The sun was low in the sky on their third day after the merchant cart. Nanami and Kaito trains everyday after they stop before the set up camp. But Nanami was still a klutz when it came to fighting.
Despite all that Kaito stayed patient with her. He never freaked out, and she was thankful for his kindness.
Rika just watched on the sidelines, snacking on something, which raises questions for Dante. Because as far as he knew they didn't stop anywhere to get snacks, especially not a bag of chips.
"Rika where'd you get those." He questioned, she didn't answer at first only offered the bag to him. "You want some?"
Dante continued looking and she laughed. "I got them off those merchants."
Dante shook his head. "You just steal from everyone huh?"
Rika giggled. "This is how I train, be nice to me, can't have myself getting rusty can I?" A smile played on her face.
Dante smiled back, "right you're our coward thief right?"
Rika looked offended before punching him. "And you're our cowardly Hero."
Dante stood after Nanami had collapsed.
"Kaito before we head to sleep, you think we could spar a bit? I've been practicing." Dante says.
Kaito never one to turn down a match smiles. "Sure Dante." He happily agrees
Rika and Nanami sits to the side. Rika chewing on a snack she found in Kaito's bag. The jerky was extremely spicy causing Rika to spit it out.
Nanami on the other hand chugged some water. "I can't make any breakthroughs like this!"
On the packed dirt with the sun, high in the sky over their battlefield to two gripped tightly on wooden swords. A slight breeze gracing their faces.
Dante made the first move.
With a burst of energy, he charged forward, his grip tight, eyes focused. His swings came in fast, fueled by raw determination rather than precision. He was hoping to catch Kaito off guard through sheer aggression.
But Kaito barely moved. Calm and centered, he raised his blade and deflected Dante's first strike with effortless grace, the wooden swords clacking sharply on contact. His expression was unreadable, but there was the faintest glint of amusement in his eyes.
Dante, undeterred, dropped low and swept his leg toward Kaito's ankles, hoping to unbalance him.
Without hesitation, Kaito hopped over the sweep in one smooth motion and countered with a swift downward slash aimed toward Dante's shoulder. Dante twisted his blade up and blocked the strike just in time.
Kaito paused, genuinely surprised. He hadn't put any real weight behind the attack, he hadn't needed to, but even so, he hadn't expected Dante to react that quickly.
"Not bad," Kaito said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You're starting to read me."
Kaito began getting a bit excited, if Dante continued to get better at this rate, he might actually have someone he could consistently spar with.
Encouraged, Dante jumped back to create space, then sprang forward again with a wild, committed dive. He let out a sharp breath as he brought his sword down in an overhead arc, aiming to land a solid blow.
Kaito didn't budge. Instead, he smiled more openly this time, sidestepped, and with a fluid motion, raised his sword and brought it gently, but firmly down on Dante's head.
Thunk.
Dante froze in place, wincing at the contact. Kaito's strike hadn't hurt, he'd clearly pulled it, but it sent a clear message.
"Too open," Kaito said, tapping the side of Dante's blade with his own. "You're putting everything into the attack and forgetting your defense. Again."
Dante sighed, rubbing his head with a grin. "You make it look so easy." He compliments Kaito. "I thought I had you with that one!" He shouts.
Kaito smiles. "I learned that lesson a long time ago, you're more likely to get hit when you think you've got an easy attack!" He says.
Too many times when he was a kid, Kaid would best him over and over again just like this.
The girls applaud them. "Wow Dante you got better!" Rika says. Through their time together in the mornings Kaito and Dante would spar and Rika would always watch.
At first Dante was very unimpressive, but now he still isn't that good, but he's better. Dante smiles happily. "Thanks Rika, never thought you'd be praising me." He says.
Rika smirks. "Don't get used to it buddy."
They head to sleep for the night, in the dawn of the next day though. Nanami was up earlier then everyone checking supplies. "Are there any nearby towns? I'm noticing we're running low on supplies."
Dante pulls out the map. "The deeper we go away from Mozam the less towns there's starting to be, lucky for us there's on somewhat close let's try to make this one our last stop, can't keep making the noble lady wait."
The dusty road curved into a valley where a small town rested, its buildings weathered but tidy, smoke rising lazily from the chimneys. As Kaito guided the cart down the hill, people began to gather, waving and calling out excitedly.
"They're here! The Empire's here!"
Kaito blinked in surprise as the villagers swarmed the cart, eyes wide with hope.
"Wait, wait... no, no!" Rika stood up on the cart, waving her hands. "We're not empire soldiers! Adventurers! Totally normal, underpaid, sleep-deprived adventurers!"
The crowd's excitement faltered, replaced by disappointment. Murmurs rippled through the group.
One older man stepped forward, scratching his beard. "Ah… thought maybe the Empire was finally sending help."
Kaito climbed down from the cart, frowning. "Help? For what?"
The man sighed. "We haven't seen the Empire in years. Word was they'd be restoring the roads, sending patrols, but…" He shook his head. "Guess that was just talk."
Another woman joined in, clutching a basket to her chest. "The monsters keep us boxed in. We can't trade much anymore. Supplies run low. Medicine we've managed, but…" Her voice trailed off. "We're losing hope."
Kaito nodded solemnly. "I see. We'll be moving through soon, but… I hope things turn around."
