Vol. 4 CH. 6 - The lost Child

PART #1

"Run and don't look back"

That was the last words of his mother as she ran towards his father's side with swords and daggers in hand. He could remember it, the cruel side of the land.

"Hyahahahaha!! Damn boys! We got ourselves some mighty catch here!"

The voice he could hear as he ran for his life. The crooked voice of a man with a vulgar smile. They were bandits, no, to be more precise, they were soave hunters. They are well known people in the land where they go to small villages and tribes and capture every women and children they could find while killing the men.

Inside but a small village off the coast of some uninhabited land was the place where he lived with his family. Just him, his father and mother. They were a Demi-human that lived off from the ocean's blessings.

That's why, they were valuable, especially women.

He ran as far as he could, until the voices of the men disappear and all he could see we're his father's blood splashing out of his body and his mother, dragged to the ground with men pinning over her.

"......haaah.....Haaa...."

He could only watch as he ran. The kids running beside him all had tears in their eyes and terror in their hearts.

After that, he couldn't recall how he lived throughout the days he spent on land. He walked and walked until his feet touched the sea once more.

That was when he met Bruce and his gang. A large group of sea folk Demi-humans were fighting against a pirate ship who have taken some of the Demi-humans around some settlement near the sea.

He watched it all as it go down. Bruce fought against tens of men, his body got scarred and hurt but his fist burrowed through the bodies of his targets. Blood made the white sand turned red and before long, the sun had set.

Bodies of countless humans fell on the sand. Bruce's group then piled them up and burned them to avoid the bodies turning into undead.

"Sa....Save my....mommy!!"

He cried as he ran towards Bruce. 

—

"Huh? Where is this.....?"

The young boy woke up. His unfocused eyes slowly turned clear as he rubbed his eyes with hands. Looking around, he saw white curtains in the room surrounding him. The ceiling was high and most of all, there was no water around.

"Oh? Looks like you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"Eh? Who?"

There was a woman there. Pink hair, mellow Jade green eyes and was wearing a pure white lab coat. She was a unusual kind looking lady as he could see that the woman was beautiful and overall attractive. Chest big as watermelon and waist as tight as our hourglass.

"I'm the royal palace's Head Physician Sedia Mollusk. You brought here by one of the heroes"

"H-Hero?! W-Was I sold?!"

"No, you were just brought to the palace since you were in need of a check-up but.... since the Black Hero-sama healed you already, all I had to do was wait for you to wake up"

"Black Hero....sama...?"

That was the first time he heard of such person. The only heroes he knew was Koizumi the Red Spearman and Katsuto the Protector. Although he was trying his best to recall what happened before he lost consciousness, all that he could remember was crawling through a hole inside a building.

"......."

Watching the young boy, Sedia smiled wryly. She turns around to call for a maid but the boy suddenly called out to her.

"U-Uh!!"

"Yes?"

"The black Hero-sama..... who is he? Where is he?"

"Oh....Hmm, I think he is in the palace right now and if you ask me who he is... I'm not sure"

Sedia had yet to meet Kyoushiro after all so she has no idea who that person is. All that she knows that Corallia brought the young boy Kyoushiro took from inside a brothel after healing him. Though they were gossips going around the palace saying that he was a rude person with a bad attitude. 

"Well for the meantime wait here. I'm going call some maid to tell the Black Hero that you're awake"

"Y-Yes"

He replied nervously as Sedia showed a kind smile at her with such beauty. Then as Sedia left, he was left alone in the room wondering about who was that hero she had just mentioned.....

PART #2

"So? Satisfied?"

Kyoushiro asked with an irritated look.

"Ugh.... satisfied? You plans for this world is to make as many children as possible? You really are a despicable man, no, you're the worst"

Elyria listened to Kyoushiro's answer after she asked him to her about the plans Kyoushiro was making. Naturally, Kyoushiro had to lie about connecting all nations with Ambrosia in order to send troops faster in case of a Demon Lord attacks. Kyoushiro told Elyria that once he makes every nation bow to him, he would get every women in the world to serve him and create many children to leave his mark in this world.

