"We really spent a good amount of time in the bath, huh?"
I say that as I finish doing my braid-bun and adding the dark blue ribbon Nerinne just gave me.
"Indeed, high noon has come quite quickly. More importantly, how do the new clothes feel, dear? Fufu~."
Meanwhile, that same girlfriend of mine asks me that, clearly having enjoyed watching me change into the new clothes that she made and enjoying it even more now that I have them on.
By the way, we are back in our private locker room.
"This was one of the outfits I wanted to use since I got this body but the breeze..."
I say so as I try to look down at my legs and the long navy-blue skirt that covers them, but my breasts are in the way.
Yep, I can't see a thing, well, besides these bags of joys and dreams that are ever so tightly enclosed by a white long-sleeved blouse, one that folds in all the right places, pulling my attention to them, and the navy-blue ribbon that is on the blouse's neck, its laces resting right on top my chest.
As you may have already guessed, I'm using one of the sets of casual clothes that my besto waifu used in her games.
"It still feels kind of weird to use a skirt...even if using my bodysuit could be considered weirder."
I sway around a bit and feel how the skirt moves along with me, fluttering and pulling my attention towards it...
This breezy feeling is quite strange for me...
My breasts jiggle a bit too as I move, but the bra I'm using helps with that.
Even though this body already helps to keep them in place naturally.
"Now, now. An outfit must be worn completely or not at all. That includes the underwear and the tights."
"Yeah, I can see that perfectly."
Nerinne is wearing a perfect reproduction of Batty-hime's 'princess' outfit.
It's obvious, but she looks breathtakingly gorgeous.
"Thank you. I could say the same thing about you though. Fufufu~~~."
"Hmph! Of course I do! BESTO WAIFU'S BEAUTY IS AN ABSOLUTE TRUTH! SHE CAN EVEN MAKE A LLAMA ONESIE LOOK GOOD!"
I spin around letting the skirt float up a bit and then I make a pose that goes accordingly with my statement, planting my feet on the floor, putting one hand on my hip, and the other one extended in front of me while making a 'v' sign.
Heck, I even use a bit of light magic behind to drive the point home.
"Fufufu...hahahahaha...hahahahahaha...stop...haha...stop...please...hahaha"
I know I'm making a smug smile right now since I'm pretty satisfied with myself.
"Yes...haha...that is indeed how you are, Auros. And here I thought I was going to enjoy some of your embarrassed expressions."
"Heh, sumanai, but I wasn't planning on doing that. COSPLAYING WITH THIS BODY IS A MUST."
We both laugh for a bit after I say that.
This is really fun.
"Although why am I wearing the OG casual set and not the more popular Gothic Lolita?"
I tilt my head as I ask that, my bangs moving along with it.
"Patience dear, it is a virtue in all worlds. That, and I wanted to save it for when you are in the capital. Do believe me, you will love it."
I CAN'T WAIT!!
_____________________________________________________
"Ok Sylvie, show me what you got!"
"Yes, Miss Kris!!"
With a shout like that our little fight starts, all while I have my hands behind my back.
You could say that I'm quite cocky and normally, that'd be a good excuse to start a good ol' rumble but...!
That is all a front. For today at least.
After all, today I'm in charge of playi—I mean, testing the greenies that our good Master recruited.
"Haah! Hya! Ha!"
The one who is swinging an axe and a knife at me without any technique is a villager, no, former villager, named Sylvie Lute.
"Haha. You look like some crazy farmer."
And the idiot who is acting quite confident because of our matching outfits is the other, more bothersome greenie, Sophie.
You see, if the Goddess seems to be bullying you, then that means you made some shitty life choices and have a personality that goes along with it.
Plus, being detected that quickly by Luca...shows you're crap as a spy.
Don't worry though, I'll straighten her up in no time, Goddess.
That's one of my specialties, heh.
Seems like these thoughts made me grin at her because Sophie just got the chills.
Good.
"Hya! Ha! Kindly. Shut. Up! HAH!"
Phew...! She really is trying to land a hit on me, nice! She also managed to keep her eyes on me while being annoyed by Sophie, that's good too.
As for her attacks, none are landing.
Why?
Well, you see, I'm quite nimble and I like to show it at every chance I get.
I can easily dodge her attacks one after the other, even with my handicap.
That is of course, part of my combat style.
Before I looked like this, I used to be considered slow due to my size and choice of weapon.
That misunderstanding was a huge advantage I decided to make use of back then.
Also, carrying that thing around all the time helped make me even faster without it.
And thanks to that, I can do this...
"See? This is why I told you there was no problem in letting you use real weapons instead of dummies! You. Can't. Hit. Me!"
