Chapter Fifty: Snap, Reality Check
Two days before the events of Filo's trial, a figure sat on a porch step, breathing in heavily, before slowly exhaling.
His gold-colored eyes roamed over the forest around him. His white ears flicked this way and that, listening to the gentle breeze gently rustling the plants. His black and white striped tail flicked lightly against the wood of the porch.
Dou-Lon felt good. Actually, he felt better than he ever had before. The pain in his abdominal area was completely gone. He'd been allowed to check. Only a small scar on the side of his belly button and a small scar on his back to the side of his spine remained.
He'd been termed fully recovered two days ago, and allowed to do what he pleased.
He no longer had to drink that tasty explosive medicine, whatever it was, that the old widow had been giving him. He was allowed to walk outside of the home. To do stretches. To fix meals. Whatever he wanted…
He sighed sadly. He lifted his knees and rested his head on them.
"Hakuko Dou-Lon is still here?"
Dou-Lon didn't respond as the short old wrinkled lady shuffled out onto the porch. She rested on a small cane. Otherwise, she looked the same as before.
She frowned, observing him for a moment before speaking again. "I thought Hakuko Dou-Lon couldn't wait to leave. Is there reason why Hakuko Dou-Lon wishes to stay?"
"... maybe…" Dou-Lon said.
"Hmmm… Hakuko Dou-Lon is sad." She observed.
"... very sad." He admitted.
He'd gotten used to her manner of speaking over the last few weeks. He didn't speak much, but neither did she. He had been able to glean that she was a nice lady though. And he was grateful for the help she'd given him.
Even if it had hurt a few times...
...
During his recovery, he'd also had time to ponder. To think about what he'd done before. Betraying the Shield Hero with his slip of the tongue. Getting his friends killed… being unsure if he'd even been out doing the right thing, to begin with. Trying to find the Shield Hero so he could bring him back to a place that would be just as dangerous as Melromarc.
"Why is Hakuko Dou-Lon sad?" The old lady asked.
Dou-Lon chuckled sadly. "Because I finally realized it. I didn't come here for a good cause. I only made things worse with my actions.
"Chen was right. We don't deserve to see the Shield Hero... we never did."
...
"Did you not believe you came for good cause though?" The old lady asked curiously.
"Yeah, I mean, I thought I did. But I didn't."
The old lady chuckled. "Then Hakuko Dou-Lon is conflicted."
"I'm not conflicted!" He said angrily, getting up and facing her. He towered over the short lady, made shorter by the fact that she leaned on a cane. "I was wrong! I was stupid and naive! I let my beliefs get in the way. I listened to my friends when I shouldn't have! And now I'm-"
"Conflicted."
…
Dou-Lon fell to his knees. He felt tears fill his eyes.
Yes, he felt conflicted. Part of him still felt like it had been the right thing to come here. To try and help out the Shield Hero in whatever way possible. Even if it meant bringing him to Siltvelt.
And he was ashamed of himself for it… ashamed that he'd listened to his friends instead of trying to convince them to change their opinions. To change their mission to assist the Shield Hero and his party instead of...
The old lady placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hakuko Dou-Lon. There's nothing to be ashamed of. The most honorable still make the greatest of mistakes."
"But this was a big mistake," Dou-Lon said sadly. "I did great dishonor to my Hero… my nation's God. My nation has done great dishonor to the Great Shield Hero. How can I ever make up for what I did? How can my country make up for their sins against him?"
"... Well. You won't make up for it crying on my porch!" The old lady slapped him across the face, briefly shocking him.
When he looked down at her though, she was smiling. "Silly Hakuko. Has anything been accomplished by those who sat and did nothing?"
...
He shook his head. Still shocked by the force behind the slap. It'd been a little while since she'd last slapped him. It was like she had become a grandma to him over the course of his treatment.
A crazy, old, yet caring grandma who held a surprising amount of strength in her old bones. "Dou-Lon. You are good Hakuko." She said, rubbing the top of his head. His tail flicked back and forth behind him at the action. "Like your great uncle, you care for your people. But unlike him, you also care for others. You have big heart."
She poked his chest. "I should know. I saw it myself."
"Whoa! Whoa!" Dou-Lon stumbled back, almost falling off the porch. "Okay, I did not need to know that!"
The old lady laughed. It was a serene sound, and it made him oddly happy.
"Go, you know what you must do now, Hakuko Dou-Lon."
And the weird thing was, Dou-Lon did know what he had to do. For some reason that he couldn't understand, he felt strongly that the Shield Hero needed him.
And soon.
"How will I know where to go though?" He asked.
"You are great tracker, are you not?" The old lady chuckled.
"Yeah, but I have no idea where he is-" Dou-Lon began to refute.
"Then trust your instincts. They will not fail you, should you listen." She turned around and began to shuffle towards the doorway.
Dou-Lon thought about it. And almost turned around to leave, but then turned his head to ask one last question. "What is your name?" He'd asked several times since first waking up, but she'd never answered him.
…
"I forgot how pesky you Hakuko could be. You think yourself worthy to hear it?"
Dou-Lon growled lowly and turned around to leave. If the old hag was going to keep it to herself, then-
"Ming."
Dou-Lon stopped and looked back at the old lady. She was facing him again and giving him a smile. "My name is Ming…"
"... Ming, thank you."
"I should thank you, Hakuko Dou-Lon. You have made my last few weeks… quite interesting." She said with a chuckle before she turned to close the door behind her. "Should you see her, tell Elasla I say hi. Her old friend Ming looks forward to seeing her again."
Chuckling, Dou-Lon leaped from the porch and dashed into the forest. "Who the hell is Elasla?"
Hmmm... Ming… it was almost like she grew up in Siltvelt with a name like that…
After a few seconds, he paused and then turned around. He had to ask if that's why she knew so much about Siltvelt. Had she grown up there herself?
However, when he came back to the clearing, the small home was no longer there. He paused in shock.
'What…'
Not even the smell of her good cooking lingered in the area. It was like the place had never existed… or maybe, was it hidden by advanced magic?
Dou-Lon bowed in reverence. There were few people capable of such magic. Of making the medicine she had. "Ming, whoever you really are, thank you for what you did for me. I will never forget this."
"Trust your instincts, young Hakuko. They shall guide you as mine has guided me."
He got up, turned around, and ran back into the forest.
