"Now, forgive us, but all the tables are occupied. Would you mind taking a seat next to someone?" The energetic catgirl-waitress asked Keyaruga and his pretty companions as they entered the crowded dining hall.
"No, we wouldn’t." Freia enthusiastically replied, climbing the stairs toward the table between the floors. The very same one she glanced at less than half an hour ago. At that time, it remained free. Now, though, two men sat behind it, chugging some mediocre-looking beer.
"Evening. Mind if we join?" The healer smugly asked, putting both hands on the table. While at it, he appraised the duo.
"Nah-nah, don’t worry, my man. Always glad to make new friends." It was the first, a thin, middle-aged human wearing somewhat decent clothes. While not nearly as flashy as Quinta once was, this one gave the impression of a middle-league merchant.
"You speak business, Uslav. I love drinking with beauties!" And the second turned out to be a big-bellied orc in an unbuttoned white shirt. And while he was not overly athletic, the muscles underneath the green skin revealed a physical laborer in him.
"Didn’t expect your Phasian to be so good." The red-eyed lad deadpanned, taking a seat in front of the guests. Setsuna spent no time slouching right next to him. The pink-haired girl, though, remained standing. "Freia, would you be so kind as to pour them some beer?"
"As you wish." The sorceress replied with a merry smile, before taking a keg. And while the magician had the strength to lift it up, actually pouring beer without leaving quite a bit of foam was beyond her. Nobody blamed her, though.
"That’s what I’m talking about! Right, Gort?" The human addressed his friend, giving him a cheerful shoulder hug. After all, they had been drinking for awhile already.
"And that’s not all! Hey, lady! Two barrels of your best beer!" The hero yelled to the nearby waitress as the princess unhurriedly sat to the left of him.
"Your treat?" The massive demon asked the lad, while his eyes jumped from Freia to Setsuna. To that, Keyaruga hugged his toys and made a warning gesture with his index finger.
"It is. But don’t treat it as a gift; I’m rather offering a deal."
"Now you’re speaking my language, brother!" Uslav chuckled, slamming a mug on the table. "Name your terms!"
"Information. We’re new here, so someone has to tell us how things fare here." Keyaruga said, giving a glance to the she-wolf, just to receive her nod in return.
"Go ahead, friend." The merchant was amused, looking at a waitress with two kegs and three empty mugs. She may have looked thin, but the catgirl turned out to be a heavy lifter.
"Your order. Your soup will be ready in a moment."
"Thanks." Then, Freia looked as the girl filled their wooden cups. One of them was her own, so the princess didn’t put any restraint before testing out the hoppy drink. "M-m, pretty tasty."
"Course! We have the best breweries around! Beer is good, for all of us!" Gort mirthfully admonished.
"So, I did hear about humans and ma-zok living in peace, but to see it with my own eyes is something else. How did it come to this?" Keyaruga inquired, looking back at the dining hall, full of moxie and friendship.
"It… wasn’t always that way. Ten years before my pa gave me his business, we only fought, killed, roamed, and… It was tough. All that murdering and shit. Then, well, we got abandoned. I still thought of taking up arms to go on and protect my motherland and all that crap. But there’s Adrian Mirt, our lord and savior. I dunno what he told that Tafias guy, but it worked wonders. We made an alliance." Uslav explained, chugging his beer along with his buddy Gort.
"Was a total bullshit first, but…" The orc wanted to add his own line, but Keyaruga dismissed him with an open palm.
"You mentioned Tafias? Elaborate." The hero demanded, letting his distress pass through the mask of confidence.
"Dunno, they say he’s me-ua’s right arm. But unlike that prick, he never hides, is always on the frontlines, never lets his men down, and is quite a reasonable fellow. I even heard he recently spared that Kureha girl."
"That’s… interesting." The healer mumbled, remembering the last moments of Norn in the first world. And how he murdered that ogre in a desperate lunge.
"So, as I said…" Gort resumed his talk. "Been tough at the beginning, but it got better. We’re helping each other. So much so that living any other way than that seems kinda off."
"Sorry, what do you mean by 'helping each other`?" Freia went off with her curiosity. "Like, how exactly have you managed all of that?"
"Oh, girl. You see, there’s that ma-muana thing. We can’t make monsters docile at all; they can. So what a horse would do in a month, a giant ox can finish in a week. Their blacksmiths can forge things we've never seen before, even the damn orichalc! We, on the other hand, have magic, irrigation methods, viticulture, cooking — that kind of stuff!" The businessman merrily answered the princess’ question.
"What’s if for demons?" Setsuna unceremoniously asked, after drinking the entire beer mug in a single go.
"Ehm… Uslav said it all, didn’t he?" Gort replied, seemingly unhindered by how human countries called the numerous southern tribes. "I can say about me, though. I like… music. No, really, drama, opera — no idea how we lived without that. Tribal drums are one thing, but what about the harp? Mh-hm. Worth every bit of plowing for the common sake."
"Beautiful." The she-wolf reacted with restricted excitement.
"Also, humans taste good for ma-muana." And the orc’s drunken comment was everything but tough.
