(A/N)

Sorry for the delay on this one. Been caught up with work and a mix of writer's block and general apathy.

Something woke him in the middle of the night, pulling him from his slumber. It was a quiet, unmistakable sound — a series of soft gasps and ragged breaths… and a low whimper.

A single thought crossed his mind. Raphtalia.

No doubt caught in the midst of a nightmare, Naofumi wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and holding her tight. The noises hadn't stopped, as he had hoped, but had instead continued, and so he held on. He'd hold her like this for hours on end if needed, but it seemed it wouldn't be necessary — his touch seemed to have a calming effect on her, and she had already begun to settle back down. The gasps ended, her breathing slowed, and her entire body started to relax.

If he had been holding a breath of his own, he surely would have let go of it then.

A small part of him wondered, then, what it was she sometimes dreamt about. Did she dream about the home she once had? Her friends? Her family, even with what little she could still remember of them?

...Did she dream about him at all, even though they still barely knew one another? It had scarcely been a day, and yet already, something about Raphtalia felt so… familiar. Like he had always known her. Like she had always known him. But… that couldn't be right, could it?

Don't be ridiculous, he thought.

She quietly mumbled something in her sleep, and whatever it had been sounded unintelligible. He did, however, notice her tail draping itself over his waist.

He dozed off again not long after.

At the dawn of the third day, things largely played out as they had before. He had breakfast with Raphtalia. He was taken out for some leveling with Raphtalia. He bathed with Raphtalia. He had dinner with Raphtalia. He slept with Raphtalia. One might be tempted to call it a routine, though Naofumi had no intention of referring to it as such — this was, after all, a temporary arrangement. It would eventually end. Eventually.

At the dawn of the fourth day, he was level 39. His level had progressed such that the monsters in the surrounding area were barely worth the effort now, yet the councilors didn't seem all that interested in taking him elsewhere. They'd leave him out there for hours on end if it suited them, and it seemed that was exactly what they had every intention of doing, even if the leveling grind was starting to place heavy emphasis on the 'grind' part of the term. The experience gains were paltry, but it mattered not — if they kept him in this same area, it was that much easier for them to keep an eye on him. And, much like the previous two days, it had largely played out the same. Breakfast, leveling, bath, dinner, sleep. He had also asked about being giving open access to the kitchen, and was merely told that it would be 'taken into consideration'... whatever that was supposed to mean. Maybe they actually would think on it and give him an answer. Or, maybe it was simply said to get him to shut up, however temporary.

At the dawn of the fifth day, he was level 42. Experience gains had slowed to a crawl, given how long he was being left out there each day, and it was decided that he would be given a 'brief break' from leveling whilst they scouted out a new area to take him to. He had also learned that it had been agreed upon that there was no real harm in him being able to cook his own meals, meaning his own request had been granted… not as if he was terribly surprised upon learning so.

Still, earning said permission meant that he could move forward with his plans, and as an added bonus, Raphtalia was possibly looking the best she ever had — her injuries, most notably her ankle, had almost entirely healed, and she moved as if it had never happened in the first place. More importantly, she was happy, and had been nearly inseparable from him. It had probably been for the best that they had so quickly allowed her to be with him everywhere, otherwise it would have likely been an inevitability. It now also meant that she was able to stand right next to him within the kitchen, peering over his shoulder as he went to work with… something.

"Naofumi, what is that?"

"It's rice." He had admittedly been surprised to find that such a thing did still exist in this world, after having so many meals without it. There had been some degree of reluctance in letting him use it — something about it being expensive to import, as the only spot it could even be found was a place called 'Q'Ten Lo', yet they had relented after he promised not to unnecessarily waste it. "I'll be mixing it with a couple of other things."

"Like what?"

"Well… some meats and veggies, for starters. I'll eventually add some egg to it too. It's a… well, it's a really simple dish to make in my world, but… it's always been a favorite of mine. Easy to make, even easier to enjoy."

She leaned a bit more over the pan in his hand, nose twitching a bit as she sniffed at it. "...What's it called?"

"We call it 'omurice', but really it's just 'omelette rice'."

"Omurice," she said slowly, as if trying to taste each and every letter upon her tongue.

