《The Hero is Not Coming》


 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 1

    ¡®It is all my fault.¡¯


    In a dark cave, an old man only had his eyes on a small gap where he could see light, and from that, a vision of the past followed by tears full of regret for the fallen that he abandoned, trying to save everyone by himself and knowing that more could be done, but he chose not to, because there was no need to teach everyone what he could do, just like he did with his seven friends who were by his side until they all abandoned him to protect the people in vain.


    ¡®Perhaps that is my eternal burden.¡¯


    With sadness overflowing from him, the man crossed his arms and closed his eyes. Immediately after that, a bright light shone on his closed eyes, and sounds erupted from all directions. When he opened his eyes, he saw a woman holding him and placing his lips on her left breast.


    ¡®Wait, you can¡¯t do that; I''m going to...¡¯


    As he closed his eyes, his arms encircled the woman''s breast. Suddenly, he opened them again and looked around again, this time confused.


    ¡®What is going on? Am I getting fed? I am so exhausted.¡¯


    The baby''s name is Edmund; he is the fourth prince of the Velvent kingdom. A few months had passed, and he was in a cradle in a room, helped by a maid caring for him. The boy was a little dazed looking at the ceiling with all of the things in his mind, but now he can think without much difficulty.


    ¡®Reymond was the name of the person who came before me, the hero, and after all this time, my head still hurts with all of these images, but I can make sense of this situation.¡¯


    As the memories passed through his mind, he experienced a variety of depressing feelings, but guilt was one of the strongest and unexpectedly caused him to cry.


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    ¡®Oh my, yet again? What''s happening to you?¡¯


    The maid had to come and see him now and then to soothe him. Since then, if she was in the room, she would hold him, and that made him stop crying, or if he started, it was just a tear on the corner of his face. It was quick, but it happened all the time, and it made her worried for the child.


    ¡®I am sorry, lady, but I just can''t help myself. These are the hero''s emotions, but they are starting to seep into me as well.¡¯


    As time went on, Edmund was able to walk, which helped him better understand his predicament. He began by observing that, in contrast to the hero, he was completely incapable of using magic.


    ¡®Well, that is a big problem right there. Without any magic, how am I supposed to save the world? Should I give up?¡¯ He raised his two arms over his head. ¡®I can live a good life and simply have a horrible death when the time comes.¡¯


    Because of the noises Edmund was making, the maid moved closer to the cradle and smiled as she observed the baby''s two arms raised above his head, making baby noises and a surprised expression.


    ¡®You poor child, you do not even have a real nanny; you do not have magic; that is why you do not have a surname.¡¯ With sadness in her eyes, the maid firmly grasped the side of the cradle. ¡¯Just like me, you are a commoner, no, worse than a commoner, because if you were a commoner''s child, you would at least have your parents'' love.¡¯


    Edmund yelled as he stared at the maid with a startled yet sad expression and tears streaming from his eyes. ¡®Come on¡­¡¯


    In response, the maid took him out of the cradle and held him while moving him up and down. ¡®At least you still have some time with me, little one.¡¯


    Edmund was now five years old. He was walking with the maid to an old warehouse where a man was waiting next to the door, and after she opened the door, revealing a bed and some old furniture, she bent down to his height. ¡®Edmund, this is your new home. I tried to make it at least the level of a commoner''s house. It will be difficult to see you from now on, as I live in the castle with the maids, but Sir Gustav will protect you as a guard, but nothing more. Do you understand?¡¯ She made a serious face and pointed at the man.


    ¡®Yes, Lucia.¡¯ he replied, turning to face the maid and Gustav. ¡®I am not going to bother you, sir; I will be in your care.¡¯ He said, smiling slightly.


    ¡®Do not worry, kid; I will do what I can.¡¯ With a smile on his face, he walked over to Edmonds and placed his hand on his head. ¡®Nobody here at the Royal Smiths will make your life harder; it is not your fault.¡¯


    With a smile on her face, Lucia took his little hands and held them with care. ¡®Edmund, you can still go to the royal library to read your books; just make sure you are not dirty before going there; that is a privilege; make sure you make the most of it.¡¯ She got up and followed Sir Gustav out of the warehouse.


    ¡®Better be here than be bullied in the castle by my brothers and sisters. Right now, I can start my experiments with no restrictions and pay for these five years in the heavens with Lucia.¡¯ Edmund looked up and sighed.


    Before placing his hand on the door''s handle, the young boy with blond hair and deep blue eyes looked at his open hand. He then opened the door, letting light enter the room.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 2

    ¡®Getting materials is the first thing I need to do. Because of the hero''s and another person''s memories, I need Nihilum, which, according to the books in the library, is a useless material; it is fragile and does not enhance other materials when mixed with it.¡¯ Edmund said as he walked to the royal blacksmith with his right hand on his chin.


    When he arrived at the building housing the royal blacksmith, he knocked on the door, and it opened. Inside, he saw some weapons hanging from the walls and a man with gray hair and a beard using a hammer to smash a piece of metal. Just as he was about to strike it a final time, though, the man turned to face Edmund.


    ¡®Boy, what do you want?¡¯ He calmly asked. ¡®This is not a place to play.¡¯ and putted down his hammer.


    ¡®My name is Edmund, and I came here to ask if you have Nihilum for me to play with.¡¯ He introduced himself, lowering his torso as he approached the blacksmith. ¡®If it were not too much to ask, I could use it to make toys.¡¯


    The blacksmith smiled as he entered the next room, picked up a box, and handed it to the boy.


    ¡®It is useless, but I am only going to give it to you because of how well-spoken and polite you were to me. It took me a while to collect this box''s worth.¡¯ The man gave Edmund a small hammer that he had taken from the counter next to him.


    ¡®This is a lot; I will need to take some trips to take everything to my new home. Thanks, sir.¡¯ Edmund started to collect some pieces to make the first trip.


    ¡®I know who you are, kid; my name is Ruppert. If I am not busy, you are welcome to come and talk if you are bored.¡¯ Ruppert looked at Edmund with a smile but sadness in his eyes. ¡®Go to the dining hall so you can get some food; do not forget.¡¯


    After moving the supplies to his new residence for the remainder of the day, Edmund arrived at the dining hall. Getting there, everyone ignored him, while some had sympathy for him. The king had forbidden anyone from helping, talking, or even going into the old warehouse; it was pure isolation. This was the result of the embarrassment he caused the king by being unable to use magic. Many of them then believed that it was his attempt to torture the child for being born like this. However, to commoners, he is simply a child who you see on the streets of the capital, as only nobles are able to use magic.


    ¡®Mrs. It was delicious.¡¯ Edmund smiled at a maid who was receiving the empty plates.


    The woman looked completely expressionless as Edmund put the plate on the balcony and then made his way out of the dining room while scratching his cheeks with his index finger and speaking in a low voice that no one could hear.


    ¡®They can¡¯t talk to you; they don¡¯t hate you. Wait until you leave before crying.¡¯ Edmund opened the door out of the dining hall.


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    As the door closed behind him, tears started to fall from his cheeks, and memories of Lucia came to his mind; she never once made him feel lonely. Now those feelings were beginning to sink in: nobody would be at home when he got back, nobody would put him to sleep, and it was going to be a lonely road from this point on.


    ¡®Tomorrow is going to be a long day; I have a lot to do before I can show my father what I am made of, and then maybe we can both save the world.¡¯ Lying in bed, he grinned while gazing up at the ceiling. ¡®It is going to be fantastic, and Lucia will be there with me, too.¡¯


    The only things Edmund could do for the next few weeks were wash his clothes, talk to the blacksmith, eat in the dining hall, and rest at home while thinking of ways to use Nihilum. Until one day, when he grabbed some of it and asked Ruppert to melt Nihilum with some iron and put it in a rectangle shape that he showed with sand, other small pieces of iron, and another with copper. Ruppert believed that would be used for play and that it was not much, so he had no problem providing for the child some materials.


    ¡®I will use this to piece together a toy, and I will show it to you.¡¯ He looked at the small pieces of iron on his hand.


    Edmund gave the blacksmith a friendly smile before hurrying home. As soon as he arrived, he snatched up his hammer and cautiously began writing words on the plate of Nihilum mixed with iron using an iron nail he grabbed while walking from Ruppert¡¯s.


    The inspiration for this idea came to him years ago when he recalled the hero''s ability to enchant his armor made of Nihilum and felt guilty that he didn¡¯t share this skill with anyone since it was only used in the hero¡¯s party. The hero at the time simply did not care to share something as helpful as a method of using magic encantations in written form to enchant the amors and weapons using knowledge he got from the memories of the person from another world; that same way of thinking was the reason he could use magic beyond the realm of what normal people could imagine at the time.


    Edmund passed the next three weeks building and writing on the plate, stopping only to eat at the dining hall. It took more time because he was afraid to make a mistake and ruin everything, but as the sun was rising, he finished.


    ¡®With this last piece, it can draw magic from all around me, casting it like a spell, just like a mage. Although it''s ugly, it will work.¡¯ He smiled.


    He turned the tablet-like object around, and the front was now black with a grean glow on its borders and a white box with ¡°Notes¡± written on it at the corner. Using a Nihilum-made object resembling a larger nail, he pressed against the symbol, and it opened a black page where he started to write his name on it and draw some other symbols. Using the pen, he taped the numbers that were in the right corner of the page, and new blank pages came. He used his fingers to press the numbers, and it worked fine.


    ¡®With the help of these icons and numbers, I can set up libraries to categorize the notes and drawings I will do.¡¯ Edmund smirked.


    He felt so proud of what he had accomplished as he used the pen to write and draw on the tablet, but he also felt a little bit sad because something like this, which a 5-year-old child could do, should have been used to store knowledge, and it took him only 3 weeks to make.


    ¡®Look, Ruppert, this is what I made using the materials you gave me.¡¯ Edmund shouted.


    ¡®By the gods, do not do this again. What if I am not alone here? What would they say? Remember, no one is allowed to speak to you in this district.¡¯ He jumped a little in shock as he witnessed Edmund storm into the blacksmith''s shop and turn to face him.


    The boy calmed down and extended his hands, handing the tablet and a larger nail to the enraged blacksmith, who looked at the device with curious eyes but had no idea what it was, but he remembered making this larger nail.


    ¡®Write something on it using the pen.'' He suggested it while looking at Ruppert¡¯s face, expecting a reaction.


    ¡®I am trying, kid, but I am not sure what you want me to do.¡¯ When Ruppert moved the pen across the tablet, nothing happened.


    ¡®You can use it, Ruppert; just do it this way.¡¯ Edmund approached the blacksmith''s side, took hold of his hand, and drew a circle. ¡®See? Do it on your own.¡¯


    Edmund observed Ruppert pass the pen across the surface of the tablet. A line appeared, shocking the blacksmith. He couldn¡¯t understand how that was possible; it was like writing on that expensive material he had the opportunity to put his hands on only a few times in his life.


    ¡®It is like paper.¡¯ The blacksmith pressed his chin with the point of the Nihilum pen.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 3

    ¡®How did you do this? Is this magic?¡¯ Ruppert drew a square on the tablet with surprise on his face.


    ¡®It is a bit complicated, but it was an idea I had after reading some books in the library: Nihilum by itself is a conduit and can be used to gather magic; Nihilum combined with iron is for enchantment; and Nihilum combined with copper is for storage, information, and power, or something along those lines.¡¯ As he explained everything to the blacksmith, the boy had a smug expression.


    Ruppert handed the boy the tablet and pen. ¡¯Kid, don¡¯t show this to anyone; they will try to steal it from you. Either wait until you can leave this place or present this to the king personally.¡¯ The man was holding the boy''s shoulder gently.


    ¡¯Thank you, Ruppert; you are the best.¡¯ Edmund hugged the blacksmith after nodding his head with determination.


    ¡®I am not the norm; people will try to take advantage of you by claiming that they are the ones who created this. Look at your situation before making any moves, kid, if you create things like this.¡¯ The man with the gray hair knelt down and fixed a grave expression in the boy''s eyes.


    ¡®Thanks,Ruppert.¡¯ The boy gave Ruppert a nod while looking at him, and then he turned around and left the blacksmith shop.


    ¡®Kid, do not do this again; if people start talking too much about how you talk to the blacksmith, he is going to get in a lot of trouble.¡¯ A familiar voice was heard immediately after the door shut behind Edmund.


    Edmund looked to his left and saw Sir Gustav sitting on the stairs, gazing out at the deserted street.


    ¡®I am sorry.¡¯ Edmund said as he passed Gustav.


    ¡®I must start visiting the library; despite my best efforts, I can only vaguely recall certain details. Let us use this to start studying and taking notes.¡¯ He walked to his house while thinking, his eyes fierce and focused.


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    He smiled as he entered his house and sat down on the only table next to his bed. A lot of things were passing through his mind, but Lucia was fixed and made him feel sad.


    Edmund decided to go to the library the next day. That much he could do, only to read, not take any books from the library itself. So he spent the next few months studying and taking notes on the tablet when he got home. The books ranged from arithmetic to magic. The librarian thought it odd that he would pick up a book like that to read because he could not use the spells provided by the books; he was just a kid and was not doing anything to trash the books. The boy was sitting as close to his desk as he could when reading magic books, as if he was afraid of being barred from the library if something happened to the books.


    Ruppert was working when he heard a knock on his door and went to open it. Right there was Edmund, whom he had not seen in months, dressed in a robe. This caught him off guard. The boy entered the workshop and shut the door behind him.


    ¡®Could you make some more parts for me?¡¯ Edmund asked, taking off the rood and turning to face the gray-haired blacksmith. ¡¯Do it when you have time; I am going to let the tablet with you for as long as you need; I have the parts drawn on it.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s not like you have to pay me or anything, kid; this district only supports the king''s castle, so no worries. It will take one month.¡¯ Ruppert touched the boy''s shoulders with his hand.


    Edmund placed the tablet on the table next to him and showed and explained the parts to Ruppert to the best of his ability.


    ¡®It is easy, but due to the amount of work I have to do, it will take a month." The blacksmith pointed to the numerous swords in a corner of his shop that needed repair.


    ¡®No problem.'' He opened the door and walked away.


    At this moment, he couldn¡¯t advance in his studies or try to build something, so the only thing he could do was. Have fun. In his state, fun was relative, so for this month he just killed time walking around, washing his clothes for longer, going to the library to read stories, and playing at home as he could not leave the district.


    Edmund cautiously peered through the door of the blacksmith shop to see if Ruppert was alone before entering and finding the parts he had asked for on the table next to him.


    ¡®You really are the best, old men; thank you.¡¯ The boy suddenly gave the blacksmith a hug.


    ¡®Not a problem, Kid.¡¯ Ruppert smiled.


    Edmund gathered everything up quickly, threw it in a bag he was carrying, and hurried out of the blacksmith shop to get home and start building his new device. For the following two weeks, he only left his house to wash clothes and eat in the dining hall. By the time he was finished, he had three things: two boxes and one pole with a grid made of iron on top of it.


    The boy spoke in one of the boxes, and his voice could be heard in the other. Although the enchantment for this was somewhat difficult, he managed to do it and shouted in excitement.


    ¡®Yes!!!¡¯

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 4

    ¡®Let¡¯s test this right.¡¯ Edmund was walking back and forth at his home.


    After getting the radios, the boy went to the blacksmith shop, which was somewhat distant from his home.


    ¡®There is no way this could get this far.¡¯ He had a thought while walking.


    The boy opened the door after knocking on it. The gray-haired man was working as usual and putting a smile on his face.


    ¡®So? What''s it this time?¡¯ Ruppert asked.


    ¡®My new idea is a way to talk to you from home.¡¯ Edmund showed him the radio.


    After giving one to the blacksmith, he moved to the next room.


    ¡®Hello?Are you hearing me?¡¯ The boy talked to the device.


    Ruppert jumped in shock after hearing Edmund¡¯s distorted voice coming from the box he was holding.


    ¡®Ruppert, you can use it too; place your finger on the side.¡¯ Edmund continued.


    ¡®Hello?¡¯As he spoke, the blacksmith moved his finger to the side of the radio.


    This time, when Edmund heard the blacksmith''s voice, he jumped in surprise and immediately ran out of the room to hug Ruppert.


    ¡®Thanks,Thanks,Thanks!!!!¡¯ The boy grinned while looking up at the blacksmith''s face.


    ¡®Again, kid, do not show this to anyone. I do not know when you will get the chance to impress the king, but be ready for it. Who knows? You might end up in a better position than you do right now.¡¯ Ruppert fixed a serious gaze on the young boy as he stroked the boy¡¯s hair.


    Edmund made an effort to keep his activities a secret as the years passed; it was unnecessary since no one interacted with him or tried to get close to him. Even when he was ill, some medications just got delivered to his door, and it was up to him to do the rest.


    Years spent at the library built up some trust between him and the librarian, which opened the door to the possibility of him taking some books home to continue his studies. If everything he needed to do was read, the library would be finished by this point. However, he had to test his devices, and failure was the norm as things got more complex, which gave him insight into how the encantations functioned when he engraved them into his builds. In the end, Edmund began to refer to them as runes.


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    By the time he was ten, Edmund had more faith in his creations, but due to space constraints in the warehouse he lived in and his desire to avoid drawing attention to himself, everything he created was merely a prototype. As a result, larger projects were not possible; they were only built to demonstrate that it was possible. something easy, like the most recent invention he was working on, a flying machine that he could control with a controller.


    ¡®Wow, it is really working. It really is working!!!¡¯ The boy smiled happily.


    The flying object, which resembled a box with four smaller boxes attached to its sides, was going back and forward, up and down, in the warehouse.


    ¡®It took me two years to make this work; it is awesome!!!¡¯ Edmund shouted.


    As it flew through his house under his control, the gadget eventually landed on the floor next to the other things he worked on.


    ¡®Well, this is it; I can¡¯t do more than this. It is time to focus on the equipment that will make this job easier, and most importantly, it is time to start training. As far as I am aware, the hero sword is the only weapon capable of killing the demon lord.¡¯ The young boy reached for a wooden sword that he had asked Ruppert to make.


    It was wider than two swords put together and longer; as a result, it was heavier than most swords, but according to his memories, that was not a problem for the hero, as his style made him look like a wild beast, swinging it and using the momentum of his strikes and counters to his advantage. Even that alone caused Edmund anxiety because, by his standards, some moves are just impossible to do; the style is kind of useless if you don''t have the hero¡¯s strength.


    Edmund started to swing the sword the same as the hero did; it was like he knew what to do, but it was obvious that most moves were impossible; he needed more strength, and it was not because of training or muscle; he lacks magic on his body to enhance his movements like the hero did naturally.


    ¡®Let¡¯s begin training, one problem at a time.¡¯


    The boy now began his daily training sessions in an effort to strengthen his body. After several months had passed, he had a desperate idea.


    ¡®I could use the runes to draw magic into my body, and it is so ridiculous that it might actually work.¡¯ Edmund thought as he leaned on his sword.


    He ended up making a bracelet, but simply putting it on had no effect at all. He made a bracelet with spikes to pierce into his flesh. The worst part will be that, even if it works, he will need to pull the bracelet several times to adjust the runes so that they are proper, not more or less.


    When Edmund looked at the table with the bracellet, the only thing that came to mind was crying. He had stolen alcohol, bandages from the medications he had received when he was ill, and a piece of wood to put over his mouth to stop him from screaming.


    ¡®Why do I have to do this? Is this any better than being rejected by my parents and living alone?¡¯ He dropped to his knees, sobbed loudly, and closed his eyes.


    Memories of a war came to his mind: people screaming and calling for help, and he was seeing all of this from the sky, explosions all around and suddenly he opened his eyes.


    ¡®What is the point of this, anyway? Why do I have so much regret? It''s not my fault; I did nothing wrong; i¡¯m not him!!!'' He then started to punch the ground out of frustration.


    Edmund grabbed the bracelet, but as he started to get it closer to his arm, the air started to get heavy, and his hand started to shake a lot.


    ¡®I can¡¯t do this.¡¯ With his head on the floor and tears running down his cheeks,.


    Edmund spent his days walking and doing nothing after training with his sword. But every night he looked at the bracelet on the table, and he felt bad that it was still there. That feeling was not even his; it was the memories.


    In the morning, he visited Ruppert as usual, not to ask for something but just to talk a little. As he came in and got comfortable, the blacksmith noticed that he was down.


    ¡®Is everything all right, kid?¡¯ The blacksmith asked while hammering a sword.


    ¡®Would you help someone if caused you pain, Ruppet?¡¯ Edmund came closer to Ruppert.


    ¡®That is difficult. Am I the only one who can assist him? Is it really bad?¡¯ The blacksmith stopped and looked at the boy.


    ¡®That is not fair; I asked the question.¡¯ Edmund looked annoyed.


    ¡®Well, kid, if it is someone close to me, yes, If not, it depends, but I would help anyway; I helped you even though it was risky.¡¯ Ruppert grinned at Edmund.


    ¡®Yeah..¡¯ The boy responded with a serious smile.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 5

    ¡®But, you know, kid, everyone has to make tough choices.¡¯ Ruppert kept hammering the sword.


    ¡®You know the story of the hero, right? the hero and the demon lord?¡¯ Edmund was staring at the blacksmith''s back.


    ¡®I remember my mother saying that if the demon lord returned, the hero would come to save us once more. I know that the hero defeated the demon lord and saved the land.¡¯ He continued to hammer the sword.


    ¡®If I tell you that the demon lord will rise again but the hero will not come this time, and that the hero did not save the world before either.¡¯ The boy spoke as if guilt rose with each word.


    ¡®Hmm, well, if I am here, I think he saved the world to a point; nobody is perfect, and if the hero does not show up this time, I do not think we need him anyway.¡¯ The sad-faced blacksmith continued as he turned to face Edmund.


    ¡®But¡­¡¯ Edmund was interrupted.


    ¡®You don¡¯t need to be anything, kid; live life; perhaps you could even start a family; nobody is forcing you to do anything.¡¯ He smiled.


    ¡®I am not the hero; I know I cannot or should not do everything alone, but I can¡¯t just watch things happen and go about my normal life when I can help. It hurts too much.¡¯ Tears started to drop from his eyes.


    ¡®I am not trying to understand you, kid; I am not able to, but didn¡¯t I tell you that everyone has to make difficult decisions? You must move forward if you cannot deal with the consequences of remaining still.¡¯ Ruppert tried to console Edmund.


    After taking a deep breath, Edmund''s tears stopped. He quickly hugged Ruppert and stormed out of the workshop, leaving the blacksmith even more perplexed than before.


    ¡®What was he talking about? It beats me. I suppose that kids will just be kids¡¯ The blacksmith began to hammer the sword again.


    As soon as he got inside the warehouse, Edmund went to the table, grabbed the piece of wood, and put it in his mouth. He then took the bracelet and fastened it tightly to his arm, which made him scream and fall to the floor on his knees. But after a while, as he twisted on the ground to try to take off the bracelet because it was like it was glued to him, an even worse pain started to run through his body, like it was flowing from the bracelet to his arm. After enduring the pain for several minutes, he took off the bracelet from his arm, got to his feet slowly, poured some alcohol on his arm, and collapsed on the chair next to the table.


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    ¡®ahhh¡­ It hurts so much.¡¯ The boy covered his wounded arm with his hand.


    Edmund awakens with severe arm pain, but it is significantly less than it was before he lost consciousness. After some time, he mustered the courage to begin bandaging and cleaning his arm.


    ¡®Let us definitely not do that again.¡¯ He took a deep breath.


    Edmund lay on his bed, trying to figure out why the bracelet was glued to his arm the moment magic entered his body.


    ¡®I was an idiot; why didn''t I made something smaller?¡¯ He spoke to himself.


    After a few days, Edmund was trying to figure out the smallest form to put runes in so that he could remove them faster or without as much pain because his arm was still sore from his previous experience. In the end, it appeared to be a nail with a larger head that he intended to insert into his other arm.


    ¡®I am hoping it works; Ruppert was suspicious of me.¡¯ He looked at the nail on the table.


    The moment he puts the point of the nail on his arm, it''s like it plunges into his arm. The pain was bearable this time, and when magic began to flow into his body, the pain came, but not as much as the first time. He reasoned that the pain would go away once his body adapted to the magic, so he stayed in bed until dinnertime, at which point he felt nothing. It was strange for the boy who had suffered so much from his experiments just days before.


    ¡®Let us see how things go and whether my prediction comes true.¡¯ He got up from his bed.


    Edmund left his house as he usually does and walked to the dining hall, but this time he could hear someone walking behind him, and as he realized this, the presence disappeared.


    ¡®He was never aware that I was following him. Have I made a mistake?¡¯ Gustav was leaning against a wall, trying to hide.


    Because of what Edmund had done days earlier when putting that thing in his arm, he was perplexed and terrified for the boy. Due to his isolation, the knight believed he had become insane.


    ¡®It would be best not to tell Lucia about this because she will worry about the boy. So let us continue to watch him closely.¡¯ The knight murmured to himself.


    Gustav started to move in the same direction as Edmund. After some time, he was shocked to see the boy asking from an alley to his left.


    ¡®Why are you following me? What do you want?¡¯ The boy asked from the shadows.


