The Emporium,
Meilfour, Merriheim.
6:23 a.m. 17 th Banem 1092.
Kashi grunted as he opened his eyes. The daeben stared at the unfamiliar ceiling for a moment, wondering where he was. ‘Ah, yes,’ Kashi muttered as the events of the previous night slowly returned. ‘I must have fallen asleep.’ The daeben yawned contentedly as he sat up on the couch and rubbed his neck. “Lune?” Kashi muttered as he scanned the room, but there was no sign of the songstress.
Clack!
Kashi turned to the entrance as a guard opened the door and walked into the room, followed by Lunette, who held two cups with steaming drinks. The daeben wordlessly stared at her, unsure of what to say as he recalled his tears from the previous night.
Lunette, as if sensing his unease, sat on the table in front of the sofa and smiled as she handed one of the cups to Kashi, “Hot chocolate? I had a feeling you would wake up soon.”
“Ah, thanks,” Kashi muttered as he accepted the cup. He blew on the cup and then lightly took a sip. The daeben then grasped the mug with both hands, relishing in its warmth as he looked up at Lunette with pensive eyes, “Um, about last night…”
Lunette revealed a heartwarming smile as she set down her cup and gazed into Kashi’s eyes. “Yes? What about it?”
Kashi faltered, unable to speak another word. The songstress’s smile was the most beautiful and calming thing he had ever experienced. But at the same time, it made him extremely uneasy. After experiencing the peace that smile could bring, what would his world be like if he never got to see it again.
Or worse, if the beautiful smile turned into a snarl of hatred.
“Nothing,” Kashi murmured and then took a large swig of the chocolate drink as he turned his eyes away. “It’s nothing.”
“Kashi,” Lunette called as she set her mug on the table. She grasped Kashi’s hands, feeling the warmth emanating from them. “No matter what, my feelings will never change.” Lunette’s smile brightened as Kashi turned to her in shock. “So, feel free to take your time, and tell me when you are ready.”
Kashi stared at Lunette, at a complete loss for words. He had so many things he wanted to say but did not know how to. Thousands of contradicting emotions, fear, joy, happiness, sorrow all clashed within his like a volcano about to erupt.
Kashi instinctively set down the mug, and before he knew it, had his arms wrapped around Lunette as he drew her in for a tight hug. Kashi buried his head in Lunette’s shoulder as he muttered, “Thank you. Thank you.” The daeben felt like a cry for help within the depths of his soul had finally been answered. Now he just had to muster up the courage to reveal the truth about his past… and what he was.
“Mm,” Lunette murmured as she patted Kashi’s head.
A few moments passed, with Kashi silently enjoying Lunette’s embrace, but then, Kashi suddenly recalled his reason for coming to Merriheim, as well as those in his inner world. ‘Ack, it’s already been a few hours.’ Kashi guiltily released himself from Lunette’s embrace with an embarrassed smile. “I must have slept too comfortably. I actually forgot the reason I came to Merriheim.”
“You slept well because you needed the rest,” Lunette retorted. “Fighting and world domination are good and all, but make sure you do not neglect your body.” She gave Kashi an accusatory glare as she questioned, “When was the last time you had a real meal.”
“Real meal?” Kashi scratched his chin as an embarrassed smile played across his lips. “Kira and I prefer to live off the land. I cook whatever beast we find for dinner.”
“Of course.” Lunette chuckled as she rolled her eyes. “I nearly forgot I am talking to the man who sucked blood out of lizards because he was thirsty.”
Kashi shrugged, feigning innocence as he said, “What can you do? The life of an adventurer is a tough one indeed.”
“I’m sure it is,” Lunette replied with a beautiful smirk. “So, why are you in Merriheim, Great Adventurer.”
“Ah, yeah, I forgot again,” Kashi muttered as he stared accusatorily at the songstress. “I keep forgetting my train of thought thanks to you.” Shaking his head, Kashi went on to reveal his purpose. He was there to take Miote, Jade, Absalon, and the Dwarven King to Serisis for a one-of-a-kind Three Kingdoms Summit.
