The next day, the three set out from the Mystio household to meet with the rest of the townsfolk. That was the intention behind walking the long way around the town, meeting with the folks who were actually looking forward to seeing the new visitors.
Mikella held onto Clara’s hand as Val led the two along with Zeke towards the gate where they will start their first day working as the soldiers for the town military. While that wasn’t exactly what Mikella thought of doing the first time in this new world, fate tends to screw her around for a while just for shits and giggles.
She was still a bit off considering she learned of Zeke having a crafter class, but took a moment to look at it from far away as she was introduced.
It’s not as though Zeke needed to be in a combat class. His acquired skills, according to Val, were more valuable than they led on. Having spells for healing and making barriers would obviously land him as a support mage. In fact, those alone would be enough to be an asset.
So why exactly did he need a job for combat? Sure, in her mind, him being able to cast fireballs or something while she fought would have been more useful, but then she recognized why a crafter job was needed.
On top of fighting monsters, they also needed to live. As far as she knew, this world required skills outside of combat to survive. You have to live in a town to be in the safety of numbers, so you need to provide some other skill besides monster killing. Sure, be good enough and nobody would complain, but is that all you can do?
Mikella at least didn’t think so. Not to mention she still has no clue what Runists can do, but she knew better than anyone that Zeke is the reliable sort. She just has to trust his instinct on this one.
The three members of the Ashton family, which was decided by everyone including Zeke, followed Val as she made her rounds across the town. The townsfolk, rather than getting pressured by the lord coming with them, was actually smiling and greeting her like she was a regular housewife greeting her neighbors.
The clearly popular, super great housewife and mother that everyone loved to talk to. She was so damn popular, and not just for her looks. Everyone had eyes on her as though they were looking at someone that saved their lives time and time again. The amount of gratitude in their voice when they spoke to her, the pure reverence almost to the point of gladly worshiping her, astonished Mikella to a great degree.
She knew that it wasn’t just her bubbly personality and great looks. The way they looked at her was clear. It was her raw power and the way she handles herself. With grace in each step, but filled with power far beyond Mikella’s understanding, Valorie Mystio talked to them one by one, or at least to a certain group that she knew personally herself, trying to explain the situation with the new visitors, AKA the Ashton family.
On the off side, Mikella asked why Zeke was okay with using her last name and not his, but he made a complex look and said:
“It’s okay. I just don’t like my last name.”
Clearly, it was something personal that Mikella had no reason to pry in. Hell, she didn’t even bother to tell him the reason behind her being with Clara at the time.
She always felt a little bad for not letting him in on that, considering the lengths he went to protect them, but she also figured that it was something that was clearly not needed.
After all, what’s the point? That problem was nothing compared to what they were doing now. So it was decided in her head that anything that pops up from the past means nothing, and that who they are now is what matters… that’s what she wants to think, at least. If they ever happened to talk about themselves, though, she’ll gladly take up on it.
Mikella took the time to look at the town. Truly seeing it, as compared to the first day, it looked way better than before. So she examined the clearly bustling town filled with excitement at every corner. Though it wasn’t the happy kind like preparing for a town event.
They were rushing, many folks carrying heavy boxes over to the ramparts, and some leaving from the ramparts sweating and heaving. The boxes that were open showed plenty of steel weapons and bundles of arrows, and some workers even carried a large number of logs to the ramparts.
To fix the incoming damage later on, Mikella expected. While the town looked better than she expected out of a seemingly medieval world, she still couldn’t deny that monster hordes were still a threat. The town buildings still looked like modern housing to a degree, with what they learned that everyone had proper plumbing and even lighting in all their houses. Unlike most major cities, Zeke explained to her–since she couldn’t really pay attention enough on her own–that Eve Glade’s great strength is that they can provide better housing and living conditions.
The problem was their size and lack of support. They can’t expect any major reliefs if something like, say, a monster attack would come for them. And since they’re a pretty small and exclusive town, they can’t really defend themselves against large threats.
But that was the risk of living in Eve Glade. With no heavy taxes or any mandatory curfews and such, the people can live freely to do whatever they want. They just had to work for themselves if they plan on living here.
Apparently they had a lot of issues with folks not pulling their share, and hence had to kick them out. Mikella had no love lost for those types of leeches–she already imagined her mother being one of them if she lived here.
As they made their rounds, they met quite a lot of people, a lot who apparently had the image in their minds that the Ashton family was exactly as they looked: A pair with a child in tow who clearly went through a lot, and the lords were kind enough to invite them into their homes for rest and consolidation.
There wasn’t any other house available, and all the supplies needed to make one were used to make the ramparts like those logs Mikella saw before to protect them from the monster hordes. So the townsfolk pitched in to offer what little they have to the surviving visitors.