"Hey-hey, easy, buddy!" The human merchant chastised his demon friend with a tap on the shoulder before pulling his sleeve to reveal a few horizontal scars. Some of them looked fresh. "He means this."
"He means what?" Keyaruga asked with a fair bit of skepticism. Although he and Freia did have a few thoughts at that point.
"Nobody feeds us to anything or anyone, okay? Ma-muana feed upon mana, and blood is damn full of it. It’s a tax. If you can’t, or just don’t want to, pay with money, you can pay with blood if you want. Simple as that." Uslav explained the scheme, giving a hint to his green-skinned acquaintance. The latter did the same, showing the scar of his own.
"See? We’re equal in that term here." Gort pointed out the traces of bloodletting, boasting about them before the girls. Unfortunately for him, neither of them found such behavior attractive. Especially Freia, since that hit too close to home.
"Right. Quite an exquisite scheme, to say the least. Much better than constantly raiding other settlements, that’s for sure." Keyaruga deadpanned, tapping the floor. Where’s our soup? She said it was almost ready.
"And… don’t you have any conflicts here?" The sorceress inquired, trying to make sense of everything that happened in Buranikka.
"Come on, sis, of course we do." The orc rushed to give an answer. "Some prick tries to snatch someone’s girl, some lads can’t agree on a price for a damn cucumber, someone can get too drunk and violent. That kind of stuff. We kick them, they trash us, the militia beats us both, that’s life, shit happens."
Yeah, simple as that. And Norn is on her way to ruin all of that. But this time, I’m here. I will never allow you to burn Buranikka, my love. Not for that shitty kingdom, not even for your ambitions.
"We’re terribly sorry for the wait." Suddenly, a waitress appeared with a large iron pot filled with steamy reddish soup, along with three sets of wooden bowls and spoons. There was bear’s meat, mushrooms, and potatoes — and that’s only what could be seen at first glance. Everyone, aside from Keyaruga, started looking at the casserole with genuine hunger. Why? Well… "Also, there’s another guest. Would you be so kind as to allow her to sit with you?"
"I… I don’t… mind." Keyaruga spoke in a breathless stupor.
"Go on, girl!" Gort jovially said.
"Th… ank… you." The one who came was the young maiden, carrying a dirty brown rag on her back. She nervously sat beyond the table and dropped a single copper coin from under her dark dress. "Something… cheap, please."
The waitress didn’t even bother staying for long. She only took a dirty-looking metal disc and ran up to take more orders. And the Hero of Healing remained, staring at the poor, exhausted, lonely, and lost girl with patched skin and restless eyes. The last time they met, this lady demolished three heroes like it was nothing, but now she looked pathetic, to say the least.
Batuarma, du-na me-ua, or how do they greet their monarchs here? Damn, it’s her! It really is her! Yes, her hair isn’t white, and I see no horns, but fuck me if she doesn’t have a pair of wings under that trash.
"Let’s eat while it's still hot." Keyaruga offered, pouring the delicious dish into the bowls. During that process, another waitress brought the great demon queen… a plate of cold barley porridge.
Both Freia and Setsuna started silently munching on the delicacy. They would even be vocal about it if not for the starving girl meticulously filling her stomach with some gunk. Keyaruga, in the light of it, just couldn’t touch his own meal.
"Here, take my portion, Your Majesty." The healer spoke, pushing his bowl toward the same person he promised to start anew… before ripping off her crystallized heart.
"No. I don’t need human pity." The queen-to-be reacted as if it were nothing but sarcasm from Keyaruga’s side. At least she had her royal pride…
"How rude. It’s so tasty. Honestly, why would you refuse his gift?" The princess shook her head, feeling a strange déjà vu. That’s right; it reminded her of Kureha and how her man offered the swordswoman a place in their bed. "I know where this is going. Jioral is all about subjugating, plundering, robbing, and enslaving. I’m afraid they’ll go ahead and try to destroy everything you’ve built." Unfortunately, the queen’s behavior dealt a big punch to the sorceress’ mood. This did not prevent her from eating, which is noteworthy. Setsuna, though, being as unsociable as she was, decided to not enter the conversation for some reason. Just to prepare her disciple for clashing head-on with an army.
"I know, I know." Gort smirked at the caster’s words, while Uslav ordered snacks for beer. "A bunch of humans still don’t like us, shitheads. We also have a full pile of them. But, you know, we still have an entire army waiting in Kinacrith. Provided me-ua will actually deploy them. I mean, the demon king, as you call him."
"Na tu shira (I know)." Keyaruga replied.
"A-ah, you know tarenago? So you’re not new here after all?" The orc admonished, pointing at the healer.
"Does it matter? Better tell me about the me-ua guy." The red-eyed lad smirked, looking at the girl, while Freia just decided to ignore it all.
"Dunno, brother." This time, it was up to the human merchant to respond. "He just keeps his royal ass on the peak of Kinacrith, so not many have actually seen him. But those who did say he’s a big chunk of meat with a lion’s maw. Can’t figure out something aside from it."
"Heh, what if I told you I’ve actually met the real me-ua?" The hero sneered, attracting the attention of everyone over to his table. "And it’s actually a pretty girl."
