Chapter 74.

Adrian appeared in his designated teleportation spot in the middle of the little town he had created mere hours before. It felt like it had been months since his last visit. The addition of people had changed the area drastically. Melty stared at the buildings and the demi-humans populating it with surprise.

The first thing he did was remove her from his party. Then he turned to the old fox demi-human who was about to speak. Adrian triggered his perception enhancement and used it to study his town.

The 300 people he had teleported were scattered around the teleportation spot. Most were in buildings sleeping or resting or chatting with their fellows while others were helping Raphtalia and Nicol. Trystan was working with Nicol's friend, they were healing and administering salves and potions. Adrian was startled to find Rifana crying and smiling in the hands of one of the women who had been enslaved by a nobleman. Their similarities were obvious.

He found himself smiling. She had found someone. It was more than he had dared to expect.

Still, it was clear that his little team had done well. No obvious conflict or signs of violence. Food, shelter, clothing and medicine for everyone and clear lines of command. Raphtalia on top with Nicol acting as her second in command while everyone else had their jobs to do.

He turned his attention fully to the old man who had just noticed him. Adrian remembered that this man had been one of the few who had believed him when he had mentioned Raphtalia. Without him, none of the former residents of Lurolana would have given Adrian permission to teleport them away. There were probably some people back in Melromarc who had feared him, either because he was human or because he was the Sword Hero, and had refused to join him here. Understandable, but unfortunate. He'd just have to take Raphtalia or Rifana there with one of the former slaves to obtain their trust once he had enough of an understanding of Takt and his followers.

"Sword Hero," said the old man with a deep bow and a suspicious look at Melty, "Welcome back."

Adrian nodded, "Thank you." he said while continuing to scan the area using Blindsight and his plants, "Can you give me an update? Any concerns?"

The man smiled, "No problems Sir Adrian," he said, uncomfortable with the formality, but making an admirable effort, "As you promised we have everything we could need in abundance here and little Raphtalia helped us quite a bit as well."

"You can call me Adrian if you find the formality bothersome," he said while walking towards Raphtalia and Trystan who were near the medical station. Melty followed once he glanced at her. He wondered how he should introduce the girl. Telling anyone here that she was the daughter of the man who had butchered their friends and family and then proceeded to enslave the reminder was a pretty terrible idea.

The fox demi-human looked horrified, "Sir Hero!" he said, "that would be-"

"My preference," interrupted Adrian, "the choice is yours but I would prefer to be called by name."

"Understood," he said, not meeting Adrian's eyes, "I shall lead you to Raphtalia,"

Adrian smiled a little, "There is no need for an escort," he said, remembering that most people couldn't see through solid objects at absurd distances, "I know precisely where she is. Though I wouldn't mind the company."

The older man met his eyes and smiled back, "Thank you." he said, and then began to tell Adrian about their translocation to the area and what they had been doing for the past couple of hours. It was amazing to realize how adaptable people could be. Enslaved, attacked by a Wave, taken to a foreign place and these people had already begun to make this town their own. He could see small signs of littering. Unwashed wooden plates in a large pile near the mess hall and even large pools of water and waste that were being purified after use.

It was a good sign.

Adrian knocked at the door Raphtalia was behind and walked in. She was speaking with a young lady whom Adrian had teleported mere hours ago. She had turned towards the door upon his knock and smiled when she saw him.

"Mr Adrian!" she said, rushed up to him and scanned his face carefully, her smile faded and she continued with no preamble, "you're exhausted. Please take some rest. I'll set up a bed for you..."

He felt a calm settle over him. This wasn't home, but it was the best he had. It was energizing to be safe in a way he wouldn't be anywhere else. Most people here couldn't kill him no matter what and the ones who could wouldn't.

"I'm fine," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her fussing over him, at her glare he continued, "I'll rest as soon as I can but we have some important things to deal with first."

A furious expression twisted her face before it faded into a tired look, "Did something happen again?"

"A lot of things did," he admitted, feeling frustrated with how the problems never seemed to end, "but the most important is that we have a Wave in Zeltoble to deal within nine hours."

"What?!" she said, "but we were supposed to have days-"

She paused. Remembered that he had just fought a Wave and then noticed Melty who had been standing at the door. Raphtalia gathered herself admirably.

"Okay, okay." she said almost to herself, "I'll get Ms Nicol, Augusta, Rifana and Trystan ready but I'll need your help for some things, Mr Adrian," her voice apologetic.

Adrian smiled without meaning to. Proud of how much the scared little slave girl had grown.

"I'll speak to them myself," he said, the horrific death toll of the recent Wave fresh in his mind, "I'm the one asking them to fight a Wave."

She nodded and then glanced at Melty before turning to him.

"Please leave us," he said looking at the girl that Raphtalia had been speaking to and the old man who had guided him here, both of them had been waiting politely while he spoke to Raphtalia, "Melty. Stay here."

They shuffled out of the room after a quick bow from both of them and closed the door behind them. Melty hesitantly walked into the room careful to stay away from both of them.

"Mr Adrian?" asked Raphtalia after he said nothing for a couple of seconds.

"Wait for a minute," he said, tracking them and anyone else who was near the building to be sure that there was a limited chance of eavesdropping. He could see Melty grow more nervous with every passing second. Once he was certain that they were in the best possible situation he looked Melty in the eye.