Trusting his instincts, he chose a direction, and mid-leap over a log, he changed into his therianthrope form.
On all fours, the white, black striped tiger dashed into the forest in the direction of his destiny.
The night passed all too quickly for Naofumi. One moment, he'd laid on his bedroll to rest. Then, he'd been dreaming good dreams.
And then, just when the dream was getting really good, Ren gently shook his shoulder.
"We're leaving soon. You should get ready." The young teenager said calmly.
Naofumi groaned tiredly. Couldn't he dream of ear floofing and tail fluffing a little longer?
Still, he got up nonetheless. Rolling up his sleep roll so he could store it in his shield.
Their small camp buzzed with activity. Crystal was sharpening the tip of her spear. Eclair was sparring with Raphtalia and Welt, helping to wake themselves up. Bakta, Maya, Wyndia, and Aksel were helping to make sure everyone's supplies were gathered and packed. Melty and Filo were making sure all the Filolials were accounted for.
Naofumi wouldn't have been surprised if the Second Princess had named them all by this point.
Rachel, Tersia, and Farrie were making sure they were well stocked on Magic Healing Waters. And Ren and Itsuki were making sure that everyone was up and getting ready to head out.
Today was the day. They were finally going back to the Capital. Naofumi was finally going to deal with the Pope and all the crap he'd been put through by him and the Church once and for all. As well as settle things with Motoyasu.
Naofumi finished cleaning up his area just as Fitoria approached him. "Shield Hero. What do you plan to do now?"
"What do I plan to do?" Naofumi said dryly. "I'm going to walk in there. I'm going to reason with Motoyasu. And I'm going to deal with the evil people who've made my life a living hell once and for all. So that me and the others can do our jobs as Heroes in this damn world."
Fitoria hummed in affirmation. Then she plucked one of her cowlicks from her head. "May I?" She asked, indicating to his Shield.
Naofumi placed his shield arm in front of her, and she dropped the cowlick into the gemstone.
Filolial Series Forcibly Unlocked!
Filolial Series Completed!
Naofumi's eyes widened as his HUD alerted him to a variety of shields that were forcibly unlocked. After it was done, he had the entire Filolial series of shields.
He couldn't use some of the Shields since he was below the level requirement, but they all gave some cool bonuses. Bonuses that would help Filo's baseline stats as well as bonuses that would help her grow even stronger as she leveled up.
"I gave one to the Sword and Bow Heroes too. Even if they aren't raising Filolial Queens, it should help them in your coming battle." Fitoria said matter of factly.
"You already gave me that enchantment two nights ago… and Filo's gift yesterday... why give me and the others this too?" Naofumi asked.
"I chose long ago not to interfere with the affairs of humans. But that doesn't mean I won't do what I can to assist the Holy Heroes." She said seriously. "If your goal is to help the world, I will assist you, however I can."
Naofumi nodded. "It is."
"Then, if the Spear Hero does choose to help, will you give him this too?" She plucked one last cowlick from her head and wrapped it in a cloth before handing it to Naofumi.
"Motoyasu helping us…" That seemed like a task almost as daunting as facing the Pope and his followers. Yet Fitoria was looking at him with confidence.
"Fitoria. You're too nice. You know that?" Naofumi said sarcastically.
Fitoria was far above pouting. She simply smiled knowingly. "I've been told that before." Naofumi patted her on the head, and she had to resist smiling uncontrollably.
The others were almost ready when a wagon rolled into the area. "Sir Heroes!"
"Who is he?" Fitoria asked.
Naofumi looked and saw Van smiling widely, waving to him from the driver's bench of a wagon being pulled by a different Filolial. "A good man. One of the few people in this country that actually likes me." He walked over as Van pulled over. Fitoria went to make sure her flock was ready. "What is it, Van?"
"I heard you were preparing to leave. I wanted to give my thanks as well as my people for all that you've done to help and protect us." Van said, bowing in respect. "We all wish you good luck at the Capital."
"Thanks. I'm not sure that luck will help us much today though." Naofumi said dryly.
"I agree. Which is why I'm pleased to give this back to you." Van pulled out a familiar set of armor from the back of the wagon. Naofumi's eyes widened when he recognized his Barbarian Armor. Shining and gleaming in the light of the morning sun.
"My blacksmith finally finished the repairs last night. It was a mess for him to fix with everything else he has to make. But he added a self-repairing enchantment to it." Van said as he handed it to Naofumi.
Barbarian Armor 1.5
Barbarian Armor 1.5: Effects: Defense Up. Wind Resistance (Small). HP Recovery (Slight). Auto Repair (Small)
Naofumi looked down at the frog chainmail armor he'd been wearing the last couple of days. And almost too quickly, he ran behind some rubble to change.
He came out less than a minute later, donned in his old armor and cloak. It felt like he'd been reunited with an old friend. He'd never felt so excited to have his armor back.
Now he felt ready for anything that'd be thrown at him! "Thanks, Van. I promise the next time you see us, it'll be to tell you it's safe to return home." Naofumi said seriously, and gratefully.
The noble gave him a firm handshake. "We'll have to wait and see, Sir Naofumi. Make sure the Second Princess doesn't receive any harm." He said, a note of seriousness in his voice.
"Melty! It's Melty!" The girl yelled at Van.
The others were gathering together around Fitoria. The Filolials looked eager to go. Naofumi nodded to Van and then walked over to everyone. He might have also allowed his cape to trail epically behind him in the sea breeze.
Got to pull those hero moments whenever possible.
"Take us there, Fitoria."
Fitoria nodded. And placed a hand on her necklace.
"Transport Carriage."
"Return us our country, Holy Heroes." Van bowed. "We're all counting on you."
A bright glow surrounded the entire group. And then they disappeared.
The bright glow faded, and Naofumi found himself standing on the edge of a ridge in the forest. In the distance rose the walls of the South Gate of the Capital.
"Whoa, did that feel different to anyone else?" Askel asked.
"It felt just like Sir Itsuki's skill." Rachel said with a shrug.
"Maybe it's because someone else transported us?" Welt suggested. The other party members conversed amongst themselves.
"I'm sorry. This is as far as I can take you. I don't have a closer spot saved." Fitoria said to Naofumi, Ren, and Itsuki.
"It's fine. Thank you again for this." Itsuki said. "This is much closer than the area me and Ren had saved to our weapons."
