Chương 6: Pawns And Kings

After handing back the Appraisal Orb to Trish, I look at Warrick and Aqua and explain what I've read. After they smiled happily, I told them the truth of what I had been thinking after reading it." To make this work and to make sure there isn't any downsides, I want to have a test run of the Spell. Is there anyone injured or suffering from sickness in the immediate vicinity?" I look around the room to see if there are any guards or maids that look ill but to no avail I guess.

Warrick approached me and began to speak." While I'm sure there are people who are ill or injured, none will come to be Healed by you, I'm sure." He said it in an almost melancholic tone. Of course, the next word out of my mouth was easy to guess.

"Why?" To my question, Warrick answered in that same tone of voice.

"Simply put, there is no trust for Humans in Diablos. That would go doubly sure for anyone in Blackstone City, a place filled with Veteran Soldiers and their Families, as well as Families of Widows and Orphans from the wars with the Humans that we've been in." I held the bridge of my nose in my hand as I felt a headache slowly approach my temples. I spoke with a sense of frustration in my voice." I'm not confident in casting this Spell on your daughter without understanding the sensations.

I'd have liked to start small with a cut or scrape and build from there. If there's no takers, I might need to find an animal. No that wouldn't work. I don't think I have it in me to hurt an animal for study. I guess I'll do it, someone hand me a dagger." I held out my hand at the guards and then I hear the sound of a sword being drawn. I turn my head and see Warrick with a sword in one hand drawn from the sheath at his side, and a deep cut in his other arm.

I widen my eyes in surprised along with the guards and maids. Aqua seems calm. The guards and maids begin to make a fuss and start heading to the doors, perhaps to find a doctor. Aqua speaks in a commanding tone befitting a Queen." None of you are to leave, you must bear witness to this. My Husband is doing this as a sign of sincerity to our guest, John. But more importantly he is doing this for your Princess Sarah. Now stay and watch."

Aqua gazes at the maids and guards who avoid the gaze of their Queen, but do as their told. Warrick sheaths his sword and looks at me and in a calm tone while lifting the bleeding arm he speaks." John, you have a King Guinea Pig now. So, please heal me." I furrow my brow and speak." I'm going to do more than heal you Warrick, As I said, I know you gambled to bring me here, if not with your life than close enough to it. Holy Heal does more than heal wounds it heals all statuses.

I have an inkling that it includes your current state, whatever it may be." I walk towards him and I step into the puddle of his blood as I do... After I got close to him, I took a deep breath, and I begin to do as the text said. I channel my mana inside my hands while filling my head with the thought of healing Warrick. I feel a warm sensation forming in my hands, like the feeling of a spring breeze touching me. It feels comfortable. The sensation stops suddenly... I feel it transforming....

From a spring breeze to something... Almost itchy? It's too late to stop now of course, its already starting to settle in my hands, my instinct is telling me that it's time. So, I look at Warrick and I see trust in his eyes for me. I plan on repaying that now as I exhale that deep breath I took, I say the words without hesitation." Holy Heal." The sensation leaves my hands and I can feel it as it begins to sink into Warrick... Almost like heat from a flame.

He starts to glow a faint white, the tiredness in his face that's been there since I met him starts to dissipate and the cut on his arm disappears in seconds. To the point where no sign of it remains, except for the blood on that rushed from the wound. I hear rumbling all around me, but I'm too focused on Warrick to care, the rumbling intensified and then I heard it change... No...

It's different, instead of from around me, it's coming from the giant doors at the opposite end of the room now, they were behind me, but I turned my head to see them shoot open with great force. Soon, a crowd of Demonkin burst in. They all look ready to fight. Before I have a chance to even turn around, 5 Spells are launched at me, they most likely would've hit me if not for the fact Aqua canceled 3 of the Spells out with a Spell and Warrick took the remaining 2 Spells in his hands.

