Quite a bit of time has passed since the Wolgarm incident. A month, to be exact.
In the span of this month, a lot of things have happened, some good, some bad. Things I don't have time to mention.
If only there was a way for everyone to see the in-between of Xeno's life.
Cough.
Cough.
Moving on, more of these events would follow soon.
In fact, one of them is about to happen right now.
In the garden of Roswaal's Mansion, the two oni sisters, Rem and Ram, were busy setting up the garden.
It was during that time that Rem noticed something strange about a flower.
Rem: "...Sister, please come here for a moment."
Ram: "Hm? What is it?"
Rem: "Look over here, at this flower."
Ram: "...They've already wilted? But they've just bloomed recently." She said with a hint of confusion.
Because of this, Rem began to examine the wilted flower. However, the moment her fingers made contact with it, the flower's head fell from its stem.
When the dead flower landed on the ground, it caught the attention of the owner of this mansion.
Roswaal: "Well, well, what happened here?"
The magician came from seemingly nowhere.
Ram: "Lord Roswaal."
She turned to her master, and soon Rem did as well, greeting him in sync.
The man in question picked up the dead flower and looked at it with a thoughtful expression.
Roswaal: "With the royal selection drawing near, the timing of this is most unpropitious... it seems that something quite troubling has found its waaay here."
Suddenly, a gust of wind flapped Roswaal's robes, and the dead flower scattered across the air.
Seems like everyone also picked up that something was amiss.
It reached even the Forbidden Library, notifying its caretaker.
At the same moment, elsewhere in the mansion, the white-haired butler, cleaning a window, saw a bunch of wilted petals breeze through the air.
And finally, this feeling reached the half-elf candidate, who was gazing out the window of her room.
Before it began freezing... Then creaking.
...
The next day.
It's the weekend. That meant it's Xeno's day off. He had both Saturday and Sunday to enjoy to his heart's content.
Waking up in the morning, he grabbed his crutch and quickly washed up. He had plans for today and tomorrow.
And he'd be damned if he didn't follow through with them.
His very first plan in the morning involved Beatrice.
A few weeks ago, he, along with Roswaal, went to Flanders, also known as the Earth Dragon Capital, for a few days on business.
Which somehow ended with him pissing off an entire crime syndicate and getting banned from every gambling den in the city.
But that's a story you don't know yet.
Point is, his envy supply is super high at the moment.
With it, he's going to experiment and create something unique for Beatrice to enjoy.
And that something is french fries.
Okay, maybe he didn't need envy to make that, but still.
Upon reaching the kitchen, he quickly got to work. He placed a bunch of potatoes on the counter. He refused to call them 'tatoes'.
Two skeletal hands, each with a hole in its palm, which had been helping him with his butler work, came from behind him, joining him in peeling the potatoes.
After that was done, he made a thing I don't know the name of. He put a potato on top of the object, then pushed down.
As he did, the peeled potato turned into strips due to the sharp blades, becoming perfectly shaped French fries.
He repeated the process until all of the potatoes had turned into a mountain of raw fries.
Xeno: "Now for the next step. Frying them, or whatever turning them all crispy is called. Wait, I can't forget to add flavour to them."
Xeno clapped, and a dark purple stand appeared in the left corner of the kitchen.
He put everything in place, and all that was left to do was wait.
While they fried, Xeno set up two plates along with two bowls.
The plates were for the French fries, and the bowls were for the ketchup.
Yes, ketchup.
Xeno is such a spoiled brat that he can't live without fast food or ketchup.
So he just reinvented them.
Well... he reinvented ketchup. The fast food part is on hold until he recreates mayo as well.
Ketchup alone had already taken numerous attempts by him and Rem.
The fact that he recreated it from memory after looking it up out of boredom once was a miracle in itself, so he couldn't complain.
The mayo was almost done. It would only take a few more tries before it tasted just like it did in his world.
Hopefully.
After which, he would share the recipe with Arlam Village, just like he did with ketchup.
Rem and Emilia insisted he do so, arguing that only letting themselves enjoy it would be a waste.
A while later, the fries were ready. Xeno hastily moved them to where Beatrice was.
Once he did, he greeted her like he usually did. After a few minutes of talking, he dropped off the fries. He didn't linger long.
Not because he didn't want to, but because he had something arguably more important to do.
Which Beatrice figured out quickly, even though she was disappointed their time had ended.
With the other plate and bowl in hand, Xeno headed towards the lounge, where someone special was waiting.
Opening the door to the lounge, there were two people sitting, waiting just for him.
One of them was the lovely Rem. She had her sweet and wonderful smile on her face as she was brushing the hair of the second person.
That second person in question was Meili Portroute. Facing away from Rem and towards the door, her expression was one of anxiety, but that changed the moment she saw Xeno, becoming one of relief.
Rem: "Good morning, Xeno-sama." She split her attention to her hero.
Meili: "Good morning... Oni-chan."
He put the plate on the table, then sat beside Rem.
Xeno: "Morning to you two as well. So, Meili, before we go, I made these for you."
The two now fully turned their attention to the strange food Xeno had placed on the table.
Rem: "Xeno-sama, what is this?"
Xeno: "No time to question it. It's getting cold. Just know it's from my hometown." He said, grabbing one, dipping it in ketchup, and eating it.
The two looked at each other, then copied Xeno's actions.
They were surprised by its taste.
Meili: "Its taste so good!" She exclaimed, with Rem nodding in agreement.
The next few minutes were spent eating the food, and once they were done, Meili's mood was significantly brighter.
Xeno: "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Now then, are you ready to go?"
Meili: "A-Are you sure, Oni-chan? What if—" Her anxiety slowly came back.
Xeno: "You're worrying too much. Arlam is perfectly safe. Me and Rem made sure it was. Neither your Mother's assassins or the villagers will do anything to you."
Meili: "B-But!—"
Rem: "Don't worry, Meili. We're going with you as well. You have nothing to fear." She shot down her retort with a patient smile.
Xeno: "Yeah, you have us. We'll make sure you enjoy yourself."
He and Rem stood up. Rem went ahead of them, while Xeno looked down at Meili.
Xeno: "I know you'll probably reject me, but if you ever get anxious, just grab my hand, and I won't let go. Now then, come on. Let's go."
Meili was shocked. She looked lost in thought, then muttered,
Meili: "...Okay, Oni-chan." She got up.
The three of them made their way to Arlam. It was a peaceful and pleasant journey.
On Meili's left was Xenophanes, and on her right was Rem.
Arlam came into view, and so did the villagers. It was as lively and bustling as ever.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
It didn't take long for the villagers to notice them. They excitedly greeted them.
But their greetings stopped the moment they saw Meili with them as well.
Villager 1: "I-Is that Meili!?" one shouted.
Villager 2: "It is! It's Meili!"
The villagers began speaking over each other, making it hard to understand, but their shock at seeing Meili was apparent.
Meili stiffened. Her shoulders tensed.
Xeno stood by Meili's side. The commotion became bigger and bigger while Rem tried to defuse the situation.
But he wasn't on guard. He didn't need to be. After all, the last time they saw Meili was when Rem had taken her away along with a mortally wounded Xenophanes.
After that, Rem had taken her to the mansion without any explanation. All they knew was that she was staying with them, nothing else.
Even though she wasn't a part of Arlam and was just "visiting," she was still a 'shy kid' who had gone through the Wolgarm incident.
While Rem was busy explaining to the villagers, Xeno looked at Meili.
"See? You were worried for nothing. Look at them. They're worried about you."
"Meili!"
Among the voices of the villagers came a high-pitched, cheery shout.
The two turned their attention toward the source of the shout, revealing the other children of the village running toward her with smiles on their faces.
Petra, the one who had shouted, reached Meili first and held her hands. All six of the children surrounded her.
Petra: "Meili! You're alright! I was so worried about you!"
Lucus: "You scared us so much! Where were you?" said the shirtless boy.
Mild: "Yeah! Where were you?" said the fat kid.
Xeno: "She was with us. Some important stuff. But that doesn't matter right now. Why don't you all go and play, catch up, and stuff?" He suggested, clapping his hands.
