In the Land of Leadale - Volume 2 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – The Northern Nation, Grandchildren, Discord, and Cake

Despite Cayna’s and Arbiter’s various doubts, they did not run into any more bandits before reaching the Helshper capital. There were a few monster attacks, but the mercenaries were able to easily drive them off thanks to Cayna’s magical support. 

Such enemies were no big deal for her, but for those who traveled for a living, even a single horned bear posed a credible threat. With the boost of a single Buff spell, the mercenaries’ faith in Cayna as a mage increased by the day. 

Although it had been a bit of a wild ride, the caravan reached Helshper’s royal capital about eight days after departing the remote village. 

Entering the country with a crimson pig (piglet, rather) seemed like it might be problematic, so Cayna dispelled it just before they arrived at the border. She further lightened the load on the wagons and horses; once the caravan replaced the horse they’d lost earlier, they wouldn’t need the crimson pig on the return trip. 

Unlike Felskeilo, Helshper’s capital was built at the base of gently sloping mountains. The royal castle, surrounded by forest, overlooked the town. One might think this setup would be detrimental to the capital’s defenses, but the forestation was actually intentional. Apparently, the castle guards would be notified the moment any suspicious person entered the forest and could swiftly apprehend them. 

Of course, the castle wasn’t the only place with greenery. The town itself was verdant as well, with the dense woods characteristic of Swiss villas or the Japanese city of Takayama. Countless carriages came and went as the sweet scent of fruit wafted along the breeze. Various fruit-bearing trees had been planted throughout the town, and people were free to pick whatever fruit they wanted. The only rule was that you couldn’t litter the area with any of the seeds. 

“This region is known for its fruit. I’m sure you’ll take a liking to it, Lady Cayna,” said Elineh. 

“Do all the trees on those slopes bear fruit?” 

“Yes, I believe so. The fruit are all the same variety, but there are many ways to eat them, whether raw or made into jams. You ought to go take a look for yourself when you have the chance.” 

Regardless, Cayna was getting a good view of the trees as they spoke. 

She felt there was something odd about the imposing, blindingly white castle that loomed over the town. The fact that the ramparts were made from Western-style stone blocks the size of a human being was fine enough. However, the radiant, towering castle building was Japanese—it looked exactly like Himeji Castle. Furthermore, on either side of the structure were two enormous windmills that were even taller than the castle itself. 

“Wowww, what’s up with that?” 

Cayna could only manage a smirk as she took in the sight of this haphazard fusion of East and West. It was anyone’s guess as to what era and what world such chaos even came from. 

Of course, Cayna was the only one who held this opinion. 

“Ah, come to think of it, that castle is quite similar to one that used to be in the Felskeilo scrapyard. I never noticed,” Elineh noted. 

“Oh yeah, that thing,” said Arbiter. “I heard it was once a Helshper fortress.” 

“A fortress… Maybe it belonged to the Purple Kingdom’s Heartbeat of the Dawn guild? Those guys were always big on making all their stuff samurai-esque, weapons included.” 

As Cayna dug deep into her Game Era memories, the capital guards wrapped up their inspection of the caravan, which then passed through the gate into the capital proper. From there, Elineh’s group continued down the central road that split the town into north and south. 

Unlike Felskeilo’s capital, this road here could accommodate horse-drawn carriages. After all, aside from the paths set into the slopes and those used to connect the eastern and western gates, everything else was undulating hills. If a horse could no longer support its carriage’s load, it might run wild downhill. Once that happened, there’d be no stopping it. 

On the northern side of this road were merchants’ shops and the noble district; to the south, the marketplace and the residential district with its expansive Grecian-style townscape that continued all the way to the foothills. The numerous lakes and tributaries surrounding the district made for a lush, refreshing vista. 

As Cayna stared awestruck at the brilliant contrast of blue and green, Elineh and Arbiter called to her in turn. 

“Come to think of it, Lady Cayna, you were asked to deliver a letter to someone, correct?” 

“You know someone around here, miss?” 

Cayna tried to recall the name Mai-Mai had mentioned. 

The name was— 

“The name is Caerick of Sakaiya, Cayna,” Kee answered without a moment’s delay. 

Since he remained quiet until needed, she often forgot he was there. 

She gave a silent thank-you as she replied to Elineh and Arbiter. 

“They go by the name of Caerick, from a place called Sakaiya.” 

As soon as she said the name, Elineh looked astonished. Arbiter, on the other hand, accepted it in stride. 

“I dunno whether nothing surprises me anymore or if I just don’t have it in me to be shocked,” he said. 

“Even your circle of acquaintances is extraordinary, Lady Cayna. In that case, I have business to conduct with this individual as well. If it is not too much trouble, allow us to accompany you.” 

“Thanks, I appreciate it.” 

Cayna bowed her head, and the rest of the caravan set to work. Some went to get carts to transport the luggage while others began to check the luggage itself. Others still unhitched the horses and took them to their boarding stables. Arbiter left half of the mercenary squad behind to guard the carriages, then went to secure lodging for everyone at the local inn. 

“Well then, Mr. Elineh, I’ll reserve your usual place. You’ll have your own room as well, miss.” 

“Thank you, Arbiter.” 

“No need to thank me. You’re one of us now. We’re all in this together through thick and thin.” He scratched at his cheek with a wry smile. 

Since they were headed to the same place, and there was little chance of getting into a fight in town, Cayna was entrusted with escorting Elineh. 

She was indeed the strongest among the group, but… 

Once Elineh left the caravan with Cayna following close behind, she was so pumped up that she couldn’t focus. Other towns had plenty of changes since the Game Era themselves, but here the difference was like night and day. 

Her reaction was the same as when they’d arrived in Felskeilo. Elineh grinned. 

“Ah, I’m sorry,” said Cayna. “I’m supposed to be guarding you, yet my focus is all over the place…” 

“As long as you watch out for pickpockets, that will be enough. It seems that you truly don’t know much about the modern world, Lady Cayna.” 

“It’s embarrassing to admit, but I really am more of a country girl.” 

As they headed toward the Merchants Guild, Elineh explained some of the capital’s intricacies—in particular, the line connecting the windmill on the gently sloping hill next to them with one of the lakes. It appeared to be a mere line upon first glance, but Cayna’s Eagle Eyes noticed it was some sort of log shape. She couldn’t make out the details, though. 

“The Helshper capital is also known as Windmill City and the City of Skills. Since the water source is so low, the windmills draw up water-filled tubes made from logs and use that water to supply each part of the city.” 

“Hmm. Don’t they have wells?” 

At Cayna’s question, Elineh pointed to the conspicuously large two-bladed windmills on either side of the castle. 

“That’s what those are for. I hear they reach unfathomable depths.” 

“…Whoaaa…” 

Cayna was deeply impressed by the industriousness this required. She recalled the passionate technicians she’d once met at Marelle’s inn and regretted not taking them seriously enough. 

“I’ll give a proper explanation next time I see them…,” she mumbled. 

Elineh gave a pained smile as he wondered if the girl was too much of a bleeding heart. 

The Merchants Guild was a pure-white dome-shaped building that was evocative of a white daifuku. 

