Finally Arrived

Paula Alvarez.

Like Hans, she is a character from Dragonia Chronicle 2.

The daughter of a powerful noble family in the Empire, she originally appeared by fleeing her home to escape an unwanted marriage forced upon her by her parents, eventually drifting to the village. Depending on the events that followed, she was also a heroine candidate with an ending where she could marry the protagonist. I personally liked the happy final scene of them surrounded by children, so I ended up marrying her about three times in the game.

However, there was a major difference between the Paula from the game and the woman standing before me. In the game, Paula appeared as a neat and lovely fourteen-year-old lady. I never imagined she would grow into a woman so overflowing with sensuality…

Though, her gentle way of speaking and the air of hidden elegance about her still held traces of her former self. Come to think of it, her silhouette as a mother in the game’s ending is quite similar to the way she looks now around the chest.

After casually checking, I learned that in this realized world, Lady Paula is twenty-four years old. Her reason for leaving home wasn’t that she was forced to marry, but rather the opposite. Apparently, because her suitors kept meeting with various misfortunes for some reason, rumors spread that she was an ill omen, and she ran out of marriage prospects. Consequently, her family head ordered her to go out and see the world. In short, it seems she was told to find a partner she liked herself. It’s a bit hard to believe, so I’m not about to take it at face value, but then again, there are some truly bizarre people among the nobility…

“So, I suppose I’ve passed your inspection then?”

“Is it a nuisance to you, Sir?”

“No, there isn’t a man alive who’d feel bad being pursued by a beauty.”

However, the fact that the only criterion for being chosen was the amount of my mana is quite pathetic from a man’s perspective. Well, I suppose nobles have a duty to preserve superior bloodlines, so it can’t be helped. Still, is it greedy of me to wish she’d look a little bit at my inner self? It feels a bit presumptuous for me to say that, given that I rarely reveal my true heart to others and had no real romantic experience in my past life either.

“My honest feeling is that I’m happy. However, I have a lot of things I need to do from here on out. I can’t give you an answer right away, but is that alright?”

“It is I who should apologize for suddenly forcing my circumstances upon you. Thank you so much for permitting me to stay by your side.”

“Well, decide what you want to do after you get to know me better. There’s a good chance I’ll turn out to be a disappointment.”

“Hehe, I wonder. I shall also strive to let you get to know me better during this time.”

I breathed a sigh of relief as Paula returned a quiet smile. Even to me, my words sounded forced and a bit conceited, but she seemed to accept them readily. Or perhaps she was just pretending to.

In truth, the biggest reason I postponed the answer was for my own convenience. Considering my future plans, having a capable Monster Tamer close by is incredibly reassuring. My conscience pricked me, but once I decided to do whatever it takes, I couldn’t afford to be picky about my methods.

“Alright then, I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, likewise.”

When I held out my hand, Paula grasped it with both of hers as if cherishing it.

“Pleased to meet ya!”

“Koo!”

The monster-kids, who had been running around the cart, jumped onto me and hung off my arms with excitement. Seeing the adorable pair, Paula and I looked at each other and smiled. As the two people and two creatures stood with their hands overlapping, a voice called out from the driver’s seat at just the right time.

“Ah, I can see it now. Look, over there.”

Turning my gaze forward, a vista of single-story houses with thatched roofs came into view. We had finally arrived at “The Starting Village.”

The village was surrounded by fields where autumn-sown wheat grew green, but there wasn’t a fence in sight. Since the only dangerous monsters in this area are in the somewhat distant Dragon’s Arm Forest, I suppose they didn’t feel the need to build one. While there is a non-zero chance of bandits, the possibility of them appearing in such a backwater is extremely low. That said, our peace probably won’t last very long.

Perhaps because the village was only five years old, the earthen walls of the houses were still relatively new. Combined with the dark brown roofs, it was a rather plain appearance. It was a sight I had seen often on the way here, but it seems stone buildings decrease the further you get from the Capital. A unique odor wafted through the area, likely from livestock. Recalling the Royal Capital’s alleys—which were covered in vomit and urine—with a strange sense of nostalgia, I let out a soft huff.

On the game screen, the village looked neat and healthy, but in reality, the feeling of having come to a cold, rural hamlet was overwhelming. The carriage passed between the houses and pulled into a large open space in the center of the village. Near the middle of the plaza, which was just leveled dirt, I could see a small, half-dug well. Beside it, the donkey finally came to a stop.

Perhaps because the noisy clatter of the wheels had echoed through the air, the villagers soon began to gather in swarms.

“It’s the merchant mister!”

“Yay! Uncle Hans, Uncle Hans!”

The first to crowd around were the scruffy children. They vied to jump onto the back of the cart, but when they noticed us, they all backed away one by one with wide eyes. It seemed they weren’t used to newcomers. Holding the two monster-kids, I stepped down from the carriage while lending a hand to Paula.

Like the children, the adults kept their distance and didn’t approach, likely due to the unfamiliar passengers.

“Move aside, let me through. What’s all the fuss? Why are you all frozen?”

Just as a spirited voice called out from behind the crowd, an elderly woman pushed her way through the villagers and appeared. She was dressed in a plain apron typical of a farming village, her dull blonde hair gathered under a white headscarf. She was quite stout and had the presence of a formidable matriarch.

