In the Land of Leadale - Volume 3 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – The Abandoned Capital, a Maid, Relocation, and an Enterprise

Luka ran straight to Cayna when she returned to shore after completing her mission. Roxilius stopped the girl just in time so she wouldn’t get wet. 

“You’ll get soaked if you come any closer, so just wait a minute, okay?” Cayna told Luka. 

She switched out her dripping wet-suit-type Black Dragon Suit and was back in her normal equipment an instant later. Her hair was still wet, so she cast Dry and Purity. After she finished, she once again took Luka in her arms. She then ordered the Blue Dragon, which peeked its head out from between the waves, to continue looking for any mermaid villages. 

She didn’t believe there was anything in the area that posed a threat to the dragon, so it could probably linger for several more days as long as it didn’t get caught up in a battle. The monster gave a single roar, then grinned as it sank into the sea. The dragon would be able to contact her if it found anything. 

“I’m back, Luka. Thanks for looking after her, Rox.” 

“Think nothing of it. It is my duty.” 

“…Welcome…back.” 

Such cheerful conversation made them the very picture of a happy family. Smirking, Exis and Quolkeh approached the trio. 

“Looks like we had nothin’ to worry about. How was the Palace of the Dragon King? See any porgy and flounder dancing around?” Exis asked. 

“…Does a hot-pink frog count…?” 

“The heck…?” 

Cayna quietly murmured her findings with a somewhat pale expression. “Still,” Quolkeh said, a curious expression on her face, “to think there’d be spells like that, too. I wonder if they’d have a lot of uses back in the game?” 

“I take it you didn’t do offline quests?” said Cayna. 

After Cayna gave a simple explanation of skills obtained offline, Quolkeh looked the other way and laughed dryly. Apparently, she’d never realized Offline Mode even existed. The tutorial should have explained this to her when she first started the game, so if Quolkeh never knew, Cayna guessed she must have skipped through the tutorial. 

Many of the skills obtained while building one’s fortress in Offline Mode were rooted in daily life. Most were useless in the actual game and became prerequisites for Craft Skills. Conversely, you couldn’t complete every quest if you didn’t use Offline Mode to obtain the online Craft Skills. 

“Anyway, I really owe you both one.” 

“Nah, it was nothin’. Luka was super well-behaved,” said Exis. 

While they were waiting for Cayna, Roxilius had gone ahead and gathered together all of Luka’s personal belongings. These included a few changes of clothes and mementos of her parents. They’d been able to find only her mother’s apron and her father’s bracelet. 

Later on, Quolkeh insisted they create graves. She had piled up a bunch of rocks as a collective headstone by the storehouse outside the village. 

“Guess it wasn’t a total wasted effort, eh?” said Quolkeh. 

“You were gonna make actual headstones?!” exclaimed Cayna. 

“Well, you definitely could…,” added Exis. “Nah, never mind. It looks fine the way it is.” 

Luka joined them, and all five pressed their hands together in a gesture of prayer. 

“Please don’t worry. I will raise your daughter well.” 

“…Mom…D-Dad… Th-thank you.” 

“……” 

“So sorry we couldn’t save you.” 

“May you rest in peace…” 

Each murmured their condolences in their own way and departed from the village. When they were a distance away, Cayna left Luka, who kept looking back at the village longingly, with Roxilius. She, Exis, and Quolkeh then added one another to their friend lists. 

“Guess that makes four players now.” 

“I’ve only got you…” 

Cayna sighed while Quolkeh slumped over dejectedly. Exis quickly opened his Command screen and deftly swiped through each window with dizzying speed. 

Players couldn’t view other users’ screens, so he appeared to be typing in midair. 

“Hmm. No trace of me even passing by other players,” he said. 

“And if you haven’t seen anyone, then I haven’t, either.” Quolkeh shrugged in resignation when he saw Exis groan and place a hand on his chin. 

“Anyway, you guys tend to wander around more than I do, right? Let me know if you find someone,” said Cayna. 

“Aren’t you an adventurer, too?” Exis pointed out. 

“Sorry, but I’ve got Luka depending on me now, and I’ll be retiring to my remote village for a while.” 

When Cayna spoke of the village she owed so much to, Exis and Quolkeh quickly backed off without complaint. They treaded lightly when the subject of Luka came up and couldn’t be too forceful. 

At any rate, she decided to send the two back to Helshper like they originally planned. 

“Well then, I’ll send you on your way.” 

“What about you guys?” asked Exis. 

“We’ll work something out. I can’t use Teleport now that I have Luka, but I’m guessing it’ll be about a three-day journey back home.” 

“Just so y’know, your name will probably come up when we give our report. That okay?” 

“Sure, but be careful.” 

“Huh?” 

If the topic turned to fish distribution, the Merchants Guild would probably get wind of her. And if by some chance this reached Caerick’s ears, he’d probably get involved somehow. Cayna felt bad, but sent Exis and Quolkeh on their way with a spell and secretly begged that they get the full Mighty Merchants Guild Leader Caerick experience if that ever happened. 

She used a derivative of Teleport known as Transfer, which could be used only to transport other people. Since it was a spell that sent someone flying against their will, it was typically used to get rid of annoyances who wanted to monopolize hunting grounds. It was also used to make enemies in other popular hunting areas. Savvy people like Opus would drop foul-smelling bug monsters right in the middle of an enemy camp during a war. It was a form of harassment. 

However, the will of the person sent flying could be ignored only if the sender’s level was higher than their own. Since the traveler’s consent was required otherwise, every nation had players that specialized in Teleporting people. 

A dark curtain rose from Exis’s and Quolkeh’s feet and covered them completely. They both waved lightly to Luka and abruptly disappeared. Luka’s face fell, and Cayna patted her head and crouched down to meet her at eye level, beaming at Luka to cheer her up. 

“All right! Looks like it’s you and me, Luka. Those two will be fine on their own, and we’re sure to meet again somewhere, right?” 

“…Yeah.” 

Luka’s cheeks flushed as she gave a small nod and timidly took Cayna’s hand. The corners of Roxilius’s mouth naturally lifted as well as he looked upon the charming scene. The girls set off with him not far behind. 

However, not even halfway through the day, Cayna summoned a creature while they were on the road. She figured a journey on foot would be difficult for Luka, who was still only a child. 

The creature she had called upon was Sleipnir. Radiating majesty, it munched on Luka’s hair as way of a greeting and demonstrated its playful love of people. However, Cayna harshly scolded it after Luka instantly burst into tears. This left Sleipnir somewhat depressed, but the creature did its best to keep them safe the whole way. They arrived in Felskeilo the following afternoon, and the horse disappeared after receiving praise from Cayna. 

Otaloquess was a lush, forested nation that no one would believe was once half covered in desert. The royal castle was built long ago by a guild praised in this land for their booming prosperity. The guild houses formed by players past had built many a castle that paid no heed to eastern or western styles, and the ones that lasted into the modern day were occupied by royalty and used as mansions by the nobility. 

Otaloquess Castle’s foundation was buried at the edges and seemed to be part of the forest. The exterior coexisted with the giant trees that surrounded it, and even the interior had been invaded by ivy and foliage. However, the castle’s residents weren’t inconvenienced in the slightest. After all, this scene of nature was a fusion of the nation’s unique magical techniques, and the plants acted as soldiers who eliminated any threat. 

Many of those employed at the castle possessed skills that allowed them to communicate with plants like the high elves could. They would hear information from the castle’s large, integrated forest and use this to bolster their defenses. 

The section that might be called a castle town was spread out across the treetops, and one could travel anywhere they pleased via the suspension bridges between the enormous trees. The citizens lived in the tree trunks and branches, and aside from the dwarves, very few made their homes directly on the ground. 

Elves were not the only ones who lived in the treetops; humans and eccentric dwarves were present as well. Even werecats and dragoids took up residence like it was any other town. 

Gathered in the castle’s throne room were various government officials, with Queen Sahalashade, who had been ruling Otaloquess for the past two hundred years, at the forefront. The purpose of the meeting was to carefully examine the reports their spies had brought back and fulfill the continental mission their nation had undertaken. 

Standing before the queen were the three spies—including Cloffe—who had been dispatched to two separate nations for the express purpose of contacting Cayna. Whoever ran into her first in either the Felskeilo capital, the Helshper capital, or the remote village was tasked with negotiating with her. 

In a word, the answer Cloffe had brought back from Cayna was “No.” 

“I see…,” came the dull reply from Queen Sahalashade as she played with her waist-length hair that was pure black except for a small bit of blue. Unlike Cayna, she was overflowing with womanly charm, and her regal gestures enchanted all. 

Most of the vassals thought it too hasty to conclude this “Cayna” was the real deal by name alone. A majority of them were nobles from short-lived races, and amid the debate circling around, they harshly remarked, “She might be some relative from who knows where” and “There’s a chance she’ll try to steal the throne.” 

Queen Sahalashade listened with a cool expression as the information went in one ear and out the other, but the captain of the knights and the prime minister standing on either side of her were visibly perturbed. 

They were upset, of course, but the main reason for their distress was the significant damage that occurred whenever one displeased a Transcendental. 

At over three hundred years old, the captain of the knights was young for a demon. Two hundred years prior, he had witnessed a Transcendental comrade accomplish great things all on his own. This person, a vanguard-oriented melee fighter, rushed forward while the castle was under siege by the enemy and immediately took a swing of his large sword. With a single attack, he sliced both the fortress and the enemy in half. If the person they were now discussing had that same level of power, the word of the queen herself would bend. 

Even the elderly dwarf prime minister had seen only two Transcendentals in his long life. The mere recollection of watching them drive out a plain full of monsters in an instant was enough for him to agree with the captain of the knights. 

“I cannot agree to inviting a lowly adventurer from who knows where to the palace simply because she is related to the queen. We will stop such discussions in their tracks.” 

“Indeed. I see hardly any value in bringing her to our nation when we cannot vouch for her abilities.” 

“Nor is there any guarantee this adventurer will not harm the queen.” 

Even the dukes and earls did not hold back their criticisms. The queen ignored them entirely. 

As Cloffe stared at the officials with contempt, the captain of the knights nodded for him to continue. 

“Fear not, for I have measured her abilities,” said Cloffe. “I was highly impressed to find that my sister was no match for her.” 

The knights and soldiers stationed in the room let out admiring cries of “Oh!” and “What the—?!” 

