16 CHAPTER 15: IT’S NEVER TOO LATE (2)

Sarah Campbell POV:

"Fuaa…Another beautiful…day?"

When I wake up, there is no maid beside the bed as usual. The window is not even opened like usual. The room is a bit dark and the air feels restless. This…this doesn't look good.

I leave my room and the hallway is empty as well.

"Fuaa…Good morning." I then hear Tiffanie's voice behind me.

"Hello. How are you?"

Just like me, she woke up by herself. Though her bed's hair is bad, I have always liked how black they are. She is scratching her stomach while walking to me and yawning. Although we have a different knight teaching us, since we are only three girls, they decided to place us in the same place. Which reminds me…

"Eleonor is still sleeping, right?"

"I don't know, Sarah. But since that bitch won't wake up unless someone comes to get her…"

"You still call her a bitch, even now?"

"It's not my fault she is flaunting her ass to whoever wants to see it."

"Sigh…Anyway, I will go and wake her up. In the-"

"Nah, let me have the honor. Just go and find out why there is no one here."

"Hm…okay. Just don't be too rough with her, okay?"

"I will try to."

Tiffanie leaves for Eleonor's room and I leave the building on my own. Right when I arrive outside, I find guards throttling in huge groups, leaving the building. Could it be…

"Miss hero!" The knight training Eleonor arrives to me, running with a huge amount of sweat on his face. Where did he come from like this?

"Good morning."

"Fuuu…Good morning. I am sorry to come this late but we are in trouble."

"What is happening?"

"A messenger has arrived from Iacta. The demons have breached through the borders and they are heading here. It is to believe that Iacta is already besieged as well."

"What?!!!" That idiot!! I knew I should have dragged him back with me! "Where is Emilia?"

"She is currently holding an emergency council with the other knights of the order. I have been tasked with you heroes' preparation. I have already warned all the boys and they are heading for the church to receive their gear. Please, allow me to escort you as well."

"Okay, let me just go and call the others."

I enter back in a hurry but before I can reach Eleonor and Tiffanie, I fall. What happened? When I turn to see what made me fall, there is nothing. But my legs are trembling like never before.

"This is all your fault." Why did you have to resist now? If only you stayed silent and weak as you always had, I would have brought you here with me.

"What are you doing on the floor? Did you lose something?" Eleonor's voice resounds in my head like a wake-up call. She is right. What am doing, lying on the floor like this? Whatever happens to him is his problem. I tried to help him but he didn't want to hear it.

"No, I was coming to call you guys and I fell down."

"Hm…The oh so great knight that you are stumbled. What a surprise."

"Hmph. Anyway, the demons are coming. We have been asked to get ready."

"Ehhh?!! Come on, I am still sleepy."

"Shut up and let's go. You went to sleep before everyone yesterday." Tiffanie is always strict with Eleonor. They weren't friends back on earth but it seems they got closer here.

"You and your patronizing…" Or maybe not.

***

After changing, we follow the knight to the church but to my surprise, not all the guys are here. I don't see four of them. I knew that selfish guy wouldn't come but even his lackeys…Well, I shouldn't be too surprised.

"Good morning, Ian."

"Good morning, Sarah. Today doesn't seem to be a good day."

"Let's hope when can make it better then."

"Yeah, let's hope so."

"Ian."

"Tiffanie."

Ian and Tiffanie have two identical skills. I don't why but it turned them into absolute rivals. I just hope it won't go beyond rivalry.

"Good morning, guys." I greet the others boys who have formed small groups but they simply reply by waving their hands.

Eleonor doesn't even bother and goes straight to the priest standing before the door.

"Can you give us our gear now? I want to see if they are cute or not."

"Please, wait just a moment, miss hero. The head priest is coming with the keys."

"What? You mean you don't have a key?"

"Sadly, I don't."

"Are you sure?" She grabs his arm and starts pressing her body against his. The guy turns bright red and she smiles like a demon seeing that. She really likes teasing. "Hilarious! Damn, look how red you got! So hilarious!"

