Rise of The Sword and The Shield chapter 03: False Trial
Lyall the Werewolf: Unlike the previous two, this was surprisingly easy to redo. Grammarly really does help me get creative. So, on to everyone's favorite chapter.
(I don't own Senran Kagura or Shield Hero)
As requested by the royal knights, Asuka arrived in the throne room. Motoyasu, Itsuki, Myne, King Aultcray, and a crowd of nobles were there, but curiously, Naofumi was missing among the group. The mood in the throne room was darker than usual.
Most tellingly, Myne looking strangely distraught for some reason. This bothered Asuka.
Before Asuka could inquire as to what was going on, Motoyasu ran up to the Sword Heroine.
"Asuka-chan, thank god you're safe!" Motoyasu shouted with joy and hugged Asuka tightly. He wrapped his arms around her entire body and pulled her close to himself.
"H-Hey, Motoyasu-kun, what're you doing?!" Asuka tried pushing the Spear Hero away. It felt much grosser to be hugged by this guy than it did being groped by Katsuragi, and naturally, she didn't like it. She could have sworn he was getting into it more than he should if the feeling of her chest being crushed against his mid-section repeatedly was of any indication.
"I swear I'll keep you and Myne safe, so don't worry about a thing!" Motoyasu declared.
"What are you talking about? Moreover, let go of me!"
"Motoyasu-san, calm down. Now's not the time for that." said Itsuki calmly, "Besides, she clearly doesn't like you hugging her like that, so you should give her some space."
"Huh? Where's that showing?" Motoyasu asked, pulling away from Asuka for a brief second, which only allowed for the annoyed Asuka to stomp on his foot.
"Ow!" Motoyasu groaned, now caressing his sore foot.
"Motoyasu-sama!" Myne cried as she rushed to his side.
"Geez, what was that about?" Asuka grumbled. Now that she had a good look at him, he was wearing a similar chainmail armor that Naofumi was wearing. Meanwhile, Myne was alone, and Naofumi was nowhere in sight.
"Pay him no mind, Asuka-dono," said Aultcray from his seat. "He is simply relieved you are safe. It too does my old heart good as well, knowing that no harm has come to you."
"Excuse me?" Asuka tilted her head to the side in confusion, "Is that why you sent knights to personally escort me here? Because you were worried about me?"
"Yes. But, seeing as you appear to be unharmed, and you came here by yourself quicker than expected, it seems my worries were for naught." Aultcray held a small smile as he spoke, which did nothing to alleviate the Sword Hero's confusion.
"I'm sorry Your Majesty, but what is going on? Why did you suddenly call us back here for a trial of all things? And where's Naofumi-kun?"
The King's face suddenly contorted with anger, which surprised the Sword Hero. Seeing this, the King recomposed himself.
"Forgive me. You'll be happy to know that we're apprehending the Shield Hero and bringing here now as we speak."
"Apprehending? Did Naofumi-kun do something wrong?" Asuka thought.
"I see you're confused. I don't blame you, Asuka-chan." said Motoyasu, recovering from the stomping he got, "You'll know soon enough what we're talking about." he stated while wrapping his arm around a timid Myne.
Asuka was even more confused. Why was Myne with Motoyasu and not Naofumi? And why would King Aultcray issue an arrest for Naofumi first thing in the morning?
As if receiving an answer, the throne room doors suddenly burst open, revealing two knights, who dragged in a struggling Naofumi. They violently throw him to the ground. His attire was different from before. He was no longer wearing his chainmail. Instead, he had on a pale yellow t-shirt and green trousers.
"Ow!"
"Naofumi-kun?!" Asuka was about to rush to help him, but she was stopped by Motoyasu, who grabbed her wrist.
"Don't get any closer to him," he said with a threatening look on his face.
"What? Why? Look at the way those knights are treating him! We can't just let this happen!"
"And they should!" Motoyasu growled.
"Eh…?" that moment was when Asuka realized the entire room was filled with an oppressive atmosphere. Everyone, including the King, Motoyasu, and Itsuki, bore down at Naofumi with repugnance, and she had no idea why?
"We apologize for the delay. We had to use physical force to get him to comply." said one of the knights.
"That hurt! W-What's going on?!" Naofumi groaned, clearly still panicked from being beaten and dragged into the throne room against his will. He quickly noticed that, apart from a concerned Asuka and quiet Myne, all eyes were on him in a hostile manner. But, he pushed that out of his mind over his concern for Myne.
"Myne, you're okay?!" he addressed his party member, who quickly cowered and ducked behind Motoyasu, who was still glaring.
"What's happening here?" Asuka wondered to herself. The feeling of dread she had earlier came back, and it was immense compared to before.
"Y-Yo King! Apart from my shield, my money and equipment were stolen! You have to find the thief and-"
"Silence, you filth!" Aultcray roared to the Shield Hero, alarming both the latter and the Sword Hero.
"W-What the…?"
"Y-Your Majesty, why are you so angry at Naofumi-kun?" asked Asuka. At this, Aultcray would compose himself once again.
"I'm sorry, Asuka-dono. Against my reservation, we should explain this to you as we begin the trial." The King turned to Myne, "I must apologize to you too Myne, but would you kindly give us your testimony one last time?"
"W-Wait! Is this trial… for Naofumi-kun…?"
"Yes. This is a trial for the Shield Hero's heinous crime!" stated Aultcray, to the horror of Asuka and Naofumi.
"C-Crime?!" Naofumi gasped.
"I-It happened after you left the inn, Sword Hero-sama…" Myne spoke up with a shaky voice while cowering behind Motoyasu, "T-The Shield Hero… L-Last night, at the inn… he barged into my room, stinking drunk! He muttered, 'the night is still young, and then he ripped my clothes while forcing himself upon me!" Myne cried. It didn't long for the implications of that state to dawn on those who heard it.
"What?!" Naofumi was in utter shock.
"T-That can't possibly be true…" Asuka furrowed toward Myne. Something was terribly wrong with the testimony the latter gave right off the bat. The Sword Hero detected a subtle amount of faking in every tearful action Myne took and every word she spoke. It was as if she was acting.
"It is. You probably guys didn't know this, but Itsuki and I were staying at the same inn. Myne came banging on my door and told me everything. She was frightened and crying, and she only had a bed sheet to cover herself with after she barely managed to escape." Motoyasu grimaced as he glared toward Naofumi, "Consider yourself lucky, Naofumi. If Myne hadn't told me to wait until morning for the guards to catch you, I'd have skewered you alive immediately!"
