See first chapter for disclaimers.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks to Storyseeker for beta-reading this. As usual, if you have any comments or preferences, please don't be shy. RandR. Slight spoilers for the manga.
PREVIOUSLY: That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime & Promised Neverland
Strange Kid
Xander and Faith kept scanning their surroundings as they walked. The forest looked reasonably benign, but it had looked that way before the monsters attacked, too. They also kept an eye on the locals with them. The little boy riding the wolf seemed unusually calm, given what had just happened. He was keeping an eye on his surroundings as well, but didn't seem overly worried. In a six-year-old boy, that was just unnatural.
His bodyguards looked calm as well, but it was in a white-knuckled oh-gods-we're-still-alive way. Xander suspected that they'd jump out of their skins at the first unexpected noise. He might have found it funny if not for the fact that he had seen what had left them in that state. Shades of the mayor. Xander shuddered slightly and shoved that memory away.
"So," he said to the boy, wanting both more information and a distraction to keep his mind from wandering down certain paths. "Things like that happen often?"
"Not really." The boy shook his head. "I have seen demonized dire spiders in these woods. The demonized giant snake was new, though." He actually sounded rather chipper about that. A new and interesting experience, to be sure, Xander agreed, but it was one he would have happily skipped.
"I'm actually kind of glad that came along," Faith spoke up. She looked more at ease than Xander felt, but he didn't miss the way her sharp eyes continually scanned the trees or the tension in her shoulders. "Eating the spider saved us from having to deal with it, and it slowed the snake down enough for us to handle it pretty easy."
"I knew how to deal with the spider," the boy said, shrugging. "I fought one before with my friend here." He patted the black wolf he was riding. "Wasn't really sure it would work on the snake, though. I'm glad you guys were there."
"Happy to help." Xander nodded. He wasn't sure how a little kid was able to use such powerful magic, or why the kid talked like he was quite a bit older, and it worried him slightly. Possibilities such as possession and even less pleasant options ran through his mind. Still, his guards didn't seem to think there was anything odd going on, so he let it go.
As they approached the castle, a troop of guards was heading out, led by the king himself. At least, Xander assumed it was the king based on the way the others deferred to him, and the way the boy he'd heard addressed as 'prince Phil' shouted "father" and ran to him.
The king quickly hugged the boy before holding him at arms' length and checking him for injuries. The boy rolled his eyes, but didn't squirm as most young children would at such treatment. "Phil! Are you hurt? We got a report of dire spiders in the forest, again."
"I'm fine. The spiders aren't a problem anymore. He," Phil nodded to the wolf, "got the little ones, just like before. He really doesn't like them, and the big one… Well, that got eaten."
"Eaten?" The king repeated the word as if he was sure he couldn't have heard it correctly. Both demon hunters could understand that. They would have found what had just happened in the forest hard to believe themselves if they hadn't been there.
"There was a giant demonized snake. It came out of nowhere and just gulped the spider down, but I guess that was a really big meal for it. It couldn't move real fast after it ate, so they were able to take care of it." He nodded at Xander and Faith. The king, who had dropped to one knee to better examine his young son, rose to face the two demon hunters.
"Thank you for helping my son and his guards. May I know your names?"
Xander bowed slightly and introduced himself and Faith. Faith bowed as well because a curtsy while wearing pants 'just looks weird' as she had once put it. "We were happy we could help." Before he could say more, there were shouts from the castle and five people rushed out. The woman was clearly Phil's mother, and the two boys and two girls, were likely his brothers and sisters based on their hair color, facial features, and the way they fussed over the small boy.
"Honestly, Phil," the oldest boy said in an exasperated tone, clearly just relieved to have his little brother home safe. "Does trouble just go out looking for you?"
Phil shook his head. "Doesn't need to. It knows where I live."
Xander saw several people roll their eyes while the middle brother stifled a laugh. "I take it this sort of thing happens a lot."
"You have no idea," muttered one of the prince's guards.
The king dismissed his troops, who looked much relieved at not having to face a giant anything. The threat had been dealt with, and there were normal duties to resume. The king invited Xander and Faith inside so he could get the whole story.
OOOOOOOOOO
"Even hampered though it was, that was quite brave," the queen said. They were all sitting around the king's audience chamber. Food had been brought in for them, as the king thought that sorting the story out might take a while. He'd been right. The king had called one of his generals in after hearing the story the first time. He wanted the man to see if it was possible to adapt some of their tactics in case the army ever had to deal with such creatures. The two hunters were able to offer some promising ideas, having faced monsters of all sorts since they were teenagers.
The general was quick to pick up on the value of their experience and asked good questions. The children had been allowed and encouraged to leave after Phil's part of the story was done, and Xander suspected they would have found much of it boring, anyway. The two hunters asked their own questions about the local magic and the kinds of monsters in the kingdom, and they mostly got full answers. Finally, the general was satisfied.
"Thank you, both. I believe this will help save lives in the future."
"I'm glad to hear it, general." Xander assured him.
The queen invited Xander and Faith to join the royal family at dinner, which they happily accepted.
OOOOOOOOOO
That evening, they gathered around a table just large enough for the royal family and a few guests. This wasn't the room used for banquets with visiting dignitaries and various formal events with the nobles. This was the royal family's private dining room. It was considerably more spartan than the parts of the palace that visitors normally saw.
"All of the pomp and circumstance is fine for visitors, but it isn't who we are." The king explained. "Surrounding ourselves in luxury out of the public eye would be wasteful." The demon hunters acknowledged that that made sense. "Now, I know you've been answering questions all afternoon, and I appreciate the indulgence, but I'm sure we're all curious about how you came to be in the woods in the first place."
The queen nodded. "You mentioned portals at one point. What part of the world are you from?"
That started a rather confusing explanation that lasted through dinner. The children loved their stories, even if the king and queen were incredulous at points.
"So, the portal opens and you just walk through? No idea where you'll wind up?"
"We hope that one of them will eventually lead us home." Xander explained. "We've talked to magic users who say that the portals are beyond anything they've heard of, and that they don't understand them or can't risk interfering with whoever makes them."
"A difficult situation." The king agreed.
"So, these portals just appear at random?" Prince Phil asked. "There's no trigger or magic words or anything?"
"What?" Faith asked. "You mean like Klaatu Barada Ni-"
"Don't!" Two voices cried out, much to the surprise of everyone in the room. There was silence for a moment, as the king and queen glanced at each other in confusion.
"Seriously, Faith." Xander stared at his partner incredulously. "Don't even joke about that."
Faith winced. "Right. Sorry, Xan." Then she blinked and looked over at prince Phil. "Wait a minute. How do you know those words?"
"Um…" The young prince fidgeted for a moment. "I read a lot?"
Both demon hunters stared at him, not sure what to make of him or the fact that he'd made the last part a question. Only one thing was clear.
"Kid," Faith said, shaking her head. "Somebody really needs to edit your summer reading list."
