Student

Roko woke up with his head on Reaumur's lap. Which was NOT where he had started his nap. He just leaned against a random building and just waited for sleep to take him. Reaumur was sitting patiently next to him last he checked and now she was napping quietly as she sat there with her head drooped over Roko's. Roko wasn't sure how long he was asleep for exactly, he wasn't sure how well he could count on the memory's simulation of their environment especially when he didn't know how this subspace's day/night replication worked compared to the other warped space day/night replication that he's experienced but still didn't understand. All that mattered is that he was feeling pretty awake so he rolled off Reaumur's lap, making sure not to wake her and quietly left...before he returned a second later and slowly moved Reaumur onto her side for a better sleep.

And so like many times before, Roko set out to check up on his companions and see how far they had gotten in their individual endeavors. He hadn't really had the chance to get a good handle on the layout of this Tree Cradle but it seemed like a simple enough village. It was really utilitarian in it's design. The homes were all made of wood and from what he spied on the inside of these homes through the windows, there wasn't a whole lot that wasn't made of wood. Of course, there were different kinds of woods that had gone into the making of these very homely homes but there was a clear lack of culture. This village...didn't have an identity. No statues, no pride to its history or existence. All it had was that huge tree in the back that loomed over everything. It was all...too utilitarian...like...a military base meant to house soldiers. Like a really bad, uncaring orphanage that was dressed to the nines to create a veneer of a welcoming atmosphere. And before Roko could dwell on this any further, he finally came across one of his party members.

"Ei! Ei! Ei!"

"Swing faster!" Borage called as he trained a small platoon of child elves holding sticks and one Momo, "The key to battle is speed! Strike one key point to another, even if you leave yourself open to an attack! If you're strong, your wolf spirit will protect you. But even without it, you must learn to kill in one strike and move from one enemy to the next. Make every strike count. Even against stronger opponents, the wolf will not attack if you do not lead."

"Yes! Sensei!" Momo cried as she continued with her drill until she spotted Roko approaching them, "Ah! Sensei! Break please!"

"Alright!" Borage clapped as he continued to watch the kids, "Short break everyone!"

As the kids collapsed on the ground in exhaustion, Momo stabbed her sword in the ground and let out a heavy sigh, "Hey Roko. I see you've woken up."

"Was I asleep for long?" Roko asked.

"Hmmmm...not sure. Been focused on training and I usually lose track of time while I'm doing that."

"I see."

"If I had to guess though...you might actually be a bit short of Corissa's eight hour deadline."

"Well, she doesn't have to know that." Roko crossed his arms.

"I guess." Momo chuckled.

"So? What have you found out?" Roko said, "Did you find out why an elf has a swordstyle?"

"Hm? Oh, that's a pretty simple story. You see Borage right? Notice anything different about him compared to other elves?"

"He's pretty muscular." Roko noted, "Way more so than elves and even dark elves."

"Yeah, he was always different in that way." Momo nodded, "He wasn't particularly gifted at magic so he took to physical training instead. He actually became a bit of an outcast in elf society because of it but the king was gracious enough to allow him to join the royal guards. After that, he picked up a swordstyle to better serve his king."

"Hm. It sounds like you're not particularly interested in this peculiarity." Roko said.

"I mean, it's a pretty simple story all things considered." Momo nodded, "And like, I do want to learn more about his swordstyle but..."

"What? What is it about him that you wanted to learn?"

"Hmmmm...well...do you remember what I told you about Momokami's past?"

"Past? You mean about the guardian wolf that protected your nation?"

"Yep!"

"I guess it is 700,000 years ago." Roko mused, "This guardian wolf could still be alive."

"Oh no, they're dead."

"Really?" Roko frowned, "700,000 years ago is a long time ago. Where's Momokami right now?"

"Probably still in their war."

"The Interminable War?"

"No, the Great Funeral Hunt."

"The...Great Funeral Hunt?"

"Yeah. After the death of our guardian spirit, the Momo Okami, the people under its protection was split in two. For years these two kingdoms fought until eventually they were reunited into the Momokami we know today."

"What was the war over?"

"Who killed the guardian wolf."

"Who killed the guardian wolf?" Roko frowned, "You mean..."

"There's a historical split between the story how how the Momo Okami died." Momo explained, "The story is that the Momo Okami was a wolf that was ousted from its pack and found human companionship before its pack returned to hunt its family. After it escaped, it sought to become stronger and take revenge on its kin that rejected it and killed it's family. It hunted it's own kind one by one, becoming stronger until its hunt was discovered by humans again. Inspired by its skill and power, the people gathered around it to praise and worship it like a god. With so many humans under its gaze, the Momo Okami settled into a new protector role, choosing to hunt that which threatened its people. Each and every hunt was a glorious show of human and god working together to kill the most dangerous and legendary of animals. This unity lasted for years until the wolf god's eventual death. Only a select few was said to have witnessed the god's death and those who did have different stories on how it happened. Some say its original pack returned to hunt the traitorous wolf in one last glorious fight. While others say the wolf was killed by the very people it was sworn to protect."

"...The hunter god becomes the hunted..." Roko mused.

