Later in the afternoon, Talia found Erik in the village's makeshift blacksmith, hammering away at a piece of metal. He had managed to convince Grom and Kinnesthe to help him forge something. The clanging of metal on metal filled the air as sparks flew from the anvil, the scent of hot iron mixing with the aroma of cooking meat from the burger shack down the path.

  "Um... Erik?" Talia called out tentatively, watching as the metal grew hotter and Erik's enthusiasm grew more intense with each strike of the hammer. "What are you making?"

  He was too engrossed in forging to hear her, the clanging of the metal like a symphony to his ears. Talia approached him with caution, her eyes widening when she saw the design he was working on. It looked suspiciously like...

  "A knight's armor? Erik, that's a bit primitive, don't you think?" Talia stepped closer, her crimson robes fluttering with the breeze. "What's with the sudden interest in medieval fashion?"

  Erik finally noticed her, glancing up with a judgmental look at her attire as he paused his hammering. "You say that as you're dressed in modest clothing for once? I really don't know what goes on in your head- never mind. This is a prototype for an 'on-call' armor I'm developing," he said, his eyes glinting with excitement. "Unfortunately, I'm not knowledgeable in nano-technology at all, and I highly doubt this fantasy world has the resources to develop that. Plus, I feel like I'd be stepping in some dangerous trademark territory, so maybe I'll settle for something mechanical..."

  Talia nodded, her eyes a bit glazed over as she listened to Erik's explanation. He sighed, laying down his hammer.

  "I can tell you have no idea what the hell I'm talking about," Erik said with a shake of his head, seeing Talia's bewildered expression. "Don't worry, I'll make it simple. Think of it as a suit of armor that can protect me, but has its own system in place that responds to my commands. Kind of like a sentient familiar, but without autonomy," he explained, gesturing to the metal on the anvil.

  "So... an empty armor familiar," Talia mused, trying to wrap her head around the concept. "But why do you need such a thing?"

  "No it's not a- well I guess when you put it that way- ugh, how do I even explain it... anyway, the reason why I need a responsive suit of armor is because I'm realizing that there might be potential enemies that are several leagues stronger than me," Erik said, wiping the sweat from his brow as he picked up his hammer again. "And I've got a feeling that our little friend with the fancy title and goatee isn't going to leave us alone after that encounter. The more protection I have, the better."

  "But... even if that royal came after you, the soldiers would be no stronger than you. On the off chance mages or sorcerers were employed, you have Myr and I. Not to mention Illyanth. Oh, and practically anyone else in the village," Talia pointed out, her gaze dropping back down to the armor. "Or was it because of that one assassin? Ulrich, right?"

  Erik stiffened, the phantom wounds that had more or less healed flaring up at the mention of Ulrich. His heart rate slightly spiked, and he slammed the hammer down on the armor, creating a shower of sparks. "Maybe," he grunted, his jaw tight. "But you can never be too careful."

  Talia quietly watched him work, her eyes tracing the lines of the metal as it began to take the form of something more than just a mere piece of armor. She could see the cogs and gears in his mind turning, piecing together the puzzle of how to make this fantastical contraption a reality in a world that had never seen such technology. It was hard to miss the shaky tremble in each of his swings, something Erik never had trouble with before.

  "Let me help," she offered softly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

  "No, it's-" Erik began, but then his shoulders relaxed. "Well, I'm just making the armor right now. I'll figure out how to incorporate rune engravings to imbue magic in it later..."

  He stepped aside, allowing Talia to use her magic and help him shape the metal. Her touch was surprisingly gentle yet firm, guiding the material almost as if it were clay beneath her fingertips. The metal began to mold to her will, taking on an intricate design that was both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

  "So, how exactly will this armor function?" Talia asked, her eyes narrowing in concentration as she shaped the metal. "You said it would respond to your commands much like a familiar?"

  "Er, yeah," Erik said, slightly flustered by the proximity of Talia's touch. "I'm thinking about imbuing magic with the runes so that they'll come to me when I will for it, and bolster their defenses while also seeing if it can multiply my strength while wearing it."

  Talia's eyes lit up. "Fascinating! Like a suit of armor from your world's legends, then?"

  "Yeah, something like that," Erik muttered, choosing not to reveal that nothing like that had ever been built in his world. To be quite honest, he did get the inspiration from various comics and media, but it was all theoretical. He had no idea if it would work here. But that didn't stop the excitement bubbling within him.

