Crafting Master

"Yes, why do you know where my bathtub is?" He asked.

"Because you told me where it was when we met in the future that no longer is. Up the stairs, door to the left." I replied. "I know where the letters that were returned are kept, too. Bottom right drawer of the desk in the main room upstairs."

"I'm half tempted to tell you it's not over there and it's actually to the right, but it's not. Come along." Vincent said, before showing me to his kitchen.

It was actually a really nice kitchen. Putting the flour and such on the counter. I made sure it looked tidy. "I'll clean it up when I make us all a meal, for now, I need to go meet the Sultan to teach his people how to make the weapons."

"Brother, you truly are into all kinds of things currently, aren't you?" Vincent said.

"Yeah. Drowning in activities needing done." I smiled. "But once I finish it all, I'll have time to spend with you, Mother, Zelda and my friends before I start on the Kingdom."

"That would be good. We've had quite a few years lost. Though, you seem to have had more time with me than I with you." Vincent replied.

"I spent around seven months with you and others in the alternate reality. You were a very hormonal thirteen year old." I grinned.

"Ah. Something to.. look forward to." He said.

"Puberty and interest in pretty girls catches us all." I said, patting his head lightly, making sure to not muss his hair up. "But I need to go, even if he likes me, I shouldn't keep the Sultan waiting."

"Well, you'll have to break it to Zelda and your mother that noodles will have to wait." He pointed out.

"I'm more concerned with disappointing you." I laughed, going back to the women. "I apologize, Zelda, Mom, I need to go meet the Sultan. time has run short, but that does mean I'll make a dessert, too."

Zelda looked at me expectantly. "What kind?"

"And ruin the surprise?" I asked her.

"Oh, fine." She said.

I kissed her forehead before heading out of the shop and to the palace. I was lucky I knew the way so well, because it didn't take me long. The Sultan was just stepping out when I arrived.

He gave a small wave. "Well are you ready to go and talk to the engineers?"

"I am, yes." I nodded.

"Well then, let's head to them." He said, leading me along.

"Sire, do you have decent access to flour for your people?" I asked.

"It's not the cheapest resource at the moment, but yes. We have enough to feed the people with flour." He said.

"What of eggs?" I asked.

"We have eggs, of a kind." He replied.

"Depending on the size of the egg, Sire, two cups of flour can feed a family of four to six people." I told him in an absent minded manner.

"How precisely does that work? It's not even enough to make a loaf of bread." The Sultan said.

"Wasn't aware of that, but I know two cups of flour and three large chicken eggs, or similar eggs, makes a pound of noodles." I told him. "It becomes dough with ten minutes, or less of kneading, and can be air dried and stored long term."

"I don't believe I have ever heard of a noodle." He replied. "Could have someone try and whip a batch up."

"I can teach them, if you'd like. I intend to make some noodles for Vincent and my mother. It's a recipe those Leonin I told you about had created." I explained. "I just remembered bout it from talking with Vincent."

"If it can be used to feed so many people with that little ingredients then it would be incredibly beneficial." He said.

"It can, Sire. I can also recommend a variety of ways to enjoy it." I replied.

"How spicy could you make these noodles?" He asked.

"As much as it pleases the one whose eating it. Chili peppers and garlic can make a delectable sauce for them. Sauce, or soup is recommended to make noodles take good." I replied. "Personally, I've enjoyed it with the Dragon Pepper freshly chopped added to it."

"Many of my people enjoy the spicier side of things. So if it's something they can adjust to their preferences it should go quite well here." He said.

"Guess I was born in the wrong part of this continent." I commented as we arrived where he was leading me.

"Well, if you enjoy spice, I have a personal pepper I have been growing. But as for now, we have arrived." The Sultan said, entering the building. There were many different people in this building. Humans, Dwarves, Gnomes and an Aarakocra. They were working on various things, some separately, some together. After a moment when people started looking at us, he announced, "Engineers, I have come with someone who has an experimental weapon to create."

Several people looked intrigued. Since their attention was available I retrieved the items and set them up on an empty table. Instead of speaking to them, while putting everything together, I talked the Sultan through the process assuming they'd understand or ask questions. Since he was watching intently, anyways. After I made the hand grenade, I started on the arrows next. They were more intricate to make, but I checked over the heft of it and explained how archers could compensate for the added weight.

The key way the shrapnel to them were fine as needles. It'd get the holy water past armor and skin which was the goal, I explained. Then I started the trebuchet ammo, which packed a lot more gunpowder and shrapnel, though kept the same holy water ratio, for cost effectiveness, though they had the easiest way to access holy water. I told the Sultan that was all I'd prepared, though I could tell them cheap ways to make fog machines that could be holy water themed.