    ¡®Wow!!! By the gods, you outmost killed me.¡¯ In an effort to catch his breath, Gustav put a hand on his chest.


    ¡®You are Gustav, correct? After that day, I thought you had abandoned me.¡¯ Edmund walked out of the alley.


    ¡®What? Kid, don¡¯t you remember? Lucia said I would keep an eye on you, and I even gave you some medication when you were sick, kids today.¡¯ He crossed his arms, looking at the boy with disdain.


    ¡®I am sorry; I didn¡¯t know, and I appreciate the medicine; it was very helpful.¡¯ Edmund bowed his head in appreciation.


    ¡®It was nothing, kid; it is my job, but how did you know I was following you? You had no suspicion for five years.¡¯ He looked at the boy, puzzled.


    ¡®I think you made a mistake. I heard something behind me, and that is why I knew.¡¯ The boy smiled.


    ¡®Hum, I guess I am getting old.¡¯ The knight scratched the back of his head.


    ¡®I have to go; I am hungry, Bye.¡¯ Edmund ran off.


    ¡®Hum, strange.¡¯ Gustav thought to himself.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 6

    Edmund didn¡¯t initially notice much of a difference from the nail he had applied to his arm; other than that, there was no pain, and he could feel the air flowing through his body; it made him more aware of his surroundings, a sensation he remembered from the memories of the hero, and even that he could handle his sword more effectively when practicing. Nothing particularly impressive, but he reasoned that it might only be a matter of time.


    ¡®Could this be used in commoners?¡¯ Edmund thought to himself.


    If that were the case, he could use this on everyone; it would be very beneficial in the future, but how could he test it? He had to ask; it was too important for him to miss this opportunity. Ruppert was the only choice that crossed his mind. He stood up, grabbed a bag containing the alcohol, bandages, and nail, and ran to the blacksmith workshop. Arriving there, he was direct with the blacksmith.


    ¡®I need to test something, old man; it is really important. Could you help me?¡¯ Edmund closed the door behind him.


    Ruppert then took off his gloves and came to meet Edmund while looking at the puzzling boy. He thought his eyes betrayed him, but some of the boy''s hair was white now, but he paid no mind to that.


    ¡®Let¡¯s sit first; I already helped you a lot, no problem; besides, it needs to be important or a really dumb idea like that one in your arm.¡¯ he pointed to the nail on Edmund''s arm.


    ¡®Well, let me put this in your arm. I need to know if this works on everyone or just on me.¡¯ He looked at the nail on his arm.


    ¡®There is no way in hell I am going to let you put this thing in my arm.¡¯ Ruppert responded with anger.


    The boy got closer to the blacksmith, and with the nail on his arm, there was no time for Ruppert to react. He slammed it on his arm with no hesitation, making him scream.


    ¡®Ahhhh, you little.¡¯ The blacksmith held his arm.


    Ruppert looked at the boy and started to swing his arm, trying to hit the boy with anger in his eyes but with no success. When he thought his punches were going to hit Edmund, he moved only enough that Ruppert missed, making him feel like he was fighting a ghost.


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    ¡®Old man, I am so sorry, but I have to know.¡¯ He said this while dodging the blacksmith''s strikes.


    ¡®Know what? if it hurts to nail someones arm?¡¯ Ruppert asked furiously.


    ¡®So you are just feeling the pain from the nail? Interesting.¡¯ Edmund looked at Ruppert''s arm, confused.


    ¡®Just pain? Are you crazy?¡¯ The blacksmith screamed at the boy.


    He attempted to pull the nail from Edmund''s arms with no success, like it was part of him, just ironed to his skin. Edmund took this opportunity to pull out the nail from the blacksmith''s arm and gave him his bag so Ruppert could treat himself.


    ¡®doesn¡¯t your arm hurt?¡¯ Ruppert asked while treating his arm.


    ¡®At the beginning, yes, but now i feel stronger and faster than before, that is why i needed to test it.¡¯ Edmund passed a finger over the top of a nail on his arm.


    ¡®I have no idea what in the name of God you are doing at home, kid, but please try not to kill yourself, you crazy bastard; this alcohol is mine now, for the trouble¡¯ Ruppert sighed.


    ¡®Ok,ok,ok.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    The boy left the workshop thinking that he might be special or that it was simply because he was a noble without magic; he needed more information, someone like him, so that he could really know if it could be replicated or if he was special in some way.


    ¡®I need someone like myself to test this.¡¯ He scratched the back of his head.


    A year passed quickly, and when Edmund was eleven years old, after waking up, he was surprised to see that his hair had some white patches while looking at a piece of mirror that he stole to conduct some experiments. This intriged him, so he decided to go to the library in hopes that he could figure out what was causing it, as he had no memory of this happening before.


    He noticed that everyone was staring at him with surprise, and some even with pity, as he made his way towards the library. This only increased his concern for his condition. There, he was met by the surprised gaze of the librarian.


    ¡®Impossible.¡¯ The librarian looked at Edmund.


    The librarian rose quickly and dragged Edmund to the second floor, where he grabbed a book and handed it to the boy without saying anything before returning to his desk and getting back to work.


    ¡®Rare diseases. Am I sick?¡¯ Edmund murmured to himself.


    As he turned the pages and began reading, he came across a topic called white hair disease. which was as simple as the name suggests; it was a disease that caused people''s hair to turn white, but what piqued his interest was that it was present in babies; as soon as the baby was born, all of his hair turned white. It only happened with noble families; they could not use magic and suffered extreme pain all over their bodies, but they possessed abnormal strength; painkillers are the only treatment, and most do not pass sixteen.


    ¡®Well, I am not in pain; only that day; perhaps it is like being born with the ability to absorb magic like I do with the nail, but to the level of the bracelet.¡¯ Edmund thought to himself as he turned the pages of the book.


    After placing the book back where it belonged, he returned to the first floor. The librarian was both sympathetic to the boy and intrigued by him. Edmund grinned as he got out of the library.


    ¡®Now i know what to search for.¡¯ The boy tapped his lips with the point of his index finger.


    At home, he believed that this was the end of his advancements in the experiments; from now on, he is going to perfect the prototypes, and anything new is speculation, just theory and drawings on his tablet. Training his body, but even that has limitations, as some moves can¡¯t be done in the warehouse.


    ¡®Yeah, I am kind of lost; there is only so much I can do from where I am right now; the only thing I can do is wait for an opportunity.¡¯ Edmund took a deep breath and smiled.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 7

    With his tablet in hand, Edmund was sitting across the street and observing the carpenter doing his work. He was trying to create new equipment to help the workers in the district using his memories, but with the limitation of just observing and not talking to them to get feedback or something, Ruppert helped a lot with this, but doing a finished product was out of the question because he didn¡¯t want to stand out much. Edmund could only do prototypes and his notes; he felt stuck.


    All of his hair is now white at the age of fifteen. Compared to before, his strength had significantly increased. Based on his memories, he compared himself to the untrained five-year-old hero. This realization made him nervous, but he reasoned that perhaps people with the rare and short-lived white hair disease, if any, could complement his shortcomings. After thinking for all of these eyes, he came to the obvious conclusion that normal soldiers would need to do the majority of the fighting; he was just too weak to enter a dungeon alone; even if he had ten people just like him, it would be impossible to clear it.


    After realizing this, he started to write down everything he remembered from his memories of the other world. It was fragments, but Edmund could piece together ideas of how to train an army, just an introduction, as in the future, real soldiers would improve his ideas. That was the plan.


    He thought that everything he was doing might be used in conquest and other things; other than defeating the Demon Lord, he automatically dismissed it as not his problem; only the Demon Lord was his problem.


    Edmund saw in the distance a group of soldiers coming in his direction, nothing new, so he just moved to the side like many times before.


    ¡®Hold right there; the king is in the warehouse. Come with us.¡¯ The soldier stopped in front of Edmund; the white hair startled him a little.


    Edmund was surprised but followed the soldiers to his house, and as he opened his door, for the first time ever, he saw his father,the king, in person. An old blond-haired man with blue eyes and beautiful blue clothes with golden details all around them. His first reaction was to be on one knee.


    ¡®It¡¯s my honor to meet your majesty; long live the king.¡¯ The boy looked at his father¡¯s shoes.


    His name is Rufus Volter. He was well-known throughout the region as a wise and compassionate king for his subjects, but for Edmund, in front of him was a cold man with eyes filled with shame for his son, who was incapable of using magic and now, adding to that, has white hair. He wondered how he was getting painkillers.


    ¡®You are to eat with me in two days; perhaps there you can prove your worth to the kingdom.¡¯ His eyes were fixed on the boy.


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    ¡®Could Your Majesty see what I have done, please? It might even be able to assist the kingdom.¡¯ Edmund looked up, right into the king¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®Hum, fine.'' The king smiled.


    Rufus sat down in a chair next to him and gave Edmund a curious look. He thought that he could do only this much for the boy; maybe he would show him a toy or a sword trick.


    Edmund started to scramble his prototypes and demonstrated a cylinder-chapped device that he had named ¡°Train¡± that was on a track on the ground and looped around when he turned it on. The young man turned to face the king to see his reaction


    ¡®Can you imagine if you could complete the journey that takes ten days of walking today in just hours?¡¯ Edmund grinned.


    Rufus smiled and was intrigued by the toy, but paid no mind to what the boy said; if he showed his sword skills, maybe he could use the boy in the front lines of his army.


    ¡®It is a fun toy, but what you are saying is impossible. Do not waste my time, young man.¡¯ The king rose and began walking to the door.


    ¡®Wait, it is possible; give me a chance to show you; I have more to show you, please.'' In desperation, Edmund grabbed Rufus'' hand.


    The king attempted to free himself from Edmund but was unable to do so due to the boy¡¯s strength. He looked into the boy''s eyes, enraged by the act.


    ¡®Boy, release me, or you are dead; look around you.¡¯ Rufus looked at the boy and around him.


    ¡®I am sorry, your majesty; I did not mean to do this; I just needed another chance to show it to you.¡¯ Edmund released the king''s hand and looked at the ground.


    ¡®You truly have white hair disease; what ruthless strength! But you will serve the kingdom in a different way, boy.¡¯ The king exited Edmund''s home.


    ¡®What exactly am I doing? He simply despises me, and my hair made it worse.¡¯ Edmund reached for his hair as he knelt on the floor, his eyes welling up with tears.


    The young man was confused about what to do. If the king has no interest in something so amazing as the train, his best prototype, it could revolutionize everything, and he doesn¡¯t care at all.


    ¡®Why do you hate me for something I can¡¯t change?  he screamed.


    Edmund tried to calm himself down by lying down on his bed, feeling guilty for not explaining his device correctly or showing him something more flashy to pull his attention.


    ¡®You stupid idiot, you should have shown him the magic gun; he would have loved that, damnit!!!" He shouted.


    On the next day, the sun was up in the sky, and Edmund was outside his home,staring out at the street with a depressed look on his face. His thoughts were scattered all over the place, but his eyes were attracted by a girl in a lavish red dress using a fan to cover part of her face. With two other people following her closely, he suddenly stood up and thought of the time he had read a book about the Shafran, a race that resembled bunnies and was even speculated to be descended from monsters.


    The girl was looking around and saw the A-Dam boy looking at her, and she was surprised by his white hair. She started walking in his direction, smiling.


    ¡®You! what is your name? what do you do here?¡¯ She shouted.


    Edmund could see that she, too, had all white hair, including on her arms, which had a sort of fur covering. Her eyes were bright red. Nothing like her could be found on the books of the libraries; he only knows about people like her because of conversations he picked up in the dining hall over the years; she had a more A-Dam-like face; and her arms had less fur and muscle than the two by her side that were obviously Shafran. She was a Chatzi.


    ¡®Are you deaf, peasant?¡¯ The girl taps his chest with her fan.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 8

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯ The fan on Edmund''s chest caused him to startle.


    ¡®You look like a peasant, but why would someone who looks like you be here? Is this your home? looks like a warehouse.¡¯ She pushed the young man aside and moved towards the building.


    ¡®You are not allowed to enter or speak to me, is the king¡¯s order¡¯ Edmund turned around to face her back.


    ¡®I¡¯m not allowed? That is a good joke." She turned around, reached for his throat with her hand, and effortlessly lifted him.


    ¡®wha¡­ i can¡¯t¡­¡¯ He grabbed her hand with his two hands.


    ¡®Hump, you survived? So your white hair is not fake.¡¯ She grinned.


    The young woman opened the door of the warehouse and entered while holding Edmund¡¯s throat and releasing him. The boy got to his knees while grasping for air. He was surprised at how strong she was. He looked up and saw her smile before only her eyes were visible as she hid it with her fan. The two who were with her did not enter the house; instead, they just sighed in frustration.


    ¡®I am sorry; I did not mean to be rude.¡¯ Edmund protested as he gasped for air.


    ¡®As long as you know your place, you will be fne, peasant. Now, what is that?¡¯ She points at something shining on the table.


    ¡®That is one of my inventions; if i may, could you tell me who you are?¡¯ Edmund got up and walked to the table.


    ¡®I am Ariadne Melech, the princess of the Kingdom of Lavan; remember that.¡¯ Ariadne looked at Edmund with arrogance as she pointed her fan at him.


    ¡®This is a magic lamp, your Majesty; I made it. It uses magic to turn the light on and off.¡¯ Edmund got to one knee and showed the lamp to her.


    ¡®How? show it to me, peasant.¡¯ Ariadne was intrigued by the object.


    Edmund got up and pushed the bottom to the side of the device, and the crystal lit it up, giving it a clean and strong light. He looked at her reaction, and it made him smile.


    ¡®By the gods, this is incredible; you made it by yourself? Is the king aware of this?¡¯ She closed the door behind her quickly, leaving her alone with Edmund.


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    ¡®Well, the king thinks these are useless toys; he did not even give me a fair chance to show him what I was capable of.¡¯ With a disappointed expression on his face, he flicked the light on and off.


    ¡®So it is all mine now.¡¯ Ariadne whispered as she opened her fan in front of her face.


    Her smile was wide, revealing her white teeth, but the only thing she was showing were her red eyes, which were now shining like never before. The young lady looked at the lamp and imagined the power she could have with this device alone. She looked around and saw everything that did; this was the opportunity she was waiting for.


    ¡®This one on the floor is called a train; just imagine you could go from her to the capital of the kingdom of Lavran in some hours instead of a month. The goods you could transport, just imagine." On one knee, Edmund flipped a switch next to the train, and it began moving.


    ¡®This is fantastic.'' The young lady exclaimed as she watched it move.


    Her excitement was concealed by her fan, but her eyes betrayed her, completely focused. She imagined it passing fields, forests, and over bridges.


    ¡®I¡¯m honored, your Majesty; here, have some water.¡¯ Edmund gave her the cup.


    ¡®It is chilly!¡¯ Ariadne took a sip.


    ¡®This box here to my side can cool or even freeze water if you want to; maybe it could be used to preserve meat like people do in the winter.¡¯ The boy taped the box with his finger.


    Ariadne was taken aback by how chilly the water and cup were. After putting the cup on the table, she felt her hand still cold.


    ¡®Just wait a little; i¡¯m going to show you something crazy.¡¯ The young man walked to the end of the warehouse.


    Edmund picked up a cylinder on a stand, a little box, and an iron plate. He then put the iron plate on the wall he was next to, walked back to Ariadne, and placed the stand next to her, pointing the cylinder to the iron plate at the end of the warehouse.


    ¡®What is this strange thing?¡¯ The young lady tapped the cylinder.


    ¡®Just wait a little bit more and you will see what this is; just get behind me and pay attention.¡¯ He grabbed a little box that was on the ground.


    He punched the little box on his hand, and right after that, an unexpected blue flash of light came from it, followed by a sound that reminded me of a whitle. It traveled to the warehouse, hitting the iron plate.


    ¡®Princess? Is everything okay?¡¯ The guards violently pounded on the door.


    ¡®I am fine; there is no need to be concerned. Remain outside.¡¯ Ariadne responded.


    The young lady walked to the iron plate on the wall at the end of the warehouse. As Ariadne touched the hole in the iron plate, like before, her fan covered her broad grin.


    ¡®Now, it belongs to me.¡¯ Ariadne whispered to herself.


    ¡®I have the designs here, but I need more materials to make it portable.¡¯ The boy came closer to the young lady.


    Edmund had picked up the tablet and began to show the princess some completed designs of the prototypes he had shown her. The tablet itself made her eyes gasp at the way the drawings showed up like magic on this piece of plate.


    ¡®Oh my.¡¯ Her eyes were mesmerized by the tablet.


    ¡®I can show more if you have the time.¡¯ Edmund smiled at her.


    ¡®I have seen enough; you have talent; I will give you that.¡¯ Ariadne lifted her chin and looked at the boy proudly.


    The young lady approached the door, opened it, and, before leaving, looked at Edmund¡¯s face. He felt like her eyes could engulf him, full of greed; it made him feel uncomfortable, like an object. She pierces him with her red eyes, feeling chains shackled to his arms, legs, and neck.


    ¡®Rejoice, peasant; I will remember your name. What is it?¡¯ Ariadne said with a grin.


    ¡®My name is Edmund. Your Majesty.¡¯ He stutters.


    ¡®I believe we will be seeing each other soon. Edmund¡¯ The young lady walked out.


    As the door closed behind her and Edmund stood there alone in the warehouse, he came to the realization that a complete stranger had come into his house, and he had a real conversation with someone other than Ruppert. Happiness filled his chest as he remembered her reactions, but suddenly Edmund looked to the door.


    ¡®Wait, did I just show everything I have to a complete stranger?¡¯ Edmund thought to himself.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 9

    ¡®Why wasn''t she in pain? She had white hair and everything.¡¯ Edmund is moving from left to right while muttering to himself.


    What surprised him the most was how strong she was, but it gave him hope to test more things; the problem would be how he would see her again.


    ¡®The king wanted to meet me tomorrow; perhaps I can see her again and talk about the nail; even if she does not feel pain, she might die.¡¯ He thought.


    The young man lay down on his bed and tried to recall the woman''s face who had looked after him, the moments they had together, and the care she took even when it was not easy for herself.


    ¡®I wonder what will happen tomorrow, but at least I will get the chance to see Lucia.¡¯ He smiled.


    The following morning, Edmund woke up with someone banging on his door, so he quickly ran to it and opened it.


    ''Sir Gustav?¡¯ The boy looked surprised.


    ¡®The king is waiting for you, so put this on.¡¯ Gustav gave clothes to Edmund.


    The white-haired boy changed his clothes, and before leaving, he opened a drawer and picked up a nail, slipped it into his pocket, and walked out, revealing to Gustav an all-black ensemble with gold details on the jacket.


    Edmund began to follow the knight toward the castle, passing the passageway that would take him to the library and entering an area with more details on the walls than anyone could see. Edmund was familiar with these, but it had been a while since he had last seen them.


    The maids and guards looked at him more out of curiosity than anything else, but one stood out with her long red hair and green, clear eyes, now with a more mature appearance. Lucia was there. With tears in her eyes, she followed behind him.


    ¡®Pour Edmund, with white hair on top of it all, I hope you understand why I could not go and see you for all those years.¡¯ She sobed.


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    Lucia began to follow him while holding a piece of cloth in one hand to wipe away her tears. She felt guilt for not being able to do more for him. At the beginning, he was difficult, but with time, he was just a good child who was in an unfortunate situation.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Lucia; I am fine. If I could, I would give you a big hug right now to just to let you know how much I miss you.¡¯ Edmund grinned as he looked at the maid with the corner of his eye.


    ¡®We are here.¡¯ Gustav looked at Edmund.


    Lucia was left behind as Gustav opened the door and moved aside to let Edmund enter the bigger room, where a larger table had been set. A Shafran with a beast-like face was standing on the opposite side of Rufus.


    There were other people on the table to its sides; he assumed it was his brothers and sister because they were looking at him, but the woman that he assumed was his mother was the real surprise, as she appeared surprised to see him, and he could even sense her sadness or even shame. As he approached, she looked down at the table, and her posture changed.


    Ariadne and her fan were all he could see when he turned the other way; although she appeared unconcerned, her eyes, which were filled with greed, betrayed her. and the Shafran to her side, whom he assumed was the Archduke of the kingdom of Lavan; it was interesting that they did not have a king but an Archduke as leader. According to the books he had read, it was more of a custom for them.


    ¡®Now that the fourth prince is here, we can begin the negotiations.¡¯ The king looked at Edmund.


    ¡®Well, the border skirmishes are something we can no longer have; there is no justification for fighting.¡¯ The Archduke gave Rufus a serious look as he did so.


    ¡®Yes, Archduke Adrian, I am going to be honest with you. Before, the soldiers turned a blind eye to mercenaries and bandits who crossed to your side.¡¯ Rufus smiled


    ¡®The kingdom of Lavran will no longer tolerate this; If things continue as they are, we will be forced to start a war with Velvent.¡¯ Adrian taped his finger to the table and spoke calmly.


    ¡®War is not in our best interests. It would be preferable, Archduke, to find a guarantee for a peaceful resolution to this issue; trade is a far better option than war, as war would open us to oportunists.¡¯ The king looked at Adrian with a serious face.


    Edmund tried to pay attention to what they were saying while turning his head from side to side, but every time he looked at the Archduke''s side, he felt as though Ariadne''s eyes were swallowing him whole. The king even said that he would eat, but there was nothing on the table.


    ¡®The Chatzi and their families who live at the border are still my people; even if my people don¡¯t see it as such, it is still our territory. I understand that war serves no purpose for us.¡¯ The archduke started reading the papers in front of him as he spoke.


    ¡®The Archduke has an exceptionally kind heart.¡¯ Rufus'' eyes shifted to Ariadne.


    ¡®Thank you; the birth of my daughter opened my heart to the Chatzi, but difficulties persisted even after so much time had passed; well, that is a conversation for another time.¡¯ He put the papers on his side.


    ¡®It appears that you have no issues with the agreement; now, Edmund, you will perform your responsibility for the welfare of the kingdom." The king smiled at the young man.


    Ariadne stood and walked to Edmund''s side. Another man who had been by the king''s side also walked to Edmund; he was confused as to what was happening. They touched his shoulders, and after that, he couldn¡¯t move anymore.


    ¡®Edmund,is time for you to make a sacrifice for our kingdom; for this peace treaty, you will serve the princess as a slave.'' Rufus grinned.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 10

    His eyes grew wide with the realization that his body was paralyzed. He notices the queen¡¯s terrified face. His eyes turned to the king to see his smile of satisfaction. From his side, he could just hear whispers coming from the man and the weight of Ariadne''s hand on his other shoulder.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Edmund; this is just for the treaty; you know that slavery is illegal, but i¡¯m not going to give one of your siblings to them.¡¯ Rufus looked into the young man''s eyes.


    ¡®Edmund, you can only imagine how surprised I was to learn that you are the king''s son, given that I was about to trade one of the princes for you. I¡¯m going to be a good master. Don''t worry.¡¯ Ariadne nudged Edmund''s shoulder while whispering softly into his ear.


    Edmund was able to move, and the moment he tried to get up, Ariadne pressed his shoulder downward.


    ¡®Don¡¯t move, peasant; just speak your mind from where you are.¡¯ She spoke.


    He looked to his family, anger showing on his face. His brothers looked down when they saw his expression, and his sister was visibly shocked, looking at him with wide eyes. The queen, on the other hand, was not looking at him at all, her eyes switching between her sons and the table frantically. Only his father was looking at him with a grin on his face.


    ¡®Why did you do this to me, Father? I could have shown you more like what i have shown you...¡¯ Edmund suddenly stopped talking.


    ¡®Silence!!!¡¯ Ariadne shouted.


    It was really confusing for Edmund, but as it happened, all he could do was stare at his family with tears streaming from his eyes. But it was not that he couldn¡¯t speak; it was more like he didn¡¯t want to speak anymore.


    Slavery was prohibited on the continent due to how it was carried out on people, according to a book he had read. You were left with no choice but to obey the orders; it effectively became your will. A nobleman can only use this magic once in his lifetime, which is a drawback; even with this, it was outlawed.


    ¡®Edmund, respect the king''s choice; it is in the best interest of all concerned, even yours.¡¯ Ariadne caresses Edmund''s cheek from behind.


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    ¡®You know how this spell works, huh? If he dies, the treaty is null, so be careful.¡¯ Rufus pointed at the princess.


    ¡®We will take good care of him, so don¡¯t be alarmed. We will have a long-lasting peace betwen Velvent and Lavan.¡¯ The archduke spoke as he signed the documents.


    The archduke got up and started to walk toward the door. Rufus just observed him leave, and the others got up from the table. Ariadne took a look at the royal family and came closer to Edmund''s ears.


    ¡®Come, peasant, we will get your belongings; it will be a great partnership; follow me.¡¯ She whispered.


    As he followed Ariadna, he remembered his mother, who looked sad to see him in that state, and his father, who was pleased with everything that was going on while stroking his chin.


    As he passed Gustav and Lucia, a smile could be seen on his face. The maid was surprised by Edmund¡¯s unexpected hug, and as she was about to return the favor, Edmund started to follow Ariadne once more. All Lucia could do was stand there with tears in her eyes.


