KENSHI
I knew I had said it before, but I would say it again now: Daku never failed to amaze me. He never stopped to show me things that surprised me. First, there was his incredible strength despite being a healer. Then, his proficiency in combat that he showcased back at Geiya Village, and now, this. If only I could watch one person grow for the rest of my life, I would choose Daku. I could tell that watching him grow would make every new day interesting.
Witnessing this rare event in front of me was an honor and a pride. Who would've thought a mere healer who was thought to be useless was actually being useful? Maybe being a healer wasn't that bad after all.
To assist Daku in tending to the wounded, Grosi and Shiro erected a small potion stall. Grosi focused on concocting new batches of healing potions while Shino entertained combative forces who wanted the consumables.
Kana and Kenshi were on standby for any possible breach while maintaining crowd control. I knew I should've joined the frontline. I was an adventurer after all. But I knew Daku would never allow it, and given my curse, putting myself in a fight away from the only person who could heal me was suicide. Besides, my job was to protect him and keep him safe.
"That should do it," Daku mumbled before putting down his hands to his sides, deactivating the magic he used to heal all the wounded. Now that their number decreased significantly, Shino could tend to the newly arrived injured without pressure.
The healed adventurers and guard went back fighting upon realizing that the battle was yet to end, while the civilians were greeted by their family members with tears of joy and warm hugs. There were other citizens who volunteered to help Shino, but since they were incapable of using healing magic, they used healing potions instead.
Daku walked near Kana and me and held out two objects before us which instantly sent a stabbing pain to my chest- the artifacts. But there were two of them now and one of them was the King's crown. Confused, I looked at him and hoped he could read my expression.
"Turns out the King's Crown was an artifact, which is why he fell ill. But he was fine now. If they didn't ask me to come and purify him, he could die anytime. He absorbed too much Evil Remnant throughout the time he had his crown."
To think we would find an artifact within the very walls of this city. Who could've hid it here? But stealing a royal possession was punishable by death. It was also considered an act of treason against the monarchy.
"But that'll put you in trouble," I reasoned out.
"Don't you worry. I have someone backing me up."
"Daku!" The three of us turned our heads toward the source of the voice and discovered it was Great Mage Marika, one of the members of the Pillars of Thorn. By the look of her condition, we could tell she put up a fight somewhere. "Sorry, it took me a while to come here. How's everyone here?"
"I've already healed most of the wounded. These arrived just now."
"In just a short time?" Marika inquired in disbelief. "Never mind. I've brought the King with me." Everyone bowed their heads when the King arrived and greeted him.
"Please, raise your head. You must be Daku," his Highness said in full authority. This intense pressure made my throat dry, and I could only nod in response. "I extend my gratitude for saving my life. As much as I want to award you, now is not the right time to celebrate. Marika told me about your mission and the possible reason why the Dark Orders are attacking the kingdom."
"So you already know that I have your crown?"
"Now that you mentioned it, you can have it...officially. It was indeed true that the crown had been passed down from previous rulers to the next for hundreds of years, but keeping something that has killed a lot of lives is enough reason for me to let it go."
Wait. Did I hear it right?
"Killed a lot of lives?" Marika asked. It seemed like the Great Mage herself was oblivious to such a fact. "Are you saying that the previous rulers died because of that crown?"
The King nodded, which shocked everyone. Murmurs and whispers resonated throughout the arena upon the confirmation of his highness.
"And I know that crown is an artifact," the King added. "The first King who wore that crown was one of the heroes who defeated the God of Darkness, King Neru. He did it to keep the crown safe from the hands of the Dark Order. But I think today will be its last day."
"We won't let that happen, Your Highness," Marika declared. "I, the Great Mage Marika of the Pillars of Thorn, swore to protect the artifact and prevent the Dark Order from obtaining it even if it cost me my life."
"Hate to break it to you, Marika, but you can't stop the Dark Order just by yourself or even the full force of the entire combatant of the kingdom. Once they all use the Dark Orbs at the same time, it will be our end."
Daku was right. It would take one S-Class to defeat a Dark Orb wielder, and there were only five full-grown S-Class adventurers present at the moment, and they were busy fending off the monster. The number of A-Classes and B-Classes capable of fighting them was not enough, not to mention that some of them were still wounded and low in mana.
"We don't have a choice," a voice echoed. All of us shifted our heads toward the source of the voice, only to find Suzune along with the three more members of the Pillars. Their filthy and bloody appearance told me that they had just arrived from the fight. "I'm pretty sure I clearly said only you and Daku will come here and not bring the King with you."
"I'm so-"
"I brought myself here, Suzune," the king interjected. "What kind of a King am I if I would just stay in my bedroom while my people were taking refuge in this arena, trembling in fear and utter terror?"
"Forgive me, your Majesty. As a Great Knight of the Pillar, it is my duty to ensure your safety."