Clofia was a bit high-handed and had a wicked tongue, but her strength was well-regarded even among the knights. Now that even someone as promising as her had been beaten single-handedly, gazes of overflowing curiosity and questions of “Just how strong is this person?” flew among those who battled for a living. And the officials’ cutting remarks were silenced upon hearing that Cloffe, one of the strongest in the nation, recognized this person and admitted he had no chance of laying a hand on her; it also made them cringe. 

The queen watched this exchange among her vassals and recrossed her legs while maintaining her languid position. It wasn’t at all a stance a royal ought to display before their subjects, but no one present was going to admonish her. 

There was also proof of a strict hierarchical relationship in the room. After all, her attitude wasn’t the only thing the prime minister and the captain of the knights weren’t reproaching. The lords looked upon the pair’s severe expressions and stood at attention as one. 

“Well, I’m glad we got the results we did,” said Queen Sahalashade. “Good work.” 

“Yes, thank you very much. In that case, I shall take my leave.” 

Their missions complete, Cloffe and the other spies bowed, then retreated. Another group dressed in tan robes crossed their path while entering the room. The elf at the forefront was the head Imperial Mage, and two human subordinates followed. The three kneeled just before the throne and dipped their heads to the queen. When Queen Sahalashade gave an exaggerated nod, only the Imperial Mage stood and spread out the scroll they had been carrying. 

“I have gathered the results of our observations.” 

“Speak.” 

For some reason, the throne room instantly returned to silence. Even the civil officials who had been whispering away strained their ears so as not to miss a single word. 

“We believe the barrier is rapidly coming undone.” 

“…I see.” The queen managed to wring out only these words with a worn expression. The prime minister and the captain of the knights grew pale as well and gulped. 

There was once a domain in the Brown Kingdom of Hegingium. Thanks to an event two hundred years prior, of which modern people were unrelated, the place became known as the Abandoned Capital. When the three nations were formed, the hands of God crammed together every hazard that would be unnecessary in the modern world. With the Abandoned Capital at its center, God then raised a solid barrier around the area. 

…That was the legend anyway. 

In truth, although Queen Sahalashade had likely been there, she had no memories of the incident. She had checked with the founding rulers of Helshper and Felskeilo, and they were the same. 

Furthermore, other troubles had arisen over the past two hundred years. Otaloquess had been charged with keeping an eye on the Abandoned Capital, and they’d determined over the course of several years that the barrier was coming undone. 

Was it a question of God’s power lasting for only two hundred years, or was the barrier trembling from the forces sealed within…? 

“Either way, it looks like we should ask the other countries for help…,” the queen mused. 

“It cannot be helped. Those sealed inside possess tremendous power, no matter how diminutive they may appear,” the dwarf prime minister said with an assured nod. 

No matter how much one mocked these creatures as worthless, an incident had occurred where monsters that leaked out had driven the knights to the edge of ruin. There had been only six goblins, so everyone initially thought one unit of knights would suffice. However, as soon as they went into battle, the six goblins teamed up and swiftly brought about the knights’ downfall. If not for the assistance of someone passing by, there would have been fatalities. The person had apparently been a tall demon who beat the goblins with ease and immediately ran off. 

“What about whoever helped us?” the captain of the knights asked. 

“Yes, about that. It appears they weren’t even an adventurer, and their whereabouts are unknown.” 

The captain of the knights frowned at the prime minister’s answer. He thought it was especially unfortunate that he couldn’t express his gratitude to the one who saved his precious subordinates. 

Since the problematic Abandoned Capital neighbored Felskeilo as well, Felskeilo couldn’t label this as someone else’s problem. The real issue was Helshper, which shared no direct border with Otaloquess. Unlike back in its founding era, the Merchant Alliance had more influence than the royal family, which meant requesting their cooperation would prove difficult. 

After having the prime minister and queen postpone their hemming and hawing over the contents of the letters to be sent to each country, the captain of the knights asked the Imperial Mage about other matters of concern. 

“What happened…after that monster ship washed out to sea?” 

“Ah, that. My subordinates pursued it, but after it destroyed a fishing village in Helshper, it was apparently subdued by adventurers in a Felskeilo fishing village. The queen’s aunt was apparently among them.” 

“Goodness, what a troublemaker my aunt Cayna is…,” Queen Sahalashade grumbled. “Didn’t we send warning to both nations ahead of time?” 

The queen and her entourage were certain they’d provided plenty of time to respond accordingly. However, that was the exact moment the Felskeilo and Helshper knights had gathered to subjugate the bandits. Since the letter had arrived after the knights already left, both nations had no doubt been stuck twiddling their thumbs. That was Otaloquess’s opinion, in any case. 

“My subordinates further reported that the queen’s aunt apparently has the duty of awakening something called Guardian Towers. If we agreed to aid her in her mission, is it not possible she may likewise help us in this matter of the Abandoned Capital?” 

“Now that you mention it, Aunt Cayna is a Skill Master. It seems there were thirteen in the past, but these days the rest ran off somewhere…” 

Roxilius was a given, but even Cayna’s other spirits had also confirmed the spy’s presence. Agaido had his own spies on Cayna’s tail as well, so the spirits didn’t consider it a threat. However, Roxilius thought otherwise and dispelled the spy from the campsite ever so gently. Even so, he’d simply reported to Cayna that everything was “perfectly fine.” 

Later on, the Otaloquess party shared details on the information they’d gathered and brought the meeting to an end. Queen Sahalashade watched the officials exit the throne room, and after ushering away her personal guards, she let her body go limp. She then slid off her throne to sit on the carpet. When she let out an exhausted sigh, the remaining captain of the knights, prime minister, and Imperial Mage gave wry smiles. 

“I understand your feelings, Your Majesty, but aren’t you acting a bit slovenly?” the captain asked. 

“I can’t stand all these unanswered problems piling up. I wonder if my aunt will give us a hand…” 

“The stories alone give Cayna a stern image, but according to Cloffe’s report, it appears she is rather easygoing.” 

“It’s like my aunt has zero awareness that she’s a high elf. She immediately makes friends with the townspeople, and you get the sense she’s forgotten she possessed any majesty at all.” 

Rather than concern, Queen Sahalashade’s attitude was closer to that of a parent scolding her child. Such statements made one wonder which girl was actually older, and the other three burst into laughter. 

However, it wasn’t long before they regained their composure and looked at one another seriously. 

The Imperial Mage would continue to observe the Abandoned Capital. The captain of the knights would strengthen the army. The prime minister and the queen would work together to keep in close touch with each nation. 

“Your Majesty, why don’t we finish our break and begin writing those letters together?” the captain offered. 

“I’d rather do that with someone more handsome…” 

“In that case, shall I procure a fine lad from the knights?” 

“…I was joking. Focus on your own job, Captain!” 

Meanwhile, back in Felskeilo, on a terrace high atop a castle spire… 

The king, Prime Minister Agaido, High Priest Skargo, and Princess Mye—or rather, Myleene Luskeilo—sat around a table. 

Despite being so high up, no wind bothered them. This castle used to be the property of some guild or other. The members had a habit of using their extra in-game points to preserve the castle’s exterior. Thanks to this, the barrier surrounding the castle was functional even in the modern day. 

“I thought something might’ve happened after a report from the Merchants Guild came in, but…,” Agaido began. 

“The information substantiates the missive from Otaloquess that we received just beforehand,” the king said sullenly as he looked at the two letters on the table. 

Agaido frowned at the one letter whose contents included the name of the individual who caused quite a bit of trouble for the nation. This person was easy to get along with on a personal level, but in terms of the country as a whole, it was only natural that you would want to take them seriously. 

Skargo muted his usual eccentricities and reviewed the letter from Otaloquess thoughtfully. This was enough to worry Myleene, who called out to him. 

“U-um, Master Skargo, is something the matter?” 

“Ah, no, it’s nothing. Sire, has Otaloquess requested any aid in regard to the Abandoned Capital?” 

“No, this time they’ve only notified us of the threat from the sea and offered counsel. Their country no doubt has more information on the Abandoned Capital than we do. Do you know something, High Priest?” 

Overall, the average person was not well-informed on the area known as the Abandoned Capital. At most, it was a fairy-tale place where gods had sealed away evil, and it supposedly didn’t exist at all. The fact that it was a reality was mostly restricted to the country’s upper echelons. 

The Brown Kingdom of Hegingium occupied most of Felskeilo’s western sector, but the old capital was slightly to the south. It was confirmed to currently exist in both southwestern Felskeilo and the western edge of Otaloquess. 

At first glance, the place appeared to be a precipitous cliff looking out over the ocean. No one approached it thanks to the barrier that masked its presence. And since the barrier sealed away any trace of the city’s existence, average people were unable to sense the barrier itself as well. 

Yet even so, evil was seemingly locked inside. 

This was the only information passed into present day, so no one had any way of confirming the truth. Based on the monsters they’d seen escaping since the barrier began to break down, they understood its threat level. This series of circumstances could easily be described as unlike anything players had ever experienced. 

Skargo shared a connection with the player Cayna, but he also served his country. It wasn’t as if he could reveal classified information about the three nations to her simply because she was his mother. Even so, he did think she was the best person from whom to seek wisdom. Since she had declared she wanted nothing to do with government affairs, they’d have to find someone else with whom they could explain and discuss the situation. 

Skargo considered who else might be right for the job, and… “Why don’t we ask the captain of the knights when he returns?” he offered. 

“Him? I don’t really see him havin’ the brains for this.” 

The king and Skargo responded to Agaido’s cutting remark with wry smiles that said You can say that because he’s not around. Skargo drew conclusions solely from the information he’d received earlier, and he promised to apologize to the person in question later before revealing a shocking truth. 

“Like Mother Dear, Shining Saber is over two hundred years old.” 

“…What?!” cried Agaido. 

“Er…yes, it’s true. I heard he previously fought alongside my mother in many a great war.” 

Prime Minister Agaido had been more shocked than Skargo expected, and Skargo sweated internally over whether he’d said something he shouldn’t have. His pearly whites gleamed with a shing! as he spoke brazenly, though he wore a conflicted look on his face. 

While both Cayna and Shining Saber were players, they were more accurately just from different nations. Skargo hadn’t been aware of this. They had, in fact, been pure rivals who blasted each other with magic left and right. Since both saw this only as something that happened back in the game, neither held a shred of resentment against the other. 

“Father, be that as it may, we shouldn’t simply demand answers of Sir Shining Saber alone,” said Mye. “Information on events that occurred before the country’s founding might stir national chaos. I understand he works with Lady Cayna often, but I believe her techniques are too disproportionate to our modern world.” 

“Princess Myleene… Do you see my mother as illegal goods…?” 

