Arc 6. A seemingly endless loss
Road to a Hero:
Three chances in another world
Chapter 9. A gloomy, yet warm welcome
While waiting in an inn right side of the entrance of Valatrositce’s capital, Gray and the others eat complimentary breakfast. Gray smacks his lips on some hot syrup-drenched pancakes, which he had shown the cooks how to make. On the other hand, everyone else just eats some eggs.
Soku: “Could you smack your lips any louder?”
Gray: “Mhp…sorry, can’t hear you over the smacking of my lips.”
Soku flicks his forehead, then goes back to eating her eggs. Everyone remains silent, simply enjoying the calm, to be met with coffee by an ecstatic employee at the Inn, another delicious item they had been gifted with by another fan.
The worker begins handing everyone their coffee, as giddy as all can be
Inn worker: “Dark coffee for the End Bringer, light roast coffee with a hint of milk for the Golden Knight, medium roast coffee with heavy milk for the Elf of Winds, and dark roast for the Phantom Knight…Oh, and just milk for the dark elf.
She walks off filled with glee, going to talk to her fellow employees about this sudden joy sitting in the common area.
Soku: “Didn’t think you’d be the one to like dark roast.”
Gray: “Hmp, just another layer to my character.”
Soku flicks his head again, causing Rosemary to chuckle. Gray touches the spot on his head, faking a wail in pain.
Edward: “I’ve never been to Valatrositce, it’s nicer than I thought. Still gloomy though.”
Gray: “Yeah, then the name makes it seem like it’s super gothic, and not that it isn’t. The unnecessary spires on most of the buildings, the gray sky, dark buildings, and yet, it’s pretty cheerful.”
Peter sips on his milk, staring off into space, aloof to the current conversation. He pushes his eggs with his fork, waiting for something to happen.
Rosemary rubs her dry eyes as well as lets out a long yawn.
Gray: “You look like you’re doin’ better.”
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Rosemary: “Yeah, ever since we got out of the carriage I’ve been feeling a lot better.”
Edward: “Well that’s nice.”
Rosemary: “So, do we stay at an Inn, or is Julius gonna come and get us?”
Edward: “We may have to walk, or they could escort us.”
Gray turns around, looking at the guards at the Inn’s entrance, making sure nobody comes in while they’re eating.
Gray: “Hey dudes! What are we doin’!?”
The guards look at each other, then look back at Gray, saying nothing.
Gray: “Oh, thanks guys, so helpful.”
Edward: “Well, let’s finish our food and start walking.”
Soku groans, placing her face on the table.
Soku: “Can we not have to do something every five minutes?”
Gray: “I agree, we’ve been traveling for days, an hour more and I might explode.”
Edward turns to Peter, realizing he hasn’t been eating his food, but decides to not metal. A few minutes pass and everyone slowly finishes their food, and Peter decides to throw his food away.
They then all stand up and go to leave, only to be stopped by the quiet guards.
Gray: “Okay guys, it was funny and quirky before, but you can move now.”
The guards only respond with grunts, so Gray tries to push them aside, and then push him back.
Edward: “Please, we need to get going. It would be a big help if you moved aside.”
Guard one: “I’m sorry but you must wait.”
Gray is surprised by the fact they can speak, but then once he realizes that they just weren’t speaking to him, he gets aggravated. Soku notices at the same time, causing her to start pointing and laughing at Gray.
Soku wipes her face, getting serious.
Soku: “Look dude, we gotta GO!”
They’re about to force their way through but stop once the guards simply move out of the way.
Gray: “No way.”
Everyone is stunned and excited, watching as Julius Cromwell enters the Inn. Gray walks up to him, attempting to hug him, but Julius pays no mind to him. Walking right up to Edward, Julius gives him a firm handshake and a smile.
Edward: “Nice to you again.”
Julius: “As to you, as to all you. I am glad you got my letter. Now, let us enter my carriage and we will be off to the castle.”
Gray: “Yes! Another castle. We’re going to have visited three out of the four castles of Saga’s nations!”
Rosemary: “That is an achievement, I wonder what it’ll look like. Walgonia’s is gigantic, Athens is like a big pillar, Valatrositce’s must be as grand as the others.”
Julius: “Well, I promise you that it will be worth the long and grueling trip you had to go on to see it.”
Julius leads the gang outside to an impressive carriage. Light red wood with black and golden accents paired well with the white gems placed around it. Everyone admires the carriage, Peter even goes in for a closer look, going to touch the Valatrositce crest, which is in the center of all the wheels.
Julius pushes his hand away, then opens the door for them to get inside. While sitting on the street, Peter looks at the destroyed Silver Chariot, which is just smoking and taking up space in the street.
Peter: “What are we gonna do about that?”
Julius: “I will get somebody to gather it.”
Everyone goes inside, getting a look at the completely white interior. Peter is the last to get in, swiping his fingers across the chest placed on the small flags hanging off the side of the carriage to spite Julius.
Gray: “These seats are so much comfier than the ones in our carriage bro.”
Gray slouches down in the nice leader seats filled with wool, laying down in it like a bed.
Soku: “It feels really good on my back, not those knitted animal fur wood seat things on our last ride.”
Rosemary: “THOSE SEATS WERE ANIMAL SKIN! I TOLD YOU I WAS ALLERGIC!”
Soku sucks in her lips, losing eye contact with Rosemary.”
Rosemary: “Ugg.”
Julius knocks on the carriage door, signaling the guard driving the carriage to get going.
Julius: “In a little under thirty minutes you will be able to mark the Valatrositce castle off your list.”
Gray: “Thinkin' about it, I might have to start a bucket list.”
END OF Chapter Nine