"I hope you're able to handle that Wave safely," Ren said.
Fitoria nodded at them. "Remember my words from before, Holy Heroes." The carriage on her necklace glowed. After a second, the royal carriage they'd seen before was behind her again. Looking more closely at it, Naofumi and the others saw a gemstone on the roof.
Fitoria then changed form herself. Besides the carriage, she looked indistinguishable from any other normal Filolial.
"Oh, so that's how Fitoria does it..." Filo focused intensely, and suddenly, she changed from looking like a large owl to a large ostrich.
Naofumi and Raphtalia hadn't seen her look like that for a long time. "Gweh! Gweh!" Filo looked at herself happily, but then cocked her head in confusion. "Gweh?"
"Can she… not speak in that form?" Raphtalia asked.
"It appears she hasn't found out how to change her voice box as I have," Fitoria said.
She ooked Filo over herself. It was an impressive transformation. Flawed, but good.
"Gweh?"
"Looks like we finally found a way for her to stay quiet," Naofumi said dryly.
"Gweh! Gweh! Gweh!" Filo squawked indignantly.
"I'm sure he was joking, Filo." Raphtalia petted Filo's long neck, trying to calm her down. "You were joking, right Naofumi?"
"How does she get her carriage to do that?" Itsuki asked.
"I'm not sure…"
"Me neither…" The Three Heroes were now looking at Fitoria's carriage. Wondering how the hell she was able to get it to change forms.
"Gweh!" Filo pouted at them all. And then she changed back into her child form. Still pouting at her daddy for being rude. "Meanies!"
"Farewell, Holy Heroes." Fitoria waved to them with a wing, before facing the southeast. She and her flock ran into the forest.
After a moment, they disappeared from view.
…
"So, Naofumi. Where should we start?" Itsuki asked.
Everyone in the group looked at Naofumi. He looked around at everyone in disbelief. What were they all looking at him for? Was he the go-to man for everything they did now?!
Itsuki and Ren didn't say anything. But Naofumi saw the vulnerability in their eyes.
Right. They were Heroes, but they were also teenagers. They were scared. They had no idea what was going to happen next. Ren had almost died at the hands of the Pope. And Itsuki had lost someone to the Pope's shadows. Naofumi, however, was the oldest of the three of them.
They wanted this to end. But they didn't want anyone else they cared for to get hurt or killed for their actions.
Naofumi got to thinking about how they could go about this with the least amount of risk. "From what we know. We're going to need to either convince Motoyasu to help us or knock him out before we face the Pope." He said.
"Why before-" Aksel was asking.
"So he doesn't attack them during a critical fight, idiot!" Crystal slapped Aksel on the back of the head. Shutting him up.
"Is, is it because it'd be easier to find the Spear Hero? Fueh!" Rishia leaned away from Crystal. Afraid her white-haired party member might also slap her for speaking up.
"Yes, actually. It'll be way easier to find Motoyasu. The Pope will be a little more tricky." Naofumi said.
"So we somehow need to isolate Motoyasu with one of us while the rest of us track down the Pope and plan an ambush?" Ren suggested.
"Sounds simple enough. I just don't see how we're going to accomplish that when there's likely a large Church following in the area-" Itsuki was saying.
"Wait, I have an idea for that." Naofumi grinned.
He looked at the city, a memory striking him. He'd almost forgotten that time. A moment right before he was captured. "I'll talk with Motoyasu." He decided. "I think I can get through to him while you sneak through the city and find out where the Pope is hiding."
What he'd say to convince him to help, well, he'd figure that out when the time came.
"Why does my mind tell me you're planning to do something crazy and ridiculous again?" Raphtalia asked with a sigh.
"Because Daddy is crazy and ridiculous mommy," Filo said. Raphtalia petted the blonde girl, smiling in agreement.
"I'll admit it. This plan is utterly crazy. No idiot in their right mind would do it. So I'm hoping this catches Motoyasu so off guard that it works." Naofumi said.
"Hit us with this crazy plan then," Ren said with a smile. Itsuki sighed behind him.
"What? We're already taking on the entire might of the Church. I think this calls for a little dose of crazy." Ren defended his statement.
Naofumi laid out the details that came to his mind.
Ren, Itsuki, and their party members offered input. Filo's wagon was still hidden in the forest near the South Gate. The Pope was probably at the Church, or somewhere more protected like the Castle.
It was odd. With the number of people there, it was almost like he was conducting a raid meeting with a guild. Only this was 100x harder than any raid he'd ever seen before. And it required a bit of tact, some deception.
And, as Van had said, some good luck.
Because either a lot of things could go right.
Or they'd need a ton of help.
Naofumi walked confidently down the center of the road in plain sight. His armor was stored inside of his shield. He wore nothing but a set of regular clothes.
The forest around him gave way to the plains around the walls of Castle Town. Nearby, balloons of various colors roamed the tall grass. Seeking out some unfortunate beginning adventurer to torment.
He still couldn't kill one without punching it for minutes on end. But damn, those little balls brought back old memories of starting out in this world. They'd made for some good stress relievers and even better tools to use to distract other monsters or to threaten people with.
Halfway across the plains, while still looking at the balloons roaming the tall grass, Naofumi heard yelling at the South Gate. He looked and saw Knights on duty at the top of a Guard Tower. They were pointing in his direction and yelling something at each other. It didn't sound like they knew who he was yet though.
Otherwise, they'd really be in a panic.
This was no stupid stealth mission. Naofumi wanted to be seen.
He raised a hand above him as if making a show of himself and the Shield on his arm. "Air Strike Shield."
The green shield appeared above him like a bright green banner. Its ornate design glimmered in the light of the morning sun. At the sight, the knights panicked and started moving around like crazy. They were screaming their lungs off, sounding a loud warning bell in the guard tower, etc.
'Good. They know I'm here now.' Naofumi felt some satisfaction. He'd almost wondered if he'd lost some of his charm.
He slowed his walk even farther so they'd have time to prepare for his arrival.
In the bit of time it took for the Shield Hero to approach the gates, more knights appeared lining the walls. They were wielding either bows or pikes. A few manned themselves on the ballistae. But it didn't matter.
Even without his armor, his defense debuff was gone. He'd unlocked stat bonuses from more shields, which was like throwing grains of sand on a mountain at this point, and spent more time using the strengthening methods.
