When we enter the guild, there's still an hour or so left until sunset, but the guild is already filling up with adventurers ending their days.
I make sure that Zara and Alto don their hoods to minimize attention, but Nina's and I's presence has drawn quite a bit of attention on its own. It seems that we are getting a reputation, and their comments reflect that.
"Oh ho, look, it's the hothead and her pet!"
"Hey, kid, now that you've ridden her coattails up to B-rank, how about sharing with the rest of us!"
"Hey boy, ignore these idiots, I'm sure you're useful for something other than magic! Every new team needs a meat shield!"
I glance at Zara and Alto. Alto seems amused and Zara annoyed, both for the same reason I'd guess. They're just two different personalities. From Nina, I sense…curiosity? I look at her and she's staring towards reception. Melanie has noticed us and is frantically making her way over.
"Uhm…hello everyone. Mizuki, Gerard wanted to speak with you as soon as possible." (Melanie)
Yeah…figures.
"That's fine Melanie. I'll tell you what, if you and Nina stay here and get my friends registered with the guild, I'll go up and talk to Gerard immediately. How's that?" (Mizuki)
Melanie nods her agreement. Honestly, she seems relieved not to have to deal with me. Should I be offended or flattered?
I give quick thought communication instructions to everyone.
[Alto, Zara, it should be fine to be completely truthful on your registration forms. Alto, I'll support you if you want to lie about being an elf, but that information will be hard to hide indefinitely, and they'll ban you if they find out. Zara, you shouldn't have any issues. Nina, keep the riffraff away please. See you all in a bit!] (Mizuki)
With that, I make my way up to Gerard's office and knock.
"Enter!" (Gerard)
I enter his office and close the door behind me, then make my way to the couch. Gerard is sitting behind his desk with a tired look on his face.
"Hi Gerard, I heard you wanted to see me. What's up?" (Mizuki)
He narrows his eyes at me, with an expression like, 'don't play dumb'.
"Ah, Mizuki. So, I've heard whispers that numerous mercenaries are frantically searching Cedonia and its surrounding areas for something. Allegedly, they're looking for high value merchandise that went missing last night, and the guarded warehouse it was stored in was found abandoned this morning. You know anything about that?" (Gerard)
"Oh my. Sounds like maybe the night guards made off with the merchandise. It's hard to find reliable people to hire, I guess. On an unrelated note, I did some investigating for that job you requested of us in Cedonia. Turns out there are no elf slaves in the city." (Mizuki)
Gerard gives me a dumbfounded look, and is quite for several moments.
"Is this…a joke to you?" (Gerard)
I can do it…I can avoid laughing.
"Definitely not. What's funny about you giving me false information?" (Mizuki)
Gerard glares at me for several moments, then he hangs his head with a deep sigh and begins rubbing his temples. After a while, he looks up at me seriously.
"There was another matter I wanted to discuss with you. It seems that one of our adventurers has gone missing." (Gerard)
So, they finally noticed Kent and his goons, huh?
"Oh? Just one doesn't seem so crazy. I assumed that adventurers come and go from the city all the time without notice. What does it take for the guild to consider someone to be missing?" (Mizuki)
Gerard nods, like he's annoyed by those points being presented as relevant here.
"That's true, but this person was a long-time resident of the city and our best A-ranked adventurer. So, people notice when he goes missing. According to his party, two other acquaintances of his also haven't been seen or heard from for a while." (Gerard)
"Oh, are you talking about Kent by chance? He was a guy who said he was the best adventurer in the city, and he tried to recruit Nina and I our first night at the guild. He seemed like a friendly and capable guy, so I'm sure he'll turn up eventually." (Mizuki)
He definitely won't, though.
"Yes, I'd heard he spoke to you two. So, you haven't seen him since that night? You or Nina?" (Gerard)
He stares at me intently, with heavy suspicion. I'm not particularly fazed – no body, no crime. Plus, Nina has an alibi, and I don't have the magic skill on file to kill an A-ranker.
"No, not since that night. Normally I wouldn't speak for Nina, but she's by my side pretty much constantly, so she couldn't have seen him either." (Mizuki)
"Well, that's unfortunate. Losing someone like that is a real hit to the guild's workforce." (Gerard)
I promise you, keeping him around would cost you even more of your workforce.
