Patapataptapta

The sound of dirt and gravel under the stagecoach signalled the passing of travellers.

For most they would think it's a common traveller until they actually see said stagecoach.

Although the stagecoach would rank as low grade to nobles, this one would still be accepted by lower ranking ones. What made this specific stagecoach different was the fact that a large muscular looking 2 meter tall living puppet was pulling said stagecoach as if it was a small toy.

This was Ace and his party. They have already long since left the Jagged Mountain heading North East. The destination was the elven nation and they were already nearing the border town of Vine Grove City.

This town was named as such because it was built at the border between the Sandtrap flatlands and the Dark Vine forest.

The flatlands were a place that possessed numerous underground monsters with its top predator being the Sandworm. Giant half meter wide 5 meter long earthworms known to gobble up a grown man whole.

“PAPA!! I'm hungry!” shouted a small silver haired, tan skinned wolf girl that looked to be around three years of age.

“Didn't I give you ten moon runes five minutes ago?” ace asked.

“Their getting boring make me something better!” she complained.

Ace sighs and starts thinking. “She is getting really demanding. Should cut this before it escalates.” I thought.

“No, you will wait inside with Char or Aunty and will only get a few more runes after lunch.” I said.

“Muuu~!” she becomes teary eyed but after a week of being with her and suffering through her tantrums I have developed a small bit of resistance to her cries.

I flash a glare and tell the Guardian to slow down by half so I wouldn't have to worry about driving

“Don't give me that! Do you want to end up like Auntie, a glutton who will eventually be a big fatty?” I said loud enough for it to enter the stagecoach.

Valery pouts teary eyed but gently shakes her head.

“Then go play with Char, we are going to take a break soon to eat.” I said and she solemnly jumps through the window. Being agile and small she naturally fits inside with room to spare.

I spur the Guardian to go faster and we accelerate to 40 km/h again.

As we reach the end of the forest opening to a wide, somewhat hilly but mostly flat, plains I stop the stage coach about one hundred meters from the forest.

I summon some new puppets that hold wooden lumberjack axes and tell them to get a bit of firewood.

Then I begin to gather rocks to make a fire pit.

The others got out and began to stretch while Misaki came over glaring.

“Hey ‘papa’ what was that about calling me a fatty!” she said.

“Calm down ‘Auntie’, I was just making sure Valery doesn't get taken down the wrong path.” I said with a grin.

She sneered as I call up an archived Cauldron. Yes I need to cook in this thing because of a certain someone's monstrous eating habits.

I bring up the loot window which had a tremendous amount of butchered byproducts and I press on the rabbit meat then open the vegetable section and bring out some onions and Garlic to season. I really need to expand my repertoire of spices but sadly the human nation lack accessible food products. Let’s hope that in the coming years the fields and rotation farming will drastically drop the price of food.

Taking the meat out I begin to cut the meat along the muscle. This is a cooking technique which will allow the meat to remain tender and not make the meat hard when cooked.

Then I make a water rune which causes a small stream of water to flow for 10 seconds like a faucet. With five runes the cauldron is filled halfway. The puppets return and I start to stack the meat and make a tripod with the sticks and tie the cauldron over it. Then in the middle of the pile of wood I sent a fire rune inside causing a few branches and the grass to catch fire and starts to burn the green wood.

While the fire slowly grew I took out a pan and filled it with water and then retrieved some potatoes, washed than peeled them and returned to the cauldron and cut the potatoes inside then added the onions that were peeled as well followed by the garlic that was crushed then I mixed it.

I know I am not the best cook and am pretty much throwing ingredients together but out of us three I at least make something edible.

I'm sure I did something wrong but I was someone who survived off instant noodles so when cooking I go by the bits of knowledge of what I saw on TV.

Valery was sulking next to me but when Charlotte came and began to play with her she brightened up. Her little tail kept wagging showing how much she liked to play.

Soon after the food was ready, rabbit meat and potato stew. Once the potatoes thickened the broth and the water evaporated to a degree I served them.

It was a bit better than I expected it to be but it was simpler as well.

After lunch Valery came with a pleading gaze while gripping the white dress while embarrassed to ask for a rune snack.

I smiled and pet her showing a sign that I will give her some.

She smiles and sits on my legs that were crossed and acted as her chair.

Thinking about it she likes the moon rune but her race lives off moonlight.

I stick my hand out and draw the ‘Moon Light’ runes that merge and begin giving off a faint moonlight.

Her eyes flash as she takes it and instantly makes a blissful face like the first rune she ate.

“Papa! More!” she said.