Cooking the meal itself hadn't taken terribly long, and just as he had hoped—as had she—it had come out nearly perfect, with plenty of leftovers to spare. Raphtalia had utterly delighted in finally sampling the results of Naofumi's culinary skills, and had asked for seconds… as well as asking him to cook for her for every meal. Every meal might be a bit much, but… he promised to do his best, and as far as seconds went, he happily obliged. To that end, as she began to work at another round of food, he had gathered up several additional plates and filled them with rather hearty serving sizes, passing them out to those who were also present within the kitchen.

'The quickest way to one's heart is through their stomach', as the saying went, and it seemed to hold true. Many of the servants had already crowded around him after their own meals, asking what it was he had concocted, what he had put in it, how it had been made… question after question, each with their own answer. One demihuman in particular had caught his eye, however — sitting further away from the rest of the group, they had shyly thanked him for the meal, and it was then that he sprung the question.

"There's something I'd like to know, and only you can help me."

"M-Me?" the demihuman stammered, pointing to himself.

"Yeah. I was wondering if you could tell me where you all enter and exit the palace."

The demihuman seemed to shrink somewhat, grabbing hold of his own long, rabbit-like ears, and holding onto them. "I… I don't know… I'd get in trouble if I did."

"Please. It's important that I do." And a little white lie couldn't hurt either… "Hero business and all that."

"O-Oh. Well… in that case…"

Naofumi spent the next few moments listening intently as the demihuman explained just where it was the servant entrance was located. Everything he had been planning for, everything he had been hoping for, hinged upon him remembering this information.

Across the room, Raphtalia's ears idly twitched as she listened in on the conversation.

She swallowed another bite of her meal.

"Naofumi, I still don't like this."

"I know."

"I should be with you."

"I know."

"But… you're right. It's safer for me to stay here."

Her reluctance and hesitation both quietly noted, Naofumi allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. The rest of the day had seemingly dragged on, time trickling by as he anxiously awaited his chance to slip out into the night. By now, dusk had fallen upon Siltvelt, and it wouldn't be terribly long before the sun had dipped below the horizon. A storm had rolled in not terribly long after dinner had concluded, the rain barely audible as it hit the roof above.

Perfect.

The dark to mask his body. The thunder and rain to mask his footsteps. Conditions could hardly be more ideal, and he had already readied himself for what was to come, playing out the necessary step counts and paths in his head again and again, even as Raphtalia draped his cloak over him and tied the knots herself — her taking part like this was perhaps the only way in which she could feel as if she was still with him. She had given him the knowledge she had as to where the black market was. The rest was up to him.

"Naofumi?"

He glanced up from the floor, still palming what was soon to be his former phone. "Hm?"

"Be careful. Please." Pulling the hood of his cloak up and over his head for him, she hesitantly leaned forward, biting her lip somewhat as she gave him a look. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't. I promise."

"Good. And, um… Naofumi?"

"Yeah?"

Shutting her eyes, Raphtalia moved closer to him, planting a chaste kiss upon his cheek and just as quickly backing away, her face suddenly bright red. "F-For good luck…"

His hand slowly drifted to the spot where her lips had been just moments ago, lightly brushing against it — it still felt warm, though he was no longer sure if that was from her or from his own encroaching blush. Still… "...Thanks, Raphtalia. You, um… keep things dark, and stay in bed while I'm gone. Fluff up some pillows or blankets or something to make it look like I'm still with you. And if they try and pry a bit, just… create a distraction or something."

"A… A distraction?" She still looked momentarily out of it, likely lost in thought by what she had just done, yet quickly came to her senses. "A distraction. Yes. I… I can do that."

He nodded, flashing her a grin. "Great. I'll be back as fast as I can."

"Please do. I don't want to spend the entire night lying in bed, worrying about you." He had already turned to leave when she had just as quickly grabbed the edge of his cloak, tugging upon it. "Naofumi, um… when you return, how will I know it's you?"

"Oh. That. Uh." He genuinely hadn't considered that. After just telling Raphtalia to put on an act to fool anyone else who might try and enter the room, he hadn't considered that they'd need some way to essentially tell her that all was well and that he had returned. But a sudden thought crossed his mind, spurred on by what had happened earlier. "What if I… kiss you on the cheek, like you did to me just now?"

She stared a bit, sputtering somewhat. "W-What?"

"I mean, that's… we don't have to do it, it was just a thought, since… you know, no one else is really going to come in here and just do anything like that, but if you're not comfortable with it, that's—"

"Naofumi. Rambling again." Taking another few steps towards him, she held one of his hands within hers, gently squeezing it. "...I don't... I don't mind if it's you. You ought to hurry though, before you lose your chance."