  They worked alongside each other for a while, conversing about the intricate details of the armor and the various enchantments it could have, which then changed to the events that unfolded earlier that day. Talia listened with a mix of amazement and concern, her golden eyes never leaving the metal as it began to take shape.

  They eventually shaped the armor to completion, but they were so engrossed in their conversation that they sat down in a corner of the workshop, surrounded by tools and metal shavings. Talia leaned in closer to Erik, her curiosity piqued by his tales of the world beyond what she knew.

  It wasn't until the scent of her hair registered in his mind that Erik realized how close Talia had moved to him. He took a deep breath, trying to ignore the sudden racing of his heart. "So, what do you think of the armor?"

  Talia sat back, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "I think it's brilliant. A true blend of magic and technology that this world has never seen before. But tell me, Erik, do you really believe you can control something so... powerful?"

  Irritation immediately flooded throughout his body. "Alright, I get that I'm the weakest Traveler, but something like this shouldn't be that hard to maneuver around," Erik scowled. "Can you help me inscribe the runes I need on here?"

  "Sure, sure," Talia said with a small chuckle, her eyes twinkling with amusement at Erik's sudden defensiveness. She stood up and dusted off her robes before walking over to the completed piece of armor. "What do you want the runes to do?"

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  "Let's see... can you make them activate when I trigger my mana?" Erik asked, his eyes narrowing in thought. "Make them come to me when I do. And to bolster my physical attributes."

  "Yes, your utmost excellency. Would you also like it to always have a regulated temperature?" Talia quipped, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

  "Actually, yeah if you wouldn't mind- oh, haha," Erik replied, trying to play off his embarrassment with a chuckle. "But in all seriousness, I need something that'll keep me safe, especially if things go sideways with that noble from Orithane. Can't be too prepared."

  The sorceress nodded, concentrating on drawing golden inscriptions onto the metal with her index finger, her lips moving silently as she chanted an ancient incantation. The air around the armor grew heavier, a faint hum resonating through the workshop. Erik watched, fascinated by the way the metal rippled and changed under her touch.

  "Is Big Sis Talia busy right now?"

  "Jesus-!" Erik yelped and spun around, instinctively smacking Rat across the face with a piece of metal. The boy's eyes watered, and he clutched his cheek with a pout.

  "What was that for?!" Rat demanded, rubbing his cheek as tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

  "You just snuck up on me- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you with- wait, how are you still conscious after a hit like that?"

  Rat glared at Erik with a mix of indignation and curiosity, rubbing his cheek. "It's okay, I'm used to it," he said, his voice filled with a strange mix of resentment and admiration. "But I was told to get Big Sis Talia to modder... modder rate? Something about a trial."

  "Moderate," Myrese corrected from her spot by the doorway, her arms crossed and a smirk on her face. "Hey, Erik. We're here to grab Talia so she can moderate a trial. Apparently there's a dispute over some farm territory due to the vague borders stemming from the new irrigation system you set up a while ago."

  Erik rolled his eyes, setting aside the metal piece he'd just smacked Rat with. "Great. More political troubles," he grumbled. "But what do you mean 'moderate a trial'? There's a court system in this village?"

  "Not technically. It's pretty much a lower level of trials similar to the ones in Orithane," Talia let out a sigh, wiping the sweat off her forehead. "But we've had a few disputes like this before, and it gradually fell on me to moderate them ever since Elder Morthanu became too lazy- too preoccupied with his duties to do so."

  She then tapped on the armor, glancing at Erik. "Did you need anything else?"

  Erik shook his head. "That's it for now. I'll test it later; I want to see this trial and you moderating."

  A while later, Erik found himself standing in the middle of the village, where two farmers were glaring at each other. Despite knowing it was a trial, Erik was slightly caught off-guard with how... casual the other villagers were.

  There were only a handful who were watching the trial while the rest continued about their business, as if this was just a daily occurrence. Actually, now that he thought about it, Erik was prepared to simply accept whatever outrageous thing would happen next.

  "Ahem... okay, so... Mr. Conroe versus Mr. Attalica... I understand that this is a dispute over farmland territory?" Talia began, her voice clear and commanding despite the casual setting. The two farmers nodded, their eyes still glued to each other like bulls about to charge.

  "Alright, as per Restia Village tradition, this trial will end once the victor is still standing," Talia continued, her eyes glowing gold with power. She blasted the two farmers with the light, which seemed to empower them. "Both parties have their strengths equal. As always, please do not resort to murder. Let the trial begin."