"That's complete bullshit! I went straight to bed last night, and I don't drink!" Naofumi exclaimed, "Hey, wait, where did you get that chainmail?"
"What, this? Myne gave it to me as a gift when we were at the pub last night." Motoyasu answered with a smug expression, "What about it?"
"You liar! That's my chainmail! Give it back right now, you thief!" an angered Naofumi yelled.
"Who are you calling a liar and a thief, you perverted bastard?!" Motoyasu yelled back.
"This coming from the guy who hugged me so vigorously?" Asuka glared at an unaware Motoyasu, "But, wait… that chainmail…"
Asuka quickly realized that Naofumi was right. That was the chainmail Naofumi wore yesterday. Why was Motoyasu wearing it now? Did Myne take it from Naofumi while he slept? It sounded plausible, given the shifty nature that Myne seemed to give off. And Naofumi's reaction to everything being said. He was showing confused, shocked, and angry emotions so far. They didn't seem fake in the slightest, unlike with Myne, whom she was sure was using crocodile tears to gain sympathy.
Before she could even voice her opinion, she was interrupted.
"Enough!" Aultcray shouted above the two Heroes. He stood up from his throne, boring down harder on the Shield Hero. "It sickens me to think the Cardinal Shield Hero would commit the greatest sin in Melromarc."
"G-Greatest sin?" Asuka asked grimly.
"In Melromarc, even attempt assault on a woman is punishable by death," said Aultcray's advisor.
"WHAT?!" Naofumi blanched.
"Were you not a Hero, you would be executed as once!" Aultcray declared, waving an accusatory finger at Naofumi.
"Executed?! I didn't do it, I swear on my life!"
"That… doesn't even make sense! How could attempted rape be considered the highest offense when treason or murder counts as just as bad if not worse? I mean, it is a good thing they're treating it like a serious crime, but the justice system here has some serious problems. Especially when they're ignoring the fact Myne's accusations have major inconsistencies while not believing Naofumi-kun's side of the story."
With that in mind, the Sword Hero decided she couldn't let this go on.
"Excuse me!" Asuka spoke aloud, catching everyone's attention, "I've heard everything, and I think we should reconsider these events!"
She observed everything, from Naofumi's reaction to the fake trembling of Myne to the King's declaration. Naofumi didn't seem drunk, nor did he appear to have symptoms akin to a hangover, and his confused and panicked reactions to what was going on seemed to be genuine. No, they were real. Thus, Myne's supposed claim made no sense, and therefore, she must be lying, and Naofumi was innocent. And the King's words on the matter; she already figured that the King didn't seem to like Naofumi for some reason, but to go this far to ruin him? Why? What sense was there in falsely accusing Naofumi of such a severe crime?
"Asuka…?" Naofumi uttered in relief that Asuka was speaking on his behalf.
"Asuka-san, what do you mean?" asked Itsuki.
"I can't say for sure, but…" Asuka turned to Myne, who still looked like a dear in headlights, "I think Myne-san is lying about Naofumi-kun."
"I-I'm lying?" Myne asked, wearing a seemingly hurt expression. Or was she really hurt by the accusation?
"Hey c'mon, Asuka-chan! Why would you accuse Myne of lying?" Motoyasu asked, "There's no way she'd lie to us like that!"
Asuka was not entirely surprised to hear Motoyasu defending Myne. Despite this, she pressed on, "Because something bothers me about her statements."
"S-Sword Hero-sama, how could you say that…?" Myne cried, with more tears pouring out from her eyes. Now Asuka knew for sure those tears were fake, and the older woman was putting on the act of a victim.
"Asuka-dono, this is obstruction of justice. If you truly believe Myne is lying to us without proof, then prepare yourself to be penalized." Aultcray warned the Sword Hero.
"So you're asking me to accept a potentially false accusation on an innocent victim? I'm sorry, but I can't do that." Asuka said firmly, "I know she's lying because if you remember, I was with her and Naofumi-kun last night, and I know for a fact he didn't have a whiff of that wine. He even told us that he doesn't like to drink because back in his world, at the end of a party Naofumi-kun and his friend had, they all got sick from all the drinking they did while he was completely sober. He renounced any drinking habits he had after that."
Aultcray looked surprised to hear this. Clearly, he heard nothing about this. The same went for Motoyasu and Itsuki, who were equally surprised by what they heard. Myne no doubt hid that particular fact from them to implicate Naofumi, yet she didn't seem to take into account that Asuka would back him up. This much, the Sword Hero had gathered.
"I have more theories that can prove that Myne-san is lying about last night if you are willing to listen," said Asuka.
"I-Is that so? asked Aultcray as he sat back down on his throne, "Then speak, and hope for your sake, your explanation for last night's events is sound."
"Alright." Asuka said, "Once again, I was with Naofumi-kun and Myne-san last night at the inn. We ate dinner together, but Naofumi-kun declined Myne-san's offer to drink with her, and he went to bed early. I left that pub a little afterward, but I'm sure he wasn't drunk in the slightest. If Naofumi-kun did get drunk and tried to rape Myne-san, why isn't he showing signs of a hangover or slurred wording, and why does Myne look okay for someone who was assault? She should have scratches or bruises on her skin, but as far as I can see, she doesn't."
Some of the nobles began discussing these facts. A few seemed to agree that Myne looked physically unfarmed, and the Shield Hero doesn't appear to be inebriated.
Motoyasu, however, wasn't convinced.
"The part about Naofumi not being drunk right now is a no-brainer. The knights smacking him around earlier knocked sense into him, that's all. And he totally deserved it for what he did to Myne!" he answered.
"Hey!" Naofumi growled before the knights made him silent again.
"And as for why Myne looks okay... I'd say she must've been really lucky. Naofumi's obviously too weak to be able to do damage to Myne's skin." added Motoyasu.
"Motoyasu-kun, luck doesn't factor in. Think for a second." Asuka countered, "Naofumi-kun is currently at level 1, can only use a shield, and his abilities are geared towards defense while having no offensive capabilities whatsoever, which everyone should know by now. Meanwhile, I can only assume that Myne-san is at the very least an experienced adventurer who shouldn't have a problem defending herself from attempted rape with ease if she came out of that situation without getting hurt. So with that in mind, even if you log away from him not being drunk, how was Naofumi-kun able to overpower Myne-san last night, and why would he allow the knights to drag him up here like this when he could barely defend himself at such a pitiful level?"
