Chapter 13: Homecoming

"What a gorgeous sky."

*tach* *tach* *tach* *tach* *tach*

I'm a long way from camp so start jogging. Fortunately my sandals survived the 'duel.' And all the critters are giving me a wide berth. Plenty of time to reflect, and its not good. The baron formerly known as mustache, is right. That fight was shit. The only reason I won? Overpowered everyone else.

[Super Senses] wasn't much help either. There was too much information to sort thru. So it turned into a haze like all the dust in the air.

I'll be royally screwed if I face someone, or someones, that can rival my strength and speed. Even with the swords help, could tell my moves were crap. Need to actually learn a style like fencing or kendo or, something. A dual wielding one. Really like using both swords at once. It feels, right.

Right? Huh.

Another weakness is my lack of attack magic and range. I'm a healing wiz and can break debuffs, but can't even throw a fucking [Fireball].

Even my [Recovery Magic] is stupid. Takes to long to cast and uses more mana than it should. Must learn magic and redo this messy grimoire in my head.

Finally, let's not forget that I lack pretty much every single fucking life skill to survive in this medieval fantasy world! From archery to yodeling and everything in between. Bet I would look good in suspenders. Everybody polka!

And the language! Hear them speaking words, that I don't know. Hear me saying words, that I don't know! Getting translated into words I do know, in my mind. If too many are talking? It can get damn confusing. Often hear things like, 'way come please,' instead of, 'please come this way.'

And the writing? What the fuck is up with that? Is this what a dyslexic goes through with the words and letters moving and changing? The test scribble I did this morning was freaky. Telling your hand to do one thing and watching it do another? Seriously. Freaky.

Have to learn how to properly speak, read, and write, the local languages. The less I rely on unreliable isekai tropes? The better.

Wow, got one hell of a mountain to climb.

Now its not all bad though. Proved this body really is a muscle car. So much power. Been running for miles now and barely sweating. This kid must have been the star of fantasy junior high commando school.

A bigger package is a huge plus too. Hello, fantasy ladies. Do I got something for you. And thank god I'm not ugly. While my face is more on the intimidating side? Its a hell of a lot better than being fugly.

The super swords are big pluses too. Sanctity and Tormentor can just about autopilot their way thru fights.

And my mana? [Super Senses] keeps showing that I have so much more than others. Like comparing a lake to puddles. So much that I can turn into iron man, or maybe the hulk, and tear demon lord arms off.

My cheat powers have issues but they are still cheat powers. As long as I don't run out of mana, [Recovery Magic] means lethal for everyone else is just inconvenient for me. [Super Senses] can show me everything going on for miles around me. And [Bullet Time] lets me think and move so fast, the world turns slow-mo even more than when using nitro.

My 'slaves' are a big plus too. Bring a lot of skills and experience to the table. Of course, now that they've been busted? They are probably already spreading knees for new 'masters.' And I'm okay with that. The thought of owning people makes me nauseous.

Better they get gone sooner than later. Isekai [Slavery Magic] doesn't seem to do what the cartoons say it do.

"How do I free my slaves? Is there a warranty?"

Oh, here comes the camp already. Damn, wonder if they've got sports teams on this world? Be rich and famous in no time. Surrounded by gold-diggers instead of sex slaves. At least you know what the gold-diggers are after.

"And here's the welcoming committee."

Slow down to a walk as I approach the perimeter. Felt being spotted a ways back so of course they are waiting for me. Both tin can and monocle are there along with a couple dozen knights. A mix of black and green behind monocle and white and gold behind tin can.

Feeling polite, I stop in front of them wild west style. May not be able to handle this many but, I'm confident I'll kill a whole bunch if they pick a fight.

Surprisingly, instead of a challenge, monocle bows deeply? Eh?

"Lord Barton." Tin can snaps a glare at monocle. "I must apologize for what happened this morning. One of the lords has a, 'history,' with your slave. I did not realize your slave would handle it so poorly."

He's being a lot more polite than I expected. No mention of the kilt and sandals or blood either? Hmm...

"History?"

Has captain tin can always been this dense?

