"W-Wait, me? Eeeeeh?!" Alice's eyes went wide. "I mean - thank you so much and… and… I don't even know what to say, I-I…"
"Alice," the king spoke up, "show the Messenger your gratitude. And don't waste time, clearly, Zetto is in a hurry."
Exactly. I've had enough of seeing these bastards' faces.
Alice walked up to Zetto and bowed deeply.
"Thank you so much for choosing me, Sir Zetto! I promise I won't let you down!"
"Just call me by my name," he said, giving her a gentle smile.
"Alright, Sir Ze- I mean, Zetto! I-I'm truly honored!" she said, then stood beside him, determination written all over her face.
"If that's all, I'll be going now," he said, locking eyes with the king. But the king stopped him for a moment.
"Listen carefully, young Zetto, this goes for all of you, heroes. Today, and for the next few days, you're free to do as you please, but soon each of you will receive a royal decree, summoning you to different parts of Atoria. Until that day comes, you are not to leave the capital or its outskirts."
Hmm. Good to know. I wonder where they'll send us. Either way, if Alice really knows the whole country like she claims, she could help me find some small village on the way - one where I can buy a house. Once I'm out of here, I won't have to see these filthy faces ever again.
As Zetto headed for the exit, a crowd of nobles blocked his path, surrounding him and Alice. The nobles all started shouting over one another with their offers:
"Sir Zetto, please allow me to become your patron!"
"Sir Zetto, I own a cosmetics company, would you consider becoming our brand's face?"
"I'm certain my tailor shop can satisfy all your needs."
"Our banking services would gladly invest in a young and promising healer like yourself."
Hiro and Ren watched with envy.
"Please, make way," came a sultry female voice. The nobles stepped aside in awe as a dignified woman in her forties walked through. She wore a deep-purple dress with a plunging neckline and a hat adorned with feathers. Her long, straight black hair had only a few barely noticeable strands of gray. Her lips were painted a striking shade of red.
"What's that eccentric old bat doing here?"
"When did she even show up? We don't stand a chance now!"
"I'm guessing she's someone important?" Zetto whispered to Alice.
"Yes. She's the widow of the king's nephew, who was a general. She's famous for refusing to remarry and for spending her late husband's massive fortune on her bizarre whims… I can't quite remember her name, uh-"
"Oh, maid, did the princess never teach you proper manners? Whispering is simply unacceptable in company." The woman turned to Zetto. "In any case, allow me to introduce myself. I am Elise van Lareick, known as the Queen of All Eccentrics, ha ha ha ha!" Her laugh rang false and hollow.
Elise untied a small purse strapped high on her thigh, a detail no one had noticed until now. "I offer you four thousand pearl coins to become my next model for my paintings. The terms are simple: you'll come to me after your first battle - I dislike complete greenhorns. Let your body acquire a few scars and wounds, haha. You'll pose shirtless, and I'll choose the poses. You won't have the right to refuse any of them."
"What a scandalous, immoral proposal!" one of the nobles burst out, but a single sharp glare from Elise was enough to make him wither and fall silent.
"Four thousand pearl coins?!" Alice's face went pale with shock. "I had to work for two years and save every bit I could just to get one! With twenty of those you could build yourself a lovely little house!"
Elise held the purse toward Zetto, nearly pressing it under his nose.
"Well then, young hero? Will you take this opportunity, or shall I grace someone else with my generosity? That girl with the violet eyes is also my type."
"I'll take it," the messenger replied without hesitation. "But first, prove they're real."
Gasps rippled through the nobles. It was the most brazen thing anyone had ever dared say to Elise.
"I like your spirit, hahahaha. Of course, you want to be sure I won't swindle you. You probably haven't had it easy in life, have you?" she added, her eyes glinting with a strange light.
How does she know that? Zetto thought in surprise. That unnatural gleam in her eyes… is that some kind of magic that lets her see more?
"Testing a pearl coin is simple. If it's real, it won't burn to ash - just char and crumble slightly. Watch." Elise plucked a coin from the purse and tossed it into the air. "Ignis," she said, and the coin burst into flames. Murmurs of disbelief, admiration, and outrage spread among the gathered nobles. She caught the burning coin in midair; the flames vanished the instant it touched her hand. Her skin was entirely unharmed. She held the coin up for Zetto to see.
