Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Keru’s journey

After holding my ground for a tad longer with Alisa, she allowed me to take a long rest, justifying that there was nothing worth getting from overburdening my body. 

And it was just when I felt my body reaching its utmost limit that she let go of me. Thus, I had sneaked my way into my room after eating some bread with butter. 

“Ah, this is heaven,” I indulged myself in the soft linens, which kept Sofia’s scent, going as far as to actually take a sniff at her side of the bed.

“Hmm...” I hugged her long pillow with my arms and legs, unable to resist the loneliness, snoozing afterward. The tiredness in my body left me with no choice but to comply with its bodily desires.

Some days later, much further to the east, a sole man remained asleep next to a pile of straw. Both were in a cart pulled by a mule. He had made his way to the center of the kingdom. 

At the gates of the castle, two guards raised their spears.

“Halt! Who goes there?”

The old farmer poked the sleeping figure with a cane, waking him up.

“Hum? Hmm...” a loud yawn followed as he did his best to open his eyes. 

“Are we...” with one finger he lifted the straw hat a bit, finding the answer to his question. He then took some coins, extending them to the man who let him ride.

“Thank you, stranger.”

He left the cart without uttering a word, encircling it till he met a spear up his face.

“No weapons allowed past here,” the guard declared with a menacing tone and a not-so-diplomatic weapon in his hands.

“Inventory, store,” the weapon vanished from their sights, creating confusion in their minds.

“It is gone. Can I go now? I’m expected.”

They traded worried glances, knowing that he could probably just make it appear again. Thus, one of them changed the entering condition. 

“Permit?” 

Keru retrieved a ring from his pocket, showing it to him.

“A-Aria?” The spears rose, a typical reaction. 

“Are you a messenger from the Aria family?”

“Yes, something like that.”

The gatekeeper kept some doubts because of the way Keru was. The way he didn’t outright make his own life easier. 

But the guards knew that those who carried the Aria family bloodline had exquisite silver hair. Thus, the man before them had to be a messenger. 

And the odds that he had stolen the ring were incredibly low. After all, that family was two-faced, certainly not a place for the common-minded folk, the naive, and weak men.

The founder had not made it so that only nobles could serve the family. Peasants and even those of other races could work for them, as long as they were talented. There was, from the very beginning, a type of discrimination against the talentless, the reason the current young master was struggling. 

It was very hard for anyone’s kid to not attain the level of their predecessor at the respective age. The will of fate expects that the next generation will be greater, even if they have to get more successors to replace the failures. 

But sadly to Astal, Sofia’s birth had corrupted her mother’s chances of ever giving birth again. Thanks to this event, the family's prestige was slowly on the decline. Three daughters and only one son. Fortune hadn’t smiled at this generation. 

It didn’t take long for Keru to arrive at her highness's throne. There was a line that one would need to go through to receive an audience. But it was based on prestige, so it consumed little of his time. 

Compared to the past ones in other kingdoms, this one had been a blessing.

With the great gates closing on his back, as matters within this room were of utmost secrecy, he approached her highness, staying about fifteen steps away. 

The royal guards stood in two lines, having their leader by the queen regent. Another man also stood by her side, an audience announcer.

“Greetings, your highness,” Keru curved himself, showing the ring on the top of his palm. 

He dared not to use it on a finger. If he did, and Astal got to know about it, he would cut Keru’s hand on the spot. Friendship aside, the lord’s loyalty remained to the one on the throne, and the reincarnated young man knew it well.

“I am Keru, a messenger of a deity, the white-winged angel.”

The queen made a bewildered expression. It had been way too long since someone spouted such tales, even worse bringing them into the court. The ones related to mysterious angels capable of gracing those who lived in this world. This woman made sure no one mentioned it for a few decades to keep the religion away.

“The sentence to lie in front of your queen is death,” the leader of the royal guards added coldly, tightening his grasp over the pommel of his sword, a long silver sword resting by his waist.

“I can prove my words if the queen accepts to lift the restriction of weapons in this room.” 

Keru patiently waited, holding his hat under his arm as they whispered to one another.

Upon reaching a decision, the leader removed his sword from the scabbard and he shouted, “encircling formation.”

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The many guards around Keru followed his gesture and formed a circle around him, keeping a safe distance and an even safer environment for the queen.