“No, that was a special one, if you want more then you need to be a good girl and I will reward you with them. If not then I won't.” I said.

“I'm a good girl! I'm a good girl! Please papa!” she said standing and looking at me with determined eyes.

“Just one more.” I said.

I drew another and she ate it happily and sat on my lap.

“She is really getting attached to you.” Charlotte said.

“‘Papa’ is a doting daddy. Of course she will like him when he spoils her.” Misaki said.

I glare at her and an idea surfaced.

She doesn't like being called Auntie but she lets it pass but I wonder about hearing it in japanese.

I bend over and whisper into Valery’s ear so they don't here.

The Valery hops off and walks over.

“Oba-sama, do you like Valery?” Valery asked.

Misaki completely froze as if she heard the most destructive line.

Charlotte was curious about what ‘Oba-sama’ means so I explained.

“Cross! Don't teach her things like this!” Misaki shouted.

“But you are her Auntie right, I just taught her how to say it more respectfully.” I said.

“You bastard!” she replied.

“If it's like that I can always teach her to call you ‘Oka-san’ or ‘Saki-nee’.” I said grinning triumphantly.

She was grinding her teeth as she looked down at Valery.

“Don’t do everything he says. Oba means old lady, do I look old?” Misaki asked and Valery shook her head.

“Then Valery from now on call her Saki-nee. Her name is Misaki and ‘nee’ means big sister.” I quickly said.

Valery’s eyes shined. “Saki is my big sister then. I will also call Char, Char-nee since she is my big sister as well.” Valery said with a big bright smile.

Misaki was about to reject it but when she saw that smile it was impossible for her to deny the little wolf girl her desire.

BOOM

At that moment a huge explosion came from the plains no more than two hundred meters away.

When we looked we saw a man in the air followed by a 5 meter long worm coming out of the ground.

The man was tossed our way and soon slammed into the ground not even 5 meters away.

We all got up quick and pulled out our weapons. I ran over to the man and saw he was dirty and full of wounds.

I use Heal Light making a strong healing light over us. This was one of the new runes I got and recently been testing. This rune is 5 times more potent than the weak heal rune.

Very quickly the vitality of the man as he was under the light returned and his wounds slowly healed as the dirt was pushed out.

Suddenly the giant worm shot out of the ground and began to fall over us two but at that moment the Guardian sprang out and gave a simple punch to the side of the head breaking several of the teeth inside and making green blood burst from the mouth as well as sending the worm to the ground.

It was still alive as it landed and after a bit it got up and screeched.

“What the hell is that!” I shouted.

“It's a Sandworm! An adult one at that! They are commonly in the level 60’s range by adulthood!” Charlotte shouted.

I frown and sent the Guardian to kill it.

15 levels may seem like a lot but when you put it on the table, the guardian is much weaker even if he is made of metal. The metal skin was actually weaker than common metal armor even with it restored. The day I make my own true Low Grade Guardians, it will most likely be stronger than this one and my knowledge of runes will also be much greater but then, that aspect will be spread to all puppets.

The Guardian pulls the wooden long sword, one that had been made by the more skilled Farmers and craftsmen, who are still unable to evolve since I haven’t leveled up my archive skill yet.

The Worm jumps at us and the Guardian lunged out and with a horizontal slash he cut the right side of the worms head causing more blood to spew out but then he was bitten and acids began to fall on his armor.

He dropped the sword and grabbed the worm before he started to pull until he completely stretched it and from the cut he made he ripped the worm open killing it.

After it had finished it picked up the sword, sheathed it back and then walked over. His left side was half melted.

“Return to the book and restore yourself.” I said.

“Yes master.” He said and became a light before returning to the book.

I looked at his icon and my eyes widen when I saw that the worm took more than 60% of his HP.

As I looked at this, the man stirred.

“Urg….” He said and slowly got up before he saw the runes.

“Oh thank you… urg my sides.” He said.

“Hey calm down, stay laying down until you're fully healed.” I said and made another Heal light over him. Thankfully it stacks so with two he was healing rather quick.

He nods but he also takes some water and washes his face off and that was when I noticed the two long ears and after the dirt was off I saw he had sky blue hair and fair skin.

“You’re an elf!” I exclaimed.

When I said that he looked at me and noticed my ears.

“You're a human? Since when did humans know runic magic?” He asked.

“Only I know, most wouldn’t since it's still not widely spread.” I say. “So what was up with the worm?”

“I was out hunting in the flatlands when that thing attacked. I was able to lead it away before it pushed me underground hurting me so much before it came out here.” He said.

“Wow! Are those worms common?” I asked.