"Here you go. As you can see, it got charred and a piece of its edge even broke off. I just burned through a servant's couple of years' salary, but for me, that's just pocket change, ha ha ha ha," she said, then reached into her pocket and tossed a coin into the pouch as compensation. "Now do you believe me?"
"Yes," Zetto said, accepting the gift.
Seeing Elise's slight displeasure, Alice bowed politely to her and gave Zetto a light tap on the back, indicating him to do the same.
"Thank you very much for this opportunity, honorable, noble, and beautiful lady!"
A faint, proud, and satisfied smile appeared on Elise's face.
"Hmmm… not such a bad servant after all, Alice. Serve your new master well. Here," she said, rummaging in her pockets again. She pulled out a small slip of paper. "This is a card with the address of my studio. The date doesn't matter. See you soon."
"Th-thank you."
The rest of the class and the gathered nobles watched Elise and Zetto with disgust or even revulsion; some stared sadly at the floor.
Just before leaving the hall, Alice read the address on the card:
Elise van Lareick
55 Golden Street,
North Keburg,
[Please do not knock between 5:00 PM and 5:37 PM].
*
"Whew, that was tough," Alice sighed as they stepped into the courtyard.
"Thank you for saving the situation. For a moment, I thought I'd offended her. She looked like someone you really don't want as an enemy."
"You're underestimating how useful a really good servant can be" Alice said proudly, smiling and placing her hands on her hips. "I'm glad I could help you right from the start. And about Elise, don't worry about her. Even if she hates you, she's just a disgustingly rich eccentric. The worst she could do is send some high-level assassins after you."
"That's hardly comforting. At least thanks to her, we have a secured budget. So many pearl coins…"
"Shhh, don't say that so loud! We're approaching the main market, it's crawling with pickpockets here."
"Oh, right."
"I still can't believe you agreed to that. It seems… at least morally questionable. Did you see the looks on the others' faces? They were disgusted!"
"And why should I care what they think?" That answer caught Alice off guard. The confused zombie couldn't respond. "The important thing is we have plenty of cash. Besides, posing for paintings, even shirtless, can't be that bad."
"P-please, let's not talk about that anymore," Alice stammered, blushing. "So, what do we do now?"
"Well, I won't hide it, I'll be counting on your knowledge of the city and country. First, I want to get rid of these awful clothes, then buy a house where we can rest, preferably in a small, quiet village. But unfortunately, the second will have to wait since we have to stay in the capital for a few days until the royal decree arrives."
"I understand. I guess you'll want a special outfit that enhances your magic…"
"A special outfit?"
"Yes. All over the world, you can find special items, clothes, or weapons. They're enchanted with magic that can't be removed. The more advanced the spell, the higher the item's price. The house shouldn't be a problem, but it's cheaper to build one from scratch. I know a carpenter not far from here… Oh, sorry, am I talking too much?"
"No, no, I've always been more of a listener than a yapper. We don't have to worry about the budget, so take me to the place with the best clothes for mages."
"So, a trip to the Golden District!" Alice added excitedly. "It's nearby, we just have to cross the market and then turn right into the richer part of town. That's where the noble shopping district is…"
*
Few nobles remained in the throne room. Only a handful saw potential in the lower-rank heroes, while some were eyeing the Extraordinary Heroes. The king gave the heroes time to discuss among themselves, suggesting that more groups would be better, as they could operate in different parts of the country simultaneously. The volunteers stayed in the throne room, unsure what to do next.
"Yua, I won't beat around the bush," Hiro approached the class president. "What do you say we form a team? We're the two best heroes among these underlings. Ren is somewhat useful, showing a lot of determination. Let's be honest, these amateurs will die in the first serious battle."
Yua gave a bitter smile.
"That's very kind of you, Hiro, but I have to decline. I'd rather teams from our class have equal chances to survive."
