed a short bow. ¡°Mind giving me some pointers?¡± ¡°Sure man, I¡¯ll have you a master in no time.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Geega stared in disgust at the weapons sitting in a pile in front of him. Bits of clay clung to the metal, but he could still see the runes carved into the blade. He had these weapons stored away on his journey to the dungeon, but when he lost his forces, he had to find another way to bring them back. Thankfully, a Golem Meister was stationed here, but all he could afford was the ten clay golems that now surrounded him. ¡°Are these the weapons?¡± Geega turned to the muscular goblin with a missing left ear. ¡°Yes Zchrek.¡± Geega snarled, handing him the blade. ¡°I am not a smith, so I brought them to you.¡± ¡°So, there are skills that the Great Innovator doesn¡¯t have.¡± Zchrek snickered as he wiped off the clay. He inspected the weapon, and his eyes widened in shock. ¡°Who made this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Geega huffed as a derisive smile came to his lips. ¡°I discovered these on my journey. Whoever made them is clearly skilled.¡± ¡°Skilled isn¡¯t the right word.¡± Zchrek smiled greedily at the weapons. ¡°These weapons are a treasure, a treasure we must take possession of.¡± He scratched at the stump of his left ear. ¡°Your journey took you to the southwest, correct? Do you think we can get the orcs to change the warpath?¡± ¡°I doubt it.¡± Geega sighed in frustration. ¡°Grangk is determined to meet up with the demons in the north. It¡¯s imperative that our forces unite.¡± Zchrek nodded with a disgusted look. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see what I can learn from these weapons, but I¡¯ll need more.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll get you more. I simply need to find the right pawn.¡± Geega scowled as the sound of footsteps drew his attention. A brood of kuroban marched through the fort. The black-shelled arachnids were wrapped tightly in cloaks and furs, and they hissed in frustration at the bitter cold. Two of their four arms held onto the pack that sat in the crook between their upper torso and thorax. Their six legs pierced the hard ground. At the back, the kuroban matriarch was paraded through the fortress in her ornate sedan chair. The matriarch was twice the size of her kin, and her black carapace shined in the morning light. A golden headdress sat upon her triangular head with golden chains lining each of her six ruby eyes. She looked upon the other monsters in disgust as she wrapped herself in the rich velvets for warmth. ¡°There go the insects.¡± Zchrek said in contempt. ¡°Out of the way!¡± A bellow drew their attention to the other side of the fort. At the gate leading to the land bridge stood a tribe of orcs. Their bare pale grey-green skin an abhorrent sight to the goblins. A large orc stood at the front bellowing at the kuroban in his way. The arachnids hissed in frustration back at them. ¡°Move aside insects.¡± The orc chief beat his thick chest in dominance. ¡°You move, flesh bag.¡± The kuroban clicked in frustration. ¡°You stand in the way of the Glorious Shishera.¡± ¡°The Feral Tusk clan moves for no one.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Warlord Grangk stormed out of the fortress keep along with his gaggle of females. He charged towards the new orc chief and head-butted him. ¡°Move aside now!¡± The chief growled in defiance. ¡°You side with the insects?¡± ¡°The kuroban have fought in this campaign. You have not.¡± Grangk growled, pushing the chief back. ¡°Prove yourself first before making demands.¡± The Feral Tusk chief growled but moved to the side, and the kuroban marched out. Matriarch Shishera bowed slightly to Grangk as she passed. ¡°I must admit,¡± Zchrek said, ¡°The warlord at least knows how to lead, even if he is a rock head.¡± ¡°Perhaps, but their kind is only useful during times of war.¡± Geega eyed the Feral Tusks as they entered the fort. ¡°Something I have great need for.¡± Geega picked up one of the weapons and made his way over to the orc tribe and as he approached, he could hear their grumbling. ¡°What do you want bulsglod?¡± The Feral Tusk chief said disdainfully. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that Warlord Grangk would side with the kuroban instead of his own kind.¡± Geega replied in contempt. ¡°One would think kinship would be important to him.¡± ¡°Do not try to manipulate me! Speak your peace or leave.¡± ¡°Very well, I have need of your strength.¡± Geega tried to keep the snarl from his face as he handed the weapon over. The chief eyed the weapon with excitement. ¡°I found that among the humans during one of my expeditions. I plan to acquire more, but I lack the forces to do so.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯ve come to us.¡± The chief bellowed in laughter. He passed the weapon around, and the members of his clan looked at the sword in greed. ¡°What¡¯s in it for us?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll split the spoils between us.¡± Geega replied, his fingers tapping together anxiously. ¡°You will also receive the support from my Cabal. Weapons, medicine, architecture, anything your clan needs, you will have. We simply request you keep supplying us with the weapons until we can get our hands on the crafter who made them.¡± ¡°Do you know where the crafter is?¡± ¡°I do. Come, I¡¯ll show you.¡± Geega gestured to the keep, and the chief followed. He looked up at the orc. ¡°I am Geega¡¯Bulmesh of the cabal of Kuka Bahl.¡± ¡°Vysrek of the Feral Tusks.¡± ¡°What brings you across the bridge, Chief Vysrek?¡± ¡°To settle in this land.¡± Vysrek replied, ambition burned in his eyes. ¡°My father passed, and the tribe split between me and my brothers. So, those that followed me came here to claim land for our own.¡± ¡°Ambitious, but this land is far different from Pa¡¯palla.¡± Geega snickered in delight. ¡°To start, the land is far more fertile. Cultivating the land is crucial as is herding cattle.¡± ¡°That is what slaves are for.¡± Vysrek gave Geega a cruel smile. ¡°There are plenty of humans to perform those duties. We simply need to take them.¡± ¡°What about the cold?¡± Geega eyed the orc with a slightly impressed grin as they stepped into the keep¡¯s main hall. ¡°It sounds like it¡¯s a common occurrence here.¡± ¡°Simply another trial for us to master. We¡¯ve conquered Pa¡¯palla¡¯s oppressive heat, now we¡¯ll do the same with Everhall¡¯s cold.¡± He followed Geega into a room where a map of the continent hung from the wall. ¡°Now where is this crafter.¡± Geega hummed as he looked at the map. He pointed to the marker indicated by his [Intuition]. ¡°There, Castle VuRant.¡± ¡°A castle.¡± Vysrek smiled. ¡°I should find a place to settle first. That way, I can continue to grow my horde.¡± He pointed to a spot that was marked with an X. ¡°What¡¯s this Fort Cadarn?¡± ¡°A fort that fell some time ago.¡± Geega shrugged. ¡°Apparently, it¡¯s in such disrepair that it wouldn¡¯t be worth manning.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll head there.¡± ¡°And how do you plan to repair the fort?¡± Vysrek¡¯s eyes glowed with gleeful ambition. ¡°With my dungeon core.¡± Sierra sighed heavily as she walked through the village. In the three months since the Horde attacked, everything she¡¯d known had completely changed. All the buildings were converted to stone bricks with the thatch roofs being supported by wooden shingles. The well, which used to be difficult to draw water from, now had was simple. There was still a hole, but now there was a metal pipe with a hand pump to draw water from. Even the cobblestone street she was walking down felt completely out of place. It was all so new that it didn¡¯t truly feel like her home village. ¡°Is something the matter, Lady Sierra?¡± She yelped and turned to see one of Nathaniel¡¯s flying minions hovering by her head. ¡°Forgive me, I didn¡¯t mean to startle you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine Seneschal.¡± Sierra nervously chuckled. ¡°I was lost in thought.¡± ¡°Is there anything you wish to get off your chest?¡± Sierra looked around. ¡°I¡¯m not used to how the village looks is all.¡± She gave the flying robot a slight smile. ¡°I kind of miss the way it used to look.¡± ¡°I apologize if my renovations have disturbed you,¡± Seneschal replied, ¡°Master Nathaniel asked that I fortify the village while he is away. So, I felt that the improved infrastructure was needed.¡± Sierra nodded. Everything Seneschal said made complete sense, and yet she couldn¡¯t come to fully appreciate the change. Despite the small number of residences, it was starting to feel more like a town than the homely village her father raised her in. Although, there were many villagers pleased with the change, particularly the youths, while the elderly felt the changes were unnecessary. ¡°I wonder how master will take to the changes?¡± ¡°Do you think Nathaniel will return?¡± Sierra eyed the robot skeptically. ¡°I¡¯m eighty percent sure he¡¯ll return,¡± Seneschal stated, ¡°Granted, there is always a chance that something has gone wrong, but the chances of that are slim.¡± There was a slight pause as the robot gave her a passing glance. ¡°I doubt master would want to miss your eighteenth birthday.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± Sierra snapped trying to fight off her embarrassment. ¡°Because in his world, eighteen is the recognized age of adulthood.¡± Seneschal chuckled which caused her to glare at it. ¡°So, I would recommend you start actively pursuing the master. Otherwise, another woman may steal him away.¡± ¡°So I should runaway to the capital?¡± ¡°No,¡± Seneschal sighed, ¡°Just to the edge of town. He should be here shortly.¡± Sierra watched the machine fly off, and she quickly ran after it. As she ran, she started feeling thankful towards the new road. She didn¡¯t need to worry about mud splashing her dress, or tripping over holes. Instead, she could run as fast as she could, and as she approached the end of town, a cart came into view. A warm smile came to her lips, and she couldn¡¯t stop the laugh from escaping her lips. Ralia was clearly arguing with Bella. Both women held onto Nathaniel tightly, but Bella¡¯s smirk was evidence she was winning the argument. Hope happily sat on Nathaniel¡¯s lap, swinging her feet wildly as she rocked side-to-side, and Nathaniel sat there trying to keep his nerves in check. She was amazed that a young man was sitting in the bed of the wagon. Hope smiled at her and waved wildly. ¡°Sierra!¡± Her call caused everyone to look at her, and Sierra waved back. As the wagon approached, Sierra smiled up at them. ¡°Welcome home!¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to be home.¡± Nathaniel smiled back. He gazed at the village with an approving nod. ¡°Excellent work Seneschal.¡± ¡°Thank you, master.¡± Seneschal said with a hint of pride. ¡°You¡¯ll also be glad to hear that the core has reached level twenty-seven during your absence.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Nathaniel chuckled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop by the tavern for dinner tonight?¡± Sierra said, fidgeting with her thumbs. ¡°I¡¯ll see to it that all your favorites are made, and it¡¯ll be on the house, since you saved the village.¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it.¡± Sierra nodded as Nathaniel cracked the reins. Her smile grew at the sight of the wagon moving deeper into the village. Now that¡¯s better. Nathaniel pulled the cart to a stop at the front of the entrance. He was amazed that the stone road made it all the way to the dungeon¡¯s entrance, and there was no longer the simple mine shaft. Instead, a large metal door sat where the old mine shaft used to. When he looked up, he could see Extractor Bots carving out the side of the cliff. ¡°This way master. I¡¯ve seen to the creation of the garage while you were away.¡± Seneschal led him to a wide set of doors that slid apart. The wide room deserved the title of motor pool as it could fit dozens, if not hundreds, of vehicles thanks to the rotating bays. There was also a set of hydraulic jacks for vehicle maintenance, and a storage room for parts. ¡°You were busy.¡± Nathaniel laughed in wonder. ¡°I dedicated full resources to the implementation of Project Citadel.¡± Seneschal replied earnestly. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve returned, should I prioritize production again?¡± ¡°Both actually.¡± Nathaniel jumped down and pulled Krietsky to the side as Maintenance Bots started unloading the cart. ¡°I¡¯m now the lord of the village, and the King has accepted my control over the dungeon, but I¡¯m expected to supply weapons and armor for the war.¡± ¡°Understandable.¡± Seneschal said as it led them through the dungeon. Krietsky stared in awe at the sleek metal halls. ¡°Who is this master, another slave?¡± Krietsky glared at the flying robot. ¡°My apprentice actually.¡± Nathaniel chuckled, ¡°His family exiled him for being a Potter, so I took him under my wing. I¡¯m going to teach him how to make ceramics.¡± ¡°I see, then I shall begin constructing those facilities immediately.¡± The door to the dungeon core slid open, and they stared at the giant crystal in the center of the room. ¡°I should also mention that while you were away, the DM skill [Mana Control] was unlocked at level twenty-five. I¡¯ve been using it to decrease the respawn rate for the gold and silver vein I found within the mountain, but you should be able to use it control the energy coming from the core itself.¡± ¡°What does it do exactly?¡± ¡°It simply controls the energy output of the core to any node that the core is connected to. By decreasing or increasing the flow, you can control the time, quality, and quantity of the resource that the mana is going to.¡± Seneschal showed them a projection. Currently only two nodes were receiving mana. ¡°I had all mana going to the gold and silver veins. That way, I could focus on leveling up the core while the Extractors were working on building out future rooms. I¡¯ll now return the flow back to normal.¡± Nathaniel watched as multiple strands sprouted from the core to the other nodes. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t need to rely on those nodes as much.¡± Nathaniel said, scratching his chin. ¡°We should be receiving plenty of gold in the following days, so focus most of the energy to the nodes producing iron and magic crystals.¡± Four streams brightened. ¡°Also, focus production on weapons and armor, and implement safeguards on all of them.¡± ¡°Acknowledged.¡± ¡°As of right now, this dungeon is to be operating at one hundred percent capacity.¡± Nathaniel took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m expected to join the war in spring. So, this winter is going to be extremely busy for us.¡± ¡°Of course, sir. Leave everything to me.¡± ¡°Also, send a message to Barin. I need to see him, and have several arcane bronze bars sent to my personal workshop.¡± He turned to Bella with a smile. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to do first.¡± Ch.38 The Elven Grove Everyone gathered around the dungeon core. A heavy silence filled the air as everyone stared at it in anticipation. Bella clutched her hands together tightly as she tried to hold back the tears. Nathaniel placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she gave him a small smile in appreciation. ¡°Elven Grove located.¡± Seneschal¡¯s voice broke the silence. ¡°Pulling up images now.¡± A projection appeared of the sky, but the image shifted downward until they were staring down at the ground. A large stump, decorated with hundreds of rings, sat in the center of the grove. Smaller trees, barren of leaves, circled the massive stump with smoke coming from their tops. Multiple tents filled the empty space with blazing campfires, and a makeshift road could be seen leaving the grove. Bella whimpered at the sight, and Nathaniel pulled her into a hug. ¡°What are we looking at?¡± he whispered into her ear. ¡°They cut her down.¡± Bella wiped her eyes. ¡°They cut Nyena down.¡± ¡°Was she your friend?" Hope hugged Bella¡¯s leg. ¡°Who¡¯s Nyena?¡± Ralia asked, looking between Bella and the picture. Bella pointed to the massive stump. ¡°All groves are built around a Dryad¡¯s tree.¡± She sniffled. ¡°Nyena was the dryad of our grove. She was like a second mother to me, especially when we bonded, and I became the Green Lady.¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t they moved the elves out?¡± Nathaniel scratched his chin. ¡°Does this have something to do with those materials Delimaar¡¯s been selling.¡± ¡°The dryad infuses the land around it with magic,¡± Bella replied, ¡°It allows for special flora to grow around it, particularly those that are rich in mana. It even effects the wildlife.¡± ¡°I can confirm that statement.¡± Seneschal said as the picture changed. Various blues and greens of dull hues filled the image. ¡°The area is infused with mana, but it¡¯s quickly fading. I estimate that it¡¯ll run out by the end of the year.¡± Bella cried into her hands. ¡°So, he¡¯s using the grove as a slave camp to harvest the remaining resources.¡± Nathaniel sighed in disgust. ¡°Can we get a closer look?¡± ¡°Releasing short-ranged drones.¡± Multiple images appeared as the drones flew down to the grove. The land was torn apart, and trash littered the ground. Dark elves huddled together in ragged blankets for warmth while the slavers walked around in warm cloaks. A female elf stepped out of a treehouse, and Nathaniel released a low growl at the sight of her swollen belly. ¡°Are those the broken collars?¡± Nathaniel asked, holding Bella close. ¡°Yes sir.¡± ¡°Display mana signatures. I want to see who the collars are assigned to.¡± The projections lit up with a multitude of colors. Each collar glowed a different color that matched with a different slaver. ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°It appears that the collars aren¡¯t assigned to one person.¡± Seneschal said with a low growl. Nathaniel nodded in understanding. ¡°Recall the drones.¡± He ordered. ¡°Send a message out to Elias and Barin. We¡¯ll need drivers for the carts, and they need to be loaded with medical supplies.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± ¡°How long will it take us to get there?¡± ¡°About twenty-two hours at most. If you avoid Rumand entirely and take the main road heading west, you should be able to get cut a few hours off the trip.¡± ¡°Then see to it camping supplies are added as well.¡± Nathaniel looked at Bella. ¡°I want to leave before sunrise, that way, we can get there by nightfall.¡± ¡°Understood sir.¡±