Evading all attacks while provoking them even more. Just imagine how irritated someone can get when they can't hit the 'obviously slow' person of the group.
In Sylvie's case, I want to see if she can fall for tricks like this when her opponent is the one doing it and not just someone else.
More so, since provoking your opponent is quite a common tactic and she will surely face it a lot of times now that she is with us.
"And. I. Didn't. Expect. To. Do. So! HAH! HYA! [Woodcutter]!"
"Oomph! Now that was a nice one Sylvie! So, you were saving that kind of skill, huh?"
"Ha...ha...ha...even so, you dodged it, Miss Kris..."
"Of course, but that was a nice straight line you traced with your axe."
[Woodcutter] is obviously a wood cutting skill, and everyone who lived in a village or just cut a lot of logs for the fireplace will have it.
I have it too.
It makes cutting wood easier, faster, and more precise, but it can also be used in combat while using an axe.
It does tire you out though since it's not a true combat skill. The word Mika used was...calibrated? Hmm...something like that.
Still, she didn't fall for my provocation and actually tried to do a feint with her knife before using it.
Sylvie's looking good.
"I'm really...weak...then. Right...ha...Miss Kris?"
"Hah? You're still going on with the ignorant weak village girl thing? Take that crap out of your head."
"Ouch! My forehead! Uuu..."
Poking her head to reinforce my point sure is effective. See? I can debate just like Gabrielle.
"Everyone is weak when they are just starting that's like a law. Well...maybe Master didn't, but she is a clear exception...but, in any case, even I wasn't always like this, you know?"
"Pffft...that's an unders—"
"Sophie, shut it or I'll rough you up when your turn comes."
Heh, glaring at her sure works wonders.
"..."
I get why she was going to laugh though, but Sylvie doesn't need to know that, and we are sure not the ones to tell her.
"Yes, but..."
"But what? Are you going to say that you're a village girl and that is why you and I are different?"
And she just nods...
I want to sigh so hard but that is Erevain's thing.
I get myself real close to her, putting my arm over her shoulder and all that.
"Let me tell you a little secret. I'm also from one of the villages in the outskirts. You know what that means, Sylvie? Come on, tell me."
"No way. You are so strong and beautiful on top of that! There is just no way!"
Mu-mu-mu-mu! I'll ignore that last part for the sake of my composure!
"Ha! Your face! You really can't believe me! But it's true! Little fishing village in the south of the Kingdom and all the tedious routine that implies. So, again, what does that mean, Sylvie?"
"That you were a village girl like me, Miss Kris."
She is technically correct, but at the same time it feels...wrong.
"And...?"
But if it helps her, then that is a checkmark in my book!
"That I can be like you if I train hard enough?"
"The second half of that was great, the first one...mmm not so much. If you train hard enough and believe me, you will, I'll make sure of it, you will become strong. But it will be with your own type of strength."
Good, she is getting motivated again.
"From what I got now; you have the showings of a good fighting sense. You tried to do a feint followed by a hard-hitting skill. That is good. In terms of weapons, why not stick to that combination for now? It will help you establish some bases with things you are familiar with and then we will move up with other options. But that is just my advice, you can choose whether to follow it or not."
Still, she is basically learning from zero, so I think it would be for the best if she sticks to those weapons.
And I must admit that I saw the glimmer of a good axe wielder the moment she used that skill, so I'm also doing it for that.
"I will follow it, Miss Kris! Please train me well!"
"Wha—?! What are you doing h-holding m-my hands like this?! I understand!"
This girl! She acts way too friendly!
"Heheh."
"Also, stop calling me 'Miss Kris'! It's just Kris or Instructor if you must..."
"Okay, Kris!"
She finally let go of my hands...
"Sophie, you're up and with you I'm not putting my hands on my back."
"What?! But I didn't say anything just like you told me!"
"For one, you are supposed to have some training already. Two, I didn't like you being so full of yourself just because you have the uniform."
I take my stance and Sophie immediately takes some steps back.
"Come on! Yes, it was training, but it's not like the one you and the others had...! I mean you are...!"
"What?"
Seriously, this idiot. She is supposed to be a spy but she has this loose of a tongue...
"Ah, shit."
"Yes, that sums it up perfectly."
I am really going to straighten her up.
_________________________________________________
"This meat is quite delicious."
Said Jules while wolfing down a steak with some potatoes and carrots mixed in.
"To think that Master was such a fan of meat to the point of having so many different cuts of it. I still get surprised every time."
Meanwhile, Louise cooked more food as she said that, and it was not just the one dish. There were many dishes being prepared at the same time and she attended to them all as if they were nothing.