  Erik blinked as Talia joined up with them. "Hold on, is this 'trial' literally just a duel?"

  Talia nodded, her expression unchanged. "It's the simplest and most straightforward way to resolve disputes in a village like this," she explained, as the two farmers squared up, their muscles bulging and veins popping. "Both parties get to defend their claims with their own might, and the land goes to the one who wins. And it's not a duel, it's a trial."

  "The hell's the difference?! I get that setting their strengths equal to each other makes for a fair fight, but how is this a trial in any way?!" Erik exclaimed, watching the farmers circle each other with their fists raised.

  "It's all about the intent," Morthanu said calmly, munching on a foreign snack looking suspiciously like popcorn that had been magically conjured by one of the villagers. "If they truly believe in their cause and are willing to fight for it, then what better way to honor that than to conduct a reasonable, friendly debate?"

  Erik was about to question why the hell the village elder suddenly appeared despite Talia claiming he was busy with duties when he caught sight of Myrese's confused expression as well. It seemed as though the dark elf was equally as surprised by the village's trial method.

  "And here I thought human trials were similar to elves... perhaps their bodies are too weak to handle poison-tipped arrows...?" she murmured, causing Erik to retract his thoughts of asking for an explanation.

  "Ugh, whatever. Might as well watch this fight through the end," Erik grumbled, taking a bite of his burger. He leaned back against the blacksmith's anvil, his arms folded across his chest. "I wonder if these farmers know how to fight-"

  The two quarreling sides threw a punch each, their fists connecting with a rather impactful shockwave that blew Erik's burger out of his hands and almost himself as well, too. The force of the impact was so intense that the very earth beneath them cracked open.

  "Hey! What the fuck?!" Erik shouted, his burger forgotten as he stared at the crack in the ground. The two farmers, their fists still planted firmly in each other's faces, had barely flinched at the power behind their blows. "How can two farmers have this much power?! Are they superhuman or something?!"

  "Eh? Oh, no, prior before Miss Taliana took over, I was the one who mediated," Morthanu calmly began, unbothered by the shockwave. "The mediator casts an equalizing spell, yes, but they also imbue their strengths into the opposing sides. When I did it, the fights were more or less boring- pardon me, I mean, they dragged out for a while before there was a clear victor. Now that Miss Taliana has assumed my duties, the trials are much quicker due to her overwhelming strength granted to them."

  Erik looked over to Talia, who was trying to maintain a neutral expression, but her cheeks were slightly flushed with embarrassment. "Well, that's one way to resolve a land dispute," he murmured, shaking his head in disbelief.

  The fight between the two burly farmers grew more intense by the minute, their roars echoing through the clearing. Erik was still in disbelief, but he figured this was far from the weirdest thing he had seen since arriving in this mystical world.

  Eventually, the fight ended with one farmer knocking the other into a pile of hay. Talia, with a flick of her wrist, dispelled the magic, and both men slumped to the ground, panting heavily. She declared the victor, and the few villagers spectating cheered, the tension dissipating as quickly as it had arrived.

  "...What the hell just happened?" Erik panted, his eyes darting between the exhausted farmers and the serene Talia.

  "Did you not watch, Mister? The trial ended," Rat chimed in, his voice a mix of excitement and bewilderment. "The man who did not hit the hay wins the land!"

  "No, that's not what I- never mind," Erik muttered, shaking his head as the villagers began to disperse, going back to normal life as if the fight never happened. Every time he thought he was getting used to absurdities here, something new slapped him across the face like a wet fish.

  Just then, a wet fish suddenly slapped Erik across the face. He stumbled back, eyes wide with shock as the smell of ocean filled his nostrils. "What the fuck?!"

  "Oh, sorry, sorry!" A young boy, not much older than Rat, came running over with a basket of freshly caught fish in his arms. "It just slipped!" He giggled nervously, holding out the wriggling creature as an apology.

  "Oh, hey Jeroth. Is that mean old fisherman treating you nice?" Rat called out to the young boy, a sly grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

  As Rat and Jeroth chatted, Erik scowled as he wiped his face off, turning to head back to the smith. The sudden slap of reality brought him back to his own issues. "Alright, enough of this nonsense," he said to no one in particular, striding back to the workshop. "Let's get back to the armor. I want to be ready for whatever's coming."