"Wow, and who’s that?" Gort pondered, moving closer to the healer. "Would you tell us how she looks?"
"Why? She's sitting right next to us?" Keyaruga responded, waving his head toward the miserable girl. The very same one who still resisted the urge to grab the warm bowl out of sheer hubris. The very same one he remembered as the kindest person he had ever met.
"Pha-ha-ha-ha!!! That… was a good one!" Uslav could do nothing but laugh, ignorant of the maiden’s extensive magic powers. Or, rather, the potential these powers could reach with time. "Even I can break her in two!"
"Maybe, if that’s the me-ua, I should ditch crate tugging and try my luck? You know, Gort the Mighty, the next ruler of Taretanbi!"
"Hey…" Finally the queen herself tucked into the conversation. "Do you call everyone me-ua, or you’re just drunk?"
"Come on, you know I haven’t drunk a drop of booze."
"Then you’re just a fool. I’m not the one you’re looking for. I’m just… a prowler."
"Of course. Just a simple prowler, refusing to eat the soup I gave you. And for what? Pride? Come on, we won’t handle this pot on our own either way, so be a good girl and graciously accept our gift to you."
"I said, I don’t need your pity!" The maiden snarled and slammed her fist on the table. That was supposed to look impressive, but the strike itself wasn’t so loud to begin with. And her hand throbbing in pain only took away the little authority she somehow kept.
"Master offers you kindness. And you’re just stubborn for your own good." Setsuna pointed out with obvious displeasure. Somehow, the ice wolf saw herself in her, and that led her to slavery before.
"Possibly, destiny itself gathered us all here. It’s unkind and unwise to refuse its gift in such a manner." Freia lamented. Whether it was a slip of the tongue or the princess’ wits, she moved the bowl even closer to the obstinate maiden. Just as her stomach treacherously growled, unsatisfied by the cold porridge.
"Oh… All right…" Ultimately, she lowered her head and accepted the gift. She took the spoon, took her first sip with the shivering hand… and then her hunger overwhelmed the grace. The black-haired lady started to munch on the soup as if someone was about to snatch the dish right out of her hands, not even caring about chewing the hard meat properly. "I… I thank you!.. I’ll find… a way to repay you!.." The `prowler` mumbled, still devouring the dish.
"We’ll come to that. Now, though, don’t be so rash; nobody’s chasing you." With a bright grin, the healer said. Then, at the next moment, both he and his girls became skeptical of that statement. Especially the princess, who put her spoon down and began looking around.
"So…" With the bowl finally emptied, the ragged girl wiped her dirty mouth and addressed the man. "You never told me why you called me me-ua, did you?"
"Nope, I didn’t." Keyaruga shrugged, gathering the attention of everyone behind their table. "Once, I knew a girl who looked exactly like you. Black wings, a pair of horns, and, most importantly, red eyes just like mine. I’ll… never forget her tear."
"Now easy with that, friend. If that’s what I think it is, and your lass here is a kokuyoku, you’re in a big shitload of trouble". Gort suddenly warned, as if sobering up for just a second.
"Black… wing? Okay, the word makes sense. As for the other, elaborate." Keyaruga demanded, while his arm instinctively reached for the saber’s hilt.
"I meant what I meant. Our current king has given out the order to kill all of them, nothing else to say." With the orc explaining his position, the hero finally understood the reason behind the maiden hiding her wings under a dirty rag.
"I see. And what if one of them turns up here?" Keyaruga wondered, looking at the nearby window. The Hero of Magic turned up a bit more proactive — the pink-haired girl stood up with her eyes closed.
"You see, for every one of them, dead or alive…" Ulsav frowned, looking at the red-haired lad. "…you can get so much gold and jewels that even your grandkids won’t spend them all in their lives. So, there will be blood. And death. Imagine many, many morons, killing each other over a single body." The human explained with his arms crossed. Keyaruga nodded before listening to Freia’s report, which she whispered into his ear.
"Uh… Get it. Good girl." The healer kissed the magician on the cheek before rising on his feet. But so did the black-haired `prowler`. "What, already leaving? Can we at least learn your name?"
"Again, thank you for the food. But don’t get involved with me, if you want to live." The queen-to-be said as she walked up toward the stairs. For better or worse, Setsuna blocked her way.
"Thanks for the warning, but you’re a little too late. See that window? These bull-headed gentlemen below are waiting for you, and their shamans have almost finished an artillery spell. It’s your call now: defend yourself or die." Keyaruga spoke, unsheathing his alloyed saber. As he did so, Freia raised her arms and started chanting a protective barrier, while the she-wolf slammed her ice-clad arms to the floor. The huntress’ powers momentarily turned the entire wall into a frozen obstruction. Some guests started panicking, and Uslav and Gort quickly hid under the table. But whatever choice they made, nobody could stop the giant fireball that burned through Setsuna’s enchanted ice, broke Freia’s barrier, and nearly burned everyone to a crisp there. Nobody… except for her.
The black-haired maiden put up a single hand, and a massive purple ring sprang into existence. Whatever it was, the spell steadily absorbed the flames until the inferno disappeared, leaving nothing but a massive hole and nine charred corpses of those less fortunate.
