Chapter 4: After the Story
Dinner wrapped up. Naofumi and Myne started going to their rooms.
I nodded at neither of them in particular and headed for the stairs.
Their rooms were on the second floor. Mine was one flight up, on the third.
I unlocked the door and stepped inside.
It was exactly what you'd expect from a fantasy inn room. Bed, cupboard, table, two chairs, a washbasin in the corner. A lamps hanging from a hook near the door. The floorboards had a slight lean to them that you only noticed if you set something round on the table.
I looked around properly.
I don't really have much clothes.
Just the hoodie, the shirt under it, and the black hiking pants I'd been summoned in. Which, honestly, wasn't the worst luck. The pants were good enough for travelling. I guess I lucked out there.
But the hoodie was the real concern. I loved wearing this hoodie. I was the type of person who would happily wear the same thing every day of the week, as long as it's something I like. But wearing the same thing every day in a world without washing machines was going to get smelly fast.
Should probably buy some extra clothes. At some point.
The thought trailed off into something more interesting.
...Unless cleaning magic is a thing here.
I turned that over for a moment. Magic in this world was a foundational of life. People probably used it everywhere. Healing, combat, and lighting. If magic had developed the same way technology did back home, following the line of what made everyday life easier, then somewhere along the way someone had absolutely figured out how to clean a shirt with a spell.
Hell, who needs a doctor for a minor injury when the village grandma can heal you with a basic heal spell?
That felt like a reasonable assumption.
Should look into it.
I moved to the window and looked outside.
The inn sat on the main road, and from the third floor I could see a decent stretch of it in both directions. Most of the shops were still open, warm light spilling out of doorways, merchants calling out to the last of the evening crowd.
A few stalls had clearly pivoted for the night shift, selling things like hot food and drink.
There was still traffic. Carts, pedestrians, and a couple of the big bird-things I'd seen earlier pulling a carriage.
What the hell are those bird-looking things? It's like an overgrown chicken.
I leaned against the window frame and kept looking out.
Then turned back to the room.
I checked my hoodie pockets out of habit. Small coin pouch. That was it.
I kept most of my money in my inventory, which was different from Naofumi's. When he put things in his inventory, it was he just wished it and the thing vanished into his shield.
I had to actually think of opening a separate space and keeping things there.
Other than money and lots of sweet food I bought earlier, there was not really anything much.
I looked through what was in there.
If I am to travel around a lot, I will have to buy lots of things. So that I can live out on the road.
In a sense, he felt that he kind of just wasted most of today. Motoyasu told him about the adventurer's guild, and it completely slipped his mind to visit there and make a guild card. And so many other small things I could have gotten done today.
Oh well, I doubt anyone else would have done much more on their first day.
I reached into the tear and pulled out the book.
That sweet old bookstore lady gave it to me today.
Language primer.
I closed the inventory and moved to the bed.
The script on the cover was still mostly gibberish to me.
I opened it to the first page.
I wonder if I can use my parallal mind to help speed up the learning.
Reading is one thing, but it only takes you so far when you know nothing about this world's language. eventually I will need something to teach me more complex words, oh well i handle that when I get there. For now i just focus on the basics.
I focused on the first character and activated Parallel mind.
.
.
.
Time blurred.
I blinked and mentally checked the flow of time.
Almost an hour.
…Seriously?
If I had to guess, it was probably close to midnight by now. The noise from the street outside had thinned out, replaced by the occasional distant talking or muffled laughter drifting up from somewhere below.
For the past hour, though, I hadn't just been studying.
Parallel Processing meant I didn't have to. I used it before to focus entirely on the book, but changed that after some time.
One part of me focused on the language primer.
The other part had been paying quiet attention to the second floor and studying.
Naofumi's room.
And Myne's.
I wasn't actively spying. Not exactly. I wasn't reading their thoughts or anything.
Just… monitoring. The outside of their rooms.
But nothing happened.
It really did look like Mine didn't have any immediate plans to frame Naofumi.
Maybe it's because I'm here.
Maybe the story's already changed.
Butterfly effect, or whatever.
Or maybe she was just smarter than that.
Either way… tonight was quiet.
And that was good.
I let out a slow breath and adjusted my focus.
I let the parallel process split properly before settling it into a passive state.
There wasn't any strain at all. If anything, it felt natural, like my mind had simply grown an extra set of hands. Maybe that would change if I pushed it to its limits during the Waves… but right now, it barely felt like effort.
I shifted one thread of it back to me. Guard mode. Monitoring my immediate surroundings. Any hostile intent. Any sudden movement near the door or window.
Hopefully it'll wake me if someone tries to break in.
Not that I am expecting to be robbed. But it's good enough practice before using it while travelling on the road.
Sleep was starting to press at the edges of my vision.