"Mhm...it has been a long time since I've seen you doing your thing in a kitchen, Louise. *chomp*"
Jules finished with her current dish and started eating a new one, a soup with a light broth and various types of legumes.
"Yes, cooking in the forest has its charm and I like a good challenge every once in a while, but...nothing beats a good kitchen and treating you all to a good meal."
The memories of their stay in the forest resurfaced in her mind as she spoke, turning her smile into a heavy one.
That caused Jules to stop eating and focus her sharp gaze on Louise instead.
"Your food was delicious back there too and you helped us a lot, so don't be too hard on yourself. Ensuring we always had three meals a day, even when we were low on supplies, is something that we are all grateful for. But not only that, seeing you make the best out of our situation kept a lot of us going."
And as such words left her lips, Jules smiled warmly at her friend, making a certain heaviness go away.
"You're just saying that now because I look like this."
As she said that, Louise put one of her hands on her hip and used the other one to show herself.
Then she let out a small laugh.
Jules did the same.
"Haha...I was being honest. Although, it is a welcome bonus that the recipient is a beautiful woman now."
"Oh you! Don't try to be cool with me. Also, you are not getting double dishes again today."
"Tch...heh."
"Do perform well in the mission please, I want to taste Master's cooking since she knows these ingredients better than me."
Louise had been operating via educated guesses using her knowledge on ingredients of Arte and finding points in common with the ingredients found in the castle's kitchen. Things like potatoes and carrots were easy to identify, as well as meat, but other things were difficult to her. So, she was glad when ingredients she knew started appearing in the kitchen storage.
"I will, my gut is telling me that Master can show me a whole new world of food."
Her eyes shined as she drooled at the prospect of tasting such foods.
"Hahaha, you never change."
Louise made a full smile and got back to her cooking.
_________________________________________________
"Did you make any progress?"
Asked Allegra to Luca with a concerned smile, like the one an older sibling would have as they help their younger sibling with something.
They were in Luca's room, sitting on the bed side by side.
"...not...so much..."
Luca shook her head while looking downwards. Her hair moved accordingly showing a bit of her eyes. Then she tried to hide her face by cradling her arms around her knees.
"Hmm...that is fine, don't worry. You just have to keep taking those little steps and you will be able to talk with other people normally."
Said Allegra while patting Luca on her head, startling her.
"...!"
"I can't imagine how it is like to have so much to talk about to the point that it makes you unable to speak well with others, but I can understand having something to overcome. And what do we do about it?"
Allegra turned her face towards hers, even if Luca was still hiding it.
"..."
At first there was only silence, but Allegra waited patiently, as she always does with Luca.
"...we keep...trying our best!"
Luca raised her head as she said that with everything she had, and Allegra smiled warmly.
"Exactly."
"Allegra..."
"Yes?"
"Let's be...useful to...Master."
"Of course."
They both nodded at each other.
"Besides, with our cuteness victory is assured. We will claim Master's reward without a problem."
"Huh?! W-wha..?! I-I'm not...cute...!"
"Mhmm, yes you are."
Luca started 'hitting' Allegra while completely flustered.
Meanwhile, Allegra 'defended' herself from such 'attack' as she laughed.
_____________________________________________________
The day passed quickly giving way to the night and its stars.
Almost everyone was in their rooms, either sleeping or just resting.
But not all.
Some tried to assault the kitchen, only to be met with disappointment and the presence of Louise, who seemed to appear out of nowhere to guard it.
And others trained, gave maintenance to their equipment, or simply prepared for their upcoming mission.
But one place in the castle shined the brightest that night.
It was the smithy.
The sounds of the work being done filled its walls, with only one person being responsible for it.
Roxxy.
She was doing the carriage's maintenance while thinking of the weapons she would start forging after it.
"I could put some Blaze Crystals in Luca's new daggers now and that way she can go to the capital with new weapons. But...I could wait until Gabrielle and her group get the Shadow Crystals and that way Luca could get a much better weapon overall...what to do? What to do? Hmmm..."
After she murmured that to herself, she put her hand on her chin and kept pondering.
At least until she was interrupted.
"That is quite the conundrum you have there, Roxxy."
"...!"
Indeed, she had been so focused on her own thoughts that she couldn't help but get startled at the voice that suddenly replied to her.
But there was no way she wouldn't recognize whom the voice belonged to.
"G-Goddess! I'm sorry, I didn't notice you coming in!"
"Fufufu~~. Do not worry, I was just on my nightly stroll through the castle and I got curious when I saw the lights on. And please, its Nerinne."
"I-I...aye...sorry, it's just difficult to do that, but could we compromise on Miss Nerinne for now?"
Roxxy scratched her head out of nervousness but breathed a sigh of relief the moment Nerinne nodded.