"Take a seat Princess," he said, "this won't be a short conversation."

Melty hesitantly took a few steps to the bed and sat gingerly on the edge. Her fear made him uncomfortable but he knew that he had earned it. Raphtalia had been alternating between staring at him and Melty since he had called her Princess.

"Princess?" she asked, "Of Melromarc? She's his daughter!"

Adrian nodded and she glanced at the girl uncertainty writ over her face. He understood. This girl was the daughter of the man who had ruined her life utterly. The Waves had started the job and Aultcray had finished it. It was still startling to hear the fury in a voice that had only ever spoken to him with good intent.

"He's dead," said Adrian plainly, ignoring Melty's twisted expression, "I've taken Melty as a hostage to keep her mother under control. I'd like for you to keep an eye on her when I'm not around. She seems to be nearly harmless and the seal on her mostly ensures it but she might have some powerful abilities if she's anything like her sister."

He felt quite bad at forcing her to look after the child but he needed someone to do it and there was no one else he could both trust and expect to do the job right. It was a bitter reminder about how limited his list of trustworthy people was that losing Isis had cut out a third of it and Trystan was certainly not suitable for killing Melty in case she bypassed the Seal.

He should not have been surprised by the look of pity that manifested once he mentioned that Melty was sealed. Raphtalia didn't say anything but he knew that she disapproved. He found himself strangely happy about that even though it might imply a risk in the future.

"Abilities?" she asked after a long moment of staring at the princess who fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I'll tell you about them later," he said with a glance of his own towards Melty. Raphtalia nodded and then changed the subject.

"Alright," she said, "What about everything else? What do we tell the others?"

Adrian shrugged, "Food and other matters pertaining to daily life will be the same as the rest of us. Assign her a room that is a bit isolated but nothing other than that." he said, unwilling to imprison the girl because there was a slight chance of her being like her sister, her relief as she heard that only reminded him that this was a child, "And spread the word that she's a noble's daughter that I've kept as a hostage. That makes her important enough not to harm but not so important that she'll get a lot of hate. We'll need to decide which family and get our stories straight but it is safer than letting everyone know that she is from the same family that had their families killed and enslaved."

"What?!" said Melty, speaking for the first time in their conversation. Adrian and Raphtalia both turned towards her and she closed her mouth instantly but the shock on her face was obvious.

Adrian wanted to smirk at the way she had taken the bait. He had not dared play games with her mother. Mirellia Melromarc was a social expert and he had no desire to lose a game with her even if he could flip the board with ease. Melty was likely skilled as well but she was fundamentally at a disadvantage.

Melty was ten years old. Emotions were volatile at that age, to say the least.

"Your father commanded Alamos and several Lords to tear apart the Seaetto Region after the Wave they suffered through." he said, his voice cold, keeping an eye on Raphtalia, "Thousands were killed and hundreds enslaved."

Melty took one look at Raphtalia, who's fury and grief was obvious, and paled. She said nothing and looked at her feet.

Adrian decided to change the topic, it had been cruel of him to bring it up even if it had been a wise move. He hated how often cruelty and wisdom seemed to overlap.

"Raphtalia," he asked, despite knowing, "How is Rifana?"

The smile she gave him was brighter than he had ever seen, "She found her mother!"

"I'm glad," he said honestly, even as he felt his fury rise. Her mother had only lived because she was fairly pretty. He did not doubt that her father had been killed because his use would have been limited. What use was a slave that wouldn't sell?

He hoped that Rifana's mother recovered from her situation. He couldn't imagine anyone helping the girl more than her family. Adrian glanced at the mother and daughter through his Blindsight feeling strangely melancholy. He was happy for them but he couldn't help feeling bitter as he thought of his mother and how she was a world away. So far out of his reach that he may as well be dead to her. He hoped that she wasn't mourning him badly. She was strong. Adrian had been shattered by his father's death while she had mustered her courage and fought for him and his siblings. He could only hope that she could do it again.

He wondered why Raphtalia didn't feel that sort of envy.

She was truly a gem.

The thought gave him a surprising amount of strength. If she could feel happy about Rifana despite having suffered a great deal more than he had why couldn't he do the same?

"Take care of her," he said with a nod at Melty, "I've set the seal so that she has to obey you as well. Be careful."

Raphtalia nodded diligently, "Understood."

"Melty," he said and she jumped despite his voice being calm, "I will expect that you do not try to harm anyone in this town and do absolutely nothing to try and escape. You are thousands of kilometres from home in any case and I can track you flawlessly. Do not test my patience or the seal even once. It is likely to kill you."

Once she nodded, fear flooding her expression, he continued despite the touch of guilt, "We'll decide which family you are supposed to be from soon. Think about a few possible ideas and give them to me when I see you after dinner," he said, deciding to interrogate Alamos and the Slave Trader soon. Insight into Zeltoble would be valuable.

He turned to Raphtalia and asked to gather everyone up for dinner in the courtyard within an hour. A quick agreement from her saw him walking out. Melty and Raphtalia struck up a hesitant conversation as he left. Adrian decided to keep an eye on them.

He moved unerringly towards Trystan and, through his kid, Fitoria. He needed some answers about the Cane and whatever entity Malty was.

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