//------------------------------// // Chapter 16 // Story: Embrace of Light and Dark // by Knight of Crows //------------------------------// Cassiel POV Naofumi and Raphtalia did their part, Lut Village survived with few casualties I learned after returning to the city. They weren't too happy about me leaving them like I did, but they acknowledged the fact the Wave would have lasted much longer had I went with them. A few potions took care of my exhaustion and low magic pool, that night Aultcray held a banquet in honor of the Heroes. Let me correct myself, all the Heroes but Naofumi. Ah, that's the king now. "Thanks to our Heroes, the battle was splendidly won. Tonight, enjoy yourselves to the fullest!" He said raising his glass. I kept a close eye on anyone of interest. Aultcray, bitch, the "Heroes", Naofumi, and Raphtalia from the Shadow Realm. I stayed where I could see them all so eavesdropping was out of the question. Raphtalia was trying to help Naofumi enjoy himself to no avail. Bitch is now whispering to Motoyasu who gained a look of shock then anger. I moved near him and Naofumi as he walked over to him and threw his glove at him to my disappointment. I was really hoping for an opportunity to give Naofumi a steel gauntlet. "Naofumi... Time to fight." He said angrily. Naofumi looked down to the glove then up to Motoyasu. "I hear you've made poor Raphtalia your slave, and that she obeys your every command." "And why do you care?" Naofumi asked. "Watch your tone." Motoyasu threatened. "Yeah, Raphtalia's my loyal slave. So what's it to you?" "Listen up, you can't be saying you think it's okay to enslave others!" "Do you even hear yourself? Slavery is legal in this crazy place, and she's been a great help to me." "We're Heroes in this world, we shouldn't behave that way and you know it!" "You have a right to your opinion, and I disagree." This further angered Motoyasu. "Grr let's do this, and if I win you're gonna set Raphtalia free!" He raised his spear to Naofumi making Raphtalia step back a little. "Alright, and what's the plan if I win?" Nothing I bet. "That won't happen... But if it does then things will stay the same." "Don't be such an idiot." Naofumi said as he walked away. "Master Naofumi!" Raphtalia called out. Once Naofumi reached the middle of the stairs a guard stopped him. "It has been brought to my attention that you, a Hero, have been using a Demi Human as your slave to fight for you. You've violated our customs and that is reprehensible!" Aultcray said from above. "I order you, accept the challenge!" Raphtalia was about to defend Naofumi, but I did so instead. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't slavery legal in this country? Besides, what right do you of all people have to talk down to and lecture someone about owning a slave when the slave in question is one you ordered to be put in chains?" I asked exiting the Shadow Realm. "Regardless a Hero is meant to fight off the Waves, not force others to do it for them." Aultcray argued. "Naofumi bought her when she was a diseased little girl close to dying. He never once hit her, never fed her anything he wouldn't eat, never mistreated her, comforted her when she had nightmares of the first Wave, cured her illness with medicine he brewd himself, and more. All he asked for in exchange was she use her sword to fight while he protects her. If it weren't for him, she would be dead or in service to a much more cruel master. It's only fair she fight for him after everything he's given her. Lesser of the evils presented." I reasoned. "You are with him are you not?" He asked. "Only temporarily, I'm leaving when I decide to return home or when the Waves are finished, whichever happens first and he knows it." "It does not cha-" I interrupted him. "I don't hear you denying anything I've said. Allow me to educate everyone here. Raphtalia used to live in a village by the sea, land owned by a kind noble and friend of Demi Humans, but her home was destroyed by the first Wave and she lost her family as a result, the noble as well. Not long after did knights of Melromarc arrive in the ruined town to enslave and kill any Demi Humans that put up too much resistance, including children." I'm twisting the story a little. "You dare speak such blatant lies about the king in his presence? Your head will be put on a spike if you don't cease this at once!" A random noble threatened. "I'm only retelling what she told me as we exchanged life stories, and he's still not denying any of it. Rather than help that village the king made no attempts to defend, he instead chose to profit from such a tragedy to those who were for all intents and purposes his people, he sold them to the cruelest slaver in the country. Now he wants abuse his power to force Naofumi into an 'honorable' 1vs1 duel, a completely one sided duel he has nothing to gain and everything to lose from." I took a closer look at the Heroes to see shock and disbelief on all their faces. "I would propose a few changes to the