[Please let Jackie already be in the backyard, otherwise I'm going to look like some sort of criminal, coming here to spy on the children.]
Having promised Jackie that he would make an appearance, Roth made his way behind the church with the intent of greeting the residents with more grace then he had last night. He was pleasantly surprised at how different the church's grounds looked with the sun out. Now that it was daylight, Roth was able to appreciate the beauty of the greenery and simple flower garden. Running every which way in this otherwise tranquil scene was a cohort of children, immediately curious upon spotting him.
"Hey mister! Are you the strong man with the funny clothes that Big Brother Jackie told us about? He said you'd be coming this morning, and that we should be nice to you and let him know when you got here."
"I guess that's me. Are my clothes really that funny? I find them very comfortable."
Before the children could answer, the back door to the church swung open and Sister Esse emerged from inside.
"Jackie told you all to be nice to our guest, and making comments about his clothing is rude. Remember to always show hospitality…"
Roth's attention drifted elsewhere as Esse lectured the children on their manners for what seemed like an eternity. Just as his thoughts began to shift towards curiosity regarding why Jackie called him here, a hearty slap on the back pulled him from his reverie.
"Good morning Roth, how you doing? You're here a little earlier than I expected so you'll need to give me a few minutes to finish something. In the meantime, why don't you get introduced to my troublesome younger siblings. They can be little hellions sometimes but they're good kids."
Jackie's enthusiastic tone did not match the state of fatigue he was clearly in. Thick beads of sweat dripped from seemingly everywhere on his body and the sleeveless work shirt he was wearing was already visibly damp. As if hellbent of worsening his current tiredness, Jackie turned and re-entered the church just as Esse was politely leading Roth inside.
The back door lead to a kitchen of sorts, with an attached storage room which Roth assumed was the pantry. Tiny pairs of hands worked diligently at the large table on the side of the room, the children they belonged to looking all too happy to be helping prepare the meat that Jackie and Roth had brought back the day before.
The sound of a large groan and an accompanying thud alerted Roth to Jackie's location in the storage area, drawing his attention from the work table.
"Jackie, would you like a hand? The image of a rugged laborer in a worn tank top doesn't really suit your image as 'Big Brother Jackie'. Plus it seems like there is quite a bit of moving to be done."
"Absolutely not," Esse interjected, "you are a guest of this home and we wouldn't even have this meat without you. Much less the life of our idiot eldest. I will not stand for you working during your visit."
Roth had been in similar positions before back in the Demon Empire. He would see servants or laborers struggling and would offer to help, only to receive confused and horrified responses from the workers in question. Such offers would inevitably make it back to the ears of his steward, Grem, and Esse's response reminded Roth a great deal of Grem's scoldings. Fortunately for Roth, he had learned quite a few tricks regarding dealing with Grem, and they were even more effective on the significantly kinder and less strict Esse.
Boxes which Jackie struggled to lift with both hands were casually moved in groups of four by Roth, stacking two on each shoulder. Roth had initially intended to hide his unexplainable strength from the children, but since Jackie had already described him as a "strong man" Roth didn't see much use in pretending that he wasn't. That was, until he heard a voice of amazement behind him.
"Wow, no wonder you slapped a bear so hard it died."
This comment was followed by both the excited murmurs of children and the harsh shushing of a grown man.
"Jackie, what on earth did you tell your siblings about our little hunting excursion?"
"We have bear meat, Roth. Did you think they would believe I took down that carriage-sized beast with my throwing knives? My dashing good looks and prince-like demeanor only slay the ladies, not bears."
Roth couldn't really dispute that point, so he let it go and returned to moving crates from storage.
"Hey Jackie, where do these boxes go? They look a little different."
"Ah! Those have the replacement bedding for the kids. Thanks to yesterday's haul, we'll be able to make a decent profit at the market and get the kids a new set of replacements. So we're gonna get rid of the shabby stuff they've been using for a while and let them sleep with what's in those boxes. I'll show you where their living quarters are."
Jackie unceremoniously let Roth carry the weight of the crates on his shoulders and led him down a moldy stone staircase into a dingy basement.
