53 The Gathering Storm

Gerard held his stomach while he and Sprite walked through the city streets.

"So that's how wyvern steak tastes. I'd eat it again. What about you?" Gerard turned to Sprite.

"I think I might eat less next time. I still don't know why human bodies have such a limited storage capacity for food when it tastes so good!" She groaned while holding her bulging stomach.

"You'll probably get fat."

"Fat? Who cares!"

"Well, we stay active enough to avoid that, and who knows, we might find some magic that will keep us from gaining weight."

Gerard reached their new house and stared at the building. The algae, cobwebs, and moss that once covered the exterior had disappeared. The rotten wooden planks covering the windows were nowhere to be seen, as was the debris on the ground.

"Did you ask him to do all that?"

"Nope."

Gerard opened the gate and walked down the path. The weeds still stood tall around him, and he walked to the front door before opening it. He closed his eyes and held his breath, but instead of being greeted by dust, a sweet smell wafted by. He opened his eyes to see a vibrant new world compared to the dull space he had witnessed before.

The living room of the house exuded an air of elegance and sophistication. The once dusty and unkempt room had been perfectly cleaned and restored to its former glory. The velvet sofas and armchairs had been polished to a glossy shine, the deep red fabric inviting Gerard to sink into their plush cushions. The wooden coffee table in the centre of the room had been dusted off, revealing intricate carvings of vines and leaves that wound their way around the edges.

The old painting of Solares above the fireplace glowed with the warmth from the fire beneath it. The mantle above the fireplace was adorned with vases filled with fresh flowers, their sweet fragrance filling the air.

Moonlight filtered in through the windows, casting a cool glow over the room and illuminating the intricate details of the decor. The polished wooden floorboards creaked ever so slightly underfoot, but otherwise; the room was silent and peaceful. Brutus had removed the broken piano in the corner entirely.

Gerard rushed to the kitchen, and his eyes glistened at the sight before him. The inside of the oven almost sparkled, and both it and the hearth were free from soot and coal, and the metal sink reflected light provided by the stones on the walls. Gerard ran his hands over the benchtops and kitchen counter without the resistance of grime and dust.

"Cooking in here is going to be great. I'll ask Trent for his recipes when I get to Kilreath."

"And we'll get to see Rena."

"Actually, I already saw her."

"What? When?"

Gerard quickly reviewed his encounter with Rema and her position in the guild.

"Well, considering who her mother and father are, it's no surprise, really."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

Gerard and Sprite were about to climb the steps to the second storey when Brutus ducked under the ceiling upon coming down the steps.

The giant of a man wore an apron over his clothes and long gloves.

"You're home! This is a surprisingly wonderful place you have here. I would never have imagined this from the outside." Brutus grinned widely.

"You've done an amazing job, Brutus. What did you do with all of the boards and debris?"

"Those slimes in the bathroom are fantastic little cleaners. They surprised me when I entered and launched themselves at me, but they just wanted to eat the grime from my clothes. I ended up letting them help me clean the house, but I think they filled their stomachs because they're resting in the bathroom now."

"That's amazing. Are you finished?"

"I am. I was going to clear your garden if I had the time, but it looks like I don't."

"You've already done more than I asked. If you ever want to use the bath, I'm happy to cook you a meal in the kitchen if you're interested."

"I'll keep that in mind and come by sometime."

"You're always welcome here."

"Well, I won't disturb you any longer. Let me know when you'd like to have me over, and I'll bring some ingredients for tea."

"I will. Thank you again, Brutus."

The happy giant left through the front door, and when the gate creaked closed, Gerard grabbed Sprite's hand and guided her to the locked room downstairs.

"Do you think we can get through this door?" Gerard touched the handle, only to get a zap.

[Major Unknown Protective Enchantment]

"Maybe not. If you had magic, we might be able to."

"Not yet, then. That's a shame. I'm going to take a bath, then."

"Oh, me too!"

"After me."

"Oh, alright then. Hurry up."

---

Gerard sighed contentedly as he sank deeper into the hot water of the bathtub. He didn't have a chance to relax in the bath at Esma's property, as he didn't want to impose, so Gerard unwound the tension from the last few years as he soaked. He watched the fire elementals dance in their enclosure.

"Do you all like being in there? Caged with your only purpose being to heat this bath?"

The little elementals stopped dancing and looked at him before continuing their little dance.

"Maybe you're all happy to heat the bath for someone again."

The steam was relaxing, and the water soothed his aching muscles. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, feeling his troubles melt away.

"Gerard, are you almost done?" Sprite's voice broke his blissful state.

He opened his eyes and looked up to see her standing at the edge of the bath, completely naked.

"What are you doing?" he asked, surprised.

"I want to take a bath too. You're taking too long," she replied, a hint of impatience in her voice.

"Sprite, you can't just barge in here like that. I told you to come in after me," Gerard quickly sat up, trying to avert his gaze.

"I know, but I'm bored, and I want to join you," she pouted.

"Fine, but don't disturb my relaxation." Gerard rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

Sprite grinned and quickly climbed into the tub, sitting across from him.

"This is nice," she murmured, closing her eyes and leaning back against the edge.

Gerard tried to ignore her and sink back into his relaxation, but he couldn't help stealing glances at her naked form.

"Sprite, can you please cover up with a towel or something?" he asked, his voice strained.

"Why? It's just us here," she replied innocently, opening her eyes and looking at him.

Gerard felt his blood creeping up his neck, and his face grew hot.

"It's inappropriate," he muttered, sinking further into the water.

