My head feels like it will explode, using lust on such an extent gives me severe headaches. I open my eyes and I see that I’m in a tent. There was a healing mage tending me and as I look around there were others being tended to as well.
“You’re awake. Just give me a few seconds and I’ll be done”
“I’m fine”
I try to stand up but the mage pushed me back down to the bed.
“If you’re looking for the prince. He’s already up and about.”
The mage finishes up and leaves me.
I stood up and felt a sharp pain that coursed to my head. I stumble a little bit before regaining my composure. There were people that were from the community being tended to, I’m glad. I walk outside the tent and see that the whole community was burned down. As I walked around to see what could possibly be left I heard my name.
“Lovre! You’re awake!”
I turn around to see Leopold with his left arm in a cast.
“What happened to your hand?”
“When I was being held by the demonic being my hand got slightly crushed so they mended it. Anyway if it wasn’t for you I would be dead, you have my gratitude.”
That’s right… I forgot but I did order him to not die. Using an order of that degree almost completely drains my stamina rendering me useless, I only use it during emergencies.
“I saw people tended in there. But that’s not everyone… where’s Laura and auntie?”
Leopold looks down and takes a deep breath
“Follow me”
I grab him before he walked away.
“Where are they?!”
I got frustrated. I don’t like not knowing what happened to them.
Leopold leads me to a separate tent we both go inside and I see two beds being occupied.
“They’ll live but… there was another demonic being in the area. It injected rogue particles in them. They inject humans with it to turn them into demonic beings.”
Leopold explains the situation as I got closer.
Both of them showed markings on their neck like a black slime crawling on their skin. I activate lust.
“Heal yourselves”
After I said my order my head felt like it would explode then came a prompt that appeared in front of me.
“Another ones sin curse can’t be overwritten by another sin curse”
What? Does that mean this curse is from someone’s skill? More importantly a sin skill? It can’t be Felicity her ability is to steal abilities it rules her out. That leaves the witch and the kid. I turn to Leopold.
“What do you know about the other heroes?”
“I don’t know much about them… I do know is that they’re heading to the front lines at the moment”
“Well do you know anything about their sin skills?”
Leopold shakes his head. If he doesn’t know then no one else but the other heroes do. Looks like I have no choice.
“How long do they have before the sludge takes over?”
“About three months. That’s even pushing it”
I take a deep sigh and look over auntie and Laura
“I made up my mind… We’re going to the front lines”
Leopold made a shocked face
“This Mark is someone with a sin skill and the only ones I know are the other heroes. They’re heading to the front lines so we’ll have to get one of them to undo this”
“Getting to the front lines is going to be a long journey. What’s more they had a head start against you.”
“We’ll make it… More like we have to make it. I can’t just sit back and not do anything as the people I know are in trouble.”
Leopold nods his head
“Very well. I shall check in with the others and see where they’re at.” Leopold then walks outside.
I walk towards the two who are in bed. I promise I will help both of you.
I then walk out of the tent and right outside a dejected woman stands in front of me.
“I couldn’t stop that thing… I tried my best… I was of no match…”
It was Laura’s mother she was standing there with hopeless eyes.
“I know…”
“It should’ve been me… why her?!”
“I’ll find a way to fix her… both of them. Right now Laura needs you the most don’t lose hope.”
Laura’s mother wipes away her tears.
“You’re right… please Lovre… help them”
“I will”
I gave her a pat on the shoulder and I went towards a tent with knights in front. I was stopped before I got the chance to enter.
“Only the prince is allowed inside”
Leopold then comes out
“It’s fine Lovre I’ll come out to you.”
“Well… any information on where they are at the moment?”
“It’s what I said before they’re on the way to the front lines except for one. They’re at the forest of truancy.”
“You mean that so called cursed forest of the other kingdom?”
“Yes that one”
“What would they be doing there? Anyway that hero seems to be the closest from here so we should pay them a visit”
“Of course, however we should wait till our injuries are all healed up”
I activate lust for a second
“Heal yourself”
Leopold then starts to glow green when I ordered him.
“Did I just use healing magic?!”
Leopold starts moving his hands like it was never broken to begin with.
“If you have that ability why not use it on all the people that were injured?”
“If I did I would end up passing out again. Using lust consumes a lot of stamina depending on the order. If it was a simple order such as to grab something or do something basic it’s not a big deal. Using lust to order someone to use a skill they don’t have or boost a person's skill takes more stamina than usual. Then finally an impossible order completely drains my stamina completely rendering myself immobile from exhaustion. Those orders include not to die, or resurrection from being dead or to awaken from death. Impossible order’s effect only lasts a few minutes so it’s not a permanent fix on death”
Leopold just nods and takes it into consideration.