"Well, if you really need some A-rankers, you could just promote Nina and I. We did just complete that A-ranked job for you after all." (Mizuki)
Gerard rolls his eyes.
"I thought you said there were no elven slaves in the city?" (Gerard)
"Yes, exactly. Our job was to report their number and location, and if possible, how they were captured. There were zero, and they weren't in the city. Consequently, it's not possible to report how these nonexistent elves were captured. That's all the criteria you requested. I'm reporting this job as completed, guild master!" (Mizuki)
Gerard shakes his head in exasperation.
"Anyone ever tell you that you're a real smartass?" (Gerard)
"Separately, sure." (Mizuki)
Gerard seems to mutter something under his breath.
"Alright, there's normally a skill exam with me personally, but you've already had one, so I approve. Just let Melanie know to take care of it when you go down there. Here, take this." (Gerard)
Gerard hands me a paper out of his desk. Not my area of expertise, but it looks like some sort of authorization. Sweet. Oh yeah, I should ask.
"Hey, Gerard, out of curiosity, how do you go from A to S-rank?" (Mizuki)
Gerard snorts at me as he responds.
"Oh, that? You have to get the leader of a country to endorse it. Don't worry, though, with your mouth, a king is more likely to give you an execution than an endorsement." (Gerard)
Oh Gerard, you sweet talker. I smirk back at him and shrug, then leave his office to head downstairs.
As I descend the stairs, I notice a crowd forming around the reception area. The focus of the crowd seems to be…three very familiar women. Melanie sees me returning and looks at me with pleading eyes. What's going on?
It's around this time that I can make out comments from the crowd.
"That blonde girl had every elemental affinity!? Is she cute? I can't see her under that hood."
"Hey, little puppy, you should join our party, we'll make sure you're trained well!"
"Woahhh, is that the girl who blasted John through the door the other day? Hey, I don't see that twerp around, you want to join us for a drink?"
Crap…no wonder Melanie was scared. Nina alone might kill them over that last comment. I quicken my pace towards the crowd, but before I get there, I hear another voice ring out.
"Alright you pack of animals, clear out! Just ask John, no means no! These ladies are already in Mizuki's party, and I'm sure he's better company than you lot."
A mix of jeers, boos, and laughs come from the assembled crowd, but they slowly start to disperse. As the crowd clears, I see a familiar face standing next to Nina and the others. I smile fondly at the only adventurer that Nina liked.
"Hey there, Levi, I appreciate it. I was dreading how to handle that situation when you stepped in! Also, I didn't realize that you thought so highly of my company." (Mizuki)
Levi looks at me in surprise as I finally walk up next to him and the girls. He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, but he smiles.
"Well, I've just got a high opinion of Nina, you know. I doubt she hangs out with losers. After all, she knew exactly what to do with John. As for stepping in, don't mention it. I was trying to save the crowd, too. You don't seem to attract timid party members." (Levi)
Well…he has a point, actually. Even Alto, the most reserved of the three, could not be considered timid. Nina decides to interject at this point.
"Fufufu…hello again. My opinion of you has improved even further. If you keep this up, I'll have to recommend that Mizuki take you as our final party member!" (Nina)
Levi looks confused, but he rolls with it.
"Hahaha, you've seen through my master plan, Nina! So, Mizuki, did you end up accepting that job that Gerard wanted to talk to you about?" (Levi)
"Well, kind of. Let's just say it worked itself out and we got the credit. Speaking of which, Melanie, could you process this for Nina and me?" (Mizuki)
I hand over the A-rank paperwork, and Melanie nods. Levi is looking at me skeptically.
"It worked itself out, huh? Well, even if I believe that, I somehow doubt that you don't deserve the credit for it." (Levi)
I shrug at him and turn my attention to Melanie. I hand her my card.
"Hey, Nina, good news. If you hand Melanie your card, we'll be promoted to A-rank." (Mizuki)
Nina nods and hands Melanie her card, then Melanie disappears to the back. Alto and Zara are staring at me patiently with raised eyebrows. Oh, yeah, my bad.