*I thought I'd be used to this by now, but we're both naked, and she's so close...* Gerard pushed his thoughts into the depths of his soul.

"You're so uptight, Gerard. Loosen up a little," Sprite laughed.

"I'm not uptight," he protested, his voice rising in irritation. "I just have some sense of decency."

Sprite rolled her eyes and rested her arms on the ledge behind her. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, a satisfied smile on her face.

Gerard sighed, realising he was not going to win this argument. He tried to relax again but found it difficult with Sprite so close to him. Resolving to finish his bath quickly and get out, Gerard eagerly put some distance between them. As he stepped out, one of the slimes clung to his body and ate the water and whatever grime might still be on his body. He lightly grabbed the slime and sat it on the ground before entering the adjacent room.

"The owner of this house must have really been something."

Gerard grabbed a towel to keep warm during his climb to the second floor and entered the first bedroom on the right. He slid beneath the luxurious blanket and found himself quickly drifting to sleep.

---

Metal, clanging like an alarm, woke Gerard. He sleepily peeked out of his bedroom window to see dozens of people rushing from the south draped in the early morning sun into the centre of the city. Gerard dressed himself and equipped his armour before knocking on the other bedroom doors. She opened the second door a few seconds later, stark naked.

"Get dressed. Something's happening."

"Okay..." Sprite yawned and closed the door.

*Shameless.*

*I've got my own room now. I can be naked whenever I'm alone; you said that yourself.*

Gerard shook his head and waited several minutes before she opened the door with her scythe in hand.

They left the house together, and once on the street, Gerard grabbed a terrified citizen.

"Let go of me! That monster's coming! We're all going to die!"

Before Gerard could question them, a large man bumped into Gerard and broke his grip on the citizen. Gerard looked to the masses trampling over each other to escape further into the city. An eerie feeling swept over him, and he walked through the rushing crowd. After passing two more blocks, he saw the upper half of a gigantic creature. With glowing green eyes and a sludgy wooden body, he recognised it immediately. The demon from the swamps slowly approached the city, more than a hundred times bigger than the last time he saw it.

"It's here! The giant demon is coming! We're all going to die!" The guards at the gate dropped their weapons and ran further into the city after lowering the portcullis.

"I guess this didn't happen in the world last time." Gerard looked at the terrified guards as they darted by.

"Probably because you pissed it off in the swamps years ago." Sprite shook her head.

"Well, I wonder which grew stronger, me or that demon."

Gerard reached the southern walls, and dozens of armoured and robed individuals stood ready. Gerard recognised many of them from inside the guild.

"That's a lot of adventurers."

"This is pretty serious, isn't it?"

"Considering I had trouble against that when it was twice my size, even with my spells, defeating it might not be possible."

"But our new home..."

"That's right. No matter what, we have to protect this city."

Gerard spotted Lee towering over the other adventurers, and he sprung up into the air before landing on the city walls. He breathed in deeply before raising his voice for all to hear.

"We are up against a dangerous enemy here, and both the guild master and Gander won't be able to join us." Lee bowed his head.

The adventurers murmured nervously to themselves.

"But, in saying that, we have the SS-rank Spirit duo Silas and Sofia with us to even the odds!"

A man and woman with dark hair and eyes entered the view.

"The twins are here? Then we might be able to survive this!" A man next to Gerard yelled.

*The only two SS-ranked adventurers are twins. I wonder what they can do.*

*We're working with them, so you'll have plenty of opportunities to find out.*

"All adventurers B-rank and below will be sent to fight with the smaller demons spawned from the colossal demon. If everyone works together, we can make it through this with minimal casualties. Moreover, the king is offering five gold pieces to everyone B-rank and below and one platinum coin to all those A-rank and above."

*Maybe we won't if we're just going to be fighting cannon fodder.*

Gerard spotted the Red Lotus adventurers and Rena standing close to the gate, and he grabbed Sprite's hand before pushing through the crowd.

"Everyone!"

"Gerard! Good to have you here. Having someone as strong as you watching our backs is reassuring."

"We're too low-ranked to fight the colossal demon."

"Lee!" Jerrick yelled towards the top of the wall before them.

"Yes?" Lee looked over the edge.

"Gerard and Sprite are joining the A-ranks and above. You good with that?"

"Of course! These two should be more highly ranked anyway."

"And now you can fight to your heart's content."

"It'll be good to fight with you, Gerard," Emille spoke calmly and clearly, without the usual fire in his eyes.

"It will. You seem different, Emille."

"My time in the mountains was enlightening. The dwarves were unexpectedly hospitable as well."

"The dwarves?"

Before Emille could explain, Lee loudly explained the roles of the adventurers.

"Offensive spellcasters will be stationed atop the walls. Melee fighters will come out once the spellcasters are exhausted, and the archers will take to the walls after that. Support and healing spellcasters will follow behind the close-combat specialists and are to be protected at all costs. Now is the last chance for you to back out! If Solares is not your home, you fear death, or you have any other reasons, I will not judge or reprimand you."

The adventurers looked at one another with nervous smiles. Not a single one backed down. Instead, a cacophony of battle cries echoed throughout the city.

A giant roar shook the ground as if to match their resolve, and the demon spawn immediately rushed towards the city.

"Spellcasters, take your stations! Bombard the enemy with offensive spells, and we will provide each of you with a single mana stone to restore your mana."

Gerard gripped his mace tightly and looked at his companions, each of them staring at the closed gates of the city, the only thing between them and the enemy.