That was the reason why they had a bit more food to eat. Hearing that, Mikella went ahead and thanked them deeply, ensuring that their help was not in vain.
Following along, Zeke did the same, and the two made a good impression on the folks. However, each time they spoke, for some reason, the older folks just looked at them with that damn pity in their eyes.
It wasn’t anything out of offense. It’s just that in their heads, they see two young teens who had a child together forced into a bad situation. Now they needed to work their ass off to pay for the supplies the townsfolk were forced to give for the sake of helping these kids out.
It was bad enough that they kept thinking of them as kids despite the two already in their twenties, but it was somehow worse that they think the little girl besides them is their child. Of course, they haven’t really seen Clara, so when they saw that she was older, it was easily believed she was Mikella’s sister.
Though Zeke couldn’t help but get flustered whenever the idea of him being a father was mentioned, and how he was lucky to have Mikella as a young wife to go home to. Honestly, that part alone was easily Mikella’s highlight of the day. She can’t help but rejoice at him getting nervous about such topics.
But just when Mikella was ready to step in to clear the misunderstanding, that’s when Val stepped in with a low voice.
“Listen… maybe let them think that Zeke is your husband. That way, none of the younger guys around here will start targeting you. Trust me, it’ll be worth it rather than getting invited and having to reject them.”
This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.
Mikella widened her eyes at the idea. Well, she first blushed slightly that Val thought of her pretty enough to warrant getting the men’s attention, but then clearly understood her meaning.
If a bunch of guys were to try and get her attention, who knows what they’ll do? Not that she actually believed herself to be the next madonna in town or anything, but it’s definitely better than getting asked out at strange times and end up losing out on possible training to deal with it.
It was a very small chance, but a chance that she will gladly snuff out ahead of time.
So when the two were asked about how they met to make casual conversation and Zeke tried to rectify that fact, Mikella stepped in, fully ready with a story in mind.
“Oh, he and I knew each other for a long time now. Our families were friends for many years. We first started off as childhood friends, then things went this way and that, and we ended up getting married. Ain’t that right, honey?”
Zeke didn’t just get flustered. He practically stiffened at her made up story and remark. He looked so frozen and deeply reddish that he actually looked like he was about to faint.
Was it really that bad? Mikella knew that he wasn’t used to women, but this was on a whole other level than being bad.
“Y-Yeah,” Zeke said, apparently understanding something was going on, or that he caught Val staring at him expectantly, and nodded. “S-She was a tough cookie to get! All the guys kept asking for her hand in marriage. But I somehow pulled through.”
The folks who heard their intimate, totally made up story laughed and even praised him for getting the girl in the end, something that surprised Mikella to find that he made that up on the spot as well.
When they got away and got to be by themselves, Zeke turned to her with a face that was nearly as red.
“What’s up with that?” Zeke asked. “Why are we suddenly married?”
“It’s something Val said will help me on not getting hounded by guys,” Mikella shrugged. “It may not actually happen, but I don’t want that to happen in the first place. So I guess you’re stuck as my husband now.”
Zeke grumbled, muttering to himself. “Somehow, I don’t know whether I should take that as an issue or not…”
He brushed his hair in awkwardness as he tried to look away. Did he actually say that he didn’t mind the idea?
Great, now she was feeling awkward. The idea of being in an actual relationship with Zeke didn’t cross her mind at all, what’s with the whole ‘trying to survive’ still a thing.
Thankfully before her mind gets around that spicy subject, they arrived at the gate where the large ramparts they saw nearly a month ago still held true.
Seeing it now was proof just how daunting the horde attacks have been, why they needed so much wood to transport here.
The ramparts that looked strong and sturdy looked like they'd been weighed down by vicious attacks by the hour. There were some obvious scratch marks and holes that even now, the citizens were helping build back up for further protection. The sounds of hammering echoed in their ears, causing Clara to hold her ears tight from the noise.
But somehow, despite all the noise, one particular screeching voice echoed out the loudest.
“Mama! Clara!”
“Ah, Ana!”
Val instantly melted as she knelt and was embraced full on by a tackling child the same size as Clara. Val hoisted her up and gave her a big hug, giving her tiny pecks all over while nustling at her.
To see her instantly be a mother at just a switch was impressive to Mikella. Though Zeke told her that she changed dramatically when she was with Clara.
Isn’t that obvious? Who wouldn’t want to nustle and spoil Clara?
Perhaps asking her about that would be pointless, she realized.
“Mama!” Ana shouted with glee. “Mama, I’ve waited for you to see you off! Go kick butt!”
“Oh, is that so?” Val chimed in return. “Then I’m certain I’ll beat the horde by myself thanks to you. Thank you so much for visiting! Are you here to see Clara too?”
