Awww, so adorable… How can they be so cute?

The mushroom people were cute.

Gwen peeked through the window to the kitchen where the Pukupukus were doing tons of cooking. She had to stand on top of a wooden box and tip-toe to see. When the master visited, they cooked much more food than usual.

Pudgy body and limbs, the way they were up and about, and even the way they communicated with sounds and body language was charming. It could be hard to distinguish one Pukupuku from the next, especially those with the same color on their caps, however, Gwen had observed them long enough to discern specific individuals.

Their role in Dia’s Biome, or Viridis as her master-slash-kin named it, was of a worker. Cleaning, cooking, and tending to the garden and livestock, the Pukupukus did the bulk of the work. They never complained, even looking happy doing the most tedious of jobs.

“Eeeek!?”

Gwen was startled by something touching her leg. When she looked down, there was a Pukupuku with a tall red cap there. It poked her with its roundy limbs.

It pointed at her and tilted its head. Its round eyes were full of curiosity.

“What am I doing? I’m watching the rest of you cook. Sorry. Was I intruding?”

How unbefitting of a lady, Gwen thought.

The Pukupuku shook its body and placed its hand on its mouth.

“Why? It’s just… kind of interesting?”

It did a twirl. It looked happy. It pointed at her and made a gesture of cutting and moving the frying pan, then it gave a quizzical face again at Gwen.

“Do I know how to cook? Well, no.”

As Farley’s sister, Gwen was from a somewhat well-off family. The Styra family got its wealth by doing cult activities. She never lacked anything. Every meal she had was prepared and served to her by servants. Not to mention she was only ten, so how could she cook?

The Pukupuku shook its head, because it didn't possess a neck, its body also moved. It beckoned her to the kitchen using its hand.

“Oh, umm…” Gwen racked her brain trying to interpret. “Do I want to cook?”

It jumped happily in place. Glad it was understood.

“But, I don't know how.”

It patted its body multiple times. Trying to push its chest up.

“You’ll teach me? Aw… How kind of you.”

As an ex-cultist, the outside world was quite dangerous, or so her sister often said. Gwen used to think most of the people in the world were heretics who worshiped false gods. To have everything you know turned upside down could be confusing. Now it was only her and her sister left. Sis Farley was doing her damnedest to take care of her. Gwen wanted to do something for her too, but she couldn't do much.

If I make something tasty, would Sis be happy?

“Honestly, I’m a bit scared by the fire. Unlike Sis, I can't create water by swinging my hand,” Gwen slouched slightly.

The Pukupuku gave her an assurance. It would protect her.

“Ehehehe. Okay. I’ll be counting on you. I want to give a tasty meal to my sis when she gets back. Please teach me.”

It took her hand and led her to the kitchen. After a short explanation to the other Pukupukus, they gave her a jovial welcome. Gwen was a bit embarrassed.

“Okay then, what should I do?” Gwen asked after wearing an apron it gave her and washing her hands.

The Pukupuku that took it upon itself to teach her was trying to look as dignified as possible, which only made it all the cuter, like a puppy trying to be big. It cut a piece of bean curd into nice, even little cubes expertly. Then it gestured to Gwen do the same. Gwen noticed the knife it gave her was made of wood and dull.

“Okay then, here goes…”

Outside the kitchen, Viers was watching while eating a taco. He hid his presence to not interrupt.

Not only him, the girls trio were with him also. Paina and Clarissa gave Farley, who held back a tear, a shoulder.

All right girls, vamoose. Back later for reunion, Viers used telepathy.

When they praised the mapo tofu they ate that night, Gwen’s face was downright beaming.

***

Viers' schedule was tight.

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He wanted to hang out longer with the girls but he had to do his job as a vassal and accompany Croix so he only had one night to eat as much as he could to refill the vitality he lost against Marvin. Victa-wise, Viers was still fine even though he spent a massive amount fighting a Level 4. Part of it was because he’d utilized Futon’s power and the other was because of his previous energy breakthrough, the soul-to-energy transformation, Soul Energon Arte.

The three Sisterhood of Traveling Soul and the three starting pokémon deserved some time off, so only Viers and Boram went to the Shore with Croix and his baby dragon.

Paina and Farley had an eventful journey. They brought many souvenirs. There were notable mentions among them. Dia got four stalks of Singing Flowers, Faiya received the Yellow Embers from the Cave of Fire, and Futon received a barrel of Salty-Sweet Vapor.

As for Marvin, he was already delivered to the one who pre-ordered him, Izabella of the Blood Church. The Vice-Vicar was jubilant. She immediately made arrangements with her higher-ups. In return, Viers got a lot of fees from her in many forms such as cultivation resources and information. She also told him to wait favorably for the Blood Seraph Arte’s matter.

There was one conundrum however. When she inspected the prince, she found that many of his memories were missing. It was the result of Viers messing with Marvin’s soul. Iz naturally complained about the state of the goods.

