Episode 50: Tragedy (5)

******** Carolus' POV ********

I'm sleeping comfortably in my bed when I was woken up with a loud banging on my door.

God! I already told the flower sisters that I needed to rest.

I look at my inventory to see the clock. It is somewhere one or two o'clock in the afternoon.

I only managed to sleep for about six to seven hours. I guess that is a good thing considering how cruel this world is.

I quickly changed my clothing to royalty-ish then opened the door.

There is a man wearing a purple robe standing in front of me. I remember that type of clothing in the game. It is what a priest villager wear.

The priest quickly bowed to me.

"I apologize for disturbing your rest, your majesty." said the priest.

I didn't bother to say anything back to him and just turn around and sit on the chair.

"Sit. What do you want?" I said to him to quickly get to the point since I want to go back to bed and rest.

"Thank you, your majesty."

The priest quickly walked inside the room, close the door and grab a chair to sit.

"First, let me introduce myself. My name is Hektor and I'm one of the closest aides of the Prophet."

Okay. That is interesting.

I just remained silent while letting Hektor talk.

"I am tasked to tell you that you are forgiven for your sins of abandoning mankind and to urge you to finally face the destiny that the Goddess has given to you."

Great. Here we go again with the saving the world fiasco and why on earth is this guy talking about destiny? I don't even know why I am here in this world.

I just let the man talk and talk while his words come in my left ear and go out on the other side. All the things this guy is talking don't make sense or I don't really care so I just let him bark his way.

After a while, I'm starting to get bored listening to this guy and was about to order him to get out when suddenly he says words that make me want to punch him.

"That is why your majesty. We need to move right away to the capital so you can meet with the Prophet."

His head is fragile-looking that I only need to use a little bit of my strength to crush it.

I quickly calmed myself down.

I really want to get back to my own world as soon as possible so this right here is a great opportunity.

I quickly send Hektor outside to prepare myself for the travel when suddenly another person is knocking on my door.

Who is it now?

I opened the door to see that it is Poppy. She tried to bow to me but I quickly stop her and ushered her inside the room and sit her on the chair.

This is the only person on this side of the world that I can talk to comfortably.

"How can I help you, Lady Poppy?" I said her while eating a carrot since I started to get hungry.

I offered food and beverage to her but she just kindly refused.

"Poppy is fine, your majesty. It seems the priest already told you about the king's invitation."

Invitation? It is more like a demand to me.

"Also, I need to talk about my sister, Rose." Poppy continued.

Okay. This is a conversation I didn't expect to come up.

"She probably gave you a hard time but I just want you to know that she didn't mean it. She had... uhm... a rough road in life and just maintain a brave image. I hope you can understand her." Poppy said.

I didn't say anything back and nodded my head.

"Rose became responsible with so many people lives as such a young age when our mother passed away. She was only 16 at that time." Poppy continued and I just listen to her.

Damn. I know vaguely the tragic story of Rose's father but I didn't know that her mother is also dead. She also apparently inherited the title and position in the eastern territory that she quickly adapted and reform the place.

Rose tried to strengthen the eastern territory by building battleships and recruiting more soldiers. I guess you could say she really cares about her people's safety though I wonder where are those said ships and army since I didn't see any of them and the castle and wall are barely manned by soldiers.

Well, those are not my problems and Rose is back now so she can handle it herself.

After Poppy talking stories about her sister, Rose, she was about to leave when suddenly she stops and stare at me.

"I almost forgot. There is something I need to ask of you, King Carolus." Poppy said after a moment.

"What is it?"

"Rose is love in the eastern territory but she is hated in the capital and other places in the kingdom. They are jealous of her successes and wants to get rid of her. I hope you understand what I'm saying."

I don't understand what she is saying. Why would they hate Rose? She is quite snarky and rude but she is reliable and strong. I guess politics also exist in this world and is just as complicated.

I just nodded my head to Poppy and then she left the room.

Poppy said that Rose and the priest are preparing for the journey to the capital so I also made preparations of my own.

It didn't take long for me to get ready to travel and I quickly head outside to breathe some fresh air.

I was quickly greeted by gloomy people and so much destruction.

I'm walking outside the castle and decided to travel around on foot.

It is so bloody cold but I just endured it.

Houses are being rebuilt and soldiers are patrolling the areas.

The sun is already down and it is nighttime so I don't really think traveling right now is a good idea. I should suggest traveling tomorrow morning.

"You are awake."

I have suddenly greeted a voice behind me.

******* Rose's POV ********

"You are awake," I said to King Carolus while riding my horse.

I was giving orders to the people here before handing the matters to my sister, Poppy.