“Oh,” Lunette gasped when Kashi finished his explanation. “Wow, this is really big. Are you sure you’re ready for this? One wrong move and everything you’ve worked so hard for up to this point will be wasted.”
Kashi flashed a calming smile as he shook his head. “I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a bit of apprehension, but what can I do? It’s something that has to happen eventually. Right now, we are lucky enough to have a common enemy to rally the countries around. I’m not sure when next we’ll get this kind of opportunity.”
Kashi stood up and held out his hand, “You’ll come with, right?”
Lunette nodded her assent and then took Kashi’s hand as she rose to her feet. “So, I suppose we’re going to see Miote first then? I saw him yesterday. He said he’s putting the finishing touches on the bank, but he needs to see you.”
“I think I know why,” Kashi replied as he led the way out of the Emporium. Once outside, he opened a portal and Summoned Drixlia, which naturally elicited a shocked reaction from the songstress.
“Whoa…” Lunette exclaimed in admiration as she reached out and ran her hands along Drixlia’s flank. “Your explanations did not do him justice,” she praised as she turned to Kashi with a teasing smirk. “I’m jealous.”
Kashi chuckled and patted Lunette’s head as he consoled her, “Don’t be jealous. I’ll find something just as cool for you in the future.” With those words, Kashi jumped onto Drixlia’s back and then helped pull Lunette onto its back. With a light kick, Drixlia trotted off into Meilfour’s streets.
As expected, Drixlia’s appearance caught the attention of every passerby on the road. It did not take a genius to figure out that this was a high-class creature. Many cast covetous or sinister gazes, hoping to steal the kirin for themselves, but one glance at the riders instantly killed off those thoughts.
People might not recognize the daeben, but every soul in Meilfour knew Lunette Falsetto of the Hopeful Maggots. There were only two men whom Lunette would ride with in such an intimate manner. The first was her brother, Shadow. However, Shadow was a white-haired human. The other was the daeben, Kashi, guildmaster of the Hopeful Maggots and unofficial ruler of Meilfour.
Steal Kashi’s horse? There were much easier ways to commit suicide. Upon recognizing the daeben, the onlookers quickly looked away. They gave way to Drixlia, allowing the couple a smooth, hassle-free ride all the way to Brass Close.
Kashi’s gaze narrowed as he spotted a large construction site along a portion on the left side of the massive building. Previously, it had been a two-story structure, but now, that part of the building had been sectioned off, and a large pavilion stood in its place. The daeben was sure that the site was Miote’s intended location for the bank.
With these thoughts in mind, Kashi steered Drixlia through the security clearance to a different section of the building. He helped Lunette get off, then joined her on the ground. The daeben then opened another portal, out of which Lunette, Hogosha, Shadow, and Larsial walked out.
“That took longer than expected,” Leila said as she stared at Kashi, having returned to the ice-cold business expression she wore in public.
“Sorry about that, Leila-san,” Lunette apologized with a bow and an embarrassed smile. “Kashi seemed tired, so I made him rest a little while.”
“Oh?” Leila softly exclaimed as she looked at Kashi, then Lunette, and then back at the daeben.
Others could not see it, but Kashi recognized the slight tilt at the corner of Leila’s lips. ‘Damn it.’ Kashi felt like banging his head against the wall. He had definitely done it now. Leila would definitely find a way to tease him later. “I slept on the couch. Didn’t notice the time pass by,” he added in an attempt to dispel any suspicions.
“Huh, since when were you the type to explain yourself?” Shadow coldly questioned and then walked into the building before Kashi could respond, leaving the daeben awkwardly facing the silent stares of three women and a Nespian Tiger.
“*cough* *cough*” Kashi cleared his throat and then said, “Let’s go. We shouldn’t keep Miote waiting.” With that, the daeben all but ran into the building, eager to escape the strange atmosphere.
“I have never seen him like this,” Leila revealed as she glanced at Lunette. After which, she then said with a small smile, “Thank you. He’s not the type to take care of himself. I hope you continue to take care of him in the future.”
Lunette blinked in shock but then nodded and replied, “I’ll certainly try my best. As you know, he’s not the easiest person in the world to take care of.”
