The sun was setting as Alice, Fel, Sui and Gallade after Alice recalled Sylveon back into her Poke Ball now accompanying Lambert and the Phoenix party to reach Karelina after Fel and Sylveon dealt with the bandits who were tied up. To say the least, the bandits and the adventurers were wary of Fel, mostly the bandits who were glancing at Fel who had Alice riding on his back with Gallade walking beside them, keeping pace.
Alice was deep in thought before she caught a conversation between two members of the Phoenix Party.
"So anyway, heard the leader says that thing's a Fenrir. You think so?" The one with the goatie told the one next to him that has extremely short reddish brown hair and both were wary of Fel.
"I don't know. Some people are saying it might be a great wolf."
This made Alice tense as she listened.
'What the heck? How did the rumors spread so far so quickly?! It's way too fast and it usually takes days or longer for rumors to spread.' She thought in shock and worry. Just how are people hearing and learning about Fel? She needs to listen more.
"Guilds all over the place are chattering about it non-stop." The goatie guy said with the redhead nodding.
"Yeah, word travels fast when you can send letters through magic teleportation." The redhead agreed and Alice grew more worried. Sui isn't mentioned because of how common slimes are but Fel isn't so common since people react with surprise, shock, fear and awe just at his sight being a mystical and legendary beast in this world.
'Magic teleportation? Such a thing exists? Maybe I shouldn't be surprised anymore. There are Pokémon who can deliver letters especially Dragonite, Peliper and Psychic types but I guess that explains how word gets around fast then.' Alice sighed inwardly as Fel glanced at her curiously, ears twitching a bit when he noticed that she was a bit distressed.
"It's hard to know what to believe at this point. Ask Rautel's guild. They'll tell you it's a great wolf for sure." The one with the goatie said before he looked forward.
"And yet, the leader..."
"Better not disagree with his assessment if you want to stay alive." The redhead said and Fel scowled a bit. So they were talking about him? He can't really fault anyone. His appearance can be mistaken for a great wolf after all unless those who can recognize the differences can tell immediately and he can understand why Alice wants to keep up the great wolf misunderstanding.
Alice watched the two party members converse only to look down in worry at Fel.
'I always worry about everyone, especially Fel more than anything. I mean, sure, if it got out that I'm an otherworlder with an infinite item box and online grocery skill, that would be enough of a problem. But some folks would love having a Fenrir on their side.' She thought back bitterly to the servant of the margrave and she shook her head. To think people here are like those corrupt organizations back in her world exist.
'I don't know what the bigwigs around here are planning exactly. I just hope we'll be able to stay out of it.'
They all stopped for the night at a clearing and one of the party members was giving the horse-like creatures a drink of water as two stood guard by the bandits while others collect wood to make a fire as Alice recalled Gallade back into his poke ball after since he was tired before she let out Ninetales and Sylveon who stretched and Sui immediately came to them, in awe at how pretty she looks before Alice felt a warm breath brushing against her ear which made her body shudder involuntarily.
"Hey, I hope you haven't forgotten what you promised this afternoon." Fel reminded her in a low tone as she glanced at him with an endearing smile. Of course she hadn't forgotten.
"I know, I remember it well. I'll make you a nice big meal as a reward for saving them. Satisfied now?" She reassured him as she turned around, giving his head a gentle pat which made his ears twitch as he nodded before she motioned for them to follow her to a distance but not too far but far enough for Alice to cook safely.
Alice peeked over the large rock that acted as their barrier before she turned to her group.
"I don't think they'll see us over here." She said as she set her bag down.
"So, any requests?" She asked as she opened her item box.
"I want meat!" Fel said instantly. Ninetales agreed with Fel as Sylveon let out a melodic soft cry.
"Fel, really? Again?" Alice playfully asked him which he answered with a smirk.
"Hey, mama, Sui wants meat too, please." Sui agreed with Fel as she smiled at him. Of course. She can't cook without hearing everyone agreeing on what she should cook.
"Alright, you guys got it. One big meat dish coming right up." She smiled before she rummaged through her item box and realized they're very low on meat now.
"We haven't got any chunks of meat left that's big enough to make steak, though. All we've got are bits and pieces of different kinds of meat." She told them before she thought on what to cook and had an idea.
"No problem. I'll come up with a clever way to use up everything that's left." She said as she petted Ninetales' head when she came to her before she took out the remaining meat left out of her item box and put them in a bowl.
'We can get more easily enough. I promised Fel that this meal would be extra special and a reward, so I'm gonna go all out on the seasonings!' Alice smiled excitedly as she purchased new seasonings, setting them down next to the bowls as Fel had come up behind her, curious on what she was planning as she started to cut the meat.
'We begin by cutting the Cockatrice breast meat into bite-sized pieces.' She cut the meat equally before grabbing a plastic bag as Sui and Sylveon watch.
'Put it in a bag, along with garlic, wine and soy sauce.' She put the meat into the plastic bag and started to add the seasonings she first added before she gripped the open part of the bag and started to massage it.
'Massage the bag until the meat is sufficiently marinated and then add some flour to the mix.' Alice opened the bag before pouring the contents of the flour bag into the plastic bag. She didn't miss how Sui was playing with the extra one or Fel resting near her but far from the stove.
'Shake vigoriously.' Alice started to shake it and the sound made Fel open his eyes curiously.
"Shake, shake, shake!" Sui mirrored her which made her smile as Ninetales and Sylveon watched with Fel as Alice went to the stove after pouring cooking oil in the pot she put over it.
'Then finally, heat up a pot of oil and add the meat.' She carefully put each piece of meat down as it started to sizzle and boil before waiting until she was sure it had a rich golden color and used a strainer-like spatula to scoop it out.
"All right, it's done!" Alice smiled as she put the meat into bowls. One large portion for Fel with Sui's having the same amount as Sylveon and Ninetales.
"Karaage of various meats is served." Alice said as she served everyone their dinner.
{Karaage of Various Meats (Soy Sauce and Salt Flavor)}
Fel didn't hesitate with Ninetales and Sylveon and Sui was trying one of two different flavors.
"It's karaage again like before. But this time there are salty ones and refreshing ones. They're delicious, Mama!" Sui noted, munching on them happily as Alice was cooking up the second batch as she smiled at Sui.