The text on the page had gone slightly blurry. I blinked, refocused, but the fatigue was real. My body was finally catching up to the fact that I'd been awake since early this morning, gone through a full day of socialising (exhausting), dealt with Myne's wine pushing nonsense at dinner (also exhausting), and then spent an hour studying a new language while simultaneously monitoring two other people's rooms.
Not to mention the fact that the previous night, I'd decided to sneak out of the castle for most of the night to go sightseeing around the town.
Yeah. That was a lot.
Safe to say that he was tired and really wanted some downtime for his brain. Perhaps if he hadn't done his little escapade into the city, then he wouldn't be so tired.
I closed the language primer and slid it back into my inventory. The familiar "rift" folded around it and disappeared.
His "rift" appeared like a distortion in space with dark edges. He tried to interact with it using his powers. But just led to him getting a headache. But it also felt like his understanding of "space" increased for but a moment.
Should experiment with that as well.
I stood, walked to the lamp, and extinguished the flame.
The room dimmed instantly.
Then the second lamp.
Darkness settled in, broken only by faint moonlight filtering through the window.
I lay down on the bed.
The mattress dipped under my weight.
I lay back slowly, letting my head sink into the pillow.
Man, the castle pillows were so much softer.
Well… at least I managed something today.
I stopped Mine from framing Naofumi.
That alone made the day worth it.
Sleep crept in heavier now.
Tomorrow…
I needed to visit the Adventurer's Guild. And register their.
I should talk to Naofumi about it in the morning.
There were other things too. Maybe look into buying some equipment.
So many things to do.
One step at a time.
The thoughts grew slower.
Somewhere downstairs, I heard a burst of laughter echo up through the floorboards.
Must be the people still eating and partying.
The edges of the room blurred into darkness.
And somewhere between planning about what I should do tomorrow and exhaustion… buy more sweet food. And visit that fancy-looking bakery again. Their goods were ridiculously good.
I drifted into sleep.
.
.
.
.
.
I was dreaming about home.
Pizza, specifically. That place near campus that stayed open until 2 AM. Extra cheese, pepperoni, the grease pooling in those little orange cups on top.
I could almost taste it.
I heard knocking.
Annoying.
Go away.
I pulled the blanket over my head and tried to sink back into sleep. Back to the pizza. It had been right there. I reach my hand out, pick up a slice and am about to take a bite.
I heard more knocking, slightly louder this time.
Seriously. Go away.
My eyes stayed firmly shut.
Morning. I don't like mornings. I was not a morning person.
Never had been, never would be. Back home, my ideal wake-up time was somewhere before noon, and even that was negotiable. Some days, I'd sleep until two in the afternoon if I had nothing scheduled.
His sleep cycle was such that sometimes he would just stay awake the whole night and then sleep once the sun started to rise. Nighttime is so beautiful, it's the natural state of the universe.
But Nihilux was a responsible person, he only did this when he knew that he would be free the whole day... most of the time.
The knocking continued.
Fuck.
The pizza dream dissolved completely, fading into nothing.
MY PIZZA!!
I slowly cracked one eye open.
The room was dim. Barely any light filtering through the window. The sun was just starting to edge over the horizon I could see the faint orange glow touching the tops of the buildings outside, turning the sky from black to dark blue.
The sun is barely up.
The knocking came again. Three soft taps.
I groaned into the pillow and considered just ignoring it.
But they weren't going away. Whoever it was had been knocking for at least a minute now.
Fine.
"...Wait," I muttered, voice rough from sleep. My throat felt dry. "I'm coming."
I pushed myself up slowly, blanket sliding off. My hoodie was wrinkled from sleeping in it. My hair was probably a complete mess.
I swung my legs off the bed and stood. The floorboards were cold under my feet.
I shuffled to the door, unlocked it, and pulled it open.
Two people stood in the hallway.
A castle guard in full armour, polished breastplate, sword at his hip, helmet tucked under one arm. He had blond hair.
And another man, older, maybe in his fifties, dressed in formal servant's attire. Dark vest, white shirt, perfectly pressed. The second man stepped forward slightly and gave a polite bow.
"My apologies for waking you so early in the morning, Sir Nihilux," the man said. His tone was formal. "My name is Aldric Thorne, one of His Majesty's attendants. The king requests a private audience with you this morning to discuss certain matters."
I stared at him.
Then at the guard. Then back at Aldric.
Are you serious right now.
The king wanted to see me. Right now. Before the sun was even properly up.
Without thinking, I started floating backwards.
Just drifted back toward the bed, still facing them, eyes half-closed.
Aldric blinked. "Sir Nihilux—"
I reached the bed and dropped back onto it, pulling the blanket up.
Five more minutes.
"Sir, I'm afraid the king is—"
I raised one hand and the door slammed shut with my telekinesis.
A bit harder than I meant to. But screw it, I am too sleepy right now.
The bang echoed down the hallway.
There was a pause. Then more knocking.
God damn it.