Once inside, Elineh and Cayna informed the receptionist of their business and handed over the personal effects of the Helshper guards who had perished at the hands of the bandits to a guild employee. The employee hurriedly reported this to their superior, and the two were led to another room. It was here that the elderly white-haired head of the guild entered with his secretary. 

“I’ve heard quite the unbelievable tale. So it was you?” 

“Bless my soul, if it isn’t the head of the guild himself. What an honor.” 

If Elineh was even acquainted with the head of a foreign guild, there was no doubt he was an incredible merchant. Elineh took a seat on the sofa while Cayna, impressed anew by his prowess, stood behind him as his escort. 

He proceeded to explain to the guild leader at length the incident with the bandits at the eastern border: their numbers, how they were dealt with, and how the mercenaries had taken express care to bury the murdered border guards. 

Just to be safe, Elineh made no mention of Cayna’s magic. After all, once she’d defeated the bandits’ mage, he’d melted into nothing more than a stain in the ground. They had no way of proving what had happened. 

As the elderly man listened, he had the secretary write everything down. The crease across his brow deepened. Finally, Elineh said, “This is what the perpetrator wielded,” and placed the wand of the defeated bandit leader on the table. Elineh and Arbiter had decided to hand it over to the nation of Helshper. 

Arbiter had thought the wand might prove to be a secret weapon for the mercenary group while Elineh felt it might make a fine addition to his wares. Alas, its origins were just a bit too eerie. Holding on to the wand would run the risk of miring the caravan in a scandal, so they decided it was best to turn it over to Helshper officials as evidence. 

Items from the Game Era seemed to be considered Artifacts in this world, and the guild leader immediately contacted his higher-ups to properly deal with the situation. Before long, the Helshper knights would be dispatched to the border. The guild leader also asked Elineh to recount the details of the bandit incident to Helshper government officials. 

“We’re going to have to report the same thing to a lot of people, aren’t we?” Cayna said to Elineh. 

“Well,” he replied, “that’s simply how bureaucracy works.” 

Cayna could only sigh at the thought of having to repeat the same story over and over. Elineh was the one who’d have to deal with all the questioning, but she wondered if maybe there was some sort of magical copy machine they could use. 

“Now then, our next stop is Sakaiya, correct?” Elineh asked her in confirmation. As soon as they left the Merchants Guild, he stretched and gave his shoulders a good thump. The guild leader’s unexpected appearance seemed to have left him mentally drained. 

He then led Cayna to a wide, imposing building that stretched out to the left and right. Even for a mercantile house, it took up a huge amount of land. It was about five times the size of an average house. It also had a different design compared to the surrounding buildings. The plain white walls were the same as the others, but it had a tiled isosceles triangle roof. Set up by the side of the road were the sort of small tents used by the Romani people, which seemed to be temporary storage space. 

A large group of people—either vendors or laborers, Cayna couldn’t tell—were carrying items back and forth between the building and tents. Their chorus of chanting and clapping alone was rather boisterous. 

The group contained a hodgepodge of races: a human shouldering four boxes at once; a dragoid performing calculations on an abacus; several kobolds pulling a cart; a werecat sitting cross-legged atop a pile of packages while smoking tobacco from a pipe. It was a scene that gave one the vague impression everyone knew exactly what their roles were. 

“What’s with the East-meets-West deal here…?” 

“East meets West… That has an interesting ring to it.” 

Elineh tilted his head at Cayna’s exasperated murmurings. Unsure of how to answer, she tried explaining that the phrase was used to describe the mixing of two different cultures. He considered this carefully, looked at the building once more, and nodded deeply. 

“Yes, I see. East meets West. I’ve thought for some time that something seemed off. That must be the reason. I understand now.” 

Wait, what? 

Cayna had been certain he would have wanted a more elaborate answer, but he’d been quick to accept her explanation. It was kind of anticlimactic. 

Elineh easily slipped past a dragoid laborer and some dwarven and kobold apprentices darting about with various packages. Cayna tried to follow, but he was so short that she worried she’d accidently kick him. 

Finally, Elineh found the main entrance where the vendors were directing the laborers back and forth. 

“Cayna, do you know anything about Sakaiya?” 

“Not one bit.” 

“……” 

Perhaps it was because she’d answered with such brazen honesty that Elineh grew speechless and put his head in his hands. Adventurers depended on the famous Sakaiya for tools, since it had branches in every nation, as well as guards to protect them. The fact that this self-proclaimed country bumpkin didn’t even know that much was rather pitiful. 

“In my entire life as a merchant, I’ve never met someone who hasn’t heard of Sakaiya.” 

“Huh…?” 

According to Elineh, Sakaiya was a mercantile house that was absolutely vital to the nation of Helshper. Its reach extended across the continent, and it touted a long line of merchants who had significant influence in the Merchants Guild. In fact, one might say Sakaiya created the Merchants Guild. The company dealt in practically everything under the sun, from a single grain of wheat to magical tools. 

The last thing a merchant ever wanted was to fall on Sakaiya’s bad side, so all dealings were conducted with extreme prudence. Since Cayna admitted she didn’t know any of that, Elineh decided it was best that she stay quiet and concentrate on her guard duties so as not to further blow her cover. 

He couldn’t let anyone find out about the massive bomb he was keeping under wraps. 

As they approached the entrance, Elineh stopped an elf boy who was running errands for the merchants. 

“Might I have a minute?” 

“Oh! Why, Master Elineh, it’s been some time. You wish to see the young master, yes? I will call for him, so please wait just a moment!” 

Elineh nodded in satisfaction as the very sight of him caused the elf boy to run inside and fetch the owner. 

After seeing how her kobold partner could obtain the audience of a high-status individual by his very presence, Cayna felt with internal trepidation that he probably wasn’t someone she wanted to mess with. 

“Oh my, Master Elineh. Considering the state of things this year, how in the world did you make it to Helshper?” 

“I’ve made quite a few valuable connections. Friends truly are a blessing.” 

The man known as the young master, who exchanged pleasantries with Elineh before moving to the business at hand, was a dignified-looking elf. Although most elves had gold or silver hair, his was a rare black, and he had brown eyes. 

Meanwhile, Cayna listened in and resigned herself to the fact that she’d never have gotten this far if she had just shown up on her own. 

The conversation continued in this vein until finally they exchanged a firm handshake, putting an end to their negotiations. 

“Is the master here today by any chance?” Elineh asked. “I have a letter for him from Felskeilo.” 

“A letter? Would you mind if I took a look at it myself?” 

“Not at all.” 

Elineh handed Cayna’s letter to the elf. He turned it over, and his cheek twitched the moment he saw who it was addressed to. 

“One—one moment, please!” 

Despite having been the picture of tranquility just seconds before, the elf tossed all that out the window in a fluster. Elineh and Cayna exchanged bewildered looks. 

After waiting for some time, the elf came racing back. It must have been an unusual sight, for the other people inside the shop appeared equally bewildered by his demeanor. 

Elineh and Cayna were urged farther into the store and led through a long hallway into a quiet room full of subdued furnishings. They took a seat on the sofa as indicated and once again tilted their heads in astonishment. Before them stood a handsome male elf even more dignified than the previous one. 