"You can tell the difference, Sui?" Alice said with a chuckle before she turned to Fel.
"How about-" She was about to ask her first familiar but she can see that he was already digging in with no problem.
"Yeah, Fel likes it." She laughed in amusement.
'(I agree with Sui. There are salty and refreshing ones! A perfect reward!)' He told her telepathically, eating enthusiastically which Alice appreciated.
"How about you two?" Alice asked Sylveon and Ninetales who were eating excitedly, voicing their enjoyment. She smiled, enjoying how everyone was enjoying themselves. She soon rolled her sleeves, grinning. She's gonna make sure they're full so she can have some herself after.
"Alrighty! Hope you guys have an appetite because I'm going to keep them coming!" She said and Sui, Fel, Ninetales and Sylveon became excited.
While Sui, Fel, Ninetales and Sylveon awaited for their next serving as Alice cooked, they were unaware that the smell had lingered to the camp where Lambert and the Phoenix Party are stationed. The first one to notice was the redhead one. It smells amazing too!
"What is that? Anyone else smell something amazing?" He asked and everyone had finally noticed the very tantalizing scent. It smells like food yet it smells delicious!
The one with the goatie noticed it too as he set his dried meat down. It smells delicious and makes his mouth water like never before.
"Yeah, I do." He agreed and everyone started to follow where the smell was coming from.
"Okay, the second batch is ready, guys!" Alice told her little group before she froze, sensing multiple auras approaching and she looked over to see Lambert and the Phoenix party looking over to her, mainly her newly cooked batch of karaage. Even Fel had noticed them. Both Alice and Fel had a bad feeling since the food must've caught their attention.
"O-Oh, hey." Alice greeted them sheepishly as they were eyeing the bowl of food she was holding.
"Tell me, Alice. What is all this?" Lambert asked her curiously but she could tell they were eyeing the food as if it was made from gold especially with how good it smells. She could practically hear their stomachs growling and she didn't want to be selfish as she offered them the bowl hesitantly.
"Oh, would you all like some, perhaps?" She asked sheepishly. She gave them the bowl and they started to eat immediately without hesitation, it was the best thing they have ever tasted!
"It's so good!"
"Not only is it meat, but it's..."
"Piping hot to boot!"
"Never before have I eaten anything so exquisite!"
"Oh, how kind of you." Alice took their compliments as a good thing as she hurriedly gave Fel, Sui, Ninetales and Sylveon theirs. With how fast their new friends were gobbling the karaage down, she'll have to make quite a few batches.
By the last batch, Alice was already exhausted as she panted heavily as Sui and Sylveon came to her with Ninetales sitting by Fel as Lambert and the Phoenix party were full and satisfied.
"I want more." Fel said before he stopped as he scanned the spot where Alice had put all of the meat and his ears lowered. He wanted more but with how everyone had eaten all of it... He looked to Alice who looked up at him, exhaustion in her eyes.
"There isn't any left, Fel." She told him sadly and in exhaustion as he nudged her up to her feet which she appreciated.
"Man, that was great! I couldn't stop shoveling it into my mouth." The redhead said in delight and satisfaction as he patted Alice back in gratitude as she smiled forcefully.
"What a compliment. Thank you." Alice said, glad they were able to eat but...
She looked back to the empty pot and felt her own stomach rumble as she placed a hand on it secretly.
'I didn't even get a single bite...' She thought sadly.
"Guess we owe you one, huh?" The one with the eyepatch said as Fel had enough of the redhead being close to Alice as he came to her side, nudging her away from him, not wanting another man's scent on her like before again. Plus he had heard the small growl of her stomach and it irked him that Lambert and the Phoenix party had eaten everything without leaving some for Alice which upset him but a gentle hand on his head made him glance at Alice who was shaking her head.
'(It's not worth it, Fel. I can always eat something else for tonight.)' She told him and he hesitated before reluctantly nodding.
She looked at the one with the eyepatch when he said that, curious by what he meant.
"You take it easy and relax now. Let us handle the night watch." He said which made Alice look over to where the bandits are tied up and were sitting down by the tree with Lars having a hand on the hilt of his sword. Oh right, the bandits.
'Oh, that's right. The night can be pretty dangerous, can it?' Alice thought worriedly. Fel has been setting up barriers for them whenever they camp in the wilderness to keep hostile monsters away from their safe space that she hadn't thought of hostile humans until now. But if this is how the Phoenix party would repay her for feeding them the meal that was supposed to be hers and her group, she can let the small incident of not being able to eat the karaage slide.
She had picked up her bag and smiled at them thankfully.
"Okay then, we'll be counting on you." She said as she followed Fel, Sui, Ninetales and Sylveon to a spot for them to rest and Fel had lay down first, waiting for Alice with Sui already nestled against his fur. Ninetales had taken a spot by Fel's right with Sylveon next to Ninetales.
Lars then turned his attention to the bandits, expression serious.
"Listen, once we reach the city, we're handing you over to the Knights. Till then, don't try anything funny." Lars warned them, unsheathing his sword. He means business especially since there was a lady with them with her familiars.
"Why you cocky little bastard! Don't think we-" One of the bandits shouted before Alice spoke up.
"Excuse me." Alice spoke, voice weary, tired and a bit annoyed as she was staring at them with an expression that made them go white but they went even paler when they saw that the Fenrir with her was growling dangerously and Alice was the only thing keeping Fel from tearing the bandits a new one.
"We're gonna be getting some shut-eye over here. But in the event that you do cause any trouble whatsoever, you'll be shredded before Lars can draw his sword." Alice warned them. She can practically feel how Fel is irritated which mirrored her sour mood right now.
That scared the bandits as they screamed like babies and made no trouble for all of them for the rest of the night. Alice had bought something from the online grocery as Sui, Fel and Ninetales slept but Fel watched over her as she ate what appeared to be bread and as much as he wants some, he'd rather let her have her fill due to not being able to eat as she rested against him while eating the bread until she had her fill which was five slices of bread before giving him the rest since Sui had fallen asleep by the time she was done.
The next day after everyone got ready to resume as Alice walked beside Fel after recalling Ninetales and Sylveon that she secretly done so and she let out Dratini who Sui was happy to see again as Dratini perched on Alice's shoulder as they entered through the gates and Alice was in awe at how big it was.
"Whoa..." She breathed as she saw the sight.
"This is it! The city of Karelina!" Lambert told her as she was in awe and what's more, it felt more like home. The atmosphere was warm and unique and Alice could tell that the aura here was stable. Those adventurers at that pub when she was tricked into purchasing the map weren't kidding. This place seems more stable than Reijseger.
"Sure is big, isn't it?" Alice couldn't help but point out as Fel came up beside her with Lambert agreeing as Dratini was in awe.
"Indeed. The fifth largest city in the Kingdom of Leonhardt, to be precise." Lambert confirmed and Alice was even more curious about the other four cities. It must be big just like this one too!
"The members of my family have been leather merchants in this city for generations." Lambert explained and Alice realized what that meant as she walked beside Lambert with Fel not too far away.
"Ah, so that means you sell bags and shoes?" She asked him. She is so going to check out his shop once she gets the chance.
"We deal in a wide variety of leather goods." Lambert nodded before a slight commotion made them pause as they looked to where it was coming from. They saw that Lars had indeed handed the bandits to the Knights and was being paid for it as part of the job.
"Looks like those bandits are finally getting what's coming to them." Lambert said, feeling relieved that those bandits won't be causing trouble anymore to anyone before he turned to Alice.
"If not for you, things would have turned out much differently." He said and Alice hummed but agreed. If Fel hadn't hurried to get them to find man-made roads, they wouldn't have met Lambert and they wouldn't have reached a city.
"Hey, Alice, we're about to head over to the guild to report in. Do you want to come along?" Lars called her over and she, Fel and Dratini turned to him.
"Sure. We'll be right behind you, Lars." Alice told him. She was planning on heading to the guild anyway and heading there with Lars would be easy since the city is really big. She then turned to Lambert.
"May I stop by your shop in a little bit after I'm done at the guild?" She asked and Lambert smiled warmly.
"It would be an honor." He said and she returned it as she hurried to Lars, Fel following.
But once arriving at the guild as Alice went to the receptionist, she had bad news.
"Oh dear, it seems your membership has been revoked." The receptionist, Anna, said apologetically while Alice just pinched the bridge of her nose.
"What?" Was all she could say but she sighed heavily. Of course this would happen eventually.
"You're a G-rank adventurer, is that right? And according to our records, you haven't accepted any requests in over a month. You see, it's guild policy to cancel new licenses if they become inactive." Anna explained, opening a book which was probably the adventurer's guild guidelines and Alice remembered. A G-ranker must accept a quest once a month to rise up to a higher rank or else their membership expires.
"Well, I've had a lot going on lately where I wasn't able to take on any quests." Alice said simply, remembering why. The lake, fish dinner, the night she, Fel and Pokémon met Sui, Dratini hatching, the little dungeon excursion, the forest and the Griffon battle against Fel. It had taken them one and a half months to get through that.
"Perhaps, I might offer a bit of advice?" Anna offered which Alice was grateful for. Some advice would be nice.
"When you're a new G-rank adventurer, the best thing to do is take whatever quests are available so you can get to rank F quickly. After you've accomplished that, you only need to be active once every three months, and you can accept quests that give more experience and better rewards." Anna explained further as Alice looked at the quest board.
'That's right, it's all coming back to me now.' Alice thought before she dug into her pocket.
"I see. May I re-register then?" Alice asked as she paid the same amount as when she first registered before she remembered. She better update her info then since she had additional information.
"And I have two more Familiars than I did the first time." She said as she put the silver coins on the small tray as Anna smiled.
"That's no problem. What kind is it?" She asked as Dratini came up to her shoulders as she woke Sui gently from his nap as she took him out to show Anna with a smile, holding a curious and confused Sui in her arms.
"It's these two." She said as Dratini nuzzled her cheek with Sui doing the same to her arms while Anna was a bit freaked out by them which made Alice a bit sorry for her. Looks like she has a fear of monsters.
"Oh, you have a slime and a...serpent?" She asked, a bit freaked out but Alice just smiled reassuringly.
"Please don't freak out, Miss Anna, and please understand. These little ones are not just your ordinary slime and serpent. They're both extremely powerful too." She told her. Anna was still a bit freaked out but seeing as how the slime and the serpent seemed to be very comfortable with her presence, she can guess to let it slide and add the slime and serpent as her new familiars.
While waiting, Alice heard snickering behind her and she glanced over to see the other adventurers snickering and almost making fun of her for having Sui and Dratini.
"Hey, is it just me or is that girl carrying a slime and serpent around?" One of them joked.
"Oh, it's not you." A second one said and they burst out laughing and she pressed her lips tightly as Fel came to her side, sensing her ire towards the adventurers.
'Laugh all you want, but I'm proud of Sui's and Dratini's strength and their cuteness to boot. Never underestimate something that can lower your guard down.' She thought in annoyance with a hint of pride for Sui and Dratini while Sui was confused with Mama being annoyed.
Later, she was by the butcher desk, calling for the one that handles the processing as Fel sat by her.
"Excuse me, I have some items I'd like to sell." She called before Lars' voice made her and Fel turn. Looks like he was done reporting what happened.
"Hey, Alice. What is it that you're selling?" Lars asked her curiously as she tapped her chin. If she's being honest, a lot.
"Just a few monsters Fel hunted a month and a half ago." She said as she turned to Fel who huffed but nodded. Lars looked at the one with the eyepatch next to him. They were curious about what kind of monsters.
"Interesting. I'd like to observe if that's alright with you." He said as he walked over to her though he glanced at Fel warily who was watching and Lars noticed that he shifted a bit closer to Alice as if staking a claim. He didn't miss how the Fenrir seemed a bit territorial over Alice last when one of his party members was patting her on the back. Do they have something going on between them?
"I'm curious about what it-he hunts." He whispered to Alice but corrected himself when Alice gave him a look when he called Fel it. So she distinguished the Fenrir by gender then? Well, the Fenrir does speak in a male tone.
"Well, I guess. Yeah, okay." She said before she looked at the rest of the Phoenix party, all excited and eager to see what she had.
'(You know, these guys are alright, Fel.)' Alice told him as she put a hand on his fur when he came up to her.
'(Hmph. They better not ask for karaage again and not even letting you eat some.)' Fel told her through telepathy.
'(Still grumpy about that, huh?)' Alice asked, glancing at him and meeting his eye which said 'Yes, I'm mad they didn't leave you some to eat, so deal with it'.
The butcher led them to the back of the processing house and Alice let out Gardevoir who helped her pull out the monsters Fel hunted out of her item box using psychic and let's just say Lars and his party members were in disbelief at the hulking pile of monster bodies that was gonna be processed.
"Aand up next, we've got another rockbird." Alice said as she pulled it out with Gardevoir's help and putting it on the pile as Fel watched the whole process, tail wagging slightly, imagining the amount of meat they'll have.
"They taste like free-range chicken though." Alice said as she wiped her forehead, looking at the pile.
"Free-range chicken?" The one with the eyepatch asked in confusion.
"Indeed. And as good as they were in karaage. They're delicious in teriyaki as well." Fel said, boasting how Alice's cooks are the best. He was very proud to be her familiar first to get a taste of her cooking before meeting Sui.
Alice went to check the item box to see what's left.
"That just leaves..." She said but stopped as she stared with a deadpanned expression. The chimera Fel hunt, of course.
'This should never see the light of day again. And it might cause a ruckus if they see this.' Alice thought worriedly before she shoved it back in her item box.
"That just leaves nothing!" She said quickly as she smiled sheepishly as her item box closed as the butcher, Johan, stood nearby, eyeing curiously. She was about to pull something out but didn't.
"What a collection. So many awesome monsters all in the same place." The eyepatch guy said in awe. He could tell they're high level monsters that even they can't take down.
"I've never seen a red serpent in my entire life." The redhead said, seeing one of the serpents sticking out with the black serpent.
"I bet it'd be pretty tough to pierce those scales with a sword." The goatie guy said honestly.
"It's true. That thing is no great wolf." The redhead said, finally realizing that Fel isn't a great wolf as they had assumed but the one with the goatie shushed him as Fel was ignoring them as Alice had Sui in her arms, Fel staying by her side and Dratini on his head as they watched Johan adjust his gloves. The sight of these high level monsters that a G-rank adventurer brought are gonna be a profit in the market especially the parts she doesn't need.
"Getting to butcher such high quality goods, what an immense privilege. Thanks for not taking them somewhere else." He told Alice, proud that each monster is still in good condition. That made Alice confused and curious. Not taking them somewhere else?
"Are there places besides the guild where monsters can be butchered?" Alice inquired curiously.
Johan took out his trusty knife as it glinted in the light. Looks like he kept his tools in top shape.
"Technically, there are yes. With unlicensed ones though, you risk being cheated or getting sloppy work." Johan explained, sharpening the butcher knife.
"You can count on food butchers to do a good job with the meat, but not necessarily with the other materials. But we guild butchers take care with the meat and materials alike. So your best bet is to trust us with your carving needs." Johan explained further as Alice nodded. So she can always trust guild butchers instead of unprofessional ones. She only plans on selling the materials and keeping the meat but she wants everything in good condition.
Johan started processing with fast efficiency, starting with the red serpent.
"This red serpent here is an especially high-quality item. Not just the skin." Johan explained, setting the skin to another table and setting the meat aside.
"Its meat is a rare delicacy. A commoner like me would never get to enjoy." He admitted, longing in his gaze to try one at least once. Alice didn't miss it as she thought of it. She better find a way to get everyone to eat high-quality meals from the monster meats she obtained.
"That black serpent was scrumptious. And it sounds like this one's even better." Alice couldn't help but admit. The chili black serpent was delicious alright. She can't wait to try out the red serpent.
This didn't go unnoticed by Lars who looked shocked. The black serpent was scrumptious? There was no way... Just what type of meat was the dish they ate last night made of?!
"Alice." He started, Alice turning to him when she heard him, confusion and curiosity in her eyes.
"Uh, yes?" She asked curiously.
"I'm kind of scared to ask this, but exactly what kind of meat was in that dish you served us yesterday?" He asked her as she was confused before she thought about it. The karaage was made of bits of leftover she had left.
"Oh, uh, well, a lot of different kinds, actually." She said as she started to list what they are.
"Let me see now, there was a lot. There was black serpent, cockatrice, rockbird, giant deer and something else, which one am I forgetting?" Alice started to list off as Lars and the Phoenix party looked shocked. They had eaten a dish so good made from those monsters?! Then that means... they had eaten her supplies of high-quality meat without realizing it!
Alice felt Fel nudge her and she looked to him and he inclined his head behind her and she looked over and jolted in surprise when Lars and his party members bowed to her, apologizing.
"We're so sorry!" They said, guilt, shame in their tone as Alice stared at them in shock and confusion.
"Whoa, hey! What's going on? What's with all the bowing? What are you apologizing for?" Alice asked them in confusion as she turned to Fel.
'(What are they apologizing for? It's not like they did something wrong, Fel.)' She said telepathically in confusion.
'(It seems they have realized that the dish you had created last night was made of high quality meat without realizing so they are apologizing to you. I sense guilt and shame from their words. They're sincere.)' Fel explained as Alice let out a small breath as she looked at the Phoenix party.
"No wonder it was so good, with such high quality ingredients!" Lars began, shame in his tone.
"Yet we scarfed it down thoughtlessly!" The eyepatch guy said, tone apologetic.
"With no appreciation for the gift we'd been given!" The goatie said, guilt in his tone.
"It was really good though." The redhead said, tone shame but has a slight worth it vibe to it.
"Come on!" Lars scolded him immediately. Where was his decency?! That was Alice's meat!
"It's fine, guys." Alice reassured them. Honestly, she had let it go already. There was no need for them to apologize.
"You all took care of me and my familiars, so we're even." She told them. Lars and his party members had kept watch last night to make sure that the bandits didn't try anything to them.
She then inclined her head to Johan who was butchering one of the monsters that was next to a pile of meat. He was having fun from the looks of it.
"And besides, I've got more where that came from." She said, her tone reassuring the Phoenix party members.
Lars was in shock by how she was forgiving them from yesterday. Doesn't she feel the least bit angry that they had eaten her ingredients? He observed Alice and her familiars closely now, seeing as how Alice seemed to smile at something the Fenrir had said and the slime in her arms bobbed happily even though that little serpent seemed happy. For some reason, he couldn't help but see their interaction seemed more than master and familiar.
"Well, alright, as long as you're not offended, Alice." Lars said, relief in his tone before he smiled warmly. Still, he should recommend the city's inn for her to stay in.
"We have a solid reputation in the city of Karelina. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything." He said and she smiled gratefully.
"Rest assured, no one in this city would ever mess with a friend of our leader. Especially if they're this cute." The redhead said with a mischievous grin but Fel heard that and nudged Alice against his fur as she yelped in confusion and she looked up at him in disbelief.
'(I will not allow anyone to call you that.)' He said telepathically, tone full of envy and mirth and Alice realized what he meant.
'(Wait, are you saying I'm cute?)' Alice asked Fel telepathically, a light blush appearing on her face. Fel froze and he huffed, looking away but Alice saw his tail wagging and it made her heart race more. So Fel thinks she's cute?
"Ah, ahem, thank you, that's good to know." Alice thanked the redhead.
Lars soon recommended her at an inn called Griffon's which was a bit ironic cause she and her little group had encountered a Griffon but it was the best one yet but monsters are still not allowed in the rooms which made Alice a bit sad. Fel's body has been very comforting and his warmth always made her and Sui feel safe. So he was stuck outside once more like before in the stables.
"This place is even more incredible than I imagined. Lars definitely steered us right." She sighed as she lay on the bed which was much softer but she look up at the ceiling as Sui and Dratini lay on either side of the pillow.
'It's not fair... Why do I get to sleep inside the room of an inn while Fel's stuck outside? He's probably not comfortable with the stable and hay as his bedding.' She thought sadly before she held up her newly re-registered guild card.
"Okay, so what am I gonna do next?" She mumbled. She can't leave the city so soon after re-regestering once again. She needs to stay a bit longer though.
"I need to hold onto my guild membership this time so I can take advantage of their butcher services to process the monsters Fel hunts again." She told herself as she lowered the card.
"I'll stay here for now and try to make it rank F." She said softly as she felt sleep creeping in.
"Tomorrow, I'll grab a quest and start making my way up from the bottom once more. Back to phase 1." She turned on her side, curling up slightly.
"It's kind of a weird goal since I considered not wanting to be an adventurer in the first place but it turns out to be very helpful when bringing in currency." Alice said before she heard the unmistaken voice of Ninrir and she grew a bit weary. What was she contacting her for now?
"That's right! Don't lose sight of your true purpose!"
She sat up slowly as she listened to her as Sui hopped over to Alice curiously with Dratini.
"I've been patient since I knew you had a lot to do after arriving in the city, but apparently you didn't think of me even once in all that time. You don't appreciate my blessing at all, do you?" Alice couldn't help but wonder if Ninrir is either gaslighting her because she doesn't send offerings fast enough or she just can't learn to be patient. Either way, it was starting to annoy her.
"I'm really sorry." She said before she remembered what Ninrir said. Her true purpose?
"Wait, my true purpose? What?" She asked in confusion.
She sighed as she opened up her online grocery to see what to get her. It was honestly like she's running a small errand for Ninrir.
"Now, let's see what I can find in the way of sweets." Alice scanned the page before she spotted an event banner at the top. That could be perfect.
"Oh, looks like they're having a pudding and jelly fair, are they?" She smiled as she selected that and started to select puddings and jelly that are sweet yet healthy after reading each info. As much as Ninrir's obsession with sweets is getting out of hand lately, she might as well send something that's both a blend of sweet and healthy.
"I'll send her something especially fancy-looking yet healthy. That ought to cheer her up." She said but it was also to keep her occupied and stop nagging her about offerings of sweets. She soon purchased everything and used a stool chair so she could lay everything out as Sui and Dratini watched.
'Considering these are all going directly to her, it is starting to become a little pointless to bother taking them out of the package. Still they are offerings after all.' Alice thought as she laid everything out. Next time, she's sending the entire box of offerings as she starts to pray.
"O Ninrir, Goddess of Wind, I beseech thee, accept these gifts. I am grateful for thy blessing with all my heart. I ask that you please continue to watch over me." She prayed and the puddings and jellies disappeared in the same way like before.
"Wa-hoo!" She can practically hear Ninrir cheered as Alice slumped on the floor, staring at the ceiling.
"Wa-hoo? Seriously?" Alice asked as she sighed. A thank you would be nice.
"I don't see what's wrong with that! More importantly, take care not to forget your offerings in the future!" She sighed as she leaned against the side of the bed.
"Is mama tired?" Sui asked her softly, petting her forehead and Alice smiled softly. She was but she appreciated her little slime and Pokémon's concern. They, along with Fel, always express gratitude for her cooking.
"I am, Sui, Dratini." She said softly as she rested her head on her arms, closing her eyes.
'At least now I can finally go to sleep...' She thought as she finally fell asleep as Sui and Dratini snuggled her head.
"Fel..." She mumbled softly in her sleep.
The next day after breakfast, Alice and Fel with Sui and Dratini went to the guild to accept a quest in order to raise her rank up faster. Dratini was snuggled on Alice's shoulder and Sui was sleeping in Alice's bag.
"Hmm... Carrying luggage and gathering water are worth one point each, gathering medicinal herbs is worth two and hunting goblins is worth three." She read as she tried to calculate how long it would take for her to reach the F rank.
The one pointers were a start but not too much for her, two pointers helped but it never really helped her reach the next rank because she had to leave the first city where she first registered. Which leaves the goblin hunting that's worth 3 points.
"Looks like there's gonna be a long road ahead. What do you think, Fel?" Alice said as she looked to Fel who had been scanning each quest. He was reading each one silently, seeing if one quest with a higher point percentage can help her rise up in ranks faster.
"Goblin hunting then?" Fel suggested since it was the only quest that might raise her rank to F. She laughed sheepishly before glancing to the side. Two incidents with goblins left their mark on her. She looks back to the quest board, contemplating.
"Or maybe I should play it safe and gather herbs like before." She muttered and Fel's ears twitched as he turned to face her. He doesn't like it if her attention was elsewhere even if it was to help her rank up.
