Step Up, Not (3)

Nobles came pouring into the ballroom.

Served with wine and light tidbits, they chatted about. Some expressed their wishes, some holding negotiations, others introduced their sons and daughters to the heroes.

The banquet started, a hushed silence fell with the opening speech from His Majesty the king. Her majesty the queen and the other concubines also made a grand appearance.

This was after all, an event to congratulate the growth of the heroes. That was one of the three purposes.

Second was to announce the light hero as the empire's light and hope. Third was to appoint the heroes that will assist the light hero to achieve the nation's ultimate goal: to kill this cycle's demon lords.

In way.. it was the king's last ditch effort to keep Aoki Kaito and Jiwon as a main force of the kingdom. It was stupid, undoubtably. At the same time, it served another purpose, which was to show those of the noble class to put the kingdom's best interest at heart, even if it meant causing a certain level of dissatisfaction.

A convoluted ceremony that had many hidden purposes behind the seemling foolish act.

"This.. no, you have to come!" Siesta who sat on the princess seat was mumbling to herself as she tried everything she could to persuade Nine to get her sorry ass over here and stopped what was going to happen.

'There's nothing I can do about it. If I suddenly appeared saying that I'm not the Goddess, wouldn't it cause some weirder rumor to appear?' was the argument– which wasn't wrong, it made a lot of sense but..

Sasaki Ishisda, the light hero, called upon by His Majesty's retainer, made his way up to the throne.

He knelt.

The king's voice was soft, sombre, but donned power that seemed to shake the very minds of those in the hall, "May you clear a path to hope, clear the darkness by shining light unto us– become this kingdom's most powerful sword."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Pray the Gods and Goddess sing your victory," His Majesty the king held the holy sword with both hands and conferred it to him.

Ishida took the sword.

"Announce your vow."

Ishida nodded, and as previously rehearsed, he stood up and gallantly raised the sword into the air.

As if responding to his emotions. the holy sword glowed in a radiant light.

"You can entrust that I, Sasaki Ishida, the light hero, will become the empire— people's holy sword, smiting evil and bringing forth peace."

To that chunni-like declaration, an eruption of applause so grand it made the ballroom shake.

He walked down from the throne, applause still roaring.

"Sir Aoki Kaito," a retainer called out his name.

Another burst of applause rang throughout. Kaito flinched. With these many eyes watching him..

Clenching his fist, he did what he could to suppress the fear in his heart, taking strides forward to reach the stage.

"May you become the light's most powerful ally–"

"Your majesty."

A tension ran through the crowd, Kaito had just interrupted the king. He could feel the hairs of his skin rise– but he knew he had decided to do this. He had to reject it, he wasn't going to allow the kingdom to put a leash on him.

It was scary, to reject such a privilege passed down directly from the king himself however..

"I have decided to be a follower of the Goddess of Comfort, so I apologize, but I will have to decline."

— More important than following the flow of the world, the endless tugs of societal expectation– was to keep in touch with oneself's true path.

Siesta was frothing at the mouth– that was merely a metaphor– a metaphor which described the discord in her mind.

"The Goddess of Comfort? So those are not just rumors?" the king's powerful voice shook the room.

"Yes. Our lives have been saved by her once. I understand that this is a selfish wish of mine however, joining hands with such a powerful existence such as the goddess will increase the chances of our victory against the demon."

"Hm.." the king contemplated.

Cold seat poured out of his entire body. The anxiety he felt at those infinitely long few seconds.

"Is the reward not appropriate? Would you accept if the kingdom could assist you in your aspirations? The Goddess of Comfort, where she could be, would prosper much unhindered. Must the kingdom's sword and shield be confined to one's own territory? There was no such rule."

"Your Majesty, even so.. I don't wish to be placed under the kingdom's jurisdiction." Kaito said, gritting his teeth.

"Very well. May the blessings of the world be unto thee. You may go."

"Thank you your highness.." Kaito slowly walked off. The nobles who saw that had mixed opinions. When he reached the ground level, Takata Sayu went over and shamelessly embraced him in front of the eyes of everyone.

"It must have been my blunder," the king muttered to no one.

His Majesty's retainer continued to call out the names of the potential heroes that will from henceforth, become the nation's military might.

Wada Haru, Nakano Rika, Suzuki Ayaka, Sakurai Reina.. were among the few that accepted their title as the kingdom's sword and shield.

"Sir Park Jiwon."

"Rejected."

As one had expected, Jiwon gave the king an instant rejection– met by the absolute hush of the crowd. He hadn't even come in front of the king.

