GI Chapter 17: Invitation

Mona approached Orion, her twin tails swaying gracefully in the wind. She walked so close she practically stepped on his foot. The rather serious look on her immaculate face was ruined by the minor scratches, possibly resulting from her conquest to tame Makoto. Orion couldn’t restrain himself, seeing her pitiful appearance, and ended up chuckling in her face.

“If you can laugh in this situation, then you’re fine.” Mona stepped back and heaved a sigh of relief. “You were so reckless…”

She knew all too well she was the first to jump in to help. So she had no right to admonish him.

“Don’t be grumpy, Mona. We scared off the dragon.”

Truthfully speaking, Ursa’s defeat was only made possible by Mona’s Hydro star that momentarily stunned the drake and provided him with the opportunity to deal in the decisive blow.

“It was stellar teamwork now that I think about it,” Mona said, her priorities switching instantaneously. Their team had accomplished what many wouldn’t even dare to dream of doing. Mona felt like she could surpass her teacher in yet another department: becoming an adventurer regarded highly by the world. It might cut her research time a bit… maybe a lot, but she would be able to afford many items she desired with the extra money. Another thing to think about later.

“All’s well that ends well.”

Mona thanked the starry skies in her heart.

“I need to ask something.” Orion whipped out the dragon horn out of his pocket. “Will the Guild buy it?”

Mona’s eyes widened in shock. “Dragon horn…”

Mona reached out to the horn, but the fair hand of a lady beat her to it. Fischl raised the dragon horns in her hands and snickered. “You condemned the beast of infinite chaos for its vile and unjust actions. It is whimpering at its loss near the end of the world.”

Orion tilted his head a bit. Fischl’s speaking manners were extremely peculiar. A little bit similar to the chuuni role players from his past life. Being an avid RPG gamer, he went through some of the servers. It was precisely why he hated them since they reminded him of his uncivil memories.

‘Or, roleplaying is a common thing in this world?’

“Hello, Orion,” Oz greeted with a pecking nod of his head. “And his companion.”

“Hello, Oz,” Orion said with a courteous smile. “Makoto, don’t try to eat him, okay?”

Orion warned Makoto just in case the cat began drooling for Oz’s flesh. Makoto mewled softly, as if agreeing to his order, and jumped down his shoulder.

Mona nodded at Oz. “Name is Mona Megistus, the great astrologist,” Mona introduced herself calmly before she lunged for the dragon horn in Fischl’s hands. “Return it, Princess! It belongs to Orion.”

Fischl returned the horn to Mona. “Hmph. I was foreseeing the beast’s destiny with my left eye, the Auge der Verurteilung.”

“You dwell in the matters of destiny?” Mona’s interest was piqued. “Is that eyepatch some new equipment?”

Fischl revealed an arrogant pose with her right hand on her left eye. “The Auge der Verurteilung reveals all that is true in this world. Should this seal be lifted, all truth will be laid bare without a falsity.”

Orion stared at Fischl with a wry smile. Who would have thought the young archer was a comrade of his aunt? First Mona and now Fischl. He was slowly becoming a magnet for eccentric girls.

“I dare you to unseal it.” Mona took Fischl’s usual shenanigans at face value. “Princess of Immarna-whatever.”

“I cannot.” Fischl shook her head as though disappointed for not being able to grant Mona’s request. “The world will lose much of its appeal if wholly stripped of falsehood and delusions.”

Oz didn’t dare intervene in the women’s argument. The topic of Fischl’s eye was forbidden even for him. Only Fischl’s parents and the Librarian of the Knights of Favonius knew of the secret behind Fischl’s eye. It was just a normal eyepatch.

“No way you are telling the truth,” Mona rejected the reality where Fischl could accomplish such feats while she couldn’t. “Show me the proof or you’re nothing but a liar in my eyes.”

The two energetic girls swayed about while bickering. They naturally drew eyes to their half-revealing petite busts, which bounced and swayed accordingly without the confines of a brassiere. Fischl’s dress with black fishnet wasn’t helping either. Orion couldn’t help but compare the two in his mind.

‘Fischl’s are bigger… but Mona gets an easy win in the ass department. Tough choice.’

Orion, of course, cared for personality more than looks.

Fischl coughed and looked at Orion. “Noble knight, your deeds for punishing the sins must be rewarded. The fate has decreed so. Speak! Speak to me of your wish, that which you most desire to fulfill during your fleeting and harsh existence in this wretched world. The Prinzessin der Verurteilung shall see it fulfilled.”

Oz uttered a voice that sounded like the last squawk of a chicken before it was slaughtered. “Sir Orion, the citizens are expecting to meet you for a while. Why don’t you hear them out?”

Orion cast a suspicious look at the talking raven. Oz intervened just when he was about to make his wish known. He tucked the horn back in his pocket and looked over his shoulder.

The hunters of Springvale, the same hunters Orion saw in the morning, walked down a sloped road. They were led by Draff, the head of the hunters of this village. He was a gruff, brown-haired man with cat ears, a rough beard, and a mustache.

“Mein Fräulein… don’t. Our expenses are tight this month.”

“Wah!” Fischl flinched and uttered a strange cry. “Ahem.” With an unnecessarily loud cough, she regained her usual flamboyant aura. “W-We haven’t been paid for this investigation yet. I can manage a few Mora,” Fischl said, her voice muted for the world except for Orion.

Orion didn’t know if Fischl was kind or pretentious. To reward someone while she herself wasn’t that well off, she belonged to either of the two categories.

Mona shook her head and walked back to Orion’s side. “Fischl is the Senior Investigator we came to help… What do the stars want us to do?”

Mona’s sigh was that of pent up frustration. Being grumpy without a night’s sleep was given.

“No need to stress over it,” Orion said and gently patted her shoulder. “Let’s take care of the villagers first.”

As he was about to approach Draff, Fischl beat him to it. Fischl stepped in front as though she was the leader of their small party.

“Brave mortals who subjugate the kin of wild beasts. In this hour of sunshine, your Prinzessin permits you to forgo the usual etiquette and simply relay your gratitude to the noble knight who scoffed at the ferocious jaws of the vile beast of the apocalypse.”

“Mine Fräulein was wondering if the villagers could afford lodging for us for the daytime.” Oz resumed his duty to translate Fischl’s ‘royal’ language. “It is time for the afternoon meal, and we have yet to start our investigation on the meteorites.”

“You adventurers saved Springvale from destruction.” Draff gave a wide smile. “What kind of people will we be if we can’t even afford that?”

A plump lady with twin tails nodded her head in agreement. “We’ll be having a feast with the absolutely freshest meat. You all are, of course, invited!”

Draff guffawed, beating his broad chest in excitement and glee. He looked at Orion with respectful eyes.  “You guys did amazing. Any Mora we give isn’t enough to reward this heroic deed. This young lad, in particular, rode the old dragon like a true adventurer! You certainly inspired hope in the kids.”

Orion only returned a polite smile as a response. He didn’t have a good impression of the villagers after they exploited Noelle’s kind nature.

“Hmph! The food is but the shackles of mortal flesh. But for my subjects, I shall partake in the occasion.”

“We thank you for your invitation.”

Fischl and Oz’s duo was as peculiar as ever. Orion pitied Oz somewhat for being stuck as a living translator for the girl with next-level chuunibyou syndrome.

The villagers once again thanked Orion before they returned.