“The fastest route towards the truancy forest is going through the neighboring kingdom.”
“Well then shall we depart? As you said they don’t have much time left it’s best new hurry.”
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Leopold and I walk over to the horses that were on standby in a temporary stable. He grabs one of the horses reins.
“Um... are we allowed to just take a horse out of the stable? I mean don’t those knights need them?”
“It will be fine I already asked the commanding chief if we can commandeer two of their horses. He agreed and said to take whichever one we feel will be of most use.”
“That’s a bit negligent but alright… Who’s a thief to argue?”
Leopold grabs a majestic white horse with it’s mane braided into two. He then just casually mounts it like he has done it for years.
I on the other hand approached a brown horse a generic looking one. It was calm and didn’t resist when I grabbed the reins.
I stood there holding the reins.
“What are you doing?”
Leopold asks me as he waits.
“I’m observing the horse…”
“Okay… Well you should get on so we can get going.”
“Yes… get on… wouldn’t sit be called mount the horse instead?”
“Do you know how to get on a horse?”
He hit the nail on the head.
“Pfft… yeah. Who doesn’t?”
“It’s fine if you don’t you know? Not many commoners do. To nobles it’s mandatory to learn. I can teach you if you wish.”
“I got this. Don’t worry”
I don’t got this… I take a deep breath and placed my foot on the stirrup and hoisted myself up onto the horse.
“See I told you I know how to do it…” I said triumphantly
“Well.. let’s get on the road then… it may take us a day or more to reach the other kingdom so we must make haste.”
Leopold taps the horse with his feet and he starts to move forward. Not knowing what to do I followed his example and the horse follows.
We’ve been on the road for the second day I’ve been thinking on ways to prevent the curse that’s growing on auntie and Laura. It gave me a prompt that a curse cannot be overwritten. Meaning if I put a curse or use lust to be precise on Leopold he won’t suffer the same fate.
“Lovre no offence but why are you going so far for them?”
Leopold asks as I trotted along behind him. What kind of stupid question is that?
“Because they’re my family. They’re the only one who ever took me in especially auntie. To me they’re irreplaceable.”
“I see… you said that you were originally not from that community where were you from then?”
“What is this an interrogation?”
“I’m simply curious. You don’t need to answer.”
“The prince asked so I kind of have to answer… I’m a bastard child of a noble and a peasant. You see… my mother was the noble and in fact in an arranged marriage with a viscount. My father on the other hand is a peasant that my mother’s husband owns. Of course they weren’t into each other the first time but as time went on they started to get to know each other. They ended up having me behind the viscounts’ back. He soon found out when I became four and then he tossed my father into a slave trade. As for my mother she was stripped of all nobility and completely discarded. She ran away with me and sold me saying that it was all my fault the most I can do is give her some money. I for one stand by the actions of the viscount I knew the whole time that he truly loved my mother but he got backstabbed. Anyway… a few years living in the slum I found that community and auntie started taking care of me.”
“I’m sorry for making you talk about your past. I didn’t know what happened”
“It’s fine I don’t really care about it”
“What ended up happening to your noble family?”
“Ever since the scandal the family lost all of its positions leading it into ruin. That’s why you’ll never see where I’m from.”
We talked more as we travelled it was close to the afternoon when we arrived and the neighboring kingdom of Kincardine. We entered through the gate after the guards asked us about the purpose of visit. Being with the prince truly helped the entry. He said he had urgent diplomacy business to attend to and without question we were allowed in. The kingdom of Kincardine is vastly different from the kingdom of Alvarez. They had temples, shrines, trees that blooms pink leaves, and it’s close to the ocean so seafood here is absolutely delicious.
“We must inquire to the emperor before we head to the forest.”
“Emperor? Does that mean he ranks higher than your father?”
“In a manner of speaking”
What does he mean by that? We headed off to the castles. There were people dressed in clothing I’ve never seen before they looked a little baggy with a sash around the waist. The city looked clean but I know that there are still people probably in the outskirts being mistreated.
We soon arrived at the castle which looked like the temples I saw but incredibly larger.
As we went inside the huge pair of doors there were knights wearing armour that are foreign to me. Their face is covered with a mask and a helmet. The materials used seems like leather or iron scales. They wielded swords that are curved not like the sword that Leopold carries on his waist. On of the guards put us onto a halt.
“State your business”
The guard said with a deep voice.
“I am Leopold Von Astrea, captain of knights and crowned prince of the Alvarez kingdom.”
The guard takes a second to look at him then looks at me.
“What about him?”
“He is one of the heroes that was granted an incredible skill”
He looks at me suspiciously. Not that I can tell… he’s wearing a mask.