I lay there for another ten seconds, seriously considering just going back to sleep and dealing with whatever consequences later.
But the knocking didn't stop. It was louder this time.
I sat up again. Slower this time.
Shuffled back to the door.
Aldric stood there, looking slightly less composed than before. The guard's hand was on his sword hilt.
Seriously, does this guard think he can force me to do anything.
"Five minutes," I muttered.
"Of course, Sir Nihilux."
I shut the door again.
Leaned my forehead against the wood for a moment.
I want some coffee…... I wonder what kind of coffee I can find in this world.
I walked over to the washbasin in the corner and splashed cold water on my face. Once. Twice.
I grabbed the small towel hanging beside it and dried off.
Then I looked at myself in the mirror above the basin.
Yeah. I looked exactly as bad as I felt.
I ran a hand through my hair. Didn't do much. Still a mess. Sticking up in three different directions.
Whatever. Parallel mind fix that!
I could feel my hair getting fixed. The hoodie was wrinkled. I smoothed it down anyway, tugging at the hem.
I stood there for a second, swaying slightly.
My eyes closed.
Just for a moment.
Then my Parallel Processing kicked in the part of my mind and mentally jabbed me awake.
Right. Getting dressed, moving.
I turned and walked back to the door. Opened it.
Aldric and the guard were still standing there, waiting patiently. Neither of them had moved. Aldric's hands were folded in front of him.
The guard stood at attention, expression neutral but looking a little wary now.
I tried to focus my telekinesis to write something in the air.
The text appeared.
Rdyae.
I stared at it.
What.
Aldric and the guard looked at the floating gibberish. Then at me.
I blinked and tried again.
Ready.
Aldric tilted his head slightly, confused.
Then I remembered.
Oh right. They can't read English.
I mentally cursed myself and let the text dissolve.
Just nodded toward the stairs instead and started walking.
They fell into step behind me.
We headed down. The inn was quiet at this hour. Most guests were still asleep. The common room was nearly empty, just a single server wiping down tables with a rag, preparing for the breakfast crowd that should probably start arriving soon.
The stairs creaked under our feet.
I veered toward the bar.
Aldric glanced back, confused. The guard's expression tightened slightly, like he was about to say something.
"Sir Nihilux, the king is—"
I ignored him and walked straight up to the bar.
The innkeeper was already awake, moving around behind the counter with some people. Prepping for the morning crowd. He looked up when I approached, surprised to see anyone this early.
I grabbed the drinks menu from the counter, a small wooden board with options chalked on it and scanned it.
Let's see how I can waste the most amount of time, and annoy that guard behind me.
Found the most complicated looking thing on there.
Some kind of spiced coffee I guess with something and something.
I pointed at it.
The innkeeper blinked. Glanced at Aldric and the guard behind me. Then back at me. I could hear the guard a few steps behind me talking with the other person.
"That one, sir?"
I nodded.
"It'll take a few minutes to prepare"
I nodded again and pulled out a chair at one of the tables near the bar.
Sat down.
The guard stepped forward. "Sir, we really must—"
I turned my head slowly and looked at him.
Slowly the guard's boot left the floor.
Just an inch. Maybe two.
His eyes went wide. He looked down at his feet, then back at me.
He rose another inch.
"I—"
I let him drop. He landed with a small thud, stumbling slightly.
Then I went back to waiting for my coffee.
The guard didn't say anything else. Just stood there, hand still on his sword hilt, looking like he wasn't sure whether to be angry or terrified.
Was that a bit much? Perhaps. I was hoping to wake up something around 8 am and get breakfast. If I had to guess, it's probably not even 7:30 am currently.
Was that really a big difference? Perhaps not.
But I don't take kindly to having my sleep interrupted for seemingly no reason.
Aldric cleared his throat carefully. "Perhaps we can... wait a moment." Clearly trying to mediate the situation.
Relax, dude, just tell the king that some random merchants were blocking the road or something.
After about 5 mins.
He brought it over on a small tray and set it in front of me.
"That'll be on your tab, sir."
I nodded.
Picked up the cup. Took a sip.
Much better.
I drank slowly. Very slowly.
The guard shifted his weight. Aldric kept glancing between himself, the guard, and me. Neither of them said anything.
I kept drinking.
Me?? I stared at the guard the entire time. I am going to remember that face. If I ever meet him again, I am so going to make him trip.
Eventually, he looked away first.
When I finished and only when I finished, I set the cup down, stood up, and nodded toward the door.
Aldric exhaled quietly. "Right this way, Sir Nihilux."
We walked out through the inn's front entrance.
Outside, a carriage was waiting in the street.
The attendant gestured toward it with one hand, and I climbed in .
The carriage was... fancy.
Polished dark wood with brass corner reinforcements. Cushioned seats upholstered in deep red fabric. Brass fixtures on the interior panels caught the early morning light. The windows had actual glass with small curtains tied back at the corners with gold cord.
