Ray slept for the rest of the day like a baby, tired from the twists and turns his life had suddenly taken. The next day, he was awoken by Isabell at his door.
"Please follow me," she said. In all his drowsiness, the only thing Ray wanted to do was to flop back onto his luxuriously comfortable bed.
'When was the last time I got a good rest?'
If only he were in a position to do that. A life of a 'sinner' didn't seem so bad after all.
He changed into the uniform already provided by the estate and headed out as directed, entering the castle and passing by several lavish hallways before reaching a huge room.
Well, but just describing it as huge seemed like an understatement. It looked more like a cathedral hall if anything. The roof was embellished with paintings of all sorts of things, but what most stood out to him were the images of praying men and the beautiful lady floating ethereally above them. It was clear each exquisite astrom was etched with devout worship and care.
A large dining table took center of the room, an empty chair inviting Ray to take a seat. The priestess sat in the chair directly across from him.
"Dear Goddess, we thank your guidance, for the children of Caternia, and for the safety of our soldiers--- for the fertile land, and the prosperity of our beautiful kingdom. Today, you have brought upon us a feast. Let this food nourish our bodies, and let our swords repay your charity.
Goddess, bless us with your light, for evil is nigh."
The priestess lowered her head and placed her hand against her forehead, clenching her fingers as if gripping a hilt. Ray replicated her movements before she stood up.
"Hero, we thank you for joining us for this banquet today," the priestess said, bowing.
"It's only my job," Ray smiled in return. 'But besides that...'
He could really get used to this treatment.
The dining table was lavishly decorated with jewelled ornaments and filled to the brim with a variety of meats, desserts, and stews. The only downside was that Caternia's slew of very important people attended it, and that he was conveniently seated at the very end of the table's long stretch, allowing all of them to get a good look at their new hero.
Some knitted their eyebrows and twirled their mustaches, examining the young man. Others simply smiled, but it was hardly genuine. All the judging eyes felt prickly against his skin.
However, minutes passed, and not a single person touched the food. Ray swallowed the saliva he had been salivating for the painstaking time he was barred from the food.
Noticing the all-too-long pause, the priestess tilted her head. "The Hero gets the first bite."
Ray instantly perked up. In a flash, he grabbed a steak, a glass of wine, and several jammed pastries. Before anyone could even look at the food, he had already crammed as much as he could on his plate.
'Ah, right.'
"Goddess, bless us with your light," Ray recited, copying the priestess. She smiled.
The banquet was allocated to last for an hour. During that time, Ray stuffed as many goodies as he could into his stomach. Didn't want anything to go to waste, after all.
The steak was gamey but rich. It was good on its own, but pouring the provided pink mystery sauce brought forth a sweetness he could only describe as "fruity" that cut through the savory richness.
On the other hand, the jammed pastries had a hint of spice, giving them a prickly mouthfeel. If compared to something on Earth, he would say it was most reminiscent of cinnamon, but with a more earthy quality.
Ray let out a satisfied burp as he finished his last bite. The others finished soon after. Silently, they left without a word, only with the slight groan of the seats being pushed aside. It was an awkward sight, seeing a bunch of the kingdom's most esteemed withdraw without as much as a peep. What were they thinking? Ray wanted to know.
The priestess stood up.
"Before you start on your journey, your training is important," Isabell said. "That's why we've arranged an instructor for you to aid in your growth."
A tall, muscular woman emerged from behind the priestess, before stopping next to her. Her tanned skin was adorned with scars that could tell hundreds of stories, and her dark hair, which would have otherwise smothered her face, was tied up into a graceful ponytail. Paired with her worn armor, it looked as if she were preparing for battle at any moment. The only thing that indicated otherwise was her coolheaded disposition, arms crossed.
The woman lowered her head. "My name is Kamara. I'll be your instructor from now on."
"Thank you, Kamara."
"No need," she replied. For a brief moment, her pokerface flickered into a deep frown. If Ray wasn't paying keen attention, he wouldn't have noticed it.
'Huh?'
Isabell leaned in to whisper something into the instructor's ear before Kamara could speak again.
"I see," she muttered, just barely audible under her breath. She then looked back at the hero, expressionless. "Oh Hero, I respect you to the highest degree. Please come with me to the training grounds."
The priestess sighed.
"Yes..." Ray complied.
------------------------------------------
The pair arrived at a sandy court with sand-filled dummies sitting in rows. As the two were approaching one of the dummies, Kamara stopped in her tracks and turned to look back at the hero.
Ray was puzzled at the abrupt stoppage, but guessed that she just had something to say. The silence only continued to grow as she stood cross-armed without a word, her expressionless face showing no signs of changing. After what felt like minutes of stifling stillness, he began to doubt himself. Did he have to do something? Was she expecting him to?
Well, she was supposed to be his instructor. Not only that, but the instructor for the kingdom's hero, so it probably didn't hurt to ask.
"Do you want me to hit the dummy?" he asked with a gentle smile. Still receiving no response, he tried asking again, nervousness lingering in his voice. "Uh, so...are we going to do anythi-"
"Follow me," Kamara ordered sternly.
"O-ok."
Her shift in demeanor took Ray aback, but maybe it was just a 'tough love' situation? In the anime he consumed in his younger years- yikes, that made him sound old- the fledgling main characters were often thrown into caverns or monster forests in the name of good ol' "Training." But even as an adolescent, he never understood that kind of training. After all, what if the hero died? The world would be deprived of its savior, and everyone would be royally screwed.
"We'll be taking a tour of the forest to get you accustomed to hunting."
'Ah.'
The irony.
Kamara exited the courtyard where the dummies were and led him to the wall bordering the residential area, according to the map Joe so generously provided him with for their brief meeting in the void. There, a meticulously decorated carriage awaited the pair, already prepped with all the resources they needed for the trip- none. Ray needed to find a way to get out of this, but how?
"The Hero goes in first," she insisted.
"Um, is there any other way we can do this? Wont I die?"
"Don't worry," she reassured. "I'll be there, watching you."
And so, with anxiety, Ray entered the carriage and seated himself. Kamara followed, seating herself directly across from him. It was at this moment that Ray realized just how large she was. Despite reserving as much leg room as he could for her, her legs still rubbed uncomfortably against his, and she had to lower her head to avoid bumping into the ceiling. In contrast, Ray could fit snuggly inside.
The driver closed the carriage door, leaving the carriage dark. That was odd.
There were no windows.
With the bump of the paved ground beneath it, the carriage had begun to take its course. Kamara did not speak a word to the hero. She simply looked at the floor beneath her, as if she were contemplating something.
He had a bad feeling. Something was wrong. His heart rammed in his chest, screaming at him to leave the carriage and never return, but as he hovered his hand over the handle of the door, he realized the lock was on the outside.
And Kamara was looking at him.
"It's just for safety measures," she said in what he supposed to be an attempt to reassure him, or a way to dispel his suspicion. Whichever one it was, it was no use. He looked at her, making eye contact, eyes wide like a scared animal, as his nerves grew prickly with fear.
But Kamara retained her stoic disposition.
Ray felt the motion beneath him stop.
"We're here."