"W-Well..."
"That was a combination of simple gaming logic and common sense. Even you could have guessed that, and you must have the lowest Intelligence state out of all of us."
"Huh?" the Spear Hero didn't expect Asuka to use gaming logic in a situation like this, especially when she was using the word intelligence in a demeaning fashion.
"That and there doesn't appear to be any witnesses to this crime. If Naofumi-kun had tried to rape Myne-san last night, someone must have heard screaming or lots of noise being made, and they would have checked it out. Especially you, Motoyasu-kun, since apparently, you were staying at the same inn."
Motoyasu couldn't argue with those statements, so Asuka continued, "Also, that chainmail you're wearing, that you think is a present from Myne-san, doesn't legitimately belong to you. I'm sure its common armor for beginner adventurers, but I know for a fact that this particular chainmail belongs to him because I saw Naofumi-kun wearing it as we were talking at the pub last night, and I'm certain that it was stolen from him while he was asleep last night too. And the one person I think of who did it was Myne-san, who mysteriously knew you were in one of those rooms at the inn, despite neither of us being in the know. Isn't that strange or rather convenient? Unless, of course, she planned this!" Asuka eyed the still teary-faced Myne with full suspicion.
That was the only conclusion that Asuka could draw at. After she left the inn, Myne stole Naofumi's equipment and money, conveniently stumbling upon Motoyasu and told him what happened to her, and then had the knights drag Naofumi up to the throne room to face trial for attempted assault. Why she went to all this trouble, she couldn't understand, but the Sword Hero would be damned if she let this fake trial continue.
"Hold on... are you saying Myne set me up?" asked Naofumi in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but what Asuka was suggesting was starting to make sense. What he couldn't understand was why Myne would do this. She was supposed to be his partner.
"Are you suggesting that Myne is the perpetrator in this case?" asked Aultcray, who seemed slightly upset at the accusation Asuka put forth. The Sword Hero simply nodded in confirmation, to the annoyance of the King. "Absurd!"
"But, it's the only way it makes sense. After I left the inn, Myne-san stole Naofumi-kun's equipment and money, ran to Motoyasu's room, and cried wolf about she was nearly raped by him and then giving away his stolen positions, and now here we are, listening to a false testimony told by the would-be victim. As I said, Myne-san is lying to us."
"T-That can't be…" Motoyasu looked back toward Myne, who looked like a dear in headlights.
"Did Myne-san even tell you how she escaped her situation? Did you even question why she wanted to wait until morning to have Naofumi-kun arrested for this supposed crime?" Asuka asked.
"N-No..." Motoyasu awkwardly answered. He just couldn't argue against the points she was making.
"And you just believed everything she told you? With no confirmation or concrete evidence beyond her word and demeanor?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"Then you can't deny what I've said far is the possible truth, right?"
Motoyasu came up short of an answer, for he had no objection to Asuka's theory.
"Then there you have it. Myne-san is a liar and a thief trying to frame Naofumi-kun!"
Aultcray began to scowl at the Sword Hero for this declaration.
"Come to think of it, this sort of thing has happened before, hasn't it?" whispered one of the nobles.
"I think so. More than a few times, actually. It is hard to argue with the Sword Hero's logic now that we know this."
"But still, she's defending the Shield Hero..."
"This has happened before?" Asuka wondered. Myne had to be well known if the nobles could bring this up.
"H-How cruel of you, Sword Hero-sama! I'd never do anything like that! I'm not lying, nor am I a thief! The Shield Hero did try to rape me! After I escaped, I found Motoyasu-sama by pure chance! You must believe me!" Myne cried, fake tears streaming down her face.
"You can act like the victim all you want, but you won't fool me. I don't know why you did any of this, and I don't care. You can't just stir up trouble like this at such a critical time. Seriously, we really shouldn't be wasting our time on a fraudulent trial." Asuka glared at Myne, who just continued to sob.
"A fraudulent trial, you say?!" growled an irate Aultcray.
"Yes. I honestly think this trial is fake. A charade. We have a crisis to fight against, and we have little time to prepare for it. We can't be getting sidetracked by a pointless conflict like this." Asuka declared to the King. She rationalized that the only reason King Aultcray was getting defensive was if he was in on this plot to ruin Naofumi, and now it was steadily being diminished by Asuka using actual logic and not instantly believing the false claims. This also further implied that he and Myne have some form of connection, the possibility of them being related by blood still open.
The King furrowed his brow, "If I were to so show you proof of the Shield Hero's crime, would you say otherwise that he is still innocent?"
"Wait? You even have proof?!" Naofumi asked.
"I don't see why that's necessary. Given what I've stated so far, it should be obvious this trial should be put to rest immediately."
"Believe me when I say this evidence is irrefutable." the King stated as he motioned for a knight to come forward.
"Um… when we searched to the Shield Hero's room, we found this… spread across his bed…" the knight said while kneeling down and holding up a purple negligee, with a noticeably large tear in its fabric in the chest area, to the shock and disgust of Asuka and Naofumi.
"Kyaa!" Myne cried out like a traumatized victim, running behind Motoyasu as if to cover her shame and seek protection.
"You animal!" Motoyasu scowled at Naofumi, shielding Myne away. Just as he was about to be convinced otherwise, the Spear Hero's belief in Naofumi's guilt increased tenfold.
"Do you see?! The proof seems undeniable!" Aultcray declared, as most of the nobles looked on in horror.
"How so?! That wasn't on my bed last night!" Naofumi decried.
"You'd actually go this far just to incriminate him?" a disgusted Asuka asked the King as she glared at him. He ignored her and kept his hate-filled eyes trained on the trembling Shield Hero. If using a woman's torn undergarments was the evidence he needed to convict an innocent man out of clear spite, then whatever respect she had for the King was gone.
"I was worried something serious had happened, but this? I'm really disappointed in you, Naofumi-san!" said Itsuki, to the shock of Asuka and Naofumi.
"Itsuki-kun, you actually believe this, even after hearing everything I said?!"
"Don't get me wrong, I think your deductions were spot on, but now that we've seen that torn-up negligee, it seems obvious you'll have to give up, Asuka-san. It's undeniable that he did it, and it is quite the terrible shame too." Itsuki said, shaking his head in disappointment.
