Chapter 3: Isekai Life & Party Split

Breaking the news to Ashryn was a lot easier in comparison, and it didn’t involve any disappointingly non-erotic bathtub conversations.

While she was getting dressed after her bath, I broached the subject with her.

“You’re pregnant, aren’t you, silverheart?”

This made Ashryn grow a small smile. “Yes, I’ve thought so for awhile now. It’s lovely, isn’t it? Is it okay if I imagine it happened the first time? It’s probably not true, but it would be more romantic if it were.”

Oh, how little you know.

“I think that’s just fine,” I replied, “It’s not like anyone would be able to prove us liars, so let’s agree that its true.”

Ashryn’s smile widened. “I’m carrying my beloved prince’s child. I don’t know if I’m ready for this, but it’s exciting anyway. I wonder if it’ll be difficult to continue travelling with a baby?”

“Well, about that,” I began, “I’d like you and Katriana to take a break from adventuring until the children get here-”

Ashryn’s eyes went wide, and she jumped up, clasping her hands. “Katriana and I are going to be mothers together!?”

Katriana got up from where she was sitting, curled up on a lounge chair, and gave the ecstatic elf a hug. “Regardless of what happens, we’re going to be a family together, so let’s support each other as mothers.”

“So you’re okay with taking time off from adventuring, then?” I asked Ashryn.

“Well, I’m a little worried about you being without healing magic,” she replied, “But we have to do what’s best for the children. Just ... promise to keep your eyes open for a healer you can recruit, even if its only temporary.”

“I promise,” I said with a smile.

So, that was done.

When we were all washed and dressed appropriately, we joined the lord and lady of the house for dinner.

The food was fish and vegetables, generally, and almost everything had grapes or wine in it. Wine-baked fish, a wine-based fish stew, salad made with grape leaves, grapes and nuts, grapes and cheese to eat with your hands, and more. As a lifelong grape hater, I didn’t love the dinner, but I found things to enjoy about it. The stew especially was nice.

Conversation over dinner was dominated with a discussion of Ricard and Mia’s old adventuring tales, peppered with bits of advice on this and that aspect of travelling the world and making your way as wandering adventurers for hire. I was somewhat fixed on my own problems, though. Ashryn had made a legitimately good point- could we continue travelling with babies in tow? Or was it healthier to settle down somewhere for a time?

I was startled out of my reverie by Ricard clearing his throat suddenly. “Actually, it’s fortuitous that you all arrived when you did. Three days ago, I had received a messenger who begged for my help investigating some strange occurrences in the Lakelands, but I’ve sworn off adventuring for good. However, knowing that I was expecting you or possibly the knights from Tresens as guests any day now, I promised to pass the message along.”

Calliope frowned. “Strange occurrences? What kind?”

Ricard put his cutlery down. “Mass disappearances. Villages robbed of their citizens along the northern edge of the Lakelands, gone without trace or sign of struggle. Hearthfires still burning, tables still set with meals, as if everyone just walked into the night and disappeared. According to the few survivors, a mist rolls in at nightfall, and something within that mist ... takes people.”

Calliope and I exchanged glances. “Obviously this sounds magical in nature...” I began.

Mia nodded in agreement. “It could be some kind of sorcerer using a combination of summoned fog and mass hypnosis, but I can’t be certain without going and checking myself.”

“Or it could be something worse,” Ricard added, “Potentially a Mist Dragon. What’s important is that someone needs to investigate before any more people disappear. Now, the towns and villages of the Lakelands aren’t strongly affiliated, but I’ve since contacted some of the mayors and landed knights of the area. They will be sending me rewards to hold in trust for your success, and I will match every penny they donate out of my own treasury, in either magic items or gold.”

Wow, that’s actually pretty good, depending. It kind of sucked not having an exact figure on it, but Ricard seemed like a decent enough person that he wouldn’t let the Lakelanders screw us.

“Well, there is another issue,” Katriana interjected, “If we were to help ... not all of us can go. We were discussing it earlier today, but Ashryn and I are with child. We decided that until the child are here, we can’t be involved in combat, and ought to travel as little as possible.”

Now it was Mia and Ricard’s turn to exchange glances. “I suppose we can host some of you while your investigation takes place,” Mia replied, “That way you can determine for yourselves when the reward money starts accumulating, rather than simply entrusting it to us.”

I gave it some thought. “There’s the possibility of the mist arriving here while we are investigating. I’d like to, ultimately, leave four people here. Ashryn, Katriana, one of our more able fighters, and one of our servants. That’s half of our party, a lot to ask of you, but we won’t need two servants on the road, and I’d rather my sister and fiancee be protected while we’re away. Would that be acceptable?”

“Certainly,” Ricard replied, “That sounds very fair. Handling the additional guests would be a lot easier with their own servant to take care of them.”

I nodded. “Well, unless there are any objections, then I think we will undertake this quest, for the people of the Lakelands.”

Why was I so eager to get started? Well, some of it had to do with being idle for so long. Some of it had to do with how much money we had spent- purchasing Yua aside, we had spent hundreds of gold just on inns and supplies during our travels, and our war chest was dwindling at an alarming rate. Finally, magic items- despite our luck with drops- were supposed to be pretty rare, and a chance at an experienced adventurer’s personal hoard had the potential to be pretty great ... even if that adventurer was still convinced that a Ring of Delusion was an item of great power.