The False Hero, Volume 4, page 41
Trapped in a hopeless situation and frozen by my own fear, I do the only thing I can think of—I run, just as Ashton commanded. I hide my identity and leave the mansion that I had known all my life, suppressing the frustration of abandoning everything I thought I believed in.
I swear it. One day, I’ll grow more powerful than him—more powerful than any Vampire Lord that has ever existed!
Fueled by both rage and terror, I flee across our border and enter the human lands in search of the one object that can grant me the strength I desire—the Dungeon Orb.
Extra chapter 2
----- Kalyn -----
Sometime in the not-too-distant future…
I burst into the makeshift kitchen and scan the small room until I find the person I’m looking for.
“Geralt! Another large order just came in!”
He listens to the order as I explain it to him, then sighs. “Tell them it’ll be at least twenty minutes before I can get to it.”
“I already did, and they said they didn’t mind waiting in the hot spring until it’s ready.”
“Ordering their food ahead of time and relaxing in the water while they wait, huh? Smart, I’ll give them that.”
“Just get to it as quickly as possible. They’re rich patrons so I want them to leave with a good impression.”
“I’m not bumping their order up just because they got some extra coin.”
“Of course not,” I say with conviction. “Sir Lutz would never approve of such a thing.”
“Right,” Geralt says as he turns to the two children who’ve become his apprentice cooks. “Let’s get it done, then.”
I turn back toward the door, ignoring Geralt’s grumbling about how a life and death trek through the dungeon is easier than keeping pace with the sudden surge in demand here at the resort.
When Sir Lutz first imagined the bathhouse’s growth, he anticipated it would be a slow and steady increase as word spread throughout this scarcely populated region of the Orakian Kingdom. But there was one event that completely toppled that expectation.
Who would have imagined that the destruction of the cathedral would draw in so many guests…
Word of the False Hero’s attack on one of the Goddess’ four holy cathedrals quickly spread through the kingdom. When the people learned that the Oracle’s Chamber was destroyed and that we could no longer receive prophecies from the Goddess at this cathedral, many believers made a pilgrimage here to pray for the Goddess to restore our connection to the heavens.
With the cathedral being a half-day’s walk from Resta, the town became a popular waypoint for those making the pilgrimage. Of course a pilgrim who’s been on the highways for days or weeks would enjoy a nice, hot bath—especially right before they enter one of the Goddess’ holy grounds—so we were suddenly swarmed with customers.
There’s also the growing rumor of the water’s magical healing properties. We can use that rumor as a marketing ploy without guilt because thanks to Sir Lutz, it’s not just a rumor—it really can cleanse minor diseases and illnesses.
We underestimated how popular this bathhouse would become. We need to do some reorganizing to accommodate the large arrivals of guests.
Ina and Devin still escort groups to and from the resort, which means guests often arrive all at once, putting a strain on our ability to check them in and provide them with services.
Lately, more people have become comfortable making the trip without escorts, thanks to the fact that none of the guests have been assaulted by monsters since operations began. Of course, the reason for that is because we can sense the mana of monsters in the area and move to slay them before they can become a threat.
Speaking of mana…
I sense the presence of several odd sources of energy coming down the road.
They’re strong. If it weren’t for our powerful enchanted equipment, could we defeat them?
I’m a bit anxious since Devin and Ina are currently in the town of Resta, gathering the next group of guests. That leaves just me and Geralt to protect the kids and guests if things go sour.
“Geralt, do you sense that mana?”
“Hold on, let me see…” He goes silent as he focuses on his detection. “Yes. We should meet them outside, just in case.”
“Okay. I’m going out first.”
I step outside, leaving the front desk in the hands of the young girl I’ve been training. As always, nothing but brown dirt and rocks stretch out as far as I can see, broken up only by the occasional bush.
Geralt arrives by my side, and together, we silently watch the road that leads from the resort to the main highway.
Eventually, our new guests come into view. There are three of them, and they’re wearing strange, loose-fitting robes, along with finely crafted circlets. Even from this distance, I can see that their clothes are extravagant when compared to an average citizen. But that’s not the most shocking thing about these visitors.
“Elves…” I say softly.
“Why is a group of elves coming to this bathhouse?” Geralt is just as confused as me.
“I don’t know but we should make sure to welcome them properly.”
“Right, but elves are known to be very picky and tough to handle. We need to be prepared for their sharp tongues if we don’t meet their expectations.”
They’ve grown close during our conversation, so we silently watch as they reach the end of the road and step onto the resort grounds.
They have a small wagon which is being pulled by a horse, and I can clearly hear the rattle of goods within it as they come to a stop before us.
