The road was long, but as they approached Brunner's farm again there was a building sense of familiarity within the group, despite Livia being from such a strange place.
They didn't question her overly much about it, after she made it clear how it had not been by choice that she was whisked away; since thinking too much of home was still tremendously painful.
Instead Livia spent the days on the road single-mindedly focused on learning the differences between the time on Elderwood that she was so familiar with from the books, and the time of now, where the boys had grown up.
This proved difficult since Salcret was a town in the middle of nowhere and humanity had been somewhat recluse for the last few decades; even if plenty of legends about better times had still been told throughout their childhoods. What portions they knew of the early history of humanity added up with Livia’s expectations at least.
Kalle decided then to bring up a question that had been on his mind. "Livia, what Class are you planning on going for, since you're being so dismissive of [Hammerer]?"
The question was fair, Livia had saved their lives using just the one Skill her Aspirant status provided her thus far, and she did know how to swing her arms fast, even if her frame lacked both range and power.
They'd tried to discuss what she might be able to do with a proper shield, but Livia started laughing at the very suggestion. "I have a few options I'm considering, but from what you've told me about Salcret it seems I won't have access to anything rare. But that's okay, it's what you make of the Class that matters anyway, none of the great ones are accessible at level 1."
Her knowledge of the System, that she had apparently only been exposed to for a couple of days, was a constant source of wonder for the native lads.
"I will end up with a non-combat class for sure, but don't worry, I will be able to help you more than you'd expect… Of that I'm pretty sure," She gave him a wink.
She was mindful of the fact that she was older than the others at 20 years old, but the difference really wasn't big, she'd always been a childish sort in some ways and the rough life of medieval times had matured the group from Salcret ahead of her own world’s ideals as well.
"Hey, by the way, it's actually my birthday today!" She'd just remembered. The recollection came with a pang of pain but Livia decisively ignored it, and shouted. "We need to celebrate!"
The last part was loud enough for the brothers to notice and they quickly caught up while laughing. "What's the fuss, did you hear us talking about it being Oscar's birthday?"
That made both Kalle and Livia blink like owls.
The coincidence ended up being a regular source of hilarity from then on, and they both got a birthday party whose memory was going to live on for a long time, right up until the abrupt ending.
Not of the party, just the memory.
They had all dipped into Kalle’s last drink, and thus made some pretty rash decisions; and so the strange, magically fragrant honey that Nalai had left them got dipped into as well, albeit sparingly, once the mood had reached an all-time high… And as it turns out it was some powerful stuff.
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The fellowship had eaten more of their rations than they meant to last night… At one point Harold and Oscar had even conspired to steal the orchard-grade apple that Kalle was always polishing.
They were joking about wanting to eat it, but in their inebriated state they actually got close to losing the impulse control preventing the joke from turning reality.
Kalle sensed as much from his Skill, and that was when he started using Spells–forcing Livia to put her foot down.
It was very hard for most of them to remember it all, but Livia had enough of the puzzle pieces to paint them a picture they could all agree on.
Livia eyed the special honey appreciatively and then put it away in her safekeeping for later use, despite Harold's greedy look. With them being unprepared for the effects, and already slightly hopped up from that brew, it had been a bit much… But just on its own it might be just right.
One thing was getting increasingly clear at this stage, how the state of relations between humans and Cloven was more complicated in this day and age.
Livia knew the two races had been very close in the past and that they grew closer again in the coming centuries, but still not to the point of having the Cloven stand by their side in the end as humanity fell.
Many enemies had piled on, but the true enemies, who pushed for complete destruction, were the Foxkin Sects and a brutally ambitious Ogre clan that managed enough successive victories to light the brazier of greed that attracted mercenaries from every other race as well, nearly.
Cloven did not take part as a group at any point, but they had also distanced themselves sooner than later rather than catch the attention of those same greedy enemies.
Livia considered that this may well be the point of change she should work on first to ensure she could at least live her new life able to tell herself she'd done what she could to help out with that strange Beard's mission, and maybe with a clear conscience.
If Clovenkind and humanity had grown to be closer allies in this day and age, then maybe they would not later end up as so much of a tempting target. And nothing could improve relations like trade, and with wares like these, it was certainly a strong point to consider. But the meeting with Nalai didn't leave her with much hope that her welcome would be with open arms, not unless she found a way to bring some true riches of her own.
Although maybe things would become clearer when Livia figured out what the Mark was, which the Cloven [Druid] had been talking about.
Now it was getting late on their sixth day, but they were finally approaching Brunner's farm again, and after that Salcret as a whole. They had all made a lot of plans now, but a lot of them also depended on the people of Salcret.
It was time to start the real preparations, and for Livia to find her real Class.