He doubted any of the knights here had an attack stat capable of piercing his defense. And if he could withstand hits from a large dragon, then those siege weapons would be meaningless.
Then, the gates opened. File upon file of knights marched out. Oddly enough, none of the ones in front had Tower shields to defend with. Instead, those in front wielded swords. Those behind them in the middle wielded spears. And those behind them in the back wielded bows.
Naofumi didn't pay them any mind. Instead, he stopped, focusing his eyes on his target fifty feet away leading the knights.
The one and only.
"Motoyasu. You've certainly looked better."
The Spear Hero grimaced, seeing Naofumi standing all by himself. It looked like he had been rushed out of somewhere. His clothes were disheveled, and his armor wasn't properly on. He also had bags under his eyes, like he hadn't slept well.
Good. The plan was going well so far. Motoyasu had come out at the start. If he hadn't, well, Naofumi could have caused some chaos to draw him out. But then the next part wouldn't have been very convincing.
"Why are you here, Naofumi?" Motoyasu raised his spear tiredly and angrily. "Did you want to cause even more trouble? Huh, is that it?! Did you want to hurt Myne even more?! If so, I'll stop you! Right here, right now!"
And now, it was time for the next part of his plan. One that completely shocked everyone there.
"Why am I here?... that's simple. I'm tired of running." Naofumi switched to the Small Shield and moved it under his cloak on his back before he got on his knees. Putting his hands behind his head.
"I surrender, Motoyasu."
…
For a moment, the knights all looked unsure about how to react. Motoyasu looked like he'd been slapped.
Never in a thousand years would he have seen this coming. And Naofumi was banking on Motoyasu now. "Well, are you just going to stand there? I said I'm surrendering. Are you happy now?" Naofumi stated dryly.
'Come on you fool. Just take the bait before they do.'
Fortunately, Naofumi didn't have to wait long. "Bind him!" Motoyasu ordered.
One of the captains looked at Motoyasu in shock. "S-Sir Spear Hero? Shouldn't we eliminate the Devil of the Shield while we have the chance-"
"No! I want him bound!" He said angrily.
The Captain looked uncertain. But Motoyasu approached Naofumi regardless. Pulling chains from his inventory to bind Naofumi with. "What are you really doing here, Naofumi?"
"If you want to know. You'll have to find out yourself." Naofumi whispered back.
Motoyasu's face flared slightly, but he bound Naofumi's wrists behind his back. "Help me escort this scum to the Castle Dungeons! I'll interrogate him myself for answers!"
'Hook, line, and sinker. Thank you Motoyasu for still wanting to be the hero in your story.'
Ren and Itsuki were right with their input. Motoyasu still saw all of this as a game. If a major storyline was dangled in front of him, he wouldn't be able to resist.
"Form an escort around the Spear Hero and his prisoner!" The Captain ordered. Still looking unsure about whether the Spear Hero was in his right mind or not.
"Sir!"
The knights filed around them. Motoyasu forced Naofumi to stand up, his hands chained behind his back. He might have tried to be rough, but Naofumi didn't feel it.
The difference between their strength now was almost laughable, even with the Small Shield equipped. Part of him almost wondered if Motoyasu was really necessary to fight the Waves or not. But he shook his head.
He was getting the chance to isolate Motoyasu just as he'd planned. And he'd promised Fitoria he'd talk to him.
No going back now.
The first thing Naofumi noticed as he was escorted through the gates of the Capital... was how quiet it was.
There were no vendors out at their stands, selling their wares to passersby on the street. None of the shops or homes were open. No one was out and about besides them.
He could have sworn he saw people peeking from windows, but then they'd disappear, or curtains would be drawn. The streets also reeked. Like maintaining them had fallen to the wayside.
Was all this because of the Pope? Was it because Naofumi was there? Was it because of the Wave of Catastrophe in less than a week? Or was it something else Naofumi didn't know about?
Besides all the knights guarding the wall, there was no one.
For ten long minutes, Naofumi saw nothing but a dreary town. And then, as they passed through gates into the Castle Courtyard, he finally heard sounds again.
"Ah! Ahhhh!" On his left, in the direction of the arena he and Motoyasu dueled inside of, a young man was tied to a post, dressed in nothing but rags.
A man in priest's robes stood behind him, holding a whip. The priest lashed the young man again and again.
Why... were they doing that to him?
As Naofumi looked, the priest paused to take a break from the lashing. The young man locked eyes with him.
Naofumi recognized him for some reason… and then he pictured the guy in knight armor.
'Did he… was he one of the Knights who helped me out at Lute?'
The young man looked so tired, but his eyes brightened, recognizing Naofumi. Naofumi was saddened at the sight.
"Don't let up. He and the other traitors must be properly prepared for today's execution." The one who spoke was none other than the Royal Commander himself.
The priest nodded and went back to whipping the young man, who cried out in pain once more.
Naofumi scowled, but he was forced to move on. Nearby, where the whipping took place, he saw others. Like the Knight Captain that helped him before, freshly whipped and looking at the ground with sunken faces. There were others standing in a line, waiting for their turn.
None of them noticed Naofumi, too caught up in their gloom.
Naofumi stopped in surprise when he saw Aultcray standing in that same line.
He looked… older than before. His shoulders sagged, and his royal clothes were no more than dirty rags.
Depressed wasn't enough to describe it. It was like he'd been absolutely destroyed on the inside.
And he was in line to be whipped next.
Naofumi actually felt sorry for the guy. He opened his mouth to say something.
"Don't stop. Not here, please." Motoyasu whispered to him from behind.
Did he actually sound pained by what he was seeing? Was he really seeing what was happening?
...
Naofumi continued on. And focused on what was going on in the rest of the courtyard.
Needless to say, it was like the Capital's population had been assigned here. And they were preparing for war. Or for the execution. Or both. The activity spilled out the side gates to different areas of the Capital. So the south was relatively open, but the west, north, and especially East were heavily guarded.
He and the others had guestimated how many followers Balamus had gathered to the Capital in their absence. But this was immense even compared to Rabier.
There had been hundreds down at the South Gate alone. Who knew how many there were here roaming the castle grounds or the other parts of the Capital? How had they gotten so many?
"No, please, I don't want to fight. I want to go home!"
Naofumi's head jerked to the side. There was a young man in knight's armor. But he was trying to run from someone.