Lucus: "Yes! Meili, come on! Play with us. I want to show you all the new games Xeno played with us."
Xeno: "You guys go ahead. I'll bring her over in just a few moments."
The children cheered before scooting away, presumably to a field somewhere.
Rem also came back, with the villagers actively dispersing. This surprised Xeno, to say the least.
Rem: "Xeno-sama, Rem has explained everything to the villagers. They're glad to have Meili back playing with the children again."
Xeno: "Wow! That was quick. How did you do it? I was sure it would take a while."
Rem smiled brightly, her eyes burning with admiration.
"The villagers understand your heart and greatness so well, Xeno-sama, that the moment Rem said, 'Xeno-sama did it,' they instantly understood and left it be." She joined her hands together.
Xeno: "..."
He didn't know how to feel about that.
He shook his head.
Xeno: "Meili, come on. Let's just go." He took one step forward.
Meili: "I don't want to!" She bluntly refused.
Rem: "Gasp! You don't?"
Xeno turned to her, deadpan.
"Meili, we've been over this." He sighed like a tired father.
Meili: "I refuse, Oni-chan. I'm thankful but... no! I don't want to play with a bunch of children."
Looks like the moment most of the tension was gone, she reverted back to her bratty self.
Xeno: "First, you are a kid. Second, you're never too old to play. Third, this is social exercise. I want you to socialise and make friends."
Meili: "Then I'm not wasting time playing stupid games with them." She pouted, crossing her arms.
Rem: "Meili! They're not stupid games. Xeno worked hard on introducing them. They're much more than just playing around."
But she wasn't convinced.
Xeno: 'This is what my parents had to deal with when I didn't make friends since kindergarten.' He pinched the bridge of his nose, annoyed.
"Meili, Rem is right. They're not stupid games. There's sports. They're like games but require actual skill to play. Not only will you have fun, but you'll get good exercise as well." His tone was patient.
"So just trust me on this. Try it once. Who knows? You might enjoy it. If you don't, we won't force you. Can you do that for me?"
Meili: "...Alright, Oni-chan. Just for you."
...
Cut to a few minutes later. It looked like things were going rather well. As much as a game of soccer (or football) can go, at least.
Xeno and Rem stood to the side, watching them. Everyone was invested in winning, including Meili herself, which was a good sign.
Watching, Xenophanes smiled, chuckling.
Rem, beside him, gazed at him, confused.
Xeno: "Heh, don't mind me. Looking back, a thought occurred to me. We're basically acting like concerned parents, wanting their daughter to socialise and smiling when she does." He said, looking back at the match.
That was a joke, but boy did it affect Rem. The thought of having a child with Xenophanes turned her red as a tomato.
Rem: "Then Rem will make it a reality." She whispered a promise to her heart.
Xeno: "Hmm? Did you say something, Rem?"
Rem: "N-Nothing." She hastily replied, waving her hands in embarrassment.
...
This went on for a while, just watching in silence. There was a certain peace to this—the surroundings, the joyful yells of the children, and the chatter of the villagers.
Xeno: "The only thing missing from making this perfect is the weather." He muttered from his chair.
Rem, also sitting in a chair made of envy, questioned her hero.
"Then what weather do you prefer, Xeno-sama?" She was curious, since the weather right now was cloudy and warm.
Xeno: "My ideal weather would be rain. Heavy clouds blocking out the sun, cool breezes, and rain, not too heavy nor too light, for a few hours, then stopping for an hour before repeating throughout the whole day. Doesn't that sound wonderful?"
Rem: "Y-Yes, Xeno-sama. That sounds... wonderful."
Their moment of peace was interrupted by one of the villagers coming toward Xeno.
Villager: "Xeno-sama, Xeno-sama." He called out.
Xeno: "Yeah?"
The villager respectfully stood in front of Xenophanes.
Villager: "Xeno-sama, my father is calling for you. He wants to discuss your d—"
Xeno: "Alright, let's go." He stood up straight, cutting the young man off.
Rem: "Xeno-sama?"
Xeno: "Rem, you take care of things here. I'll be back. I have an errand to do."
