Chapter Three: History, Peace, and A Prayer.

"How long were you sleeping for, boy? I've waited over two hours in this inn already." The man in front of me said.

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry!"

I recently just woke up from a long sleep. The events of yesterday tired me out so much, I slept for way too long, making my guide for today wait.

"Pay it no heed, this is my job. I'm only concerned about the introduction ceremony, it will start in a few hours, and you won't get enough time to tour the city."

"Uhh, it's okay sir. I can explore it at a later time…" I replied.

"Idiot." his gaze narrowing on me, "Knowing every single corner of the city is a must for a Knight."

"I, I'm really sorry!" I apologized, bowing my head.

"Stop with your apologies and let's go. Don't waste any more time"

"Yes! Sir Laeroth!" I followed after him and went outside the inn.

As the door opened, a bright orange sky greeted me. The noise of the city immediately filled my ears.

I haven't really taken the time to see the surroundings yesterday when Sir Laeroth brought me to the inn. Back then, the sky was already pitch black, without any lights from the city. I could see just fine though, maybe because I got used to the dark scenery of the dungeon. That surprised Sir Laeroth, that I was able to move in the dark just fine.

The surroundings became clearer this morning. Everywhere, various people filled the streets- their noises clashing with each other that turned into several messy sounds that drowned out everything.

A pungent smell filled the air most of the time. But sometimes, I'll catch a whiff of a pleasant aroma that came from the stalls at the side of the road.

The noticeable difference that I could see was the lack of windows here. Even at the inn that I stayed at, there were no windows for viewing the outside. I have no idea how glasses are made here, so maybe the materials were rare here?

In a way, it was similar yet different to Orario. Maybe I could describe it as 'Orario without magic stone products', which I guess made life harder here.

Thanks to the reddish-orange sky that was looked similar to a sunset in Orario, the atmosphere seemed gloomy at first glance, but the loud noises of the people around me proved me wrong.

"Uhh, Sir Laeroth? Is it already afternoon?" I asked as I wondered about the reddish-orange sky.

"What are you talking about? It's still early in the morning, about 2 hours before afternoon." He said.

"You can tell the time?"

"Yes. I grew up in the forests after all. Observing the sun is enough to tell me what time is it."

"That's amazing."

It was an amazing ability. Maybe I should ask Sir Laeroth to teach me how to do it, that way I won't have to rely on clocks to tell the time.

But there's no clock here as far as I can tell, so I'm currently stuck by just knowing when morning-afternoon-or evening was by seeing the color of the sky.

"By the way, Sir Laeroth, where are we going?" I asked.

"You still haven't eaten right? We're going to Her Majesty's Mansion to serve you food."

"Eh, Ehh?! Mansion? Is it really okay?"

Miss Komiya is the ruler of this country, going to her mansion to just eat, was that really okay?

"Of course. You're Her Majesty's guest after all. She wants to see you before you take the training. She has taken an interest in you, often talking about how cute you were crying in front of her to the maids."

"HAAAHH?!" I exclaimed. My face burned from embarrassment.

Why?! Why?! Please stop!

That was my worst memory ever. Please don't bring up my dark past.

Ahhh. This is the worst.

I'm extremely nervous to meet her now.

"I've been serving Her Majesty for a long time now, but this was the first time she had openly talked about someone outside of her work. Meeting someone around her age was for the good, after all. Although you two didn't really meet at the best of terms." He said.

That's right, she was trying to kill me when we first met. But, I don't know how to feel about Miss Komiya talking about me. I mean, I was glad that my presence made her happy, but I'm pretty sure she's just happy about my embarrassing moment.

This sucks. I want to go back in time and punch my yesterday me for crying in front of a girl I didn't even know.

"Say, boy. Are you hungry already?" Sir Laeroth asked.

"Huh? Ahh, not really." I said.

Spending days in the dungeon meant that I often had to skip meals, so I'm used to it by now.

"Then, let's take detours. Since you woke up late, we won't be able to tour the city, but we can still go to the famous sceneries around here before we go to the mansion."

"Ahh, yes!" I replied, excited to tour my surroundings.


