Over the past two days, before we set out for the village of Ryut, we managed to accomplish quite a bit.
Akira leveled up to eleven, which allowed her to use some of the shields she had copied from Elhart. They were functionally much better — larger in area, with superior defense and durability — unlike the ingredient-based shields she had been using until now. Though even with those, she had been blocking and parrying quite well, especially considering her personal defense stacks with the shield's. But with the new shields, she moved to a whole new level. We even did a bit of sparring for training. But more on that later.
Raftalia also leveled up to thirteen, almost catching up to me, and grew even more mature and beautiful. Now she looked about eighteen, her figure becoming even more rounded and feminine. How Elhart managed to perfectly guess her adult proportions is beyond me. But the armor, which had been slightly loose and adjusted with straps in places, now fit her like a glove.
I didn't waste my time either. I learned two very useful spells: Roots from Earth Magic, which allows you to hold a single target in place for a few seconds, and Water Jet from Water Magic, which can push back an enemy and deal minor damage. But what interested me most about that spell was the idea that it might increase the effectiveness and impact radius of Lightning Arrow.
In theory, anyway — I still had to test it in combat. Regardless, these were the only spells that caught my interest in these particular schools of magic.
I was also intrigued by the Pit spell from Earth Magic. But there was a reason I only learned one spell from each magic type — this way, I could focus on two tasks at once: studying a new spell and simultaneously working on mastering a new grimoire.
Later, I definitely plan to learn at least one spell from every school — including Pit — but first, there are plenty of more promising or at least more useful spells to learn. In Support Magic, for example, there are interesting ones like Shield, Increased Running Speed, Sleep, and Encouragement. The only reason I haven't learned any of them yet is because I couldn't decide which would actually boost my combat effectiveness. For instance, Shield isn't especially useful to me — it's unlikely anyone will patiently wait while I finish chanting it, especially in emergency situations where every second counts… Not to mention that spells in this school guzzle mana like crazy — from 120 to 200 points per cast.
The rest of the time, I deepened my understanding of my main spell and got used to my new body. I ran laps around the grove at full speed until I collapsed from exhaustion, jumped, performed acrobatics — all to understand my limits and know what I was physically capable of in case I needed it.
When Akira suggested we spar, I was a bit condescending about it. I knew first-hand how physically strong I was. Big mistake — she had a surprise for me.
After her suggestion, we went to the spot where she had been training to protect a post from flying orbs.
Standing in a defensive stance, she equipped her best shield at the time — a round wooden one about forty centimeters in diameter, edged with iron. I really didn't want to hurt her, so I struck the shield with about a quarter of my full strength…
The moment my fist hit the shield, a golden barrier flared up and I was pushed half a step back from the impact. Akira didn't even budge.
Next, I hit with half my strength — same result, though this time I did manage to make her take a small step back to keep her balance. I asked the Shield Hero to brace herself and delivered a full-force punch. With a bright flash, I was thrown back two steps, and she also took a few steps back. That was it. The only outcome: my hand went numb.
Her defensive ability was absolutely astounding. In exchange for being unable to attack directly, the Holy Shield granted her incredible protection.
In ten minutes of sparring, I didn't even manage to knock her over, let alone do any damage.
I struck with both fists and legs, but always met her shield. I even tried to catch her off guard with a sweep — still, I was blocked by the shield every time.
Turns out she hadn't just been sitting idly while Raftalia shredded the training orbs. She had been training too — learning how to properly use her shield. And today, during our hunt, when she equipped a new shield that gave her the Defense skill upon unlocking, her defense became ridiculously easy. That's when she decided to test herself against a stronger opponent. Raftalia flat-out refused to participate, so Akira turned to me.
Physically speaking, I posed no threat to her at all. I even tried grabbing the shield, or pulling her into a grapple, but the golden barrier kept getting in the way. Grabbing her by the limbs was even less realistic — I couldn't even land a hit, let alone grab anything.
But Akira was absolutely thrilled. With a cheerful smile, she suggested we try sparring using magic.
I shrugged and began chanting a spell. When I finished, I cast… Regeneration on her. The moment it touched the shield, the spell simply broke apart on the same barrier.
Then I tried Water Jet, and this time there was a result.
A powerful stream of water, like from a fire hose, blasted from my hand and dragged Akira a couple of meters across the ground, leaving two muddy tracks behind her feet. Soaked and much less cheerful now, she said that she was done for the day. Maybe later we could test whether she could block Lightning Arrow.
I spun my finger at my temple and waved her off.
If Water Jet — which isn't even a damage-dealing spell — could throw her like that with minimal mana… Then I absolutely wasn't going to test what Lightning Arrow would do. That spell, mind you, is one of the most powerful in all combat magic. Until she gets a shield specifically for magic defense, we're not even going to try it.