"Tss. Then handle it on your own," Hiro stepped forward. "I'm picking Marittus and Luciia for my team. The rest of these worthless losers can get lost," he said, eyeing the pair of sidekicks. Marittus and Luciia exchanged glances and followed their new leader. The sorceress looked displeased, while Marittus wore a calm, indifferent expression.
Yua gathered the rest of the girls from the class, not choosing any additional helpers. Before leaving, she struck a deal with one of the nobles. When Yua, Zetto, and Hiro's teams left the hall, six heroes remained from the summoned group. One of them was Makoto - a skinny boy with glasses, short black hair, and purple eyes. Makoto had been a target of Hiro's bullying and also took out his frustration on Zetto, often getting into fights with him. Makoto claimed he was harassed because he had once tried to be friends with Zetto.
"There's nothing for us here," Kerin sighed. "Looks like the rest of the heroes have already formed teams," she added.
"That's not entirely true," Makoto replied. "That group over there, yes. They might pick one of you as the sixth member to increase their chances of survival. Weaklings tend to band together."
"I didn't notice you before," Kerin said, surprised. "I didn't think there was another Extraordinary Hero."
"No worries. Blending into the crowd is a skill I've mastered. Besides, the ability I got - the Chameleon - perfectly represents my life so far. Anyway, I decided to pick two of you," he said, looking arrogantly at the volunteers. "The first is Kerin, and the second is Aquirlla. The rest can leave."
The two women stood beside Makoto. Kerin was a short, petite blonde with gray eyes, and Aquirlla belonged to the semi-aquatic Quii race. Quii had green skin adorned with black scales here and there, and large yellow eyes. Their ears had small fin-like flaps. Quii usually grew up to three meters tall. Aquirlla was two meters and forty centimeters. She held a massive iron trident in her right hand.
Quii introduced herself as the sixth in the group, explaining a special trait of her race. Their fighting style combines assassin and healer skills. The mixed technique of the Quii is very difficult to master and perfect, but she succeeded, reaching level 102.
"I understand her, b-b-but me?" asked Kerin, surprised.
"Classes like assassin and rogue fit perfectly with my special skill. I preferred you over that bald tough guy, Kirrius. I hate people like him. Besides," Makoto glanced sideways, "he's already been picked by the insignificant group of average heroes. Your low level is not a problem. If we don't slack off, you should level up pretty quickly."
"Can we see your skill? You said our classes fit your skill perfectly, but you didn't describe it," said Aquirlla.
"Sure. Take this as a sign that from today on, I'll trust you. And remember, if you don't obey, you'll be punished. Status!"
A purple screen appeared before the three, showing the following information:
Name: Makoto Kuroda
Status: Extraordinary Hero
Class: Shadow
Level: 400
Special Skill: Chameleon, Chameleon Mirror
(The Chameleon skill allows the user to transform into any humanoid character. The Chameleon Mirror skill allows transferring the Chameleon skill to team members.)
"Wow. Incredible. This is the first time I've seen something like this," said Kerin, amazed.
"But why all this?" asked Aquirlla. "Why did you take us into your team? It looks like you have suspicious plans."
"Let's say I have personal grudges against our Messenger. He made my life in that world a living hell. I've suffered too much because of him."
"Do you want to… kill the Messenger?" asked Kerin quietly, fear in her voice.
"Not exactly kill him, but make his life miserable," Makoto replied. "I fell victim to bullying, all because of him" Or at least, for now, I have to play this pathetic role.
*
"Welcome to the 'Burning Tulip'," said the heavily made-up, elegantly dressed saleswoman as she invited them inside. The store dazzled with exclusivity; every room had marble walls and floors, and some doors were studded with jewels. "Pardon my rudeness, young master, but I've never seen you before in the noble district. However, I see you have money, since you bought from the king the favorite servant of his late daughter."
"Hmph! He didn't buy me at all! He chose me as a member of his team," Alice retorted, offended by the saleswoman's implication.
"Oh, that explains the red eyes… Wait, red eyes? Are you the Messenger? Oh, in that case, welcome, welcome! Make yourself at home. Please forgive me, I tend to be a bit scatterbrained…"
"No worries," Zetto replied, glancing at the displayed outfits. Most were women's clothing. The men's outfits were too flashy for Zetto's taste, and the spells attached to them didn't suit his class or would be useless for him.
