"I think it looks cute, Rudy!" Rostelina giggled and said, "You look like a tiny hero off for war!"

I frowned and resisted the urge to smooth down my spiked hair. "I think it looks stupid."

After that chat with Miss Rostelina, she dragged me over to her room and pulled out a bunch of make up equipment. Powders, brushes, and all sorts of things I didn't know anything about.

Apparently, I never bothered doing research into make up products in my previous life, so it all came up blank.

Fortunately, I didn't get the typical cliche 'dress a guy up as a girl' treatment.

But considering how I looked, I might have preferred it...

First of all, my bangs had been messed up into a windswept style that any typical Anime or JRPG protagonist would have. The sort of spiky and gravity defying hair that somehow flowed in the wind.

Second of all, Miss Rostelina had either bought or made… Probably made, since she was always around. Anyway, she handed me a tiny adventurer’s outfit. Again, the sort that you’d see in a typical JRPG setting.

A beige colored tunic and pants combo. Some leather padding at the elbows and knees. A mini dagger strapped on my belt at my left side, with a satchel and my wand looped on my right side. Leather boots…

And finally, there was the carved wooden pendant that she made me wear along with the talisman that Master Roxy gave me during my graduation.

I gave the hand mirror back to Miss Rostelina and shook my head. "Where did you even get all of this stuff anyway, Miss Rostelina?"

"Just grandma's fine, Rudy." She smiled and patted my head. "And think of it as a late birthday gift for my cute granddaughter's best friend. Besides, it'll be useful soon, right?"

I gave her a blank look and then carefully said, "Useful how?"

Was she a regressor or something? Or did she have info about events stirring in the background I didn't? Maybe that mysterious past of hers involved some secret truths about the world? Being W doing a mindwipe on her to prevent her from stirring things up, but in this timeline he somehow messed it up?

"Hm?" She tilted her head and said, "Well, Sylphy's been talking about wanting to go adventuring soon with you and Eris. Shouldn't you look the part?"

I blinked and said, "What?"

She has? She didn't mention anything to me...

Oh. *Oh.* That's probably what she and Eris were doing by themselves. Probably some training to get used to each other's fighting style and working out some past frustrations or something.

And that was a thought. Maybe we should become adventurers. Being W seemed to want to screw me over in particular, so if I moved around he wouldn't focus on my family but me. Especially if I was going around with Sylphy, Master Roxy, and Eris.

What other way to cause an accident than on a dungeon dive, right?

Though, that guy also seemed to not know just how strong we all were. Especially with the countermeasures and trump cards I laid down.

There was also the fact that Orsted liked me and there wouldn't be any chances of misunderstanding like Rudeus had.

But I was still just eight. Heading out from home so early...

Ah, that guy did too, didn't he?

Hm...

At that time, a knock echoed in the distance. Shortly after, my mom called out. "Lina? Rudy? We're back!"

I froze.

Rostelina laughed and then said, "Come on. Let's show your mom how cute you are."

"I thought you said I was cool!"

Rostelina grabbed my hand and pulled me along. "You are. But a cute hero is still cute even if he's cool, you know?"

I sighed. "Well. I guess Mom would think it's alright..."

I reluctantly followed after Rostelina.

We walked through the house to the living room. As we did, I mentally prepared myself to explain things to Mom.

And then I saw all the people around her, and I remembered that Mom didn't leave alone this morning.

Miss Rose gasped and said, "Rudy! You're so cute!"

Norn gasped as well and looked at me with sparkling eyes. "Rui! Cool!"

Aisha clapped her hands and then nodded. "Super cool!"

"Kuh." I felt my face heat up and averted my gaze. "I-It wasn't my idea." I instinctively reached up to smooth my hair down. But before I could, Mom was already standing in front of me, patting it all down.

"M-Mom?"

She leaned back to look at me, her face grim.

I blinked and said, "I-Is something wrong?"

She stared back and then let out a deep sigh. "Like I thought. It's too dangerous for you to be an adventurer. I might become a grandmother before I'm forty at this rate."

Rostelina laughed and said, "He's cute, right? Don't you think so too, Roxy?"

Master Roxy looked at me, her face flushing red. "T-That is... Rudy does appear to be suited for an adventurer's life, but..."

I coughed and then looked towards the bags that Miss Rose and Master Roxy were holding. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

Mom nodded and let out a bright smile. "Yep! We got a lot of herbs and spices! And now, with all the meat that Roxy brought back the other day, we can have a party!"