***
Today was the day we decided to head to the village of Ryut.
We packed up camp early in the morning, erased all traces of our presence, and set off on our journey. When we crossed the bridge over the river, we stopped, and Akira unfolded the map to double-check the route.
"We can cut down on travel time significantly if we go straight through here," she suggested, tracing her finger across the map.
I looked at where she was pointing and asked:
"Through the forest where one can get lost?"
"Yes. We just need to go in a straight line — what's so hard about that?" Akira replied confidently.
"A forest full of monsters, some of which could be strong enough to pose a real threat?" I clarified.
"Well… yes," Akira responded, a bit less sure of herself.
"...Huh?" Raftalia looked at us in confusion.
"So what are we waiting for? Lead the way!" I said with enthusiasm, fully confident in our group's strength. Besides, we could encounter monsters on the road as well. With my luck, I'd be shocked if we didn't! At least this way, I'd be sure we'd meet something.
"Uh… well, alright then, let's go."
Along the way, we didn't encounter anything dangerous — not even those annoying hophares. Just small fry that we easily dispatched as we passed.
We reached the village just after noon, approaching from the direction of the fields. The village seemed to thrive on agriculture — there were many fields, and I didn't always recognize the crops at first glance. Since we arrived so early, we decided to make use of [Appraisal] to identify the plants that interested us.
The village of Ryut itself was… cozy.
That was the best word to describe the colorful houses, cobblestone roads, and small fruit orchards.
There were plenty of people in the streets, but unlike the Capital, they didn't feel intrusive. They moved slowly, at a calm, measured pace.
I liked it here right away — and the girls seemed to like it too.
To avoid drawing attention, Akira strapped her shield to her hip and covered it with her cloak. At the girls' request, I did the same. They wanted to experience at least a brief time of peace, without all the disdainful looks. I was curious to see if the attitude here would differ from the Capital's, but figured it could wait — we wouldn't be able to keep our identities secret for long anyway.
There was only one inn in the village, so we asked the first passerby for directions and headed there.
Behind the counter stood an older man who greeted us warmly:
"Welcome, travelers! How may I help you?"
"Hello! We'd like to rent a room — how much would that be?" Akira asked with a bright smile.
"One silver per person per night," he replied with a smile of his own. "Would you like a room for three?"
"Yes…"
"No," I cut Akira off. "We'll take one double room and one single."
Akira looked at me in confusion. Sure, we'd all been sleeping in the same tent, and now I suddenly wanted my own room.
"What?" I said after half a minute. The man behind the counter wasn't rushing us.
"Well, we never had a problem before, and we're used to being together. Why the change?" she asked cautiously.
"I'm an adult man, and I have certain needs," I said quietly, not seeing what the problem was. "Sometimes you girls forget that when I'm around..."
"Excuse me?" Akira frowned.
"Should I say it in front of Raftalia?" I nodded toward the tanuki girl, whose ears twitched as she tried to pretend the walls were very interesting.
Seeing that Akira still didn't get it, I leaned over and whispered in her ear.
"Aah… oh..." Realization finally dawned on her.
"No, if you—"
"No," she cut me off, blushing furiously. Classic Japanese mindset. "Let's do as he said. Two rooms."
"I'm sorry, but we don't have any singles available right now," the man said with an even broader smile.
"Why didn't you say so earlier?"
"You make such a lovely couple — I was a little mesmerized."
"Ahem," Raftalia and Akira coughed in unison.
"Then stop wasting time. What do you have?" I asked, a bit disappointed. I had been planning to find a local girl more to my taste. Though, all hope wasn't lost yet.
"One double room and two rooms for three."
"We'll take the triple," I said. After Akira paid, we headed to the room.
"What was that about anyway? With the rooms?" I asked. "I thought you'd want to have some space."
"It just reminded me of that bitch Myne. We had a similar situation with her," Akira explained. "Forget it. Just remembering how she treated us…"
"I understand."
"What happened?" Raftalia asked.
"I'll tell you later," Akira, the Shield Heroine, promised her.
The room was better than I'd expected from a village inn. Clean bedding, soft (if oddly stuffed) mattresses, bright-colored walls, a wardrobe, a couple of nightstands, an oil lamp, and a writing desk. Curtains covered the windows, with some potted plants on the sill. But most importantly, triple rooms had their own bathrooms — small, but functional.
While the girls went to explore the village, I stayed behind to study my grimoire, trying to deepen my understanding of Lightning Arrow. My mood had soured a bit after my plans didn't quite pan out. Sure, it wasn't guaranteed that I'd find a woman to share the night, but the odds weren't zero either.