Dusk was settling quickly. A layer of snow covered the forest floor, and the bare trees left the sky exposed. Elias, Sierra, Krietsky, and Barrett sat on the carts, huddled in warm blankets, waiting until they were needed. Barrett looked miserable, and he kept glaring at Nathaniel who stood ready in his power armor. Nathaniel ignored the boy and headed over to Bella. She wore a thick coat with a scarf wrapped around her neck and ears. The leather pants of her under armor peaked out from underneath the leather greaves, and her belt was loaded with extra cartridges for her rifle. ¡°Here.¡± Nathaniel handed her a pair of leather gloves. Metal inlays lined the glove, and they gleamed with the teal gleam of arcane metal. ¡°They¡¯re your people, so you should free them.¡± He smiled at her. Bella smiled as she slipped the gloves on. ¡°How do they work?¡± ¡°The runes on glove are meant to mimic a person¡¯s mana signature.¡± Nathaniel gently showed her the rune on the back of the hand. ¡°the activation rune is on the thumb, so just dip it in the blood to activate it. After that, you should be able to take the collars off.¡± Bella nodded with a warm smile. Nathaniel returned the smile. ¡°Just focus on your people Bella. We can take care of ourselves.¡± ¡°Thank you, m-Nathaniel.¡± Nathaniel smirked. ¡°You girls ready?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Hope skipped over in gleaming steel armor. A massive, spiked club dragged across the ground behind her. ¡°Yes master.¡± Ralia smiled viciously. Her hands stroked the shaft of her spear. ¡°We¡¯ll send word when we¡¯re ready for you.¡± Nathaniel called out to Elias, who nodded in response. He turned to Bella, Hope, and Ralia. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan: Ralia and I will charge in and kill the slavers, Hope will secure the elves and keep them out of harm¡¯s way, and Bella will cover us. I also have Seneschal watching over us with the drone. He¡¯ll let us know if any try to flee. Once the slavers are dead, we¡¯ll bring in the wagons to treat any of the injured.¡± ¡°What do we do afterwards?¡± Hope said with a worried look. ¡°One step at a time Hope.¡± Nathaniel rubbed her head. ¡°Let¡¯s rescue the elves first.¡± Hope nodded with a sad frown. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Nathaniel led the group into the forest. The dim blue lights from the drones guided their path. Every now and then, one would flash as a pair of slavers stepped into view. The drones would catch their attention, and as the slavers gawked, Bella sniped them from the barren brush. The bodies fell to the ground, and Nathaniel was grateful that the arcane rifle was completely silent. ¡°Mark the location of these bodies Seneschal.¡± Nathaniel ordered the drone. ¡°We¡¯ll collect them after the grove is liberated.¡± The drone beeped in acknowledgement and flew deeper into the woods. Soon, the campfires came into sight. Nathaniel¡¯s HUD lit up the thirty slavers loitering in the clearing in red, and the eighteen elves in green. ¡°Sir, there are no other patrols at the moment.¡± Seneschal¡¯s voice rang through his helmet. ¡°All slavers are currently in the grove.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Nathaniel took a deep breath. Power seared through his veins as the Exponential Enhancement rune activated. ¡°Go!¡± He charged forward as his sword and shield formed. A slaver gestured toward them. ¡°What is-?¡± A beam from Bella¡¯s rifle cut him off, and he fell to the floor. ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± Another slaver shouted but was quickly cut down. Nathaniel wove through the grove, attacking the slavers closest to the elves. All eyes were on him which allowed Ralia and Hope to strike the slavers while they were distracted. The slavers rushed to their weapons, but it was useless. Nathaniel tore through the grove, cutting down every slaver in his sight. Occasionally, he would see a flash coming from Bella¡¯s rifle as it struck a slaver trying to flee. Other times, Ralia¡¯s spear would pierce a slaver before he could reach them, and soon the grove fell quiet. Nathaniel scanned the area. ¡°All slavers have been eliminated, master. None have escaped.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Nathaniel waved Bella over and deactivated the Enhancement rune. Exhaustion coursed through his body as the power fled. ¡°Master, you should have left some for me.¡± Ralia pouted as she pulled her spear from a corpse. ¡°I only killed five of them.¡± Nathaniel looked around in shock. ¡°How many did I kill?¡± He gasped. Many of the bodies bled on the ground from cuts across their backs and chests. One slaver stared up at him, his face frozen in a mask of fear. His gut twisted at the sight, and a chill ran through him. ¡°You killed well over fifteen.¡± Ralia replied with an impressed smirk. ¡°I could barely keep up with you.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s hand clanged against his helmet. ¡°Master, are you alright?¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve ever killed a person.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s voice was hoarse as he stared at his shaking hand. ¡°God, it was so easy.¡± He noticed a splotch of blood on his gauntlet. The crimson liquid became all he could see until someone covered his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t fret on it master.¡± Ralia whispered into his ear. ¡°Remember, these are the men who hurt Bella.¡± Nathaniel nodded as he clasped her hand, and Ralia wrapped her tail around his waist. ¡°They aren¡¯t worth your sympathy.¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Thanks.¡± Ralia¡¯s smile eased the pain in his gut. ¡°Master!¡± Hope came running up. The elves lingered at one the treehouses, glaring at him. ¡°I kept the elves safe just like you asked.¡± She smiled brightly at him. ¡°I even told them all about you, and how you were here to save them.¡± ¡°That explains the dirty looks.¡± Nathaniel chuckled, petting Hope¡¯s head. ¡°You did a good job, sweetie, but I need you to go get Elias and the others.¡± Hope nodded and ran off into the woods. ¡°And bring back those two slavers.¡± He called after her. Hope waved in response as she passed Bella. The elves stared in awe as Bella stepped into the grove. They gathered around her with a few reaching out to touch her. Bella gave them a sad smile with tears running down her cheeks. Finally, one of the women cried and pulled her into a hug. Nathaniel and Ralia gathered up the bodies while Bella tended to her people. ¡°Lady Belladryn, you¡¯re all right.¡± ¡°Where have you been? We¡¯ve been worried sick about you.¡± ¡°By a fairy¡¯s golden locks, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re safe!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry everyone. I should have returned sooner.¡± Bella gave them a tearful smile. Her smile faded as she looked through the crowd. ¡°Where¡¯s Gywneld?¡± ¡°She was taken some time back when a human of great importance visited.¡± Bella nodded with a deep frown. A male elf with a few wrinkles lining his eyes leered at Nathaniel. ¡°Lady Belladryn, why have you brought a human here?¡± His eyes fell to the collar around her neck. ¡°Did he order you to bring him here?¡± ¡°No, Eladregn.¡± Bella said while wiping her tears away. ¡°I ask m-Nathaniel to come here. I asked him to save you all.¡± ¡°A human, save us.¡± Eladregn sneered in anger at the thought. ¡°It was the humans that did all this. Why would one want to save us?¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t like these humans. He saved me!¡± Bella pleaded, grabbing his arm. Eladregn tugged on her collar. ¡°He enslaved you!¡± ¡°Bella!¡± The elves turned their hateful glares back to Nathaniel. ¡°You should start removing those collars before they discharge.¡± ¡°You right.¡± Bella cleared her throat and looked to her people. ¡°I need everyone to stand next to the slaver that had controlled their collar.¡± The elves looked at her in confusion. ¡°Please, I can remove your collars with these gloves.¡± She showed them the gloves on her hands. ¡°But I need to know which slaver you were assigned to.¡± The elves looked at her skeptically, but they slowly made their way over to the bodies. Bella knelt next to a body and pressed the thumb of the glove into the open wound. The runes on the glove started to glow, and Bella grasped at the collar of the nearest elf. The runes on the collar pulsed before fading away as the collar clicked open. The dark elf gasped in shock, and tears ran down her cheeks when she gingerly touched her neck. As Bella freed the rest of the elves, Hope returned with the wagons. Nathaniel walked over to Elias. ¡°Go with Hope and find a warm place to set up. I want to get them treated as soon as possible so we can leave tomorrow." He turned to Sierra, Krietsky, and Barrett. ¡°Krietsky, Barrett, you two start handing out blankets and clothing. Sierra, take Ralia with you to get a soup line started. Leave the heavy lifting to her.¡± ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing human?¡± Nathaniel turned to see Eladregn glaring at him. Hate filled the dark elf¡¯s eyes as he gazed at the others. ¡°We¡¯re setting up to distribute aid,¡± Nathaniel replied, ¡°It¡¯ll be a cold night, so we need to hurry.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need your help.¡± ¡°Bella asked for it, so you¡¯re getting it.¡± ¡°You will refer to her as Lady Belladryn, you filthy Krum!¡± Eladregn spat at him. A sudden silence overtook everything. ¡°What did you just call me?¡± Nathaniel asked sincerely. ¡°That¡¯s enough Eladregn!¡± Bella stormed over and stared him down. ¡°They¡¯ve come to offer us aid, and instead you insult them.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need the aid of-¡± ¡°You will not use that word in my presence again.¡± Bella cut him off. She turned to Hope who was waving at them from a treehouse. ¡°Everyone, go see the fey so that you can get treated. Then come get a blanket and change of clothing.¡± The dark elves slowly headed towards Hope, but Eladregn glared at Bella. ¡°You need to get checked as well Eladregn. I¡¯m going to pay my last respects to Nyena. Will you join me, Nathaniel?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Nathaniel replied, stepping next to Bella. Eladregn growled at them before stomping away. ¡°Is he going to be a problem?¡± ¡°I hope not.¡± Bella sighed deeply. ¡°By the way, what did he call me?¡± ¡°Krum is a term many fairy-races use when referring to humans.¡± Bella turned a deep purple from embarrassment. ¡°It means round ears.¡± Nathaniel started laughing, and Bella looked at him in horror. ¡°It¡¯s not meant to be funny.¡± ¡°I just thought racial slurs would be more imaginative in this world.¡± Nathaniel chuckled. ¡°Guess I was wrong.¡± He started following her to the massive stump. A deep sneer came to Bella¡¯s lips. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have used it. I¡¯ll see to it that no one uses that word again.¡± ¡°They¡¯re angry, Bella.¡± Nathaniel quickly glanced at the elves. Some wore scars from brutal beatings while others bore it solely in their eyes. One woman stood there with her hands clawing at her stomach, and she stared at the bulge with a mixture of emotions. ¡°We¡¯ll need to be careful moving forward, but I think getting them out of here would be for the best.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Bella held back a whimper. ¡°Hopefully, if we can find a dryad seed, we can establish a new grove close to Treante.¡± ¡°What if they chose to leave?¡± ¡°Then they¡¯re free to go.¡± Bella looked towards the ground. ¡°And what will you do?¡± Bella fingered her collar. ¡°I-¡± ¡°So, you return.¡± A creaky, broken voice drew their attention. Chained to the dryad stump was a woman. Her skin textured like bark but had the pale white color of petrified wood. Broken dead branches hung from her head, and they easily snapped when she moved. Her body was riddled with marks where axes cut into her body, leaving only her upper body remains. Bella covered her mouth to hide the gasp. ¡°Nyena, what did they do to you?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Pain wrought the dryad¡¯s voice. ¡°They used their axes to cleave apart my body, and when my body regrew itself, they did it all over again.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Nathaniel asked, looking at the scene in disgust. ¡°Dryad¡¯s wood is a valuable resource.¡± Bella choked back a cry. ¡°Dryads can regrow any missing part, but only if their tree is healthy.¡± His gaze lingered over the chains. He hadn¡¯t seen slave runes like the ones in the chains, but his [Intuition] revealed their secrets. He sucked in a deep breath through his teeth. The runes inhibited the dryad¡¯s abilities and amplified her suffering. They were clearly meant to break her in both body and spirit. ¡°A human.¡± Nyena glowered at him in disgust. ¡°I see you¡¯re a victim just as I am.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Bella replied. ¡°Nathaniel is here to help.¡± ¡°Doubtful.¡± Nyena scoffed in pain. More of her branches fell to the ground. ¡°Humans only care for themselves, and he is no exception.¡± Her gaze turned to pity as she looked at Bella. ¡°I thought you would have known better.¡± ¡°Nyena, please listen.¡± Bella pleaded, falling to her knees. ¡°Nathaniel is here to help our people. He¡¯s a hero with a class that specializes in crafting, and he¡¯s making an accessory that can keep someone from being enslaved. Our kind no longer-¡± ¡°Listen to yourself!¡± Nyena snapped causing more of her bark to break off. ¡°Humans are a blight on this world. It¡¯s because of them the Abominations destroyed everything, and we had to clean up their mess. Even now, they tear through our forests, destroying our home, and you¡¯re here defending one. How could you betray me like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Bella whispered, ¡°I truly want to save our people, and I believe that master Nathaniel is our best option.¡± ¡°Master?¡± The dryad growled menacingly. ¡°So, you accept this human as your superior.¡± A twisted smile came to her lips. ¡°Very well then, I¡¯ll bless your master.¡± The roots on the stump shifted until a hollow appeared beneath the tree. Inside the hollow was a round, spiky bulb. ¡°Come human.¡± Nyena¡¯s voice made the word feel like a curse. ¡°Bond yourself to my seed, so that you may save our people.¡± ¡°No, he can¡¯t.¡± Bella cried. ¡°It¡¯ll kill him!¡± ¡°What are you wanting me to do?¡± Nathaniel looked at them in confusion. ¡°Mana is needed to germinate my seedling. Normally, I¡¯d use my own, but I have none to give.¡± Nyena replied, her hatred evident in her icy tone. ¡°Since Belladryn has so much faith in you, I¡¯m giving you the opportunity to prove her right. Germinate my seed, and it¡¯ll be bound to you for life.¡± ¡°Master you can¡¯t!¡± Bella clutched his hand. ¡°Only fairies have the necessary mana needed to germinate a dryad¡¯s seed. If you try, it¡¯ll kill you!¡± Nathaniel stared at the seedling. So, it needs mana. Would it feed off the power core if I exposed the circuit? [Yes] Is there enough to germinate the seed? [Yes] Nathaniel smiled and detached the gauntlet on his left arm. The arcane skeleton of the under armor glowed a faint blue with magical energy. ¡°What do I need to do?¡± ¡°Bath the seedling in your blood, and let it feast upon your mana.¡± Nyena smiled victoriously. ¡°No, don¡¯t do it!¡± ¡°Everything will be fine, Bella. Trust me.¡± Bella shook her head as Nathaniel pulled away. Nathaniel knelt next to the seed and pulled it closer. He used the spikes to cut himself, and as soon as his blood touched the surface, roots broke from the shell, grabbing his arm. Nathaniel screamed in pain as the roots forced his hand onto one of the spikes, and the pain shot up his arm. [Warning: Life force is being drained!] Nathaniel growled as he held himself against the stump. From his HUD, he could see the power counter quickly drop to zero as more roots wrapped around his left arm. The seedling¡¯s shell shook as more roots broke through, all latching onto his arm and sapping his mana. His left arm went numb from how tight the roots were clinging to him. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Nathaniel growled. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me.¡± The roots flinched at his voice, and they started loosening up. A strange sensation hung at the back of his mind. Something that reminded him of fear, or maybe regret? ¡°You can take what you need.¡± Nathaniel whispered, petting the bulb. ¡°Just stop hurting me. The roots tenderly wrapped themselves around his left arm and drove themselves deeper under his armor. The pain wasn¡¯t as intense as it used to be, but Nathaniel still felt his energy being drained. A headache started forming behind his eyes as exhaustion seeped through his body. [Condition applied: Dryad¡¯s curse. User tried bonding with a dryad seed but lacked the traits to properly perform the ritual. Health has been moderately reduced while mana has been severely reduced. Should the dryad die, then so shall the afflicted.] [New trait acquired: Nature¡¯s Bounty (Legendary). User is in tune with nature and has a 100% chance of harvesting high quality materials from foraging. User receives 100% experience from gardening and foraging skills.] Nathaniel groaned as he pulled up his stats. [(Health: 300/300) (Mana: 15/15)] ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I don¡¯t cast spells.¡± Nathaniel moaned in pain as he stood up. The bulb was still latched to his hand. ¡°Although, I wasn¡¯t expecting the new trait.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still alive!¡± Nyena gasped in horror. She looked to her seedling, and tried to reach for it, but the chains kept her bound. ¡°Yeah, but it hurt like hell.¡± Nathaniel tore the chains free, and he let Nyena fall to the ground. ¡°My seedling, give it back.¡± Nyena reached towards him. ¡°I can¡¯t let you abuse it.¡± Nathaniel knelt and let Nyena hold her seed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to abuse it,¡± he said, ¡°After all, my life is now tied to hers.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t trust you human.¡± Nyena clung tightly to Nathaniel¡¯s left arm. ¡°But you can trust me.¡± Bella placed a comforting hand on the dryad¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll see to it that she¡¯s taken care of.¡± Nyena looked between Bella and Nathaniel. ¡°Then, my daughter is in your care.¡± The seedling started wrapping Nyena in roots, and she tenderly smiled at it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my sweet Nu¡¯alan, but this is all that I can offer you.¡± Nyena held tightly to the bulb until the spikes pierced her skin. Her body fell apart as the roots tore at her flesh and drove themselves into her body. With a final tear, Nyena¡¯s body broke apart in the seedling¡¯s grip, leaving nothing but wooden shards. Bella cried as Nathaniel wrapped her into a hug, and at the back of his mind, he could feel a strange sorrowful sensation. ¡°Seneschal, begin running scans on the land around Treante. I want to plant this seed as soon as we get back.¡± ¡°Yes master.¡± ¡°Come Bella, we need to check on the others.¡± Nathaniel tried to help her up, but he stumbled forward. Bella held him up with a worried look. ¡°Sorry, the curse took a lot out of me.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Bella choked, resting her head against his chest. ¡°Of course I did.¡± Nathaniel kissed the top of her head. ¡°It was for you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Bella cried into his chest. ¡°Thank you for doing all this for me. I swear, I¡¯ll never leave your side.¡± Nathaniel held her close. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, so we can tend to our new charge.¡± He smiled, looking at the bulb in his left hand. Bella smiled lovingly at the seedling. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s.¡± Ch.39 New Circumstances Nathaniel let out a deep sigh when they finally rolled into Treante. It took longer to get back than he originally thought. Hope and Ralia chased away a few brigands that thought they could make a quick coin, but they ran away when they realized they were outmatched. Now to just get them to the dungeon. A few villagers stepped out of their homes to watch the caravan go by, and the dark elves wrapped themselves tightly in their blankets. The humans glared at the elves in distrust while the elves sneered at the humans in hatred. ¡°This may have been a mistake.¡± Nathaniel whispered to himself. ¡°It¡¯ll take time master.¡± Bella placed a hand on his shoulder. Nathaniel smiled warmly at her and waved the wagons onward. His left hand still had the seedling clinging to it. Ever since the ritual, there was a strange sensation at the back of his mind. It was hard to explain, but there was an underlying curiosity nagging at him. He felt compelled to address the sensation but was pulled out when Hope laughed at him. ¡°Master, you keep talking to yourself.¡± Bella responded to his confused look. Her eyes fell to the seedling with both warmth and sadness. ¡°Or, I should say you keep talking to Nu¡¯alan.¡± ¡°Is this normal?¡± Nathaniel looked at the seedling with concern. Bella shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Nyena was four hundred years old when I bonded to her, but there was a spiritual connection between us. When we were near each other, we could commune telepathically with each other.¡± A worried frown overcame her. ¡°Unfortunately, your bond is incomplete, so you won¡¯t receive any of the benefits of being bonded to a dryad.¡± ¡°Which are?¡± ¡°A longer lifespan for one.¡± Bella replied tapping her chin. ¡°Green Lords and Ladies tend to live for another hundred years longer than everyone else. There¡¯s also protection from hexes and poisons, but you become more susceptible to fire and ice. Then there¡¯s the fact that if the dryad dies, then so do you. Until you receive a fairy¡¯s blessing, you¡¯ll never receive the benefits from the bond.¡± Nathaniel nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep Nu¡¯alan safe then.¡± They approached the cliff face. A drone flew up to them, and Seneschal called out to them. ¡°Master, I have a place ready for the seedling. Please follow me.¡± Nathaniel broke away from the caravan with the others. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Eladregn snapped, jumping off the wagon. ¡°To plant the seed.