8 Chapter 008
While Souma worked on preparing a feast for at least five people, Leon and Mordred discussed the best place to set up a Hunter's Lodge. Not everyone enjoyed seeing animals being butchered or strung up, so most hunters lived on the fringe or away from the villages where they provided meat. With that in mind, Leon worked on forming a path away from the clearing by excavating the soil, clearing shrubbery, and felling trees. The end result was a massive trench three meters wide and a meter deep that was subsequently filled with solid blocks of dirt, created using the Refine tab.
"Back in my world, it would have taken months, if not longer, for a road like this to be created," said Mordred, staring at the perfectly straight and flat path Leon had created with undisguised awe.
"Wanna know something ironic?" asked Leon. "Back in my world, we could build structures known as skyscrapers nearly a kilometer tall, but it would still take months for simple roadwork to be done. Beaurocracy is a bitch..."
"Well, you're essentially this island's Lord," said Mordred. "You have the power and authority to dictate the laws of this land. Though, if you want to avoid shouldering all the blame if something goes wrong, you'll need a Court and Ministers."
"That's something to consider for the future. For now, let's see if we can't receive another free summoning."
As he had already created a sizeable clearing, Leon opened the Build menu and selected a Hunter's Lodge from among the Basic Constructs tab. He had gained a boatload of additional resources from clearing and creating a path, so once he was done setting up the lodge and Outpost, he was half-tempted to go full Minecraft Steve by clearing out a massive swath of the jungle and replacing it with flat ground. The only problem is that it would probably look horrendous and make their encampment feel lifeless.
"Nice. Looks like we were right on the money again," said Leon, smiling as he read the notification that popped up after the Hunter's Lodge, a literal log cabin, was constructed.
"Then, before we head to the summoning chamber, should we try setting up the Outpost?" asked Mordred.
"Nah, I don't know if the free summon opportunities can stack, so it's not worth the risk," replied Leon. "But if you're starting to get bored, we could stop by the Eatery and take a break. It's been, what, two or three hours? He should have something prepared by now."
"I am kind of hungry..." Mordred replied, placing her hand on her exposed abdomen.
"..."
Sensing Leon's gaze, Mordred raised her right brow, smiled, and asked, "What? Is seeing me touch my stomach all it takes to get you riled up? You're worse than a dog..."
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about your outfit," said Leon. "Don't get me wrong, you look incredible, but now that there are other guys around, is it fine if I have Wil make you something less...tempting?"
"You're way too insecure," said Mordred. "I already told you I wasn't going to fool around with other guys, so why does it matter how I dress? I'm not going to be harmed or sullied by someone stealing glances at me, and it's way, way, waaaaay too hot and humid to don armor of formal wear."
"You have a point..." muttered Leon, exhaling a sigh as he added, "But it's not like I'm asking you to wear a gown. The clothes I have in mind would be easy to move in and wouldn't cause you to overheat. That much I can guarantee..."
Spreading her hands and shrugging, Mordred replied, "Just do what you want, Leon. I won't be strongarmed into behaving modestly or ladylike, but if you bring me something interesting or comfortable, I can at least try it on. If that's not enough, I don't know what to tell you."
"That's more than enough, actually," said Leon. "Like I said, the clothes I have in mind would be easy to move around in. I would never force you to wear something elaborate or uncomfortable."
"Yeah? We'll see..." muttered Mordred, her half-lidded expression exuding skepticism. Leon felt a little guilty seeing her, but as the first outfit he had in mind was the tube top, red leather jacket, and short-shorts combo she wore in Fate Apocrypha, he was fairly confident she would approve...
...
..
.
"Merlin's saggy balls! This is delicious...!" exclaimed Mordred, literal stars appearing in her eyes after she tasted the Yukihira Style Boar Hamburger Steak prepared by Souma, presently wearing his infamous white bandana.
"Of course it is," replied Souma, sporting a cheeky smile as he watched Mordred eating with crossed arms. He was secretly disappointed that his first ingredient in a fantasy setting was something as mundane as a boar. However, seeing Mordred uninhibitedly down his food made the effort of preparing it worthwhile.
"I underestimated how frustrating it could be watching other people enjoy delicious food..." remarked Leon. He hadn't felt hunger pangs since losing his physical form, but seeing Souma's artfully prepared dish and watching Mordred destroy it made his non-existent stomach rumble.
Looking in the direction Leon's voice had originated, Souma asked, "Can you not eat? To that end, what exactly are you? I know this is essentially the afterlife, but we all have bodies. What happened with yours?"
"The fairy who sent me here said my lack of a body is a failsafe to prevent me from abusing my power and authority too much at the start. Once we clear the Tenth Floor, I should be able to regain my physical form. Though I'm not entirely sure it will be my original body..." explained Leon.
"Hmmm? What do you mean...?" asked Mordred, speaking with her cheeks full of food, similar to a squirrel or a chipmunk.
"It's challenging to describe, but the world I come from has a distinctly different 'aesthetic' to the worlds the two of you originate. I wasn't ugly or anything, but if I were to regain my original form, I would look completely out of place," explained Leon.
As Mordred, Wil, and Souma all shared the same anime-esque aesthetic, as if someone had redesigned them with graphical integrity in mind, Leon was fairly confident his appearance would be updated to match. If not, he might remain a phantom just to avoid being the odd one out...
