A man fell from the beam of light onto the altar made of white stone. He was surrounded by priestess hooded in white robes. His landing was far from being soft and enjoyable, thus right now he was massaging his backs.
- “Greetings, oh hero!” a woman in front of him said “My name is Alicia, and I carry the duty of being prophetess of our beloved lady of the Light. We have summoned thee, oh hero, for the darkest hour shall soon approach.”
She was simply beautiful. Around her 20s, with long blonde hair falling behind her back reaching almost her waist. Her robe was plain, but far from being inelegant in any way. Even more, the one who designed those robes was a pure genius, as just looking at her clothing you could say that the wearer is pure and humble. Clothing worth being worn by a priestess.
- “I know that you are confused, but we wish to ask you to…”
- “Fear not and consider it done!” man raised his thumb in the air
- “P..Pardon me?”
- “What, you thought I would refuse? Eradicating evil, going on adventures, stopping demon’s invasion… what else does one need to enjoy his life to the fullest?”
Oh, he didn’t do this because of good heart or any such thing, I mean, yes! That was also the case, but the very reason is so he could live a different life, not that boring, monotonous life. He was a game-addict, manga-addict,… actually, he was addicted to everything that pop culture would offer. He read dozen of summoned hero stories and each of them had few common things – cheats, so he could become stronger faster, epic quest – something that he desired and would reward him with unspoken glory; new life and a … Harem! YES! HAREM! He will lead the team, of course, and only nice young girls allowed! Shy priestess-healer!? Tsundere-glass canon magician? Honorable paladin!? Aggressive barbarian!? Quiet ninja-assassin?! THEY ALL SHALL BE HIS! MUAHAHAHA
- “H..Hero, w..why are you smiling so… ominously?”
- “W..Wha?! No, pardon me! I was excited by the mere thought of justice that I shall serve! Hahaha!” he laughed awkwardly
- “I am happy to see your excitement. Yet, the day of demon invasion is yet to approach. We summoned you bit…earlier, so you could train and raise your skills. Each time demons attack many good people dies, for the hero was always summoned too late when the war was going on. Right now, you would train under guidance of our finest warriors…”
In that moment the door to the room was opened and a woman in shiny, yet fatigued armor entered it.
- “Why do you call me. prophetess?” The woman asked… angrily? Doesn’t matter! That’s surely a paladin! The first on the list! And she is also beautiful!
- “Ah, I am happy seeing you in good health… Hero, this is Amelia Scarlet, called the strongest human in the world. She will teach you swordsmanship…”
- “Will I? I have never heard about it before, and I surely can’t remember agreeing on anything like that.”
- “M..Miss Amelia! That man here is a hero! I beg you, please, aid him on his quest to..”
- “Prophetess. Right now you are NOT in a position to beg me anything. Church has failed me and my family too many times. Even more – the fact that you decided to make me his coach without asking me first irritates me even more! If you think that just by putting me in an awkward position to refuse someone with a hero- title is enough to convince me, I shall disappoint you. Also you…” the last words were spoken to the hero “… better be careful while dealing with the church. They have a tendency to not live up to their agreements.”
- “MISS AMELIA?!” priestess of the light goddess was heavily offended
- “Yes, your majesty? Do you wish to accuse me of lying?”
- “… Your case is nothing more but sad coincidence…”
- “Coincidence? My sister dying is nothing more for you but a sad event?”
- “… that’s not what I meant!”
- “I will tell you, hero, what happened exactly. My sister got sick, so my father went to the church to beg for help. For years she was [healed] with no effect at all. Yet it didn’t stop the church from using me as their private slave, ordering me left and right. And now, our beloved shepherd dared to call me here and INFORM me that I am about to become your tutor. I came because it thought you want to apologize to me. Never call for me again. Farewell.”
She turned around and walked away. Ok. So, acquiring this one to harem may be a bit tricky. But hey, we still have some time, do we? Sure we do!
- “If I may, your majesty..” he said in direction of Alice “… life is the best teacher. Just give me a sword. The days I would spend outside of the city hunting for some weak monsters, and the evenings I could spend with city guards to learn swordsmanship! You said that yourself – we still have time till invasion. By rushing things we can only make a mistake. I look forward to working with you.” He bowed his head.
Oh, the prophetess was pleased. But man surely took a notice of the fact, that in this world things are not black and white. He talked with the church’s head for a bit longer, assuring her of his loyalty. As their conversation was about to end, Alicia gave him the quest that goddess warns him before.
