"Raphtalia!" Naofumi surged from a bed reaching out, but nothing was there. He was in a cold sweat and breathless as he frantically looked around.
The room was in disarray, with broken glass and splintered wood scattered across the floor while the door was completely missing. He looked out a window across from his bed and saw a group of villagers working on one of the destroyed buildings across the street. Exhausted and realizing he was safe, Naofumi fell back into the bed.
"So, you're finally awake." Naofumi glanced over to see an unarmored Momon walking through the open doorway. His arm was bandaged, but it looked as though the corruption that spread to his face had healed while Naofumi was unconscious.
"What happened to me? How long has it been?" Momon walked to the side of his bed and sat down.
"After realizing you were beyond reason seeing Raphtalia collapse, I put a sleep spell on you. The spell's effect was only supposed to last an hour, but you've been knocked out for about a day now. It seems your body simply stayed asleep after the spell's effect wore off."
Naofumi began to remember what happened. He used the wraith shield's skill to withstand the death knight's attack, at the cost of the blade passing through him and hitting… Raphtalia.
"What about Raphtalia? Is she…" Momon seemed confused by his assumption.
"Dead? No. She's resting at the inn, still sore and exhausted from the battle… Did you not see that she had HP remaining after getting slashed by the death knight?" Naofumi remembered in his undead state checking her HP to see some left, but…
"She collapsed on the ground. The blade passed right through me..." Momon sighed at his response.
"The blade might have hit her, but it was after you took the brunt of the damage. The resulting cut was deep enough to cut through her armor and skin, but shallow enough to avoid her organs. And after being stabbed six times by stingers, getting slashed by the death knight, and with her HP being so low, her body reached its limit and shut down in a way to preserve her energy." Momon reached into a bag he brought with him.
"She only needed a little bit of a health potion I had on me to stop the bleeding before the villagers came and patched her up." He grabbed a half-filled vial with blue liquid inside, showing what he had used.
"You only used half? Why didn't you heal her all the way?" Momon looked at him coldly.
"Because I didn't need to. Would you have preferred I used none and let her die?" Naofumi went quiet as Momon made his point.
'He saw that she had HP remaining and was trying to make me understand that she could still be saved. But instead of listening to him, I assumed the worst and lashed out while he had to save her… again.' While Naofumi was reflecting on what happened, Momon stood up.
"Well, now that I know my spell didn't cause you to go into a coma, I'll be heading off." Naofumi quickly looked up at him.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I'm going to track down Akumu. He may be eccentric, but he is by no means one to waste time. Especially, when that time could be spent terrorizing living beings with his presence."
"Do you even know where he is? And even if you do, what about us? Won't he target us again?" Momon stopped and thought about Naofumi's questions.
"Hmmm. Frankly, I'm not sure about either. Tracking Akumu is going to be difficult as he is extremely unpredictable. If he was granted free rein over this country he could be anywhere. And for that same reason, the likelihood of him targeting you is also unknown."
"Then why not travel with us? Wouldn't it be safer if we were together?" Momon looked at him surprised before considering his proposal.
"I must decline. You two are simply not powerful enough to travel with me, it would put you in too much danger. If Akumu ever thought he could use you two against me, he would stop at nothing to kill or capture you. And I refuse to be blamed and yelled at for every undead attack."
"I wouldn't-" Momon held his hand up before Naofumi could say anything.
"After the way you've treated me so far, I have no doubt you would blame me. During our short time together, whenever something went wrong in or out of battle, I was the first person you blamed, disrespected, or lashed out at. You can justify it all you want, but your treatment of me has been unwarranted and childish."
Naofumi wanted to protest, but Momon's monotone overview of how he's treated him and the cold stare he gave, trumped his desire to argue. He could only watch in silence as Momon started walking towards the door.
As he walked away, Naofumi thought of dozens of explanations for his actions against Momon. He was just being wary, Momon was acting suspicious, he had bad experiences with royalty in the past, and many more. But Naofumi knew they were all excuses that meant nothing.
Deep down he knew that Momon was right. Naofumi lashed out because he hated how he needed Momon's help. He hated how weak he was. He never wanted to rely on another's charity to survive but… He needed Momon's. Just before Momon got to the doorway, Naofumi called out.