[My goodness, look at this place. It looks like an isolation room for plague patients going into quarantine. And all those poor kids have to sleep down here? No wonder Jackie's so hellbent on helping them. These cots aren't exactly in good condition either. You'll get sick sleeping in a room like this if the bedding isn't regularly washed, but I don't think these rags can survive too many more washings.]
"Hey, everyone! Thanks to the strong man with the funny clothes, you can all start sleeping in more comfortable beds! Get your sorry hides down here and set them up so you don't have to do it later when you're already tired!"
Despite being slightly annoyed, Roth didn't comment on Jackie's continued use of that terrible nickname and instead helped unpack the boxes so that the kids could set up their new beds. They were nothing more than primitive cots with a thin sheet and poorly-made wool blanket, but they were life-changing for the children. Some of the younger kids were having difficulty getting the fitted sheets onto the cots, and Jackie was visibly excited to help them.
[The replacement bedding doesn't even really effect Jackie and yet he looks at least as excited as the children. If the human world has more people like him then my father must have been right about peace being possible. If we ever achieve harmony with the humans I will have to reward Jackie handsomely for the lessons he's taught me in just my first few days here. Although he'd no doubt just splurge it on the church.]
Roth's contemplative reverie was interrupted by Esse's arrival from upstairs, announcing to the children that they had even more to be excited about: the bear was ready. Roth attempted to make his departure, not wanting to interrupt a family meal, but Esse's indignity over this suggestion was so extreme it would have made Grem flinch.
A nun insisting that a demon stay to eat breakfast with her orphans was a sight that Roth would have never expected to see, but he was touched by her insistence and so he decided to stay. The warm feeling in his chest quickly turned to awkwardness as Sister Esse lead the children (and Jackie) in saying their pre-meal prayer. These prayers were completely foreign to Roth and explicitly referenced asking their god to protect them from demons.
[I need to preemptively do some damage control on this, otherwise someone may become offended or suspicious.]
"That was a moving prayer, Sister Esse. My apologies for not being able to partake with your lovely family, I did not know the words."
The room became uncomfortably silent before Esse burst into heaving laughter unbefitting of a woman of the cloth.
"I'm sorry for laughing Mr. Roth, but that's just so surprising to me. Between your robes and the way you talk, I had been assuming that you were some noble of high standing simply trying to hide your identity from us. I never would have guessed that you didn't know the first prayer that we all learn as kids. You really are a lone traveler, huh?"
Her guffaws continued as she clutched her side with one hand and held onto the table with the other. The children whispered amongst themselves about whether they were allowed to eat now, and Jackie's terrible sign language returned as he attempted to communicate to Roth that he didn't know what had come over Sister Esse.
After regaining her composure, Esse re-adjusted her nun's habit and centered herself back in her chair before addressing the table.
"That was unsightly behavior, and I apologize to all of you. Especially you, Mr. Roth. More than anything, I believe I was simply relieved. While some nuns may have been offended at a grown man who doesn't even know a children's prayer, I was much more concerned with the idea that Mr. Roth was a noble exiled for criminal behavior and that his presence here would pose a danger for the children. I now see that my fears were both unfounded and rude."
Esse stood up from her chair and took a deep bow, which was interrupted by a stammering Roth.
"Please raise your head! You have shown me no rudeness and nothing but kindness. I am a complete stranger who simply happened to meet your eldest during day labor, and yet here I am sitting at your family's table while you prepare for a great feast. I could never have imagined such hospitality when I arrived at Mosswell."
Esse returned to her seat before asking Roth if he would give them a prayer from his hometown.
"I will do my best. Where I come from we aren't very good about studying any specific scriptures or prayers, instead focusing on what we believe to be the meaning behind them. Therefore all I would say is that I hope everyone here finds great health and happiness from this meal, and that safety and prosperity follow. My home is far from Mosswell and my family is quite different from yours, but right now I would love nothing more than for our two families to meet and to find friendship among one another."
Esse commended Roth for his attempt at a prayer and was moments away from giving the children permission to eat when a vacancy at the table caught her eye. She whispered but a single word to Jackie but Roth caught it very clearly with his hearing: "Felice".