"Alto, Zara, this man here is named Levi. He's an A-ranked adventurer in the guild. For future reference, if you ever find yourselves needing to trust another adventurer outside our party, he's the only one I recommend." (Mizuki)
The two of them raise their eyes in surprise and look Levi over again. Zara speaks out first. Alto seems content to remain silent.
"My name's Zara. If Mizuki says you're worth knowing, then it's good to meet you." (Zara)
Zara, direct as always, holds out her hand to Levi. He makes a curious expression and shakes her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Zara! It's funny that Mizuki says that, because I just finished telling my party members that they should never make an enemy of him. I guess his outlook was a little nicer than mine, but mine was a compliment in its own way!" (Levi)
I take the opportunity to clarify something to Alto and Zara covertly.
[You two, for clarification, this man has never seen me use any magic or impressive physical abilities. As far as he's concerned, I don't have magic. However, he seems convinced that I'm dangerous, which is the reason for his comments. Don't overestimate his knowledge about me and let anything slip.] (Mizuki)
I see slightly widened eyes from Alto and Zara that let me know they heard me, but they give no other reaction. Good.
I address Levi casually, making a gesture to dismiss any concerns of his.
"No offense taken. I'm just confused by this vibe of mine that makes you take me so seriously." (Mizuki)
Levi meets my question with a smile, but his eyes are curious and wary.
"Oh, nothing I can put my finger on. It's like that feeling you get when you're on the edge of a cliff. My instincts just tell me that respecting your boundaries is important, but I'll be fine if I do." (Levi)
Can't say I've ever been compared to a rock formation. I wouldn't call it an insult, so…I'll mark this one as a win. I joke back at Levi.
"I'm like a cliff, huh? You say the most romantic things, Levi." (Mizuki)
Levi gives me a weird expression, then clears his throat and walks away with a farewell.
"Ehem…well, anyway you guys take care! See you later, Mizuki, Nina. Nice to meet you Zara and Alto." (Levi)
Shortly after that, Melanie returns from the back. She hands us all our guild cards, so I guess Alto and Zara hadn't gotten theirs yet. Then, she gives Zara and Alto their handbooks as well.
"Mizuki, Nina, Alto, and Zara, here are your guild cards! Alto and Zara, here are your guild handbooks. Naturally, you two will be starting out at G-rank. Your guild fees are one silver coin per year, and the fees are due within a month. I'm sure that Mizuki and Nina can answer any questions you have, but I'm also available!" (Melanie)
Alto and Zara nod to Melanie and give their thanks. I hand Melanie two silver coins to cover their fees. Then, I remember something else I should have done by now. I turn to my party members.
"Hey everyone, I should've done this before, but take these." (Mizuki)
I give Nina, Alto, and Zara a bunch of gold, silver, and copper coins each. They look at me in surprise.
"Obviously, if you need anything for our travels, you can just ask me. However, it felt weird that I hadn't given you all any money yet. This way, you can buy something on your own if you need to. Please also feel free to keep whatever money we get from guild jobs." (Mizuki)
Zara looks uncomfortable, Alto looks extremely curious, and Nina looks disinterested. I guess dragons don't care much about money. Alto speaks up first.
"So, Mizuki…I have a number of questions after today. The other night, you said we were friends…does that mean that, if I asked you those questions, you'd answer them?" (Alto)
Alto looks at me warmly…but expectantly. Hmm…how to proceed with that. I put on a face of thinking deeply, then direct thought communication at Alto and Nina only.
[Alto, if you want any questions answered. Come to Nina's and I's room after we get back. Do it by sunset, though, Nina and I have plans later.] (Mizuki)
With that taken care of, I change my expression to one of having made a decision, and I respond aloud.
"Oh, I don't know. It's hard to say if I can answer a question that I haven't heard yet. It's better to just ask the question and find out if you get an answer that way." (Mizuki)
Alto smiles wryly, and she responds with a smirk.
"I'm sorry for overestimating your intelligence, I'll be more careful in the future." (Alto)
I roll my eyes at her, then address everyone with a smile.
