No words could be said for who had just entered, for everyone stood there in silence, staring, holding reverence toward the clandestine beauty of the First Princess of Pylfur. She wasn’t as elaborate-looking or had heavy make up like most of the ladies here nor did she wear striking vibrant colors able to turn all eyes toward her like what her younger cousin did. Amongst the crowd of myriad colors, simplicity was all she needed to make herself stand out.
A dress neither too thin nor too puffed, neither excessively decorated nor lacking in patterns, which were woven so subtly that your eyes were beholden to spot every single intricate piece. Blues and golds layered on top each other and over a thin white chiffon, with the dress looking as though it changed color when looked at a different angle, further dazzled by the pearls and diamonds embedded along the lines of the gown and the soft snowy feathers around her exposed neckline.
“Looks like I came in just in time,” her eyes said, and I cried joyful tears inside.
However, just when I thought the surprise had come to an end, the announcer proclaimed, “Presenting His Holiness, Archbishop Clement, and His Holiness, Archbishop Zephyr!”
Two men entered the ballroom, one draped in crimson robes and thin-veiled shawls covering his arms and legs armored with leather, adorned with golden frills, lines and a ten-pointed star at the center of his chest. The other, however, wore a velvet blue overcoat that reached down his ankles, with white stripes travelling down the entire coat, but the most striking feature would be the pair of opulent silver wings on his chest that had eyes on its surface, each laid shut.
The two followed the first princess in her elegant descent onto the ballroom floor, showing the mesmerized audience who exactly they stood with in this competition for the crown. Now, no one could deny her the right of becoming heir, for any who did would essentially brand themselves as an obstacle in the eyes of two of the three churches of Pylfur.
With the annoyed second princess now too fixated on her elder cousin, I casually moved myself to the far right side of the third prince, opening the spot back for Eryliana to take back.
“Your Majesty,” Eryliana bowed, gently and gracefully. “Forgive me for my tardiness. I had matters to attend that required my utmost attention, and just as you have seen, my efforts were not in vain.”
The two archbishops then stepped forward, giving a light bow before their king.
“Kalmia’s servant greets you, Your Majesty,” said Archbishop Clement, who carried himself with great calm and politeness. “It is within my honor and the honor of my brothers and sisters that Kalmia has blessed this ball with her ever-merciful and ever-radiant light.”
“May Ilhair’s servant also greets you in this dazzling ball, Your Majesty,” said Archbishop Zephyr, who spoke rather enthusiastically. “Just as Kalmia has blessed this ball, I assure you that the Skyfarer’s gaze is also set upon this grand ball commemorating the rise of a new hero.” He then shot a smile at me and I smiled back.
“Yes … to have this event blessed by two Gods brought me so much joy,” the king, like his daughter, could barely hold in their irritation. Regardless, the ball must continue, now accompanied by the presence of two archbishops as well as the first princess, who took this opportunity to cement her position.
For some reason the engagement announcement was called off entirely. It likely had something to do with the archbishops. Maybe there was some rule about how ‘holy matrimony’ must proceed before arranged. Whatever the case was, I was just glad that I wasn’t going to marry someone I’d just met. But if I had to marry someone then that someone would be …
“Hero Dmitri,” Eryliana came up to me. Her blonde hair which shone by the chandelier’s light and eyes clear as the blue sky were in full view alongside her fair skin and supple red lips, causing my heart to blast out like fireworks. “And Eoghynn,” she turned to the third prince, who retained his calmness unlike the two on the other side. “Seems like the two of you have recently been acquainted.”
“Indeed we have, dear cousin,” he said, eyes sharp. “I must say, your arrival is quite impeccable. How on Orbiterra did you manage to bring two archbishops to this ball? As far as history goes, high-ranking church affiliates have never attended a ball hosted by the king, for it goes against moral conduct to intrude upon a royal event.”
“This is a special occasion, is it not? Like Archbishop Zephyr said, this ball is to commemorate the arrival of a new hero upon this world and their summoning is in itself a blessing from the heavens,” she clearly stated. “This ‘royal’ event thus is inextricably linked with matters of faith. Also, did I not do you a favor? It’d be a shame to let go of a piece so soon into the game.”
