WIEDERGEBURT Chapter 10

I wasn’t sure how long the two of us walked through the forest far from Nevaria. Our days were spent miserably, dodging Demon Beasts whenever we could and fighting them when we couldn’t. The nights were even worse. During the dark hours when the sun had gone down, we were forced to hide in caves, under bushes, and wherever we could. I barely got a wink of sleep.

Of course, I say “we”, but I really meant she. I had no fighting ability to speak of. Kari was the one who had done all the fighting.

Kari was the only reason I was still alive. While I cowered behind her, unable to do a single thing, she fought against the Demon Beasts. Her beautiful, elegant figure moved to a rhythm of death. During this time, my admiration and respect for her soared to heights I had never believed imaginable. At the same time, I felt completely useless. She was carrying the burden for both of us. Meanwhile, I could offer nothing in return.

Late one night, I was sitting close to the entrance of the cave, staring into the vast forest beyond. We had found this little place while searching for somewhere to spend the night. It had been home to a pack of Dire Wolves, a type of four-legged and furry Demon Beast with a canine muzzle. Kari had killed the Dire Wolves, skinned their corpses, and taken this cavern for herself.

I had offered to keep watch. I’d actually had to argue with her about this. Kari had been adamant about letting me sleep, but I could tell she was nearing her limit. She had not slept once this entire time outside of a few small naps. There were bags under her eyes, she had stumbled several times during her fight against the Dire Wolves, and she became exhausted more quickly. She needed to sleep.

Besides, right now, keeping watch was all I could do.

As I sat there, wondering if there was anything else I could do to help Kari, a soft cry came from inside of the cavern. I recognized that voice! Panic spread through me as I stood up. I rushed inside, prepared for the worse. I was expecting some kind of unknown Demon Beast to have appeared and attacked Kari while she slept. No such thing happened. After searching the area and finding nothing, I sighed in relief.

My relief didn’t last long.

Kari was thrashing in her sleep. Her cries and struggles were growing increasingly more violent. I rushed to her side and tried to shake her awake. I cried out when her fist struck me in the cheek, but I ignored the pain, grabbed her shoulders, and shook her as I called her name.

“Kari! Kari! Wake up!”

Her eyes opened with a snap. Trembling orbs of the brightest blue leaked tears that appeared nearly translucent. I watched in horror as one trailed down her cheek and dripped off her chin, splashing against her chest.

“E-Eryk?” she asked with a tremor in her voice. I felt shaken, but I didn’t let her know that.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

Shaking her head, Kari sat up and pushed me away. She wiped the tears from her eyes as I watched with a growing sense of helplessness. Then she smiled.

“I’m fine,” she said. “Sorry to worry you.”

My lips involuntarily twitched into a frown. “You are obviously not fine. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Kari looked away.

The frown grew. “It is not nothing. You were crying in your sleep.”

When Kari said nothing, I could only frown to myself. She had been like this ever since rescuing me. Kari was burdened by something heavy. I didn’t know what it was, but I believed it was more than just the destruction of our home. However, she was putting on this strong front, and I knew why.

It was because of me. It was because I was weak.

Moving closer, I did not give Kari a chance to push me away again and pulled her into my chest. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. Kari stiffened.

Given her strength, she was more than capable of pushing me off, but she didn’t. Her arms hung loosely at her sides like soggy noodles. Her body seemed to have lost all its strength as she collapsed into me. I wasn’t very strong, so the dead weight was almost enough to send me on my back. Only the little amount of pride I had kept me from falling.

“Kari,” I said with my chin resting on her head. “Please tell me what’s wrong. I know something is bothering you. It’s been bothering you this whole time. I want to help you. Please let me help you.”

She remained silent, but I didn’t rush her. Even though we hadn’t seen each other in years since she married Grant Leucht, I liked to think I knew enough about her that I could tell she was close to telling me. She just needed time to gather her thoughts.

“M.. my mother… is dead.”

I sucked in a deep breath. It was obvious that her mother was dead, given what happened. However, if she was telling me this, then it meant her death likely had nothing to do with the Demon Beast Invasion.

“She was poisoned,” Kari continued. “When the Demon Beast attack happened, I rushed into my mother’s bedroom to inform her of what was happening. I…” She paused to choke back a sob, took a shuddering breath, and then continued. “When I entered the room, my mother and fathers were all dead, and standing over their corpses was Grant Leucht and this strange man wearing a dark cloak. He… he told me that Nevaria was finished, and then he tried to convince me to come with him.”