"You know, outright telling people you weren't ugly will make them think you were, right?" asked Mordred. "You're lucky I don't really care much for appearances."
"She's right," appended Souma, smilingly teasingly as he said, "But don't worry. Even if you look like a pug whose face was hit by a frying pan, I'll still prepare delicious meals for you."
"..."
Though he knew they were messing with him, Leon couldn't help feeling a little salty. His looks might not hold up to the carefully crafted aesthetic of an anime protagonist, but he worked hard to stay fit and didn't let himself go even after his accident.
"You know I was just joking, right...?" asked Souma, his smile cramping as the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
"He knows," said Mordred. "He's just a bit sensitive. It honestly makes me want to rush up to the Tenth Floor so I can start whipping him into shape and helping build his confidence. Speaking of which, there's something I want to ask you, Souma."
"What's up...?" asked Souma.
Leaving Souma temporarily speechless and causing Leon's non-existent brow to twitch, Mordred asked, "Do you find me attractive...?"
Scratching the back of his head, Souma appeared to deliberate for a moment before responding, "I usually don't pay attention to things like that, but I can say with confidence that you're not ugly. If you were to attend Tōtsuki Academy, I think you'd be as popular as Erina or Rindo-senpai, two of the most popular girls in school."
Adopting a broad smile, Mordred gazed in Leon's direction and said, "It looks like you were telling the truth. Lucky you."
"I told you..." muttered Leon, simultaneously thinking, 'If only you weren't so temperamental...'
Finished with her meal, Mordred rose to her feet and said, "We're going to head to the summoning chamber to summon a new ally. I look forward to seeing what you prepare next."
"So long as you bring the necessary ingredients, I'll prepare something to knock your socks off," replied Souma, regaining his usual, confident smile. Then, looking in Leon's direction, he added, "Be sure to drop by when you recover your body. I'll prepare something from Yukihara's Secret Menu to help you celebrate."
"Another thing for me to look forward to," said Leon, adopting a smile of his own. Afterward, he and Mordred departed the Eatery and headed for the underground summoning chamber.
"Did I upset you...?" asked Mordred, walking with her hands linked behind her head.
"You definitely caught me off guard, but it's fine..." assured Leon. "I don't like admitting it, but you weren't wrong when you mentioned that I lacked confidence. But that won't remain the case forever...once I get used to my console and recover my physical form, I'll work hard to become someone you can respect and admire..."
"If that's what you want to do, then I look forward to seeing the man you become," said Mordred, smiling as she added, "But I honestly don't mind, even if you remain as you are. People shouldn't have to change according to other peoples' expectations. We might butt heads, but we also have fun together. So, if you want to change, make sure you're doing it for yourself. Because I'm not asking you to, and I have no intention of changing myself for you."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind..." replied Leon. "Though, since we're being honest, you should know that I like the way you are. You annoy the piss out of me at times, but I wouldn't change a thing about you."
"Says the guy who, less than an hour ago, wanted me to cover up..." muttered Mordred, a faint red hue coloring her cheeks as she averted her eyes to the side.
"Yeah, but that's not because I want to change you," contended Leon, adopting a smile as he added, "I just want to be the only one allowed to admire your incredible beauty..."
"..."
Stopping in place, Mordred sported a moderately annoyed look as she crossed her arms, looked away, and grumbled, "You can go on without me. I'm going to go catch some fish or something..."
Though he felt incredulous, staring back at Mordred with an open mouth, Leon eventually recovered and replied, "Then I guess I'll see you later or when you return to the cabin."
Nodding in affirmation, Mordred muttered, "Yeah, I'll be there..." before taking off rather abruptly. Her actions left Leon feeling at a loss, but since it was apparent she didn't hate him, he chalked it up to her being a bit of a Tsundere. He probably would have found it cute if he saw her acting such a way through a television or computer monitor, but experiencing it in real life was, unsurprisingly, a little exasperating...
...
..
.
Standing before the giant floating crystal, Leon confirmed the Restricted Summoning while thinking, 'Please don't be another harem protagonist...'
Though he doubted it had anything to do with his silent prayer, the person who appeared before Leon was the polar opposite of a harem protagonist. Instead, it was what appeared to be a young girl with somewhat wild pink hair fashioned into spiky twin-tails. She had pastel-blue eyes that seemed devoid of emotion, but what caught Leon's gaze was the oval-shaped red crystal embedded in her chest, just below her collarbone, surrounded by gold. Her outfit consisted of a high-collared, sleeveless purple tunic with a thick brown belt around her waist, fingerless grey gloves that extended up to her biceps, and oversized boots of a similar color, both adorned with silvery-white plate armor.
Demonstrating that she could at least sense his presence, the pink-haired girl raised her gaze to meet Leon's, her pale-blue eyes appearing to stare through him as she asked, "Are you the one who summoned me...?"
Recovering from his brief stupor, Leon nodded and replied, "That's right. My name is Leon Asheford, and because of various circumstances, I lack a physical form."
"Nn...my name is Presea...Presea Combatir..." replied the girl, confirming Leon's suspicions. He had really been into the Tales Series of games as a teen, but it had been so long since he actually played one that he couldn't remember the girl's name off the top of his head. One thing he did recall was that she was much older than she seemed, but he decided not to pry and instead smiled as he said, "It's nice to meet you, Presea. Welcome to Purgatoria."
...
..
.