"A party?" I blinked and said, "What for?"

"For my son finally being normal again, obviously. Now come on, there's a lot to get ready!"

-LIV-

Sylphy hummed to herself as she looked around the frozen forest. Gently walking through the frosted undergrowth, she stopped in front of a frozen wolf before lightly tapping it.

The wolf shattered into red mist before it dropped a glittering blue crystal onto the ground.

Sylphy picked it up and then smiled. After that, she turned around and said, "What do you think, Eris? Will this make a good gift for Rudy?"

Eris hugged her arms and shivered. "P-P-Prob-bably."

"Oh! I'm sorry." Sylphy waved her hand, causing a warm wind to blow around the surroundings. In an instant, the frozen forest turned back to normal, as if the ice was just an illusion. "I forget that you aren't good with magic."

Eris gave Sylphy a blank stare and then sighed, shaking her head. "It's... fine." Eris glanced at her side to check her sword, making sure it wasn't damaged by the cold. After that, she nodded and looked back at Sylphy. "What do you want that for anyway?"

Sylphy tucked it into a small bag at her side and said, "Well, Rudy needs a new weapon now that his sword is broken. And since he's just like a hero from a story, we should get him a magic sword, right? And a magic sword needs a good magic crystal." She turned around to look at Eris and smiled. "Isn't it a great idea? He'll be so happy for us to give him a cool sword!"

"Um. Sure?"

Sylphy frowned. "You don't seem happy about that Eris."

"A-Ah." Eris quickly held up her hands and said, "It's a good idea! I think. Just..." She frowned and said, "Does Rudy need a sword? He can use his magic to make one whenever he wants, right?"

Sylphy paused. "Oh. That's right. But we already spent all this time adventuring to make it..."

Eris started to sweat.

She already kind of thought it since she arrived in Buina village to stay with Rudy's family... but it really seemed like everyone here didn't have any common sense...

Sylphy sighed. "Well. Since we're here, we should at least get a few more. Maybe Rudy can find a good use for them? It would be a good gift anyway, right?"

"Maybe- Wait." Eris blinked and then said, "You want to find more magical creatures?"

"Of course! Now come on, Eris." Sylphy grabbed Eris's hand and said, "There should be stronger monsters deeper in the forest. You can practice fighting more too!"

"H-Hold on. S-Sylphy, I'm exhausted. Why don't we-"

Before Eris could say anything else, she felt warmth spread throughout her body. After that, her fatigue vanished. Not only that, but she felt filled with energy. Like she had just woken up after a long night's sleep.

Sylphy smiled. "There! Now you're in top shape, right?"

Eris gave Sylphy a blank stare and then pulled out her sword. "...Yes."

"Great! Now... Adventure!"

Was this what Dad meant? What goes around comes around?

Eris really should have treated their servants in Roa better...

-LIV-

It was a bit awkward but fun day.

I didn't think that it was a big deal, but apparently I had been acting a lot more differently than I thought.

Mom had to pretty much be physically restrained by Miss Rose and Miss Rostelina to not go overboard cooking. But in her place, Master Roxy went a bit overboard and tried using magic to cook things.

It... kind of worked? Minus a few piles of ash from the first few barbecue slices.

Sylphy and Eris came back later in the day with a bunch of magic stones. And as a result, they promptly got scolded by the adults for doing reckless tasks and setting bad examples for Norn and Aisha.

But altogether, it was fun. Lazy summer days where I relaxed with everyone. Productive nights where I kept track of my research in my diary as well as sorting out future events and potential issues.

Brainstorming with Master Roxy about anti-teleportation/summoning measures...

In short, preparations and living as normal of a life as I could to stick it to Being W trying to get me riled up.

Like that, summer slowly passed by.

It was a bit concerning because of how calm things were, but I didn't dwell on that.

Too much worry was paralyzing. But not only that, things were different.

I was sure of it. Unlike Rudeus, Being W couldn't directly see what I was doing. Neither could he see what the people around me were doing.

Instead, he was probably pulling things in the distance. Setting up unforeseen dangers in foreign lands.

Like where Dad was right now.

*That* part was a bit concerning. But Dad was strong. Stronger still than in Rudeus's timeline, and there he had been strong enough to be the ace in the hole against a hydra.

Still. I did wonder a bit how he was doing...

He was probably fine, right?

HappyVainGlory

Many thoughts about how things are going, but I'll just keep it to myself til we finish up this arc and move onto the next part. Which hopefully is soon. :fingerscrossed: