“That was great,” Benta said as she collapsed to the ground once the enemy was dead. “How the fuck are you so strong, Haell? And why are you that injured?”

  I shrugged. “I made a mistake earlier. Got hit directly. Fuck, should’ve dodged.” And because of the magic that I use on myself, but I will not reveal that weakness. Deflect deflect!

  “Haha! Yeah. It seemed like an obvious thing to stay away from the head.”

  “How is that obvious! You usually aim for the head. I didn’t think it would be that tough.”

  She laughed again. “Seriously though, Haell. It’s amazing how strong you are for your level. I might even lose to you.” Oh, you will. “But you could’ve died there. That head plate was obviously bad news!”

  “Yeah, yeah,” I waved her off flippantly, taking the offense out of my tone. Those of us who were injured, which was most of us, were healed by our healers as we stared at the large corpse left by our enemy humoora.

  “Say. I have something in mind. Do you guys mind if we take the bones? I’ll even pay for it.”

  “Eh? But those are the best parts of this monster…” Benta scratched her head. “Fine though. Just because you’re the one asking. But you better give us something good for it! I don’t want gold. We both know how much more valuable raw materials or finished gear are.”

  “Oh, don’t worry. You can keep everything else the monster left, and we still got a lot of gold-rank materials saved up.”

  ~~~

  “What do you think of using the bones for my next evolution?” I asked Moonwash inside of our anti-sound bubble. We were currently on our way to the bank of Talbig City to deposit some things for safe-keeping. We had come back to Revenge City earlier to turn in our quest, but we left soon after for a place that wasn’t so close to a warzone. “That’s why I asked for it. My current bones are all about withstanding my power, and this enhancement might make it even tougher. My one worry is that they might be too rigid and affect my mobility.”

  “I think you should go for it. Evolving is always a gamble, and I’m sure you can adapt even if it doesn’t work out the way you want it to. Compensate for the lost mobility by enhancing your body further with magic, for example. Tougher bones will be able to handle that, and flesh is more easily healed.”

  “True. I like that idea. I could complement it even further depending on what new heart I decide to take…”

  We talked through the issue further, until the wide and imposing entrance of the Gildedflight Bank came into view. It was a very well-decorated building adorned with art and architecture that inspired prestige for any who gazed upon it. But underneath all that beauty were defensive enchantments, reinforced walls, heavy-duty doors, and windows barred with mythril alloys that were so artfully done you could almost assume it was merely a decorative choice. This, along with all the guards patrolling the area, created an environment that inspired confidence in their ability to actually keep their customer’s shit safe.

  “Welcome,” the human guard greeted us before we could say anything. “You must be Haell Zharignan. The owner has been expecting you. Please, right this way.”

  She just left her post and led us inside. We went several floors upstairs until we reached the very top, whereupon we were led to the most ornate set of gates I had ever seen. And here I thought the Edengarian nobles loved their spectacle; the people here could do it too, despite the concept of nobility effectively being null. Well, sort of. There was no one who called themselves nobility, at least. Not in the southern part of New Grandera anyway…

  Our guide knocked on the beautiful double doors, and then a voice came from inside.

  “Come in.”

  The guide opened the doors but stayed outside as we crossed the threshold. There, we found a well-decorated room that drew the eye exactly towards the center table, whereupon a well-dressed harpy man sat behind.

  “Welcome, Hellvesters. Please, make yourself at home.”

  A soothingly strong wind blew through the space, and then, in addition to the one big couch for us to sit on, some even bigger chairs were swept into the room by magic. They were perfect for Angerly and Berry, and all of us were made comfortable just as the harpy man requested.

  “Hello there,” I waved from my seat. “We never got your name.”

  “Ah. That’s right. I am Roma, the owner of the Gildedflight Conglomerate. I have heard a lot about you, and am thrilled to see that you chose my establishment today. Tell me, what is it that we can do for you?”

  As he spoke, a bunch of tea sets and desserts flew into the room on a rolling table. I found the bounty on offer to be absolutely sublime, and we opened up easily about our agenda for today.

  “I see. We will make sure to guard your belongings with our life,” he spoke as if our request was of the gravest importance. And he wasn’t wrong. It was pretty fucking important. I needed it for my evolution! Both the humoora bones, and the warsymbol muscles we’d long preserved. “I will have my people register you shortly. You will all be given the highest level herokane account, so please, do not hesitate to tell us if there is anything else you need.”

  Herokane was a precious alloy that could only be formed by the union of mythril and diamond. Not that Roma meant it literally. We were not about to receive free sample ingots, as much as Moonwash would love it.

  “...Okay! We’ll do that. Thanks.”

  “You are very welcome. Now, is there anything else we can do for you today?”

  I was about to say no, but Granuel instead took over. He had a lot of cheques that could be exchanged here, and the two of them ended up talking for hours about potential business opportunities while the rest of us partook of the unending flow of snacks.

  By the end of the day, the formation of the Granuel Corporation had been finalized, and this time it was all in his own name.

  We all gave him a hug, happy for our friend.

  Granuel cried tears of joy, and we drank ourselves to a stupor in the most expensive establishments known to man and others.

  ~~~

  The following months were peaceful. Granuel bought a storefront in the main street of the city, and then a bunch of other cheaper properties and warehouses around the nominal outskirts. He began the preparations for the eventual businesses he wished to make while at the same time gathering the materials for our other projects, such as making new wagons to replace that which we were forced to destroy. The creation of it went a lot smoother this time, as Moonwash had learned a lot from and since our last attempt. We also had a… different spread of materials to choose from. The various precious metals were a lot easier to come by, and goods from the underwater world and the mountains flowed like a river through New Grandera. The Kingdom of Edengar had full control over the plains, of course, which did limit some things, but I believed that the reliable trading partners that had been gained was more than worth what was lost. Edengar couldn’t even harvest their shores properly because of all the cursetaceans that called it home and clamored for their death.

  The ultimate result of all this was two wagons that were half as light but twice as tough. They were just a little smaller than before, with a much cozier interior that was filled with enchantments that could control the airflow and temperature, among other things. The outside looked bare and heavily armored, for both the practicality, and to try and prevent some people from throwing their lives away by trying to take our stuff. Others would just have to learn the hard way, and then promptly forget it all as they went into the cycle of reincarnation. That seemed to be the most common belief among people about the afterlife, and from what I could tell, it was probably true. It happened to me, at least!

  “What do we get for the wagons, then?” I asked my friends as we celebrated in the workshop Granuel had rented for us. We helped out, but most of the work was done by Moonwash and some temporary hires. “Another two pairs of horreks? Or maybe we could just hire some centaurs, or even a sundertop or some inhexes to pull the wagons along. We’re not trying to hide my very existence anymore!”

  “The inhex… maybe,” Therick replied. “But I don’t think I’ve seen sundertops act as mere wagoners.”

  “It’s a perfectly respectable profession and we’ll pay them well,” I argued. “It’s up to them if they’ll agree. But always a first time for everything.”

  “I know a few inhex people if you want,” Angerly suggested. “Haven’t really befriended a sundertop or tyranight yet though… but I’m at least acquainted with some. I can ask them if they’re interested.”

  “Eh…” Granuel did not sound enthusiastic. “How trustworthy are they? Because while the biggest secret is out, we haven’t actually run out of secrets at all!”

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  “Oh… yeah, you’re right.” I both laughed and grimaced. “Why did I so enthusiastically suggest this? I’m the one with the most secrets to hide still!” I didn’t want my entire arsenal to be known, for example. And I suspected that I might get in conflict with the official forces of this place at some point.

  …Okay, maybe Moonwash had more secrets. She just did not give a fuck about what she was or wasn’t allowed to have. And it was so cool!

  “They seem nice enough…” Angerly muttered in defense of her acquaintances. “But, I suppose you’re right. I’ve only known them for like a few months at most. I don’t really know them that well.”

  “I think it’s best if we stick to just us for a while longer,” I clapped her on the shoulder. “In which case, are we getting horreks again to pull our wagons, or something weirder?” Ranching mounts was a far more popular industry in New Grandera, and they had a much wider variety of options to choose from. From cargs that were basically wargs but cats, to the large monitor lizards that were the komodoors. They could often be mistaken for the burydile of the dwarves, but they were entirely different species. They didn’t even look that similar! They were just both big lizards.

  We discussed all of this and more before finally coming to a decision.

  ~~~

  “So these are the gareras that you mentioned?” I asked Granuel as we walked into the ranch. The gareras looked like muscular gorillas crossed with capybaras, and were each about as big as a bear. None of their limbs could be classified as full-on hands, but they were definitely much more dextrous than a hoof. More dextrous than the typical feline paw, even.

  “Yes!” it was not Granuel who answered, but the human woman who owned the place. “These magnificent beasts are perfect for the rainforests and would be able to take you anywhere you want. Even up in the trees! And they are not just good mounts, but they are powerful fighters too. If you trained hard with them, then they would at least double your current fighting force! I’m sure they would look wonderful with a demon like yourself!”

  “Really now?” I smirked… ashamed that her blatant sales pitch was blatantly working!

  Then I heard a hiss. I neared one enclosure, and the garera within started to roar at me. It smashed at the ground with its larger front paws while it backed away with its hackles raised. And then, like a switch had been flipped, many of the other nearby gareras took one good look at me and started acting in the same way. It was as if I were the grim reaper, and they were mere wheat underneath my scythe.

  They would not be wrong.

  “Oh, shit! Umm, oh, sorry, excuse me. But they’re not usually like this! Ohhh, what’s wrong precious? Are you… scared? Please don’t be. They’re nice, see?”

  The woman panicked and left us to go check on her animals.

  I chuckled and stepped back, allowing everyone else to talk and negotiate without the very distracting presence of myself.

  We ended up buying four of the gareras, like the number of horreks we used to have. It was going to take some effort before they could be calm and accustomed to me. Oh, why won’t the cute pets ever like me?

  Well, the cutiyos of the harpies did not care at least. But mounts would still recoil away from me sometimes on the streets.

  ~~~

  “Oh hey. There’s a new councillor,” Therick mused as he read the newspaper. We were currently in the penthouse Blank had rented to us for at least a few months longer. And it was quite a nice home, if not to the level of the best inns out there.

  “Do you even know who the councilors are?” I snorted as I moved my angel five steps. The rest of us, me, Moonwash, and Berry, we’re playing a game of Curse Survival. It was a boardgame where all the players played as angels while a bunch of cursetaceans tried to kill them. The goal was to survive for the longest, and every angel was far stronger than most cursetaceans so it was a long battle of attrition. It was a stupid but fun and hilarious concept.

  “Of course I do. The big higher-ranking ones at least. Do you?”

  “Uhhh… I should. But I don’t,” I admitted. The day continued to pass like that, spent just hanging out with my friends. Therick and Granuel joined at some point, and we switched games just as we switched players. The living room was full of laughter and joy that day.

  And then, later in the afternoon, just as the sun was beginning to set, Angerly came back after being out since morning. A lithe crustecar man walked behind her, and I could see that his brown hair had some green in it.

  “Hey Angerly!” I greeted. “How’s your date? Good, I presume?”

  “Oh yeah, totally!” she giggled. “This is Vardago… and we’re dating now!”

  “Oh?” I raised a brow, shrugged, and then smirked. “Well, that’s great! You have to tell us all about it! Oh, and hello Vardago. I’m Haell, this is Moonwash, Berry, Therick, and Granuel.”

  “Alright,” he nodded, not exactly shy, but more… guarded.

  The seven of us settled in for drinks as the day turned to night, and the conversation flowed like honey from there. Angerly talked about our many exploits and the funny moments that happened to the rest of us during our journeys, like Moonwash stepping on a pile of shit, or me actually trying to meditate in a river. I just saw it in so many movies before, okay!? And I think it was actually somewhat sort of kind of effective.

  Granuel went out briefly to order some food, and then we tried to embarrass Angerly in turn. She could be late to obligations sometimes, second only to Moonwash, and I talked loudly about that time she tried to toss me like a projectile unto an adversary, only to miss by a wide margin. Those were good times.