"Naturally, the people were outraged by the prospect of a betrayal on the scale of a god. Some say the humans wanted to prove their own hunting skills were superior to the wolf. Some say that they wanted to prove that humans were superior. This split the followers into two factions that would never accept the other and started a bloody war, a mourning hunt."

"How did they reconcile?"

"They didn't really." Momo smiled, "The story goes that the first user of Ichininkami Gari. A style that imitated the techniques and glory of the Momo Okami so greatly that it inspired the people once again into unity. Since then, the style was passed down from royal head to the next."

"And eventually coming into your hands."

"Indeed." Momo nodded.

"...And what does that has to do with Borage?"

"His swordstyle, Venatio Lupum, seemed to be inspired by the same wolves from the story. Unfortunately, it seems to be based off the god wolves that abandoned the Momo Okami rather than the Momo Okami itself."

"So you were trying to figure out how your god died?" Roko asked, "Is that wise? The truth might split the people again."

"The unity of Momokami has become more powerful than that." Momo chuckled, "The historians might care but the people now live to honor the memory of our god rather than fight for its justice."

"And you?" Roko asked, "What's your goal in seeking the truth?"

"...Ichininkami Gari is an incomplete swordstyle." Momo explained, "Its techniques are powerful but only because it imitates the wolf god. How true the techniques are to the god's actual hunting is...questionable. It's all interpretation. The truth of my god's techniques..."

"Could be found in the truth of its death?" Roko finished.

"Exactly."

"So at the end of the day, you're just trying to become stronger." Roko sighed.

"Is that so bad?" Momo smiled sheepishly.

"No, that's you to a T. But how do you know that Borage's style isn't your god?"

"Because the wolf it summons isn't the Momo Okami." Momo smirked, "For one, the Momo Okami is pink. You know, Momo Okami means Pink Wolf. In fact, his swordstyle channels projection magic to create a wolf partner to hunt alongside you. The process of achieving this style is described by him as finding one partner wolf among an endless pack."

"I see. And now you're trying to learn Borage's style to grow your style into more like the Momo Okami?"

"Mmmm, let's just say I'm trying it out right now. In the hierarchy of the hunt, I'm studying the prey instead of the hunter. Even if the prey is so closely tied to the hunter's own race. Maybe it'll lead to something. Maybe it won't."

"Well...good luck with that." Roko shrugged.

"Thanks!" Momo grinned, "It's been an interesting learning experience."

"Know where everyone else is?"

"I mean, I know where you can find Kaguya."

"Yeah, I have an idea too."

"Cool. Good luck with that!"

Roko walked to the outskirts of the village where he found Kaguya watching Scabius tilling a field with some of the elven caretakers.

"Learning anything new?" Roko asked as he walked up to the princess.

"Oh, plenty." Kaguya smiled, "You get any rest?"

"Oh, plenty." Roko sighed, "How are those farming techniques?"

"Not a whole lot unique unfortunately." Kaguya shrugged, "Most of it's been recorded in modern day already. However, there are these interesting plans on drawing energy from the heat of the earth itself."

"Ah, geothermal energy?" Roko said, "It's a pretty good source of renewable energy, though it might be difficult to implement even if you have a good location for it."

"Oh, you're familiar with it?"

"It existed in my original world. Don't know how it works in this world."

"Well I can't say I understand everything myself." Kaguya held her hand out as Mikado placed a roll of paper in her hands, Kaguya unwrapping it to reveal a complex looking diagram of how the concept works, "Modern day doesn't really have the abundant mana to build a thermal extractor just anywhere but if we use leylines I might be able to put together something. And depending on where the closest leyline is to Fuyuki, I might have to research methods of energy transportation."

"If this is magical, I can't help." Roko said as he looked over the diagram himself, "My world doesn't have magic."

"Aren't you studying magic though?"

"Yeah, what do you think I've been studying? Not this."

"I suppose you are kind of working more with theoretical magic than practical magic."

"I'm just going to assume you're right on this distinction."

"Maybe our next trip should be to Magus Alterna then."

"That's the human capital for magic if I remember correctly?"

"More like the human college for magic but they're notoriously uhhh...obsessed with their research."

"I got that impression too." Roko sighed, "At any rate, how's Scabius been treating ya? He say anything offensive yet?"

"I heard that!" Scabius suddenly shouted at some talking elves, "Get back to hoeing or I'll have you seeding the fields for dinner!"

"Oh." Kaguya smiled a very teasing smile, "He's been perfectly cooperative. Though he doesn't seem particularly enthusiastic about teaching me farming of all things. He keeps asking me if I want to learn about poisons and knife work."

"Well do you?"

"Nope. I asked Mikado if he wanted to learn anything though."

"I declined." Mikado said.

"And Scabius was okay with this?"

"Not much he can do even if he wasn't. He took it more reasonably when I explained that the plants and creatures he took his poisons from might not be around in our current time though."

"That's true."

"So he decided to start trying to teach me alchemical poisons." Kaguya laughed, "He's quite determined."

"Did you remember any of them?"

"Eh, maybe. Do you know any, Roko?"

"Not a poison but I know how to make piranha solution."

