Vol. 3 CH. 8 - Speak of the devil...

 

PART #1

 

Gaius have arrived the settlement he and his knights made for those who suffered from the oppression of the hero's party.

 

Inside a forest, a large settlement was made. There various houses made just for the sake making a living space.

 

At one elevation, there was a large building big enough to be mistaken like a military facility.

 

It was the hospital that the people who suffered from injuries, such as burns, sword cuts, lost of limbs, and other physical injuries. Gaius had it made along with the many families that were affected by the recklessness of the hero Taiga.

 

"We're here.... and not even a day has passed"

 

This settlement lies around east and just a few kilometers north, a mountain range lies. The settlement was built just around the foot f the mountain, as such, there were many uneven cliffs and elevation that creates a natural barrier that prevents monster from ever coming near.

 

Inside this settlement, there was more than a thousand people living in it.

 

Naturally, those with enough skills were given the task to guard the settlement. The ones that had any experience in farming were the ones growing their food and since there was antueal flowing river nearby, it was a perfect place to have a secret base.

 

Gaius and his men got out of the ship.

 

"Gaius-dono, I shall look for a place where I can land the ship properly. Please go on first"

 

"Alright, thank you for taking us here"

 

As soon as the door was closed, the ship flew up and slowly hovered above the trees.

 

Gaius nodded then walked towards the current leader of the settlement.

 

Passing through the rows of houses, Gaius and his men saw some familiar faces. They waved their hand once and as a form of reply, the lower their heads.

 

This place has no real ruler. Only a representative was elected just for the sake of communicating with Gaius.

 

Once he reached the plaza, a huge tree stood tall. It was one of those thousand year old trees that grown too hard to cut down. But this one particular tree was left alone for one reason.

 

It was only tree that produces golden colored leaves all year around. The bark was pure black and wrinkly but the trunk was massive in size. Even the height was just that huge.

 

"Gaius-sama, you've returned! Welcome back"

 

"It's been a short while, Ashna"

 

"Humu, indeed it has"

 

Ashna, a woman with caramel colored hair that flows down straightforward down her thighs. Her slanted eyes showed her fierce will along with the amber colored irises. She wore a sort of dress that most commoners wear but, her mature body sticks through her clothes adds a bit of sensuality every time she moves.

 

However, the most eye catching feature of hers were the scales on the side of her neck and on her arms.

 

"How did your return go? I do hope that everything was resolved"

 

"Do not worry lord dragon, Queen Isabelle is already awake. The kingdom is now making moves to correct the misdeeds of the nobles"

 

"I see, I'm glad then. You humans have already made homes around my nest after all"

 

"My apologies but, there was nowhere safer than this place after all"

 

Ashna was no ordinary woman. She was a long lived Ancient Elder Dragon that lived through millenniums. The entire mountain range his her nest, one she created thousands of years ago.

 

The human shaped Ancient Elder Dragon scoffed as she placed her hands on her waist.

 

"It is fine. I owe your master this much after all"

 

"I am very grateful"

 

Gaius bowed to Ashna. It was obvious who has the higher rank between the two.

 

"Anyways, you have come back quite early. Did you ride something to get here?"

 

"Yes, a magic airship of sorts. It is not owned by the kingdom so please do not be reckless with it"

 

"Ah... so that's the one that landed on my lake shores"

 

Ashna smiled while gazing at her right side as though she was directly looking at something. Gaius was troubled that she might get angry that a foreign ship would enter her nest. Though it seems that he was just thinking too much about it.

 

Ashna turns her head back in front.

 

"Alright. Make sure to hurry up with your business. I want to return to my long sleep after all"

 

"Will do, thank you Ashna"

 

"Yeah"

 

Ashna turns back and with a yawn, she jumps into the ground. Gaius breathes out and quickly returned to his original goal.

 

The representative of this settlement wasn't Ashna, she was merely the landowner. The one Gaius was looking for was the representative of this settlement.

 

Easily enough Gaius easily found him.

 

An old man in his fifties. Just everyone else, he had one or two scars and burns here and there.

 

"Beltran, I am here on behalf of Queen Isabelle"

 

"......."

 

The old man, Beltran turns to Gaius as soon as he heard his voice. However, his expression was as dark as a storm brewing in the horizon........

 

 

 

———

 

 

Taiga was the son of a politician. Everything that he wished were immediately granted. His father was a great man, loved by all and respected by his colleagues.

 

However that father of his had one fatal flaw.....

 

He was extremely greedy.

 

Be it money, fame or women, he would want them all. If it was a rising pop idol that he liked on television, he would immediately use his power to get what he wants.