“Welcome back, Hans. Have you been well?”

“I’m home, sister. How are things on your end?”

“As long as I’m in a village as unchanging as this, nothing ever stays different for long.”

From that exchange, I realized the woman was Hans’s sister, Ute. In the game, she ran the village tavern and general store, and was a character known for being a capable proprietress.

“So, it’s rare to see guests in such a remote place. What brings you folks here?”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Nino. This is my guard, Paula, who is a Monster Tamer. These two are her familiars.”

I smoothly recited the cover story we’d decided on. The woman, who had been watching us searchingly, nodded, took off her headscarf, and introduced herself.

“I’m Ute. Hans’s sister, and the one who buys and sells things in this village.”

“Then I’m sure I’ll be in your care. I’m a Transmutationist. I’ve come to this village to open a workshop.”

“What?!”

It seemed Ute wasn’t the only one shocked by my words. The surrounding villagers also began to murmur in amazement.

“Hey, is that for real?”

“No way. There’s no reason for an Alchemist to come to a village like this.”

“Oh, it’s probably that. A swindler!”

“They must think they can fool us easily ‘cause we’re country folk!”

Well, even an Ordinary is a precious Alchemist. To have one come to a normal village is quite a feat, let alone to a frontier settlement, and not just on a circuit visit but to open a permanent workshop—it was practically unheard of. I probably wouldn’t believe it myself.

“Hmm, I’m not doubting you, but… do you have anything to prove you’re an Alchemist?”

At Ute’s words, I pulled a piece of paper from my inner pocket.

“I have a letter from Workshop Master Barnabas of the Royal Alchemy Workshop. Is there anyone here who can recognize it?”

“Hmm, let me see.”

The person who stepped forward was an old man with a pure white beard. Given his imposing aura, I instinctively handed over the Master’s letter. Accepting it while stroking his long beard, the old man held the letter up as if to see through it in the sunlight. He began to read, nodding to himself. While everyone watched intently, the old man suddenly looked up from the letter and stared at me.

Had something bad been written in it? Feeling cold sweat on my back, I stared back at him for a moment. After a few seconds of heavy silence, the old man pulled his beard in frustration.

“Hmmm, now that I think about it, I can’t actually read.”

“Old Man Eugen, you’re drunk again! Give it here, I’ll read it!”

Appearing next before my deeply exasperated self was a Beastman with rounded beast ears. He was a head shorter than me, but his body, dressed in a black leather apron, was sturdy and powerful. The man, who had the air of a small bear, snatched the letter from the old man and held it up to the sun in the same way. He frowned as he read intently, but within seconds, he stomped the ground in a rage.

“This is in Oni script! There’s no way I can read this!”

I wanted to retort, “How should I know?” but the line seemed to go over well with the villagers. A burst of laughter rose from the crowd. For context, “Oni script” is the official language of the Holy Kingdom of Vilnia, formally known as the Oni Script.

In contrast to the villagers, whose mood had turned light, I was quite excited internally. These two were unmistakable: The Know-It-All Old Man and the Blacksmith, Heimo. The old man spends all his time gossiping at the tavern and is a crucial character who often provides quest hooks. The Beastman Heimo is a skilled blacksmith and a reliable ally who can process anything if you ask him. The old man’s haphazard behavior and Heimo’s quick-to-anger gestures were exactly like the interactions I’d seen countless times in the game.

As I was soaking in the quiet emotion, another voice echoed from behind the throng.

“Is something the matter, everyone?”

The fourth person to appear was a middle-aged man with a horn on his forehead. He had calm, brownish eyes and a deeply sculpted bridge to his nose. His body, wrapped in a simple, unadorned tunic, was large, though he looked a bit thin. His gentle manner reminded me of Workshop Master Barnabas, likely because they are the same race. He looked to be around the same age as well.

The only character who fits these criteria is…

“Ah, well, this youngster wants us to read this, but we can’t make heads or tails of it.”

“Let me see.”

The man took the letter from Heimo and began to read quietly. While the surrounding crowd watched with bated breath, he let out sounds like “hmmm” and “I see” as he carefully examined the contents. When he finished reading, he let out a long, deep sigh. Everyone’s eyes, including mine, focused on the man’s mouth as he opened it to speak.

But, remaining silent, the man started reading the letter from the beginning again. When he finished, he opened his mouth once more—only to look down at the letter for a third time in silence.

“Hey! How many times are you going to read it?!”

At Ute’s retort, we all nodded in unison.

“Oh, my apologies. The contents were so hard to believe that I found myself reading it over and over. …I must send a letter of thanks to Barnabas immediately.”

Muttering the words to himself, the man turned to me and held out his right hand.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Dirk, the chief of this village.”

“Pleased to meet you too. I’m Nino.”

So he was the village chief, as I thought.

As we shook hands—my second of the day—Chief Dirk turned around and raised his other hand high toward the houses and villagers. Then, with a happy expression, he spoke the words of welcome.

“Welcome to this nameless village. We have been waiting for you from the bottom of our hearts, Sir Alchemist.”