After leaving the cartographer's shop, they all head back to the Smithy warehouses. Tickets for the final day are sold out well in advance, so Aoi needs to get back to work and start crafting some of the tons of ore that Cain brought them this week before the next ships come in and want items in trade.
Most traders to the southern continent don't want coins or bullion. They want to bring back gear. Thanks to the number of awakened adventurers and artisans, the port of Musashi is a prime spot to get extremely high-quality items. They limit the output to traders that aren't going to other awakened areas to avoid unbalancing the trade routes, but a good portion of the items that end up at the auctions started out here.
According to Aoi, they get regular ships for food and textiles from other parts of the Southern Continent, but only one or two ships a year from other Continents that are looking for gear, and it is almost unheard of for them to have more than one bin of ore that is high enough quality to be considered. The ore isn't easy to come by, and the waters offshore are simply too dangerous for many people to willingly visit the continent.
That works out well for Cain though. They have a lot of ore, and the armor and weapons that they gather can stay strictly in the Guild. It might mess things up a little as far as balance goes, but weapons at this level are so expensive that they would still only be equipping a few members every trip. The proliferation of Skill Books will likely make the biggest difference.
Assah has a great library, but the materials are pretty rare, so they don't spread too fast. Darklight Host has incredible luck getting what they need, and they work together much better than any other Guild on the continent, so highly skilled members will be much more common for them. Skills used properly can overcome an over-geared opponent with relative ease, so there is a good chance that most opponents that would dare to go against the guild wouldn't even notice the gear.
"Have fun with the ore, and we will come to visit again next time we are in town." Cain waves goodbye to Aoi and leads his convoy back to the hotel.
Once they are settled back in the small room that the youkai managed to get them when they arrived, Cain gathers everyone together for a quick chat. "It seems that for myself and Evangeline at least, changing our forms will save a lot of headaches later on. So, Evangeline, what appearance would you prefer? Then I will consider opinions on how I should look for the duration of this trip. Elves and Beastkin are the most common species in the nearby areas marked on this map, but I do see some villages marked as mostly demons and some that are predominantly dwarves and gnomes.
We all know the Dwarves don't travel any more than they have to, not even here to the port where they could get more ore for their craft, so they're pretty much out. But an Elf or a Beastkin shouldn't be out of place anywhere we go."
Nemu's eyes light up at that one and Cain has a pretty good idea of what she is going to suggest, but he waits for Evangeline to choose first. He knows she loves being Seraphim, but they do stand out everywhere, and merging with her to avoid trouble would take a lot of fun out of the Journey. Plus, she's their healer. Not that they need a lot of healing, but still, she is a very good healer.
"I think I will try out being an avian beastkin for a change. I can take changing forms, but not being able to fly? I would go insane." Evangeline decides.
That makes sense. Once you're used to flying, it would feel like you were crippled to have to walk everywhere you go instead.
Cain contemplates the form he should choose for a while, and inspiration strikes him. There is a half beastkin, half-demon of the avian persuasion in his listings that he saw while searching for a skill one day. It has a bird head like the Record Keeper or Mysterious Disciple and the same blue feathered wings that Misha and the demons share. The one he has recorded is officially half Parrot Kin, with no name of the demonic ancestry, so that will do perfectly for Evangeline. They're even the same size, so he won't have to modify the form.
Once he has activated the ability and the change settles on Evangeline she begins to blink rapidly for a few seconds before adjusting.
"Being able to see things behind your head is weird. I can see a full circle. But now that I'm used to it this is pretty good. Plus I think I will still be able to fly pretty well."
The Seraphim spreads her wings and the other Companions smirk at the fact Cain subconsciously made them the same as Misha's in both color and shape, though these are a bit larger. The actual body Evangeline is in weighs much less than a human, since the Beastkin has hollow bones for easier flight. At Ancient Quality, strength isn't much of a consideration, but the lighter weight should help keep her maneuverability up close to the standard she is used to, even if she now only has one pair of wings.
"Since Evangeline is happy with her new form, does anyone have a suggestion for me?" Cain asks, looking forward to the entertainment of seeing what they come up with.
"Something big and sexy." Nemu blurts and Cain sees the form of Purrseus in his mind as she focuses on it.
"But not as furry as Nemu is thinking." Evangeline adds.
"But it still needs a tail." Vala suggests.
"Why don't we make him Vala's dad?" Laura teases, but the other companions all look at her like she's a genius.
"Yes, Big Daddy Blood Dancer. It would explain your strength and strange abilities. We just need to find you an ability to change your status from showing Ancient and nobody will question you being Duke Cain from the Central Continent." Nemu cheers and Cain laughs at her mental image of warm wings to curl up with. Her priorities never do change much.