“If I had to say anything, I’d say she’s more like a cute, abandoned dog with a bad personality…” 

As the king, Skargo, Agaido, and Myleene formed questions to ask the captain of the knights, Skargo nodded with Myleene’s sound reasoning. Anyone would follow along with Cayna if she flattered them, these four included. 

For some reason, the topic of Cayna became a source of mutual understanding, and Myleene’s heart cried tears of joy. It seemed her love had still yet to blossom. 

Then in Helshper, there was some concern over the treatment of a player. 

“What happened after that? How is he?” 

“Ah, Lady Caerina…” 

Caerina had come to the mine where prisoners worked hard labor and asked several dwarf guards about a certain person’s actions. 

Needless to say, this certain person was the demon bandit leader whom her grandmother had captured. According to reports, his aggression ceased after that, and he swung his pickax with single-minded devotion. However, at night there were times he would moan in his cell and sob. He didn’t seem like a murderous villain at all. 

The combined knight army still hadn’t returned, but from the reports she’d heard prior, it was a terrible scene. The knights eliminated the bandits haunting the fortress, interrogated the survivors, and did a thorough search of the premises. It was also verified that over one hundred travelers, merchants, and adventurers had fallen victim to the bandit leader. 

She had sent a report to Felskeilo’s captain of the knights, the silver dragoid Shining Saber, that concisely explained the bandit leader’s capture. Surprisingly, it seemed he already knew her grandmother and expressed no skepticism over what happened. However, Shining Saber had been highly unnerved when he heard the leader’s objective was “leveling up” by “killing players.” 

Her reason for expressly visiting the bandit in prison to confirm his actions and behavior was due to a conversation she’d had when her grandmother, Cayna, suddenly visited the other day. Caerina had promptly revealed the circumstances surrounding the bandit leader’s execution to Cayna, but the discussion she had with Caerick had been a separate matter altogether. 

The Merchants Guild, which Caerick had founded, had both a public and private face. She didn’t have all the details, but the public side was all about understanding each country’s trade network, regulating the value of merchandise, and building distribution channels. On the private side, Caerick would collect classified information about other nations that his subordinate “merchants” had obtained from the royal families they regularly visited, and then he would sell it to the right sources. He chose his buyers carefully; most were nations, nobility he was friendly with, and relatives. 

Naturally, he knew of the turmoil going on in Otaloquess’s Abandoned Capital. He didn’t yet have information about Otaloquess’s response to it, but if things went south, he could tell it’d be necessary for all three nations to mobilize their forces. 

He had gathered the following information about the country’s struggle: 

A team of six goblins had escaped from the Abandoned Capital’s barrier and attacked a caravan. Several people barely escaped with their lives, and the matter was brought to the knights’ attention. Over fifty knights went to suppress the threat, but they were driven to the verge of destruction by the six goblins. Fortunately, someone powerful stepped in and saved the knights from their predicament. 

Caerina’s guess was that the person was someone with circumstances very similar to those of her grandmother. Caerick, who had concluded military force would be needed to deal with the problem of the Abandoned Capital, had come up with the scheme to grant the bandit leader partial amnesty or some form of acquittal and have him join the Helshper knights. After all, although the bandit leader had been defeated with ease, Caerick also determined he still had the strength to exchange blows with Cayna. 

The problem was the bandit leader’s personality. The reports held a tone of dubiousness and spoke of how he regretted his actions so much that he’d break down into tears. To put it simply, he said things even the investigators admitted they didn’t understand, so they treated him as if he were crazed. “Player killers,” “level up,” and “log out” were all part of some unknown cipher. 

Fortunately, he was very receptive to their will. If told that the plan would allow him to atone for his sins, he’d surely comply. 

When Cayna’s group arrived in Felskeilo, they first stopped by an inn. It was a slightly pricey place for families, and perhaps because Roxilius was a butler, they were mistaken as nobles in disguise. 

Roxilius and Cayna promptly spiffed up Luka in the hotel bathroom. Cayna bathed the flustered girl and combed her hair with Roxilius’s help, then used Clothes Creation to make a new outfit for her. 

In all honesty, Cayna’s knowledge of fashion was limited to hospital clothes and whatever her cousin wore when she came to visit her. Cayna was thankful for the several skill templates available. 

Even the simple, minimally designed white dress made Luka so cute that she was nearly unrecognizable. The girl was apparently nervous to wear such an outfit and took great care not to get it dirty as she ate. 

While Roxilius efficiently cared for her, Cayna woke the silent Kee. 

“Kee, please bring up several skills for me.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” 

“Look for object creation skills that are pretty much useless after you obtain them as well as furniture skills. Also find food and drink that are likely to last a long time.” 

“You intend to buy and sell to compensate for your living expenses, correct? Understood.” 

After Luka finally looked in the mirror, her mouth dropped when she saw herself as the daughter of a respectable family. 

“It suits you quite well, Lady Luka.” 

“……L-Lady? No, I…” 

“You are now the daughter of my master. The title of Lady is only appropriate.” 

Even Li’l Fairy, who usually refused to show herself, flew around Luka and clapped happily. It was too bad the girl couldn’t see her, but the fairy was elated in any case, so all was well. 

“I guess I should introduce you to Skargo and the others first, right? I’m sure you’re tired, Luka, but come along with me for just a bit.” 

Cayna decided to bring Luka to the church. Since the little girl could easily get lost in the crowded main street, she didn’t bother holding hands and instead carried Luka on her back. Roxilius acted as guard now that his master had her hands full and followed while keeping an eye on the far distance behind them. A female adventurer carrying a small child with a butler in tow was a strange sight indeed. 

Perhaps because she wasn’t used to seeing so many races in one place, Luka couldn’t stop turning her head to gaze around her. When she occasionally asked “What’s that?” in a small voice, Cayna would stop and explain. 

“That’s the market. It’s got any kind of food you can imagine. This is the Ejidd River, and if you have money, you can cross it on a boat. That boat over there is a ferry that all sorts of people ride, and that one is used for transporting goods. We’ll be going to the white building on the sandbar in the middle of that river.” 

When they arrived in front of the church on the sandbar, Luka looked up at it in amazement. There had been no church in the village, and apparently, priests had stopped by only on occasion. 

When the group entered, Luka was astounded by the high ceiling, and she stood still in front of the stained glass windows. She hid behind Cayna and stared at the goddesses carved into the pillars. Cayna was utterly charmed by Luka’s overwhelmed shock and grinned the entire time. 

“Master, shall we go see your son now?” 

“Oh, oops. Right.” 

Cayna asked the sister in charge, whom she’d grown friendly with, if she could meet with Skargo. He had just returned from a meeting at the castle, and he invited Cayna and the others to his office as soon as he received word of their arrival. He’d already heard about the fishing village incident, so he nodded sagely when he saw the little girl accompanying Cayna. 

“The heck? Just one look at her is good enough for you?” 

“Why, I’d expect no less of our Mother Dear. I take it this new family member is my stepsister, yes?” 

Skargo had been informed of what happened to the fishing village from Exis and Quolkeh’s report to the Merchants Guild. He learned that a little girl had survived the incident and Cayna had taken her in, so he had no qualms about the situation by this point. 

Surrounded by Sparkles, Skargo sent a Shooting Star wink at Luka and opened his arms wide in welcome. He glowed as if a spotlight were shining down on him. 

“Allow me to formally greet you! Welcome to our family, dear miss!” 

Skargo’s jubilant display of warmest salutations deeply terrified Luka, and she hid behind Cayna while on the verge of tears. 

“……” 

It was Roxilius’s first time seeing such a sight as well, and he was shocked into speechlessness. 

“Oh, Skaaargo?” 

A rumbling sound roiled behind Cayna, and she swelled with a piercing, murderous aura. Under Cayna’s sharp eyes staring him down, Skargo grew pale, canceled out his effects, and hurriedly prostrated himself before her. 

“I’m terribly sorry, Mother Dear!” 

Cayna dropped her frightening act with an exasperated sigh. After soothing Luka, she reintroduced her son. 

“Anyway, Luka. This is my son Skargo. Think of him as your weird, sad older brother whose only lasting impact is his constant use of effects, despite the fact that he’s in a position of power.” 

“M-Mother Deaaaar…” 

He’d already made the worst possible impression on Luka, and his mother’s scathing introduction caused Skargo to collapse into a flood of tears. To everyone else, though, he was only reaping what he sowed. 

Feeling better after Cayna consoled her and wiped away her tears, Luka timidly came out from behind her and gave a small nod. Now free of his mother’s terror, Skargo crouched to meet her eyes, and with a smile, he said, “It’s nice to meet you.” 

“You could’ve simply done that from the beginning.” 

“But, Mother Dear, this is just who I am.” 

“Find a new hobby.” 

Roxilius offered Luka the cookies and black tea Skargo had provided them, and she took several timid bites. 

“In any case,” said Skargo, “I heard the report from the Merchants Guild. Not that I believe otherwise, but are you certain all that information was accurate?” 

“I’m not sure what kind of report Exis and Quolkeh made or what you heard from Helshper, but yeah, that’s the gist of things.” 

Since Luka was present, they avoided talk of the village and solely discussed the report’s credibility. Only the little girl’s munching interrupted the silence, followed by Skargo’s response of “I understand.” Since talk of politics wouldn’t benefit Cayna anyway, she switched topics after their main business concluded. 

“Anyway, Skargo, I’ll be moving to the countryside, so contact me there if anything happens.” 

“I heard from Mai-Mai, but to think the news would be true… In that case, I shall establish a branch temple!” 

“Don’t bother.” 

Skargo drooped his head in crestfallen dejection as his joyous proposal was shot down in one fell swoop. Cayna gave a wry smile, clapped him on the shoulder with a “See you,” and left the church. 

“Geez, he’s always like that when he gets carried away.” 

“…I see. So that was your son, Master?” 

Roxilius realized as much from Cayna’s intermittent grumbling and nodded in understanding. 

They next headed to Kartatz’s workshop so Cayna could pick up the lumber she’d ordered. The jaws of the staff dropped when the huge pile of processed wood instantly disappeared without a trace. 

“All righty. I should be able to make a house or two with this. Thanks, Kartatz.” 

“Sure, no problem. Is that girl our new sister?” 

“Word sure travels fast… Oh, right. Telepathy.” 

Cayna’s group had met up with Skargo only a short while before, so Cayna tilted her head quizzically at Kartatz’s knowing look. She soon remembered the siblings had a skill that allowed them to exchange information with one another, and she struck her fist against her palm. 

