Joan lightly picked at the food on her plate, trying to remember what it was. She was fairly certain it was an insect of some kind, but she couldn’t be certain. Maybe some kind of small bird? She’d already cast a simple spell on it to make sure it wouldn’t be toxic too her, but that still left a lot of different options.
“Is something wrong with your food?” Isla asked.
“What? No, it’s fine,” Joan said. “Just not very hungry. Yes I know I need to eat,” she said quickly when she saw Bauteut open her mouth. “Also thinking.”
“Oh? What about?” Bauteut asked.
Joan paused and tensed slightly. The last thing she wanted to admit was that she couldn’t remember whatever this meat was called. She quickly tried to think of a response before glancing to Korgron. “About my sword?”
“You can have it back eventually,” Korgron said with a soft sigh, the demon picking at her own food just as much. “I just want to be sure it’s safe.”
“It’s not burning me,” Joan said.
“Yet,” Korgron said. “I’d prefer to ensure it never does.”
Joan sighed before giving a pleading look to Searle. To her annoyance, he quickly looked away. She gave a light huff. She understood WHY, of course. Didn’t mean she liked it. “Fine. No sword for me. Just don’t break it, okay? It was a gift.”
“It was just the sword I grabbed,” Searle said sheepishly. “I can get you another one.”
“If you want one so bad, I’ll get you one,” Korgron said with a roll of her eyes. “A nice one. Ones made with the essence of mighty demons.”
“I already have one of those,” Joan said. “But that sword saved my life. Besides, I don’t know what the key did to it, but it might make it pretty useful.”
“Once I’m done examining it, you can have it back,” Korgron said.
“But—”
“Not until then.”
Joan gave another sigh before putting another bite of the strange meat into her mouth and chewing it. It tasted a kind of like rabbit, but a little too sour. Korgron didn’t seem to be enjoying her’s much either, so she wondered if it just something they’d rarely eaten as she didn’t enjoy it.
Searle cleared his throat before lightly putting his fork down. “Err, can I speak for a moment?”
“Nobody is stopping you,” Joan said before she could stop herself. “Sorry, go ahead.”
Searle glanced around for a moment. She wondered what he expected to see, the only one in the dining room were Isla, Bauteut, the chosen and her. If there was anyone he could be open with, it was them. “I’ve been getting a lot of threats, since the celebration last night.”
There was a clatter of Isla’s utensils dropping on her plate and, to Joan’s surprise, the demon got to her feet before slamming both her hands down on the table. “What? Who? When? Where?”
Searle cringed and held up his hands, shaking his head. “I don’t think it’s anything serious. Probably pranks or--”
“I don’t care if it’s a prank,” Isla said, her voice all but dripping with venom. “To threaten one of the chosen, not to mention one of my guests, is something I will not forgive. Searle, I’m sorry. I don’t know why this wasn’t brought to my attention sooner, who did it?”
Joan almost felt bad for Searle when he was shaking in his seat. She suspected he never would have even mentioned it if he had known they’d care this much, though she couldn’t help being grateful to Isla. An open threat against one of the chosen was something even she couldn’t have predicted. As far as she knew there hadn’t ever been one against any of them during the Hero’s visits. Plenty of sneaky ones, but never open ones.
“I’m sorry,” Searle said. “At first I thought they were supposed to be gifts or something. But then they kept coming, just a few knives, then a sword, some arrows.”
For a long moment there was silence at the table and everyone was staring at Searle.
Joan was the first one to break the silence. By breaking into a small fit of giggles. After a few more moments they were all laughing, except Searle and Bauteut.
“Why are you all laughing?” Bauteut asked, her voice stern. “This is serious. If people are threatening Searle then--”
“That’s not a threat!” Joan said, before breaking into another fit of giggles. “Oh dear. Oh, Searle. I’m sorry, I really should have warned you. Those aren’t threats. They’re proposals!”
Searle stared at her, his eyes going wide. “Wait, what?”
“Wait, how do you know that?” Isla asked.
“Happened all the time,” Joan said, covering her mouth to try and stifle her giggles. She couldn’t help feeling bad for poor Searle. He looked horrified. “As the Hero I got hundreds. I think all the chosen did as well. It’s a demon ritual when they try to, uhhh… woo a human,” Joan said, before breaking into another fit of giggles. “Korgron, can you explain it better?”
Korgron gave a small nod, though she wasn’t doing a much better job of suppressing her laughter. “Indeed. It’s an offering. ‘Take this blade and join me to hunt for a demon and we will perform the ritual together’. At least, that was the origins of it. The actual hunt rarely happens anymore, but the idea is the same. Don’t worry, so long as you don’t send them, back, they’ll accept it as a rejection.”
Searle managed to actually go paler. “Wait. I’m not supposed to send them back?”
Joan couldn’t suppress it anymore. Her giggles turned to full laughter. “H-h-h-how many did you send back?” she asked while struggling to regain her breath.
Searle sunk a little more into his chair. “Most of them…”
“Joan,” Bauteut said. “It’s not that funny.”
“I disagree,” Joan said. “It’s hilarious. He handled this worse than I did.”