Leila’s gaze softened with hidden sorrow as she replied, “Believe me, I know exactly what you mean.” The halben shook her head to dispel the negative thoughts and then said, “Let’s go before he gets into a fight with Miote.” She then looked at Larsial and offered, “Larsial-san, right? I’ve heard about you from Kashi and Absalon, but nothing trumps a firsthand account. I’ll listen to your story on the way.”
Larsial knew this was closer to an order than a request. Still, as someone raised by the daeben matriarchal society, she was actually more comfortable receiving orders from Leila than she had ever been with Kashi. Though now that she thought about it, Kashi rarely gave orders.
“As you wish,” Larsial responded as she put on a sultry smile and got rid of the useless thoughts in her head. The women walked into the building and found a staff member who directed them to Miote’s office.
Leila led the way to the second floor and found the office they were looking for at the end of a corridor. As expected of the top merchant in the country, Miote’s doors were elegantly crafted from Durim Oak, which could only be found in Ederwood. The ‘howling wolf’ insignia atop a mountain of coins was carved onto the door. It looked like it said the Maggots would always sit on a mountain of gold.
The door’s thickness also made it completely soundproof, which was why Leila was shocked to hear, “Kashi, let me kill you just once, please,” the second she opened the door.
Miote’s office was large but had very little walking room. Most of it was occupied by lines of shelves holding important documents and scrolls. The cheschire’s work desk sat in front of a large painting, which only a few would recognize as Kashi’s sub-dimension ‘ Takahara.’
The women found Kashi kneeling on the floor in front of a raging Miote. The cheschire’s eyes were red and baggy. Rumpled clothes revealed the truth of countless sleepless nights he’d endured to bring the various projects to light a second sooner.
Yet what was this?
Right when everything was all but over, Kashi suddenly waltzed in, saying he had a perfect location to store the bank’s money where it cannot be stolen. Furthermore, the place was centralized, allowing banks in different regions to easily exchange funds when required. By the time Kashi finished explaining the details of his inner world, Miote knew there was no better option. The subdimensions like Kashi’s ‘Takahara’ could be used for something else, but as for the banks, nothing was better than Kashi’s inner world.
Miote knew all this, but it was precisely because he knew how great Kashi’s inner world was in terms of logistics that he was now pissed beyond belief. How many nights had he spent drafting the proposal for the bank? He had considered every possibility and proposed contingency plans to counter them. But, now, since the location had changed, many of those were rendered useless!
It was no wonder Miote wanted to rip Kashi a new one. “Argh, forget it!” Miote cursed as he slumped against his work desk and rubbed his eyelid. “Luckily, I put the reserves proposal in a document of its own just in case the location changed last minute. I should be able to rework it in an hour or two.” The cheshire glared at Kashi and questioned, “Any more surprises?”
“Well, I’m gathering everyone for a summit,” Kashi said and then proceeded to reveal his purpose.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“Oh, that’s good,” Miote murmured. “I’ve been meaning to open a supply channel to Serisis. This’ll be the perfect opportunity to appraise their potential and see if there’s anything worth investing in.” The cheshire impatiently tapped on his desk and then picked up a scroll. “Alright, go pick up Jade and Absalon, and return in two hours. I should be done by then.”
“Haah… So, I’m not in trouble?” Kashi released a sigh of relief as he rose to his feet. The daeben then laughed as he patted Miote’s shoulder, “As expected of our great Treasurer-sama… so capable.”
Miote rolled his eyes and then looked at Leila. “Please take him before I commit first-degree murder.”
“I’m going, I’m going,” Kashi cajoled as he took a scroll out of his pocket and walked to the door. “See you in a few.”
Miote waited until the party left his office, then turned to a stack of documents with an excited glint in his eyes. “Two hours? Hmm… let’s see if I can’t shorten that…”
South Gate,
Aygorzi, Merriheim.
7:04 a.m. 17 th Banem 1092.
Woong!
A pillar of light appeared and disappeared shortly, revealing Kashi and Lunette atop Drixlia. Dwarven sentries stationed at the gate approached the hooded daeben with suspicious gazes. But they soon let him pass with a cheery nod after he dropped the hood and revealed his identity.