"Momon!" Naofumi bowed his head as Momon stopped walking.
"Please! Join my party! I-I know I've been an ass to you, and I know we won't be much help in a fight against Akumu, but we won't survive if we run into him again." Momon glanced back at him.
Naofumi knew he didn't have the right to ask him this, especially after Momon had helped them so many times, but he didn't have a choice. If Motoyasu couldn't beat Akumu, he doubted the others would be able to. And even if they could, they wouldn't help him after what Bitch framed him. Momon was his only hope to survive in this shitty world.
"Are you sure? You'd only increase the chance of being targeted by Akumu if I traveled with you." Naofumi shook his head.
"The attack at the village and ambush in the swamp were clearly meant to lure in the heroes, and as much as I hate it, that includes me. I doubt he's happy about both of us surviving with nothing to show for it. So, it doesn't matter if you make his appearance more likely, sooner or later, he'll come after us." Momon smiled slightly. It wasn't malicious or cocky, rather, it seemed like it was out of relief.
"Maybe Raphtalia wasn't completely wrong about you." Before Naofumi could ask what he meant, Momon continued.
"I'll join you. Besides, I'd be wandering the country aimlessly looking for Akumu anyways, so it'd be nice to have some company."
"But if this sudden humble attitude is a one-time deal, and you start acting like before, this will be an extremely short-lived alliance. Also… I'd like to know how you survived the death knight's attack."
Momon's demeanor completely changed when he asked his question. Normally, he approached everything with a sense of calm, and even though his tone was the same, Naofumi felt something was off. But not wanting to ruin their partnership, he answered.
"It was an ability I got from one of the wraiths that first attacked the village. It allows me to take half damage from all physical attacks, though it has side effects, some I wasn't prepared for." Momon didn't react much to his explanation, only giving an understanding nod.
"Makes sense, abilities like those always have side effects..." Before Naofumi could ask why he wanted to know, Momon turned back to the door.
"I feel this will be a beneficial alliance for both of us."
Two days passed since Momon agreed to join Naofumi and the others, and they're finally leaving Riyute. Naofumi stepped out of the inn with the last of their equipment, only to run into the governor who seemed to be waiting for him.
"Shield Hero, I know I've said it before but thank you. You saved us from the wave, the royal princess, and the undead. We will never forget that. You and the rest of your group will always be welcome here and I truly hope the wagon and the bill of passage help you in your journey." Naofumi sighed at the old man's gratefulness.
"It's not nearly enough considering how much shit we had to go through." The governor lowered his head in shame.
"We could scrounge up some coin if you…"
"And take your rebuilding funds like Bitch planned to? Yeah, no thanks. Just get this place rebuilt when we come back. You can pay us back then." The governor raised his head in surprise but quickly gave a wide grin.
"Of course! And when that time comes, I'll make sure that we have something that can repay for everything your group has done for us!" Naofumi casually waved goodbye as he walked past him.
The last two days have been strange for Naofumi. For the past week, Naofumi had to deal with the duel with Motoyasu, the undead attacks, Bitch trying to take over the village, and learning Momon is tracking down a country-level threat. But the last two days have just been calm.
When he first got up, he was worried that Bitch and Motoyasu would immediately bother him, but apparently, they left for the capital when the death knight was defeated. Thankful he didn't have to deal with them, he decided to check on Raphtalia. She was happy to see him, but he felt terrible. Naofumi apologized for failing to protect her and for what he said. When he was done, she cried, about what Naofumi wasn't sure, but he just comforted her for as long as she needed.
After that, the villagers gifted them with the wagon and bill of passage and, figuring they'd need more coin, planned to become traveling merchants. But to be safe, they stayed in Riyute until Raphtalia was fully recovered. Naofumi passed the time by gathering and processing local herbs with Filo and helping the villagers rebuild with Momon. It was a nice change from fighting for his life and dealing with Bitch and Motoyasu.
After walking across the village, he saw their wagon loaded up with Momon, Raphtalia, and Filo waiting for him. They didn't seem to notice him at first as Raphtalia and Momon were having a conversation and Filo was eating something from the wagon.