I made sure to rebuilt every house that was destroyed from the recent invasion and assured the remaining people here that I will definitely save their families from the phantoms. I just need to travel to the capital first to talk with the king.

There is also about the hole in the wall. I don't really want to fix that damn wall since it is nothing but problems to the eastern territory but when I heard the news about a powerful drowned attacking King Carolus, I decided to order to fix it since it is useful to repelling drowned attacks.

"I was woken up." King Carolus replied while didn't bother to turn around and face me.

I dismounted my horse and give the reins to my guard.

I then walked and stand beside him.

He was looking at the destruction and people faces.

I don't know what he is thinking right now but I do know that he recently defeated a giant phantom that plague this world for centuries.

If King Carolus can defeat those kinds of monsters alone, why did he decide to just hide? Did something happen to him in the past that made him turn his back on this world?

Now I think about it, I don't know anything about him. He is a quiet person and so mysterious. I guess will find out once we meet with the Prophet.

"You need to prepare for our travel to the capital. We will start traveling shortly." I said to him.

"I already finish preparing but it seems we can't travel tonight." King Carolus said while staring at the sky.

"What are you talking about?" I said to him while also staring at the sky.

It didn't take a while for me notice something.

The sun is already down and I can see the stars in the sky.

I can also see hundreds of phantoms flying.

"Rose. I have a question for you. What happens when you kill the leader of the monsters?" King Carolus casually asked me.

What? The leader of monsters?

Realization quickly came to me.

King Carolus just killed the leader of the phantoms. There will no one leading the Phantoms now.

I quickly turned around and face my guards.

"Sound the horns and prepare an evacuation!" I quickly ordered them and they quickly followed my orders.

After a moment, the sound of horns is now roaring in the air and people are frantically running towards the castle.

I equipped my bow in my hand and prepare for battle.

King Carolus also equipped a bow on his hand.

I haven't sleep yet since the last invasion and I never thought that I will be fighting monsters once again.

******** Arthur's POV ********

Night has already come but we yet to finish cleaning the castle of King Carolus.

Lamps are already lit all around the walls and towers and the keep is light up with glowstones.

I managed to track down Sisilla and meet her here. I pushed my horse so hard and said to myself that I can't face King Carolus if ever I failed on protecting her but this woman doesn't need my protection. She is as powerful as King Carolus.

I was shocked to see that the castle is taken over by monsters that I don't know.

I saw someone fighting on the walls and decided to help whoever it was. Turns out it is Sisilla. The woman who I was looking for.

I quickly helped Sisilla kill all of them and after a while, bodies of walking pigs and black skeletons lay all over the castle.

"Done. That was easy. It has been a while since I've place blocks."

I can hear Sisilla voice coming from the side of the keep.

I quickly walk towards her and see that the wall of the keep is indeed fixed but it is not the same as I could remember.

I look at Sisilla and she also looks at me.

"What? I'm not a builder. Carolus can just fix this once he returns from his travels." said Sisilla.

King Carolus will not be happy once he found out about the destruction of his beautiful castle. The walls are still intact though and the keep is still standing so I guess we still have good news to tell King Carolus.

I decided to ignore Sisilla and continue picking up dead bodies and tossing them on a giant hole I made outside the wall.

Sisilla also helped with the cleaning of the dead bodies and we are having a conversation while doing it. Even though we just recently met, I can feel a certain connection to her that makes me comfortable and quickly trust her.

"So, you are not the King of Astikuviel?" asked Sisilla while carrying a monster that she called pigman.

"No. Why would think of that?" I replied to her while also carrying pieces of the black skeleton that is called wither skeleton.

"Well, you said that you have the gifts of the Goddess so I figured you are one of the next generations of heroes."

"What? Next generation of heroes? What are you talking about?" I asked a series of questions while I stop walking.

Sisilla also stops walking and stares at me.

She then started laughing. This is one of the things that I have to endure from her.

"Hahaha. Did you really think the Goddess will just pick random people to grant gifts to save this world?"

I didn't answer her question and just remained silent.

I don't know what to say to her. I don't even know what she is talking about.

"I'm not a king and don't have a lineage to the throne. I am the Lord and protector of the western territory of Astikuviel." I said to her after thinking for a moment.

"Sorry to disappoint you, pretty boy, but believe it or not you have the blood of a king flowing in your body."

I decided to just ignore Sisilla and return back to getting rid of the bodies.

The Kingdom of Astikuviel already has a ruler. A queen that I'm loyal to. I'm not going to dispute that fact just because the Goddess finally answered my prayers.

"We have to finish this quick so I can start building a portal." Sisilla suddenly talks while we throw bodies on the hole.

"Why?"

"I can feel something weird is happening on the nether."

I stared at Sisilla for a moment then started walking back towards the castle.