Half-naked, Morus crouched beside his backpack and inspected Monica’s phone. He tried the power button and looked at the time and battery percentage. He glanced at the direction of the door, making sure that no one was in the room as he was right now, he laid the towel he had found on the ground, and upturned his backpack, allowing the contents to slide out and land on the blanket.

  Another phone, a small hand towel that he brought, an extra set of clothes, a water bottle, a book, a jade bracelet.

  He picked up the jade bracelet. ‘That silly girl left Gramm’s bracelet in my bag. Thankfully I had the towel down, else it might’ve cracked.’ He looked down to the jade pendant on his neck, both the jade accessories were a shade of deep green after being worn for many years, only taken off for showers or sports.

  “They’re supposed to keep us safe. A sort of lucky charm. Guess I had double the luck today.” Though he did make a mental note for Monica to wear and take care of her bracelet properly.

  Picking up his phone from the ground, he compared the time and battery levels with Monica’s. The time was in-sync and shown 11:40am, Monica’s battery percentage was 87% while his was already standing at 62%.

  “Old phones and their crappy battery life.” He cursed to himself. Unlocking his phone, he tried checking if there were any messages or texts. None. Looking to the top right corner, he found the reason, ‘No Signal’.

  Sigh. He placed Monica’s phone and bracelet into his hand towel and folded it like a package. Then he packed the rest of his belongings into his bag. With that done, he took off the rest of his clothes and sunk into the bathtub, his body screamed in delight as the hot water chased away the coldness it was feeling.

  “Phew… Maybe we’re still on Terra. We just happen to be deep in the woods… But how can you explain the ball of light? No.” Morus shook his head. “Stop deluding yourself. Clearly you’re in another world, how else can you explain the wolves, the dog and the deer? Let alone the villagers here and how the village just appeared out of thin air…” Morus let his mind wander a bit, though he did start to calm down a little.

  He could smell the leftover taste of metallic rust inside his mouth, but that was soon overpowered by the smell around him. “Lavender.” His mind was so preoccupied that he did not notice the herbs floating in the tub, or rather he filtered them out. “Chamomile too…”

  ‘Coincidence?’

  Outside of the bathrooms, a woman with long bangs covering one eye pouted as she stormed down a hallway. “Stupid Chief! I only forgot to bring my measuring tape because it’s been so long since I used them! Sending me on an errand to clean rooms... Hmph! Serves you right for becoming bald!” She pushed open a slightly ajar door.

  The smell of blood rushed into her nostrils, “Blood? Did Chief beat up someone here?” She did not even need to try to see the source, the puddle of blood was right there. And there was a conveniently placed bowl of water on the table, so on auto-pilot, she started to work her magic.

  It was supposed to be an easy job for Ban the Water Mage. She had plenty of experience cleaning stuff, not blood per se, but spilled food or ale or both. For liquids, it was super simple, a cup of clean water, controlling it around as a ball of water to pick up the liquid and filter it out through the gaps of the walls. With sufficient velocity so they land about a meter away from the wall or else she’ll get scolded.

  She could feel her mana entering the bowl of water, and with a flick of her fingers it lifted. Or it should have. “Huh? My mana’s gone?” Ban uncorked her waterskin and poured out some well water collected fresh this morning, it formed into a ball as it hovered mid-air.

  “My magic’s working though.” She then moved closer and inspected the bowl of water and realized there’s blood in it. As an experiment, she moved her ball of water into the bowl, filling it to the cusp. She could feel her control over the bowl of water lessening up to a certain point, then it stopped reducing. “Blood? Anti-magic? Did they catch a divine beast? What’s going on here?”

  She walked over to the puddle of blood and crouched down. With her mana, she moved the candle telekinetically over to her to illuminate what she was seeing.

  “Black… blood? I feel like I’ve seen this before… Where did I…?” Ban placed one finger on her lips as she was thinking. “Think! Ban! Think!” Her hands moved to the top of her head, index fingers pressing on her temples. “Arghh! I can’t remember! Must have happened a long time ago. I need to ask someone else.”

  Ban blew the candle out, and flicked her wrist towards the table. The extinguished candle darted back towards the table as she quickly exited the room.

  As quickly as the self-doubting mage exited, she returned.

  “Ugh! Scatterbrain Ban. The trinket… The trinket! She said it was on his bag.” She scanned the room, her eyes glowed an azure color, the darkness not doing anything to hinder her eyesight and she was certain none of Morus’ belongings were present. “He must’ve taken it with him.”

  She started biting on her thumb. “Did he hide it? No, I don't think so. Maybe I can get a closer look during lunch. Alright, that’s the plan, check it out during lunch.” After making a decision, she exited the room and slammed the door shut, throwing her hands up into the air in exasperation, “Why did they make me do this!? I’m not cut out for a job like this!”

  While Ban was struggling with her ‘task’, Monica was also struggling for a different reason. It was a wonderful bath that helped with her aching muscles and Monica even managed to clean her hair of most of the grime, dirt and leaves that she managed to accrue during her breathtaking run. She pulled on her face as she grimaced at the clothes in front of her.

  “I don’t have a change of underwear!” Her sports bra was still moist with sweat, her panties would be fine for another night, but what about afterwards? She had brought another set of clothes in her backpack, but no way in hell was she going back to the wolves just for her clothes.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Because Morus was such a clean freak, and somewhat obsessive about it, she had picked up some of his quirks, for better or worse.

  ‘Okay, this is not the end of the world. You’ll survive. You survived the wolves. What’s wrong with being unhygienic for a day or two? Hmm?’ Monica tried to resolve herself, putting on her worn underwear, and then trying to put the dress on.