I'm feeling pretty chill after my murder spree and puking extravaganza. So I wave it off.

"The half-breed has been thru a lot." Monocle's eyebrow goes up. "I expected too much from her. I'll find other duties she's better suited too." Like licking the toilets clean. "If she's still alive of course."

Tin can gives me the evil eye.

"She is still alive." You oblivious fuck. She got NTR'd years before I got here. "Avi was taken to your, tent."

How can you not tell she still loves you? Idiot. Or is what you thought she was, years ago, more important to you than what she is.

Monocle sighs.

"The Lord General would still like to meet but understands now is a poor time. We will reschedule."

He bows again and four black and greens take up positions around me. Guess I've got an escort. Taking my queue that the welcome party is over, I start walking 'home.'

From the southeastern corner of the camp to the northern end.

There is a change as I approach the tent. All of tin can's white and gold banners and flags, that were decorating those tents, are gone. Replaced by what easy elf identified as Marquis Lianlaf's black and green.

And compared to tin can's pretty boy knights? The atmosphere is much tighter here. Reminds me of my army days. All of grizzly's troops are working on their gear, training, or patrolling.

As I get closer I can see all of the soldiers surrounding my tent have been replaced with black and greens too. My escort peels away.

Hmm... No slave standing guard at the entrance. And it feels the tent is in a bubble like tin can's was. [Super Senses] pushes through and shows all six, and no one else, inside but something is, wrong. They all seem, injured? Did mustache or tin can stop by to borrow a cup of S&M?

*wha'pish*

Was that a, whip? What the fuck is going on?

Pushing through the tent flap reveals Vira in front of the tent's center support pole. Her wrists are tied together and over her head. Held up high so high by another rope that only her toes can touch the floor. She is naked. The back facing me is a mess of welts, cuts, and blood. Even see bone in places. Jesus.

Collapsed next to her is easy elf. She is also tied but the rope is let out enough that she is on the floor. Also naked, and torn up even more than Vira. In between us? Are the other four. All naked, with wounds all over.

Have they been whipping, each other?

A lot?

For the second time today my nose is assaulted with the reek of blood, piss, and shit.

Three are on their knees, heads on the floor. One, Dara, is standing and holding a whip. Sobbing and trembling. She is the only one still conscious but barely holding on. Dwarven toughness? They've all lost a lot of blood. Its sprayed across the floor, furniture, and dripping down the walls.

"Why..." Her voice is broken and hoarse. Like she's been screaming way too much. "How could you... Why can't you..." Her voice is far away. She's trying to lift the whip. "Why did you, drive him, away..."

"[Hygieia's Decree] [Menerva's Call] [House of Grannus]"

Triple cast with visualize, chant, and rune. Pain spikes into my skull, hard, but I had to do something fast. A couple are in shock already. Rest are close. Bitch is even on death's door. From the looks of her, she bore the brunt of the girls' rage.

Area spells are expensive but their waves of light clean wounds, boost clotting and blood production, and suppress emotional trauma.

Dara drops the whip, and turns, her haggard face not believing what she just heard. "M-master? Y-you came b-back?" She trips over her own feet trying to reach me. Fortunately I catch her before she hits the floor. Unconsciousness finally claims her.

"What am I to do with such troublesome women?"

Cut loose Vira and Avi and carry all six to their cots. Which are now in a side room they added. Fetch food from the black and green's mess tent. Again struck by how much more professional they are than tin can's kids. Then get buckets of water.

Wolf down my food, good but greasy, wipe myself down, then begin to work on the girls.

"What disappointing women."

Their color is returning so I can start stitching the torn muscles and skin back together. Sigh. This is not what I expected. Is this another trick? It clearly got out of hand if it was. And once you start it can be hard to stop.

Stanford experiment again?

This could be the girls policing themselves. Do slaves do that? This morning could have seemed like their prayers being answered. But then one of their own brought hell back. Yeah, they might have felt betrayed by the half-breed. But why-

"Lord Barton?" A woman? "May we enter?"

Great. Oh well. The more the merrier.

"Sure. Come on in."