"Fear not. I'm maybe a King, but I was once an adventurer as well. It has been a long time since my last fight, but I'm pretty confident in my skills."
"Yes, your Highness."
"So, what's the plan now?" Kasuke asked after pinning his butt on the arena floor. Marika immediately came to his aid to heal him of his minor injuries.
"What's the status first?" his Highness inquired. Suzune narrated the progress of the battle. According to her, the south, east, and west areas were now under control. After I healed the wounded guards and adventurers earlier and rejoined the fight, the battle went smooth.
"The north is still full of monsters, but with the number of A-Class adventurers there, I'm sure they'll manage," the Great Knight concluded.
The King nodded and was about to open his mouth to say something when everyone was stopped by a sudden sensation of immense power and pressure. Every guard and adventurer here, including the King, reacted to it by showing both worry and fear.
Daku and I shared a look, and I was certain we were both thinking the same thing.
"They're here," Dai uttered in a deeper voice, adding more suspense.
"I order the Pillars of Thorn to intercept the Dark Order and defeat the Dark Orb wielders! As for the guards and adventurers, assist the Pillars!" the King ordered, and everyone moved to fulfill his Highness' request.
"But, your Majesty, who's going to protect you?" asked Arano.
"I am," I suggested, but instead of gratitude, I received the opposite. And I couldn't help but feel annoyed and irritated.
"I'll help him," a voice joined in, and my body froze when I recognized it. I didn't want to believe it, but when I looked at him, a mixture of different emotions swirled inside me. "I'm a retired adventurer just like you, Your Majesty, but I'm still confident in my fighting abilities. I awakened as a swordsman."
"Hey, Daku, isn't he the father of Kenshi?" I heard Marika whisper to Daku.
Kana murmured a question too, "That's Mister Kenshi's father?" Daku shushed the two. I didn't know why, but I felt embarrassed. It had been a while since my father and I last saw each other. It wasn't that long, but we only had glimpses if I remembered it correctly. Our last contact that I could count as one was when he kicked me out of the house.
"Very well. With these two skilled swordsmen, what could go wrong with me?" the king broke the awkward atmosphere and ordered the Pillars to leave before it was too late.
To divert myself from the man who offered his assistance, who happened to be my father, I approached Daku, and I could feel his uneasiness in the way he gripped the strap of his satchel. Worried and wondering, I asked him.
"What's wrong?" Daku looked me in the eye, and I could see how worried he was behind it.
"I'm just worried if we'll get through this," he blabbered. It was not that long since I saw this face of his. It wasn't the first time that I saw him like this, but it still sent me the same feeling of wanting to make him feel better.
"We've been through this before, and we'll get through again this time."
"But that was different, Kenshi, and it was just pure luck that we won against them. We even almost died!"
"That was not pure luck, Daku. That was us! We won those fights! Don't you even forget that!"
"Mister Kenshi is right, Mister Daku."
Daku lowered his head and tightened his grip even more. "I'm sorry. I'm just feeling helpless at the moment. Everyone is doing their job, and yet here I am doing nothing."
"You're doing something, Mister Daku. You're healing them," Kana corrected.
"But you both know me, I can't stand the feeling of others risking their lives in the fight while I just stand here waiting for the next wounded person to arrive. I don't have that much patience to wait... at least not now. I have to do something. I need to help."
I understood Daku. I really did because I was feeling the same thing. I was an adventurer just like them, and yet here I was, guarding the King. Daku and I had this irresistible feeling to fight, but we also both knew that someone was better suited to do the job than we. And wouldn't it be best if we leave it for someone who could do better?
"Thelah shared with you something, right, Mister Daku? Do you think you can access that information in a way to help us?" Kana suggested.
Daku's eyes lit up after hearing Kana's recommendation. He suddenly sat himself on the floor in a meditative position. He closed both of his eyes until his whole body relaxed. He finally reached the meditative state.
"What is he doing?" the King asked as he watched Daku.
I never got to relay my answer when the guards assigned at the entry made a noise as if they were engaged in a fight. This alerted everyone and made my father prepare for battle. We placed ourselves in front of the King while the adventurers, who had just been treated, readied themselves as well.
A hooded figure in black entered the arena's entrance and stopped when it reached the interior. Four more figures arrived and flanked the man. They weren't wearing their robes' hoods, so their whole face was exposed, and looking at their faces, one could tell that they were up to something bad. They reeked of murderous intent.
The hooded man moved his hand to the hems of the robe's hood and pulled it backward, revealing an unfamiliar face. But something deep in me was screaming that I somehow knew him.
"I've heard there's another healer like me in this city?" the man announced and a piece of memory popped up from the deepest archive of my mind upon his statement. A healer like him? There were only two healers in this generation.
Daku and...
"Hirako," the King mumbled. "The Dark Healer."