    Once out,Ariadne passed the carriage she was supposed to exit and started to walk toward the warehouse. Her guards followed her, but with a motion of her hand, she ordered them not to follow with Edmund right behind.


    ¡®You may now speak, peasant. But first, try to keep in mind that I am in charge; think before you speak.¡¯ Ariadne looks at the young man.


    ¡®What will now happen to me? Am I going to prison?¡¯ He lamented.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be silly, peasant. Your task is to finish your creations so that I can gain power in my own kingdom.¡¯ She spoke to him in a commanding tone.


    ¡®But you are a princess; why do you need more power?¡¯ Edmund looked at Ariadne''s back, puzzled.


    ¡®Are you blind? How can you fail to notice the distinction between me and my father? I am a Chatzi, a half-breed; my mother was an A-dam; she died giving birth to me.''  The princess looked at her own hands.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, the outside world is a mystery to me, nobody is allowed to talk to me, my worldview comes from books.¡¯ Edmund clenched his fists.


    ¡®Hump, I can¡¯t expect you to know everything; after all, you are a peasant. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯m not going to treat you poorly, but don¡¯t expect the same from the citizens of the kingdom, even if I hear whispers.¡¯ She spoke to him while her ears lowered slightly.


    ¡®I understand, but I have something to say to you first.¡¯ He got next to her.


    ¡®What? Before that, I must say that you are accepting being a slave really well; I believe that the transition from beggar to slave status is not difficult.¡¯ She chuckled.


    ¡®I can leave this place and keep working on my things; that is all good for me. I kind of need to thank you for this, as my father didn¡¯t give me a chance. I am not going to let you down, your highness.¡¯ The young man smiled.


    He stopped in front of her and bowed to Ariadne. She was intrigued by the idea that maybe, somehow, he was using her. Edmund didn¡¯t like his situation, but it could be an opportunity if he pushed the right way.


    ¡®You know flattery; that is interesting. I only expect the best from my subjects, we have much work to do; I have an empire to build after all.¡¯ Ariadne continued to walk


    ¡®What if I told you that everything I build has only one reason. the old stories about the hero and demon lord were real; he would return, but the hero is not.¡¯ Edmund followed behind her.


    ¡®What a silly thing to say. My empire will crush the demon lord if he comes; there is no need for a hero, peasant. You will make me invincible.¡¯ She grinned.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 11

    The moment the two of them arrived at the warehouse, he started sorting and carefully loading a wagon that was already there with his prototypes in a way that nothing would be harmed during transportation. Ariadne was simply keeping an eye on everything while cooling herself with a fan and drinking cold water inside the warehouse. Edmund noticed that she was not okay.


    ¡®Are you okay?¡¯ Edmund stopped in front of her.


    ¡®Too much time without my medicine, you know how it is.¡¯ She spoke while displaying a painful expression.


    ¡®No,I don¡¯t feel pain at all.¡¯ He gave her a sarcastic smile.


    ¡®Peasant, don¡¯t test me; you have white hair. How can¡¯t you feel pain?¡± Ariadne spoke angrily.


    ¡®Sorry, your majesty, I am different from you; I used this to infuse magic into my body.¡¯ He pointed at the nail on his arm.


    ¡®What? I can only ease the pain with my medication; you are a box full of surprises¡¯. She was intrigued.


    ¡®If you want, we can try using a nail on you; i think you are just absorbing too much magic and that is what causes the pain.¡¯ He took the nail out of his pocket and showed it to her.


    ¡®I will trust you, peasant. Don¡¯t try anything funny; remember that i¡¯m in control.¡¯ Ariadne looked at him with doubt.


    ¡®Okay, let us get started.¡¯ He smiled.


    Ariadne pulled her sleeve up to reveal her arm, which was partially covered in white fur. Edmund just pressed the nail against her skin; it was like it had a life of its own. When the nail first pierced her skin, she felt a surge of pain, but it quickly subsided and vanished along with all the pain she had. For the first time in her life, there was no pain, nothing, like a new world opened up for her in an instant.


    The young man thought it odd that Ariadne didn¡¯t move at all, even after cleaning the blood on her arm. He was starting to worry because if something happened to her, he would be dead.


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    ¡®Peasant, that crazy talk about the Demon lord, you will have my support on that.¡¯ She clenched her fists.


    ¡®You didn¡¯t take me seriously? Well, a win is a win.¡¯ Edmund continued to load the wagon.


    Ariadne noticed a sword on the wall. It was interesting for her because it had a different design; it was much longer and wider than the swords her soldiers used. She picked it up, but the sword was heavy even for her.


    ¡®How are you using such a sword, peasant? Even for me, it is heavy.¡¯ Ariadne looked at him puzzled.


    ¡®It is my training sword, a greatsword; It makes the most of my strength; I put runes in it to make it heavy; this one''s the real one.¡¯ He took a sword from under his bed.


    The sword was similar in appearance but had a shining blade that reflected his face, which made him remember Ruppert.


    ¡®Peasant, you are full of surprises. Let us go.¡¯ She chuckled.


    The two of them were outside, but Edmund turned to look at his home, remembering all the time he had spent alone there practicing with the sword or developing his prototypes. Maybe one day he will return, but as his gaze met Ariadne, he thought that it would be more than a visit; more like a conquest. For him, it made no difference; as long as the battle against the Demon Lord advanced, she could rule the known world for all he cared.


    A carriage arrived, and Ariadne climbed aboard, followed by Edmund, but as he climbed inside, she gave him a sidelong glance.


    ¡®Peasant, what do you think you are doing? Know your place.¡¯ She closed the door.


    Edmund remembered that now that he was a slave, only a few people had ever spoken to him throughout his life. That is why the young man had the wrong idea. He then proceeded to the wagon and climbed on the back with his things.


    The movement in front of the warehouse where Edmund lived got a lot of attention. Ruppert was there too; he didn¡¯t know what was happening; all he saw was Edmund jumping into the back of a wagon, looking his way, and waving as he went. Then he listened to the people talking about how the boy was now a slave of the Lavan princess, which puzzled him because the boy looked happy.


    ¡®He sure is strange.¡¯ The blacksmith sighed.


    Everything was brand new and fantastic; there were new people and new faces. Edmund had never traveled outside of the Royal Smith District before. He did not know what was going to happen; worse, now he was a slave, but his face had a smile and a hopeful demeanor, looking at the blue sky.


    ¡®I am going to sleep a little bit.¡¯ Edmund closed his eyes.


    In the castle, the king looked outside, contemplating the view as he listened to his assistant.


    ¡®Your majesty, the Lavan princess got everything in the warehouse where the fourth prince lived.¡¯ The man reported.


    ¡®Humm. Strange, why was I so fixated on him? Maybe it''s because of his hair.¡¯ The king turned around,facing the assistant.


    ''Yesterday, she entered the warehouse and talked to him. It was like she knew he was there.¡¯ He looked at the paper on his hand.


    ¡®We need to monitor this situation; they refused one of the princes for Edmund, She refused.¡¯ Rufus tapped his desk.


    The king returned to his position,looking at the garden where the princes and princesses were playing. It was surprising what had happened because one of his two sons was to be a slave. But she intervened in the negotiations; that is what he believed, as the Archduke, out of nowhere, demanded Edmund be the one. Her eyes at the table were so fixated on him that for a moment he thought she was in love, but when she silenced him, caressed his cheek, and looked at the royal family, her eyes translated the words.


    ¡®He is mine.¡¯ The king whispered

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 12

    The abrupt stop of the wagon made Edmund wake up. He looked around, and the sun was setting. A mix of green and orange leaves, something he had never seen before. The driver got out of his seat and began talking with the soldiers as they dismounted their horses.


    With prejudice, the knights were observing the young man. He exited the wagon and began making his way over to Ariadne''s carriage, where he saw her father getting out of the carriage in front of hers. The young man was startled by his master¡¯s voice.


    ¡®Would you mind helping me, peasant?¡¯ She held out her hand.


    ¡®Oh. Yes, your highness.¡¯ He held her hand.


    He assisted her in exiting the carriage. A Chatzi maid with light brown hair and brown eyes followed her. She ignored the young boy, acting as if he did not even exist.


    ¡®Things are going to be like this, hum?¡¯ Edmund sighed.


    He was by himself, out in the wilderness,distant from the camp, gazing at the stars and listening to the sounds of the forest''s creatures. The hero''s memories were unreliable; now, outside, he was thinking about how the world is. Ruppert said that monsters exist, but as far as he remembers, there weren''t such things.


    ¡®Monsters¡­¡¯ Edmund whispered.


    The sound of steps approaching made him open his eyes and look to the side. Ariadne and her maid were coming, and as soon as they got closer, Edmund got up and bowed to the princess.


    ¡®Your highness, good night.¡¯ Edmund looked down.


    ¡®My father wanted to thank you for this thing on my arm. I had to calm him down, but because I don¡¯t feel pain anymore, he was happy." She smiled.


    ¡®Well, I can¡¯t confirm, but if the nail cuts the side effects of the white hair disease,  your life will be quite long, maybe longer than the rest.¡¯ The young man taps his chin.


    Edmund looked at the person behind the princess, and he was intrigued as she was also a chatzi.


    ¡®Oh my, this is Eliza Foster, my maid, and as you can see, she is a Chatzi.¡¯ Ariadne presents the maid.


    ¡®It is a pleasure to meet you.¡¯ Eliza bowed and fixed her eyes on Edmund.


    ¡®Eliza, don¡¯t bow to a slave; others may be watching.¡¯ Ariadne gave the girl a stern look.


    ¡®Your highness, I apologize.¡¯ The maid retracted her body in shame.


    ¡®Well, my name is Edmund; are you a noble?.¡¯ The young boy gave the maid a friendly smile.


    ¡®No, I am just a commoner, but thanks to the Archduke, i have a last name.¡¯ She spoke proudly.


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    ¡®Oh, it must be nice to have a family name, Good for you.¡¯ Edmund kicked the dirt a little.


    ¡®My father established this rule fifteen years ago to win the commoner¡¯s support to transfer the Chatzi to the border.¡¯ Ariadne turned her gaze toward the camp.


    ¡®Will I have a last name too?¡¯ Edmund said it with excitement.


    ¡®Of course not, peasant; this law is only for Lavan citizens. You may have forgotten that you are currently a slave.¡¯ She gave Edmund a serious look out of the corner of her eye.


    ¡®Ok,Ok,Ok. Just wondering.¡¯ Edmund grinned.


    ¡®Sometimes you pass the image that you talk like this because you want to behave like a peasant.¡¯ Ariadne signed.


    ¡®I have something to say to you, your highness; it is important.¡¯ The young boy spoke seriously.


    ¡®Say it quickly; I am tired.¡¯ Ariadne looked at him.


    ¡®There is a danger on my devices; if someone replicates, we will be in danger so  i was thinking we should do this in secret.¡¯ He crossed his arms.


    ¡®That is true, you have a point, when we get to the castle, i will find a place for you.¡¯ She taps her chin with her fan.


    ¡®Look at this one; you are kind of easy and right of the bat can provide alot, communication, just press on the side and talk in to it.¡¯ Edmund shows her the two boxes.


    Ariadne got one of the boxes and pressed it on its side. Sounds started to come from Edmund¡¯s box; she looked at it with apprehension but continued.


    ¡®Hello,peasant?¡¯ Ariadne spoke timidly into the box.


    The same thing could be heard at the same time on Edmund¡¯s box. The maid ran and quickly hid behind a tree next to them. Ariadne was in shock, looking at the box. Her reaction made him smile.


    ¡®They send and receive, I just don¡¯t know the range, ho, the name of it is radio.¡¯ Edmund looked at his radio.


    When the boy pressed the side of the radio, he noticed that Ariadne¡¯s radio did not emit any sound. He tried to talk, but nothing happened. This made him confused, and now he thought that it was broken. He quickly took the other radio from Ariadne¡¯s hand, but it did not work; there was no response at all.


    ¡®it broke?¡¯ The princess asked.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Edmund responded, confused.


    Ariadne took one of the radios once again and pressed on it¡¯s side, and a sound came from the other radio. This made the young man confused because the radio she just took was the one he thought was broken.


    ¡®What? I can¡¯t use my things?¡¯ Edmund looked at the radio, confused.


    ¡®Hum, give me that and come here, Eliza.¡¯ Ariadne took the radio from Edmund¡¯s hand.


    ¡®Yes, your highness.¡¯ The maid came next to the princess.


    Ariadne gave the radio to the maid, and she pressed the side of it and talked. Her voice came on the other device, which startled Eliza but confused Edmund to no end.


    ¡®How is that possible, i can¡¯t use my devices?¡¯ Edmund looked at his shaking hands.


    ¡®Calm down, peasant, maybe the slave contract is at fault; i have an idea, Eliza, call for a guard.¡¯ Ariadne waved to the maid.


    Eliza ran to the camp and called a guard. After some time, two figures came closer to Ariadne. The princess waved her hand again to the maid, and she gave her radio.


    ¡®Press the side of it and talk to the box, simple.¡¯ Ariadne demonstrated.


    The guard was annoyed because he was outmost entering his tent to sleep, but to end kickly, he did what she asked.


    ¡®Hey.¡¯ The guard spoke.


    Edmund was surprised to see that nothing happened. The guard was confused about what they expected to happen; he just bowed to Ariadne, gave the radio to Eliza, and returned to the camp.


    ¡®I don¡¯t understand, What is happening?¡¯ Edmund looked at the princess, confused.


    ''How can someone who created these amazing things be so dumb? You embarrass me, peasant.¡¯ Ariadne signed.


    ¡®What? You know?¡¯ Edmund scratched his head.


    ¡®We can confirm when I can feed my servants; it looks like only people under me can use your devices.¡¯ She smiled.


    ¡®But i¡¯m your slave; i don¡¯t get it.¡¯ Edmund uses his two hands to pull his hair.


    ¡®You are my slave but you don¡¯t recognize me as your master, your superior.¡¯ Ariadne looked at him with disgust.


    ¡®Let me test it to see if this is it, Give me the radio, your highness.¡¯ Edmund grinned.


    Edmund grabbed the radio from Ariadne¡¯s hand, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and could see only a path. The princess was at the end of it; no other paths he thought over the eyes now were just darkness; she was the light, the only way forward. Up until now, he thought of using her, but now he needs to follow her path. Ariadne felt a drop inside her heart, nothing she had ever felt before.


    He then pressed the side of the radio, opened his eyes, looked at the princesses, and spoke with a calm voice.


    ¡®I will follow you; this is now at your hands.¡¯ Edmund fixed his eyes on hers.


    His voice came from the radio on Eliza¡¯s hand, which made her jump and almost drop the device.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 13

    After a month of travel, Edmund learned from the soldiers and knights that they were now getting close to the border; everything was so beautiful. But it was not really a good ride because, from what he picked up from the soldiers, the lords didn¡¯t want to have the caravan in their towns or cities; the majority of the time they had to put up camp or rent a tavern in the middle of the road.


    ¡®It will be difficult to use the runes if she doesn¡¯t have people loyal to her; that is some stupid rule right there.¡¯ Edmund looked at the blue sky.


    As the caravan crossed a bridge, there were a large number of people brocking the road, a dence forest to the right and a river to the left.


    ¡®Oh, so the mission is to attack this convoy? It is the Archduke?¡¯ An old man asked.


    ¡®Don¡¯t forget about the white-haired kid.¡¯ another voice in the crowd said.


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t we ambush them? coming from the trees, they are going to escape.¡¯ a young man complained.


    ¡®We don¡¯t need ambush tactics; these stupid idiots only have a couple of soldiers and knights; we are about sixty strong.¡¯ The man laughed.


    Edmund was awoken by the sudden stop and noticed the soldiers gathering in front of the caravan. He could see a large group of people blocking the road from the side of the wagon. His first reaction was to immediately get his sword and slowly walk, following the soldiers while dragging his weapon.


    ¡®You there, let us pass; this is his majesty, Archduke Adrian''s convoy.¡¯ A knight screamed.


    ¡®You see, I don''t really care who is in these carriages; this is just a toll for a good cause. Would you kindly give us something so that nothing happens?¡¯ An old man shouted back.


    The Archduke was in the first carriage with Ariadne and her maid. The princess was impatient and tried to look outside, but before that, one knight tapped on the window.


    ¡®Your Majesty, We have bandits, they are too many, you must flee, we will buy some time for you.¡¯ The knight drew his sword.


    ¡®I understand, Ariadne; get ready to leave.¡¯ Adrian got up.


    ¡®This is no coincidence, Father, with these Velventian traitors.¡¯ The princess shouted.


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    ¡®Hum, maybe.¡¯ The archduke opened the carriage door.


    All of them got out of the carriage, and Eliza looked distressed as she saw the number of people blocking the way. Coming from the other side was Edmund, with his greatsword. She was surprised not by the young man but by the sword itself and how different it was.


    ¡®Where are you guys going? There is no need to run.¡¯ Edmund arrogantly walked by.


    The boy seemed to be unable to hold his sword properly, as evidenced by the way he dragged it across the ground. The archduke was startled by sight.


    ¡®What is the meaning of this? Is he crazy?¡¯ Adrian looked at Ariadne.


    ¡®At the very least, he is brave.¡¯ Ariadne smiled.


    Edmund got to the front, and the Shafran soldiers were blocking the way. There was a shouting match between the soldiers and the bandits happening. One of the soldiers looked at the A-Dam boy and used his elbow to call for the soldier who was shouting at the bandits. He opened the path for him, and the young man stepped to the front.


    ¡®Is that boy going to fight us, boss? These bastards are going to make him fight us. remeber, we need him alive.¡¯ A bandit laughed.


    The knight¡¯s'' decision to even fight the bandits surprised Edmund because of how many bandits there were. The young man showed a smile, took position, and looked straight at one of the bandits.


    Ariadne came to the front and opened her fan. She looked at the bandits; the sight of them made her feet tremble, but because of her dress, nobody noticed, as her posture was as noble as it got. The archduke followed her and put his hand on her shoulder.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go, my daughter; we need to ride.¡¯ Adrian tried to pull her.


    Ariadne looked at the archduke but did not move an inch. She looked at Edmund, and right after, the young man looked into Ariadne''s eyes for a moment before facing the crowd of bandits again and launching himself into them. The man in front of him could do nothing but move his eyes and stare at Edmund as he was slashed by the young man¡¯s blade. The bandits did not see him getting closer, just their leader being cut in half. At that moment, everyone just stopped.


    Before the bandits could react, Edmund, like a beast that none of them had ever seen, charged into the crowd like he was being led by the weight of the sword itself. Blocking with shields was ineffective; anyone who attempted it was instantly killed, and the radius of the attacks was unpredictable, as a man who tried to attack the boy from behind was suddenly cut in half, forcing his comrades to close their eyes due to the blood splashing from the body. Noticing this, Edmund altered his attacks, launching himself at the group with closed eyes and slashing them with the momentum of one swing, but now he was upside down.


    The boy''s white hair had turned red from the amount of blood that came out of the one he had just cut down. With more swings of his greatsword, more bandits came down. Even when they tried to block his sword, that only caused their own weapons to plunge into their flesh. Some of them tried to put some distance between themselves and the wild, red-haired young man, but more bandits came down. Even when they tried to block his sword, that only caused their own weapons to plunge into their flesh.


    Some of them tried to distance themselves from the wild-red-haired young man, but with no success. The moment he noticed them doing this, he moved in a strange way to cut them down like a fox with a sword on its mount. They have never seen something like this; the majority couldn¡¯t react and just stood there with their swords pointed at the young man, who, with one swing, passed through multiple of their comrades one after the other. His sword, now dull, broke bones with every strike as he continued to rampage.


    ¡®Run!!!¡¯ One man screamed.


    All of a sudden, those who were still standing began to run. It seemed as though reality had been completely shattered when they looked around and became aware of the dead bodies on their feet. It was a complete nightmare, as the beast was in front of it. An ancient demon that the Shafran had let loose wanted more blood.


    The Archduke could not believe what the young man did. His movements, jumps, and sword style, which he had never seen anywhere in his life, were completely foreign. The young slave was just a beast, madly dancing in a fountain of blood.


    Ariadne started to laugh out loud as the remains of the bandits began to run. Part of her was disgusted by what she saw, but it was overwhelmed by a feeling of happiness that filled her chest like never before.


    ¡®Can I do that?! amazing!!!¡¯ She shouted with a grin.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 14

    ¡®Something done in his spare time is not as good as the real thing; the sword is trash now.¡¯ Edmund looked at his dull sword with disappointment in his eyes.


    The young man changed his gaze to the forest and threw his sword. A scream could be heard, and the leaves began to move like someone was running away.


    ¡®Only observing? i wonder who it is.¡¯ He sighs.


    He began to approach the Shafran soldiers, walking over the bodies lying on the ground carelessly, which led him to realize that the hero''s memories prevented him from feeling anything when he killed all of these people. The archduke gestured for the soldiers to let him pass. Ariadne still had a grin on her face as the young man passed and stopped in front of the archduke.


    ¡®Your Majesty, I apologize for how I look; we can continue.¡¯ Edmund bowed


    ¡®Your father wasn¡¯t aware that you had this kind of power? explain.¡¯ Adrian stated.


    ¡®Well, I can¡¯t use magic; he only cares about that.¡¯ He passed his hand on his hair and looked at it.


    ¡®Father, I have told you that the king of Velvent is a fool, but a cunning one. Who knows if this is not his doing!?¡¯ She spoke angrily.


    Ariadne expressed disgust at the blood that was dripping from Edmund''s hair. The smell was strong and made her feel sick.


    ¡®By the gods, peasant, wash yourself; you are disgusting right now.¡¯ The princess fans Edmund.


    ¡®Ho, I¡¯m sorry. Luck that we have a river right there.¡¯ he smiles at her.


    The soldiers began to pull the bodies out of the road and into the woods. Edmund entered the water of the cold river, washing all of the blood that was on his body. Ariadne returned to her carriage, and before entering, she looked at Eliza.


    ¡®Eliza, get new clothes to the peasant there; he deserved.¡¯ She waved to the maid.


    ¡®Yes, your highness.¡¯ the maid bowed.


    Edmund saw the maid put new clothes on a rock for him while covering her eyes so she could not see him. He got out of the water, got his new vestments, and returned to the caravan at the same time as the soldiers finished getting the bodies out of the road.


    The soldiers were nervous around Edmund as he passed them going to his wagon. The carriage door opened, and he passed and saw Ariadne looking at him.


    ¡®Get in, peasant; my father wants  to talk to you.¡¯ She looked away from him.


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    The young man entered and sat next to Ariadne, who was looking outside as the carriage began to move. Adrian smiled at the young man.


    ¡®First, Thank you for what you did.¡¯ He bowed to Edmund.


    Ariadne looked at her father in shock.


    ¡®Father, no, you don¡¯t need to do this.¡¯ She lifted his head.


    ¡®There is no need for this, your majesty. The young man nodded to the Archduke.


    Ariadne sat next to the archduke while holding him dearly, Edmund was surprised to see this side of her, a kind princess, hugging her father, He could see that she genuinely felt bad that he was bowing to him, Adrian looked at his daughter and to Edmund.


    ¡®You are our benefactor; i can¡¯t free you but i will give you a reward.¡¯ He nodded to the young man.


    Edmund looked to the princess with a smile on his face; the archduke noticed and also looked to his daughter and back to the young man.


    ¡®You can¡¯t have her, everything but this.¡¯ Adrian spoke angrily.


    ¡®What?¡¯ Ariadne and Edmund shouted at the same time.


    ¡®The way you looked at her, i assumed that you were.¡¯ He stopped mid sentence.


    ¡®No!!! I was going to say that she should learn how to fight like me.¡¯ Edmund rubbed the back of his head.


    ¡®I would love to, father; i don¡¯t feel pain anymore and i¡¯m stronger than the peasant.¡¯ She grabbed and held her father¡¯s hand.


    ¡®Don¡¯t call him like that, Ariadne, which is distasteful, be noble, you are better them this.¡¯ Adrian looked at her with a serious look.


    ¡®I don¡¯t mind your majesty,¡¯ Edmund laughed.


    ¡®You don¡¯t need to wish that; i was going to ask you to do that for her.¡¯ The archduke smiled.


    ¡®Just give her more support in the future.¡¯ Edmund looked at Ariadne.


    ¡®Peasant.¡¯ She whispered, looking at him.


    ¡®Fine, it is done.¡¯ Adrian grinned.


    Some time after they crossed the border, the caravan got to a town.


    ¡®This is it, my beloved daughter. As I said before we arrived at Velvent, once I had secured the Chatzi territory from both sides, it would now be yours.¡¯ Adrian''s eyes were filled with sadness.


    ¡®I realize that other nobles are pressuring you because of me; perhaps one day I will convince these dimwitted nobles to change their ways.¡¯ The princess hugged her father.


    ¡®However, I hid something from you in order to keep you safe. You are now a duchess. Sorry, but this is the only way to keep you safe, my daughter.¡¯ The archduke looked down and covered his face in shame.