  Vardago opened up a bit more as well as we spoke, and he talked about his job in retail, selling clothes… and the occasional candies for some reason, which was actually how he met Angerly. He had fled to New Grandera years ago, but sadly his sister did not make it and his friend who was dating her at the time gradually drifted away from him. Ironically, Vardago himself preferred to drift from place to place, and he apparently planned on moving to somewhere more remote like a town or village once his contract here expired.

  ~~~

  I sat by our front porch, drinking hot cocoa and taking in the cold morning under the shade of the impenetrable towering mountains. It was not bad to spend quiet moments like this by myself every once in a while, but it was still better with company.

  Angerly arrived, cradling a hot drink of her own. It was ashucha, which was a sweet tea that the inhexes preferred, apparently.

  She sat beside me and sighed as she took a sip. “Hey.”

  “Hey,” I grinned. “Fun night?”

  “Oh like your nights aren’t always fun, miss ‘let’s do it in a makeshift tent.’”

  “Ahahaha! You’re not wrong.” I and Moonwash never tried to hide it. She didn’t care, and I didn’t think I could ever sell the lie, so it was best to just fucking own it. “But what are you gonna do once we have to leave for another place again?”

  “Then I’ll leave,” she shrugged.

  “You sure?” I gestured around us. At the city that was just beginning to wake up, at our wealthy neighbors gossiping among each other before they eventually made their way over to us. “This could be yours.”

  Angerly cackled so loudly she almost choked. “Is this the kind of life you envision me having someday? Damn, I need to do some soul searching.”

  I rolled my evil eyes. “You know what I mean. And yes. You’re the one of us who likes to deal with them the most.”

  “Well… I guess you’re not wrong. They’re not bad. But come on, Haell. We’ve already had this conversation before.”

  “So? People change. Maybe you have. This was a chance for us to start anew. We agreed that it was. Yet it seems like things will just continue as they are, no? We’ll stick together and do the same thing.”

  “...What? Are you trying to get rid of us? Just spend an adventure with you and Moonwash alone?” she asked, only half-joking.

  “No… Not like that. I love her, but I do love having you guys around too. And honestly… I’m kinda scared about how we’ll handle things on our own if it was just us.”

  “TRUE! I’m scared too.”

  “Rude. I meant that we lack some certain skills, okay? But I just wanted to let you know that there’s an out. I won’t lie and say I don’t want you to stay, but just keep in mind that you can do what makes you happy. I’ll support you all the way.”

  A long silence stretched between us. Neither of us felt the need to fill it. Angerly sniffed, and I saw her wipe away a few tears.

  “It’s fine. I’m staying. I love you guys. I don’t think I’m quite ready yet for another life. But I’ll go, once I am. So take me with you for one last adventure.”

  “Alright,” I smiled. “But can I ask what you plan on doing with you, well, dating someone then? Would you break up when we leave? Do you want to take him along? Honestly… I don’t know how sold I am to the idea…”

  She snorted. “Don’t worry. Vardago is doing nothing like that.”

  “Oh? I thought him the adventurous kind?”

  “What? How?”

  “I mean, he’s already doing the traveling part, right?”

  “Yeah. The traveling. But those are singular trips every few years. With heavy escorts.”

  “And what’s heavier escort than us?”

  “...Okay. You’re right. Do you want him to come?”

  “What, no! Or, I mean, we can talk about it if you want…”

  “We don’t need to,” she shook her head, chuckling. “But you clearly just had the wrong idea. It’s not his thing. Trust me, I’d know better than you.”

  “Okay. You’re clearly the master of Vardago here. I defer to your expertise.”

  “Thank you. But I prefer it the other way around, actually.”

  “No one fucking asked,” I laughed loud and long, and then an even longer silence followed.

  Eventually, Angerly said, “I don’t know… I want to keep things going, so I guess we’ll try sending letters…”

  I raised a brow. My hands fiddled with a necklace that could encase us in an anti-sound bubble in a second. “We’ve talked about this before. You know exactly what I think about long distance.”

  “Yes, yes. I’m aware. It’s hard, it’s difficult, and I’ll fail.”

  I took my hand out of my necklace. She did remember what I said and what I’d learned in the decades I’d spent in another life, another planet. “I never went that far. I said you’re likely to fail. But maybe you’ll slay a dragon! WHO KNOWS!”

  “Gee. That’s reassuring.”

  “Anytime.”

  Slice of Life chapters. They have to happen sometimes. Although this actually almost became something entirely different with a few additional scenes that I’d already written… but I ultimately decided to end it here. It was just a really good stopping point, and I actually felt like I wanted to write a peaceful chapter for once. It’s a new land, slow down, have a break.

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