Chapter 109: The Friend of a Friend

Ena: “Are you sure this is the right way?”

Anais: “Yes, I’m sure, on your left.”

Ena grabbed an ape creature out of the air and smashing its head into the ground crushing and killing it. As it faded away into the sky, another one leaped toward her. Ena, quickly turned and aimed a punch right for its chest caved it in and sending the poor thing flying into another. Ena smiled a big happy smile as she turned toward the pack of ‘Rage Apes’. Red furred ape’s monsters with strong long arms like an orangutan, but with build of a gorilla. Several of them attempted to ambush Ramol, while he was busy picking fruits and valuable herbs and flowers. However, with Nathan’s ‘Threat Detection’ ability they always have with them, they were already well aware of the apes.

Ena: “Wahahahahaha, so much fun, should have come with Nathan earlier.”

Anais: “Don’t have too much fun, we still need to catch up with Nathan. Hurry, and finish up Ramol, can’t hold them off forever.”

Ena: “Than I shall feast on this battle like none have feasted before.”

Anais: “Yeah you do that. Ramol, hurry up.”

Ramol: “I-I’ll be right there miss Anais.”

While Ena continued to decimate the monster, Ramol was busy collecting every manner of fruit and herb he could acquire.

Anais: “We should have met up with him forty-five minutes ago.”

Ramol: “Sorry miss Anais, but I really never had a chance like this, the inventory is such an incredibly convenient item. Lookie here, these ‘Papra’ berries only last so long after being picked, that makes the but with the inventory I can keep them fresh for sweet ‘Papra jam’. Oh, and these herbs are used in medicines, but they quickly lose moisture and dry out and these flowers are-”

Anais: “Okay, okay, I get it, just gather what you want a little quicker.”

Given the okay, Ramol continued to fill his Inventory wit whatever he could grab. Anais turned back to Ena, who was nearly done slaying all of the ‘Rage Ape’. She had so much built up frustration from the lack of battle, that she wasn’t letting even one escape. Anais breathe out heavily, she wanted to find Nathan as soon as possible.

After what Irkia had told them, she wanted to keep an eye on him. If anything, happen like what Irkia explained, she had to be there to witness it.

Anais: ……*Mumbles* Wait what am I thinking, it’s not like I want to watch, but I have to make sure it’s nothing perverted. Yeah that’s right what If something does happen, I have to be there to……. observe, yes observation, that’s all. It’s not like I want something to happen or anything. I just need to observe and make sure to stop it when the need arises, but I have to be absolutely sure its perverted, so I must carefully observe for a while to make sure.”

Anais continued trying to convince herself that her actions were true, she hadn’t even notice Ramol had returned and decide to keep I distance. He couldn’t hear what she was saying too well, but she was releasing an aura, that one would not want to approach.

Ramol: “Miss Anais, are you okay?”

Anais: “Huh, of course why do you ask?”

Ramol: “Sorry, you just keep mumbling I’m here to observe. What are we observing?”

Anais: “N-None of your business, are done with whatever?”

Ramol: “Y-Yes, everything of value has been stored. Oh, and I found this while searching.”

Anais: “Hmm?”

Ramol pulled out a hat with a wide flat brim tall crown and a fading brown color. Anais went wide out, snatching the hat from Ramol.

Anais: “Ugh.”

Anais shook the crushed Papra berry off her hand, the hat was covered in it.

Anais: “Where’d you get this?”

Ramol: “Um, just in the bushes over there, is something wrong?”

Anais: “I know this hat; I mean I know a hat like this.”

Ramol: “It belongs to an acquaintance of yours?”

Anais: “Definitely not an acquaintance, that would be an insult to any actual acquaintances.”

Anais gave the hat a one over, she couldn’t rightly tell if it was or not. She couldn’t get the scent all she could smell was the berries.

Anais: Its similar, but I doubt it belongs to them. That person would never take it off, it was like it was adhered to their head.”

Ramol: “Well, I think I’ll just keep it. I’ve been wanting a hat lot this for a while now”

Anais: “Do what you want.”

Anais tossed the hat back to Ramol, who happily placed it on his head.

Ramol: “Well, what do you think?”

Anais: “It looks fine.”

Ramol: “Just fine?”

It didn’t look bad on him to be honest, it’s just it left a sur taste in her mouth every time she thought of it.

