Sweet Reunion and Secret Swords
"Hehehe... It's so nice to see you again after so long, Lea."
"It's not that long."
"Two weeks is a long time. I missed you like crazy~"
"Fair enough, fair enough."
I let out a small sigh as my heroes crowded around me. Just two weeks. Two weeks. I'd barely closed my eyes for a quick nap... and suddenly they were back, same as ever.
'They said it was super tough,' I thought. Was Adella exaggerating? Sure, an ogre boss should be a cakewalk for heroes, but these guys weren't exactly top-tier. Even judging by old standards, it'd take a year at most—half a year if they hustled.
I shoved off the clinging Haring and NyaNya, then stared at the ogre head plopped in front of me and sighed even deeper.
"Dumb ogre."
Couldn't even hold out, sending my heroes packing in just two weeks. No wonder its boss got his ass kicked like a dog and stuffed in a coffin—its minions were this pathetic.
"Cheer up. We worked our butts off."
"Yeah! We even brought snacks!"
"...From pretty far away."
"Cotton candy from the capital. Took forever to keep it from melting."
"That's right. NyaNya managed it while handling her staff."
Yongba, standing off at a distance, came over with a box. Inside, packed neatly with her ice staff, were five cotton candies. Haring handed me the prettiest one.
It wasn't for this, but... nom.
"Mmm..."
"Tasty, right?"
"Tasty."
Tasted more like ice cream than cotton candy. I'd never seen it before—must be new. They got all kinds: strawberry, chocolate, banana. Super variety.
Munching on the ice cotton candy improved my mood a bit.
"Got more?"
"Bought three extra boxes just in case."
"Good job."
Pat pat. I stroked each of their heads once. Annoying as it was that they'd wrapped up the mission in two weeks, they'd still completed my assignment.
'Their growth isn't bad.'
The gacha goddess granny would probably be satisfied. Midway, Yugi whined for extra pets, but I subbed in a knuckle-rub instead.
"This isn't so ba—"
"Just take it."
"Eek!"
"Anyway, Lea. We beat it, but then this weird guy showed up at the end and wrecked us..."
"Huh?"
I listened as Haring plopped down beside me again, spilling the story with a grievance. After barely taking down the ogre, a black-skulled demon popped out and one-shot the whole party. Called himself the 5th Legion Commander, Kadaver of Servitude.
"I mean, ogres are already a pain, and then a legion commander just shows up? That's bullshit."
"Fair enough."
"He kept asking what you and I were to each other. I thought I was done for."
"You'd just respawn."
"Pfft. Still sucks to die."
"Hmm..."
Treating death like "eh, bad mood"—no matter how I sliced it, this generation's heroes had the weirdest mindset.
'It's not even a game.'
I nibbled the cotton candy stick, reminiscing. Let's see...
"Kadaver... Kadaver... Ah, got it."
"What kinda guy is he? Hated your guts."
"Told him I wasn't fighting, but he did anyway."
I wasn't a hero, nor some devout follower of the goddess, so I had zero interest in battling. Early after reincarnating as Lea, maybe—but by 200, I was half-retired. Fights? Meh. Sleep, wake up occasionally for food tours? That was life. If heroes hadn't shown, I'd have snoozed five years straight, then hit the Fairy Kingdom for strawberry cream buns.
"But his demon squad torched my favorite spot. So I swung by, breathed fire on his whole legion—and him."
"With breath?"
"Yup."
Pretty hilarious watching his legion burn in despair. Rolling on the ground from the heat? Comedy gold.
"Skulls burn too. Wild."
"Can we see a breath demo?"
"Nope."
"Why? Never seen you use it."
"Easier for catching thieves?"
"Sets the mountain on fire."
I shook my head at Yongba and the others. Sure, breathing fire was lazier than moving, but this was my home. One stray spark, and boom—wildfire. Magic snuff-out works, but double cleanup? Pass.
"What about torching the commander?"
"Not my house."
"Oh."
NyaNya nodded, crunching her ice staff clean. Yongba begged for an air breath show, but I let it slide in one ear and out the other.
"Hrmm..."
"Forget the vault pass—if I could just see one breath, my life's dream..."
"No."
I mulled it over, ignoring Yongba's pout. A legion commander resurfacing bugged me. Demons and monsters quiet post-Demon King, now stirring in the north? And a commander shows? Even if just a remnant soul, first since the King's death.
'Bahamut too old for it?'
Bahamut's prime was long gone. Retired in the capital, waiting out twilight. Even if he could fight, not at peak.
"Prime time to rampage, huh."
Granny summoning heroes now? Probably to fill Bahamut's shoes.
"Hehe... Anyway, we worked hard—when's the vault access...?"
"Cotton candy first."
"Here!"
Nom.
＊
"Thank you!"
"Yeah. Don't use it till you hit 4 stars. Will break if you do."
"Of course! Loyalty for life!"
I eyed Hidni bowing nonstop at the treasure vault entrance. Rude wake-up, but promised is promised. He picked a white spear that shapeshifts freely—even into armor or barriers.
Treasure vault's packed; I don't know every item's specs. Some predate my birth.
"Fifth one. Sixth now."
Last was Haring. Heroes could read weapon stats: performance, abilities, limits. They inspected before I explained, picking perfect fits.
"Handy."
Made me think granny favorite-ed this gen. Old heroes had higher peaks but slow growth. These? Errands level 'em up, immortal—no real death, minimal pain. Why go this far?
'Wants Bahamut-level power? Or saw potential?'
"Hrmm..."
Whatever. Raise 'em, boot 'em—that's it. Loaded 'em with gear; next quest, then nap city.
"You're last."
"Hehehe... Protagonist always saves the best for last."
"Picking that practice weapon again?"
"Hell no."
Haring sidled up like she'd waited. In hindsight, her practice pick had reason. Mom's leftovers—all red dragon scale blades. Unknown secrets possible.
"Want a practice one?"
"Nooo! Don't drown me in regret and pain again!"
Clink clink.
Heading to the second vault. Haring shook her head firmly, dead serious.
"Gonna pick something top-tier this time. Even if you kill me, no temptations."
"Why? Could be good, like you said."
"That was me not knowing..."
"Hidden power?"
Thud. Vault arrived. Mountain of weapons, gear, accessories. I hauled a box of training swords, set it before her.
"Practice swords, but not basic. Mom's scales."
"...But specs suck."
"Trash-talking my mom?"
"N-no! Not that!"
Haring flailed hands and head. I chuckled, grabbed two swords.
She looked puzzled. I clapped them together...
Click.
"!"
"Cool, right?"
They fused seamlessly, like one blade. Haring's eyes shook.
"What... is that?"
"Always did this. Weird part: chain more, size stays grip-friendly."
"Why?!"
"Dunno."
I linked a few more, handed it over. Slightly sharper red blade. She gripped it, eyes darting between sword, air, me.
"Power up... No way. All together = awakening...?"
"If you pick this, I can give... thirtyish."
"...All of 'em?"
"Nah. Thirty's generous. More later if good."
"Ughhh..."
After an hour's vault wandering, Haring took thirty practice swords. Regret flickered, but who knows? Could outshine others if epic power hides within.
Unknown even to me. Gotta be special.
Or not.