Being an elf, his youthful looks were a given, but there was something about him that was leagues more impressive than the elf they’d just spoken with. This one had the dark hair and eyes typical of a Japanese person. His familiar coloring put Cayna’s mind at ease. 

“Well met, Master Caerick. It’s been quite some time.” 

“It has indeed, Sir Elineh. I hear your wiles are as sharp as ever.” 

Elineh went to rise from the sofa and give a deep bow, but this man known as Caerick raised a single hand and implored him to relax. Caerick seemed to represent Sakaiya itself. 

Everything was proceeding smoothly until the dark-haired elf suddenly stepped in front of Cayna and bowed deeply. The shock of it all nearly made Elineh’s heart fly out of his chest. 

Caerick of Sakaiya, who was considered to be something of a god among merchants, had established the Merchants Guild one hundred years prior and set up trade routes among the three nations. He had been an acquaintance of Elineh’s father and had mentored Elineh in the ways of business. As far as Elineh knew, aside from royalty, Caerick bowed to no one. 

Having heard all this on the way to Helshper, urgent alarm bells were now blaring inside Cayna’s mind. 

With no time to react, his next words swept away all thought. 

“It is a great pleasure to meet you at last, Grandmother. I am Caerick Sakai, the son of your daughter, Mai-Mai.” 

“………Pardon?” 

“Mother has told me much of your renown. It is a true honor to meet a treasured Guardian such as yourself.” 

Elineh was struck dumb by this sudden revelation, overcome with almost the same amount of shock as when he learned Cayna was a mother of three. 

Speechless and wide-eyed next to him, Cayna was even more panicked. 

If he’s Mai-Mai’s son, doesn’t that make him my grandson?! I’m seventeen years old and already have a grandkid— Hang on, this means Mai-Mai’s probably been married once before, so chances are good that there’s even more grandkids, and great-grandkids are gonna pop up one after the other, and if Caerick’s already got kids, that’ll make me a great-grandmother… Ah-ha, ha-ha-ha… 

She remained frozen stiff as sweat poured down her like a waterfall. 

Since it was his second time going through this, Elineh managed to recover and curiously glanced over at the wordless Cayna. Naturally, her condition was not lost on Caerick, either. 

“…Lady Cayna?” 

“Grandmother?” 

Elineh thought it strange that she didn’t move even the slightest muscle, and he took the liberty to wave his hand in front of her eyes. 

No response. 

After a forceful rap on the shoulder, she instantly came back to her senses. Cayna took a single deep breath and once again turned to the elf merchant. 

Silky black hair and a deep, dark gaze. His eyes were reminiscent of Mai-Mai more than any other feature. Cayna said nothing as her expression twisted, and both Caerick and Elineh frowned. 

“I knew it—you’ve exhausted yourself from continuously using magic on our way here, haven’t you?” 

“My, how terrible! You must be weary indeed! I shall prepare a room for you that is much finer than anything a shabby inn might offer, so please do have a rest.” 

“Ah, no, I’m all right. I just wasn’t expecting this sort of shocking revelation… I’m not letting Mai-Mai off the hook this time…” 

Now that she had recovered, Elineh sensed a dark aura coming from her and averted his gaze. 

For some reason, Cayna was suddenly emitting an incredibly overpowering force from deep within. Struck with the full brunt of her malice, Caerick stood there petrified. Even Elineh could tell that much. 

“Besides, I feel much more comfortable in a shabby inn, so please—don’t worry about it.” 

As someone who knew Cayna better than Caerick did, Elineh recognized the thorniness to her tone. 

Her grandson Caerick’s simple statement had set Cayna off, and a storm now roiled within her. Kee was able to pacify her to some degree, allowing only the overpowering aura to manifest physically. 

Cayna was extremely fond of both Marelle’s inn and the cheap lodgings in Felskeilo, so she was very much looking forward to staying at a foreign inn—the unassuming yet delicious food, the banter among adventurers, and the students working to put themselves through school. For someone like Cayna, who had spent over half her life unable to feed herself, visiting the local marketplace with its traditional blue-collar charm to enjoy the food was something of a pastime of hers. 

Marelle’s slow-simmered vegetable soup in particular had the comforting flavor of a home-cooked meal. Hearing all these things disparaged as shabby really ticked Cayna off, even if it was rather childish of her to react that way. 

It didn’t matter that Caerick was a merchant of significant renown and influence. Nor did it matter that he claimed to be her grandson. To Cayna, he was an absolute stranger. Mai-Mai had kept the existence of her son a secret and tried to surprise her mother with a face-to-face meeting. But even Mai-Mai couldn’t have anticipated that Caerick might say something so offensive that Cayna would immediately come to dislike him. 

And that was precisely why Cayna was so grumpy. Even though his first chance encounter with his grandmother should have been an emotional, heartfelt one, Caerick cowered under the pressure of Cayna’s Intimidate skill that automatically kicked in. In the bedtime stories his mother had told him, Cayna was one of the thirteen Guardians of old—and a most wicked executioner who would “blow even her own kin to smithereens if wronged in any way.” (These were all just stories Mai-Mai made up to frighten him into behaving.) 

Caerick began to panic as he wondered where he had erred. 

Stuck between the two, Elineh had no choice but to somehow intervene. He whisked the irritable Cayna away from Sakaiya as fast as his legs would carry him. 

There was no chance of calming her without first knowing the cause of her ire. Elineh took Cayna, still trembling with anger, over to an inn he always stayed at whenever he visited Helshper. 

“Oh! If it isn’t Sir Elineh. Now we can really get things started!” 

“Come join in, too, miss!” 

The Flame Spears were throwing a drinking party in broad daylight to recover from the trip. This happened all the time, so it wasn’t a particularly unusual scene. What was different, however, were the three knights interviewing everyone in the caravan. Elineh and Cayna had apparently been at Sakaiya so long that the Helshper knights had already arrived to begin questioning. 

An associate of Elineh’s who had joined the caravan pointed the kobold out as he entered the inn. The knights nodded and walked over to him. 

Of the three, their captain seemed to be the elf woman. For some reason, she kept glancing over at Cayna. 

“Are you the one supervising this caravan?” she asked Elineh. 

“Ah, you must be the knights the Merchants Guild spoke of. It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Elineh.” 

“I am Caerina of the Helshper knights. I apologize for my brevity, but I wish to ask about the incident at the eastern border.” 

“Yes, I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. First…” 

Cayna left his side and headed toward the merrymaking mercenaries. She plopped down in an empty seat. Even though she was trying to keep it under wraps, anyone could tell from her intense brooding that she was in a bad mood. 

“What’s up, miss? Someone in the crowd cop a feel on ya?” 

“Kick the bastard right where the sun don’t shine!” 

“Don’t tell me ya let yer magic loose on someone, did ya?” 

“No, I didn’t! Someone made fun of the things I love. I’m just mad, okay?!” 

“Well, I bet a good meal will fix that right up. Hey, over here! Proprietress! Bring this li’l lady some of your famous fixin’s!” 

Surrounded by trusted friends, Cayna was finally able to quell her turbulent emotions. After a single taste of the stew the mercenaries had ordered, her mood improved in the blink of an eye. 