    Her eyes widened. Edmund was confused by what was happening; he didn¡¯t understand what his words meant.


    ¡®How could you have done this to me? I have a plan; it would work.¡¯ She yelled out in rage.


    ¡®I did it for your safety. I love you. All I wanted was for you to spend the remaining time you had in peace and happiness. How would I know that Edmund would be able to heal you? is that even true?¡¯ Adrian''s eyes were filled with tears as he gazed at his daughter.


    ¡®No!!! You betrayed me, father; this is exile, not safety.¡¯ Ariadne shoulted.


    She looked at the archduke with utter hatred as she clenched her fist, shattering the fan she was holding. To Edmund, it looked like she was about to break the archduke¡¯s neck, so he prepared himself.


    ¡®No matter what you do, Ariadne, they will never accept you for who you are. When you look at Edmund, you would think that someone with his abilities would have been by his side a long time ago. but is not true.¡¯ The archduke looked at his daughter with serious eyes.


    ¡®But...¡¯ Ariadne''s ears lowed.


    ¡®It was out of my hands; that was the best I could do to help you. use their hatred for the Chatzi.¡¯ Adrian wiped his daughter¡¯s tears.


    After passing the town, the caravan stopped in front of a hilltop mansion. The door of the carriage opened as soon as it came to a stop, and a male Chatzi wearing a butler''s uniform helped Ariadne exit. This revealed a group of Chatzi maids and staff members standing in front of the mansion door.


    ¡®Welcome, duchess.¡¯ All of them spoke.


    She smiled as she looked into each of their individual eyes. Each time she felt another drop in her heart, it was a strange feeling. She simply went to the door. They looked down, and two butlers opened the door. Eliza got out of her carriage and quickly followed; the archduke just watched it with a sad expression on his face as his daughter entered the mansion.


    Edmund got out of the carriage last and saw his wagon going to the back of the mansion. He ran after it and jumped on it.


    ¡®To my new home!!¡¯ He shouted.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 15

    ¡®Where exactly is my room?¡¯ Ariadne asked.


    A blonde Chatzi maid with green eyes approached her from the side; she appeared to be older than the rest.


    ¡®Follow me, duchess.¡¯ The maid got to the front.


    Compared to the town below, the mansion had high quality construction. Her father had done the absolute best he could; all of this was done long before he decided to go to Velvent; maybe this was his plan from the beginning.


    ¡®You, in the front, what is your name?¡¯ Ariadne inquired.


    ¡®My name is Rita Agron, and I am the head maid at your disposal, your highness.¡¯ She responded while opening the door to a room.


    ¡®This appears to be the same as my room in the capital.¡¯ The duchess looked around.


    ¡®Everything that belonged to the Duchess in the capital arrived a few days ago,¡¯ Rita said, opening the curtains.


    ¡®You did well; call the peasant here; I need to speak with him.¡¯ She looked at Eliza.


    Eliza got out of the room and remembered that Edmund jumped on the wagon going to the back of the mansion. There was no time for her to adapt to her new situation. The one thing she liked was the fact that all of the staff was Chatzi.


    ¡®Well, Rita, I guess I should change my clothes.¡¯ Ariadne turned to face Rita.


    The wagon stopped in front of a warehouse. Edmond thought that was not that bad; it definitely was bigger than the one he lived in back in Velvent. A few moments later, some people approached him.


    ¡®Do you need help? We can give you a hand to get this stuff out of the wagon.¡¯ The man spoke.


    ¡®Yes, thanks; I¡¯m indebted to you.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    ¡®By the way, my name is Alon Agron, and I am the guard''s captain; we look after the safety of the town and the towns on this territory.¡¯


    With black hair and brown eyes, the older A-Dam soldier pointed to the others, a mix of Shafran, A-Dam, and the younger Chatzi. Edmund felt welcomed as everyone started to help him get his things out of the wagon. They had this air of camaraderie that was foreign to the young man.


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    ¡®Ho, I''m Edmund, and I¡¯m Ariadne¡¯s slave.¡¯ He smiled at the group.


    His words hit them hard. They couldn¡¯t believe the duchess had a slave; it made them feel awkward. They felt sorry for the boy. Perhaps the duchess doesn¡¯t care about the law, like she is a tyrant or something; it made them feel apprehensive.


    ¡®No, look, this is not what you guys are thinking; I¡¯m glad she took me out from where I was; she is not a bad person.¡¯ The young boy sat on a box.


    ¡®No problem; it is not like we could help you, but if you need help, just ask me or the boys here.¡¯ Alon gave the boy a pat on the back.


    As everyone continued to unload the wagon, Eliza came closer and tapped Edmund on his shoulder. The guards had their eyes fixed on her like beasts on prey.


    ¡®Edmund, the duchess is calling for you.¡¯ She looked around.


    ¡®Ah, no problem; with their help, i¡¯m already finished.¡¯ The young man pointed at the guards.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, my name is Eliza Foster, the duchess personal maid. Now, follow me, Edmund.¡¯ The maid started to walk to the mansion.


    ¡®Thank you guys; I hope we can talk more next time.¡¯ Edmund smiled at the guards.


    The boy got his tablet from one of the boxes and accompanied the maid to the mansion. The driver of the wagon looked at the young man¡¯s back and spoke to the group of guards.


    ¡®If I were you, I would open my eyes to this boy; he cut forty bandits on the way here like they were nothing, and some soldiers said that it was stuff from nightmares¡¯ A wagon driver spoke.


    ¡®To me, we will have extra help in protecting this town.¡¯ Alon smiled at the driver.


    The wagon was leaving, and everyone started to stare at Edmund in the distance as the sun set on the horizon.


    ¡®Wait, his hair was white? but he look normal to me.¡¯ A young Chatzi suddenly spoke up.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know; should we really give a damn? If he help us, that''s the only thing that matters.¡¯ Alon puts his hand on the young Chatzi''s shoulder.


    Ariadne was dressed in a white dress with golden ornaments all around, her hair tied up in a ponytail. It was already night, and the lights from the candles didn¡¯t help much. Edmund was sitting across the desk, and Eliza was serving the two of them tea.


    ¡®I can¡¯t tell if being a duchess is good or bad for you.¡± Edmund drank from the cup.


    The tea was extremely hot. The young man almost dropped the cup, and he looked at Eliza with a confused expression.


    ¡®Wow, too hot, dont you think?¡¯ He spoke.


    ¡®The duchess likes it this way, so just drink it.¡¯ The maid retorted.


    ¡®Thank you, Eliza; it''s just that I have never had tea.¡¯ Edmund shrugged his shoulders


    The maid clenched her fists and stared at Edmund before turning around and leaving the room.


    ¡®As a Duchess, I no longer have a claim to the throne, so my plans need to be adjusted. What can you do to help me right now? Speak your mind.¡¯ Ariadne looked at the young boy with expectation.


    ¡®I think we should give the people of your land light; look at this, it''s trash." Edmund directed her attention to the candle on her desk.


    ¡®Like the one you showed me when I was at your house? Good, if i¡¯m good to them, they will see me as their rightful ruler.¡¯ She tapped her chin.


    ¡®We can start with this mansion and do give light to the streets; look at these designs.¡¯ Edmund gave her his tablet.


    ¡®Interestingly, the commission will benefit the town''s economy.¡¯ Ariadne smiled, her eyes sparkling, as she looked at the drawings on the tablet.


    The duchess used a bell to call for the head maid, who was waiting outside.


    ¡®Rita, do you know the local craftsman? we have work for them¡¯ The duchess looked at the head maid.


    ¡®Yes, your highness, I am confident they will make you proud.¡¯ She responded with assurance.


    ¡®I bet they are.¡¯ Ariadne smiled.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 16

    ¡®Before any of this, we need Nihilum, your highness, to do alot of my devices; it took me years to get enough of it.¡¯ Edmund crossed his arms.


    ¡®It is simple; since the Chatzi got this territory, the kingdom dumped Nihilium here. I don¡¯t know what the other kingdoms do with theirs, but I will look into this matter.¡¯ Ariadne uses the fan to create a breeze for herself.


    Rita and Eliza stood next to each other, confused by the conversation; as far as they knew, Nihilum was a useless byproduct. Rita then recalled a crucial detail.


    ¡®Your grace, the mayor is waiting to speak with you outside.¡¯ Rita suddenly said


    ¡®Hum, remember to tell me these things the next time, Rita.¡¯ Ariadne gave a serious look to the head maid.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, your highness.¡¯ Rita bowed.


    ¡®Ok, no problem. Tell him to enter.¡± Ariadne pointed to the door as she closed her fan.


    The head maid opened the door and signaled for someone to enter with her hand. An aged Shafran walked in. He made his way to a chair next to Edmund in front of Ariadne while leaning on a cane. Ariadne caught his attention first, followed by Edmund. The fact that they both have white hair surprised him.


    ¡®My name is Burns Hoffman, and I serve as the town''s mayor. Your highness, it is a pleasure to meet you.¡¯ He made a weak bow.


    ¡®It is interesting that the Chatzi govern themselves by electing leaders with no nobles; there is no need for you to bow at your age.¡¯ Ariadne smiled.


    ¡®Ho, thank you. Now that we have a noble to look after the territory, I hope you can understand some of my and the village''s leaders concerns.¡¯ The elderly Shafran looked at Ariadne intently.


    ¡®I was going to talk to you tomorrow about how things will work from now on, my father left a document saying that this territory will be tax-free for five years; I do not think we provide much tax for the kingdom anyway.¡¯ She began to tap the desk with her finger.


    ¡®The main reason for my visit is that the archduke''s guards are leaving in a month. With just the ones we have in duchy, it may not be enough.¡¯ The aged Shafran gave a worried expression.


    ¡®We can hire more from the villages. What do you think? don¡¯t worry about money; from what i¡¯ve read, my allowance was maintained for my expenses as part of the deal.¡¯ She grinned as she kept tapping the desk.


    ¡®I am not sure if you will be successful in recruiting, as being a guard is risky given the monster attacks that come from Velvent.¡¯ He spoke in a pessimistic tone.


    ¡®I can help with that.¡¯ Edmund raised his hand.


    ¡®Interesting, what can you give to my soldiers? is one of this things?¡¯ Ariadne gets the tablet and starts to scroll.


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    ¡®Just touch on the square that has a ¡°W¡± on it; the first drawing will help us a lot. A basic weapon for the soldiers, it takes time to make them but in a month, at least three for each village we can make.'' The young man spoke proudly.


    Burns was perplexed by what the young man was saying and glanced Rita''s way to see if she understood what he was saying, but all that met his eyes was a bewildered head maid; even the other person to her side was unaware of what was happening the personal maid of the duchess.


    ¡®This peasant here will be the conduit to the duchy''s prosperous future; you will know when you see it, just trust me on this.¡¯ Ariadne gave the table to the mayor.


    ¡®What is this? Is this a weapon? looks like a stick¡¯ Burns looked at the tablet, confused.


    ¡®I¡¯m the duchess''s slave, a sanctioned slave, so don¡¯t judge her. I will show you what she is talking about in a few days. Well, I believe things from here on out are beyond my pay grade, get it? ¡® Edmund laughed as he got up and started to walk out.


    Burns was confused by what the young man said and looked to the duchess for an appropriate response. Eliza rolled her eyes as Edmund walked away; Rita chuckled; and Ariadne, on the other hand, remained seated and staring at the mayor.


    ¡®Excuse his lack of manners; he went for years without speaking to anyone. You have my word that i will care for everyone in this duchy with everything i can.¡¯ She said this while closing her fan.


    The door was barely open when Edmund called for Eliza with his hand; the maid saw it and hurried to the door.


    ¡®What do you want, Edmund?¡¯ The maid whispered.


    ¡®Where''m I going to sleep? Don¡¯t tell me it''s in the warehouse.¡¯ Edmund spoke in a sad tone.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know; let me call Rita.¡¯ She replied.


    Eliza hurriedly pulled Rita to the door and asked, while Ariadne was in deep conversation with the mayor.


    ¡®Where is Edmund going to sleep?¡¯ Eliza asked.


    ¡®I am not sure; the duchess didn¡¯t tell me about him.¡¯ Rita replied akwardly.


    ¡®So, I am literally homeless, a homeless slave; is that even possible?¡¯ Edmund rolled his eyes.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to ask the duchess.¡¯ Eliza turned around.


    ¡®No need to; I¡¯m going to sleep in the warehouse.¡¯ The young man walked away, looking disappointed.


    All of Edmund''s belongings were inside the warehouse when he opened it. The guards helped him more than he had anticipated; he smiled, remembering them acknowledging his existence. Looking around, there was no bed, only a place where he could lay down. The door opened violently as he was about to lay down on the floor.


    ¡®Peasant, what are you doing? Do you consider me to be a tyrant?¡¯ Ariadne spoke as Eliza held the door for her.


    ¡®Everybody said they didn¡¯t know? What am I supposed to do?¡¯ Edmund stood up and approached Ariadne.


    ¡®Are you an idiot? There''s not even a bed for you here.¡¯ She closed her fan and tapped his chest with it.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know, duchess; I¡¯m just a peasant like you say; what would I know?¡¯ His voice was agitated as he spoke.


    ¡®Edmund, how dare you talk back at her highness like that?¡¯ Eliza moved in between them and met his eyes.


    ¡®I am sorry, but I just can''t help it.¡¯ He had a frustrated expression as he peered down at the ground.


    Ariadne touched Eliza with her fan and motioned for her to move to the side. She lifted his chin, also using her fan, looking deeply into his eyes.


    ¡®Loyalty is important to me now more than ever, just ask me, everyone will talk to you, not to just use you but to assist you; it is on me to maintain your loyalty, don¡¯t forget this.¡¯ She nodded to him.


    Ariadne approached him and placed her hand on his right shoulder before suddenly grabbing his neck and pulling closer to her and tighter, which caused the boy to startle and struggle.


    ¡®But to ensure my future, I cannot let you talk to me like this; there is no sorry; you aren¡¯t a child, peasant; I don¡¯t know you; you are not my kin; your past means nothing to me, only your future; so if you prove to me to be useful to expand my domain, yes, I will treat you better and even call you by your name.¡¯ She released his neck, looking at Edmund with cold eyes.


    Eliza attempted to assist Edmund by rushing to his side and assisting him to stand up as he fell to his knees, grabbing his neck, coughing, and displaying a painful expression on his face.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go; I¡¯m exhausted.¡¯ Turning around, Ariadne left the warehouse.


    ¡®She is a good person, Edmund; she became like this to survive in a capital full of hatred for her. Try to understand.¡¯ Eliza whispered to him.


    He got up, helped by Eliza, and started to follow Ariadne to the mansion. As he gained his fitting, he rubbed his neck while looking at the duchess''s back.


    ¡®I just didn¡¯t want to do any of this in the first place.¡¯ He thought to himself.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 17

    Edmund awoke in a soft bed covered in a white sheet. This was a moment he could only have dreamed of. It was a staff room on the first floor of the mansion, and for him, that was more than he could have ever asked for. He got ready to meet Ariadne with a big smile on his face. The staff rooms were used by the maids and guards in turns, as the town was so close to the mansion, just on top of the hill.


    Ariadne was in her office, finishing the documents she couldn¡¯t read last night, when she heard the knock on the door.


    ¡®Come on in. She said.


    The one who opened was Edmund. He had a broad smile on his face, which puzzled her a little, but she paid it no mind.


    ¡®Good that you are happy, peasant; let us go; the town''s craftsmen are waiting for you.¡¯ Ariadne got up and got out of the office.


    The two of them went into a room where there were a mix of A-Dam, Shafran, and Chatzi men, with a big table in the middle. The fact that the men in the room appeared to be having a good time conversing with one another excited Edmund. As all the men in the room looked at Ariadne, they bowed


    ¡®I can talk for everyone here; it is an honor to be under your rule.¡¯ The middle-aged A-dam man said.


    ¡®I have a request for every single one of you, and this peasant here will tell you what to do.¡¯ Ariadne taped Edmund''s shoulders with her fan.


    Edmund approached the table and placed his tablet there. The device piqued the interest of every craftsman, and they were all taken aback when the drawings began to appear.


    ¡®To begin with, these parts must be made.¡¯ Edmund looked at all of the men around the table.


    With a wave of his fingers, another drawing appeared, and the men startled at what was happening, amazed by what the young man was doing. Some of them had their eyes so fixed on the device that they were not really listening to Edmund¡¯s words.


    ¡®And these parts, too, for other things; don¡¯t worry, i will explain to every one of you what must be done if you want to.¡¯ He explained as he moved his finger across the drawings on the tablet.


    ¡®Is this magic? what are we really building?¡¯ Someone enquired


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    ¡®This is a magic lamp; it will shine and illuminate this mansion without the need for fire, and we will put this other one on the streets. I just need you to make the parts and assemble them the way i tell you too.¡¯ Edmund Grinned.


    Ariadne gave all of them a serious look and tapped the table with her fan to get their attention.


    ¡®This is crucial: I will supply the materials you need to complete everything, and I will pay you well for this. This is the first step toward my goal, which is for the duchy to flourish. I will hire you to make these magical lamps for the villages that don¡¯t have craftsmen. Alright?¡± She spoke proudly.


    ¡®After just one day, your highness confirmed the rumors that came from the capital that you wanted the best for us, and we will do everything we can to make your hope on us not be in vain.¡¯ The middle-aged A-Dam man got to one knee, facing Ariadne.


    After he did that, all of the others did the same. Ariadne had no words; she only felt more drops in her heart. She didn¡¯t understand what that sensation was; it was neutral.


    ¡®I just want everyone in the duchy to have a good life and i can see in your eyes that you want to protect your families, This is a step to that; let¡¯s start working.¡¯ She turned around and exited the room.


    Edmund continued talking to everyone in the room in more detail, and at the end, everyone walked out smiling and shaking hands with one another. He walked to Ariadne¡¯s office and waited there.


    ¡®Sorry, peasant, I had other things to take care of. Rita told me that there are two families of merchants in the town, one operating on Lavan and the other in Velvent; with them, we can have everything we need.¡¯ Ariadne spoke as she sat in her chair.


    She was followed by Eliza, who put some papers on the desk. Ariadne looked at Edmund and noticed that he had a serious look.


    ¡®I think you  should learn the sword with me quickly, for your safety and as a show of force to others.¡¯ Edmund looked at the duchess


    ¡®It makes sense, but why right now?¡¯ She crossed her arms.


    ¡®Because I think you will be crucial in the fight against the demon lord.¡¯ He spoke it with pure excitement in every word.


    ¡®By the gods, you idiot, wanting the duchess to use a sword, are you out of your mind?¡¯ Eliza raged.


    ¡®Come down, Eliza. Look Peasant, I said that I would support you; it will be done, and besides, having more power would not be bad but my plate is full, as you can see.¡¯ Ariadne shrugs.


    ¡®I understand, i will give them copies of the drawings by using one of my prototypes that copies things from the tablet to paper, They don¡¯t really know what the parts are for but i asked for alot of different parts.¡¯ The young man smiled.


    ¡®Peasant, I am looking forward to it; right now, I have work to do. Leave.¡¯ With her fan, she pointed to the door.


    The night came, and in the town, a group of people were drinking and talking in the tavern. The air in the establishment was different from what they were accustomed to, more happy and hopeful.


    ¡®Now that we have a duchess, we will be richer; she is even Chatzi, the archduke''s daughter.¡¯ A middle-aged Chatzi spoke while chuckling and sipping from his mug.


    ¡®But the archduke''s soldiers are going to be gone in a month; they don¡¯t like us, but they do their jobs; what are we going to do? We are doomed; the monsters will destroy everything.¡¯ Across the tavern, an elderly A-Dam screamed.


    ¡®The mayor said the duchess will hire more guards for the town and villages; we just need brave men; the pay is not bad; I might give it a shot.¡¯ In the back, a young Chatzi exclaimed


    ¡®If I were a man, I would be a guard right now, and men who have something to protect are cooler.¡¯ The light-brown-haired Shafran waitress said she was serving another drink to the elderly A-Dam.


    All of the young Shafran, Chatzi, and A-Dam looked to one another and raised their hands in exasperation.


    ¡®Yeah!!!¡¯ They shoulted.


    At the mansion, Ariadne felt more drops in her heart as she was preparing to sleep. She didn¡¯t understand what it was. Maybe a side effect of the nail Edmund had put on her. Now, it was like the drops were filling up her heart.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 18

    After two weeks in the mansion, Ariadne felt that everything was starting to fall into place; everyone knew who she was and what she wanted for the duchy, and the villages welcomed her with open arms, especially after she cut taxes and fixed them twenty-five percent after Edmund said the amount was completely insane, and it was no wonder they were so poor. The demonstration he promised was pushed back because of the small pieces; it was just too much for the craftsman to do in so little time.


    Ariadne saw Edmund running with the guards every morning; the captain had asked her to use the back of the mansion as training grounds. Since she did not attend social aristocratic parties and didn¡¯t want or need expensive dresses, all the money she had was pushed into the development of the duchy.


    ¡®Call for the peasant; I need to speak with him.¡¯ The duchess spoke to Eliza


    From the window, she observed Eliza calling for him and the two of them approaching the mansion. Though she had hoped he wouldn¡¯t come into her office smelling like sweat, as soon as he entered, the smell emanating from him made her frown.


    ¡®Go take a shower, peasant. Eliza, how did you let this thing into my office smelling like this?¡¯ Ariadne claimed as she covered her nose.


    ¡®See, Edmund, I told you this was going to happen.¡¯ Eliza murmured.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t think was this bad.¡¯ Edmund answered in a trembling voice


    As they left the office, Eliza gave him a punch to the back of the head, which caused Ariadne to chuckle a little. She has come to appreciate her new life and the sensation that her heart is filling as more people see her as a ruler.


    ¡®Your grace, I am back. I didn¡¯t know you had a sensitive nose.¡¯ He smiled as he opened the doors.


    ¡®Peasant, what do you think of this town? How can my plans be accelerated?¡¯ She looked at him with hopeful eyes.


    ¡®I¡¯m not sure; I didn¡¯t leave the mansion''s grounds because I wasn''t allowed to.¡® The young man shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡®You are really dumb for someone who is smart, huh?¡¯ Ariadne raised her head and took a deep breath.


    ¡®I¡¯m literally a slave; how could I have known? Even you didn¡¯t do that.¡¯ He retorted furiously.


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    ¡®We could do that now, but watch your tone when speaking to me. You sometimes forget what your position is, peasant.¡¯ She punched her desk, making it tremble.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, this is a habit; don¡¯t use the slave seal''s power on me again; I will learn.¡¯ Edmund rose quickly and bowed.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry; again, I''m not a tyrant. Come; let us walk.¡¯ She got up and made her way to the door.


    Eliza, who was waiting outside, quickly followed Ariadne as she left. Edmund followed closely behind her. The town and the mansion were not too far apart, so it didn¡¯t take them long to travel there in her carriage. Everyone in the town immediately turned to face them when they stopped and got off in the middle of the street. She was wearing her customary red dress, which made her white fur and hair stand out even more.


    ¡®Your highness, let¡¯s look at the craftsman over there.¡¯ Edmund gestured to the side.


    The town was small but well organized, with all the businesses and residences radiating out from the center, which was surrounded on one side of the main street by nothing but craftsmen of every kind. They didn¡¯t import a lot of things because they were expensive, so the majority of the work was repair. Ariadne was startled by a small Chatzi child that pulled her dress. She turned around to face the child.


    ¡®Are you the duchess? You are very pretty.¡¯ The youngster smiled.


    ¡®Yes, i¡¯m the duchess; you are handsome too.¡¯ Ariadne placed her hand on the boy''s head.


    A young Chatzi lady approached quickly and drew the boy close to her, which surprised Ariadne.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry; he doesn¡¯t know.¡¯ The young lady explained.


    ¡®There is no need for that. Remember this: I¡¯m here to protect you and make your life better.¡¯ She smiled at the girl.


    People were chatting about what was happening, and the area was beginning to become crowded. Edmund approached the young girl.


    ¡®Why did you speak that way?¡¯ Curious, Edmund questioned


    ¡®How can¡¯t I think that the duchess would be harsh to my brother? People say she even has a slave.¡¯ The young lady stuttered.


    Ariadne was taken aback; she had no idea this would become such a big deal. She began to consider how people might perceive her.


    ¡®People said she would choke her slave; I was just afraid. I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ She hugged the small boy.


    ¡®Well, if i said that i deserved, would it be better?¡¯ Edmund scratched the back of his head and looked at Ariadne.


    ¡®I¡¯m not perfect, but the only thing i can say is that what i want is that everyone to be happy, i''m sorry that i scared you.¡¯ Ariadne looked at the young girl.


    A noble apology for something was unusual; it took people aback. The young boy left his sister''s arms and hugged the duchess after a brief period of silence.


    ¡®I forgive you; everything is fine.¡¯ He spoke while his head was buried in Ariadne''s garment.


    Around them, everyone began to laugh and clap as they all stared around at the people observing the situation.


    ¡®She even lowered the taxes; the duchess is not bad.¡¯ In the crowed, someone said.


    ¡®Yeah!¡¯ some responded.