Horribly enough, there were foolhardy people who made such conquest in the past so Elyria couldn't be more disgusted with Kyoushiro.

Kyoushiro however, didn't care about what Elyria thinks just that he doesn't want her to find out his objectives. Moreover, Kyoushiro still wasn't over the fact that she picked on him when they were in Calladium. That was enough to make Kyoushiro play with Elyria's mind.

"Can I go now?"

"Kh.....!! Damn you! Take this seriously!"

*Bam!* Elyria stomped her feet loudly on the floor. Kyoushiro eyed her down with a cold gaze. Elyria flinched and stepped back but her leg hit the couch she was sitting on and fell back into it. A drop of sweat slid down her face.

"Look, you're the one who wants to know. Why are you the one that got angry?"

"It's because you're not taking this seriously"

"Haaaah....."

Kyoushiro sighed. This annoying elf was irritating. So much so Kyoushiro wanted to just make her sleep for the next couple of years then wake her up once he leave this world. Not that he can't but doing that would just make him do more work.

"Right now, you're the strongest person in this world. You're a hero yet you're not taking the initiative to take down the Demon Lords! How can such person be a hero?!"

It came to that. Elyria witnessed Kyoushiro's battle. The army of mutated mercenaries that was led by Ernest Vern and even taking down Dark Lord Trause. He fought those beings till his body got battered so bad he was on his last legs. There was no way Kyoushiro could just say he plans on making women serve him like a king on a high throne. 

Kyoushiro had already showed how much he rejected princess Lydia's advances and he wasn't even trying to get Corallia's attention when they first met. Elyria was tasked on seducing him but Kyoushiro was already on guard against her the moment the first met.

"If you have the power to fight Demon Lords, why can't you just end them and be done with? That's what I want to know"

Elyria heard Lady Snow proclaim the birth of a new Demon Lord, the Demon Lord of Chains. But even then, Kyoushiro didn't show any initiative to do anything. He did gained power yet he was just doing things no Hero would do. He did helped Paracellumn and all but all he did after was build his [Gate] artifact then went home. He rushed the moment he heard something happened back in Travestin but he just returned a few weeks after he was done doing whatever he wants.

Elyria wanted to know what Kyoushiro was planning to do with the power he had obtained after turning into a Demon Lord.

"......."

Kyoushiro was quiet. He closed his eyes and pinched his nose bridge. This was troublesome. Kyoushiro was being pressed for answers he doesn't want to know. He could just ignore it but Kyoushiro knows that Elyria will keep on pestering him. That's how annoying she was.

"Look, I do what I want not because I'm being hailed as hero or because I got suddenly strong. I do what I want because this world kidnapped me, forced me to fight monsters and Demon Lords I know nothing about and after treating me like shit, here I am trying helping others because someone asked me to. So? What do you think I want to do with my power?"

"......."

"I do whatever I want, whenever I want. I don't care what you guys think of me, I do things because I want to. Nobody orders me around and nobody stops me from doing whatever I want. End of story"

Kyoushiro knows how it is to be powerless. He stayed alive because he strived through his life like a proper human. Though he had experienced some worse things in the past, Kyoushiro still held on to the fact that he would do whatever he wants whenever he wants.

If a cat was about to get run over by a truck, Kyoushiro would just stay back and watch. If it was a boy crossing a street that needs help, Kyoushiro would save him. There was a difference in being an almighty hero that everyone expects to save them and a guy who knows which lives can be saved or not. 

If back in the fight with Ernest Vern didn't involved saving a princess because a neighboring ruler of a country asked him so, Kyoushiro would've just ignored it and went his way to Paracellumn and not get involved with Dark Lord Trause. 

Kyoushiro got his power because the circumstances forced him to. Now however, it was different. If Elyria were to be in danger, Kyoushiro would just shrug his shoulders and walk away. After all, the elf Knight can take care of herself. That's what the skills were for after all.