"A.. fog machine?" He asked.

"Yes. Makes fog out of liquid put into it by adding glycerine to it, which is created during soap making." I told him. "The fog or mist stays los to the ground and creeps down walls, can't say why, I'm not that bright."

The people were immediately working on the products, discussing ways to make it easier and so on. "Well I do believe you've got them inspired." The Sultan commented. "You've seen this army before, yes?"

"I have, yes." I acknowledged.

"How many of these creations do you think we need?" The Sultan asked.

"That depends on where and when you'd like them confronted, Sire. If the town is locked down, and the ones there adequately evicted, it will begin the march of the army. There are patrols, currently in the sands between the bridge and towards the sea." I explained. "So if the town is used as a castle defense, I'd say eight machines would be fair to create a safe zone against lesser Undead. Probably at least a quiver worth of arrows for each archer, if they know to pick their targets correctly. Maybe fifty per trebuchet would be fair. If confrontation is away from the town, I'd suggest two mobile trebuchets with about the same ammo each, with two large fog machines on either side to create moveable safe zone for healers to be set up and probably double the arrows. The hand grenades should probably be a flat of five to ten per soldier."

"Building the apparitus will be simple enough. Getting enough holy water to do it will take time." The Sultan said.

"Not particularly, Sire." I smiled. "Holy water is pretty much just blessed salt water. And we happen to be right next to the sea... If that water is used and the ammo blessed, that would count as holy water. The Saintess once said she should bless the sea, but the church strongly opposed."

"I'm surprised that wouldn't kill her to try." He said.

"I don't know if it would, I only know she was strongly told not to." I said. Then in a quieter voice I told him, "She also said the blessing can come from praying over the salted water so she didn't understand why it cost so much for people to buy."

"Because the church charges for all their services. Spiritual or physical." The Sultan said.

"I'm aware. The church in the Kingdom's Capital won't heal anyone unless they give them a gold piece, even then, if it's someone from the slum, like Mother and I, they won't heal them. Just take the money." I told him. "The Saintess is innocent of mind."

"I knew there was something going on with the church because when they brought her to my city and introduced her to me, the high priest did all the talking. He would not allow me to interact with her." The Sultan noted, remembering the meeting.

"Makes sense. They are possessive and controlling of her. Even now, she does nothing because the church ordered it to be so." I told him.

"It would seem I need to perform a surprise inspection and make a request of our Saintess." He said.

"Sire, that may trigger them. You're a pretty big mark to scratch." I warned him against it. "If you wish to do something, use a liaison. I understand the unbearable pressure of waiting, and sympathize. But I'd like you and those who were lost last time to live."

"It is a Sultan's job to protect his people to the utmost of his abilities. That does not mean sitting still in his Palace. But I understand your concerns. I will send Phintias." He said. "You know the situation best. Would you be willing to accompany him?"

"Yes, Sire. I finished my petty work anyways. When would you like it done?" I asked.

"I will be sending him out at his favorite time of day, Morning." He said.

"Excellent, Sire. That gives him time to help his Lady calm from this afternoon's fright." I replied.

"What has happened to Lucretia?" He asked, frowning.

"Her alluring presence enticed adventurers into hassling her and Zelda, my own Lady, when they went to shop in the Market. They were both in tears by the time I realized what was going to happen and Phintias and I reached them." I explained. "He's warned people she is his to protect and they should keep their control."

"We'll let the guild know they'll be missing some adventurers soon. He doesn't let things go with just a warning." The Sultan sighed.

"I would have already taken care of that if Zelda had asked it of me." I admitted. "I understand you may be uncomfortable with me, Sire. May I share a memory with you?"

"What do you mean by share a memory?" He asked. "If you mean tell a story, by all means, it's just an odd way to put it."

"I have the same mental ability as my Mother's, only developed differently." I replied.

"Alright. Show me." He said.

I Mind Linked to him, and shared with him my memory of waking up in a medical tent. I'd been covered in a salve soaked cloth entirely, as had my companion, not that I'd known in the moment. When I freed myself and saw her freeing herself a man has spoke. 'Ah, you've awoke.' The Sultan had said, he was messing with some medical cloth at the end of the table. 'My people had found you nearly dead in the sands. What on Earth were you doing out there in winter clothing?' I looked for my equipment. 'Where are we?' I demanded to know. 'Ymir's Town. I am it's Sultan.' He answered. We'd figured out he'd saved us, I'd told him we were tricked by a devil while on the way to his City. He told us to come to him if we need anything, and we were given our things and went on our way.

