Part 32: Chapter Thirty-One: Unexpected Delays

They returned to the Hidden Village.



The Beasts, at least, were doing well.



Chief: Thanks to your plan, po, our food shortage is over, po!
What do you mean?
Chief: The humans have had their food returned, po.
So we can now mooch off them, po.
Thank you very much, po!
Oh, sure.
Chief: How may I help you today, po?
We have a question to ask you…
Chief: A path to the south, po. I know of one, po.
You saved our village, so we will gladly show you the way, po.
Thank you.

While traveling through the woods, they encountered an old acquaintance.



Ahh! What a coincidence! I didn’t expect to see you here!
What are you doing in a place like this?
Zwital Village, my home, is just south of here.
I was going back to restock items to sell.
Beautiful maiden?
Y-Yes?
Is there, by any chance, a ruin near your village?
A… a ruin?
I think there’s some strange ruin from the Slaith Dynasty era…
Thank you, beautiful. You’ve touched my heart.
It was my pleasure…
…So, it was pleasurable for you, too?

Poe, being a terrible individual, was busily making a costly and terrible mistake.



I’m not flirting! My feelings are genuine.
You don’t even know what love is. Trust me, you’re going to regret it someday.
……
Okay… The ruin she’s talking about has to be the workshop…
Mitsue.
Y-Yes?
Will you please guide us to Zwital Village?
I would love to, but…
There’s a huge boulder in the way. It’s completely blocking the road.
I was trying to think of how I can get there myself…
Can’t we do something?
I heard there was a man called the Bomb Artist who lives in Alha Village.
I’m sure he has a bomb strong enough to clear that rock.
Alha Village…
That should be the small village northeast of here.
Looks like we have no other choice. Let’s go to that village.

Which he continued to compound.



Huh?
If you don’t mind, please tell me your name…
My name is Poe.
Hey, Poe! Wanna be left behind?!
What?! Wait up!
Poeywoey…

Viese, meanwhile, was creating a powerful medicine they found the recipe for.



It has a wide range, so allies can also be healed by this.
It should be very useful. I hope Felt feels the same way.
I’ll send it to him now.
Viese? Are you home?
Yes. Please come in.
I came to see how you’re doing. Are you feeling better?
Yes. In fact, I just created a new item.
I wish I was an alchemist, too.
Really? Why?
You can created all kinds of different items. You have the power to control your own destiny.
I am revered as a Light Mana, but I cannot do anything by myself.
That’s not true. You have your own shop and incredible powers…
I do have my own shop, but I still cannot create anything like you can.
If I could, I think I would choose a different life to live…
…? Did something happen?
No, well… It was just a little thing, and it was so long ago.
...If you just made a new item, you should send it to the Felt right away.
Bye bye.

Mitsue wasn’t the only person they didn’t expect to run into.

Video- “Tolena”

Watch the Story Unfold

We meet for the second time.
What are you doing?!
Don’t you know it’s dangerous for such an important person to wander around in the open?
Oh, don’t worry about me, dear Noin.
Most people don’t even know who I am.
???: Tolena!

Tolena was surrounded by Punis!



???: You thieves dare rob our fair lady Tolena!
What? No. You have it all wrong. Tolena and I are…
???: No excuses!

And they were forced to battle the Puni bodyguards of Tolena.



Enforcer: We have sworn to protect Tolena with our lives!
We will destroy anyone who threatens our beloved Tolena!

Boss Battle: Puni Squad
The key to doing this is focused firepower. Blow the Punis up one at a time and they’re manageable. If you try to split your fire they’ll heal a bunch and do a lot of damage, making this way more trouble than it needs to be.

The Punis were easily dispatched.



Stop it. That’s enough.
Why don’t you listen? These are my F-R-I-E-N-D-S.
Do you understand?
Enforcer: Then… Our efforts were wasted…
It doesn’t matter. Now we have to take care of your injuries.
Goodbye, Noin. I’ll see you later!
Why did she come out here…?
Hey. Why is that girl one of the Imperial Champions, anyways?
Believe it or not, she’s actually the Consul’s daughter.
You know… Galahad’s boss. He is Tolena’s father.
That’s why I know her.
I see.
We should leave her alone. I think she’s going to some village to the north.
Yeah, let’s just go.

It turned out their destination was the same, though they wouldn’t encounter each other there. Rather, something much more interesting was in store for our heroes…