Holy Mission (part 2)

After about five minutes of waiting, the king and his family finally entered the throne room.

The throne room is a large box-shaped room, with many steps of stairs in the room that leads to the throne of the king and his family. There are multiple pillars to support the flat roof, the very roof with multiple golden chandeliers decorating and lighting the room up. Aside from the chandelier, brightness also came from the sunlight that pierces the window right behind the throne.

A red carpet was placed in the middle of the room all the way up the stairs, to his highness's throne. Our position was to be on the red carpet, and since our position is based on the rankings, I was placed on the very front, right in the middle of the carpet. Jack and Rose at the very back of the line, while everyone else in the middle also forming a two row line.

The rest who were not heroes stood at the right and left side of the room. The pope and his people on the right, while the vice general and his knights on the left. The head of the royal knight stood right behind where the king's throne is, and he did not need to bow when the king and his family arrived in the room.

Everyone else bowed when the royal family entered, and the room turned dead quiet ever since.

The king and his family sat down, showing a very complete display of power by having every single one of his family attending this meeting. 

The king and queen had two sons and one daughter, all above the age of twenty. The youngest is the princess at the age of twenty two years old, the middle son is the prince at the age of twenty five years old, while the crown prince is the oldest at the age of twenty seven years old. Meanwhile, the king and queen themselves are already well beyond fifty.

It should be time for a change soon, huh…?

Aside from all the important people present in the room, there is one more person that is less important but still contributes a lot to this meeting. That person is the head butler, an old man in his sixties, and he will be the one moderating the meeting.

He was previously standing outside, waiting for the royal family to enter. Now that everyone was already present, he entered from the side door and began speaking.

"All of you, may rise."

Everyone in the room was already kneeling when the royal family entered, and after the butler spoke, we all began standing up slowly. After we stood up, I turned my gaze forward towards the king and stared at him dead in the eyes.

"The date is October 15th. The discussion of the completion of the Holy Mission issued by His Highness, done by six of the Eleven Great Heroes of Ardjestyn, will begin."

The butler spoke loudly and confidently, as if he memorized those exact lines a hundred times before.

After saying that, he bowed and began stepping backwards to get out of the king's vision. He arrived right next to the pope and his people, and he stood there nicely.

On the top of the stairs, the king stood up. He lifted his hands up, and with a strong enough energy, he clapped.

CLAP!!!!

CLAP!!!!!!!

Everyone was rather startled by that sudden high pitched sound, since the clap was really loud. The room is a closed one, so sound will definitely bounce back into our ears. And the old guy really clapped so hard, his hands must be turning red.

But… everyone here knows… just from his expression, everyone can already tell.

Of how proud the king is.

"You guys… are absolutely insane…"

Up until now, everything has been so formal. The way the room turned silent when he and his family entered, the way the butler spoke so stiffly to begin the meeting, even how we bow is also very stiff.

Seeing the king now… breaking character, is somewhat funny.

Everyone grinned at the sight. Even I, formed a curl on my cheeks.

"The legendary thousand year old dragon that has been haunting the lands for many centuries… You guys have slain it.

You!! Who is still so… So… young!!

Especially Rake!!"

Hearing my name getting called so suddenly, I turned my surprised gaze back to the king. The king must've realized something, because he immediately looked panicked and coughed to clear his throat.

"I mean--Paladin Hero! You are not even twenty yet!! And yet, you've done such a great feat!! I am so amazed and proud… I don't even know what to say!"

Hearing his majesty being so honest, I chuckled and closed my eyes.

"Your majesty… you were the one who issued the mission."

"And I was scared!! Because it was such an impossible mission!! I was worried that I might just send six of the kingdom's best people to death… But you guys… proved otherwise.

No one… not even the warriors of the past, not even heroes from the other kingdoms on this land… has ever done that kind of feat. Not even those all mighty elves on the elf mountain!!

I am… so proud."

Hearing the king being this honest, everyone chuckled. I also chuckled, since this whole thing was rather wholesome.

"So? Tell me! How did you guys do it?"

The king then asked, and so I nodded. It's time I tell the story.

"Yes, your highness. It was like this…"

I began telling all the events that happened, starting from the beginning. All the details, even the things we do when we are on our way to the dragon's den. The blunder that Arthur did, and the way Jack protected him afterwards. And how Arthur proved himself afterwards by contributing to slaying the dragon by grabbing its attention and aiding in the battle.

Everyone listened very well, nobody cuts me off when I tell the story. Even Arthur stayed silent when I badmouthed him when I was telling about the problem he had.

And at the end of my speech, I added a few things.

