I snuck past the guards and was in the courtyard. I saw four distinct shadows entering the castle gates. I run past the door guards and to them.

“You’re back!” I yell. “You have to help me.” I run to my friends. They were just back from the dungeon.

“Stop him!” A shrill female voice booms from behind me. “He’s been possessed by the demon lord.” The princess screams. As I reach my friends they point their weapons at me. Seraph standing in front pointing a white sword at my chest.

“Give us back our friend, evil demon!” He shouts full of bravado.

“Lower your fucking sword before I beat you over the head with it.” I yell at my friend.

The princess catches up and huffs in between words. “See…. He's… Threatening his friends. He’s possessed by the demon king.”

Savior steps forward to defend me. “No that’s just Anon.”

“Savior, you gotta burn this place to the ground. They imprisoned me while you were gone. They locked me in my room and wouldn’t let me out.”

His face turns sour. “Is that true?” He addresses the princess. She straightens out her dress and stands tall. “I told you that classless people are easy for the demon king to possess. It was for his own good.”

“It’s my body and I will get possessed if I want to! You don’t imprison people for their own good!” I yell at her. I turn to Savior. “So cmon. Let’s leave this kingdom. They are obviously evil or some crazy cult shit.” I grab Savior's arm and begin to walk out of the gates. I am stopped when he doesn’t follow me.

“Anon. There are people here who need my help. Towns are being slaughtered by monsters and we are the only ones powerful enough to stop them.”

“Then do it freelance adventurer guild style. You don’t need to support this princess. There’s probably loads of kingdoms that need saving.”

“That would be inefficient.”

I give up on Savior. Dude has a moral compass.

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“So what? No one wants to come with me?”

“You’re not going anywhere.” Says the princess. A flock of guards has come to surround us. Heckles readies his spear. He takes a stance next to me. “He can leave if he wants to.”

“I knew you’d have my back buddy. Let’s catch a ship and sail out of here.”

“I’m not leaving.”

“Huh?”

“The kingdom is supplying me with tons of gold and weapons. I can’t leave, but I support your freedom of movement.”

He gets half friendship points. I guess.

I turn to my other friends. “Let me guess. Going to marry the princess? Got a harem here already?” I point to Seraph. He pulls at his collar as a response. “And you are going to stick by Saviors side, being his girlfriend and all.” I point to Saharah. She nods, but reaches into her priest robes. She pulls out a small bag of gold. “If you’re leaving then you’ll need gold to get out of the country.”

I take it and look at her in shock. “I didn’t know you cared about me this much.” I had always viewed her as Savior's girlfriend, but she’s a whole person.

“I care about everyone.”

Bless her innocent little heart.

Heckles spins his spear. The guards back up. “You would really fight me? For the sake of your friend?” The princess asks with one hand over her mouth.

“Yeah.” Heckles states instantly.

The princess sighs and stomps one foot. “Fine. Let him leave.”

The guards break away and form a path. The princess turns to leave, but quickly does a 360 degree turn. “But he has to go to the demi-human country.” She gives me a sick smile. I don’t trust her face, but I don’t know what’s so bad about the demihuman country.

“Fine? I guess.” I don’t see any problem with going to furry country.

The princess then walks away. My friends turn to me.

“Thought you’d enjoy being in one room with nothing to do all day. True NEET life.” Seraph jokes.

“Maybe in 1000 years when they get the internet then I’ll let them imprison me.”

I turn to leave, but Savior stops me.

“Anon, show me that plate you’re carrying.”

I hold it up for him to inspect. His face goes sour. “The other side.” I laugh and turn the runes to face him. He rubs his chin as he reads it over. “Where does the magic go?”

“What do you mean?”

“It sucks in magic and stores it. Where does the magic go?”

“No where?”

“Anon, that’s like filling a tire with air. Eventually you’ll over fill it, the pressure builds up, and then….”

“It’ll explode like a bomb!” I shout. I smile. I created a magic bomb. Savior is not as ecstatic about my discovery of magical ordinances.

“Well thanks for the concern, but I can handle myself.” I give my friends a thumbs up then hit the road.