Takehide pushed around a sliver of boar fat along the sizzling surface of a cast-iron skillet, the smell filling the kitchen with a savory aroma. His eyes were closed softly as the steam assaulted his senses. Mouthwatering, he swallowed hard. Guided his eyes moved towards the counter beside the tavern's wood driven stove. "Cook-san," he addressed the guy looming over his shoulder, "I can't cook if you're in the way of my meat."

"Ah, sorry about that! Haha…" The Tavern's cook chuckled as he looked over the Hero, "It's interesting to see a Hero capable of cooking!"

A faint smile rest upon the Spear Hero's lips hearing the man, "I'm probably not the only one. Who knows though," Takehide couldn't assume he was the only one who knew how to cook. So far he was easily getting used to using a stove without the timing and temperature adjustment gadgets.

Poking and prodding the fat along the rims of the skillet, he reached over and grasped a thin slice of prepared rabbit meat. He placed slab after slab onto the skillet, frying it in pig fat.

"Preparing lean meat with boar fat, I hope you're sharing some with the staff." The cook chuckled as he was now standing a couple of feet away from Takehide. He was at least trying to remain outside of the Hero's initial blood circle, especially as he handled a knife to crush some garlic cloves.

"Heh. Mind garnishing some plates whilst I cook? It'll get this over and done with faster."

"Yeah, yeah sure thing bud," the cook turned around and grabbed some of the commercial plates used for the customers.

For that brief moment, Takehide glanced over to see what he was doing. Like an art the Cook pinched a greenish herb over the plates, flaking what looked like chives about their pearly surfaces. Boar fat is a good substitute for butter. Though it is a bit more temperamental, his gaze turned back to the skillet as the fat bubbled and popped. He moved it about the pan some more, soaking the black surface of the pan in delicious juice.

Taking some prongs, he picked up the finished meats and flipped them. Seasoning the cooked side, he would stand back and watch as the other side of the rabbit gained a rare red color. Once it was at the suitable stage, he flipped it over again and seasoned the other side.

Blackening the spices on the one side, he eventually started plating the rabbit. He then squeezed a lemon over each garnished dish and added some mashed potatoes on the side.

"Almost done?" The cook asked as he was looking over the various plates of the cooked rabbit meat. "This just might make a great hit with our normal patrons."

"It could," Takehide pushed a plate of the food over to the cook to enjoy. "Bon Apettite, my friend." Without a second of hesitation, he picked up four of the five remaining plates into his hands. Walking out of the room, he pushed the kitchen door open with his boot, heading straight to a round table in the dining room where his party had gathered after finding their rooms.

"Takehide-sama?" Rino was surprised to see him caring the plates, but before she could get up to help him, he placed a plate down in front of her.

Many of the other patrons watched as the Hero walked around the table, serving his own party plates of food that he had prepared. Dropping a plate in front of Eclair, Elena, and Orson, he came to a stop with his arms crossed as he gave them an intense gaze.

"This will be my first real meal outside of the slammer…" Orson sighed.

"Mhm," Eclair nodded in agreement as she picked up a piece of silverware.

"You made this?" Elena looked up to Takehide with an oh-so-curious expression.

Shifting his body to the side, he looked at the Noblewoman with a brow raised, a grin forming over his lips. "Do you have doubts?" He breathed out a teasing tone.

"Dis ish delishioush~!" Rino nearly exploded where she sat, like a rocket blasting to the moon, the fork still in her mouth.

Elena and the others all looked to the mage who was smiling with her eyes closed, and a giant smile plastered over her face. A content hum escaping her lips as her feet were loosely kicking beneath the table. She was like a child who had just had something really good. "No room for doubts, Takehide-sama." She said before stabbing her cut of rabbit and separating it with the fork alone. "So tender…" The noble couldn't help but utter under her breath, merrily, before she stuffed the piece of meat in her mouth.

The distinct light flaky taste of the rabbit was covered in a volcano of blackened spices, herbs, and the tang of lemons. Even the garlic played a vital part in the melody that danced on her tongue.

Immediately the noble who could hardly remove the fork from her lips stared up at the Spear Hero.

"Mmmm!" Eclair's own tastebuds felt like they were to spasm out of control as she couldn't help but lean back from the culinary delight that now ruled her mouth. "How many tries did this take?"

