The queen is raising my hand? Huh? What the fuck is going on?
"Huh? What the fuck is going on?" I yawn.
"What's occurring is that you are to replace my husband, dear Sol." Estressa smiles as the Chimerians kneel.
"Oh. You remembered my name."
"I have never forgotten since I first laid eyes on you."
"Hmm. Well, that's sweet. Thank you, Estressa. I can call you that now, yes?"
"Yes, husband."
"Whoaaa. Easy there, woman. I'm already seeing someone."
"I shall relieve myself of the title, then. If that is what you wish."
"No. I like how composed you are at handling shitty situations, and you're doing a good job. I will let you keep it."
I grin at her, still unsure as to what's going on. Chimerians flock over to me, mending my clothes and healing my wounds. She leads me back to the headquarters, where all are cheering for me. The sound is comparable to the brawl that happened when I went on a date with Arra, but even worse. It's night time, but everyone is celebrating and bowing their heads. What the fuuuuuuuuck. This feels soooooooo weird. I want to say something, but at the same time, I don't want to ruin their fun. I don't even consider what happened as a win. I just took a nap. How the fuck? Oh, Jean's comi-- FUCK!
"I'm soooo proud of you!!!" Jean punches me in the stomach. Hard. "Good job, champ!!!"
"Fuckin' hell, Jean! How about I punch your stomach after I stab you? Sounds good?"
"Calm down, Your Majesty. With this, we can find Cerberus easier. Just give me a few Chimerian troops to command. You won't regret it."
"Do whatever you want."
"Yay~"
The sound of armor goes away as he makes his way to a group of Chimerians, and I follow the queen because I am still confused. A Goat opens the door for us, and a dining room large enough to feed a hundred greets me. The smell of food intensifies as families eat, while some glance at us. The ones who noticed us stand up, place their right hand on their chest, and bow. Very much unlike what they were doing back this noon. Wow. So they can act sophisticated, after all.
"Hail the new king!" They greet.
"Wait. What's going on again?" I whisper to Estressa.
"They are greeting you, husband. Are you not pleased?"
"Hmm. I guess I am, but how did I even win?"
"... Can you not remember?"
"Not in the slightest."
"... Fascinating. We are baffled, too. The inside of the arena turned into light as the contestants tried to strike you down, and then all three of them disappeared."
"Hmm. Where are they now?" My eyes dart around the room.
"Do not worry, my dear. They are getting treated. Burns and bruises are all over their bodies, but they should be fine within a day. The Chimerians recorded everything. Do you want to see it?"
"Yes, please. Also. There's this other thing."
"State it."
"What happened to the King?"
"He died. It's as simple as that."
"So you just replace him with a new one? Just like an item?" I frown.
"Sadly, yes. I love Karyne, but now is not the time for mourning. The city will fall unless the perpetrators are apprehended."
"Uhhh... What?"
"We need to catch whoever's responsible."
"Wow. That sounds simpler. Can you talk like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like that. Talk like you're not thinking of the words."
"It is unbefitting of a queen to talk like commoners."
"Hmm. Well, yeah, but I can tell you're having a hard time. You're already managing a kingdom, Estressa."
"... But--"
"I'm the king now and I make the rules, so do it."
"... Are you sure about this?"
"Yeah. Help yourself, queen. It'll be way easier for you and everyone else."
She looks at me for a second before dropping her shoulders. Her eyes are still scanning me, but her body is starting to ease up. That's more like it. She smiles and leads me to a table, where a chef is cooking live with fire magic. Everyone is aware of our presence, and is trying to stay away. Well, this is sad. Jean bursts through the room, talking along with the group of Chimerians from before. He spots me in the distance, grins, and tells something to his new friends. They make their way towards us.
"Hello, Your Majesty." Jean puts his hand on his breast and bows to me. "How's the life of royalty?"
"It feels like a dream. I didn't even know what happened. Oh, by the way. Did you guys find Arra?"
"About that. Nelen and the others are still finding her. It's already close to seven. The Maiden broke her own promise."