“Yeah!”
Like so, Ana was put down to the ground to then run towards Clara, who instantly went around and ran towards Zeke to hide behind.
Eventually the two girls ran around Zeke’s legs, causing the poor man to nearly fumble to try and not hurt them by accident.
“Clara! Play with me!”
“No!”
“Why?!”
“Because no!”
The two girls kept shouting and screaming, all the while ignoring everyone in the vicinity. But not a single person around would complain, and instead they smiled at the children’s antics.
Despite the serious situation, Ana still kept glowing with absolute positivity, even while Clara wasn’t so.
Seeing her like that, Mikella felt a twinge of anxiety. Ana may be a little too forceful, but Clara also needed to step outside her shell if she wants to properly grow up. She was conflicted, figuring that it was better to leave it to Val, who also left it at that.
“Sorry for the mess,” Val said, smiling sheepishly. “I swear, Ana is gentler than she looks.”
“No worries,” Mikella smiled sincerely. “I want Clara to have as many friends as possible. Or at least one good friend, and Ana is such a sweetie.”
Mikella and Zeke have met Ana many times, especially since they all live in the same house. Ana was, in other words, what every child should be at her age; energetic, positive, and perhaps a little rambunctious.
But somehow, unlike the children back on earth, Ana just seems so adorable that Mikella can’t help but like her. She has that same energy as Val, someone who’s so positive and kind that no matter the person, you can’t really dislike her.
Perhaps the only exception is Clara, and she was worried whether that might be an issue in the future.
“Alright, you two,” Val clapped her hands, instantly getting the girls’ attention. Zeke could only marvel in shock at how easy the girls listened to her all the while ignoring Zeke’s plight to calm them down. “It’s time for us to head to work. It’s going to be very dangerous here, so I want you to go back to Vivian. Understand?”
“Alright~” Ana complained with a groan but she easily complied, and soon grasped Clara’s hand without her realizing. “Come on, let’s go.”
“W-Wait!”
Clara instantly let go of her hands and ran over to Mikella, hugging her tightly. Despite how she looked, Clara looked up, a worried expression on her face.
“Sissy… be safe,” Clara said, her voice meek but sure.
Mikella just wanted to hug her and go home right along with her at that moment, but she had work to do. She knelt down, and lightly kissed Clara on the forehead.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” Mikella said, her smile soft like velvet. “And remember, Bobo’s here with me. He’ll protect me, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
Zeke followed along easily, something that the two have perfected during their time together. After a whole month, people can easily adjust to these subtle changes. He knelt down to Clara’s level, offering an assured smile.
“I’ll protect Sissy with my life, so don’t worry.”
“Okay, if you say so, Bobo…” Clara nodded, and Zeke looked apprehensive for a moment before adding in something.
“And… let me just say–I was a lot like you when I was little. I was scared of other people. That only made me feel alone for a long time. So even if Ana can be a little scary… I promise you that she’ll be an incredible friend to have for life. You don’t have to be scared of her.”
“But…” Clara wanted to protest, but she quieted when she noticed Zeke’s stare.
“Trust me, it’s worth it,” Zeke only said, his words assuring that his word would never break.
After another bit of hesitation, Clara nodded before running back towards Ana. Ana watched, almost patiently as Clara ever so slowly lifted her hand, a frightened look on her face.
Ana just beamed at her, then lightly grabbed her hand as the two walked together out from the ramparts. Seeing the two children like that, both Val and Mikella looked back at Zeke, wonder and surprise apparent on their faces.
“What?” Zeke said, hunching his head like a turtle hiding from view. “I can relate to her, and that’s why I want her to try and be friends early. The sooner she does it, the easier it’ll be. At least, that's what I thought…”
Zeke turned to Mikella, showing a look that seemed like he was ready to get scolded by her. However, she was feeling the opposite.
She smiled back at him. “I’m glad you gave your two cents. I think Clara really took it to heart.”
“You think so?” Zeke said, relieved that she wasn’t mad at him. “I know she’s a smart girl, but I wonder if she understood what I meant.”
“I think Clara did,” Mikella said, utterly resolute. “She’s special. I know she is. And besides, she really looks up to you.”
“It’s no wonder why people kept assuming you’re the father,” Val said, showing a cheery grin at him. “With the way Clara kept clinging to you and you always looking out for her like a newly made daddy. You gave off such strong Cloud vibes when Ana was first born.”
Zeke instantly tried to hide himself, obviously realizing that his cheeks were burning so red they looked like they were boiling tea. Mikella could only laugh at the sight, leaving Zeke that much worse off unfortunately.
“Now then, let’s introduce you two to the soldiers. I’m sure they’re dying to meet you by now.”