“Oh? And how did you handle it when you got yours?” Bauteut asked.
“I…” Joan trailed off and the laughter quickly died. “Actually, maybe not. Don’t worry, Searle. It’s really not a big thing to worry about. Just tell them you didn’t understand and, no matter what you do, don’t follow them alone anywhere. I had about five assassins try to kill me using that method.”
“What?” Korgron asked, her own laughter dying. “When?”
“When I was the Hero,” Joan said. “Lots of invites like that. It happened in nearly every city we went to. Oh dear. Searle, you poor thing. You’re going to get drowned in all kinds of invites and romantic requests.”
“What? Why?” Searle asked.
Joan couldn’t help feeling she shouldn’t be enjoying watching him squirm as much as she was, but she couldn’t help it. It was oddly adorable. Besides, if anyone deserved some attention for once, it was him. “Because you’re a chosen. Not to mention, well. Of the three chosen here, Andreas is taken and nobody is going to want to challenge that. Err, no offense Andreas. But you’re not worth it, your future sister-in-law is terrifying and would end you.”
“Not worth it?” Andreas asked before quickly adding. “Though my wife-to-be isn’t exactly a pushover either.”
“She is right, though,” Isla said in a teasing tone. “You’re not worth what I’d do to anyone who tried to take you from me.”
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“I’m not sure if I should be worried or… no, I’m just worried,” Andreas said before giving a mock-sigh, though she could see the smile on his lips.
“And that leaves you and Korgron,” Joan said. “And I’m certain she gets plenty.”
“I mean, I am pretty amazing,” Korgron said. “Even before I became one of the chosen.”
“So that leaves you,” Joan said. “So you’re going to be drowning in them. So just be careful and have fun.”
Searle was so red in the face now he could have almost passed for a demon. She imagined if he got much lower he’d end up falling out of his chair.
“So, all of the chosen got invites like those?” Isla asked, her tone sounding overly sweet.
“Yes,” Joan said before glancing over. Oddly, she saw the smile had vanished off Andreas face and he was starting to look nervous as well.
“Even Andreas?” Isla asked.
“Of course,” Joan said. Now she was sure of it, Andreas was squirming in his chair as well. She couldn’t imagine why.
“Did he take many of them up on this offer?” Isla asked.
“Andreas? Really?” Joan asked, trying to not burst into laughter again. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No? Is it really so shocking? I’m certain he must have been quite popular,” Isla said.
“He probably was, but he didn’t care,” Joan said. “I can’t say much about now, as he has definitely changed a lot from then. Well, maybe not a lot. Somewhat. But he never took anyone up on those offers. Of all of us, I think he hated them the most. Whenever there were celebrations, he’d try to avoid them. And in terms of romantic partners, well…” Joan couldn’t help feeling like an idiot. She really wished she could figure out WHY she didn’t know Isla existed before now. Had Andreas just never trusted her? Why was it sometimes Korgron told her but other times she didn’t seem to have a sister at all? “I’ll be honest. I used to always wonder what it was he was looking for. I think he was searching for you and without you being there, he never had any interest in anyone else.”
Isla stared at her for a long moment before glancing back to Andreas. “Really?”
“I mean, not that I could see,” Joan said. “But then again, from what I know, you never existed a lot of times. Or did, but I just didn’t know. It’s, honestly, pretty confusing. I can’t say for certain what it means. For all the chosen I imagined getting married though, he was the last one I would have guessed.”
Isla gave a small smile to Andreas before, gently, reaching out to grab his hand, giving it a light squeeze. “Well, perhaps I misspoke.”
“Oh? How?” Andreas asked. “Should I be worried?”
“Maybe. I just mean it seems you are worth it,” Isla said.
“Speak for yourself,” Korgron said. “If he ever betrayed you like that even if he survives you, he definitely won’t survive me.”
Andreas gave a light snicker before glancing to Joan. “So, is this what you’re going to keep doing? Put me in more trouble with my future family?”
“Hey, don’t blame me,” Joan said quickly. “I’m just repeating what past you did. Or future you. Possibly future and past you. It’s still you in the end. If you didn’t want to have it come back to haunt you in some alternate future and past thing where the Hero didn’t exist, you should have prepared better.”
“Well, currently present me is wondering how many more ‘stories’ of future Joan’s are going to get future me in trouble,” Andreas said.
“Probably all of them,” Joan said. “If this stuff was easy, I wouldn’t be here, now would I? But hey, think of the good side.”
“What?” Andreas asked.
“If I wasn’t here, she likely wouldn’t be either,” Joan said before motioning to Isla. “So at least some things came out better.”
Andreas glanced to Isla for a moment, before snickering. “So, how many of these offers would I get again? OW! It was a joke!”
Joan covered her mouth with her hand to stifle the giggles once more. As much as she hated losing what made her the Hero, she could at least take consolation in the fact that some things were better for it.
She did glance towards Searle for a moment, though, and made a mental note to talk to him alone later. As fun as it was to tease him for his shyness, she wanted to make sure that that was all it was. Maybe after Korgron finished with her sword.
