Thud…
"What are you dozing here for, Rico?" Rico felt his left shoulder being tapped lightly from the back.
There was a young man with a short light brown hair smiling as he stood side by side with Rico at his right side. His yellow amber eyes glimmering in positive view. Well, that guy was always an ever lasting positive bright guy. In additional, that guy has a bad boy vibe with that handsome and mischievous-looking face.
Tch… Rico didn't want to admit it, but it was the fact. Ah, thinking about a beauty, Rico was wondering when could he meet Lili again. That beautiful lady whom looked alike to a cute little white rabbit.
"Nothing." Rico replied as he climbed and sat on the rock wall. "By the way, how's the preparation? We will be gettin' set to the academy tomorrow, right? How's Elena and Rumy? Have they finished their business in the royal library?"
"Woah, woah there… easy, chill, Bro." That brown haired guy grinned awkwardly at Rico's pushing-all the-way questions.
Rico laughed dryly, "Sorry, Vincent. I just, well, you see… school has never been my thing and I… don't really like going to school…" since that day, added Rico in his mind.
Vincent smiled, "No worry! It's going to be fun! It's a school in isekai! Better check it out for some time. I hope there will be a lot of cute little lady hehe…"
"Your face looks like the pervert-pedo I've encountered at the side road." Rico said with a flat-tone voice as he gazed his eyes to another side with a disgusted face.
Vincent laughed while his left hand reached into a black hole which was out of nowhere, his storage box. "Here, I give you this. I have given Elena and Rumy too, you're the last." Vincent handed over a simple silver necklace, has an appearance of thin chains with a single purple jewel.
"What's this?" Rico lifted the necklace up close to his eyes. The dark purple color looked really pretty with a gold inscription of a holy character on one side.
(Note : Holy character is a character of words used by the church and usually used to give a blessing and protection)
Vincent chuckled, as if that was the funniest question ever. "A protection charm, of course. It won't be funny if you die upon stepping for the first time through the school gate haha…" Vincent laughed at how funny that scene might be if it were ever to happen.
"Well," Vincent shrugged his shoulders. "you should wear it as bracelet instead lol. It was too short to wear it on neck for male. Here, let me help put it on for you."
Ting…
A sound of a little bell heard as Vincent put it on Rico's wrist. It was weird that made Rico gazed at Vincent. "You… that bell sound… just what did you add other than the protection spell?"
Vincent grinned innocently, "Hm? Well, some kind of healing magic, MP booster, and navigation magic a.k.a GPS hihi…" Vincent posed 'peace sign' with his left fingers.
Rico sighed, then jumped down from the rock wall. "Don't overdo it… I'm glad that you're not in enemies' possession." The night wind blew, caressed his hair gently as he sighed.
Rico turned his body, "Well, then, shall we go?" Rico pointed at the grayish staircase to the ground floor.
Vincent nodded as he followed Rico's pace.
…
"Sis, have you really considered your decision? You will be among humans for three years!" asked a dark-skinned boy with a short silver hair.
"…"
The one asked has no reply to say.
"Athen! Sister must have considered it, we must respect her decision." Another dark-skinned boy with a white hair refuted with a darkened expression, seemed like he reluctantly give an agreement.
"Brother Themus…" The silver-haired boy lost in words seeing his brother. Then, he turned his face to the one he called 'sister'.
"Sister." The silver-haired boy called once again.
The 'sister' turned around and fully faced the two boy. "Arthenis, Arthemus. I, Athena, as the one honored by the role of your sister, am really grateful to have both of you as my brothers. But,"
Her eyes looked sharp and explicit as she continued. "we should put an end on this discrimination, get rid of these archaic mind-set, and throw away the hopeless belief we've been believing for long."
She was Athena Muse, a 16 years old dark elf with half blood of demon, whom race despised by lot for no specific reason. Only because they were an elf, but have a half blood of human or demon, their race were severely despised everywhere they went to. With her, two boys with half blood of human, Arthenis and Arthemus, sworn brothers of her, had the same way as her. Dark elf didn't specifically hate human, but because of an everlasting war pushed by human to them, they came to deserted human race.
Athena smiled with a blank stare, "… After all… heroes are only a beautiful fairytale."
Both Arthenis and Arthemus could not deny those words as it was only believed by many, but never came true at all. They knew too well that it was only an empty belief.
"Still…" Arthenis held his tongue for a few seconds. He glanced to his brother and both nodded in agreement.
"Then, Sister Athena. Allow us to accompany you!" said Arthemus explicitly.
Athena gently stroked the boys' hair, "Yes, yes. Even if I say 'NO', both of you would still go."
Arthenis cheered 'hooray' with an extremely excited expression. Arthemus only sighed and smiled gently in relief. Their sister, the one whom younger than them by one year, was their everything. Their wisdom, their pride, their beautiful goddess. Hence they would forever beat no effort in protecting her.
…
"My Lady, what is the matter?" asked Angie as she saw Lili looked outside of the window intensely.
"They are coming." Lili said as she batting her eyes on the view. The reddish sky looked beautiful with birds flew back to their nest and other creature went back to their home. A gentle breeze caressed her face and hair as she didn't care how the nature would mess with her now.
Angie furrowed her right eyebrow, "May I know who are 'they' referring to, My Lady?"
Lili turned around, then faintly smiled, "Some infamous heroes in the future."
Angie didn't quite understand. Just what was that? The heroes summoned? But, it said 'in the future', then 'they' here was not entirely referred to the hero party.
Tok… Tok… Tok…
Three knocks from the door of the room they're in now made both of them glanced to it. A gentle male voice began to talk, "My Lady, I am Khan, one of the butler in this dorm. You have a call from the Left Minister of Financial by tele-magic. Would you like to accept the call?"
Tele-magic was a magic spell or scroll to communicate due far distance or transfer voice, recording, and some other things, away to a certain, classified, and specified person. Due to the easiness and rarity, this magic had crawled to even the legal great auction where the things auctioned must be at least 10.000 gold coin or 200 million bronze. The church, whom the only one may produce and distribute the holy coin (1000 gold coin = 1 holy coin) really got a lot of commission by this auction thing. The church charged 10 gold coin for every 1 holy coin produced where actually, the production only cost no more than 10 silver coin for a mass production.
Although they stated it was for the orphan and the church reconstruction, it was clear as sky that it was a sugar-coated half-lie. The church really gave the orphanage, even helped people in slum (said to be the most dirty and poor place), however, they only gave no more than one percent of all the charged money. So, it was like that one percent equal worth would be given to almost 36 slum and 57 orphanage, just how would it be enough? There were also a few orphanage and slum neglected or even deliberately got erased from the list of donation flow. Yes, a great embezzlement that everyone turned blind eyes on.
By the way, that Left Minister of Financial was suspected as one of the people whom turned a blind eye on the embezzlement and got a 'few' 'gratuity'. Though there are no proof of his crime, yet.
Lili grinned a little with a darkened face, "… Heroes are only a nice tale. 'The church a hero'? Hah… what a nonsense." Lili murmured as she stood up from her seat and approached the door.
"Tell him to come to me directly, Khan. If not, then he could just forget his 'main' purpose." Lili said explicitly.
"As you wish."
Khan walked away from the hall to send the reply with a little grin on his face. Well, that infamous left minister was already despised by many of the commoner. So, a little joy for his little suffer would be best.
After a few seconds of silence, Lili turned her face to Angie, "You agree?"
Angie bowed down, "Yes, My Lady. Heroes had only existed in fairytales."
"…" The one whom just want to knock the door stopped his hand. He decided not to go in, then walked away from the hall.
Just who and what was that?