The attendant climbed in after me and sat across from me. Hands folded in his lap. The guard stayed outside. I heard him say something to the driver, then the carriage door clicked shut with a solid thunk.
A moment later, the whole thing lurched forward.
The wheels started turning. The carriage rocked slightly as it pulled away from the inn.
I leaned back against the seat and looked out the window.
The streets were still mostly empty. A few early risers were out, a woman sweeping the front step of a shop, a man hauling a cart of vegetables toward what was probably the market square.
My brain was still half-asleep; the coffee in this world is not nearly enough to jolt me awake.
Back at home, I usually make my own coffee. The ones from the coffee shop were good, but not enough. I needed a particularly strong dose for it to be effective. One of the downsides of my power is that almost anything I eat or drink is broken down by my body way too fast.
I can appreciate the taste just fine. But when it comes to anything like it taking effect on me, it wouldn't work.
It was why I couldn't get drunk, even when I tried. The alcohol was burned out of my system before it could do anything.
The doctor back in my world had a scare on his face when he did some tests and found this out. Luckily, I vanished from his clinic before he had a chance to get any of my information.
I could still feel the dull weight of exhaustion sitting behind my eyes. My thoughts moved slowly, like trying to move through mud.
Why does the king want to see me this early?
The thought drifted through my mind.
Did I do something wrong?
Maybe. Hard to tell. I'd only been here two days. What could I have even done in that time to piss off a king?
Is he mad I got extra money from him and then joined the Shield Hero's party?
Wait. No. That wasn't right.
The thoughts weren't connecting properly. Everything felt foggy.
Something else?
I didn't know. Couldn't think straight enough to figure it out.
The carriage turned a corner, swaying slightly. I glanced out the window again, watching the buildings slide past.
Two more carriages passed us, going the opposite direction, heading away from the castle, back toward the part of town we'd just come from.
They were a lot less fancy than the one I was in. Plain wood construction. No glass windows, just wooden shutters. Both of them are moving fast, wheels clattering over the cobblestones.
I stared at them as they rolled past. I could sense many soldiers inside them.
Something about those...
A thought tried to surface. Something I should remember. Something important.
But it slipped away before I could catch it, dissolving back into the morning fog in my head like smoke.
...Whatever.
Probably nothing.
The carriage kept moving.
We crossed through the castle gate without stopping. The guards there just waved us through, apparently the royal carriage didn't need to be checked.
The courtyard opened up ahead. Wide stone pathways. A fountain in the centre with water spouting from the mouth of some kind of stone lion. Guards stationed at regular intervals along the walls, spears held upright.
The carriage slowed and came to a stop near the main entrance.
.
.
.
.
Aldric stepped out first, then gestured for me to follow.
I climbed down slowly, still fighting off the fog in my head.
We walked toward the main entrance. Big doors. Intricate carvings. Very castle-y.
Aldric led me through a series of hallways.
Finally, we reached a meeting room. Aldric opened it and gestured inside.
"His Majesty is currently occupied with urgent matters," he said. "He asks that you wait here. He will see you shortly."
I nodded back to him.
Aldric bowed slightly. "I will inform you when the king is ready. Please make yourself comfortable."
He closed the door.
I stood there for a second, then walked over to one of the couches and sat down.
Finally.
I leaned back and closed my eyes.
Maybe I could get a few more minutes of sleep while I waited.
.
.
.
I didn't sleep.
After about ten minutes of sitting there doing nothing, I noticed a small tray on the table.
Snacks.
Pastries, some kind of cookies, dried fruit. A pitcher of water and a glass.
Well. Might as well.
I poured myself some water and grabbed one of the pastries. Flaky. Sweet. Some kind of berry filling.
Not bad. It was pretty sweet in taste. I could it had a lot of sugar in it. Exactly how I like it.
Did they know that I like sweet things and arranged for this... probably not, I am overthinking it.
I ate slowly, staring out the window at the courtyard below.
Guards walking patrols. A few servants are moving between buildings. Normal castle morning activity.
After finishing the pastry, I sat back again.
Still quiet.
My Parallel Processing was still running in the background. One thread on guard duty, monitoring my immediate surroundings.
I shifted my focus. Extended my psychic perception outward.
Beyond the room.
Into the hallway.
There were guards out there. Two of them were standing on either side of the door. I could sense their presence, the weight of their thoughts, the surface-level intentions.
Bored. Tired. Waiting for their shift to end.
I pushed further.
Down the hallway. Around the corner. More guards. A maid walking past carrying something..
I caught fragments of her thoughts as she passed.
Surface-level thoughts only.
—shield hero—
I paused.
What?
I focused on her more closely as she moved away.
—can't believe he would do such a thing—
—poor girl—
—disgusting—
My stomach dropped.
I pushed my perception further. Found another guard. He further away talking with someone.
—heard he tried to force himself on her—
—in the middle of the night—
—Shield Hero's a devil indeed—
No.
