"Now then, let’s move to the tenth floor."
"To collect poison needles, right?" Sherry asked.
She understood exactly what I was after. Now that Vesta had successfully become a Dragon Knight, the tenth floor was our next destination.
"It’s the NEET Ants, then. This way," Roxanne said.
Under her guidance, we hunted the giant ants and gathered their needles. Since Vesta was still only a Level 1 Dragon Knight, I had her focus entirely on observing for the time being. Once we had ten poison needles in our possession, we returned to the first floor.
"Next, you have a very simple job: just throw these poison needles."
"The poison needles? Yes, I believe I can do that," Vesta replied.
I handed them over to her. "If a monster survives my magic, use one. Roxanne, keep an eye on things."
"Yes, Master."
We waded into the first floor with Roxanne in the lead. When a Cheap Sheep appeared and survived a hit from my magic, Roxanne stepped up to confront it directly. Vesta threw a needle from the side.
"Poison, desu," Miria informed us.
I could see the effect for myself. I’d been told that monsters changed color when poisoned, but it had been impossible to tell with the black NEET Ants in the dim labyrinth. On a white sheep, however, the change was obvious. Its wool had taken on a sickly, pale hue.
So that was what poison looked like. It wasn't so much "poisonous-looking" as it was "pathological." It made sense; the sheep hadn't become a venomous creature, it was just suffering from an affliction. Creatures that are naturally venomous usually sport bright, garish colors to warn predators, while those that have merely ingested toxins just look ill—just like this sheep. It was the natural order of things.
The sickly monster collapsed shortly after. With that, the trial for Vesta to earn her next job was essentially complete. From here, I just needed to monitor her progress while we gradually increased the difficulty of the floors.
"From now on, I’ll have Vesta fight normally while I keep watch. Don't push yourself, though. If things get too difficult, just be honest and say so."
"I understand," Vesta said.
"It might be scary at first, but I want you to try taking a monster's attack on purpose. As long as you’re fighting in a labyrinth, it’s impossible to avoid every hit. We’ll confirm how much damage you take as we slowly move up the floors."
"Yes. I think I’ll be all right."
If I threw her into a serious battle only for her to get hit and discover she couldn't handle it, it would be no laughing matter. It was better to confirm her durability now while we worked our way back up. The question was where to start. The sheep on the first floor hadn't even made her flinch, and Dragon Knights possessed the Damage Mitigation skill.
"Would starting from the tenth floor be okay?" I asked.
"It shouldn't be a problem at all," Roxanne declared. Her opinion was always a bit skewed by her own perfection, so I checked with the person in question.
"I think I’ll be fine," Vesta agreed. I was starting to suspect she rarely gave negative answers. I turned my gaze toward Sherry for a tie-breaker.
"The Dragon Knight is naturally a job with excellent defensive capabilities," Sherry analyzed. "Dragon-kin are large, powerful people, and Vesta is particularly well-built. I believe she could manage even higher floors."
That made sense. Coming from Sherry, it sounded far more reliable. Vesta was certainly big; being near her provided a certain sense of security, as if her presence alone established a safe zone within the dangerous labyrinth. It’s easy to crush an ant, but much harder to crush an elephant. Vesta would be fine.
"Do it, desu," Miria added, lending her support.
The poison from the NEET Ants on the tenth floor was a concern, but we could handle that when the time came. If it happened, my Antidote Pills would save the day—and since administering them required mouth-to-mouth, I was secretly looking forward to it.
"Then it’s a U-turn back to the tenth floor."
"Yes, Master."
"Um... is this weapon all right?" Vesta asked.
Ah, right. Since she was now a Dragon Knight, she could use Dual Wielding. If she held her original iron sword along with the steel sword, she’d have two-handed swords in both hands. Still, for the time being, a shield was the safer bet.
Hypothetically, if I could give her two Durandals, she’d be an unstoppable force, but I couldn't pull out a second one. Besides, using Durandal too much wasn't great for the party’s experience point gain. I’d expected Sherry to suggest it, but she stayed quiet. A slave wouldn't lightly ask to use their master's most prized weapon.
"Keep it as it is for a while. I’ll reconsider once I see how you handle combat."
"I understand."
I wondered if her ability to equip a two-handed sword and a great shield simultaneously was also a perk of the Dual Wielding skill. I hadn't thought a great shield was necessary yet, but that might change sooner than I expected. If she didn't seem to need the extra defense, I’d give her two swords. If she did, I’d look for a great shield.
