The Rukkhadevata familia home was a more Indian design that stood out quite beautifully with its open arches and dome-topped structures. 'Hmm, its probably a good five to ten structures allowing the family to have more than a couple dozen members.' I thought as I took in the Rukkhadevata Familia estate.
I had went next door on the following day after I finished my trial in killing Guts and I was still raring to get stronger however I could, so I went next door as I knew Elanor was at least a level three maybe even a level four.
There was a thin rope that led into the estate and next to the rope was a sign that read. [Pull rope for members of the Rukkhadevata Familia.] So I gave the rope a couple of tugs and I could hear a gentle clanging of a sharp bell ringing out in the compound which explained where the rope led off too.
And it only took a couple of minutes for a couple of adventurers of the Rukkhadevata Familia to come out to thew front gate and see me as their neighbor, they wore more natural greeting smiles with one of them asking. "What can I do for you neighbor?"
I gave a matching natural smile as I held out a nicer bottle of wine in offering as I spoke out. "I just wanted to give your captain and goddess a gift as a late form of greetings, also to tell your captain that I appreciated the help early this morning in capturing the Mermaids and the Kelpie."
The two men nodded knowingly as one of them actually made his eyebrow bounce up and down as he teased him. "Heh. Did you already have fun with the mermaids or something man?"
'Oh god... Nooooo.' I mentally screamed as I smiled wryly and shook my head with me waving a hand back and forth in denial. "No, no, no... Unlike you single dogs I have those other two as my lovers so I am not so desperate." I riposted back making the one who teased me gawk before chucking out loud and he reached through the gate and took the bottle of wine from my offered hands.
"Well thank you... Jake was it?" At my nod he gave a friendly grin with him lifting the large bottle of wine I fused to be strong and tasting good towards me in a salute as he said. "Then let it be known that the Rukkhadevata Familia accepts your gift and well wishes. Now Baxis you see our guest off while I bring the gift in to our captain so it doesn't go off from being under the sunlight and the heat."
The now-named Baxis who looked to be a human gave me a knowing smile before shaking his head and asking frankly. "So what else did you want? Besides giving us a gift anyway?"
I shrugged and seeing as he was going to be so blunt I decided to match it as I asked honestly. "Coming from Orario, I was curious as to how you guys gained Excellia and got stronger."
Baxis blinked and then made a noise of understanding as he gave me a weird look. "Well... Normally when Familia's flee from Orario here to Melen, other Familia's give them some info typically. But if that hasn't happened with you, then, in any case, the Familia's take a large specialized ship out onto the Lake that has special landings on the ship thats like a barge that goes under the water to like shin height so monsters can climb up out of the water to fight adventurers!"
My lips twitched as I imagined such a scene and I imagined it was like the Baratie from One Piece that could expand outwards on its side to have a court or something that people could fight on. His explanation also explains why there were regularly large boats that looked armored on the lake.
I nodded and tilted my head to him in thanks saying. "Thank you for the explanation then. Have a good day Baxis."
With the aftermentioned Baxis waving me off with a smile as he turned around to head back into his Familia's compound I headed back to my house as my mind whirled as I considered things until I eventually shrugged as I could actually make some a ship fairly easily as I was even able to fuse base materials into a carriage for my Infant Dragon which pulled us to Melen.
'Alright... If I am going to make a ship to fight monsters I am going to remake the Thousand Sunny, which means I am going to need a fuck load of wood, metal, and stone. Well, I needed to stock up on base materials so I guess a quick trip out of Melen to gather stuff up would be a good idea.' I thought with a nod as I grinned at the thought of making the Thousand Sunny.
Plus it would be a good little trip into the countryside where we could fight lesser monsters like goblins, bugbears, and maybe the odd minotaur if we ran into them. All good things we could break our new level 2 teeth on.
Going back into our Greek style mansion/temple I called out. "Come on girls, we are heading off!"
Tina and Tamamo came out of the kitchen with Tamamo's face making my face twitch as she had gotten flour onto her face and looked so damned cute as she bounced over with her tails gently moving behind her as she came closer.
"Why are we leaving Jake?" Tina asked with some concern.
I gave an apologetic smile as I knew Tina was still a bit on edge from our escape from Orario so I said. "Sorry Tina, but I am hoping we can leave Melen for a quick bit to the forests to the uhmm the West so that we can collect stone, wood, and metal ore so that I can fuse together a ship."
Tina's head tilted to the side as she asked with some confusion. "Are you trying to become a merchant or something? Why do you want a ship or do you just want to fish off of the ship or something?"
"The Familia's of Melen use armored ships to fight monsters atop them for their adventurers to grow strong. So I want to make my own ship so we can continue to properly kill monsters to get our stats up." I said firmly and Tina nodded in understanding.