I ended the Mind Link, "You see, Sire, you started this odd relationship with your hobby of helping others."

"My advisors had always said that would get me in trouble one day, how they were wrong." He said. "Well, I'll glad I had done this. It seems to have worked out in my favor."

"The best side of a Hearthry to be on is them being indebted to you." I agreed.

"Your family name is not what's important here. You have helped my people in many ways. I will repay this debt whether you feel it's owed or not." He said.

"I had the knowledge to give, Sire, and the ability to give it. I consider us even. But if you'd like, I'll ask you for something unreasonable." I replied.

"What do you wish?" He asked.

"I've shown Phintias my plans for the future. The other continent is war torn. You see, Sire, the Mad King killed my companion and sent me to another reality. Naturally, I aim to take everything from him. His original land I intend to rebuild into a new Kingdom and broker peace with the other three Kingdoms before I murder him. When the Kingdom is settled, I'd like to trade with this continent. I know how to make a portal to permanently connect the areas. There's plenty of time to think on this, Sire. It won't be happening until late this year or next. And even then, I don't know if I will be capable of doing it." I detailed to him. "Plus there are many people I could protect with these actions. So, to put it plainly, I'd like permission to set up a portal in the Realm that would connect with the Kingdom I intend to build, but only once it's established."

"That is your unreasonable request? I will need time to sort through this. Ask me again after the undead are dealt with." He said.

I chuckled and said, "I'll ask for an answer in December. That way I have more time to see if it's feasible. The other continent is xenophobic, after all and I won't subject people to such stupidity."

"That does sound like it's going to be difficult to have sound reasoning there." The Sultan said.

I nodded. "Yeah, but anyways, is there someone in particular I should teach to make noodles to? I should head to Cross Emporium shortly."

"Ah, if you write the method and measurements I will have it taken care of." He said.

I took out the orb, went in it, and got to work on writing the exact details for the noodles, and several sauces, as well as soups to pair it with. I included substitutes incase of lacking access to ingredients, and listed certain things neutrally such as for meat, I wrote 'protein' and I kept vegetables neutral as possible, like 'leafy greens', 'root vegetables', and such. Obnoxiously, I wrote on the last page 'be inventive and have fun.' Then I returned and offered him the papers. "Here you are."

He accepted the papers and said, "I will take this to a few chefs and see what they come up with."

"Very well. If there is nothing else, have a good night, Sire. And I will be at the gate come morning." I told him.

"Knowing Phintias he will beat you there, simply because he does not need to worry about what time of day he's up." He said.

"Nor do I." I grinned, before heading out the building and to my brother's store.

When I entered, Zelda was in the middle of telling stories about island life. I greeted them before heading to the kitchen and washing my hands. I wasn't worried about the scrapes on them from the shrapnel. Then I organized the flour and eggs and got to combining the ingredients. Once it was turned into a lovely dough, I separated it and prepared it for the next step, which was flattening and cutting into the shapes. This reality hadn't made the hand crank machine to it yet.

Once the noodles were formed and ready to cook, I got to work on the rest of it, including making the sauce for the noodles. Once the steaks were cooked to perfection, I set them to the side to rest them and started cooking the noodles. They didn't take long in their fresh state. Then I prepared the dessert. Once it was all finished I came out of the kitchen and asked, "Where do you normally eat, Brother?"

"Normally, I would eat at my counter." He replied.

"Alright.. Then." I said slowly, thinking.

I then went upstairs and shoved the desk back. That man was hiding in his room, which was fine. I took the dining table and chairs from the orb and set them up in this room, then went and plated the food, stored it in the orb, and asked them all to come upstairs to eat. Vincent locked the store up for now, and followed us upstairs.

Once everyone was ready and seated, I retrieved the dishes, two at a time, and placed them before each person, then I set up my own, and took some 'spare' noodles to the Fool hiding away. He was shocked to receive them. I told him to eat them. I wasn't going to poison him, nor was Mother going to kill him. Then I returned to the table leaving him be.

The noodles seemed to intimidate them, so I showed them the easy way to eat them by using the spoon and fork method. This really helped everyone begin to dig into their food. Zelda was once again making her little pleased squee sounds. I rather enjoyed watching her eat because of her cute and honest reactions to food. I figured that made me perverted, but I didn't mind.