- “I would like you to think about it as some kind of test measuring if you are ready to face demons – there a monstrosity roaming this world. Despite our actions to neutralize it, it managed to destroy our castle, burn information outpost, curse the village and kidnap sister of Amelia. This is also why she doesn’t want to aid us, the creature threatened her to kill her if she would follow him…” She had such a sad expression.
Of course, Hero was MORE THAN SURE that they did NOTHING like provoking the creature. Still, quest is quest. The goddess mocked him, treated him like unwanted burden. There was no way he wouldn’t tease her a little. Even more, as he was appraising perks he just got.
Welcome to the [System]
You have been rewarded with the title[Summoned Hero]
Skill [Champion of light] level MAX [passive] has been granted to you[Chaos] spell domain has been locked[Nature] spell domain has been locked[Order] spell domain has been unlockedEffect of your [Order] domain spells has been increased by 25%
Your [Order] domain skills will level up 50% faster
Skill [Celestial prodigy] level NA [passive] has been granted to youExp you obtain has been increased by 100% till you reach level 10Exp you obtain will be increased by 75% from level 11 to 20Exp you obtain will be increased by 50% from level 21 onward
[Hero of the sword]Skill [Sword Usage - Apprentice] Level 10 has been granted
All damages dealt by [Sword] class of weapon are increased by 10%
[Sword Usage] skill will level up 25% faster
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Yup. Here come cheats!
Neira, two days later
AHA! It has arrived! The crystal promised by Rogue! It was waiting for me at guild’s desk protected by Mike! Poor little boy, he probably had no idea that package that arrived was worth more than he could earn in 10 years, or even more! Welp! Who cares! Right now it was nicely filled with mana so I could hope to have a nice one-minute long conversation. Still, I won’t be the one talking for most of the time.
I knocked to Elana’s room.
- “Young princess, it’s me! Got a moment?”
- “M..Mister Zariel?” I heard from the other side “p..please! Just give me a second!”
What, she was dressing up? I didn’t have that problem with Gis. No matter if she just came from mission and was covered in blood, or just barely woke up and was half-naked she would just let me in… Ah, speaking of the devil, she is doing everything she can to get along with my new friends, and by doing everything I mean that she force them to partake in fast exhausting missions. I can remember the time when the twins came to me running and crying after their first mission. It wasn’t that dangerous, especially for them. It was more like she took them hiking into the small mountains we had nearby, and by hiking, I mean getting rid of local Sky-terrors. Fighting with giant birds protecting their nests on narrow passages near the abyss below… Eh, I wanted to go with them.
I heard clicking sound as the key unlocks the door and Elana let me in. She was wearing a long, light-blue dress… she would look but better with a straw hat on her head… FOCUS ZARI FOCUS!
- “Um… w..why did you come here?” she asked shyly…. I am one, evil man, and as an evil man, I felt obligated to tease her.
- “I mean... oh, sorry. If you want me to leave, you could just tell.” I said with a sad expression as I took a step back
- “No! That wasn’t what I meant! I am sorry! I..I..I was just surprised and…”
Ok, one evil-deed-per-day-task was finished. I can now get down to the business.
- “I [kidnapped] you to heal you, yet as you know transporting you back to the Holy Kingdom may be not only a hard task but also dangerous. In the end, they put that parasite in you for a reason, we have no idea how they would react… Yet still, we should inform your family that your life is safe… and I am pretty sure that you had almost no time to talk or see your sister, so I thought that you may like to say a word or two to her… I would steal only ten or so seconds, so you should have around 50 more to say hello…”
I showed her a crystal that I put on her table
- “..Y…You not only healed me, but even bought such an expensive item just so I could…” a tear appeared in her eyes
… not exactly, I would have far more uses for this crystal, but if that’s what you want to believe in, then I won’t stop you! Feel free to love me and worship me! Oh, I am such a generous person!
- “Now, now! Don’t you dare start crying here!” I patted her head “or else your sister would think I did something nasty to you, we wouldn’t like seeing your sis charging here leading forces of her kingdom just to repay me for crimes I did not commit, would we?”
- “A..Actually, it is your fault that I am crying!” she punched my arm, just like Gisele, yet dragoness blows usually knocks me on the ground, while hers barely tickled “Y..You should take responsibility for that!” she said completely blushing.
