.[Nameless Hero - Chapter 7]
“I name Princess Sophia.”
Such was the response given by the hero. In her temporary confusion that had been brought about by sheer mental exhaustion, she had only processed ‘name a Royal Family member’. Even if she had rested for a single day, that would simply not be enough time for any human being to fully recover from the experiences that she was forced to live through just a little more than a day prior.
In reality the mind is a simple thing, when you wish for complicated thought or reason, it is merely an instance of tens, hundreds, or even thousands of combined simple processes that come together to develop a solution.
In this way, a tired mind would simply not be capable of properly using these mental processes, causing misinterpretations of various signals and responses to stimuli. In a basic terminology, this is akin to simply spacing out.
For the hero, she had already been quite thoroughly confused given the current instance. Being called into an audience with the King, she had suddenly been thrown into a trial that could lead to death. Certainly this would only further place stress onto an already taxed mind. The hero may have undergone mental training, but when you have to define what this training is, it is similar to physical training. Even if you build up a tolerance, each person has their limits.
When the question was received by her mind, the processes that formed were Name, Royal, Important, Not Princess.
So, if this was the case, why did the hero say Sophia’s name. The reason is because there were no other names in her head for the Royal Family. Even if the hero was unable to recall the Princess’s name prior, that does not mean that it wasn’t in her memory, similar to the phrase ‘it’s on the tip of my tongue’. As the Princess’s name was the sole name within the hero’s mind as she spoke, the name was processed and spoken aloud in that instant. This phenomenon is more commonly referred to as a freudian slip.
At the moment that the hero spoke the Princess’s name, a beam of faint light connected the hero and First Princess Sophia.
The instant the light formed between the two, various forms of surprise or shock took hold of the onlookers.
Those most surprised were those who had already heard the various rumors that told of the grudge match being held between the hero and the First Princess. Even those who were unaware of such courtly matters between two women were still well aware of the First Princess’s rather arbitrary nature. It would become a rather rare day that the First Princess would act in true just form as what her eldest brother would do. Thus, all the more reason for the surprise from the nobles who had heard the rumors.
As for the Royalty, it was a mix of insult and surprise. As the first brother was known for his just and kind disposition, he was rather hurt that he would not be chosen for the role of arbitrator. At this point in time, it had completely passed his mind that the hero had no inclination as to his personality, nor his responsible nature. Not to mention that he was not even considering the situation from the perspective of the hero.
That said, in medieval times, there would be few people under the ages of either forty or even fifty that would be capable of truly understanding that other human beings have a point of view. In fact, in the developing years of a human being, they completely lack the capability of recognizing that there is anything beyond what they can see or have been told.
Thus, if not specifically trained, there are limits to what a person can understand. This very situation also crossed over into the various siblings, wondering why their rather arbitrary and loathed sister had been chosen. Other than the eldest brother, the rest were more so motivated by their own jealousy rather than anything else.
When the First Princess Sophia had been chosen as the arbitrator and the lights of fate bound them together, even the First Princess found herself perplexed.
For what reason was she chosen.
Did she not hear her father’s warnings?
The Princess pondered the thought for a moment before she came to her conclusion.
It was obvious that the so called hero was merely over confident. She was so sure of herself that her lies were impossible to refute. That not even she, the First Princess of the Kremor Kingdom, could possibly refute. She had been called out to be disgraced before a collection of higher nobility. That, not even someone who was clearly out to humiliate said hero would be able to do so.
This person who claimed to be a hero must certainly be intending to embarrass her before the court! Certainly such nerve could never stand, how dare this scum of a women attempt to deface her. She was the First Princess, no one will ever be allowed to cause her to lose face.
How, dare, she!
This women was fully intending to lessen her, the First Princess’s, status within the court. If she actually were to succeed, not only would her authority be lessened, but also that of the Royal Family. No, not just that, it would also increase that women’s authority within the court by leaps and bounds. If she, the First Princess, failed to remove her from court in humiliation, or better yet, sent to a grave, then the Royal Family would not be able to touch her without serious effort.
So that was her plan all along, she is an agent that has set out against her family. If the hold of the Royal Family wanes, then the nobles will be able to gain ground against them.
Of course, this is all part of a high noble plot against the Royal authority.
Then… that would mean that any of the nobles that she had been getting along with are part of the plot…
Then…
Lord… Isaac… if he of all people were to be part of such a plot, things could actually be danger if gets serious. He rarely pushes boundaries though... but if one were to weigh in his authority, he would surely be second only to the king himself… just how deep does this conspiracy go…
To that end, the princess could only further spiral downwards in her paranoid suspicions. In reality, the hero was indeed brought to the Royal Palace from her world, but for what reasons, there were no explanations.
Of course her suspicions were not the case, yet to any noble or Royalty, this would be one of the first thoughts on their mind.
Just who is responsible for such a plot...
Could I make use of this...
This could be promising…
In the end not a soul out of the entire room truly believed the different world idea. All except for Gregory and Dorian, both of whom were aware of the hero’s known power. Such an unexplainable ability was far easier to explain with her not being part of this world then trying to understand how someone could be like that. A subconscious decision to accept the answer that was easier to explain.
While the nobles were all innocent to any responsibility towards such a plot, the idea that there was a faction that had taken a stand against the domination of the Royal Family’s power roused their fighting spirits.
As such, in an instant, the full attentions of both the nobility and Royal Family fell upon the trial.
As for the hero, she was rapidly trying to make sense out of the situation. The initial surprise had long since worn off during the continuing silence and she was pressing herself to keep ahead of what was currently going on.
-Tsk, what an annoying mistake… I actually slipped and called out that idiotic Princess…
How the heck did I even recall her name anyhow… I couldn’t even remember it earlier…
Good grie-
Wait a minute… the nobles’ gazes just got far more serious…
Why would they…. ! Aaaah, perhaps a ‘Nobles opposing Royalty’.
Hah, classic.
Now then, how does this…
Oh, so it would seem to them I’m part of some conspiracy against the Royal’s authority or something.
Well, no love against the people who instantly threw me into a life or death trial a day after I arrived. This, this will become very embarrassing for those Royals. Now me choosing that Princess has turned to a stroke of good fortune. Their little Princess is very easy to provoke, rather classless if you think about it. Suitable to an outdated form of government like a monarchy… No… not getting into the government debate, especially with just myself…
Well, even if their little princess ends up denouncing me as guilty, I just need to murde- defeat her champion… not like I haven’t killed before… hah… right…
Got to love state funded self-defense courses for women.
Hmm? Oh, little Princess is walking over to play…
An even deeper silence gripped the entire room as the Princess went towards the hero, stopping just three feet before the hero.
(Princess)
“I am First Princess Sophia, heir apparent to the Kingdom of Kremor and High Arbitrator select of the current accused. Before the Lords of Light and all spirits of the sun, I hold my oath of fealty and towards the accused, swearing fairness to justice above all else. Within the bounds of light, I accept that the accused holds the right of defense should I deem thee false, guiding thine fate to their own determination.”
At the first pause, the hero spoke. Though in reality, she actually just cut off an official speech required by the High Arbitrator to give. A great sign of disrespect that had never happened in more than a single other instances in the history of the Kremor kingdom.
“Ahaaa, basically, you’re going to ask me some base and vague questions, then force me to fight someone so you can kill me off.
I’m fairly certain that’s your intent after all, your eyes betray your desire completely, little one.”
The First Princess was flustered, she had been thinking of who to have the hero fight, but she hadn’t expected to be called on it. Especially not while she was in the middle of the ceremony. Since her intent was called out, the First Princess didn’t take the time to process that she had just been cut off and disgraced before the court.
(Princess)
“I would certainly never harbor such an intent for such a holy trial. Any of the Royal Family members would hold no grudges within such a trial, to suggest this is to deface our character.”
Various murmurs begin to spread amongst the nobility.
“Oh, i’m sure, just as you believe my innocence.
Certainly so as you have forced me into a trial after a single day after my arrival with no further questioning. To bring me under the guise of a meeting with the King no less, I’m quite certain that you know that I would never deny a summons from your King.”
(Princess)
“I’m afraid that I am not the one on whom suspicions fall, thus I am not on trial.
Wait, do you suggest yourself cut from the authority of the King? You referred to his Highness, my father as a ‘your’.”
As the Princess says this, the air around the hero completely changes. Her expression dulls, yet growing very cold in nature. A chill runs down the Princess’s spine as the hero’s gaze meets the Princess’s eyes.
“Little one, I told you once before as a warning. As a gesture of respect, I kept such a mention in private, now I shall say it again as you have obviously ignored it.
I, am not your subject, there is not a speck of loyalty within me towards you, your family, or anyone else within this world. There has yet to be a single soul worthy of my loyalty amongst any of those I have met thus far. Compared to him…”
The hero grows silent, looking towards the ceiling, her right hand forming a light fist, slowly raising it towards her chest.
“Compared to him, you are a mere immature child that was foolishly spared from a father’s proper rearing as a child.
Now that i’m before the High Nobility and Royal Family alike, I’ll make that, and this very clear.
