Nur Alio, welcome! Thank you for the support!
Ludwig walked through the street of Tempest.
The sun in the sky shone warmly into him, the crispy morning air caressed his skin. It's softer than he was used to, full of mana or magicule as well.
In front of him, three small children and a small fox were walking side by side. They were hopping, laughing, and chattering. So pure, so small to even care for the business of the world.
"Look at Cless." Kushina whispered from his side. "She's so excited."
Her amusement was palpable in her tone. But Ludwig could only nod his head at Kushina's words.
The current Cless was so different from how she usually behaved. She was still high-strung like always, but when she's in the restaurant she always has that little sister energy with her. Playfully playing with everyone bothered talking with her and sulking animatedly when her demands were not met.
The current her was… freer. She chatted animatedly about things the adults never thought about. Teasing her two friends. And even showed some elder sister vibe.
That just showed how important a friend of the same age is.
He knew she didn't really have a friend in Elos. One reason was because of his unique standing as a foster kid of the head administrator of Ravenhall. And another one was probably because she simply couldn't connect with kids there.
Most kids her age would still play-fighting, thinking about becoming a hero from the fairytale. But Cless, she had seen someone so powerful, comparable to a hero. And, it's someone she called Aunt.
Before long, they finally arrived in a place they had come yesterday. Tempest Academy. Just in front of the gate, Ludwig stopped. Kushina and Shuna also stopped.
"Cless. Nothing left behind, right?" Ludwig went down to his knees and looked at the girl who was turning towards him.
She puffed her cheeks, reminding Ludwig of a certain squirrel from the Ice Age. She then crossed her arms and grumbled. "Lud! I am not a child! You have asked twice now! I.Have.brought.everything.with.me."
Ludwig chuckled and raised both of his hands to the air, fake surrendering to her demands. "Okay, okay. I know you are not a child, that's why I didn't just open your bag."
"You can't do that!" Cless bursted. The fox on top of her head turned red, her fur now became even more darker than Kushina's hair. "Aunt Claire said no men could touch women's things!"
Ludwig choked after hearing what Cless' just said. If the words did not leave through the mouth of a seven year old, it would have a lot of different meanings. Thankfully, he could gather his bearings quickly.
"Okay, okay. I'll not ask or touch your things without permission." Ludwig relented. "See you after the school's out."
"LUD!" Cless protested. "Don't think I forgot. We have a deal!"
Ludwig chuckled at her protest. Claire was influencing the girl a little bit too much.
"Fine…" Ludwig sighed. "But I want you at Rimuru's place before the sun is down. Understood?"
Cless nodded. Face growing brighter and brighter. "Of course! I will not break my promise!"
After saying so, she turned around and practically dragged Latina and Kokobu to the building. The little fox on top of her head turned from one colour to another in a split second.
"I hope my child in the future won't be like that." Kushina murmured, but still loud enough for him to hear.
Ludwig rose to his feet and cleaned the dirt clinging to his pants. "Why? Kids like Cless are bound to be smart in the future. A quality fit for Hokage position."
Kushina grimaced visibly. "No, no, no. A little kid that can strike a deal with an adult? Please no."
"Hey." Ludwig protested. "I let her get a deal, okay? She's yet to be as skilled as me, or even Rimuru."
Kushina's neck mechanically turned to him. Her eyes opened wide and his mouth hung open. "D-did you? I-I thought…"
"What kind of deal happens when one side gets everything while the other one doesn't even get anything?" Ludwig squinted.
Kushina just laughed dryly at his question, neck went to the open field across from the academy building.
Ludwig sighed. If he's the Hokage, he would surely send Kushina to Elos to shadow Claire in every meeting. The Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails was far too ignorant in politics and negotiation.
Granted Konoha wouldn't be sent into a negotiation. After all, the Second Hokage was buried because he was backstabbed during a negotiation. But learning it wouldn't hurt, right?
Shuna's soft voice broke the silence from Kushina trying to bail out from the conversation and Ludwig's thinking about the Jinchuriki.
"Ludwig-sama, Kushina-sama. Should I guide you around Jura Forest now?"
Kushina whipped her head to the side so fast Ludwig could swear he could hear the sound of the air being slashed. What followed after that was her ever so enthusiastic words.
"Let's go Shuna. I'm really curious about the forest."
Moments later, they started to walk away from the academy. A few stops to the street stalls later, they were finally out of the border of Tempest City.
The air was cooler, sweeter, thick with magicules yet gentle as a passing breeze. Golden warm light bleeds from the deep emerald foliage above, falling like light from heaven into the mossy ground beneath.
Birdsong echoed from somewhere above, oddly melodic for creatures born in a magicule-heavy land.
Kushina inhaled so deeply Ludwig thought she was going to swallow the forest whole.
"Wow…" she whispered, voice hushed as though afraid to disturb something sacred. "The trees here are huge."
Ludwig glanced up. Huge was an understatement of the century. The nearest tree trunk was as wide as his dining hall. Roots that looked like a sleeping serpent curled into the earth, moss growing in patches thick enough to cushion a fall.
"They're very old," Shuna said softly, walking ahead with serene steps. "Much older than Tempest. They hold magicules in their bark, so they grow stronger with time."
Kushina approached one of the larger roots, poking it. "So this one is… like, a tree-chakra-master?"
Shuna blinked. "A what?"
"Never mind." Kushina mumbled.
Ludwig chuckled under his breath—but paused mid-step as something caught his eye.
Ah.
There it is.
A cluster of orange caps peeked from between the roots. Their surface glistened like sugared tangerine.
He crouched immediately.