I pulled my perception back sharply, focusing on the room around me.
My hands were gripping the edge of the couch.
I failed.
The realization hit like cold water.
I fucking failed.
Myne had made her move. Not right after Naofumi went to sleep. Later. Much later.
I'd monitored them for an hour. Nothing happened. So I assumed it was fine. That maybe the event wouldn't happen. That my presence had changed things.
But it did happen.
I'd stopped watching. Gone to sleep, and she must have waited.
In the anime, Myne had said she ran to Motoyasu and waited until morning before the trial.
I'd assumed she'd try something soon after Naofumi went to sleep.
But she'd been smarter than that.
I assumed it would be alright.
But no.
I fucked up.
I stood up abruptly.
The window. I could leave through the window. Float down to the courtyard, get out of the castle, and find Naofumi.
I took two steps toward it.
Then the door behind me opened.
I froze.
The king walked in, Aldric trailing behind him.
The king was looking tired and annoyed. His expression was hard.
He saw me standing near the window and stopped.
"Sir Nihilux," he said. His voice was even.
I stared at him.
If he's here, that means the trial is already over.
I looked at Aldric. Then back to the king.
Maybe I can still do something. Talk to him. Explain.
I clenched my fists.
Wait for me, Naofumi.
I will find you as soon as this meeting ends.
The king gestured to the couch. "Please, sit, young Nihilux. We have much to discuss."
.
.
The king gestured to the couch again. "Please, sit."
I hesitated, then sat down slowly.
The king moved to the chair across from me. He lowered himself into it with a slight sigh.
Aldric moved to stand off to the side, hands folded, his expression was completely neutral.
The king looked at me for a moment.
I looked into his mind to feel what he was thinking. I felt… concern toward me, no its more like regarding my situation.
"Young Nihilux," he said finally. His voice was softer than I expected. Almost gentle. "I realise this morning has been rather abrupt. I apologise for summoning you so early, but the situation required urgency."
He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. The posture was casual.
Why, why does his tone and mind feel like it's…. paternal, almost. I can't sense any hostility.
"I wanted to speak with you privately before... before things become more complicated." He paused. "You are aware, I assume, that you spent yesterday evening in the company of the Shield Hero and his companion?"
I reached out with my telepathy.
{Yes.}
The king froze mid-breath.
His eyes widened slightly. He sat up straighter, his casual posture gone in an instant.
Aldric's head turned sharply toward me, his expression breaking from neutral into surprise.
The king opened his mouth. Closed it. Then carefully said, "That is... I was not aware you possessed such an ability."
{I prefer not to speak aloud when I can avoid it,} I continued, keeping my mental voice even. {Is this acceptable?}
A pause. The king's jaw worked slightly.
Then he nodded slowly. "I... yes. That is acceptable." He cleared his throat. "Though I must admit, hearing a voice directly in one's mind is rather... disconcerting."
{Noted.}
Aldric still looked unsettled, but said nothing.
The king took a breath, visibly steadying himself, then continued as if nothing unusual had happened.
"And you joined his party, did you not? Shared a meal with them at the inn?"
I nodded.
"I see." He sat back again. "Then I'm afraid I must inform you of some very troubling developments."
"This morning, shortly after dawn, the Shield Hero was brought before the throne room to answer for a very serious crime."
My stomach tightened, but I didn't let it show.
The king continued, his tone measured, almost sad. "Miss Myne Suphia, the young woman who volunteered to join his party, came forward with grave accusations. She claims that last night, the Shield Hero attempted to force himself upon her."
He paused, watching my reaction.
I didn't give him one.
"She stated that he had been drinking heavily at dinner, and that later in the night, he entered her room uninvited. He held her down and attempted to... well." The king's jaw tightened. "She managed to escape and fled to Sir Motoyasu, who sheltered her for the remainder of the night."
I could feel my hands curling into fists on my lap. I forced them to relax.
"This morning, a trial was held," the king said. "The Shield Hero denied the accusations, of course. But the evidence was clear. His behavior at dinner. Miss Myne's testimony. The corroboration from Sir Motoyasu. His inability to provide any alibi."
He leaned forward again, and this time his expression was almost pleading.
"Young Nihilux, I know you may feel some loyalty to the Shield Hero. You chose to dine with him. Perhaps you even felt sympathy for his situation, being the only hero without companions." His voice dropped lower. "But you must understand this is not a man you should associate yourself with."
He's being sincere.
That was the worst part. The only thing I could feel from his mind, other than anger towards Naofumi, is concern aimed at me.
The king wasn't gloating. Wasn't smug. He looked genuinely concerned. Like he was trying to protect me from making a terrible mistake.
"You have such potential," he continued. "Your demonstration yesterday was remarkable. You could serve this kingdom in countless ways. You could join any of the other heroes' parties or even operate independently with our full support. If that is your desire." He shook his head slowly. "But if you tie yourself to the Shield Hero now, after this... your reputation will suffer. People will question your judgment. Your character."