Jackie moved from the table with a practiced quickness and raced downstairs to the children's quarters. He returned with a pouting little girl on his shoulder, one who had apparently snuck downstairs sometime during prayers.
The girl had an air about her that struck Roth as being very similar to Jackie, and as the girl was forcibly placed in her seat he decided to accept the guilt that would follow and to use magic to inspect the girl.
Despite thinking it was strange, Roth had not put much thought into the black scar on Jackie's arm. He now knew that he would need to get the truth out of his loud-mouthed friend, as Felice had an almost identical scar on her back.
Breakfast continued without further incident and Roth thanked Esse for her hospitality before making his way to Dart's, hoping to find work. Dart himself was predictably gruff but not unhappy to see Roth, and after some discussion Roth landed a day job with the local apothecary. The work appealed to him because the medicinal herbs he would be required to gather match the ones he saw being stored at the church, and he figured he could bring any extras he found to them.
Knowledge of medicinal herbs and how to find them in a forest is something Roth never learned, it not being a topic generally needed of an imperial prince. This was not a problem as Purson, his raccoon familiar, was able to track the herbs by scent after Roth let him sniff a sample he got from the apothecary.
Purson was all too happy to find herbs in exchange for Roth's praise and affection, and by the time the sun was setting on the horizon Roth had nearly double what was asked of him. The duo was preparing to return to Mosswell when something seemed to catch Purson's attention and he sprinted back towards the forest, using his connection with Roth to urge his master to follow him.
The panic in the demeanor of the otherwise jovial raccoon caused Roth to follow him without hesitation, and he was lead to the sight of an injured girl. Her ankle was clearly twisted and she was uselessly using her hands to apply pressure to ease the pain.
[What the hell is Felice doing here? Jackie must be terrified out of his mind looking for her.]
"Are you okay, Felice? It's me, Roth. You know, Big Brother Jackie's strong friend with the funny clothes. What are you doing here?"
Felice's speech was disjointed as she winced through the pain, but she explained that after seeing how happy her younger siblings were to eat real meat, she thought she should try and catch some rabbits. She loosely gestured to a sack which reeked of iron, a slight grin briefly appearing across her face.
"That's very noble of you Felice, but the forest is a dangerous place. I'm sure your family cares more about you than they do some rabbit meat. Now hold still, I'm going to fix your ankle."
A squeal escaped Felice's lips as Roth's magic took hold of her injured ankle, alleviating the pain and twisting it back into place. Silence lingered between the two as she rotated her ankle back and forth, amazed that she was able to do something so normal without pain.
"Let's go back home to the church, Felice. I'm sure everyone is very worried about you."
"I don't wanna go back."
"Why? If you don't go back home you can't show everyone the rabbits that you caught. I can tell you got at least a couple because your bag smells like blood."
"Big Brother Jackie is gonna be mad at me."
"I'm afraid that may be true, he clearly loves you and it's easy to get angry when you're scared for someone. What about Sister Esse?"
"She's gonna be even more mad at me."
[You know what? Fair. I didn't really think that one through.]
This back-and-forth exchange lasted for long enough that Roth was beginning to worry about returning her to the church before the sun was all the way down. That's when he realized that Felice had been sneaking glances at Purson.
"Hey Felice, do you see this little guy? His name is Purson. He's a very special raccoon from my home. He may look normal, but he's super smart and will understand you if you talk to him. He's one of my best friends and is nice to pretty much everyone. How about I lead us back to town, and you try to become friends with Purson. Would that be okay?"
Conflicted emotions washed over Felice, but the knowledge that she would eventually have to go back home appeared to win out. She nodded, and agreed to follow Roth back home. Roth's concerns over Purson's history of distrusting girls and women proved to be unfounded, as the two got along famously and were clearly friends by the time they arrived at Mosswell.
With very little natural light left, the thing which caught Roth's eye returning to Mosswell was the sight of Jackie running from door-to-door with a torch. Jackie clearly spotted Roth too, as he sprinted towards him as soon as Roth entered the village.