As i’ve looked into your culture, viewed your development and technological growth, it is quite obvious there is a difference between our worlds.
You are, thousands of years behind my world’s development. From societal progress to technological growth, there is not a single aspect of your entire existence that is not considered as obsolete to me or my entire world.
Compared to me, a common citizen from another world, your culture, your ways of life, even the scale of wealth and knowledge possessed by the peak of your society, the Royal Family. It is far beneath what my world would view as a common citizen.
More often than not, a world that a hero appears in are often reality warps that form around the hero.
In basic terms for your understanding, your entire world is from a lesser plane than my own. To me, I am struggle hard just to consider you as a human from your lack of admirable traits. With my mental training, I had resisted my instincts the moment you began insulting me and offered you respect. Now that you have continued to slap my gestures, I will now do away with such one sided formality.
To me, you are a pathetic individual, akin to scum. You’re wrathful attitude alienates all those around you. You’re greed and lust for power will lead to your very demise one day. You cannot understand the thoughts of those around you, nor can you read the situation. You are an open book, yet I wish for the life of me that you would close up so I don’t have to see such an ugly personality such as your own.
In my world, even I was capable of fighting beasts far larger than myself. Slaying even a few of my fellow man with my own hands. Your attempts to abuse me in front of this court will not stand with me, you are a fool to try.
I was born and grew up under the banner of humanity’s greatest leader. His guidance had led us into a new age, then beyond that, and allowed us to break past the misgivings and falsities of life itself. An age of complete enlightenment was just around the corner.
His leadership, wisdom, and kindness are without comprehension. His teachings guide me, protect me, and give me a purpose to walk into the unknown tomorrows to come.
You cannot provoke me, you cannot force me, and you will never scare me.
I see no authority coming from your visage at all, little Princess.
No matter what you do, there will never be any respect from me as you are now.
If you wish for me to bow, then you must bend my knees, assert your little authority and force my views. For as long as I follow the path my… no… our leader had set forth… I shall never be swayed by you.
This trial may be an attempt to crush me, but sadly, this will end with either end with you losing face by letting me go, or with your champion being torn asunder by my hand, forcing your life into my care.
These are the only paths that I allow you to have.
Hmph, ask what questions you have little girl, then choose your fate. Delay all you wish as well, I’ll outlive you five times over.”
The First Princess, the Royal Family, and the High Nobles, not a single soul was moving. Not that they could move.
How could they.
The sheer level of shock they had just experience had prevented them from even thinking. A severance from reality as this girl had stomped on everything that they are and called it lacking. Such a shock is only natural from encountering a person from several dozen centuries beyond what your world entailed.
The modern ages of humanity led to a general consciousness amongst the citizenry. However, during the medieval ages of man, even the nobility could never compare in either wisdom or comprehension to a simple citizen in almost any case. To have someone make such radical claims, even if one were willing to speak out against such things, they found themselves unable to do a thing. If it were merely a peasant rebelling against authority, or someone putting on baseless airs, that would be one thing.
But no, here was a woman who was looking down on their very existence. Her appearance was that of a High Noble women, yet she claims to be a common citizen. That her reality she claims to be a part of holds an entire different level of value over even their Royalty.
Such a shock wouldn’t be will shattering or anything of the sort, it would be more along the lines of disbelief. Not being able to believe there would be someone who would dare speak in such a manner towards a member of the Royal Family. Especially the First Princess, known for her wrathful nature. To heavily insult her, both the High Nobility as well as the Royal Family could only watch the scene in disbelief.
As for what the First Princess was thinking at this moment, she was thinking nothing. She was also unable to feel anything, her entire body going numb as if all life had just been knocked out of her. A total sense of emptiness that she could not comprehend. Lost within a swirling vortex of emotions she could no longer understand. Her temper was beyond lost, she just hadn’t realized it yet.
Slowly, slowly the First Princess’s face grew red as she came back to reality. The insect before her had just stung, and the pain was beyond a mere annoyance now. The insect had dared to shed Royal Blood, but not just any Royal Blood, her blood. The Royal Blood of the next ruler of the Kremor Kingdom. She had just been continually insulted. Never before, in her entire life, had anyone had the gall to actually insult her to such a degree. But not only that, but also her culture, her society, and everything that lived for and with.
But it was then that she realized the point that would set her off completely.
The insect before her, was looking down on her.
Who does that insect think she is, no, an insect can only be an it. A scum of the earth not even worthy of my boot to crush it. That insect had looked down upon her, the First Princess.
