Author's Note: Some love for Ai here! It may be too early for an Side Story but meh. Enjoy.

~Ai Perspective~

Ai and Laia are walking around town sampling the goods from the stalls.

Laia: “How do you like the fish Ai?”

Ai: “Mmm! It’s good mommy!” [Mommy is so nice! She is a lot like Mr. Cat!]

Laia and Ai arrive in front of a store front.

Ai: [Adventure Galore: For all of your adventurley needs] “Mommy what is this place for?”

Laia: “Hmmm well I thought that I should get something to protect yourself with. Seeing as how you are the Hero of the Vanguard you probably need a shield and a sword.”

Ai: “Hm?” [I don’t understand these things muuu.]

Laia and Ai walk into the shop and see an elderly man with small spectacles sitting at the counter. He has a white goatee and a wooden cane sits next to him. He slowly looks up from what appeared to be a sleeping position and cracks a smile.

Old Man: “What can I do for the great adventurer Laia the Drowned Healer? Heheheh.”

Laia: “Oh cut that out old man Zelan. I’m an inactive adventurer now and I’m not nearly as famous as you.”

Ai: “Drowned?”

Laia: “Oh my sweetie that is just what people called me in the past. You don’t have to worry about it.”

Zelan looks at Ai inquisitively then turns back to Laia.

Zelan: “Who is this little cutie? I can’t imagine that you would actually take your obsession so far as to have a child with a beast man.”

Laia: “Ah! my familiar saved her from some kidnappers and I adopted her as my daughter! Isn’t she just the cutest? Ehehe.”

Zelan: “That so? Well, let’s get to business. Though I wouldn’t put it past you to just go and show off your new daughter to the world, that isn’t what you came for right?”

Laia: “Ohh as perceptive as you always are Zelan. Yes, I came here to buy a small shield and short sword for Ailith here.”

Laia pats Ai’s head and Ai closes her eyes content in the comfort her mother supplies. Ai’s tail starts waving back and forth as well.

Ai: [Feels gooood hehe.]

Zelan looks at Ai for a bit then turns back to Laia.

Zelan: “Isn’t it a bit early for her?”

Laia: “Well… She is the Hero of the Vanguard so the previous heroes will probably start to teach her soon so I thought that it would be a good idea to give her something real.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Zelan: “Ehh well your choice. Would a simple wooden round shield and a short sword work for her?”

Zelan pulls out a small round shield fit for a ten year old and a short sword that is about .75 meters long. (Ai is 140 cm) He hands them to Laia and Laia fits them onto Ai’s little 10 year old arms.

Laia: “How much are they?”

Zelan: “Well I’ll give you a discount so how about 10 silvers?”

Laia: “Hmm 8 silvers.”

Zelan looks at Laia for a moment.

Zelan: “9 or no deal.”

Laia: “Deal~”

Ai: [How much is silvers? All Mr. Cat ever used was the brown coins.]

Laia looks at Ai while she takes out the money to give to Zelan.

Laia: “Are you wondering how the money works Ai?”

Ai nods her head.

Laia: “Well coppers are the lowest coin. Silvers are equal to 10 coppers and gold is equal to 100 silvers. The currency is called nez. Got it?”

Ai: [Not really but okaaay.]

Ai nods her head despite not understanding it at all.

Laia: “Okay. Thanks Zelan!”

Ai: “Byee old man!”

Zelan: “Come again I suppose.”

Laia and Ai leave Zelan’s shop and walk down the road sampling more goods. They walk around until it starts to get dark then start to walk home on the dirt path. Suddenly there are two shadows that walk out of the forest in front of them.

Shadow 1: “Hehe to think we found our merchandise again. hehe right Bro?”

Shadow 2: “Yeah lets get them it’s just a little woman that is with the goods easy pickins.”

Laia walks past them ignoring them.

Shadows: “”Eh? Come back here and give us the merchandise or we’ll shiv ya!””

Laia turns back to them and casts a spell.

Laia: “Drown”

Water traps the two sketchy men and Laia approaches them. She takes out a mace from nowhere and manipulates the water to bring them closer to the surface. The faces of the two men contort in fear as Laia approaches them menacingly.

~A few bloody moments later~

Two blobs of red liquid remain on the ground. They occasionally twitch here and there.

Laia: “There! lets go home now Ai!”

Ai: [Mommy is so cool! I wanna be like her when I grow up!]

And so, Yen’s troubles increased by many folds. Though, that is a tale for another day.