“Welcome to the Azure Springs Resort. We’re pleased to be receiving our very first set of elven guests.” I give him what I hope is an elegant bow.
When I raise my head, I notice that the three elves are taking in the sight of the simple resort with frowns on their faces.
“Seems a bit lacking,” the taller of the three elves says. “Guess he was embellishing this bathhouse’s extravagance after all.”
He? Did someone in town tell them of our resort? No, that’s not important. It seems they’ve gotten a poor impression of us because of the simplicity of our construction.
The resort’s main building is just a small house, and the coach house we recently had constructed is only capable of holding a few carriages. We’re trying to improve the look of the resort, but it’s a work in progress, so there are plenty of imperfections that can be pointed out with a glance.
“I assure you that we will do everything possible to meet your expectations,” I say with a smile. “Please, feel free to park your wagon in our coach house. A stablehand will feed and water your horse free of charge.”
They take me up on my offer, and after dropping off the wagon, two of the elves follow us into the reception area. The third stays behind, presumably to guard their wares.
“We’ll check you into the resort right here,” I say as I step behind the counter.
My young apprentice is gaping at the two elves, so I give her a little nudge. “W-welcome to the Azure Springs Resort, valued customers! The entrance fee is one silver per person. There’s no time limit for your stay, but we close at dusk, so please keep that in mind.
“We offer basic dining and a wide assortment of drinks if that’s what you desire. Towels and swimwear will be provided upon request, though there is a rental fee for their use. We also have a personal care spa where you can wash yourself with soap. The water in the spa has been treated with a mild fragrance that will leave you feeling fresh all day, guaranteed! Of course, entrance to the spa is extra.”
She bows her head toward them, and I can see her breathe a sigh of relief that she managed to get through the introduction without issue.
“Soap in a hot spring?” the large elf says with a frown. “The plants and animals downstream from this bathhouse must be in terrible condition.”
“Worry not,” I say. “We only use the most environmentally friendly soap available!”
At least, that’s what Sir Lutz told me…
“Is that so?” he says skeptically. “I’d like to see this soap of yours, if you don’t mind.”
“Most certainly.” I retrieve a bar from a nearby closet we use to store our daily supplies. “Please, examine it closely.”
Surely Sir Lutz was correct when he said this soap wouldn’t impact the life around here … right?
The taller elf pushes the bar toward his younger companion, and he leans in, placing his face just a few inches from it. He uses his fingernail to scrape at the top, then examines it with both his eyes and nose.
Just as I begin to grow nervous, he lifts his head, his eyes a bit wider than before. “They spoke the truth, Kymil. This soap uses potash from the Brown Kousa tree as a base and silverleaf oil as an additive. Both ingredients are harmless to the environment, even in large quantities.”
Eh? He figured out our recipe that easily?
“Are you certain?” Kymil asks the younger elf.
“Yes. I was an alchemist for nearly three decades, and I’ve worked with these ingredients many times. There’s no mistake. Though I do wonder where they managed to get their hands on such rare ingredients.”
“My apologies,” I say to the young elf, “but I cannot reveal the source.”
They’re actually a drop item in the dungeon, though…
“I understand,” he replies. “We have them in abundance in our land, so it’s only rare for humans.”
“The soap may be good, but it alone can’t ensure the quality of this bathhouse,” Kymil says.
“I’m confident in our alcohol and food, as well,” I say with a smile.
“Alcohol, huh?” Kymil looks intrigued. “I’ll take a glass of your finest brew, then.”
“Certainly.” I reach into the wine cabinet and pull out a particularly expensive bottle of wine, normally reserved for high nobles during special occasions.
Sir Lutz acquired several bottles of this brew specifically in case we have any nobility arrive, hoping to make a good impression on them so they will spread the word of our resort’s quality.
After pouring a glass, I slide it across the desk. Kymil picks it up and passes it beneath his nose, inhaling its fragrance. I notice a distinct look of surprise, then he brings the glass to his lips and takes a sip.
“Not bad,” he admits. “Not bad at all. Normally, human drink is insufferable, but this brew has an elegance to it that is difficult to deny. I’ve never tasted any quite like it.”
“I’m happy to hear that it meets your expectations.”
“Yes, indeed. In fact, I’d be interested in trading for a bottle if you have any more in stock.”
“We do have two more bottles, but I’m not sure if we’d be willing to let them go since we have a need for such high-quality alcohol for our more cultured guests.”
Kymil turns to his companion. “Bring two here.”
The younger elf walks out but returns a moment later, carrying two items in his hands, which he places on the counter.