He caught himself staring at her a bit longer than he intended, shaking his head a bit as he came back to his senses. "Right. Right. Yeah. I'll… I'll be back in a bit, Raphtalia. Don't worry."

A smile and a nod from her. "Safe travels, Naofumi."

With one last, little wave, he gave himself one final check before peeking out the door to see where the guards might be at. Everything seemed to be in place: phone secure in his pocket, cloak over his head… and more importantly, the shield shifted to something a little less obvious — the Book Shield, picked up earlier in the week from feeding an unfortunate tome to the thing, would likely suffice. Slowly pushing the door open, a check of his surroundings revealed that the guards, indeed, were gone.

The middle of a shift change, then. It was now or never.

Slipping out, and with the door shutting behind him, he made his way down the appropriate hallways, counting out his steps as he went so he could retrace what he was told.

To your right, twenty steps. Left at the next crossing. Forty steps down that hall. Kitchen on right. Another twenty through the back of the kitchen. Fifteen steps through the larder. Door on the right, sign right by it.

It wasn't as if he could read the sign, but he didn't need to. Following the appropriate instructions meant there was no mistaking it. And, with a gentle twist of the knob, he made his way out and into the world… or, at least, that's what he had expected. Instead, the door had opened into a long, dark, and narrow passageway that faintly smelled of sewage. Part of him supposed he shouldn't have been surprised, if this had been the same way that the indentured servants of the palace were expected to come and go daily.

The smell, he could manage. He'd had summer jobs in his younger days where he had dealt with far worse. But the lack of light was certainly going to be an issue, one that was easily solved by simply grabbing the lantern that hung beside the door — it was totally possible that this was perhaps what it had been meant for, and with the pathway now illuminated, navigating it would be rather easy. Still, this was… rather cramped. It was barely high enough for someone at his height, and certainly not wide enough for anyone to walk more than singlefile. Such a thing might complicate matters when it came time for them to escape, if it meant no way to easily turn around or move about to hide from others. The twists and turns gave way here and there to slightly larger areas, where one could move about with relative ease, but he still wasn't enjoying the thought of being so tightly confined like this.

The scent of the sewer was steadily beginning to give way to something much fresher, however. He was close, then, so tantalizingly close to getting a brief taste of freedom outside of Siltvelt's ruling council, and the ambient light was steadily increasing with every step. Extinguishing the lantern and simply hanging it from his waist, the passage grew ever wider, eventually opening into a small room of sorts, possibly used for gatherings or brief breaks. And, of course, just a few steps beyond that… was the city.

Or perhaps, more accurately, the slums. Stepping out from the confines of the tunnel, Naofumi found himself to be in what could be best described as the poorest reaches of Siltvelt — individuals living and resting in ramshackle huts and tent cities, some lying in the gutters, still barely breathing… and some not. This had been perhaps his truest glimpse at the nation he had been summoned to. Not the dressed up, nicer sections he had been paraded through a few days back, but this… the people who lived in squalor and disease.

Doing his best to hurry through the streets, and away from any onlookers or overly curious individuals, it was now time for him to try and remember Raphtalia's instructions. Black markets purposely didn't advertise themselves, of course, but he had been told what the telltale signs were.

Look for sudden changes in wealth, in those living in a given area. If things abruptly get better, you're close. Follow the coin, and those who seem most likely to exchange it, and you'll find what you're looking for.

He only hoped he could manage to find it, what with the description that had been given to him. Having Raphtalia along would have made this much easier, but… no, it was still too early, and he couldn't bear the thought of putting her at undue risk.

Something caught his eye along his periphery as he moved — the glimmer of a window. A house, even.

Closer, then.

Slipping through a sudden crowd, the sound and smells of what he had suddenly encountered could only bring a market to mind, which meant that some of the seedier elements had to be close. Off in the distance, a demihuman, one who didn't look terribly unlike a fox, ducked out of an unmarked tent… and in their hands was a bag of coin, opened as they seemed to be counting something out.

"Bingo," he whispered.

He pushed his way through, bumping shoulders with others and offering quiet apologies as he made his way past demihuman after demihuman, doing his utmost to get to that tent. One crowd to his left was seemingly in the middle of an auction, for a pair of humans who stood collared and shackled. To his right, several demihumans had a number of stalls opened, selling the foods they no doubt had grown themselves.