Meanwhile, Alice was staring at a silver necklace topped with a ruby heart-shaped ornament.
"It's so wonderful…"
"Oh, you have great taste," Zetto began to eavesdrop on their conversation, pretending to be interested in yet another warrior outfit. "That artifact is unique, the only one of its kind in all of Atoria. It's called the 'Blessing of the Goddess of Kindness.' It works like this: if the honorable Messenger fills it with a bit of his magic, the medallion will start to resonate. Depending on how much power the Messenger puts into his next spell, an equally strong barrier will protect you from the next attack."
"Did you hear that, Zetto? This medallion is perfect for you! And it's such a pretty accessory!"
"I'll take it."
"That will be three hundred pearl coins…" the saleswoman replied with a hesitant tone.
"Before that," Zetto continued, "please tell me what's in that room," the boy pointed to a dark passage blocked off by a thick, red cotton rope.
"Oh, that? It's our special collection, mainly relics from great heroes, sages, and warriors. We only show it to trusted clients, but at the honorable Messenger's special request, I can take you inside."
"I want to see what's in there," said Zetto, casually handing her four pearl coins.
"Thank you very much for appreciating my work," the saleswoman bowed deeply. "We are at your service".
The saleswoman unfastened the rope and then, with a short incantation, illuminated the room. In the small square chamber with red walls, there were only four glass display cases. In the first was an iron, elaborately crafted, heavy armor; in the second, a modest wooden wand with a violet crystal at the tip; in the third, a sword with a sunray-shaped hilt. In the fourth and final case stood a completely black outfit with very subtle golden accents. It was light armor and a floor-length cloak. The outfit immediately caught Zetto's attention.
"You have exquisite taste," said the saleswoman. "This is the most expensive item in our collection, a relic of one of the most dangerous mages who served in the demon army, Lucius IV. It is called the Transgression Suit. When the owner wears it, he can, at will, switch offensive spells to defensive ones and vice versa."
"I'll take it," Zetto replied briefly.
"Um… with all due respect, sir, this item costs 1000 pearl coins, and I'm not sure if it will fit you…"
Zetto handed Alice a purse.
"Count out fifteen hundred from it."
"Al-alright."
"I'd like to try it on."
"Of course, as you wish."
*
"Amazing! It fits you as if it were tailored for you!" the saleswoman exclaimed with admiration.
Zetto looked at himself in the mirror. With his long white hair and red eyes, he looked more like a demon than a hero. Meanwhile, Alice had put on "the Blessing of the Goddess of Goodness" around her neck.
"We'll take both items. Keep the change."
"Thank you for your purchase and generous donation! Please visit us again."
*
"Whew, the pouch's gotten about half as light. Still, it's amazing how that odd noblewoman decided to be so generous".
"Well, I can only be grateful to her," Zetto said, taking the money from Alice.
"I was just thinking… if we can't leave the capital, we'll only be able to visit my friend at the first good opportunity. You don't mind, do you?"
"Not really. We can wait," he replied, then let out a deep sigh. "Now, let's go explore the city a bit."
"Sure! I can't wait to tell you all about my ci-" Alice didn't finish. Her eyes widened in terror as a blade pierced through Zetto's chest, and the hero coughed up blood.
"These so-called heroes are no different from the rest. All they do is buy fancy clothes and artifacts with money that could feed thousands. You should all just die, you vile trash," declared the female voice of a hooded figure.
"Zetto!" Alice cried. She tried to run to him, but the woman drew a second blade and aimed it at her. At first, fear rooted the maid in place, then her body began trembling as if she had stepped into a freezing blizzard. "You don't understand, he's not like the others!"
"They're all the same," the woman replied, looking directly at Alice. From under the hood, the zombie could make out large yellow eyes, long blue hair, and a streak of black marking on her cheek.
"You've got no right to put me in the same category as those filthy scum" said the Messenger.
"What the… you're still alive?" the attacker asked in disbelief.