"I am telling you this as someone who sees great things in your future, young man. Do not throw it away out of misplaced loyalty to someone who has proven himself unworthy."
.
.
.
"I have already made arrangements," he said. "Should you wish to distance yourself from the Shield Hero, I can place you with any of the other heroes' parties. All of them would gladly accept you after witnessing your demonstration."
He paused.
"Sir Motoyasu, the Spear Hero, has been particularly vocal about wanting you in his party. He mentioned it again just this morning, in fact. Said you would make an excellent addition to his team."
The king leaned forward again, that gentle, almost grandfatherly tone returning.
"You would have support. Resources. Companions who share your dedication to saving this world. You would not have to struggle alone, or worse struggle alongside someone who will only drag you down."
He looked at me earnestly.
"I am offering you an opportunity, young Nihilux. A chance to step away from this unfortunate situation before it tarnishes your future. Please, consider it carefully."
He actually cares.
That was the problem.
The king wasn't manipulating me. Wasn't playing some political game. He genuinely believed he was helping me. Guiding me away from a mistake.
And I felt bad.
I felt bad because I couldn't take his advice. Couldn't accept his kindness.
Because I knew something he didn't.
.
.
.
The room went quiet.
Aldric shifted slightly but said nothing.
The king was watching me. Waiting.
He actually believes this.
He thinks he's helping me.
I took a slow breath.
So I'll need to try to convince him.
I met the king's eyes.
{Your Majesty, can I ask some questions about the trial?}
The king blinked, surprised. Then nodded. "Of course."
{You said the evidence was clear. But from what you described, the evidence seems... weak.}
"Weak?" he repeated.
{Yes.} I leaned forward a little. {If Naofumi tried to hold Myne down and force himself on her, there should be physical evidence. Bruises. Scratches. Some kind of wound. But according to what you just said, she escaped unharmed.}
The king opened his mouth, but I kept going.
{And if that really happened, if he attacked her in her room, it would have made noise. Struggling. Shouting. The inn wasn't empty. There were other people in the surrounding rooms. Someone should have heard something.}
I paused, watching his reaction.
His jaw had tightened. I could feel he was getting angry now.
{And then there's the practical issue,} I continued. {Naofumi is a Shield Hero. You yourself saw his performance… or lack of it. He couldn't even take out a single balloon in less than five minutes.}
The king's eyes narrowed slightly.
{Myne is a seasoned adventurer,} I said. {You introduced her as such when we first gathered in the throne room. She has combat experience. She knows magic. So how is it that Naofumi, a level one Shield Hero with no offensive capabilities, was able to overpower her?}
I let the question hang in the air.
{How was it that Naofumi was able to force anything on Myne?}
The silence stretched.
The king's expression had shifted. The gentle concern was still there, but underneath it was something harder. Angry, towards the shield hero, towards me for trying to defend him, to try and defend such a crime.
"Young Nihilux," he said, and his voice was tighter now. "You raise interesting points. But you were not present at the trial. You did not hear Miss Myne's testimony. You did not see her distress."
{No} I agreed. {But I was at dinner. And Naofumi didn't drink.}
The king stopped.
"What?"
{He didn't drink} I repeated. {Myne offered him wine. Three times. He refused every time. He explicitly said he doesn't like alcohol.}
The king stared at me. His mind had a flicker of confusion in it now.
"So the part of the story about him drinking heavily?" I shook my head. "That didn't happen."
Aldric shifted again, visibly uncomfortable now.
The king leaned back in his chair, and for a long moment, he just looked at me.
Then the king sighed. It was a heavy sound. Frustrated.
"Young Nihilux," he said slowly. "I appreciate your... diligence. Truly. But you must understand that this situation is far more complicated than it appears."
He stood up, walking toward the window. He's back to me now. I feel recollection in his mind.
"There are political considerations at play. The Church of the Three Heroes has certain... expectations. And Miss Myne is not without influence. Her father…." He stopped himself.
I stayed quiet.
He turned back to face me. I could sense in his mind that he had made his decision. He won't listen to me anymore.
"The Shield Hero has been found guilty. The trial is concluded. The punishment has been decided." His expression softened again, but there was steel underneath. "What I am trying to do now is ensure that you do not suffer for his crimes."
{But he didn't-}
"Enough." He shouted.
The king walked back to his chair and sat down again.
"I have been patient with you, young man, because I see potential in you. Because I believe you are simply misguided." He folded his hands in his lap. "But if you continue to defend the Shield Hero, you will make yourself a pariah. The other heroes will not trust you. The nobles will not support you. And far worse, the people will see you as complicit in his crimes."
He leaned forward one more time.
"Is that truly the path you wish to take?"
I looked at the king.
Really looked at him.