¡± The dark elves whispered to themselves, and they slowly jumped off the wagons. They glared at Nathaniel, but their eyes softened when they looked at the seedling. ¡°We¡¯re coming. We don¡¯t trust you with Nyena¡¯s daughter.¡± Eladregn replied. ¡°Eladregn, you shouldn¡¯t-¡± Bella was cut off by Nathaniel. ¡°Then come on. We should get her into the ground as soon as possible.¡± The dark elves stayed close as they followed Nathaniel along the mountain range. Seneschal led them to a small glade with a pit in the center of it. ¡°I¡¯ve plotted the area and believe this is the best location. It¡¯s within the dungeon¡¯s domain, but still has plenty of room to grow.¡± Seneschal hovered the plot. Nathaniel nodded with a smile and placed the seedling into the pit. He started burying the seed into the dirt, but the roots tightened around his arm. ¡°Come on, let go.¡± Nathaniel chuckled, trying to free his arm, but the roots wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°I think she¡¯s still feeding off your power core.¡± Bella replied looking around. ¡°The soil must not have enough magic to sustain her.¡± ¡°Allow me to fix that.¡± Seneschal said. Slowly, the roots pulled away and burrowed into the dirt. ¡°I¡¯ve rerouted power to this spot. It should be enough to sustain the seed until it matures.¡± Nathaniel finished planting the seed. ¡°I want sentries and guardians assigned to keep this area safe. Nothing is to harm this seed.¡± ¡°As you command.¡± Nathaniel turned to the dark elves watching them. ¡°Does that satisfy you all?¡± Eladregn¡¯s face twitched in contempt. ¡°For now, human.¡± Nathaniel sighed but led them into the dungeon. The dark elves stared in awe at the strange surroundings, and they flinched away every time a sentry flew through the room. Nathaniel quickly ordered all robots away from the medical facility. The elves tension could be felt in the way they gazed fearfully at everything, and the last thing Nathaniel wanted was for them to lash out in fear. When they stepped into the medical facility, Nathaniel turned to them. ¡°We¡¯ll properly tend to your wounds here. After that, we¡¯ll get you a warm meal and a place to rest.¡± ¡°What happens after that?¡± The dark elves glared at him as they huddled close together. ¡°You have two choices; you can stay and tend to the dryad or leave and find a new grove. Those that leave will be given supplies and gear for their trip and those that stay we¡¯ll discuss living arrangements.¡± The dark elves mumbled to themselves. Nathaniel sighed, shaking his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t something you have to decide now. I¡¯ll give you a few days to think it through, but first, we really need to get you all healthy again.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll be with you all every step.¡± Bella replied, but none of the elves looked happy. ¡°You abandoned us to live with a human.¡± Eladregn snapped. Bella¡¯s smile faded as she looked at the ground. ¡°You¡¯re right. I shirked my responsibility to you all. I¡¯m sorry, and I want to make it up to you all.¡± Tears shined in her eyes as she stared at them. ¡°Please, let me make this right.¡± ¡°Fine, but I¡¯ll be keeping an eye on the humans.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready for the first person.¡± Elias called out to them. The elves slowly made their way to the surgeon, each shook with fear as they were examined. Nathaniel whispered in Bella¡¯s ear. ¡°Why don¡¯t you prepare the rooms for them. I¡¯ll have Hope watch over them for you.¡± Bella nodded with a shaky breath, and she slowly walked out of the room. ¡°Ralia, keep an eye on them. Hope, take them to the sleeping quarters so they can rest.¡± ¡°Yes master.¡± The two women nodded. Nathaniel stepped out of the room and went back to the dungeon core. He sat against the console resting his head against the cold metal. ¡°Seneschal, begin crafting gear for the elves. Have full sets of armor, bows, and swords made for each of them, just in case they all decide to leave.¡± ¡°Yes master.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s breaths slowed, and the chirping from the consoles helped ease some of the tension. ¡°How¡¯s Nu¡¯alan doing?¡± ¡°She¡¯s taken to the soil well.¡± Seneschal replied in a hushed tone. ¡°Ever since she was planted, the dungeon recognized her as a part of itself. The core has made changes to the soil composition to make sure she grows healthy.¡± ¡°Good, but I still want to be safe. Are they any defenses we can create to give her more protection?¡± ¡°There are shields we can install, but they¡¯ll draw power from the core when active. However, in her current state, it shouldn¡¯t draw too much power.¡± ¡°Do it, and make sure she has sentries protecting her at all times.¡± ¡°Yes master.¡± Nathaniel let the sounds of the dungeon lull him to near sleep. Exhaustion kept him from dreaming, and his mind was completely blank. His rest was disturbed when someone shook his shoulder. When he awoke, everyone was gathered around him. ¡°How are they?¡± Nathaniel groaned as he rose to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ve done everything that I can for them.¡± Elias replied. His eyes shifted quickly between Nathaniel and Bella, and he was constantly wringing his hands. ¡°However, one won¡¯t be able to leave.¡± Nathaniel sighed deeply, rubbing his eyes. ¡°Is it who I think it is?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s in rough shape. Not simply because of how she was treated, but also due to her pregnancy. By the time she recovers, she¡¯ll be too far along to travel.¡± ¡°How should we proceed Bella?¡± Nathaniel turned to her. ¡°We should start preparing to build houses for the elves.¡± Bella said quietly. ¡°A few will probably still leave, but most will stay to keep her company. It¡¯s not in our nature to abandon our family.¡± Her shoulders slumped when she said that. ¡°We should move her out of the dungeon as well. Elves don¡¯t do well underground for long periods of time. It¡¯ll need to be someplace where she can see the sky.¡± ¡°We can bring her back to the manor.¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°But we don¡¯t have enough room for everyone.¡± ¡°Then they can stay at the tavern.¡± Sierra replied, looking at everyone. ¡°If they don¡¯t have a problem sharing rooms, then we could take six of them.¡± ¡°I can ask Rose if she¡¯ll allow some to stay in the church, if that¡¯ll help.¡± Elias said. ¡°Thanks, you two. Let me know what you find out.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Things weren¡¯t going well. Rose agreed to take a few of the elves in, but they refused the offer. They did accept to stay at the tavern and Nathaniel¡¯s manor, but the pregnant elf chose to stay at the tavern. She was adamant about not sleeping under the same roof with a human man, and she threw a fit when she found out about Oden. However, she chose to stick with the tavern when most of the elves chose to stay with her. This was just the beginning. The elves barely went outside, and when they did it was always in large groups. They would give the villagers hateful glares from a distance. Some of the interactions had turned into full fights. It was only a matter of time before an incident happened. Nathaniel groaned as he looked over another paper. ¡°This can¡¯t continue.¡± His thumbs traced the runes running along the band of the bracelet in his hands. He sat back and looked around at his new study. During their time at the capital, Seneschal had taken it upon himself to completely rebuild his home. The wooden house meant for a single family was now a stone manor easily twice the size. The manor sported seven rooms with a large master bedroom for himself, a large kitchen that nearly made Bella faint from excitement, an armory for Ralia, and Hope was thrilled at the sight of the expanded sewing room. Of course, they were all excited to enjoy the large bath. However, Nathaniel was a little sad to see the forge had been remodeled as well. This was no longer the house that Gordon built. With a heavy sigh, Nathaniel stood from his desk to stare at the framed letter on the wall. Seneschal discovered that the Fabricator bots could write as well as paint, so pictures were being made from his memories. A few pictures hung around the letter, and a tightness filled his chest when he looked upon them. ¡°I bet you¡¯d tell me not to worry about it.¡± Nathaniel gave a sad chuckle as he looked at the picture of Lydia. ¡°That I should focus on making new memories.¡± He stared at the faces of all the people he¡¯d no longer see again. ¡°I¡¯ll do a better job this time.¡± A knock came from the door, and Bella peeked inside. ¡°Master, are you busy?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Barin needs to speak with you.¡± A sad frown was painted on her face. ¡°There was an incident, and now he and Eladregn are fighting.¡± ¡°This ends today.¡± Nathaniel sighed, cracking his neck. ¡°Have both of them meet me in the dining room.¡± He gathered the bracelet and a scroll. Bella nodded. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m putting my foot down.¡± Nathaniel replied stepping past her. ¡°Today, this hostility is going to end. I¡¯m sorry Bella, but if the elves won¡¯t conform then they¡¯ll need to leave.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s heart twisted in pain as a tear leaked down her cheek, but he couldn¡¯t let her sway his determination. She quietly followed behind him and broke away when he headed to the dining room. Nathaniel took a seat at the head of the table and waited for the two men to arrive. Their shouts could be heard from the opened door. ¡°When are you fairies going to leave!¡± Barin stabbed his finger into Eladregn¡¯s chest. ¡°Your kind have been causing nothing but trouble.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, human!¡± Eladregn slapped Barin¡¯s hand away. ¡°My people wouldn¡¯t be here if it wasn¡¯t for your kind.¡± Nathaniel slammed his fist onto the table, drawing their attention. ¡°Enough, sit down.¡± The two men glared at each other but were silent as they sat on either side of Nathaniel. Eladregn glanced over as Bella stood behind Nathaniel. ¡°I wanted to have this discussion after the elves had recovered, but all of the fighting has changed that.¡± He turned to Eladregn. ¡°It¡¯s time for the elves to decide if they¡¯re going to stay. Those that leave will be given supplies and gear.¡± Eladregn snarled. ¡°Not all of us are able to leave. What will happen to them? Will they become slaves?¡± Nathaniel slammed the bracelet onto the table. ¡°Those that stay will be made citizens of Treante. You¡¯ll be granted land to build your own homes, and you can establish any form of trade you desire. However, you¡¯ll be expected to pay five coppers in taxes each year.¡± ¡°Five coppers! We must pay ten silvers!¡± Barin roared in anger. ¡°Not anymore.¡± Nathaniel handed Barin the scroll. ¡°King Rogmier has recognized me as the lord of Treante, and as of today, taxes are being reduced to five copper pieces.¡± Barin skimmed through the title. ¡°Forgive me, my lord.¡± He bowed, handing the paper back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for springing this so suddenly on you. I wasn¡¯t certain on how to tell you, but these fights between the humans and elves forced my hand.¡± ¡°You say we¡¯ll be made citizens of your realm, but what¡¯s stopping the humans from enslaving us?¡± Eladregn stared at them suspiciously. ¡°This bracelet will.¡± Nathaniel slid it closer to him. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on this for a few months now. This bracelet uses altered slave runes to protect the wearer from being enslaved.¡± ¡°Why would you create such a thing?¡± ¡°So, I can release Bella, Hope, and Ralia.¡± Eladregn looked between Bella and the bracelet. ¡°Then do it. Free Lady Belladryn right now.¡± Bella snapped. ¡°That¡¯s enough-¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Nathaniel picked up the bracelet. ¡°No, master, you don¡¯t need to.¡± Bella shook her head as she backed away. The wall stopped her progress, and she stared into Nathaniel¡¯s eyes as he reached for her neck. The collar snapped open and fell to the floor. Tears welled up in her eyes as the bracelet snapped around her right wrist. Nathaniel took a needle from her apron and pricked her left thumb. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it needs blood to activate it.¡± He gently took her hand and pressed her thumb against the metal. The runes lit up once her blood touched the metal. ¡°What¡¯s your status Bella?¡± Bella stared at the ground, her lower lip trembling. ¡°The slave class is gone.¡± She said softly. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I forgot I needed to do something.¡± Bella rushed out of the room. Nathaniel watched her leave before taking his seat. ¡°That¡¯s not the reaction I thought she would have.¡± ¡°It seems her feelings for you were genuine.¡± Eladregn whispered in regret. ¡°I thought you used the collar to enchant her, but I was mistaken. Please forgive my ignorance.¡± He turned to Barin and bowed. ¡°And please forgive my people for our rudeness. We let our anger blind us to your kindness.¡± Barin sighed deeply, scratching his head. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive, we weren¡¯t as cordial as we could have been.¡± ¡°Look you two.¡± Nathaniel drew their attention. ¡°I¡¯m not from this world. Whatever prejudices your people have for each other, don¡¯t mean much to me.¡± He tapped his fingers on the table. ¡°I¡¯m not expecting the bad blood between humans and elves to suddenly end, but I won¡¯t tolerate this hostility from either side, am I clear?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Eladregn said, ¡°I¡¯ll speak with my people and get you the count of how many are staying.¡± He rose from his chair and quietly left. ¡°I¡¯ll spread the word that we have a new lord.¡± Barin said with a chuckle. ¡°Now the goodwives can trouble you over silly gossip.¡± Nathaniel groaned as Barin left. The fire crackled in the background. Nathaniel went over and picked up Bella¡¯s collar from the floor. It snapped closed in his hand. ¡°Master!¡± Hope barged through the door. ¡°Did you take off Bella¡¯s collar?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Nathaniel smiled, tossing the metal choker onto the table. ¡°I don¡¯t need them anymore.¡± Hope¡¯s eyes grew big with a fearful glint. ¡°You don¡¯t want us anymore?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Nathaniel knelt, patting her head. ¡°I want us to be a true family.¡± He snapped open her collar and tossed it aside. ¡°I¡¯m no longer you master, and you¡¯re no longer my slave.¡± ¡°Then, what do I call you?¡± ¡°You can call me whatever you want.¡± Hope stared at the ground then gave him a small smile. ¡°The Saint called you Nate. Can I call you that?¡± ¡°Sure, sweetie.¡± Hope embraced him with a large smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad you were the one who bought me. Will you free Ralia too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nathaniel chuckled. ¡°The question is will she let me.¡± A loud thump drew their attention, and Ralia stood in the door glaring at them. ¡°You want to get rid of me?¡± Ralia growled at him. ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°Then why remove the collar?¡± She snapped fiercely. She bit her lip to keep it from quivering. ¡°Because I want you all to be here by choice, not force.¡± Nathaniel replied, slowly approaching her. Ralia snapped her tail at him. ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer.¡± Her voice cracked as her snarl faded. Nathaniel continued to approach. ¡°Stop. I don¡¯t want my collar removed!¡± She ran into the wall and flinched when Nathaniel touched her cheek. ¡°Please, I don¡¯t want to be taken from you.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone take my beautiful dragon-heart from me.¡± He kissed her head while removing her collar. Ralia whimpered as the choker fell to the floor. ¡°However, I can¡¯t continue keeping you as a slave.¡± ¡°Then what are we?¡± ¡°A family.¡± Nathaniel kissed her deeply. Ralia¡¯s tail wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. A smile appeared on her face when they pulled away. ¡°If that is what you desire, then I¡¯ll comply. However, I¡¯m still calling you master. A knight should address her lord properly.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Nathaniel chuckled. Ralia¡¯s hand ran along his arm. ¡°You should go to Bella. I fear she has the wrong idea as well.¡± Nathaniel nodded and took a step back, but she grabbed his hand. ¡°As much as I don¡¯t like it, you should take her to bed.¡± Nathaniel nodded with a pained smile and kissed her again. His gut twisted as he left the dining room. Ever since Bella joined them, there were three places in the house she tended to stay in. The first, and most likely, was the kitchen. As he approached the door, he could hear dishes clanking. Bella stood over the wash bucket, wiping down the dishes in a lethargic manner. The occasional sniffle escaped her, and she wiped away the tears with her sleeve. For a moment, she glanced at him before returning to her task. ¡°Is there something you need m-Nathaniel?¡± Her voice wavered when she said his name. ¡°Bella, about the collar-¡± ¡°I already know.¡± She sighed deeply. ¡°You did it so I could choose to be with my people.¡± She turned and gave him a broken smile. ¡°Thank you for freeing me.¡± ¡°You can stay if you want Bella.¡± ¡°I know, but it¡¯s not as simple as that.¡± She continued cleaning the dishes. ¡°The guilt I felt for abandoning my people was great, but when I had the collar on, I could use it to justify why I couldn¡¯t return to them. I was simply putting the blame on you.¡± Her composure broke, and tears freely flowed down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for using you like that.¡± The sight of her crying pained his heart, and he wrapped her in a gentle embrace from behind. ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel guilty about that anymore.¡± Bella buried her face in his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t.¡± ¡°But my people-¡± ¡°Eladregn is talking to them now. I doubt all of them will leave, and besides, wouldn¡¯t it be for the best to show them that our people can get along.¡± Bella nodded with a smile, and Nathaniel was stunned by her beauty. ¡°Do you want to continue where we left off that one night?" Bella blushed as she looked around. ¡°Now?¡± she whispered. Nathaniel nodded, swallowing hard. ¡°I need to get ready. Could you wait for me in your room, please?¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s heart drummed in his chest as he headed up to his room. The room was larger than any he ever had. The Fabricators made each piece under the instruction of Seneschal. However, the fact that the bed could easily fit four was a little disturbing. What was he thinking? Honestly, he was trying to distract himself. This was the first time he proposed intimacy. Nathaniel rubbed away the sweat forming on his palms and tried calming himself with deep breaths. When the knock came from his door, he turned around too quickly and got dizzy. ¡°Come in.¡± He was thankful that his voice didn¡¯t crack. Bella stepped in wearing a large cloak that completely covered her. An embarrassed smile touched her lips and the blush on her cheeks made her look adorable. When she shut the door, she took a few steps forward and let the cloak fall to her feet. Nathaniel didn¡¯t know where to look. Bella stood there in a lacey, black bra that barely covered her chest, and a black and white petticoat with a small apron around her waist. Transparent black socks covered her legs, and they matched the black gloves. A lacey headband peaked out from her silver bun. The sight weakened Nathaniel¡¯s legs, and he had to sit down. ¡°What do you think, master?¡± Bella lifted the edges of her skirt. ¡°It looks good.¡± Nathaniel cleared his throat. The sight of her made his mouth dry. ¡°Thanks, I had to have Seneschal help with some of it.¡± Bella chuckled as her eyes glanced downward. ¡°I should thank Shizuka when I see her again.¡± She sauntered forward. Her swaying hips were mesmerizing to look at. ¡°How may I serve you, master?¡± ¡°I¡­ could use a drink.¡± Bella sat on his lap and ran a hand through his hair. ¡°As you wish.¡± She kissed him deeply while shoving her tongue into his mouth. He let himself give into the advances of the beautiful elf on his lap.