Kartatz crouched to Luka’s eye level, held out a hand, and greeted her with a simple “It’s nice to meet you.” Luka put on a smile she hadn’t shown since meeting Exis and dipped her head, then barely squeaked out a “Nice…to meet…you.” Kartatz gently patted her head and said nothing more. Cayna had secretly been nervous that the stern-looking dwarf would frighten the girl. 

“Yup, good ol’ Kartatz. Unlike Skargo, you’re actually good with people. Maybe it’s a wisdom that comes with age? Luka, this is my youngest son, Kartatz. He’s your second big brother.” 

“But you’re the older one, Mum… Also, ain’t you gonna introduce her to Mai-Mai?” 

“Mai-Mai’s school is crowded even at the best of times. She already knows what happened, so I was thinking maybe we’d pass.” 

Kartatz crossed his arms as he thought this through and suddenly gave a dry smile. 

“She’s crying, y’know,” he replied. 

He’d apparently contacted her just then with Telepathy. 

“Tell her not to skip work just to see me.” 

“That’d be a mess for her, too. Anyway, haven’t seen that boy around before, have I?” Kartatz asked, looking at Roxilius, who’d been standing there attentively the entire time. 

“This is my butler summoning. He’s super-helpful.” 

“Your Summoning Magic can even get you a butler?! Didn’t see that one coming.” 

They parted from the highly impressed Kartatz, and Cayna carried Luka on her back as the young girl started nodding off from exhaustion. The three crossed the river to the inn, and Cayna put her to bed. 

“I’m gonna go look for some transportation for us, so take care of Luka, okay?” 

“Yes. Please leave everything to me.” 

With Luka in Roxilius’s care, Cayna set off once again into town. Her objective was to buy a carriage that could take them to the remote village. 

“Since Luka can’t officially join my party, it’s not like I can directly Teleport us to the village, huh?” 

Cayna had already checked on her system screen that Roxilius could be added to her party. Luka’s name didn’t appear, so Cayna wasn’t sure if they could fly together. Even so, she had used magic on Arbiter’s entire mercenary crew, so she thought it might be a viable option. 

Cayna felt a vague uneasiness, though, so she decided they’d use the main road as usual. 

She figured she could also take this opportunity to try out a few things and peddle goods to compensate for their finances. One possible candidate was the prominent skill that allowed one to create decorative equipment for NPCs and others with no level. There were also whiskey and beer creation skills, and finally, there was the Buddha statue creation skill, which had proven successful once before. These were the extent of the skills Kee had picked out. 

“That is all.” 

“Good work. Looks like I’ll need to buy plenty of wheat. Maybe some gems, too?” 

The usual method of crafting beer and whiskey meant germinating the wheat, utilizing the enzymes composed of those buds to convert it into starch, filtering the starch, and then using the resulting wort to ferment yeast. However, with a Craft Skill, the process wasn’t complicated at all. As long as you had water and yeast, you could create either in vast quantities. 

Rather than worry, Cayna decided to just give it a shot. She headed to the market and stupefied shopkeepers with her mass purchases. Since there was no place to buy gems, she figured she’d mine the earth for them. 

Among her summonings, there was an almost-sixty-meter-tall giant shelled earthworm called a jewel worm. Its natural inclination was to amass jewels and ore in its nest. If she released it into the surrounding earth, she saw no reason why it wouldn’t search for an ore vein and dig for her. 

Next, Cayna visited the shop Elineh had in the capital. She’d heard about it before but never had the chance to check it out, so she decided to stop by for a chat. 

She expected to see a small, compact shop, but what she actually found was a store located in the best part of town whose size easily rivaled that of Caerick’s. 

“Whoa? Seriously?” 

The main difference here was that the laborers didn’t run back and forth across the front of the shop as they did at Caerick’s. Furthermore, her grandson’s shop was wide, but this one seemed to have ample space in the rear. It was a tidy three-story building, and the sign at the entrance had a suave-looking picture of a dog. She guessed that must be Elineh if he were three hundred times more handsome. 

The sign was straightforward enough, yet the shop name was nowhere to be found. The front entrance was wide open, and it seemed that anyone could just walk in. Inside, several housewives as well as travelers and a few possible adventurers scoured the merchandise. From the long tables on either side of the door, amiable-looking female employees sold simple daily necessities. 

“Elineh peddles merchandise all over even though he has a shop like this?” 

She was both surprised and impressed. 

As Cayna stood there gawking at the sign, one lady ushered her in with a “Well now, you won’t know how wonderful the shop is by looking from over there. Come on in!” 

The moment Cayna entered, a young female employee swiftly approached her. 

“Welcome. Is this your first time? Please let me know if there’s anything I can help you with. We carry all manner of merchandise from diapers to steel swords,” she said with a professional smile. 

When Cayna took a look around, she saw that the first floor carried items that produced small sparks, others that created a single bucket of water, and several other magical tools. Swords, spears, and shields were suspended along the wall, and the shelves at the center of the shop were packed with utensils and cookware. 

“Ummm, what kind of store is this?” 

“We primarily sell a wide variety of home goods as well as products that are helpful to adventurers.” 

Upon hearing the employee’s explanation, Cayna took another glance around and realized it was much like an online store. At least, as someone who used to be more or less bedridden, that was really all she could compare it to. 

According to the employee, the shop extended to the second floor, which carried both secondhand and customized clothes and accessories. Since Cayna was interested in such things to begin with, she thought to herself that she could bring Luka with her next time. 

Cayna interrupted the woman as she still continued to wax poetic about the shop’s offerings, and said, “I’d like to buy a carriage.” 

“A carriage, you say?” 

“Used is fine, and it can have a canopy, but an actual roof would be great.” 

The woman thought for a moment, then replied, “Right this way.” She led Cayna to the back of the shop. 

There was a wagon with no roof, a box wagon, and an overly decorated carriage. Each was in fine order, but they were imbued with expensive-looking parts all throughout. What Cayna wanted was the canopied wagon hidden way in the back. The whole thing was slightly dirty, and it was the shabbiest of the bunch. According to the employee, the wagon had been part of a caravan until recently, after falling into disrepair. 

Now that the woman mentioned said so, didn’t it seem kind of familiar? 

“Maybe it’s the kind the laigayanma pull…?” 

As Cayna crossed her arms and thought back to the scene, the employee’s eyes went wide for some reason, and she froze. Her mouth opened and closed wordlessly for some time, but she immediately readjusted her lax air and gave a deep, elegant bow. 

“My sincerest apologies. May I presume, dear customer, that you are Lady Cayna?” 

“Huh? Um, yeah, that’s me.” 

When Cayna gave an honest yet confused answer, the employee murmured, “I see. Very well.” After that, she abruptly gestured to the canopied wagon and said, “In that case, there is no need for you to pay for this product. Please take it with you.” 

“Whaaaaaaaaaat?!” 

Cayna thought for sure the wagon was at least in the gold-coin range, and her eyes flew open in shock at the outrageous proposal. Her cry drew highly curious glances from surrounding employees. 

It was apparent that not many customers came this far back into the shop. Those repairing wagons and carrying furniture stopped what they were doing, but as soon as the woman gave a bright smile at them, they quickly looked away and resumed their duties. 

“The president instructed me to provide an explanation, since he was certain you would have questions.” 

“‘The president’… You mean Elineh?” 

“That’s right.” 

Cayna approached her new canopied wagon and checked it over as she listened to the woman. 

“His orders were ‘If a female elf adventurer named Cayna visits, make sure her first purchase is free of charge.’” 

“…Elineh doesn’t seem like the type to just hand something over. Maybe he wants me to owe him?” 

As Cayna muttered this bitterly, the woman giggled. 

“You’re just as my husband said.” 

“Huh?” 

“Ah, my apologies. I’m Elineh’s wife, Armuna.” 

The chestnut-haired woman named Armuna took off the bangle on her arm. Her human visage faded away, and she transformed into a short kobold. 

Unlike Elineh, who looked like a Welsh corgi, Armuna was like a black-and-white papillon. She’d apparently been using a magical tool to alter her appearance, and her human form had all been a ruse. 

“Ehhhh?!” 

The employees around them all secretly watched and nodded in understanding at Cayna’s second dose of surprise. It seemed that Armuna had pulled the same trick time and time again, and she’d been looking for a new target recently, since there was no one left to scare. When Cayna suddenly appeared, she knew she struck gold. 

However, Armuna’s spirits were dampened when she realized the real reason for Cayna’s shock centered around the fact that Elineh was married. 

Cayna instantly put the canopied wagon in her Item Box, and while she never intended it as payback, this successfully flabbergasted Armuna and all the rest. 

“My husband isn’t here much, but please do come again.” 

“Right. Next time I’ll do some actual shopping. Tell Elineh I said hi.” 

“Of course. Thank you for your patronage.” 

The employees saw her off with a unified bow, and Cayna quickly scurried away from Elineh’s shop and the odd amount of special attention. She returned to the inn to find Luka awake, and she explained the next step of their plan. They were going to live in the remote village. 

“As far as I can tell, there’s a good chance you’ll get along with the innkeeper’s daughter Lytt, since you’re both around the same age.” 

“What…should I do there…?” 

“Help around the house maybe? Can’t say I know much about housekeeping myself, though.” 

Luka tilted her head with a confused expression. For someone like her, who had been helping around the house her entire life, Cayna’s statement was unintelligible. 

For Cayna, the root of the problem was the all-important house part of housekeeping. She had absolutely no point of reference for this back when she was Keina, either. And even if she did, at best it would have been nothing more than wiping the dishes while her mother washed. 

Ashamed, Cayna considered asking Marelle for a few pointers. Since this world lacked electrical appliances, she’d have to learn the old-fashioned way. 

Keina had always been sickly. From her youngest days until elementary school, she didn’t really have the all-too-common experience of standing by her mother’s side in the kitchen. The accident had occurred before she entered middle school, and she’d been confined to lying in a hospital bed. Her life was nothing more than those scenes she saw in hospital dramas. Rather than a beginner, it was easier to say she was a complete greenhorn. Luka probably knew more about the subject than she did. 

After pondering over this to the point of frustration, Cayna consulted her professional housekeeper, who offered a most unexpected proposal. 

“Pardon?” said Cayna. 

“Why don’t we manage your household, Lady Cayna?” 

“Huh?” 

Preparations were complete, and the day they were to set off for the remote village arrived. A magical tool known as a magic rhymestone was taken from the Item Box and used to power the wagon Cayna had obtained, and a strange horse head sprouted from the driver’s seat. 

