Chapter 77: Promise…

Chapter 77: Promise…

~Mash B. POV~

After the whole debacle training with the Sins, we arrived at Ordan Village past the Woods of Ordan with the guys searching for clues about their missing teammate.

King and Ban were now both suspicious of me. That's okay considering the end game is approaching with only Diane, Elizabeth, Hawk, and I left to be here while the guys have their fun.

Usually, I'm not one to miss out on some action to gain some EXP but in this case, though I don't mind seeing the growth I managed to gain under my time working as their cook and tutelage.

My stat gains and EXP say a lot otherwise gaining some experience with my time with them learning as I grow. Status.

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Name: Mash Bastion

Class: The Gamer

Race: Human

Title: Spirit User

Level: 27 Exp: 15/35%

HP: 1200/1200-> 1275/1275

MP: 1285/1285-> 1315/1315

STR: 39-> 45 (+15)

AGI: 40-> 45 (+15)

VIT: 35-> 40

INT: 43-> 45

SEN: 43-> 48 (+15)

LUCK: 100

Stat Points: 38

Cash: 6,000

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So close to the 50 range I can spend a few points of mine to bridge the gap. And who knows I might need them for the upcoming trouble ahead.

One can never be too careful. I'm playing with my life after all and I have only one to spare.

*RMBL*

Feeling the rumbling sensation Diane made a note looking through the window with a worried tone about her teammates, "I hope the captain and the boys are okay."

Sitting down on the chair in the front with Elizabeth waiting around I heard Hawk moaned asking me to cook him something in a bored tone, "I'm hungry… I'm so hungry, the forest looks like a giant cluster of broccolis. Sheesh. Hey Mash think you can whip something up with the lack of scraps?"

I shrugged at his question. I mean, I might as well since I won't get the chance –

*Bam*

*Bam*

However, Hawk would get his meal later when we heard someone banging at the tavern's door, "Hey, excuse me! Is this shop open? It seems like all the other ones are closed!"

Elizabeth's eyes chimed happily standing up and finally having the chance to do her work approached the door as I got ready, "Oh! A customer! Welcome and please come in!"

*Klatch*

Elizabeth looked a bit surprised seeing Cain again asking him for confirmation, "Cain… san? If I remember right, you fought Mash-sama in Vaizel… didn't you? Huh?"

However, Cain was crying lightly shaking in pure shock as he yelled out loud shocking Elizabeth in surprise, "It can't be… Am I dreaming? Liz!!"

Diane looked at the sounds in the direction of Cain and Elizabeth raising an eyebrow a bit surprised, "Huh? A customer at a bar? At a time like this?"

I shrugged my shoulders as Hawk disrespected our customer inside the tavern, "Yeah, a shabby old geezer."

I smacked the pig on the head for being disrespectful to our customer inside the building being professional, "Now, Hawk! That's disrespectful to the customer!"

Soon enough I began to cook some food and order some ale for Cain who came by. While preparing Cain decided to talk to Elizabeth in a friendly tone, "Ah ha, is that so? So, Meliodas came out all right! While Vaizel was falling into chaos, I did my best to get the villagers to safety. Then meteors started falling from the sky. That was the hill falling right on top of Vaizel, wasn't it?! I couldn't move, I was so scared!"

Elizabeth shyly answered in a nervous voice, "Y…yes."

Cain nodded as I served his meal as he took a drink of his ale continuing his conversation with me listening in, "That's why I thought for sure that Meliodas had gone to meet his maker when we met captured in that foul cage. Mm-hm, I'm relieved! But still, to think that guy's the master of a bar like this. And crazier than that… I'd have never dreamed that he'd be traveling with a princess of Liones Kingdom. And that'd he made a princess work like this."

Taking his dishes and cleaning them up Elizabeth smiled being dignified with Cain in a gentle tone, "All I am is a burden to him though…"

Cain sighed as he shook his head comparing Elizabeth to Cain as he rambles on talking about the past said in a reminiscing tone, "Still I'm surprised… Even your dignified face and gentle voice remind me of her. I thought that Liz had been brought back to life. If she were alive, she'd be a young lady by now."

Taking his mug Elizabeth soon asked in a curious tone interested in his words, "Oh… Was she… your daughter, Cain-san?"

Cain paused a moment as I finished up cleaning the dishes handing the scarps to Hawk as he continued in a saddened tone, "Liz was her nickname. Her real name was Elizabeth, the same as yours. She was Meliodas's lover. Liz was originally a female knight from one of Danafall's enemy countries. After attempting a night raid on Danafall and failing, she was apprehended and given the death sentence."

Soon Cain's expression from a frown changed to a smile reminiscing with Elizabeth taking interest as we all listen to his words, "But the one who saved Liz was none other than the captain of Danafall's Holy Knights, Meliodas. Naturally, all the others raised their voices in objection, but Meliodas strength said enough. Liz had been sold to that enemy country as a slave… she didn't trust anybody but herself. But I guess this is what they call a destined encounter."