"Keyaruga! Setty! Are you-?.."
"Shh." The wolf warrior silenced the princess, as she and the hero watched toward the… kokuyoku.Yes, with the dirty cape falling down, they saw exactly what they expected to see — a pair of shiny black wings.
"So it is you." Keyaruga mused, watching the maiden walk toward him with anger on her face. "I knew you…"
"It’s all your fault! If it wasn’t for your jokes-!.."
"Shut up, the magic was… Ghh!.. Ritualistic!" The man interrupted the impudent brat, deflecting a volley of crossbow bolts. "They tailed you, and you gave them time!"
"It’s a diversion!" The sorceress snarled, frying one of the raging bulls with her crackling lightning. The demon was strong, so even the full power of the heroine was enough only to cripple him. Not enough to stop his lunge. Setsuna and Keyaruga had to slay the berserk with claws and a saber.
As a result, the dining hall became a hub of chaos. Some ran in terror, some stopped in the middle of the crowd, and others, mostly hunters and soldiers, tried to bring some order. The latter were targeted by seven large ax-wielding minotaurs, wrecking havoc, while their four brethren attempted to shoot the black-winged fugitive with their miniature (compared to two-meter giants) crossbows, respectively.
"N-no, you shu…" And so, while the healer was busy, the uncrowned queen made a critical mistake. Letting herself get distracted punished the maiden with a bolt sticking out of her shin. Which would be painful by itself, but the tip was covered with a paralyzing poison. It was more than enough to incapacitate the target without killing her. The hero caught the winged girl, ready to deflect even more projectiles, but the crossbowmen lowered their weapons, letting the axemen take the spot.
"Hey, can you hear me?" He asked, holding the maiden under his left arm, while Setsuna and Freia got to his flanks. With the people still roaming down the stairs, the magician couldn’t go wild, so she just held a windy barrier — the very reason the crossbowmen were rendered useless. Still, the `prowler` remained conscious, even if not well. "Good, you have two options: hire me and live, or die on your own."
It’s not like she could reply instantly. But their foes wouldn’t wait. Four raging bulls, led by the biggest and meanest one of them, the one that offended the lad in his first hour of being in Buranikka, steadily approached.
"GIVE ME HOE!!!" He yelled, slamming the ax into... the spot where Keyaruga had just stood. The brawler didn’t make it, as the saber with the red net on it slashed through his neck, making the goon roll down the stairs.
"Stop interrupting; I’m trying to have a talk here!" The man sarcastically lamented as more muggers gathered for an assault. They may have planned out the beginning well, but brute-forcing with the sheer number through the hero was a pitiful attempt to say the least. "So, what will it be?" The healer asked, evading another slam. With his left hand full, it was time for the girls to shine, and even if they were competent enough to win this fight, the situation looked grave indeed.
"…" As much as the maiden tried, not a single sound left her mouth. And yet, with his ultra-perception, the man felt her lips moving, trying to form those two consonants.
"All right, I’ll help you. It’s time…" The hero had barely finished, and the two bulls had already fallen, their chests breached by an ice gauntlet and their skulls crushed by a compressed air spell...blue flames emerged in the middle of the desolated dining hall.
"Kakrtan debilas! Yadana kuwasan ta (fucking morons, stop ruining the inn)!!!" Nobody could predict what would happen next. A seemingly harmless innkeeper turned into a crooked, two-headed abomination that somehow distorted reality with his very existence.
"UO-O-O-O-O-O!!!" Two crossbowmen started to scream as an azure blaze burned through their eyeballs. Six others tried to escape, and although burned, they succeeded, even if one left the building with his arm torn by one of Freia's ice spears. Strangely enough, the blue flames didn’t hurt any guests, too unlucky to remain in their places. But it was hard to make sense of the blue warping to notice it. And…
"Haa… Haa… N-no… Nor…" Keyaruga stood motionless, his knees trembling. If only for a moment, he got trapped in his old memories. A trauma, buried beneath dozens, if not hundreds, of far more heinous ones, now occupied his mind.
"…ya…ga…"
Norn! Norn!!! Not again, not again!!!
"Keyaruga, snap out of it!" The sorceress did her best to help her man turn back to reality, as Setsuna placed the winged girl on her back.
"Ah… A-A-AH!!!" She succeeded, and through the power of his will, the mauled lad regained most of his composure. "Freia, watch for the shamans outside! We’re fucking leaving!"
And with that, the trio with a deadweight jumped off the breached wall into the darkness of night. Keyaruga cursed himself for succumbing to the wounds of the past, even if he had no time for that. As he landed on the ground and caught Setsuna with the unconscious queen, the Hero of Magic warded them from the black fireball, cast by a shaman on the nearby roof. A single sweep of her, and the bull’s face got crushed by a conjured boulder. Nonetheless, two more appeared, far more capable of deflecting Freia's projectiles.
"We need Kelly!" Setsuna mused, cutting off the bulls’ reinforcements with an ice wall. One street got blocked. "She better be worth troubles."
"She is, Setsuna! This girl is our future!" Keyaruga admonished, holding the maiden like a princess. They still had a long night to go.