Nathaniel laid there panting as he ran a hand through Bella¡¯s hair. Her long silver hair blanketed them as she lay on his chest. Her fingers caressed his chest, and her own panting warmed his skin. ¡°So, I take it you¡¯re staying?¡± Nathaniel whispered into her ear. ¡°Of course.¡± She said with a mischievous smile. ¡°I¡¯ll need your help with the child after all.¡± ¡°What?¡± Bella laughed into his chest. ¡°I¡¯m teasing.¡± Her eyes shined beautifully with mirth. ¡°I still have a few more months before I enter my fertile cycle.¡± Her smile faded a little. ¡°Does the idea of us having a child scare you?¡± ¡°Of course, but I would be excited as well.¡± Nathaniel sighed in relief. ¡°And the same would be true for Ralia as well. If we¡¯re even capable of having children.¡± ¡°You know the Champion¡¯s slave is a half-elf.¡± Her twisted smile returned. ¡°So, do you have any suggestions on names?¡± The two of them laughed as they enjoyed each other¡¯s warmth. Quiet soon overtook the room, and Bella kissed his neck. ¡°Thank you for all that you¡¯ve done. I swear, I¡¯ll never leave your side.¡± Her words brought a warmth to Nathaniel¡¯s heart, and he held her tightly as he kissed her head. Ch.40 Civil Planning Sierra pulled tight her cloak when a cold gust of wind blew through the main street. A loud crash echoed from the mountain, and her eyes turned towards it. A somber tension hung through the village as everyone went about their day. Many weren¡¯t comfortable with the elves staying in the village, and the thought of them living close by wasn¡¯t sitting well either. The grumblings were getting worse when the tavern was open. She wanted to do something about it, but she had no idea of how to help. For the past week, she tried helping the elves staying at the tavern, but they always turned her away. She understood why, and that¡¯s why she kept trying. ¡°Hopefully Bella has some ideas.¡± She sighed as she knocked on Nathaniel¡¯s door. Ralia opened the door and glared down at her. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± She huffed stepping. ¡°Master Nathaniel isn¡¯t here, but your free to come in.¡± Sierra stared in shock as Ralia stomped away. ¡°That¡¯s no way to treat a guest.¡± Bella scolded her as she entered the main hall. ¡°Is she alright?¡± Sierra asked with a worried frown. ¡°She¡¯s upset.¡± Bella whispered back. ¡°When we were in capital, she tried to have a child with master Nathaniel.¡± ¡°She¡¯s with child!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Ralia snarled at them with red eyes. Bella pulled Sierra close. ¡°She¡¯s afraid that she and Nathaniel are incompatible.¡± Sierra¡¯s heart twisted at the sight of Ralia holding herself. Her tail swayed rapidly as her fingers dug into her arms. Sierra slowly approached as Ralia rubbed her red nose. ¡°What do you-¡± Sierra interrupted Ralia with a hug. Ralia returned the hug with a tight embrace. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here if you want to talk.¡± Sierra smiled at her. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll take you up on that.¡± Ralia chuckled, running a hand through her hair. ¡°So, what brings you here today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here for Bella.¡± Sierra smiled at the elf. ¡°I was wondering if there is something I can do to help?¡± ¡°That¡¯s kind of you, but I think it¡¯s best to give them some space,¡± Bella said sadly, ¡°But I¡¯d appreciate it if you could be patient with them. Relying on nature has made us a gracious people, but being secluded has also made us weary of change.¡± Sierra nodded with a frown. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take for them to start accepting us?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, but if we work together then we should be able to change their minds.¡± ¡°Is that what Nathaniel is doing now?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s with Eladregn helping establish where the elves are going to live.¡± A small smile came to her lips. ¡°Ever since he freed us, the elves are a little accepting of his presence.¡±
Tension filled the air as Nathaniel and Eladregn stared at each other. The elf glared down at him, ignoring the sounds coming from the robots as they went about their work. Eladregn flinched as a tree crashed to the ground, and his mouth twisted into a sour frown as two robots carried it away. ¡°Why must you cut down the trees?¡± Eladregn snapped. ¡°Given enough time, we could have used them to shape saplings into perfectly good houses.¡± ¡°Proper forestry is needed to protect the village.¡± Nathaniel replied, gesturing to the small spout at their feet. ¡°By clearing the area around Nu¡¯alan, it¡¯ll protect her from natural disasters and keep other foliage from consuming the nutrients from the soil.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. It was a common practice in my world, and it helped prevent forest fires, land slides and helped maintain a healthy ecosystem.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t like it. The land around a dryad should be filled with foliage, not barren like this.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be barren for long.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s words caught the elf¡¯s attention. ¡°The plan is to this land into a botanical garden.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be good for the village,¡± Nathaniel replied, ¡°With a garden, we can grow all sorts of flora from the herbs needed for potions to flowers that are pleasing to look at. Besides, humans enjoy nature¡¯s beauty too.¡± Eladregn huffed in doubt. ¡°The point is to make Nu¡¯alan a part of the village, just like Nyana was part of your grove.¡± Eladregn¡¯s glare softened, but his sneer remained. ¡°Do you truly believe the humans will accept her?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve accepted Ralia, Hope, and Bella, so I¡¯m certain they¡¯ll accept her. However, just to be safe, I¡¯ll have my minions always watch over her.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The two of them slowly walked down the road until they came to another section of the forest being cleared. Several plots were marked off for future buildings with the foundations for three already laid. Through the trees, they could make out a few of the houses from the main village with smoke rising into the air. Eladregn didn¡¯t look happy at the changes to the forest, but this was the site the elves had chosen to live. ¡°We would also like a wall as well.¡± Eladregn gestured towards the village. ¡°We don¡¯t want the humans moving about as they please.¡± ¡°A wall is planned for the entire village, but I¡¯m not segregating the elves off.¡± Nathaniel replied curtly. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The plan is for the two races to come together, but that can¡¯t happen if you never interact with each other.¡± Eladregn snarled at the houses beyond the trees. ¡°Do you think the humans will accept us so easily?¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Nathaniel chuckled causing Eladregn to scoff. ¡°Look, if the humans of this world are anything like my own, then they¡¯ll eventually come to accept you. It¡¯ll take a few generations, but that won¡¯t be long considering how short lived they are.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying it¡¯ll only take time for them to stop attacking us?¡± ¡°The ones here at least. Besides from a few harsh words, have any of the humans here attacked you?¡± Eladregn growled, turning away quickly. ¡°No, they haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°And how has Oden been treating you?¡± ¡°He¡¯s been accommodating.¡± Eladregn looked sick from saying the words. ¡°He¡¯s given us our space and has done everything in his power to make us feel welcomed, and that includes his daughter as well.¡± ¡°I thought so. They both quickly accepted me and the girls when we first arrived.¡± Eladregn nodded pensively. ¡°Perhaps not all humans are terrible.¡± He said under his breath.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Slowly, they made their way back to the village. With winter in full swing, everyone mostly stayed inside. Only the children ran through the streets, playing in the snow. The younger adults wandered about in sheer boredom since they finished their chores earlier that morning. However, that meant they were the ones to interact with the elves. ¡°Say that again, fairy?¡± Barrett yelled at a group of dark elves. His face inches away from theirs. Behind the elves stood Bella, Ralia, and Sierra, and behind Barrett were several of the village boys. ¡°Begone human, lest I put you in your place.¡± The tall dark elf man stared down at the young man. ¡°It¡¯s bad enough that Nathaniel¡¯s had those three with him, but now he had to bring you all here too.¡± ¡°Stop it, Barrett!¡± Sierra snapped. ¡°You want me to stop?¡± Barrett¡¯s hateful gaze landed on her. ¡°You¡¯re the one cozying up to fairies and monsters. Do you truly want to be with Nathaniel that badly that you¡¯ll side with the enemy.¡± Nathaniel sighed in frustration at the scene. He had hoped that bringing Barrett would have come to understand the elves¡¯ plight, but he stubbornly kept hating anyone not human. It was about time he was put in his place. ¡°Leave human, now.¡± The tall dark elf sneered down at him. Barrett snarl looked painful. ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± He pulled his fist back. ¡°Barrett!¡± Everyone jumped at Nathaniel¡¯s shout. The tension seemed to break a little, but now Barrett turned his glare to Nathaniel. ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken with your father, and I¡¯ve established the right to self-defense. If you throw that punch, then he¡¯ll be allowed to defend himself.¡± A quiet overcame everyone, and all eyes fell onto Barrett. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it.¡± The boys behind Barrett whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s go home and leave them alone.¡± Barrett stared up at the dark elf. His fist shook as his gaze shifted between the elf, Sierra, and Nathaniel. With a pathetic roar, Barrett¡¯s fist flew. The dark elf slapped the attack away, and with an effortless grace, he drove his knee into Barrett¡¯s stomach. The young human wheezed as he fell to his knees. Barrett¡¯s ragged breathing blew snow and dirt away, and he struggled to get to his feet. ¡°I told you.¡± Nathaniel sighed, rubbing his face. ¡°Ralia, take Barrett to the dungeon. Have Seneschal lock him in one of the rooms. Bella, please take the Sierra and your people to the tavern.¡± He turned his gaze to the young men. ¡°Go home boys and let this be a lesson to you.¡± They nodded vigorously at him. A solemn atmosphere hung over everyone as they went about their tasks. Nathaniel cracked his neck as he rubbed at his eyes, and a small ache formed in the center of his forehead. This was the last thing he needed to deal with. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you did that.¡± Eladregn said with a strange tone in his voice. ¡°I¡¯d thought you¡¯d imprison my people.¡± ¡°Barrett was the first to attack. He¡¯s the criminal that needs to be punished.¡± Nathaniel replied curtly. ¡°Now I have to inform his father.¡± ¡°What will his punishment be?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Nathaniel said, ¡°I¡¯ll need to go do this on my own.¡± Eladregn simply stared at him. With a nod, he started down the road alone. Nathaniel stood there. The cold helped ease some of his discomfort. When he was finally ready, he started down the road, his feet feeling heavy with each step. He couldn¡¯t keep his mind from wandering as he walked. He had expected resistance to the elves moving into the village, but this was more than he could imagine. Maybe he had made a mistake bringing them here. When he freed them, he could have given them supplies and weapons to defend themselves, then they could have fled deeper into the forest. Would that really have worked though? As his thoughts swirled violently through his head, he knocked dejectedly on Barin¡¯s door. A part of him was thankful that it was Barin¡¯s wife who opened the door. The headman¡¯s wife was a homely woman of short stature with greying black hair pulled into a simple bun. Her plump face was marked with wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, all thanks to her perpetual warm, motherly smile. The same smile she was giving him now. ¡°Nath ¨C I mean, my lord.¡± She took a breath to recenter herself. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure?¡± Nathaniel laughed nervously at her formal greeting. ¡°You can still call me Nathaniel, Eursa.¡± He was thankful when she gave him a motherly scowl. ¡°That won¡¯t do at all,¡± Eursa replied, letting him in. ¡°You are a noble now, which means we should treat you with a certain level of respect.¡± She offered him a seat and then rushed to the nearby stove. ¡°You¡¯re no longer a normal citizen anymore. You make laws now, and go to fancy balls, and rub elbows with the other members of high society.¡± She placed several plates filled with warm bread in front of him. ¡°It would be best for you to marry soon. Can¡¯t let that noble line end with you.¡± Her sweet laugh helped ease some of his tension. ¡°I get the feeling that¡¯ll be happening soon.¡± Eursa¡¯s eyes sparkled as Nathaniel snacked. ¡°Good, a man of your age should have been married years ago. Honestly, I was afraid that I¡¯d need to give you a good scrubbing behind the ears. So, who¡¯s the lucky lass, and is she human?¡± She sat down next to him. ¡°No offense to Bella and Ralia, they¡¯re good girls, I¡¯ll give them that, but you need a proper human wife at your side.¡± ¡°Eursa, there¡¯s another reason why I¡¯m here.¡± Nathaniel took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s about Barrett.¡± The gentle warmth in Eursa¡¯s eyes quickly turned to fiery anger. ¡°What has that fool boy done now!¡± ¡°He attacked one of the dark elves right in front of me.¡± An awkward silence filled the room as the two of them stared at each other. ¡°Was it to defend himself?¡± Tears started forming in her eyes. ¡°I know that Barin mentioned you allowing us the right to protect ourselves. Maybe he was doing that.¡± ¡°He was the one to throw the first punch.¡± Eursa jumped out of her chair, forcing it to the floor. ¡°That damned boy!¡± She paced furiously around the room. ¡°Where is he? I¡¯ll sort him out right quick.¡± ¡°I had Ralia take him to the dungeon. He¡¯s currently being held there until I can think of an appropriate punishment.¡± Horror filled her eyes as she stared at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Eursa, but I need to put this to rest now. When I set laws, they need to be enforced, and Barrett broke one by attacking someone unprovoked.¡± ¡°Nathaniel, please. I know my boy can be stubborn and pigheaded, but it was merely a scuffle. There¡¯s no need to go that far, is there?¡± ¡°I afraid there is.¡± Nathaniel hated seeing the woman in pain. ¡°I can¡¯t show leniency to anyone now that we have multiple races living together. If I do, then it will only breed more hatred between the two races.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose my boy!¡± Eursa fell to her knees, bawling into her hands. ¡°Eursa, I¡¯m not sending him off.¡± Nathaniel kneeled next to her placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll have him assist with the expansion of the village.¡± ¡°Promise.¡± ¡°Yes.¡±
The tension weighed heavily on everyone¡¯s shoulders as they headed back to the tavern. The dark elves led the way, but every so often they would look back at Bella and Sierra. Their sharp glares made Sierra uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Barrett.¡± Sierra said, trying to shake off her discomfort. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have attacked you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what you humans are known for,¡± The tall dark elf replied, ¡°Why would we expect anything different.¡± Sierra nodded, unable to say anything. She was thankful when the tavern appeared, and they stepped into the warm interior. The main hall of the tavern was completely empty, which was strange as her father should be around. ¡°We¡¯re back!¡± Sierra called out, setting her cloak onto the rack. Footstep came from the stairs, and her father entered the hall. He carried a tray with dirtied dishes. ¡°Welcome back, does anyone want any cider?¡± Oden smiled warmly at them. ¡°I¡¯d love some, master Oden.¡± Bella bowed gently. ¡°I¡¯d like some too!¡± Sierra chuckled, rubbing her hands together. The dark elves simply glared at him. ¡°What were you doing up there?¡± ¡°Your friend requested food while you were all out.¡± Oden replied with a slight frown. ¡°I merely took her a bowl of soup and some water.¡± ¡°You went up there!¡± Sierra flinched at the stern bark from the tall dark elf. ¡°She requested food. I wasn¡¯t going to let her go hungry, especially in her condition.¡± Oden said with a calm smile. His smile vanished when the tall dark elf struck him in the face. ¡°How dare you go near my sister human!¡± The dark elf snarled, his fists smacking Oden a few more times. ¡°Unaellion, stop this now!¡± the tall dark elf¡¯s hateful glare turned to Bella. ¡°Release him!¡± Unaellion growled but released his hold on Oden. The tavernkeeper fell to the floor, groaning as he wiped the blood from his face. A pained smile came to his lips as Sierra fussed over him. Bella stared up into Unaellion¡¯s eyes. ¡°How dare you treat him like that.¡± Her own snarl matched his. ¡°Oden took you in, feed you, and helped clothe you, and this is the way you treat him.¡± A sharp hiss escaped her lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize my own people were ungrateful barbarians.¡± ¡°How can you say such things after what we went through?¡± Unaellion snapped, pointing at Oden and Sierra. ¡°Do you truly expect us to forgive them that easily?¡± ¡°They are not the ones who attacked you!¡± Bella replied, her sharp tone lessened. ¡°They are the ones who provided for you. Do not let your hatred blind you to their kindness.¡± ¡°Why should I listen to a human¡¯s pet?¡± Bella¡¯s eyes widened, and her lower lip slightly trembled. ¡°If that¡¯s how you see me.¡± She took a deep breath and pulled an object from her cloak. She pressed a strange metal rectangle into Unaellion¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m taking you to master Nathaniel. You¡¯ll be punished for your crimes.¡± Unaellion stared at the strange object in her hands with a smirk. ¡°How are you going to do that?¡± Bella returned his smile and pointed the object at his feet. Unaellion screamed in pain as two beams of light struck his feet. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier if you can¡¯t run away.¡± Bella¡¯s smile faded away as she looked to the other elves. ¡°You three are to help me bring him to the dungeon, understand?¡± The elves nodded vigorously as they stared at the object in her hands. ¡°Good.¡± She turned to Oden and Sierra. ¡°I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine Bella.¡± Oden said, standing up. ¡°I understand why he did it.¡± He held his daughter close. ¡°I hope you two have a good day, and please see to those wounds.¡± Bella bowed deeply and gestured for the elves to follow her. A tear leaked from her eye as Unaellion cursed her. Ch.41 Coming to an understanding Oden¡¯s wrinkled hands placed the last of the dishes onto the shelves. With a content sigh, he wiped the sweat from his brow and threw the towel over his shoulder. It was unusual for the tavern to be busy this early in the morning, but he was getting used to it, even if the dark elves were harsh customers. However, the coin he was making made it easier to handle their strong personalities. ¡°Human.¡± Oden took a deep breath and put on his polite smile. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am?¡± He turned to address a stern elven woman. Her sharp avian features made her stand out from any of the other women he¡¯d known. The woman¡¯s hard gaze softened as she gave him a small smile. ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡± She bowed slightly which caused some of the male elves glare at him. ¡°It was delicious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you enjoyed.¡± Oden laughed. He fought the urge to approach the bar. ¡°I have a tray ready for your friend upstairs, if you¡¯d like to take it to her.¡± ¡°Keilliane is still asleep.¡± The woman glanced upward with a frown. ¡°She¡¯ll probably wake up around noon. Could you keep her food warm, please?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll keep the stew on the fire for her. Simply let me know when you¡¯d like to take some food to her.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Gheldrielle.¡± The dark elves rose from their table. ¡°We need to inspect the new village. I doubt that human¡¯s golems will construct houses for our needs.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d best come as well. I need to make sure my house is large enough to make my poultices.¡± Gheldrielle sighed, but she glanced at Oden in worry. ¡°My daughter is here. She can bring food to your friend.¡± Gheldrielle gave him a small smile before heading out with the others. Quiet fell over the hall as the door closed behind them, and Oden went about cleaning up the tavern. It didn¡¯t take long, so he threw a few more logs onto the fire. Warmth filled the hall and Oden sat down in one of the chairs around the fireplace. He planned to enjoy the peace while he had it. The sweet smell of bread wafted into the room, and Sierra¡¯s gentle singing drifted from the kitchen. Oden glanced over at a rocking chair sitting in the corner. Its aged wood needed polishing, and several cracks could be seen on the spokes. A quilted blanket with frayed stitching sat draped along the back of the chair. Oden fingered the ring on his left hand as his eye watered. His daughter¡¯s song summoned a long-cherished memory. A visage of true beauty sat in the chair with the loveliest smile he¡¯d ever seen. Her sweet voice sang a simple lullaby as she sewed the cherished quilt, her stomach bulged beneath it. Oden nearly lost himself, but a gentle nudge drew him back. For a moment, he nearly mistook his daughter for his late wife. ¡°Papa, I¡¯m going to visit Nathaniel¡¯s house.