"Please do, Alto. Alright everyone, let's head back to the inn and get some food!" (Mizuki)
On that note, everyone nods, and Zara looks excited for once. Time to round out the night, and plan for the training session from hell tomorrow.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
Nina and I are back at our inn room as sunset approaches. We finished our dinner a few minutes ago, and now Nina is making her intentions known.
"Mizuki, if Alto shows up, please don't chat with her too long. I have plans with you tonight, and I want to take a bath together first." (Nina)
I smile in a way that shows my amusement.
"Oh, I have no desire to put off our plans. Plus, we should talk while we're in the bath about our upcoming trip. I promise not to take too long with Alto if she shows." (Mizuki)
I look at Nina, who's laying on her stomach on the couch, while she gazes back at me. I can sense anticipation from her, and I can't help but look at her a bit more closely as we pass the time.
She's slipped into a lacy blue dress and has removed her shoes. Some of her wavy brown hair is falling onto her face, but she doesn't seem to mind. I don't dwell on it often, but she really is incredibly beautiful.
Presumably feeling what I'm thinking about her, Nina flashes me an alluring smile. Glancing out the window, the sun has just about set. If Alto's not coming after all, then…perhaps we don't need to put our evening on hold. As I'm about to walk over to Nina, she sighs with mild frustration.
"Tch…just when things were getting interesting." (Nina)
At that moment, I hear a knock on the door to our room. Ah, I guess that's Alto showing up after all. No matter, I quite like having Alto around, and she's reliable. I'll answer whatever questions she has.
I answer the door and smile at Alto as she walks in.
"Hey, Alto, wasn't sure if you were going to show or not. So, did you take some time to think beforehand about what you want to ask me?" (Mizuki)
Alto looks uncharacteristically serious, but her curiosity still comes through. She nods her acknowledgement.
"Yes, I certainly did. Do I just start asking now?" (Alto)
I chuckle at her question and direct her an amused expression.
"Fufufufu…I was going to take us somewhere private, just on principle. I, of course, am not trying to keep anything from Nina. It's just that she wants to take a bath soon, so I figured I'd let her prepare it in peace while I answer your questions. Nina, any objections?" (Mizuki)
I glance at Nina, and she shakes her head while smiling. I'm glad we're at this point now. I turn back to Alto, who also saw Nina's reaction, and she steps in close and places her hand on my shoulder. Then, I teleport us to Nina's nest.
Darkness has begun to settle over the forest, but warmth still lingers in the night air. Alto leisurely takes a few paces away from me. I address her as she does.
"Alright, Alto, ask whatever you want. Afterward, only ever assume that Ilina and Nina are aware of any information you hear tonight." (Mizuki)
Alto flashes me an excited smile, then nods her agreement.
"Okay, Mizuki, first question. Where are you getting all this money that I see you using?" (Alto)
That's her first one, really? I flash her a grin and walk over to the lake in the clearing, then gesture for her to follow me. I dip my hand down into the water, and I focus on using my alchemy spell to make enough gold for one coin. I make sure to pull from the water instead of the air this time.
After a moment, a gumball-sized gold sphere is visible in my hand. I show it to Alto, and her eyes go wide. I'm not done, though, I should be honest. I focus on shaping the gold from memory into a coin. I've done it so much at this point that I don't really need a reference anymore. After, I hand it to Alto.
Her mouth is hanging open in shock, and she responds in a frantic tone.
"M-M-Mizuki, you're literally making money!? You don't mean to keep doing this, do you!? This is so wrong!" (Alto)
Well, that's not entirely unexpected. I feign ignorance.
"Oh? Why exactly is it wrong?" (Mizuki)
Alto looks at me like I'm insane.
"Don't play dumb, you know that only countries are supposed to be making coins like this! It's illegal for random people to do it!" (Alto)
"Well, I know governments don't condone it, but that doesn't necessarily make it wrong. For example, it's legal for you to be a slave in the human countries, but it's not 'right'. Conversely, I can't imagine that your government would approve the marriage of a human and elf, but that doesn't make such a relationship wrong. It just means the government doesn't like it, nothing more and nothing less." (Mizuki)
Alto looks surprised. I'd say she's not ready to give up chastising me, but she's less sure I'm being an idiot. I press on.