    The girl took the boy by the hand and led him into the crowd while smiling at the duchess. Ariadne looked at the people. Their smiling faces or just idle expressions, and bowed to them. Everyone gasped at her action, which prompted Alon, the captain of the guard, who was watching from the crowd, to enter and assist Ariadne in straightening herself up.


    ¡®Duchess, there is no need for this.¡¯ Alon helped with her dress.


    Eliza was just startled by what had happened, so she didn¡¯t even move. She was just there, watching everything happen, like she was seeing through a window.


    ¡®There is nothing else to see here, folks. Move along.¡¯ Alon looked at the crowed.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 19

    The three of them entered one of the craftsmen''s workshops while Alon waited outside. When a young Chatzi man noticed Ariadne, he emerged from behind the counter and bowed to her.


    ¡®Greetings, your highness.¡¯ He spoke.


    ¡®Don¡¯t feel pressured; it is just a visit. I want to see how you''re doing.¡¯ With a smile on her face, she answered.


    ¡®So, come in.¡¯ He nodded.


    The store''s back had a bigger space; on the back of it were the magic lamps and even the street magic lamps, which were shaped differently. On the side of the entrance were a group of additional pieces arranged in a pile.


    ¡®The less skilled do the individual pieces, and the more skilled put it all together. I don¡¯t know what everything is. It''s not like I know what these magic lamps are either.¡¯ Looking at the collection of pieces, the young Chatzi scratched his head.


    Edmund was standing next to the group of pieces, looking and probing with a curious expression. Ariadne observed that everything appeared to be of excellent quality, given the time and how small the town was.


    ¡®So you run this workshop, then? You seem young, and I don¡¯t remember you back in when the craftsmen were on my mansion.¡¯ Ariadne inquired.


    ¡®It is my father''s; he is delivering pieces to the carpenter; it is right next to us.¡¯ The young man answered.


    The door was opened, and a middle-aged A-Dam entered the room. He was startled to see Ariadne looking around and bowed to her right away.


    ¡®I am honored, your highness.¡¯ The middle-aged man nodded.


    ¡®We are just looking around to see if everything is in order or if you need some help. We were on our way to the carpenter.¡¯ Ariadne gave the middle-aged man a smile.


    ¡®Well, I¡¯m going to give him more of those pieces.¡¯ He started to get more pieces in his bag.


    The blacksmith led them to the carpenter''s workshop next door. As soon as they walked in, a young Chatzi girl with short blond hair and black eyes approached them and bowed.


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    ¡®Welcome, your highness; and welcome back  Edmund.¡¯ She looked Edmund.


    ¡®How do you know him?¡¯ Ariadne inquired, opening her fan and looking at the girl.


    ¡®He comes every day and inscribes the runes on the devices we are finishing; he even showed me how to do it, but I am still learning.¡¯ She said it with a smile on her face.


    Ariadne looked at Edmund with rage on her face. Eliza noticed it, grabbed the duchess hand, and whispered to her.


    ¡®Think about your image, your highness.¡¯ The maid squeezed Ariadne¡¯s hand.


    ¡®Fine.¡¯ The duchess calmed down.


    Edmund came closer to the young Chatzi lady, put a hand on her shoulder, and looked at the duchess with proud eyes.


    ¡®Leah is amazing; she is learning so fast i¡¯m really proud of her.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    Eliza noticed that a young A-Dam was watching from the door on the back with an angry look; she tapped Ariadne¡¯s shoulder and whispered to her.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think we are welcome here, your grace.¡¯ She said.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Eliza. What are you talking about?¡¯ Ariadne chuckled.


    a middle-aged Shafran, followed by a young A-Dam man, and the blacksmith came from the door in the back.


    ¡®Your highness.¡¯ They bowed.


    ¡®Your highness, would you like to see the completed products? And by the way, this is my apreendice¡¯ The carpenter pointed to the young man by his side.


    The carpenter turned and headed back toward the door; they all followed after him. Edmund could tell the young man was staring at him, but it was nothing new; he did it every time he came. The other room was larger, like the blacksmith they entered before.


    ¡®This is where I work; I even have the tools necessary to engrave runes, and Leah is very skilled with them.¡¯ Edmund pointed to the table in the corner.


    The carpenter pointed to the magic lamps in the back of the room next to the door.


    ¡®It is definitely interesting at night, with all of those lights shining and all.¡¯ The carpenter smiled, looking at the devices.


    ¡®Yes, I changed it so that it turned on by itself at night. The temperature and amount of light the crystal receives make it somewhat complicated, but the ones in the duchess house will have these switches.¡¯ Edmund took the object off the table.


    The magic lamp on the table lit up when Edmund touched the middle of the object. Then he got closer to the apreendice. Suddenly, he grabbed the young apprentice''s hand and made him press the device with his finger, but nothing happened.


    ¡®See? He doesn¡¯t see you as his ruler. He grinned at Ariadne.


    Leah quickly got next to Ariadne on her knees, staring at Edmund in disbelief. The young apreendice was taken aback by Edmund''s words, which were immediately on his mind. He bowed his head to the duchess, who was giving him a chilly look. Leah looked at the duchess with tears in her eyes before turning to the ground.


    ¡®Your grace, please give him another chance; he is a good man.¡¯ She exclaimed.


    More than anything else, Leah''s words caught the young apreendice off guard. He turned to look at the tears streaming from her eyes and felt bad. Ariadne inhaled deeply, closing her fan as she pointed at the carpenter apreendice kneeling on the ground while being watched by everyone.


    ¡®Stand up, I have no right to demand your loyalty; I just hope i can will you over.¡¯ She reopened her fan and began to cool herself with it.


    The duchess looked at Edmund furiously and started to walk in his direction while clenching her teeth. Eliza crossed her arms, and Leah was confused about what was going on. Edmund noticed the duchess mood.


    ¡®It was just a test.¡¯ He smiled.


    ¡®I don¡¯t care; why you keep doing things like this,peasant?¡¯ Ariadne continued to walk towards him.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 20

    ¡®Your highness, don¡¯t look at me like that.¡¯ Edmund moved backwards in the direction of the carpenter.


    He took the device and put the finger of the carpenter on it, making the light glow.


    ¡®See, he likes you; how could he not? Your kindness provided him with employment and reduced taxes, but what about Ethan there? He is young and had the opportunity to learn this craft and now, with more work, he still don¡¯t look at the duchess with favor, which is interesting.¡¯ Edmund looks at the carpenter and to Ethan.


    Ariadne gave Eliza her fan while moving towards Edmund, clenching her fist and glaring angrily at him.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to spend time here and teach Leah the runes, making Ethan jealous, sounds like he doesn¡¯t like you because of me, so the opposite could be.¡¯ Ariadne''s hand on Edmund''s throat cut his words short.


    ¡®Why do you keep forcing me to do this to you, peasant? Are you out of your mind? Right now, apologize to Leah and Ehan.¡¯ She tightened the hold she had on his throat.


    ¡®Your highness, you are going to kill him.¡¯ Eliza approached her and spoke.


    He was released by Ariadne, who left a handprint on his throat. Everyone was stunned. Edmund turned to look at Ethan and Leah, who were still kneeling on the ground.


    ¡®As you can see, Ethan, she stood up for both your and Leah''s honor. Do you still believe that she doesn¡¯t care about people? She may be a Chatzi, but is a noble still a noble?¡¯ Edmund rubbed his neck.


    He was grinning as he walked by Ariadne. The situation left everyone speechless. As everyone was stunned by everything, Edmund took Ethan¡¯s hand, again pressing against the device, and the crystal lit it up. He turned around to face Ariadne and, a moment before, felt another drop fill her heart.


    ¡®It is amazing how quickly hearts can change.¡¯ Edmund gave Ariadne a friendly smile.


    Leah stood up and slapped Edmund on the back of the head. But she felt like she was hitting a wall of bricks, as she had put a lot of force into it.


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    ¡®You stupid teacher! Ouch!¡¯ In pain, she grabbed her hand.


    ¡®I apologize for the hand, Leah; I just don¡¯t like being looked at, and it was good to know more about Ariadne¡¯s power." Edmund scratches the back of his head.


    ¡®Peasant, You are just strange.¡¯ Ariadne left the room.


    Edmund helped Leah and Ethan get up and bow to them. Eliza grabbed his collar and dragged him away, following Ariadne out of the workshop.


    ¡®Leah, I will be back to teach you more.¡¯ Edmund Screamed.


    The four people in the room, who were now by themselves, exchanged confused glances with one another. The blacksmith and the carpenter began to chuckle at the situation as Leah looked at Ethan and started to laugh. Ariadne was quiet in the front, gazing out at the town and waving at some onlookers. She had a smile on her face as she walked toward the mansion.


    ''Wait, your highness, I¡¯m going to call the carriage; he is close to where we got out first.¡¯ Eliza ran back.


    Edmund moved closer to the duchess, staying by her side as he rubberized his neck. She looked around, and she noticed that nobody was close to them. She gave the young man a furious look in her eyes.


    ¡®Why do you keep forcing me to treat you like this, peasant? I lack self-control, and that is how you mock me? Is this a test?¡¯ She yelled at him.


    ¡®I want people to appear favorable to you, you just talk to the leaders but everyone needs to use the devices in the long run, it was just a good opportunity and like, this is fun and natural.¡¯ While gazing at her, Edmund leaned against a nearby wall.


    ¡®You can¡¯t keep doing this; I don¡¯t want to use the slave seal, but you have given me no other option.¡¯ She takes a deep breath, looking at the sky.


    ¡®Ok, that was my fault, but let us be honest, you sure like to choke people.¡¯ He chuckles while looking at her.


    ¡®Kneel!!!¡¯ She said it in a cold, angry voice.


    Before Edmund realized he was on his knees, he was staring at her angry face with his mouth shut. Ariadne approached him and remained by his side for some time until the carriage arrived. Eliza opened the door and saw Edmund on his knees, completely motionless.


    ¡®Your highness, why is he like that?¡¯ Eliza looked confused.


    ¡®He has a lot to learn, so perhaps spending a day in this position will be beneficial for him. He needs to think before he speaks or acts.¡¯ She walked into the carriage and shut the door.


    ¡®Are you really going to let him be like this until night? Is not even close to the Afternoon.¡¯ Eliza spoke, looking at Edmund through the window.


    ¡®You can talk and you can move when the night comes, peasant; learn from this; I can¡¯t have you by my side with this behavior; let¡¯s go.¡¯ Ariadne cast an angry look at the young man on his knees.


    ¡®Wait, don¡¯t leave me like this; I am sorry.¡¯ Edmund yelled.


    As the night came, the guards at the mansion noticed a young man with white hair approaching them, but his body was covered in drawings, and he had whiskers on his cheeks. The two just chuckled as Edmund passed them, but to their surprise, he smiled back at them, as if he, too, found the situation amusing. As he passed, they noticed that there was something written on his back.


    ¡®All hail the duchess.¡¯ One of the guards whispered.


    Ariadne was looking through the window and saw Edmund pass, walking with all of his body covered in drawings. She wanted to see him because, after she left him, as the day passed, she felt more drops fill her heart. The duchess was surprised to see Edmund looking at her and waving with his two arms while smiling.


    ¡®Such an idiot.¡¯ She whispered while wavering at him shyly.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 21

    When Ariadne left her room in the morning, she was shocked to see the words "All hail the duchess" written on the back of a shirt on the floor. It made her chuckle, and as she reached for the shirt, Edmund appeared by her side.


    ¡®Now you can just be yourself; they will understand.¡¯ He smiled.


    The duchess startled as she looked at him, but she quickly looked down, reached for the shirt, and stood up in front of the young man.


    ¡®The children did this? '' She looked at him.


    ''Yeah, i think Leah told them what i did and how you punished me, That is why i still have this mark on my neck; i dont know what it is but i can¡¯t wash it out.¡¯ Edmund rubbed his neck.


    ¡®Putz. So that is what i felt.¡¯ Ariadne looked at the shirt.


    ¡®Hum? Well, i¡¯m not going to lie, it was really fun.¡¯ He chuckle.


    ¡®We should start your training now; the town will see you as a strong but kind ruler.¡¯ He quickly approached her


    ¡®You make a valid point; now that I''ve got the time, you will instruct me after breakfast every day. Is that all right, peasant?¡¯ She spoke while examining the wording on the shirt.


    ¡®Yes, you will show that you don¡¯t need magic to be a strong ruler.¡¯ Edmund said, looking at the shirt she was staring at.


    Alon was eating breakfast with Burns at the mayor''s home, and he was looking worried.


    ¡®There have been more reports of monster activity in and around the town and nearby villages, too. all we can do is defend since we lack the ability to eliminate the problem''s root cause.¡¯ Alon made an angry face and punched the table.


    ¡®No lord will help us; you can even say that they are the cause of the increase in monsters. Maybe it is time to let the duchess know about this. Even mercenaries will not work for us, so I¡¯m not sure what she can do about the issue.¡¯ Burns looked up, crossed his arms, and took a deep breath.


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    ¡®Let us wait a little longer; for the time being, we can defend with the help of the archduke guards. Possibly the duchess is already thinking of something. It would be great if the rest of the Chatzi from Velvent and Lavan could come here; the more, the better.¡¯ The captain crossed his arms.


    ¡®It is useless; they believe that staying hidden is preferable to running the risk of becoming targets. You can¡¯t really blame them, as you said, which is probably the truth.¡¯ Burns closed his eyes and took another deep breath.


    ¡®Well, I need to go train the soldiers right now; maybe the gods will help us.¡¯ Alon stood up and walked out of the mayor''s house.


    ¡®Maybe.¡¯ The mayor observed the man walking away.


    Ariadne was practicing with a two-handed sword similar to Edmund''s at the back of the mansion by simply running forward and slashing horizontally. A similar sword was positioned by the young man¡¯s side, against which he was leaning. Sitting beneath a tree, Eliza was observing.


    ¡®Come on, duchess, I will say it again: you need more endurance. Your strength has nothing to do with your muscles, but you need them to be able to fight for a long time.¡¯ Edmund yelled.


    ¡®Why is your highness so tired, Edmund? She is even struggling to hold that sword, even though she is strong.¡¯ Eliza asked in confusion.


    ¡®That sword has runes in it, so no matter who holds it, it will remain heavy. She must practice keeping her stance while running. Even with such a heavy sword, my swordstyle is all about maneuverability.¡¯ Edmund said this while tapping the sword he was leaning on.


    As Alon and the guards approached, Ariadne moved up closer to the two of them. Eliza quickly got to her feet and approached the duchess while carrying a jar of water and a cup.


    ¡®Peasant, is this punishment in any way? What is this? You taught me only one move. Ariadne plunged her sword into the ground, drinking the water Eliza offered.


    ¡®No, I was just waiting for Alon and the guards to arrive and see your potential for themselves.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    ¡®Your highness. Alon and the guards said as soon as they came closer to Ariadne


    ¡®Hello everyone, I am glad to see new faces in the guard.¡¯ She replied as she turned to face a young Chatzi.


    The sword caught the new recruits off guard, despite their amusement at the duchess beauty.


    ¡®What do you mean, Edmund?¡¯ Alon asked.


    ¡®Well, your highness, could you take this sword here and perform the maneuver I showed you on that tree over there? ¡® Edmund indicated the tree while tapping the sword at his side.


    Ariadne approached Edmund, grabbed the sword, and took a stance with it at her side. However, unlike the other sword, she felt no weight in this one and instead felt as though she were holding nothing at all.


    ¡®Don¡¯t blink; your eyes will not be able to see what you are going to do at first; just do the move, have the timing in your head, and just do it.¡¯ Edmund looks at Ariadne.


    In a flash. While the rest of the tree flew and struck the others on the back, she remained there motionless, appearing to be paralyzed on the side of the trunk. Everyone, with the exception of Edmund, was in utter shock over what had just occurred. For them, it was impossible that something like that had occurred because the tree was two men thick. However, when they saw the tree flying in the manner it did and the hole her sword had carved in the ground, everything changed in a split second.


    ¡®You guys, there would have been serious danger if she had lost grip on her sword. I¡¯m glad that she struck it in the ground.¡¯ Edmund said with a small chuckle.


    Alon and the guards were terrified. Since they were only ten feet away, Ariadne walked closer to everyone, followed by Eliza, and plunged the sword into the ground while drinking water.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 22

    The guards continued to gather to watch Ariadne train and were astounded by the amount of brute force she displayed when Edmund forced her to try a new move that they all witnessed and still found unbelievable when it occurred. Today, however, was different because the young man asked her to hit him.


    ¡®Peasant, are you insane? I am glad you are showing me how to use a sword, but I don¡¯t see how you could possibly defend one of my strikes.¡¯ Ariadne angrily shoulted.


    ¡®Duchess, look at those folks over there. They must believe that everything you do is impossible and wonder how you are able to accomplish what you do. You will experience the same thing today, but one day you will also learn how to do it yourself. Hell, you need to learn to survive in the future.¡¯ Edmund replied, pointing at the group of men by his side.


    Like always, she took a position with the large sword at her side, and Edmund did the same. To the guards watching, it looks like she appeared right next to Edmund in an instant, but he had already changed positions and appeared to be aiming for her sword. It was more of an attack than a defense. Her eyes widened as they clashed, and her sword didn¡¯t meet any resistance as they collided, but she was unable to understand what was happening because all she could see was Edmund flipping in the air before his sword struck the ground next to her, leaving a sizable hole.


    Everything happened in a split second. Alon was unable to comment on the technique because he believed it was impossible. It couldn¡¯t be happening, and the crowd couldn¡¯t believe how Edmund wasn¡¯t completely blown away by her strike.


    ¡®See, duchess? I used your strength and combined it with mine; that is how you defend against someone stronger them you to make it a fair fight.¡¯ Edmund laughed.


    ¡®I don¡¯t see how it is useful, but it is interesting.¡¯ She replied, confused.


    ¡®You and me are only going to fight against the dungeon guardian; everything else, by that, i mean the really hard part, will be handled by guys like them.¡¯ The young man pointed to the guards.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be foolish; how do you even know that, peasant?¡¯ She mockingly uttered it.


    ¡®I just know. Trust me.'' He gave her a smile.


    ¡®Just trust me? Well, At least you''re teaching me something useful.¡¯ Ariadne laugh.


    Edmund knew she didn¡¯t take him seriously, but that didn¡¯t matter in that moment. He was gradually beginning to think that he could at least try.


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    ¡®You idiot bastard.¡¯ Eliza hits Edmund¡¯s back with a wooden stick.


    ¡®Ouch! Why did you do that?¡¯ Edmund looked at Eliza.


    ¡®You nearly struck the duchess with that thing you call a sword.¡¯ The maid puts a finger on his face.


    Ariadne chuckled as she observed what was going on. She started to think about what Edmund said, the way he wanted to conquer the dungeon but at the same time found it strange that he knew how everything worked.


    ¡®We are training; she will have to handle much worse in the future; she needs to learn; it has only been a few days.¡¯ Edmund gently slapped the hand she was pointing at his face.


    ¡®You should be more cautious; she is your master, after all.¡¯ Eliza smacked his hand away.


    ¡®Anyway, duchess, the guards there are waiting for the go-order to put the street lights in place, and I would like to show you and Capt. Alon how we will fight from now on.¡¯ He called Alon with a wave of his hand.


    Eliza looked at Edmund while clenching her fist. Alon noticed Edmund waving and ran to him. Alon approached the three of them.


    ¡®Your highness.¡¯ Alon bowed to her.


    ¡®Wait for me next to those trees; I''ve got something to show you all.¡¯ Edmund said.


    Edmund grabbed the swords and dashed to the warehouse. Ariadne asked for her fan as they made their way to the trees. Alon was curious about what was going to happen, so he wasn¡¯t sure what he saw when the young man arrived carrying a strange object made of iron and wood.


    ¡®I will call this Ariadne Mark 1, or A-M1, for short.¡¯ Edmund showed everyone the object.


    ¡®What exactly is this, peasant? This is the thing you said you would show us in three days? And what about the name? What''s your goal here?¡¯ Ariadne began to fan herself, her face filled with disappointment.


    ¡®Well, it is a weapon; look, this is a battery. It is made of Nihilium and copper.¡¯ He pointed at the battery.


    He took a rectangular-shaped block out of the weapon''s base, displayed it to everyone, and then reattached it. Eliza was confused about how that piece of wood and metal was a weapon.


    ¡®Now, this is where all the magic happens.¡¯ While pointing at a lever, he laughs.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know what a battery even is; how is this a weapon, Edmund?¡¯ Alon asked, confused.


    ¡®You will see, you have this lever up and pull it back, then you pull it forward and back down to its original position like this.¡¯ Edmund performed the motions.


    They just observed what he was doing. Ariadne was intrigued by what he was doing but still didn¡¯t understand what he was trying to do.


    ¡®You aim at your target and pull this trigger at the bottom.¡¯ The young man pulled the trigger.


    A flash of white light appeared from its point, and it made a noise similar to a loud whistle mixed with the sound of someone blowing out a candle. This made all of them cover their ears. The next thing they noticed was a hole in the tree with black marks, along with pieces of wood scattered nearby.


    ¡®What?Are you a mage?¡¯ Alon widens his eyes, looking at Edmund.


    When Ariadne thought back to what he had shown her at his home on Velvent, she grinned. Eliza didn¡¯t understand what was happening, having her two hands covering her ears.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to call this kind of weapon a rifle, and for the duchess, this is the final product; it took all of this time to make them because i made many mistakes and things like that, and there is a battery recharger that is kind of big.¡¯ The white-haired young man smiled.


    ¡®With this alone, we can conquer the continent, You made me very happy, peasant.¡¯ Ariadne smiled while maintaining a fixed gaze on the rifle.


    ¡®But your grace, I recall Edmund saying that only those who are loyal to you can use these things; how could you do that by conquering with brute force with the Chatzi being so few in number?¡¯ Eliza looked at the duchess.


    ¡®She has a point, but at least we can protect the duchy with this things.¡¯ Edmund at Ariadne.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 23

    ¡®Damn it! Hum, there is another way.¡¯ Ariadne whispered to herself.


    ¡®So one must be loyal to her grace in order to use this weapon? What?¡¯ Alon spoke it aloud.


    ¡®Alon, calm down; everything is going to be fine.¡¯ She spoke while addressing Alon.


    ¡®Anyway, if you are familiar with how a noble uses magic with encantations and all that, this lever action I am performing is the same thing but faster; this is not a known spell; it is just pure magic being shot out of the weapon.¡¯ Edmund handed Alon the rifle.


    Edmund got a spare battery from his pocket and gave Alon a rectangular object with a dent in one of it¡¯s corners.


    ¡®Now, take out the one on the weapon and make the switch; it is simple; just pull it out and get the new one in, just make sure is secured.¡¯ Edmund pointed at it.


    Alon stiffened as he removed the old battery and replaced it with the one Edmund had given him. He was still unsure of how it worked.


    ¡®This right here is a safety pin; it sort of cuts the magic going to the runes, so even if you pull the trigger, nothing will happen. Don¡¯t point this thing in our direction; just set it aside like this:¡¯ Edmund directed the weapon''s point in the direction of the tree with his hand.


    Alon aimed and pulled the trigger. The sound was followed by a recoil, which nearly caused him to drop the rifle, but he managed to hold it up.


    ¡®What? How come it didn¡¯t affect you? Do you think my lack of loyalty is the cause?¡¯ Alon widens his eyes, surprised by the recoil.


    ¡®Oh no, it''s because I¡¯m stronger than you; I¡¯m sorry for not telling you that it has recoil; now reload and shoot.¡¯ Edmund chuckles.


    ¡®How many times can this thing shoot, peasant? I didn¡¯t count, and what is the range?¡¯ While watching Alon''s shooting, Ariadne remarked.


    ¡®Alon,stop. Shoot at the tree that is on the opposite side of the training camp.¡¯ Edmund pointed at the other side of the camp.


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    ¡®But it''s so far; can it reach?¡± Alon aimed at a large tree on the other side.


    They could see it fly for a split second after he pulled the trigger, and the light came from the weapon. They could not tell if it hit the target. All of them started to walk to the other side.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe it reaches that far; what is the real range of this thing, peasant?¡¯ Ariadne gasped.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know the effective range, to be honest.¡¯ Edmund shook his shoulders and looked at Ariadne.


    As they drew nearer to the tree, they noticed that the hole, along with burn marks and pieces of wood on the ground, was exactly like the one on the other tree. Eliza observed that Ariadne was even showing her teeth because of the broad grin she had on her face, which was something she had never seen her do, not like this, like a maniacal person had discovered how to destroy the world.


    ¡®A battery has seven shots, but in reality it has ten shots in it; each shot uses at the same time a little of the magic left to reinforce the weapon it self; otherwise, it would explode on your hand.¡¯ Edmund touched the hole in the tree.


    Alon regarded the rifle with admiration and fear. All of his sword training is now useless; it is not even close. Everything changed in his mind. He took a deep breath and then turned to face Edmund.


    ¡®This weapon changes everything, so you need to tell me everything about it. We need to develop a new strategy for combat.¡¯ Alon placed a hand on Edmund¡¯s shoulder.