He didn't wait for her response. Instead, he left dragging the poor guy, as fast as his crippled state would allow him.
Rem watched him go. She wanted to ask, but ultimately decided it was his private matter, focusing on Xeno's instructions instead.
No longer near Rem and the others, he stopped dragging the villager, instead looking at him annoyed.
Xeno: "You almost blew it! This is supposed to be a secret."
The villager rubbed his shoulder with an apologetic look.
"Sorry, Xeno-sama. But Father wanted to meet you to fulfil his side of the deal."
Xeno: "Sigh, it's fine. Just lead the way."
The villager nodded, guiding him towards his house.
The house was a basic wooden house, nothing of interest about it.
Entering, again, the interior was nothing interesting, just what you would expect.
At the table sat a man in his late thirties. He had dirt-brown hair with matching light brown eyes. He wore a simple green tunic and black trousers.
"Ah! Mr. Xeno, it's nice to see you again." The man greeted him with a smile.
Xeno: "Same, Luth. I hope you had a safe journey." He said, sitting across from the man.
The man, whose name was Luth, was perhaps the one person in Arlam who conducted business outside the village, being a local merchant in a nearby town.
Luth: "I did, not a single incident."
Which was weird, but Xeno had learned Luth had a knack for this kind of stuff. It made sense.
Xeno: "So, I'm guessing things went super well if you came back earlier?" He questioned, raising a brow.
Arlam had little to no business, so Luth decided that instead of wasting his talent here, he would venture out.
Luth: "Mr. Xeno, you have no idea! At first I was hesitant about your request to take my son along, but—"
He looked towards his son, who was sitting beside him.
"Seth here really outdid himself. His talent for business is way better than mine."
His son looked much like his father but with dull green eyes. He shyly rubbed his face while his dad proudly patted him on the back.
Xeno: "That's wonderful, Luth. With how happy you are, the returns must have been generous."
They also had a strange tradition of naming their sons something ending with 'eth'. Like, bro, Seth's grandfather's name was Beth.
Luth: "Straight to the point, huh? I always admired that about you, Mr. Xeno. Seth, give him the money."
Seth nodded. A bit later, a filled bag of coins hit the table. The sweet, sweet sound of coins hitting the table rang in Xeno's ears.
Luth: "Here, Mr. Xeno. Thirty percent of my earnings from selling ketchup. I do hope your new 'products' are almost ready as well." He said gleefully.
You heard that right, folks. He did something relatively smart.
What, did you honestly think he would just give away the recipe for his ketchup? Of course not! In this economy of Lugunica?
Instead, he struck a deal with Luth. For every pack of ketchup sold, he would get thirty percent of the profits.
He did this by completely taking advantage of his status as the Hero of Arlam and abusing Gluttony to make this deal.
In conclusion, Xeno may not be a merchant, but his heart is just as greedy and rotten as one.
Xeno: "Pleasure doing business with you. Don't worry, they're almost done." He said, taking the bag of coins.
Luth: "Likewise, Mr. Xeno. I do hope they're just as good as this one."
On the topic of greed, I'm sure you're all wondering why he didn't strike a deal with Roswaal instead. His gains would have been infinitely better.
Great question.
...
Moving on.
Seeing that everything was concluded, Xeno started getting up.
Luth: "Wait, Mr. Xeno! I have one more thing to discuss with you."
This piqued his interest, even though he was slightly annoyed by it.
"Yes, what is it?"
Seth: "It's nothing troublesome, Xeno-sama. It's just that other merchants have taken an interest in your product, and one even tried to make a deal with us as well."
Xeno: "...Okay... And?" He said not understanding the problem.
Luth: "Since you wished to remain anonymous... if your future products are just as good, and we do our best, our local business might catch the attention of bigger people, who will undoubtedly figure out that you're the creator of these products."
Seth: "We'll do our best to make sure your 'peaceful life' doesn't get disturbed, but just in advance, Dad and I have to warn you. In the world of business, maintaining a hidden identity is difficult, even if you're protected by Lord Roswaal himself. So please be careful."