"May the blessings of the world be with you," the king said, unabated. Most probably that he had already expected this outcome.

"Your Majesty," Jiwon called out, "I will assure you one thing," he dug through his pocket for an item– the crowd gasped in horror.

A Philosopher's Stone.

"You can be sure that every single demon lord is my prey, and that I will do everything in my power to kill every last one of them," his words carried a weight that pressured everyone in his surroundings, it was very obvious the nobles were having a hard time standing their ground.

"I expect much from you, Sir Jiwon."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

And from hereon, only then did the banquet officially started.

The maids and butlers came pouring in with the food for the feast.

'I want to slap him in the face.'

'You're the one who caused this mess in the first place. What did you expect to happen?'

Now that Kaito had announced officially that he would join the Goddess in her adventurer's, the precarious nobles began grilling him with questions, sparked from curiosity.

How exactly would they go about this situation? Siesta didn't know anymore.. it has now become obvious that whoever Kaito clings to once he moves out of the castle would most likely be the hidden '13th Goddess'– aka, Nine.

"Laura."

"Hm?" She raised her head to meet Jiwon.

"Say ah," he held a slice of nicely coloured tuna out to her.

Laura pouted, but accepted the food which he fed.. her lowered eyelids opened wide in surprise. The taste of this.. it was amazing.

"What do you think?"

"You shouldn't have broken your promise."

"Huh? Ah.. um.."

"Her Highness Siesta is a cunning one," seeing his pitiful reaction, Laura decided to forgive him and move on with an excuse.

"Yes.. you're right.." Jiwon didn't know how to react to that.

Siesta looked pale, frequently glancing at Kaito's direction– who was experiencing a flood.

It was different from Jiwon where most nobles knew of his rebelliousness.

Siesta thought to tell Kaito of the truth this very instant– he was making a grave mistake. However, with such a thick crust of humans blocking off every possible entry point..

– Not yet. It's something that can't be said to the public..

"She's acting suspicious," Jiwon looked at Siesta, then at Kaito.

"Right.."

"Are you not eating?" It was odd how Laura hadn't taken anything. If anything, Jiwon himself felt that there was something suspicious about her actions too.

"Ah, I will get some."

"Sorry. I couldn't outwit Her Highnes.."

"Hmpph.."

Laura clicked her heels over to the food stations. There were various varieties to choose from. Rare food cuisines from the heroes' world such as rice, curry, karaage, takoyaki, sashimi, teriyaki, and grilled eels to fantasy foods like Le cream pie, full roast Tuffkan, Winter comb soup and Kraken stew.

"Oh, L-Laura-san. You're going to get Japanese food too?"

Laura merely nodded to Sasaki Ishida's question– which could be said as impolite however.. the main reason for doing so was to not poke the goblin's nest.

— The glare from the daughters in nobility were a little too dangerous for comfort.

Laura knew, but wasn't able to do anything about the light heroes' secret pleas for help.

"You should try the karaage with cheese.."

Laura nodded..

The glaring intensified.

Even when arriving to the crowded station of the food prepared by Jiwon– in hopes that she could shake him off from there–

"Grab some of the onions too, that's what gives this teriyaki dish a sweet aroma– "

Pointing to the chicken meat he said.

"This one too–"

Pointing to the fresh kimchi he said.

"You have to try the unagi too–"

He was desperate.. really desperate.

"Thank you very much for the recommendation– have a pleasant evening light hero.." it was now Laura's turn to get out of the situation.

"Wait, I haven't told you about.."

A weird phenomenon was occurring in the hall whereby Laura was being chased by the light hero— who was being chased by the daughters of the Duke, Marquis, Earl and Viscounts. A weird trend was forming.

Jiwon scratched his cheeks, realizing that perhaps the one who had the hardest time with women, was in fact, the light hero.

The daughters from different nobilites flanked the light hero's escape route, he could no longer follow Laura– he was surrounded.

Laura prayed for his well being inside her heart. She walked over to Jiwon's side.

It was also at this time that Moirae, who had just finished chatting with the other heroes, started to approach him.

An electric field seemed to manifest as the three grew closer to each other.

"Oppa."

"Jiwon-san."

It wasn't like Jiwon was having no trouble either..

Laura presented him with curry, karaage and rice. Moirae presented him with a fruit sundae with various toppings.

===

The two were strolling down the road, on the way back to the castle.

Moirae opened her mouth.

"Are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know how.."

Laura was in an impasse.

Noel– which was to her, the Creator of this world– the fact that he was a demon lord? What was going on? She didn't want to believe that it was the Creator who caused the chaos in their previous life.

