Three days later, she came home. Well, if you want to call this place home…

We don't really have one right now. What a strange feeling.

"Sure, appreciate."

My mom's cousin wordlessly nods back to her. I, of course, have no idea what's happening; I've been tuning out their conversation entirely. Well, if you can call it a conversation. It's really just her and our host subtly gesturing, maybe saying two or three words…

And then mom turns to me. "I'm sorry, sweetie. It's going to be a little while until we know for sure what's going to be happening… I did manage to get a meeting with the headmaster, but they're in the middle of a quarter and won't take a transfer until the next one starts. For the time being though, I guess I'll be helping at the flower shop." Then she whispers, "I tried to offer Tristan money for his help and he refused, I'm not sure how else we can contribute for now. Sorry, I know there isn't much to do here. I did leave for a reason, you know."

I nod. "Yeah, I know."

Apparently I'm going to have a lot of time on my hands. Although…

"So can I keep up my adventurer training at least?" I ask, flicking my eyes toward my shield where it lays in a heap, along with the rest of my gear.

"Hmm," she answers thoughtfully, "I'm not sure. I don't want you walking all the way to the transport station by yourself-"

"I won't be though!" I argue, "I can just go there with you, when you go to the flower shop or whatever? And then I can be back by the time you're done!"

She furrows her brow. "And what exactly are you going to do between the other side and the guild? That's not a short walk either, you know."

"That's… a good point…"

Feeling defeated, I sigh.

"Nephew."

We both turn to look at Tristan.

Aaaand there they go, gesturing up a storm again. I return to staring at the stitching across the ceiling, holding the yurt together. How many hours have I done this already?

"Yes, yes, that's a good idea," my mother finally says, nodding. "That could work. Sadie?"

"Hm?"

They both smile, Tristans much smaller but still definitely there. "He's higher leveled than you now, since he's been adventuring for a couple of years now, but your second cousin Gattas only has a few members in his party. It wouldn't be the same as training with your mentors since they just do dungeon dives for the advancement, but is that something you'd consider?"

"Hells to the yes!" I practically shout, causing both of them to flinch. "That's way better than just sitting around! Where are they? Where can I meet them?"

The two adults glance at each other, and I swear I can see concern on their faces…

Just a little.

***

…

…

…

"I don't understand you, can you just talk?"

Gattas lets out an exasperated sigh, and I can't help but glare a little.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"No, I know, I know what you're going to say. No, mom didn't teach me that… hand-wavey face-twitchy whatever thing you all do. Why would she bother? It's not like anyone outside this village uses it anyway, right? We lived with humans, remember?"

"Yes."

…

"Besides, how do you even communicate when you fight?"

"Training. Strategy."

"So what you're saying is you never collaborate with other parties? Ever?"

He shakes his head slightly. At least I can understand that.

This is going to be obnoxious, isn't it? It's already obnoxious!

"You don't even have a tank at all… can we at least try it? It's boring here, there's nothing to do but stare at plants!"

Gattas chuckles at that – he actually chuckles! It comes as a shock considering how little he emotes.

And then he simply answers, "Okay."

Not even two hours later I've met up with him and his party, consisting of an archer, mage, and healer – all of them 'pure' eldra, of course.

"Nebora."

"Shaya."

I nod to the mage and archer in order as they introduce themselves. Taking a cue from their brevity I answer, "Sadie."

"Mm."

"We know."

…

If there was any question, I've already got my answer. They've heard the rumors. At least they've limited their distaste to occasional glances at the other eldra in the area.

It's like they think they're being judged… which considering the people here, they probably are.

Stupid fucking xenophobes.

Well, no time like the present.

"So when do we go?"

"Class?"

"Don't have one yet, I'm only level four."

…

"Is… that a problem?"

Shrugs all around seem to be my answer. Well, whatever. Experience scales so I'm sure I'll catch up to them in no time, right?

***

I am not catching up to them in no time. In fact, the only reason I'm keeping up at all is Covetous Wanderer, and how it seems to be a bit more accurate than most runeguns.

Gattas' party seems to be convinced I'm coasting by on expensive equipment rather than skill. I'm starting to think they might be right.

But… how do I go about fixing that? At least I made it to level 6 with them, but… I made more progress in a few days with those guild mentors than three weeks with these eldra.

At least they're consistently punctual I guess.

That thick textbook still eludes me, but why would Nyx send it to me – I assume that was her – if she didn't want me to read it?

Hopefully she doesn't expect me to understand it, it's way above my level. Enough to give me a headache!

I'm still trying though. So far all I've got is that the Anima acts as a mana conduit between the Body and Akashic Self… still not sure where exactly the Akashic Self gets mana… is it directly from the Record?

Maybe. I'm not really sure. It feels like a lot of this thing expects the reader to be an expert in the field already… a thing which I'm decidedly not.

And probably won't ever be, to be fair. Research has never really been my thing, fiction is so much more interesting!

Probably explains my grades though. Or at least, it did… back when I was a student at a normal school.

The last of the kobolds rushing my party disrupts my rumination, though I have plenty of time to redirect its blunt sword with my shield enough to knock it off balance, but I don't have a chance to take a shot at it before one of Shaya's arrows pierces it through the eye.

[Kobold (Lesser) Slain. 85 experience has been awarded.]

Well, at least I got something out of it I guess, but that's no reason to be sour about it. I may as well say something.

"Nice shot."

All the archer does is nod. Nebora had already mopped up the others before the mob had reached us, meaning she got the lion's share of the experience.

But again, at least I got something.

Gattas gives me a quick glance before also nodding, and without another word gestures with a flick of his chin that we should continue deeper into this stereotypical cave labyrinth.

Five more mobs later, we're at what is undoubtedly the boss chamber. At least I'm pretty sure of it, considering it's the first closed room we've seen and the double door has a large animal skull carved into it, split down the middle.

"So what now?" I ask, "Rest, or straight in?"

The others glance at each other before sitting down. I guess that answers that. Sitting down alongside them, I pull out the sack lunch mom put together for me from my dimensional storage – I'd finally unlocked the Skill after a great deal of staring at that complicated textbook back in Tristan's yurt, but it's still only level 0… I can't fit much more in it than the book itself and a sack lunch.

I should probably work on leveling it higher, but I'm not entirely sure how to go about doing that without just constantly putting things in and then taking them back out… and that just seems like a hassle. What kind of person would dedicate that kind of time to it? Besides, if I keep using it it'll just level on its own, so I'm not going to bother.

Peanut butter and preserves. Not bad, especially for something simple… We don't really have a normal prep space for cooking since Tristan mostly just eats stuff like salads… he does have a small firepit outside for his occasional meat, but I get the impression he just doesn't like his home smelling of it.

That's fine.

Another twenty minutes pass before Gattas and the others stand almost in unison and level a glance my way, so I quickly stand and shove my arm back into my shield's arm brace.

It's time… I haven't fought a lot of boss monsters, but we'll see how this goes.

And since I'm the tank, I stride forward to place my hands on the door and give the stone panels a firm push.

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