The first area we arrived at was a fountain, with a statue on top of it. The statue was detailing a man holding a crown, standing and smiling. Pieces of it were broken, cracks can be found everywhere on the statue.

"That statue was made to honor the first founder and king of Astrium. However, his name was lost in history, and all that remained was a run-down statue of him here in Nero." Sir Laeroth said.

"Lost in history? Not even a single book was written about him or even mentioned him?"

"Yes. The closest one recorded was from a book that originated a millennium ago, calling him the Merciful and the Wise king of the south. by a journal from a traveling pilgrim. Other than that, there's nothing recorded."

"Millenium ago!? Then, this statue… Is it still the original one?"

"It's hard to believe, but yes. This is the original one. Over thousands of years, it still remains intact. It had survived wars and calamities alike, and the only damage it received were mere cracks." He said, and continued,

"But, the fountain is still new, only being built thirty years ago by a foolish king. To think I served him…." Sir Laeroth sighed.

"Foolish? Did he do something really bad?"

"Not really. But amongst all the rulers before him, he did nothing. No prosperity was gained, but there were no declines as well. That isn't bad, but what got him the title 'foolish' was that he was madly in love with her wife and did everything to please her, even at the cost of the public and the nobles' rage." He said, and continued,

"One of the examples is the fountain in front of you. His wife loved fountains and liked the statue as well, so he ordered to build a fountain here and bring the statue on top of the fountain as a gift to his wife. Even with his advisors pleading him not to, he still continued. Of course, that incurred the nobles and the public's wrath. It was a desecration of a historical monument, after all. Some of the broken pieces you see on the statue are the result of that."

"And, what happened to him?"

"He was forced to step down with all the backlash he received." Sir Laeroth said.

That's… I don't know what to feel about that.

"Ah, you said earlier that you served him?" I asked, curious about it.

"Yes. He was the first king I served, and every one after that." He said.

"So you've been here for a long time now? I thought you were just Miss. Komiya's assistant."

"Her majesty fired every single previous advisor, even the ones that were here longer than me, saying she didn't need one. Except for me, she said my knowledge and power would still be useful to her." Sir Laeroth said.

"I see…"

I feel bad for the other advisors. Being fired like that after serving the country for years.

"Let's get a move on," Sir Laeroth said and started walking again.

"Okay!"


"This is…" I said, in awe of the surroundings around me.

"A natural forest, yes. It's named the 'Nescilia Forest' "

Around me was a beautiful forest. Tall trees were everywhere, and amidst it, I could hear the birds chirping while a cold gust of wind brushed through me.

It had a nostalgic smell. The natural smell of the dirt, the woody fragrance of the trees. It was just like my hometown, to the mountains north of Orario.

Just a moment ago, I was in a busy city. But now I was in a mystical forest.

"Amazing, right? From your reaction, I can tell you've had your share of experience with nature." Sir Laeroth said, also smiling at the scenery before him.

"Yes! I used to live in a small village in the mountains, so I always played in the forest." I said.

"Glad to hear that. People nowadays forget the pleasant feeling of nothing but fresh air and silence given by nature." He said, "Are you wondering how is such a beautiful scenery inside this city?"

"Uhh, yes. I don't know how something like this could exist here…" I answered.

"Nero used to be beside a huge forest. It was expanded about two hundred years ago by Queen Nescilia. But, she decided to leave this patch here instead of completely cutting everything of the forest."

"Why would she do that…?"

"According to a historical book, her words were: When I die, bury me in the middle of this forest and offer me to the Gods. My legacy will remain here, and those who dare desecrate it would be judged upon the Gods. or something like that."

"But, even though she declared it, some people would still disobey, right?" I said.

"Correct. When she died, the future rulers tried to damage the forest for their personal gains, but, Divine Judgement came down to those who tried. The city was faced with plagues, storms and tornadoes, wars and poverty, monster outbreaks, and so on. It only stopped when they had relinquished any thoughts about destroying the forest." Sir Laeroth said, and continued,

"Right now, it is protected by a barrier from the outside. You saw those tall torches right at the entrance, right?"

"Yes."

"Those are enchanted with a strong barrier to ward off intruders and calamities. To enter, you must have a pure intentions, or have this ring right here" He said, showing me a green ring on his right hand's pointer finger.