"Is it actually possible to equip two great shields at once?" I asked.
"Yes. I’ve heard of people doing that on rare occasions, though it isn't very common," Sherry replied.
So, an ultra-defense build was an option. If the damage ever became so great that healing couldn't keep up, it was something to keep in mind.
"Well, that’s a conversation for the future. For now, let’s focus on the basics. Roxanne, take us somewhere with fewer monsters."
"Yes, Master."
Guided by Roxanne, we moved through the tenth floor until we encountered a lone NEET Ant. I hit it with a single Water Ball and waited. Vesta stepped forward. The monster lunged and slammed into her. Vesta shifted her shield to the side and took the impact on her flank. Once I saw her take the hit, I finished the ant off with magic.
"How was it?"
"Umm... Yes. I think I’m fine." Vesta tilted her head.
"Did it hurt?"
"No. Actually, there was almost no impact at all. It felt as light as the monster on the first floor. My apologies; it might have caught on my shield or something."
"It didn't look like it touched the shield from here," I noted.
"Yes. It didn't hit the shield," Roxanne confirmed. If Roxanne said so, it was a fact.
Even moving from the first floor to the tenth, Vesta’s job had changed from Villager to Dragon Knight, and she had the Damage Mitigation skill. I suppose that was just the reality of her stats.
"In any case, having little impact is a good thing."
"Yes." With the Plating skill applied to her gear, there shouldn't have been much damage anyway.
"So, are we satisfied with the tenth floor? Or do you want to take another hit?"
"I think I’m ready to move on."
"Fine. Let’s not push our luck too much, though. We’ll try the eleventh floor next."
I still had a few lingering doubts, so I kept the increments small. Roxanne led us to a single Mino on the eleventh floor. Vesta took its attack, and I immediately pulverized it with a second magic spell.
"How was that?"
"I’m completely fine. It hit me properly this time, but I’ve fought Minos outside the labyrinth before. The impact didn't feel much different from those."
"There should be quite a difference between a Mino outside and one on the eleventh floor. Are you sure you’re okay?" Sherry asked, sounding skeptical.
An attack from a Level 1 monster outside and a Level 11 monster inside should have produced different results. Even with Plating and Damage Mitigation, I’d expected some variation.
"Neither of them hurt much, so I can't really tell the difference," Vesta admitted.
She didn't find it painful? She seemed to have even more leeway than I’d hoped.
"She said it didn't hurt."
"Hmm. It’s been a long time since I’ve taken an attack from a monster outside the labyrinth myself," Sherry said, looking to Roxanne for backup, but Roxanne just tilted her head. She was asking the wrong person. In Roxanne's case, the mere fact that she’d ever been hit at all would be the bigger surprise.
"Next is the twelfth floor. Let's test the Grass Bees," I decided.
Monsters from the twelfth floor and up were supposed to be significantly stronger. Surely she’d feel something from them. I made sure my Antidote Pills were ready, though; if she got poisoned, my "delivery organ" was prepared for action.
However, even after being attacked on the twelfth floor, she barely seemed to feel the damage. I felt like agreeing with Sherry, who was muttering, "Even against a Grass Bee...?" under her breath.
"Should we try the thirteenth floor next? Or go even higher?"
"I believe I’ll be fine even further up," Vesta said confidently.
We skipped the thirteenth and moved to the fourteenth. Actually, our ultimate goal was the eighteenth, so maybe the fifteenth was a better middle ground.
"Even if we’re fighting, these are just common monsters, not bosses. I think the eighteenth floor would be fine," Roxanne suggested. It was a bold proposal, but then again, this was Roxanne.
"I agree. I think I can handle it," Vesta added.
She certainly had courage. Or maybe she was just tired of getting hit on purpose every single floor. I couldn't blame her; I wouldn't want to be a literal punching bag floor by floor either.
"If you’re both sure, let’s go up. Are you certain, Vesta?"
"Yes. I’ll be fine."
"All right then. But we’re stopping at the sixteenth floor first. As Roxanne mentioned, we haven't done a boss battle yet, so it’s important for you to see one. We’ll fight a few normal monsters on the sixteenth, then head to the boss. You don't need to take the boss’s attacks on purpose."
"Understood."
She clearly had room to spare, so skipping ahead was the logical choice. Sherry didn't object, so we jumped to the sixteenth.
"Roxanne, do you know where the boss room is?"
"Yes. This way, Master."
"Lead the way. We’ll fight whatever we run into."