"Roth! Please, you gotta help me! Felice has gone missing and it's almost nighttime. The forest isn't safe at night! Please Roth, you gotta help me…"
The panic had clearly taken Jackie just a little too far, as he seemed incapable of ceasing his pleas for help and his eyes were beginning to water. Roth had half a mind to simply stop him and show him that Felice was safe, but Roth decided to let him panic a little longer so that Felice could hear just how much her goofy older brother cared about her. Once Jackie was starting to tire himself out, Roth put a hand on his shoulder and gestured to Felice and Purson. They had been hiding behind him, but now came into full view.
Neither Roth nor Felice's predictions regarding Jackie turned out to be wrong. The back-crushing bear hug and visible signs of relief demonstrated that Roth was correct about Jackie being terrified she was hurt. Unfortunately for Felice, her idea that Jackie would be angry and scold her was equally accurate.
[This is very awkward to watch as someone who isn't a member of the family. I should probably just go.]
"Hey, Jackie? I still have to turn in the herbs I gathered for work. So I'm gonna head on over to the apothecary and then to Dart's to report that the job was done."
Jackie's eyes shot towards Roth with a speed Roth would not have thought possible from such a laid back man.
"Fine. Turn in your herbs. But then come to the church, please. We owe you a great debt for today and I must find some way to repay you."
"If that is what you desire then I shall do so. Felice, do you want Purson to go with you?"
Felice, who began hugging the raccoon as soon as Jackie's scoldings started, nodded meekly. Jackie's visible bewilderment at the situation amused Roth but he said nothing and instead bid them farewell and wandered towards the apothecary.
Possessing double what was required for the delivery, Roth decided to give the apothecary 50% extra, without demanding any kind of additional reward. Roth knew that he was still an outsider in Mosswell but assumed that cultivating a reputation for being reliable and kind would aid him in his goal of learning human culture, and help hide his identity from suspicion.
The apothecary gave Roth his signed notice that he had completed the job, and Roth made his way over to Dart's to collect the pay. Walking through the door, the first thing Roth saw was a dozen or so men laughing and taunting each other over a card game, a sight which reminded him of his brothers.
[I seem to be the only one of us who thinks that peace with humans is possible, but those men over there don't look so different from me and my idiot siblings. Do humans play the same games as us? I almost hope not, I could learn human games and bring them back home.]
Dart said nothing as Roth approached the counter, simply outstretching his hand for the job completion notice. A small pouch with the appropriate reward had already been prepared for Roth, and Dart emptied its contents on the countertop before wandering off.
[Why didn't he say anything? Did I offend Dart in some way? I hope not, but something is clearly up.]
Having obtained the reward and some old-man-induced confusion, Roth made his way to the church. His pace was relaxed at first, but the thought that Felice might feel more comfortable with him there quickened his feet.
The usual sight of children playing behind the church struck Roth as different this time. Not simply because they were playing by the light of the torches which adorned the outside of the building, but because their game seemed almost like theater. One of the children seemed to be some kind of hostage, with one of his hands touching a tree and the other outstretched. A handful of children were attempting to tag his outstretched hand, while the rest were focused on obstructing them.
Roth allowed himself to get distracted, hoping to learn more of the ways of humans from this game. The game itself was simple, but what caught his attention was what the children called the various roles. The hostage was "the sacrifice", the wardens were "the demons" and the rescuers were "the heroes".
[Our peoples have been at war since time immemorial, it is of no surprise that we demons would be the bad guys. But even children's games are about showing us to be evil? This runs a lot deeper than I thought.]
Up until now, Roth had been watching the scene play out from a distance using his enhanced vision and hearing. Satisfied with what he'd seen, he finally approached the back of the church and was immediately spotted by the children.
"Hey, it's the strong man with funny clothes! Big Brother Jackie said you'd be coming, he's inside!"
"We're playing 'Heroes and Demons' if you wanna join us!"
"He has really long arms, he'd be a really good hero."
Roth couldn't help but laugh at the innocence of their words. Here they were, vilifying demons as monsters and yet they were all too happy to invite the Demon Emperor to join their game.