Unfortunately, he didn't get far before he was tackled by another knight.
"That's the fifth conscript today." The Captain in charge said with a sigh. "Add him with the others." He was lifted by the armpits and dragged away. Still screaming about how he didn't want to fight in this war.
'Conscript… they're forcing people to fight…' Just what the hell kind of control did the Pope have over the people to enforce measures like this?
He received glares from most of the knights as he passed by. Chained like a common criminal. Fortunately, it seemed that Motoyasu's presence was enough for the knights to not attack Naofumi.
Did they even recognize him? His Shield was hidden. Or was his face that well known now?
He was led into the Castle at last. It looked more religiously decorated than before. Rosaries of the Three Heroes Church had been added to all the statues. And upon entry, the observer was met with a large ornate rosary in the large open hallway. Words were imprinted on the bottom in the Melromarc language.
May the Gods forever smile upon the face of this nation, and on the faces of her loyal Followers
It almost made Naofumi want to gag.
After going down a few hallways. They went into a doorway leading down towards the Dungeons. However, they didn't go far before the knights opened a door on the right. Naofumi was pushed inside, and then the knights attached his bindings to a chair, forcing him to sit in it.
"Leave. I'll be able to handle it from here." Motoyasu told the knights.
"But, Sir Spear Hero-"
"GO!" The knights compiled at Motoyasu's angry shout. Rushing all too quickly out the door.
Looking around, the room looked like an interrogation room. There was the chair Naofumi sat in the middle of the room. There were two separate cells in the back that could be used to hold people. And a desk that was likely used for taking notes.
They were the only ones in here.
"Alright, Naofumi. We're alone now." Motoyasu said. "So tell me, why are you surrendering?" Motoyasu asked.
"Because I wanted to talk, not fight," Naofumi said honestly. "That's all-"
"Don't you dare lie to me!" Motoyasu pulled out his spear and pressed the tip against Naofumi's chest. Naofumi saw it had a faint dark mist hovering over the tip, even though it wasn't currently his Cursed Weapon. "I know you're not this stupid! So tell me what you're planning! Now!"
...
"... If you really planned on killing me." Naofumi said dryly. "You would have done it in front of everybody at the wall."
Motoyasu grimaced. "Well, um-"
"I know you can pretend it didn't happen. But you listened to me back then before those Church Shadows captured me. You knew I wasn't lying when I said I wasn't the monster everyone claimed me to be. And I think part of you still thinks I might be innocent, whether you want to believe that or not. Otherwise, you wouldn't have brought me here. You wouldn't resort to making threats and would kill me right here, right now."
The spear tip retracted slightly from Naofumi's chest. "So, I'll ask you. Do you really want to hear me out, or not?"
…
The dark aura disappeared from the spear tip. "Fine. I'm listening."
Alright, this was progress. Where was the best place to start?
However, before he could, the door burst open.
"Sir Motoyasu, what are you doing with that, that, fiend!?"
Naofumi groaned. He was about to snap at Bitch for barging in at the wrong time when his mouth stopped.
It was Bitch that stood in the doorway. However, her hair was an absolute mess. From Melty's intentional haircut to the areas still burned with the curse he'd inflicted on her.
Her arms were still bandaged, and her legs were too. Her face, however, was not since the curse there had healed. It was too bad for her that it did though. Because there were no bandages to hide the patches of scar tissue where she had been punched and burned repeatedly on the right side of her face and neck.
She'd had a good face before. But it looked like Naofumi had ruined that for her.
Was it bad that, unlike when he saw Aultcray's condition, he was pleased with how Bitch looked now? Even with good scar medicine, she'd bear those marks for the rest of her life.
"Myne, you're supposed to be resting-" Motoyasu began to say soothingly.
"I won't rest! Not until that Devil has paid for his crimes against me and-!"
"ENOUGH! I'll decide after I talk to Naofumi for myself!" Motoyasu shouted furiously. "You can stay, but don't talk to him until I'm finished!"
Myne took a step back against the wall in shock. Cursed Motoyasu was not a very nice Motoyasu. Then again, Motoyasu could also be having her stay as a way for Naofumi to get angry and spill his secrets.
As if he'd fall for that.
Naofumi felt the chains on his wrists slacken. Then again, if Bitch was here, could he… possibly use her to his advantage?
He'd have to think about it. First, he had to convince Motoyasu.
"Now tell me, what did you want to talk about, Naofumi?" Motoyasu asked, looking impatient. Myne immediately wanted to yell at him for wanting to talk with the Devil of the Shield, but she stayed silent.
"Why are you so deadset on thinking of me as a devil?" He asked.
"Because it's your fault we're in this situation!" Motoyasu yelled.
"Is it? How?" Naofumi asked curiously.
"It's obvious-" Myne started to speak when she cut off at Motoyasu's glare.
"Well, um, er, I've been stuck with Myne since that fight! But you hurt her really badly, and I've been too busy caring for her to keep up with what you've been doing to terrorize people lately!" Motoyasu said angrily.
"So am I responsible for what's going on out there?" Naofumi asked. "Am I responsible for the King and those knights being executed? Am I responsible for the Pope seizing power and pitting the people against me, Ren, and Itsuki? Hell, am I responsible for hurting Myne when she was the one that started that whole mess?"
...
Motoyasu looked unsure. "Sir Motoyasu!" She looked at Naofumi angrily. "Shut it, devil! That's my Papa you're speaking about!" Myne cried as she yelled.
But the tears looked fake to Naofumi. They were the same ones she'd cried on separate occasions before now.
Did... did she really not care about her Father? Was she, even now, trying to spin this situation to her advantage?
"Myne, I'm trying to think here," Motoyasu said to her.
"What is there to think when you don't even know what's going on?" Naofumi sarcastically asked. Just a few minutes of paying attention had given him more information than what Motoyasu had gotten in the last week. Probably the last month.
"Shut it Naofumi! It's not my fault! The Pope told me I should stay with Myne since she would be vulnerable while injured-"
"Bull ^%$#! He wanted you to stay with her so he could keep you in the dark about what was really going on!" Naofumi said. "You saw what was going on out there! They're forcing people to fight! And I bet he's forcing them to fight-"
"You don't know that he's forcing them!" Motoyasu said.