My-my! Elana! When did you get so brave!? Shoving such initiative?... or maybe that’s the outcome of spending too much time with Gisele?
- “I would be more than honored to serve such a fine lady like yourself, I shall remember about that and would pay you for my deeds accordingly, but I hope you would let me start a connection but I would need your co-ordinates now.”
With help of young Scarlet I managed to prepare the connection and set up a small show.
I needed to wait around a minute for the spell to find its target, but soon over the crystal, I could see the face of older man and his daughter.
- “Sir Scarlet! Sir Scarlet! Communication crystal is responding!” the servant yelled running to the private office of head of house Scarlet
- “Who is calling?” he raised quickly from his chair as he was about to move to the conference room
- “Unknown, but the signal comes from… Neira…”
He quickened his step
- “Tell Amelia. She has to join me as soon as possible!”
- “B..but young lady is still sleeping…”
- “Then wake her up! Tell her same thing you said to me!”
- “Sir, yes, sir!”
He stopped walking towards the room and instead he started running forcing his still well-trained body to cross a few corridors and chambers.
He sat in front of crystal that was resonating with magic. In forty seconds his daughter got inside the room like a small tempest taking her place by his side.
- “It’s him, am I right?”
- “Most likely. I have no idea who else in Neira could have our passwords to the crystal…”
The magic formed a smoke that took shape of mirror-like being in which a smiling face of white-haired magician could be seen
- “Hell-O, Holies! What’s your weather on the east?”
- “State your business, and do it fast.” Old man said without dose of kindness
- “You are hurting my feeling. I am calling you just to say, that I did my part of deal, it wasn’t easy, it wasn’t nice, your daughter almost died, but I am pretty sure that something more about that case would say my young, lovely assistant, Elana, could you?”
He took step away from crystal letting them see a bed on which Elana was laying.
- “Daddy! Sis!” she yelled with enthusiasm. Young girl raised from the bed and moved quickly in direction of crystal, yet she stumbled and was about to hit the ground.
Yet Zariel dashed in and caught her in very last moment
- “What did I tell you? Small steps, small steps! Take it easy, your body is still exhausted.” He helped her get up, yet once again she was the one walking toward the table
- “Ok. I am not going to make this conversation be more awkward than needed, so I will take my leave…”
Magician indeed left the room.
In those few seconds he showed them, that Elana was indeed cured, could do easy tasks by herself and she is treated well – definitely not as prisoner
- “Sweetie how are you feeling?” Godrick asked
- “HowIsHeTreatingYou? AreYouEatingWell? YouSleepEnoughDoYou? WhereIsHeKeepingYou?” paladin asked in less than three seconds
Girl chuckled lightly
- “I feel fine, I am still bit weak, but mister Zariel says that it’s normal and I will need time to get back in the shape, he also said that some damages are very serious, and maybe I would never be as dexterous as I could be, but my life is surely no longer threatened…”
She kept talking. That she is fine, that she has more than enough food to eat, that two days ago Mister Zariel even baked cakes for everyone and how tasty it was, that she can’t say where she is, because that’s the only thing that Mister Zariel asked her to keep as a secret, but it’s a nice place to live in… she also said about the creature that lived in her – the parasite angel and Zariel’s presumptions regarding the fact of who, how and when placed it inside of her, yet once again pointed out that those are nothing more but presumption, and mister Zariel really don’t want his words to be treated as certain…
- “Ah, crystal is turning red, I don’t have much time… Papa, sis, I just want you to know, I am safe, I am getting better, I made lots of new friends and I am going to start training soon to become as wonderful as you, sis! Papa, sis – I lov…”
The mirror turned into smoke, smoke turned into magic and that disappeared in the air.
Paladin hit the table with her first making a huge imprint of her hand in the wood
- “Fucking bastards!” she hissed “You want to tell me, that dozens of best healers of the church couldn’t heal something, that took some wannabe wizard a week!? They could be the one that placed that.. .shit in her! I will…”
- “Right now you will do nothing, Amelia…”
- “But, father!”
- “No, you are a great warrior, wonderful commander, but you are still fresh in politic. Rest assured, my little child, I will not let it go. But for our strike to be as painful and as humiliating as it can be, we need patience. The house of scarlet has a black lion on a red flag for a reason. Soon, that beast shall roar again. For now, return to your paladins. Keep them in shape. Just in case. Who knows, maybe this is the first day of the end of the Holy Kingdoms theocracy?”