"If that's the case, what happens when you go past level 50? Will you age that much or are other factors at play determining how your body develops?"
"Well… I think… Ummm…" While Raphtalia was trying to answer Momon, Filo noticed Naofumi's return and started running towards him.
"GAHHH!" She engulfed him in her feathers as he desperately tried pushing her away.
"Get off me, you fat bird!" Feeling offended at his words, she pushed against him even more.
Filo had grown a considerable amount in the past two days. Instead of an ostrich, she looked more like a giant owl. It was strange as the villagers claimed they had never seen a Filolial like her before.
He finally pushed her away, only for her to annoy him further by pacing around him happily. He tried to ignore her as he approached the other two.
"Everything ready to go?" They both nodded.
"We finished loading the filolial feed a bit ago. And don't worry, I made sure Raphtalia didn't push herself too much." She pouted at Momon's comment.
"I'm feeling fine. I could've helped more." Naofumi looked at her with skepticism and turned to Momon.
"Do you think you think we should wait another day for her to recover?" Momon shrugged.
"It wouldn't hurt, but she'll be fine to travel and fight low-level monsters. She should still avoid heavy abdominal exercise, like lifting a few hundred pounds of feed onto a wagon." Naofumi nodded his head in agreement.
"I'm glad you made sure she didn't push herself."
"Hey, I'm right here you know! And I'm fine."
"Yeah? Like when you first woke up after the fight saying, "I'm ready to go whenever", and they fall off the bed." Raphtalia's cheeks reddened.
"I could've gotten up on my own…" Raphtalia pouted again as Momon chuckled at their interaction. Naofumi ignored their reactions and hopped up to the reins of the wagon.
"Alight let's get going. Filo!"
"Gah!" Filo excitedly ran to the reins, putting them under her wings. Raphtalia and Momon climbed in the back, ready to go.
"Ugh, I hope Filo doesn't go too fast…" Raphtalia grumbled to herself as she prepared for the nausea. She looked over to Momon with a pleading gaze.
"Momon… You wouldn't happen to have-"
"Momon, don't give her anything! She needs to get used to it." Raphtalia looked over to Naofumi.
"But Mr. Naofumi!" Momon just chuckled to himself as the two began to bicker. Momon took one last look at the village, before pulling out an A-Z language book to study.
And thus, the group headed off to begin their journey as traveling merchants.
Within a castle bedroom, a noblewoman sat in a luxurious chair, engrossed in the documents stacked on the table before her. She swiftly signed some and discarded others in a fluid, practiced motion. This continued until she was interrupted by a light tap at the balcony door.
The woman did not react to the sound immediately. Instead, she signed the last document and stretched her body. Then, she elegantly stood and faced the moonlit night. Her long purple hair and crown shimmered beautifully in the moonlight.
"Enter." As soon as she gave the command, a dark figure stepped into the room through the balcony door, quickly genuflecting before the woman.
"I apologize for my tardiness, my lady." The queen seemed more concerned than angry.
"The Shadows have never been late for a report. Are your numbers stretched that thin?" The Shadow lowered their head before responding.
"No, my lady. We still have multiple members waiting on standby, but all members have been taking extra precautions due to multiple Shadows being... neutralized" The queen's eyes widened for a brief second at the news.
"Was it the 'King'?" The Shadow shook their head.
"It was a new threat two Shadows were tailing. It goes by the name: Akumu. The Shadows were sent to determine if Akumu had any relation with the 'King'. After they failed to report back, a team was sent to find them. Both were found mutilating themselves. One was laughing while the other was crying."
"We still have not determined if this Akumu has any connections with the 'King'. Momon informed the Shield Hero that he is hunting Akumu, but we cannot confirm his claim. A more detailed report of the situation has been written up for you." The Shadow held out a scroll taken from their outfit, which the queen took and set aside.
"Do you believe Akumu is subordinate to the 'King'?" Before the Shadow could respond a figure emerged from a corner of the room.
"Sir Momon told the Shield Hero the truth. Akumu and his master are both enemies of my lord." A voice reverberated through their minds as the figure floated into the light.