"About seven," Chuckled Takehide before looking to Orson, finding him already licking his plate clean of the broth that decorated the former location of the meat. "I see you enjoyed your meal."

"Yes, I did!" Laughed Orson as he looked to the Hero.

Takehide finally let his hands fall to his sides before clasping them behind his back. "I sold the rest of the meat to the tavern owner, for a good lump sum. So we'll have enough cash for purchasing some mounts tomorrow."

After he went back to get his meal and came back from the kitchen to sit down with them, they talked with one another about their plans for tomorrow.

"So the location of the Monster subjugation is a cave up north from here," Elena swirled her form between her fingers, food packed into one of her cheeks as she spoke.

"Anything interesting in the cave?" Takehide asked before stuffing some mash potatoes in his mouth, enjoying the mixing of its flavors with the rabbit.

"Hm. There should be some ore that could be mined in it, some prospectors were attacked by a number of beasts during their initial survey." Elena nodded with a fanciful grin, showing that she did some homework on the job that she had taken for the group. Though she knew there was going to be work ahead of them, she didn't think much work would go to her once they were there. "Only half of their group returned to Mirso Village alive."

"Mirso Village…" Recalling the map he had gotten from both the Guild and the Blacksmith, he knew exactly where she what she was talking about.

"And apparently a Dragon lives near the Village as well," Elena nodded lightly, "Though I don't think it's causing them any problems as of yet… There are no requests to remove it."

With shining eyes, the Hero grinned as if he had heard a heavenly word, "A dragon?"

"Yes, it moved there a long time ago. And the way you spoke of Dragons being Gods to your people…"

"Yes, the Great Spirits of the Sea… There was actually a particular kind known as Watatsumi," Takehide spoke rather cheerfully of the dragon deity. "There was also a deity dragon known as Kuraokami that represents snow and rain." His mind was picturing what this dragon near Mirso may look like based on Japanese art, but also taking into account the Western nature of the world. 'Were Dragons here vicious like those of the Westerner's perspective, or Wise and Enlightened as in those of Pacific Asia?' This question left him in wonder.

"Your people really like Dragons," Eclair had since finished her food and pushed her plate forward. "It reminds me of the Dragon Faith that I heard about… I think the Aotatsu, Dragon Demi-Humans, follow the religion rather closely."

"Come to think of it… Can you explain more about the Demi-Human species? Your family controlled one of their villages, right?" Takehide shifted in his seat, crossing his ankle over his knee as he waited to hear any information she was willing to give him.

"Ah… Yes. Demi-Humans are pretty much humanoids with additional bestial characteristics. They can age normally, but when they level up, they age faster." Eclair didn't really remember much of her family's territory, let alone she didn't know how to govern the land. She was too busy training to be a Knight for the Kingdom to be bothered with it. "Though after the first wave, there aren't that many in the Kingdom, and I'm sure if they are… They're enslaved or in hiding."

"Hm…" Takehide sighed to himself as he thought about the sheer number of people who had been displaced by that first wave. His eyes then went towards Orson who was just sitting there, not making eye contact with anyone.

When everyone finished eating, everyone stacked their empty places in the center of the table and stood up. Straightening themselves out, Takehide plucked a glass of wine up from his table between his index and middle fingers. "To a good 'morrow?" Raising the glass as if to toast, the others did the same. Then after a few seconds, he took a sip of the crimson red liquid, but let it flow right back into the glass. "Yup… Still nasty," he sighed before placing the wine down, "I still prefer some sweet, warm, Sake."

Placing the wine down, he stretched and headed towards the stairs, his spear at his side.

Though as he was getting closer to the steps that lead to the second floor, he paused and glanced to the side. From the corner of his eye he could see Naofumi seated with the red-headed adventurer from earlier. They seemed to be eating a nice meal, both of them had red wine too, but it appeared that the Shield Hero wasn't drinking it.

"What is that about?" Tittered Takehide as he leaned against the railing leading to the second floor. His eyes remained on the two of them, before noticing the book he had given Erhart attached to the boy's belt. It was pleasing to see he was still bearing that chainmail armor. What surprised him a bit more, nevertheless, was that the girl was now donning some valuable half-plate armor. 'Did he buy her better armor than himself…? How generous.'