“Very well… follow me.”
As we walk along behind the guard I looked around. The castle inside seems to be made of wood and the flooring is made from bamboo an expensive material. If I can sell one of those I would be instantly rich.
We arrived at what I think is the throne room. The was no throne just an elevated floor higher than what we’re currently standing on anyway. There was also from what it looks like a pillow on the elevated floor.
“Please kneel for our leader comes before you”
As the guard said that the leader appeared from behind the thin walls on the elevated floor. Emperor? More like empress.
She knelt down onto the pillow and spoke.
“Why did you come here prince of Alvarez?”
She was stunning. She was wearing the same clothing as the people I saw outside but hers is more extravagant and more lavish. Her hair was held up weirdly but it doesn’t take away her beauty.
“We would like to have your permission to enter the truancy forest.”
“What business do have in the forest?”
“It appears one of the heroes is holed up in there”
“I see… very well I shall grant you that offer”
Leopold thanks her and stands up.
“Is that all for your visit today?”
I also stood up and just followed Leopold’s lead. He know more about the political problems than I do.
“Yes”
“I have but one condition”
Leopold looks confused.
“Very well what is it?”
“You must have a drink with me!”
What?! A drink with such a stunning beauty?! Who in their right mind would say no?
“Pardon my rudeness but I refuse”
What the hell?! This is the part where you’re supposed to say yes!
“Then I recline my permission”
I whispered to Leopold’s ear
“Just accept it! We need to see the other hero and we get to have a drink with such a beauty. No matter what it’s a win win situation.”
Leopold whispered back at me
“You don’t understand Lovre. I’ve seen her drink before”
Who cares? I gave him a literal push forward.
“Are you willing to change your answer?”
The empress asked.
With a sigh Leopold gives his response.
“Very well… I shall meet your conditions.”
“Wonderful! Let us head to the drinking hall!”
She then stands up and walked towards us with a smile.
“Follow me. Oh and you can come as well I suppose.”
The two of us follow her and walked towards the drinking hall. Who the hell has a drinking hall? Is it just a place to get drunk like a tavern but for one person?
It has been an hour since we started drinking. It truly is a bliss to able to drink such fine drinks I usually won’t get the chance to drink. However I’m more disturbed about the empress. She is incredibly drunk her dress is starting to fall off and she keeps on clinging onto Leopold.
“Hey… Why won’t you just marry me? I’m only 27 you know? Just five years older come on…”
She said as she holds a bottle and stuck to Leopold’s arm.
“I have a duty to uphold first… I’m sorry.”
Leopold said awkwardly averting his gaze as he fixes her clothing to cover her up more.
“I didn’t expect her to be a lightweight. I assumed since she has a drinking hall she would be accustomed to it.”
“No… She uses this to relieve stress”
“Why are you talking about me like I don’t have a name?! My name is Graham Hitomi!”
“Hitomi? That’s an unusual name”
Hitomi glares at me.
“My father is the one who gave me that name. He was once a hero like you but different. He was summoned from a place called Japan.”
“How’d you know I’m a hero?”
She lets go of Leopold and looks at me seriously
“You have the same power that my late father had. You have the sin of lust. The weakest of all the seven sins.”
“Seven?”
Leopold asks
“Weakest?!”
“Indeed there is a total of seven sin skills. However right now me and your father only knows the five. Lust, Envy, Greed, and Pride. Envy came from our kingdom so I know her personally the others not so much.”
“Then do you know their abilities?”
I asked her
“Perhaps”
She responds as she drinks from the bottle she’s holding.
“Perhaps?! Tell me!”
I grab her arm to stop her from drinking.
She looks at me in a shuddering glare.
“I may be drunk but I’m still the empress. You try anything and I will have you executed, hero or not.”
I let go of her arm with a click of my tongue.
“Ah… I lost the will to drink. Whatever you guys can go now. Just tell the samurais at the forest to let you in by the order of me.”
She stands up all tipsy and headed out the door with bottle still in hand.
“You can stay here for tonight if you’d like. Alternatively there’s an inn close by, do whatever.
*burp*
Oh man… where’s the bathroom?”
She leaves the two of us in the room.
“To think that there are 3 more sin skills out there.”
“Yeah… that’s more of a problem than a solution. What if the four people we know don’t carry the sin skill we’re looking for? We’ll need to find the other three.”
Leopold stands up and dusts himself off.
“We won’t get anywhere sitting around. It’s late we should just stay here for the night.”
He walks outside the room looking for an attendant.
I have to find the skill user within a span of three months. It’s not going to be easy. Felicity is out of the picture, I’ve seen her skill first hand. That leaves me with five and if we’re lucky it might the person we’ll meet tomorrow.