Kashi greeted the dwarfs, thanking them for their hard work, and then made his way past the gates. The sentries, after getting over their shock, immediately sent a message to their superiors, informing them of the daeben’s presence. Those superiors then sent a message to the Palace, informing the king and the ministers. Such was the daeben’s prestige that the Royal Palace had to be aware of his entry and exit from the city.
No one could blame the dwarfs for their emphasis on Kashi’s comings and goings. In all of Merriheim and Rosendun, there was probably no bigger catalyst for change than Kashi. The daeben rarely left a province or location the same way he met it. It would be stupid to not keep tabs on what a natural disaster like that was up to in your city.
Kashi was aware of the eyes on him, but he did not mind as he understood the dwarfs’ point-of-view.
“I can’t believe they have come this far in such a short time,” Lunette exclaimed in shock as she admired the fast-growing city.
Kashi looked around at the numerous construction sites, where dwarves, prisoners, and daebens worked around the clock to quickly erect residential and commercial buildings. The first thing he noticed, however, was the completed road networks. To ensure ease of transportation for the building materials, the dwarfs prioritized completing all the roads before beginning the buildings’ construction.
Kashi was not sure how, but to prevent the roads from being too dusty and feeble, the dwarves hardened the sandy ground into hard, caked earth. The smooth surface allowed carriages to easily travel unimpeded and drastically reduced the dust on the streets.
Kashi turned his attention from the roads to the construction sites and could not help by sigh in praise. Although the dwarfs were terrible with conventional magic, their skill at earth manipulation could not be contended by any other race. Most of the dwarfs currently in Aygorzi were of mixed descent, half-giant, half-dwarfs, which gave them the best of both worlds. Not only did they have the earth manipulation of regular dwarfs, but they also possessed the terrifying strength of giants.
Of course, neither of the traits were as strong as their original owners, but for construction, the dwarfs’ current traits were more than enough. Kashi watched as a group of dwarfs placed their hands on the ground. Moments later, a massive hole appeared in the air as the soil was forcefully dug up and transported to carts nearby. The prisoners lugged this soil to other locations where they would be required.
Meanwhile, Kashi watched as several daeben, under the supervision of dwarfs, inscribed hardening runes on stones to strengthen them. The dwarfs then picked up these stones and set up a complete foundation in less than five minutes. Their efficiency put the real world’s construction companies to shame.
Kashi noticed that the hostility between the prisoners and the dwarfs had drastically reduced since the battle. There was nothing like sweating under the same sun to close the distance between former enemies. Of course, it also helped that they were all from Merriheim. Thus the prisoners were just as proud of Aygorzi as the dwarfs themselves.
The daeben, unfortunately, was not extended the same forgiveness. The dwarfs, prisoners, and other workers watched their every move with suspicion and distrust. Kashi shrugged, knowing this was not something that could be fixed in the short term. First, there was the terror wrought by the daebens’ world conquest, and then they had all but disappeared from the continent when they lost.
As such, most people had never had a chance to meet a ‘good’ or ‘normal’ daeben for over ten years, solidifying their bias that all daeben were evil. Unlike most other races, the daebens never really spread among the continent, even before the wars, preferring to stay within their own country and rarely allowing visitors. As a result, unlike a human, who could possibly come from any number of countries, all daeben were automatically associated with their former homeland, Markoth.
Getting the world to accept that there were both good and bad daeben would be a momentous task, which Kashi was not entirely confident of accomplishing. It certainly did not help that there was a whole nation of them hidden somewhere, planning god-knows-what.
Kashi eventually shook his head. The only way to break the cycle of hatred was to find a way to pull more daeben from the nation of survivors. The only reason the daeben followed their queen so much was that extreme isolationism had bred a perverted sense of patriotism. Kashi was confident that if the daeben were exposed to and got to interact with other races outside the battlefield, then their conscience would prevent them from committing more atrocities.
It was a long road certainly, but the construction of Aygorzi was a small step toward that goal. Kashi hoped that some of the daebens would make a few friends, if only a handful, during this period.
Of course, Kashi knew that it would not be easy for the daebens to make friends with people who hated their guts. Still, he hoped that the daebens’ usefulness during the construction would help break down some of the barriers.