    Edmund called them to the warehouse, where he showed the battery recharger, and the size of it surprised them; it was as tall as Alon and so wide that they could not even hug it. It had places for the batteries to fit in.


    ¡®It¡¯s not perfect; there is always room for improvement. Don¡¯t expect to recharge in the middle of a battle. It is kind of big and can only recharge some at a time.¡¯ With his hand, Edmund lightly tapped the side of the recharger.


    ¡®We don¡¯t need to worry about that; they will not get close to us with this new weapon, it will be over before they notice.¡¯ Alon laughed.


    ¡®You think I did this to fight people from other kingdoms? Even defend this territory? This is for the dungeon!¡¯ He came closer to Alon and tapped his chest.


    ¡®But we will use to do exactly that, peasant; with this, even going to the dungeon will be easy.¡¯ Ariadne interrupted.


    ¡®If we rely on this things, everyone will die; it only gives us a fighting chance, nothing more, nothing less.¡¯ Edmund nodded his head negatively.


    ¡®Peasant, aren¡¯t this lights in this warehouse supposed to be on my mansion.¡¯ Ariadne shut her fan and pointed at Edmund.


    Edmund was taken aback by her words, which made his hands sweat. He slowly turned his head around to face Ariadne.


    ¡®Well, I obviously need a good place to work and sleep and i need to test first.¡¯ Edmund tried to dry his hands on his pants.


    ¡®Put those lights on my mansion, right now!¡¯ She looked at Edmund and raised her voice.


    Edmund felt a rush on his body all of a sudden He suddenly started grabbing lights and other items, put on a bag, and left the warehouse, heading for the mansion.


    ¡®Wait, peasant, I¡¯m  just asking; you don¡¯t need to do it.¡¯ Ariadne screamed.


    ¡®Duchess, it is all right; I will get started right away. It was my fault.¡¯ He screamed back.


    Ariadne and Eliza emerged from the warehouse, seeing Edmund''s back as Alon placed the rifle alongside the battery charger and got out of the warehouse.


    ¡®Your highness, this new weapon will help us deal with the increased number of monsters after the archduke¡¯s guards are gone.¡¯ Alon closed the door of the warehouse.


    ¡®Talk more about this problem that I wasn¡¯t informed about.¡¯ She spoke while casting a sidelong glance at Alon.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 24

    All of the people of the town were gathered in the town square; Ariadne and Alon were on platforms facing the crowd. Numerous posts had been set up all over the town. Despite not knowing what those things did, everyone assisted as the duchess instructed. The duchess moved forward as the sun started to set.


    ¡®Everyone, today is the beginning of a new world in which we will be the center; no one under me will ever again be afraid of the dark.¡¯ She said it proudly.


    People in the town center were startled by what was happening as the lights began to light up nearby. Some were even scared. Alon stepped forward and motioned for the guards, who calmed the crowd.


    ¡®See? What if I say this is just the beginning? More will happen, but i can only move forward with your support, With your help, if everyone step up, we will be the light in the dark like those above you.¡¯ Ariadne pointed her fan at the audience as she uttered these words.


    A nervous-looking mayor approached Ariadne¡¯s side, expressing his shock at what he was witnessing. He dismissed the rumors about lights coming from the carpenter''s workshop; if this was only the beginning, his fears turned into hope.


    ¡® My friends, with the duchess''s leadership and your support, the possibilities are limitless.¡¯ Burns smiled at the crowd.


    The audience began to cheer and yell Ariadne''s name; children began to dance; and some rubbed their eyes as they stared at the lights.


    ¡®Even the villages on the duchy will have lights, our roads will be illuminated, making travel easier, we are just starting.¡¯ Ariadne touched Burn''s shoulder.


    The mayor nodded to the duchess as the event came to an end. Many people were simply walking around town to see the lights. Ariadne was accompanied to her carriage by Burns and Alon.


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t you mention Edmund? He created all of this, didn¡¯t he?¡¯ The mayor asked.


    ¡®The peasant was the one who requested that things be this way; these lights work on their own, but as Alon here knows, many of the most crucial devices only function if the users are loyal to me and see me as their ruler.¡¯ Ariadne flipped open her fan.


    ¡®I see.¡¯ Burns whispered to himself.


    ¡®A strange requirement, but one that I¡¯m willing to comply with.¡¯ She fanned herself and grinned at the mayor.


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    The mayor couldn¡¯t believe such a thing existed, but the lights prevented him from letting doubt enter his mind. Instead, he simply nodded to the duchess, making sure he understood what that meant before they arrived at the carriage. When the door was opened, Rita helped Ariadne enter the carriage, but she exited right after.


    ¡®Your highness, I¡¯m going home with my husband. Edmund is still working at the mansion, and Eliza is either assisting him or simply holding his tools.¡¯ Rita chuckle.


    After closing the door of the carriage, Alon held Rita''s hand and gave her a gracious smile as the duchess carriage started to move. Burns surveys the area as onlookers pass by them admiringly and grinning while glancing up at the lights.


    ¡®We will need to protect this; Edmund showed me how we will do it, and the duchess is now aware of the monsters.¡¯ Alon looked at Burns.


    ¡®That youngster sure is unpredictable.¡¯ Rita chuckles and leans against Alon.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to talk to the duchess about it all tomorrow; have a good evening, but is it even evening anymore?¡¯ Burns scratched the back of his head, laughing at himself.


    ¡®Let us go home.¡¯ Alon said, his gaze fixed on Rita.


    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ She smiled.


    When Ariadne opened the door to her office, she observed Edmund hanging the final light while Eliza looked after his tools. The two of them appeared to be calm; Eliza was taken aback by the sudden entrance of the duchess and bowed to Ariadne. The duchess was surprised by how well-lit her office was; there were no shadows, and the best part was that the brightness did not bother her eyes.


    ¡®Well done, peasant; the townspeople were pleased; I can¡¯t imagine their response in the future when they have something similar to these lights in their homes.¡¯ She grinned as she surveyed her workspace.


    ¡®It would be best for your highness to speak with the merchants and have them take care of the costs of producing everything we already have. Tomorrow, I will install some of these to light up the craftsman workshops.


    ¡®Good ideia.¡¯ She is still admiring her office.


    ¡®Oh, I will have the other phone in the mayor''s office starting tomorrow. ¡® Edmund pointed at the device on Ariadne¡¯s desk.


    Ariadne observed that the object was composed of two parts; she took one, and the other featured numbers. It was something that she didn¡¯t understand. It was not a new feeling when it came to Edmund. Eliza tapped Edmund on the leg and pointed to Ariadne.


    ¡®It isn¡¯t working yet; it needs another in the mayor''s office to function properly. I can¡¯t right now, but I could make it smaller. With time, you will use these numbers to call different people. I believe that seeing with your own eyes will be better.¡¯ Edmund finished installing the last light.


    ¡®Hmm, you certainly surprise me a lot. I hope you come up with more ideas like this in the future. Ariadne wiggled the phone.


    ¡®I can¡¯t do everything by myself, your highness; we should teach people what I do. Leah is a good start, but we need more.¡¯ Edmund sat on a chair in front of Ariadne¡¯s desk.


    Eliza threw the tool bag on Edmund''s lap as soon as he sat down in the chair and growled angrily.


    ¡®You¡¯re welcome.'' She looked at the young man.


    Edmund jumped slightly as a result of the bag. The duchesses chuckled a little at the scene.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry; thank you for your assistance.¡¯ Edmund bowed his head to Eliza.


    ¡®Hump¡¯ The maid turned her head to the side.


    ¡®You two are getting closer, huh?¡¯ Ariadne smiled.


    ¡®We had a good day together, so your highness isn¡¯t incorrect.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    ¡®What? I just carried your stuff around.¡¯ Eliza crossed her arms in protest.


    Ariadne laughs while facing up and keeping her eyes closed. A calm and serene Ariadne wasn¡¯t something they often saw, so the two stared at her expression for a while.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 25

    Soldiers were accompanying the carriage on a grimy road flanked by hills, two on horseback and two on foot by the sides, two next to the driver, and another four divided into two wagons with Alon on a horse in front.


    ¡®It takes so long; we need a better mode of transportation... How long did it take you to travel to every village on the duchy? This is insane.¡¯ Edmond crossed his arms.


    ¡®I don¡¯t understand why you are complaining in this manner, Edmund; only the duchess was visiting the villages while you were standing back in the mansion.¡¯ Elize jabs Edmund with her elbow.


    ¡®I was instructing the brilliant minds, and now, just a month later, they have come a long way. Although Leah is still the best, the other ten helped with the weapons and craftsmen''s tools, so the production is going to be faster now.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    ¡®You looked happy, peasant; I¡¯m glad that now you can share your knowledge; the phone is amazing; I can talk to all village chiefs back in the mansion.¡¯ Ariadne opened the fan to conceal her smile.


    Edmund suddenly had a serious face and reached for a device on the wall, placed his finger on its side, and brought it closer to his mouth.


    ¡®Alon, we will have company on the right side.¡¯ He spoke.


    ¡®Understood.¡¯ Alon replied, holding a similar device.


    ¡®I can¡¯t feel anyone, peasant; aren¡¯t you wrong?¡¯ Ariadne raised her ears, shut her eyes, and pressed the closed fan against her lips.


    ¡®Duchess, trust me, they are coming.¡¯ Edmond grinned.


    ¡®So, Edmund, go outside and deal with them. What are you waiting for?¡¯ Eliza made an attempt to push Edmund out of the door.


    ¡®Alon got this; they need combat experience, and I¡¯m a scholar now.¡¯ Edmund straightened his clothes.


    ¡®Scholar? What are you talking about, peasant? You will be what I want you to be.¡¯ Ariadne shifted her gaze to the right, looking out the window.


    ¡®But I don¡¯t need to fight, and you overestimate both me and your own abilities; with organization, I can be killed; your highness would be easier because you are still learning.¡¯ Edmund crossed his arms and looked out the window.


    ¡®You were right; here they come.¡¯ Ariadne whispered.


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    On the top of a hill, a large group of shadows appeared. Alon noticed them and spoke into his radio, which was strapped to his chest near his shoulder.


    ¡®Stop the convoy; every soldier on foot takes up position on the right side; we have goblins; the two on the carriage''s roof cover our flanks, and the two on horseback keep an eye out for stragglers when it is all over.¡¯ He spoke calmly.


    The voice of the captain was heard over the radio by all the soldiers and drivers. The goblins only launched their assault after the convoy came to a stop. Every soldier was already on their knees at the side of the convoy when they rushed down the hill. The beasts were running with assurance, and the hills were green with no visible rocks, making them easy targets.


    ¡®Take aim¡­¡¯ Alon observed the soldiers as they aimed.


    The monsters came at full speed like there was no tomorrow; their numbers scared the soldiers a little. With wooden shields and spears, they charged at the convoy with no fear in their eyes, only hunger.


    ¡®Fire at will!¡¯ he yelled.


    Right after they all pulled the trigger, six goblins fell. Another volley followed, and more fell; Alon was taken aback by the sight of the massacre after only twenty seconds. The goblins were unable to pass half way down the hill; some of them attempted to run back up, but they were picked off.


    ¡®Well. Instead of wasting time like this, the soldiers should just take position and begin to fire. Like defending a village. I¡¯m going there to see these monsters up close, but it was nice, Alon.¡¯ Edmund started to move toward the dead.


    Alon and the soldiers were rendered speechless by what they did; it couldn¡¯t be real that only six soldiers had accomplished such a feat. Before defending the town or the villages, they didn¡¯t have these numbers. He looked back, saw the duchess getting out of her carriage, and came to his senses.


    ¡®The two horses go to the top of the hill; the others form a perimeter around the carriage as we trained; I don¡¯t want surprises while the duchess is out.¡¯ On the radio, Alon ordered:


    While the two horses passed by him and maneuvered around the corpses to reach the top of the hill, Edmund kneeled down next to a goblin corpse with a hole in his chest. The creature, an all-green, small, naked humanoid, used weapons, as evidenced by the shield on its arm; there was nothing about them in the books of the royal library, and his knowledge of them was limited to what soldiers discussed. He was intrigued by the creature.


    ¡®Interesting. I don¡¯t recall seeing creatures like this in the time of the hero. Where did you come from?¡¯ Edmund used a small spear to poke the creature.


    Eliza didn¡¯t follow Ariadne because she was afraid of the situation; she stayed in the carriage, looking out. Ariadne came forward to look at the massacre more closely; she didn¡¯t get too close to Edmund because the smell from the corpses was already coming out.


    ¡®I¡¯m impressed by these results; it will not be long before we gain independence from the kingdom.¡¯ Ariadne used the fan to try to get rid of the odor.


    ¡®If you want that, duchess, it is only a matter of time, but for the dungeon, these strategies are going to get them killed.¡¯ He looked at the duchess.


    The two entered the carriage once more. Ariadne was concerned for Eliza, as she didn''t handle the ambush well and because ambushes like this did not occur during this month''s travels. Roads were rarely attacked by monsters, but villages are a more frequent target.


    ¡®You don¡¯t need to worry; it was nothing for us, but I fear for the village; this close to the edge of the territory, with their backs to the mountains, sure is dangerous.¡¯ Ariadne reached for Eliza¡¯s hand.


    ¡®You have me here, and yet you are afraid; I find that offensive.¡¯ Edmund looked at the maid with a small grin.


    ¡®You seem to be having fun, huh?¡¯ Eliza struck his arm.


    The two soldiers on horseback on top of the hill looked around, trying to find more monsters, and communicated with Alon via radio.


    ¡®There is nothing here, captain, but we can see the village.¡¯ The soldier spoke.


    ¡®This was a little too close...¡¯ Alon muttered to himself.


    ¡®Everything seens to be fine from here.¡¯ The soldier continued.


    ¡®All right, get back to your positions.¡¯ Alon replied.


    The soldiers memories of that encounter were still fresh when the convoy resumed its journey. They didn¡¯t think what they were doing was real, and several of them had a smile on their faces while gazing at their rifles.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 26

    Ariadne and the others emerged from the carriage as the convoy pulled into the village, drawing a large crowd of onlookers, including an elderly Shafran female who had two companions by her side.


    ¡®What can we do for you, Your Highness?  ¡¯ The elderly Shafran approached, making an effort to bow to Ariadne.


    ¡®You don¡¯t need to do this; we are here to assist your village and help with the monsters in the area..¡¯ She covers her mouth with her fan.


    ¡®Ah, that is great; the monsters are getting more persistent; half the village needs to be prepared for an attack at all times.¡¯ The village chief had a sad expression on her face as she gazed downward.


    ¡®The lights we brought will be helpful at night; the monsters are scared of them, so if my soldiers could use some help, we could start setting them up right now.¡¯ Ariadne gave a nod to Alon.


    ¡®You will receive all necessary assistance.¡¯ The chief waved the A-Dam companions to her side.


    With the aid of the villages, Alon and the soldiers started to remove the posts from the wagons. One of the soldiers then started to walk like he was counting his steps on the periphery of the village''s center, leaving marks as he walked. He got Edmund¡¯s attention, and he was finally able to see who it was.


    ¡®See that? Ethan''s doing a good job.¡¯ He whispered to Eliza and pointed at the soldier.


    ¡®Ho, I didn¡¯t notice; wearing a soldier uniform sure makes one look older, but don¡¯t point at people.¡¯ Eliza answered, slapping Edmund''s hand.


    ¡®He was not particularly skilled as a carpenter and was terrible with Runes; perhaps this is his calling.¡¯ Edmund crossed his arms.


    ¡®I wonder Leah''s opinion on this.¡¯ Eliza returned her gaze to Ariadne''s back.


    A Chatzi child was looking around from the top of a tower at the center of the village when he noticed a large group of figures approaching the village and assumed they were monsters. He began to scream and strike a bell.


    ¡®Monsters to the north, Monsters to the north.¡¯ The child screamed.


    The sound of the bell caused Ariadne to look up at the tower and at the village chief right after, who gave her a startled look before she noticed that all the men of the village started to head north with a variety of weapons that the women who had just emerged from their homes had given to them. All of the soldiers who accompanied the duchess turned to face Alon, who pointed north with a wave of his hand. He then turned to face one of the wagon''s drivers.


    ¡®Follow us!¡¯ he yelled as he ran.


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    ¡®Duchess, I¡¯m going over there to see what is going on.¡¯ Edmund took off running and jumped on the wagon.


    ;


    ¡®Edmund didn¡¯t get his sword; will he be alright?¡¯ Eliza''s looked worried.


    ¡®The peasant just want to see the soldiers in action; don¡¯t worry.¡¯ Ariadne looked at the soldiers running.


    ¡®I undestand.¡¯ Eliza gave a shy smile.


    ¡®You need not worry, Chief; I will take care of everything.¡¯ The duchess put her hand on the chief''s shoulder.


    ¡®Hum?¡¯ The chief replied, confused.


    ¡®Where can we find a quiet place to talk? Perhaps your home?¡¯ Ariadne gave the village chief a smile.


    ¡®Ho, follow me; let us head over to my home, we will be safe there.¡¯ She turned around and moved toward a house nearby.


    Ariadne rapidly walked to the back of her carriage, opened up a large rectangular chest, and got one of the two swords in it. She walked back, close to the village chief and Eliza, dragging the point of the sword on the ground.


    ¡®Wait, did the soldiers abandon us? Where is our protection?¡¯ Eliza looked around.


    ¡®I¡¯m here; there is no need for protection.¡¯ Ariadne responded, smiling at Eliza.


    A large group of monsters were running toward the people gathered on the north side of the village with their makeshift weapons. Alon thought it odd that the village had just a small wall around his waist. He quickly gave a signal to the soldiers to move through the people, get in front of them, and use the small wall as cover. The villagers were perplexed when they saw the soldiers pointing strange sticks at the approaching monsters.


    ¡®Fire at will.¡¯ Alon yelled.


    The loud sounds coming from the soldiers weapons made the villages start panicking and run for protection. One man looked at the soldiers and at the monsters coming in their direction. To his shock, a lot of monsters were falling one after another.


    A Shafran woman, in her panic, used the small wall as her hiding spot. Being right next to Ethan, she saw him stop, go for one of his pockets, and get a block, but it slid from his hand because he was shaking. She quickly grabbed it and gave it to him.


    ¡®Ethan, go back to the wagon and get a box of batteries.¡¯ Alon yelled.


    ¡®No need, captain; I¡¯m here." Edmund replied.


    Edmund came running, carrying two boxes and looking enthusiastic as he placed one box of batteries by Alon''s side and dashed to the last soldier in the wall, carrying another box, making the Shafran woman that was covering her ears startle.


    ¡®Hello, Ethan, How are things with Leah? You all have a fan here.¡¯ Edmund yelled, tossing the box to the ground.


    ¡®What are you talking about? We''re in the middle of a battle.¡¯ Ethan looked perplexed at the young man.


    Alon noticed that the monsters stopped running towards them as Edmund began distributing the batteries to the soldiers. The monsters built a wall out of other monsters'' bodies, but it was useless; the packed nature of their formation caused them to fall even faster as the shoots passed through the bodies like it was nothing.


    ¡®Cease fire.¡¯ Alon yelled.


    Everyone witnessed the devastation of what appeared to be dozens of bodies on the plain. The villagers started to cheer, jumping and giving each other hugs. Alon called out on the radio.


    ¡®Move forward; finish the ones that are still alive.¡¯ He spoke.


    As they began to advance, the monsters were not moving at all; most were just paralyzed by the pain of having their bodies multilated by the holes, and the soldiers only used their knives to finish the job. Edmund was curious about how these ones were different from the others that attacked them before.


    ¡®They mount these massive wolves; this is insane; but these ones are more familiar to me.¡¯ Edmund talked to himself while pooking a body laying full of holes with a wooden spear.


    ¡®This is an ork; it is an adult goblin; it changes so much that we give it another name.¡¯ Alon explained as he approached Edmund''s side.


    ¡®Hum, interesting. They resemble demon lord soldiers, but with fewer arms.¡¯ Edmund said as he turned the creature''s body so that its back was visible.


    ¡®I have no idea what you are talking about, but without us, this would be a bloodbath.¡¯ Alon muttered as he looked around and noticed the villagers were still celebrating.


    ¡®The soldiers need to carry more batteries with them; this thing of carrying this heavy boxes around are going to kill them. It''s better to have the tailors make a belt for seven batteries.¡¯ Edmund got to his feet and turned to face the joyful villagers.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 27

    While the soldiers began to go back to the village''s center while being surrounded by kids and young men trying to inspect their weapons, the majority of the villages started to clean up the bodies of the monsters. Alon told the soldiers riding horses to keep watch around the village, and Edmund was following him with his arms crossed and looking up as if he were contemplating something.


    ¡®Edmund, what are you up to?¡¯ Alon gave Edmund a pat on the back.


    ¡®Oh, well, i was thinking that you guys need better tactics, this try and error thing will get someone killed, None of the monsters had bows, so it was easy; i¡¯m not going to even talk about the dungeon.¡¯ Edmund looked at Alon.


    ¡®How are you able to do that? I¡¯m curious about how you can talk to people like this.¡¯ Alon struck Edmund on the back of the head.


    ¡®Ouch!! I¡¯m trying to help you, Alon, and I¡¯m just being honest about it.¡¯ He massaged the back of his head.


    Alon''s hands were on his hips, and all he did was nod his head from left to right. Edmund, on the other hand, was confused as to why the captain did what he did.


    Ariadne was discussing it in the chief''s home. With Eliza by her side, she was seated on a chair with one hand on the table and her sword resting against the back of the chair. The guard of the sword was used to lock it into place. The village chief was sitting on the other side of the table with her, with a Shafran old man to her side. The two of them couldn¡¯t believe that was her weapon.


    ¡®What is this village''s main product? On my way here, I didn¡¯t pass any farms¡¯ Ariadne tapped her finger on the table as she spoke.


    ¡®We did our mining right there on the mountains, but after the monsters showed up, we hadn''t been able to go there for two months.¡¯ The village leader responded.


    ¡® I¡¯m asking this because I am here to learn and help your village thrive; the monsters are using the mine as their home?¡¯ She asked.


    ¡®They are not inside of it; they are right by the border with Velvent.¡¯ The village chief looked at Ariadne sadly.


    The door was open, and an A-Dam woman quickly got close to the village chief


    ¡®The soldiers killed every monster, so it is over.¡¯ The woman whispered next to the chief.


    ¡®Well, duchess, the battle is over; your soldiers did a good job.¡¯ The chief smiled.


    ¡®My soldiers follow my will, so it was an obvious result.¡¯ Ariadne extended her hand to Eliza.


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    ¡®Your highness, here.¡¯ Eliza placed a black fan in Ariadne''s hand.


    ¡®Eliza, tell the soldiers to continue their work.¡¯ She looked at Eliza.


    ¡®Yes, your highness.¡¯ Eliza left the room.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to assist this village in dealing with the monster issue. It is strange that no one knew about this mine; it is quite the gift.¡¯ She gave the elderly lady a friendly smile.


    ¡®We kept this hidden because we were afraid the kingdom would take our land.¡¯ The chief mumbled.


    ¡®I understand; let us keep doing so until we can defend the duchy against both the kingdom and Velvent.¡¯ She began to use the fan on herself.


    ¡®What?¡¯ The chief whispered.


    Eliza saw Alon outside as Edmund boarded the wagon to charge the batteries.


    ''Alon, the duchess want the soldiers to resume what their were doing.¡¯ Eliza bowed to Alon.


    ¡®Ok, we already were going to do it.¡¯ He replied.


    ''Thanks,¡¯ she smiled.


    ¡®Ethan charges the batteries, and the others keep erecting the street lights with the aid of the villagers.¡¯ On the radio, Alon spoke.


    The young soldier came running to the wagon and Edmund help him getting in.


    ¡¯Ethan, let me help you with this.¡¯ He smiled.


    ¡®Edmund, you know what? you are not that bad.¡¯ Ethan began inserting the batteries into the charger.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to ask you because i know you really like Leah. Do you really want to be a soldier?¡¯ Edmund putted a hand on Ethan''s sholder.


    ¡®What? I want to help, this is the only thing i¡¯m good at, it has nothing to do with Leah.¡¯ Ethan answered in an angry tone.


    ¡®I¡¯m saying this because i think you don¡¯t understand what a real war is like; I¡¯m not even talking about killing A-Dams or Shafrans from the kingdoms; we will have no problem with them, but in the dungeon...¡¯ Edmund rubbed the young soldier¡¯s head


    ¡®Dungeon? I have heard you mention them at Leah¡¯s dad''s workshop. It is because there are monsters inside them?¡¯ Ethan paused and looked at Edmund.


    ¡®Look. The hero entered the dungeon alone, but he had superhuman strength greater than that of the duchess, and on top of that, he had magic beyond imagination. Now look at yourself, Ethan.¡¯ Edmund looked into Ethan''s eyes.


    ''If what you are saying is true, how we are going to conquer it?.¡¯ He turned his head away and kept working.


    ¡®Well, not me or the duchess alone, but an army will be needed.¡¯ Edmund gave batteries to Ethan.


    ¡®I joined the guard to protect what the duchess is trying to build Edmund. If that includes entering this dungeon, so be it.¡¯ The young soldier said.