“Then in response to the favor you’ve given me, I shall declare my next move right now,” the third prince offered his hand toward the princess. “Will you grant me the honor of your first dance?”
She accepted it and replied, “I’ll be glad to entertain.” And the two proceeded to the dance floor and in the middle of their walk, the prince shot a wide grin right at my face.
What was that all about? I thought at first, feeling annoyed, my right eye twitching. Once the music played and the two danced together, that annoyed feeling evolved into something else Stronger than mere irritation, yet weaker than full on rage. With each clap they performed, it felt as if my heart was in a tug-of-war with my mind, as it tried to prevent my body from doing something I would knowingly regret.
The music continued, more and more entered the dance floor including me with my dreaded partner, Princess Syllian. To my surprise, however, she was a very good dancer and she didn’t seem to mind the several missteps I made. How odd. Nevertheless, it still did not get rid of her vexation toward Eryliana.
“Why?” she muttered under her breath. “This was supposed to be my time to shine.”
And yet the very person who would be dragged into her spotlight felt the utmost relief that it did not come to pass. A wonder as to how her mind worked.
“It’s alright, princess. You’ll have plenty of chances to shine in the future,” I tried being kind, yet I was only met with a look of indignation followed by complete silence. Even with everyone watching us, when I thought she would at least try to keep up appearances, her silence remained persistent throughout the whole session.
Soon, this awkward dance came to an end, but my focus had always been set on the two at the center. Their dance which looked ever so graceful burned something deep down, though I did not know what. I guessed I was still too inexperienced with life to understand these complex emotions, untold by the stories I’ve read, which only ever scratched the surface and rarely delved deeper.
Sir Aiden came from behind, “Why with the sad face? Look, I get that dancing with the second princess ain’t pleasant as well as all the talks with snobbish nobles and money-grubbing merchants, but tonight is your night. It’s the night about the Hero of Pylfur!”
I wasn’t so sure anymore. Was this ball really about the hero? Because throughout my time here, it felt more so like the day when people try to take advantage of the ‘hero’ status. There’d been no talks about the people suffering, whether there were refugees coming from afar, or about the situation in the front lines—all of that was glossed over in favor of their selfish gains. Even Princess Eryliana, technically, used me in order to climb higher for her ambition. And to be called a piece of game, what was I toward her?
“You like her?” Sir Aiden asked, and my face instantly flushed.
“What? That’s not … I don’t like … I don’t …” Why couldn’t I affirm him? Why couldn’t I say ‘it’s not true’? Why did it feel wrong to do so? “The princess … have taken care of me ever since I came here. I’m very much indebted to her, so there’s no way … I could …” In the end, I couldn't say the word. No matter how many excuses I came up with, none of them ended with ‘I don’t like her’. So, did that mean that I do?
“Whatever your feeling toward her is, I suggest you give up,” Sir Aiden said, yet he did not use a self-centered tone, rather he sounded worry, cautious. “Let’s say, hypothetically, the two of you were to get together—joint in union of holy matrimony. Then, the princess rises to the throne and becomes reigning queen of Pylfur. You, her husband, will then become king, who rules over the people of Pylfur. Can you handle it? Do you honestly believe that you have the capability to govern the helpers, the bystanders, and these useless pigs? And what of your role as a hero? Are you willing to throw it away?”
Before I could truly ponder on that thought, Princess Eryliana approached us both. “I hope I wasn’t interrupting something,” she said, keenly observing. “Seems like you’ve put a little too much pressure on Dmitri, Sir Aiden. I believe I asked you to be his aid. Not as another source of worry.”
“Forgive me, princess, but I was genuinely helping him with his worries. It might have kind of backfired, but I promise you, I didn’t do so with ill intent.”
“Is that so, Dmitri?” she asked me, except rather than answering, I simply nodded. I have yet to gain the courage to face her head on, and the princess seemed to have accepted that. “Once the ball is over, whatever problems you wish to convey, I’m all ears. For now, how about we dance? The music still plays and the night is still long.”