"But, I didn't have a ring when I entered…"

"I was planning to give you one before we entered, but you immediately ran inside like a kid."

"..I'm sorry…"

"No need for that. But, the fact that you managed to enter without a ring meant that you had pure intentions."

"Pure… intentions? What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"I don't know as well. That's just what was passed down upon. Whether it is pure intentions to the forest, or a pure intention in life, no one knows but the enchanter. I tried entering myself without a ring, but, I got blocked by the barrier. You're probably the first one in decades to actually enter without a ring."

"Really!?"

"Yeah. Maybe you'll find yourself in future history books. The purest kid in the whole world"

"Please no! That's embarrassing!" I said, and Sir Laeroth only laughed at me.

"It's been a while since I actually felt nature's blessings. I'm glad places like these still exist even when everything is becoming modernized." He said, "If only my brethren tried to see what's beyond instead of being shackled in the past."

Being shackled in the past… Are the elves here the same?

"Uhh, Sir Laeroth? Did you leave your hometown to come here?" I asked.

"Yes, yes I did. I lived in the far west, in a huge forest that surrounded Perivall. I left because of my curiosity for the outside world." He said.

"I see. I was wondering why I don't see that many elves other than you."

"Elves would never accept a civilization far away from nature. That's why we're very rare in the cities. If you see one, they're most likely banished like me."

"Banished? Why is that?" I asked.

"Those who succumb to their desires and curiosity about the outside world are immediately banished. Elves treat the outside world badly because they think people here destroy nature for their own gain. And if an Elf, a race that was born to protect nature, becomes curious about living in a world far away from nature, that's heresy to them." Sir Laeroth said,

"But, ever since coming here, I've changed my mind. People here help each other without care for race. They worship and offer to their Gods every single day, and continues to move forward without a care for the past. How are they the ones who are far away from nature? Because there are no trees? It's stupid. They are closer to nature than we elves are." He continued,

"It's funny, isn't it? The outside world we desperately tried to push away was closer to nature-our whole point of existence-than we are."

However,

"Except for Kingdom. That wretched place should be erased from this world." He said, his sharp words cutting through the silence.

Words are stuck in my throat, unable to say anything.

Kingdom was the second continent discovered, according to what Miss. Komiya said. But, she didn't mention what it was like. Did they do something horrendous that Sir Laeroth hated them enough he wanted it to be erased?

I wanted to know, but, I couldn't speak. He might be angered if I speak of it.

"…Sorry, I was lost in my emotions. Let's go, boy. we've spent enough time here." He said in his usual tone as if nothing happened.

"…Okay."


"This is our last stop. The mansion is just behind this."

"… A church?"

What's in front of me was a large church. I identified it instantly because we used to live in a basement of a run-down church before.

It was big, about the size of three houses together. The huge wooden double-door was closed, protected by fences all around and a single knight.

"People call it that too. But formally, it's named The Temple of Deities." Sir Laeroth said, "Let's head inside."

"But, the gates are closed."

"Don't worry, they let anyone in."

I followed Sir Laeroth as he headed towards the temple. The guard seemed to recognize him and bowed before he opened the gate. We stood outside of the large double-door.

Knock, knock, he knocked his knuckles twice,

And the door instantly opens forward, revealing the interior of the temple.

A red carpet was laid all the way to the altar, where large candles burned and waved as the sudden breeze from the outside disrupted it. On top of the altar stood a man dressed in a decorated, white robe, and behind him was a mosaic depicting a man that was on top of the skies, holding a lightning bolt, which was made with a variety of stained glass.

No sounds can be heard but the slight crackle of the candles and the wind that came from outside the door.

"Ahh, if it isn't Chief Laeroth, welcome. And young man, welcome. Do you wish to offer your prayers to the Gods?" The man in the white robe spoke.

"Pardon the sudden intrusion, Father Simon. This boy is new here to Nero, and I was showing him landmarks. Please enlighten him about this temple."

"Ha-ha! A boy escorted by the chief himself, interesting. Well then, welcome to the Temple, child." He bowed, "Here, we offer our prayers to the realm above, hoping for our wishes to be heard by the Gods." He said,

"Are you familiar with our history, child?"