There was anger in his voice when he talked about the Shield Hero. Subtle, but there. Under the concern, under the paternal disappointment, there was something sharper.
Hate.
Shit.
I was mentally cursing myself for not watching the anime fully.
I knew pieces. Fragments. The king hated demi-humans. The Shield Hero was basically a god to the demi-humans. This country, Melromarc had fought a war with another demi-human country. I couldn't even remember the name of it.
But the king had fought in that war.
He must have lost people. Loved ones. Friends. Soldiers under his command.
In a way, I understand his situation. I can almost sympathise with him.
The king's actions were guided by his past experiences. His trauma. His grief.
Perhaps the king is to blame. Perhaps he's not.
Perhaps the demi-humans are to blame. Perhaps they're not.
Perhaps it's all—
I stopped that thought.
It didn't matter. It was all in the past.
But I couldn't say that to him. Not like this.
How am I supposed to say that?
Hey, even though I'm from another world, I watched your entire future in a fucking anime. Oh, by the way, I didn't watch it fully, so the things I'm saying? They're probably not even correct.
I sighed mentally.
The king was still watching me. Waiting for an answer.
He'd been kind to me. Almost like he was talking to a grandson. Or a son.
I didn't hate the king.
He'd done nothing to me personally. He'd given me money. Respect. And has been nothing but kind to me so far. But I can't….
But that didn't mean I could abandon Naofumi just because the king asked.
I made my choice.
I looked at the king directly.
{Your Majest} I said slowly. {When we first came here, you said you could not send the heroes back before the Waves end.}
The king frowned slightly. "That is correct."
{So} I continued, keeping my voice level. {What would happen if one of the heroes died?}
The king's expression shifted to shock.
"Why would you ask such a thing?"
{Please answer the question, Your Majesty.}
He was quiet for a long moment.
Then he sighed.
"If one of the heroes were to die..." He hesitated. "Unfortunately, to summon a new hero in their place, all the other heroes would also have to die first. The summoning ritual cannot function with the previous generation still alive."
I felt a small, sad smile pull at my lips.
There it is.
{Your Majesty,} I said quietly. {I appreciate everything you have done for me. Truly. You've been nothing but kind to me}
The king's frown deepened.
{But I cannot leave Naofumi.}
"Young Nihilux—"
{You yourself said so} I continued. {The heroes need to save this world. Perhaps Naofumi has done what you're accusing him of. Perhaps he hasn't.} I paused. {But currently, I cannot leave him.}
I stood up.
The king stood as well, his expression hardening.
{He's weak,} I said. {Far too weak to be able to do anything on his own right now. He will need someone. Anyone. To help him until he has friends who would stand beside him to save this world. He needs me.}
I turned toward the door.
"Sir Nihilux," the king said sharply. "Why?"
I stopped.
"Why are you willing to go this far for him?"
I looked back over my shoulder.
The king's expression was no longer kind. No longer a kind gaze towards me.
I am sorry.
Just confused. And a lot of anger.
I met his eyes.
{Because Naofumi is alone out there,} I said simply. {And he has no one.}
I paused.
{And because I promised him I would stay with him until we both defeat the first Wave.}
I turned away from the door.
Toward the large window instead.
{And he needs me.}
"Wait—"
I didn't wait.
I raised my hand, and the window swung open with my telekinesis.
Aldric stepped forward. "Sir Nihilux, you can't—"
I was already floating.
Off the ground. Through the open window.
Out into the open air above the castle courtyard.
Behind me, I heard the king shout something. Aldric's voice was panicked.
But I was already gone.
I angled myself toward the city, accelerating.
The wind rushed past my face. The castle fell away behind me.
Below, the streets of the capital spread out in every direction.
Naofumi.
Where are you?
I flew faster.
Wait for me.
I'm coming.
.
.
.
.
.
Two hours.
Two hours of flying around this city.
I'd been using my Parallel Processing one focused on entirely to my psychic perception. Spreading it out as far as I could, sweeping through crowds, scanning streets, checking buildings.
I went everywhere.
The residential districts. The market squares. The noble quarter. Even flew out to the fields where we'd been training yesterday.
Nothing.
No sign of Naofumi.
Where the hell is he?
By the time I circled back toward the capital, the sun was high in the sky. Noon, maybe a little past it.
My head was starting to ache from maintaining the perception spread for so long. Any longer and I am going to have a terrible headache.
I pushed through it.
He has to be somewhere.
I started checking the well known places again. The ones Naofumi had been to before.
The inn. Nothing.
The main square. Empty.
The castle gates. Just guards.
I flew toward the blacksmith shop where Naofumi had gotten his stuff from.
And then my Parallel Processing pinged.
A sharp mental alert. Like a tap on the inside of my skull.
Found him.
I slowed mid-flight, focusing.
There. Outside the armor shop. Two people.
Naofumi.
And the blacksmith.