    ¡®Must be nice fight for something you really believe.¡¯ Edmund sign.


    ¡®I don¡¯t understand; you don¡¯t believe in what we are doing?¡¯ Ethan looked at Edmund, confused.


    ¡®To be honest Ethan, i don¡¯t really want to be doing all of this things, but if i¡¯m not, i feel a sense of guilt that is soul crushing.¡¯ The young man took a deep breath.


    ¡®Don¡¯t feel like this, look at this rifle right here, it turns all of us into mages, that was you, be proud.¡¯ Ethan looked at his rifle, leaning next to the recharger.


    ¡®Thanks but this is nothing, we will need more; i even have a new prototype i want to test.¡¯ Edmund pointed at a piece of metal by his side.


    ¡®What is that?¡¯ Ethan asked.


    ¡®It''s a rail cannon; you put this thing here on it to fire.¡¯ Edmund grabbed a large block next to the box and showed it to Ethan.


    ¡®What a strange format.¡¯ The young soldier looked at the object, puzzled.


    ¡®It can fire once because it uses all of the energy on this piece, and this part right here goes flying to the target; that is why it looks like this.¡¯ He detached a cylindrical chape from the block.


    ¡®It''s kind of heavy.¡¯ Ethan said while he held one of the blocks.


    ¡®Well, there are things in the dungeon that are immune to magic; that is why we need it, and this will serve as a base for other things in the future.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    ¡®Hum, that is something the capitain should know, don''t you think?¡¯ He scratched the back of his head.


    ¡®It''s just for testing; I don¡¯t think we will need to use this; let¡¯s just finish the recharge.¡¯ Edmund grabbed another battery and gave it to Ethan.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 28

    Since there was no room for the soldiers in the villagers'' homes, the center of the village served as a camp for them. Ariadne was staying at the home of the village chief, where the dining room had been converted into a sleeping area. Although she thought it was inconvenient for the chief, they did it for her, and as time went on, the villagers grew accustomed to the lights, and because of those lights, there were no nighttime attacks on the village. The guards of the village were being trained and got much experience defending the village. A wagon was coming close to the village; the driver was a Shafran man, and by his side was a young Chatzi child.


    ¡®Hey, even here, they have street lights! Look!¡¯ The Shafran man pointed at the lights.


    ¡®Yes, father, they are really lovely.¡¯ The young Chatzi child smiled at his father.


    ¡®What is your purpose here, my friend?¡¯ A soldier at the village''s entrance halted the wagon and inquired.


    ¡®We are from the Arc company; my name is Levi Arc, and this is my son, Isaac Arc. We are here to trade.¡¯ He nodded to the soldier.


    ¡®Hello!¡¯ exclaimed the small child.


    ¡®Hello little one, you are lucky, mister Levi; this village was attacked a few days ago, and if it weren¡¯t for the duchess, maybe you would walk right into an ambush right here.¡¯ The soldier scrached his head.


    ¡®The duchess is really doing good work in the territory.¡¯ Levi responded in a happy tone.


    ¡®Do not worry; the captain is already devising a strategy to deal with the monsters in this region as we speak. You''re good to go.¡¯ The soldier returned to his position.


    ¡®Father, will everything be alright?¡¯ Isaac reached for his father''s clothing and moved in closer.


    ¡®Everything will be fine; i bet the duchess will help us with the mine.¡¯ Levi grinned as he watched his son.


    They came to a stop at the corner of the village''s main square and began to set up shop. Ariadne was having her daily walk that Edmund said she needed to do in all villages so that they felt she was close to them, raising loyalty. She approached them as the villagers drew nearer the merchants.


    ¡®Levi, why didn¡¯t you tell me about mine?¡¯ She shot him a chilly glance.


    ¡®Isaac, look after things... Please follow me, your highness.¡¯ Levi made his way around the wagon to the other side.


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    ¡®Eliza, help the child.¡¯ Ariadne pointed her fan at Isaac.


    ¡®As you wish.¡¯ Eliza bowed to her.


    Levi was visibly shaken by the duchess''s presence as they went to the other side of the wagon.


    ¡®I will be up front with your highness. My grandpa decided that the Arc company should have exclusive access to the mine.¡¯ He lowered his gaze while his voice trambled.


    ¡®Well, I can understand the choice, but rest assured that it will not happen again. I need information about my duchy because the villagers, not the Arc company, are the true owners of this mine.¡¯ She approached him and tapped his shoulder with her fan.


    ¡®Yes, I told Grandpa it was an error, but he was worried the Socher company would find out.¡¯ He continued to look down.


    ¡®So, you thought you could fool the villagers? You would lose money if Socher offered better deals, huh?¡¯ Ariadne used her fan to poke at his chest.


    ¡®No, hold on, I give the market price to them; we would never defraud our people; my son is a chatzi, your highness.¡¯ He raised his head and gave her a determined look.


    ¡®Hum¡­ They aren¡¯t complaining; I simply need to ensure that the people under me are treated fairly.¡¯ She started gently cooling her face with her fan.


    ¡®I understand your highness; you are a great ruler.¡¯ He bowed to her


    ¡®Tell your grandfather that while business is good, my duchy comes first.¡¯ She turned around, catching a glimpse of the merchant out of the corner of her eye.


    ¡®Yes, your highness.¡¯ The merchant kept his head down.


    Edmund was watching the villagers at the merchant''s stall in the corner of the village center.


    ¡®Edmund, Ethan was telling me that you have a new weapon that you forgot to mention.¡¯ Alon approached the young man.


    ¡®I merely believed it to be unimportant to you at the time.¡¯ Edmund shrugged his shoulders.


    Alon turned around and took a deep breath while looking up, which confused Edmund but made him chuckle a little.


    ¡®Edmund, you must tell me these things.¡¯ Alon turned around and looked at Edmund.


    ¡®Fine, fine, just wait a little.¡¯ Edmund entered the wagon


    He pushed the recharger so that he could open the chest, where the weapon was. When he opened it, it had just the weapon inside of it: a long retangular chaped object with a cylinder chape opening to the front and a square-shaped empty space on the back. He then gave it to Alon.


    ¡®Well, I have no idea what this is.¡¯ Alon looked at Edmund, puzzled.


    ¡®This right here at the back is where a battery with a projectile inside goes; the magic in the battery travels through this rectangular chamber here so it can charge the weapon. When it lauches, the battery breaks into four parts, and the ball travels at high speed through the weapon. I have different types; the one I built the most is the iron type, but there are also ones with explosive magic. Edmund explained as he pointed at the parts.


    ¡®Why don¡¯t you make one that spews water or fire?¡¯ Alon enquired.


    ¡®These things are dangerous, and I don¡¯t want to kill myself. Do you think I¡¯m some kind of god, Alon? Perhaps in the future, at the risk of my students lives, I will let them take the shot at it. Edmund shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡®Fine¡­ But will you risk your students lives? Why?¡¯ Alon looked confused.


    ¡®Do you think I¡¯m going to do everything by myself? I tested a lot of things and faced death a lot of times when they failed, Let them try.¡¯ Edmund responded.


    Alon examined the weapon and was struck by how peculiar it was. After showing him the trigger and the canon''s components, Edmund came to his side and assisted him in placing the weapon on his shoulders.


    ¡®To get it ready to fire, you need to pull out the sight on the side of the cannon; I did it like this to make sure people wouldn¡¯t just shoot each other by accident.¡¯ Edmund laugh.


    ¡®Let''s use this to obliterate the monster''s hideout.¡¯ Alon looked at Edmund.


    ¡®Ah, I already did that.¡¯ Edmund grinned.


    ¡®What?¡¯ While pulling the trigger, Alon yelled.


    ¡®See, that is why I put it the way I did; you need to be more careful.¡¯ Edmund shook his head in dissatisfaction.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 29

    The day before, Edmund was in the room where Alon and Ariadne were discussing a strategy for dealing with the monsters'' hideout. A map of the region was in the middle of the table, and it showed the monster''s underground lair to be located close to the border at the foot of a hill.


    ¡®We don¡¯t know how many are inside, so the plan is to create a killzone around the hideout and use smoke to lure them outside. I would like to ask Edmund to accompany us as a safety measure, as this could get ugly.¡¯ Alon pointed at Edmund before looking back at Ariadne.


    ¡®Alright, Alon, this seems like a good plan and you may take the peasant with you.¡¯ While examining the map, Ariadne tapped her fan on the table.


    As Edmund heard their plan and observed the map, he quietly left the room without anybody noticing. Out of the village chief¡¯s house, he looked around and saw that everyone was busy doing their thing and proceeded to the wagon, where the rail cannon was, before moving it along with the ammunition to the other wagon, which was filled with nothing more than some clothing and Edmund''s sword.


    ¡®How am I supposed to test my cannon if they do things like this? Saying sorry is better than asking for permission, Ariadne would use slave magic to stop me from going alone.¡¯ As he sat on the driver''s seat, Edmund muttered to himself.


    Every soldier was on patrol, and the drivers were eating. However, as he was leaving, a Shafran soldier posted at the entrance raised his hand.


    ¡®Hey, Edmund, where are you going?¡¯ The soldier raised his eyebrow.


    ¡®Alon is working with the duchess to plan the attack on the monster hideout, so I¡¯m going to conduct my experiments away from the village to avoid attracting monsters close to the village.¡¯ Edmund grinned.


    ¡®Well, I see you have your sword at your back; you can take care of yourself, but do you have permission to go? The soldier asked.


    ¡® I¡¯m a slave; how can i do things whiout permission?¡¯ Edmund let out a shoulder shrug.


    ¡®Yeah, okay, you can go then.¡¯ The soldier went back to his position.


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    ¡®Have a nice day.¡¯ Edmund waved his hand.


    By watching the wagon drivers at the mansion, Edmund learned how to slowly drive a wagon, but oddly, he was unable to ride a horse. Although he could clearly recall the hero riding, maybe his body wasn¡¯t used to it.


    He had traveled for hours, but there was still plenty of light. To get a better view, Edmund walked up a hill, carrying his cannon. On the other side of the plain, a goblin and an ork were standing outside a cave at the foot of another hill.


    ¡®I¡¯m hoping my cannon will be able to handle it. Well, this is just a test; I can finish the job with my sword.¡¯ He thought to himself.


    Edmund went back to the wagon and got his sword and the ammunition to the top of the hill, where he had clear sight of the monster¡¯s hideout. He had ten shots to test; the distance was the problem; he had no idea if it would go that far or if it would even work.


    ¡®First, let¡¯s test the iron one. I don¡¯t even know if I can aim from this distance.¡¯ He grabbed one of the ammunitions.


    Edmund louaded the cannon from the back, put it on his shoulders, and lifted the sight to aim. His aim was pointed at Ork; it was a long distance away, but not so far that he couldn¡¯t see his target. He pulled the trigger, and the cannon began to emit a humming sound. As he held the trigger, the sound increased in frequency until it abruptly stopped.


    ¡®Hmm, let us see what happens.¡¯ Edmund released the trigger.


    It caused a muffled bass sound as the rounded projectile was propelled toward the ork, followed by a blue trail. At the same time, the ammunition slipped from the back of the cannon, showing a circular hole right before falling to the ground and splitting into four parts. He attempted to adjust the aim so that it would drop a bit, but instead, it was straight and flew right above the ork''s head, setting off an explosion on the hill because of the power of the impact and causing the monsters to become alarmed as it left a large hole on the hill.


    ¡®It is more powerful than I thought. Now let¡¯s use the explosive type.¡¯ He spoke proudly.


    Edmund started to load the explosive round into the cannon before pulling the trigger and aiming for the cave. Still confused, the ork looked around only to jump to the ground, scared because of the sound and the blue trail that passed right to his side. The goblin, on the other hand, just looked to the cave as it became bright by the blue trail. Right after a huge explosion came from the cave, the blast made pieces or rocks fly out of the cave and hit the goblin in the head. Edmund could see some parts of the top of the hill crumble as though they were imploding.


    ¡®This one is good, but I need to see the size of the explosion.¡¯ He thought.


    Once again, Edmund loaded the cannon, pulled the trigger, and aimed on the two monsters The wast was right in the middle of the two, and in an instant, a sizable explosion occurred, engulfing the two in fire and smoke. At the same time, monsters began to emerge from the cave. Edmund had time to reload and fire, as they were all confused by the blast that afflicted their kin right before their eyes. The second shot was a finishing blow to the confused creatures, who did nothing but scream as the flames and blast destroyed their bodies.


    ¡®This thing is awesome; i could make it bigger and mount on something or make it smaller, that would be called a... railgun!?!?¡¯ He shouted in excitement.


    After this, he continued to fire against the hill to continue his tests. The final shot was into the already cumbled cave entrance. Edmund grabbed his sword and dashed to the destroyed monster hideout, where all of the burned corpses showed no sign of life. This made him think deeply while observing the scenario around him.


    ¡®Conquering the dungeon isn¡¯t just a dream anymore.¡¯ He though

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 30

    ¡®And that is how it went down yesterday. Edmund nodded his head.


    ¡®Wow, Edmund, this is crazy; the duchess really needs to know about this.¡¯ Alon began to make his way to the chief''s house.


    ¡®Wait, wait, wait, it is a win-win situation, i destroyed the monsters and tested a new weapon that, let¡¯s be real, could have killed one of the soldiers, this things in the prototype stage might as well be death traps.¡¯ Edmund shouted, chasing after Alon.


    ¡®Kid, you cannot do this; this is looks really bad.¡¯ As he entered the chief''s house, Alon spoke.


    Eliza was serving Ariadne''s tea as she ate at a small table. She looked to the side as Alon entered the room.


    ¡®Captain Alon, is everything set for the eradication of the monsters?¡¯ Ariadne drank some tea.


    ¡®Your highness, yesterday Edmund stole a wagon, went to the monster lair, and used them to test his new weapon. We need to go there right away.¡¯ Alon gave Ariadne a serious look.


    In the corner of Ariadne''s eye, she caught a glimpse of Edmund approaching Alon''s side as she looked down at her cup of tea.


    ¡®Peasant, why in the world did you do this?¡¯ She tightened her fists.


    ''Look, testing the weapon is dangerous; I don''t want to use the soldiers as test subjects." Edmund took one step forward.


    Ariadne inhaled deeply before turning to face Edmund; her expression was one of annoyance.


    ¡®Don¡¯t lie to me; I know that you are just behaving like the child you are. Why do you think I wouldn¡¯t give you permission to do this, peasant? This shows how much of an idiot you are.¡¯ She sighs as her finger taps the table.


    ¡®Child? you are my age; I was just saying...¡¯ Edmund responded.


    ¡®Edmund, stop.¡¯ Alon placed his hand over Edmund''s mouth.


    ¡®Peasant, don¡¯t compare yourself to me; just do your job. Alon, make sure everything is taken care of at the monster hideout.¡¯ Ariadne took another sip of her tea.


    ¡®As you wish.¡¯ Alon turned around and left the building.


    ¡®I knew it; it¡¯s better to do and say sorry after.¡¯ Edmund thought while smiling.


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    ¡®Stop smiling, Edmund; it''s creepy.¡¯ Eliza spoke.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, i have good results with the new weapon; i¡¯m just proud of myself, nothing more.¡¯ He shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡®I know you are lying, peasant; just continue to bring me results and don¡¯t put the people of the duchy in danger.¡¯ Ariadne took another sip of tea.


    ¡®So, I can do whatever I want? awesome!!!!¡¯ Edmund thought while grinning.


    ¡®You are so strange, Edmund.¡¯ Eliza looked at him, confused.


    At the village center, Levi and his son were still selling their goods to some villagers.


    ''Father, are these lights that can be installed in people''s homes really worth selling? Not everyone can use it.¡¯ Isaac pointed at the bag full of lights and switches.


    ¡®It is an investment; now just some can use it, but with time everyone will have one in their home.¡¯ Levi looked at Isaac with his arms crossed.


    ¡®Ah¡­ Ok..¡¯ Isaac yawns.


    You will see, son.¡¯ Levi strokes his son¡¯s head.


    Alon started to assemble the soldiers as they got ready to leave for the monster hideout, as he positioned himself in front of them in the village center.


    ¡®Today we are going to check on the monster hideout, but we might not have anything to kill because Edmund used them as a test for his new weapon; but it is better safe than sorry.¡¯ Alon spoke.


    The soldiers were somewhat relieved that they would avoid a battle. The villagers that were working and observing them, on the other hand, were happy as they saw the soldiers leaving, with the hope they would put an end to the monsters once and for all.


    ¡®Stay here, son. I¡¯m going to see the village chief.¡¯ Levi smiled at his son.


    At the village chef house, the old shafran lady and her assistant were baffled by the conversation Ariadne and Edmund were having; they didn¡¯t understand what the young man was talking about.


    ¡®Look at them, peasant; they think you are crazy for wanting to do something like this; they know of the old story of a king who thought he could conquer a dungeon and marched in, only for one survivor to return in complete horror on how everyone was slaughtered when they entered the underground city.¡¯ Ariadne pointed at the village chief.


    ¡®We need to go inside, the mine close to the dungeon is just the tip, there is a nihillium mine inside the dungeon, we need that, there is only so much we can do with what we have, we need more to push other projects forward.¡¯ Edmund yelled louder.


    ¡®Peasant!!!¡¯ Ariadne shouted.


    Edmund was paralyzed by her voice, not because of the slave magic but because of the pure intimidation her voice carried. At the same time, the village chef and her assistant trembled because of it.


    ¡®Never raise your voice to me. My patience has a limit; do not test it. The dungeon will be raided if you can make my duchy powerful. Prove to me that this is not a suicide mission; i promised you that we would go there, but not to sacrifice the lives of my people.¡¯ Ariadne approached Edmund and placed her finger on his cheek.


    ¡®I understand your highness. I¡¯m sorry because of the guilt i feel, I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Edmund looked to the floor.


    The village chief and her assistant could not believe the back-and-forth between Ariadne and Edmund.


    ¡®Is he actually a slave? He seems more like she is equal to the duchess.'' The assistant muttered.


    ¡®She is different; it is clear that her highness cares about us, following her lead is the right decision.¡¯ The chief responded.


    Levi entered the room and slowly made his way to the village chief, trying not to be noticed by Ariadne.


    ¡®Chief, may I speak with you about the situation at mine? It sounds like the duchess soldiers will quickly find a solution to everything.¡¯ He whispered next to her.


    ¡®Let us talk outside, yes? The duchess is educating her slave.¡¯ The chief grinned as she made her way out of the room.


    "O..Ok¡­" Levi followed the chief.


    Edmund was suddenly punched in the face by Ariadne, sending him flying into the wall. Elza was shocked by the sudden reaction of the duchess; it came out of nowhere.


    ¡®They finally got out; I was really holding myself.¡¯ Ariadne looked at Edmund.


    ¡®It hurts. You almost broke my neck.¡¯ Edmund stood up, rubbing his neck.


    ¡®Peasant, do not think you are on the same level as me. Look at what you forced me to do!¡¯ Ariadne''s eyes focused on her first.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 31

    Today, the mansion of the duchess was full of young men and women of all races for another lesson on runes that Edmund gave to all of them once a week. The rest of the week, he needed to teach math so that they could replicate what he does and calligraphy so that they would be able to write the runes correctly. His real objective was to speed up manufacturing because, right now, he only had Leah¡¯s help. After two months of teaching, he realized that she was not the norm at all, but at least all of them had built their own tables.


    ¡®The topic of the lesson today is avoiding death.¡¯ Edmund finished writing on the board on the wall.


    All of the students in the room didn¡¯t understand what he meant; even Leah was puzzled.


    ¡®I have three examples of devices by my side: one that is perfect and a good idea, one that might be risky, and one that is just a death trap.¡¯ Edmund looked at the class.


    Edmund took tree devices from behind his desk and put them on top of the table. As soon as they saw the devices, the students started talking to one another, discussing which device was the perfect one. He then gestured for all of them to come closer to the desk.


    ¡®Some of you just don¡¯t get it; you need to do something like this one here; the creator calls it a hair dryer; it dries hair; it is simple, but it could have been something really dangerous, but first the person built prototypes.¡¯ He spoke proudly.


    Three additional comparable devices were brought out from behind the table by Edmund and placed on top of the table next to the hair dryer. Edmund continued to speak as the students drew even closer to the table.


    ¡®This one had too much output and shot out flames; take note, Leah; that can be used for another device. You did well.¡¯ Edmund pointed to Leah.


    ¡®Thanks teacher.¡¯ Leah turned on her tablet and started writing on it.


    ¡®Well, the one in the middle somehow has cold air coming out of it, and the last one, which was the first prototype, is a complete mess; it just doesn¡¯t work.¡¯ He smiled while looking at his students.


    ¡®There are steps to the process; that is why making this things is so difficult, teacher.¡¯ A student replied.


    ¡®You are correct, but some of you don''t understand, such as the next one... This box should do something, but it doesn''t.¡¯ Edmund took a glare at all of them.


    He put the first one, along with the prototypes, behind the desk, and Edmund pushed the next device to the front.


    ¡®What happened to the prototypes? All of you might ask: nothing; the student used my prototype as a base, and it doesn¡¯t work for some reason. That is why you build prototypes. Don¡¯t cut corners.¡¯ Edmund explained while opening the box with one of his tools.


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    Edmund opened the back of the box, turned around, and showed it to his students; all of them gathered to see what it was.


    ¡®What is missing?¡¯ He asked.


    ¡®I don¡¯t see a battery.¡¯ A student replied.


    ¡®Correct, this student believed that the device could function just using the collector to gather magic from the surroundings, like your tables, but it can¡¯t; that is why my original prototype had a battery.¡¯ Edmund indicated the component inside the box that was supposed to gather magic.


    While Edmund spoke, everyone started to write on their tablets, taking notes while the white-haired young man pointed inside the device.


    ¡®Remember, the collector of magic works in the same way that a mage does when gathering magic; as far as I¡¯m aware, there is no way to speed up the process. Even though it already takes less time than a typical mage would, basic storage is required.¡¯ He used his finger to tap the box on the side.


    ¡®We know this, teacher.¡¯ A student in the back spoke.


    ¡®No, you don''t; it is right here. Are you guys blind?¡¯ Edmund yelled and exhaled deeply.


    The way Edmund yelled at the students startled them; a girl even let her pen fall because of the abrupt way he yelled.


    ¡®I just want you all to be safe; it would be one thing if you guys died four years into the future with all this knowledge; that would be on you for not following the process, but for now, you are all under my responsibility.¡¯ Sadness could be seen in his eyes as he observed the students.


    The young boys and girls exchanged glances, feeling bad for Edmund.


    ¡®Sorry, teacher.¡¯ The students said it in unison.


    ¡®Well, you are all new at this, so you need to follow the procedure and learn how to conduct experiments to avoid killing yourself or the person who will eventually use this device, like this ball right here, which is essentially a bomb.¡¯ Edmund took the box away.


    He placed the third device, a black ball, right in the center of the desk. The students were intrigued by the shape of the device.


    ¡®I already deactivated; it is a miracle this thing didn¡¯t blow up the moment it was assembled.¡¯ He got his hands on the ball.


    Edmund opened the ball in the middle to show what was inside to the students.


    ¡®Another ball is suspended by strings inside it. The magic explosion is triggered when the inside ball makes contact the inside of the shell. For some reason, it doesn¡¯t do anything at all, and I bet there is not enough mana in the ball to make the magic work.¡¯ Edmund removed the small ball to show the students.


    ¡®I did this one; I¡¯m sorry, teacher; I just thought that since we are the same age, I could do like you do.¡¯ A Shafran boy came forward.


    ¡®Don¡¯t compare yourself to me; try to compare to and assist your peers. Just follow the rules and don¡¯t try to create weapons.¡¯ Edmund grinned at the student.


    All of the students were focusing on Edmund while taking notes on their tables when, all of a sudden, Ariadne entered the room. Only her eyes were visible because she was holding a fan that covered the rest of her face.


    ¡®So they are the best of the best in my duchy; they appeared very happy; you are doing well, peasant.¡¯ While the fan was still covering her mouth, she smiled.


    ¡®I¡¯m teaching them not to get killed while doing experiments; what brings you here, your highness?¡¯ Edmund crossed his arms.


    ¡®Humm¡­ Indeed, don¡¯t waste your life; be extra cautious, because you are all precious to me.¡¯ Ariadne closed her fan and smiled tenderly at the students.


    Every one of them was taken aback by her beauty. The dress was not as impressive as they had seen it before, but her smile alone warmed their hearts; like they all had a connection with her, if a word could describe it, it would be happiness.


    ¡®Well, class is over; the next time we discuss the possibility of flying, it may be far more feasible than you think.¡¯ Edmund took his tablet  from a drawer in his desk and looked at Ariadne.


    ¡®Come to my office; I would like to hear your thoughts on something.¡¯ She spoke calmly while looking at the young man.

 The Hero is not Coming - Chapter 32

    Edmund walked out of the building through the hole he made before. Now, with Ethan¡¯s help, looking around and seeing the number of monster corpses made him realize how many they were fighting in the first place. He didn¡¯t notice before but there was a central path from the gate to the central structure he came out of.