¡± Sierra smiled. It made her look even more like her mother. ¡°Have fun dear.¡± Oden replied, wiping his eyes. Sierra quickly glanced at the lone rocking chair and kissed his cheek. ¡°Love you, Papa.¡± ¡°Love you too, sweetie.¡± He smiled as Sierra left. When the door snapped shut, a sudden sadness came over him as he realized how alone he was. Slowly, he walked over to the chair and ran his hands tenderly over it. ¡°It won¡¯t be much longer now.¡± He picked at the stray threads on the quilt with a frown. ¡°I should get this repaired.¡± The ringing of a bell filled the tavern, and he turned away from the chair. Oden groaned as he headed to the kitchen and filled a bowl with the stew. The bell rang again, and he quickly glanced outside, but he couldn¡¯t see any of the elves. The bell rang again with an angry shrill. Oden had no other choice but to take the bowl himself. He stopped in front of the door at the back of the hall and knocked on it. ¡°What took you so long?¡± A harsh voice growled from the other side. ¡°Did the humans stop you?¡± Oden took a deep breath and forced a smile to his lips. ¡°I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am, but your friends are out at the moment.¡± Footsteps crashed on the other side of the door. ¡°Then where¡¯s the girl? Why isn¡¯t she bringing me food?¡± ¡°My daughter went off to run an errand, but I brought you something to eat.¡± A strained silence fell over them. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Sweet potato stew.¡± ¡°Leave it on the floor. I¡¯ll take it after you leave.¡± ¡°Can you pick it up?¡± Silence filled the hall. ¡°You may come in.¡± Oden gently opened the door. The dark elf woman stood against the far wall glaring at him. ¡°Set it down on the side table.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Oden nodded as he slowly entered the room. The sweet scent from the soup quickly filled the room, and he smiled as the woman eyed the bowl. Her tongue ran along her lower lip, but her body remained against the wall. Each muscle stiff, ready to move at her command. Oden sat the bowl down and moved towards the door. ¡°There¡¯s still plenty left, so help yourself.¡± He smiled, closing the door. He waited until he heard the bed creak before heading back. His heart hammered in his chest when he entered the main hall. Thankfully, none of the elves had returned, and he wouldn¡¯t have to explain why he was upstairs. However, the bell rang again by the time he reached the kitchen. Concern twisted his lips as he headed back. Oden gently knocked on the door before peeking inside. ¡°Did you not like the food?¡± The elven woman glanced over at him, her face a slightly purple hue. ¡°The opposite actually.¡± She said, holding out the bowl. ¡°I¡¯d like more¡­ please.¡± ¡°Would you like a new bowl, or should I reuse that one?¡± ¡°What kind of question is that.¡± She huffed in annoyance. ¡°Use this bowl. No need dirtying another bowl on my account.¡± She continued to stare at him when he didn¡¯t approach. ¡°You may come get it, otherwise what would be the point.¡± Oden stepped lightly into the room and grasped the bowl, making sure to avoid her fingers. Once it was firmly in hand, the elven woman snapped her hand back. Her stern gaze pierced him. ¡°I¡¯ll be back then.¡± He said with a warm smile which softened the woman¡¯s glare. It didn¡¯t take long for him to bring back another bowl. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re enjoying it.¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m glad that I can stomach it.¡± She replied, sipping the soup. ¡°Eating has been difficult lately, but your food is the only thing I¡¯m able to consume.¡± ¡°My late wife went through something similar.¡± Oden chuckled. ¡°It took me months to find food she could handle. This stew being one of them.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Keilliane muttered with a strange smile. ¡°Are you the one whose been cooking?¡± ¡°Mostly, but my daughter has taken over a few times.¡± Keilliane frowned, but her eyes held a soft light. ¡°Then I owe your life partner thanks.¡± Her words came out strained. ¡°I think you should focus on getting stronger.¡± Oden replied with a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re under great stress which isn¡¯t good for you or the baby. I¡¯d hate for another child to lose their mother in this place.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯d be for the best.¡± She sneered, rubbing her belly. ¡°Better than having a mother that despises you. My people cherish life, and yet I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be possible for me love this creature.¡± Her harsh words conflicted with her teary eyes. ¡°This child will have no place to call home. No one to love it.¡± Oden glanced towards the floor. ¡°It¡¯s not the child¡¯s fault. You shouldn¡¯t blame it.¡± ¡°I know that!¡± Keilliane snapped, tears leaking down her cheeks. ¡°But I still see his face. I feel his hands on my skin and hear his voice in my ears. What¡¯s worse is that this thing carries a part of him.¡± Her nails dug into the blanket, pulling tightly against the seams. ¡°As if you could ever understand what it¡¯s like to hate your child.¡± ¡°I understand perfectly.¡± His soft words wiped the hatred from her face. The silence was heavy, and the questions in her eyes jabbed at his old scars. ¡°I lost my wife in childbirth.¡± It hurt to breathe as he tugged at the old memories. ¡°It was a harsh winter, and in my foolishness, I hadn¡¯t properly prepared for winter. She got sick in her final months and passed shortly after giving birth. I knew it was my fault, yet I blamed my daughter instead. Thankfully, there was a family that took her in, and for two years, all I did was drown in my sorrows.¡± ¡°But you love your daughter now. What happened?¡± An exhausted chuckle escaped Oden¡¯s lips. ¡°I had someone beat some sense into me. Gordon, an old friend, he and his wife were taking care of my daughter, but after two years, he decided it was time for me to step up. It ended in a fight, and the next thing I know, I¡¯m being dragged to his house to see my daughter.¡± Oden wiped at the tears threatening to fall. ¡°When I saw my daughter again, I was struck with how much she looked like my wife. It was then that I realized how foolish I was, and I swore to be the best father I could to her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s lovely,¡± Keilliane replied coldly. ¡°But I doubt I¡¯ll share such sentiments, and I¡¯m sure no one will take care of this child.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Keilliane stared at him in shock. ¡°And I swear that I¡¯ll treat it like it¡¯s my own.¡± She turned away and stared out the window. ¡°If that is your wish human, then you may have it.¡± She held out the bowl. ¡°I¡¯m feeling tired, and I¡¯d like to get some rest before my clan return.¡± ¡°I better get started on dinner. Any recommendations?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like something light and creamy¡­ please.¡± Oden smiled warmly at her. ¡°I have an excellent recipe for you.¡± He chuckled as he closed the door.
Keilliane slid further under the covers and stared up at the ceiling. Her hands shook as she tightly gripped the duvet. She tried to make her heart quiet by taking several deep breaths, but the chill along her skin wouldn¡¯t leave. The last thing she wanted was to be alone with a human man. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t like before. It took all her strength to remain calm in the tavernkeeper¡¯s presence, a feat that brought a small smile, but it was still harrowing. Each of his movements felt threatening, and it brought back memories of him. Truthfully, all of his kind reminded her of him. Keilliane¡¯s memories assaulted her as she laid there. Rough hands digging into her flesh, hot, stinking breath against her skin, cruel laughter assaulting her ears. All of it made her want to tear out the vile spawn resting inside her, but the thought of destroying an innocent life made her equally sick. I will, and I swear I¡¯ll treat it like it¡¯s my own. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for the best.¡± She whispered, rubbing her stomach. Oddly enough, the gentleness of the tavern keeper¡¯s voice soothed her nerves, and allowed her to fall asleep. She remained in a deep, dreamless slumber until a commotion forced her awake. ¡°Keilliane, are you alright?¡± She groaned as someone shook her. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± She frowned at Gheldrielle¡¯s worried glances. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Gheldrielle sighed, sinking onto the bed. ¡°I imagined the worst when I heard the human was up here.¡± ¡°The tavern keeper simply brought me food.¡± Keilliane replied with a huff. ¡°He kept a respectful distance from me and remained cordial the entire time. I started wondering if he truly was human.¡± She chuckled but it was cut short by Gheldrielle¡¯s guilty stare. ¡°What happened?¡± Her friend fidgeted on the bed. ¡°Your brother attacked the tavern keeper,¡± She said, ¡°Lady Belladryn imprisoned him for the assault.¡± Words failed to escape Keilliane¡¯s lips. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not staying.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going happened to Unaellion?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s in the Inventor¡¯s hands.¡± Ch.42 Community Garden A harsh silence filled the central chamber of the dungeon. Bella shifted uncomfortably as Eladregn glared at the central console. Nathaniel¡¯s head hung low as the recent events bared down on him, and his fist tapped against the cold metal. ¡°How is Oden?¡± Nathaniel¡¯s hoarse voice broke the silence. ¡°He¡¯s doing well.¡± Bella tried smiling. ¡°Elias and Gheldrielle saw to him quickly, but he¡¯ll have some light bruising.¡± ¡°Then he shouldn¡¯t have gone upstairs.¡± Eladregn sneered. A loud slap forced Nathaniel to turn towards them. Eladregn stared at Bella in shock as he held his cheek. ¡°How dare you say such a thing.¡± Her firm tone made Eladregn flinch. ¡°Oden took our people into his home, fed them, and treated them with the utmost respect. All without a single complaint.¡± ¡°He is-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that he is a human!¡± Bella¡¯s shriek echoed off the walls. ¡°He¡¯s taken great care of us, and to disregard it makes us no better than the humans that abused us.¡± Her steely gazed softened. ¡°Aren¡¯t we better than them, Eladregn?¡± Eladregn glanced away. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, my lady.¡± His shoulders sagged in defeat. ¡°The hatred between our peoples run deep, and it¡¯ll take more than a handful of good deeds to heal it.¡± He took a deep breath and gave her a small smile. ¡°But you are right, we shouldn¡¯t take any kindness for granted, even if it is a human¡¯s.¡± ¡°It still doesn''t change the fact that I¡¯ll need to punish Unaellion.¡± Nathaniel sighed, scratching his head. ¡°That means I¡¯ll need your support Eladregn.¡± ¡°Do you plan on enslaving him?¡± ¡°No, once his punishment is over, he¡¯ll be free to go his own way.¡± ¡°Very well. What shall his punishment be?¡± Nathaniel leaned against the console in thought. ¡°How did you punish criminals in the grove?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t help.¡± Eladregn chuckled dryly. Bella glared at the other elf. ¡°We didn¡¯t have any form of punishment. If an issue arose, then it was taken to Nyana. Whatever verdict she came to we accepted. If any disagreed, then they¡¯d leave.¡± ¡°However, young Nu¡¯alan isn¡¯t capable of making decisions yet.¡± Eladregn¡¯s chuckle was cut short by Bella. Nathaniel sat there in thought, until a smile came to his lips. ¡°That¡¯s actually a good idea.¡± ¡°What is?¡± Bella asked. ¡°Working towards a single goal is a good way to build bonds.¡± Nathaniel smiled, pushing off the console. ¡°I need you two to get a list of everything the villagers want to grow in the garden.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with their punishment?¡± ¡°Because Barrett and Unaellion are going to become gardeners.¡± Nathaniel said heading towards his workshop. ¡°And Bella, let Barin know about the garden as well.¡±
Barrett stared at the plain grey walls of his small room. His bed consisted of a thin mattress on a metal bench with no pillow. On the far side of the room was the chamber pot that magically removed waste, and a strange contraption that created water from nowhere. Everything about the room felt off, and he longed for his old home. The door opened, and one of those many armed golems flew into the room. ¡°Stay back!¡± Barrett snapped, but the monster grabbed his foot and snapped a metal band around his right leg. [Prisoner condition applied. Class is locked while wearing Prison Bangle. The User¡¯s level has been reset to level one. As long as the Prison Bangle is still equipped, User is unable to accumulate levels, but is still able to level up skills.] ¡°Master Nathaniel has decided your punishment. Please follow the robot?¡± That strange, disembodied voice echoed through his room. ¡°Also, don¡¯t run. That anklet confines you to the dungeon¡¯s domain. Should you try to step outside it, you¡¯ll received a nasty shock.¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡± Barrett yelped in pain as a lightning bolt shocked him. ¡°Does that answer your question? Now, come.¡± Barrett grumbled as he followed the flying golem. They walked through the stark halls and stopped in front of another door. The golem flew inside. It came back out with a dark elf in tow. The same dark elf that he had attacked. A snarl twisted Barrett¡¯s lips, but it turned into a smile when he noticed the band around the dark elf¡¯s legs. ¡°Does something amuse you, human?¡± ¡°Enough, you two are to follow the Maintenance Bot.¡± That voice interrupted. The dark elf simply turned away. His long stride forced Barrett to jog to keep up. The sunlight felt wonderful after being locked in that room for the past few days. The harsh lights dungeon lights hurt his eyes, and the air felt stale. Even the winter colors felt more vibrant than the metal walls of his cells. However, his enjoyment was soon interrupted when he spotted the bane of his existence. ¡°Good you¡¯re here.¡± Nathaniel smiled at them, and Barrett fought the urge to punch him. Next to the Inventor was the elf leader and his father. They stood in the grove where Nathaniel had planted the dryad seed, but it didn¡¯t look the same. Wooden stakes poked up from the ground with string connecting them. One of the giant golems sat down a bundle of bricks and cobblestone, and another sat down tools. ¡°What do you plan to do with us?¡± The dark elf replied coldly as he looked around. ¡°You two are being put to work.¡± Nathaniel smiled. ¡°Eladregn, Barin, please elaborate.¡± Both men eyed each other, until Barin cleared his throat. ¡°Seeing as how your people will be tending to the garden, would you do the honors, master Eladregn.¡± His voice came out sharp as he fought back a sneer. ¡°Thank you, master Barin.¡± Eladregn replied with a fake smile. ¡°This grove in which houses Lady Nu¡¯alan is to be transformed into a garden. You two will be working to prepare it, so that we elves can grow and cultivate the land around her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to exploit the lady?¡± Unaellion snapped. ¡°We are not!¡± Eladregn replied firmly. ¡°It is no different as to how we tended to Lady Nyana, but we are amongst humans now. Therefore, we must show them the majesty of the dryads.¡± His words softened as he stared at the mound in the center. ¡°If this garden helps the humans to embrace her, then maybe it¡¯ll protect her from the suffering the same fate as her mother.¡± Unaellion stopped glaring. ¡°We will tend to this garden as we tended to our grove.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with us?¡± Barrett snarled. ¡°Quit being a fool.¡± Barin sighed. ¡°The plants that grow around dryads have magical properties. They¡¯re used in all manners of elixirs and potions. With the elves alchemist and Elias, we won¡¯t need to rely on Rumand for materials. Instead, they¡¯ll need to rely on us.¡± ¡°However, we will benefit directly from our labors, not the humans.¡± Eladregn pointed out. ¡°Regardless, it means more coin is coming into the village.¡± Barin replied. ¡°Which means everyone benefits, even if it is indirectly.¡± ¡°True.¡± Both men¡¯s sour expressions softened. ¡°Your punishment is that you two shall work on this garden until it is completed.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s pleased smile made Barrett sick. ¡°That includes everything from tilling the earth to laying down the stone walkways. Once it is complete, then you¡¯ll both be free to go about your lives.¡± Barrett and Unaellion glared at each other. ¡°You want us to work together?¡± Barrett laughed but stopped when his father started growling. ¡°Together, alone, that¡¯s up to you.¡± Nathaniel handed them each a hoe. ¡°All that matters is that the garden is completed.¡± He walked over to one of the large golems and pounded on its chest. ¡°And don¡¯t fight you two, or this guy will have to step in.¡± Its red eye glowed menacingly at them. ¡°We¡¯ll leave you to it, and if you have any questions, Seneschal is free to answer them.¡± ¡°Son.¡± Barin pulled his son close. ¡°Swallow your pride and work with the elf. Your mother is worried sick, and she won¡¯t stop until you are home.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°Stop, you¡¯re making it harder for yourself.¡± They turned to see Unaellion and Eladregn huddled together. ¡°They may be arrogant jackasses but making yourself suffer simply to get even is foolish. Besides, he has someone he wants to return to as well.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ try.¡± Barin nodded as he stepped away, and Barrett watched as his father, the elf, and Nathaniel headed back into town. ¡°I have no desire to work with you human.¡± Unaellion¡¯s cold voice mixed well with the winter chill. ¡°Leave me be, and we¡¯ll get through this without incident.¡± He headed to the other end of the garden. ¡°Ass.¡± Barrett spat and headed towards one of the marked off plots. One of the flying golems hovered over the spot. ¡°What¡¯s this supposed to be?¡± ¡°This will be a flower bed.¡± The same voice from the other robot sounded. ¡°You¡¯ll need to clear out the area, build the brick perimeter, and then fill in with soil.¡± Barrett nodded as he looked around. There had to be dozens of these large plots spaced around. ¡°What are we supposed to do about the space between them?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be laying down stone paths there. Also, do you see the red thread?¡± Barrett nodded as he plucked the red string. ¡°You¡¯ll need to dig a trench there.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The master is going to install an irrigation system. That way, it¡¯ll be easier for watering the garden.¡± ¡°But the red lines run through everything, including the paths!¡± ¡°I recommend leveling out the ground first. It¡¯ll make everything else easier.¡± Barrett growled and swung his hoe hard. The blade bit into the earth, and he pulled it back to expose the fresh dirt underneath. The golem simply watched as he worked. The sun slowly flew through the sky as he worked. After a few hours, he finally finished clearing out two of the plots and he sat down on the accumulated dirt, taking a deep drink from his waterskin. As Barrett sat there resting, he simply stared at the elf as he continued working. Sweat drenched Unaellion¡¯s shirt as he furiously drove his hoe into the ground. He quickly wiped the sweat from his head and took a deep drink before getting back to work. Barrett¡¯s lips twitched into a smirk seeing that Unaellion was still working on his second plot. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be working?¡± He turned to see Sierra and an elf woman approach. ¡°I¡¯m taking a break.¡± Barrett sneered at her. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Bringing you lunch.¡± She held out a basket. The elf woman jogged to the other side. ¡°I thought you hated me?¡± Barrett snapped. Sierra sighed, setting the basket down. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you, but your attitude is making it hard not to.¡± She sat down next to him and adjusted her skirt. Her eyes glanced around. ¡°Now eat. You¡¯ll need to keep up your strength.¡± Barrett pulled the basket close and rummaged inside. He scarfed down the small sandwiches and washed it down with his water. It tasted good, but the pain in his chest made it hard to enjoy it. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t it be me?¡± He whispered, ¡°We¡¯ve known each other since we were little, but instead you choose an outsider.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem Barrett.¡± Sierra replied sadly. ¡°After growing up together, all I can see you as is a brother.¡± Barrett huffed, tossing the basket aside. ¡°Quit being an ass.¡± She scooped up the basket and glared at him. ¡°If you wanted me to treat you differently, then maybe you should act it. Right now, all I see is a child throwing a fit.¡± Her glare softened slightly. ¡°Please take care of yourself. You¡¯re still family to me.¡± Barrett watched her leave. The pain in his chest intensified with each step, and he bowed his head to hide the tears.