*Drip*

Anais: “Ugh, Ramol.”

Ramol: “Huh, uwa!?”

Ramol quickly removed that hat and began to wipe away the berry’s juices running down his head and face. Anais snickered as he relunctantly put the hat aside.

Ramol: “*sigh* I clean it later; shall we get going?”

Anais: “Okay, hey Ena, we’re leaving.”

Ena: “Okay~”

Ena had completely dismantled most of the Rage Apes in the nest, with the rest running away in fright. The last of the bodies turned to light in vanished into the sky, leaving Ena with a refreshing smile from having so much fun. As she made her way back over to Anais and Ramol, Ena caught sight of Ramol newly claimed hat and gasp in shock.

Ena: “That hat, isn’t that-”

*Kweeeeh*

Anais: “What the hell is that?”

Ramol: “It’s an Avian, and that’s Zane.”

Zane seeing Nathan’s friends slowed his dash.

Zane: “It’s you.”

Anais: “What’s wrong with you?”

Zane: “Please, do you have any way to get in contact with Nathan, its rather urgent?”

Anais: “Why, what’s happened?”

Zane: “A compatriot of mine is traveling with her and I really need to speak with them. Time is of the essence, please.”

Anais: “Sorry, not right now.”

Zane: “Regrettable.”

Zane got ready to gallop away, when he abruptly stopped by Anais.

Anais: “Hold up, what’s wrong?”

Zane: “Nothing for it, there is a group of unsavory types moving through the dungeon incognito. They seemed to be headed in the Stray flower’s general direction. Please be careful.”

Anais: “Is that all?”

Zane: “You aren’t worried for her?”

Anais: “Nathan can handle himself well enough, there nothing to worry about (Not to mention Iris is with him, I doubt she would allow anything to happen to him.)”

Zane was unaware of Iris’s existence, like all other outside of Nathan’s party. The members all knew of the incredible power Iris wielded and that as long as she was around, she would allow no real danger to befall him.

Zane: “Still I rather see for myself.”

Anais: “I’m telling you its fine, but if you want to rush off, go for it. You know where to go?”

Zane: “Yes he was headed for the Goblin Nest north of here.”

Anais: “Yep that’s right.”

Zane: “Sorry to take my leave, but I must be off.”

Zane pulled the reins and the Avian, took off. Anais and company watched has Zane disappeared off into the distance.

Ramol: “He still believes Nathan is a girl, shouldn’t we correct him.”

Anais: “Hard to correct someone who refuses to believe.”

Ena: “Nathan is rather beautiful for a man; I would be hard press to believe it myself if I were an outsider.”

Anais: “Whatever, he will find out one way or another. We should get moving too.”

On her word the group continued. They walked at a leisurely pace, no longer stopping, but Ramol still gather what he could as they walked. Thy came across a large rainforest but avoided it completely. According to the rumor, a huge battle had taken place recently where the Hero had made an appearance. To the three, that was undoubtedly Nathan, but it has been hours since then, so he most likely moved on by now. With that thought they avoided the forest, in instead took the long way around to avoid the forest all together.

After a while Ramol started to look nervous, Ena had been staring daggers at him for a while.

Ramol: “Miss Ena, is there something wrong?”

Ena: “That hat where did you get it?”

Ramol: “Oh this, I just found it, isn’t it spiffy?”

Ena: “No not that, is just similar to that person’s hat.”

Ramol: “Miss Anais, said the same thing, are you sure it’s not theirs?”

Ena shook her head and waved off the thought immediately.

Ena: “Impossible, they would never take that thing off or lose it. It was like it was glued to their head.”

Ramol: “Also exactly what Miss Anais said. Who is this person?”

Ena: “He and his group trick me and my family and was planning to sell me off as a slave.”

Ramol: “Ah, that did happen to you, I’m sorry I brought about bad memories. I discard of it immediately.”

Ena: “Ah, no need, I’m not upset or anything, besides you look like you really want it.”

Ramol: “Yeah, ever since that group came into my store to shop the other day and one of them were sporting the same hat, I’ve been fixated on obtaining one.”

Ena: “Oh?”

Anais: “Someone shopped at your store?”

The sheer disbelief in Anais’s voice, cut right into Ramol’s chest.

