Finally, Lambert's cooking was back on the menu.

"Sir Dioneras was not joking, the food you make is splendid." The dwarf praised the court wizard at every chance he got. "It was worth traveling here, and I'm glad you were returned safely."

Now I had to worry about getting out of shape again. But with all the exercises I was forced to do during my training, I was much less likely to gain weight. And it became compulsory to participate.

"Come on Gomel, eat up and it's your turn next." Omerta was calling for him. She finished the other wyvern-skin armor and made a second iron golem on the last day. She borrowed my crystal for that and was pleased with the results. "You need to work for the food, and extra hard for the portions your horses got."

Everyone who wanted to become a permanent resident in Nateaser had to join at least once a week. Their species, strength, or occupation didn’t matter, all tribesmen were expected to defend themselves. Charlotte made a few policy changes with all the new dangers lurking around.

"Just a few more moments, Lady Witch, let me pour some wine to accompany this fine meal." The dwarf took his sweet time, not worried about making everyone else wait. He even tried to corrupt the orc girl. "Do you not want some? This is from the last barrel, enjoy it while it lasts."

"No, I'm done with drinking." Omerta shook her head, but I could tell she was tempted. She noticed me, continuing with a grin. "Offer it up for Nati instead, and don't skip your training."

Said training was different for everyone. Sometimes it meant no more than handling the crossbow and running into safety, even goblins and the children could do that much. And they were expected to do so as well since every little thing improved our chances of survival in the village. We'd never know when the Elder would decide to attack us again, especially after Alexandra snatched away her hostage.

"Fine, but moving around with a full belly." The dwarf complained, casually walking over to the main square. The newest recruits were already there, sweating heavily from the horned beastman's training. "Is it practicing with that fine crossbow? What an excellent invention, Lady Nati, you deserve all the wine for that, indeed."

Even if I encouraged the villagers to treat me as a girl, being called a lady was a bit embarrassing, and in general, I couldn't handle this kind of praise. But it was just how Gomel talked, he never missed a chance to say some over-the-top kind words to everyone. But it didn't save him from the training, and it wasn't to practice shooting this time.

My little sister was no exception either, and she was adamant about joining the regular training and signing up for the dungeon quest. She was killing it, surprising everyone.

"I give, I give." The blacksmith threw his hands up, pinned against the ground. Not even a minute had passed, and he was about twice her size. His arms alone were nearly as thick as her torso, and she slammed him so effortlessly I couldn't believe it. "That was a great fight, lady Emily, no doubt you are Nati's family. I think you broke my rib."

"How?" Was all I could ask, with my mouth hanging open. That dwarf must have been three hundred pounds or more, and my little sister was what, sixty at best? And I was supposed to be in God's body.

"Sorry, Gomel, I'm still not used to it." She reached out to pull him up with a grin. "Plus I can't hold back if I want to prove myself."

"I'm curious where you learned these techniques." The Demon Lord's goblin captain praised her too. Avalon was especially interested in every tactic that involved smaller, and weaker creatures going up against larger ones. "Are they possible to master for us, goblins too?"

"Huh, I guess? It's just Judo." Emi shrugged, playing the modest little girl, but she struggled to suppress a smug grin. "I joined a club in middle school but it was kind of boring."

"I had no idea that your world had military schools for children." I heard Omerta say, walking up from behind me. "I don't know if I should be jealous of you otherworlders, or feel pity for you Nati?"

"Oh, it's... It's not a military school." I tried to explain as if I had to defend my home country. "It's just a sport that she did back there."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"I wasn't even that good at it." Emi shrugged, joining us before her next opponent showed up. The injuries Gomel got from her were treated by Lambert on the spot, earning him another praise. "But this body is pretty crazy, I feel stronger than ever. And my clothes won't get torn or dirty, it was such a pain to keep them clean back home."

"The armor sets from your world look amazing, and so light too." The orc witch brushed her hand against the school uniform, looking impressed. Alex was messing with them, I would say, if I didn’t know her better.

"No um, well... You know what? Yes, I guess my world is pretty awesome." Emi could no longer suppress her grinning. The Goddess responsible for all these just decided to show up too. She finally repaired the broken homunculus and returned with twenty brand-new golems.