"Now, forgive us, but all the tables are occupied. Would you mind taking a seat next to someone?" The energetic catgirl-waitress asked Keyaruga and his pretty companions as they entered the crowded dining hall.
"No, we wouldn’t." Freia enthusiastically replied, climbing the stairs toward the table between the floors. The very same one she glanced at less than half an hour ago. At that time, it remained free. Now, though, two men sat behind it, chugging some mediocre-looking beer.
"Evening. Mind if we join?" The healer smugly asked, putting both hands on the table. While at it, he appraised the duo.
"Nah-nah, don’t worry, my man. Always glad to make new friends." It was the first, a thin, middle-aged human wearing somewhat decent clothes. While not nearly as flashy as Quinta once was, this one gave the impression of a middle-league merchant.
"You speak business, Uslav. I love drinking with beauties!" And the second turned out to be a big-bellied orc in an unbuttoned white shirt. And while he was not overly athletic, the muscles underneath the green skin revealed a physical laborer in him.
"Didn’t expect your Phasian to be so good." The red-eyed lad deadpanned, taking a seat in front of the guests. Setsuna spent no time slouching right next to him. The pink-haired girl, though, remained standing. "Freia, would you be so kind as to pour them some beer?"
"As you wish." The sorceress replied with a merry smile, before taking a keg. And while the magician had the strength to lift it up, actually pouring beer without leaving quite a bit of foam was beyond her. Nobody blamed her, though.
"That’s what I’m talking about! Right, Gort?" The human addressed his friend, giving him a cheerful shoulder hug. After all, they had been drinking for awhile already.
"And that’s not all! Hey, lady! Two barrels of your best beer!" The hero yelled to the nearby waitress as the princess unhurriedly sat to the left of him.
"Your treat?" The massive demon asked the lad, while his eyes jumped from Freia to Setsuna. To that, Keyaruga hugged his toys and made a warning gesture with his index finger.
"It is. But don’t treat it as a gift; I’m rather offering a deal."
"Now you’re speaking my language, brother!" Uslav chuckled, slamming a mug on the table. "Name your terms!"
"Information. We’re new here, so someone has to tell us how things fare here." Keyaruga said, giving a glance to the she-wolf, just to receive her nod in return.
"Go ahead, friend." The merchant was amused, looking at a waitress with two kegs and three empty mugs. She may have looked thin, but the catgirl turned out to be a heavy lifter.
"Your order. Your soup will be ready in a moment."
"Thanks." Then, Freia looked as the girl filled their wooden cups. One of them was her own, so the princess didn’t put any restraint before testing out the hoppy drink. "M-m, pretty tasty."
"Course! We have the best breweries around! Beer is good, for all of us!" Gort mirthfully admonished.
"So, I did hear about humans and ma-zok living in peace, but to see it with my own eyes is something else. How did it come to this?" Keyaruga inquired, looking back at the dining hall, full of moxie and friendship.
"It… wasn’t always that way. Ten years before my pa gave me his business, we only fought, killed, roamed, and… It was tough. All that murdering and shit. Then, well, we got abandoned. I still thought of taking up arms to go on and protect my motherland and all that crap. But there’s Adrian Mirt, our lord and savior. I dunno what he told that Tafias guy, but it worked wonders. We made an alliance." Uslav explained, chugging his beer along with his buddy Gort.
"Was a total bullshit first, but…" The orc wanted to add his own line, but Keyaruga dismissed him with an open palm.
"You mentioned Tafias? Elaborate." The hero demanded, letting his distress pass through the mask of confidence.
"Dunno, they say he’s me-ua’s right arm. But unlike that prick, he never hides, is always on the frontlines, never lets his men down, and is quite a reasonable fellow. I even heard he recently spared that Kureha girl."
"That’s… interesting." The healer mumbled, remembering the last moments of Norn in the first world. And how he murdered that ogre in a desperate lunge.
"So, as I said…" Gort resumed his talk. "Been tough at the beginning, but it got better. We’re helping each other. So much so that living any other way than that seems kinda off."
"Sorry, what do you mean by 'helping each other`?" Freia went off with her curiosity. "Like, how exactly have you managed all of that?"
"Oh, girl. You see, there’s that ma-muana thing. We can’t make monsters docile at all; they can. So what a horse would do in a month, a giant ox can finish in a week. Their blacksmiths can forge things we've never seen before, even the damn orichalc! We, on the other hand, have magic, irrigation methods, viticulture, cooking — that kind of stuff!" The businessman merrily answered the princess’ question.
"What’s if for demons?" Setsuna unceremoniously asked, after drinking the entire beer mug in a single go.
"Ehm… Uslav said it all, didn’t he?" Gort replied, seemingly unhindered by how human countries called the numerous southern tribes. "I can say about me, though. I like… music. No, really, drama, opera — no idea how we lived without that. Tribal drums are one thing, but what about the harp? Mh-hm. Worth every bit of plowing for the common sake."
"Beautiful." The she-wolf reacted with restricted excitement.
"Also, humans taste good for ma-muana." And the orc’s drunken comment was everything but tough.