Vincent was very carefully eating to maintain neatness and Mother was making an attempt to as well, less successfully. Aside from Zelda's sounds, the meal was quiet. When she finished her food she looked at me expectantly. I grinned and retrieved the desserts from the orb, setting one creamy coconut cake before each of them.

Vincent ate some of the dessert and, in a regretful tone, said, "Unfortunately, one of these ingredients.. I'm not enjoying. I don't know what it is."

Meanwhile Zelda was loving it and Mother ate hers. "It's probably the coconut. I'm not particularly fond, either. But ladies tend to like it." I said.

Zelda looked up and said, "Coconut is very much a like it or hate it kind of thing. Some people like the milk but hate the meat. Some people like the meat and hate the milk."

"You could give the rest to that person, if you'd like. I'm not insulted, taste is different in everyone. Like Mother likes spicy stuff, and my dad likes fish." I told Vincent.

"Even though it is not to my personal taste, I could still tell it was very well made." Vincent complimented.

"I only learned to cook well recently. Before it was just so that Dean and I could eat. He's terrible at cooking so it was my chore." I told them. "Dean is my friend from the slums."

"Your friend from the slums, hm? Tell me more about this Dean." Vincent said.

"He taught me all sorts of roguery. He even bet me once that I couldn't sneak into the King's bed chambers." I grinned. "He lost that bet and has never bet against me again, only bets on my success. In many ways, we are similar to brothers because we know each other so well. He's a person I know I can depend on if need be."

"Sounds like someone I would like to meet." Vincent said.

"He's a smuggler. As crooked as crooked can be." I told him with a grin, "The only thing he can do that he couldn't teach me is lie. He's also better with people than I am, because I'm an ass. Or maybe I should say was?"

"I don't know, you can be pretty mean." Zelda said suddenly.

"Lady, I only did as asked." I replied. "And no one does a job better than I."

She actually blushed and said, "I feel I can agree with that."

I laughed lightly. "I wonder if my fried has woke yet. I'm eager to see him, though I understand I know him from memory and haven't met him yet. I also want to bully him."

"Who are you wanting to see?" Zelda asked.

I looked at her and said, "Remember the elf girl we saw in the woods, Sienna?"

"Yes. The one who taught me to make a bigger bubble and a tower?" She looked at my Mother. "I can make a tower out of nothing!"

"Well that certainly sounds handy." Mom said.

"Sienna's father is named Alexander. She looks a lot like her father, even down to the kindness in their eyes and demeanor." I told her, "Alexion is more muted than his sister, but has a wicked humor that is similar to his father's."

"Sounds like an interesting fellow. I don't know what humor you saw in Alexion, he seems like a brat. Or at least isn't talkative." She said.

"Alexion underwent vigorous religious training, and is an Elf. As a child he and his sister were ostracized because their father was human and not present. He was more accepted than his sister, but fought many of the others in her defense. He takes time to warm up to others, and is worthwhile to make a friend of." I explained to her. "He's deeply kind to everyone, willing to go out of his way to help. We're similar, except he's nicer than I am."

"I simply do not agree with that last part, but ok." She said.

"I'm gonna murder every guard in a particular town just because they annoyed me." I pointed out. "I am kind to my people, and I will try to protect innocent people, but I'm not a good person, Zelda."

"I think that depends on your definition of a good person." Zelda said. "Do you murder innocent people? Bully those you just want to? I have yet to see you just walk up to a stranger and stab them in the throat."

"That's because you were more important at that moment." I said. "Plight and Sienna are good people. Hell, the only reason I'd gone to the other continent was to murder an entire clan of Leonin."

"Why were you doing that?" Mother asked.

"I was ordered to by my employer." I said. "The order was to wipe out every single living member of that clan that was on the other continent. The reason was because they were keen on killing my employers lover who was pregnant at the time."

"Who was your employer?" Vincent asked.

"Client confidentiality?" I joked, then seriously answered. "James."

"You should have just said your father. It would have been a lot less concerning." Mother said.

"Is it less concerning?" I asked.

"Protecting family rather than being a hired blade to slaughter a clan, I would say yes, is a lot less concerning." She said.

"I gave the reason that was given to the order, Mom. Maybe to defend my Dad. But in reality, I would have done it without a reason given, just because it was a job I was told to do." I told her. "I'm an odd mix of lack of regard for others' lives and at the same time going out of my way to create better living coconditions. A valid reason for me to do something is simply because I was told to." I shrugged.

"And what if I were to tell you to be a good boy?" Mother asked.