"No, I didn't! That doesn't prove a damn thing!" Naofumi bellowed, "I'm innocent! Can't you see I'm being set up?!"
"That's right! That negligee could have prepared for this just to further defame Naofumi-kun! It just wouldn't make sense for him to run back to his room with stolen underwear after Myne-san supposedly escaped!" said Asuka, "No, more to the point, why are we still holding a one-sided trial when we don't even know for sure if things happened the way they did? We need to focus on preparing for the next Wave and not be distracted by..."
"Sword Hero-sama…" Myne squeaked, garnering the Sword Hero's attention. She had her hands covering her face like she was sobbing into them. "W-When he pounced on me last night… the Shield Hero muttered something into my ear… 'After I'm done with you, the appetizer, I'm taking that little bimbo as the main dish' he said! He was clearly referencing you, Sword Hero-sama!" Myne revealed her face, looking like a sobbing wreck.
"What?!" Naofumi's contorted with shock and outrage.
"He kept going on and on about how he wanted that curvaceous body of yours… a-all to himself! He said he wanted to see your cute adorable face contort with pain as he stole your innocence and drove his m-manhood into you! He wanted to abuse your body for his sick twisted desires!"
Asuka was utterly stunned to hear that, as evident by her large brown eyes diluting. Did she really just say that? Was Myne really claiming that Naofumi wanted to rape Asuka as well? Why? Why would Myne say that? Why was she doing this? What reason could she have for spinning this yarn of madness? All of these questions swirled around in the Sword Hero's head, and she couldn't come up with an answer.
This 'revelation' also caused a stir amongst the nobles in attendance.
"You rat bastard!" Motoyasu snarled upon hearing Myne's newest lie, "You must have been targeting Asuka-chan from the start! I see now that groping accident when we were first summoned wasn't an accident! You were after Asuka-chan from the start! That's why you grabbed her breasts!"
The nobles stirred and began to scoff in disgust of the so-called perverted Shield Hero. They could have sided with Asuka on her theory of Myne's lies, but their distrust toward the Shield Hero won out.
"No! I swear that was an accident! She was nauseous and nearly fainted, so I caught before she fell, you know that! Catching her by the chest was completely unintentional!" Naofumi cried.
"It would seem my fears were not unfounded." said Aultcray, as he glared disdainfully at Naofumi before turning sympathetically to Asuka, "Now you see why I wanted you to be escorted, Asuka-dono? It was to keep you safe from this lecherous swine!"
Asuka did not respond, as she remained frozen in shock.
"It's not true! I just told you, it was an accident!"
"Not only did you force your hand on Myne, but you also make plans to force yourself on your comrade! You're a disgrace to all Heroes!" Aultcray roared at Naofumi, causing the latter's face was as white as a sheet.
"How pathetic. You must think you can do what you want just because you're a Hero in this world." glared Itsuki.
"That's not even the least bit true! I'd never do any of that!" Naofumi bellowed in desperation, "Asuka, say something! You know I'm innocent!"
Asuka snapped out of her trance, ready to back Naofumi up again, but before she could even get a new word in, Motoyasu and Itsuki protectively stepped in front of her.
"W-What're you guys doing?"
"Ensuring he won't get his claws on you. You don't need to worry about him anymore, Asuka-san. We'll protect you." said Itsuki, with a reassuring smile, which for some odd reason seemed fake to the Sword Hero.
"That's right! Don't think for a second we're gonna let you trick Asuka-chan into helping you again! This is not some consequence-free playground for you!" Motoyasu pointed his spear aggressively at Naofumi, "Know your place, scoundrel!"
All fell silent following this.
Naofumi was dumbfounded by all of this. He had no idea how to process any of this. Why was he being treated like a criminal over something he clearly didn't do, nor was he planning to do?
The same went for Asuka. Why won't any of them see reason, and why do they keep accusing Naofumi of these fabricated crimes? None of it made any sense.
Most of all, weighing heavily on the two Cardinal Heroes' minds was why Myne would do this when she was supposed to be their ally. They both looked toward Myne's position, and within moments, they had their answer. Her gentle traumatized disposition was gone, replaced by a sadistic grin. Myne pulled down her lower eyelid and stuck out her tongue at Naofumi. It was a tall tale sign of how much she was relishing his anguish. She made doubly sure that Asuka caught a full glimpse of it as well, and the Sword Hero was visibly offended.
It was at this point that Naofumi realized that Asuka was right. Myne had lied to him from the very start. Her kindness was an act, and it was all so she could steal his equipment and money and set him up for this trial to completely ruin him.
Asuka came to the same conclusion, and she couldn't process how a person like this could exist. From what Hibari said about Haruka, she was very open about her perverse sadistic tendencies, but there was an underlining kindness behind her actions that Hibari couldn't help being taken in by. That was part of what clued her and the others at Hanzo Academy that the Shinobi of Hebijo weren't bad people. They were Evil Shinobi as a result of their affiliation, but they were good people deep down. Despite her aggressiveness, Homura had her honor and desire to protect her friends, Yomi always kept a smile on her face no matter how hard life had gotten, Hikage yearned to understand emotions and feelings, Mirai was abrasive but cheerful, and as mentioned before, Haruka was kind despite her sadism. Myne, on the other hand, had no such depths. Her kind demeanor was nothing but an act, after all. She was unquestionably a sadistic sociopath with no redeeming qualities at all, and she took great glee in the suffering she just inflicted on Naofumi. Asuka should have guessed this right away. She should have tried harder to warn Naofumi before this could happen. Once again, she failed to protect a friend, and this was potentially far worse than death.
"You lying bitch!" Naofumi growled. He stood up and was ready to charge at her, only to be held back by the knights, "You tricked me! You lied to me from the very beginning!"
"I'm scared, Motoyasu-sama!" Myne quickly hugged the Spear Hero, acting like a traumatized victim again. Falling for the blatant act, he held her tightly in a protective manner.
"Don't get any closer, you scum!"
"Shut up! You planned all this to steal my money and equipment, didn't you!" Naofumi shouted at Motoyasu. In his mind, he could only rationalize that his so-called comrades were plotting against him.