Guided by Roxanne, we moved through the cave-like tunnels. She navigated perfectly, likely using her nose to distinguish the subtle differences in the air.
"There’s a group of Clamshells ahead, probably several. To the right, there’s a group with Clamshells and Bitch Butterflies. The Clamshell there is likely alone."
"The right sounds good."
"Understood."
Clamshells and Bitch Butterflies had different elemental weaknesses. If we fought a mixed group, we could take out the butterflies first, leaving Vesta to test herself against a single opponent. Roxanne had planned it out perfectly. If she was going to take a hit on purpose, one enemy was safer than a crowd. Even against lower-level enemies, getting mobbed could turn dangerous in an instant.
We followed Roxanne’s lead and found a group of two Bitch Butterflies and one Clamshell. I opened with Breeze Storm.
"Should I move to the front line?" Vesta asked.
"Not yet. Wait until the butterflies are down."
"Yes, sir."
Roxanne, Sherry, and Miria engaged the monsters while I kept Vesta back and unleashed wind magic. Once the moths fell, everyone surrounded the Clamshell. I switched to Sand Ball. Vesta swapped places with Roxanne and stepped up to the front. She provoked the monster by striking its shell with her steel sword. The Clamshell’s valves twitched. It was preparing to open.
"You don't need to take the water spray or the clamp attack," I warned her. I should have said that earlier. When a Clamshell opened up, it would either spit water or try to crush you between its shells. Both were far more troublesome than a simple slam.
"It’s going for a clamp!" Roxanne called out. She could still tell the difference, even though the initial movements looked identical to me.
The Clamshell swung its valves wide and lunged at Vesta, trying to snap shut on her. Vesta parried the entire monster with her shield. It was impressive; she literally knocked the thing backward. The shell lunged again, this time with a straightforward slam. Vesta shifted her shield and took the hit.
I fired a final Sand Ball to finish it off, then reapplied Plating and focused on a First Aid spell.
"We’ve come up quite a few floors, but I’m still completely fine. You can stop the healing, Master," Vesta said.
One pulse was enough? The Damage Mitigation skill really was something else. Vesta was reliable, strong enough to knock monsters back, and highly resistant to damage. She was the perfect front-liner. Confident she could handle the eighteenth floor, we headed for the boss room.
On the way, we ran into three Clamshells. I greeted them with Sand Storm while the front line formed up around Roxanne. Since Clamshells only had a simple water spray for range, we didn't need to rush them.
"Should I step up?" Vesta asked.
"Sure. Sherry, swap with Vesta."
"Yes, Master."
"I'll do my best!" Vesta said, clearly motivated. Sherry had a spear, so she could still attack effectively from the second row.
"If you're going to the front, wear this," Sherry said, handing her Hard Leather Hat to Vesta. Vesta lowered her head to let her put it on. Since we didn't have enough hats for everyone, Vesta had been going bareheaded.
The front line now consisted of Roxanne, Vesta, and Miria from left to right. Seeing them lined up was a sight to behold. We had a truly formidable front line now, and Vesta’s height made the whole group feel more imposing. Eventually, I might put her in the center to maximize the intimidation factor.
Currently, Roxanne was half a step ahead of the others to draw aggro, taking advantage of her evasion. I wasn't sure if the monsters would recognize her as the primary target due to the perspective, but we were about to find out.
"Here it comes!" Roxanne warned.
One of the Clamshells opened up and spat a jet of water. Roxanne tilted her upper body just enough to let the spray whistle past. The monster had correctly identified the leader. Behind her, Sherry also dodged the water that Roxanne had let through. Sherry was trying to thrust her spear between Roxanne and Vesta, but it was crowded. Unlike my magic, which I could fire from anywhere, she had to stay close to the front.
It was an unexpected challenge for our new formation.
"Are you all right?" I asked.
"I managed to dodge it, so it's no problem," Sherry replied. She’d just have to manage.
The Clamshells finally closed in. The one that had spat water was a bit behind the others. The front line held them back while Sherry poked them with her spear and I bombarded them with magic. I finished them off with repeated Sand Storms before they could spit again. Vesta handled her position without a hitch.
Having confirmed she could fight properly, we entered the waiting room.
"This is the room before the boss. The next door leads to the boss room itself," Sherry explained to Vesta. Since we’d already cleared this floor, there was no need for a briefing.
"You’re going to experience a boss battle now. You don't need to take any attacks on purpose. I’ll take care of the minion that appears, so Vesta, you help Roxanne and the others surround the boss."