Once it was clear that Cayna had returned to her usual mild-mannered self, the mercenaries heaved a sigh of relief. After witnessing her incredible magical prowess just the other day, they knew her true strength was no joke. As kind and good-natured as she normally was, Cayna was downright scary once you set her off. Cayna’s rage was terrifying to behold—all the more so if a third party incurred her wrath. 

Cayna herself had no idea that everyone present was merely placating her with food. 

“Mmmm, that was amazing!” 

“Pardon me for interrupting your meal, Lady Cayna, but might you come with me for a moment?” 

Just as Cayna had her fill of a simple yet satisfying stew, Elineh finished his initial conversation with the knights and called her over. She did as requested. 

Among the three who had initially approached them, only the captain, the female elf Caerina, remained. 

Of the continent’s three modern nations, Helshper was home to many races both human and nonhuman. The nation’s royal family was human, but elves in particular held positions of power. Of course, dwarves and dragoids served important roles as well, but not quite as often as elves. 

This knight named Caerina was one such influential elf. The moment Cayna sat down next to Elineh, Caerina got to her feet before kneeling and bowing her head. There was no question it was an outlandish gesture that shocked all present. 

Cayna was reminded of the incident back at Sakaiya and held a hand to her forehead as if she could sense another oncoming headache. 

“H-hold it. Why are you bowing all of a sudden?!” 

“It seems that my younger brother has displeased you greatly, so I shall apologize in his stead! Please forgive him, Grandmother!” 

“Huh…? Uh…what?!” 

Being called Grandmother twice in one day left Cayna at a loss for words. When she took a closer look, she did notice that Caerina bore a striking resemblance to Caerick. She was pretty sure not many elves looked so Japanese. 

“You’re related to that jerk, right?” 

“Correct. I am Caerina Sakai, Caerick’s elder twin sister. Still, to call him ‘that jerk’ is quite something… My brother must have offended you greatly.” 

Caerina stood up, crossed her arms, and heaved a sigh. 

Her reaction to Caerick’s behavior was rather swift, even if they were siblings. Elineh had some questions. After all, the time it took for Cayna and Elineh to return to the inn after visiting Caerick and the amount of time Caerina had been here at the inn didn’t match up. 

“You certainly seem well-informed, even though the incident only happened a short while ago… Did you stop by Sakaiya on the way here?” asked Elineh. 

“No, it’s simply because we’re twins. We can communicate with each other even from far away.” 

“Ah, so you’re using Special Skill: Telepathy…,” said Cayna. 

“Indeed, Grandmother. Mother has called the ability by such a name.” 

Even for a Skill Master such as Cayna, there were skills even she could not pass on to others with Special Skill: Scroll Creation. Telepathy was one of them. 

In the world of the game, this was a joke skill that allowed either siblings or parents and their children to message one another in seventy-five characters or fewer. 

The process you had to go through to get the skill was a real pain. First, you and a good friend had to decide what your relationship would be, then you had to contact the Admins. This was a mechanism that ensured Telepathy could only be used between two consenting parties who established a fictional blood relationship. Basically, it was like making a blood promise, entering a sister pact, or swearing an oath in the Peach Garden. 

Cayna had formed contracts with “siblings” in the game, but her Telepathy hadn’t shown any signs of communication from them since entering this new era. 

Of course, she hadn’t tried sending them any messages, either, so she couldn’t just arbitrarily decide that they’d broken off contact with her. 

It was a little baffling that her children somehow had this skill, even though she had no memory of ever using it with them. When Cayna had first reunited with Skargo and the others, they had whined about how she didn’t answer their messages, but since she’d never made the pact with any of them, she’d had no way of responding. Back then, she had no choice but to play it off with a plausible lie. 

All three of them totally believed that lame excuse that I forgot to respond because of the Isolation Barrier… 

Caerick had been the one to incite Cayna’s fury, so she had no intention of taking her anger out on Caerina. The sister wasn’t the least bit responsible for her brother’s rudeness, so Cayna accepted her apology fully. 

Caerina looked extremely relieved to hear this. Curious, Cayna asked why. 

“My mother used to always tell us of your demonic wrath—or how you’d blow your own kin to smithereens if wronged in any way…” 

“I most certainly do not!!” 

Despite this strong denial, the peanut gallery—Elineh and the mercenaries—chimed in. 

“Miss… That’s pretty awful.” 

“To think Lady Cayna used to do such terrible things…” 

“I—I didn’t!! Do I really look like some monster who just murders people on a whim?” 

The mercenaries, however, exchanged glances, and after a beat, they agreed in unison: 

“““What about those ice flowers?””” 

“Come onnnn! Why’re you all ganging up on me like that?!” 

Cayna’s flustered reactions were so funny that Arbiter and his men couldn’t help teasing her a bit to lighten the mood. 

…However, it wasn’t long before their teasing went too far. They soon unleashed her imperial wrath and opened the gates of hell. 

“HA-HA-HA! SO THAT’S HOW IT’S GONNA BE, HUH?! I CAN GET MAD NOW, RIGHT?!” 

“Wait! Calm down, miss! Gently put down that thing in your hand!” 

“Where’d she even get that giant snowball?!” 

“Huh? Uh, what?” 

Snowballs the size of a person’s head popped up all around Cayna. Apparently, hell had frozen over but was still hell, nonetheless. 

“It seems that everyone here is drunk. I hope one drop will be enough to wake you all up.” 

“Just look at us! We’re all obviously sober!” 

“That ain’t one drop at all!” 

“Hey, boss, why don’t you do something…? Damn, he’s gone!” 

“He saved his own hide!” 

“Now firing.” 

“““GYAAAAAAAAAAGH?!””” 

Needless to say, the mercenaries in the inn all turned into snowmen. Furthermore, the tale of how Caerina got wrapped up in it all is a story for another day. 

Elineh and his caravan would be in Helshper for ten days to conduct their mercantile business. During this time, the Flame Spears would work in shifts among small groups of escorts. Cayna’s assistance would be needed only for the return trip, so until then, she could do as she pleased. 

“You may go sightseeing, do work for the Guild, or anything else that suits your fancy.” 

That was what Elineh had told her, but since Cayna had plenty of money left over from her gaming days, money really wasn’t an issue. 

Just then, one of Elineh’s apprentices, a young merchant in training named Lidy, came back with bunches of firewood. 

“Hi, Miss Cayna. I went and bought ten bundles of firewood for now.” 

“Ten?!” Her eyes widened at the stack of lumber. 

“Well, it is what it is. You said so yourself that it’s not as if we can make them ourselves whenever we please.” 

“I guess I did say that… How many logs are in one bundle?” 

“Good question. I’m not really sure,” he replied brightly as he unveiled one pile of wood after the other. 

There were sixteen or seventeen logs in each one. The inn had been cleaned out of firewood, and the logs collected by Elineh’s caravan piled up on the dining hall floor. 

Cayna took one and cast Craft Skill: Processing: Buddha on it. 

A small green tornado completely enveloped the log that was about the width of a person’s arms, and in an instant, it created an exquisite wooden image of Miroku Bosatsu. She then cast the same spell on another log to create Yakushi Nyorai. 

