My eyes open and I'm laying in my bed again, last night a partial blur after I bought the girl in, can't even remember her face properly. What even happened after I left that room?

I look around seeing the dust in the air, the sun shining bright into my room. I don't feel Kua's breath on my back, maybe she was a bit shaken, maybe more than I was. Hope she got a good rest, both of them.

I think about getting out, but I feel lazy, kind of calm as well. If I could have a few more days of peace that would be nice. I roll onto my back and throw my arm to the side and look up.

Before my next thought I look to my side, my arm lays on a petite girl next to me. Is this...her? She's under my cover and looks peaceful. Her hair has the color of snow, her skin a little tanned.

Wait, how the hell did she get into my bed? And her scars are all gone? I squint, I thought wrong, most of them are healed, at least aroud one of her arms and her upper chest. I lift the cover to see that like me she likes to sleep "freely".

I drop the cover and slide a little away from her, but I pushed myself a little too much and fell to the floor. I heard a little noise, the thump must have gotten her awake. I rub my eyes on the ground and sit up.

God that hurt, my ass is going to be a bit sore after this. I rub my lower back and look at her.

Her eyes are opened, one blue one green. I swear I've read something about that.

"Hero" she says to me

Oh.

Oh shit.

Fuck.

"Hero?" I ask, lightly chuckling

"I've found you." she says

"Are you sure that you're looking for me?"

Now that I listen to her, she sounds a little monotone. Holy shit she sounds like a Kuudere.

"Save us." she says a again

I look away. Dammit, why do I feel like the time I've been here is less than a week? Am I afraid? That couldn't be right.

"Please." she says moving closer, snapping me out of my little trance

Right then the door opened with Kua stepping inside.

"Mento-" she stops as she sees us, her face turns red "Mentor..y-you....didn't...h-"

I cut her off.

"No! No! Don't say it, I am the victim here! She just showed up in my bed like you do!"

The girl on the bed sits up and looks to Kua.

"Thank you, but I must leave with the hero."

"Wha?" Kua replies

DAMMIT.

"Mentor what is she talking about?" she asks

"I have no..idea...." I reply, glancing away

The girl speaks up again.

"He was summoned to save us."

An awkward silence ensues.

"Could I have the room?"

Kua begins to close the door.

"I mean for myself! Let me get dressed!"

She fumbles with the door and stumbles into my room. She rolls the girl into my cover and takes her out. Finally, I'm alone.

I get up from the wooden floor, my ass feeling numb. I head to one of my closets and take out a towel. I did lie, a little. I put the towel over my waist and head out into the hallway. Both have disappeared, but I do hear a loud Kua yelling about something.

I head the opposite direction of yesterday to the empty wall. I tap it a few times and a stairway opens up. As I step in the passage closes behind me and I descend.

When i originally had the Outlander built I did find some ruins of some old wizard's lab or at least part of it. It has a few neat things. One of them being an onsen like floor essentially, the other a library, which did help me learn of the world. Though my attempts to learn magic from it were futile.

I reach the first floor where an out of place wooden entrance lies. I open the door and head inside. I got a few things going and threw my towel to the side and got myself situated in one of the baths.

"Fuck I haven't had a nice bath like this in a while..." I mutter

I sink slowly down with only my head above water. This helps get my mind off things. I need that relaxation. I close my eyes and lightly begin to doze off.

"When do we leave?" a female voice says behind me

"MOtherfu-" I jump forward, away from the voice before slipping, going face first into the water. A second later I rise like a whale and look at behind me. It was the girl again.

"How are you here!?" I shout

"My soul is tied to you." she says

"Wha-? You're naked still!" I look away and then hear a few small steps which I guess is Kua

She barges in and sees us again, her face turns red once more. She covers her eyes, but peaks from one.

"Mentor! You're-"

"I know!" I crouch back into the water and back away to the side so I can see both of them "How did she get down here?" I ask Kua

"She just ghosted through the clothes I gave her and she went through walls." she explained

I look to the other girl.

"Are you a ghost?"

"I am Tyra the fairy."

"Fairy?" me and Kua ask at the same time

"Yes." Tyra replies

"Um...what's a fairy doing so far away from the Fairy Kingdom?" Kua asks

"Peril. My home is in trouble." she points a finger towards me "He's the hero they summoned."

"The faries summoned me?" I ask suddenly

"Mentor?!"

Before I can speak Tyra does "No. Mages from all around summoned you, hero."

"Just..just call me Dantes."

"Yes, Dantes hero."

"Just, Dantes." I repeat, a little more sternly

She nods.

"Soo......mentor....will you? You know? Considering..?" Kua starts

"Yes, yes. I will. For the love of.." I take a deep breath "Yes."

Again there's a silence. Why does it have to be awkward? WHY?

"When?" Tyra speaks

"Soonish..." I say "I have a few errands to run." which is partially true

"I could run the-" I cut Kua off

"You're coming with me when we go!" I yell

I can see her defloat in her place. If I'm going on a life threating adventure then naturally I will drag anyone I can along with. I turn to Tyra.

"Wait, since you're a fairy, you can do magic right?"

"All Fairies know Druidic magic." she replies

Perfect.

I move to the edge of this onsen and get out.

"I hope my wet backside is a good parting gift." I say chuckling as I leave the room, but it's an act, most of it

I head back upstairs dripping wet. Fuck, I need to think. I increase my speed and get back to my room. I dry off with another towel and throw on some clothes. My breathing gets a bit heavier. I move out of my room and leave the tavern.