"Uhh, no," I answered.

"I see. Then I shall start with our history." He said, and turned around to look at the mosaic on the wall.

"Once upon a time- the Gods had lived together among us. Giving their blessings to each and every mortal in the world. They ordered: Move, go forth with our blessings. We shall be watching alongside you in each and every step you take."

"The blessings that the mortals received differed accordingly by the God who gave them. Be it power, wealth, or status- the mortals walked forward with their newfound blessings at hand."

"But, the mortals mistreated the blessings that the Gods had given them. They used it for war, they used it for violence, they used it against its intended purpose."

"The Gods were enraged, saddened, and disappointed with the mortals. And so, Zeus, the king of the Gods, said: This realm had disappointed our expectations. Henceforth, your blessing shall be taken away- and every mortal shall be banished to the depths of the underworld, where monsters, demons, and bloody skies await."

"In a single flash of lightning, the mortals were brought and spread out to the underworld, where carnage awaited them."

"But, we remained. We stood strong, and built another civilization where we started our lives anew. This is where we are right now."

"Some Gods had taken pity on us and decided to give their blessings to the chosen ones. They are what we call, the Blessed Ones- One who inherits a part of a deity's power. Her Majesty Komiya, our ruler, is one of them."

"This altar was built to send our blessings and prayers to the realm above, in order to prove that we've changed, and is atoning for our past sins."

"That is our history." Father Simon said, "Feel free to ask any questions."

I simply stood in silence, lost in wonder as he told his story word by word.

Father Simon's story about the history of this world intrigued me greatly. It was something straight from a beginning of an epic.

Once upon a time- the Gods had lived together among us, huh. It was similar to Orario, where Gods also lived with us. The God Zeus was mentioned as well. If I remember correctly, Mr. Hermes told me about how they, alongside Hera Familia, were the strongest familias in Orario before Loki and Freya familia rose to the top.

But, I wonder if the Gods in the lower world would be disappointed in us. I mean, they're the ones who are always having fun with us all the time.

The beginning of the story was very similar to how the Lower Realm was, except that the inhabitants of this world in the story were banished by the Gods.

It also explained the power of Miss Komiya, who I once fought before. Her overwhelming power was enough to dawn despair on me with just a single look. She was a blessed one. Someone chosen by the Gods to share a part of their power.

I wonder if my falna technically counts as a blessing from the Gods?

"No questions?" Father Simon asked once again.

"Uhh, about the Blessed Ones. Is every ruler like Miss Komiya? A Blessed One?"

"Ha-ha. No. A Blessed One is very rare. In recorded history, only nine were recorded to be Blessed by the Gods." He said,

"But, during this time, we are part of history in the making! Currently, every ruler in Perivall is a Blessed One! All of them just recently awakened five to two years ago, with our ruler, Her Majesty Komiya being the most recent and youngest one of all of them! Ha-ha-ha! The Gods certainly had heard us!"

"That's… amazing," I said.

Every ruler right now has a power given to them by the Gods. Just how powerful are they?

"Ha-ha. That's it for our history." He said and turned to me, "Since you're new, do you want to offer a prayer to the Gods?"

"…Huh? Can I?"

"Of course. Anyone is free to offer a prayer to the Gods. Normally, people go here early in the morning to offer theirs. Come."

Following his words, I walked towards the altar, but I didn't know what to do next.

"Just kneel in the altar, hold both of your hands together to your head, and close your eyes. You can pray to whoever you want, and state whatever you want, even your greatest wishes." He said.

I followed his instructions and closed my eyes.

"I wish for the Gods to hear your prayer, child." Father Simon said, just before I got lost in my own world inside my mind.


I… don't know what to ask to say or ask to the Gods.

Maybe because I have way too many wishes.

Or was it because I don't have any wish at all?

Can they really hear me from here, from the depths of my mind?

But, there was no harm in trying.

Recently, ever since I came here, there was only one thing that stuck in my mind.

Goddess, and my familia. How are they right now?

Were they worried about me, who just disappeared suddenly?

