I let out a groan as I rose out of the bed and felt the morning chill that I'm familiar to. After getting out of bed and rising to my full height, I then did some basic movements to both get my muscles to loosen up and causing my bones to give off a popping sound for eagerness for the days ahead.
I took a brief look outside of the window to see the morning sky with an orange tint, reminding me of camping with both my dad and uncle as a kid.
"Heh, good times," I spoke softly to myself as I grabbed my leather boots and slipped them on while humming a King Crimson song before grabbing the thin bedsheets and making my bed to make it look respectable.
I heard a soft groan from the bed that was occupied by the eastern priest who had the sheets go up to the middle of his chest before he moved his body upwards, with the thin sheet dropping thanks to gravity, showing the world his surprisingly well-built body with a few faint claw-like scars that seem to come from previous encounters of fighting.
There were also red, tattoo-like markings on his chest that looks broken up.
"Ah, good morning Thomas." Was all Louis could say before letting out a semi-loud yawn while stretching his arms above his head.
"Morning to ya as well, Louis," I stated as the eastern priest as I made a motion with my hand and within an instant, Krishna appeared in my hands.
I then shifted Krishna into its pike form so I can train with the weapon before moving onto the halberd.
After doing that, I went towards the desk and grabbed my gloves and slipped them onto my belt for the meantime as Louis moved himself up from the comforts of the mattress.
Louis grabbed his leather boots and the upper part of his vestments and slipped them on.
"Had a good sleep, Louis?" I asked while opening my bag of silver coins and counting how much I had leftover.
Another thing Ciela had told me during the first day in this world is how the currency of this world works.
From what she had explained, there are three types of coin; bronze, silver and finally, gold and it takes around a hundred bronze coins to make one silver coin, and a hundred silver to make one gold coin.
Wow, after taking that commerce class back in my senior years of high school, money is really easy to understand.
So, the owner told me that the rates where thirty bronze coins per person per night.
So that is around… ninety bronze coins and that makes it one single silver coin.
After finishing counting the coins and putting them back into the brown leather sack, Louis answered me.
"it was pretty good, Thomas," Louis admitted as he slipped his top on and grabbed his cross and muttering a quick prayer.
I gave him a nod as I headed towards the door of the room.
I turned towards Louis.
"I'm heading out for a bit Louis. If Melia wakes up before I return, let her know." I told the eastern priest who nodded his head as I headed out of the inn.
-Time Skip-
I felt a small shiver crawling up my spine as I headed out to the fields to practice with the pike form of Krishna.
After reaching to the tree from yesterday, I saw a few red triangular shapes pointing downwards, interacting that their foes around the area.
I couldn't help but give a wolfish smirk.
"Have on me!" I yelled as the first monster popped up, which was a balloon that was a different colour instead of the usual orange, it was yellow but still had the same shape.
I thrust Krishna in between the eyes of the yellow balloon, causing it to pop, gaining me 1 EXP.
Wow, these inflated condoms don't give out much, do they?
I heard rustling to my left side, so I turned around cautiously while taking a deep breath before lunging towards the balloons, then jumping upwards and Throwing Krishna into the balloon, causing the inflated condom to blow up.
I snapped my fingers and Krishna returned to my hand like an obedient puppy.
Before I could find more balloons to pop for fun or to turn into some sort of weird fleshy-leather shirt because why not, I heard a chuckle from behind me, near the tree.
I swiftly turned around to see a person decked out in a black outfit with a cloak over and a silver bird-themed domino mask with black lenses.
"Krishna, shift," I spoke to my partner who turned into the standard form with red particles coming off.
Oh, Krishna has voice command, these legendary weapons are the greatest multi-tools I've ever come crossed.
What's next, a beer opener that doubles as an oxy torch?
"Hello there, Mr Anders. It's a pleasure to meet you." The boy-girl spoke out while dropping from the tree and landing onto the ground gracefully.
"Who are you and what do you want?" I demanded while levelling Krishna at the masked assailant who simply smirked at this while casually drawing a simple steel knife with a brown leather handle and a brass hilt and butt.
"My name isn't important, but you may call me Shiki, and you seem different from the other heroes." Was all the newly named Shiki stated as they disappeared for a second before I felt the sudden coldness on my neck despite the cloth guarding all side of my neck.
There was a knife close to my neck albeit the blunt side of said knife.
Thank Christ it wasn't the bladed side.
"You know, this is the main reason on why I broke up with my first girlfriend," I stated while I felt the steel being removed from my neck as a chuckle came from the Shiki's throat.