 

As a father, he was a good man. He gave everything that his son wanted. He was like a genie from a magic lamp.

 

Even an impossible task, he could make it possible to do.

 

Hiding a dead body was simple. Melting them through acid then placing the corpse inside an industrial oil barrel before pouring cement in and throwing it at the sea.

 

Paying thugs to beat up bullies were easy. Simply waved around a couple of ten thousand yen bills, they would work for you happily.

 

Taiga grew up like that.

 

He got what he wanted whenever he ask for it. If it was going to be a problem about his grades, he could pay the teacher to push it up slightly.

 

He wasn't as greedy as his father, but Taiga himself had a flaw.

 

He was too prideful.

 

People who tries to look down on him gets kick around the mud. If it was a girl he likes, he would use his good looks to charm her, then do her once she fell.

 

Paying a victim after deed was enough. Even blackmail can be used to get them to stay quiet.

 

But this side of him, Taiga doesn't show it. Not unless he wants to that is.

 

In school, he was the nicest guy in class. Perfect grades, beautiful personality and very athletic. The girls loves him and he likes women back.

 

If he likes the girl, he secretly do her they pay her to shut up. After that, it would be bygones.

 

No none knows about this side of him. Not even his greedy father found out his little secret.

 

Out in the town, late at night, he and the friends he bought off would sometimes get some women to play with. Of course, even he goes to some bars. He has the money to pay for them.

 

But Taiga finds it very enjoyable when women resists.

 

First they would try to call for help. Second, they fight back. Then lastly, once they lost their precious purity, they'd give up and accept their fate.

 

Taiga like feisty women. Especially those with a very strong ego. Ones that would always shout back at you if you yell at them. Ones that punch you if you hit them first.

 

Forcing those kinds of girls into submission was the epitome of supremacy. It felt like being a king and conquering them all.

 

Even his mother was a fighter at first. Taiga still remember the face of his step mother the first time he forced her.

 

Taiga couldn't forget about the despaired face, mixed with snot and tears. It gave him a feeling of being more stronger than his father.

 

Taiga was truly at bliss.....

 

"Hey Hero-sama, when will we arrive at the nearest city? I'm getting bored"

 

A bald man came out from the tent with Leticia. The female night wore nothing but the moment she stepped out, a hand pulled her from another tent and disappeared. Soon after the tent shook and moans leaked out.

 

The bald man spat on the ground then walked towards Taiga while fixing his belt.

 

"I'm getting tired playing with Leticia. Let's go find some village or something"

 

"Shut up Riccardo. It's already weird that we haven't even met a single person ever since we entered the border. Just play around Faiha or something"

 

"Tsk, that bitch ain't tight anymore"

 

"Do you think I care?"

 

"Hmph, suit yourself then"

 

Riccardo snorts as he went to one of the tents in the camp. Taiga ignores the loud scuffle from the inside and continues to stare into the dark night before him.

 

It's been days since they entered the borders of Travestin but they hadn't seen any people yet. Supposedly, the should a town around where he was right now but there was hardly any spot of bricks and stones nearby.

 

There were only monster trees like Trents and Vine creeps when they got here.

 

"It's weird that the city we passed through before is gone. I wonder what happened?"

 

Monsters were everywhere. It was odd considering Taiga had already cleaned the up before leaving the country. However, there wasn't even any living human when they came back.

 

All the encounters they had were from monsters. Goblins, Ogres, and even Trents and large centipedes. There was hardly any towns or villages around to welcome them.

 

Along the way, Taiga sent the soldiers back first. Since it would be troublesome to go through all those monsters himself, he thought it would be best to just let the soldiers deal with them.

 

Taiga left some back at the base he established in the Vampire Demon Lord's land so there wasn't any issue of the enemies would come and retrieve their lands.

 

Even if they did, Taiga can just take it back. For him, everyone in this world was expendable. Letting a couple of soldiers die wouldn't amount to his life as a hero.

 

The King will even welcome him when he returns.

 

"They haven't even sent any messages yet"

 

Taiga sighed as he was getting impatient from waiting. The soldiers he sent first have yet to return nor even send a message. It was extremely frustrating camping outside. The mosquito bites weren't bearable.

 

"Taiga"

 

"Deborah? What's up?"

 

A girl with shoulder length silver hair called out Taiga. The distinct black collar around her neck was enough as proof that she was a slave.

 

"I found some signs of people around the mountain range just north from here"

 

"Oh? Were they hiding from the monsters?"