"That is a good start. Thank you, Roxxy."
She smiled at Roxxy in a satisfied and innocent manner. Such a compromise meant a lot to her, after all.
Meanwhile, Roxxy seemed to want to say something but didn't know how.
"I believe you are asking yourself what you can do for me. Am I right?"
"...!"
Roxxy's eyes widened for a moment and then she nodded.
"Aye...I will do my best fulfill it."
"Perfect, because I was curious if you do requests."
"Eh—?"
Roxxy was dumbfounded by what Nerinne said and all that it implied.
"I want you to put this..."
She said so as she took out a lock of her hair that she had previously cut through unknown means, at least unknown to Roxxy, and put it on a table nearby.
"...in the weapons you forge for everyone. This will let them grow in power with all of you. And while they will not be holy, they will be blessed. Can you do it?"
"..."
Roxxy was at a loss for words, overwhelmed by the request of the Goddess before her.
The implications of using the Goddess' hair as material for the weapons, with it being a question of 'should' instead of 'could'.
The mere question of how to actually handle it.
Those thoughts appeared on her mind one after the other.
But then something else came, another thought, the result of actually going through with it.
One that resulted in a question.
'What kind of weapon could be born from it?'
That question alone silenced the others.
It nurtured a feeling that every living being had.
Curiosity.
Even more so, her curiosity as a blacksmith.
Roxxy wanted to know that.
She wanted to see what was at the end of the tunnel that was suddenly in front of her.
This was a chance that only very few have had in their lives if the legends were true.
And she was at the starting line of one of such legends.
As such, her heart already screamed the answer to her and her hands trembled in excitement, reinforcing such answer.
Thus, she knew what she had to do.
Roxxy then mustered all her strength to give the Goddess an answer.
"I wouldn't be able to keep calling myself a blacksmith if I rejected the request of my life. I'll do it."
"Excellent. Thank you very much, Roxxy. For this and for taking care of Ilya. She told me she had a lot of fun."
Nerinne smiled fully as she spoke, not as a Goddess, pleased with her request being heeded, but as a person and a mother.
Something that made Roxxy relax around her, at least a bit more.
"Nay, thank you, Miss Nerinne. For your trust and I vow to not disappoint you."
Said Roxxy as she knelt like the knight she was too.
And so, another night passed.
To be continued...(cue...SPOOKED BY NIGHTINGALE WITH JUST A TICKET IN NA SERVER!!! WOOO!!! Didn't get the Count but this is fine! And also, good news. Got "illustrations" of some of the characters. So-so news, I bit the bullet and went to a waifu creator app just to see what comes out of it. Bad news, not a lot of options and no *ahem* chest option soo... Without further ado, enjoy.) (WAIT! Author of the present here! Make sure to scroll until the very end to see a very nice OFFICIAL illustration! This one comes courtesy of one of out Maid-Paragons in Patreon! Schoookie! As for the artist he commissioned, well, who else but LARH! The one behind the cover and other official illustrations!)
Nerinne (my best try):
Auros (Ditto but with you know who alter since it's the whole frigging point of the story):
Ilya (impossible to make her look younger...):
Erevain (I think this one came out good imo):
Kris (Good too but the scar is supposed to be a bit different):
Gabrielle (can you feel the "OHOHOHO"?):
Luca (Gotta admit, this one was quite easy lol):
Allegra (Guess her magic?):
Roxxy (Her hair is a shade darker but it was this or Gogeta type of blue):
Jules (Not that piercing but hey I tried with the tools I had):
Louise (Yep, she looks really similar to Nerinne...)
Sophie (Bully target #1):
Last but not least, Silvie (why the school uniform? Just imagine that is the apprentice's uniform...):
What do you think? Do I keep trying to make the other characters with this or do I keep starving (jk)myself so I can save money and get an illustrator? Or both?
And now don't you agree that our adorable volcano deserves a good night kiss?!
Special thanks from the bottom of my heart to: EmbraceTheSleeb, Lord-Hollow, YukisoraRin, LordInquisitorSteele, Anon, Anon2, Tikku, Teresa, Ayth, Knight_Redundant, Schoookie, sumdudeguy, pokio, greatred, eeleater, ChaTY, CrimsonNarwhal, NAEON, AnimeFreak1982, Anon 3, Aravir, Big Ounce, Anon4, Thistle's Dragon, Cinder, and Salinthrous!
Please do not translate my work without my permission. Favor de no traducir mi trabajo sin mi expreso permiso.
Please do not repost the official or the fan-made art shown here and in the story in general. Por favor no repostees el arte oficial o el arte hecho por fans mostrado aquí y en la historia en general.
Have a great day!!