As long as it benefited him, Viers got no issue with murder or selling people. He left his morals at home before embarking on a cultivation journey.

“Hey, the deal is for a living Latias royal family and you got a living Latias royal family.”

Someone as important as Marvin had a ton of juicy information inside his head that other parties could use. Those were missing from the prince.

“On a separate note, I got some lucrative info about this and that from the prince’s head. Would you like to make a purchase?”

Viers made the universal gesture of money. Iz made an expression that resembled her having eaten a sour lemon.

Viers picked his battles well. He fought someone that could bring him more wealth than he spent. Cultivation was a matter of managing one’s resources afterall.

“Oh, but it might be too expensive for you, Vice-Vicar,” Viers emphasized while saying the rank. He knew Iz emptied most of her purse buying the prince from him. “Feel free to pass it up the ladder.”

Izabella’s expression got worse.

***

It took a day of travel by a carriage for Croix’s group to reach the Shore from Stormberg. Pathseekers could arrive quicker than that but they would use precious Victa so they usually wouldn't unless they had a good reason to. The road only reached halfway, the rest of the trip could barely be called an animal trail.

The Shore was a wreck. Viers wasn't expecting much to begin with so he wasn't surprised, unlike Croix. Incidentally, Boram was used to looking at poverty because of his background as a slave so he wasn't surprised too.

The Shore was a village that stood by the Glattis Sea. It seemed to be on the large side of a village. Hard to gauge now because there wasn't a hut that was properly standing. Something destroyed the village very recently.

The group’s arrival was noticed by the haggard people who Viers assumed were the villagers of the Shore.

“Hail,” Croix greeted two men who were closest. They were shifting through the rubble. “We came from Stormberg under orders from the countess. May I see the chief of this place?”

The two men looked at each other and pushed one another to speak. Then the braver one finally spoke before risking the ire of someone they should not offend, he assumed.

“C-certainly, milords,” the Idler seemed very subservient to the younger Croix, very normal behavior. “I would love to bring the chief but… I’m afraid you must be the one that goes to him. Hiiii! Forgive me!”

The man seemed afraid he would be struck or even killed by saying such things. Croix didn't understand but Viers and Boram did. Viers had lost count reading about Arrogant Young Masters who killed those they deemed lesser for the slightest inconvenience.

There was a faint voice from the back of his head that said: aren't you kinda the same? Viers thought about it in a few seconds and replied that he mostly killed for good reason. Mostly.

Meanwhile, Croix was led by the fear stricken man through the destroyed village. Viers and Boram followed. As they waded through the destruction, eyes were on him. Not only because of their outlook that signified they were Pathseekers but also the presence of a small dragon that latched on Croix’s shoulder. The dragon eyed his surroundings with interest.

Hushed whispers were among the villagers.

Someone of royal blood had come to their village!

The dragon was a dead giveaway. In Latias, it was commonly known that only the royal family commanded the mighty dragons. The statement wasn't accurate but it didn't matter to the ordinary folk.

They watched Croix with fear and reverence.

There was also hope.

The party came to a makeshift shelter. The three entered after dismounting. They met the village chief there, an old bedridden man who looked as frail as a twig. He was not alone. There were other wounded under the same roof.

“Welcome, dear guests,” the man said between coughs. “Please forgive this old man who cannot give you the simple courtesy of saying so on his feet.”

The chief was already old and he was wounded. Both his feet were broken and his spine also had problems, Viers diagnosed so using his X-ray vision.

“Think nothing of it,” Croix replied softly. “Can you tell us what happened here?”

The chief told his tale, about the gods throwing stones to the sea and a tidal wave swept their village afterward two days ago at dawn. The real village chief, a Level 2 Pathseeker, perished to give the villagers a chance of survival during the calamity. Thanks to that, some ninety of them survived from a population of two hundred. After his son’s demise, the title of chief went back to the old man.

“I see… I’m very sorry for your loss,” Croix dipped his head.

Viers and Boram also expressed their sympathy. That meant the incident only happened a few hours prior to the return of Croix from Archion Volcano. She acted swiftly.

The gods throwing stones? Ah, meteors? Land on the sea said he? I’ve got to check it out!

Viers made plans to foray into the sea.

“Rest assured, chief. The countess is not deaf to her subject's plight. I’ve come under her order to act as viceroy and bring prosperity to the Shore. I came to help and I shall. I promise you.”

“Ohhh,” the chief felt such a relief in his chest. His lips quivered. “Truly? Praise be to Estelle the Radiant Lady. Praise you, young man!”

Cheers also came from the people eavesdropping from the outside. The people had lost much, some lost everything. Croix’s arrival was like a rain after drought.

I'm from the government and I'm here to help, hm? …Well, Croix, it’s going to be hard work from now on.

Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley, etc. Viers had played enough of them to know for sure it was hard work.

Still, it could be fun.