It was then that the First Princess regained her worlds in an outburst of her anger. With a smile on her face, her composure had long since been abandoned.
(Princess)
“An insect has bitten a member of the Royal Family, an insect has soiled a member of the Royal Family with its gaze.
A mere insect dares to interrupt my arbitration to insult me, my culture and way of life.
Now, get this straight right now you absolute worthless piece of fecal debris, you are being given the highest honor possible for such a pathetic being such as yourself. Instead of your head rolling for interrupting a Royal Ceremony, MY ROYAL CEREMONY, you are being granted a trial due to your wild stories.
I am giving you my time, as you chose ME as your arbitrator, to determine your guilt.
YOU, have no right, to insult me now.
You have every responsibility to offer your loyalty to the King, and his Royal Family.
You’re little leader, that figment of your imagination that you pleasure yourself to each night, I could care less. A scum like you could only think of such a trash figuah-”
At that very moment, the hero had closed the several feet distance between them in an instant, grabbing the First Princess by the throat. The Princess’s face turned bright red as the blood flow began to be hampered by the hero’s hand as the hero was purposefully using her right hand’s thumb to press on the Princess’s artery. While the hero lacked the physical strength to crush the Princess’s throat, much to the fortune of the hero, she was still able to use her power to use the Princess’s weight against her, increasing the force placed onto her throat.
The hero’s face warped slightly from a dulled visage to one with a slight form of anger. To her, the First Princess had just crossed a very, very dark path. To the hero, the person the First Princess was just insulting was akin to a father figure, a target for all of her hopes and happiness. That individual had kept her nation safe through all manners of peril, had fought against all forms of evil that she knew, had stood for justice, had brought prosperity to everyone within her nation, had guided all of humanity into a new age, and had risen to defend them in the darkest period of humankind’s existence.
To the hero, that figure meant everything. To have it insulted normally would be a serious offense to her pride, yet she would have been able to withstand it, but currently, there was no chance for such things. The hero’s mental training was wearing thin, and her emotions had already begun to run amok, as shown by her insulting the First Princess.
To say the least, the fact that the hero hadn’t instinctively killed the First Princess by breaking her neck was a sign that her mental training had been very thorough, a very high level of discipline.
“Now, you little girl, you seem to not understand your position here. You lack the ability to force me into anything. Even when I was telling you that there were only two paths, that was also my mercy to you, yet you have still spat in my face, do you know why? It is because you lack the mental capacity to understand a situation at all. I am not, from your world. Do no take my thoughts for your own. You live in your own little world, ignorant to everything.
You have just insulted the person who I hold to be the most important being to my entire life. You do realize that, to me, the only thing that I could ever see to be equal to what you have just done, would be to murder a Royal Family member.”
At this mention, the First Princess’s heart went cold, her body shivering. She couldn’t break free, no one was coming to help her, she was going to die. The First Princess became so scared, she didn’t want to die, she was going to become Queen over all of Kremor Kingdom. She shouldn’t ever have to worry about a mere insect harming her. She didn’t want to die…
It was only after tears ran down the Princess’s face that the hero let her go. With the flick of her wrist, the Princess was tossed two feet to the side, landing on her butt sitting straight up, stunned.
“Little one, you are far too young to consider yourself the center of the universe. There are those far more wise, far more cunning, and far more evil than you can comprehend. You are ignorant, and you are a threat to my life, just as the Royal Family continues their efforts to cause me harm, spiritually, mentally and physically.
After this is done, consider myself gone.
I have no interest in offering my aid to a Kingdom ruled by people such as yourself. I will take a monetary compensation for all the troubles you have caused me. Since this island is all you know, I suppose I’ll probably be forced to bail your pathetic lives out. I am your nation’s hero, sadly enough.
Now, my patience is running thin here, I don’t want to spend any more time here, the number of people with hostile intent towards me has already reached past half of those here. So do hurry yourself and let me know if you’re going to let me walk away, or if you’re going to sentence someone to death with you becoming my pet.”
The First Princess was sitting on the floor, holding her neck while coughing. At the same time, her hands were trembling. Why hadn’t anyone done anything to help her? Why are they just watching while her life was threatened? Her mind was abuzz with hundreds of thoughts all at once, yet she could hardly understand what was going on at this point. But she did understand one thing, that she had been threatened.
That was more than enough for her.
(Princess)
“The accused … has… shown themselves to be guilty. The accused stands as a threat to the Royalty, to the Nobility, and to all citizens under the crown.
Let the Lords of Light smite you down!”
As the First Princess said that, the faint, golden light between them turned black.
[Nameless Hero - Chapter 7: End]