"Now you're blaming others for your faults? You don't deserve a shred of mercy!" said Itsuki. In his impressionable mind, Naofumi did not have true heroic qualities. He was merely a ne'er-do-well. Only the Bow Hero did, and he was intent on proving that in this trial.
Asuka remained silent. She clenched her fist tightly, an evident sign that frustration and outrage were building up inside the Sword Hero. After everything she said, no one took her seriously. They just wanted to ensure Naofumi would lose whatever respect he had, and they even believed an outrageous lie just for that. Naofumi's anger at this point was justified in her eyes, as was hers.
The nobles began talking aloud, with nothing positive to say about the Shield Hero.
"I knew it was a mistake to summon all of the Heroes here. Especially the Shield."
"Who'd knew he turned out to be such scum?"
"I feel sorry for those poor girls. Especially the Sword Hero. She tried to help him, and this is how he repays her? Not that I would blame him, but even I wouldn't act on such perverse impulses."
Did they really think so little of the Shield Hero that they would fabricate a trial to incriminate him and condemn his existence, going so far as to use her gender to further prove the implication that he was a vile pervert? How could people do such cruel acts? Why was she forced to bear witness to this horrible scene, filled with malice and hatred?
"Disgusting…" Naofumi snarled in his thoughts, finally realized just how little this world thought of him. It disgusted him to no end how these pieces of trash never believed in him and only saw him as a thing to be hated upon. His so-called allies were no different. They saw him as a liability, so they just trampled over any chance he had to gain a foothold, just for their own benefit. Asuka was possibly an exception, but her attempts at clearing the misunderstanding meant nothing now. Not to these disgusting pieces of trash. So, why should he raise a finger to help them? This world could rot in the pits of Hell for all he cared.
"Fine, I don't care anymore! Fuck this world! Why do I have to be summoned here and to be put through this shit?! Just send me back to my world and summon another Shield Hero! I want out!"
"Naofumi-kun..." Asuka murmured, feeling guilty for letting this happen. He had so much hate and rage on his face. It was despair-inducing and terrifying.
"How can you think of abandoning your duty, especially after everything you've done? You can't just quit when things get tough." scolded Itsuki.
"Let 'em go. If the cowardly rapist wants to leave so badly, why should we stop him?"
"Shut the fuck up!" Naofumi snapped before turning his aggression toward the King of Trash, "So, are you gonna send me home or what?!"
Aultcray heavily sighing and face palming, "Believe me, nothing would make me happier than to kick you out. However, according to legend, no new Cardinal Heroes can be summoned until the current Heroes met their end."
All four of the Cardinal Heroes were shocked to hear this.
"What?!"
"That's insane!"
"So… I can't go home…?"
"Why… why didn't you tell us this before?" Asuka asked the King.
"Forgive me, Asuka-dono. I simply didn't want to get your hopes up," said Aultcray. The Sword Hero couldn't imagine that being the real reason, given what she had seen thus far.
"So you gave no thought to it until now… when one of us wanted to go home early…?" Asuka balled her fists up in frustration again. It was clear as day that King Aultcray hated Naofumi simply because he was the Shield Hero, and he was saving this piece of information simply to crush any of his hopes of wanting to leave, so the stain he and Myne put on his reputation would remain in this world. What she couldn't understand was why he hated the Shield Hero. What possessed him to frame Naofumi, the current Shield Hero, for these supposed crimes to begin with?
"Be that as it may, your only hope of returning to your homeworld is to fight off the incoming Waves." declared the King.
"And how are we going to do that in this state?!" Asuka asked loudly, catching Aultcray off guard.
"Pardon?"
"This trial should not be happening in this first place! The Cardinal Heroes are supposed to work together to fight off the Waves of Catastrophe! That's the impression I got when we were summoned to this world together! But now we're fractured before we even began to learn how to cooperate!"
"Asuka-san, have you forgotten that the weapons don't allow us to gain experience if we're partied up?" asked Itsuki.
"Who cares about that?! Fighting the Waves means it's a team effort in the end! One way or the other, we're going to have to work as a team! How can we do that if we believe one of our own is a criminal?!"
"Are you saying that you still think Naofumi is innocent?" asked Motoyasu, frustrated by the Sword Hero's refusal to accept the truth, "And not only that, you're actually suggesting that we work together, with him? You do remember he's had his eye on you from the start, right?! You're not safe with him around!"
"As if you're one to talk!"
"Screw you guys!" Naofumi bellowed, having heard enough of this bullshit. His rage boiling to the surface, he began fighting off the spears held by the knights, "I'll deal with the Waves by myself!"
The knights tried to restrain the Shield Hero, only but scared off by a bluish-green light emitting from him. Naofumi stood tall soon after, his fiery sights set firmly on King Aultcray.
"So King, are you gonna imprison me in between all of the Waves?" asked a glaring Naofumi.
"There isn't much time before the next Wave, so you won't be imprisoned. Even if you are scum, you're still a Hero. But, news of your crimes has already spread among the people. That is your punishment, so don't expect to lead a decent life in this country!"
This caught Asuka's attention, "Are you serious?! Then Naofumi-kun can't leave now!"
"As if I didn't know that!" Naofumi turned on his heel and was about to leave, but not before Asuka ran up to him and grabbed him by the arm.
"Naofumi-kun, wait!" she cried, "You can't leave! We can still prove them wrong! You're not a rapist! I know you aren't!"
"Get your hands off of me." Naofumi growled, wrestling his arm away from the younger girl, "It won't matter. They already have me pegged as a criminal, so it's not like they'll listen to a word you say."
"B-But…"
"Thanks for trying, but at this point… I'm not sure I can trust anyone anymore… not even you…" Naofumi muttered to the complete horror of Asuka. He already knew how horrible this was to hear for someone who had been nothing short of genuinely supportive of and kind to him, but his mental state shifted completely after today's events. From once a bright and relatively kind young man, Naofumi had now become cynical and distrustful.
The disgraced Shield Hero trotted away, leaving a heartbroken Asuka alone. However, he stopped just before he could reach the throne room doors. He took out some silver coins he stored in his shield the night prior, and then, he turned to Myne and Motoyasu, who looked surprised by this. "This is what you wanted, right? Shove it up your ass!" Naofumi threw the remainder of his money to Myne's feet.
"Hey, wait one second!" angered by this and his treatment of Asuka just moments prior, Motoyasu marched toward Naofumi and grabbed him by the wrist. "You got a lot of nerve saying and doing as you please to those girls! You aren't even going to apologize before leaving?!"