“Hold up, Your Highness,” said Sir Aiden. “I believe I’ve already made a reservation for your time on the dance floor.”
“Right. Thank you for reminding me,” she replied, taking Sir Aiden’s hand as the two headed off to the dance floor.
Does that mean I get to dance with you after this? My chest ached at the sight of the two twirling around and clapping to the music rhythms. Their sways which matched the violin’s sharp melodies drew most eyes toward their direction, a picture-perfect view of an alliance between two high-ranking nobles, and probably more.
Did I really have a shot at her? Was this really my place as the Hero of Pylfur? What would you have done, mother? I knew dad abandoned us when he first found out about my illness, but if he hadn’t, if he was a good father and a good husband, would he be able to bear watching you dance with another man?
“Hero Dmitir, we meet last.”
I turned around and the two archbishops of the Kalmia and Ilhair church stood in front of me with their heads bowed slightly in reverence. The two looked like nice people, although the Kalmia Archbishop looked very battle-worn with the scars visible all over his hands. As expected of someone who worshipped the Warmother. And although the two bore the title of [Archbishops], only Sir Zephyr of the Ilhair Church had that class, while Sir Clement of the Kalmia Church had the class [Justiciar]. Not sure what that meant nor at what rank it was, but it sounded intimidating.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
“Oh, how glorious it is to meet you face-to-face!” Archbishop Zephyr suddenly went for a hug, which kind of reminded me of home, since everyone often hugs in the hospital apart from the ones with contagions. Luckily, my illness wasn’t contagious, so I received a lot of hugs from my mother and even the nurses and doctors, so I hugged him back. “What a nice hug. You’re a great hugger, Hero Dmitri.”
“Thanks, I guess. What brings the two of you here, your esteemed excellencies? I heard high-ranking church officials don’t normally go to balls,” I asked, curiously.
“Why, it is to greet you, of course,” he answered in a flamboyant manner. “To think that the Gods have answered our pleas for help with the arrival of, not one, but five heroes from another world to vanquish the dreaded demon king which threatens our very existence. I must hurry back to my brethren to deliver this fantastic news!”
“Sir Zephyr, I must correct you on one thing,” told Archbishop Clement. “Only four of the prophesized five arrived at their destinations. Quite an unfortunate circumstance, which ought to put a greater burden upon you, great hero. As representative of Pylfur’s Kalmia Church, I apologize for the mistake.”
“I too apologize,” said Archbishop Zephyr. “And had the Archbishop of the Meteria Church been here, he too would’ve apologized as well.”
“No, it’s fine. It just means that I and the other three heroes must train harder in order to bring this evil to an end,” I spoke with both kindness and determination. “But if I may ask, why was the last hero not summoned into Orbiterra? Did something happen in the kingdom where they were supposed to be summoned?”
“As far as information goes,” Archbishop Clement explained. “there was no problem in the hero summoning ritual conducted by the Alchron Church of the Aeryn Kingdom. They’ve even made specific arrangements in order to make sure that the hero summoned was granted the class of [Mage], since the Aeryn Kingdom was where Merrin the White Tower, the first of all mage towers, stood.
“At first, we suspected that the fifth and final hero simply denied their calling. However, even now the Oracle of Phelid remained insistent that five heroes have indeed been summoned into Orbiterra. Perhaps the hero got sent somewhere else due to some fluctuations on the barrier between worlds. Currently, the Aeryn Kingdom have dispatched troops across their land to find their lost hero, though to no avail as of recently.”
“Does the church have a method of determining whether someone is a [Hero]?”
“We have a magic tool prepared just for that. It is much more advanced than what is used by the adventurer’s guild, except it requires hand contact and it can only be done inside the church,” he said. “That being said, those with an A-rank [Appraisal] skill should be able to find out the titles other people possess. Do you happen to have it?”
“I do!” I checked back my status window.