Xeno: "Ugggghh! Why me." He groaned, slowly face-planting into the table.
Seth: "Sorry, but that's just how the commercial world works. We'll try our best." He assured him.
Xeno: 'But that's so annoying. I like my life. I don't want a single person, no matter how big or small, disturbing it. No! I can't let it.' He sharply sat straight.
"Alright, I hear you. I don't want to put too much burden on you. So hear me out."
Seth and his father, Luth, listened closely, curious after seeing his determination.
Xeno: "Sigh. Here goes nothing. If I can't stay anonymous, then give them an identity and a face for them to chase. Give them the name 'Ainavol,' a wanderer who frequently visits Arlam. How about that? It's the ultimate deception." He gave them his suggestion.
The two stayed silent for a moment.
Xeno: "Ummm, guys? Is... ummm... there a problem?"
Luth: "Well, Mr. Xeno, you're certainly quick on your feet, I'll give you that. What you suggested has merit."
Xeno relaxed. He thought he had made himself look like an idiot.
Luth: "But while we could do this, it would only work on the locals, nothing above that."
Xeno deflated. It didn't last long, though.
"That's good enough. While, yeah, ketchup and my product, mayo, are good, they're just that. 'Good.' They'll just be local delicacies, nothing too big."
They were silenced by Xeno's response, not because it didn't have some logic to it, but because Xeno clearly underestimated how good his products could be.
Luth: "Sigh, we'll try, but don't keep your hopes up, Mr. Xeno."
Xeno: "Welp, then I'll keep hoping. If that is it, then I'll be going now."
All of them said their goodbyes. Afterwards, Xeno grabbed his crutch and bag of coins and went back.
On the way, he noticed something.
Xeno: "Huh! Is it me, or is it more cloudy than before?"
The sky was noticeably cloudier than an hour ago.
"Weird... and it looks like it's about to get even more cloudy. Does that mean it'll rain soon?" Xeno wondered.
For now, he put it on the back of his mind and went back to Rem.
The walk went without any disturbance. Once he arrived he one thing almost instantly, Rem lack of presents.
Xeno: 'Annnnd she isn't there. But, it looks like the children are done playing. Boy, do they look exhausted.'
Xeno became pleasantly surprised when he saw Meili sitting with Petra, chatting about something.
He went to check up on her, and also to ask if she knew where Rem was.
Xeno: "Heya, girls. I hope I'm not interrupting."
Meili turned to Xenophanes, her body relaxing, while Petra... looked away, her cheeks red.
Meili: "Oni-chan! Where were you? I've been waiting so long for you." She pouted.
Petra: "H-Hello, Xeno." She said shyly.
Xeno: "Adult stuff, Meili. It unfortunately takes time. By the way, what were you two talking about?"
At his question, Petra's cheeks turned even redder, while Meili smiled teasingly toward her.
Meili: "Nothing important, Oni-chan. Petra just conf—"
Petra: "W-We were talking about our favourite a-animals. N-Nothing else." She stammered.
Meili giggled.
Meili: "Yes, we were talking about animals~" she replied, amused, stretching out the last word.
Xeno: "...Okay? Forget it. Do you know where Rem is, Meili?"
Meili thought about it for a second before replying.
"She said something about fulfilling her duties and went back to the mansion. So rudely."
Meili: "But, Oni-chan, can we please go home? I'm tired. I want to take a bath." She complained.
Xeno: "Sigh, alright, Meili. Let's go. Also, Petra, thank you and the others for playing with her."
Petra: "O-Of course, Mr. Xeno. We all enjoyed playing with Meili." She admitted, still blushing.
With that, Meili got up, dusted herself off, then ran off towards the mansion.
"Goodbye, Petra."
Xeno: "Meili, wait!" He shouted, but it was too late. She had already run off.
'Sigh, at least she's behaving like a kid.'
Xeno: "Alright, see you soon, Petra." With that, he began walking as well, raising a hand to say goodbye.
Petra: "Goodbye, Mr. Xeno." She waved back.
Slowly but surely, Petra watched as Xenophanes, her saviour, walked into the distance.
Petra: "Goodbye... Xeno-kun."