  If someone was familiar with the Renaissance period and its garments or had experience attending a Renaissance fair, they would recognize the dress as a Kirtle Dress. Unfortunately for Monica, she was not that person.

  After putting on the dress with the lace facing backwards, she had trouble tightening it up, so her back was very much exposed. With her experience wearing what gymnasts had to wear, that wasn’t so much of a problem if only the dress didn’t threaten to fall off her body or choke her!

  She pulled the door back slightly, and peeked her head out. Spotting Asa and Ban in conversation outside, she whispered, “Asa, Ban… I need your help.”

  “Why Nichole, what’s wrong?” Asa snapped her head towards the door and replied immediately.

  Monica’s face flushed as she continued, “I have trouble tightening the uhm… lace?”

  Ban’s face lit up in confusion for a moment and then she got it. “Ah I know! Let me help!” Then nodded at Asa as she gently pushed Monica inside, shutting the door behind her.

  After taking a few seconds to examine Monica, Ban knew she was right.

  “Darling. You’re wearing it backwards. Though you look absolutely amazing this way as well.” Showing Monica the measuring tape in her hands, she motioned, “Perfect timing. You can get out of that dress and we can get your measurements.” Then Ban promptly turned around to give Monica the privacy she needed to undress.

  “Uhm… Ban. I’m not sure if this is too much to ask but… Can I also get underwear as well? I don’t have any spares.”

  “Oh definitely! Though you’ll have to wait till tomorrow. Is that alright? And can I turn around now?”

  “Thank you! And yes you can.”

  Ban turned around and saw Monica in her underwear. “Ooh nice brassiere! That design’s not one I recognize, is it one of the latest models? Oh! And you need to take that off for me to get an accurate measure. You’re welcome to cover your breasts if you’re shy though!”

  Monica quickly turned around and did as she was told, in hopes of getting out of this awkward and also slightly embarrassing situation as soon as possible.

  Flustered while changing, Monica replied, “Yeah, I bought it a few months back. Puberty and all that, you know.” When she was done, she covered her nipples with one hand. “Okay, I’m done.”

  Ban quipped, “You’re clearly uncomfortable with this so I’ll make it quick!” She pulled her measuring tape and quickly wrapped it around Monica, finishing the measurements in less than a minute, and obtaining the three sizes of Monica.

  Monica was glad that was all over and quickly put on her bra. With Ban’s help and advice, she managed to wear the dress properly this time.

  “As for your laundry… We can help you wash it later.” Ban offered.

  “Is that okay? I don’t want to impose that on you, your hospitality really is the best!” Monica clapped her hands with enthusiasm

  “Okay?” A familiar sensation ran through Ban, but she seemed to get what the girl was asking. “Of course it is oh-kay! But for now, it is time to have lunch!”

  Exiting the bathroom, Monica and Ban joined up with Asa and they headed over towards the center of the longhouse, the dining hall.

  On Morus’ side, he was dressed with not much issue, the design was straightforward, and his only qualms was with how high the trousers sat on his waist, luckily a leather belt was provided for him. Carefully placing Monica’s belongings inside his backpack, he surveyed the room one last time and exited it.

  The door opened and he saw a golem walking past the bathroom. After taking two more steps, the golem back-tracked and stopped in front of Morus.

  Morus took a closer look and recognized ‘it’, well, ‘him’. It was Gad, the guardsman that they briefly met at the gate. For a second, in the dim hall, his bronze skin and solid stride had made him look like some kind of golem from novels or games.

  “Ah! What are you standing there for, lad! Lunch now! Let’s go!” Gad’s boisterous voice seemed to echo the hallway. The sudden noise caused Morus’ ears to hurt but he did not flinch.

  “Lead the way, Gad. How’s your morning?” Morus took a half-step behind Gad, massaging his own ears as the giant of a man led the way.

  Gad raised one ear flap and dug at his ears with his pinky, “You know, same old same old. Guard duty is boring. Peaceful. But boring. Been that way for a few years now. I wanna get some action but Asa’s getting all the fun with hunting.”

  Not long and pointy. Morus noted the rust-colored hair and rounded tips of Gad’s ear. Maybe not elves? Or is he doing this on purpose?

  “How long have you guys been here?”

  “I’unno” Gad slurred.

  “What?”

  “Been here for years now? Chief might know how long exactly.”

  “I see…” As Morus took a few seconds to ponder on what to say, they arrived at the dining hall.

  “We’re here! Smells nice, right?”

  Morus took in the sight in front of him, The ceiling was by estimate around 2-stories tall, a hole in the middle of the ceiling where sunlight shone down. The interior was spacious and was probably designed to comfortably fit the villagers in this room all at the same time. What appears to be a bonfire pit in the center of the room, and four long tables that could comfortably seat 4 people on either side, and 1 person by the ends.

  Then the smell hit him. The intense aroma of garlic mixed with the waft of meat caused his tears to well up uncontrollably by the edges of his mouth.

  “It smells… Amazing…”

  Gad pointed at the closest table to their right, “Feel free to sit there. I’ll grab the food for you.”

  Just as Morus was about to move over and sit down, he spotted a trio of beautiful women entering the dining hall from across the room.

  Monica, Asa and someone he didn’t recognize. He waved at them. Monica spotted him instantly and waved back. Morus could see Monica turning her head to talk to the two slightly taller women, then pointing at him, before the trio made their way towards him.

  He took a seat in the center of his side of the table, and placed his backpack on the floor, between his legs.

  Ban introduced herself to Morus quickly and leaned against Asa as they went off to get food for themselves and Monica.

  Once nobody else was in earshot, Morus spoke, “Sis. I have your phone and bracelet. Bracelet now, phone once in private. The dress looks good on you. They have any pockets?”