I felt him channel his mana into his hands and fizzled the spells out like a sparkler doused with water. It was like he teleported behind me. Was it a Spell or is he just that fast? After that, both Warrick and Aqua stepped in between me and the crowd, and they released their Mana together. It looked like everyone in the crowd was in enhanced gravity. They couldn't put up with the pressure from Warrick and Aqua's Mana and fell to their knees, at that point, Warrick Spoke in a whisper to me.

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"Thank you, John, for healing me. I feel better than before the Spell that brought you here tired me out." He then turned to the crowd and began to speak while looking every bit the Demon King as his Title would suggest." Who dare defy me and enter the Throne Room without permission?" The first to speak under the current circumstances was the first to fire a Spell at me. The figure looked like a Mr. Olympia.

With the head and mane of a lion, with 3 eyes and 2 pairs of 3 lion ears together, they hung on top of each other on the top of the lion's head... Almost like leaves on a plant. Next to him, in a row, are the 4 others who attacked me. The one next to the lion was a woman with purple hair and yellow eyes, with irises like a snake. Next to her, was a tall tan woman, whose muscles looked like pillars of bronze with red hair and pink colored eyes, her eyes had the color of cherry blossoms.

Next to her was a slim black-haired man with the head and eyes of a sheep and the fangs of a viper protruding from his mouth. Next to him was what seemed like a 7-year-old child... If not for the light blue hair and blood red eyes, he'd look like he was ready to go to a playground after school in his purple cloak. But instead, all I could feel from him was something that made a chill go down my spine..." But Sire, did you not feel that?

A pillar of light exploded into the sky and a massive amount of mana was channeled and suddenly disappeared. We rushed to the Throne Room which is where the source of the outburst was. All to find a Human holding his hands up in front of you!" The lion man with a look of genuine worry towards Warrick and Aqua pleaded his case. While I looked on puzzled. I look at the royal couple and Aqua winks at me. Warrick looked at my face and muttered under his breath." You didn't notice?"

After that, his eyes lit up like he just realized something. Warrick looked to the lion then to the ones next to him with a steely gaze. He proceeded to order the guards in a commanding voice to do something.

"Guards! Take the 3 Generals and 2 Advisors who fired Magic, with the intent to harm my guest to the Dungeon and await further orders from there!" the 5 individuals looked scared. I decided to step in fearing that this might cause a fracture in Warrick and Aqua's royal court. We already have one absence in the court. no need to create more. I begin to speak, aware that it's no longer just Warrick, Aqua and their guards to worry about." King Warrick, I plead with you to show leniency with these 5!

They acted only in concern for you and Queen Aqua. in these trying times everybody, including Your Royal Majesties must be on edge with frayed nerves. I was brought here to save a life, I don't wish to ruin or lose any more during my time here." Warrick looks at me with the eyes of a King and speaks in a tone not dissimilar to what he used for the 5.

"You dare to plead for them, after I've already decided their fates? You know that's enough cause for an average person's beheading, Paladin John, yet you still choose to plead their case?" I can see in Warrick's Eyes that he's thinking of something... Either way I knew my answer." Yes, Your Majesty." After my answer, Warrick flashed a smile that only Aqua and I could see as everybody struggled with the pressure still bearing on them. He then proceeded to speak."

Very well, since the victim is willing to let it go, I shall grant your wish. I'd hate for My Daughter's Savior to be in a sour mood. Guards I take back my order. My Generals and Advisors, heed my words. There will be no 2nd act of disobedience regardless of the wants of Paladin John, be grateful to him." After he finished his orders, Warrick and Aqua released the crowd from the pressure. Aqua was grinning under the shadows of her hair and Warrick was holding back as well... But his eyes were smiling in bemusement.

At that point I realized I was just played by a King and Queen I might have said something, had it not been for the tackle to the ground I received from a crying lion man. Following him soon after, were the sounds of 4 people who seemed to believe they escaped death, and the mutterings of the crowd and guards filled my ears as well... Something about "Demon Paladin"? I heard that before the sobs overwhelmed my hearing.