 

"I don't know. But there some spots where they hunted frequently. It's not too far from here"

 

"I see.... good work"

 

Taiga smiled and placed his hand on Deborah as he praised her.

.

"Take a rest for today, I'll tell the others myself"

 

"Understood"

 

Deborah lowered her head then turned around. The small girl who was once a daughter of a noble, was now wearing clothes strictly made for entertainment. Her small body can be seen through her veil like clothes.

 

Taiga's disappears then he turns to his tent where Princess Aria was sleeping. The adorable princess wore nothing underneath hear messy messy blanket.

 

Finally.... a proper bed to sleep—

 

Taiga sighs as he sat down on the bed. His hand then softly touches Princess Aria's face, strumming her hair with his fingers.

 

I was getting tired of this princess already. Leticia is too used and Fahnia is.... well let's not say anything—

.

Taiga took of his armor piece by piece the placed his sword on a rack. The tent he was in was three times bigger than the one hisboarty was using.

 

Riccardo was still playing around. Clint was using Leticia after Riccardo finished. Fahnia was with Riccardo and Daris was with his sister Corrina.

 

Everyone were busy. Though not as important than Taiga himself. But nevertheless, they were tired from walking from the dark lands back to the capital city of Travestin.

 

As soon as Taiga finished taking off his armor, he slipped into the blanket.

 

However, he was unable to sleep. It was noisy outside. Riccardo probably forced Fahnia to continue outside.

 

"What are you doing here?"

 

Leticia enters the tent. Her golden ringlets were disheveled and seems to be covered by something sticky. The small clothe she was using to cover herself had stains everywhere.

 

Taiga smiles then sat up.

 

"This is my tent too"

 

"No, It's princess's Aria's and mind. Didn't you promised me you wouldn't touch the princess if I do what you want?"

 

"Yeah, I kept my promise. I haven't touch her yet. But this is also my tent"

 

"......."

 

Leticia glares at Taiga for playing with his words.

 

"Come now, don't look at me like that. I haven't even took of my clothes"

 

"Tsk. It's already enough I have been keeping your party entertained every night but you shouldn't come near her highness like that"

 

Leticia's glare grew intensely. Her whole body was trembling from angerm However, Taiga shrugged it off by standing up and taking his sword.

 

"Alright, you win"

 

"......."

 

"But you should know what to do next right?"

 

Taiga grinned. He lied that he hasn't touched Princess Aria yet. He had already done it with her a lot of times behind Leticia's back. The princess did desired it herself after all. Taiga wasn't the kind of man to refuse such an offer.

 

Leticia averted her face as Taiga tried to lift her chin up with his index finger. Mixed with helplessness and frustration, Leticia's face frowned.

 

"I'm..... I'm too tired"

 

"Hoh? Is that so? Then I'm sure Princess Aria wouldn't mind"

 

"!?"

 

Leticia snapped her head back in place as Taiga tried to turn around. Her face painted much after she didn't like the idea of doing it again. She has just finished more than ten rounds at most for tonight.

 

She also couldn't let the beast before her to ever lay a hand on the sweet princess Aria. That innocent child wouldn't be able to bear this treatment.

 

"Taiga smiles and pushed his face closer to Leticia's.

 

" Good girl. You shouldn't fight back against your country's hero after all"

 

You are no hero.... you are a monster!!— Leticia screamed in her mind as her body trembled from Taiga's touch.

 

Although she had already been used so much already, she was still not used to this kind of thing. She was a proud female Knight that vowed to protect Princess Aria. However, she was treated like a toy by Taiga and his party.

 

As Taiga's lips approached hers and his fingers slowly moves around her chest.....

 

"Taiga! Come take a look at this!"

 

Another one of his party member came.

 

"Leo, haven't I told you to not enter my tent unannounced?"

 

"Sorry 'bout that but I just saw a huge magic airship flew by"

 

"Airship?"

 

Taiga didn't know about the magic airships in this world. He mostly uses carriages and horses to travel to different destination. That's why when Leo, his party member came and said he spotted one outside, Taiga became interested.

 

He quickly left the tent and took the telescope from Leo.

 

"That's....."

 

Through the lens of the telescope, Taiga saw something familiar. It was something that can only be seen on earth, it shouldn't exists in this one.

 

That's a battleship!!— Taiga excitedly thought so as he watch Mordred from a great distance flying towards the mountain range just north of them.

 

"See? It's big right?"

 

"Who cares about that! Wake everyone up! We'll go to where that ship is going!"

 

Taiga tossed back the telescope back to Leo in a great hurry. He immediately went back to the tent and wore back his armor.