"It's different. They didn't exist in the previous life."

This explanation made things clear to Moirae. So the Creator was an allies, however..

"What would he think of this.."

"I don't know.. Oppa.."

Yes. Jiwon's obsessive desire to kill every single demon lord in the world.. Would they be able to persuade him to spare Noel and Liliath? The chances of a misunderstanding to occur, was far more likely, which would indefinitely cause a rift in their relationship if not handled well.

"Actually, how was it that you were able to meet them? Wasn't it barely a season ago that they arrived?"

"That's a secret.." Laura stuck her tongue out.

Moirae rolled her eyes at that response.

"Eh.. that could work," Laura hit on something.

"What could work?"

"That secret.."

===

"Oppa."

"Hm?" he looked at Laura, with a slightly panicked face.

"Tonight, in bed, think of the Goddess Bleu."

"Hah?"

It was an unusual request, Jiwon couldn't help but react in a bewildered manner. Bleu? A Goddess?

"It's Bleu-sama," Moirae corrected.

"She doesn't mind it."

"I do!"

"Bleu-sama? I'm not getting this," Jiwon wanted clarification.

"I'm sorry I hadn't revealed this to you but I am personally able to communicate with The Goddess of Comfort," Laura confessed.

Jiwon paused to think for a moment, "The Goddess of Comfort is.. Bleu-sama?"

"Yes."

"Then.. the person Kaito mentioned," Jiwon turned to the crowd.

"It's a misunderstanding," Moirae said.

"Check your status, it should be there."

"Status.."

[Bleu's Blessing]

"What the.."

"Oppa. One more thing," before he could finish, Laura grabbed his head and made him stare into her olive eyes, "Please prepare yourself for tonight."

He tried to blink with his squashed face.

Prepare himself for tonight.. which means..

Jiwon's face cramped at the possibility.

Another misunderstanding was created.

"Aoki-sama."

"Yes?"

Finally, after a long debate with herself, Her Highness Siesta approached the black haired boy with a wondrous smile.

Kaito felt his throat move reflexively. Sayu, who clung close to him, glared at Her Highness Siesta suspiciously.

"Do you mind if I may speak to the two of you.. in private?" Siesta's smile grew wider– it was sugary, to the point where one could even call it creepy. Those in their surroundings backed-off a few steps.

"W-What do you want to do with him!!" Sayu shouted.

"Nothing really. I had wished to talk to the two of you. Not him alone, it wouldn't make sense to have business with him alone."

"Hey.. Sayu.. Maybe we should listen to her for a bit?"

"Y-yes.. I must be overreacting my part," Sayu tried to laugh it off.. it only made her look insecure. Most probably because of the insurmountable engagement letters he had been receiving, both verbally and written the past few days.

They came to the corner of the ballroom. Kaito holding a plate of takoyaki, unfortunately there weren't any bonito flakes conveniently lying around so Jiwon had improvised by using dried fish that added a more cheesy taste to it. Sayu stole from the plate Kaito had in hand.

"Look. You're making a big mistake, you shouldn't have announced something like that," Siesta's smile disappeared, replaced by a frightening look of concern.

"A-Announce what?" taken off guard by the sudden shift, Kaito couldn't help but worry.

"The Goddess of Comfort isn't that person you know to be as Nine. He's an Irregular."

"Huh?"

"I've received notice to prove you the truth. Tonight, the two of you, think of the Goddess Bleu-sama. That is the true 13th Goddess."

"Bleu-sama? How come you know that this is the real Goddess of Comfort."

"It's not something within my boundaries to explain, and I do not wish to poke myself into their matters. If you want, you should ask them yourselves. Tonight, during your sleep, think of the Goddess Bleu-sama. I've said it trice, keep what I had said in mind."

"Twice."

"Doesn't matter. If you don't, expect to regret making such a bold declaration in front of every high noble."

"So you're saying Nine-sama isn't a Goddess?"

"Absolutely not. That I can assure you."

"I see.. you've been hiding your connections with her all along."

"I thought this information had been clarified a long time ago?"

"Bleu-sama correct? We'll keep that in mind," Sayu nodded.

"Please do. With this, I'll leave way for you two to enjoy the evening together– don't misunderstand my intent. Be sure to check your status and confirm with your own eyes what it is I say is true."

Siesta walked away.

And soon after, the influx of nobles came rushing at them again–

Kaito thought this made no sense.. it was as if Her Highness Siesta had some anti-human magic placed on her– not that he knew such magic existed..

In their status, [Bleu's Blessing] was now in effect.