Unaellion surrendered to the steady pace of his work. It was mesmerizing watching the rectangular blade tear through the dirt. His muscles burned from the hours of work, but he couldn¡¯t stop. The work before him demanded he keep going. ¡°Unaellion.¡± He wiped the sweat from his brow as he turned to Gheldrielle. ¡°I brought you lunch.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not eating food prepared by humans.¡± ¡°I made it.¡± Gheldrielle snarled at him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so?¡± Unaellion drove the hoe into the ground before taking the basket. He tore through the food, enjoying the light taste of the sandwiches. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± Gheldrielle¡¯s sharp features tightened in anger. ¡°Why did you attack¡­ Oden?¡± ¡°You¡¯re using his name now?¡± Gheldrielle stepped forward, poking his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. You put us in a precarious position. What if he kicked us out?¡± ¡°He was with my sister!¡± ¡°He was taking care of her!¡± Gheldrielle replied in disgust. ¡°You should be grateful that Oden is still being gracious, and that¡¯s what your sister said, not I.¡± Unaellion snarled and tore his tool from the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t need you lecturing me. If there is nothing else, then leave.¡± The sad look she gave him stoked his anger more. ¡°Work with the human,¡± she whispered, ¡°Keilliane wants you back, and I fear the stress will hinder her recovery.¡± ¡°Eladregn said the same thing.¡± She perked up. ¡°Then heed him.¡± She gave him a smug smirk. ¡°The two of you have barely made any progress.¡± ¡°Begone!¡± Gheldrielle¡¯s light chuckled struck his nerves and returned his focus to the dirt to keep himself from watching her leave. There was a duplicate sound of his hoe striking the dirt, and he turned to see the human working as well. His tool broke the soil with ease. Clearly, he was used to this work, unlike Unaellion. With a low growl, Unaellion drove his hoe harder into the ground. He wasn¡¯t going to let a human overshadow him. Hours passed, and Unaellion muscles screamed in pain as he continued to swing his tool. His body was at war with itself as the work made him burn inside, only for the chilled touch of winter to freeze the sweat from his body. With a groan, he stopped, and he watched as one of the many-armed golems cart off the accumulated soil. Despite working nearly the entire day, he was barely a quarter of the way done with his fourth plot. The human was working on his fifth. The pale golden light of the fading sun washed over the grove. The human said that this would be a garden, a place of beauty. He couldn¡¯t see it. All he saw was torn earth and cold stone. The natural beauty of the grove gone. Replaced by the humans need to destroy everything. His eyes fell on the place where Lady Nu¡¯alan was planted. Her roots shifted underneath the dirt. Unaellion could feel a change occurring throughout the land, but he wasn¡¯t sure if it was from her, or from the dungeon. ¡°That¡¯s time everyone!¡± One of the flying golems flew around. ¡°Return to your rooms. Your dinner is waiting. We advise you take a warm shower before bed to avoid being stiff tomorrow.¡± ¡°I want to work a little longer.¡± Unaellion called out. ¡°We advise against it.¡± The golem replied, ¡°You have a approximately thirty-seven minutes left of light. With your speed of work, you¡¯d barely make a dent.¡± Unaellion growled as the human laughed at him. ¡°You are no better.¡± The human shut his mouth and stormed off. ¡°Why can¡¯t we have a plough at least?¡± The human snapped. ¡°I shall inquire about getting you a plough.¡± Unaellion wasn¡¯t paying attention as he followed them back to the dungeon. His body ached with each step, and he sighed with relief when they stepped out of the cold. When he walked into his room, he found a tray with a loaf of bread and a few slices of meat and cheese next to the bed, but he was too tired to eat. He headed to the small chamber tucked into the corner, and warm water poured over his body. He allowed himself to slide to the floor. Disgust washed over him. He couldn¡¯t keep up with the human, and now he needed to work harder simply to keep up. At this rate, the human would be finished before him. He was roused from his thoughts when the water stopped, and he rose to his shaky feet. He didn¡¯t even remember eating when he fell to the bed, and as the world went dark.
The next day, they found a strange device waiting for them. Multiple blades were mounted to the wide wooden frame along with three large wheels. A single bar ran along the back that was easily big enough for two. ¡°What is this?¡± Barrett shouted. ¡°The master agreed to your use of a plough.¡± The dungeon assistant said happily from the flying golem. ¡°It took the robots all night to make, so be grateful.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the drebin or horse?¡± Barrett pulled at his hair. ¡°How are we supposed to move this thing?¡± ¡°By working together of course.¡± Barrett and Unaellion glanced at each other. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your choice.¡± Seneschal said as another golem set the plough to the side. ¡°However, based on your progress, it¡¯ll be well into spring by the time you two finish.¡± The hint of a chuckle made them glare at the assistant. ¡°With the plough, we calculate you two finishing this project by winter''s end.¡± The two glared at each other before returning to their own plots. The hours flew by again that day, and despite the biting cold, they were drenched in sweat. Unaellion struggled to keep up with Barrett, but he continued to push forward. Seeing the elf pick up the pace made Barrett work faster as well, yet despite their pace, both had yet to finish a handful of the plots. ¡°You¡¯re not using the plough?¡± Barrett glared as Nathaniel approached with his monsters. They each carried a covered basket. ¡°Shame since you were asking for one yesterday.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t do us any good without a drebin to pull it.¡± Barrett snapped back. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Unaellion growled from the other side. ¡°We¡¯re here to plant seeds around Nu¡¯alan.¡± Bella stated. ¡°Yep, we¡¯re going to make the land pretty!¡± Hope beamed at them as she waved her tools around. The group passed them as they headed towards the central mound. The somber silence of their hard labor was now broken by the cheerful sounds of their captor. The shrill laughter and joyous chuckles grated Barrett¡¯s nerves, and he had no choice but to take his frustration out on the ground. Unaellion looked to be suffering as well over on his side too. ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave?¡± Barrett shouted, unable to withstand their happiness. ¡°Because it¡¯s important that I see this through.¡± Nathaniel replied. He drove his thumb into the ground, and a root sprung from the dirt, wrapping around his wrist. He patted the root as he continued his work. ¡°Originally, I wanted everyone to participate. That way everyone would feel a sense of accomplishment when the garden was completed, but you two put a wrench in that plan.¡± ¡°You expected the humans and elves to work together?¡± Unaellion scoffed. ¡°They already are.¡± Nathaniel gestured towards the main road. ¡°We should be using the garden to grow extra food!¡± Barrett recognized his father¡¯s harsh voice. ¡°Don¡¯t you have farms to grow food?¡± The incredulous tone of Eladregn¡¯s voice soon followed. ¡°What would be the point of growing extra food? We should focus on herbs and flowers. That way our healers won¡¯t run out of reagents for their potions.¡± ¡°But we could sell the extra food on the market and then buy the materials we need to make the potions.¡± ¡°According to your healer, Gheldrielle¡¯s potions would sell for a much higher price than the few bundles of produce the garden would grow. Why not do that instead?¡± Unaellion chuckled as he watched the leaders bicker. ¡°You call that working together?¡± ¡°I do actually.¡± Nathaniel said with a calm smile. ¡°They may be arguing but notice how they¡¯re not insulting each other. It¡¯s important to be able to speak ones mind when working together.¡± ¡°I concede that the potions sell more.¡± Barin said, tapping his foot in annoyance. ¡°But we shouldn¡¯t use all the land solely for flowers. What if we have a bad season and can¡¯t produce enough food?¡± ¡°Our rangers can hunt for more food.¡± Eladregn replied curtly. ¡°But I can agree that there is more than enough space. Perhaps we can grow berry bushes and plant a few trees for beehives.¡± ¡°Berries and honey.¡± Barin smirked with a chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you fairies only eat sweets.¡± ¡°No, but they make an excellent snack.¡± Eladregn sneered. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t expect you to understand with your stale palette.¡± ¡°So much for not insulting each other.¡± Nathaniel sighed. ¡°However, they¡¯re talking to each other, and that¡¯s what¡¯s important.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not simply them either.¡± Bella chuckled, giving Unaellion a warm smile. ¡°Ever since that day Oden tended to Keilliane, she¡¯s been coming out of her room to spend time with the others. Elias has been sharing his alchemical resources with Gheldrielle as well. It¡¯s small steps that can lead to big changes.¡± ¡°That may be so, but I can¡¯t agree with it.¡± Unaellion sighed deeply. ¡°However, it¡¯s good to hear that Keilliane is healing.¡± ¡°What about you Barrett?¡± Nathaniel turned to the youth. ¡°Are you going to stay here and get left behind again, or will you set your pride aside and work with us?¡± ¡°Why would I want to work with a bunch of fairies?¡± Nathaniel shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡± He whispered under his breath. ¡°It truly is.¡± Ch.43 Young Hearts The golden light of the sun shined brightly through the window, casting a glare off the small mirror. Despite it being the heart of winter, the room was filled with colorful flowers, and it left the room smelling fresh. Vibrant splashes of paint showed underneath the decorations, adding to the chaotic, mesmerizing colors. After years of darkness, Daisy was going to live everyday surrounded by beautiful colors from now on. She ran a comb through her thick brown hair. It¡¯s dark brown wood was ornately carved with floral patterns. It was one of the many gifts her uncle had given her. She set the comb down with a warm smile, but her eyes glanced over at the wall next to her small vanity. Four figures were poorly painted on the wall. Three adults with a child standing between a woman and man. Her smile faded slightly, and she brought her fingers to her lips then pressed it against wall. ¡°Love you.¡± She wiped her eyes as she left the room. Daisy frowned as she stepped into the main room. The shutter were closed causing the room to be filled with dark shadows. Her nose wrinkled at the appalling, musty scent of medicine, and a dark lump sat the table. She stormed over to the shutters and threw them open making Uncle Elias wake with a startle. ¡°Uncle, how many times do I have to tell you to sleep in you bed?¡± She scolded him as she started a fire. ¡°I¡¯m sorry dear.¡± Elias scratched at his stubble. ¡°Sorry isn¡¯t enough.¡± Daisy pouted. ¡°You are the town¡¯s healer. What would happen if you ended up sick?¡± ¡°There¡¯s always mistress Gheldrielle.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no excuse.¡± Elias sighed in relief when there was a knock at the door. She glared at him but ran to open the door. A tall, lithe beauty stood before her. ¡°Good morning, mistress Gheldrielle!¡± Daisy smiled brightly. The elf returned the smile and bowed to her. ¡°Good morning to you as well child. May I use your alchemy tools?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Daisy let her inside. She scowl painted her lips when she noticed dirtied utensils. ¡°Please excuse the mess.¡± ¡°It seems that no matter the race, it falls to the women to maintain a household.¡± Gheldrielle smirked knowingly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll clean it up.¡± Elias gave them an embarrassed chuckle that faded quickly under the elf¡¯s intense glare. Gheldrielle¡¯s gaze rooted him to the spot. ¡°Dark circles around the red eyes, shaking legs and hands, and a foul stench on the breath.¡± She placed a hand on his forehead. ¡°Hot to the touch. You¡¯re sick.¡± ¡°Uncle!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Elias¡¯ cough contradicted his protest. ¡°You are, and that is unacceptable.¡± Gheldrielle grimaced sadly. ¡°Child, gather water and place it in the cauldron. I¡¯ll need boiling water to clean the tools.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not-¡± ¡°In bed, now!¡± Gheldrielle snapped. Elias quietly backed away into the only dark room. ¡°Will he be fine?¡± Daisy¡¯s eyes became misty. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do-¡± A warm hand interrupted her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry child.¡± Gheldrielle said, ¡°I know a draught that¡¯ll cure him, but I¡¯ll need that water first.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Daisy collected the bucket by the door and ran towards the well. A few of the housewives waved at her as she passed, and she set the pail under the spicket. The water came out in spurts when she pumped the wooden lever. The new contraption fascinated her, especially since it made drawing water faster. ¡°Morning Lady Daisy.¡± She turned to see Krietsky come up behind her.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you to simply call me Daisy? I¡¯m no lady.¡± She huffed as she struggled with the pump. ¡°Allow me.¡± Daisy stepped aside. The young man was barely taller than she was despite being older. Krietsky groaned as he pumped the lever, each pump produced a little more water than when she worked it. She chuckled slightly at watching him struggle with the pump, and Krietsky wiped his brow when the pail was full. ¡°Thank you for coming to my aid.¡± Daisy smiled with a small curtsy. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡± ¡°If you want¡­ I can carry it for you.¡± His arms shook as he lifted the wooden bucket. Daisy smiled as she reached for the handle. ¡°We can carry it together.¡± A few of the housewives chuckled at them. Daisy hummed joyfully as they walked together. Krietsky stared straight ahead, his movements stiff as wisps of steam rose from his head. ¡°Is there a reason why you¡¯re fetching water today instead of Lord Elias?¡± He stuttered. ¡°Uncle is sick in bed, and I needed to get water for mistress Gheldrielle.¡± Daisy¡¯s smile faded. ¡°She says she can make something to help. What about you?¡± ¡°Master Nathaniel and I were working on making ceramic pipes.¡± Krietsky¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°If our experiments work, then he thinks we¡¯ll be able to use them to pump water into everyone¡¯s houses.¡± ¡°That sounds amazing. You must be learning a lot.¡± ¡°I am.¡± Krietsky opened his menu. ¡°Look, I¡¯m nearly level four. It took my other siblings years to reach this level. It¡¯s all thanks to master Nathaniel that I¡¯ve made it this far.¡± ¡°You sound like you¡¯re having fun. It makes me want to have a crafters class too.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t recommend it.¡± Krietsky¡¯s smile faltered. ¡°You should desire a class people will respect.¡± ¡°I respect your class.¡± Daisy smiled brightly at him. ¡°Potters make such beautiful things like vases, dishes, statues. Your class is incredibly important Krietsky.¡± His face turned deep red. ¡°Thank you. Looks like we¡¯re here.¡± Daisy gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before taking the pail. ¡°Thanks for the help.¡± She waved at him as she headed inside. Krietsky waved as he backed away, and he disappeared down the street. ¡°I have the water for you!¡± She called out as she entered the house. Gheldrielle quickly took the bucket and poured it into the small cauldron. ¡°Excellent.¡± She smiled warmly. ¡°I was a little worried, but it was a good thing that boy was there.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m grateful as well.¡± Daisy replied, trying to ignore the heat coming off her cheeks.
