They arrived at the door of Valdo's Naughty Toast, visible by its unmistakable sign. Two triangles of toast, carved from dark wood, formed a clear V, like two slices placed against each other. In the hollow of the V, a small drop of mana crystal was embedded. It shone slightly, catching the light with a soft, almost living glow, especially when night fell.
Right in front, Towa was waiting for them. He had spotted them just before going inside and waited for them, raising his hand to signal his presence. Even before they entered, they could smell the aroma of freshly toasted bread, beer, the richness of simple dishes, and a sweet note that surely came from a special sauce.
Rin slowed her pace as she approached Towa and looked inside with curiosity.
"It'd better live up to the god of festivities, since it bears his name," she said.
Kai greeted Towa, and they went inside together. They looked at the tightly packed tables, the worn benches, the low lanterns, the loud laughter in one corner and the whispers in another. There were all kinds of people, adventurers of course, but also visitors and regulars among the inhabitants of Elronde.
A man spotted them immediately and raised his hand in greeting.
He had an easy smile, but it wasn't naive. It was the smile of a tavernkeeper who understood that it was better to be friendly than curious. He was wearing an apron, and when he bent down to grab four mugs from a shelf, Kai saw the scar: a long whitish mark that started on the right side of his face and seemed to disappear under the fabric, toward his chest.
His right arm was made of metal. It wasn't a luxurious prosthesis; it seemed simple, solid, but above all functional. Glyphs were set into it, and the hand moved with almost disturbing precision. His right foot was made of the same metal, articulated in the same way, and surprisingly silent on the wood.
The tavernkeeper placed the four mugs on a tray without even looking and picked up a smaller glass.
"Welcome. You're Nao's guests, I guess?" he asked in a warm voice.
Rin vaguely pointed to her own body with her chin.
"Is it that obvious?"
The tavernkeeper chuckled. "Let's just say the description I was given leaves little room for error. Come, take a seat."
He led them to a table against the wall, surrounded by benches. They sat down. Rin chose the seat that allowed her to see the room and the door. Kai slipped in next to her, and Towa followed, slumping down on the edge of the bench as if he were only half there.
The tavern owner returned with a tray and set down the mugs and the glass.
"Elric," he said, tapping his apron with his thumb. "If you need anything, just ask. If anyone bothers you, ask too."
Rin blinked. "Now that's hospitality!"
Kai nodded in agreement and added, "So far, it lives up to Valdo's name."
Elric smiled even more. "That's the least we can do."
He walked away, his metal leg not even creaking.
Rin looked around the room, at the other customers' plates, then at her own table.
"Okay..." she murmured. "This is off to a good start!"
Kai was about to reply when a figure emerged from the hallway leading to the bedrooms, closed the door behind him, and immediately spotted their table.
Nao. Slightly less dressed than usual, he had obviously taken off his bag, but also his vest. He was now wearing only a simple green T-shirt. He approached, placed a hand on the back of the bench, and gave a slight nod.
"You found it."
Rin raised her mug. "You're good at deduction, aren't you?"
Nao ignored it without taking offense, then stared at her mug.
"This night's on me, enjoy," he said simply.
Kai blinked. "Why?"
Nao placed his hand on the table as he sat down.
"Because we're talking about a party. And no one starts a party in a bad mood."
Rin smiled. "I like that principle."
Nao motioned to Elric. Without even needing to get up, Elric caught the movement, approached, and placed a notebook on the table.
"What can I get you?"
"Whatever you're making that's least bad," said Rin.
Elric raised an eyebrow, amused. "Nothing is bad here."
Nao placed a coin on the table. "Four beers, a glass of milk, and... for now, your toast."
Elric nodded and left. His arm grabbed a tray as he passed without stopping.
Towa looked at Nao. "Milk?"
Nao nodded toward the door from which he had come. "For my partner."
The door opened again. A man entered. He was about the same height as Nao, with dark hair hidden under a hood. He wore simple but loose-fitting clothes and had no visible weapons. He took two steps, scanned the room, then walked toward them.
Rin immediately sensed something... slightly off. A feeling of a presence that was too clean.
Nao half-stood. "This is my partner, Peko."
He sat down quietly, placed his hands flat on the table, and bowed his head.
"Hello."
His voice was deep and lacked a little tone, without being shocking.
Rin stared at him for two seconds, then turned her head, as if something had caught her eye under the table. And then Kai saw it too.
An animal, slightly resembling a squirrel but the size of a large cat, had come out of his clothes and placed itself on the bench. Very dark blue fur, almost slate gray, with a cream-colored belly. Two large drooping ears. Huge amber eyes that observed everything. And a huge, fluffy double tail that moved like an extra limb.
The creature stood up on its hind legs for a second, revealing a small belt with an equally small bag at what appeared to be its waist. Then, it curled up in its double tail, ears folded down, forming a perfect ball with only its head coming out.
Rin froze. Not for long, just for a moment. But Kai noticed. It wasn't surprise. It was cold tension, a reflex.
The man spoke, gesturing toward the ball of fur. "This is me, Peko. And this man is my summon."
Rin stared at the creature, trying to learn more. "So you're the summoner, Mr Squirrel?"
Kai looked at the ball on the bench, then at the man. "Excuse me?"
Nao calmly explained.
"Peko is a Nuuri." He said it as if announcing an age. "He communicates through his summons."
The man bowed his head slightly. "This is my summon."
The ball stirred on the bench, and the man continued to speak, as if the voice were actually coming from below.
Towa tilted his head toward the small creature. "So... you hide and make this... man talk for you?"
The creature nodded.
Kai narrowed his eyes. "And it works?"
Elric returned at that moment, saving everyone from further explanation. He served four beers, a glass of milk, plates of grilled toast slices with various toppings, and a small bowl of amber-colored sauce.
"Homemade sauce," he announced proudly. "But be careful, it's a little spicy."
Rin took a piece of toast and dipped it right in.
Nao raised her beer. "Cheers."
Kai raised his more cautiously. Towa took his enthusiastically. Peko climbed onto the shoulders of his summon, grabbing his glass as he went.
"To what?" asked Rin, her mouth already full.
Nao simply replied. "To our meeting. And more, I hope."
They all drank at the same time, then simultaneously let out a sigh of satisfaction, Elric's favorite sound. "Ahh."
"Okay. We're listening," said Kai.
Nao took a breath. He got straight to the point.
"I've been looking for a party with Peko for a while. It hasn't worked out so far." He glanced quickly at Peko, then continued. "I'll be clear right away. I'm not useful in combat. My healing is slow. If you're expecting support that saves you in a second, that's not me."
Towa interrupted. "But you healed me yesterday, didn't you?"
"I sped up your recovery," Nao corrected. "I didn't stop bleeding in the middle of combat. I can't."
Kai nodded slowly. It fit perfectly with what he had seen.
Rin wasn't really listening, she was enjoying the toast and its sauce.
Nao continued.
"I can help in other ways. I can support. I can stabilize. And..." He hesitated for a moment, then added, "I can create mana crystals."
Kai was about to attack the toast but immediately looked up. "Crystals?"
Nao nodded. "Not for free. But yes."
Kai glanced around them, then at the sign, as if the answer were written in the wood.
"That's why we're here..." he murmured.
Rin blinked. Nao smiled slightly. But Peko spoke up, still through the man.
"I can compensate with summons."
Rin was already finishing her toast, while Kai was just about to start. Towa had already made a good bite in his toast, but what was most surprising was his already empty mug.
"It consumes a lot of mana," Peko continued. "So I have to stay close. My range is limited. If I'm too far away, they exhaust me too quickly."
Towa finally looked up. "So... you have to be nearby?"
"Yes," replied the man as Peko finished his glass of milk. "I'm on the battlefield with my summons, so I can't cover all angles."
Nao continued. "And he can't replace a shieldbearer. He doesn't have the Skill for that."
Towa's eyes lit up slightly. It was as if he had just realized that he belonged at this table, and hadn't been brought along out of pity.
Rin raised her mug. "We agree. We need a wall too."
Towa didn't answer, but he smiled, his cheeks slightly pink. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was something else.
Nao saw that Towa's mug was empty and Rin's was dangerously close to it, so he motioned to Elric again without saying anything.
"So we have to deal with the damage?" Kai asked.
Nao replied while Elric refilled the mugs that weren't completely full. "In addition to Peko, yes. But don't worry, I'm not asking you to sign anything. I'm just asking you for one thing: to do at least one mission together. A simple mission. Before we register as a party. To test our cohesion. If it doesn't work out... Everyone is free to quit, no pressure."
Rin, amazed by her mug filling up without paying, nodded. "I accept."
Towa paused for a moment, then nodded in turn. "I accept too."
Kai looked at Rin. She looked happy, though probably more because of the alcohol than the proposal.
