Chereads / The Hungry Hunter / Chapter 20 - King of Peasants

Chapter 20 - King of Peasants

The various hunters situated inside the lobby; each moving to their own destination, going about their day with their own worries and troubles; stopped in their tracks as they heard the explosively stern voice. "Make way for the King of Peasants," a man standing at over 6 feet stood in front of the entrance of the lobby yelled as two hunters walked past him. The first was a man of average height, a baby face, and orange hair with bangs that didn't go past his eyes. His eyes were bright blue, anyone he laid his eyes upon seemed to freeze. He walked past hunters with a swagger, leaving most with a chill. Other hunters took a step aside to make the path he was taking easier to walk. He wore a white tunic with a blue fur jacket over it and black trousers, accompanying the trousers were white boots that was covered in dirt and muck.

Following behind him was a short female drinking out of a silver goblet. Her hair was pitch black and up in a ponytail long enough for the ends of it to reach her shoulders. She slouched forward slightly, opposite to the man in front of her who walked with his shoulders up and chest out. Her eyes were an extremely dark brown that had a fluid swishing light bright enough to make the darkness within appealing. When she walked past the tall man at the entrance she paused.

She stopped drinking out of her silver goblet and let go of it. It floated in the air as she made gestures with her fingers, it was as though she coached it and it listened to her. The silver goblet floated slowly over the head of the tall man and it poured its own contents on the man. After the goblet spilled all of its contents out, the woman then let it go, resulting in it hitting the man on the top of his head.

However despite the goblet falling from a decent height, it did not seem to phase the man. In fact as the goblet fell to the ground, most hunters a few feet away from it could see the obvious dent in it. They could also see the tall man's small pupils and stone face. His gray eyes reflecting back an eroding soul.

The King of Peasants made his way over to the Dragon Hunt table. The woman followed behind him, behind her was the tall man. "Its so crowded and hot," the woman said taking in her surroundings and fanning herself with her dark purple shirt. "Miss Cindy, can you sign my mage ball," a voice called out to her from somewhere in the lobby. "She is not a mage ball player right now! She is doing her duties as a hunter right now," the tall man yelled back in the general direction of the voice that called out to Cindy.

Cindy shot a glance over to the tall man before turning back quickly to look at the back of the King of Peasants. She saw the King with a lean hunter who seemed to have gotten roughed up earlier. "King, please, I'll give you half of the money. I just want you to hunt a zebear or two with me. I need it." The King stopped in his tracks, freezing Cindy and the tall man in place. "Who is that," the tall man began screaming. "Oh shut up, you're so loud," Cindy stated, "We're in public, let him handle this."

"What art thou name, my finest gentleman?"

"It's Richard."

"Richard, what is your HEL?"

"3."

"What brought you to 3?"

"I-I got some help from some friends."

"Am I your friend?"

"N-no, I'm sorry."

"No, no calm down Richard. You must realize your place in this world. I do not belong with you, right now I belong to the Dragon Hunt. Do not be sorry for thou own confusion. I will help you after my hunt. Take care Richard," the King of Peasants shook Richard's hand smiling at him. His gaze was cold and his hands freezing. After he was done shaking his hand, he continued onwards to the table with his party following him.

Richard had a dumb smile on his face, as the King's party smirked at him as they walked past.

"Administrator Amanda," the King exclaimed as he walked up to the table ignoring Wick, Allen, and Lily.

"Oh my, why hello there King of Peasants. What brings you back so soon," she extended her hand for the King as she giggled, he knelt down besides the table to kiss her hand. He stood back up before continuing, "I got 2 other hunters to sign up. Is it truly only going to be the three of us?"

"Not anymore, 2 other hunters signed up."

"Who might they be," the King took a look at the sheet, "A Merlin, true royalty."

"Hi," Lily whispered. The King looked behind him to see Lily standing besides Allen. "She's a beauty too, what are thou reasoning to be a hunter."

"I didn't like the environment in the palace. I thought I could be more myself as a hunter."

"A beauty and a fighter, nothing like our Cindy," the King said laughing.

"Whatever, where is the sheet to sign," Cindy said shoving past Wick and signing her name under Allen's, "Cindy W. L."

"Come over here Brick head and sign," Cindy yelled back at the tall man.

"I'm on my way," he said as he forced everyone to move aside for him to sign his name.

"Can you believe it Lily, that tall guy's name is Brick. His parents hated him. Do you hate your parents by any chance," the King said as he looked Lily up and down.

"My mom isn't the Queen, she is one of my father's... concubines," Lily said with a wavering stutter at the word concubine.

"That's too bad," the King said, "What's your HEL?"

"It's only 2, I'm a rookie hunter."

"What? Only 2, we must get it up to at least 5 if you're going to join my hunting party."

There was a pause, "Who said anything about me joining?"

"Think about thy offer, I, King of Peasants am offering you a spot in my hunting party to slay thy final dragon. Thou must consider."

"HEY!"

The King of Peasants, Cindy, Brick, and Lily all looked over at Allen who seemed to have yelled out. "King of Peasants or whatever your dumb real name is."

"You-" Brick began screaming as the King lifted his hand to signal Brick to stop. "Apologies, are you lost? What art thou name?"

"What the hell does art thou mean?"

The King sighed, "is your. What, is your, name hunter?"

"Allen Z. Truman, what art thous?"

"King of Peasants," he said smiling and bowing.

"That's not a real name! What makes you so special to have a title as a name," Allen said as his eyes became that of a snake.

The King of Peasants laughed harder than last, "I'll indulge thee."

"Thee?" Allen interjected as the King continued.

"Allen, I was born special."

On the 31st day of the 12th month, 903 years after the death of the first dragon. The King of Peasants was born. His father was a successful knight who found joy in reading books and wine tasting. Every morning he would read, and every night he would enjoy a glass of wine with knight friends. After his retirement, he became a librarian that is where he met with his grade school sweetheart again after a decade or so. His mother was a school teacher. She had practically no potential in magic, so she resorted to becoming a teacher at the same grade school she graduated from. She spent most of her time in the library attempting to learn more about the world. That is where she met her grade school crush again after a decade or so.

2 years after they met again, they decided on marrying each other. Soon after, the King of Peasants was introduced to the world. He was born with an exceptional potential of magic. Both of his parents had little to no potential in magic, so they were overjoyed to find out their only son had potential. He didn't have an innate magical ability, like Allen, but he had enough potential to make his parents attempt to send him to a witch academy at the age of 7. However they did not accept him, despite that his parents tried for years to get him into the witching program. All the while they made him join a mage ball team to teach the King all the mana application skills he knows. It is there that he met Brick and Cindy.

Growing up, he noticed how his parents would overwork themselves just to pay for meals, their house, and the King's education. When he asked them why they did everything, they would always respond, "Because you're special." Despite that reasoning, he always believed that his education didn't require such lengths.

"I am a one in a billion case. I alone stand at the top. I'm the best hunter you'll ever meet."

The King of Peasants became a hunter at the age of 17. In only three years he shook the Hunter's Guild right to its core as he became the fastest growing Hunter in decades.

As Allen heard those words come out of King's mouth he seemed to blow up inside. His face distorting as streaks of flames came out of his nose. "Dumb Name, I hate you," he said as the King laughed once more. "What art thou HEL?"

"2."

"Allow me to aid you in knowing your place. My HEL is 20."