My arms tightened around her shoulders, but that was all the physical response I would give. I didn’t like hearing about that man. He had forced the woman I love into an arranged marriage. He had torn me away from her. I do not know what Kari’s life was like with that man, and I didn’t know what kind of man he was since we’d only met once, but I could not imagine that her life was pleasant, especially with the information she had just revealed.

“What happened?” I asked.

“I naturally refused,” Kari said. “That bastard not only killed my family, but he dared to try and take me as his own. I think he was upset by the fact that I never let him touch me again after our wedding night. In any case, he and that cloaked man attacked me when I refused. I managed to injure him and flee the Imperial Palace. After which, I searched for you.”

“I see.”

I wondered how it was possible to feel both incredible guilt and joy at the same time. What happened to her was something that caused my gut to clench, but the fact that the first thing she did after escaping was to search for me filled my chest with warmth. That, too, made me feel guilty.

“Kari… I love you so much.”

Those words left my mouth before I could stop them, but I didn’t take them back. They were true. I had more or less confessed these feelings two and a half years ago when she told me she was marrying Grant Leucht, and those feelings had not dulled with time. If anything, her absence from my life had made them burn even more fiercely.

I think my words caused something inside of her to break. Barely a second had passed after this confesion left my lips when Kari, whose body had stiffened in shock, suddenly broke down. My ragged, smelly, and torn shirt became soaked with tears. Kari cried into my chest, bawling in a way I’d never seen before. It was as if all the emotional turmoil and hardships she was dealing with had been walled up by a dam, and now that dam had broken.

Time passed. I didn’t speak as Kari cried. I held her close, allowing her to release the feelings she had long since pent up. Her tears eventually stopped, though she still sniffled occasionally.

“Are you feeling a little better?” I asked.

“Yeah…” Kari’s face was still buried in my chest, so I couldn’t see it, but I imagined it was a mess. I could tell that some of the liquid on my chest was not tears. “I’m sorry.”

I shook my head even though I knew she couldn’t see it. “I think you needed this.”

“Yeah…”

Kari grew silent again, though I didn’t mind. Even though I was covered in two different kinds of fluid, I was happy. I was not strong. I couldn’t protect anyone. Up to this point, I had to rely on Kari for everything, but at least now, I could do something for her. All I wanted was to be of some use to the woman I loved.

Weakness.

I frowned as that thought penetrated my mind. I was weak. However, I didn’t think I could remain weak. There would definitely come a time when Kari’s strength alone wouldn’t be enough to protect us both. If she and I were surrounded by Demon Beasts, she would undoubtedly use all of her strength to protect me so I could run, but there was no way I could do that. If something like this scenario occurred, the both of us would die together.

I wanted her to live.

“Kari?” I said after a while.

“Yes?”

“Will you train me to become strong?” I asked.

At those words, Kari lifted her head and stared at me. Her blue eyes were red, the rims around her eyes were puffy from crying, and there were streaks running down her pale face. There was even some snot dripping from her nose. Even with all that, her eyes still had the power to leave me breathless.

I’m not sure if she was searching for something, but whether she seeking something or merely trying to decide what she should do, Kari eventually gave me a slow nod.

“Yes,” she said at last. “I will help you become stronger. However, you should know that given our current situation, your training will likely be very… tough.”

The way she trailed off toward the end, as if trying to find a delicate way of putting it, let me know that there would probably be a lot of hardships in store. I didn’t care. If it would make strong enough to watch her back when danger struck, I would gladly throw myself into a pit of lava.

“That’s fine.” I hardened myself. “In fact, that couldn’t be better. I’ll do whatever it takes to get stronger.”

For the first time since we’d fled from Nevaria, a glint appeared in Kari’s eyes. “That’s good,” she began in a slow, deliberate manner. “I’m glad you have such determination. You’ll need it.”

I didn’t know how true those words were at the time, but I would come to find out very soon that Kari was a cruel taskmaster.

A very, very, VERY cruel one.

***

I snapped my eyes open and found a familiar ceiling above me. It took me a moment to remember where I was, but when I realized this was my small, shoddy room in Nevaria, I closed my eyes and pressed my palms against my eyelids.

The dream I’d just had detailed a memory I had long since forgotten the specifics of. I remember the moment, but certain things about it had been less important at the time… such as the fact that Grant Leucht had killed Kari’s family. It hadn’t been important to the situation, so I hadn’t thought too deeply on it. I think part of me assumed he’d died during the Demon Beast Invasion.