"Okay," he said in turn.
Rin drank. This time, faster. As if she were challenging Towa. "So... mission?"
Peko replied immediately. "An escort in two days. To a small village. Not very well paid, but room and table included."
Rin grimaced. "Not well paid?"
Nao added. "One day on site before the return escort. And there's a forest that's well known for hunting. It will allow us to test our coordination."
Rin smiled. "Now you're talking."
Towa smiled too. Kai nodded slowly.
They drank again. Elric came by, collected the plates, and set down a new tray as if he knew they would be staying.
Rin said to him, "Your sauce is great, boss."
Elric smiled and gave her a pat on the back. "Go on, have some more, Sweetheart!"
Rin burst out laughing and ordered new toasts.
Towa, after two more sips, relaxed completely. And his smile was there, as if it had never left his face.
Nao looked at everyone, then set his beer down with a sharp thud.
"But before that."
Everyone turned to him.
Nao spoke more softly, but with greater seriousness.
"There's one more thing. So that we can trust you."
Rin narrowed her eyes. "Here's the trap."
Nao shook his head. "Not a trap. Just a rule. I'm not a fighter, I need to know what I can count on. I'm talking about your Skills. Except for Renewal, I already know you all have it."
A slight silence fell. Not heavy. Just... cautious.
Peko spoke up. "In good faith, I'll start."
"Obviously, I have the legendary Skill Grand Summoner, as well as two augments, Stable Manifestation and Shapesmith."
Nao continued, "I have the mastery Mana Horizon, with the augment Vital Infusion. That's what allows me to heal by transferring mana. I also have Valdo's blessing, which allows me to produce the crystals we were talking about. And Folded Pouch."
Towa put down his mug, empty once again, and smiled proudly. "I'll be your Shield with my Shieldhaven mastery. I have an augment that allows me to instantly swap my shield and my battle axe. And I have the mastery Heavy Armor. You can count on me to take hits, but also to strike back. Also, I have Folded Pouch as well."
Rin looked at Kai, then spoke. "I have the chain's mastery, of course, and I can extend it to almost twenty meters. I can also enchant it with electricity, and I have the Folded Pouch too."
She rubbed the back of her head and continued a little lower. "And I have Selina's blessing too..."
Towa frowned. "What does Selina offer?"
Kai smiled. "She can check a person's overall intentions toward her. All she has to do is give someone a nickname, but it only works if the target doesn't explicitly reject the nickname."
Towa's eyes widened. "That's so cool! So you can spot lies, then?"
Rin continued. "Well… it doesn't work if the person thinks they're acting for the right reasons or in my interest. So I can't really spot a lie, only if the person is acting out of malice, self-interest, or kindness."
Towa stayed impressed.
Then it was Kai's turn. He stared at Rin first, and the noise of the tavern seemed to fade away. He put down his beer. Rin looked back at him, her seriousness almost back. She just smiled, didn't say anything. She stared at him for a second and then nodded.
Kai exhaled. He looked at everyone one by one. "Is any of you... part of one of the gods' church?"
Nao shook his head.
Peko, via the man, answered. "No."
Towa shook his head too. "No, why?"
Kai nodded slowly. "Very well. Because I have a Skill that some consider... let's say impure."
He spoke simply. "I have the mastery Materialization, and... a blessing. An Epic one."
He saw the silence become more attentive. Not hostile. But heavy. Nao leaned back against the chair and smiled. He seemed to already understand.
Kai looked at Rin one last time. She was still smiling.
"Thalior," he said.
He expected a shock. A recoil. An immediate question. There was just a pause. Towa blinked, then understood. He didn't need to know more to understand why that name was used as an insult by some.
Kai added immediately, calmly. "I don't want to go into detail for now. But I'll prove my worth on the mission."
Nao simply said, "That's fine with me."
Peko frowned. It wasn't clear to him. But he accepted his partner's judgment.
Rin picked up her beer again. "Okay," she said, raising it. "Trial mission in two days, then?"
She drank. Kai smiled slightly.
Nao raised his beer in turn. "In two days."
Towa tried to raise his mug, forgetting that it was empty again. Then he looked up, ready to wave.
Elric, who was already on his way, called out, "Looks like things are going well here!"
Rin held out her mug as well and replied immediately. "I hope your beds are comfortable, boss."
Elric laughed. "That's it. You've got the spirit of the place!"
Everyone laughed, and the evening continued for a while. Lighter. Simpler. Only Nao began to worry about his purse.