Humans certainly seemed to sit on the bottom rung of the ladder here, something that made him grip his cloak a bit tighter to help keep it in place. Maintain your disguise, keep calm, stay focused.

The crowds had thinned out by this point, the demihumans becoming fewer as he drew closer to the tent, and upon his final approach to it, he stopped… and stared. It didn't much look like a black market, but he had also never actually visited one of any kind, so it wasn't as if he had any point of reference. However, the cloth adorning the entry to the tent was a particularly dark shade of red, near bordering on black, and what with the fox demihuman that had left it earlier… this had to be it.

Cautiously, Naofumi pushed the flap of the tent aside and ducked in, slowly standing and keeping the hood of his cloak very firmly upon his head. Inside was a vast array of trinkets and goods, littering the floors and several hastily assembled shelves that seemed to have been comprised of all manner of other furniture. A desk, or table, or… counter of some sort stood in the middle, and the entire area seemed to be lit by several small lanterns. Quietly, almost hesitantly, he called out. "...Hello?"

There was the clattering of something in the background, the sound of metal plummeting to the floor, and a faint… yowl of some sort. Almost as if by a cat. A bit of the cloth in the back flew open, but he couldn't see anyone step out.

"Is… anyone there?"

Another faint, almost irritated-sounding growl, and then a low, "Yes, yes, Tali hears you! What you want?"

"Um." At least he had a name. But still, he couldn't figure out in the slightest where the voice was coming from. "I… I'm sorry, but I don't… uh, know where you are."

"Down, down!"

Naofumi looked down, and couldn't help but gawk a bit. Standing before—and below—him was a shockingly short demihuman, one who looked more akin to a housecat on two legs than anything else. Very distinctly feline, and very much not human at all. One of the therianthropes, then. Covered in dark gray and white striped fur, and surprisingly well-endowed for one so small, it—she—stared up at him with bright purple eyes. He… wasn't sure what else to say.

She looked mildly annoyed, really. "What? Cat got your tongue?"

He stared a bit more. Puns? ...Seriously?

It seemed as if she had caught on already, letting out a loud guffaw as she gave his leg a smack — it was about all she could comfortably reach. "Kidding, kidding! Tali does that with all customers. Cannot help it. Now, what you want?"

"I, uh—"

"Wait." She suddenly looked suspicious, nose twitching as she leaned closer towards him. She was… sniffing him? "Strange scent. Very strange. Raccoon? No, scent too good. Mixed with something. Almost smell like… human?"

"W-Well…"

"And clothes too nice. Too different. A traveler? Melromarc?"

"Melro… marc?" There it is again. Wonder how far it is from this place. "N-No, I'm… from here. Sort of. It's… hard to explain."

"Hmph. So, human know how things work here in Siltvelt, yes? Not exactly welcomed, hm? Tali does not care, of course, assuming you have coin."

"I… don't, actually."

The cat squinted. "Then why come here? To look? To trade?"

A nod. "Yeah, actually. I've... got something I wanted to barter, in exchange for some other things."

"Tali not accepting trades for just anything—"

He interrupted her with a reach into his pocket, quickly retrieving his phone, and brandished it before her, doing his very best to turn it so as to best catch the light off the lanterns within the tent.

It had certainly caught her eye, of course, her own eyes going wide at the sight of it, tail lashing behind herself as she tiptoed closer. "...What is it? Tali never seen anything like it. All flat, and shiny, and black… magic stone, like crystal ball?"

"No, it's a…" What did Raphtalia call it again? "...it's a picture box. Like from Faubley."

"Faubley picture box!" she exclaimed, and Naofumi could have sworn she hopped a few inches into the air. "But why is picture box so small…?"

This was beginning to feel like more familiar territory to him, getting caught up in a trade with someone else. He had tread this ground time and time again, back in his own world. It was time for him to crank up the charm as best he could. "Ah, well that's because this one is special. You see, this is a very secret picture box I snuck out of Faubley. There's nothing else like it in the entire world right now, and… as a gesture of good faith, I'll even show you how it works."

"Ohh, yes! Tali would very much enjoy that!"