D-don’t tell me…
“Two for one,” Kymil says. “Quite a favorable deal, is it not?”
“I-is this … Fairy Wine?” I ask, my eyes captivated by its almost mystical shade of blue-green, which seems to glow faintly.
“It most certainly is.”
Are you kidding me!? Even a single bottle of Fairy Wine would be overpayment for a bottle of our own, yet he’s offering two!?
“I-I believe this deal is more than acceptable. But are you sure? Fairy Wine is far more valuable than what we have in stock.”
“From your perspective, maybe. But Fairy Wine is a common brew in our lands, so high quality human drink is actually a delicacy for us—when we can find it. Besides, you can consider it an apology for my rude behavior until now.”
“I see! Then by all means, let’s trade!”
I take out an unopened bottle of our wine and Kymil grabs it with a satisfied nod.
“What else do you have to trade?” he asks. “We managed to find some fine honey at that nearby town, but most of the other goods were quite disappointing.”
“Ah, one moment, please.” I make a show of going into the room we use as a sleeping area to retrieve some items, but I actually pull them out of my [Inventory] when I’m alone, then return to the counter.
“We’ve got quite a few raw ingredients, mostly useful for alchemy.”
I place onto the counter the ingredients Sir Lutz said were some of the more valuable materials available at the lower and middle sections of the dungeon.
We recently made a trip back to that dungeon to restock some supplies and gather some drop items. Sir Lutz created a strange list where he catalogued where to find many of the supplies needed to keep this bathhouse running.
The younger elf looks on with excitement. “Bugbear Ichor, hazel bindweed, nightrose aniseed, horn of the griffin…”
The former elf alchemist continues to list off the ingredients lying in front of him.
After naming most of the items, he looks to Kymil. “Seems he spoke the truth after all. I believe it would be beneficial for us to establish a trading route to this region.”
Eh? Trading route?
“Seems like it. Fine, then,” Kymil says as he looks to me. “Why don’t we sit down and discuss a fair trade for the items here, and then we can work out the details of a route.”
W-wait! They want to trade with me!?
“S-sure thing…” I end up agreeing without thinking about it.
And so, that’s how I became the elves largest and most successful trading partner. But that’s a story for another time.
Afterword
Ah, welcome back! Did you enjoy your visit to the dungeon and hot spring? Or did you want to stay a little longer? Well, vacations can’t last forever. I hope you were at least satisfied with your time there while it lasted.
Did you notice that this volume is a little different than the first three? In the others, Lutz was always being pushed forward by the threat of an army of soldiers cornering him. But for the first time, he and the girls finally have some time to truly relax!
Because of the drastic shift in atmosphere, I made a few more changes to harmonize with it. I used a looser writing style, with less adherence to academic rules. An example of this is when Lutz steps on the tile that triggers the boulder and the text literally says: *click*. It’s something I avoided in the past because I was worried it’d be a slippery slope for a new author. But now I’m comfortable with adding in those little spices while keeping the readability and flow intact.
I also put a huge amount of focus on the characters this time. I wanted each of them to get some growth and to just have some presence on the page in their own way. I personally love how it turned out, and I’m not biased so you can take my opinion to the bank.
Volume 5 is already up on Patreon in its entirety, and I’ll be starting Volume 6 sometime in mid-late April. I intended to speed up the release of volumes now that I’m a full-time author, but I recently realized that I’m in no rush to reach the finish line. Ever since putting the first word down for Volume 1, my intent was always to write the series I wanted to read, and I don’t want to risk compromising that by rushing them out. For me, this is as much about the journey of writing it as anything else. So, expect 4 months or so between releases again.
Anyway, I want to give out a few thanks. First, to the artists who helped bring this Volume to life: UnholySoul27, Aditya Novianto, Pluvhill, Ainannisa, Phi-MD Studio, and Chabibit. There were so many great illustrations in this volume, wouldn’t you agree?
Also, I’d like to thank my patrons who’ve stuck with me through thick and thin. I really couldn’t ask for a more supportive group.
Of course, I can’t forget to thank you as well. This series only lives in the minds of those who read it. So thank you for taking the time to join Lutz and his little harem on their journey in another world. I hope to see you again in Volume 5!
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Copyright
The False Hero, Volume 4
By Michael Plymel
This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to persons or places are strictly coincidental.
Copyright © 2022 Michael Plymel
Cover Illustration by: UnholySoul27
Other Illustrations by: Aditya Novianto
Pluvhill
Ainannisa
Phi-MD Studio
Chabibit
Graphite_Scenes
Michael Plymel, The False Hero, Volume 4