"Understood."
With that, we moved into the boss room. I probably should have started her on lower-level bosses, but Roxanne was taking the brunt of the attacks anyway, so it didn't really matter. The rest of the girls would just surround it and beat it down.
The smoke coalesced into an Oystershell and a Clamshell. I went after the minion, watching the others while I swung Durandal. A lone Clamshell was nothing special, and even if I got distracted and took a hit, Durandal’s HP Absorption would patch me up.
Vesta was holding her own. She took advantage of the openings Roxanne created to land solid slashes. Her size made her movements easy to track, and she looked genuinely powerful. She was going to be a great asset.
Once the Clamshell was gone, I joined the circle around the boss. Sherry stepped back to use the full reach of her spear. We attacked from all sides. Even for a floor boss, it was a one-sided slaughter. The Oystershell couldn't land a single hit as long as it was focused on Roxanne.
Vesta brought her steel sword down on the back of the monster with a heavy thud that sounded like it would crack the shell through. The Oystershell collapsed.
Vesta had delivered the finishing blow. With more people in the party, it was going to be harder for me to get the final hit. I’d always thought boss battles were great for experience because I could use Durandal, but that wouldn't hold true if I couldn't land the killing blow.
"Nice work."
"Thank you. I think I landed a critical hit that time. I’ve heard that Dragon Knights sometimes perform attacks far more powerful than they intend. I think that was one of them."
A critical hit, then. One of the Dragon Knight’s skills was Critical Activation, so that made sense. Apparently, she could feel when it happened. Since it wasn't an active skill, it wasn't common knowledge that it existed as a specific ability. There was no flashy visual effect, but the sheer sound and impact of the blow made it obvious something special had happened.
"Can other jobs besides Dragon Knight do that?" I asked.
"I haven't heard of any," Vesta replied.
"What about you, Sherry?"
"Nothing definitive. Anyone might get a lucky hit occasionally."
"Even a rumor is fine."
"Roxanne, do you know anything?" Sherry asked.
"I don't."
"I have heard that if a Beast Fighter trains for many years, they can become a Beast King," Sherry offered. "I’ve heard that Beast Kings can occasionally unleash incredible attacks."
"Really? I didn't know that," Roxanne said. Sherry really did know more about Wolf-kin lore than Roxanne herself.
So the advanced job for a Beast Fighter was a Beast King. Even though they were wolves, the name seemed to fit.
"As expected of Sherry."
"I don't know if the rumors are true, though."
If Dragon Knights and Beast Kings had Critical Activation, it wouldn't be surprising if other race-specific jobs had something similar. There was a non-zero chance that the advanced version of the Sex Fiend job had a critical skill too. Though imagining a "critical" Sex Fiend attack was a bit much.
"Oh, Miria, give that Bolet to Vesta."
"Yes, desu." Miria took the drop item to Vesta.
"Is this all right?" Vesta asked.
"You need it for your job, don't you?"
"Yes. Thank you very much."
"Big Sister, desu," Miria said, puffing out her chest proudly for some reason. She then looked at me as if gauging my reaction. I wasn't sure what she wanted.
"Well, shall we head to the eighteenth floor?"
"...Yes, desu."
We left the boss room. For some reason, Miria looked a bit dejected. Then it clicked. I knew what she wanted. Since we’d done the sixteenth floor, she wanted to do the seventeenth—but not in Halver. She wanted the seventeenth floor of Quratar, so we could fight the Black Diamond Tuna.
"Oh, right. I still have that red tuna meat in the Item Box. Miria, I’ll give it to you for tomorrow’s dinner. Can you make something for us?"
"Yes, desu!" Her mood brightened instantly.
Still, it was going to be harder to get the final blow on bosses from now on. I’d promised to keep fighting until we got a rare Toro drop, but doing that many rounds without me getting the kill might be a problem. Was the Cook’s Rare Ingredient Drop Rate Up effective even if the Cook didn't get the kill? Or should I make everyone a Cook? That would take forever.
"Sherry, the Oystershell drops actual oysters too, right?"
"Yes."
"As a celebration for Vesta joining us, how about an oyster dinner tonight?"
We’d fought that last boss without the Cook job since we only wanted the Bolet. It would be a good test to see how often oysters dropped with the skill active.
"Oysters are expensive," Sherry noted. "Usually, people either sell them or only the master eats them. It would be fine if you were the only one to have them, Master."