"I really think you'd better hunt goblins." He suggested again though his tone becoming more insistent but she was still too deep with calculation on reaching a higher rank.
"Reaching a hundred points won't be easy though." She continued to mutter and Fel was getting a bit annoyed as he insisted again.
"Hunt goblins!" He insisted which would have been funny if she admitted since he was being a little impatient.
"Presuming I can earn one point a day, it's gonna take me more than three months to make it from G to F rank. If only there was some other way." She finalized and Fel growled quietly, annoyed and a bit impatient but most of all annoyed that her attention was elsewhere, decided to use telepathy instead, not liking how she ignored him intentionally or not.
'(Did you not hear me telling you to hunt goblins? Take down as many as you can and your rank will increase before you know it! Otherwise it will take us an eternity to reach the ocean!)' He told her sternly through telepathy as she looked at him. She did hear him from the first time but she wanted to calculate how long it would take her to reach F rank if she does one point at a time.
'(I am only calculating how long it would take for me to reach F bank with one pointer and I'm considering hunting goblins or not! Plus someone gave me a core memory to steer clear from them thanks to a certain big blue furball!)' She telepathically argued back though there was no heat in it, just reminding Fel of what he put her through with her first encounter with goblins which wasn't pleasant.
'(How dare you!)' Fel almost sounded offended but he had sensed no anger from her words, just a reminder of what he had put her through which he understood.
'(And anyway, what's the big hurry about getting to the ocean?)' Alice questioned him in confusion and disbelief and she snorted with how he looked like he was imagining the food there that she could cook.
'(As it happens, the ocean is brimming with delicious creatures such as sea serpents and krakens. I wish to feast upon them as soon as possible!)' He said as if it mattered as Alice looked at him in disbelief.
'(It's full of monsters? In that case, we're not going there until I reach a higher rank!)' Alice told him sternly and he put his paw down.
'(Yes, we are! It is already decided! Since I last ate fish, my craving for delicious sea creatures has grown ever stronger!)' He exclaimed through telepathy, mind made up and focused on getting her into a higher rank and to get them to the ocean.
'(Are you for real right now?)' Alice questioned telepathically. She's not opposed to reaching a higher rank and Fel taking them to the sea but that's going to take them a while. They both stared each other down before Fel had an idea. Maybe Sui can finalize the decision for them
"Oh, Sui, a question, if I may." He said and Alice felt her eye twitch. Is he seriously gonna get Sui to join in? Sui poke out, curious on what Uncle Fel needed.
"Huh? What is it, Uncle Fel?" Sui asked curiously and Alice saw the mischievous look in Fel's eyes. This is a losing battle for her.
"Would you like to fight monsters and shoot acid bullets at them with Dratini?" Fel asked, a sly smile on his face and Alice gave him a look. He was acting like a father trying to sway their kids over to their side with rewards and treats.
"Does Sui and Sissy Dratini get to fight?!" Sui asked excitedly and Dratini nodded excitedly.
"Trying to win Sui over to your side, will you?" Alice scolded Fel in disbelief. To anyone watching, it looked like they're having a small family dispute which was more playful. Alice knew she had to try to get Sui to change his mind or try and fail to.
"Uh, Sui, Dratini, fighting can be pretty dangerous at times. Let's try and be safe, okay?" She pleaded softly as Sui and Dratini looked at her and she knew she couldn't win against them.
"Sui wants to go pew-pew at the bad guys!" Sui said innocently with excitement and Dratini voiced her agreement as Alice sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, hearing Fel's triumphant chuckle as she looked down at Sui again.
"You don't mean that, do you, Sui? Doing something fun like gathering herbs and flowers for medicine to help lots of people is a lot less dangerous too." Alice said as Sui looked up at her, eyes burning with determination of a child setting their minds on something.
"But Sui already makes medicine without leaves and flowers, Mama. Sui really wants to pew-pew with Sissy Dratini!" Sui said, not giving up on the idea and Alice stared at Sui and Dratini before looking at Fel before sighing, a small smile on her face. She was out voted even from the start.
"Stop embarrassing yourself. Just give it up." Fel said, nudging her playfully as she laughed softly.
"Okay, okay. Guess it's no use arguing. Goblin hunting it is." She told him as she petted his head as she took the goblin hunting quest.
'I really have a soft spot for all of them, huh?' Alice thought fondly as they headed out.
They headed for the forest of the eastern part of Karelina as Alice read the description of the quest they had accepted.
"It says here that goblins are appearing sporadically in the eastern forest. Hunt five goblins in order to receive three silver coins and three points. So goblin hunting is worth three points and if it says that they're appearing sporadically, there might be a settlement somewhere here." She said, putting the quest away as Fel huffed but he nodded.
"Well, for a G-ranker like me, there doesn't appear to be a faster way to rack up points than this then. Let's just go hunt down those five goblins and be done with it quickly." Alice told them and Fel's ears perked up as he turned to his right.
"Over there." He told Alice and she looked over and saw three goblins. They seemed to be chattering as Dratini climbed down Alice's shoulder and came beside Sui.
"Three of them, see?" He added and Alice was thankful he didn't try and get the entire goblin settlement's attention.
"Can Sui and Sissy Dratini do it pretty please?" Sui asked politely as Alice checked the distance before she looked at Sui and Dratini.
"Alright. Think you two can get them from this distance?" Alice asked them softly and Sui bobbed happily with Dratini nodding.
Dratini channeled electric energy before unleashing a thunder wave at the goblins who got electrocuted but wasn't down until Sui used a weak version of acid bullet at the goblins and Sui and Dratini were cheering happily as Alice laughed nervously as they approached the bodies.
"Yay! Sui and Sissy Dratini did it!" Sui cheered as Alice stood beside Fel.
"Could that skill be any more powerful than this?" Alice couldn't help but ask before she took out the quest and felt her body shudder in disgust. Here comes the next part.
"Uh, okay, this next part's a problem." She said nervously as Fel came up beside her, reading what must be done.
"Cut off their right ears quickly. Ah, yes, it's proof of a successful hunt." He read before he realized what that meant and he looked to Alice apologetically who shuddered at the thought.