The two older Heroes stood silently until Naofumi bitterly broke the ice, "I'm the weak one, remember? I can't afford to waste any more time." he said as he yanked his arm away.
Motoyasu didn't say a word, as he allowed Naofumi to leave the throne room. Only a couple of seconds passed before the Spear Hero spoke in frustration, "Son of bitch! He won't even apologize to Myne and Asuka-chan…"
THUD!
Asuka finally collapsed to the floor on her knees. She wore a blank face as she began to shed silent tears.
Guilt, anger, sadness, all of these emotions overwhelmed her at once as Naofumi left with only bitterness in his heart, and it was all her fault. She failed to save him from this cruel treatment. And losing another friend was the price for this failure.
"Asuka-chan, what's wrong?" Motoyasu rushed over to Asuka, feeling worried about her.
"It's clear she's in shock from learning all about Naofumi-san's twisted nature. I don't blame her, honestly..." said Itsuki with pity.
"Motoyasu-sama, I think she needs a friend to help comfort her, don't you agree? I'm sure she was just as terrified as I was of the Shield Hero." Myne said with a sickeningly innocent smile as if nothing had happened. Asuka spotted this from the corner of her eye. She knew right away that Myne was taunting her. The older woman was also casually picking up the silver coins Naofumi had thrown away. There was no remorse in Myne's expression or posture at all, and it was a most disgusting sight to behold in the eyes of the Sword Hero. The more she gazed at the vile redhead and heard the latter's voice, the more anger and hatred she felt.
"You don't need to tell me twice. I really can't stand to see a cute girl sad." Motoyasu kneeled in front of Asuka and reached over to her. However, rather than be helped by the perverted Spear Hero, she quickly stood up and angrily slapped across the face hard enough for him to hit the floor, to his surprise, and everyone else's.
"Don't touch me!" Asuka cried in anger.
"Motoyasu-sama?!" Myne cried, once again rushing to his side, "How could you-"
"Shut up!" Asuka snapped at Myne. The Sword Hero was sick of hearing her squeal like the pig she was.
"A-Asuka-chan…?" Motoyasu groaned, caressing his cheek and barely able to get up. From his HUD's UI screen, he could see that Asuka's slap caused some of his health to drop. While he was looking down, he could see small cracks on the ground where he landed. How much strength was she really packing if she could make him hit the ground like this? And how much was she holding back to keep him from falling through the floor?
Asuka stared down at the floor Spear Hero, "What's wrong with you?! I don't understand how you can be so casually cruel to someone who clearly didn't do anything to deserve it! Didn't any of this strike you as odd?" Asuka asked as she alternated her line of sight between Motoyasu and Itsuki, "Did either of you ever stop to think of any reason why Naofumi-kun would commit heinous crimes like this knowing that his reputation as the Shield Hero was already up a creek? Did he really seem like the type to do anything remotely similar to what these accusations claim he did or was going to do, drunk or not?! You honestly never considered that?!"
"Calm down." Itsuki said to Asuka, "I understand where you're coming from. Granted, we only knew him for a little more than a day, but even then, what do you really know about a person at first glance? If Naofumi-san really is that kind of person, then why are you still defending him?"
"Why am I defending him?! I think the real question you should ask is why you readily believe everything Myne-san said and not me?! Why do you two of all people insist on Naofumi-kun being guilty?!"
"What're you talking about? Did you forget what he did to Myne?! He almost raped her, and he was planning to do the same to you! That's enough to warrant no sympathy from any of us!" Motoyasu yelled back.
"That was an obvious lie on Myne-san's part to derail me from clearing Naofumi-kun of suspicion! Stop believing everything that despicable liar tells you!" Asuka yelled.
"U-Uh, well…" Motoyasu was about to speak until Myne jumped in between the Spear and Sword Heroes.
"Sword Hero-sama, if I didn't say anything about that dastardly Shield Hero's intentions, he certainly would have preyed on you after the trial! You should really thank me for that." the lying redhead said. She had a mixed expression of sincerity and condescending, and in Asuka's eyes, there was definitely more condescension directed toward her. It was apparent that Myne didn't like her for some reason. Well, after today, the feeling was mutual.
"Thank you…? Thank you, after you waited this long to reveal something like that?!" Asuka growled.
"I do apologize. I just wanted to spare you the pain of knowing that someone you cared about was lusting after you." said Myne, getting all teary, "After all, you said to clear that devil's name, you forced my hand! I just had to save you from a horrible fate!"
"Excuse you?!" Asuka bellowed. Clearly, she waited for that big reveal, having already known that Asuka would attempt to back Naofumi up. She just played along so she could find that moment to shoot everything down and get everyone on her side while making a complete fool out of the Sword Hero.
"Asuka-dono, cease this tantrum at once!" Aultcray called out to the Sword Hero, "I understand that you're upset at having learned the true nature of the Shield Hero. However, you must understand why this was important. As King, I cannot ignore any injustices within my country. The Shield Hero's evil must not go unpunished."
"Important? Do you think this was important? And you honestly think Naofumi-kun is evil?"
"Indeed."
"That's insane!" Asuka barked, "I don't understand any of this! Why did you even do this?! You have an entire country to look after! You have to ensure the people that all of the Cardinal Heroes will protect them from the Waves of Catastrophe! Yet, all you can think of to do with your time is to make false claims that Naofumi-kun is an evil attempted rapist?!"
Aultcray shook his head like a father disapproving of a disobedient child, "Your naivety truly pains me, Asuka-dono. The Shield Hero is scum. That is all you to know." said Aultcray, "It is just as Myne said. You should be grateful that we revealed the Shield Hero's true vile nature before he could prey upon you and sully your honor."
"What...?"
"Have you forgotten why I wanted those knights to escort you here? It was to ensure your safety from the Shield Hero. As King of this country, I won't allow such a cowardly man to lay his dirty hands on you."
That was the final straw for the Sword Hero. Scum? Cowardly? Shouldn't those labels go to the man sitting on his throne? Grateful? Why should she be grateful to a sociopathic liar who clearly got off on ruining other people's lives? Honor? At this point, what would King Aultcray or even Myne know of honor? They fabricated a crime to pin on an innocent man just to make his life miserable. There was no honor in that.