Cayna went on picking up one log after the other and placed the finished products on the tables around her. Soon enough, the tables were buried under her series of Buddha statues. Lidy and his companions organized them by type and gently packed them away in boxes. About an hour later, 160 pieces of wood had been turned into Buddha statues. 

“Phew, I’m beat!” 

“Good work, Miss Cayna.” 

“That was a fine job, Lady Cayna. You can expect a forty percent share of the profits.” 

“You think people will actually buy these, though?” 

Cayna was following up on Elineh’s suggestion of selling the statues after he first saw her create them in the remote village. The process hardly left a dent in her MP, nor was it physically taxing, but the idea of putting them up for sale stressed Cayna out. Her main concern was what they’d do if the statues didn’t sell, let alone even catch people’s attention. 

“How much will these go for, Elineh?” 

“Five silver coins for a single statue, I’d say.” 

As soon as Lidy heard his price, he shouted “That ain’t cheap!” and Cayna couldn’t help but smirk. 

A single piece of firewood cost eight bronze coins. Ten bundles of firewood cost eighty bronze coins. If they sold their entire stock, it’d be at least 850 silver coins. Even for easy money, it was a ridiculous amount. 

“No need to worry, Lady Cayna.” 

“Huh? What do you mean?” 

“We’ll market these as deities revered by the high elves. You won’t find such a unique item anywhere else on the continent.” 

As Elineh said this, Cayna regretted not explaining the statues more carefully. 

“…Still, what am I supposed to do, really?” 

Armed with the map that a mercenary she’d befriended on the way to Helshper had drawn for her, Cayna headed to the Adventurers Guild in search of possible work for the day. Her goal had nothing to do with finances; she simply wanted to kill time. 

“Whenever I look at this map, I get the distinct feeling I’m being sent on a fool’s errand.” 

It was hard to say what this world’s literacy rate was like, but the simplified map of the capital in Cayna’s hands was a series of lines and dots. However, this wasn’t the real issue. The real problem was that everything from ADVENTURERS GUILD to LODGING and MARKET were all in hiragana. It had the childish feel of a TV show that follows people with a hidden camera. 

Helshper’s Adventurers Guild was situated in a two-story building facing the main road in the residential district. As if it were some sort of established rule, it had the same exact three-tower formation as the guild in Felskeilo. The interior was also very similar, with the lounge located right at the entrance. Farther in was the reception area, and to the left was the signboard. 

Just like any other guild, the board was filled with requests. A good third of them were merchants asking for someone to drive off the bandits along the outer western trade routes. 

Since this was related to merchants and the story Elineh mentioned to her before, she tried gathering information from the fellow adventurers present. 

There was a gray-scaled dragoid in heavy armor who carried a giant two-handed ax on his back. Next to him was a lightly equipped woman who carried a saber at her waist and a whip around her arm. Cayna called out to them. 

“Um, excuse me.” 

“Hmm? What’s up, little miss? You’re pretty tiny for an adventurer.” 

“Everyone looks tiny compared to you,” his partner added. 

The two seemed to be working together. Cayna had fully given up on dealing with the whole “little miss” issue. Perhaps thinking she might be more comfortable talking to another woman, the dragoid’s partner turned to Cayna. 

“I haven’t seen you around these parts before. Did you just get your license?” 

“No, I’ve come from Felskeilo.” 

“Considering the situation going on right now, it’s pretty amazing you made it all the way here. Did you use the outer trade routes to the east? Seems like the bridge there collapsed, though.” 

“We were able to cross the river without a bridge.” 

“Well, it certainly sounds like you know what you’re doing. So what can we help you with?” 

“I heard there’s a castle in the middle of a lake somewhere in Helshper. Do you know where I might find it?” 

The dragoid warrior responded by pointing to the map on the Guild announcement board to the right side of the room. It was a simplified, portrait-style map of Helshper. Several small lakes and narrow rivers were marked here and there south of the capital, and below this was a red line. It seemed that about 30 percent of the entire map was marked as dangerous. 

“Ah, you must mean Crescent Moon Castle. If that’s what you’re looking for, they say it’s controlled by a den of thieves. It’s off-limits, so you can’t go in now. It should be south of that red line.” 

“Why is it called Crescent Moon Castle?” 

“I’m not entirely sure, but the entire castle shines on the night of a full moon. There’s rumors that it hides a vault of ancient treasures, but the old fogies are downright terrified of the place. They call it the Hall of the Guardian.” 

This was exactly the kind of info Cayna had been looking for. Of course, an over-two-hundred-year-old elf like herself would know more about this Guardian Tower. On the other hand, if further people learned she was the Silver Ring Witch, that would only cause her greater trouble. Therefore, Cayna had no choice but to avoid prying any further. She wanted to know more of the details, but this tidbit was fortuitous enough. 

“Thank you very much.” Cayna bowed her head to the pair in gratitude. 

“No worries. I mean, this stuff’s all common knowledge anyhow.” 

The woman smiled and waved at Cayna. Her dragoid partner, however, was studying Cayna’s face intently. 

“Um, is something the matter?” she asked. 

“No, it’s noth— GWAGH?!” 

The dragoid man was about to say something, but the sudden elbow strike from his partner stopped him in his tracks. 

“Don’t mind this guy. He’s just a creep who has a bad habit of staring at girls until his eyes bore straight through ’em.” 

Even Cayna was naturally put off by this. 

“Huh? Uh, oh, I see.” 

She looked at them both with an uncomprehending, troubled expression and left the Adventurers Guild. 

As the woman waved good-bye to Cayna, her dragoid partner finally caught his breath and sighed. 

“No matter how you slice it, she’s definitely a suspicious one,” she stated. 

“Cough… What was that for, idiot?!” 

At any rate, the angry dragoid protested no further and merely crossed his arms. A dragoid’s face was hard to read, but he was clearly dissatisfied. 

“Don’t just randomly accuse me of bein’ a creep.” 

“Sorry, my bad. But I had to say somethin’. You were bein’ rude.” 

The woman’s sisterly tone from earlier was completely gone. She now sounded more like just one of the guys. 

“Kinda feels like I’ve met her somewhere before…,” the dragoid commented. 

“Sheesh, what’s with the cheesy pickup line? She’s an elf. Obviously, she’s gonna be pretty.” 

The dragoid tilted his headed and insisted that he wasn’t trying to flirt and really had thought he’d seen the girl somewhere before. However, his partner paid zero attention to this and replied, “You always go for the elves.” The dragoid finally gave up and slumped his shoulders. “Your true self is showing,” he cautioned in earnest, not as a means of payback for her rudeness. 

Just as she was about to retort, she clapped a hand to her mouth and began mumbling, “I’m a woman, I’m a woman, I’m a woman…” This was a ritual that occurred each time her true colors slipped, but to her partner, who knew the situation, she was only getting what she deserved. 

There was no question it was a truly unfortunate scenario that was more than “Something unfortunate happened.” However, there was nothing anyone could do about it, so he had to just let her be. 

Once the dragoid saw that she’d recovered from her self-soothing, the two of them left the Adventurers Guild. 