conditions to provide a fair match." Take the bait. Aultcray was livid, but he kept himself under control. "And what would you propose?" He asked. "We can keep this a 1vs1 duel, but if Naofumi wins he keeps Raphtalia as the only exception to the abolishment of slavery in Melromarc, he is also rewarded 200 silver and 50% more silver on this month's payment. If Motoyasu wins Raphtalia is freed and he provided lordship over a plot of land. Otherwise we turn this into a 2vs2 duel with the original conditions, me and Naofumi vs Motoyasu and any one person from his party." I proposed. Everyone looked at me like I was insane. "This is madness!" "No man would accept these terms!" "Learn your place!" Random nobles shouted. "SILENCE!" Aultcray shouted louder. 'Come on, take it.' I thought. Regardless of the outcome Motoyasu still loses. "These terms are acceptable, and when Master Motoyasu wins he shall be rewarded handsomely as you've proposed." Aultcray agreed. "This shall remain a one on one duel!" Even better, though I was hoping for a chance to make the bitch look like Jabba the Hut lost a fight to a cheese grater. At this point I won't care if there is foul play. Sitting here in the stands with Ren and Itsuki waiting for the match to begin. Raphtalia has been taken to the Royal booth, though I can't see much else beyond that. The bitch is below, I think I'll be more surprised if she doesn't cheat. "Tell me you two, what wins? A spear that can pierce anything or a shield that can't be pierced?" I asked them. "It's a tie." Answered Itsuki. "It comes down to the skill of the wielders, there is no right answer." Answered Ren. "Wrong. It was the spear that lost, and it is the spear that will lose now." I told them. "Naofumi is half Motoyasu's level, he shouldn't be able to block many attacks if at all. Regardless he can't fight back so he's already lost." Itsuki you simple minded boy, that reminds me about the HUD they all have. "Think though, all the points that would have gone to damage instead went to defense related stats. Those stats logically speaking are higher than yours, perhaps equal to Motoyasu's damage, that's why he feels less pain than all of you, why he can tank more than any of you." "He has a point, but so does Itsuki." Ren said. "Moving on, if I were you two I'd keep my eyes on Myne, and the Royal booth. I wouldn't be surprised about foul play, though to be honest I kind of want that." They looked at me like I grew a second head. "What do you have to gain from your party member losing?" Ren asked as the combatants were released. "It's not what I have to gain, rather what they all have to prove." I answered. "I don't follow." Itsuki said. "Why do you think I proposed those conditions? I had nothing to gain regardless of the outcome." "If we knew we wouldn't be asking." Ren said. "Let's start with Naofumi before moving on to Motoyasu and the king. If he wins he'll get just short of 1,000 silver assuming everyone gets 600 like the first time. Slavery will be abolished in Melromarc, but he keeps Raphtalia who believe it or not is genuinely loyal to him so the crest is really just for looks at this point, and he proves just how powerful the Shield is. This is going to have a very positive reception with most of the world, especially in a country called Siltvelt which worships the Shield Hero exclusively like how the Three Heroes Church worships you lot. Winning can only benefit Naofumi." The fight has begun now. "Now what about Motoyasu?" Itsuki asked. "I essentially put him on a cross. How hard of a hit do you think his public opinion is going to take when word gets around he and the king forced someone who shouldn't be able to fight back into an already heavily one sided 'honor' duel? Now let's add in how Motoyasu sacrificed the freedom of all slaves in Melromarc just to free a willing slave and to gain a bit of land? How about if he resorts to cheating or if he receives outside help? He would be quite the hypocrit after what he said earlier about slavery and heroism." They both looked at me angry I would enact such a plan. "You're trying to make Motoyasu out to be the villain!" Ren began to understand. "And as for the king. If Naofumi wins the economy is going to take a VERY noticeable hit due to the abolishment of slavery, not to mention other businesses that use such methods, Aultcray will be forced to honor his word and enact swift justice against those who would break the new law lest he risk invoking the wrath of slaves across the country and at least one other country during the Waves, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Should he or anyone else sabotage the match in favor of Motoyasu in any way then not only would Motoyasu's reputation be destroyed like Naofumi's, but Aultcray's as well if you two vouch for Naofumi should there be any foul play. This is why you two should pay close attention to the Royal booth and Myne." "You're a sneaky one you know that?" Itsuki asked as he turned to Myne down in the