"I'm sorry kids, I probably don't have time. Can I ask you a question though? I've never seen you play this game before, is it just not popular?"
The kids shook their heads enthusiastically before one of them piped up with an explanation.
"We love this game! Everyone does! Except Felice. Sister Esse told us not to play it when Felice is around so we don't play often. It's really fun though."
Roth nodded and thanked the child for his explanation, before lightly rapping his hand on the door. Sister Esse's heated scolding was audible from the outside but briefly went silent as the thumping of heavy boots approached the door.
"Roth, please, come in," said Jackie as he gestured inside and subsequently smacked Roth on the back, "thank you for coming".
For the second time today Sister Esse behaved in a manner unbefitting of a nun, running to Roth and hugging him as tightly as a tiny woman could possibly hug a giant man. She began to thank him in what were complete thoughts but not complete sentences.
[If word of my identity ever gets out, this poor woman will probably be excommunicated from the church for hugging a demon. Which really doesn't seem fair, I mean, she had every right to worry about Felice.]
The need to catch her breath gave Roth a chance to console Esse.
"There is no need to thank me, Sister Esse. I was simply gathering herbs when I stumbled upon an injured child and wanted to make sure she was alright. I did nothing that anyone else wouldn't have, it is pure coincidence that the girl was Felice."
This time it was not semi-coherent expressions of gratitude, but protests which escaped Sister Esse. She was insistent that in the span of less than half a week Roth had become some sort of guardian figure for their church. Roth stood in steadfast denial of this claim, continuing to cite coincidence, and Jackie eventually managed to calm Esse down enough for them to serve dinner.
Sister Esse recited a somewhat unusual prayer before this meal, one largely centered on the importance of always finding one's way back home. While it no doubt felt cathartic for her, the significance was certainly lost on most of the room. Felice's absence had been hidden from the rest of the children, who only noted that she was not around to prevent 'Heroes and Demons', so to them it was just a slight change of pace.
[Felice looks really down, I guess Sister Esse really did a number on her. I wonder if there's anything we can do to cheer her up? Maybe I'll let her play with Purson again? Getting the kids outside would also give me a chance to ask Jackie and Sister Esse about Felice's relationship with the 'Heroes and Demons' game.]
"Sister Esse, if I might make a suggestion?"
"Of course, Mister Roth. What did you have in mind?"
"Well it seems rather rowdy in here and I have heard from both you and Jackie that it can be difficult to get the children to sleep. One of my pets is very playful and is currently asleep in your garden. I'm sure the children would love having an animal to play with and it would no doubt tucker them out."
Jackie, remembering Weyer, was rather hesitant. On the other hand, Sister Esse thinks this is a great idea.
"You have a pet with you, Mister Roth? I would love to meet it. Children, clear your plates and then head to the garden. It would appear that Mister Roth has a friend for all of you to meet."
Never before had the table been cleared so quickly, as the children all scurried to meet this new furry friend. Amidst this blissful chaos, Jackie approached Roth.
"This isn't something scary like the horse, is it? That thing scared the hell out of me, and I'm sure it would give the children nightmares."
"Nothing of the sort," replied Roth with a chuckle, "this is a raccoon I taught to understand human language. It likes to learn how to play games, and loves to be the center of attention. Its not dangerous at all."
The table having now been rendered spotless with uncharacteristic speed, everyone exited to the garden where they found Purson asleep in a bush. He was laying on his back with his belly facing upwards, and he was snoring loudly. Roth briefly feared that Purson had done something offensive, but the raucous laughter of the children proved otherwise.
Purson's ability to entertain was indisputable, and Roth used this as an excuse to ask Sister Esse and Jackie if they would be willing to answer some questions of his inside. Both of them sensed his abnormally serious tone and quickly agreed, returning to the church and taking a seat at the meal table.
"I apologize if I seem nosy or intrusive, but I wanted to ask you both about something strange I heard earlier. When coming to the church after finding Felice, I saw the children playing a game in the garden. They called it 'Heroes and Demons' and seemed to enjoy it greatly. They also explained to me that they cannot play it when Felice is around. I was surprised to hear this, because Felice's rabbit hunt was motivated by love for the other children, so I know she would not want to stymie their fun. Why can they not play this game around her?"