"It'd be legal to just make gold and sell it for high profit, and most of that would become coins, but we'd just stick out. If you disagree with me making the gold, I could track and mine it almost as easily, then the result would be the same. If that totally conventional method is still not okay with you, how should I use my abilities for profit? Mercenary work? Charging people who usually can't afford it for healing? Taking the rich on joy flights? If you have an ethical alternative that doesn't endanger us, I'd value my friend's input." (Mizuki)
After this…Alto's face turns quite solemn. Her face is a mix of embarrassment and guilt, and she's silent for several minutes. Eventually, she shakes her head and gives me an appreciative smile.
"No, Mizuki. In all honesty, the thought of you using your abilities in the ways others normally profit is no better, if not downright terrifying. It was naïve to lecture you so quickly, and you've obviously given this some thought. I agree with your approach for the time being." (Alto)
Cool. I smile at her warmly and gesture at her in a way that's dismissive of her guilt.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that we're on the same page, and I'm not offended. I also don't think you're naïve. In fact, would you believe me if I told you that you may be the most reliable person in our group, and that I value you immensely?" (Mizuki)
Alto's eyes widen in surprise, and she looks so grateful that I think we might be about to have a touching moment. Then, she smirks instead.
"Oh, I'm pretty reliable, huh? I'd guess that makes sense, with your standards." (Alto)
Shots fired, but that's okay. I'm not gun shy. I smile back at her like I appreciate her rude remark.
"Absolutely. In fact, you're so reliable that I'm going to rely on you tomorrow to convince Ilina that my money-making strategy is the best option, and that she should keep it to herself. You may recall that she wanted to know where I get my money from. So, since I went through the trouble of explaining it to someone reliable like you, and you already said you agreed with me, I'll just let you handle the explanation to Ilina and all the fallout." (Mizuki)
Alto's eyes become fearful, and her tone turns a little desperate.
"Mizuki, that's not funny!" (Alto)
"That makes sense, because it's not a joke." (Mizuki)
I meet her gaze calmly. I have no intention of backing down, she totally was asking for it. After a minute, she looks down dejectedly and nods her head in resignation.
"Great, I appreciate your sacrifice! I was really dreading that, so I'm grateful. Now, it's time for your questions to continue." (Mizuki)
Alto glares at me for a moment, then nods.
"Second question. In terms of your power, how much damage do you think you could single-handedly do if you set your mind to it? Could you take down a large city like Elmesia?" (Alto)
That's tricky. Most of my skills are suited for selectively killing opponents in a controlled manner. Mass destruction isn't something I've worked towards. That said, I'm almost certain that I could make a kind of magic nuclear bomb.
I'm a little shaky on my energy calculations for how much fusion produces what size blast. I also don't know of anywhere truly safe to test it. So, I've pretty much dismissed it for safety. If I ignored that, though, then…yeah, I could be a monster.
"If I had absolutely no regard for anyone's life, the truth is that entire countries or continents could probably be stripped of life in under an hour. I know that's absurd, but you asked for the truth. I hope that doesn't change how you act with me." (Mizuki)
Alto goes pale, as expected, and holds my gaze for a while. I just wait patiently until she accepts it. After a few moments, she responds quietly.
"I knew that no single person could stand up to you, but I never imagined that you could destroy whole countries if you wanted to. You promised me that you're human once, and I believe you, but do you have any idea why you're so strong? What you described is absolutely beyond human limits, Mizuki." (Alto)
I would have been surprised if this didn't come up. I already knew that I'd tell her if asked, though.
"Yes. In short, it's because I'm not from this planet – I was sent here from another world. That's the same reason my eyes are this color. I won't bore you with all the details, but essentially my home world has no magic. We don't even know it exists. It just so happens that, because my body developed in a place like that, it's extremely compatible with magic here. That's it." (Mizuki)
Alto's mouth is pretty much hanging open in shock now, but after a minute it changes to…annoyance? She really is a funny one.
