"Here you go, boy, the wire you requested." Violet says as she hands me a length of wire in a roll.

I look up from my eggs benedict that Kiku made and blink. Where did she get this?

"Hehe... my husband, bless his soul, was a crossbow fletcher. This crap was in a chest in the basement. Take it, not like I need it."

"Thanks." I say. "For everything... in fact."

She squints and scowls.

"Don't get mushy on me, boy. Sometimes you need a blade through the gut to wake you up. Consider it part of your free customer service."

She cackles, rubbing her hands, and shuffles off, clacking her cane and still pretending to be infirm.

"Ugh... that woman has no idea just how much trouble a blade to gut implies!" Rishya pouts.

I ruffle her head.

"Elijah-sama?" She looks puzzled.

"It must have been tough, Rishya. I'm sure you feel like no one appreciates you from time to time. It's part and parcel of being the healer, right?"

"Mn, mn!" She nods furiously. "You really understand me sometimes, Elijah-sama." She smirks, steepling her fingers.

Well, it's more that this is the standard in MMO's and MOBA's, isn't it? I used to play support so I know it’s a thankless job.

"Well, I appreciate you, Rishya." I pat her head again.

"Eh? O-of course you do. I... It's not like flattery will get you anywhere! Hmmph!"

I laugh to myself at seeing her regress to being tsundere when flustered. She blushes and looks away.

Seria is looking under her spectacles at the other end of the table at this exchange, faintly grinning to herself, attention of her book lost.

Aria and Kiku decided to go and have a bath together. Kali is intensely stuffing her face with eggs, toast and sausage, and doesn't seem to have much attention for anything else.

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"Will you still be able to fight with that much food in you, Kali?" I ask, bemused.

"Eh?" She finishes inhaling a sausage, and then she looks thoughtful. "When know not good food next appear, eat. Is rule of desert."

Very sensible rule, I guess.

She belches delightfully.

"Kali does love desert much. But food of Jeraldine better so much. Happy to be traveller for alone this!" She grins.

I roll my eyes. I can totally see her going on a foodie tour.

"Why, what did you eat at home?" I ask.

"Mushrooms... so much mushrooms..." She gets a distant, haunted look in her eyes and shivers.

That must be alot of mushrooms.

"Occasionally Fork Scorpion Meat. Black bread. Everything tough in desert. Like people, Kali supposes."

"Mmm, perhaps mission future of Kali... bring sausage to desert! Glorious muchly!"

All of us burst into laughter.

"Sausage brilliant! What all growing girls needs muchly!" She exclaims.

I can't stop laughing, though Rishya stops and goes bright red at the innuendo. Kali seems entirely aware of what she has just said and is snickering.

"What's the joke, guys?"

Aria and Kiku reappear, with damp hair.

"See?!" Kali continues. "These ones are positively shining! Miracles of sausage!"

I can't stop, and Kali is howling as well. Seria is also banging the table. Even Rishya starts snickering again.

Aria and Kiku gain a flat look as they glance at each other.

"Um... I think we missed something, Aria." Kiku says.

I dab a tear out of my eye.

"Ah... thanks, Kali. I haven't laughed like that in a while." I say.

"Pleasure mine." She grins.

"Err... well if you're done, are we all ready?" Aria asks.

I nod. I quickly shovel the rest of my breakfast down, and stand up with everyone.

"Nii... um... I promised you should take this, right?" Kiku comes up to me, handing me one of her old swords in a sheath. The new ones are sheathed over her back, but she still has two other old ones at her waist as well, making her clink a lot when she walks.

"This child was... um... my favourite. It’s the best one." She grins.

"Thanks, Kiku." I say. "I'll hold onto it if that's what you want. But at the moment I don't know the right end to hold, do I?" I grin.

"We will fix that eventually, Nii." She smiles.

"Ah, right... is what she said about you trying to be a Bladesward correct, boy?" Seria sidles up to me.

"Do you not like the idea?" I say.

"Mmmm... I would say 'too much, too soon', but most don't have that peculiar power... so... perhaps it is for the best."

She glares.

"Do not start to think this will excuse you from studies, however!" She growls.

"Y-yes master!" I yelp.

Everyone laughs.

Grabbing all of our stuff, we go outside.

The four mercenaries are waiting for us, so we get going straight away.

I look back briefly at The Furious Stallion. It's certainly been the centre of a whirlwind of events, but let’s face it, when has there actually been a moment out of a storm since I got here?

I suppose Violet considered giving me the wire as her goodbye. But I'm sure we'll eventually be back.

When this world is safe, at the very least.

I will make it safe. For these girls I have come to love.