The horse golem and wagon fused together to become a self-running canopied transport that required no actual horse. The eyes of passing adventurers and travelers in carriages laden with products shot open wide as they took in the sight. 

The crossbreed of the golem and its magic rhymestone buried within was a Craft Skill that created a semipermanent operational object. In the Game Era, one often saw houses with wheels, houses with feet, and houses that had completely metamorphosed. In worst-case scenarios, there had been confirmed sightings of chaos here and there as castles and fortresses swaggered over the fields. Since quite a few were mobilized in times of war, it wasn’t uncommon to see huge, decisive battles being fought in one corner like the passing trend they were. Compared to that, Cayna didn’t see the autonomous canopy wagon as any sort of big deal. 

However, if she had taken into account only the reactions of those who looked upon it, she wouldn’t have gotten into the later mess that she did. Cayna had no way of knowing that on the very day of her departure, rumors were swirling throughout Felskeilo and reaching the ears of those who could cause her a world of trouble. 

“But wait. Isn’t your statute of limitations coming up, Roxilius?” 

Cayna frowned at Roxilius’s suggestion. She kept an eye on Luka, making sure the girl didn’t fall out of the wagon as she took in the sights, eyes wide with wonder. 

“Phrasing it in such a way makes it seems as if I have done some wrongdoing, wouldn’t you say?” 

To be more precise, Roxilius’s work period was drawing to a close. To call him out again, Cayna would have to ring the handbell and give him more money. She had considered doing so from the outset, if only for Luka’s sake. Cayna had enough money in the bank to keep him for two thousand years. 

However, for someone like her, who wanted to set the money she’d earned from the game aside and be self-sufficient in this world, it wasn’t an ideal solution. That was why she came up with the idea of trading with Elineh’s caravan whenever the merchants occasionally stopped by in order to raise money to live in the village. 

“You were forced to disappear the last time your clock ran out, right?” 

“No, that is only my conjecture. I myself am uncertain of whether or not I can return.” 

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean…?” 

“In all honesty, my memories before coming here have grown hazy. Ever since we last met, Master, it seems the place where I once waited to be summoned has been disappearing. There is no guarantee I can properly return.” 

That alone was enough for Cayna to understand most of the situation. 

“…Ah, I see. Guess it’s safe to say that with the Admins no longer up running things, their system has stopped working, too. And maybe the Ghost Ship appeared out of nowhere since it was a quest event?” 

In that case, it wouldn’t be strange for all the quest-event monsters to come pouring out. If something like that happened even once, Cayna didn’t expect anyone in this world would make it out alive. 

For now, the problem was whether Roxilius would be forced to return. The answer would come with time. 

“There is one more matter, if you don’t mind…” 

“What’s that?” 

“I was curious if perhaps you could call Roxine. Would it not be better for Lady Luka to have a female attendant? I’m exceedingly reluctant to make such a proposal, but…” 

“Cie, huh? She’ll liven things up, that’s for sure.” 

Cayna smirked as she recalled the havoc Opus had caused when the game still had NPCs. Rather than lively, she had a feeling the better word for their days ahead was turbulent. After all, a lot of players ended up getting involved in the chaos back then. 

Opus had put out an open call for artwork of NPCs sporting a “maid look,” but offered no other requirements. Pro and amateur artists alike logged on in droves, and soon the town became buried in picture frames like some sort of art exhibit. Cayna probably would have enjoyed it more if the theme hadn’t been “maid.” She was glad it all ended on a fun note but felt the world was perfectly fine without another Personal Maid Extravaganza incident. 

Eventually, Roxilius’s set time passed while the group was on its travels, and the building where he was to return never appeared. Naturally, Cayna ended up agreeing to the butler’s wishes. 

And thus, she summoned the maid to join them. After momentarily stopping the carriage midday, Cayna checked to make sure no one was around, then rang the red handbell. A soft riiiiiing echoed clearly around them, and light flashed as a large white magic circle opened before them. 

Roxilius watched blankly, while Cayna’s face slightly twitched. This was Luka’s second time witnessing the sight, but she’d been filled with such crushing anxiety the first time that she couldn’t remember most of it. So when the rare sight of an enormous magic circle appeared before her, Luka’s mouth hung wide open. 

White phosphorescent light seeped from the sky and flowed endlessly into the circle. A building slowly rose from within. 

It had a red roof and white walls. It was a single house that had a small garden bursting with yellow, white, and blue flowers. 

Luka never imagined such a thing could rise up like that, and she remained frozen in shock. Light poured out from a door as it opened of its own accord. A girl in her late teens with brown cat ears and wearing an orange plaid maid outfit appeared. She was a werecat like Roxilius, and she tugged at the edges of her miniskirt as she dipped her head politely. 

“It has been quite some time, Lady Cayna. I, Roxine, am at your service.” 

“Hey there. It’s been a while, Cie. You’re not feelin’ weird anywhere, right?” 

“‘Weird’? I am in perfect health. I see you have already summoned Rox. Has this halfwit done something so crass as to warrant summoning me as well?” 

Roxilius was quietly standing at attention behind Cayna, and a vein of anger popped out at his temple. He held his tongue, but his twinging, trembling body made it clear he had something to say. 

Just like the first time Cayna ever summoned Cie, her mouth had a slight twitch to it as well. At any rate, she made sure to introduce the still-dumbfounded Luka and ask the maid to watch after the girl’s well-being. 

“Understood. I, your humble Roxine, shall raise Lady Luka into a fine woman of society.” 

“Uh, no, you really don’t have to do all that. She’s good the way she is.” 

Roxine had raised her fist high and struck the air as she spoke, but Cayna shook her head and emphasized prudence. Luka had only just lost her parents, so Cayna thought it best that she be allowed some peace and quiet. Just to be safe, she explained as much to Roxine. To prevent Luka from hiding herself away, Cayna thought it best that Roxine offer the young girl this manner of care. 

“I see. Very well. I shall provide only the most minimal interference.” 

“Great. Let her do whatever she wants, since she’s not used to all that formal stuff.” 

Roxine bowed respectfully, but Luka couldn’t understand why she was being paired with the maid, and she tugged on Cayna’s cloak with worry. 

“Um… She’ll be…taking care of…me?” 

“Roxine will help you with everything from getting changed in the morning to bath time.” 

As Cayna briefly explained what the maid would be doing, tears wordlessly came to the trembling Luka’s eyes. Cayna had squatted down, and Luka clung to Cayna’s arm tightly. 

“I’m…not important…enough…” 

“Hmm. Well then, what if we all took care of you? Would you like that?” 

After Cayna thought for a moment and made this proposal, Luka immediately leaped at her with an eager nod. Overcome with emotion, Cayna squeezed her tight. 

Meanwhile, a veritable catfight was unfolding right behind them. 

“I do wish she had summoned me first instead of this halfwit.” 

“Who’re you calling halfwit? Watch yourself, Roxine. We are Lady Cayna’s servants, after all.” 

“Why should I listen to you, Rox? Who knows what sort of vile creature this young girl might become if made to follow your pitiful example?” 

“The only vile thing here is your bitchiness. It’s so contagious you might pass it onto the poor girl. Nothing beats germs like a disinfectant.” 

“Oh? Anyone who treats others like plague-ravaged pests honestly doesn’t deserve to see tomorrow.” 

With a “Hissss!” the angry veins on Roxilius’s temple multiplied. It was hard to tell whether the two despised each other because they were so similar or because they didn’t get along when summoned simultaneously. Roxilius had been the one to reluctantly make the suggestion, but it was apparently more unbearable than he thought. 

The tit for tat raged on, and like feral alley cats, they were on the brink of a scuffle. Cayna gave each one a knuckle sandwich on the head, and the fire was swiftly put out before it could begin. 

“All right, all right, break it up. You two are gonna be family from now on, so no fighting, got it? And no toppling roadside trees, destroying houses, and throwing people, either. Don’t do anything that would be a bad influence on Luka.” 

“Yes. As you wish, Lady Cayna.” 

“…Understood, Master.” 

Cayna smiled uncomfortably as the two reluctantly obeyed. After all, she’d never been able to interact with them so much back when they were game NPCs. 

It was fine if she couldn’t read their actions or behavior and that they possessed free speech, but letting these explosive situations continue would only add to her stress. 

After all, Roxine spit verbal fire at not only Roxilius but male characters in general. Roxilius shot back at her with sharp turns of phrase rather than a retort. Moreover, Cayna’s use of force to make a point didn’t exactly work in her favor, either. 

Only after summoning both did Cayna learn the hard way that combining them in town would result in massive damage. She was a bit worried, and on this instance alone, even she would allow a little leeway. Cayna made sure to give them a stern warning. 

“I owe a lot to this village we’re going to be living in, so I’m going to be really angry if you lay a hand on the people or their property!” 

““Y-yes, ma’am!”” 

The two trembled at the dangerous look in Cayna’s eyes. Luka, who couldn’t sense the unsettling aura, clapped fervently at Cayna’s awe-inspiring image. Cayna puffed up haughtily at her adopted daughter’s flattery. Only Li’l Fairy on Cayna’s shoulder shrugged in a manner of Good grief. 

The wagon golem listened to the boisterous voices coming from the loading bed and once again set off powerfully down the road toward the village to fulfill its destiny. 

“What’s this…?” 

When they arrived in the remote village, the first sight to greet Cayna was Lux Contracting, which stood where the carriage rest area used to be long ago. 

The store itself was fine enough; the problem was the words on the sign out front. 

Written in large, flowing script was SAKAIYA BRANCH STORE. 

“So Caerick really did open his own branch here. I guess he pushed out Lux and Sunya.” 

Cayna was a bit concerned Caerick might have mustered up his skills to force them out. It had only been about ten days since she last saw him, so she wasn’t sure if she should be amazed by his quick response or angry at his pushy methods. Cayna told herself she’d definitely ask Sunya later and get to the bottom of things. 

After she helped Luka down from the canopied wagon and both Roxilius and Roxine disembarked as well, she put the wagon back in her Item Box. They made their way to the inn as Cayna exchanged greetings with the villagers who had heard them arriving and popped out to take a gander. 

“What a pretty girl. You got a job?” 

“That young man is a tall glass of water, too.” 

“I am not for drinking.” 

Roxine and Roxilius were mistaken for people looking for work out of town. 

“Who is that little girl?” 

“I took her in. She was orphaned after monsters destroyed her village.” 

“My, how awful.” 

This village had very few children, and Luka was shocked to find herself surrounded by sympathetic adults. The group continued past the villagers. 