A silence far louder than Roth's voice took hold of the room. Jackie and Esse exchanged increasingly awkward glances, some seemingly telepathic conversation going on between them. They repeatedly began to speak at the same time, always stopping as if quieted by the other's speech. Eventually, Esse gestured to Jackie and he began to explain.
"Are you familiar with the Bone Fog, Roth?"
"Bone Fog? I've never heard of such a thing."
"I thought you might not have. It's something that only really happens in these towns near the border of the Demon Empire. People from other places don't often know about it. It's this dark, hazy fog that rolls in from the demon territories and causes us a lot of problems. In addition to being corrosive to your skin, its highly poisonous to breathe. What's worse is what it does to the animals. The weaker ones will all get killed by it the same way we do, which is bad for hunting since they comprise a lot of easy game. Those that survive will become erratic and ceaselessly hungry, willing to eat anything they come across. If they survive this stage of hunger they themselves will become a strange hybrid of beast and demon. Remember the bear you took down? It was likely behaving strangely due to the Bone Fog, even if it was not yet a demon."
[This fog cannot possibly be from our territories. No demon I've ever met has ever heard of such a terrifying phenomenon and I believe its safe to assume it would pose just as much a danger to us as it does to the humans. Why does Jackie think it comes from us?]
"I've never heard of this Bone Fog before but it sounds absolutely terrifying. I'm sorry that border villages such as Mosswell have to deal with it. But if I may probe further, what does this have to do with Felice?"
Roth almost immediately wondered if this question was worth asking, as a look of genuine sadness fell over Jackie. When he began to speak again, Jackie's voice quavered heavily.
"A wolf that had survived the Bone Fog somehow made its way into a nearby forest and attacked Felice while I was teaching her to forage for usable plants and mushrooms. You know the scar on my arm? The real story behind it is that the demon wolf bit me on the arm as I was picking up Felice. Unfortunately, one of its claws had already found her back and now she has a similar scar. As a result, any mention of demons causes great fear in Felice. So we ask the other children not to play that game when she's around."
[The reason Jackie didn't want me to try and treat his wound must have been to hide its origins. This story can't be much happier for him then it is Felice. Whatever Bone Fog is, I must locate its source and find a way to put an end to it. So long as the humans blame us for the tragedies caused by the Bone Fog, they will never trust us enough to make peace. I suppose I should begin by investigating sources of the fog around Mosswell.]
"I apologize for inadvertently asking you to dig into such sorrowful memories. I had never intended to cause you any hurt. I simply wished to learn what I could about Felice, perhaps in the hopes I could do something to help."
Jackie and Esse both dismissed Roth's concern, citing his aid to the church as being more than reason enough to justify asking. Roth thanked them for their understanding and began to dismiss himself for the evening before remembering he still had a gift for them. He procured a bundle of medicinal herbs from his satchel and placed it on the table, explaining that it was the leftovers from his daily work and that they should keep it for the children since Roth himself had no use for it.
Roth refused anything more than a simple thanks for the herbs and took his leave of the church. The children were upset to hear that Purson was leaving, especially once they realized that it must mean bedtime, but they all hugged him and bid the raccoon farewell nonetheless.
Knowing he must report the Bone Fog to Grem, Roth de-summoned Purson and made his way back to Dart's, heading straight upstairs to the last door on the left. He locked the door and opened the window to be met with the hare Ipos, facilitating his message exchange with Grem.
Predictably, Grem's messages were centered around the necessity of Roth approving or disapproving of policy suggestions and voicing his opinion on petty squabbles between the nobles. Roth naturally fulfilled his duty in responding to Grem's messages but also tasked her with learning all she could about the Bone Fog. Jackie's description was certainly incomplete and potentially superstitious but Roth was sure it would be enough to pique the interest of the imperial scholars.
[When Grem hears about the human idea of Bone Fog she will think they have driven me to madness and fear in less than a week.]
With a soft chuckle at his mental image of Grem's face of frustration, Roth sent Ipos back to his owner, closed the window, and drifted off to sleep.