The roaring flames danced wildly within the stone kiln. The heat barely registered on Krietsky¡¯s skin as he watched the wood burn. His eyes were glued to the bright yellow of the flame. Its color reminded him of Daisy. He flinched when something stung his ears. ¡°Pay attention Krietsky.¡± Nathaniel said. He sat at a bench carving runes into a wet clay pipe. ¡°You need to manage the fire, otherwise the temperature in the kiln won¡¯t remain stable.¡± ¡°Yes master!¡± Krietsky¡¯s face burned more from embarrassment than from the fire. ¡°So, what¡¯s on your mind?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong sir.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡± Krietsky¡¯s feet dug into the snow. ¡°Someone said they respected me.¡± He glanced over at his master expecting to hear laughter, but all he saw was a warm smile. ¡°It¡¯s good to have people¡¯s respect.¡± ¡°This person also wanted a crafter class as well, but I told her it wasn¡¯t worth it.¡± ¡°Her?¡± Krietsky¡¯s stomach fell at Nathaniel¡¯s chuckle. ¡°I see how it is now, but why would you tell her not to desire a crafter¡¯s class?¡± ¡°You know what it¡¯s like being a crafter!¡± Krietsky replied, ¡°Daisy shouldn¡¯t want that.¡± His mouth snapped shut. Nathaniel sighed and knelt in front of him, grasping his shoulders tightly. ¡°It¡¯s admirable that you want to protect her, but you shouldn¡¯t dismiss her desire so easily because of your own insecurities.¡± ¡°But crafters are a respectable class.¡± ¡°You sound like your mother.¡± Krietsky cowered under Nathaniel¡¯s stern gaze. ¡°I won¡¯t have an apprentice that denigrates himself as well as other crafters. We¡¯re going to show everyone how important crafters are. Do you understand?¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a hero, and I¡¯m simply a potter!¡± Nathaniel forcefully turned him around to look at the assortment of pipes they made. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to the pottery skill that those were made!¡± he shouted. ¡°You made those master.¡± ¡°No, we made them.¡± Nathaniel tapped his forehead hard. ¡°You played an important part in making them too. Don¡¯t diminish it.¡± Krietsky stared at the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t feel important.¡± ¡°You should, because Daisy thinks you¡¯re important.¡± The boy stared at Nathaniel in shock. ¡°It¡¯s time you changed your mindset son.¡± Nathaniel opened the kiln and ushered one of the giant robots towards it. It pulled out the large clay pipe inside with two massive hooks, the red clay glistened with a teal sheen. The behemoth set the pipe down with the others and loaded another into the kiln. The arcanum infused clay looked beautiful despite its simple design. ¡°They are, aren¡¯t they.¡± Nathaniel chuckled at him, and Krietsky realized that he had spoken out loud. ¡°And you had a hand in their creation.¡± ¡°Forgive me master.¡± Krietsky whispered, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to disrespect you like that.¡± ¡°I truly do understand son.¡± Nathaniel placed a comforting hand on his back. ¡°But as my parents told me; you don¡¯t get to level one hundred without caring a few burdens. Let those burdens drive you to be the best.¡± Potters make such beautiful things. ¡°Then I want to make the most beautiful pottery in the world.¡± Krietsky replied. ¡°I want everyone to know the name Krietsky La¡¯ Maire!¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not a La¡¯ Maire, remember.¡± Nathaniel smiled proudly at him. ¡°You are a Light, and don¡¯t you forget it.¡± Krietsky wiped the tears from his eyes. ¡°Yes sir, I won¡¯t let you down!¡± Ch.44 Unexpected Visitors The soft brush glided across Aniphrae¡¯s lips. Her steady hands painted her lips a dark red, and she smiled at her reflection in the golden mirror her maid held up. All that was left was the light dusting of rouge to her cheeks and liner around her eyes. ¡°Perfect.¡± She smiled victoriously. ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll work?¡± She glanced over at Pomran leaning leisurely against the carriage wall. ¡°I have stiff competition, dear brother.¡± Aniphrae chuckled as she set her tools away. ¡°What I lack in figure, I must make up for in beauty. It¡¯s important that I find a way to stand out from the others.¡± ¡°I wish you luck. You¡¯re going to need it.¡± She found his smirk infuriating. ¡°How much longer to Treante?¡± ¡°Not much longer now ma¡¯am.¡± Her maid replied. Her smile brightened at the news, and she stared out the window. The carriage rocked violently down the road. If it wasn¡¯t for her high dexterity, she would have made a mess of her make-up. ¡°I think building a proper road between Treante and Rumand should be his first order of business.¡± Aniphrae said, pulling her fur coat tight. ¡°It¡¯ll make transporting the wares easier.¡± ¡°Looks like he¡¯s already working on it.¡± The carriage bounced upwards. Suddenly, the carriage no longer shook, and the clacking of the horses hooves could be heard. Aniphrae peeked out the window. The sight of a cobblestone street brought a chuckle out of her, and she couldn¡¯t stop herself from smiling at her brother. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking forward to being in the middle of nowhere? Surrounded by woods and village yokels?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to marrying a hero.¡± She chuckled, hugging Pomran¡¯s arm. ¡°Besides, it won¡¯t be for long, right, darling brother.¡± Her eyes fluttered rapidly at him. ¡°You¡¯re not as cute as you think you are.¡± Pomran reached for her head, but she slid away with a hiss. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! I need to look my best for my fianc¨¦.¡± ¡°We should ask someone about his residence.¡± Pomran slid the door to the driver open. ¡°Stop by the first person you see.¡± ¡°Do elves count sir?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s the best person to ask.¡± He gave his sister a mischievous smile. ¡°Sir, she¡¯s running away.¡± ¡°What? Why is Bella running?¡± Pomran hung out the window. Aniphrae chuckled at the foolish expression on his face. ¡°That¡¯s not Bella! Who is that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know sir. We look to be coming to a tavern. Should I stop there?¡± ¡°Yes! I need to know what¡¯s going on.¡± The carriage came to a stop and Pomran threw open the door. ¡°Are you coming sister?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯d be good to get to know the locals.¡± They stepped out of the warm carriage and stared at the quaint two-storied building. Inside, a few of the local townspeople gathered around the tables enjoying the spare time winter gave them, but their eyes were drawn to the group hanging around the bar. The hard glares stopped them at the door. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you had any other dark elves.¡± Aniphrae whispered. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Pomran replied, ¡°And they¡¯re not slaves.¡± As she looked closer, she noticed that none of the elves had collars on. ¡°Pardon me.¡± A short, young woman approached. ¡°Is there something I can help you with?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re here to visit the Inventor, but we don¡¯t know where he lives.¡± Aniphrae smiled politely at her. ¡°What do you want with Nathaniel?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here on business.¡± Pomran replied simply. ¡°And pleasure.¡± Aniphrae chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m his fianc¨¦e.¡± The crowd fell silent and gawked at her. ¡°I see.¡± The girl gave them a feigned smile. ¡°I can show you to where he currently is, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯d like to see him as soon as possible.¡±
Nathaniel held out his hand. ¡°Wrench.¡± ¡°Wrench!¡± Hope called out, slapping the tool into his hand. He chuckled as he tightened the bolts that secured the large gear to the massive rotor. Nearly two dozen bundles of copper wires encapsulated the metallic rod. On the other end of the machine sat a copper plate that glimmered with the teal hue of arcanum. A rune depicting a lightning bolt with a positive sign marked one end with the other having a bolt with a negative. ¡°That should do it.¡± Nathaniel wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°It¡¯s great!¡± Hope joyfully jumped around. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s clearly a weapon.¡± Ralia huffed. Bella looked skeptically at her. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an electric motor.¡± Nathaniel replied happily. ¡°If I can get this to work, then this opens up all sorts of possibilities.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Hope stared at the machine in confusion. ¡°Pumps, fans, wenches, cars.¡± ¡°Those are the horseless carriages, correct?¡± Bella asked. ¡°What about those mechanical horses?¡± Ralia¡¯s tail thumped against the ground. ¡°The ones with the loud roar.¡± ¡°You mean a motorcycle?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Her eyes sparkled. ¡°Imagine the countless numbers of enemies I could run down with my spear if I had one.¡± Nathaniel let out a soft chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, but I¡¯ll consider making you one.¡± ¡°Master, forgive my intrusion, but there is a carriage approaching. It looks like its from the Quarmane family.¡± Seneschal¡¯s monotonous voice echoed through the room. ¡°Should I show them in?¡± ¡°Yes, have a drone bring them to the motor pool.¡± The doors to the garage opened, allowing a cold blast of air to nip at their skin. Clopping hooves drew their attention as the painted carriage moved down the road towards them. Nathaniel stood in shock as four people stepped out of it ¡°Long time no see, darling.¡± The beautiful Aniphrae smiled brightly. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, miss Aniphrae, but what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Father asked Anie and I to pick the location for the warehouse and manor.¡± Pomran replied with a smirk. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s with all the dark elves?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a long story, but the gist is that I took Bella¡¯s grove under my protection.¡± Nathaniel said with a stern glance. ¡°They¡¯re new citizens that immigrated to my domain.¡± ¡°Bold move my friend, but do you think the others will recognize them?¡± Nathaniel glared at him. ¡°I skimmed through the laws. If they¡¯re registered and paying taxes, then I have every right to recognize anyone as a citizen regardless of their race.¡± His glare intensified. ¡°And I¡¯ve taken precautions to keep others from enslaving them.¡± Pomran held his hands up. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Don¡¯t antagonize him brother.¡± Aniphrae huffed. She pulled out a silver coin and handed it to Sierra. ¡°Thank you for showing us here.¡± Sierra took the coin with shaky hands. ¡°It was my pleasure.¡± She glanced at Nathaniel with a half-smile. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to get back.¡± She quickly left them behind. Aniphrae glanced between the girl and Nathaniel. ¡°I take it you two are close?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s like family to me.¡± The young woman chewed on her cheek. ¡°I see.¡± Her eyes fell onto the large motor. ¡°Are you working on something new?¡± ¡°Do you want to see it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Her eyes sparkled as she took his arm. Fascination painted Aniphrae¡¯s face as they approached the machine. Her eyes glided over each piece as she muttered under her breath. ¡°It¡¯s made of copper, iron and steel, and I don¡¯t see any arcane metal save for the plates. What is it for?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± Nathaniel gestured at one of the large robots. It towered over them and it¡¯s two large claws grabbed the motor by both ends. Its heavy steps filled the room as it walked over to the skeletal, metal frame, and it sat the motor gently into a cradle. Maintenance bots connected the motor gear to a flywheel and axle rod. Two wooden wheels hung off the ground by the axles. Two cables were locked to the arcane plates on the other end. Nathaniel led the group to a console and handed each of them a pair of goggles. ¡°Safety first.¡± He smiled, putting the glasses on. Aniphrae watched as the others slipped the glasses on before putting on her own. ¡°I¡¯m going to start this off slow.¡± Nathaniel pushed the large lever forward. Everyone reached for their ears as an severe buzzing filled the room. When the lever was about a third of the way up, the buzzing was drowned out by grinding metal. The wooden wheels slowly rotated in midair. ¡°Amazing!¡± Aniphrae¡¯s voice was barely audible. Nathaniel shut down the console. ¡°Darling, how does it work?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s designed to take the magical energy of a power core and converts it into electricity. That energy then powers the motor which then turns the wheels.¡± ¡°And what was the inspiration for this machine?¡± Pomran eyed the machine in thought. ¡°These motors are common back in my old world. All I had to do was find a way to build it with what I had.¡± ¡°What are you going to make with them?¡± Aniphrae asked with a sweet smile. ¡°That¡¯s a secret.¡± Nathaniel chuckled as he stepped away. ¡°You can confide in me.¡± She replied, twirling her hair. ¡°We¡¯re to be married after all.¡± ¡°Does that mean I should add the young misses as an administrator?¡± Seneschal interrupted them. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Aniphrae said looking for the speaker. ¡°We can discuss that later.¡± Nathaniel said quickly. ¡°Where are you two staying?¡± ¡°Well, I was hoping you¡¯d have a spare room for us.¡± Aniphrae said calmly as her eyes glanced to the other women. ¡°Is that a problem?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Bella smiled politely. ¡°We have rooms available for you and master Pomran.¡± ¡°Are you sure Bella?¡± Nathaniel flinched at the whine in his voice. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that master.¡± Bella leaned in his ear. ¡°You should use this time to earn her trust. She may be of use to you.¡± ¡°Very well, then can you get rooms ready for them.¡± ¡°You too.¡± Aniphrae nodded to her maid. She turned back to Nathaniel with a warm smile. ¡°Do you mind showing us around?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Aniphrae latched onto his arm. Nathaniel gestured to the open room. ¡°This is the garage. Once I develop the appropriate technology, I plan to use this space to construct vehicles.¡± ¡°Vehicles? You plan on constructing carriages here?¡± Pomran chuckled. ¡°Something like that.¡± Nathaniel replied, ¡°But I¡¯m focused on urban development now.¡± Nathaniel led them down the winding corridors. A door opened, and an Extractor appeared. Its basket was filled with stone, metals, and gems. ¡°This is an elevator.¡± Nathaniel gestured to the small room. ¡°It leads to the upper and lower floors of the dungeon.¡± ¡°Are you trying to mine the mountain for everything its worth?¡± Aniphrae¡¯s eyes sparkled at the treasure. ¡°Not really. The dungeon grows by converting matter into energy. From what I¡¯ve seen, the more valuable the material, the greater the growth. Also, I plan on making this my very own fortress, so I need to excavate new rooms to expand the dungeon¡¯s facilities.¡± ¡°Making a castle out of a mountain? A wise decision.¡± Aniphrae smirked. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why have a house in the village?¡± ¡°For normalcy. I may be the lord, but that doesn''t mean I want to live away from everyone.¡± ¡°Darling, that¡¯s a na?ve way of thinking.¡± She sighed deeply. ¡°It¡¯s important to establish your authority, or the people may not respect you.¡± ¡°I feel that the people respect me already.¡± ¡°And what about those that haven¡¯t known you for two years?¡± Nathaniel grumbled, and she patted his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll get through this together. Now come, I want to see more of your dungeon.¡±
¡°Why are we doing this?¡± Ralia growled as she slapped the duvet. Dust flew into her face making her cough. ¡°We are getting the rooms ready for our visitors.¡± Bella replied, hanging the sheets on the line. ¡°We don¡¯t want to make the master look bad, especially for someone he¡¯ll marry.¡± Her fingers gripped the cloth tightly. ¡°Pardon me.¡± Ralia growled as that woman¡¯s maid approached. ¡°I¡¯m preparing a kettle for tea, and wondered if you two wanted some?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love some, thank you.¡± Bella smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ralia said with embers escaping from her lips. The maid nodded as she headed back inside. ¡°I need to get started on dinner.¡± Bella sighed, placing a hand on Ralia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Make the beds once you¡¯re done.¡± Ralia nodded, and a small snarl escaped her lips as she continued beating the sheet. Whack! ¡°Why did he agree to marry her?¡± She imagined Nathaniel and that woman sharing a bed. Her heart burned deeply. Whack! ¡°Aren¡¯t we enough for him?¡± The image of that woman with a swollen stomach came to mind. Whack! ¡°Am I not enough for him?¡± The laughter of children grated against her ears, and she felt a stabbing pain in her heart. Whack! Rip! The baton tore open the duvet, spilling the fleece onto the ground. ¡°Dammit!¡± Ralia threw the baton away. It broke as it struck the cold ground. ¡°Why is this happening?¡± she roared, shooting flames into the air. The heat evaporated the tears from her eyes. She gently ran her fingers along her abdomen. ¡°Why?¡± Her head fell, and she stared at the torn cloth. The tear silently mocked her. Another sign of her ineptitude to add to all the others. After living in the village, she was aware of what human males desired in partners, and she was far from it. The men spoke highly of their woman¡¯s household skills, and they young men sought out the women with similar skills. She didn¡¯t have those skills. Her cooking was tasteless and charred, and she often damaged the house when cleaning. A fact that the torn sheet taunted her with. What¡¯s worse, is that human males preferred their women to be dainty and delicate. She was anything but delicate. Ralia sighed in defeat as she pulled the duvet from the line. Once again, she¡¯d need Bella to fix her mess. The rage burning within her made her stop. ¡°There must be something?¡± She whispered, staring at the sheet. Clutching it tightly, she ran down the street. Her eyes fixed on the two-storied building at the far end of the village square. It tore at her pride, but Ralia could only think of one person to help her. She tore open the door. ¡°Sierra, are you here?¡± She sighed in relief when the little woman stepped from the kitchen. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Ralia?¡± Sierra said, eyeing her with concern. ¡°I need your help.¡± Ralia held the duvet up, trying to hide her blushed face. ¡°Could you show me how to sew, please?¡± ¡°S-sure.¡± She looked confused as she turned to the bar. ¡°Pa, I¡¯ll be busy for a while! Let¡¯s go to my room.¡± Ralia quietly followed her. Sierra¡¯s room consisted of a small, cramped space. It was big enough for a single bed, small storage trunk, and a small desk that held a myriad of items. Fortunately, a small sewing kit was among them. ¡°Let me see the sheet.¡± Sierra sat at the desk. She glanced at the torn cloth, then cut it off with a pair of scissors. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ralia shouted, her tail striking the ground hard. ¡°There¡¯s no saving that patch.¡± Sierra said, stuffing the duvet with more fleece. ¡°We¡¯ll need to find another piece to patch it up.¡± She pulled out several pieces of square cloth and laid them on the desk. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have anything that matches the rest of the blanket. I¡¯ll have to make do with these.¡± ¡°Then the master will know I messed up again!¡± ¡°Why would Nathaniel care about that?¡± ¡°Because he may see it as a burden!¡± Ralia snarled as she paced around the room. ¡°He may have bought me for my combat abilities, but does he truly need it now that he has his armor. I need to prove that I have more uses than combat.¡± Tears started forming in her eyes again. ¡°I can¡¯t clean, cook, or perform any other tasks that human males desire in partners, unlike Bella. I can¡¯t even bear him children! What good am I?¡± She fell onto the bed with her head in her hands. Ralia felt something settled in her lap. Sierra sat next to her holding the kit with a dark blue patch. ¡°I¡¯ll show you how to sew.¡± Sierra said calmly. ¡°We¡¯ll use this patch to fix the blanket since it matches the color of your scales.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°This will make the blanket special.¡± Sierra smiled as she threaded the needle. ¡°Because it¡¯ll have a small piece of you apart of it.¡± She started the first stitch then handed the needle over. ¡°You¡¯ll need to be gentle, otherwise you¡¯ll tear the new cloth.¡± Ralia¡¯s hands shook as she worked. She had seen both Nathaniel and Bella sew but never thought anything of it. To her, it was a simple task. She was wrong. It took all her concentration not to pull the thread to tightly. Thankfully, Sierra helped her fix the mistakes she made and get her back on track. After the final stitch, Sierra cut the thread. ¡°What do you think?¡± Ralia said nervously as she stared at the blanket. ¡°It looks good. Now you need to show it to Nathaniel.¡±