"No, we’re all eating them. Vesta, you want some too, right?" I asked, looking for backup.
"Umm... Yes, if I may." Vesta was good at reading the room.
We used Dungeon Walk to move. Before entering the boss room, I swapped my jobs, keeping Alchemist but dropping Monk for Cook. Based on Vesta’s performance, we didn't really need a dedicated healer for a boss fight, and I didn't want to waste the Plating I’d already applied.
We challenged the boss again. I took a slam from the Clamshell during the fight, but Durandal’s HP Absorption patched me right up. This time, I got the kill on the Oystershell. It vanished into smoke, leaving only a Bolet.
"Bolets don't rot, do they?"
"They should be fine," Sherry said.
"Then Vesta, you keep this one. Tell me when you’re running low."
"Thank you, Master."
I’d likely forget, so it was better to let her manage her own stock.
We ran the boss again. This time, Sherry got the kill with her spear, and an oyster actually appeared. When the smoke cleared, a plump, milky-white object was lying on the floor. It didn't have a shell, just the meat. Appraisal confirmed it was indeed an Oyster. I carefully tucked it into the Item Box.
"So this is an oyster. How do you cook it?"
"Usually grilled or boiled," Sherry said. "I had it once when I was very small, so I don't know much more than that."
I wasn't about to try a monster drop raw, so grilling sounded like the way to go. It was about the size of a palm—large for an oyster, but not massive. We’d need one for everyone. Since it had dropped when Sherry got the kill, it seemed the Cook’s skill applied to the whole party. We kept at it until we had enough for everyone.
"And that’s the fifth. Finally."
"You really do have amazing luck, Master."
"It's great, desu."
"Is it really?" I asked. It had taken over twenty rounds to get five of them. Still, it proved that if we only needed one, we wouldn't be stuck there all day.
We finally moved to the eighteenth floor.
"You don't need to take hits on purpose here. We’ll be exploring normally, so you’ll probably get hit eventually anyway. You can just watch for now."
"No, I’ll be fine."
"All right. Just watch out for the poison; there are a lot of venomous monsters here."
"Understood."
Guided by Roxanne, we hunted our way through the floor. Vesta handled herself well. In one-on-one fights, she almost never got hit, and when we were mobbed, Roxanne took most of the heat without ever being touched. Eventually, Vesta mistimed a swing and took a counterattack. I reapplied Plating and used a First Aid spell.
"I'm fine now, Master," she said, waving me off. One pulse again? Damage Mitigation was truly incredible. It seemed she could handle several hits without even needing healing.
"Think you can manage the eighteenth floor?"
"Yes." She didn't hesitate. I suppose if you rarely got hit and it didn't hurt when you did, there wasn't much to be worried about.
"All right. Let's call it a day. We have some shopping to do."
"Shopping?" Roxanne’s eyes lit up. She really did love to shop.
We needed a maid outfit and an apron for Vesta. I wasn't sure if a maid outfit would suit her frame, but an apron was a safe bet. She also needed something to sleep in.
"First, the clothing shop in the capital."
"We need a negligee for Vesta," Roxanne added, already making plans.
"Is it for me?" Vesta asked.
"I’m getting a few things made for you."
"Thank you very much." Vesta bowed. She was remarkably humble for someone who had just casually breezed through the eighteenth floor.
We moved to the Imperial Capital and stepped out of the guild. Vesta didn't look around much, which was unusual for someone’s first time in the capital. Then again, she was so large that she already drew eyes; looking around like a tourist would only make her stand out more.
We entered the clothing shop.
"Umm... this place looks very expensive," Vesta whispered.
"It’s fine."
The usual male clerk approached us, accompanied by two female assistants.
"I’d like to order the same style of apron I got recently," I told him.
"Of course, sir."
"But this time, it’s for her." I put a hand on Vesta's shoulder, which was roughly at the level of my face.
"Understood. We’ll take her measurements immediately."
The female assistants guided Vesta toward a back room with exaggerated politeness. Vesta followed them as if she were walking into a lion’s den. I wondered what "measurements" involved in this world—probably stripping down and having tapes wrapped around her. I was genuinely curious about the numbers, especially for her bust.
"I also want the lady-in-waiting outfit made for her," I added.
"Certainly. Shall we use the same fabric as last time?"
"Yes."
"The apron will be ready in five days, and the outfit in ten."
I decided to just come back in ten days and get them both at once.
"And what about these? Do you have any that would fit her?" Roxanne asked, pointing to the satin camisoles.