Though he quickly realized that there was a pouch of coins still attached to his side. This made it clear the guy hadn't read the contents of the book or wasn't using his inventory for some reason.

"Yum!" Naofumi exclaimed as he took his first bite, "The food at the castle was great too, but a pub really is the place to experience another world's cuisine!" Right then he took another bite of his food from a plate decorated in green vegetables and golden starch. It was clear he was still having a great time, practically living in a fantasy.

"He almost reminds me of an Isekai Protagonist," Takehide scratched the side of his head.

"Takehide-sama," Rino stopped beside him on her way up to the rooms, "You coming?"

"In a few, Rin-tan, I'll meet you in the room when I'm ready." Takehide turned to look at her with a soft smile, his head cocked to the side.

"Alright," Rino chimed warmly before springing her way up the steps.

The others soon followed her example, all except for Elena who walked over to the bar and sat down to talk to the barkeep.

"I hope you relish the meal," Giggled Myne, watching as the Shield Hero drew the map from his side. Looking over the locations that were depicted on the piece of parchment.

"The meadow we fought in today, is right here right?" Naofumi pointed to the area found near the icon that represented the Castle Town. A smile still adorning his lips as he did so.

"Yes, tomorrow we'll be going to Laffan Village," Myne seemed to have a plan for tomorrow's activities. "Which is beyond this map," she added as Naofumi was staring at the map. "Past Laffan is a dungeon for Rookie Adventurers."

"A dungeon?" Naofumi looked up from the map with a serious expression, determination in his powerful green orbs.

"We won't make much money there, save for it is an excellent spot for you to level up," Myne advised.

Listening in from where he was, the best he could, Takehide was becoming curious if the girl actually partied up with him. Another question was if the guy even knew about the party system that came with coming to the world. Placing a thumb under his chin, he watched the two continue conversing.

"Oh, I see…" Naofumi was back to smiles in no time, caressing his chin in thought.

"Now that I have new equipment," Myne positioned her elbows on the table, her chin resting on the backs of her hands as her fingers were intertwined with one another. "It will be a walk in the park with you defending me."

'Laffan sounds like a place to go, but the job that Elena got goes in the opposite direction…' The Samurai sighed internally as he thought about what else they could do. 'But getting money is necessary for my refining techniques.'

"Thanks, very informative," Naofumi couldn't stop smiling.

"No problem~!" Myne fixed her posture as she then waved her hands around as if it wasn't any big problem. She was acting as if it was her duty to help him even though she was appearing a bit too friendly. "By the way, Sir Hero," she reached over and grasped her glass goblet of red wine… Raising it from the table, "Aren't you going to drink your wine?"

Almost pained as he looked at the wine, he finally frowned as he spoke, "Nah. I'm not really into booze," he didn't really like the idea of waking up with a headache. Though reasonably it could work as a feasible nightcap.

Myne's feminine features depressed as she let her free hand rest on the table. Her emerald gaze rested upon the red liquid without once giving him a bat of her eye. "Oh? This is really good though." She clearly wasn't happy, her voice trying to guilt him into taking at least a sip. That was when she leaned back slightly, sensually letting her hair fall back as she gulped down her glass of fruity alcohol. Then she let out a refreshing exhale, her eyes closed and her lips glossy.

'This is like watching one of those stupid soap operas mother used to force me to sit with her to see…' Takehide pinched the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes for a few seconds, opening them again an instant later.

"I'd love to drink with you," Myne was using her feminine wiles to try and leash the Hero, but it seemed of little use this time around. Ushering her glass along the white tableclothed surface, she bumped her empty wine glass into his full untouched beverage.

"Sorry, I really don't like it…" Naofumi raised a hand to decline her offer.

Seeing a warmth form on the older male's face, Takehide went to step away from the stairs only to see him stand up. His calves pushing the chair away from the table as he stood.

"Really? That's too bad…" Myne had given up on trying.

"Ah…" Naofumi stammered feeling guilty of declining her invitation.

"Hey, Nao-kun," Takehide deliberately called him by a nickname as he made it halfway across the room to the table he was seated upon.

"Takehide-san…? Wait, did you just call me Nao-kun!? I'm older than you!" Naofumi points towards the Spear with his shield hand, before turning to look at Myne. "I'll see you tomorrow, I'm going to go talk to Takehide-san before retiring." He gave her a light wave before making his way towards Takehide.