“Sadly it’s more common than we would hope. They are the top predator on the Sandtrap Flatlands.” Charlotte said for the man.

“So we need to go through here? Won’t that be too much of a hassle, the guardian took 60% of damage and would need at least 2 hours to be repaired.” I said.

“I can help with that.” The man said and pulled out a scroll and opened it revealing a magic formation. He put his hand on it and it suddenly a blood red light shot out climbing kilometers like a signal flare and then blew up making a very powerful shockwave and sound.

“There, my companions and guard troop should be heading this way now and we can escort you all for saving me.” He says.

“What were you doing out here?” Misaki asked.

“We were out hunting. Sand Hogs and Mole are staple food in Vine Grove city but to get it we need hunters and my troop are one such group. Although we are a guard unit, we need to help provide for the town but we get fantastic recompense for the dangerous work.” He says and makes a solemn laugh.

“We forgot to introduce ourselves. I’m Ace Cross and this little one is Valery.”

“I am Charlotte Light.” Charlotte says and I look at her and she makes a gesture with her eyes for me to not question it.

“I’m Shinigumi Misaki, Misaki is my given name but please refer to me by my family name.” Misaki said.

“Hermes Tris Flannel, alchemist of this group.” Hermes said.

“I’m Zenos Trosvine. I am Vice captain of the 15th platoon of Vine Grove city’s guard unit and am one of 10 platoons responsible for gathering food.” He said. “Ace… I saw that puppet as I woke up… where did you find it?”

“I got it as a reward for helping the last invasion of the demons. I guided the villagers in the region to throw the demons in that herd into chaos and kill them without casualties.” I said but keeping the dungeon maker part out.

“I see, so you’re one of the human heroes then… no casualties… Ah the dungeon maker hero! Your name was heard quite a lot in Vine Grove due to the people in Jagged Mountain town always talking about your charisma. After the tide settled some guards went that way to see the damage and found the town completely untouched and even in better conditions and told us about you leading the Dire wolf goblins into a dungeon trap.” He said after sitting up.

“Wait! My name is already circulating in the Elf nation?!” I said.

“Of course, the heroes were dispatched so obviously there would be news of them getting around depending on their performance. That said the humans main hero with the actual class Hero we didn’t get information on, which means he probably messed up somewhere.” Zenos said.

“Yeah, he was blindsided by an ogre.” Misaki mercilessly said.

Zenos looked at her trying to not believe her but Misaki was dead serious.

“Anyway, that puppet, I have seen one similar only once during the coronation of our crowned princess. There were five large ones about twice the size of yours and were functioning.” He said.

“Elves know a lot about runes so it’s not that surprising you all can make them work to a degree. This puppet is a dungeon guardian that is linked to my skill so it works perfectly probably better than those others.” I said and he nodded.

At this time the sounds of footsteps made everyone look at the source.

Zenos stood up slowly and saluted as a group of 30 or so men ran our way like the wind and soon stopped.

The leading man was a tall handsome elf with long blonde here and jade like skin. He wore heavy bronze colored armor covering his entire body and had a two handed bastard sword in his hand. This was clearly a High elf because that is the only thing that fits the blonde and noble aura of this elf.

“Zenos, are you alright? Who are these humans?” The man asked.

“I am fine captain, these humans saved me but it damaged one of their puppets which was probably pulling their stagecoach.” Zenos said.

The captain looked at the corpse of the worm and sneers at it probably having a hate for the beast and it's kind. Then his eyes shifted to me and he did a small bow.

“Thank you for saving my vice, it is hard to find decent and strong men like him.” The high elf said.

“It is nothing sir, we would have been attacked as well so we were protecting ourselves as well.” Charlotte said as the man spoke.

The high elves eyes grow sharp as he spots her but it returns to normal the next moment.

“Zenos summon the horse puppets and help them hook up. We can take them safely to Vine Grove.” The high elf said and turned.

“Yes sir!” Zenos said and turned around.

He pulled out two scrolls, each with a magic formation and as he activated them they released a large ball of light that turned into two full sized war horse puppets.

He took the reins and lead them to the stagecoach where he began to hook them up for us rather skillfully.

“Are these the famed elven puppets? The degree of craftsmanship is high but there seems to be a large number of runes missing compared to the ones Ace has.” Hermes said.

“He has his methods of making his puppets while we have ours. His are dungeon minions so they are obviously better.” Zenos said.

Soon enough the puppets were on and he told us to get on and then jumped onto the driver seat while we had cleaned up our things and jumped inside while I sat next to him though I made sure to secretly summon nature leather armor and put it under my clothes as extra precaution.

From there we leave and enter the Sandtrap Flatland.