All this time, they kept treating her like a victim, even though nothing had happened, nor was it going to. They didn't see her as a Hero. They only saw her as a helpless victim, no, a tool to use to fabricate a twisted truth.
Asuka saw red, as anger and hatred took over any rationality she had.
SLASH!
Faster than the eye could blink, Asuka leaped forward with incredible speed toward the King, ready to run her Legendary Sword through his face. However, she stopped only a few short inches away, and she watched as his face turned deathly pale from the sudden action.
"A-Asuka-dono…" a pale and legitimately terrified Aultcray uttered.
"If you ever say anything like that to me again, I won't be able to restrain myself..." said Asuka, glaring at the King with murderous intent. Never before had she felt compelled to kill someone like this. This man was not just dishonest and selfish. He was a complete fool to think underestimating her based on her gender was a good idea. Again, what did he know about honor when clearly he had none, to begin with? Of course, what she was doing right now wasn't particularly smart or honorable either, but given what he had done so far and her current mental state, it wasn't easy to make rational decisions. "The only scum I see is the man sitting on this throne."
All who witnessed the Sword Hero's act of aggression toward the King stood agape.
Myne looked like she was about to utter something but held her tongue. She looked worried about Aultcray.
"W-Was she always able to do that…?" Motoyasu muttered, particularly shocked by this violent act.
"T-That kind of speed… it's not humanly possible…" said a nervous Itsuki. She must be cheating somehow. That was the only explanation he and Motoyasu could draw.
"Y-You dare to attack and insult me in this manner?! After what I've done for you?!" snarled the King.
"I'm not as defenseless as some of you might think." Asuka retorted, "It was bad enough you drove Naofumi-kun away by accusing him of attempted rape, but you decided to disregard my explanations as to why it was impossible, and then you used the fact that I was a woman to implicate him further. Painting me like a helpless victim about to be raped… acting like you care enough to defend my honor… acting like I should be grateful for that damned lie… unfortunately, that entire ploy was an egregious offense on my honor as a woman and a warrior, so I have no reason to be grateful!"
"B-But, the Shield Hero…"
"The Shield Hero this… the Shield Hero that… is that all you can come up with as an excuse?" Asuka asked, "Name one other reason to hold this trial that doesn't include "Shield Hero" in it!"
King Aultcray came up silent due to fear from the Sword Hero's murderous gaze and the Legendary Sword directly in front of him, and obviously, there was no other reason. Apart from wanting to protect his family, but he doubted she'd understand that now. If anything, it was likely she would become a threat to the royal family. He could not allow that.
"That's what I thought. There was no reason to hold this trial other than to waste our time and to alienate an innocent man." Asuka said, lowering her sword, much to the relief of the King. She walked away with loud angry footsteps.
"W-Where do you think you're going?!" Aultcray called out to Asuka, who only trotted away faster.
"I can't believe I was summoned here just to get dragged into some stupid charade of a trial that shouldn't have taken place! If this is how it's going to be, then to hell with being a Hero! And to hell with this putrid country!" Asuka cried out as she marched toward the door, intending to leave this throne room.
Unfortunately, one of her 'allies' saw fit to step in front of her.
It was Itsuki, and he was displeased by Asuka's display, "Asuka-san, I don't know why you're suddenly upset, but it doesn't give you an excuse to threaten the King like this. You should apologize to him now while you still can."
Asuka glared at Itsuki, who remained unfazed.
"You can't just attack the King and expect to leave. Besides, didn't you say we need to be symbols of hope for the people? If that's the case, then you have a duty as a Hero to-"
"I don't want to hear that from someone who thinks this is some game and is only in it for the reward." Asuka scowled at Itsuki, to his shock and chagrin.
"Asuka-chan, what's gotten into you? Why are you acting this way?" Motoyasu asked, not understanding why she was upset enough to start yelling at and attacking the King.
"Why do you think? I'm pissed off because you think I'm a pretty damsel in distress who'll fall in love with you after you save her from the bad guy!" retorted Asuka, "Hate to break it to you, but whatever scenario you were hoping for afterward would only happen in that empty skull of yours!"
"Asuka-chan, just calm down, and we can talk this out, alright?" Motoyasu replied, trying to appease her before she got violent again.
"Don't tell me to calm down!" Asuka snapped at Motoyasu, who backpedaled in shock, "Besides, even IF Naofumi-kun is a rapist, what makes you any different from him?! You honestly don't think I'm not aware of you leering at me in inappropriate ways when you think I'm not looking?! I'm sure you've had a lecherous thought or two about seducing me and dragging me into bed for some smutty antics!"
"T-That's...!" Motoyasu paled as he broke out in a cold sweat. How did she know? Sure, she was in high school, but with a body like hers, how could he not fantasize about hooking up with her?
"Don't deny it! That hug you gave me before didn't exactly inspire confidence! I've never felt anything more repulsive in my life! For that matter, what gave you the right to bring up that groping accident on the first day?!"
"I-I just..."
"Just what? Were you upset that you didn't get a chance to cop a feel too? Did you want to feel my breasts that badly you had to give me that gross hug and pretend to be worried about me?!" Asuka asked, with a piercing gaze.
"No! I swear I did it for you! It was to make you feel safe!"
"Too bad! Not that you had any chances, to begin with, but you really blow it today with that pervy hug and accusing Naofumi-kun of groping me intentionally!"
"A-Asuka-chan..."
"You could always ask Myne-san to keep you company, right? You really seem to enjoy how much she shamelessly throws herself at you. Especially to ensure you stay stupid enough to believe her every word!" Asuka yelled, hatefully glaring at Myne for her deceptions and shameless sadism.
"Sword Hero-sama, how could-"
"Will you shut up! My name is Asuka, and your act hasn't fooled me for a second! In fact, I don't want to hear another word out of you because chances are it's another bald-faced lie. I should have tried harder to warn Naofumi-kun about you, and I should have realized sooner what kind of person you were a long time ago. You're a cruel, vile excuse for a human being!" Asuka yelled at Myne, who recoiled in fear.
"What is this? We protected you from Naofumi-san, and this is how you repay us? By hurling insults at us?" asked an irate Itsuki.