".. I suppose that would depend on what that means." I replied. "Sometimes doing the right thing means doing a wrong thing."

"Exactly. Everything is a moral grey area. If you do something to protect your family, friends, or a group of people you enjoy, then personally I would qualify that as good." Vincent said. "You do not need to be a hero to be a good person."

"Weirdly enough I have been called a hero." I said.

"Who has called you a hero? Not that I'm disagreeing, just curious." Vincent asked.

"A friend named Jack." I said. "He made a bad deal with an Archdevil and got killed due to it. When he was revived, for his own safety, he was confined to a Wizards tower. I told him about the times I nearly died keeping my ungrateful companions alive. He said I sounded like a real hero, unironically. I later freed him from his captivity by tricking the same Archdevil who killed him. Who I intend to trick again, though that will ruin any friendship I could have formed with the devil." I sighed.

"Why would you be trying to make friends with an Archdevil?" Vincent asked.

".... I feel like this answer is going to be extremely pitiful." I sighed deeply, frowning slightly and balling my hands into fists on the table. "During the times he was not trying to kill us for his amusement, I got along with him well. When he was turned into a snail, I helped him daily keep track of who he was while taking care of him. I considered him a friend, and I've missed him since he was smashed and released back to the Hells. In many ways, he was more patient and understanding towards me than those who traveled with me for months had been."

"For all this talk of murder and being a bad person, I'm surprised you didn't just kill them. Sounds to me like you had plenty of reason to do so." Zelda said.

"I never said I was a bad person. I do bad things, but I'm not a bad person." I said. "I didn't kill them because they were supposed to be my friends. So I tolerated everything they did. But I am going to kill them soon. They are dangerous people who can harm everyone I'm seeking to protect. And I bear a grudge towards Lana for molesting me twice."

Narrowing her eyes, Zelda said, "I have a grudge against her, too."

"Her excuse from the first time is she was trying to get my attention. She apologized and said she'd never do it again. Then not even a week later she did it again." I said, then I looked at my Mom and brother, "I'm fully aware most men would enjoy a woman touching them like that.." I stopped speaking, tucking my arms against myself, "But when I was a little younger than Vincent some people... hurt me. And that is why I don't like being touched. Dad didn't know till a few days ago. I was just an abandoned slum kid.."

"You were not abandoned, you were stolen from me." Mother said.

Zelda reached her hand towards me, leaving it as a question. I took her hand, appreciating the gesture.

"That is deplorable. Has any reprocessing befallen them?" Vincent asked.

"Yes. They have been handled. Tortured creatively if I had to guess, and personally, by James. I know how you feel about it, Mom. But I spent twelve years not remembering your face after being left in the drop off spot. I thought it was just by chance that Dirthin brought me to James. I spent twelve years afraid of being close to them and desperately trying to be useful so I wouldn't be abandoned again." I told them. "It's not until this year that I've considered James my father. That's simply because he was always trying to watch me. Though, I was closer to Dirthin."

"I still can't wrap my head around why he didn't talk to you about the situation. I understand he didn't deal with children, but still." Mother said.

"He had waited for me to ask about it." I answered. "I was an extremely curious child getting into everything, I just never asked, and he never told. Until shortly before the Undead war, when I asked him finally. Then I spoke with him," I waved my hand towards the door, "And met Vincent. I decided then that James was my Father whether he liked it or not. He was... Surprisingly pleased the first time I called him my father. And having met him in a different reality, I feel cheated, in a sense."

"Cheated? How?" Vincent asked.

"Because in a reality where Snow Den had met James, he still purchased 'me' but he was able to provide a loving home. Because Snow Den is able to teach him to love his kids like a parent. They'd adopted you, too." I told him.

"Well, that would have been interesting." Vincent said.

"You're a genius currently, but being able to study until you were eight made you even more intelligent. You were healthy and bored so the 'me' of that reality got you to be the head merchant for their city." I told him.

"Well, it would seem that growing up in comfort lowered my ambitions." Vincent said.

I chuckled. "Unlikely. Merely your the sibling of the Mayor in that city and they have no further ambitions than raising their son and daughter."

"They have no further goals after their children are raised? Seems odd." Vincent said.

"She's happy. Raised being adored by her entire family and now had that city to manage with a spouse." I replied in an offhand way. "I can respect the life they want, even if I have further plans."

"You're a girl in the other place? Ohh, I'd love to meet her." Zelda said.

"Yeah. A woman named Sarial." I replied. "According to Archimedes, there are very few realities where I was born a woman, but I'm also the most aggressive and tolerant version of myself."