=====================================
Name : Dmitri Sergeyevich Petrov
Age : 17
Race : Human
Class : [Priest]
Titles : [Hero] [World Traveler]
HP : 60
MP : 85
STR : 3 + 16
DEF : 3 + 3
AGI : 3 + 14
INT : 12
WIS : 17 + 25
CHA : 5 + 4
LCK : 7 + 2
Skills : [Appraisal C] [Translator EX] [Divinity D] [Sealing Technique C] [Spearmanship D] [Swordsmanship E] [Cooking E] [Performance C]
=====================================
“I’m still on C-rank though,” I told them.
“Better than mine,” Archbishop Zephyr added. “Mine’s D-rank. Been that way for a decade now.”
“How about you, Archbishop Clement?”
He shook his head. “[Appraisal] is what we like to call an ‘innate’ skill, which is a rare set of skills people are born with. Or in your case, summoned with. Another ‘innate’ skill would be the [Future Sight] skill, which allows those with it to perceive moments into the future depending on its rank. Although the further the time, the more unreliable it becomes, as it is the case with the Oracle of Phelid, who despite being able to see hundreds of years into the future, could only relay it to us as fragmented prophecies in need of deciphering.”
“I see … so, I should start appraising more items in order to increase my rank.”
“As a [Hero], your growth rate surpasses most people in Orbiterra,” he said. “Should you one day have reached that level and encounter the last hero, please inform us immediately. This world is not a safe haven, especially toward otherworlders like yourself who know nothing of its environment.”
“A whole month has passed though,” I pointed out.
“It is better to be safe than sorry,” the archbishop spoke with compassion. Not like the Lessings, who often were silent apart from when communicating important manners. It appeared that the church wasn’t as monolithic as I initially assumed. Although I already knew one other who was an exception.
“By the way, do Your Excellencies know anything about the other heroes? I’ve heard a lot about Kalizar’s Hero from an envoy, but I couldn’t seem to find any other envoys.”
Archbishop Zephyr answered, “The Aeryn Kingdom is likely too embarrassed to attend due to their missing hero. Meindottir’s mountains are well known to be too treacherous to cross, requiring at least a two-month notice before any kind of international event be held. As for the Selestine Kingdom, the common path which used to connect our two kingdoms alongside its surrounding area has since been taken over by the demonic legion about two wells ago. So, Ante—I mean, Archbishop Anterus alongside most of Meteria’s priesthood have been dispatched there to simply observe for the time.”
“How far are they from here?” I began to worry.
“About two towns away. On horseback, it would take you less than three weeks,” told Archbishop Clement. “But no need to worry about that. The Second Legion have been sent there and their combined forces ought to retake the lost land alongside Selestine’s forces.”
“Well, even if they couldn’t we just need to stall for time until the heroes get strong enough to wipe the floor out of those hideous creatures,” the blue archbishop swiped his hand in the air, which accidentally sent a burst of wind blowing off a couple of hats, tiaras, and wigs off the guests’ heads. “Whoops! My bad.”
Archbishop Clement rolled his eyes. It seemed the two were quite close. Right after, the three of us began talking about matters involving the churches. The sermons they held, how their rituals differ, and they’ve also given me plenty of insight about the nature of the Gods. Understanding the divine meant greater access to a priest’s divine arsenal.
I’ve never been a religious person before, but listening to their stories really gave me a newfound perspective toward the topic. Mostly since neither was particularly forceful, like that bishop which once came into the hospital to perform a nonsense exorcism on me. Wait, since demons existed here, wouldn’t exorcisms be like a genuine thing? Regardless, I had a great time talking to them and it really helped me relax from all the nobility stuff that’d been pressing down on me.
“It pleases me to know that the three of you are getting along well,” Princess Eryliana returned from the dance floor, looking both joyful and intrigued, as the two archbishops proceeded to bow before her. “How has the party been going, Your Excellencies? I hope you’re enjoying it.”
“First of all, thank you for delivering us the letters of invitation,” said the crimson archbishop. “Had the king not left it on his table carelessly, we would surely have missed this wonderful event.”