"Okay, putting aside how cool that is…you said that your world has no magic. So, why are you so cocky about your knowledge of magic? You even were so bold as to claim that nobody on this planet fundamentally understands magic!" (Alto)
Oh, that's…actually a pretty good point when phrased like that.
"Well, we were a lot more advanced than you in our study of the natural world. Despite having no magic, we could fly hundreds of people faster and farther than I did with you today, we could destroy entire continents with weapons like I described, and we had even traveled to our own moon and other planets. As a result, I know that a lot of the spells that people here consider distinct are manipulating the natural world in a really similar way. My own magic aptitude and spell crafting seems to confirm this view as well." (Mizuki)
Alto's eyes are alight with excitement, and she is staring at me intensely.
"Mizuki, if that's true…it's incredible. How do you think magic works then, if not the way scholars here describe?" (Alto)
Alto's face has changed to one of pure excitement, and I honestly appreciate that kind of enthusiasm for science. I smile back at her and give my best shot at explaining.
"I think that magic is just a form of energy that lets you shape the natural world to the way you imagine it. The more accurate your conceptualization of how you want to affect the world around you, the more potent the spell is. I think incantations are just a rudimentary tool to help with visualization. It's also possible that magic class and affinities are a talent for visualizing certain kinds of effects on the natural world better than others, instead of an inherent limitation." (Mizuki)
"So, you're saying…I could…" (Alto)
Alto has a dazed look about her, and she can't seem to collect her thoughts. I just nod and answer her unspoken questions.
"I suspect, but don't know, that if you were to learn how the natural world works in enough detail, you could learn new spells outside the class and affinities that you've been told are your limit. At best, with your magic power level, I might be able to teach you to teleport, heal, turn invisible, and all kinds of other cool stuff without using incantations." (Mizuki)
Alto's eyes are burning with determination when she responds.
"Is this going to be the training that you mentioned tomorrow?" (Alto)
"Yup! That was the plan. I also need Ilina to teach me a spell that she promised. I currently can't imagine how it works, so I wasn't able to recreate it on my own. I'm hoping that with an explanation of what she's thinking about when she casts the spell and maybe an incantation as starting points, I'll be able to recreate it." (Mizuki)
Alto nods excitedly, then starts to get serious after a moment, as if something else occurred to her.
"Mizuki…I'm worried about someone making an attempt on your life in the Elven Kingdom. Even in the elven royal palace. I can't even guarantee that it won't be sanctioned within some factions of the royals." (Alto)
Yeah, I had some questions for her about that, too.
"The truth is, I don't plan on letting my guard down. They would have to be monstrously powerful to stand a chance of killing me, even with a surprise attack. I think I'll be fine. However, I don't want to have to slaughter any elves in self-defense. I won't show mercy to people like that, even if it was an elven royal or the elven king or queen themself that attacked me. On that subject, I do have several questions for you, if you don't mind?" (Mizuki)
Alto raises her eyebrows and nods agreeably.
"If we all commit to the story that I'm just Nina's weaker subordinate, and that I only act at her discretion, don't you think that's going to limit their willingness for hostility against me?" (Mizuki)
"Yeah, I think that's going to help quite a bit, actually. Fufufu…honestly, I was surprised when you suggested a deceit like that. I thought honesty was a huge deal to you?" (Alto)
I shake my head.
"No, not at all. I'll lie all day long as many ways as I want if it's convenient. I just won't insist that I'm trustworthy while doing it. I lied to Ilina plenty before we became real friends. In your case, you expressed a clear reservation about trusting me, so I immediately promised you complete honesty as the cornerstone of our relationship. Earning and honoring your trust is what I cared about, and that just presented itself as a commitment to honesty. I have no such obligation with the average person." (Mizuki)
Alto looks quite shocked by this news, but she seems to come to terms with it. Seeing this, I press on with my questions.
"I also wanted to know…what is the elven government like? Who leads and makes decision? I just realized I've never asked Ilina, I just made some inferences from her statements." (Mizuki)
"Oh, it's essentially a matriarchy with royal succession through Ilina's family. We also have laws that are typically respected by the Elven Queen, but at the end of the day the Queen's word is absolute. The Elven King is her most trusted advisor, and he holds enough unofficial power that most elven nobles wouldn't disobey him. The nobles are elves and high elves who sub-manage different areas of the Elven Kingdom." (Alto)
Well, that's straightforward. Last question.
