Chapter 50: Lost (Part 2)
I remembered that I have slept while on the way to Imperial Palace, I was so tired, I didn't know how long did I sleep.
...
"Sir RIgen, please wake up!" - A voice called me, who was that? Shera?
Seemed like I'd slept for quite long, I was struggling to get up because I felt my body was heavy. I opened my eyes to look around and noticed that my eyes had been a bit blurred.
This only happened when you have slept for a long time, maybe I have slept overnight so my eyes were now blurred like this.
I saw a bit, that was a room that looked very wide, seemed very well decorated with torches and oil lamps around to light the room up, windows were placed on the high ground to get the light from outside.
"Sir Rigen!" - Oh! The voice was Shera, who called me
"Ah, Princess! Good morning, maybe, I don't know if this time is morning or not."
"Sir Rigen, you've slept for quite long, this is already morning, hope you have a good sleep." - Shera greeted me when I woke up, maybe I should ask her where I was now
"Princess, where am I?"
"Well, you are inside Imperial Palace, Sir Rigen! This is your room, your subordinates' room is next to it."
"Why did you sleep so soon, Sir Rigen? I was about to talk with you for more about the ceremony but you slept." - Shera seemed a bit frustrated because of that reason
"Sorry, Princess! I was so tired that night and this world doesn't have Internet or phones for me to kill the time."
"Phone? Internet? What are those, Sir Rigen?" - Oh, shit! I just have said about the thing Shera didn't know
Must be wise or Shera would ask me more.
"Well! a phone is a magic item that can be used to talk with a person from far away, about the Internet, uh, uh!!!" - What should I explain to her?
"You seem confused, Sir Rigen! Maybe it's quite complicated to explain to me the things that are familiar in your place but strange to us." - Yeah! Luckily that Shera had misunderstood
"What time is it, Princess?"
"Oh, Sir Rigen! As I know the seventh bell ring has passed a few minutes earlier." - So this time was 7:00 AM
"Maybe I will take a bath first, Princess! I have stayed dirty yesterday, do you know where is the bathroom?"
"You don't need to take that serious, Sir Rigen! Stay dirty is usual for us, we only a bath after 3 or 4 days, the longest is two weeks." - Ah! You people are at least cleaner than the people in the middle ages
"No one uses the bathroom now because they are preparing for the ceremony, I will call Reimi to lead you there, Reimi! Come out!" - Shera shouted loud to call Reimi, now I noticed that I didn't see her anywhere
"I'm here, my Highness!" - Damn! Did she hide inside the closet all the time?
"Reimi, you!"
"Ah, Sir Rigen! I told Reimi to do that to protect you so please don't blame her." - Shera, Reimi! You two were freaks!
But I later ignored Reimi and stepped to my bag which was placed on the chair next to the desk in the room, I took my pistol, my knife and my sword.
Maybe I should return Hatano's Katana, I didn't want to return her weapons but at least she must need something to protect herself. I took my uniform to be the clothes that I would change after taking the bath.
After taking those stuff, I walked to the door and was about to go out, Reimi had stood there to wait for me to follow her.
"Sir Rigen, bringing weapons inside the Palace is prohibited, oh sorry! I mean bringing weapons to His Majesty's courtroom is prohibited." - Shera warned me but why did she mention her father?
"Sir Rigen, can you please meet me after taking the bath? I want to introduce you to my father before we have breakfast." - Seemed like I have become Shera's special person for some reason
"Yeah, Princess! I will." - Shera was trustworthy to me though I should doubt her more before going to this conclusion
"Follow me, Sir Rigen!" - Reimi told me to go with her to the bathroom and she opened the door
Then we went outside, I saw the were many maids that were now cleaning all around the hallway. Some of them were bringing something outside as if to decorate, this ceremony was that much sacred?
Oh! While going with Reimi to the bathroom, I saw Hatano and Sarah were now standing next to a maid that was cleaning the floor. Sarah was talking to the maid, she seemed very cheerful.
This pure stupid girl could regain her mind that early after seeing her older sister being beaten by me heavily? What was wrong with her?
"Ah, Commander! Com here!" - Sarah called for me when I was away from her a few steps
Then I walked to Sarah, the maid that was talking to her earlier looked at me and chucked, why? Did Sarah talk to her something about me?
"Sarah, what did you say to the maid?"
"Nothing, I just told her how hentai you were to me when we were sleeping together under the sword cave!" - Sarah, what the fuck? You told me you wouldn't tell to anyone!
"Sir Rigen, is that tr-" - Reimi shouted quite loud so I squeezed her mouth off
"Reimi, don't tell your Princess about this, remember?"