Or this is just all a wild dream, and I was just sleeping right now, in our Manor?

I sure hope it is all a dream.

…I miss them. All of them.

Miss Mikoto, who always cooked the familia delicious food.

Miss Haruhime, who reads heroic stories with me every night.

Lilly, who often scolded and guided me when I do something wrong.

Welf, who was like my brother. He understood me very well and always helped me.

And,

Goddess.

She acted like a mother to me. Guiding me, scolding me, and helping me as I continued to run.

She was there right from the beginning with me.

She supported me when I said I wanted to become stronger.

She, with my familia, lifted me up when I stumbled along the way.

I… miss all of them.

I… want to see them already.

Please.

This is my wish.

Please.

Let it reach the Gods.

Please.

I'm begging anyone.

Let me see them again.


After offering my prayer, I opened my eyes.

My surroundings were washed out, a single color nowhere to be seen. Father Simon and Sir Laeroth were missing.

Just then,

A jolt ran through my spine.

My hair stood up on end.

The fire from the candles roared.

I was frozen still, unable to move a single muscle.

And in front of me was-

"…We meet again, child." She spoke in a low voice, her pink hair fluttering in the air.

It's her! The Goddess I saw atop the city wall!

But, there was something different about her. Different from the one I saw atop the wall. I couldn't place what it is, but, something just feels… odd.

I wanted to speak. But, I couldn't. Words were stuck in my throat, unable to form a single one.

She slowly walked towards me as she gazed at me with her eyes.

"It's not time yet. You're still too young."

"Walk, run, venture forward. You haven't started yet."

"Prove to me that I wasn't wrong. Prove to me that you're worthy."

"Don't waver. Keep moving as you always do."

"And,"

She kneels and puts both her hands to my cheeks.

"I'll always be watching over you."

"Always."


"…!" My eyes abruptly shot open, and I looked around in a frenzy.

"That sure took long, boy. Did you have a hundred wishes or something?" Sir Laeroth said.

"May your soul cleanse and your mind clear, child. I hope your prayers reach the Gods." Father Simon smiled at me.

What just happened? I swear I just met a Goddess, and…

"Are you okay, boy? What's wrong?"

What's wrong? Everyone was missing earlier! And, there was a Goddess earlier- and she talked to me. I didn't understand what she said at all, but…

I'll always be watching over you.

Always.

Those words were stuck in my mind, and it was the last thing I heard before my eyes opened like I had a long dream.

…A long dream?

A dream, huh.

It's just a dream. Calm down, Bell. Calm your breath. Everything's fine.

"…I'm fine.."

"Then, let's go. You sure took your time here." He said, before bowing to Father Simon as an act of gratitude.

"Thank you, Chief Laeroth, and you too, child. Please come again." Father Simon said, before we left the Temple.


" " Welcome " ", two maids greeted us from the entrance of the mansion.

"Let's go, Her Majesty is waiting inside," Sir Laeroth said.

"Ah, y-yes!"

I followed Sir Laeroth as we make our way into this extravagant mansion.

The outside of the mansion was stunning. It was huge and even had a garden filled with a variety of flowers and plants in it. Not only that, it was filled with guards everywhere roaming outside of the mansion.

It's honestly even more impressive than Loki Familia's base, and maybe on par with the Folkvangr of Freya Familia.

My hands were trembling as I enter the mansion, and I have an overwhelming desire to just flee and run away from here. My nervousness levels were through the roof for some reason- was it because of how gaudy this whole place was, or was it because I was about to meet Miss Komiya, who was the ruler of this entire country?

" " " " " Welcome, esteemed guest, to Miss Komiya's mansion. " " " " "

"This is the living room." Sir Laeroth said.

"Amazing…!"

This was just the living room? No way. It was even bigger than the entire Hearthstone Manor itself, the place my familia stayed at.

The walls were filled with paintings and decorations, and pretty much every single piece of furniture was intricately carved with designs.

Maids were all over the place and were facing our direction, bowing their heads to us.

"Miss Komiya is currently waiting in the dining room. Please follow me." The maid in front of us said and walked.

Me and Sir Laeroth followed suit and I was admiring the surroundings of the mansion as we walked.