"Oh? And what was the reason for your former lover to put steel against your flesh? Seeing another woman? Perhaps a man? Maybe you found out a dark secret of hers?" Shiki rattled off while spinning the knife like a pen.
"She thought I was cheating on her. But in reality, I was just giving tips on how to have a good date to my friend Sam who asked me after being asked out by Max." I admitted while recalling the time with Sam and Max in Brooks' pub.
Heh, good times.
Shiki stayed quiet for a few seconds before nodding their head before facing me, albeit being shorter than me.
But that's due to the fact that I'm 185 cm tall and most people were shorter than I was.
"Hmm, it seems that I should talk about why I am here," Shiki stated while heading to the tree and leaning against the log.
"Do you know the redhead that joined the shield hero's party?" Shiki asked me as I recalled such a redhead from the day when I was introduced to both Louis and Melia.
"Vaguely, but she did look somewhat like the Melromarc librarian Ciela, but that's mostly because they have the same shade of hair," I answered the cloaked assailant who nodded their head.
"Do not trust the redhead that joined the shield hero's party as she will bring forth despair." Was all they stated before disappearing in a burst of crows.
Well, that was cryptic as all fuck.
I shrugged my shoulders before shifting Krishna into its pike form and doing some more training.
-Time Skip-
After around two and a half hours had passed and I was finished with spear training, doing basic workouts like sit-ups, chin-ups via the help of Krishna.
I also grabbed something to eat from the inn as I made my way up to my room.
When I opened the door, I saw Louis and Melia speaking to each over before snapping their heads towards my way.
"Yo." Was my intelligent response as I took a seat next to Melia with Louis turning towards me.
"How did your training go, Thomas?" The eastern priest asked me as I grabbed Krishna and leaned it against the bedpost.
"Yeah, it went well but someone came up to me and spoke about the redhead that joined Iwatani's party," I said, causing Melia's eyes to narrow.
"You know this woman, Melia?" I asked the spellcaster as several emotions covered her face.
"Unfortunately, I do. She seduced one of the elders of my tribe and not only did she steal from him, but she also sold the elder's granddaughter to a...prostatution ring before being mutilated by one the nobles." Melia stated with a sorrow tone as I saw some tears leaking out of her eyes.
I got up and hugged the spellcaster.
"Take a deep breath, count to three, exhale and repeat," I told her as she did what I told her.
"Thank you." She muttered as she calmed down with Louis coming up and hugging the both of us.
"I am so sorry that had happened to you, Melia. What she did is both immoral and goes against the Lord's teachings." Louis stated as I got up cracked my knuckles.
Hmph, sounds like Iwatani's got an absolute psychopathic bitch in his party at the moment.
Hang on…
"Hay, Melia?" I asked the spellcaster who looked at me.
"Yes? Is there something you need, Thomas?" Melia replied to me as she grabbed her shrunken staff and spun it around.
"Do you remember her name?" I asked her as Melia's eyes narrowed and a small snarl reminiscent of a reptilian entity.
"Yeah. She has two. The first is Myne Sophia, an alias she uses when going out of Melromarc. The second is her most well-known name…Malty S Melromarc." Melia admitted to me, causing my eyes to narrow.
Malty S Melromarc…
"Is this woman related to the royal family in some compacity?" I asked her, causing the violet-haired woman's eyes to widen for a second.
"Yes. I do believe that that vile woman is directly related to the Melromarc royal family." Melia stated to me.
This caused my carmine coloured eyes to widen.
"I think that's the main reason why this Myne character is able to get away with that crime of selling the Logos elder's granddaughter without facing any consequences," I stated to her. Melia nodded her head.
"I say. Why don't we head up to the royal chambers to see if anything has happened to Mr Naofumi." Louis stated as he grabbed his short sword and muttered a quick prayer.
I snapped my fingers and Krishna appeared in my hands and I put him on my back.
"Let's go," I stated, with my two-party members nodding their heads.
-Time Skip-
Around half an hour had passed as we got to the royal castle and entered the court.
The place was packed with Amaki and Kawasumi facing Iwatani who was forced onto his knees with two spears crossed at his neck.
"It appears that we missed the overture, but we will see the finale," Louis commented as we stayed behind the wall listening to the wise king going at Iwatani for a horrendous crime of sexual assault.
I looked up to see the redhead from Iwatani's party crying before giving what can be described as a 'Fuck you, I win cuz I have boobs' expression that I occasionally saw from my ex.
…Thank Christ I broke up with her and started going out with Ashley.
"…However, my researchers have informed me that another summoning is only possible after all four of the current Heroes have perished." Wise king stated as I didn't listen to him.
Heh, talk about a cruel fate.