"I saw that she has behaved strangely every time I'm with her, when I saw my dog tag wet, she even wore it while it was wet." - I warned Reimi while sticking my face close to her
"I don't know what is wrong with Princess but please don't tell her, if you do that for me, I will have nothing to hide from you, you want to ask me anything, I answer that to you." - I'm the best liar!
"Nod! Nod!" - Good job, Reimi!
Then I put my hand out of Reimi, she coughed a bit then returned to normal, then I ignored Sarah and walked toward Hatano because I wanted to return her Katana.
"Stare..." - Can you stop, Hatano? I knew that I have faults with your sister but what happened when we were down the tunnel was just an accident!
"Hatano, I return the Katana for you, at least you must have something to protect yourself, I will consider returning your other weapons later." - Hatano slowly took her Katana from my hands, she looked more politely
"Arigatou..." (Thanks...) - Hatano thanked me in Japanese, for some reason, the way she was polite to me made me more nervous
Then I walked with Reimi to the bathroom, before I go, Sarah had asked me about the punishment but I said to her that I forgive her, at least I wanted to take the bath now.
Hatano and Sarah, kept wearing the military uniforms, these girls didn't want to choose the next clothes to wear?
"Reimi, did you just glare at Hatano?" - When I was going with Reimi after going past Sarah and Reimi, I saw her glaring at Hatano a few times
"Yes, Sir Rigen! Her Highness told me to forgive her but honestly, I don't." - Maybe I should go silent for now
Then we were about to the bathroom, I saw two figures walking together. That was an aged man with ponytail hair and a man with blonde-haired
Hoster, finally we have met again after a long time, let's see how he would react to me.
"Reimi, go faster."
"Ah, understood, Sir Rigen!" - Reimi seemed didn't notice Hoster but she heard my urge so she went faster
Then in a few seconds, we finally faced facing each other. Hoster seemed very surprised to see me again, let's see how would this conversation goes.
"Sir Rigen, it's good to see you again." - Yeah, Hoster! Good to see you too, at least!
"Hoster, if you want to kill me, do that better next time."
"Heard that, Sir Rigen! But I don't want to make my little sister sad and kill you just waste my money, I will let you go, at least in this time." - Remember to promise what you said, Hoster! Or I would give bronze candies to your head
Then we stopped to stare at each other, Hoster and Dunkel went away after that, then I went into the bathroom, Reimi would wait for me outside.
I had to take the bath by showering with the buckets, this was the only way to bath in this bathroom. Maybe I was using the bathroom for the maids and the waiters so I had to bathe this way.
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Maybe Shera would take the bath differently from me because she was a Princess.
After taking the bath, I wore my uniform and went out to Reimi, then she led me back to my room, when I got in, Shera had already waited for me.
"Sir Rigen, you are not allowed to bring swords inside His Majesty's courtroom, that's all! It's fine if you bring with you small weapons like knives." - Shera said to me, maybe I should keep my pistol and my M9 Bayonet
Then I returned my sword to my bag, I saw that there was Advisor inside my bag, I didn't want to bring it with me. It could be annoying to me so I put it near the window that had the light for the charging.
"I'm done, Princess! Let's go!"
Then I went with the girls out, when I got out, I saw Hatano and Sarah were now talking to each other outside of their room, maybe I should call them to follow me too.
"Sarah, Hatano! Maybe you two should join me in the King's courtroom, don't bring your sword inside, only be allowed to bring knives or pistols."
"Shera, I mean Princess! Do you allow me to lead them there?" - I wanted to ask Shera's permission
"That's alright, Sir Rigen! If you want." - Okay, looked like Shera had allowed me to lead my subordinates to go
Then we waited for my subordinates, after one minute, they came out of their room. Sarah was now bringing her M9 Bayonet with her pistol, Hatano for some reason had a KA-BAR knife with her.
"Hatano, where did you get that KA-BAR knife?"
"Commander...you forgot...to take...it way from...me..." - Maybe I left it behind because I forgot
"Let's go." - At least I would skip it for now, I must go with Shera first
Then we went together to the King's courtroom, when I was going, Shera suddenly talked to me.
"Sir Rigen, my father is now in his court to talk with the officials about how would we hold the ceremony, our appearance at this time can make him trouble a bit."
"But please keep following me, Sir Rigen." - Shera said to me, so this was not a good time to go there but I just kept following the Princess
"Princess, I'm hungry, can I eat now?" - Shut up, Sarah! Let's eat later!
"Just wait for me a bit, Lady Sarah, your older sister, Lady Hatano may be hungry too, please you two wait for a few minutes then we will eat breakfast." - Shera told them to wait
Then we walked all the hallway to a room door, that door was guarded by two Warsaw Royal Guards, they looked at us and made a bow.