Marelle and Lytt were waving and waiting for them at the front of the inn. However, while Marelle appeared more cheerful than usual, her daughter had a terribly panicked look on her face. 

“I’m back, Marelle.” 

“M-M-Miss Cayna! U-um!” 

Lytt tried to tell her something, but Marelle’s hand was faster, and she latched on to Cayna’s head. 

“H-huh? Marelle, what’s wron—? Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!” 

The grinding force was like a vise, and Cayna let out sharp cries of pain. That hand was proof of Marelle’s skill and years of running the inn. She gripped Cayna’s skull with a terrifying force. Kee had apparently determined this was a form of bonding, and his barriers didn’t go up. 

“Gyah!” 

As Cayna writhed around, Roxilius and the others stood in frozen shock. Luka was on the verge of tears, and the absurd punishment finally ended when she tugged on Marelle’s skirt. 

“Ow, ow, ow, ow…” 

Luka clung to Cayna, who was now crouched on the ground with her head in her hands, and Roxine handed her a wet towel. Watching this scene, Marelle looked at her quizzically. 

“What’s goin’ on here? Where’d this big family come from?” 

“…I should be the one asking what’s going on… Why in the world did you suddenly come at me like that?” 

“You really don’t know?” 

Marelle quickly drew her face right up to Cayna’s and looked her straight in the eye. The latter recoiled slightly, but unable to come up with anything she should feel such guilt over, she replied, “Well, uh…” 

Marelle put her hands on her hips and sighed. “Unbelievable.” It was then that Lytt, who could only tremble up until this point, cried out. 

“I-I’m sorry, Miss Cayna! She found the bird on the roof!” 

As soon as Lytt said this, Cayna finally gave an “Ah!” of realization. Marelle shot Cayna a menacing glare. 

Cayna had completely forgotten that she’d left behind a gargoyle. Breaking into a sweat, she bowed her head and gave an apology of “I’m sorry.” All the while, Marelle exerted a silent pressure over her. 

Incidentally, it was another family who had noticed it. A kind-hearted, middle-aged farmer had gone up to the roof of the inn to fix a leak. He thought he saw a monster there and rushed inside to yell for Marelle. Lottor, who was inside at the moment dissecting some game, was tasked with the duty of dispatching it. 

However, Lytt couldn’t bear the guilt in silence any longer. She confessed everything and kept the entire village from falling into chaos. 

“I can’t eat a single bite when I think of that scary thing right over my head. Just get rid of it!” Marelle fumed. When she put it that way, even Cayna didn’t have much of a choice. 

Cayna loved this village, so she had left the object there to prevent it from falling into misfortune when she wasn’t around. If she was going to live there as a resident from that point on, there was no reason for the gargoyle to stay as a permanent fighting force. Roxilius alone could take care of any bandits on his own before breakfast. 

After Cayna remove the gargoyle with a look of relief on her face, Marelle finally asked about her three companions. 

“So what’s the story with these kids?” 

“This is Luka. A few things happened, so I’ve taken her in. The werecat boy is Roxilius, and the girl is Roxine. They’re my attendants who have been helping me out for a long time. We’ll all be living together from now on.” 

Since the villagers wouldn’t understand what summoning a butler and a maid meant even if she explained it to them, Cayna decided to say they worked for her (aka she summoned them a lot) a long time ago (aka in the Game Era). 

Marelle acted dubious for some reason and commented, “I knew it. So you really do come from a good family, huh?” However, since high elves were considered royalty in this world, she wasn’t really wrong. 

Even if there were some misunderstandings, as long as it didn’t affect how Cayna was treated, then she was perfectly happy. 

“So when will you build the house?” 

“I figured we’d stay at the inn tonight and build it tomorrow. I wanna relax for a bit.” 

“I see. In that case, we better get everyone together.” 

Marelle beamed happily. Cayna, however, turned pale. 

“No, it’s okay. You’ve already welcomed me as a villager once.” 

“You can never do it too many times. Why would a village with nothing else to do for fun pass that up?” 

A banquet was all fine and well, but she hoped they’d give her a break and not force her to drink while leading the others in a toast. She was honestly happy for the warm welcome, however. 

In any case, Cayna replied vaguely, ‘Uh, well, that’s true…’ and valiantly resigned herself to her fate. 

Roxilius and Roxine deftly bowed their heads to Marelle and her husband and to all the villagers present in the dining hall. 

“Like Lady Cayna, we shall be in your care from now on as well. My name is Roxilius. I am pleased to make your acquaintance.” 

“Yes, the likes of him is but a mere servant. You may use him to your heart’s content until he is nothing more than a dirty cat-fur rag. Ah, my name is Roxine. The pleasure is all mine.” 

The villagers let out cries of “Eek!” and stepped back as Roxilius, who had veins popping out on his forehead and a twitching grimace, and Roxine, who looked down on him as always, began to go at it. After that, Cayna angrily put her in an Iron Claw hold, but Roxine defaulted. Cayna immediately yelled “Go to your crate!” and needless to say, the werecat was put away in a room of the inn. 

“I’m sorry about that, Marelle. She’s a bit of a wild child to deal with but means no harm. (I think.) She’s just got some tough habits…” 

“R-right. Well, don’t worry about it. You run into kids like that every now and then.” 

Cayna looked at the wavering smile of the veteran proprietress (at least that’s how Cayna saw her) and vowed to hardly ever allow Roxine outside once the house was finished. 

Behind the flustered adults, Lytt approached Luka. 

“My name is Lytt. I’m the daughter of the innkeeper. It’s nice to meet you!” 

Luka’s eyes initially darted back and forth at such a straightforward introduction, but she found her resolve and nodded repeatedly. She timidly held out her hand enough to touch Lytt’s fingertips and squeaked, “I’m…Luka. It’s nice…to meet you.” 

Lytt, who had been waiting ever so patiently for Luka’s response, broke into a smile. She gripped Luka’s trembling hand tightly and happily replied, “Yeah! Let’s be good friends!” 

However, she just as quickly let go. 

“Ah, sorry. Did that hurt?” Lytt asked with a sad expression. 

“N-no… I’m okay.” 

Luka shook her head, smiling shyly, and Lytt once again beamed. 

Above them, Li’l Fairy watched the two girls’ blossoming friendship with a pleased smile, but of course, it is to be remembered that no one except Cayna could see her. 

After Luka and Lytt became acquainted, Cayna took her three new family members to the public bathhouse. Roxilius went to the men’s area, while Roxine, Luka, and Cayna went to the women’s. 

After they removed their clothes in the dressing room and proceeded to the bathing area, Mimily, who had been relaxing in the shallow end, noticed the three. Luka was shocked to see a girl whose bottom half was a fish, and she hid behind Cayna. Roxine took a bucket in one hand and prepared for battle. 

“Hi there, Mimily. It’s been a while.” 

“Hello, Cayna. Who might these two be?” 

As the two greeted each other congenially and called each other by name, Luka looked up at Cayna quizzically. Seeming to put the pieces together, Roxine set down the bucket and stood at attention behind Luka. 

“I mentioned living in the village before, right? This is Roxine, my maid, and my foster daughter, Luka. We’ll all be living together. There’s also a butler named Roxilius. I hope you’ll all get along.” 

“So you have more than three kids…” 

Cayna tilted her head at Mimily as the mermaid looked at Luka with utterly hollow eyes. It must have been hard to imagine that despite appearing the same age, Cayna had four children. 

After that, Cayna soaked alongside Mimily and washed up while Roxine taught Luka how to use the bath. 

“How’s the laundry business?” 

“It’s going quite fine, thanks to your kind patronage,” Mimily replied with a giggle. Cayna couldn’t help but join in. 

At any rate, there was plenty for the mermaid to do each day. If there was a way to cut her time spent doing laundry, Mimily would surely switch to it. The single men had used the service every day but soon noticed that the fees incurred were by no means negligible. They started stockpiling laundry for several days before submitting a request, and thus, Mimily’s business was much busier than when it first began. 

Doing laundry in winter also became easier, since the other villagers could visit natural hot springs. Cayna heard the people would help Mimily when they could, and the reserved feelings between both parties was thawing. 

“Well then, Cayna.” 

“Hmm? What is it?” 

“I know we talked about finding my hometown, but what would you think if I said you didn’t have to?” 

“What?!” 

Cayna let out a surprised yell, but she looked into Mimily’s sad eyes and decided to hear the rest of what she had to say. 

“I’m fine with it, but are you?” 

“Yes. I was a burden in my village. I hardly saw my older sister, who was my only relative, and the others all gossiped about me. Just when I was thinking to myself that I was better off gone, I found myself here. That’s why my new circumstances have been such a lifesaver.” 

The unsettled look in Mimily’s eyes left Cayna at a loss for words. Both girls had a shared experience of unexpectedly losing their homes. However, it was up to each person whether they would live a life of pessimism or completely cut their lingering attachments. 

To be honest, Cayna couldn’t claim to be above it all, since she was still full of regret over her cousin and uncle in the other world. 

“…Right. Well, I’ll stop the search for now. But absolutely tell me if you change your mind!” 

“I will. Please help me if that time comes.” 

Cayna canceled out the Blue Dragon that was still roaming around the sea. Several days had passed, and yet the dragon, whose sole focus was on the search, had found nothing. She took this to mean that there were no mermaid villages around Leadale. 

“If only I had that idiot to talk to at times like these…” 

A certain someone probably could have given her spot-on advice, but since they weren’t around, there wasn’t much helping it. 

Roxine took Luka out of the bath before Luka got too dizzy, and Cayna followed suit. 

“Bye, Cayna.” 

“It looks like there’s going to be a banquet at the inn. Are you coming, Mimily?” 

“It’s your welcome party, right? But didn’t you have one before?” 

“Apparently, it’s important for small villages to not give up the few pleasures they have…” 

“A-are you okay?” Mimily asked with an awkward smile as she looked at Cayna’s drooped shoulders and dead eyes. 

Cayna, who ended up drinking spirits from a tankard at the party, murmured the Lotus Sutra as she stabilized her mental condition. Showing less-than-stellar enthusiasm, she’d been offered one drink after the other. The latter half of the evening was nothing more than a desolate memory. 

“I want to dig a hole and bury myself in it…” 

At breakfast, Cayna sat in the dining hall with her head in her hands. Smiling, Marelle patted her from behind. 

“What’re you talkin’ about? Anything that slipped out last night will stay in the village, so no worries!” 

“That’s not the probleeeem.” 