Ramol: “I-I get the occasional customer from time to time. He would come to the store whenever I was alone, and we would chat about things and the hat just came up here and there. Eventually it led to him telling me how much good luck it brought him in life. More so with the ladies, and how they would swoon over him.

Ena: “You’re wearing a hat it to get a girlfriend?”

Ramol: “N-No, I just like the hat is all *mumbles* If it brings luck with ladies, who am I to deny.”

Anais: “The foolishness, a hat will not help you to get a girlfriend, that just stupid man fantasies. Are you comparing women to pigeons, we only like shiny things? That a hat will have us flocking to you. What a ridiculous notion, wooing a girl with a hat, idiot.”

Ramol: “Guh!”

Ramol was taking blow after blow from Anais, Ena agreeing what Anais but decided to spare him any further damage.

Anais: “And someone actually came into your store to shop, there’s nothing but crap.”

Ramol: “That hurts even more!”

Ramol was on the verge of crying, but Anais just ignored him. She was as ruthless as ever, but it was insulting sort of fantasy towards women, so she had no qualms with utterly destroying his dreams.

Anais: “You’re a smart man Ramol, but your friends gonna cause you problems, if you keep listening to his crap.”

Ramol: “*sigh* You are merciless Miss Anais. Mister Shane said everybody has the right to dream and a hat like this would help with fulfilling it.”

Anais&Ena: “Shane!?”

Ramol: “Uwaaa!?

Ramol was frightened by the sudden outburst, Anais and Ena screaming at him simultaneously.

Ramol: “W-What’s wrong?”

Anais: “Your telling me, the guy you met was Shane?”

Ramol: “Ah, you know Mister Shane?”

Anais: “What else did you talk about?”

Ramol: “M-Miss Anais, what’s wrong?”

Ena: “Shane is one of the people who tried to sell me.”

Anais: “And kill Nathan.”

Ramol: “What, I-I didn’t know, I thought you said they were a group of five. He only ever came alone, ah except the other day, the day we left Loegrey, he brought two others.”

Anais: “Forget it, what else did you talk about?”

Ramol: “Ah, ugh, well, let’s see, stories of his adventures, the times he with various women. Nothing else.”

Anais: “That’s it really?”

Ramol: “Yeah that’s all.”

Anais stared confused, why would Shane go to Ramol’s shop and speak to him about nonsense and ask nothing of Nathan.

Ena: “Could it have been another Shane?”

Anais: “No, way too many coincidences to be someone else. What about the other two, was it a big guy with full metal armor or another covering his face?”

Ena: “Or a strong warrior woman, with mage girl with a with a abnormally bulging bosom for her age?”

Anais: “Why are you bringing up her chest?”

Ena: “Do you think any man would forget ‘Those’?”

Anais: “Point taken, answer the question Ramol.”

Ramol: “N-No it was a man with glasses. An intellectual type and a woman, who seemed to be a servant.”

Anais: “Man with glasses?”

Ramol: “Yeah, he seemed extremely intelligent, always seemed to be in deep thought, as he walked about the store, he was the one who was actually buying my items. Shane would just talk with me, anytime he came.”

Anais: “What about him?”

Ramol: “Well, sometimes he would ask about how my business was going. I tell him, better in the recent month, but I still could use a little more capitol He was actually the one who gave me the idea to auction off the weapons in Midheim. Nathan did come up in our conversations, but nothing more than how strong he was and how unique his fighting style was. Using plants and poison was rare or so he said. And the women, she was beauty, but she seemed to blend into the background at times, like as if she would suddenly disappear.”

Anais: “Disappeared?”

Ramol: “Not really disappear, she would just head outside from time to time. Then once she returned, they would finish their business and leave.”

Anais: “That’s all?”

Ramol: “That’s all.

Anais: “You didn't find them suspicious asking about Nathan?"

Ramol: "No, it wasn't the first time anyone asked about him. There were other adventurers who wanted know if he had any weaknesses. Of course i never told anyone anything like that, but they didn't seem intrested in his weaknesses, they was just saying how amazing they thought he was."

Ena: “They don’t match."

Anais: “But Shane definitely does."

Neither descriptions sounded like anyone from Beatrice party. Except for Shane, the other two were a complete mystery. However, the fact that Shane was there in the shop meant he was up to something and that alone was enough for her.

Anais: “Zane was right, we have to hurry and find Nathan, somethings about to happen.”