"Were you paying attention to something other than me!?" Naofumi asked. "Or were you so short-sighted that you failed to see everything going on around you?! I know you saw what was happening to the King! Did you want to ignore that?!"
Motoyasu growled. "Naofumi-"
"You want to know what's really going on here?! The Pope is trying to gather enough followers to the Capital so he can use a weapon to wipe out me, Ren, and Itsuki!" Naofumi said. "Then, he'll hold onto you so no one else can try to resummon the Cardinal Heroes. And he'll take over the world one country after the other until he's taken over the world!"
"But that's, that's impossible," Motoyasu said. "If a weapon like that existed, I'd know about it."
"Ren knew about it. He said the Pope tried to kill him with it when he investigated the Church for wrongdoing." Naofumi said. "And Itsuki was almost assassinated by Church Shadows for going against their teachings. He was freeing slaves, and they tried to kill him for it! Tell me, do you think I'm lying?!"
Motoyasu looked uncertain again.
"Of course, he's lying Sir Motoyasu! The Devil of the Shield is incapable of speaking the truth!" Motoyasu looked like he wanted to snap at Bitch. But he was also listening to her.
Even cursed, the idiot was still somewhat taking his friend's side. "Don't listen to his shield! Remember that he holds the power to brainwash others into being his followers by listening to him!"
"Yes, I remember that Myne. Also, remember I told you to stay quiet." Motoyasu said back to her.
She looked very angry at being told that.
"... you know, I feel sorry for you, Motoyasu," Naofumi said.
"What for?" Motoyasu asked.
"For having to put up with that she-devil," Naofumi said dryly. "She really has you twisted around her finger, doesn't she?"
"... What did you call me-" Myne started to say angrily.
"Give it a break Bitch." Naofumi cut her off. He'd finally realized what needed to be done.
He looked directly at her, ignoring Motoyasu.
Naofumi concluded Motoyasu would never fully believe anything Naofumi said. He still listened to his friends more than anyone else, despite what he'd been through. So there was only one route he could take. One Myne had opened by entering the room. "You think you're fooling anyone with your stupid act? Don't be an idiot. You're not fooling anyone with that nonsense." It also gave him a way to get some stuff off his chest.
"Hey, you leave Myne out of this! This is between you and me!" Motoyasu said angrily.
"NO. I'm done Motoyasu. You know what I think about that Bitch there?" Naofumi continued. "I think she's nothing but a rotten little brat. A worthless, pathetic girl who cares for no one but herself. Her own dad, who loved her more than anything in the world, is out there preparing to get executed, and yet she's here! Instead of out there shedding a tear of genuine care for the Father that raised her!"
Naofumi continued, his voice growing louder and louder. "She's a bitch! A complete, utter, heartless bitch! I'm surprised I was naive enough to let her join my party at the start! And I'm surprised you're dumb enough to keep her around despite everything she's done to you and everyone else she knows! At least she has a face that can reflect that now! Nobody will ever want to bang her ever again with how ugly she's become!"
Motoyasu sputtered. Myne tried to stand up straight and smugly. But Naofumi could see the anger in her eyes. He was hitting close to the goal. But nothing Melty had told him about her sister had worked yet. "Your words mean nothing. If you want to try and brainwash me, Devil, you'll-"
"Melty was right. You really are unfit for the throne."
…
Myne's look of shock was priceless. Mentally, Naofumi grinned. 'There it is. There's her weak spot.'
One of Melty's last thoughts about her sister had been correct. There was one thing she desired more than anything else in the world.
"That's right. Your sister told me all about that. Apparently, you were such a disappointment of a daughter to your Mother that Melty had to take your place as heir of Melromarc." Naofumi said, the smuggest look ever on his face. "Look at that, a literal child is more fit to rule than you. In more ways than one."
"You… How dare you-!" Malty was getting angry again. But this time, it was showing its ugly side.
"I bet it stings, doesn't it? You could have been Queen so easily, and you could have had whatever you wanted. But instead, you had to go and be such a bitch to everyone that even your own Mother got sick of you and made your little Sister the heir." He continued. "It's not like I can fault her for that though. Since your sister is a much better person than you are. Better looking too now, considering what happened to you."
"You take that back!" Myne screamed.
"No, it's the truth. She's annoying, like you, but in a different way. At least she can be nice and think about others sometimes." Naofumi continued. "She doesn't go around plotting behind peoples' backs. She isn't hungry for power. She isn't selfish with what is hers. She actually cares about her Father, unlike you."
Each comment was like a brick being thrown into glass windows. "She doesn't hide behind others when things get hard. She doesn't spout off excuses one after the other when things don't go her way. She doesn't make up rules and force others to follow them. She doesn't lie out her %$# when things don't go her way. And finally, she doesn't use her position to ruin everyone's lives.
"As annoying as she can be. She is someone I can actually recognize to be a princess."
Naofumi paused, building up for the last breaking comment. "But you?" He shook his head.
"You're nothing but a pathetic, whiny, egotistical, spoiled rotten, ugly, little Bitch.
"And that is all you'll ever be."
...
...
...
There was a long silence.
The weight of the Shield Hero's words sunk in.
...
...
Myne's face exploded with fury. Out of everything he'd said, the last comment had been the straw that broke her mountain of pride. Creating an avalanche of fury and hatred.
"You take that back, you worthless little &^%$#$ peon! Do you dare to think you can talk down on me?! The First Princess!"
"What are you going to do about it? Kill me? You're too weak and pathetic to do it by yourself. Or did you forget what happened last time you tried that?" Naofumi asked smugly.
This, this was what he wanted to see. Not only to help convince Motoyasu. But so he could have the satisfaction of making Bitch blow up at him.
And blow up she did as she finished screaming an incantation while Naofumi was speaking. "Zweite Fireball!"
"Myne, no-" Motoyasu tried to stop her, but the fireball covered Naofumi's body.
"What the hell are you doing?!" He asked her.
"What is she doing? Why, she's showing her true nature." The fire dispersed from Naofumi. Not even the chair he was sitting in was burnt.
If they had looked under his cloak where his shield was stored away, it was changed to the Awakened Chimera Viper Shield. "Don't worry. Nothing she tries will work on me now." He said, seeing how Motoyasu was staring at him in shock.
"Zweite Fireball! Zweite Hellfire! Zweite…" Bitch cast spell after spell point-blank. Rushing her incantations and trying with all her power to burn him alive.