"If I want some girl to spread their legs then you don't have a say in it. Seriously, don't make me a hero like those other two. I only helped you guys out because Ambrosia's doesn't have any allies yet. It's give and take. You helped us once, I save you if you needed it. That fight back then was just me returning the favor so don't too much of it"

*Bam* Kyoushiro slams the door shut as he leaves. Elyria stayed silent in the room, thinking about what Kyoushiro had said. It was true that what he did was only for the sake of returning the favor. The airships he gave them as a gift we're all blown to bits after all so there was no other choice to return the favor in a different way.

But Elyria still couldn't believe Kyoushiro. She understood how he hates the people of this world since he was treated harshly but she doesn't get why he was arming Ambrosia. The current strength of Ambrosia was stronger than any of the countries currently fighting the Demon Lord's and the monsters. 

Golems, infrastructure, equipment and even that special [Gate] he's built in Paracellumn. Those were things he made even before he got his power. That's why, Elyria doesn't get it. She doesn't get why Kyoushiro was still raising Ambrosia military strength on top of making friendly relations with other ruler's of the surviving countries.

"Haaaaah..... Just why is it me that has to seduce that man...."

Elyria couldn't help but sigh at the impossible work she was given by Her Majesty Queen Elfianna.

—

Lunch came. Kyoushiro was seated at the end of the long table with Koizumi and Katsuto on his right and Corallia and Elyria on his left. Rizandra was at the far end of the table.

"You know that this kind of table is too long for making conversation"

Kyoushiro said so as he crossed his arms while the maids quietly placed the meals on his plate. All of them were Oceanus cuisine. From the Jellyfish jelly to the Roasted chicken with a fish tail. Oysters were lined up beautifully a large clam with soup inside. And bottles of specially brewed Seawine made from the Puffergrapes harvested from the under water farms.

Kyoushiro a was someone who hardly ate seafood back on earth but he was sure that lobsters and crabs were usually the ones getting served. Of course, there are some on the table but he could see some butlers with a lobster tail and some with crab pincers. It just made it hard for Kyoushiro to eat seafood with those of the same kind as those butlers were on the table.

"This is fine. Have you not been given such reception back in Travestin?"

"Should I mention to her that I was locked up in a prison cell after getting welcomed like this?"

Kyoushiro whispered to Koizumi, who was had his usual smile on his face. 

"Stop it. It's not like it'll be the same as before. Just enjoy the food"

"You guys just ate earlier right?"

"Hey man, I have enough space in my stomach to eat five times this amount"

Katsuto answered as he feast on the roasted chicken fish. Elyria and Corralia we're quietly eating as well so Kyoushiro just took a bite from the fish egg soup he was given. Delicious. Kyoushiro thought so but seeing as there's only seafood around, Kyoushiro couldn't enjoy much.

I'm not much of a picky eater but having only seafood feels like I'm to get a bad stomach ache— Kyoushiro thought so while eating.

"So, Kagami-dono, does my Palace find to your taste?"

"Huh?"

Kyoushiro paused his hands as Rizandra suddenly asked a weird question.

"I was wondering if you would spare my castle from your thuggish behavior like what you did in the lower city"

Rizandra's turned sharper as she directed such question to Kyoushiro. After all, the incident only happened before lunch and furthermore, there was a lot of witnesses. Kyoushiro didn't deny the fact that he went to far but seeing as it was one of the ways he could deal with thugs like back on earth, Kyoushiro's actions were justified. Well, to himself at least.

"If it was about that, I'm sorry. I did fixed it back up right? That's free of charge"

Kyoushiro fixed what he broke. Since it was the home of the citizens of the city, Kyoushiro wasn't cold enough to leave a broke wall of a house behind unfixed. There are still common courtesies that being a humble young man from a peaceful world that can't be erased.

"Anyways, I'd like to talk about the place I'd like to set up my [Gate] artifact. Is that alright?"

"Yes, is there something more you would like to request upon the matter? Corralia had already selected possible sites where you could build your artifact"

"Hm? When did she do that?"

"There are things that Kagami-sama does not need to mind"

Corralia answered on her behalf. Kyoushiro felt suspicious but with the place already settled, Kyoushiro didn't mind what method Corralia used.