"Those are ready-made, so this is our largest size," the clerk replied.
"This one? She could probably wear it, but..." Roxanne held it up.
"The shoulders should be fine, but the hem will be quite short," the assistant added.
"Hmm. What do you think, Master?"
"We’d have to custom-order anything larger," the clerk noted.
A short hem sounded perfect to me. No pants, just a short hem—effectively a miniskirt.
Vesta returned, and Roxanne held the camisole up against her. It came to a few inches above her knees.
"It really is short," Roxanne said.
"Short, desu."
"Maybe it's too much," Sherry agreed.
"Let's just buy it for now. If it’s really a problem, we can order a custom one later," I interjected. I wasn't about to let a potential miniskirt slip away.
"We only have black or white in this size."
Black was perfect for Vesta. It would give her a more mature, bewitching look.
"Is black okay, Vesta?" Roxanne asked.
"Is it really all right?"
"It’s fine," Roxanne assured her. We went with the black one.
"I'll take this. And please, take these rabbit pelts as well," I said, placing them on the counter.
"Ah... So you aren't with the Imperial Knight Order after all," the clerk murmured.
Apparently, selling rabbit pelts was a giveaway that I wasn't an official knight. I’d always sold them, so I wasn't sure what had tipped him off this time. I finished the transaction and we left.
"The clerk really thought you were an Imperial Knight, Master," Roxanne said proudly.
"I wonder why."
"It’s obvious just by looking at you. That man has a good eye."
"Most Explorers are rough, ill-mannered people," Sherry explained. "Seeing someone who can maintain proper etiquette and speak fluent Brahim, it’s only natural to assume they’re from the Knight Order."
So, just having the manners of a modern Japanese person was enough to make me look like nobility here.
"Brahim, desu," Miria added. It was a point of pride for her, since she struggled so much with the language herself. I patted her ears to praise her.
"You certainly look like a knight to me, Master," Vesta said.
Next, we headed to the armor shop in Quratar.
"We’re looking for plate mail, right?"
"Yes, that’s right," Vesta confirmed.
We found a set of Steel Plate Mail. It wasn't full-body armor, but a heavy metal cylinder that protected from the shoulders to the waist, with a set of faulds—the skirt-like metal plates—attached at the bottom. It looked like it would make her move like a robot, but it was designed to split open from the side for easy access.
It looked incredibly heavy. I tried to lift it and confirmed that while it wasn't impossible, it was a burden.
"Oh, the faulds on this one look good," I noted.
"I don't see much of a difference," Sherry said. To be fair, neither did I, except that this one had three empty skill slots.
"It’s heavy, Vesta. Can you handle it?"
"I think so." Vesta picked it up effortlessly. She made it look like it weighed nothing. Maybe Dragon-kin had a natural bonus for heavy equipment.
"Is this set okay?"
"Yes, it’s more than enough. Thank you, Master."
We also picked out Steel Gauntlets and Steel Demigreaves—metal gloves and shin guards that reached the knee. I had Vesta pick out versions with empty slots. I skipped the helmet, though; I didn't want her looking like a faceless tin man. The leather hat was enough.
"I’d like these. Also, do you carry great shields?" I asked the clerk.
"Shields for Dragon-kin? I’m afraid we don't stock those."
Oh well. She didn't seem to need one for the eighteenth floor anyway. Two swords it was. We paid for the gear, and I tucked it all into the Item Box.
"Let's grab some ingredients and head home. I’ll cook the oysters myself, so you girls handle the rest."
"Understood, Master."
Back at the house, I washed the oysters, dredged them in flour, and sautéed them in butter.
"Vesta, squeeze these for me."
"Understood." Vesta squeezed the lemons with such ease it looked like she was crushing soft grapes. I’d have to keep using her for chores.
The oyster butter sauté turned out perfectly. I finished it with the fresh lemon juice and served it. The outside was crisp, the inside tender and rich, and the lemon provided the perfect acidic bite.
"Master, your cooking is truly the best!" Roxanne cheered.
"It’s delicious. This is exactly how I remember them tasting," Sherry added.
"Delicious, desu."
"I can't believe I’m allowed to eat something this good," Vesta said, sounding moved.
"Once we’re done, Vesta, try on the armor. I want to make sure everything fits before we head out tomorrow."
"Understood, Master."
After dinner, we had the "fitting." Miria helped her, lifting the heavy plate and pressing it against Vesta's body. It clicked shut perfectly. She looked ready for battle.