But all her spells were useless. She couldn't even make him feel warm. Which only made her angrier and angrier.
"Wow, could you even start a campfire with that spell? I'm not feeling any heat. Are you, Motoyasu?"
She tried a drifa-level spell. Naofumi had no armor on whatsoever. But he still took zero damage.
The fire dispersed, revealing a still smirking Naofumi. "Do you really want me dead that badly Bitch? Did I say something that offended you?" The Shield Hero jeered.
"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL &^%$^%$ KILL YOU, YOU WORTHLESS PEASANT!" Myne yelled, unleashing another fire spell.
"Your rape accusation failed to kill me. Your trick at the Sacred Duel failed to imprison me. What will you try next Bitch? What secret little plot are you devising in your head now to deal with me?"
"I knew there was a reason I wanted you dead from the start!" Myne yelled. And Naofumi cheered in his mind.
"From the start?" He faked looking surprised.
"I planned everything out! I was certain a Hero accused of rape would never survive past the First Wave! I was certain with Motoyasu's backing that I could become Queen! But you, you ruined EVERYTHING!
"YOU REFUSED TO ROLL OVER! YOU REFUSED TO DIE! YOU WORTHLESS LITTLE PEON!"
"What about your sister? Isn't she supposed to be the next Queen-"
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT PIECE OF ^%$#! I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANY OF MY FAMILY! IF I COULD, I'D KILL THEM NOW FOR GETTING IN MY WAY!
"I'LL KILL ANYONE THAT GETS IN MY WAY!"
"Even, even someone like Motoyasu," Naofumi said.
"YES!"
...
Motoyasu stood there. Staring at what was going on in bewilderment.
Naofumi couldn't have been happier as Bitch continued to rant.
"I'M THE FIRST PRINCESS! I'M SUPPOSED TO BE THE NEXT QUEEN! I'M THE FIGURE THAT'LL GO DOWN IN HISTORY! NOT THAT LITTLE GOODIE GOODIE! NOT YOU! NOT ANY OF THE DAMN HEROES! ME! ME! MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Her eyes dilated on him.
It was perfect. She looked just like an obsessed Yandere.
Only, she wasn't obsessed with some guy. She could never care about somebody else like that. Because everything in her life had been given to her on a silver platter. Everything had been too easy. So she was entitled to what was hers, and no one else.
"You've been a thorn in my side for too long! I went through all that trouble, setting it up to make it look like you raped me, but you ruined it! You ruined, everything!" Her hands sparked with more fire magic. The scars on her face became more prominent. "You're pathetic! You're useless! You're weak! Yet you've persisted, resisted, and defied me at every turn! THAT ENDS NOW!
"Your laughter, your smile, your hope, I'll take it all away from you! I'll make you wish you had never gotten in my way! You'll suffer! EVERYONE YOU CARE ABOUT WILL SUFFER BECAUSE OF YOU! AND I'LL ENJOY HEARING ALL OF YOU SCREAM AS A CROWN OF GOLD IS PLACED ON MY HEAD!
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!"
It actually surprised Naofumi. Was this what she was really like, underneath her facade? Was she really this degenerated and evil?
Don't get him wrong, he'd already known she was degenerate and evil. But to see how completely it defined her was shocking.
He'd thought his insults and past insults had overexaggerated. No, they weren't strong enough to capture her character perfectly.
She literally had no redeeming qualities whatsoever. All she cared about was money, power, and glory. And anyone that got in her way was an enemy, even if it was her own family.
It really made him sick that such a person could ever exist. It made him sick that he could now picture people from his world who were just like her. People that weren't born princesses or princes, but who acted like it. Who acted like this Bitch before him right now.
She finished laughing, breathing in and out heavily. She looked at Naofumi with pure rage on her face. But she was grinning maliciously. As if imagining in her head right now the things she would do to him.
...
This was it… this was the moment of truth…
...
...
...
"... ... Was…" Myne turned her head, wanting to blast whoever had spoken to kingdom come.
She let out a gasp though when she realized it was Motoyasu. "Was... ... was all that... r-r-really true, Myne?" He asked, his voice trembling with hesitation.
"Wha…" Malty finally realized her slip of the tongue. Or rather, her slip of the conversation.
"No, I… I…" She reached out to him, but he backed away, terror in his eyes.
He looked terrified. Beyond terrified actually. He'd seen her true nature. He'd heard everything.
"No, it can't be… all along... you... you..." He whispered in fear.
"Sir Moto-"
"Now!" Naofumi yelled.
The air shimmered by Bitch, and Raphtalia sprang out from her illusion magic. Her body slammed said Bitch into the ground. Knocking her out momentarily.
"N-No, Myne-" Motoyasu instinctively moved forward, but a sword appeared at his throat, stopping him.
"Don't move." The air shimmered, and Eclair also appeared out of Raphtalia's illusion magic. "I'd rather not harm one of the Cardinal Heroes."
Motoyasu looked at Naofumi in shock. He stood up, brushing himself off. The chains had been off for the last few minutes. An illusion had covered that up. That was how he'd been sure that his two party members had managed to sneak in.
"H-How?" Motoyasu asked.
"Simple. I planned this." Naofumi said, moving his Shield onto his arm. "Well, I didn't plan for this exactly. But the situation worked out better than I'd expected. And they managed to sneak past all the knights just fine." Naofumi explained.
"No-" Motoyasu knocked Eclair's sword away with his Spear and tried to rush forward to impale Naofumi, "-NAOFUMI!" Naofumi grabbed his spear by the tip, stopping the reckless attack. He held Motoyasu in place.
"Motoyasu, I'm not here to fight you."
"You liar! You tricked me! You hurt Myne-" Naofumi spun, throwing Motoyasu beneath him. He then pinned Motoyasu to the ground with one knee. He raised a hand, gesturing to Raphtalia and Eclair to not interfere.
"Ah! Get, get off me!" Motoyasu screamed in rage. He tried to get back up. But Naofumi's weight was like a mountain on his back.
The Spear Hero felt angry, lost, betrayed.
Myne... Bitch... whoever she was to him now. Her words had cut him deep. The weight of this betrayal couldn't be comprehended by anyone who had never experienced such a thing in their lives.
"Motoyasu. You heard her yourself." Naofumi said. "You know she set me up. You know the rape accusation is false. You know I've done nothing to her. So just stop and listen, for once in your god damn life just listen!"