"Alright, there's things I'd like to request but the site should at least big enough land to be turned into a port"

Settling a [Gate] would require some space since transport vehicles for bringing in goods from Ambrosia would arrive in Oceanus. Things like Warehouses and even buildings for the sake of market places and the like we're needed as well. Since right now, Ambrosia was exchanging goods from Paracellumn and Travestin through the means of [Gate] there should be a large amount of people coming in and going through the [Gate].

"A port you say?"

"It won't be anything big. It's enough for a place to exchange goods and especially technical knowledge. Ambrosia is a place with people I personally trained under me to make the things I want and I heard that Oceanus is pretty much the only place you could find the best magic items and artifacts, it'd be good to have an exchange between Ambrosia and Oceanus"

Oceanus was the only naturally grown place that has people that could make their own magic artifacts with ease. Since the underground mines and other resources are only accessible on their side, it would be good for Ambrosia if Oceanus were to open their doors for negotiation in letting Kyoushiro buy some raw ores and materials from them.

Ambrosia wasn't a perfect place like any place in this world but it has room for improvement.

"I see...."

Rizandra ponders to herself.

"Then, I'd like to propose a deal with you, Black Hero-sama"

"What deal?"

Kyoushiro's brow twitched as he was called by such embarrassing name again but ignored it for the goodness of his heart. 

Rizandra then continues....

"I've heard that you are capable with your hands and since you have told me that you have personally trained people capable of creating things you request them, I would like to ask you to build something for me"

"Build something? Like what exactly?"

"The unknown item I was brought can't be further tested with what we have on hand. The magic devices that even I have created weren't enough to find out when the item was created"

"So you'd like me to make you a new equipment for your research?"

"Yes. If you were to agree, consider us even. You would not need to bring anymore gifts for us, instead, make me want I need"

It was a charming proposal. Kyoushiro didn't need to give away some airships and what's more, he could make his [Gate] in Oceanus for free. Something like a equipment for research would be interesting to make since Kyoushiro hasn't dabbled with such things. He only makes what he knows and what he wanted so Kyoushiro's choice of creations were limited. 

Although, now that his stats have skyrocketed to the point that he might even reach Mars if he wanted to, Kyoushiro hasn't yet tried to use his skills again after a using them in the fight. He only did used the skills he always use but haven't yet make use of it to the full extent of his power.

After all, he has the blessing of the goddess of creation. It wasn't something to look down upon.

"Alright. Send me your designs and I'll have my men back at Ambrosia help me make it"

"I thank you for your cooperation"

Rizandra fixed her posture then lower her head. 

"It's fine. It's just one of the few things I can anyway so no need for the grand gesture. You've already given me what I want so we're even"

For the first time in a while, Kyoushiro felt like he was talking to a real person. Not some guy who would looked at him as if he was garbage. Rizandra treated Kyoushiro as an equal and not a Demon-Spawn, that much was enough to make Kyoushiro respect Rizandra as a fair ruler.

As the deal was done, the lunch continued. The Koizumi and Katsuto had their fill and nearly emptied the table. Corralia and Elyria had more elegance in their way of eating but left nothing behind in their plate. Kyoushiro didn't ate much he was satisfied with the taste of the food he ate.

Sometime later while eating Sea salt slime dessert, a maid came in and told Kyoushiro that the kid he brought was awake.

"I see, I'll take a look at him them. Thanks"

The maid bows and quietly leaves.

Thinking about it, such action reminded Kyoushiro about the maid he hasn't seen in a while. Kyoushiro wanted to see Lina again since it has been a really long time since they last met. Kyoushiro hasn't repaid her kindness after taking care of him in the castle before everything happened.

I guess I'll try and look for her in my free time— Kyoushiro thought as he stood up from his seat.

"I'll go and visit the kid first. You guys can just do whatever you want while I'm gone"

"Well, we do live here after all"

"Right"

Koizumi and Katsuto nodded at Kyoushiro and stood up. Next was Corralia, who volunteered to accompany Kyoushiro to the infirmary where the kid was taken. As for Elyria, she just quietly joined Kyoushiro. She doesn't have much thoughts in sight seeing since she has a job of keeping an eye on Kyoushiro.