A small purse of her lips and Myne was squinting after the two of them.

Takehide turned on his heel as Naofumi joined at his side, making his way towards the stairs once more. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you…"

"I'm not going out with you," Naofumi responded cleverly towards Takehide.

Takehide just stared right through him, "That's not what I meant."

"Ah, good. Joking aside, what is it you've been wanting to ask me about?" Naofumi took the first step onto the stairs as he went up towards the second floor with his fellow hero.

"Have you had a chance to read the book yet?" Takehide asked as he raised a brow.

Naofumi paused before looking back at him as he reached the top, "Oh? So you were the one who gave it to Erhart. Why couldn't you have given it to me in person?"

"I wasn't expecting you to visit the Blacksmith twice in one day," Takehide sighed.

"How did you know I went into the old man's place twice?" Naofumi blinked at the man.

Narrowing his gaze on Naofumi, Takehide swayed his head side to side, "Your partner wasn't wearing that armor the last time I saw you two."

"Makes sense," Naofumi nodded as the two of them made their way down the hall. "And no, I haven't read the book yet. I was planning on doing it before bed."

"Good… It'll let you know more about the world, but be careful." Takehide glanced over the university student with a light breath leaving his lips. "I have a bad feeling about that redhead of yours."

"Sh-she's not mine," Naofumi flushed as he denied the charge of having a girl of his own. "And I don't understand, she's so…"

"Beautiful? Nice? Tempting? Striving for your attention?" Takehide raised a brow, "How much was that armor compared to your own? Did she even party up with you?"

Naofumi was overwhelmed by all the questions, but his mind centered on the last bit. "Party up…?" As his mind went back to when they were grinding, he quickly recalled that the balloons she killed didn't give him experience.

"When someone parties up with you, a party management screen appears in the left-hand corner of your status menu." Takehide could quickly tell by the sudden tensing of Naofumi's facial expressions that there was nothing there.

"She didn't party with me…" Naofumi turned his head to glimpse back towards the stairs, before turning his gaze to Takehide. "Why would she do this?"

"I will tell you more sometime later if you don't find it out on your own," Takehide pointed to the book, "Read and utilize everything that the book tells you. Even if you end up alone, you'll have the words written there."

"Takehide-san…" Naofumi wasn't sure what his friend was talking about, why would he be alone? It felt as if he knew things that weren't to his knowledge, so his eyes drifted down to the book, hoping that it could shed some light on all of this.

Placing a hand on Naofumi's shoulder, he smiled quietly, "The Three Hundred only made it so far against the Persians due to having both a spear and shield. With the mentalities of the others, I doubt we'll survive without you."

Ever since they arrived, the only person who thought the Shielder was strong was Takehide. Naofumi found at least some comfort in that despite sensing the morose tone in the younger man's voice. It was as if Takehide was becoming more distant.

Letting his hand slip from the Shield Hero's shoulder, the Spear Hero sighed. "Good night," Takehide said as he began to walk away towards the open door of a room.

Naofumi watched as the friend of his walked away, giving a weak wave. His eyes flickered to Rino who was leaning against the door frame, seemingly waiting for Takehide. "Oh?" A chuckle escaped his lips as he watched the two of them disappear behind the door as it closed.

Takehide and Rino then sat down on the bed, hearing Naofumi walk passed the room to his room.

"So," Rino smiled up at Takehide, "What did you two talk about?"

"Just the book, nothing to worry about Rin-tan," Takehide returned the gesture with a smile of his own, "Shall we begin…?" Withdrawing the books and parchment from his inventory, he sprawled them out on the bed for them to begin.

"Okay," Rino flushed a light tinge of pink as she was once more called by the nickname he created for her. Picking up the Faust level book, the weakest tier of magic, she placed it on her lap and began by introducing the alphabet related to the grimoires and Melromarc.

Sometime later, Rino and Takehide had their backs propped up against the wall of the bed, sleeping next to one another shoulder to shoulder. The book and parchment were scattered across their laps.

The two of them had translated the Melromarc alphabet into Japanese Katakana, for the most part, allowing him to absorb information quite quickly. Though he was able to pick it up faster this way, it was common sense that any form of magic-based education wasn't going to be instantaneous.