------
“I still don’t like it,” Korgron said, her arms crossed and glaring at the sword resting on the small, stone worktable. It wasn’t hot enough to burn her anymore, but she didn’t seem to be taking any chances with it now. “It could be dangerous.”
“All of what I do is dangerous,” Joan said with a small giggle. The only reason she didn’t just reach out and take the sword was because she was pretty certain that Korgron would be even more protective over it if she seemed too eager. “But it’s a sword. Not to mention it’s bonded with me.”
“And that’s why I’m so concerned,” Korgron said. “It’s all weird. The bonding spell, that inner fire. It’s like something got trapped inside it when you cut it.”
“Well, the key did try to devour all of my magic. It almost did that to Bauteut and Searle as well. The elemental likely didn’t stand a chance,” Joan said with a shrug. “It saved my life.”
“Don’t try using the key with the sword again,” Korgron said. “Don’t try to unbond with it, either. I don’t want to have it feedback on you or anything. For all we know it’s bonded with the key now and that’s why it feels so strange.”
“I won’t,” Joan said before pausing and reconsidering what she said. “Well, I won’t unless my life requires me to. Then I think you’d prefer I not die.” The glare she received from the demon told her she guessed correctly, but Korgron wasn’t pleased with that answer at all. “Sooo… err… I can have it back?”
“Yes, for now,” Korgron said.
Joan nodded and quickly walked forward, struggling to control the excitement she felt when she picked up the blade. It felt good and solid in her hands. Even if it was the key that had allowed her to cast the spell, it was the first time in a long time she had really felt like a hero again. Like she could tap into those powers she once had if she really dedicated her all to it. She just had to remind herself that she’d best not get cocky. Even if it was a spell that the Hero had used, it had been a weak one by his standards. She was still nowhere near as powerful as the Hero was. Judging by the look Korgron was giving her, the demon was already considering taking the sword back. She quickly decided to change the subject. “So, when are we leaving?”
“Leaving? Where?” Korgron asked.
Joan turned to face Korgron, her eyes wide. “You’re joking, right? To get the other chosen?”
“Oh!” Korgron said before giving a small chuckle. “Relax, Joan. I thought you meant leaving somewhere today. We’ll go eventually. There are still a lot of things I need to ensure are taken care of before I leave. A month or two. Maybe three.”
Joan felt her heart fall. “What? That long? But we still need to get Chase and Neia! We can’t just wait here.”
“It’ll be fine,” Korgron said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “You know where everything is, don’t you? Didn’t you say you were already years ahead right now?”
“Well, yes,” Joan said. “But so is the Demon Lord. If he--”
“It won’t be that hard,” Korgron said. “Relax, there’s no rush.”
“There’s every rush,” Joan said. “It is literally the end of the world! Everyone dies, everything gone, no second chances. We--” A finger was put to her lips, silencing her.
“Joan. I cannot leave until I am certain everything here is ready. I’ll be teleporting us across the continent, it’s not something I can do easily to come back. So I have to be sure everything is in good standing when I leave.”
Joan wanted to object and even throw a fit, but after a few moments she sighed and gave a small nod. No matter how hard she wanted to argue, she knew that Korgron wouldn’t change her mind about this anytime soon. Especially if she though there was still valuable work to do here. “Fine. Just please, be quick?”
“Preparations take time,” Korgron said before reaching out to gently pat her head. “Patience. If you’re really that anxious about this, why not find ways to fill your time?”
“Like what?” Joan asked.
“Well, the key. It was something that you usually didn’t acquire until far later in your adventure, correct?” Korgron asked.
“Yeah,” Joan said before holding up her left hand. “It took us years to find this. We had to make deals with dragons, mermaids, that old hermit that smelled like olives, a--”
“Exactly, but you have it now,” Korgron said. “Far earlier than originally. Is there anything else like that you could have us deal with while we’re here? Surely some of our adventures took place here. I could even deal with some of those so long as I didn’t go very far and returned to check up on things.”
“Oh, of course,” Joan said. “There was the emerald dragon, the vampire, that whole thing with the secret order, the ancient tomb of…” She trailed off, her mouth falling open. She then lunged forward and hugged Korgron. “You genius! You wonderful, amazing genius!”
“Yes, I know,” Korgron said with a light laugh before patting her on the head. “But go on about how amazing I am.”
“Eeeee!” Joan said before letting her go. “This is perfect! We can take care of soooo many things before they even happen! Ohhhh, this means we can even get the scale of the River God while we’re here!”
“What?” Korgron asked.
“Long story, trust me, it’s not as bad as it sounds,” Joan said before turning and running off towards her room. She had so many things she’d have to prepare for. She could shave years off their adventures, take care of all of their tasks out here at once. She did pause before leaving the room, though. “Oh, Korgron? One more thing.”
“Yes?” the demon asked, staring at her with bewilderment.
“Remind me later to have a training session with you. I really need to help you get better at your magic, you are kind of sloppy right now,” Joan said with a teasing tone before running out of the room, barely avoiding the wave of snow that hit the wall behind her. “See? That should have hit me!”
“Call me sloppy again and it won’t be the only thing that does!” Korgron yelled after her.