¡°What a quaint home.¡± Pomran smirked as he eyed the place. ¡°Enough space for your happy little family?¡± Nathaniel tried to keep his smile cordial. ¡°It is now. We had to remodel after it was destroyed in the attack.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough brother.¡± Aniphrae said sternly. ¡°Dear sister, I¡¯m simply looking out for your best interest.¡± Pomran snickered as his eyes turned to Bella. ¡°There needs to be plenty of room for the little tykes, right.¡± ¡°That discussion doesn¡¯t involve you.¡± Aniphrae¡¯s smile disappeared into a scowl. ¡°I think it would be best for us to get settled in. Please excuse us.¡± She tightly grabbed Pomran¡¯s arms and dragged him upstairs. Nathaniel sighed, thankful to have them out of his hair. ¡°Master, Ralia¡¯s gone missing.¡± Bella whispered. ¡°Where¡¯d she go?¡± Before she could answer, a cold breeze blew in from behind him. Ralia stood in the doorway, clutching tightly to a blanket. Most of her face was hidden, but he could make out the rosy tint to her cheeks and nose. She would glance at him then quickly look away. ¡°Ralia, are you alright?¡± Nathaniel grabbed her, looking her over. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry master.¡± She stuttered holding out the blanket. ¡°I broke it.¡± ¡°Is¡­ that all.¡± Nathaniel said quietly. Ralia nodded, hiding behind the blanket, and she let out a gasp when he embraced her. ¡°Don¡¯t scare me like that.¡± ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d get rid of me.¡± She whispered. He leaned in, gently kissing her. ¡°I¡¯m never getting rid of you, understand. Now let¡¯s see this blanket.¡± He opened the sheet and quietly inspected it. A large dark blue patch with thick white stitching sat at the top of the blanket. It was a repair performed by an amateur. ¡°Did you fix this?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ with Sierra¡¯s help.¡± Nathaniel chuckled and whispered into her ear. ¡°Why don¡¯t we try it out tonight?¡± He enjoyed seeing her fidget nervously. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± Ch.45 A Lady’s Pride Aniphrae nibbled on the end of her wooden pen as she stared at the sheets in front of her. She squinted, trying to read her own writing, but the tableside lamp didn¡¯t produce enough light for her. The small glasses sitting at the end of her nose didn¡¯t help as well. Why couldn¡¯t she have inherited her mother¡¯s eyesight. ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you still awake?¡± Her maid¡¯s melodious voice came from the door. ¡°Yes, what do you need, Lei?¡± Her maid quietly stepped inside. Lei¡¯lorai¡¯s simple nightgown was drenched from her soaked, vibrant green hair, and it made the fabric nearly transparent. Aniphrae sneered at her maid¡¯s shapely figure. Lei squinted and held her hand to cover her eyes. The light made her skin shine with an iridescence and revealed the thin, spiny fin along her arm. ¡°I thought you should know that the Inventor has gone to bed.¡± Lei¡¯lorai said harshly, ¡°And his dragon-heart has joined him.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lei¡¯lorai.¡± ¡°You are more accepting of the Inventor¡¯s pets than I expected ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Accepting isn¡¯t the right word.¡± Aniphrae rubbed her eyes in frustration. ¡°Honestly, I want to get rid of them, but the Inventor is attached to them. So, I must get used to them.¡± She smiled darkly. ¡°Do you wish to join us?¡± ¡°No, I have no desire to pollute my family¡¯s lineage.¡± Lei¡¯lorai scoffed. ¡°Good, I¡¯d hate to replace you.¡± Aniphrae smirked while taking her in. ¡°It¡¯s hard to find selkies outside of the coastal cities.¡± ¡°True, I am hard to replace.¡± Lei¡¯lorai replied. Aniphrae scoffed as the sea folk ran her hands through her hair. ¡°Where else would you find a beauty like me?¡± Aniphrae scoffed at her maid and returned to her work. ¡°Still ma¡¯am, I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re marrying the Inventor. Why not try to marry the other heroes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a noble, so marrying into a martial class wouldn¡¯t benefit the family. However, a crafter is another story.¡± She gave her maid a wily smile. ¡°My father spent years building his trade empire, but he was always at the mercy of the Guild. He had to buy products at their rates and could only sell his wares whenever they allowed. He wasted hundreds of thousands of gold coins on bribery to get ahead; all because the Guild controls the means of production.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re too focused on looks.¡± Aniphrae chuckled. ¡°Whenever the heroes are summoned, change always follows. Kingdoms have risen and fallen because of them, but the Inventor is the first crafter to ever be recorded.¡± She played with a strand of hair as she stared out the window. ¡°I¡¯m certain that the Inventor¡¯s arrival is a sign of the Guild¡¯s downfall, and when they do, the merchant families will try to fill the void. Therefore, it¡¯s important to bring Nathaniel into the family.¡± ¡°So, you plan to exploit the Inventor? I feel sorry for him.¡± Aniphrae¡¯s smile faltered. ¡°It¡¯s not exploitation since he¡¯ll be profiting as well.¡± She said, ¡°And this is my chance to stand out from my other siblings.¡± ¡°I can understand that.¡± Lei¡¯lorai said pensively. ¡°Then you understand why I need this marriage to happen?¡± Aniphrae¡¯s eyes turned steely, and she held out the parchment. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Please place these on the desk on your way out.¡± Lei¡¯lorai nodded and gave her a small smile. ¡°Good night, ma¡¯am.¡± She said before blowing out the candle.
Bella clutched tightly to her partner, burying her face into his flesh. His warmth made her feel safe, and his hand brushed against her skin, sending a shiver down her back. She chuckled and raised her head to stare into his eyes, but only darkness greeted her. Bella crushed her pillow in her arms as she laid her head back down. The warmth surrounding her suddenly became cold. ¡°It¡¯s almost morning.¡± With a heavy sigh, she rose from bed, bracing against the slight chill. The rustling of her clothes broke the night¡¯s silence, and she took a moment to enjoy the beauty of the early morning sky. Bella soaked in the peaceful quiet, for in a few hours the busy day would drive it away. Nathaniel would be occupied with an invention or town issues, Ralia and Hope with training, and she would be busy tending to the chores. Simple lives meant for simple people. Unfortunately, the ornate carriage parked below her window contradicted that. Her smile slowly faded, and the night lost some of its luster. She quickly dressed herself and stepped out of her room. The hall was drowned in darkness, but it didn¡¯t matter to her. Everything took on a dull grey when there was no light. Her eyes fell onto the door at the end of the hall. Ralia would have kept him up late. A small smile appeared on her lips as she headed down the hall. I can¡¯t blame her. She quietly moved through the hall to the kitchen. However, a figure stood staring into the tea cabinets. ¡°Is there something you need, Lei¡¯lorai?¡± Bella smiled politely. ¡°I was looking for a kettle.¡± Lei¡¯lorai replied coldly, not even turning to look at her. ¡°However, I can¡¯t seem to find it. Do you not like an organized kitchen?¡± ¡°My kitchen is organized.¡± Bella pulled out the kettle from the bottom cabinet. ¡°The kettle is with the other pots and pans.¡± ¡°It should be with the tea. That way guests can prepare it themselves.¡± ¡°Most of our guests don¡¯t stay with us, so there is no need to prepare it themselves.¡± ¡°Sounds more like you don¡¯t want them to stay.¡± Lei¡¯s sharp smile angered her. ¡°I¡¯ll see to it that everything is taken care of. Why don¡¯t you return to bed?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I need to make certain that mistress Aniphrae¡¯s breakfast is made to her liking. She prefers her food to have flavor.¡± ¡°Then feel free to make it yourself.¡± Bella¡¯s smile disappeared as she lit the oven. ¡°I need to prepare breakfast for the others.¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The light from the stove bathed the room in orange light, and the two women went about their task. They both filled wooden bowls with the ingredients needed to make bread, but they chose different spices. ¡°Why are you making sweets?¡± Lei¡¯lorai scoffed at the bottled honey and cream. ¡°A savory bread would pair better with a hearty breakfast.¡± ¡°Sweet bread helps round out the breakfast.¡± Bella replied, trying to fight back a sneer. ¡°Savory bread loses its taste alongside the salty meats. Whereas the salt will enhance the sweetness of the bread.¡± ¡°Of course, a fairy over-indulges in sweets.¡± Lei¡¯lorai glared at Bella¡¯s waist. ¡°And you fish need to brine yourselves in salt.¡± A strained silence filled the kitchen, and the tension between them made the room feel unnaturally warm. Bella tore at the dough viciously with her rolling pin until it was flat, and she effortlessly cut it into smaller slices. She rolled the pieces into thin strips, then tied them into intricate knots. She smiled victoriously at the small egg washed pastries on the thin pan. She was about to stick them in the oven when Lei¡¯lorai shoved her on the top rack. ¡°Don¡¯t want mine to burn.¡± The selkie gave her a shark-toothed smile. ¡°That simply means mine will be finished first.¡± Bella replied, slamming the door shut. Sunlight started filling the room. ¡°I¡¯d better get started on the rest of breakfast.¡± She stalked off to the pantry, pulling out salted meats and a few eggs. ¡°Is that it?¡± Lei¡¯lorai eyed the produce in disgust. ¡°That¡¯s too heavy of a meal for the morning. You need something light to start the morning.¡± She pulled out several vegetables. ¡°A salad is a better choice.¡± ¡°Master Nathaniel needs all the energy he can get.¡± Bella snapped. ¡°A salad won¡¯t provide him with the nutrients he needs to man the forges all day.¡± ¡°I think he has enough nutrients to do that already. However, Mistress Aniphrae need to keep her mind clear. All that meat is bad for her concentration.¡± ¡°No one stopping you from making a salad.¡± A low growl escaped Bella¡¯s lips. The furious sounds of cooking filled the kitchen. Both women moved between the kitchen and dining room, setting their dishes against each other. Soon the whole house was filled with the fragrant aroma of a feast. ¡°What are you two doing?¡± Everyone gathered around the door staring at the two of them. Bella couldn¡¯t stop from frowning as Aniphrae hung on Nathaniel¡¯s arm. ¡°We-¡± ¡°We were preparing breakfast.¡± Lei¡¯lorai replied proudly. She pulled out the seat next to the table¡¯s head. ¡°Mistress.¡± Aniphrae smiled up at Nathaniel. ¡°I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡± ¡°We can wake the others, but you should know that we have assigned seating.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if mistress Aniphrae wishes to sit there.¡± Bella replied, her face hurting from the false smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± An awkward tension hung over the room as everyone sat down. It was broken by the clinking of utensils on dishes. Bella smiled victoriously as most of her dishes were eaten, especially her sweet bread. ¡°So, what are your plans today, darling?¡± Aniphrae spoke up. Her eyes fluttered rapidly. ¡°I¡¯ll start by checking in on the community garden, then I¡¯ll be spending most of the day working on our plumbing project.¡± ¡°Plumbing?¡± ¡°Master wants to make it so we can draw water from inside our houses.¡± Hope said with a bright smile. ¡°It¡¯ll even come out piping hot!¡± Pomran stared in disbelief. ¡°You can do that?¡± ¡°Yes, but I need to make a few finishing touches. After that, It¡¯s simply building out the infrastructure.¡± Nathaniel chuckled. ¡°I plan to have it finished by late spring, early summer. What about you two?¡± ¡°Land grabbing.¡± Pomran sighed. ¡°That way we can get building started.¡± ¡°I would like to speak with the headsman.¡± Aniphrae said. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°To establish Treante¡¯s founding families.¡± Nathaniel looked at her in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s important to establish these families darling.¡± She said, patting his hand. ¡°They¡¯ll act as extension of your will, that way the town will run as you desire.¡± ¡°Are they really that important?¡± Hope asked. ¡°They are.¡± Aniphrae nodded with a serious stare. ¡°These families will essentially run the town since Nathaniel will be busy. I expect your small village to become a proper town by the end of next year, so we¡¯ll need every family to control a major industry for the town to function.¡± ¡°How do you plan to do that with farmers and loggers?¡± Bella said curiously. ¡°We¡¯ll start by consolidating families.¡± Aniphrae¡¯s smile turned devilish. ¡°That way we cut down on competition and secure industry rights. For the families that don¡¯t make the cut, we¡¯ll move them closer to the square and have them set up shop. It¡¯s important for a budding town to have a tailor, baker, and general store, and since we¡¯re next to the mountains, I¡¯d recommend building a new mine separate from the dungeon.¡± ¡°How would you implement these changes?¡± ¡°You will fund them of course. The families that will keep their current industries we¡¯ll have marry into each other. With a generous endowment from you of course. As for the others, we can forcibly change their family¡¯s class by bringing in slaves. Please excuse me!¡± Aniphrae disappeared upstairs then came back down with a leather binder. ¡°I had father send letters to my other siblings running our family¡¯s slave trade. Any slaves with the desired classes were offered a sizable bonus to transfer to Rumand. We¡¯ll move them here and have them marry into the other families.¡± Nathaniel stuttered as he stared at the binder. ¡°You¡¯ve really thought this through.¡± ¡°Trust me, your village is in good hands.¡± Pomran smirked rubbing her head. ¡°My little sister has taken completely after our father.¡± Aniphrae swatted the hand away. ¡°Yes, well, unlike you brother, I still aspire of taking over father¡¯s company. If I can turn this sleepy hamlet into a profitable city that should put me ahead of our brother Guilman.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Guilman?¡± Nathaniel asked, enjoying their sibling antics. ¡°Father¡¯s first-born son and my eldest full brother.¡± Pomran sighed through gritted teeth. ¡°I take it you don¡¯t like him?¡± Aniphrae laughed, trying to keep her smile. ¡°Brother Guilman has father¡¯s business sense but none of his charm. He is trying to expand the company into Melmaria, and he¡¯s doing quite well.¡± ¡°If you call crushing the competition with an iron boot well.¡± Pomran scoffed. ¡°Pray you never meet him.¡± ¡°Back to business. Nathaniel, darling.¡± She took his hand with a beautiful smile. ¡°I want to show you how dedicated I am. That¡¯s why I wanted to run this by you first, but I won¡¯t act until I have your approval.¡± Nathaniel quickly looked at Bella, a concerned frown on his lips. ¡°What about the dark elves? Are you willing to help support them?¡± Aniphrae¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°If that is your wish, then I¡¯ll edit my plans to secure their positions as well.¡± Her grip tightened around his fingers. ¡°If I knew what your plans for them were, I can make the appropriate changes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same as for everyone else, for them to be able to live the best lives they can.¡± ¡°A noble desire, but one that¡¯ll make it hard to recruit more villagers.¡± Aniphrae pouted in thought. ¡°I¡¯ll need to speak with the elves first. That way I can determine how best to secure their positions, and we¡¯ll need to appoint a representative on the council too.¡± ¡°I suggest Eladregn.¡± Bella said quietly. ¡°He cares for his people, and has no problem speaking his mind, even if he can be a little narrowminded.¡± ¡°Then Barin should represent the rest of the village.¡± ¡°Then I recommend myself for the third position.¡± Aniphrae said. Ralia growled, slamming her fist onto the table. ¡°Why should you be the third? Bella or I would be a better choice.¡± ¡°Bella would stack the council in favor of the elves, and you lack the skills.¡± She replied, ¡°I, on the other hand, know how to get people to work together and to turn things around in my favor. As an outsider betrothed to Nathaniel, my focus will solely be on making decisions that favor him.¡± ¡°She right Ralia.¡± Bella sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯ll consider you for the position, if you can get Eladregn and Barin to agree to it.¡± Nathaniel stated. ¡°I want to make sure that you¡¯ll do everything you can for this village.¡± Aniphrae¡¯s smile vanished, replaced with a stern glare. ¡°Very well Nathaniel, I accept your conditions. However, I have several conditions for you as well.¡± ¡°And that is?¡± Aniphrae stood up, slowly approaching him. ¡°I¡¯ll be in charge of your treasury and all economic decisions.¡± Nathaniel had to turn his chair, and she leaned over so that their faces were nearly touching. ¡°And you will accept the date I¡¯ve decided for our wedding. Agreed?¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Aniphrae¡¯s frown twisted into a victorious smirk. ¡°You¡¯re going to regret that.¡± Pomran chuckled.