"You're lying. She'd… she'd never…" Motoyasu had to force back a sob. "She's… she's my friend…"
"Friends are supposed to be loyal. Honest. Dependable. Trustworthy..."
"Why... why is she... why did she..." Motoyasu continued to sob on the floor beneath Naofumi.
"... You know. I thought the same thing once." Naofumi said sympathetically. "I trusted her too. I really did.
"I thought she was the best thing that could have happened to me, being summoned to an unfamiliar world. I even thought we might get together in the future. But then I learned what she was really like. And that almost destroyed me, Motoyasu.
"Learning what she was planning to do to me… learning that she was planning on stealing everything from me, and casting me aside as a lowly criminal.
"I almost wanted to die that night. To get it over with then and there. Had it not been for Elhart, or Raphtalia, or the other people I met after running away from Bitch and her accusations..."
Motoyasu stopped moving and continued to sob against the floor. Naofumi stood back up. When he looked behind him, he saw that Raphtalia and Eclair had moved Bitch's unconscious body into one of the cells. As an extra precaution, they'd bound her with the chains Motoyasu had used to bind Naofumi.
"We won't have much time, Sir Naofumi. I'm certain Church Shadows are fleeing to alert the Pope as we speak." Eclair said.
"Okay." Naofumi took off his cloak, pulled out his armor from his shield, and put it back on. Raphtalia helped him.
"Listen, Motoyasu. It's not only that Bitch who's been using you. The Pope has too. The night I was in that inn, I overheard her talking to a nun from the Three Heroes Church about killing me." Naofumi briefly explained his side of the story.
He didn't ask to be a criminal. He didn't ask for any of this. He gave the best summary he could, and when he was fully donned in his armor again, Raphtalia moved to the doorway to make sure the hallway was clear. It only took Naofumi about fifteen more seconds, leaving out many details before he got to this. "You have to know I'm not lying to you now. This isn't a game. None of it is. We need to stop the Pope before he makes things so bad that he dooms this world."
Motoyasu hadn't said one word the entire time. He was still lying on the floor. Tears leaked from eyes that were closed tight.
He looked destroyed, completely, and absolutely.
The reality check had struck him, and it had struck hard.
He wasn't a hero of the fine maidens. He never had been.
Naofumi felt bad for him. He knew what it was like to have your world come tumbling down around you. "I also came here because I wanted you on my side. I'm sick of fighting you over nothing… but I'll understand if you'd rather run away and not help us out. Hell, I'm still not expecting you to believe what I said. It's not like you ever have before."
Naofumi looked down on him. "I don't care about what we went through in the past anymore. All I want to do is protect others and keep people from taking away those I love. That's what I want. So tell me, Motoyasu… What kind of hero do you want to be?"
…
...
"The Throne Room…" Motoyasu finally muttered.
"Pope Balamus… should be there."
...
Naofumi waited, seeing if Motoyasu would add anything else. But the poor blonde stayed lying on the floor. Not saying a word.
Naofumi nodded and walked towards the doorway. "Sir Naofumi?" Eclair asked confusedly.
"Don't worry about him. At the very least, I don't think he'll attack us anymore." Naofumi said. If he ran away after this, or attacked Naofumi or the others in the future, didn't matter much to him.
The Spear Hero they'd known the last few months had been destroyed by the very Bitch who'd manipulated him during that time.
What Motoyasu did now would be his choice.
"Eclair, use the dungeons to get outside. Find Ren and Itsuki. Tell them the Pope's here in the castle. We'll make sure he doesn't try to leave."
Motoyasu stayed lying on the ground. He didn't make any move to get up.
"Got it, good luck, Sir Naofumi. Miss Raphtalia." Eclair ran down deeper into the dungeons out of sight. Now that she knew where she was, she'd have a much easier time navigating than before.
Raphtalia looked between Motoyasu and Naofumi and then nodded. "The throne room it is."
The two of them ran out into the hallway. There were already shouts of alarm coming from the castle itself. Things were about to get hard once more. But Naofumi paused, glancing back at Motoyasu one last time.
"Take care, Motoyasu." He ran after his party members. Leaving a broken Hero behind to think over his sins.
Hero Clips!
How far will she go?
"Naofumi is evil! Completely and utterly evil!"
"Bull ^%$#! You know nothing about me, Bitch!"
Naofumi and Bitch were head to head, yelling at each other. Naofumi was furious, and Bitch was crying crocodile tears.
"You're so mean! You put my own sister as better than me! No one in their right mind would do such a thing!" Malty cried.
"I'm pretty sure it's because of you that people turn into lolicons for your sister!" Naofumi exclaimed.
"You're the one that's a lolicon!" She accused.
"I'd rather be a lolicon than a complete Bitch!"
"I'm not a Bitch! I'm the First Princess of Melromarc-"
"BIIIITTTTCHHHH!" Naofumi bellowed out of his MegaPhone skill.
"WAHHHHHH! You're so mean!" Bitch continued to cry crocodile tears.
"Says the person who can't even cry properly!"
"^%$# you!"
"&^%$ yourself!"
Ren and Itsuki stood off to the side. "This is ridiculous."
"Why am I getting Aqua vibes from this?" Itsuki asked confusedly.
"I can't believe Naofumi had to deal with her this chapter." Ren sighed.
"I mean come on. Who would ever be stupid enough to believe her?"
"I believe in you Myne!" Motoyasu shouted encouragement to Myne. "Don't give in to Naofumi's lies.
"We believe in you!" The Royal Knight Commander and his army of knights chanted encouragement to her.
"... I guess that answers that question," Ren muttered.
"I hope Eclair gives that stupid Commander what he deserves," Itsuki muttered.
"Hey, don't spoil what's coming!" Naofumi and Bitch both yelled at them. Before they went back to yelling at each other.
"How can you be so mean to me when I look so hideous now!?" Bitch wailed while pointing out her scarring.
"If you ask me, you could use a bit more to reflect what you are on the inside a bit better." Naofumi drawled.
"UGLY SHIELD HERO!" Bitch screamed.
"STUPID BITCH!"
"Wooo! I believe in you Myne! Always have and always will!" Motoyasu continued to scream.
This just in, simp boi is being deceived once again.
Now, back to the weather with you Jimmy.
Till Next Time
Allen