The one saving grace was that the banquet had run late, so Luka and Lytt were already asleep by the time it ended. Cayna was certain that if the two had seen her chugging her sorrows away, it would cause even Cayna to explode. She stuck out a forked snake tongue devilishly and cackled, at which point Roxilius chided her that she’d be a bad influence on Lady Luka’s upbringing. 

“Please do not push Lady Cayna so,” he warned. 

“That’s right. If she unleashes her power, she can turn this entire village into a crater in one blast,” Roxine said. 

The butler and maid made appropriate threats while keeping a safe distance. For some reason, they seemed to be in perfect agreement only when defending their master. 

Cayna brought Luka and the others to the building site. The village elder, Kohke, had also brought several villagers to help. 

“Good morning, Lady Cayna.” 

“Good morning. It looks like I’ll be in your care from now on.” 

Cayna bowed, and the maid and butler on either side of her gave deep bows in turn. Since the two had introduced themselves at the banquet the night before, they merely stood in silence. Since Cayna had harshly warned them not to fight, the two didn’t look at each other or say a word. 

Some gazed at the pair with deep curiosity, but one glare from Roxine was all it took for them to back off. 

“Still, I see ya got a butler and a maid there, Cayna. You some big shot’s daughter?” 

“Well, I’m catastrophically bad at housekeeping, so I thought I’d leave that to Rox and Cie.” 

Lottor, likely not expecting such a straight answer, said, “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that,” and fell silent. 

A number of the older women gave incredulous looks of How is that even possible for a mother? but it was the unavoidable truth. 

Roxilius and Roxine both stepped forward and bowed again. 

“Please leave the running of the household to us.” 

“Lady Cayna, please sit back and reign as undisputed dictator and master of your domain.” 

“What kind of lady of leisure is that…?” 

She appreciated their support, but the option they offered was a little worrisome. 

Cayna checked the intended construction site against her Craft Skills and confirmed the space she’d secured. The village elder said she could use her biggest spells anywhere in visible range. The plot alone was large enough to easily fit the castle tourist attraction in Felskeilo that saw crowds of people coming and going daily. 

Building: House had several templates available, so this time, Cayna picked the large one. This type could house about eight people, and a single space came with either two floors or one floor and a basement. There was more than enough room for a yard, but since she was worried about it blocking the village roads, she stopped just before the edge of the homestead. She planned on building a largish bungalow, so part of the house would be underground. 

Once the materials she’d bought from Kartatz earlier noisily appeared, her preparations were complete. Cayna summoned the Earth and Wind Spirits and quickly set to work on construction. The ground caved in without warning, and the stones that would serve as the foundation rose up from within. After first digging out the basement, she stuck the lumber floating in midair into the ground in sequential order to form pillars and walls. Beams were suspended, and the roof came together of its own accord; the bungalow was complete in a matter of minutes. 

The villagers, who were already used to such sights, clapped and cheered at this feat, which ignored all common sense. The shock only extended to everyone from Lux Contracting and Mimily. 

Afterward, the women of the village came with baskets to decorate the entrance and windows with white flower petals. 

Thinking it was some sort of charm, Cayna watched them with curiosity. Kohke the Elder offered an explanation. 

“It is a custom of our village that occurs whenever a new house is built. It is meant to help the building grow accustomed to the land.” 

“Ah, I see. You have traditions like that?” 

“I don’t believe the blossoms will be especially bothersome, so please treat them as decoration until they wilt away.” 

“If that’s a village rule, then sure. Please take care of that for me, Cie.” 

“Understood.” 

The werecat girl, who had already been appointed head housekeeper, nodded. She would see to all indoor affairs, while Roxilius would be in charge of outdoor matters. Roxine was the type to snap at every little thing, so Cayna was concerned that having her out and about would sow discord with the villagers. This setup put her mind at ease. 

After greeting each villager who had gathered to watch, she was relieved that the first step went smoothly. However, Lux rushed up to her in bewilderment and asked, “The techniques of the gods can do that, too?!” 

“Uh, well, yeah. You can more or less create buildings.” 

“That’s incredible! Can you build not only houses but castles and fortresses as well?!” 

“You can, but you need the necessary materials. You won’t know how long your supply will last just scraping things together.” 

Not surprisingly, it was impossible for anyone to gather several hundred tons of material on their own, so Cayna shrugged. While possible back in the game, it would be next to hopeless for anyone to create a castle that way in this world. Felskeilo had made one in their redevelopment area by converting the materials from local ruins, but it was much smaller than average size. 

After Lux’s repetitive cries of “Incredible!” and “Amazing!” went on for some time, Sunya whacked him on the head and returned him to himself. 

“I’m terribly sorry my husband has caused you such trouble, Miss Cayna…” 

Sunya grabbed Lux’s head and forced him into a bow. Her expression was completely composed, and one would never guess she possessed the strength to physically outmatch her dwarf husband. 

Thinking they were quite the married duo, Cayna replied that Lux’s behavior was no doubt out of intellectual curiosity, and she quickly forgave him. 

“Come to think of it, I saw that your sign out front says Sakaiya Branch Store.” 

Figuring this was as good an opportunity as any, Cayna brought up the topic of the sign. 

“Ah, the master simply asked us to open a service counter.” 

“It might have somethin’ to do with the fact that we’ll probably be handling more Sakaiya goods. Hey! That’s all I said!” 

Sunya quickly cut Lux off. To keep him from saying anything else unnecessary, she dug her elbow into his side and silenced him. She waved her hand in a gesture of Oh, just ignore that, and they left. 

“…That was weird.” 

“If he said more than he should have, is it safe to assume your intuition has picked up on it?” 

“A window counter means people can place orders without going to Helshper.” 

She didn’t know yet whether they’d be going to pick up the goods or sending them out, but Cayna thought it sounded a lot like online shopping. 

While Cayna was answering Lux’s questions, Roxilius and the others finished checking the details of the house’s interior. They confirmed nothing was warped, there were no gaps anywhere, and the doors opened and closed properly. 

At Roxine’s request, Cayna took out premade furniture from her Item Box. Roxilius placed the beds, dressers, tables, and chairs in each of the rooms. 

The layout had a dining room/Western-style living room with large glass windows at the central south side. There was also a fireplace along the wall. To the west of this were the wash and prep areas—the bath and the kitchen—though they would use the public bathhouse for most bathing. Two rooms were situated to the east of the living room, and another six rooms and a half bath were to the north, off a hallway that stretched through the eastern, western, and central corners of the house. 

Each room was about nine square feet, and each one came furnished with a bed and dresser. At Cayna’s request, Roxine put a small table and chair in her room. Cayna and Luka would use the two rooms to the south, and Roxilius would be stationed across from the kitchen. Roxine chose to be directly opposite of Luka. Currently unoccupied rooms would be used for storage. The basement was right beneath Roxilius’s room and had an entrance from the hall. 

After Cayna placed several shelves in the basement, she installed a small number of lighting fixtures with magic rhymestones. She then placed a magic crystal—an item that could temporarily house spirits—farther within the cellar. After summoning an Ice Spirit and installing it within the crystal, Cayna checked that the basement was now appropriately chilly and removed all the vegetables and fruits from her Item Box. With Roxilius’s help, Cayna put the produce away on the shelves for storage. 

After they roughly finished their preparations and returned upstairs, Roxine immediately put on water for tea. Luka’s room had been readied for her in short order, and the question of wallpaper and the like had apparently been asked. However, Roxine was the only one doing the talking. 

“Luka,” Cayna called. 

“…Yes?” 

“If you don’t want to stay in a room all by yourself, you can come stay with me or Cie in our rooms anytime, okay?” 

A cup in her hand, Luka stared blankly outside—or maybe at the window itself. She looked up at Cayna and slowly nodded. 

After patting Luka on the head, Cayna finished her tea and stood. 

“I’m gonna go out to make a few stops,” she said. “Watch things here, okay? And no fighting.” 

“Please leave it to us,” Roxine answered. 

“Well then, I shall be off in search of firewood,” Roxilius stated. 

Roxilius headed outside first and left the door open for her. When Cayna exited, he bowed and saw her off. 

Just as he tried to close the door, he stopped for a beat. Luka hurried over the threshold to catch up to Cayna, and only then did he shut it behind him. After Roxilius gave the two one more bow, he went in search of villagers who found their calling in the forest in order to ask where they might obtain wood. Since he could possibly chop it on his own depending on the situation, he would have to ask about that, too. As a member of the village, he would surely be a part of rotational jobs. 

Luka dashed from the house and clung to Cayna’s waist; Cayna patted her on the head to calm her down, then took her by the hand as they headed for the inn. It looked like Cayna wouldn’t be doing much by herself for a while. She hoped that befriending Lytt would put Luka at ease even a little. 

It was already past noon; Cayna and Luka went straight to the inn and ordered lunch from Marelle. Lytt brought out water, and Cayna reintroduced Luka. 

“Lytt, you make nice with Luka here, okay?” 

“Sure thing, Miss Cayna. Luka, let’s play together!” 

Luka, who sat next to Cayna and stuck to her like glue, stared at the beaming Lytt. She then looked up at Cayna’s smiling face, slowly got down from her chair, and faced Lytt to give her a small bow. 

“…Okay… Some…other time…” 

They looked the same age, since they were the same height, but Luka was probably about two years younger. Whether it was thanks to the family business or Marelle’s policies, Lytt had a dependable attitude that made her seem like a big sister. 

Lytt tried to invite Luka to join her, but Luka shook her head and refused to leave Cayna’s side. 

“Thanks for the invite, Lytt. Could you wait a little longer until Luka gets a bit more adjusted?” 

“Okay!” Lytt replied with an earnest nod. 

Marelle came in with soup and bread to take her daughter’s place. The woman grinned as she watched Luka nibble at her meal. She leaned toward Cayna and asked quietly, “Pretty mild kid, ain’t she?” 

“Her village was destroyed not too long ago. She was the only survivor.” 

“How tragic…” 

Marelle frowned for a moment. Then as if to dispel the dark atmosphere between them, she patted Cayna’s shoulder, saying, “Hang in there.” 

“Ow! Hey, that hurts!” 

As Cayna trembled in pain, she suddenly remembered something. She caught Marelle as the woman made her way back to the kitchen. 

“Ah! Hold on a second, Marelle. There’s something I want everyone to taste.” 

“You want us to try something?” 

“I was thinking about making and selling alcohol, but I don’t really know much about how it should taste.” 

“Sure, I don’t mind. That means it’s on the house, right?” 

“Yes, it is. Let’s see… How does one barrel sound?” 