She smiled weakly. "You're kind, but only the Empire can fix this."
As the townsfolk dispersed, Dante lingered beside him, watching the people shuffle away. "They've really been left behind," he muttered. "Makes me feel awful."
Kaito looked down the road. "Maybe there's something we can do."
Dante shook his head. "They've got food and medicine. What they need is someone to deal with those monsters."
Kaito's gaze blazed. "Then let's beat the monsters."
Dante shook his head. "That's not gonna work either, we're most likely not beating anything over a phantasmal.
The group split up to restock supplies. Nanami stayed by the cart, sorting through the few gadgets she'd packed away. She was double-checking the axle when she noticed a small figure standing a few feet away, a boy, no older than eight, squinting hard in her direction.
Her ears twitched nervously. "U-uh… can I help you?"
He tilted his head. "Whatcha doin'?"
Nanami's ears twitched. "Just… making sure the cart's ready for travel," she said carefully. She tried not to meet his eyes, convinced he was staring at her ears or nose. People always did.
But the boy just stepped closer, still squinting. "It's really fuzzy," he said.
Nanami blinked. "What is?"
"Everything." He shrugged, smiling shyly. "It's how I see. My mama calls it 'the fuzzy.'"
Nanami tilted her head, curiosity piqued. "You mean you can't see clearly?"
He shook his head. "Nope. That's just how stuff looks."
Her eyes widened. "You've never worn glasses?"
The boy frowned. "What's that?"
Nanami gasped. "Oh my, you don't even know what they are?" She crouched down, excitement bubbling. This meant she got the chance to build something. "They're tools to help people see! Like… magic for your eyes!"
The boy's grin grew wide. "Really?"
"I can make you a pair." She said confidently.
Moments later, she was tugging Kaito toward the cart. "We're making glasses!"
He blinked. "We're what?"
"There's a boy here who can't see! He needs lenses, and I can make them, but I need sand. Special sand."
"It's for a kid!" Nanami protested. "A blind kid! Who doesn't even know what glasses are!"
Kaito nodded without hesitation. "Alright. Should I grab the others?"
"Yes," she said firmly. "All hands on deck for this."
A few hours later, they were back in the valley, the sun blazing above as they filled sacks with pale golden sand.
Rika sighed dramatically. "I can't believe this. I'm not even getting paid for this."
Nanami wiped sweat from her brow. "You are getting paid. In the satisfaction of helping someone see."
Rika deadpanned. "Wow. Riches."
Dante grunted as he shoveled another load into a bucket. "You know, for someone doing none of the lifting, you're awfully bossy."
"I'm supervising!" Nanami protested, ears puffed. "And making sure the mix ratio's right! You can't just grab any sand."
Kaito smirked. "Yes, ma'am, Chief Scientist."
When they returned, Nanami immediately got to work setting up a crude furnace with stones and iron scraps. She tried to get Kaito to ignite it with fire magic, but he shook his head.
"I can't really control it."
"Ugh, fine," she muttered, striking sparks by hand. "Old-fashioned way it is."
The process took hours, melting, molding, and cooling. Nanami adjusted lens after lens, her brow furrowed, her tail twitching in concentration as she tried each one on the squinting boy.
"No… too strong. Too weak. Okay, this one's better... no, wait, dizzy face. Alright, next!"
The others stood back, sweaty and covered in soot, trading amused glances.
Rika leaned on her boomerang like a walking stick. "You think she even remembers we exist?"
"Barely," Dante said. "She's in the zone."
Kaito just chuckled. "Wouldn't dare interrupt."
Finally, Nanami held up a delicate frame of thin metal and glass. "This one. This has to be it."
She turned to the others. "I feel this breakthrough would be better if we had a more grand way to show it."
Nanami walked to them. "I'm not as talented in the emotional as I am with science, I need your help."
They took the boy outside, toward the river that ran along the town's edge. Flowers swayed in the breeze, their colors bright against the water's shimmer.
He blinked up at them nervously. "Why are we out here?"
Nanami crouched beside him, holding the glasses carefully. "Because I want you to see something."
She slipped the frames over his small ears.
Dante smiled. "The empire hasn't been here in years, but that doesn't mean all hope is lost."
As his vision began to clear. He froze. The world sharpened. The haze was gone.
The river gleamed like liquid light, the petals rippling in shades he'd never known. He stared at his own hands, then up at Nanami, really seeing her for the first time.
"T... There's so much color," he whispered.
Nanami smiled softly, blinking back tears. "Yes. It's been there the whole time."
Behind them, Rika crossed her arms. "Alright, fine. Official announcement: Nanami is now a certified good guy."
Nanami laughed quietly, cheeks red. "I'll… take that as a compliment."
Rika smirked. "It was. You're cute when you smile like that."
Nanami became nervous all over again making everyone laugh.
That night, they stayed in the small inn by the square. The air smelled faintly of woodsmoke and bread, the kind of quiet that only small towns know. For the first time in days, everyone slept soundly.
When morning came, the group loaded the cart, ready to move on. As they were about to leave, the boy ran up, waving.
"Wait! I... I never asked your names!"
Kaito turned, sunlight catching the edges of his smile.
"We're just travelers," he said, "but you can call us Kaito, Rika, Dante, and Nanami."
The boy grinned, clutching his glasses. "Thank you!"