"I didn't ask you guys to do anything! Besides, you don't even sound the least bit sincere about 'protecting' me, Itsuki-kun! You act as if you care, but you really don't! You just wanna look like the good guy, and that's why you threw Naofumi-kun under the bus!" Asuka snapped at the Bow Hero, who gritted his teeth. "I can't say for sure if I'm worthy of being called a Cardinal Hero, but I know for certain that you guys are terrible Heroes in the making if you readily turn against your own comrades and don't listen to a word they say. You can wax as many heroic speeches as you want, but it holds no weight when you don't know the first thing about being a Hero."
This statement caused Itsuki to glare harder at Asuka. He clearly didn't appreciate criticism of any kind, but the Sword Hero didn't care. In fact, she stopped caring and just wanted out.
"I've had enough! Get out of my way! I can't stand being here anymore!"
"Stop where you are!" Aultcray called out to the Sword Hero, having recovered from his earlier shock, "Asuka-dono, I've let you have your way thus far, but no more. You vowed you would do all in your power to help us in the fight in the Waves of Catastrophe! Do you intend to go back on your word by continuously standing up for the Shield Hero, insulting Myne, the Spear, and Bow Heroes, and attacking me over a slight at your pride?"
"Stop pretending you care." said Asuka, not even bothering to turn to face him, "My vow and my pride meant nothing to you. This trial has shown your true colors to me. You're a dishonest and selfish King. Rather than prioritize the protection of your people, you held a frivolous sham of trial just to defame a man you didn't like, over presumably a petty reason, and I simply cannot support such a ruler. You never even told us that Melromarc is a matriarchal country and that the Queen, who holds the highest authority in this country, is away on a diplomatic mission, or even the possibility of Myne being related to you, which explains how you both set this trial up. There's probably a lot more you haven't shared with us."
"Wait? So, Myne… you're a Princess?" Motoyasu asked Myne, who shied away.
Aultcray and the nobles were surprised to learn that Asuka had figured Myne's relation to the King.
"I suppose… you'd have to find out sooner or later…" the redhead said. With unabashed confidence on display, Myne Sophia reintroduced herself, "My true name is Malty S Melromarc, the Crown Princess of Melromarc, and daughter of King Aultcray, and the Next Queen of this country."
Motoyasu and Itsuki were agape at this revelation. Asuka, not so much, because she pieced this together on her own, seeing obvious ques and the fact that the King would immediately hold a trial over the belief that the Shield Hero committed a heinous crime against her. The King no doubt let Myne, or rather, Malty get away with many shenanigans if this charade was anything to go by.
"None of that matters right now!" Aultcray shouted, "What matters is how you're going to answer for these slights against us!"
"I think it does matter. I don't know who the Queen is, but even I think she'd disapprove of what you've done today," said Asuka.
"My Queen's desires are my desires!"
Asuka simply sighed after hearing, "I guess you're right. Whether the Queen is here or not doesn't matter. You've thoroughly broken my trust as a result of your actions, and I am never returning to Melromarc ever again."
"What?! Are you saying you intend to leave our country at its most vulnerable?!" Aultcray growled. Her words stung his pride deeply, as visibly evident by the furious scowl he was sporting.
"You have only yourself to blame. Your actions today have inspired this decision. I suggest you live with it." said Asuka bitterly.
Aultcray's scowl deepened. No one, not even a Hero, had dared to insult him like this.
"Besides, you don't need all of the Heroes here to defend the country, right? The Waves of Catastrophe are probably spawning in other places in this world. If that's the case, I'll deal with them as well, but don't expect me to come back to help you. Like Naofumi-kun, I stopped caring for this spiteful world and just want to go home too." Asuka said grimly. She didn't care if Orochi was waiting for her. Anything, including roasting to death, would be better than being here. Who in their right mind would want to be here and waste time acting the part of a Hero for this world's people?
"You can't be serious, Asuka-chan! These Waves are supposed to be super hard, remember!" cried Motoyasu.
"You said it yourself! We need to work together to fight them!" yelled Itsuki.
"If you two wanted to work together to fight the Waves, you should have backed Naofumi-kun up, but instead you chose not to." said Asuka, "I'm leaving, and nothing you say will change my mind."
She honestly thought Naofumi, Motoyasu, and Itsuki were her comrades in the coming battle against the Waves of Catastrophe. Clearly, nothing could be further from the truth, at least in regards to the latter two. These two weren't her allies, especially since they didn't back Naofumi up and readily turned on him while ignored her belief that the Shield Hero was innocent and even believing the blatant lies made up by the vilest of people. To hell with working with them. They weren't worth anything.
"B-But, Asuka-chan- huh?!" Motoyasu froze when Asuka pointed her Legendary Sword at him.
"Get out of my way." Asuka threatened.
"GUARDS!" Aultcray roared, finally letting the last of his patience reach its zenith. He'd be damned if he allowed Asuka to leave Melromarc and potentially inform his wife of what had transpired. "Capture the Sword Hero, and do not let her escape!"
Asuka was ready to defend herself and escape. However, Princess Malty saw fit to intervene.
"Wait, Papa!" Malty called to her father.
"Malty?" Aultcray uttered. All eyes went to the Princess.
"I have a better idea that'll solve this debacle." declared Malty. She turned and pointed to Asuka, "Sword Hero, you will fight Motoyasu-sama in a sacred duel. If you win, you can leave Melromarc, and we'll lift the charges against the Shield Hero. But, if Motoyasu-sama wins, you will swear fealty to Melromarc and devote yourself to protecting our citizens and the royal family!"
This was a solution that caught everyone off guard, most especially Aultcray, Asuka, and Motoyasu.
"What?" Asuka muttered.
"Malty, how can you propose such a-"
"It's a sound solution, don't you think, Papa? We don't need to coarse the Sword Hero with unnecessary violence."
"A-A duel? M-Myne- I mean, Princess, you can't be serious!" Motoyasu stammered. He wasn't sure how to address Malty now that he was aware that she was a Princess.
"Feel free to just call me Myne, Motoyasu-sama. The same applies to Itsuki-sama and the Sword Hero." said Malty, with an extra layer of spite at the mention of the Sword Hero.
"O-Okay, but... I can't just fight Asuka-chan!"
"Fine." Asuka declared.
"Huh?" Motoyasu turned to Asuka in shock. He saw the determined look in her eye.
"I accept this challenge. I will win, and I will restore Naofumi-kun's honor!"
Lyall the Werewolf: Again, if you're not too bored rereading these chapters, feel free to stop reading. But, don't turn away just yet. I promise chapter 04 will bring something new. Well, sort of new. You'll see.