"Hey-hey, easy, buddy!" The human merchant chastised his demon friend with a tap on the shoulder before pulling his sleeve to reveal a few horizontal scars. Some of them looked fresh. "He means this."
"He means what?" Keyaruga asked with a fair bit of skepticism. Although he and Freia did have a few thoughts at that point.
"Nobody feeds us to anything or anyone, okay? Ma-muana feed upon mana, and blood is damn full of it. It’s a tax. If you can’t, or just don’t want to, pay with money, you can pay with blood if you want. Simple as that." Uslav explained the scheme, giving a hint to his green-skinned acquaintance. The latter did the same, showing the scar of his own.
"See? We’re equal in that term here." Gort pointed out the traces of bloodletting, boasting about them before the girls. Unfortunately for him, neither of them found such behavior attractive. Especially Freia, since that hit too close to home.
"Right. Quite an exquisite scheme, to say the least. Much better than constantly raiding other settlements, that’s for sure." Keyaruga deadpanned, tapping the floor. Where’s our soup? She said it was almost ready.
"And… don’t you have any conflicts here?" The sorceress inquired, trying to make sense of everything that happened in Buranikka.
"Come on, sis, of course we do." The orc rushed to give an answer. "Some prick tries to snatch someone’s girl, some lads can’t agree on a price for a damn cucumber, someone can get too drunk and violent. That kind of stuff. We kick them, they trash us, the militia beats us both, that’s life, shit happens."
Yeah, simple as that. And Norn is on her way to ruin all of that. But this time, I’m here. I will never allow you to burn Buranikka, my love. Not for that shitty kingdom, not even for your ambitions.
"We’re terribly sorry for the wait." Suddenly, a waitress appeared with a large iron pot filled with steamy reddish soup, along with three sets of wooden bowls and spoons. There was bear’s meat, mushrooms, and potatoes — and that’s only what could be seen at first glance. Everyone, aside from Keyaruga, started looking at the casserole with genuine hunger. Why? Well… "Also, there’s another guest. Would you be so kind as to allow her to sit with you?"
"I… I don’t… mind." Keyaruga spoke in a breathless stupor.
"Go on, girl!" Gort jovially said.
"Th… ank… you." The one who came was the young maiden, carrying a dirty brown rag on her back. She nervously sat beyond the table and dropped a single copper coin from under her dark dress. "Something… cheap, please."
The waitress didn’t even bother staying for long. She only took a dirty-looking metal disc and ran up to take more orders. And the Hero of Healing remained, staring at the poor, exhausted, lonely, and lost girl with patched skin and restless eyes. The last time they met, this lady demolished three heroes like it was nothing, but now she looked pathetic, to say the least.
Batuarma, du-na me-ua, or how do they greet their monarchs here? Damn, it’s her! It really is her! Yes, her hair isn’t white, and I see no horns, but fuck me if she doesn’t have a pair of wings under that trash.
"Let’s eat while it's still hot." Keyaruga offered, pouring the delicious dish into the bowls. During that process, another waitress brought the great demon queen… a plate of cold barley porridge.
Both Freia and Setsuna started silently munching on the delicacy. They would even be vocal about it if not for the starving girl meticulously filling her stomach with some gunk. Keyaruga, in the light of it, just couldn’t touch his own meal.
"Here, take my portion, Your Majesty." The healer spoke, pushing his bowl toward the same person he promised to start anew… before ripping off her crystallized heart.
"No. I don’t need human pity." The queen-to-be reacted as if it were nothing but sarcasm from Keyaruga’s side. At least she had her royal pride…
"How rude. It’s so tasty. Honestly, why would you refuse his gift?" The princess shook her head, feeling a strange déjà vu. That’s right; it reminded her of Kureha and how her man offered the swordswoman a place in their bed. "I know where this is going. Jioral is all about subjugating, plundering, robbing, and enslaving. I’m afraid they’ll go ahead and try to destroy everything you’ve built." Unfortunately, the queen’s behavior dealt a big punch to the sorceress’ mood. This did not prevent her from eating, which is noteworthy. Setsuna, though, being as unsociable as she was, decided to not enter the conversation for some reason. Just to prepare her disciple for clashing head-on with an army.
"I know, I know." Gort smirked at the caster’s words, while Uslav ordered snacks for beer. "A bunch of humans still don’t like us, shitheads. We also have a full pile of them. But, you know, we still have an entire army waiting in Kinacrith. Provided me-ua will actually deploy them. I mean, the demon king, as you call him."
"Na tu shira (I know)." Keyaruga replied.
"A-ah, you know tarenago? So you’re not new here after all?" The orc admonished, pointing at the healer.
"Does it matter? Better tell me about the me-ua guy." The red-eyed lad smirked, looking at the girl, while Freia just decided to ignore it all.
"Dunno, brother." This time, it was up to the human merchant to respond. "He just keeps his royal ass on the peak of Kinacrith, so not many have actually seen him. But those who did say he’s a big chunk of meat with a lion’s maw. Can’t figure out something aside from it."
"Heh, what if I told you I’ve actually met the real me-ua?" The hero sneered, attracting the attention of everyone over to his table. "And it’s actually a pretty girl."