And so it was that Naofumi spent the next few minutes showing the intricacies of his phone to this new demihuman — how to take pictures, how to take video, how to view them again. His eyes occasionally darted to how much battery life remained, quietly wondering if she had even noticed what it was for. Much as he didn't like the idea of purposely swindling someone else, he was admittedly wary of introducing something as advanced as a smartphone to a world such as the one he was in, and he rather doubted he'd ever see this woman again after they made their escape.

As he concluded his own brief demonstration, he asked how much she might be willing to give in exchange, a question that left her deep in thought. She pondered it for several more minutes on end, a hand to her furry chin as she paced back and forth through her own shop, only to at last arrive at an answer of, "How much human want?"

"How much… what? How much coin?"

"Yes, yes!"

It was then that he was struck by another thought, one only brought about by what was currently happening — he had no idea what the exchange rate for something such as this might even be. He didn't know the average price for goods or services. He had no point of reference. Which… meant he didn't know if he was even getting ripped off or not. "I… don't know."

"...Human does not know?"

"N-No."

"No?" she asked, looking mildly confused. "But human said he comes from Siltvelt, yet not know how much to ask for?"

He sighed, folding his arms as he stared at her. "No, I don't know."

"So human says he comes from Siltvelt, yet not a slave. And clothes are too nice. And has something from Faubley." The demihuman threw him a wary glance, backing away from him somewhat and inching towards her own counter. "Tali thinks human should perhaps be more honest, lest she go find city guards."

He grimaced. His hands were tied, truly — from the sounds of it, this was the only black market in the city, and if he burned any bridges here, he lost his only chance at getting what he'd need for him and Raphtalia to leave. The honest approach, then."Fine, fine. Just… don't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you. Please."

"And why should Tali do that?"

"Well, that's… " ...a good question. He had a hunch, however, as to what might guarantee that. He extended one arm out from beneath his cloak, revealing the book strapped to his arm, and promptly shifting it back to its more typical look of the light shield. With a flash of steel and emerald, he had shown his hand. "Um… because I'm… I'm the Shield Hero."

The shopkeep simply stared, first at him, and then at the shield. Slowly, cautiously, she approached, and as she drew near, a low gasp slipped out of her mouth. Just as he was beginning to expect a proper response out of her, however, she quickly scrambled past him and seemed to throw a sign of some sort out front, pushing a table in front of the entrance, and then just as quickly running back to grab him by the hand. She was leading him… somewhere, most likely a back room of some sort. Her excitement was almost palpable, though. "Tali's grandmother always said this day would come, and Tali never believed! Stupid, so stupid!"

"Wha-"

"Shh, no talk yet!" Another push past the bit of cloth he had seen behind the counter earlier, and he suddenly found himself in another space, no doubt her private quarters. There was a bed to one side, a table and some chairs in the middle, and then a small wooden bath to the other. "Sit, sit! Tali get tea!"

He still felt like he had whiplash from everything that had suddenly happened, only managing a quiet, "What?"

"Hero visiting Tali's shop! Not just any hero, but Shield Hero! Ah, good day, indeed! Very good day! Tali wake up this morning, you know, say to self 'Tali, open shop a little early tonight'! And Tali thought that rather silly, have never opened shop early, but it felt like good hunch. So, shop open early, and now Friend-Shield is here!" At some point during her talk (which Naofumi was almost positive had been done in a single breath), the cat had grabbed a kettle, filled it with water, and flashed a bit of flame beneath it with her fingers in a quiet utterance. Most likely magic, but he... wasn't entirely sure. "Is cause for celebration! And… also closing shop early. Seem strange, to open shop early only to close it early, but Tali not complain. Money comes any day, Friend-Shield is once-in-a-lifetime!"

Still completely befuddled by the demihuman before him, he glanced back down towards the table he had been seated at only moments prior, now shocked to find a cup waiting there for him… and she was already pouring hot water into it, while seated directly opposite him. "How did you…?"

"Ah, Tali very quick! Very sneaky! Have to be to survive down here, really! Now, how does Friend-Shield like his tea?"

"U-Um, I'll just… have it the same as you."

"Sure, sure! Tali can do that!"

He did his very best to give her a warm smile, his thoughts beginning to shift elsewhere, only to immediately be dragged right back out of them by the sound of clattering porcelain. Looking down, and to his surprise, he discovered that the water in the cup before him had already changed colors, and he was greeted by the aroma of… citrus, and something more fragrant. Naofumi began to have the slightest suspicion that this demihuman was far more than what she let on to be. In spite of that thought, however, he was technically her guest, and it meant he ought to act like a good guest as well.