PART #3

He didn't expect it but the young boy was currently standing before the Black Hero. A young man, who has the features of a Demon-Spawn, was standing right in front of him.

"U-Uhmm.... Are you the person who helped me?"

"Yeah, something like that"

The Black Hero wasn't like the hero he had envisioned. He thought that the Black Hero was a kind person wearing a black armor. He was a hero after all, but the Black Hero before him was wearing ordinary looking clothes like any other people. Grey shirt and long dark green pants with black leather boots. On his neck was a necklace and he was wearing a white coat for some reason.

"? What? got something on my face? you're looking at me like some kind of rare animal at a zoo"

Zoo? What's that? The kid thought, trying to understand what Kyoushiro was saying.

"Anyways, looks like you're already fine. My potions always work like wonders after but with this, you should be able to get back to your place on your own right?"

"Eh?"

He's sending me away?— The kid suddenly felt perplexed by the actions of the hero.

Normally, a hero would escort a child back to his home or send to a good place where he could be taken care of properly but it looks like Kyoushiro didn't seem to have the same line of thought as the other Heroes like Koizumi and Katsuto.

"Y-You're not going to take me home yourself?"

"What do you think of me? Some kind of taxi? I'll have some guys here take you home after that you're on your own"

Kyoushiro answered as-a-matter-of-factly. For him, there was no need to take the kid home when he lives on this city all his life. He probably knows the ins and outs of the city like the back of his hand so there was no need to personally escort the kid back home.

"Hey now, don't you think, as a hero, you should at least take him home and greet his parents? I know you're cold but at least try to be kind to children"

Elyria remonstrated Kyoushiro for his words but being Kyoushiro, Kyoushiro, he wasn't someone who would show kindness twice.

"I already helped him, what more do you need from me?"

"It's your face as a hero at stake here you know? At least try and act like an adult. What's more, are you not also a king of two Kingdoms already? This sort of things you should be doing since you're both a king and hero"

The kid's and Corralia's eyes widened as they just heard something unexpected.

"Get off my back. What are you? My manager or something?"

"I don't know what you're talking about but your actions will also reflect on the elven royalty. After all, the next Queen of my country is favoring you more than any other suitors she has"

It was bomb after bomb. The two people who has no idea who Kyoushiro really was was shock to hear what kind of person Kyoushiro was. Being a hero aside, Kyoushiro was a king of two Kingdoms. It was like being on the same level as Rizandra, and Empress. What's more, the next ruler of Paracellumn favoring him more than the other suitors was akin to gaining another country under his rule.

Kyoushiro crossed his arms and told off Elyria for saying nonsense.

"Huh? Stop saying stupid things. Like hell I'd be king anyone's king and I only have one wife, it's Lucinda"

"But is Mikoto-sama not part of your wives?"

"Gh.... I-I'm still thinking about it that....."

Kyoushiro suddenly got tongue tied. He was still thinking about on how deal with Mikoto and Arianne's place after all. Lucinda didn't mind Kyoushiro accepting them but even now Kyoushiro was still trying to wrap his head in this worlds thing for polygamy. If he were to marry Arianne and Lucinda, that's like saying he owns Ambrosia and Travestin. Even if he was accepted as king in Ambrosia, it was more like a figure head since it was Arianne dealing with those kind of things.

"Heh.... would you look at that. You said you plan on having as much as children as you can but here you are acting all shy when it comes to your three wives"

"Kh!? Why you little...."

Kyoushiro was trying to wring in his temper. Since his stats was enough to blow mountains by now, a mere mistake would send this annoying elf back to Paracellumn like snail mail.

Still though, ignoring the two people arguing like a weird couple, Corralia still didn't know what to do while the kid on the other hand wanted to here more of Kyoushiro's life as a hero.

Though, it went without saying, Kyoushiro didn't say anything about his current relationship with his three wives.