With these thoughts in mind, Kashi led Drixlia to the city’s newly constructed barracks occupied by Absalon’s forces. The daeben looked up at the buildings peeking out from behind the high walls and once again sighed in praise. Impressive!
Kashi approached the open gates, this time keeping his hood down. The guards recognized their guildmaster and cheered the daeben. Kashi asked for Absalon’s location and then dismounted with Lunette after acquiring it. A soldier took Drixlia to the stables while Kashi opened his portal, releasing Leila and the rest.
“Is this Aygorzi?” Leila asked as she gazed at the impossibly tall city wall in the distance. “It’s bigger than the reports suggested.”
“Nothing beats seeing it for yourself,” Kashi replied, understanding the reason for her shock. No one could look upon those city walls and remain unaffected.
“Indeed,” Leila confirmed with a terse nod as she turned to look at Kashi with newfound respect in her eyes. “As expected, reports do not do the real deal justice.”
Kashi, oblivious to Leila’s true meaning, nodded as he said, “Yeah, your work is important, but you should explore a little bit more. There’s so much cool stuff out there that you’re missing out on.”
“I will do so as soon as my guildmaster reduces my workload,” Leila replied with a hidden glint in her eyes, leaving Kashi speechless.
“As expected, Leila is the best at shutting you up,” Shadow observed, causing Lunette to let out a light chuckle at the embarrassed daeben.
“Kashi!”
Kashi wanted to retort but was interrupted by a familiar voice. The daeben looked over to see Absalon approaching with Asha and a mertian he did not recognize. “Oh! You’re back, Asha,” Kashi greeted with a wave as the trio stopped in front of his group. “When did you get back?” The daeben cast a curious glance at the mertian walking side-by-side with Absalon without a hint of inferiority. “…And this is?”
“We arrived soon after the battle,” Asha reported with an apologetic expression, “but Uncle wanted to observe the city for a while before announcing himself.”
“Uncle?” Kashi cast a curious glance at the mertian. “Are you by chance, Brock-san, who Asha went looking for?”
“The very one,” Brock confirmed as he reached out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Kashi-kun.”
“Haha, in that case, this is perfect,” Kashi laughed as he grasped Brock’s hand in a firm handshake. “I have been meaning to come to look for you eventually. This is perfect.” The daeben looked around at the barracks and shook his head. “This is no place for a conversation. If you do not mind, would you follow me?” The daeben looked at Absalon and Asha and added, “Absalon, Asha, you too, if you please.”
“Of course,” Asha, Brock, and Absalon voiced their consent.
Kashi nodded and then led the group out of the barracks, toward Aygorzi’s Emporium.
While the group walked to the Emporium, Absalon slowed his pace, matching Leila’s. He glanced at Hogosha, then at the vice-guildmaster. His lips rose in a tight smile as he greeted, “Leila.”
“…Absalon,” Leila’s cold eyes looked ahead as she returned the greeting and then added, “I am not so proud as to not admit my faults. I was wrong about you. Your abilities have been irreplaceable for the Hopeful Maggots. I apologize for suspecting your conviction.”
“Apologies are not necessary,” Absalon refuted as his smile loosened. “We both know your decision was the correct one from a military, personnel, and management viewpoint. You would have been incredibly naïve to trust me coming off my defeat for a position as great as a king. To be honest with you, I did still harbor a few thoughts of rebellion in my heart.”
Leila’s gaze remained even, revealing she was not surprised by the information. “What changed your mind?”
“The same reason someone as capable as you is content being a vice-guildmaster.” Absalon chuckled as he looked at the daeben walking at the head of the group. “That kid, Kashi.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, it is surprising, isn’t it,” Absalon said with a self-deprecating chuckle. “I thought I wanted to be king, but in the end, I am a soldier at heart. I am more comfortable on the battlefield than a throne, but do you know what’s the scariest thing for any soldier?”
For the first time, Leila looked at Absalon, curiosity peeking through the glaciers of her gaze. “What is it?”