Bringing the cup up towards himself, he sniffed at it somewhat, then sipped… and was pleasantly surprised. "This is… actually really good. What'd you put in this?"

"Ah ah! Secrets! If Tali shared special recipe with you, friend might not come back again!" She had already hopped up opposite him, no doubt upon a stack of pillows or something to boost her height somewhat, and she now peered across the table as she idly stirred her own cup of tea with a claw. "Now then! Why has Friend-Shield decided to grace Tali's shop with his presence?"

"Well, I… need supplies."

"Supplies! Ah, but to come here on your own means a great many things… Siltvelt not helping?"

"They… are, and aren't. It's complicated."

"Then speak. Tali will listen." The cat had already brought her own cup to her lips, taking a drink from it whilst staring at him from across the table. "Tali has all the time in the world to listen."

"So I guess… where to start? I was… summoned here, of course."

"Like all heroes."

"S-Sure, yeah." Didn't know they were all summoned, but… something else to keep in mind now. "They've kept me fed. Gave me a place to stay. They even helped me do some leveling, all things which I'm grateful for. But-"

Placing her cup back down, Tali leaned forward, staring a little more intently. "A favor for a favor, yes? They do things for you, you do things for them."

"...Yeah. They… pretty much just want me for something like… hired muscle. An enforcer, to help do away with all of their problems. There's so much more that us heroes are supposed to do, and they don't seem to have any interest in it at all."

"And so friend wants to leave."

"Well, there's more than that. That's just the beginning."

Ears fluttering and eyes wide with interest, she arched a brow. "Oh? Do tell."

"There's the abuse as well. Not… Not for me, but for others. My… first night here, they told me to take my pick of my 'entertainment'. They meant 'women', of course, so I could just help make kids for them to use as pawns or something. And… one of the women has… been through some tough times."

"So friend wants supplies for himself and a woman. To… escape?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I can't fight against the Waves if I'm kept here, and… she doesn't deserve any of this. I'm sure there's so many more who could use my help here too, but-"

"Small steps, friend. You may be hero, but you are only one man. Friend can only do so much by himself and with only two hands. No shame in leaving one fight to win another." Another sip, and a sigh. "Tali lived that life once, you know."

"As a… a hero?"

"No, no. Nothing so grand. Lived life as your friend did. Working in palace. Serving. Tali knew well how others are treated, but… Tali was on her own. Could not stop it alone. Could try, but then Tali puts own life in danger. And… one day, could not take it anymore. So Tali took what she could and ran. Ran far away, away from city and from country."

"Like what I want to do. Like what I'm going to do," he said, somehow able to hear the resolve in his own voice. And yet… "You came back, though… didn't you? Why?"

"Because Siltvelt is home. Is not the best home, certainly. Could be better… but also could be worse. And Tali knows it could be better. But, Tali made a choice. Would stay here, and live, and work, and do what she could to try and make difference. And… now choice has paid off, it seems. Because Friend-Shield is here, and if Tali cannot make difference on her own, she can help someone who can. Could have tried Shieldfrieden, but… too far. So Tali stay."

"I see." Naofumi stared down into his own cup of tea, processing the words and thoughts and ignoring the new Bookmark Saved: Shieldfrieden out of the corner of his eye as he watched the fragments of leaves swirl about within the water. Taking a deep breath, he took another sip from it, and then: "Tali, you said you worked in the palace. They… did something to you too, didn't they?"

"Mm… is Tali so easy to read?"

"Somewhat."

"Tali will work on that. Letting down guard is not good down here." She drug a single claw across the table, marking into it as she stared at the splintering wood. "But… yes. They did. Tali worked in kitchen, you see. Helped make food. Man come back one day, say meal made guest sick. Asked who made it. And Tali knew. Knew it was new girl… a young girl. Kept little to help clean small spaces in kitchen like fireplace. And... Tali also knew what would happen to girl. Knew she was too young, too small to endure it. So…"

"So you… said you did it. You took the blame."

"Yes. Guest was ambassador from other country, so… beating was bad. And Tali bore the marks from it. Not just on body, but…" She paused, bringing a hand to her head and tapping a finger against it. "...Here too. Had trouble with words and memories after. Still have trouble with words."

His expression softening, he leaned closer somewhat, asking, "Do you regret it at all?"