Hours following, the door shook as if it were a gorilla pounding its chest. Someone was wanting to get inside. Stirring lightly, Takehide opened his eyes, feeling Rino drooling on his sleeve.

"Cute…" Takehide muttered before turning his head towards the door, not moving at first.

"...Tak...Takehide-sama…" A cry came from the other side of the door, a familiar voice. Though instead of pity filling his heart, a sensation of dissatisfaction settled in. "Open the door…" Myne gave a low whimper, pressing her forehead against the door.

"I'm currently indisposed," Takehide uttered just loud enough for her to hear through the door.

"...But…" Myne cried.

Rolling his eyes, Takehide slowly slipped from the bed, laying Rino down onto her side. Once on his feet, the armored Samurai walked up beside the door and grasped the doorknob. Turning it, a satisfying click could be heard before he pulled the door open.

THUD. Myne had stumbled and face planted onto the floor, "Ow… What gives…?" She complained, wrapped in only a blanket without any clothes on her person.

His eyes traced over her lovely physique, noting the blankets were clean and her body clean of sweat. She didn't really look distressed other than the fake tears that were rolling down her face.

"It's a little late for this," Takehide yawned.

"You, you don't understand!" Myne started up as she struggled to her feet, "the Shield Hero raped me, assaulted me in my own room…" She placed her hand on the breastplate of his armor, the other supporting the blanket. "Tore the clothes from my body," the girl just wasn't giving up on the waterworks.

"You don't smell like sex," Takehide analytically pointed out, "Those blankets are clean… I doubt they're from your room." He grasped her wrist and raised a brow, glaring through her with his dark coal-like hues. "Your pulse is also relatively low for someone who had just been assaulted."

"W-what are you insinuating," Myne briefly froze up feeling his hand tighten its grip. "I am the First Princess of Melromarc. Unhand me this instant," she tried to pull away, but she couldn't clear herself from his grip.

"First Princess? Adventuring with Heroes destined to fight Calamity? Hm." Takehide's eye twitched lightly, as he released her wrist that had become red due to the pressure.

"That's more like it," Myne frowned, her devilish emerald eyes coursing over him.

"Not quite," Takehide lowered his spear towards her neck, directly beside the jugular. The proclaimed princess stiffened, "You are aware that your father committed treason, yes?"

"What?" Myne took a step back.

"He and the Church summoned us Heroes all in at the same time, in the same country." Takehide was revealing to her how knowledgable he was. "And I know that the Queen is the true power here… I wonder what she would do if you were to have acted against her interests."

"Mother…" Myne growled, not happy at the mention of the Queen.

"Why did you come to my door?" Takehide asked as he raised his spear away from her neck.

"I thought you'd save me from the Shield Demon, that is all!" Cried the Princess.

"I doubt someone with such low offensive capability, could harm you in such a way without counter-skills. Even then, they're for countering… Not attacking," Takehide tilted his head to the side looking at Myne who took a step back.

Myne's lower jaw quivered as if she were to begin actively sobbing, "I swear it! He raped me!"

"Say I do believe you," Takehide held one hand out to the side, "What happens next?"

Myne blinked at him, "He gets put on trial."

"Isn't assaulting a woman in a sexual manner punished by immediate execution?" Takehide shook his head lightly, "That would only doom Melromarc and the rest of the world."

"What do you mean? He's the Demon Shield, he's not even a real hero." Myne sneered.

"If one of the Heroes dies, the waves become even harder. If all of the Heroes die, then the entire world is assimilated by the coming Chaos," he spoke of the words that were in the book he had given the Shield Hero. "Without all four heroes, you won't have a Melromarc to rule."

"Papa won't be able to sentence the Shield to death," Myne admitted, "Only tarnish his reputation… No one will join him, and leveling will be even harder."

"I see…"

"Either way, even if you don't help me now, the Royal Guard has already been informed." Myne was no longer in her panicked state, but she was holding the blanket tighter to her chest.

"If there is going to be an immediate trial, then I'm not going to attend. As a Hero, I can decline the summons of a royal sovereign by any and all means. Plus, I have plans," his eyes flickered to the side, "Get out."

Myne's lips parted seeing as he hadn't been at all fazed by the mention of the royal guards.

"Get… Out…" Takehide breathed out slowly, pointing to the door.