"Thanks, that's good to know. My last question is…and please don't be offended…do you think it's at all possible that someone within the Elven Kingdom's government could have done something nefarious enough to justify the demons' invasion?" (Mizuki)
Alto looks, despite my best efforts, offended. I guess telling people not to get offended doesn't help…who knew. To my surprise, however, she looks away troubled for several moments before responding. After she sighs deeply.
"Truthfully…I wouldn't rule it out completely. You as an individual have done nothing but be kind to elves, and yet I know that your very life could be in danger in my country just for being human. If they killed you, Nina would probably decimate the country, and she'd be justified in doing so to some degree. So, who's to say that some similarly misguided act of prejudice couldn't be the cause for the demons' invasion?" (Alto)
I can't help but smile at her answer…she really is a good judge of character, and she tries her hardest to be fair to everyone.
"Alto, for what it's worth, I'm glad to have you around to advise me. Now, before you get a big head again, we should be heading back. Do you have any final questions for me?" (Mizuki)
Alto looks thoughtful for a minute…then smirks menacingly. That can't be good…but I really don't think I have a problem answering any question.
"So, how do you feel about Nina, and how does that compare to Princess Ilina? Relatedly, why did you agree to take me and Zara into the group, and why don't you seem to have any romantic interest in either of us?" (Alto)
Oh, that sneaky elf bastard. Since when does she partake of this kind of gossip? I let out a disappointed sigh at Alto.
"You want gossip? Really?" (Mizuki)
Alto shrugs and smiles, then holds my gaze patiently. Yup, she does.
"Well, I think you're objectively attractive, and I quite like your company, but it just feels different for me. Like a sibling or childhood friend. Zara…she's a child in my mind, I'm older than I look, and my body was de-aged when I came here. I took you both into our party because I liked your company and I felt that, based on your explanations, you'd gain something you wanted from adventuring with Nina and me. That's all there was to it!" (Mizuki)
Alto nods briefly.
"Okay, fair enough. I'm glad you don't have a thing for Zara and me, I just couldn't help but tease you a bit about it. I feel the same way about our relationship. Now, please answer the question about Nina and Ilina." (Alto)
Damn…
"Nina's my partner, romantically and otherwise. Maybe it's our contract, or maybe it's how we met, or maybe it's just her, but our relationship is irreplaceable. Ilina, by contrast, I find quite beautiful, I appreciate her intellect and personality, and I trust her, but it's not the same. Without Nina, I probably would have pursued a romantic relationship with Ilina and been quite happy, but that's not our situation now. Though Nina did condone a relationship with her, I doubt that's fair to either of them." (Mizuki)
Jeez…happy, elf? Alto looks both surprised and amused by my candor. I'm not a soap opera!
"Fufufu…well just so you know, Ilina likely will take multiple partners over her lifetime. High elves live ten times longer than regular elves, and since she's related to most other high elves, she'd likely take several elven husbands in sequence. This is the case for the Queen, her mother, as well. So, I doubt she'd care if you have Nina in your life at the same time, given your extremely short lifespan." (Alto)
Whose side are you on here!? That information is interesting, though, I guess I'd never considered what her romantic life was destined to be like. Still, I don't appreciate her meddling in my love life.
"Duly noted, Alto. So, you ready to go? We wouldn't want Nina to be kept waiting." (Mizuki)
Alto chuckles, but she nods at me and walks over to my side. Then, I teleport us back to the inn.
I've got a sexy dragon waiting in the bath for me.
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After I teleported Alto and I back to my room, I sent her on her way and climbed into the bath with Nina. We were currently relaxing while we chatted about the upcoming Elven Kingdom trip.
"So, Mizuki, what is it you're wanting to get done before we make our way to the Elven Kingdom? I'd like to discuss these things quickly and get on to our other plans for the night. I think I've been quite patient with all our errands today." (Nina)
I can sense anticipation mixed with mild frustration from Nina, and it probably didn't help that I took off earlier with Alto.