“A shitty government, corrupt superiors, and pointless wars,” Absalon stated with a hard expression. “As a soldier, you cannot question the order given by your government. You must prepare to go to war immediately those in power give the order, regardless of how baseless the reason is. The greatest tragedy for a soldier isn’t dying in battle, but finding out that they are the ‘evil’ ones on the battlefield, yet being unable to go against orders or else risk a court-martial or worse, death.”
“I had to carry out some orders I was not proud of in my days as a soldier,” Absalon revealed with a hard gaze. “So, I swore to myself that at least, in this world, I would live as a soldier I can be proud of.”
“If that’s the case, then why did you operate your guild that way?” Leila asked with a steely gaze.
“Because I’m a soldier,” Absalon responded with a shrug. “It’s the only way I know to operate a guild.”
Leila’s brow rose. Come to think of it, she never tried to understand the man behind the general. Maybe this was why she could never truly trust him, even now. At that moment, Leila decided to lay down her prejudices and earnestly listen to Absalon. Taking a breath, her gaze thawed a little as she asked, “What do you mean?”
“In an army, most of the merits are collected and escalated upwards,” Absalon stated. “A lieutenant receives the praise for a platoon’s achievements, and a colonel receives the praise for the achievement of several brigades, all the way up to the Field Marshals. Rank-and-file soldiers rarely get recognition unless they perform outstanding feats. Usually, they have to go on several tours before they even get a promotion, let alone recognition.” Absalon sighed. “I applied the same logic to the guild out of habit, without considering that those under me were not soldiers, but children and civilians who were only playing to have fun.”
“I see,” Leila muttered as she began to gain an understanding of the general’s mindset. Come to think of it, aside from how he handled his guild, Absalon did not do anything evil. His armies were happy to fight for him, and he fought on the frontline with everyone else, proving he was not a coward.
Absalon’s claim for the throne was legitimate, especially since his force took the brunt of the drakul’s forces, making Kashi’s squad’s infiltration a thousand times easier.
Leila thought about it and realized that if she were in Absalon’s shoes, she too would have attacked any party sneak-attacking the drakul king after she had invested so many resources into taking the city.
It was a case of two parties with the same goals clashing, which was way too common in online games. If Leila held a grudge against every gamer she clashed with, the Hopeful Maggots would have nothing but enemies in every direction.
Leila realized that the only reason she had held onto the throne room incident as a negative against Absalon was because of her earlier prejudice. For the first time, Leila truly understood Absalon, and as a result, she could now clearly see the brave, fair general that he was. Her gaze warmed up, and the corner of her lips lifted ever-so-slightly as she asked, “So, at what point exactly did you get rid of your rebellious thoughts?”
“I think it first started when I figured out the purpose of the islands you asked me to scout,” Absalon replied and then, after a pause, added, “but for sure, after the battle of Aygorzi. I saw Kashi’s strength for the first time during the battle for Aygorzi, but I was more impressed by his willingness to listen to my advice on how to proceed with the defense. I have met many bull-headed leaders who think they know best and refuse to listen to their subordinates. Kashi is definitely not one of those. For better or worse, he does not see anyone as inferior to him.”
“On the flip-side, he does not see anyone as superior to him either,” Leila said. “You’ve seen how he interacts with the gods. He respects them but does not view them as superiors.”
“Haha, that’s true too,” Absalon agreed with a chuckle. “But anyway, what eliminated all thoughts of rebellion were his actions and decisions after the battle. You can usually find a person’s true character at the cusp of a victory. Contrary to my expectations, Kashi’s victory did not get to his head. Rather than immediately push out to claim more lands for himself, he immediately focused on infrastructure and projects to improve the lives of the country’s citizens. Furthermore, he’s been looking at the big picture, aiming to unite the continent, rather than conquer it, even if it takes a lot longer.”
Absalon nodded as he said, “When I saw this, I thought to myself, ‘Ah, I won’t regret serving under a leader like this.’ That’s when I decided to fully commit to seeing the kind of world he would mold.”
Leila’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Kashi. “I, too, can’t wait to see it…”
The duo’s discussion came to a close as the group reached the Emporium, where unbeknownst to the world, an important conversation with the fate of Merriheim at stake was about to take place.