Waddling out the door, Myne stopped after she got to the hall and glanced back, only for Takehide to kick the door shut directly in her face. The rush of air gust passed her, causing her hair to lift only to fall a few seconds later. Sweat formed on her forehead, she was sure if she wasn't the Princess, he'd have killed her right there and then.

"To think Myne wasn't just a noble, but the First Princess at that…" Monotonously the Spear Hero spoke to himself before looking towards Rino who was sleeping on the bed. Then his eyes fluttered on over to his spear, 'Shit… I put my weapon to the neck of Royalty.'

Hearing that Princess was finally gone, he walked over towards the bed and sat down before flopping onto his side. "Should have a few more hours left of shut-eye…" His gaze moved to the count down till the next wave. There was almost a month to go, "This isn't going to be good."

In the next few minutes, Takehide fell asleep.

Come the rise of the morning sun, the sound of birds woke Spear Hero. His eyes shot open and darted across the room, staring at the wall. "Time to get going I presume…" Sitting up, he looked to Rino, she was still in the same position as before. A light pool of drool on the bed.

Reaching over, he grinned as he poked at her cheek. "Rin-tan…" He spoke in a hushed tone, "Rin-tan~" Kept poking, but soon found that she wasn't even responding to his touches. Leaning over her ear, he blew into her eardrum.

Straightaway her head shot up, colliding with his jaw with a loud CLACK.

"Ow!" Takehide held his jaw as he fell off the bed with the sound of clattering armor as he hit the floor. "Oooof!"

"Nnnnn~!" Rino held the top of her head, squeezing her eyes shut. "That hurt…" She uttered before opening her eyes and blinking a few times. "Takehide-sama?" Rubbing the top of her head, she peered over the edge of the bed to see the party leader laid out on the ground.

'She has a hard head…' Takehide stared up at her as he slackened his now rather sore jaw.

"Are you okay!?" Rino scrambled off the bed and onto her knees beside him, checking his head and face. "Did I break anything?"

"I'm fine," Takehide groaned.

Rino's dainty fingers danced along the jawline, tickling about the bone for any abnormalities. The last thing she needed was for him to have issues talking. "Are you sure?"

"Ugh… I've been healed by your downright adorableness," Takehide teased as he reached up to touch her face. Her delicate features felt warmer and warmer the longer his hand rested there.

Steam practically shot out her ears as her face turned a bright red at his words. "I… I-I see…" She bit down on her lower lip with her upper teeth, anxiously gazing down at him. "G-good…"

'That was a great reaction! Hah. So cute…'

Sitting up from the wooden floor, he rose to his feet easily enough before collecting last night's studies. Putting their things into his inventory, he chuckled quietly seeing her bedhead.

"T-Takehide-sama?" Rino didn't know what he was snickering at.

"Let's wake everyone up and be on our way… The faster the better," Takehide didn't want to be here when the Royal Guard arrived. If they did intend on forcing him along with the other Heroes, all they had to do was put their weapons at his party and he was likely to comply.

Rino nodded to that bit, not really knowing why they were rushing. Though she knew he originally wanted to leave at Dawn, so it wasn't a deviation from their original plans.

Once everything was corrected, and she fixed her hair by patting it down, the two of them went door to door and woke up their members. Orson, Eclair, and Elena were already awake.

"I heard what was going on in your room last night," Elena huffed, "You're right to be in a hurry. Though if she were to try and pull you into this, she most definitely would continue to try."

Takehide raised a brow at her as they were all making their way down the stairs. "What do you mean?" His eyes narrowed on the woman as she appeared to know who the Princess was. As his mind went to Naofumi, he leveled his brows in worry. 'I can't leave him like this, but I also can't do anything to really stop this either without implicating himself or my party…'

He didn't want to choose between who he could save, and who he couldn't.

"The Royal Guard would've been here already and seized us all," Elena crept over to the front door of the Tavern. They could hear the sound of horses being drawn in the distance. They were coming.

"Makes sense…" Takehide shook his head lightly before all of them slipped out the front door, and went directly across the street into the nearby alleyway. "Makes the rather question the Queen's choice in courtship."

"The King is actually a very famous person," Elena apprised her Hero who the King of the nation was, " He is a Vassal Hero of the Staff… Though I don't think he can actually use the weapon."