"Did someone record the fight? Come show it to Your Highness! Quick!" An old Chimerian shouts. One guy raises his hand and projects a moving image. Oh. It's the fight. That's me on the middle. This is so fun.
"Do you think you know what's taking him so long?"
I say as I keep my eyes glued to the screen. The smell of roasting meat allures me, but I still keep on staring. There I was, standing in the middle of the battlefield, but my eyes are all yellow. And I'm... Smiling? Ugh. My smile really looks that sadistic? No wonder kids get scared. Red eyes is stabbing me in the abdomen. Xaar is holding my feet so I don't fall, but there's also something. The hands of Xaar are shaking, and red eyes is sweating hard. Really hard. They're... Struggling. Arlynn is trying to come to me, but even he's having a hard time doing so. His steps are jagged and slow. Almost as if something is preventing him. I raise my fingers and snap, and light covered everyone and everything.
"Do you want us to fast it forward, Your Majesty?" The same old Chimerian interrupts. He's a Lion.
"What do you mean?" I stare at him, and he looks away.
"W-Well, sire, the light went on for five hours."
... Wait. I was asleep for five hours? I mean, it sounds like something I would do, but I was fighting three people for fuck's sake. This is making my head hurt again.
"You really don't remember?" Estressa asks as the chef serves us food.
"Yeah. I d--"
A scream fills the screen as the light continues to blind us. First, it was Xaar. Then came the squealing of Arlynn. Something unholy is roaring in the light, but it disappears just like the others. It doesn't stop there, though. The light grows stronger and stronger. Until it blinds everyone. Then the screen goes black.
"That's it?" I ask. "What happens next?"
"What happened next was the light faded, and you were the last one standing." Jean interrupts and takes a fork. He takes a piece off my plate. "Just what exactly happened in there, Sol?"
"I-I don't remember. I lost consciousness after I punched Arlynn."
"Oh? You lost consciousness? In the middle of the fight?"
"Yeah."
"Just like last time..."
"What last time?"
"Oh. Nothing. Well, just focus on your job there, chief. You're a king now! You should be happy instead!" He pats my back before taking another chunk of beef off my plate.
"Just fucking join us instead of taking some of mine."
"Oh, I guess that'll do too. You guys wanna join us?"
Jean waves at his new band of friends, but they shy away. The smell of roasted beef, rice, and something sour hits my nose as more chefs come into the room. Fruits of all shapes and sizes were on trays, and more beef goes our way as Chimerians instruct the others to sit down. Some kids were complaining at first, but they shut up after seeing how scary my soldiers look... Hmm. It feels weird saying that they're my soldiers.
"So we're really in charge of everything?" I ask Estressa.
"Yes and no, dear. While you do have a say in implementing certain rules, there will be experts who will keep in charge of the departments they are in. Mainly economy, security, and judicial." She takes her cabbage crown off.
"Hmm. Wait. Why is there a judicial system if the king makes the rules?"
"They have to get your consent before implementing it, dear. Also, they can suggest laws that will benefit the city."
"Hmm... Sounds fair, I guess." I say as I bite into the beef. "Shit. This melts in the mouth. It's amazing! Compliments to the chef... Or chefs, I guess."
"Well, that's flattering, dear."
"So what's the plan for tomorrow?"
"I will introduce you to the chief of economy, the three generals of the Chimerian Legion, and the judicial heads. Let's go to sleep after this, shall we?"
"Don't worry, chief." Jean grabs for a drink. "My friends and I will find Arra after we eat."
The talking of strangers and the laughing of children fill the room as all of us eat, so I go along with them. Jean, Estressa, and I continue on eating as the Chimerians watch. Well, that's sad. They're going to miss out on all of this goodness. I order them to eat first, so they oblige. I am the most evil person, indeed... Wow. This beef sure is tast-- Wait. It's gone already? Can I order another one?
"Can I have another one? This is really good." I say to the chef.
"As you wish."
The chef pours another serving on my plate, and I take the time to watch everything. The chefs are the only ones using magic, and the noble kids tell on their parents while watching. Elves gossiping. Goblins gawking at ladies. Lion men chasing their children. Or cubs. I don't know. The room seems peaceful. Too peaceful. Maybe they're used to this? This is a world filled with magic, after all. Anything can happen, and the world usually has more bastards than good guys. Speaking of good people, I wonder where Arra is.