I stayed in the air, hovering about twenty feet up. Neither of them was looking up. Too focused on each other.
The blacksmith had Naofumi by the collar.
His fist was raised. Shaking. His face was red, twisted with anger.
Naofumi just stood there. Not defending himself.
What the hell happened?
The blacksmith held him there for a few more seconds. Then, abruptly, he let go.
Naofumi stumbled back slightly but didn't say anything.
The blacksmith turned and stormed back into his shop. Slammed the door behind him.
I thought that was it.
But then the door opened again.
The blacksmith came back out, holding something. A bundle of cloth and a cloak for him.
He shoved it into Naofumi's arms without a word.
Naofumi stared down at them.
The blacksmith said something. I couldn't hear it from up here, but his expression was hard. Final.
Then he went back inside again.
This time, he didn't come back out.
Naofumi stood there for a moment, holding the bundle.
Then he turned and started walking.
People in the square were staring at him. Some openly pointing. Whispering to each other.
A few said things loud enough that even I could catch fragments.
"—that's him—"
"—Shield Hero—"
"—disgusting—"
Naofumi kept his head down and walked faster.
He turned off the main road into a smaller side street. Then into an alleyway.
Probably trying to avoid the crowds. Taking a shortcut toward the main gate, if I had to guess.
I followed from above.
When he was deep enough into the alley far enough that no one from the main street could see I descended.
I landed about ten feet behind him.
He didn't notice. Just kept walking, shoulders hunched, gripping the bundle of clothes.
I reached out with my telepathy.
{Finally. I found you.}
Naofumi stopped mid step.
{I've been looking everywhere for you.}
He spun around.
His eyes went wide when he saw me standing there.
For a second, he just stared.
Then his expression shifted.
Surprise turned to recognition.
Recognition turned to fury.
His fist came up fast.
Aimed straight at my face.
I didn't move.
The punch stopped an inch from my nose.
Frozen mid-air.
Naofumi's eyes widened further. He pulled back, trying to retract his arm, but it wouldn't budge. I held in place by my telekinesis.
"Let go!" he shouted, pulling harder.
I kept it there for another second. Then released.
His arm dropped to his side, and he stumbled back a step, breathing hard.
"What the hell—"
"I'm sorry," I said out loud.
That stopped him.
Naofumi stared at me, chest heaving. His fist was still clenched.
"Sorry?" His voice was raw. "You're sorry?"
"I wasn't there at the trial," I said. "The king's attendant came to summon me to the castle early in the morning. Before you even woke up."
Naofumi's expression flickered.
"By the time I figured out the trial was happening, it had already ended," I continued. "I wanted to come find you right then, but I thought... maybe I could convince the king. Point out the holes in the story."
I shook my head.
"It didn't work."
Naofumi stared at me for a long moment. The anger was still there, but something else too now.
"You tried?"
"Yes."
He looked away. Then back at me.
The silence stretched.
Then I felt it. The exhaustion is settling in. My throat was sore from all this talking.
No more.
Blue text appeared between us.
Come on. Let's go back to the inn. You need to change into those clothes. And I'll give you some money.
Naofumi blinked at the sudden switch to text.
"Money?"
I nodded.
I have most of mine saved. Barely used any of it. You'll need it more than me right now.
He stared at the glowing words. Then at me.
"Why...… why are you doing this?"
Why am I doing all this? Because I just want to help you.because you the main character of some anime I watch god nows how long age... or because I just want to go back home and for that I need you and other heroes to save this world.
I… I don't think the answer myself.
Because I promised I'd stay with you until we defeat the first Wave. Remember?
Naofumi's shoulders sagged slightly.
"Fine," he said quietly. "Even if they don't support me, I'll do what I must. I'll show them what a hero is."
His voice was tired. But there was something solid underneath it.
I nodded.
Let's go.
I turned and started walking.
Naofumi followed.
Crazy fucker tried to punch a guy with Esper powers.
I almost smiled at that thought. Almost.
He really was just like his anime version. Angry, desperate.
Hahaha.
We made our way through the side streets. A few people still noticed Naofumi. Stared. Whispered to each other.
One man said something loud enough for us to hear. Something about "the Shield Hero" and "disgrace."
I turned my head and glared at him.
He shut up immediately and looked away.
Naofumi noticed but didn't say anything. Just kept walking, clutching Erhard's bundle of stuff.
The inn wasn't far.
Need to get him sorted out first some clothes, and some money. Then figure out what came next.
One step at a time.
God, I am hungry. Shouldn't have skipped breakfast. Should have made that stupid guard wait even longer.
====================================
Author notes.
I had fun writing this chapter.
man i haven't even finished episode one so far in writing. I really need to pick up the pace, don't I?
The next chapter i write will need to finish episode 1 from anime. and cover at least first half of episode 2.
oh well i just write and see how it goes. q(≧▽≦q)
as always comments make author happy and motivate him to write more.