Even if Takehide had woken Naofumi, there was nowhere his friend could run. If he ran, there was no doubt that the King could see that as an admittance of guilt. He might even have his guards hunt him down.

"Vassal Hero… I think I remember that from the book, unlike the Cardinal Heroes, the Vassal Heroes can cross into other worlds. At the same time, at least two of them can also join the parties of the Cardinal Heroes." Takehide had been rather informed thanks to the book that the last Spear Hero had left behind. There were plenty of things in there that otherwise needed to be found out on one's own. Like the Portal Spear that is unlocked at level Fifty by absorbing some Red Sand from the Dragon Hourglass.

The sound of people rushing in through the doors of the Tavern could be heard from the Alleyway. Immediately causing them to turn around and look back towards the place they had been sleeping the night before.

Letting out a sigh, 'I hope he doesn't hold it against me… Time is of the essence.'

As they turned their backs to the tavern once more, the five of them made their way across town with Elena in the lead. Keep swift on their feet, it didn't take them long to come upon a singular giant tent.

"What… Is this?" Takehide blinked up at the two-colored circus tent. This artificial structure was erected between several other buildings and the sounds that he could hear from inside, was relatively few.

"Mm. You'll see," Elena looked to the Spear Hero for a few seconds before leading him around to the opening.

Standing right by the entrance was a vertically challenging fellow with a tophat and showman's tailcoat. He looked like a ring leader to a circus with his round spectacles and a handlebar mustache. The only difference between the ones he's seen was that this one was quite darkly dressed. Black and purple. What was most notable, at first glance though, was the purple feathers that protruded from around his neck.

"Ah, the Spear Hero. Quite the sight to see in a place such as this," Beloukas smiled shrewdly and wide, showing his pearly white teeth. His eyes hidden by his specs took a gander over the party, before returning to Takehide. "My name is Beloukas," he tipped his hat, "Could I interest you in some monster eggs? They are our best specialty." He gestured towards the opening of the tent.

"Monster Eggs?" Takehide raised a brow.

"Yes, for one hundred silver, you have the chance of winning a Filolial or a Dragon." That smile wasn't leaving the man's face even as he was speaking clearly.

Taking a step forward, clearly anxious, Takehide's eyes were wide as he repeated, "Dragon?"

"So you're interested?" The man tapped his cane upon the ground, looking up at the hero.

After a few seconds, he looked over the Tent from where he stood. It was far too large for just monster eggs, right? "Hm. What're your other specialties?" His excitement had since vanished.

"Perceptive aren't you," Beloukas folded his hands over the top of the cane, "I deal in slaves."

Orson nearly launched himself forward until Takehide put a hand out to stop him.

"Catgirls?" Takehide raised a brow.

"That's oddly specific…" Beloukas brought a hand up to caress his chin, "I suppose I do."

Orson's gaze rested down on the top of the Spear Hero's head, wondering just why he was asking about girls with cat-like features. Did he have… Some sort of Fetish?

Rino and Elena were also both looking at him, rather surprised by his sudden question of catgirls being available. It wasn't necessarily something they were expecting.

"Good to know," Takehide was a bit interested in the demihumans after learning from his party member that they grew with their level along with age. His eyes traced over towards Elena for a few seconds then back towards the male in the eccentric attire.

'We need immediate transportation, not eggs… There are five of us.'

"You don't have anything we can use immediately?" Takehide inquired.

"No," Beloukas seemed to make a regretful expression, seeing as how they did appear to be in a hurry. "However, it is worth the investment to raise a magical beast for yourself, no?" The shady businessman slipped inside the tent.

Takehide sighed and followed after the man, his party following closely behind.

Eclair grimaced the moment she stepped inside, she could hear the sounds of demihumans and beastmen alike. As they made it passed the crates, her eyes widened as the sight of red eyes glowing in the sparsely lit place.

Elena wasn't necessarily bothered by the sights, though she really didn't want to see herself locked away in a cage. The idea of being enslaved, or forced into an arranged marriage was something she could not allow herself to fall into.

Rino remained close to Takehide, keeping her distance from the cages. The mage empowered herself to keep a stern and powerful expression, clenching her fingers around her staff. Though she still winced as clawed hands came reaching out towards her as Beloukas lead them through towards another area within the place.