The creature's head was that of a dead octopus, transparent and shriveled from dehydration. Beneath the dry tentacles on its face, a circular mouth could be seen with rows of sharp teeth. It wore a tattered cloak covering most of its body, but the queen could see three elongated fingers protruding out its sleeves. Its purple eyes glowed as it got closer to the two.
The queen backed away in panic as the Shadow came to her defense.
"Stay back, my lady! Guards! The queen is in danger!" The creature stopped a few feet from the Shadow.
"I would suggest you calm yourselves, lest you get the attention of Sorrowsworn. If they believe themselves exposed your lives will truly be in danger." Despite its grotesque form, the creature's voice was respectful, a tone one would hear from a proud scholar. The queen steeled herself and stepped past the Shadow.
"My lady!"
"Stand down. If it wanted us dead, it would have done so by now." The Shadow seemed conflicted but followed her order, nevertheless.
"A wise decision." The queen regained her composure and approached the creature.
"I believe introductions are in order. I am Mirellia Q Melromarc, the current ruling monarch of Melromarc."
"My master has not granted this one a name, but you may call me Alhoon. A name humans have called my species in the past." The creature gave a courteous bow.
"I would like to know your intentions, Alhoon, as it is rude for someone to enter a royal's chambers without permission. In the middle of the night, no less" Alhoon's face seemed to shift; what it meant, the queen could only guess.
"I was sent here under direct orders from Lord Ainz Ooal Gown, the one you call 'King'. A fitting codename for my master, but I digress." Alhoon hovered past the queen and faced the balcony window.
"My assigned mission was two-fold. The first was to observe your actions and determine your abilities as a monarch. The second… Well, I believe it is better to show you." It beckoned her over to the window with its three-fingered hand. She walked to the window, trying her best to ignore his presence.
"What do you see?" The queen was confused. Was this a test, a riddle, or something else? Whatever the case, she answered him honestly.
"The kingdom of Faubrey." The creature nodded.
"A fair enough answer, but incorrect." He held out his palm to her.
"[True Sight]. Now what do you see?"
Monsters. Over a dozen pale-skinned humanoid monsters stared at her from nearby rooftops. Each had multiple bladed appendages jutting out from where their hands should be. Their faces and legs were human-like but malformed and twisted. The queen tried her best to keep a cool head, but even she couldn't keep her composure as the unblinking monsters stared at her.
"I-is this a threat?"
"No, they're why I'm here. Akumu sent those Sworrowsworn to kill you, tailing your spy to determine your location. My reason for being here is to ensure your survival or, at the very least, report your death if it were to occur." The queen looked into Alhoon's eyes for the first time.
"Why?"
"Because your death would plunge your country into disarray. If this happened, Akumu and his master would be able to operate under that chaos, making them significantly harder to find. My lord is taking precautions to avoid that outcome." He gave a quick bow to her and went to open the balcony door.
"Now if you excuse me, I must ensure they do not report back to Akumu of your location." Alhoon floated onto the balcony prepared to battle with the monsters. Before he did, he turned back to the queen and stared into her eyes.
"If you believe my master to be a monster, so be it. But know that his goal is to destroy Akumu's master and return home to his family. Anyone who assists him in this goal will be properly compensation. Those who stand in the way… will be promptly erased from this world." With that, Alhoon flew into the night sky, slaughtering the monsters that would have easily killed her.
Was Alhoon telling the truth? Or was this all a ploy of a greater scheme? She couldn't say, but it didn't matter in the end. Melromarc was in great peril either way. The Waves. Akumu. Ainz Ooal Gown. Neighboring kingdoms. …Her own family. Never has her country faced so many threats that could have it destroyed.
The Shadow approached her as she watched the slaughter out the window.
"My lady, what happened? What did you see?" She turned to her faithful Shadow.
"Just another reason I must return home." She went back to her desk and pulled out the Shadow's report.
'I must save Melromarc. No matter the cost.'
Author's Note:
Alright, so, some people might have noticed this chapter took longer to release than my other chapters and that's because I just didn't feel like writing. Next chapter might take some time as well, I'm not sure. Besides that, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you in the next one.