"Wow, and who’s that?" Gort pondered, moving closer to the healer. "Would you tell us how she looks?"
"Why? She's sitting right next to us?" Keyaruga responded, waving his head toward the miserable girl. The very same one who still resisted the urge to grab the warm bowl out of sheer hubris. The very same one he remembered as the kindest person he had ever met.
"Pha-ha-ha-ha!!! That… was a good one!" Uslav could do nothing but laugh, ignorant of the maiden’s extensive magic powers. Or, rather, the potential these powers could reach with time. "Even I can break her in two!"
"Maybe, if that’s the me-ua, I should ditch crate tugging and try my luck? You know, Gort the Mighty, the next ruler of Taretanbi!"
"Hey…" Finally the queen herself tucked into the conversation. "Do you call everyone me-ua, or you’re just drunk?"
"Come on, you know I haven’t drunk a drop of booze."
"Then you’re just a fool. I’m not the one you’re looking for. I’m just… a prowler."
"Of course. Just a simple prowler, refusing to eat the soup I gave you. And for what? Pride? Come on, we won’t handle this pot on our own either way, so be a good girl and graciously accept our gift to you."
"I said, I don’t need your pity!" The maiden snarled and slammed her fist on the table. That was supposed to look impressive, but the strike itself wasn’t so loud to begin with. And her hand throbbing in pain only took away the little authority she somehow kept.
"Master offers you kindness. And you’re just stubborn for your own good." Setsuna pointed out with obvious displeasure. Somehow, the ice wolf saw herself in her, and that led her to slavery before.
"Possibly, destiny itself gathered us all here. It’s unkind and unwise to refuse its gift in such a manner." Freia lamented. Whether it was a slip of the tongue or the princess’ wits, she moved the bowl even closer to the obstinate maiden. Just as her stomach treacherously growled, unsatisfied by the cold porridge.
"Oh… All right…" Ultimately, she lowered her head and accepted the gift. She took the spoon, took her first sip with the shivering hand… and then her hunger overwhelmed the grace. The black-haired lady started to munch on the soup as if someone was about to snatch the dish right out of her hands, not even caring about chewing the hard meat properly. "I… I thank you!.. I’ll find… a way to repay you!.." The `prowler` mumbled, still devouring the dish.
"We’ll come to that. Now, though, don’t be so rash; nobody’s chasing you." With a bright grin, the healer said. Then, at the next moment, both he and his girls became skeptical of that statement. Especially the princess, who put her spoon down and began looking around.
"So…" With the bowl finally emptied, the ragged girl wiped her dirty mouth and addressed the man. "You never told me why you called me me-ua, did you?"
"Nope, I didn’t." Keyaruga shrugged, gathering the attention of everyone behind their table. "Once, I knew a girl who looked exactly like you. Black wings, a pair of horns, and, most importantly, red eyes just like mine. I’ll… never forget her tear."
"Now easy with that, friend. If that’s what I think it is, and your lass here is a kokuyoku, you’re in a big shitload of trouble". Gort suddenly warned, as if sobering up for just a second.
"Black… wing? Okay, the word makes sense. As for the other, elaborate." Keyaruga demanded, while his arm instinctively reached for the saber’s hilt.
"I meant what I meant. Our current king has given out the order to kill all of them, nothing else to say." With the orc explaining his position, the hero finally understood the reason behind the maiden hiding her wings under a dirty rag.
"I see. And what if one of them turns up here?" Keyaruga wondered, looking at the nearby window. The Hero of Magic turned up a bit more proactive — the pink-haired girl stood up with her eyes closed.
"You see, for every one of them, dead or alive…" Ulsav frowned, looking at the red-haired lad. "…you can get so much gold and jewels that even your grandkids won’t spend them all in their lives. So, there will be blood. And death. Imagine many, many morons, killing each other over a single body." The human explained with his arms crossed. Keyaruga nodded before listening to Freia’s report, which she whispered into his ear.
"Uh… Get it. Good girl." The healer kissed the magician on the cheek before rising on his feet. But so did the black-haired `prowler`. "What, already leaving? Can we at least learn your name?"
"Again, thank you for the food. But don’t get involved with me, if you want to live." The queen-to-be said as she walked up toward the stairs. For better or worse, Setsuna blocked her way.
"Thanks for the warning, but you’re a little too late. See that window? These bull-headed gentlemen below are waiting for you, and their shamans have almost finished an artillery spell. It’s your call now: defend yourself or die." Keyaruga spoke, unsheathing his alloyed saber. As he did so, Freia raised her arms and started chanting a protective barrier, while the she-wolf slammed her ice-clad arms to the floor. The huntress’ powers momentarily turned the entire wall into a frozen obstruction. Some guests started panicking, and Uslav and Gort quickly hid under the table. But whatever choice they made, nobody could stop the giant fireball that burned through Setsuna’s enchanted ice, broke Freia’s barrier, and nearly burned everyone to a crisp there. Nobody… except for her.
The black-haired maiden put up a single hand, and a massive purple ring sprang into existence. Whatever it was, the spell steadily absorbed the flames until the inferno disappeared, leaving nothing but a massive hole and nine charred corpses of those less fortunate.