Eventually, we arrived at the dining room, and it was just as grand as the living room.

A single chandelier hung on the ceiling, and paintings and decorations were also all over the walls. Three long tables were placed in the dining room.

And at the end of the middle table, there was Miss Komiya- sitting with her arms crossed- her finger tapping rapidly as if waiting for something. Then, as we arrived, she looked at us and smiled.

"Welcome! Both of you sure enjoyed your time exploring the city, huh?" She said.

That smile… I've seen Lilly and Miss Eina do it before…

Ah, she's angry. Definitely angry.

"My sincere apologies, My Liege." Sir Laeroth bowed and kneeled in one leg.

"I'm really sorry!" I bowed deeply.

Both of us apologized at the same time, but Miss Komiya's smile still hasn't wavered.

"Both of you, come sit here. Let's eat after your very tiring morning today," She said, still smiling, "And, maids, please serve the food, then stay first in the living room. I'll call you when I need to."

"Understood," The maids said in unison and moved.

I followed her orders and walked to the seat beside her. A maid pulled the chair for me, and I gave her a "thank you" before I sat.

Just after I sat, the food was brought in immediately. There were a variety of delicious-looking meats, fruits, and vegetables everywhere. The sight alone made my stomach burn in hunger. To think I'll be able to eat such a fancy meal…

"Well then, dig in, both of you." She said.

"Thank you for the food," I said, before digging in, "…mmmm! Delicious!"

The food was so delicious I said it out loud. It was something that completely blew my tongue away, and It's probably even better than Miss Mia's food.

"I'm glad you enjoy it. Nothing beats a good, hot food after a tiring day, right you two?" She said with a hint of sarcasm leaking from her voice.

"…I'm sorry…"

"My apologies. This boy overslept, so we tried to head here as soon as possible but, he wanted to explore some of the city sceneries, so I let him."

Is he trying to pin the blame on me!?

"But, you were the one who suggested it, Sir Laeroth, right?"

"You accepted it still, even though I told you that it'll make Her Majesty wait. Shame on you."

"Nope! I never heard of anything like that at all! Nothing!"

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Miss Komiya laughed hysterically, "You two sure get along well." She laughed, and her smile softened.

I could see Sir Laeroth sighing in relief in front of me. So he only did it to relieve Miss Komiya's mood, huh.

But, I'm begging you, please don't do it again. My heart really won't be able to take it. If Miss Komiya gets angry at me again…

Eep…! I don't even want to think about it…

"So Bell, did you enjoy sightseeing in the city?" She asked.

"Yes! I loved it! The places were very rich in history, to be able to see them myself and learn of the history of that place at the same time feels mystical!" I said.

"Is that so? I'm glad you enjoyed it. Did you have any favorites in particular?"

"Hmm… probably the forest. It's very peaceful and calming there, making me a bit nostalgic, I guess…"

"I love that place too. Sometimes, I go there myself when I have free time. Ahh, that's right. You can keep the ring. It's an extra one we had, and I'd rather give it to you than those stuck-up nobles."

"Ahh! It's okay. I don't need it."

"Don't be shy and just take it. You love the forest, right? Feel free to go there every time you want."

"No need, really! I can enter just fine without a ring. So…."

"Enter… without a ring? Huh? Really?"

"Yes, my liege. I never gave him a ring, yet he can enter just fine."

"Really? Ha-ha-ha! That's the first time I've heard of something like that! It means you have a… what was it again? Ah, that right! A pure ambition!"

My face turns red, and I start sweating from embarrassment.

Not again…

"You're really interesting. I would love to chat more with you and give you a tour of the mansion, but…"

Clang, clang.

A loud bell sounded from the outside and could be heard even inside this huge place.

"We've got no time. The knight's entrance exam is starting." She said, "What a pity… If you only arrived earlier…"

"Uhh… I'm really sorry…"

"Pay it no mind. You've got somewhere to go to now, don't you? Laeroth, escort him to the plaza."

"Yes, my liege." He said. "Come, let us go, boy."

"Yes, sir!"

Both of us stood up and prepared to leave the mansion.

"I'll be praying for your success, Bell." She said, smiling at me.

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