"Bitch…" I hear a whisper coming from one of the groups and it seems I am not the only one.

"Oh come on, don't be shy. If you have something to say, say it to my face." Eleonor seems to have heard it as well. She uses her skill and the air starts becoming uncomfortable.

Domination's eyes. A skill that lets her takes control of anyone who is below her level. Ever since she learned to use it, she has been abusing it so much on the boys during training that all of them got frustrated and started skipping training. Although it doesn't work on Ian or that bastard, it is still a very useful skill, I guess.

"Restraint." I use my own skill to stop her before this goes out of hand again. Restraint is used to reduce the effects of an action or a property but to do so, I must first know its effects and the target which it is aimed at. "Eleonor, not today please."

"Tch. You fucking busybody." If only you knew that I just saved you from Tiffanie's wrath.

We then silently wait a little more and I can't hide my anxiousness. Why can't cellphones work here?! I would have been able to call him…call him? Now that I think about it, I don't have his number. No, wait, I am not even sure I ever saw him with a cellphone. In fact, I never saw him outside of school as well. Was he ever going out?

While I am thinking about that selfish idiot, the head priest arrives. She is the woman who designed the magic circle that brought us here. We haven't had a lot of time to talk since we came here but once this is over, I hope she will be able to bring us back. As always, her head is wrapped with the priest's goon, leaving only her face appears. I wonder what is the color of her hair.

Without any greetings, she walks past us, opens the door then enters.

"You may come." It's only once she is inside that we hear her voice.

We enter and find different armors placed all around. All of them are made of gold and their design is so unrealistic and beautiful you wouldn't think they were crafted by men. I think I have ever only seen that kind of armors when I was watching a TV anime show. To think I would see one in real life one day.

"Please, hurry and get ready. Time is scarce."

"What if we don't want to." As always, Eleonor is playing her hard to get. I must admit that I am growing tired of her attitude as well.

"Then it would be better for you to leave the city now. Because once they will be here. There will be no choice but to die or die."

"Yeah, I guess I will do that. Prepare a carriage for me." The head priest shakes her head in denial as Eleonor says that. A carriage? Did you think it is that easy?

"No, no. You are mistaken. If you leave now, it is by your own means. We can't afford to lose men for you now." See? I told you.

"What?" She walks to the head priest and grabs her with such aggressivity that her goon stretches. Finally, I have seen her hair. They are of a beautiful grey. "Do I have to remind you that you guys brought us here without our consent? And now, what? You want us to fight to death for you? You are getting me a carriage or I am killing you right here."

"Go ahead then." The head priest grabs Eleonor's hand and the next moment, she falls to her knees.

"W-what?" Her hands, her legs, it's like her whole body just lost its strength. "What have you done to me?!'"

"Pressure points. You may be heroes but you are still humans. Please do not forget that it may be a favor you are doing to us but we are doing our best as well to repay it."

"Fuck you, bitch!! I am killing you as soon as I am getting up, you hear me!"

I thought Eleonor would be using her skill but she doesn't. Could it be that she can't?

We are all focused on what is happening when I hear a rustling noise behind me. When I turn around to look who is making that noise, I find Ian dressing up with one of the golden armor.

"Ian, what are you doing, man?" The other boys look at him all surprised but he doesn't say anything and simply continues putting on the armor.

He is right. There is no need to think about it much. They called us because they needed our help. Now is the time to show them they weren't wrong. I do the same and walk to an armor that seems to be made for girls. The skirt is a little short but it should be okay.

"Where can I change?"

"Over there, miss hero." The priest who was there at the beginning comes with me and carries the armor.

"Sarah! You bitch! Why are you following those dumbasses' orders?! You traitor!!"

Eleonor keeps insulting but just like Ian, I won't answer. It's better not to answer. Soon after me, I see Tiffanie entering the changing room as well.

"I guess it is time to see the results of everything we have been doing so far, right?" She smiles at me and now, I can see that she is trembling.

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine." At least I hope so myself.