"Your Highness, your brother just got here recently to join the meeting. If your purpose is not here for the meeting, please stay outside until His Majesty has done his meeting." - A guard said politely to Shera
"I want to get inside now, I will apologize to my father later." - Shera said to the guard
"If you say so, Your Highness! I understood!" - The guards said to Shera then opened the door for us to get inside the courtroom
When we got inside, around us were the officials that were joining the meeting with the King, there was a high stair in the middle leading to his throne. The King was now sitting on his throne, talking with the officials below, Hoster was sitting next to him.
"Ah, Your Highness!" - The officials had noticed us then they stayed away from us to go toward the King
When we were going with Shera, I tried to look at the officials but then Shera pinched my fingers as if wanted to warn me something.
"Sir Rigen, I don't know which rank of noble you are at in your homeland but here the low-rank nobles should not look straight at high-rank nobles without their permission."
"Same to the King, you can only look at him when he allows you to do it." - Okay, Shera! Understood!
Then Shera and Reimi stepped toward the floor that led to the stair, when they stepped there, Shera slowly kneeled one of her legs before the King. About Reimi, she kneeled one of her legs down also before the King.
"This daughter, Shera Soone greets Your Majesty, I hope I don't interrupt your meeting, father!" - Shera greeted the King
"Her Highness's guard, Reimi Frieden greets Your Majesty, I hope the meeting with your officials is going well." - Reimi also greeted the King
"Good! You two are allowed to stand up and look at me!" - The King said to his daughter and Reimi with a peaceful voice, he allowed them to stand up and look at him
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" - Both of the girls stood up and returned to us
Then the King looked at us, if I said more rightly, he was looking at me and my subordinates.
"My daughter! I just have done the meeting a few minutes ago so you came here at the right time, but there is a question I want to ask you, who are the people behind you?" - The King pointed at me
"Father, the man who is standing behind me is John Rigen, the man I have told you about many times. He is now standing with his missing subordinates, he found them when he got here." - Shera said to the King
"Oh! So this is the man my daughter always talks about, let me see him and his subordinates." - The King allowed me to see him
"Yes, father."
Then Shera stayed away for us to go, when we got to the floor, I think that I should bow to the King like the way Shera and Reimi did. I didn't know much about the way the Royals greet others soI must imitate the girls.
"I, John Rige-"
"The three of you are allowed to stand up and look at me, I want to see you." - The King allowed me that so I stopped greeting him
Then I looked up to the King who had a gold crown on his head, he had a very long blonde-haired, a peaceful face with a full beard, his face looked maybe 40 to 50.
"What a tough face, you look a bit old, how old are you exactly, John Rigen?"
"I'm now 25, Your Majesty!"
"That young? But you look older than you look!"
"My daughter said to me that you saved her and her guard from the assassins sent to kill her but later got chased by my son's assassins."
"But the thing that shocked me later was that you killed all of the assassins. My son is always cautious after he lost his mother in the coup ten years ago, hope you don't hate him."
"But with what you did for my daughter, I want to grant you a reward, what do you think, John Rigen?" -The King asked me
What should I choose?
"Your Majesty, I don't know what I want to demand from you so please let the Princess choose that for me instead."
"So what's about you, my daughter?"
Wait! Why did I hear the strong breaths from Shera, what was wrong with her? Why did she do that behind me?
"My father, though John Rigen is powerless but he said to me that his homeland and its neighborhoods are very developed without using magics so I want Sir Rigen to be my tutor."
What the fuck did you just demand, Princess?
"Oh, as you wish my daughter, I-"
"Your Majesty, please wait!" - A voice called the King and stepped before me
"What made my daughter's idea against your thought, Prime Minister?" - Prime Minister? Mentor Lerer said to me he was the one behind the coup
"Please reconsider, Your Majesty! I've heard the rumors that this man had followed Her Highness before parting to run away from the assassins that hired to kill him."
"How can you let this powerless teach your daughter, Your Majesty?"
"Your decision leads nothing but to let that man impure your daughter and the Great Warsaw!" - That Prime Minister talked to the King
"Prime Minister, y-"
"My daughter, hear me first!" - The King forced his daughter to shut up
"Wait, Minister Alt! I have thoughts very much before getting to the conclusion to let John Rigen teach my daughter, why don't you think wider?"
"This man comes from a place that has very less of magic, he said to my daughter that most of the people in his place are powerless but they can create magic by their knowledge to use it."
"Though they can't cast magic but John's homeland is more developed than us, I think if this man can teach my daughter something that useful, I would be pleased to hear."
"Sorry, Your Majesty! My mind is so small compared to you!"
"Don't apologize, it's good to hear you discuss, every Monarch even has their thought must have listened to the others' thoughts before getting to his decision."