They were also losing work from the recent issues with bandits. And yet, hoping others would do something about it only made them keenly aware of their own incompetence. 

After leaving the Guild, Cayna wandered aimlessly around town wondering what she should do. A one-way trip to the castle in question would take about two days by horse, but if she used any of the options in her arsenal, she could arrive that same day. 

At any rate, she had heard that the bandits were successfully evading the knights. Were Helshper’s knights really that incompetent? Caerina was by far among the strongest people Cayna had met in Leadale. It was hard to believe that a bunch of bandits would get the better of her. 

That said, the rest of the Helshper knights were slightly weaker than Arbiter. Cayna surmised that this brought down their abilities as a whole. 

“Still, since this isn’t the game anymore, I doubt anyone will quickly respond to a request to take the bandits down.” 

Cayna’s concern was how people would react if she herself dealt with them. 

Sudden betrayal was a painful thing. 

After she became a Skill Master, she’d received proposals from people outside her Guild, like the players she hit it off with in the fields. They’d say, “How about giving me preferential treatment if we split the handling and referral fees?” Their aim was to accept quests and get the payout. This annoying occurrence had followed Cayna wherever she went. 

She was already known as a Skill Master by that point, so she couldn’t afford to be careless when dealing with players who flocked to her. However, whenever she asked players she had trusted about what she should do, that had been their answer every time. 

The shock of it left her speechless. As a result, she retreated into the most remote regions and avoided any large gatherings of people outside her own Guild. It was probably preferable compared to her friends who fell into nervous breakdowns if they stopped playing. 

Nevertheless, just because she’d had such experiences in the game, it was no reason to believe the people here would be the same. Befriending people like Elineh, who understood her aversion to being the center of attention, and Arbiter, who cautioned her to keep her immense power at bay, was truly a blessing, one she was extremely thankful for. 

I bet even a merchant like Caerick has heard about this bandit situation. 

“Is that really a wise decision? You shut him down pretty hard.” 

True… I feel guilty for snapping at him. Plus, it’d be in bad taste to see him right after what happened yesterday. Maybe I’ll pay him a visit tomorrow and bring an apology gift. 

“Wouldn’t food be more appealing than an item?” 

Oh yeah, the Merchants Guild already has everything you can think of. Maybe I’ll get some fresh ingredients. 

Cayna kept talking with Kee to keep herself from having any bad thoughts and headed toward the market. It was time to pick out a gift. 

Meanwhile. 

In Skargo’s office in the capital of Felskeilo, a completely worn-out, dead-eyed Mai-Mai collapsed on the table. Skargo’s sister’s condition obviously concerned him, and he thought about what he could do for her. However, if his mother, Cayna, was in any way the cause of her consternation, in his eyes, the scales would fall in his mother’s favor. 

There was indeed a reason for Mai-Mai’s bewildered state. She had received a Telepathic message from Caerina the evening before. Excitedly thinking, My children in Helshper must have had a touching first meeting with Mother, she glanced over the brief missive. 

However, what she actually found was: Caerick made Grandmother angry. His life has just barely been spared. What should I do? 

Mai-Mai’s sudden, violent fall from cloud nine filled her with despair, and the terror of an enraged Cayna returning to Felskeilo gripped the elf. Unable to keep still, she had rushed over to her older brother’s place. 

Upon hearing her explanation, Skargo’s expression shifted as he considered whether defending his sister would direct their mother’s rage toward himself. 

Naturally, as someone who knew his sister had her reasons for coming to Felskeilo after leaving the children in Helshper, he had no intention of turning her away. Nonetheless, their mother’s anger was a force of nature. 

It’d be one thing if she was simply angry, but mix in Intimidate, and a person’s mind was likely to break. 

Had Cayna taken all that into account, Skargo and the others wouldn’t be on such an emotional roller coaster. 

Skargo placed a hand on the shoulder of his comatose sister and gave a refreshing smile of his pearly whites. 

“I can only say you are reaping what you sow. Well, in any case, I shall apologize with you, so take heart.” 

“R-right. Thanks, Skargo.” 

Mai-Mai was rarely so honest and timid, and Skargo thought that there was some cuteness to her after all. Simultaneously, Skargo’s encouragement strengthened Mai-Mai, and she saw him in a slightly more brotherly light. 

From their point of view, they would have liked to hear more of the details from Cayna herself with Telepathy, but since their mother lost the skill, there was no way to reach her. It wasn’t known exactly how she lost it, but her children were convinced something must have happened two hundred years prior. Whatever the reason, Cayna had finally left her hideaway in the forest and reunited with them. Her three children hoped that from now on Cayna could live as she pleased. 

“Hey, you lot! How dare you!” 

“Hmm?” 

Cayna had just finished buying up all the Cooking Skill ingredients the Helshper market had to offer, and it was only by coincidence that she heard the angry voice call out. 

Since money was no object to her, she had picked out everything from large bags of wheat to fruit used in recipes. This was exactly the type of market-destroying behavior Elineh had been concerned about. 

As small business owners smiled tightly at the customer who bought up everything left and right, a commotion broke out on a corner of the main road lined with street stalls. Cayna put her purchases away into her Item Box one after the other and looked back at the source of the noise. She’d just leave things be if it didn’t have anything to do with her, but it’d be another story if the street stall in question was lined with Buddha statues. 

As she approached, an elf with a bow strapped across his back was parked in front of the stall. Spit went flying as he yelled at the troubled shop owner. People surrounded them at a distance. Half were worried observers, while the other half were amused onlookers. 

“Who gave you permission to use the high elves’ illustrious name?! This is an insult to my people!” 

The elf pointed to several signs hanging from the tent poles. Written in huge letters were slogans like DEITIES REVERED BY THE HIGH ELVES and YOU WON’T FIND THESE BEAUTIES ANYWHERE ELSE! 

Considering how personally the elf was taking this, elves must have still revered the high elves as they had back in the Game Era. 

“I did get permission…” 

“Liar! The high elves would never leave their village for the outside world!” 

The vendor, a merchant like Elineh, couldn’t win no matter what he said. The shop apprentices already spotted Cayna, and their eyes begged her to save them. 

This is definitely gonna suck. 

“It cannot be helped.” 

Kee gave her no choice but to intervene, and Cayna resigned herself to it. She approached the ranting elf. 

“Hey there.” 

“Whaddaya want?! This ain’t got nothin’ to do with you, so get los…?!” 

She called out from behind him, and as he turned around to look at her, the Active Skills Intimidate, Evil Eye, and Fear hit him like there was no tomorrow. 

Alas, their difference in power was far too great, and the elf stopped in his tracks with wide eyes. 

Cayna brushed back her hair and showed him the trademark short, pointed ears of a high elf before questioning him. 

“I was the one who made the statues and allowed him to use the slogans. Is there some sort of problem?” 

His eyes popping as far as they could go and his jaw slack, the elf man began to act strangely. His face grew paler and paler, he held his cautious stance without moving a muscle, and he said nothing. 

As both the onlookers and Cayna tilted their heads in confusion, it was then that she realized the problem. 

“…Maybe he can’t breathe?” someone offered. 

“Ah…!” 