Cayna remembered all the villagers seated in the dining hall at the previous banquet. She thought the quantity would probably be enough, but she wasn’t sure if the taste would be up to their standards. 

Marelle patted Cayna’s back reassuringly. 

“No worries. If there ain’t enough, we’ve got my own stock,” Marelle said, thumping her chest in full confidence that Cayna had nothing to worry about. 

And so she took out the cask from her Item Box. 

“Here you go.” 

“Where are you always pulling this stuff out from? A lot about you really doesn’t make a lick of sense.” 

After they finished eating, Cayna returned home with Luka and called for the other two members of the household. 

“…So, since I’ll be having dinner and a sample party at the inn, you don’t need to prepare me dinner. Sorry if you already got started.” 

“Understood. It seems I will only be cooking for two, then,” Roxine replied. 

“………” 

Roxine gave a light nod to which Roxilius responded with a shifty stare. 

“Why are you so suspicious of everything?” Roxine demanded. “Don’t worry; I’ll make you dinner, too. You like kitty chow, right?” 

“Oh, don’t bother going out of your way for me. I’d rather have fish straight from the river than whatever you make.” 

Tension crackled in the air between them. 

Luka held Cayna’s robe from behind, and as soon as she looked up to see her foster mother holding her head in her hands, the girl waved her hands between the two werecats in an attempt to intervene. Their eyes turned to dots at this unexpected mediator. 

““Lady Luka?”” 

“Fighting is…bad…” 

Upon catching a glimpse of strong will in the gaze of this little girl, who almost always kept her head down, the two distanced themselves with apologetic looks. 

After Cayna confirmed there was no longer any danger of another war breaking out, she wrapped Luka in an emotional embrace and held her tightly to her modest chest. 

“What?” 

“That was so moving! You’re such a dependable girl, Luka. You can be our Minister of Mediation from now on!” 

“…Meedee…ashun?” 

“Please step in whenever these two start fighting. You’re totally right for the job, Luka!” 

The doting parent side of their master was already peeking through, and Roxilius and Roxine sweat bullets. Cayna then gave them a piercing stare. The two Rs stood up straight and awaited her orders. 

“You two are going out to dinner with us!” said Cayna. 

“What? No, that’s quite all right,” Roxilius insisted. “We are only servants. There’s no need for us to take part in such an affair…” 

“You’re going out to dinner, got it?” 

““Yes, ma’am!!”” 

Her terrifying tone told them if they shook their heads no, that would likely be the last thing they ever did. Roxilius and Roxine answered her swiftly, visible stiffness in their expressions. 

Cayna gave a nod of “All right, then” before taking Luka’s hand and resuming her village errands. After the two werecats saw them off, they sighed and fell to the ground. 

““Pheeeeeew…”” 

“Th-that was terrifying…” 

“The apple might not fall far from the tree… The young lady will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.” 

“This was mostly your fault, Rox.” 

“You started saying weird stuff first, Cie.” 

Just as the two were about to go at it again, they sensed eyes peeking in on them from the properly closed entrance and simultaneously stiffened. 

“…Hey, Rox.” 

“…Yeah, Cie?” 

“I have a feeling we’ve had a terrible rapport so far. I was thinking we might try to fix that now. Can’t say I’m thrilled about it, though.” 

“What a coincidence. I was just thinking the same thing. It goes against every fiber of my being, however.” 

“………” 

“………” 

They both nodded at each other seriously, then returned to their work as if nothing ever happened. It is to be noted that neither took the slightest glance at the entranceway. 

Cayna watched the swaying ears of wheat as she greeted the villagers tending the fields; later on, she met with Lottor to discuss hunting. The village wasn’t big, but its people were so warm that she made her rounds ever so slowly. Soon enough, evening was upon them. 

Luka’s cautious heart had softened a bit, and while she stuck close to Cayna, they simply held hands. Cayna was smiling from ear to ear. 

Their last stop was Lux Contracting with its SAKAIYA BRANCH STORE sign out front. The owner, Lux, was in, but his apprentice, Dogai, was apparently out of town delivering some goods. Lux’s wife, Sunya, and their son, Latem, were present as well. 

“Hello, Cayna,” said Sunya. “I look forward to having you and the young lady here as our neighbors.” 

“We feel the same way. Luka, why don’t you introduce yourself?” 

Luka timidly stepped forward at Cayna’s insistence but naturally kept her head down. Cayna wondered if maybe the girl was being a bit impolite, but Sunya and Latem smiled. 

“Also, I want to apologize. It looks like Caerick asked a lot of you.” 

“Ah, no, it’s not like we’re dissatisfied. In fact, you might say we’re honored to display the Sakaiya name.” 

Cayna had apparently come at just the right time, and Sunya explained Caerick’s aim. The merchant had informed the workshop that they could freely create items for him that seemed likely to sell well, since he would be providing the materials. 

“Create with abandon… I wonder what Caerick is planning to have you make?” 

“At any rate, to think you would be the master’s grandmother… I was quite surprised.” 

“Ha-ha, Caerick is actually the impressive one. Go ahead and treat me the same as always,” Cayna said with a wave of her hand and an awkward laugh. 

Caerick had informed Sunya that his grandmother was unlikely to want special treatment. Canya did indeed respond this way, and the favorable impression it left on Sunya made her think they could continue building their friendship. 

“Ah, well then, would you mind if I gave you a sample product to show him and see if it’ll sell?” Sunya asked. 

To be honest, Cayna could have used Teleport to do so herself. However, since she couldn’t leave Luka alone for very long, she decided to leave the promotion of her new product entirely to Sakaiya. 

From a jute bag, she took out three sacks of wheat that held about sixty kilograms each. She then cast Craft Skill: Whiskey Creation and Craft Skill: Beer Creation. The wheat, bags and all, disappeared into a swirl of fire and water; an instant later, each had turned into a ninety-liter barrel. 

Cayna looked at the barrel of whiskey and the barrel of beer and internally grabbed her head. 

“The alcohol is one thing, but where did these barrels come from?!” 

“Perhaps they’re from the jute bag and outer husks of wheat?” 

“I feel like no one in real life would understand how this stuff just pops out of nowhere…” 

Sunya watched with concern as Cayna mumbled strange things to herself. 

“I’ll just have a taste, then,” said Sunya. She poured a small amount of the whiskey into a cup and took a taste. They’d save the barrel of beer for the sample party later and introduce it there. 

While the adults talked, Latem gave Luka a balancing yajirobe toy made from a block of wood and tree nuts. She didn’t stray far from Cayna’s side but had fun placing it here and there. Feeling pleased, Latem took out all the models, wooden animals, and toy carriages he’d made and explained them to Luka. 

As for the whiskey, Sunya found it to be rather good; it was “very smooth” and possessed a flavor she’d never experienced. 

You usually add water or ice to whiskey, right? 

Cayna faintly remembered how her father used to drink it long ago. 

However, this was the wife of a heavy-drinking dwarf who knew his stuff. Sunya drank it straight and held her own against Lux with ease. When asked if it would sell, she replied, “A dwarf would have no complaints drinking several of these.” 

“I’ll take responsibility for this and make sure our boss gets it,” said Lux. 

“Don’t drink it all on the way.” 

“………” 

Lux stiffened at Sunya’s warning. If she hadn’t reminded him, Caerick would have probably received an empty barrel. 

“Should I make one more?” 

“…Please do.” 

Sunya nodded at Cayna’s question with a wry look on her face. 

The beer Cayna brought to the dining hall of the inn that night was meant for just a sample party, but in the end, the affair turned into a full-on banquet. The flavor was a hit, and the barrel was emptied within the night. It was so popular that the men of the village fell down dead drunk. They lay across the floor with red faces, and here and there, you could hear someone snore with a cup in their hand. 

Marelle stared at the empty barrel in shock. 

“Sheesh, these louts are a handful.” 

As always, families came to collect their drunken loved ones. Most were wives and siblings. Lonely, single drunks were left were they lay. 

“Shouldn’t we bring blankets or something?” 

“Nah, leave ’em. If they’re going to learn their lesson the hard way like this, then they might as well settle down already.” 

While Marelle helped those who came to pick up their drunks, her own family cleaned the dining hall. Cayna helped as well, and she asked Roxilius, whom she’d brought along, to join her. Since Luka became sleepy after she ate, Roxine had taken her home. 

“Sorry for puttin’ you to work like this,” Marelle said. 

“No, I apologize terribly for the trouble I have caused you.” 

Roxilius spoke politely with everyone, and even Marelle wasn’t sure how to interact with him. Feeling bothered by this, she whispered to Cayna in secret. 

“Can’t he act a bit more casual?” 

“I’m sorry, but he’s always been that way. Please try to put it out of your mind.” 

“Is…is that so?” 

Since Cayna couldn’t tell her he was specifically made that way, it was easier for people to think he came from a service-minded family. Roxilius quickly learned Marelle and her family’s usual work routine, and the cleanup was finished in the blink of an eye. Cayna gathered all the uncollected drunks into one place. 

“If possible, why don’t you sell that alcohol to me wholesale on a regular basis?” 

“I like the idea, but I haven’t settled on a price yet.” 

That was the biggest issue running through her mind. She’d been creating without calculating the profit to be made from her stockpile. Since she’d already converted half her ingredients into beer and whiskey, she had no idea what the actual value of a single barrel was. Cayna had bought them along with quite a number of other things, so she had only the faintest memory of asking herself how much wheat was. 

“In any case, we can just guess this time around.” 

“You can’t do that, Cayna. What about your business?” 

“I’ll take it to Sakaiya and have them settle on a price for me, but if you’d like to buy it cheap, then now’s your chance.” 

“You really are too much. Guess I should take a good deal when I see one.” 

Although just this one time, Marelle paid Cayna a small fee, and the dining hall became a supplier of beer. 

Despite ale and beer being fundamentally the same, in this world devoid of brewing techniques and Craft Skills, the difference was like heaven and earth. The drunks were absolutely floored when she drank her own beer and reported that “it tastes like wheat.” Although her looks were misrepresentative of her actual age, they wanted to yell, Young people should watch their mouth! 

Dogai returned two days later, but he turned right back around to Helshper with Lux and the promotional whiskey. After the product was accepted, Cayna was scheduled to receive large quantities of wheat. 

And it was thus that Cayna’s job in the village was decided. It felt like somewhere out there, someone was yelling Blasphemy! over the idea that a nondrinker was creating and selling alcohol. 

“…I sure hope that’s true.” 

“It has already been decided, so let’s accept our fate.” 

Kee’s support was more akin to a bullet wound, and Cayna wasn’t sure how to feel about it.