“I got to say, it was a hassle trying to find a nice suit to wear. Looks like only one of us got the memo,” the blue archbishop glanced at his colleague, who definitely looked more like someone going to battle rather than for a ball. “Regardless, we’ve been enjoying this party very much, Your Highness. Aren’t we, Clem-clem?”
He clasped his palms. “O Mother Kalmia, when will this kid finally grow up?”
“Seems like my worries are for naught,” she then turned to me, yet I couldn’t look at her myself. “It seems it was I who caused you worry.”
“I’m not worried, princess. I’m just … confused, about a lot of things.”
“Then let us discuss things. Right after this dance.”
She offered her hand, slim and tender, yet had been lent to many both for selfless and selfish gains, irresistible to hold, but also requiring the utmost caution. And as I was slowly reaching for it, something occurred. A distant yet loud BANG coming from the direction of the main entrance. Except everything seemed fine. There were no intruders nor was anyone here attacked, but what could’ve made that sound?
A servant whispered a message into the king’s ears, who then said, “It is alright, my fellow guests. It seems the fireworks which had been prepared outside got lit up early by mistake.”
Almost the entire guests of the ballroom accepted what the king said, some sighing in relief while others continued on drinking. However, my instincts told me otherwise.
“Dmitri,” the princess called. “Follow me. I believe there’s more to this than what it seems.”
“We would also like to know,” said Archbishop Clement, and so did Archbishop Zephyr, whose carefree expression had been replaced with serious tension.
The four of us snuck out the left side corridor connecting the ballroom with the rest of the castle. Rather than heading deeper into the castle, we instead took several turns leading to the outer walls, where the once mesmerizing starry night met a deep orange hue coming from far away. The great capital city around the castle, which I’ve only ever seen from afar, had a quarter of its land razed by fire.
My eyes laid wide upon the destruction, and although neither of us could hear it, surely the people there were screaming for help. But who could’ve done this? What could’ve made such horror in such a short time?
“Monsters,” told Sir Aiden, who was already here a minute before us alongside several knights, and whose pupils were glowing and became slitted like a hawk’s. Looking above his head, the heir of the Balor Duchy was a [Hunter]. “They’ve invaded the far northern sides.”
“How did they breach the walls?!” the crimson archbishop bellowed.
“They didn’t. It’s still intact,” he answered, urgently. “They must’ve used some kind of method. A tunnel or … teleportation? But why in the city and not here?”
“Whatever the case, we need to hurry. Zephyr!”
“On it!” the blue archbishop stepped onto the ledge, opened a book of scriptures, which then turned through the pages rapidly, as he chanted a prayer at inextricable speed outside the realm of incomprehensibility. A bright bluish light surrounded the archbishop, which then became a floating platform made out of pure divine air.
After Archbishop Zephyr was Archbishop Clement, followed by Sir Aiden alongside the castle guards, who volunteered to break their duty in order to head into the blazing city. I was about to step on as well, when the princess stopped me.
“Eryliana, I should—”
“You’re not going there without your gear, will you?” she handed me a ring with a black pearl, but upon closer look, it was no ordinary pearl. Inside the black orb appeared to be some sort of dark void swirling in constant motion, and upon wearing it, a pop-up appeared.
============================
Special Equipment = [Item Box A]
Special Trait detected
============================
[Dimensional Pocket] = An open space in another dimension used to store items.
[Quick Equip] = Able to take in and out items without delay
============================
“Princess, this is—”
“Shush,” she placed her index upon my lips, and they parted, the princess bestowed a gentle smile. “Go and be the hero the people need.”
I firmly nodded, flushed and determined, as I stepped foot onto the floating platform. By the archbishop’s command, we zoomed through the air as fast as possible, and Pylfur’s castle became ever smaller the further we travelled until only its silhouette as seen in the blanket of night.
This ring she gave me, I wondered what was inside. I checked using [Appraisal C] and discovered an array of items listed on a panel right in front of me, most of which I have never even heard of, but would surely be useful for the battle ahead as well as for the battles to come. This was an investment on the Hero of Pylfur.
Thank you, Eryliana, for this hero will now do his duty.