"Ooo, what's that?"

"Ask Scabius. Maybe he knows."

"I will." Kaguya chuckled, "I assume you're making your rounds now that you're awake? I won't keep you here much longer, I'm just observing Scabius at work right now."

"Right, then I'll leave you to it."

Roko was now left with two people to check up on. Helena could be anywhere and he wasn't sure if he was quite ready to face Corissa's judgment. But with Helena proving harder to find than ever, Roko could only make his way to where he knew he could find Corissa.

Wandering the unmarked streets of the Tree Cradle, Roko found where he could hear the most children yelling and running around. In front of some sort of big building near the base of the main tree, Roko found Hyacinth running around playing tag with another collection of elven children while Corissa sat on a bench watching them with a pleasant smile.

"Corissa."

"Roko!" Corissa jumped up as soon as she saw Roko and ran over to hug him.

"Uuuuhhhh..." Roko held his arms up, surprised by the sudden public display of affection, "So what's this one about?"

"Nothing." Corissa replied with a somehow more radiant smile.

"...Is this because you want to play with the kids but you can't?"

"...No..."

"Okay, then can you let go of me?"

"Another five minutes."

"Who the hell hugs someone for five minutes?! I'm just here to check up on you so can we talk for a bit first?"

"We can talk like this."

"No we can't!"

"Alright." Roko sighed as he sat down on the bench next to a slightly pouty Corissa, "So what have you learned?"

"I assume you mean about the black armor?" Corissa said.

"Yeah. That was what you wanted to ask Hyacinth wasn't it? To see if it had any relation to Varis?"

"Yeah..." Corissa turned to her black knight that always faithfully accompanied her, "I haven't really had a chance to really look into Varis' condition but I do really want to."

"To be fair, there hasn't exactly been a lot of leads either. Not that we've been looking." Roko sighed, "Well, how's your lead this time?"

"Hmmm..." Corissa thought over what she learned, "Well...it's a bit questionable if this black armor is the same as the ones that Varis is wearing. For one, it appears like their armor was cursed."

"I think we both assumed that Varis' armor was cursed to be irremovable to some regard. Though I assume if it was, you would have tried to remove it already with your holy spell."

"Yeah, I asked Varis about it but he stayed silent as always." Corissa sighed, "I offered to remove the armor using holy but he also refused. I don't know if it's cursed if he just doesn't want to take it off."

"But the armor these elves seemed to have was cursed wasn't it?"

"It was." Corissa nodded, "They obtained it after killing a particularly powerful human. They removed the armor from the corpse and studied it for a while. They never actually put on the full armor but for experimental purposes, they each equipped part of the armor for a while. Each part seemed to grant incredible power but none of them were able to remove it either. Until they met a human."

"A human?" Roko frowned, "Did they get their name?"

"Apparently she was the 'Hero' of that time."

"Hero?"

"Yes. Ummm...I'm sure you're aware of the traditional definition of 'hero' in your world but in this world, the title of 'Hero' usually indicates one who emerges to fight against evil."

"This is some sort of reoccurring event then?"

"Yes. Traditionally, this follows the cycle of the rise of the Demon King. When a new Demon King decides to take over the world, a hero usually emerges to defend against them."

"So they met this Hero and they got their armor pieces removed?"

"Yes..."

"...How…?"

"Well..." Corissa chuckled, "They're not sure..."

"But you think it's holy?"

Corissa nodded, "I can't say for certain but it seems this hero chanted some sort of prayer and removed the pieces when they couldn't before."

"Did she sneak in the holy spell in the middle of a prayer?"

"Possibly." Corissa nodded, "Incantations are an antiquated method of magic for humans. Nowadays we more or less use castphrases. Incantations are only really reserved for rituals and the like."

"Hmmmm..." Roko thought aloud, "I do recall that holy was a spell that was often found with significant figures of history. So I guess a hero having it makes sense."

"Gosh, that can't possibly be true..." Corissa covered her cheeks as she blushed.

"And what happened to the armor?" Roko asked, "They removed it but it sounds like they lost it."

"They actually left it with the Hero since it seemed like she could better study and protect it. I don't know what happened after that."

"Hmmm...seems like a dead end on your search then huh?"

"Yeah..." Corissa sighed, "I'm sorry for wasting everyone's time."

"Everyone's got their own things they want to do. You're not taking up anyone else's time. And you haven't wasted yours if you learned something either."

"Actually, Hyacinth did teach me some new cooking recipes!" Corissa smiled, "So everyone can look forward to our next dinner for something special!"

"That's great news."

"Just don't walk out on it before it's done okay?"

"O-Okay..." Roko said as Corissa's smile began to look a bit darker, "I'm...going to go find Helena now."

"Okay! Good luck with that! I haven't seen her or Roland around!"

"I sure hope I'll be able to find Helena then. I hope she hasn't run into trouble."

"I'm sure Roland will protect her if that happens."

"Yeah, but who'll protect Helena from Roland?"

"Uuuuuuhhhhhh..."

"Never you mind. I'll just get going."

"Oh! By the way Roko, how long were you asleep?"

Roko quickened his pace out of there.