Well, now I had a new goal to add to my list of goals: Kill Grant Leucht and his entire family.

With that new goal etched into my heart, I climbed out of bed and began my day.

I did not work today. Aside from myself, Ms. Nadine had two other workers who helped her out. They were actually her sons. Both of them were a year younger than I was and attended a basic school that taught reading, writing, and arithmetic. They only helped her out when they could because they were also apprenticed under her husband. I was her main worker and the one who spent the most time at the library.

As I walked toward the Merchant’s District, my mind went to Empress Hilda—Kari’s mother. I knew nothing about her beyond what everyone else did. She and I had never met in my past life. That said, she’d made a lot of sweeping changes after ascending the throne. I thought her changes were for the better, but I knew it caused friction among the nobles. Kari had once told me that a lot of noble families did not approve of the empress or her ideas. While part of that was because of her ideas, the other part probably had to do with the fact that Empress Hilda had been a peasant before her rise to power.

Could that be why Grant Leucht and his family had decided to kill her? And what about that guy in the cloak?

I dispelled these thoughts upon entering the Merchant’s District, which was as busy today as it had been the last time I’d been there.

30 days had passed since I visited the seamstress. She had requested 30 days to make my clothes. That was the reason I had come today.

With my destination in mind, I walked to the seamstress’ store and entered. There were a few people wandering around, but most of them were looking at the clothing and fabrics. As I walked further in, I found the seamstress measuring a young boy several years my junior. He seemed slightly enamored with the older woman. He hadn’t taken her eyes off her, and he was blushing to the roots of his hair.

I waited until she was done. When the young boy hopped off the stool, I walked over and greeted her. She seemed to have been expecting me because a wry smile caused her lips to hold an appealing curve.

“I was expecting you to arrive some time today. I have the outfit  you requested,” she said. “Wait right here, and I’ll get it.”

“I won’t go anywhere.” I spread my arms wide as if to indicate I’d remain right there.

The seamstress walked to a room in the back, then came out about a minute or so later with an outfit in her hands. It consisted of several dark black articles. She handed me the largest article of clothing, which were black pants.

“Try them on one by one,” she instructed. “I need to see how they fit.”

Nodding, I slid off my pants and revealed my underwear underneath. I was mindful of the fact that several other ladies were present and watching me. Their giggling made me feel self-conscious, but I shoved those feelings aside as I slid the pants up my hips, and then tightened the cord located near the waist.

“The vest next.” The seamstress handed me the vest, which I put on over my shirt. “Now the vambraces.” Though they were called vambraces, they were actually just pieces of fabric that slipped around my forearms and could be tied in place with a durable chord. “Hmm… it looks a bit odd.”

I ignored the seamstress’ words as I looked down. The vest was made of black leather, same as the vambraces, though the pants were made of a thick wool. Located in tightly packed bunches were small pockets that literally covered every part of the vest. The vambraces and pants also had such pockets. However, the pockets in the pants had to accommodate the joint at the knees, so they were only located around the thighs and calves.

“I must admit this was a really odd request.” The seamstress placed her hands on her hips and thrust out her chest in pride. “However, I do believe the clothing I made meets your soecifications.”

“They do,” I agreed. “This is exactly what I was looking for.”

My words caused the woman to smile.

I paid her the last 2,500 valis I owed her, which I meant I only had 10,000 left. There were two more stops that I needed to make. The first was the apothecary, where I bought 1,000 grams of Red Flame Grass, 1,500 mL of Spirit Essence, 1 Nirnroot, and 1 D-rank Monster Core with a fire element. That cost me 5,500 valis, which further decreased my funds down to 4,500 valis.

This might be cutting it closer than I thought. It would have been easier if I could grab the ingredients I needed myself, but a lot of them could only be found within the Demon Beast Mountain Range. Not only did I not have special permission to enter, but with my current strength, I wouldn’t survive in there.

My last stop was a smithy. Heat caused me to break out in sweat the moment I entered. The fire from the forge in the back of the smithy roared with life. All different types of weapons and armor hung from racks and sat against walls. Chest plates, chainmail, swords, staves, staffs, sickles… I even saw a morning star, which was a weapon few people knew how to wield.