As Cayna hurriedly fixed her blunder and halted the Active Spells, the elf collapsed and began coughing violently. 

The reason for this was the Evil Eye and Fear that had been cast on him. Evil Eye had a Faint effect. Even though the effect was called Faint, it was more like completely conking out. Fear paralyzed the target. With both of these in tandem, it had apparently restricted the elf’s breathing. 

He took deep gulps of fresh air and rejoined the world of the living, but Cayna felt sorry for him as he flinched back at the revelation that she was a high elf. 

“I-I’m terribly sorry for my shameful actions before your great countenance, Lady High Elf! Please punish me however you see fit!” 

“Uh, right. Be more careful next time, okay?” 

After the elf prostrated himself and bowed so many times his head might have fallen off, he ran from the scene in a hurry. Such a sequence of events brought out a bit of villainy in her as she contemplated keeping everything that just happened hush-hush. 

Unable to bear the weight of the onlookers’ gazes, she gave up on the rest of her shopping and returned to the inn. 

“So what’dja buy, miss…?” 

The unwieldy items and those that she bought in bulk were stored away in the Item Box. With a dead-tired expression, Cayna returned to the inn with several bags. The mercenaries who greeted her were red-faced from liquor. 

“Are you still drinking?” 

“Well, duuuh. That’s what we guards gotta do while we’re in town. Dis is the only way anyone not on duty gets to relaaax.” 

Although Arbiter loudly touted his reckless principles, a vein rose to the temple of the second-in-command behind him. Cayna avoided his haunting gaze and started putting her purchases on the table. The objects that came from the paper bags were clearly anything but natural. Even so, Arbiter and the others were so wasted that they didn’t even notice anything was off. 

“There were quite a few useful-looking ingredients, but I wonder if I bought too much.” 

“Well, let’s have a look-see… Ruche fruit, eggs, sheep’s milk, and sugar? You gonna make somethin’?” Arbiter asked. 

“It sure does seem like it, but what?” Kenison chimed in. 

“I was thinking either a pie or a cake. Hey, why do you all look like you’ve just witnessed some natural disaster?!” 

Arbiter, Kenison, and the other mercenaries were wide-eyed and speechless, and Cayna protested their dramatic reactions. Arbiter and Kenison seemed to be engaged in a silent conversation of “But still, y’know?” and “Yep.” 

Since they’d never seen Cayna in charge of cooking during the journey, they figured she had no knack for it. And this was indeed her first time, so they probably weren’t wrong, either. 

“What?! Well then, please wait right here! I’m about to blow you all away!” 

Arbiter and the others watched with mystified expressions as Cayna gathered up her items and headed to her room on the second floor. She had intended to borrow the inn kitchen, so she wasn’t really sure why she had retreated to her room. 

However, less than ten minutes later, Cayna came back downstairs with a sweet-smelling pie stuffed with red ruche fruits. 

“Already?!” 

“What’s goin’ on now?! Wasn’t that too fast?!” 

“Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho! Behold my true power! Now eat!” 

She borrowed a knife from the proprietress who had been lured over by the aroma and cut a piece for everyone present. Of course, both the proprietor and proprietress of the inn soon partook as well. 

Everyone took a timid bite, and their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at the invigorating flavors. They quickly ate with relish. 

“This is amazin’!” 

“It’s so tasty, Miss Cayna!” 

“Yes, yes, it is, isn’t it? Heh-heh.” 

“Wait, how in the world did you make it?!” 

“…Hmmm. It has a mellow sweetness, the fluffy ruche fruits have remained intact, and the pie dough is neither too hard nor too soft. The crisp, crunchy texture adds a whole other layer, and the mix of flavors fills your mouth with subtle harmony…” 

It wasn’t long before the proprietor was singing her praises. Naturally, such an abnormality left Arbiter and the others with questions as well. 

In the game world of Leadale, items made with Cooking Skills provided all kinds of temporary support effects and stat boosts. She hadn’t been totally sure what it would end up tasting like, but since it seemed to be nothing outside the “pie-like flavor” eaten in the game, Cayna put her hand to her chest in relief that her massive bluff had worked. 

She herself was shocked it had come out so well. 

Pie-type cooking raised your magical power. A ruche pie would increase it by 3 percent. Even if Cayna used this pie for a magic boost, she’d deal just an extra thirty-three damage points. 

According to Elineh, pie was often seen in home cooking, but cakes were reserved for royals and the nobility by specialty bakers, so not many commoners knew what they tasted like. 

In addition, Cayna made a cake with leeberries, which were very similar to strawberries. This was a big hit among everyone, and it all too swiftly disappeared into their stomachs. The proprietor kept asking Cayna for the recipe, but she had used a skill to make it and had no idea what the process involved outside the ingredients. She didn’t think she’d be able to pass it on to average people with a Scroll Skill, either. 

Since her biggest concern was the large amount of sugar in the recipe, she calculated the unit price for a single slice and realized it would be a high-cost product. When Cayna told the proprietor this, he admitted that was beyond his reach and gave up. 

It seemed that, according to Mai-Mai, things made from Cayna’s Scroll Creation were not “read” but rather “understood.” There was quite a big difference between the two, but in this modern era, one wouldn’t have much luck finding people who could tell them apart. 

Cayna eventually got caught up in everyone’s excitement, and she started showing off one dessert recipe after the other. Word traveled among the friends of the merchants and mercenaries, and they gathered around. As everyone rolled over on their sides like full seals, the stock of ingredients dropped to less than half. 

“We can sell this, Lady Cayna,” Elineh proposed with smudges of white cream around his mouth. 

“Since they’re fresh, they can’t be lined up in a storefront. Plus, we have no way to keep them cold…,” said Cayna. 

Even without refrigeration, she could maintain freshness by either putting them in the Item Box or making them on-site. However, creating it in front of people presented its own set of challenges. How many would really be okay with eating something that just appeared out of nowhere? And how many would accept ingredients that were swallowed up by strange orbs and whirlpools right before their very eyes? Treating players and the people of this world the same way would invite serious misunderstandings, so Cayna completely rejected the idea of selling cake. 

She went to buy more ingredients. As she took a look around, Cayna incidentally wondered if she could do meat or fish dishes. By the time she returned to the inn, she was once again laden with goods. 

The next day, she went all out and made a two-layer cake usually saved only for special events. There was a possibility it might get crushed in Sakaiya’s constant flow of traffic, so she put it in the Item Box and set out. 

Cayna had been worried about not having an appointment, but these fears were unfounded. 

The elf known as the young master who Elineh had done business with the other day was apparently Caerick’s son. He ushered her inside as soon as he saw her. 

After being led to the same room as before, the son went to call for Caerick without having any idea of the circumstances. 

“Please wait here a moment, Great-Grandmother. I shall hurry and call Father.” 

“Oh, sure. (He’s…my great-grandson…)” 

The chances of seeing her great-grandchild at her age was nothing short of a miracle. 

Just as Cayna began to seriously worry that it was more of an accident than a miracle, she heard a loud cry of “What did you say?!” followed by hurried footsteps coming from deeper within the residence. The door opened with a bang, and the handsome elf Caerick appeared. 