"Arthur's blunder might've been worrisome and dangerous, but it was covered nicely by Jack. He made a mistake indeed, but he proved himself afterwards by contributing to the fight very well. 

If I may say, we wouldn't be able to kill the dragon that easily without Arthur."

Hearing me saying that last part made everyone turn wide-eyed. From my story, it was very clear that Arthur made a big mistake and should be punished for, since what he did could have jeopardized the mission and even killed him in the process. And yet, here I am covering him.

The king was very surprised by this, and he closed his eyes to give this a bit more thought.

"I see… so it was all teamwork, you were saying?"

"Indeed, your highness. I wouldn't be able to kill the dragon without… Everyone's contribution."

The king gave it some thought, even everyone became rather curious as to what will come out of his mouth next. It's clear from the story that Arthur was problematic, but I explained the good things for him and so it should've lessened the negative view given to him.

Which is why, everyone is curious about what the king's next words are. And before long, their curiosities disappeared.

"All right. I see how it is.

Arthur Bladeforce, son of Duke Bladeforce. You have made a mistake that may or may not ruin an entire holy mission… this fact cannot be forgotten despite how well you do to recompense it."

Hearing that, Arthur lowered his gaze. Everyone else also turned pity, but the king was not done speaking.

"But! Since you did recompense it later on by contributing to the mission, your punishment shall be lessened.

Don't worry, it's not that big of a deal! You and everyone else did a great job at an impossible holy mission! How can I punish you heavily when you have helped the kingdom!? I'm not dumb!!"

Hearing that, things began to brighten up. Light has returned to Arthur's lifeless eyes, and everyone else also grinned from how kind and easy-going the king is at the moment.

"Your punishment is to serve the people as a regular knight. You will live for a week as a low ranking knight, and you will roam around the capital as a regular, low ranking knight. How does that sound, Arthur?"

Hek?!

O-One week…?

One whole week of the pain of a life like that!? And his highness actually thought that was light?

I guess… It was indeed light. When compared to a death sentence, it was indeed light.

Arthur sees it this way, and he happily shouted as he answered.

"Yes, your majesty!!"

Hearing his reply, the king nodded and turned to the vice general. The vice general understood his gaze and nodded as well.

"I will see to it, your majesty. Don't worry."

"Thank you, then I shall leave it to you. Pope Callius, anything to say?"

The king turned to the pope and his people at the right side of the room. The pope shook his head as he answered.

"Nothing of importance, your highness."

"Then, we may move on. Because the legendary dragon has been taken cared of, looks like we can continue with the next holy mission, correct?"

The king said with a really happy tone, but everyone here knows exactly how important holy missions are. Everyone turned gloomy immediately, as we all waited for the holy mission to be told.

The king grinned, and he slanted his eyes towards me as he gave the next holy mission. 

Immediately, I knew this one was going straight to me.

"To the greatest hero of Ardjestyn… the Paladin Hero, Rake Ignicius!"

Not the eleven heroes. Not the six heroes who went on the journey to slay the dragon. Not Jack, or Arthur.

It was for me, and it was my final one.

"You have proven time to time… that you are the greatest. You led and completed a nearly impossible holy mission with just six men, and came back unscathed."

The most important one that will forever change… everything.

"And for that… I shall bestow upon you… the next holy mission. Only… you."

My life, the kingdom, everyone…

That will forever change… Me.

"Are you up for the task?"

The king asked me one last time. To make sure if I am ready, to make sure if I have the body and heart to do a holy mission, to make sure that I am confident… that I can complete it.

It was the greatest mistake… of my life.

"Yes, your highness!!"

I said proudly, not even noticing how difficult the mission might be.

I should have said no. How beautiful our world would be, if only I said no.

But at the time, all I thought was my father. How happy he would be, if I completed my own holy mission. 

A nearly impossible holy mission that was given only for me, how proud would my father be…? And how happy would I be, if he started looking at me? If he praised me??

Greed, ate my heart completely. A pointless greed that never should have happened.

That was the downfall of every good thing in this world.

The birth of hell. The endline of peace. The last sign of hope.

World's greatest sin.

"Rake Ignicius, the Paladin Hero. 

Go to the south, to the territory of the Ethelen kingdom, the Velborn Kingdom.

Take a disguise, hide among the ranks. You need to infiltrate their defense, and you will safely arrive at the center of their power.

Tear it apart… assassinate their higher ranks. Take over their weapons, and make them powerless. That is your Holy Mission, Rake Ignicius.

Destroy… those wretched demonic blood.

Take down the Velborn Kingdom… From the inside."