In the back of the room, over by the forge, a giant of a man pounded away at a hunk of molten iron with a gigantic hammer. He had a full head of hair, though it was tied in a ponytail at the back. His broad shoulders and massive chest made me think of a hairless Werebeast.

Since he was busy, I didn’t interrupt him and went over to the weapons. There were quite a few. However, while all of them were powerful, none of them were the type I would use.

The pounding eventually stopped. I turned to see the man dunk the molten iron into a barrel of water. Steam hissed for several seconds before settling down, and then the man retracted the iron and studied it. From the double-edged shape and general length, I could tell that he was forging a normal broadsword.

Finally, the man noticed my presence.

“You here to buy something?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I’m here to request you make something for me.”

“A custom job, is it?” Setting his newly forged sword onto a table with several other freshly made swords. He left the back and wandered over to me. Given my height, he wasn’t that much taller, but he was so much more solidly built than I was that I still felt smaller. “What sort of job is it?”

In response to his question, I showed him the vest, pants, and vambraces I got from the seamstress. He looked at them with a curious gleam. His befuddled expression made me smile.

“I need you to create metal cylinders that can fit inside of these pockets. There are a total of 78 pockets. How much will that cost?”

“For just metal cylinders?” The man looked a bit put out, but he quickly calculated the cost. “Judging by the price of the metal and the time it would take to make them… 4,000 valis.”

I almost sighed in relief. “That will be fine. Do you take payments up front or wait until after you’ve finished? Also, how long will it take to make these?”

“Up front,” the man grunted. Then he scrunched up his eyes as the frown on his face grew. “As for the length of time, I’d wager it won’t take more than two days for a job this easy.”

“That’ll be fine.”

I paid the man 4,000 valis and left the smithy. Two more days. I only had to wait two more days.

That was what I told myself as I left the Merchant’s District.

***

I didn’t hesitate to set up my alchemy set upon returning home. I got everything ready, and then began refining the ingredients I would need to create the last pill necessary for my training—or at least, the last one I needed for right now.

I glanced at the ingredients I would need to refine. 1,000 grams of Red Flame Grass to strengthen my body, 1,500 mL of Spirit Essence to help refine my strength, 1 Nirnroot to help heal my body after my muscles were torn, and 1 D-rank Monster Core with a fire element to enhance the pills effects.

After crushing the Red Flame Grass into a fine paste using the mortar and pestle, I put it inside of a 100 mL beaker, then I added Nirnroot shavings into it. I created a flame underneath the beaker and used a metal sheet to keep it from burning the floor. Steam rose from the Red Flame Grass as it hissed and sizzled. I could see the Nirnroot shavings catch fire, turning into a strangely liquid form that seeped into the red paste.

While the Nirnroot was mixing into the Red Flame Grass, I placed the Monster Core onto the mortar. I took the pestle to the Monster Core and began cracking it. Chips fell away, releasing smoke each time. Flames licked at the pestle as I worked. I ignored that and continued pounding until the Monster Core was turned into many flakey-looking chips, and then I ground it further until it turned into a red powder.

The Nirnroot had completely mixed with the Red Flame Grass paste. I blew out the fire and let the mixture sit. Grabbing the Spirit Essence, I poured all of it into the cauldron, added the Monster Core powder, and then stirred. Before too long, the Spirit Essence was glowing a bright red.

I nodded once, grabbed the beaker, scooped the Nirnroot/Red Flame Grass mixture into it, and then began stirring even more. Lightning crackled as I channeled my Spiritual Power into the liquid as I continued mixing. The medicinal ingredients began bubbling like a lava, and a heavy fragrance that contained a sort of fiery spiciness permeated the room. It was ready.

“Time for the last step,” I mumbled.

Keeping my eyes open, I stared into the cauldron as I placed my hands on it and began channeling my Spiritual Power. The bubbling liquid undulated underneath my will, breaking apart, separating into bubbles, and then taking a new form, or rather, a bunch of forms.

Mass pill refinement generally wasn’t considered a very smart thing to do, but like with the Three Way Spiritual Widening Pill, I was in a hurry.

The pills were soon formed. Each one was about the size of a my pinky nail. Their vibrant red color made them look like a fire was contained inside of them just waiting to be released. As if to emphasize this, they radiated an intense heat despite the shell actually being quite cool to the touch.

I put them into a bag, cleaned out the cauldron, beaker, mortar, and pestle, and then I put everything away and sat cross-legged on my bed, where I meditated.

Just two more days before I could begin training my body.