"Well, I want to learn those spells from Ilina. Being able to store whatever I want would be useful for us. I also need to train Alto and Zara and see their combat skills in action before we go. Alto especially. As the only elf in our party, I'm worried about her. Honestly, I think one day should be enough for me to understand their respective skills. I think, due to actual weapon skill, you'd be better equipped than me to spar with Zara in her swordplay. If you don't mind?" (Mizuki)
"Fufufu…no, I can train the little wolf. I've been wanting to train myself more after that human bested me during our guild test. Well then, I guess we will plan on departing to the Elven Kingdom the day after that. How would you like to travel, and what is our plan when we get there?" (Nina)
"Yes, day after tomorrow would be good. I actually think that you flying us is our best bet, if possible. How long would it take you to fly ten people on your back from Elmesia to your nest, at a pace you could keep up all day?" (Mizuki)
"Fufufu…yes, I don't mind. I'm glad we finally get to fly together in my dragon form! As for how fast I could go with that many…hmm…I'd say it would probably take a couple of hours at a pace I could keep up all day." (Nina)
Okay, that's not bad. It's outside my range for magic sense, but I'd estimate that the eastern edge of the Elven Kingdom is two to three times as far from Nina's nest as the wolf-kin village was. So, maybe 2,000 km? Nina could get us there with about thirteen hours of flight. I think we're getting maybe nine or ten hours of daylight, so it'll have to be a two-day trip.
"Hmm…in that case, if I'm doing my math right, we'll need to make it a two-day trip with around 7 hours of flight each day. That gives us a few hours extra of daylight to stop for meals, bathroom breaks, and whatever else. We can camp one night in Gelrod's Pass, and if it's too dangerous I could always teleport us back to the inn for the night. Is all of that fine?" (Mizuki)
"Yes, that should be okay. As for when we get there, how do you want to handle our relationship with the elves?" (Nina)
"Well, we should avoid any antagonism, if possible. As for the hierarchy, I think we should say that I am your direct subordinate, and Alto and Zara are my trainees. For simplicity, you can say that you trust me to speak on your behalf if you want. That way they don't try and execute me for speaking around the elven queen." (Mizuki)
"Fufufu…if they actually tried that I'd kill every elf in that room, Mizuki. Foolish indeed." (Nina)
Yeah…she's a loose cannon. That's definitely not avoiding antagonism.
"Yes, I'm sure you would, and I'd like to avoid that. So, let's just make it clear that I'm your representative and speak on your behalf. That will allow me to pivot in our conversations more easily. Ilina will likely be under a lot of pressure, and we shouldn't pile on. She'll return home to her country she was never supposed to have left, carrying freed slaves, and with a human, wolf-kin, and Elder Dragon as unannounced royal guests." (Mizuki)
"I suppose so, but we are ultimately going there to benefit her. So, I think a bit of extra work is what she signed up for." (Nina)
"Even so, I'm not going solely as a favor to Ilina. I'd like to know what's going on with the demons and elves, and the elves are our gateway to that information. I have contingencies for if the elves refuse our information gathering, but those are a last resort." (Mizuki)
Nina smiles and raises her eyebrows when I mention having contingencies. She does love being part of my schemes. Isn't this the same dragon that waggled her finger at the concept of lying when we first met?
After a moment, she sighs deeply and speaks up again.
"Fine, fine, I'm on board with all of that. After all, I'm quite curious why Veyron is involved. Before our contract, he was the second strongest Elder Dragon. I'm not sure whether I'm stronger now, but I think he deserves to be humbled for all the times he mistreated me!" (Nina)
Hmm…is Nina a vindictive woman? It's possible, so I'll need to remember that. For now, I'll just tease her.
"Oh my, thinking of another man while we're together in the bath like this? Should I be concerned?" (Mizuki)
Nina's eyes narrow at me.
"Well, if it's bothering you, then perhaps you should occupy my thoughts with something else, hmm?" (Nina)
I respond with a playful smile, but she silences me with an aggressive kiss that matches the impatience I sense from her.
I guess our evening plans are starting here.