Cain chuckled lightly as Elizabeth took a seat next to him wishing to listen more as we all lend an ear listening intently to his words, "Even though she rebelled against Meliodas, calling him overly confident… she gradually fell for him. Liz, herself, possessed a mysterious charm about her. Even we opened up to her. They're all scenes from far-off days."

That was when Elizabeth soon spoke her words understanding the story of the past in a gentle tone, "Overconfident, she called him… Meliodas-sama… is only very… very kind."

Cain laughed at Elizabeth's words as she shook her head with him explaining why he never carries a sword, "Heheh… Do you know why Meliodas doesn't carry a proper sword on him? Because he's too strong. Nobody's ever crossed swords with him in earnest and made it out in one piece. He knows that, and that's why he doesn't carry a sword. The one he wears is just out of courtesy. Yes, and at the same time, he's too kind."

*Clank*

Setting the sword down with Elizabeth asking in a curious tone Cain answers her question taking a swing of his ale and slamming the mug down, "Something Liz gave Meliodas long ago. But he didn't accept it. Haaah… so I've been holding onto it in his place… this whole time."

Before Elizabeth could ask again, I suddenly felt a shiver running down my spine feeling an ominous magic power in the air that alerted even Diane eyes widened in shock as Cain immediately jumped up ready to dash out in a worried tone, "What is this outrageous magic power?! It's coming from the woods! I'm going to go check it out! Your Highness, you stay here!"

After leaving Elizabeth ran to give Meliodas his new sword with Hawk standing by me and asked in worry seeing my calm face, "Uh… aren't you going to help the princess their Mash?"

Turning my face towards Hawk I shrugged answering his question in a neutral tone explaining myself, "I could do that. But with Cain there and Melidoas with the boys, I think she's more than safe. And why not you?"

Hawk paused a moment before shrugging agreeing with my words of confidence, "Eh… when you say it like that, I guess she's fine. And you Diane?"

Diane also stayed behind sitting down trusting her instinct when I didn't react in a casual tone, "If Mash didn't go then I'm guessing she's safe. Besides wasn't that old guy a former Holy Knight so she should be fine. Besides we can't exactly leave this place unguarded either you know."

True. True. My lady made a fair point.

That was when I heard Beatrice chime in my head using our bond in a serious tone, 'Mash we need to talk I suppose.'

I blinked confused as I agreed mentally Beatrice asked me in a neutral tone with a hint of surprise in her question, 'You say there was a way to revive someone in this world. Then… is it possible… to revive mother…'

I paused considering the implication of her request before I asked through our link in a morbid curious tone, '… I don't know but I have to ask the obvious… you know what kind of person she was right?'

Feeling Beatrice's emotions, she explained to me almost in a pleading tone of her request through our link, 'I know… I know I'm asking a lot… but… she's still Betty's mother. My mother… if we combine the [Enslavement of the Dead] with the completed [Sacrament of the Immortal King], then it's possible to revive the 'original' mother. My mother.'

Ah… right. How could I have forgotten?

The Echidna I killed for good was the one from the Witch Tea Party, not the one that had originally died. That one died in her fight with the Warlock of Melancholy Hector. At least according to the Book of Wisdom which is accurate enough.

Then there's the [Sacrament of the Immortal King]. This ancient and incredibly powerful magic spell can supposedly allow the user to reanimate corpses of the dead and make them do their bidding, though the full spell has been lost to history and it is currently impossible to replicate the full effects of it – the only incomplete incantation of it was passed down through generations of House Argyle, with the book describing it having burned to ash alongside with the Argyle mansion roughly a year before Subaru's arrival to the new world.

The effect of the magic depends on the skill of the user as Biehn was only able to resurrect people as zombies, while Ferris was able to reanimate his mother's corpse though only for a very short duration before she crumbled to dust. According to the legends, the spell was created by an unnamed Witch (Echidna), however, it has been long lost to time, making it borderline impossible to cast it in its entirety.

Furthermore, the spell does not return the corpse's soul to its body, meaning not even the Sacrament of the Immortal King can successfully revive a person just the way they were before their death…

But if we add the [Enslavement of the Dead] a forbidden technique passed among the druids. It gives the user the power to resurrect the dead but can only be used twice on the same person. The soul deteriorates with each resurrection, significantly weakening their abilities but giving the caster absolute control of the target.

Then… it's quite possible to control the Witch of Greed, which is still a bad idea but, in the end…

Sigh…. Very well Betty. But if this turns south you know what I must do. I sensed Beatrice's emotions understanding my concern and having my support in obtaining the technique to revive Echidna.

My oh my I have such a needy spirit. What am I to do with her I swear.