"I don't wanna but it can't be helped..." She said, feeling squeamish already before she got to work.
She did it as fast as she could but she felt sick to her stomach as she covered her mouth after bagging the right ears in one of the provided bags she was given.
"What an abject weakling. How many creatures have you cooked so far, I wonder?" Fel asked her, though his tone was more playful.
"Fel, that's completely different and you know it!" She exclaimed as he stared her down as she puffed her cheek which he found adorable.
"Adorable. But, oh look, your shouting has attracted an audience." Fel said calmly but Alice stared at him in disbelief with a flush. Did he call her adorable?! Wait, did he say that she had attracted an audience... She turned around and groaned, covering her eyes when she saw a couple of goblins charging towards them and Alice, small fear from the goblin training resurfacing, instinctively moved closer to Fel who positioned himself in front of her.
"Go forth, be sure to finish them!" He told Sui and Dratini who were ready and charged.
Sui and Dratini took turns launching attacks as Fel scanned the surroundings, pointing where each goblins are.
"There are two behind that tree." Sui shot an acid bullet at the two goblins behind the tree.
"To the left!" Dratini launched a water pulse.
"Five over there!" Sui fired once more as Alice watched, feeling her fear melt away before they finally came upon something that made Fel smile excitedly.
"Look, you were right! There's a whole settlement here!" Fel said excitedly, he was eager to join Sui and Dratini but they looked to Alice.
"Uh, hang on. Don't you think we've satisfied the request and then some?" She asked them though a familiar rush of adrenaline rushed through her.
"But it would make Sui and Sissy Dratini so happy!" Sui said and both he and Dratini hit her with double puppy dog eyes as she looked down at them with hesitation before she took a deep breath and slapped her cheeks together.
"Alright, but I won't let you guys have all the fun!" She told them with a nervous yet excited smile and Fel felt his heart soar with excitement and adrenaline. She was finally gonna join in willingly.
"That settles it." He said before they charged towards the goblin settlement together and their combined attacks caused a large explosion that would have attracted a lot of attention if they were near Karelina.
They had piled all of the bodies of the goblins they had defeated as Alice breathed heavily. She didn't use too much magic but it left her a bit exhausted as Sui and Dratini cheered.
"We did it! We got every single one of them, Mama! Look!" Sui said excitedly as she smiled down at Sui.
"I'll take your word for it, Sui. But yeah, we all got them." She said as she patted him and Dratini.
"That was a lot of fun with Mama joining. Thank you so much, Mama. Sui loves you." Sui said sweetly and she felt like crying as she smiled at the little slime. He was so sweet. Even Fel felt proud of her as well though he was surprised at how Sui freely Sui says he loves Alice like a child. But he shook his head. Not the right place and time as he focused on the pile of bodies.
"And now to collect the ears. Hurry up." He said and Alice sighed as she looked at the bodies and to Fel.
"Do I have to...?" She asked and Fel didn't want to answer that as he went behind her back and nudged her up to her feet, nudging her towards the pile.
"You won't be awarded any points without proof." He reminded her and she knew he was right before she got to it. She used the bags to put the ears away before she finally went to the bushes and threw up there and Sui, Dratini and Fel became alarmed as Sui went to her.
"Is mama sick?! Should Sui give medicine?!" Sui panicked, his form quivering, close to crying as Alice wiped her mouth with a small groan before she petted Sui to reassure him as Fel lowered his ears and came to her as she petted his fur instinctively as she grounded herself.
"I'm never doing that again..." She told him.
"Alright." He agreed. When she threw up, he had become distressed that she might be sick or had caught something but it seemed that cutting off the ears of the goblins was too much for her.
"Okay, I've got the ears." She said before she glanced at the bodies which was a problem.
"But what are we supposed to do about all those bodies?" She questioned, hands on her hips.
"They could attract other monsters and might even end up causing a dungeon to be created." She noted as Fel looked at the bodies as well as Sui and Dratini helped Alice put the bags of goblin ears into her item box.
"You're correct about that." He agreed with her as she turned to him.
"I am?" She asked as he nodded.
"It is merely the law of nature at work. You do not need to worry about it." He told her as she sighed.
"I am worried, Fel. We're close to the city and if any monster comes to snack on these, Karelina would be in danger. We need to clean this up." Alice told him. She was right. Karelina was becoming a home to Alice from what he could tell.
"Fine then, we'll burn them." Fel said simply and she gave him the same look that she gave the bandits two days ago which made him gulp and lower his ears. Okay, that look was scary.
"That would start a forest fire if we're too reckless." She told him as he agreed immediately. Then... He had an idea before he turned to Sui.
"Very well. Then have Sui melt them all." Fel said and Alice thought about it. It was safe and won't cause any major threat and it was much faster. Sui did melt the kobold king with a strong acid bullet. She then turned to Sui.
"Sui, think you can do that?" Alice asked him and Sui looked at the bodies before looking at Alice. He sure can.
"Sui can do it. Does Sui have mama's permission?" Sui asked and she smiled.
"Of course, you do." She petted him and he bobbed.
"Here Sui goes." Sui said before he started to shake and Alice's jaw dropped with Dratini's eyes widening. What the heck?!
"H-Hold on! Sui?! Sui?!" Alice exclaimed in shock as Sui had made himself grow a lot and he now towered over them as she stared at Sui in shock and disbelief.
"It seems Sui has evolved further." Fel noted in mild surprise and Alice used appraisal to see what Fel meant.
[Name] Sui
[Age] 1 Month
[Race] Big Slime
[Level] 2
[Strength] 684
[Magic] 679
[Attack] 668
[Defense] 674
[Agility] 682
[Skill] Acid Bullet, Healing Potion Creation, Proliferate
"Sui's a big slime now?" Alice asked in disbelief. She was surprised. Sui is now a big slime and gained a new skill called Proliferate?
"As of when? And what's proliferate?" She questioned curiously and Sui tried to answer as best as he could.
"Um, that's a skill that lets Sui do things like get bigger or smaller whenever Sui wants." Sui explained as Alice breathed softly. That's probably a useful skill that they'll definitely need in the future.
"Are you able to shrink too?" Alice asked Sui as she picked Dratini.