Iwatani lashed out in outrage as a knight went up to his face and sent a mean right hook to his face.
And with a heavy thud, Iwatani kneeled there unamused as the guard clutched his right arm in pain.
Hehe, sucker.
"So? If you can't send me back, what are you gonna do with me?" Iwatani growled out to the king as the older man sent a dark glare at the shield hero.
"...Nothing. You exist to fight the Wave of Calamity, so there will be no official punishment. However. Your crime is already well-known amongst the citizens. That shall be your punishment. Do not expect to find any work in my kingdom." The king bitterly spat out to the prisoner who let out an animalistic growl.
Wow, Iwatani's pissed.
But then again, if I were in his position, I'd be hella pissed as well.
"Oh, boy, you sure are generous!" Iwatani hollered out as the edge of a blade was pressed against his neck.
You can almost taste the amount of sarcasm in that sentence.
"You will return here in a month to fight. Even if you are a criminal, you are still the Shield Hero. Make no attempt to escape your duty." The king bitterly stated.
I let out a cold chuckle.
"To rebel against fate. One must have a strong will to go against the whims of the world. And the reason why the Lord gave us free will." Louis mused as he stared upwards as if he is seeing the face of his lord.
I don't really judge religion as a whole because my mother was a roman catholic and the rest of her family where and I was baptised by my grandfather at a young age despite not practising.
'you believe in what you believe' was a value that I use and follow.
"I get it! I'm weak, after all. And time's wasting." Iwatani lashed out once more to the king as I got off the pillar that I was leaning on.
"Louis. Melia. We're going to wait at the front." I told my two-party members who nodded their heads.
-Page Break-
While we were at the front, Iwatani stormed out like a bat outta hell.
"Yo, Iwatani. What's up?" I asked the shield hero as he flipped me off.
Wow, all I was doing was greeting and he decided to be a bitter cunt about the incident earlier.
"Now that's, is rude," I stated to the fuming hero as he took a deep breath.
"Sorry about lashing out at you, Thomas, I'm just really pissed at the moment." Iwatani apologised to me as I went up to him and patted him on the back.
"Looks like you're backed into a corner," I said to him, causing him to frown.
'Yeah. I got no money, no party members and now everyone thinks that I'm the biggest evil since Adolf Hitler." He stated as I decided to give him a little bit of hope.
"Iwatani. I do have a suggestion, but you may not like it morally." I told him, causing his eyes to widen.
"W-Wait, really! I am willing to do anything to have a chance of saving this rotten world!" he wailed to me.
"Yeah. If you have the cash leftover, you can buy a slave from the black market." I stated to the shield hero, causing his eyes to widen.
"And before you're going to lash out at me, think about the situation you're currently in. You, Naofumi Iwatani, currently have no money, no credibility in this world and you're currently presented as a criminal that has committed one of the worst crimes within humanity after genocide and any crime involving the exploitation of children. Think about your limited options, carefully." I warned the shield hero as I lifted Krishna to show I mean business.
I think I got my point over towards him as his eyes narrowed for a second before nodding his head.
"Ah…Thank you, Thomas, for your wisdom." He stated as I grabbed my leather pouch full of silver coins and grabbed some.
"This is around 60 silver coins. Use them to buy a slave and basic equipment. Use it wisely." I stated to the disgraced hero as he grabbed the coins I'm offering him.
"I'll not let this go in vain, Thomas." Was all he stated as he left the bridge.
I let out a chuckle as he reminded me of Sam after getting his ass beaten by a jock because of who he was dating.
I then looked over to Louis and Melia.
"Ready to go?" I asked the duo as they nod their heads as we began our journey outside the capital city.
-POV Break-
On top of the castle, was a lone figure wearing black garb and a silver mask.
The figure pulled down the cloak, letting out her shoulder-length auburn hair and taking off her mask, showing her blue eyes.
Ciela let out a chuckle as she looked at the current spear hero.
"it seems that the spear hero is currently aiding the shield hero, albeit indirectly. I must let her majesty know about these current affairs." She stated as she pulled her hood up and placed her black-lensed mask back on before bursting into a murder of crows, disappearing from viewing eyes.
A/N: And there's my chapter 6 of my dragoon hero. And the trial scene still played out as it did in canon but with Thomas deciding to aid Naofumi for the start until he gets back onto his feet.
And surprise-surprise, Ciela plays a bigger role as she will be acing as a messenger between the queen and Thomas while leaving cryptic messages while keeping an eye on his developments.
A bit more of Melia's background is revealed with her having a personal reason to hate Malty.
I swear, this gives me more opportunities to make Malty more revolting then canon.
Anyways, see ya when I next upload.
Chao.