 

"What's going on?"

 

Inside, Leticia had just finished cleaning herself and was about to sleep.

 

Taiga didn't care if Leticia was wearing underwear or not. He most threw her armor at her.

 

"H-Hey! What's the big id—"

 

"Just shut up and hurry!"

 

Taiga rushed outside and with the sound of hooves stomping and horses neighing, it was obvious that Taiga was trying to catch up to something.

 

"Oi! Why are you so noisy Taiga!? I was about to sleep!"

 

"Shut it! Leo will tell you the details just hurry up and get your weapon! There's something I need to see!!"

 

Taiga didn't wait for anyone. He galloped immediately and ran into the darkness.

 

Though the land was dark due to the clouds, the opening where the clouds part can be seen where Mordred was flying through.

 

Taiga hadn't saw anything like it in this world. He wasn't sure if it was the Demon Lords or from one of the allied countries. But nevertheless, Taiga wanted it.

 

It was already a chore riding a horse. Getting that ship would enable him to go different places easily.

 

"Hahahaha!! If you guys have it, you should have shown it sooner!!"

 

It was like a bandits laughter. Taiga was chasing after Mordred like a greedy bandit that just a a diamond in front of him.

.

Mordred continued to fly to the direction of the mountain. It was there that Gaius was waiting for a rescue.....

 

 

 

PART #2

 

Gaius heard terrible news about an army of soldiers getting trampled by monsters. According to the one that witnessed the battle, the soldiers were overrun by large number of ogres heading to the direction of the capital two days ago.

 

Though Beltran did want to send a messenger to the capital to tell of the terrible news, he couldn't as it was too dangerous for a common man to wander in a land infested with all kinds of monsters right now.

 

No one knows why there was an exceedingly large numbers of monsters attacking towns and villages, but it was obvious that they came from somewhere.

 

"Were the soldiers from the country?"

 

"We were not sure. There was a lot of them, like they were heading back from war"

 

Beltran recalls the poor appearances of the soldiers then. Covered in dirt and sweat, all wearing expression of exhaustion. Some had bandages covering their wounds and some were leaning on their comrades because of a lost limb.

 

Thinking about it, it was under like they just left a battlefield.

 

"I'm sorry if this news cause you to feel remorseful....."

 

"No, they were soldiers trained to protect their kingdom in exchange for their lives. I honor their valiant deaths"

 

Gaius was honestly thinking about that. Those soldiers deserved honor for following a reckless hero that was going around causing problems left and right. He was sure that when they were fighting alongside the hero, they lost some of their important comrades.

 

However, it does leave a bad taste in his mouth knowing that Taiga just left them for dead.....

 

"Anyways, I came here as a representative of her Highness Queen Isabelle. She is willing to listen to all of you and is prepared to pau numerations for the troubles the heroes and the nobles have caused"

 

"Is this for.... to make us yield our thoughts standing up against the Royal family?"

 

"........"

 

Gaius couldn't say anything in return. It was only natural for Beltran and the others to get mad because they couldn't control the hero. Gaius understood how furious everyone was right now with the royal family.

 

Beltran sigh and offered another refill of tea.

.

"Gaius-sama, you and your men saved us when we were left nothing to eat after the hero and the army took our supplies when they were heading to war"

 

The tea pot tilted and poured warm tea on the clay cup in front of Gaius. The Knight Captain quietly watched the cup get full and Beltran move away the tea pot.

 

"We owe you our lives. You have also given this place of refuge for us who lost our homes"

 

"That's only normal. I am a Knight who swore to protect the kingdom and it's people"

 

"But" Beltran immediately spoke, cutting off Gaius from speaking further. The old man sat back on his rickety chair and with a deep sigh, he continued.

 

"Our dead won't come back to life"

 

"......"

 

Everyone's wish is to bring judgement upon the hero that left and used us for himself. We the kingdom to bring justice upon our dead wives and daughters for what they did"

 

"That's....."

 

Gaius couldn't say anything else. Out of the 18 heroes, it was only Taiga that went crazy after training. He recruited rough looking adventurers and set off in a journey to become a real hero. However, in the process, he hurt people.

 

What's even worse, the nobles exploited this opportunity to wring out every last bit of blood from the populace, causing many deaths due to starvation and some wives and daughters handed out as payments for the ridiculous taxes imposed to them.

 

No one actually know that between the hero that was exiled and the hero everyone chose, the one that stayed rented up causing more mayhem than the one they exiled.

 

Was this retribution for their failure to choose wisely? Is it their fault that they chose Taiga to be their savior?

