Stables of the Royal Palace, Hero's P.O.V.

I have been a blind idiot! The beastman warned me to be careful of the king but I didn't listen! I just had to keep asking questions, every time I would get lies or terrified silence in answer, so I just kept asking more.

Now I am about to lead my friends into committing treason, and they have no idea. If we manage to get away from here I promise I will tell them everything. But if my plan doesn't work we may all die in the next hour.

I pace back and forth near the five horses I have prepared, waiting and worrying until I hear voices approaching. A quick glance out the stable doors shows my four friends walking this way chatting with each other like nothing is going on. They answered my call!

Now I just have to convince them nothing is wrong and this is a simple mission. We will have to all act normal to have any chance of getting past the guards and out of this cursed city. I trust the four of them with my life, but I don't trust their ability to act normal if I tell them the truth right now.

I take a careful look around to see if I can spot anyone watching them or following them. When I don't see anyone I open the door a little wider and wave them in. They are about to greet me when I hold a finger over my lips to keep them quiet.

"The horses are ready, mount up as quick as you can, I will explain everything later!"

Mounting my horse I wait for Giles, Koko, Rachel, and Emelia to mount their horses before I lead the way out of the stables. They stick close to me as I lead the way through the city to the north gate. The guards stop us, but I hold out the writ from the king allowing me to pass.

As I had hoped they only pay attention to the king's seal and don't bother to read it. If they had they would have noticed it was an order for one not five. Once we are through the gate my shoulders untense a little, that was the hardest part.

As we ride up the road I keep glancing back, half expecting a cavalry troop to come after us. Once the towers of the capital wall are out of sight I let out a sigh of relief and relax a bit more. After an hour following the road I turn off into the trees and lead the way away from the road.

About forty-five minutes later we come across a small clearing and I decide this is as good a place as any. So I stop my horse and dismount, the others follow my lead. While the horses are resting I decide to start explaining myself so I turn to my friends, they are all watching me and waiting for me to speak.

"To start off, let me apologize for lying, I didn't escape the beastman. He defeated me easily, but he let me live."

Giles says "An escaped slave was stronger than you?"

"He wasn't an escaped slave, we were lied to. Do you remember the beastman who was summoned with us that they threw into that pit?"

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Rachel says "I remember him, are you saying that was him?"

"Yes, the beastman we were all sent out to kill was the one that was summoned with us."

Rachel says "Why would we all be sent out to kill another hero?"

Koko says "Hate."

"Koko is right, the king hates beastmen, and he sees this one in particular as a threat."

Giles says "If he was so strong why did he let you live?"

"He said my aura showed I wasn't corrupted. All he wanted me to do was listen to the story of his companion, a ghost."

Emelia says "A real ghost? Cool!"

"Yes, a real ghost. The ghost of Second Princess Mericel."

Rachel says "The ghost of the king's daughter is working with the beastman?"

"Yes. She told me that her father used her as the sacrifice to summon all of us."

Rachel says "That is horrible!"

Emelia says "Oh, that poor girl!"

Giles says "And you are sure it wasn't just a trick?"

"Yes, I am sure. You know as a paladin I can detect lies right?"

Koko says "Right."

"Well, everything the beastman and the ghost said to me was the truth."

Rachel says "Is that all the ghost told you?"

"No. She also told me why we were summoned and what the king is planning, and once I had time to think about it, it all made sense."

Giles says "Come on Justin, just spit it out."

"We have been lied to since the day we were summoned. The other kingdoms are not attacking this country, in fact it is the opposite. The king plans to use us heroes to conquer the continent."

Giles says "You seriously believe all that?"

Rachel says "No, if you think about it, it all makes sense."

Emelia says "What do you mean?"

Rachel says "Well, think about how we have been treated since we arrived in this world."

Giles says "We have been treated like the heroes we are, so what?"

"No, Rachel is right. Since day one we have been offered drugs, alcohol, and women. Yet we have not been allowed to talk to any normal people."

Giles says "What of it? We were treated like royalty!"

"Then why keep us isolated and just train us day after day? We could have become a lot stronger if we were out hunting monsters."

Rachel says "They wanted to keep us away from anyone who would tell us the truth!"

"Right, by keeping us in training they could surround us with people they controlled. So all we ever heard was how great the king was, and how hard he worked for the people. All lies by the way."

Giles says "If you knew it was all lies why didn't you say anything?"

"I thought it was just nobles lying out of habit, or people exaggerating to curry favor."

Giles says "So what does how well we were treated have to do with anything?"

"By offering us all the vices they could keep us from asking questions. Eventually, if we compromised our morals enough we would end up being okay with what they had planned."

Rachel says "How well the guys were treated anyway!"

Giles says "What? You were treated differently?"

Rachel says "Yes! Oh, we were offered alcohol and drugs, or anything else that would allow them to bed us."

Koko says "Pigs!"

Giles says "Wait, Koko, is that why you killed those nobles and that trainer?"

Koko nods and says "Earned."

Rachel says "When bribes and tricks failed some of them tried to use force. Poor Isabella had it the worst."

"I am sorry, I had no idea this was going on! Why didn't you ask for help?"

Rachel says "We couldn't be sure who to trust."

Giles says "You trust your fellow heroes of course!"

Rachel says "Not when some of our 'fellow' heroes were just as bad!"

"What?! Who?"

Rachel says "Shinami was the worst, although Marcadus and Miguel were almost as bad."

Giles says "I can't believe it..."

"I really have been a blind idiot!"

Rachel says "Don't be too hard on yourself. There was a lot of other stuff going on."

Koko says "Plan?"

Giles says "Yeah, what's the plan now?"

"Well, the four of you have to make a choice first. Do you want to go back or do you want to turn against this kingdom?"