He was flustered and panting, and his eyes bulged at the sight of Cayna. Suddenly, he fell prostrate to the floor. 

“Huh? Uh…Caerick?” 

“I AM SO VERY SORRYYYY!!” 

Before she had the chance to say a single word, Caerick apologized as he readied himself for anything and pressed his head to the ground. 

Except for his initial statement, he seemed to think nothing he said would ever be enough. Cayna gave a heavy sigh. 

After some time, her trembling grandson lifted his head to peek at her. Cayna made a bright smile and put her hands on her hips. 

“At any rate, stop groveling and sit in a chair!” 

“Y-y-y-y-yes!!” 

As Cayna watched Caerick jump up and sit down across the table from her, her shoulders relaxed. Caerick prepared himself for some sort of divine punishment, and his grandmother shook her head with a sigh. 

“Well, first of all, I’m sorry.” 

“…Huh? What? Uh, what about ‘blowing your own kin to sm—’” 

“Who said anything about that?! It was Mai-Mai, wasn’t it? She told you, didn’t she?!” 

She switched gears and scolded Caerick for doubting her honest apology. Dark storm clouds roiled behind her as she watched her frightened grandson yelp and give a timid nod. 

“My stupid daughter is really in for it now… Oh yeah. Caerick.” 

“Y-yes, ma’am?!” 

“You can use Telepathy, right? Could you send a message to Mai-Mai for me?” 

“Y-y-y-yes! Wh-what shall I write…?” 

“Ask her which she prefers: the iron maiden, the guillotine, aerial sepulture, being buried alive, or being burned alive.” 

Later on, a trembling Caerick told his sister Caerina of how dead serious their grandmother’s eyes were in that moment. 

Incidentally, he never got a reply from Mai-Mai. 

Cayna somehow calmed the terrified Caerick with her smile and words, then brought out the cake from her Item Box. Having finally regained his composure, he looked at the giant, sweet-scented cake and once again bowed to his grandmother. She accepted this and proceeded to explain why she had been so offended. 

“As a merchant leader who delivers goods to everyone, my comments were shameful. I am terribly sorry, Grandmother.” 

“It’s okay; you’ve apologized enough. I was also wrong for getting so childishly angry.” 

After many twists and turns, what it really came down to was that Cayna had been venting. She was relieved that they were finally able to talk normally. 

Seeing his grandmother smile and relax with no ill will, Caerick called for a servant to bring tea. The two of them each took a slice of cake for themselves before having the rest of the cake taken away. Cayna was surprised to find that it took two people to move it. 

Upon taking a bite of her own creation, Cayna said, “Yes, this turned out good,” with a satisfied nod. After tasting it himself, Caerick’s eyes went wide. He quickly began to eat it up voraciously. 

“You’re just like Arbiter and the others. Is cake really that uncommon?” 

“No, I’ve eaten some at parties before, but I’ve never had anything like this. Hmm…” 

“Please don’t tell me We can sell this like Elineh did, okay? I really don’t feel like going down that route.” 

“I see. That’s too bad.” 

What continued afterward was your usual chitchat. She gave a simple summarization of events from her time in hiding to the present. 

“So that is how you became an adventurer, Grandmother?” 

“I did it two hundred years ago, too. When I couldn’t believe the seven nations disappeared without a trace and didn’t know what to do, the caravan I’m with now took me in and taught me what I needed to know. I’m no match for Elineh and the others.” 

Tossing away her past fame and living as a humble adventurer really was interesting. 

Caerick accepted his grandmother for who she was and gave up on the favor he had considered asking when they first met. He shook his head to clear his thoughts but noticed her smirk and grew nervous. 

“Wh-whatever is the matter, Grandmother?” 

“I can tell by the look on your face that you want to ask me to take care of the bandits. Am I wrong?” 

“No, you are correct. However, you appear unenthusiastic about taking on any large jobs. It seems I should let the matter drop.” 

“You’ve got good intuition. It’s not so much that I don’t want to do it but that I’m afraid of other people’s responses afterward. Imagine the rumors that would spread if one little girl beat those bandits with ease when the knights struggled to keep up with them. I’d go into hiding again. I might even prefer keeping the cat in the bag by wiping the country off the map.” 

“Y-you’re joking, right?” 

Caerick gulped at her mischievous expression paired with completely serious murmurings. He gave a sigh of relief and put his hand to his heart when the dangerous glint disappeared from her eyes, and she said in all sincerity, “Yes, I’m kidding.” The mere fact that she had the power to do these things was enough cause for concern when the joke wasn’t immediately obvious. 

“Sorry to change the subject on you, but I heard from Elineh that this country has a place called Crescent Moon Castle. I learned more about it from some people at the Adventurers Guild, too.” 

“Ah yes. It’s a source of tourist revenue, but it’s currently within the bandits’ territory.” 

Caerick took out a map that was more comprehensive than the one Cayna saw at the Guild and proceeded to explain the area in greater detail. 

Due south of the capital past the lakes and marshes and over two bridges was the knights’ garrison. 

Farther south was a boundary line where the Helshper knights were just barely keeping the bandits from moving northward. It took two days by horse to reach this boundary line and another to reach the castle in question. 

“Hmm. The bandits’ hideout is even farther south. If their reach extends that far, I wonder if they really know what this castle is?” 

“Um, Grandmother? What is that castle?” 

“Looks like a Guardian Tower.” 

“What?!” 

Shocked, Caerick recalled the mythical stories Mai-Mai used to tell him as a child. The thirteen towers were said to be the foundations of the world gifted from the heavens. They were mysterious places that held wondrous treasures, but only a chosen few could enter. 

Caerick excitedly went on and on about the swirling rumors, and Cayna gave a mixed look of exasperation whenever that information was wildly wrong. This was what a two-hundred-year-old game of telephone could do. 

“I’ll have to awaken the Guardian and strengthen its defenses before the place gets destroyed. I guess I’ll go tomorrow.” 

“But wait, Grandmother. There is a knight garrison right in front of it.” 

“It’s no problem; I’ve got plenty of ways to get around them.” 

“I’m pretty certain there are also bandits around the castle…” 

“Ah, that does sound like trouble. I’ll have to give ’em a push if they get in the way. Plus, if they retreat, we’ll be able to use the sea route and transport goods, right?” 

Caerick gasped at what she was implying. He had failed to notice before, but if the bandits in that area disappeared, fishing villages in the danger zone could send ships to Felskeilo. Cayna was essentially saying that while she had no intention of getting rid of the bandits, she’d at least help out enough to get trade flowing. If she was going to go that far, Caerick could do something, too. 

“I understand. My sister should be arriving there on business sometime today. I shall have her ensure that the path is clear for a single adventurer.” 

“Oh? Is it really okay for the world-famous Sakaiya company to help one measly adventurer?” 

“It’s no trouble. After all, that same adventurer will be fulfilling an important task for Sakaiya by delivering supplies to the knights’ garrison.” 

“Heh-heh-heh. Sakaiya has a dark side, too, doesn’t it?” 

“No, we could never compare to you, Grandmother.” 

“Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh……” 

“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha……” 

The servant who came to bring more tea heard their creepy, simultaneous giggling from the other side of the door and ran away in shock.