 

No one knows the answer to that. Not Gaius and certainly not Beltran.

 

"If the kingdom won't listen, the commoners will band together and raize the castle"

 

"......."

 

"However" Beltran showed a bit of a self-depreciating smile....

 

"You have saved us. I shall speak with everyone and will try to convince them"

 

"That's....! Thank you! You don't have to worry, Queen Isabelle is already in good health. She will listen to everyone one of you"

 

"I see"

 

Beltran closed his eyes as though he had accepted something he has been denying for so long. His hands holding his cup, clasped together and moved to cover his face as tears was starting to fall from his eyes.

 

Gaius watched the old man with warmth in his eyes. As someone who lost his daughter and his home to Taiga and his party, this decision of his was hard. For him to accept having a talk with the Queen, it took all of his being.

 

Revenge begets nothing. That thought probably crossed Beltran's mind.

 

*Knock-Knock* Suddenly one of Gaius's subordinates appeared at the door.

 

"Captain. We received words that Kuro-sama is coming this settlement"

 

"The Black Army's Commander? Why?"

 

Gaius was perplexed. Kuro didn't have any reason to head to this settlement. Did something happened that caused them to head here? Gaius couldn't think of any reason as to why Kuro was heading this way.

 

"Did this came from his subordinate?"

 

"Yes. I was told that the large ship they were using will be coming here to extract some materials. Also, in good faith, to provide immediate medical aid to the injured citizens"

 

"What?"

 

That was hard to understand. Kuro didn't have any reason to do something like help the people of Travestin. He was only asked to help out in clearing the monster infested lands.

 

Somehow, Gaius was having a bad feeling about this.

 

"Did he say anything else besides that?"

 

"No, just that he would come once night falls. He will probably be here by tonight"

 

"I see.... very well, tell everyone to prepare to welcome Kuro-dono and his men. Also, call Ashna and tell her about this as well. I wouldn't want the owner of this place to go on a rampage"

 

"Understood"

 

 

 

———

 

 

 

Mordred flew passed the plains in the east side of the country. From high above the skies, there were clear signs of towns and villages left in ruins after getting destroyed by monsters.

 

Even at night where thick clouds were forming underneath the hull of Mordred, everything was in clear view inside the holographic screens of the bridge.

 

Kuro, scoffs at the ruins of burned houses and wrecked Stine buildings.

 

"Even the wasteland has better defenses"

 

Kuro made an unexpected comparison of defense capabilities between the former refugee settlement in the wasteland and Travestin's. Unfortunately to say, even though it was hard to live in the wasteland, there were no chance of monsters ever even setting foot near the ruins of Aurolius.

 

In fact, it was rare that monsters enters the town there. Even if a dungeon gets flooded or some powerful monster chased away the weaker monsters, the people in the wasteland would always defend their home.

 

Unlike in Travestin, simple attacks from goblins, orcs, kobolds and other monsters drove them to such poor states.

 

"I guess they relied too much on adventurers and that hero"

 

Kuro sighed. The pathetic side of the people of Travestin was undeniable. They relied too much on other people to help them rather than empowering themselves to bolster their own defense systems.

 

Even a foolhardy farmer could level up from killing a goblin child if he wanted to.

 

"Sir, we are nearing the mountain range"

 

"Good, we'll set down just outside. I don't want to alarm the people staying there. Have you sent a message to Gaius-dono?"

 

"Yes sir"

 

Mordred had just finished sending the Worker golems to the site where Kuro was planning to make a temporary base. However, the place lacks the necessary materials to make a proper base so Kuro had Mordred to fly over to the nearest mountains to gather raw materials.

 

As expected, even with Mordred's special circulation magic power plant wouldn't handle the excessive use of the gate artifact inside it.

 

"Commander, there seems to be someone chasing us"

 

"What? someone chasing the ship?"

 

Kuro was taken aback by the report. No one in their right mind would chase after a magic airship, speed wise Mordred could even compete with an Elder dragon.

 

But right now, Mordred was just at cruising speed at lower altitude.

 

"It's probably some bandit. Ignore it"

 

"Understood"

 

Kuro was told that banditry was higher in areas where monsters are. That was because it wasn't a place people would normally go to.

 

But it was kind of surprising that a single bandit was trying to chase a flying ship in the sky. Though the speed itself wasn't a problem for a horse to chase after, it wasn't something that can be approach very easily.

 

Kuro shoves away the thought of the fool chasing after Mordred. His wild dark colored eyes was looking straight at the ever shrinking mountain before him.