I read the grimoire until evening without distraction. Eventually, I decided to take a break and try the food at the tavern next to the inn.
The tavern wasn't much different from those in the Capital — I suspect they're made that way on purpose, to give travelers a sense of familiarity.
I ordered a cheap dinner for ten coppers and had just started eating when a waitress brought a glass of wine to my table, followed by a bottle.
"Miss, I didn't order any wine."
"It's from that lady over there."
She pointed to a woman sitting at the bar and walked off. Well, not a girl, really — more of a woman. A curvy brunette in a knee-length dress that emphasized her assets. Hand on heart, she didn't quite match up to Akira or Raftalia — and the Princess… well, she was the very embodiment of beauty. If only she weren't such a vile creature inside, wars might have been fought over her.
We made eye contact, and I gestured for her to join me. I did consider just pointing to my lap with a suggestive look — but let's not ruin the game.
She picked up her glass and approached my table with a sultry walk that swayed her hips.
What followed was the familiar old game of flirtation — only this time, I was the one being seduced. I didn't even realize it until five minutes into our slow conversation and shared wine.
About an hour later, T'Ayla complained about the cold nights and her loneliness. Thank the gods!
She already had a single room booked in our inn, and that's where we headed — for some quiet, private conversation.
It wasn't quiet for long. The moment the door closed, I grabbed those plump pink lips, lifted her by the hips, and carried her to the bed as she squealed in surprise and delight.
What can I say? A gentleman doesn't brag… Not that I need to — the whole inn, maybe even the whole village, surely heard. Ha-ha… ahem.
***
I woke up closer to noon. T'Ayla had already left — she told me back at the tavern that she'd be departing in the morning. One of the reasons I didn't go all-out last night… well, by my standards. We fell asleep somewhere around midnight.
I felt like birds were singing in my soul, and butterflies fluttering in my heart. I really don't need much to be happy.
I got dressed, locked the room, and handed the key to the same man at the counter. The bags under his eyes brought me a strange sense of moral satisfaction, making the day feel even better.
When I returned to our room, the girls were still asleep. Not wanting to wake them, I took a shower, then quietly lay on my bed and resumed reading the grimoire.
The girls woke up around noon, freshened up, and Raftalia went downstairs to order lunch. Akira sat on her bed fiddling with her shield, occasionally throwing strange glances my way.
"Akira, we agreed, remember?" I said when her looks started to get on my nerves. "If you have questions, comments, or advice — just say it."
"I remember," she replied, putting down her work. "Should I even ask where you were last night?"
Seeing the grin spreading across my face, she answered her own question:
"Guess not. Eat a lemon or something — your smug face is gonna scare people…"
"Don't be jealous. Come on, let's go — Raftalia's probably waiting."
In the tavern, we spotted Raftalia at a corner table. Across from her sat a scrawny adventurer guy, talking animatedly. Judging by the wagging tail and the floppy ears on his head, he was a demi-human, likely dog-type.
When we approached, Raftalia smiled and waved.
"And here are my companions! Allow me to introduce you — this is Akira-san and Lord Pluton," the boy said, turning and extending his hand to me.
"My name is Valit," I shook his hand, and he nodded politely to Akira. "Nice to meet you."
"Valit is an adventurer. His team often hunts around this village," Raftalia explained. "He agreed to share info on monsters and interesting local spots."
"Sorry if I'm interrupting," the boy said, glancing nervously at me.
"It's fine," Akira smiled, sitting beside Raftalia. "Have you eaten? Join us — we'll treat you as thanks for the info."
"I'm afraid I can't. I'm supposed to meet my team at the village gate," he said with a hint of regret. "But I think they'll wait fifteen minutes — just enough time to tell you what I know. Do you have a map? That'd make it quicker."
Akira hadn't brought the map, so we made do with his verbal account.
Ten minutes later, Valit said goodbye — clearly pleased, either because he got to meet our lovely tanuki, or because we'd agreed to meet again in the evening at the tavern to continue the conversation.
"So, what's the plan for today?" I asked, sipping the local "beer" (really more like kvass) as I finished my meal.
"Raftalia and I are going to gather information," Akira replied while eating neatly.
"Got it. You're taking the day off."
"Not exactly. Valit gave us a good overview, but there's still a lot he wouldn't think to mention. Things that might seem unimportant to an adventurer but could be useful to us. I'm thinking of diving into alchemy now that I've learned the recipes and the profession. We need to check prices and see how profitable it is."
"Mixing business with pleasure? Sounds good. I'll stay in the room then — maybe learn a new spell, or go deeper into Lightning Arrow."
And so we split up. The girls went to talk with merchants, and I returned to our room to decide what would be the most efficient use of my time.