The light outside is faint? I look up and see clouds covering the skies. It was sunny not too long ago wasn't it?

I head across the road into the forest. My travel wasn't long, I've gone through these woods a few times before, mostly in the early days. I was much more stressed about, well, everything.

Soon I reach the place. My thinking place. A nice small lake away from the road, outside the city. I've brought Kua and Ailla here once, that's why Kua doesn't like her. I chuckle as I remember that day.

I find the oddly shaped rock formation that I use as a chair. The stone oddly feels comfortable, even under my sore ass. Everything goes quiet. I have a second to think.

I can't believe I've gotten so attached to this place, maybe not the kingdom, but to the Outlander. My safe space. It's not like I haven't needed to fight before, but I don't think those small scuffles can compare to saving the world from demons or something. Suppose there's always bigger fish right?

I wonder what my folks are doing right about now? Is dad still doing crossword puzzels each morning and is mom still going on her daily jogs? I hope my death didn't affect them that much, but what am I saying? They lost a son, not a tool.

I rub my forehead and look out to the lake.

Maybe It's a bit too early for me to settle down..

Maybe..

I hear a ruffle of branches from the forest and glance over, It's Tyra again, but she has clothes on thank whatever gods this world has. I wonder if the goddess that transported me was a deity here. Nevermind that now I guess.

I watch her walk to me, she stops a few meters away from me looking with a blank stare.

"Yes?" I ask

"When do we depart?"

"Soon, soon, stop asking." I think for a second and lay back "Why wasn't I summoned in what I guess was a summoning circle? And why are you the one tasked with finding me?"

"I was chosen to be the great hero's herald. One of the mages made a mistake. They only found out that you were alive two months ago."

She gets on her knees and lays her head and hands on the ground.

"Forgive me." she says

"Wha-? No. Get up, don't apologize to me, it wasn't your fault."

She does so.

"What do you mean you were chosen to be my herald?"

"I was picked by the council of my home."

"And did you have a choice?"

She shakes her head.

"Do you want to be here?"

"I need to be here. I am your messenger and servant."

I rub my face, no, I don't want an indentured slave...wait, is it indentured? This is getting confusing suddenly.

I hear her inch closer to me. I glance at her, her face is small, but she does have a cute look about her.

"How long have you been travelling for?"

"A month."

"What were those injuries from last night? And where did most of your clothes go?"

"I...I..tripped in a thorny part of a forest...and everything..ripped..." she blushes as she speaks, embaressed I guess

"Really?" I ask considering I'm a little unonvinced "But, aren't you a druid?"

"I-I'm clumsy.." she says

I cover my mouth and chuckle a little and nearly break out into laughter. I glance at her again and see her pouting.

"Sorry sorry. I won't laugh." I tell her "You said that you're my servant right? Who exactly made you my servant? I need to know what that exactly means."

"I was sworn to your service by my elders in the Fairy Kingdom. I am to carry your burdens, do your bidding and...satisfy..your needs.." she says, slightly glancing away

"Alright....well I don't need you to do any of those." I reply, I will not be liable for having a potential sex slave.

Why the hell would they ask her to do that? Has this happened before? Christ that...that isn't a good look.

"Listen, it's-" I look up into the sky "later? In the day. I think. How about you head back to the tavern and rest. I'm sure the entire world isn't helpless. Right?"

"There are very powerful nations that are still standing." she tells me

"See? How about you rest and we prepare." I get up from my stone chair and walk to her

I stand before her and pat her head.

"I promise to help the world." I tell her

No lie about it. If this is my calling then I will do it, even if I don't want to. I'm young anyways, this whole thing can't take so long. I zone back in and notice her face. A little red.

"Cute." I mutter

And that made her more red, maybe I should stop.

"Yes, her-, Dantes." she replies

"Thank you."

Soon after that we returned to the Outlander, but I grabbed Bob and went into the city, told the two I needed to run an errand. But I just needed to check out a few things, which technically is an errand.

The clouds aren't gone yet which means more rain. That's good I suppose, but now I notice, much less people than yesterday, even at the guild.

As I near the town center I slow down with Bob and keep an ear out, the few pairs of people out and about do say some interesting things. Though what I'm hearing isn't exactly putting the city or the king in a good light.

The Queen on the other hand....yeah, she's a different case. I did meet with her once, had a delivery I needed to do, she was nice to say the least. Can't forget that Ara Ara energy she gave off.

I finally reach the city center and nothing..the fountain is where it is with no kids running around, no homeless guys, no market stalls. What the hell?

I scan around and spot one person laying near a the edge of an alley. I ride close and get off Bob. I approach the person, though he looks like an older dude.

"Hey." I call to him

He shakes for a second and looks up at me. It's like a moment of fear disappeared from his face.

"What do you want?" he asks

"What's going on? There's no one here."

"Haven't you heard what they talking?"

I kneel beside the man.

"Tell me."

The man sits up, his beard apparent and other older features become visible, I reach into my pockets and find a few coins which I give him. He looks at me for a second before speaking.

"Heard our peaceful king started trading with slavers and has been opening the borders for other nations to cross through to attack other ones. A few hours before the clouds came there were a few carts that came in. They went down towards the docks."

Well, that...isn't good.

"How do you know all this if I can ask?"

"I get around and listen." he tells me

"Well, um, thanks for the info." I get up and head back to Bob

"I would be careful." the old man calls out "Grey Skies going to become more common now, Dantes."

Wait. He knew my name? I glance back to the old man, but he's gone? The hell? What the fuck? That was creepy as shit. I slowly get on Bob and shake my head.

"Docks it is then."