"Oya? Ludwig-sama?" Shuna tilted her head.
Kushina still inspected the root but turned her head at his reaction. "What happened?"
"Mushroom." He said simply.
Kushina blinked. "…you almost dove into the ground for a mushroom?"
He plucked one and held it up, nose practically touching the surface as he inhaled.
A spicy, citrusy scent.
"They are caled Fulma Caps." Shuna identified. "They're safe to eat but only grow in places heavy with magicule dew."
"Which means." Ludwig said quietly, "They're probably excellent for broth."
Shuna's smile widened. "They are very popular among Tempest cooks."
Kushina leaned closer, nose scrunched. "You're telling me that thing." She pointed at the mushroom, "the one that looks like it came straight out of a fairy tale where it poisons people—"
"—is delicious" Ludwig finished.
Kushina stared at him like she couldn't decide whether to trust him or drag him back to Tempest for examination.
Brushing her gaze aside, he plucked three more and slid them into his Storage Dimension. Taste Profile and other information stored as well.
Not two steps later, something else caught his eye. Small pale-blue flowers shimmered softly at the edge of a sunlit patch, petals glowing faintly like bioluminescent silk.
Shuna followed his gaze. "Ah. Dewpetals. Their pollen is calming. Usually used for teas."
"So that's what this scent is…" Kushina murmured, sniffing the air.
Ludwig crouched again.
Kushina sighed loudly. "You're doing it again."
"They're useful." Ludwig argued, fingers hovering just above the petals. "Let me see… Healthy. Fully mature. Perfect for steeping."
"You're gonna steal all of Tempest's plants at this rate." Kushina muttered.
"Borrow." Ludwig corrected. "I'll use it to fill Tempest's belly."
Kushina raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like stealing with extra steps."
Shuna giggled behind her sleeve.
After that, they continued deeper into the forest. The foliage became denser, mana too. WIth scarce amount of sunlight trickling in, the air became quite cold. A prickling around his skin.
The scent also shifted. Floral undertones replaced by warm sweetness. Bushes grew thicker around them, dotted with red berries that shimmered like gemstones.
Shuna stopped and gestured to a low, knotted tree. At its center hung a hive the size of a barrel, golden combs gleaming between narrow slits.
Kushina froze. "Is that?!"
"Honey." Shuna said. "Forest Honeybees make it from mana-rich flowers."
Ludwig took one step toward it.
Kushina immediately grabbed his sleeve. "Don't you dare!"
He paused. "I won't hit the hive, Kushina. Relax."
The honey inside, though…
He stepped closer, eyes narrowing to evaluate the natural wax seal.
Then, he let his spatial mana to step inside. He fine tuned it, making it only covered some of the honey, not everything. Moreover, all the bees inside were left untouched.
After taking out a jar from his Storage Dimension, he displaced the honey from inside the beehive into the clear glass container. The scent was simply intoxicating. Floral but with a deeper mana undertone that warmed the nasal passages.
Kushina swallowed. "Okay… fine… that actually smells amazing."
"Isn't it? Do you want to taste it?" He offered her a tiny drop on the tip of a spoon.
The red head nodded and took the spoon from him. The moment it entered her mouth, her eyes widened.
"WHAT THE—LUD—THIS IS… THIS IS SO GOOD! Why doesn't the honey in my world taste like this? WHY?!?"
Shuna giggled again, her shoulders shaking.
"Don't ask me." Ludwig replied, already sealing the jar. "Blame your world's ecology."
Kushina kicked a pebble. "Stupid ecology…"
Ludwig laughed as he heard Kushina obeying his words. Even after hearing it he was sure the girl didn't even know what 'Ecology' meant.
After her outburst, they walked again. Deeper and deeper. The sound of water soon reached them. They followed Shuna to a small stream, crystal clear, magicules swirling inside like dust motes in sunlight.
Kushina knelt and trailed her fingers through the water. "It's warm…!"
"Magicules." Shuna explained. "The streams keep their temperature even in winter."
Ludwig touched the water too.
Warm, with a faint tang on his tongue—magicules abundant even in liquid form.
Perfect for boiling or soup bases.
His brain was already processing recipes.
Broths. Marinades. Mana-tea reductions.
Ohhhh the possibilities.
"Don't you dare think about cooking in the forest." Kushina warned, not looking at him but somehow knowing.
"…I wasn't." Ludwig lied.
"Ludwig."
"…I was only thinking about maybe one or two things."
Kushina groaned. "We're not even halfway in and you've already turned this into a secret grocery trip."
He laughed under his breath.
"In my defense." He murmured, "My world doesn't have this. It would be irresponsible not to collect it."
Shuna smiled with gentle amusement. "If Ludwig-sama wishes to gather herbs or ingredients, please do. Jura Forest is rich. And Tempest loves sharing with friends."
That made Ludwig pause.
Friends.
He glanced at Kushina, who was splashing water toward some golden fish-like things beneath the surface. She laughed, bright, unrestrained, loud enough to startle a few birds.
He exhaled softly.
"Do you want to go to the deepest region of the forest?" Shuna said, hands folded, eyes warm. "There are rarer ingredients there. Some are unique to Jura Forest."
Ludwig blinked before a smile curled in his face. "Please. It could be an avenue for Tempest to get their money back from me."
Shuna chuckled at his words. She probably knew about the Gold Sink Tempest was experiencing lately.
"But be warned… The deepest part of Jura Forest is full of monsters. Some are hard to kill even for us."
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Just to let you know, Pokemon World is finally joining in the latest chapter of the Highest Tier.
Yes, im coaxing you guys to join.