"Keyaruga! Setty! Are you-?.."
"Shh." The wolf warrior silenced the princess, as she and the hero watched toward the… kokuyoku.Yes, with the dirty cape falling down, they saw exactly what they expected to see — a pair of shiny black wings.
"So it is you." Keyaruga mused, watching the maiden walk toward him with anger on her face. "I knew you…"
"It’s all your fault! If it wasn’t for your jokes-!.."
"Shut up, the magic was… Ghh!.. Ritualistic!" The man interrupted the impudent brat, deflecting a volley of crossbow bolts. "They tailed you, and you gave them time!"
"It’s a diversion!" The sorceress snarled, frying one of the raging bulls with her crackling lightning. The demon was strong, so even the full power of the heroine was enough only to cripple him. Not enough to stop his lunge. Setsuna and Keyaruga had to slay the berserk with claws and a saber.
As a result, the dining hall became a hub of chaos. Some ran in terror, some stopped in the middle of the crowd, and others, mostly hunters and soldiers, tried to bring some order. The latter were targeted by seven large ax-wielding minotaurs, wrecking havoc, while their four brethren attempted to shoot the black-winged fugitive with their miniature (compared to two-meter giants) crossbows, respectively.
"N-no, you shu…" And so, while the healer was busy, the uncrowned queen made a critical mistake. Letting herself get distracted punished the maiden with a bolt sticking out of her shin. Which would be painful by itself, but the tip was covered with a paralyzing poison. It was more than enough to incapacitate the target without killing her. The hero caught the winged girl, ready to deflect even more projectiles, but the crossbowmen lowered their weapons, letting the axemen take the spot.
"Hey, can you hear me?" He asked, holding the maiden under his left arm, while Setsuna and Freia got to his flanks. With the people still roaming down the stairs, the magician couldn’t go wild, so she just held a windy barrier — the very reason the crossbowmen were rendered useless. Still, the `prowler` remained conscious, even if not well. "Good, you have two options: hire me and live, or die on your own."
It’s not like she could reply instantly. But their foes wouldn’t wait. Four raging bulls, led by the biggest and meanest one of them, the one that offended the lad in his first hour of being in Buranikka, steadily approached.
"GIVE ME HOE!!!" He yelled, slamming the ax into... the spot where Keyaruga had just stood. The brawler didn’t make it, as the saber with the red net on it slashed through his neck, making the goon roll down the stairs.
"Stop interrupting; I’m trying to have a talk here!" The man sarcastically lamented as more muggers gathered for an assault. They may have planned out the beginning well, but brute-forcing with the sheer number through the hero was a pitiful attempt to say the least. "So, what will it be?" The healer asked, evading another slam. With his left hand full, it was time for the girls to shine, and even if they were competent enough to win this fight, the situation looked grave indeed.
"…" As much as the maiden tried, not a single sound left her mouth. And yet, with his ultra-perception, the man felt her lips moving, trying to form those two consonants.
"All right, I’ll help you. It’s time…" The hero had barely finished, and the two bulls had already fallen, their chests breached by an ice gauntlet and their skulls crushed by a compressed air spell...blue flames emerged in the middle of the desolated dining hall.
"Kakrtan debilas! Yadana kuwasan ta (fucking morons, stop ruining the inn)!!!" Nobody could predict what would happen next. A seemingly harmless innkeeper turned into a crooked, two-headed abomination that somehow distorted reality with his very existence.
"UO-O-O-O-O-O!!!" Two crossbowmen started to scream as an azure blaze burned through their eyeballs. Six others tried to escape, and although burned, they succeeded, even if one left the building with his arm torn by one of Freia's ice spears. Strangely enough, the blue flames didn’t hurt any guests, too unlucky to remain in their places. But it was hard to make sense of the blue warping to notice it. And…
"Haa… Haa… N-no… Nor…" Keyaruga stood motionless, his knees trembling. If only for a moment, he got trapped in his old memories. A trauma, buried beneath dozens, if not hundreds, of far more heinous ones, now occupied his mind.
"…ya…ga…"
Norn! Norn!!! Not again, not again!!!
"Keyaruga, snap out of it!" The sorceress did her best to help her man turn back to reality, as Setsuna placed the winged girl on her back.
"Ah… A-A-AH!!!" She succeeded, and through the power of his will, the mauled lad regained most of his composure. "Freia, watch for the shamans outside! We’re fucking leaving!"
And with that, the trio with a deadweight jumped off the breached wall into the darkness of night. Keyaruga cursed himself for succumbing to the wounds of the past, even if he had no time for that. As he landed on the ground and caught Setsuna with the unconscious queen, the Hero of Magic warded them from the black fireball, cast by a shaman on the nearby roof. A single sweep of her, and the bull’s face got crushed by a conjured boulder. Nonetheless, two more appeared, far more capable of deflecting Freia's projectiles.
"We need Kelly!" Setsuna mused, cutting off the bulls’ reinforcements with an ice wall. One street got blocked. "She better be worth troubles."
"She is, Setsuna! This girl is our future!" Keyaruga admonished, holding the maiden like a princess. They still had a long night to go.