"Sui will try." Sui said before his entire form quivered as she, Fel and Dratini watched before something made them surprised.
A mini Sui popped out from Sui's body. Even Fel was surprised as Sui multiplied a lot until practically an army of Sui stood before them and they moved out of the way as the Suis all hopped to the goblin bodies.
"Suis! Let's work hard and melt those bodies!" They said, determined as they surrounded the goblin bodies and started to melt everything with their acid bullet as Alice, Fel and Dratini watched in disbelief and awe.
"Tell me, Fel. Have you ever seen a slime like Sui before?" Alice asked him as the Fenrir watched the huge body pile slowly melted away into nothingness. If he was being honest, he has never seen a slime as unique as Sui. He had seen a lot but Sui is a special case.
"No. In all the many years I've lived before this day, I have not." Fel said truthfully as Sui was finally done and his duplicates had disappeared as he hopped to Alice.
"Okay, mama. We're all finished." Sui said as Alice bent down to pick him up as she petted his head.
'Sui keeps getting stronger and stronger. At this point, he can launch an attack in numbers or manufacture a ton of potions at the same time if we use the skill carefully. Just how powerful is he gonna get?' Alice thought in wonder as she scratched Dratini on the cheek before she scratched Fel under the chin and he leaned against her touch and she laughed softly as his tail thumped on the ground happily.
"Hey, mama, Sui's starting to get hungry." Sui said as he looked up at her. Dratini agreed and she can practically hear Fel's stomach rumbling followed by her own.
"Same here." Fel agreed.
"Alright, let's find an open space and eat." She told them with a smile.
They found a large open field which made Alice smile widely. This place is a perfect place for lunch and a picnic!
"Today was mentally and physically exhausting." Alice sighed as they sat down, Fel being close to her side.
"How about some bread for now?" She asked as she opened the online grocery.
"Anything will do as long as you choose it." Fel told her as she chuckled.
"I'll get right on it." Alice said as she started to pick which ones to purchase.
'(If you had said anything is fine, it might make me not cook for you at times, Fel.)' Alice telepathically told him and his ears twitched. He knows that anything she picks is fine with him since they're all delicious and if he had said something like that... He shuddered, remembering how she stared at him.
"If you ask Sui, everything mama makes tastes delicious." Sui chirped with Dratini crying softly in agreement, coiled slightly around Sui.
"You guys are absolutely right. I'm going to order some food now so don't go anywhere." She said as she had purchased enough and confirmed it. She put everything together with Sui and Dratini getting equal share with Fel having a large portion but enough for all of them.
"Up to now, all the breads we've tried and eaten have been sweet. So today, I got us some with meat and savory fillings." Alice told them.
{Ready-Made Bread Set}
Sui didn't hesitate to try one first. It was one long bread that contained something on top and it was yellow as Dratini tried the same one.
"The yellow bits and gooey whites on them are really yummy, whatever they are." Sui said happily, eating it before trying a second one.
"Hey! There's meat in the middle of this one!" He said excitedly as Alice smiled at him as both Dratini and Sui ate happily.
"The first one was corn mayo bread and that one's hamburg steak." Alice explained as Sui ate it happily before she turned to Fel who was a bit hesitant on eating the bread set as he sniffed them. They smell tasty and a bit meaty though.
"As for you, Fel, I think you would like the sausage bread. You should try the curry danish too." She told him as she opened her own packet of bread and ate it, munching on it happily. Fel watched her eat first before deciding on the sausage bread. It was the long one if he's right. He bit into it before managing to put the entire thing in his mouth, chomping on it as it gave a very satisfying crunch.
"Wondrous! I love the resistance from the skin of this long meat when you bite down!" Fel noted as he didn't hesitate to eat everything this time, his tail was wagging happily.
"And the complicated array of seasonings you call curry within this crispy bread! Everything you feed me is so delicious." He said, saying the last part with genuine truth and gratitude which made Alice choke a bit in surprise. Was that a compliment?!
"Hold on a second, Fel. That sounds like gratitude to me." Alice said, tone teasing yet warm as she giggled when she could practically see the blush on his face as he glanced away.
"S-Silence! I never expressed any such sentiment!" Fel refused to say but Alice knew he was embarrassed but he meant what he said and he was right. Everything she cooks is very delicious.
She smiled softly at Fel when he looked up and his tail wagged more at the sight of her smile as she drank some light mocha drink.
"Light mocha coffee is the best when you're exhausted. And I should know." She said softly in content.
"After all, I can't remember the last time I felt this tired other than the goblin incident back then and the dungeon." Fel, Sui and Dratini continued eating as Alice sighed. After lunch, they'll have to head back to the guild.
"Oh man,,, I have a feeling this one's gonna stick with me for some time to come." She said softly before she took out the quest from her pocket as she looked at it.
'Is this really alright?' She thought worriedly as she stared at the quest paper.
'I'd figured I'd spend two or three months increasing my rank but we did it in a single day.' She thought worriedly. She wondered how those at the guild would react.
A small bump on her knee snapped her out of it and she looked over to see that Fel had eaten most of the bread set except for the fried noodle one. He had wanted to finish all of it but he figured letting Alice eat the last one wouldn't hurt. She smiled at his consideration and accepted it and started to eat it happily as he lay his head by her thigh and she petted his head as the sun shine down warmly at them.
~~~~~~~~~
Another World Theater: Second Serving
The day when Alice had sent the puddings and jelly to Ninrir...
Ninrir was sitting by the viewing pool and trying one of the jelly that had fruits in them.
"What is this jiggly confection?" She said in wonder after she tasted it. It was sweet and refreshing unlike the fruits she gets as offerings from other humans.
"Such an aromatic flavor overwhelms the senses in me!" She noted in delight.
"It's melted away before you know it." She soon scooped up another piece, holding it up in the light as it jiggle with the fruit inside it.
"And it's so beautiful! More than capable of holding its own against any pearl or gem!" She squealed happily as she ate it and unaware that she was being watched.
"That girl's up to something." A blonde deity said in suspicioun as she was hiding behind a pillar.
"Something secret." A deity with blue hair whispered, peeking from behind a tree.
"And whatever it is, she's enjoying it." A tan deity with red hair said, laying on a branch as the three of them watched Ninrir indulge herself in the sweets.