Soon they found themselves standing in the center of a square-shaped room. It seemed to be his workshop of sorts, if not Beloukas's kitchen. On the crate in the far corner was an open display with rows of monster eggs. They all looked identical.

"Huh… Are you sure they aren't all Filolial?" Takehide asked as he walked towards it, the slave trader following behind closely. The other members of his party remaining close to the door leading out of the room.

"Haha. I assure you, Sir Spear Hero," he gestured his white-gloved hands towards the merchandise. "There is a Dragon egg amongst these prized items."

"Hmm…" Takehide scrutinized the eggs, to him they just looked like large eggs. In his mind, the only comparison that was similar was that of an ostrich egg. "I'll just get us one then," he pointed to a particular egg at random. Its tone was slightly different from the rest but otherwise remained nearly identical to the rest.

"Ah, a perfect choice," the trader chuckled as he reached over and collected the chosen egg. Walking over to the center counter, he placed it in a glass box display case. Once he had it securely packaged, he turned to look to the Hero.

"Can I get a second one for my Spear?" Takehide asked as he walked over to the counter, placing down the one hundred silver coins he had asked.

The Slave Trader was rather impressed to see the coins just coming out of the Hero's inventory, a grin still decorating his lips. Clasping his hands together, he was rather enthused, "Yes! Yes, of course, you can. Would you like to choose?"

"Any will do," Takehide replied with a light smile across his lips.

"Oh?" Beloukas walked over to the crate that the display was situated upon and plucked another monster egg from it and went to walk back over to the table.

Takehide was placing another one hundred silver on the table, plus two more silver pieces. "Thank you, Beloukas-san." Without another word he held out a hand for this particular egg.

Raising a brow, Beloukas handed him the egg, curious about what he was about to do with it.

Just then, as the Spear Hero took it from the Slave Trader's gloved hands, he brought the egg to the jewel of his spear which began to shine hungrily.

"He's got more material for his Spear…" Elena echoed over Rino as they said the same thing.

Allowing his spear to absorb the egg, he watched as a notification appeared in front of him. A grin forming ear to ear as he saw the improvement of an existing skill.

[ Monster Egg Spear Unlocked! ]

[ Monster Egg Spear ]

[ Equip bonus: Cooking Skill 2 ]

"I see something good has happened, yes?" Beloukas kept his hands clasped together now, watching the Spear Hero with a thorough gaze. Though that was when he watched as the Spear morphed and changed, the spearhead now being that of monstrous egg-like shell material.

"It gives a bonus to cooking, similar to regular eggs, it seems." Takehide nodded lightly as knew something similar to this was going to happen. He just didn't know it wasn't going to be better. Perhaps if he were to master them and refine them the skills could be used outside of their forms. That grin never left his face, though it grew smaller, as he thought about how to use all of the forms he had collected thus far.

"Slaver-User Spear," Takehide recited and his weapon changed into a forked ink-black blade with a purple tinge to it. Both he and Beloukas stared at it, mostly due to the name of the weapon, the trader was heavily interested.

"Heh… Quite the name that one has there," Beloukas could only assume that he had absorbed the Slave Seal ingredients in order to get that spear. His eyes traced slowly back over towards the females in the group, wondering which one of them was a slave. Then he narrowed his gaze on Orson, a big man with a spear. He seemed the most serious out of all of them, and his eyes weren't leaving the Spear Hero.

"Yes… I suppose it is," Takehide sighed quietly as he collected the Egg in the display case set aside for him. "Keep the change," he chuckled quietly.

"Hm?" Beloukas scanned over the coins and as he counted them, finding that he had given him a few extra coins. "How generous of you…" By the time that Beloukas said this and looked up, the Spear Hero and his companions were gone. "Hmph, they are in quite the hurry."

"Now I just have to use the Smelting from ores that we get from the Dungeon, or if we stop at a mine," Takehide was moving at a brisk walk along with the rest of the party.

Eclair blinked curiously, "Smelting?"

"From what I gather, he's powering his spear by assimilating ores for energy," Elena knowledgeably expressed to her fellow adventurers, based on her father's fanaticism.

"That's what she said," Takehide gave a thumbs up, heading their way towards the wagon terminal where they could hire a coach to bring them toward the area of their Monster Subjugation task.

Elena parted her lips in confusion, "What is that even supposed to mean!?"