"You did your duty so well, Minister Alt, not like the other useless below you, they can't even give me their thoughts, you may return to your place."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" - Minister Alt bowed to the King then slowly stepped back to the other officials
"John Rigen, I just forgot this! What are you good at? I want to know the things you are capable of before deciding again." - The King asked me, okay!
"Your Majesty, if I have to say, I never teach anyone before, the thing I good at the most is fighting, it will be alright if I teach Her Majesty about sword fight."
"About my education level, both of my moms have raised me by homeschooling, I have a degree from Virginia Military Institute, a military school from my homeland."
"Homeschooling?" - Maybe the King didn't know
"Your Majesty, homeschooling means to study in your house, the things you learn will be according to the Ministry of Education to know how capable you are to set your education level when you go out of society."
"Why did you have to study in your home, John Rigen?"
"Because my father has gone when I was young, Your Majesty! According to my homeland's law, the children who have no father won't be able to go to school so two of my moms had taught me on their own." - Must lie to him!
"How marvelous! Both of your mothers must have rough raised you!"
"Though you said to me you didn't teach anyone before, John! My daughter's academic ability is fine except for her handwriting, I just need you to teach her to write well, at least that's all I need for now."
"John, I grant you to become my daughter's tutor, about your subordinates, they will be temporarily decided to be my daughter's guards."
"I will happily accept your grant, Your Majesty!" - I bowed to the King, my subordinates also did that with me
Dammit! I have buried myself! But I later ignored that and went with Shera to have breakfast, let's take care of that tutor job later, it's still not too late for me to hide from the Princess.
Shera said to me that the ceremony would be continued though she had warned her father, he said he would put more guards during the ceremony.
We later have breakfast with Princess Shera, Hoster and the King, the breakfast was very normal. Only Sarah ate like a pig, I apologized to the King about that problem, Sarah later went to the toilet after eating too much, she didn't use to eat here yet.
After the breakfast, we wait for more than 3 hour and then joined the ceremony, the people that joined the ceremony was very much. Only the guards were allowed to bring weapons so I had to go unarmed, it was so annoying to me but I had to do so.
Hatano and Sarah were considered to be the guards so they were allowed to bring weapons, the ceremony had started and the mages were now standing around a white circle line which was placed on the ground which was far away from ours.
The crowds and the representatives of the other Kingdoms were many around us, Hatano, Sarah, Reimi and the King were the ones who stand closest to the mages that were about to cast the spell to summon the hero.
"Hey, Sir Rigen! I want to talk with you about something." - Shera said she wanted to confess to me something, I didn't know
I and Shera were standing a bit far away from the others for a few steps, she said to me that the thing she wanted to say to me was very important so I was now standing with her.
"Sir Rigen, I, I, I'm really, I have to admit that I'm..." - Shera wanted to talk with me about something but she kept hesitating so I didn't know what she meant
"Princess, your face is a bit red, if you feel unwell then you can talk with me about that thing later."
"No, Sir Rigen! I mean, I'm still alright, I just, I l-"
"You Hero, who is at the bound of the other world, please hear our words and appear here, the world's destiny is in your hands!" - The mages who were standing in the circle line started spelling their casts
"Princess, let's talk about it again when we have done the summon, I don't know what you want to say to me but please calm down and take a bit of your breath."
Shera looked at me a bit more then trying to take her breath to talk to me but she seemed still very hesitant.
"What's this? The teleport magic has the problem, it's now leaking, Your Majesty!" - A mage yelled to the King
"What do you mean?" - The King asked the mage
"It means the hero has already been summoned, Your Majesty! We must withdraw the spell bef-"
"Boom!" - A big explosion came out, a white barrier suddenly spread to ours
I saw that the King and my subordinates had been sucked into it, Reimi was now the only one who survived, she ran as fast as possible to us in panic. The crowds were now running panicking, trying to get out of the barrier's reach.
The ground around the barrier had shaken and crashed every its part, Reimi was now running to us, she kept breathing hard to run to us.
"My Highness, Sir Rigen! Runaway! Runaway! Ru-" - Reimi finally had been sucked into the barrier
I was so panicked so I ran right away, when I was in the middle of the crowds, I didn't see Princess anywhere so I looked back to find her.
Shera was now kneeling on the ground full of depression, she was now panicked, terrified at the destruction of the barrier, all of her relatives had been sucked into it.
I was scared but I cannot leave Shera behind so I rushed to her while the influence of the white barrier was about to reach her position.
"Princess! Princess! Runaway! Just run away! Runaway now!" - I kept calling Shera but she just kneeled there and cried
"Princess!" - I managed to get to Shera and hugged her, covering her out from the white barrier that was coming to us
When I was about to lift Shera to run, the barrier had already reached our place before I could stand up, we had been sucked into a white light and lost our consciousness.