"Don't give me that look." She shrugged before I could say anything. The orc-type golems didn’t waste time to continue building the apartment and inn. They remained unfinished since the Elder's attack, but I suspected this would change in no time with Tooth's guidance and slavedriver attitude. "I sent a body to your world that was practically indestructible, might as well make your sister one like that too."

"And I'm grateful." I tried to confirm, a little embarrassed. "She told me you even took a huge hit for her. You keep saving our lives, it's just…"

"Hey, I did offer you to make another body. And if you think, the shell of a deity is any less sturdy than a homunculus I made, you are gravely mistaken." She looked offended. I didn't want another body, or to offend her, but I was too embarrassed to correct her. "You know what? I can demonstrate it."

She grabbed one of the weaker crossbows and aimed right at me. The thing was loaded, and I saw the regular-sized ones punch through the armor that was believed to be impenetrable. I wasn't wearing my new wyvern breastplate today, and she was about to shoot me. Even if it was just a training crossbow, in reality, a failed model that was shrunk down in size so that kids could practice with it, it was still a lethal weapon.

And before anyone could intervene, Alexandra pulled the trigger. It’s not like any of us here could stop her, but considering I was still able to think about it, I had to survive that shot. The pain reached my brain nearly a full second later, signaling, that yes, she didn't miss.

"Aargh, why did you do that?!" I cried out, quickly reaching for my stomach, where the pain was the worst. I wouldn't even dare to look down, I saw too many wounded human soldiers pierced by these things. I just wanted to apply pressure before I bled out. The healers were at least nearby, and if I was still alive to feel this pulsating ache, they could probably save me. But to my surprise, I couldn't feel the bolt itself.

"See, no big deal, you can shoot me too." She shrugged, dropping the crossbow back to the table. I could see the other's shocked faces and hoped it wasn't as bad as it felt. I couldn't help but look down to check it myself after all, I had to find the wound and... "Come on Nati, you are overreacting it, see? I told you it's a sturdy body, you were just too afraid to push it to its limits. No such thing can harm you."

There was no wound at all. I noticed the bolt on the pavement, the tip completely squashed, almost as if it hit a steel plate. I lifted my hands to check on my stomach and there was a small tear on my tunic. But that was all, nothing else. The pain was real though.

"What the hell? How?" Omerta asked, sounding jealous. I couldn't understand it either, the ache I felt was probably worse than anything I had experienced before, but I was unscathed. "Nati, you were invulnerable this whole time?"

"What? But it hurts so much." I struggled to talk. I felt tears roll down my face, and Emi was curiously looking at me too, giving an angry glance to the Goddess. She seemed to be pondering about something.

"Hmm, I think I know why that is." She announced a few moments later. The training stopped and people gathered around us, making it all the worse. Now I was not only in pain but even more embarrassed than before. "I heightened the senses of that body to the extremes after I activated that technique to make it unbreakable."

"Why would you do that?" My little sister asked while I still struggled to breathe. She didn't have issues casually talking with the Goddess unlike me anyway. If anything, they seemed buddies to me.

"Well, I have read stories about practitioners of this technique losing their common sense and connection to the mortal world. You know because they would no longer feel pain in their unbreakable body." Alex explained, slowly approaching me. She reached out and the moment her fingers touched my belly, all the pain was instantly gone, even my clothes were mended. "So I made sure, even if things can't hurt me, I'd still feel the pain they'd normally cause."

"You and your techniques." Emi shook her head. But now that this fact dawned on me, I was even more upset.

"W-why didn't you tell me?" I asked, overtaken with emotions. "If I knew I'm immortal, I could have saved Hana and fought back the Elder, but I was too afraid to move."

She looked at me with those plain white eyes, and I could see my mirror image. I couldn't stand her gaze for long and started at the ground instead. I burst into tears again, the pain, the memories, and the realization together hit me harder than that crossbow bolt could. I felt my sister wrapping her arms around me.

"Well, um... I thought you'd find out sooner or later." The Goddess looked for excuses, sounding sorry. Now I felt even worse, I should have never felt anything else towards her other than absolute gratitude. What was I even thinking?

"So she was ready for that dungeon all this time?" Omerta asked the important questions here. If I was invulnerable, I didn't need that training after all. "So when are we going?"