“Show me the proof,” she rested her elbows on the arms of the throne, placing her chin over the entangled hands.

At that, Keru extended his arm to the front, calling up to his inventory.

“Seventh blessing: black blade,” an obsidian scabbard appeared out of thin air, creating surprise among the men, and instilling fear within some of them. It had been like night suddenly appeared before their eyes, causing the room to darken a bit. 

There was no longer doubt within her heart and mind. At that, she stood, watching from afar at an abnormality.

“Are you saying that you have more blessings than that?” 

Keru smiled faintly, realizing that the queen was by far not dumb. She was competent enough to guess what the number seven meant. But there was also a chance that he could’ve chosen that weapon out of many options. Yet, he dared not to lie in her presence. He was an honest man, and he knew the day would come when lies would surface if he committed any.

“Yes. Though the only weapon I’ve successfully awakened was this one.” 

At his words, the chimes rang by themselves, causing two of the men to take half a step back, surprised.

“I will not allow you to start a religion in my kingdom,” she loathed the embodiment of faith with all her heart. 

“I have no interest in that. I came to this world to save it,” he made a serious expression, focusing his sight on her highness eyes, noticing the shock on her face. Thus, he came clean, adding in a louder tone, “I want to save it from the brink of destruction.”

“What do you mean by that?” The guard spoke in the queen's place, news too overwhelming that he couldn’t resist not asking right away.

“To find the cause is my next goal. To put an end to it is my ordeal. I came here today to seek information about this matter, but it seems it hasn’t reached this far.”

The queen’s arm stretched towards him, pointing a finger as she remained resolute and sturdy, “didn’t your angel tell you?”

“She didn’t, saying it was up to me to figure things out, in exchange for receiving great power.”

His hand gripped the scabbard, looking down on it with a radiant smile and reminiscing eyes. 

“I’ve been getting stronger since I was born, traveling through this vast world. And recently, I’ve been close to a great war between the fox tribe and the grey wolf clan.”

With the change of subject, the queen returned to her seat, “I received a report about it, to think the foxes would fall...”

“Indeed...” he averted his gaze away, remembering the number of corpses that together would make a tower to reach the sky. 

“I’m looking for calamities throughout the world. There have been some races more troublesome than others, and I’ve found a couple of numbered demon nests.”

“Can’t say I’ve heard anything good about them. Practically everyone who enters one ends up dead.”

“A terrifying place, but thankfully they do not leave it often,” he muttered just loud enough for his voice to reach them.

Then he gazed upon them, one by one, turning his body to face those around him. 

“I’ll do what I can to prevent the worst outcome and find a way out of this mess. I would, however, like some support,” he lowered his head in hopes of a positive answer.

“If you don’t divulge your deity to my people, I’ll send some men your way when the time comes.” 

She got up, looking down at him, “after all, I do not wish to see my kingdom destroyed in my generation.”

She smiled proudly, having achieved a lot during her rule, far more victories than others had. The throne room had some visible records of certain feats, heads of former beastly leaders, and even embroidered carpets with a certain design. Many of these told a unique story about her deeds.

“Thank you, and before I leave, there’s something I’d like to report.”

“Go on,” she furrowed her right eye, gaining some curiosity once more.

“A few days ago, soldiers from the wolf clan invaded your territory, bringing rampage upon the Aria territory.”

“What the!?” The men looked at each other, confused about how such was possible. They hadn’t breached the peace treaty before, not in that nasty manner at least.

“Of course not to worry. Astal killed them all, but I’m afraid that it is only the start.”

“They certainly cannot be allowed to occupy the territory of the fox tribe. It would only allow them to grow stronger,” her tongue scorned the enemies of humanity. Despite trying to be neutral with some of these world tribes, the wolf clan was clearly up to no good, since it wasn’t the first time that they had disputed human borders before.

“I agree, your highness. That is all on my side for now.”

“I’ll deliver a letter to the Aria family. The crown is grateful to your words here today.”

Keru lowered his head once again, “your words honour me, your grace.”

After he left, his eyes glanced over at the castle entrance, hoping to find another willing soul to get him further east, to a different kingdom. The second and last where humans reigned, had been the queen regent's suggestion in order to find out more information about his ordeal.

Thus, he continued his journey.

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