"I was just pretending to be surprised," he said and the blade that pierced Zetto's chest shattered into thousands of pieces. Zetto's wound healed itself within seconds, and his outfit was spotless once again. He turned to the shaken assailant. "All just to throw you off guard."
"That's impossible! Someone like you can't exist!" she shouted, swinging her other sword, only for it to break against an invisible shield around Zetto. She tried to claw at him, but that failed too. Zetto stepped closer, and the mysterious woman spun around to flee. Unfortunately, the moment she tried to escape, she slammed face-first into a glowing green wall, a cube-shaped barrier.
"What the hell is this?! Let me out! Let me out, you hear me?!" she screamed, hitting the barrier so hard her hood fell back, revealing white, tiger-like ears.
"Let's get one thing straight," Zetto said, locking eyes with her. "I'm not who you think I am. I've only made certain arrangements with the nobility to get the right equipment. And if you hate the current heroes, I have a feeling we'll get along."
"Y-you're against the current king?"
"No, I'm against the rest of the heroes. Without going into details, it's mostly personal vendettas. Here, consider this a sign of trust," he said, releasing her.
The tiger girl, faster than lightning, immediately aimed a kick straight at Zetto's neck.
Alice screamed in fear, but at the last moment, a small force field stopped the tiger girl's clawed feet, mere millimeters from piercing Zetto's artery.
"Nice reflexes. Without my skill, I'd probably be dead by now."
The tiger girl sighed and then withdrew her leg. She decided to take off the cloak she had been fighting in. The rest of her outfit was rather modest - short black shorts and a white sleeveless top that barely reached halfway down her stomach, revealing the outline of her abs.
"Considering your skills, if you wanted, you wouldn't let me live more than a few seconds. I take that as a sign of kindness on your part. You've earned my respect, Messenger. I'm Tae, proud daughter of the leader of the last tribe of the Tiriga people."
"I'm Zetto, and this maid is a member of my team, Alice."
"Oh my god, she's so cute!" the zombie exclaimed. "If she hadn't just tried to kill you, I'd love to get to know her better. A-and can I touch your ears?" she asked, stepping close to the attacker.
"You're really eager to get yourself sliced to pieces, huh?" Tae asked, slightly annoyed. "Honestly, I don't get what you humans see in our ears. Just another body part."
"S-sorry," Alice moved closer to Zetto, standing very near and a bit behind him, just in case.
"Back to the point, why did you target me?"
"Better not talk about it here, and… no, wait, how do I know you're not bluffing? Maybe you're just a hero sent to spy on us."
"Even if that were true, do you really think the king would send a messenger-rank healer to watch, instead of a high-level rogue or assassin? Besides, how could I keep an eye on you when you were the one who attacked me?! "
"Point for you," Tae sighed again, as if a weight had lifted off her chest. "But I still can't trust you. However, if you really hate the newly summoned heroes, you'll get a chance to prove it."
"With pleasure," he replied with a slight smirk.
"Hey, psst, Zetto," Alice had to stand on tiptoes to whisper in his ear, "how do we know she won't lead us straight into a trap with more cat-people?"
One of Tae's ears twitched.
"Did you really think I didn't hear that?" she looked at her with a condescending smile. "The Tiriga have to stay hidden forever. The ethnic cleansings are still happening, and there are barely any of us left. We can't really form larger groups because there's a real risk our race could be wiped out in just one huge battle."
"Is it… because of the princess's death?" Alice asked in a trembling voice.
"Yes. It's one of the reasons why all of us are fighting. I'd rather not stay here any longer, at noon, when the city's busiest, this district gets especially well-patrolled. Follow me," she said, slipping her cloak back on and stepping into one of the darker alleys.
Alice gave Zetto a questioning look.
"We're following her," he announced.
"But what if… you know, my suspicions turn out to be right, then…" Alice started, her voice quieter than before.
"Then I'll protect us and make sure we both get out of here in one piece. You seem to forget I'm the Messenger," he replied with a laugh.
"Hehe, yeah… yeah, right…" Alice added, a little flustered.
Together, under Tae's lead, they disappeared into the shadows of Atoria's capital.