"No. Never regret it. If Tali hadn't taken blame, girl likely would have been found out… and girl would have died. Better that Tali speak funny for rest of days than for child to die at hands of another over little mistake. And if Tali had said nothing, then who? Would anyone else have done what Tali did?"

He couldn't think of anything to say in response and instead simply stared at the table, just as she did.

"Tali does not regret choices in life… would rather make choice than not, yes? Something friend should perhaps keep in mind. He always has choice. Even if seem like bad choice, or hard choice… better for friend to choose own destiny than not."

"I… I guess." She did bring up some good points, but… well, this talk was beginning to drag on, and thought it had certainly been an enlightening look into how the true populace of Siltvelt lived, it wasn't why he had come here in the first place. "Listen, I'd… love to stay and talk, really, but… I still need to know if you have any supplies I can get from you."

"Ah, yes, of course! Tali sorry for talking so much, been so very long since she have guests for tea." Another quick sip, and the demihuman had already hopped off her chair, strolling back over to his side and peering up at him. "Friend wanted to trade picture box in exchange for supplies, yes?"

"Y-Yeah. But, you know, I don't really know what it's worth-"

"Tali make sure to give fair deal! Come, come!" She had already grabbed hold of one of his hands, nearly yanking him off his chair and dragging him about with a strength that surely was not what he had pictured someone of her size having, and he had barely regained his footing so as to walk about himself. By the time he did so, she had pulled him back out into her store front, and let go of his hand just long enough to replace it with a bag. "Hold, please!"

"...Hold? For… what?"

"Tali will fill it for you."

He blinked. "Wait, fill?"

"Yes, fill!" She scurried here and there, grabbing items off shelves and running back over to place them in the bag for him, and it was indeed beginning to rapidly fill up. "Map, rations, bandages, potions… Tali get you many things you might need for road!"

"Wh…" Words failed him for a moment. He collected his thoughts, then tried again. "Why do all of this for me? All of this has to be worth more than what my ph… picture box is actually worth."

"Friend right, Tali indeed giving him more than he deserves, but…" A phial of clear liquid twirled about in her hands, stopping between two of her fingers. "Friend clearly no friend of those ruling Siltvelt, and friend also Tali's best chance at doing good. Besides, Tali's grandmother never forgive her if she not help Shield Hero… that, and friend is very handsome."

Naofumi raised a brow, tilting his head. "...I'm sorry, I couldn't really catch that last bit."

"Oh, nothing to worry about! Tali just talking to self."

"...Oh. Um… what's in your hands there, anyways? I recognize the potions, I've made some myself, but… that just looks like water."

"Holy water," she corrected. "Not very useful, but still good to have."

He blinked at it somewhat, staring out of curiosity. "What does it do?"

"Friend can use it to dispel curses, or use on weapon for more damage against nasties. Besides, is free! Friend cannot complain about free things, no?"

"Well, it's... not really free, but… you're right, I can't complain too much. Not when you're giving me all of this."

"Good! Friend catches on quick." A few more things were tossed in, mostly what seemed to be some would-be torches, and she shut the flap upon the bag, fastening it tight. "All done. Friend should have more than enough to make it out of Siltvelt and to another town. Maybe even Melromarc, if friend is determined enough."

Grabbing hold of the bag, he hefted it up and was rather surprised to find how light it felt — whether this was magic at work, or a result of his own levels, he wasn't sure. Still, his phone had already been passed off by this point, now sitting upon her counter, and he had managed to secure that last little bit he'd need before he and Raphtalia could make their escape. "Tali, I can't thank you enough for this."

"Friend does not need to thank," she said, waving a hand—paw?—dismissively. "Friend simply needs to visit again some time, let Tali know how he is doing. Maybe after different folks end up in power."

"Right, well…" He let out a sigh of relief, bringing the hood of his cloak over his head once more, and making sure both it and the bag were secure before stepping towards the entryway. "Thanks again. Maybe we'll… see each other again some day or something. Who knows, right?"

She laughed and nodded, even as she began to wave him off. "Safe travels, Friend-Shield."

'Safe travels'... Raphtalia said that too.

He smiled and waved as well, even as he ducked out and back into the busy streets of Siltvelt, and the moment he had left, the demihuman had returned to her back room and had begun to write a letter of some sort. The addressee was unknown, but unneeded. They'd receive it soon enough in any case.

...They always did work and move quickly.