arena, Ren paying attention to her and the booth. "I said I was much worse than Naofumi. You think he's bad for alleged sexual assault while he was drunk? Let this be proof of how much worse I can be. Regardless of the outcome, Motoyasu and Aultcray still lose, and Naofumi I can assure you is going to keep what he's trying to protect, because it's all he has left that he cares about losing." Naofumi looked to be winning, works for me either way. "He'll lie to himself and everyone else about it, but Raphtalia is worth more to him than all the silver he has to gain from this, she is worth more to him than his own life which he put on the line more than enough times to earn her trust and loyalty. He won't lose her, because she'll follow him everywhere he goes of her own accord, that's why she isn't truly a slave." Naofumi was about to throw more of those balloon monsters at Motoyasu, but the bitch interfered with the duel which costed him the match. Ren and Itsuki saw her do it so now I just need to sit and be proven right. Naofumi looked to be having an emotional breakdown while Raphtalia was being set free. After the deed was done she slapped Motoyasu. If I wasn't trembling with excitement I am now! I moved closer through the Shadow Realm for a better seat. "You're a liar and a cheat!" She scolded him. "Don't, Sir Motoyasu set you free!" Bitch said. "I never asked anyone to free me, I was with Naofumi by choice!" "But wait a second. I thought he was abusing you and treating you badly." Motoyasu tried to defend his actions. "You obviously know nothing about Master Naofumi. He never abused me, and he never made me do anything I couldn't do! He activated the curse when I was too scared to fight, he did it to protect both of us!" Motoyasu slammed the bottom of his spear into the ground. "And that's the problem! Nobody should ever be forced into a fight!" I had to step in here. "You mean like how the Cardinal Heroes were summoned without their consent, which is kidnapping by the way, and told if they want to return home they have to save a world they had no other obligation to help first? Just because you're fighting willingly doesn't mean you or any of the others were willingly put in the position to do so." I said. "W-w-well that's uh-" He started, but had nothing. "Master Naofumi can't use any weapons, the Shield defends, so someone has to fight for him!" Raphtalia continued defending Naofumi. "But you don't have to be that person. Don't you know he'll put you in danger every time?" He tried reasoning with her. She went on to explain how everyone is wrong about Naofumi and how he saved her. When she was done she asked if he was capable of such kindness, and if he was he'd have someone loyal instead of a 'two-faced princess' who took offense to being called such. Also, bitch is a princess, good to know, VERY good to know. And now Ren and Itsuki are here. "Myne, sorry, but I have to ask about your illegal and magical interference in the duel." Itsuki said. "What are you talking about?" She asked in denial. "Illegal interference?" Motoyasu asked. "Hey Motoyasu, hate to say it, but you lost that duel. Obviously someone shot a powerful magic spell at Naofumi! It was kind of hard to tell, but it was clearly a type of wind magic." Ren said. "What? Myne?" Motoyasu asked faintly. "You must have imagined it, the audience didn't see a thing." Bitch said innocently. "The king has told everyone to keep quiet. The nobles agree there was foul play." Itsuki said. "Cassiel predicted someone trying something like this which is why he proposed the new conditions. I can't believe royalty would interfere with a sacred duel, especially with stakes as high as they were." Ren said in disbelief, Raphtalia went to Naofumi shortly after. "I hope you know the implications of what you just did king Aultcray. Everyone, especially the Heroes know you cheated. Word of this will spread around and let's just say your already shit relations with Demi Humans alone will be beyond repair. The same goes to you Motoyasu, I hope you're proud of yourself." Aultcray looked pissed again and Motoyasu had a questioning look. "What do you mean?" He asked. "Oh nothing, just the entire world will see this as you and the king forcing someone who shouldn't have been able to fight back into an already heavily one sided duel and cheating with help from the royal family. Not to mention you sacrificed the freedom of all slaves in Melromarc all to free one girl who as you can see went right back to her master and get some land from the king. In the end you accomplished nothing but make yourself an enemy of all Demi Humans on top of a mountain of problems soon to come. All this after everything you said earlier about how slavery is wrong and how heroes should act yet what happened here is hypocrisy at it's finest. Truly you are the most worthy of the title 'Hero'. Hook line and sinker." I walked past them to Naofumi and Raphtalia after seeing she calmed him down. I love it when a plan comes together.