"What are you thinking, dear?" Estressa asks.
"Hmm. I'm wondering where a friend is." I reply. "She's been missing since noon."
"... Is she a kid? Shall I send a search party?"
"No. She's a Chimerian. A Lion, at that."
"... What a worrywart you are. Relax, dear. Chimerians can handle themselves."
"What's taking her so long, then? I--"
"Oh, Soool~" Jean sings.
"What?!"
My tension fades as soon as I see why he called me. Arra is talking along with Nelen, Esmeralda, and Alistair. Strauss is following them from behind, eyeing everyone as he does so. He sees me sitting along with the queen, and his eyes. He taps Alistair's shoulders and points to me, and this attracts the attention of the ladies, so they also stare. I wave back and smile, making all of their jaws drop.
"Come here and join us, guys!" I shout from across the room.
"What the fuck?" Alistair's voice can be heard from across the room. "The fuck are you doin' there, lad?"
"I am the new king. Bow to me, general!" I give a cocky grin.
"Bullshit! I don't believe him!" He snarls and looks to his right. "Ah! Your Majesty! What are you doing here?"
"We are discussing about future plans and having dinner, Alistair." She stabs on the beef with her fork. "How about you sit in here along with your companions? We are already finished here."
"Ah... W-we would very much like that, Your Highness."
He grins and looks at me like I just won the lottery. All five of them are watching me as they walk to our table, and their expressions are still as shocked. Jean is having fun sipping on some wine, so I take the bottle and pour some for myself. He takes another piece of my beef as revenge while Estressa takes my crown and leads me by the hand. We go into a small stage, and the stares from the crowd give me chills. Estressa whispers a spell and puts her hand on my chest, making me flinch. It only lasted for a second, but it felt as though my soul was being ripped from my body.
"What was that?" I ask her. Sweat is all over her body for some reason.
"N-Nothing, dear." She tries to catch her breath. "Come with me. I shall give you another introduction to the people."
"The fuck? That guy is seriously our king?!"
Alistair's shout catches attention, and it honestly made me feel a little bit better. Okay, Sol. Take a deep breath. Relax. This is just an introduction. Nothing to be ashamed of. I've earned it. Yes... Okay. I will be fine. Estressa is gonna do most of the work. Nothing to be worried about.
"My fellow citizens! We are gathered here today to celebrate again the coronation of our new emperor! Today, he was blessed by the Curator, vanishing those in his wake with a light bright enough to shine through all! Now! We shall accept him with all of our hearts not only as king, but also as a Stassian!" She raises the crown and puts it on my head. "Hail our new king, SOL!"
"HAIL SOL!"
Holy shit. This is a bit too much.
"Holy shit. This is a bit too much." I whisper as they keep on chanting my name.
"What is? State it." Estressa asks. "Also, can I ask why you are blushing?"
"Shiiiiiit. So what's going to happen now?"
"We shall introduce your Royal Knights as well. Bring them in, please!"
The large door in front of us opens, and out comes the four guys I fought outside. They are all wearing the same outfit from before, with the exception of red eyes. Light, red armor has replaced his worn-out clothing, and his messy hair is now cut and turned into a slick-back. Most of the ladies are swooning at him. What a lady-killer. They put their hands on their chest and bow. This feels really weird. I can't shake it off.
"This feels really weird. I can't shake it off."
"State your names again, so all shall hear it!" Estressa takes her fan from her garb's sleeve. "Who shall initiate?"
Arlynn raises his right hand and starts an autobiography of himself. It lasted about five minutes, and almost everyone got bored by his story of how he was raised as a noble. Then came Xaar and Xerr, the twins from yet another noble house. I never noticed it before, but the two of them have scales hidden beneath their clothes. Xerr's cheerfulness and her risque armor stole attention for the most part, while Xaar glared at everyone who ogled. Jean, Nelen, and Esmeralda are cheering for me, so I smile back. A few kids got scared again. I forgot about that.
"My name is Naas, and I am..... A demon."