    ¡®This was crazy, Edmund; if it weren¡¯t for you drawing the majority of their attention, we would be dead.¡¯ Ethan sigh.


    ¡®But I think me being here also made things difficult for your man because you needed to follow my pace; it was like a suicidal charge.¡¯ With Ethan¡¯s help, he started to walk toward the gate.


    ¡®Yeah, if you think about it, you are right but still, a lot of things could have happened, like running out of ammo or too many injured to fall back; it wasn¡¯t bad for you to be here.¡¯ The soldier looked around.


    Ethan saw the soldiers that came with the truck carrying others who couldn¡¯t move or needed help to walk; everyone was helping one another, even the ones that were injured. He looked back for a moment and the villagers were right behind him; they were already helping one another walk. Asher was at the gate, using a belt in another soldier¡¯s arm.


    ¡®How is Samal doing?¡¯ Ethan spoke, concerned.


    ¡®If he doesn¡¯t get Eliza to heal him, he doesn¡¯t have five hours and he is not the only one.¡¯ Asher shook his head.


    ¡®Patch Edmund up; he is going to drive the truck as fast as possible to get us there.¡¯ Ethan came closer to the medic.


    ¡®Be gentle; this is my first time.¡¯ Edmund chuckled.


    Asher and the soldier that he was treating laughed and Ethan just rolled his eyes. Egor was one of those that were leaning on the wall at the gate; he didn¡¯t appear to have any injuries, so Ethan came closer.


    ¡®Sarge, what happened?¡¯ The corporal kneel next to Egor


    ¡®Some crazy ork threw a gigantic rock at me and now I¡¯m having difficulty breathing, but nothing too crazy; I think some broken ribs... argh¡­¡¯ The sergeant spoke, gasping for air.


    ¡®Rest some more.¡¯ Ethan gave him a pat on the shoulder.


    One by one, everyone was put in the truck; the ones that were in better condition were on the roof of the vehicle. Edmund walked to the driver¡¯s side of the truck but before he could open it by itself, it was on one of the drives. He helped him by giving him a hand to get in and going to the side, letting Edmund feel comfortable in the driver''s seat.


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    ¡®One of you needs to pat my shoulder from time to time because I can pass out from the blood loss and how tired am I? No one here wants to die, right?.¡¯ He smiled.


    ¡®Why are you like this?¡¯ The one to his side spoke.


    ¡®The duchess says something similar from time to time; I don¡¯t quite understand.¡¯ Edmund chuckled.


    The other driver next to the door started to sweat while holding the truck door. Edmund looked through the mirror by the side of the truck door and saw the villagers and the old sergeant who was staying behind with his squad. He raised his hand while looking at Edmund''s reflection.


    There were three bangs coming from behind him and a small window opening. It was Ethan, with his tired eyes, looking at Edmund¡¯s neck.


    ¡®We can go now; don¡¯t pass out while driving this thing.¡¯ Ethan looked concerned.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, this guy here to my side has all of our fates in his hands.¡¯ Edmund looked into the young corporal''s eyes while smiling.


    Ethan looked to the side and the soldier was looking at him and he was clearly nervous about the responsibility Edmund was putting on him. He couldn¡¯t see the other one by the door but he imagined his face too and it wasn¡¯t good.


    ¡®I¡¯m just joking; I¡¯m fi... Edmund closed his eyes for a moment.


    ¡®Wow, did you just pass out?¡¯ Ethan widens his eyes.


    ¡®No, I¡¯m just joking with you.¡¯ The young, white-haired man took a deep breath and started to drive.


    In the city, more specifically in the mansion of the duchess, a room was asked for by Captain Alon to serve as the central command of communications for her military. Ariadne had no problem with that, as the mansion had too many empty rooms.


    Ariadne entered the room, followed by her maid, Alya. Everyone looked at the duchess and saluted her by putting their hands close to their mouths, lowering their heads, and closing their eyes for a moment. More and more people did this when they saw her; it just started to happen one day when she was walking in the village.


    At first, she was taken back by the salute. Alya said that in their spare time, some people even prayed to her. It increased after Eliza became a healer and started to treat people.


    The only thing that could describe the sensation was mothely love; it was not natural; it¡¯s a connection between her and the people because she noticed that people she never knew before made the salute to her and all she wanted to do was smile like a child was doing something interesting to her. It was really strange for the duchess.


    ¡®How is the situation, Captain?¡¯ Ariadne smiled.


    ¡®Bartel¡¯s platoon was successful in killing the monsters and rescuing the villagers with Edmund¡¯s help.¡¯ Alon bowed to her.


    ¡®So... the peasant was useful... good.¡¯ The duchess took out her fan.


    ¡®Yes, The lieutenant said that if it wasn¡¯t for him, the platoon would have been wipeout trying to push inside the fortress.¡¯ Alon put his hand behind his back.


    ¡®But are they all fine? I¡¯m worried for them.¡¯ She showed a worried expression to the captain.


    ¡®Well, the majority had injuries; to be honest, if it wasn¡¯t for the truck that Edmund built, half of the platoon would die on the way here.¡¯ Alon turned to face the radio operators working on their desks.


    ¡®What about the peasant? Is he injured?¡¯ Ariadne tapped the palm of her other hand with the closed fan.


    ¡®He got shot in the leg by accident in the middle of the chaos.¡¯ He looked to her with the corner of his eyes.


    Her expression was one of anger and concern; he just observed as the duchess walked toward the radio operator who talked to Edmund hours ago.


    ¡®Can you please connect me with the driver of the truck?¡¯ She put her hand on the young lady''s shoulder and gave her a tender smile.


    ¡®Oh¡­ah¡­ Of course, Goddess.¡¯ The radio operator started to use the tablet on her side that was connected to a radio.


    ¡®Thanks.¡¯ Ariadne squeezed her fan and took a deep breath.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 33

    Edmund was sitting alone, waiting in the room, as Eliza entered and sat on a chair in front of him. She was nervous, and holding the battery, she gave it a tight squeeze. Edmund noticed this and smirked a little; she didn¡¯t like at all the smirk he did and felt as if he was mocking her.


    ¡®I couldn¡¯t do it, OK!! Don¡¯t mock me.¡¯ She shouted.


    ¡®Wow, calm down, that is ok, this is our first-class Eliza.¡¯ He involved her hand with his with reassurance.


    ¡®Don¡­ Don¡¯t touch me; what people would say?¡¯ Eliza pulled her hands closer to her chest.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, let¡¯s just calm down and start, ok?¡¯ Edmund returns to his original position.


    There was a moment of silence, and the two of them felt the awkwardness that had just been created.


    ¡®So, let¡¯s begin, The first thing you need to know is how to call magic. Try to do that magic you said is used to light up candles.¡¯ Edmund pinted at the candle to his side.


    Eliza started to say the magic words necessary for the magic to happen; at the end, there was a pause.


    ¡®Fire.¡¯ She muttered and pointed her finger at the candle.


    A small fireball appeared on her finger and launched itself in the direction of the candle, hitting with no problem. Edmund was impressed by the magic, even though he remembered how the hero used it, and seeing it happen right in front of him felt different, but at the same time, he felt nostalgic.


    ¡®Good job, Now try to use it again but stop the incantation the moment you feel the magic finished gathering at the point of your finger.¡¯ Edmund showed his finger to her.


    Eliza tried to do what he said, but she couldn¡¯t really feel much. After five tries, she could feel a small sensation, like a weak breaze on the point of her finger.


    ¡®I can feel a weak sensation before I really noticed; that is strange.¡¯ She looked at her finger, intrigued.


    ¡®The difficult part is to do that without the incantation, but i have something that can help you with that.¡¯ He smiled.


    Edmund pulled a small object the size of a pen from his pocket and gave it to Eliza. She now had the rod on one hand and the battery in the other, and she didn¡¯t know what to do with the objects.


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    ¡®Let¡¯s call this a wand, it will help you channel magic easily but it has limits, your own body has a far greater capability; it is just for training.¡¯ He relaxed in his chair.


    ¡®So... what do i do now?¡¯ She looked at him, confused.


    ¡®Just think about the magic you just did now.¡¯ Edmund smirked.


    Eliza thought about the magic she did before, and without her noticing, a small fireball appeared at the point of the wand and shot towards Edmund¡¯s hair, hitting it, making him and her completely dumbfounded and looking at one another.


    ¡®Why did you aim at my hair?¡¯ He shouted while jumping from his chair.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, i¡¯m sorry, i¡¯m sorry.¡¯ She yelled desperately.


    While Edmund was using his hand to put out the fire, Eliza used the wand to cast a stream of water and aim at the young man¡¯s head. Drenched in water, he looked at her in total disbelief at what had happened.


    ¡®You did this on purpose; there is no way this was accidental.¡¯ Edmund was angry.


    ¡®NO! It was your fault for not saying what was going to happen, hump!¡¯ Eliza crossed her arms.


    ¡®Why do I only get the end of the stick every time?¡¯ He sigh.


    The maids opened the door in a rush, asking what had happened. Eliza explained to them what had happened, and after that, they started to clean the water that was on the floor. Another maid came to change clothes for Edmund, who used another room right to the side to put his new clothes.


    ¡®Well, let¡¯s not do that again, shall we?¡¯ He laugh.


    ¡®If you teach properly, hump.¡¯ She made a sulking face.


    ¡®Now you need to thing or better, imagine mana being pulled by your wand and redirect that towards the battery.¡¯ Edmund pointed at her other hand.


    ¡®I forgot i was holding this, but i think i get what you are saying.¡¯ She closed her eyes.


    Eliza touched the battery with the point of her wand and remembered the sensation that she felt as the incantation gathered magic on the point of her hand. Her efforts were not paid off, as she didn¡¯t feel a thing, but her resolve was strong;  she was just too concentrated on the task and didn¡¯t hear Edmund call for her.


    ¡®Open your eyes, Eliza, you did it; look at the battery.¡¯ Edmund shook her.


    ¡®Hum?¡¯ She muttered as she opened her eyes.


    She hadn¡¯t noticed before, but the battery she was holding had a small crystal and glowed blue. It made her confused, as she didn¡¯t understand what the meaning of this was.


    ¡®I gave you the new battery for the weapons; it shows when it¡¯s full, better for storage, recharge and to know when you are all out, Soldiers really do give good feedback.¡¯ He grinned.


    ¡®So i recharged the battery; i did healing magic?¡¯ She looked at him with bright eyes.


    ¡®Well, basically yes, but it took too long and you needed to touch the battery with the wand to do it, For what i noticed, you didn¡¯t really feel anything, did you?¡¯ Edmund crossed his arms.


    ¡®Yes, i just remembered and imagined how you asked me to.¡¯ She looked at him, puzzled.


    ¡®With time, you will feel the magic outside your body, one step at a time, The goal is to do all of this without the wand; don¡¯t forget it.¡¯ Edmund put his hand on her shoulder.


    ¡®Ok, i will do my best.¡¯ She smiled at him.


    Her smile made him happy. At that moment, he remembered the people he helped, all the people he had helped with his devices, and how he was helping everything be happy. It filled his chest with pride, but at that moment, all of these sentiments turned into guilt instantly, and his eyes widened like weights had been put on his shoulders all of a sudden.


    ¡®To do what you just did, it took 20 years for an average person on the time of the hero to do; imagine if he had given them a wand like yours. Just continue to practice until you come to a road block.¡¯ He passed her, looking down.


    ¡®Wow, that long? But i bet he would have given to them if he had known, It''s too bad they didn¡¯t have you there.¡¯ Eliza turned around, looking at Edmund¡¯s back.


    ¡®Yeah, too bad.¡¯ Edmund sigh.


    Outside, as he continued to walk in the large corridor passing the maids, Edmund continued to feel once again the guilt of the hero, making him sigh as he walked. In his room, all he wanted to do was lay down on his bed. The moment he entered this room, that is what he did, but it was too much for him to bear, so he closed his eyes and felt a tear fall on the pillow as he hugged it with one hand covering his eyes and squeezed his chest with the other.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 34

    An A-Dam was walking through the forest when he came across a few houses made of planks and pieces of fallen wood. He can see children with long ears playing between the trees and structures as he continues to walk. The man walks into one of the houses and sees a Chatzi woman cooking in a firewood oven.


    ¡®I picked up some fish and fruits on the way here; today was good.¡¯ He grinned as he placed the fish on the makeshift counter next to her.


    ¡®The kids were hungry; if it had not been for the people next door, we would have gone all day without eating.¡¯ The woman''s eyes were filled with tears.


    ¡®I¡¯m going next door to thank them with some fish.¡¯ He took two of the six fish and left the house.


    The kids were still playing, and before he got close to the house next to his, a middle-aged Chatzi got out of it and smiled at him.


    ¡®Hello there, neighbor; how was your day?¡¯ The middle-aged Chatzi patted the head of one of the children playing.


    ¡®Yes, this is for yesterday; without you, we would have gone hungry.¡¯ He bowed to him.


    ¡®You are new here; we need to look out for one another.¡¯ The old chatzi smiled.


    ¡®We are just tired of running; we were thinking of going to the Chatzi duchy, but who will protect us out in the open?¡¯ The man hands the fish over to the elderly Chatzi.


    The old Chatzi noticed a caped figure emerging from the woods behind the A-Dam he was speaking with.


    ¡®Children, enter the houses; we have an intruder.¡¯ He yelled, pointing to the hooded figure.


    ¡®What?¡¯ The A-Dam quickly turned around.


    More people emerged from the homes, and the man in the hood raised his hands. He quickly removed his hood and introduced himself. Being a young Chatzi with only a wooden stick by his side, the crowd felt immediately at ease.


    ¡®I¡¯m a soldier serving under the duchess Ariadne Melech, and my name is Ethan Aaron.¡¯ He bowed to the crowd.


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    ¡®What are you doing here?¡¯ A voice could be heard from the crowed.


    ¡®Yeah.. The princess is now a duchess, so our hope for a better kingdom is gone; I bet she lost the right of succession.¡¯ A female Shafran in the front spoke.


    ¡®The duchess wishes to build something new from the ground up, and she seeks your assistance; changing this kingdom is a lost cause, so she wishes to establish her own independent kingdom starting from the duchy.¡¯ Ethan said it with confidence.


    ¡®How is she supposed to keep us safe? Will the archduke assist her? Although it is difficult to survive here due to our isolation, as long as we stay out of the way of the nobles, this is a secure location.¡¯ The middle-aged Chatzi came forward.


    ¡®And what is your name?¡¯ Ethan enquired.


    ¡®My name is Eli Blau, and I sort of serve as the leader of this community.¡¯ He answered.


    ¡®If you accept the duchess as your leader, she will grant you the ability to use magical devices like this one.¡¯ Ethan displays his rifle to the crowd.


    ¡®Are you trying to deceive us, boy? That is just a stik.¡¯ Eli laughed.


    Ethan took the rifle in his hands, turned around, aimed for the nearest tree, and pulled the trigger. The noise startled everyone and caused them to take a step back.


    ¡®I can use magic, even though I¡¯m not a mage; the duchess gives her subjects that kind of power. With these and much stronger weapons, we are eliminating orcs and goblins in the duchy; our villages and town don¡¯t require fire to provide light at night.¡¯ Ethan shows the crowd a small cylinder that he has taken out of his pocket.


    A light flashed from the soldier''s device, further startling the crowd. Eli used his hand to protect his eyes, along with the others Ethan pointed his device at.


    ¡®See, light, this is only the beginning; Edmund, an exiled Velvent prince, is teaching the young who are capable how to create things like this; I tried and could not do it; it is hard; my loyalty to the duchess could only push me so far; that is why I¡¯m a soldier now.¡¯ Ethan gives the gadget to a woman who is close to him.


    She tries to look inside, but the light blinds her. She hands the light to a child, who begins to shine it on everyone else; smiles could be seen spreading throughout the crowd. Ethan approaches the child and shows how to turn on and off the light, but the child cannot do it.


    ¡®In order to use these devices, you must believe the duchess is your ruler and that she is the only path forward. That''s the deal.¡¯ Ethan toggled the light on and off.


    ¡®Is she some kind of goddess? This sounds like a power only a god can bestow; it''s like a blessing.¡¯ Eli turned to face Ethan.


    ¡®She never claimed to be anything other than a duchess, but from what I understand, she wants to protect the people on her land.¡¯ Ethan gave the device to Eli.


    Eli took the device from Ethan and turned on the light, pointing to the treetops and the sky. In his eyes, the young Chatzi showed she was the only way; he now has faith in her.


    ¡®There is no doubt that this is a blessing, a promised land where we can all live in safety and prosperity... Who''s going with me?¡¯ Eli looked into everyone''s eyes.


    Some raised their arms, while others got to their knees and closed their eyes. Ethan was taken aback by what was going on. Under the soldier''s hood, another voice could be heard.


    ¡®Ethan, what is the situation?¡¯ The voice asked.


    Ethan picked up the radio and positioned it nearer to his mouth.


    ¡®They are coming with us; but I think we have a problem.¡¯ Ethan responded while facing away from the crowd.


    ¡®What? Did you kill one of them?¡¯ The voice became aggressive.


    ¡®Somehow, the duchess has become a goddess.¡¯ Ethan rubbed his head and turned back to the crowd.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 35

    ¡®I think we should stop here near the forest; later,  we can go there to se if there are more people that want to join us.¡¯ A dark-haired Shafran spoke on the radio.


    They began to settle camp and use the wagons to form a circle as protection. Some children were looking straight at the lights that were hanging on the wagons while they were arranging the camp.


    ¡®Stop doing that; your eyes will hurt.¡¯ Ethan gave a slow head shake.


    ¡®They are simply in awe, Ethan.¡¯ A dark-haired Shafran soldier drew nearer.


    ¡®It will blind them, Sargent Egor; I was just trying to help.¡¯ Ethan rested his hands on his hips.


    ¡®We need to establish a perimeter for the night, so just leave them alone, Corporal. Let''s go.¡¯ Egor moved past the wagons and headed outside.


    There were nine soldiers waiting for him outside the circle of wagons: older A-Dam and Shafran, with younger Chatzi mixed in. They all took position after seeing Egor, just as they had practiced in the duchess''s home''s backyard.


    ¡®Same as yesterday, groups inside the wagons looking out in three-hour shifts.¡¯ Egor points at the wagons.


    ¡®Eli said there was another community inside this forest, sir; I don¡¯t think they would attack us.¡¯ A young Chatzi said it in a joyful tone.


    ¡®Did you forget we are on enemy territory, soldier? Be vigilant; don¡¯t let your guard down in case it is bandits, monsters, or the community we are here to help, we don¡¯t know if they want or need help.¡¯ Egor approached the young soldier and patted his shoulder.


    ¡®All right, people, get into position; we have been out in the open for far too long.¡¯ Ethan climbed into a wagon.


    A Chatzi young lady got closer to the wagon where Ethan and an A-Dam soldier were. He looked at her, wondering if she wanted something.


    ¡®Hello, could you please give me the magic stove?¡¯ The Chatzi woman gave Ethan a timid-eyed glance.


    ¡®Oh,ok.¡¯ Ethan handed her the device.


    ¡®Thanks.¡¯ She looked into Ethan''s eyes.


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    With the device in her hands, the young woman moved to the center of the circle, sat down next to the other women, and then began to prepare food.


    ¡®So, Ethan, why are you not opening up for her when you know she likes you?¡¯ The A-Dam soldier asked while looking into the darkness.


    ¡®Shut up, old man; I can¡¯t betray Leah; I like her.¡¯ Ethan lowered his gaze to the ground.


    ¡®What? You didn¡¯t notice how she looks at Edmund, despite the fact that she is aware of your admiration for her. You are a fool.¡¯ The soldier gave him a frustrated look.


    ¡®Edmund is just her teacher, and she is jus....¡¯ He retorted in an iratmanner, but was interrupted.


    ¡®You may be superior to me here, sir, but I¡¯m older. From my experience, you better move on or she will feel bad you passing opportunities for her.¡¯ The soldier''s gaze was drawn to the darkness.


    Ethan sighed, looked around the circle, and noticed the young woman approaching once more, but now with two bowls of food.


    ¡®Here, I hope you like it." She looks at Ethan and quickly turns around and rejoins the other women.


    ¡®See? Why would you think of Leah? You are a fool.¡¯ While eating and gazing into the darkness, the soldier shook his head.


    The radio crackled, and Egor''s voice came through.


    ¡®We have contact; it is coming from trees; everyone be on high alert; something or someone is out there.¡¯ Egor¡¯s voice sounded calm.


    From the trees, shadows could be seen as they drew near, and Sargent Egor''s hands began to sweat; he was unable to give them any shape. Eli, however, unexpectedly emerged into the darkness, with a group of people startling him.


    ¡®Don¡¯t shoot.¡¯ Egor spoke to the radio while getting out of the wagon and heading in Eli''s direction.


    ¡®While you talked to the soldiers outside the wagon circle, I went into the forest to save them.¡¯ Eli answered.


    ¡®Old man, are you insane? You are all under my responsibility; we could have taken them tomorrow.¡¯ Egor rubbed his head while observing the group.


    ¡®Look at them; they couldn¡¯t wait, the noble of this area was driving monsters into the forest.¡¯ Eli turned around and pointed at some of the group members'' injuries.


    Egor looked at the group again, noticing that they had numerous wounds, including bite marks and cuts, all over their bodies. Now his face is showing concern.


    ¡®I understand; just give me a head up if you want to pull one of this off again.¡¯ He turned around and started to guide them to the caravan.


    On their backs, people were conversing and laughing, which made Ethan and the soldier next to him stare stiffly into the darkness. He felt uneasy because of the contrast of being attacked at any moment by the cheerful laughs on his back, but again, his radio crackled.


    ¡®To all units, or friend Eli, who sneaked into the forest and brought the community that was in the forest closer, they need medical attention; come here, Asher.¡¯ Egor changed from a calm to a more serious tone of voice.


    ¡®Well, that is me. Why did I have to volunteer as a medic and learn those things from the town doctor?¡¯ After grinning at Ethan, Asher exited the wagon.


    ¡®All units, move the wagons to make room for these people.¡¯ The radio made a crackling noise.


    To widen the circle, the soldiers began to move the wagons. When the group entered the circle, everyone gave them food, and Asher began to treat their wounds. Eli approached Egor and touched his shoulder.


    ¡®I am sorry, my friend; I felt like they needed help; perhaps it was the goddess that gave me this feeling.¡¯ He grinned at him.


    ¡®Hum¡­ Just don¡¯t do it again. Leave the dangerous jobs for us soldiers.¡¯ While looking at the people being treated by Asher, Egor scratches his beard.


    The new group was focused on the lights and the appliances heating the food. They were curious about how everything was working; it seemed so magical, and at the same time, loud noises began to emanate from the forest. Eli and Egor turned to face the darkness, but they were unable to figure out what it was.


    ¡®Ethan, I want your team on the front; I believe we have company and they don¡¯t like us.¡¯ Using the radio, Egor spoke.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 36

    Ethan and four others approached the front, using the wagons as cover to examine the darkness and silhouettes on the trees. He noticed that the people behind them started hugging each other, not knowing what was going on.


    ¡®Throw a light over there, Ethan; we need to see something.¡¯ Egor pointed to the light on the wagon.


    There were some extra lights on the wagon he was in; Ethan lit them and threw them into the woods, and Ethan signaled to his squad to do the same. As soon as the lights reached the ground close to the forest, all of the soldiers on the wagons looking in the direction of the forest saw orcs and goblins on the trees.


    ¡®Fire!!!¡¯ Egor shouted.


    As the soldiers began to pull their triggers, the sounds of whistles were mixed with the screams of the monsters and the lights that came from the rifles flying in the direction of the forest, which gave the monsters a path to follow, making them charge at their position.


    ¡®On the right flank, we have contact.¡¯ A voice came from Ethan''s radio.


    ¡®On the left too.¡¯ Another voice came through Egor''s radio.


    As the monsters were getting closer, Ethan looked around, and an idea came to his mind.


    ¡®Caleb!! Right now, I need the cannon with the explosive here.¡¯ Ethan shouted.


    One of the soldiers on Ethan''s squad, Caleb, ran to a wagon in the back, crossing the crowd of people that were lying trying to protect the children with their bodies and grabbed a cannon and loaded it with explosive ammo. As he passed the people on the ground once again as fast as possible, he ran to the front again and gave it to Ethan.


    ¡®I will bring you more, sir.¡¯ Caleb spoke as he ran back.


    Ethan fired, aiming for the center of the monsters, rushing them without giving it much thought. The projectile traveled quickly, and an explosion immediately followed, engulfing some of the monsters and sending others into a panic.


    ¡®Use the cannons!¡¯ Egor yelled over the radio.


    As the orders came over the radio, more explosions began to occur among the monsters. Crashes made them stumble as balls of flames engulfed others, and explosions made them fly, prompting the rest to flee back to the forest.


    ¡®Cease fire.¡¯ Egor''s voice could be heard on everyone''s radio.


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    ¡®Keep your eyes open; throw lamps as far as you can in all directions to have better vision.¡¯ On the radio, Egor stated.


    With the wind blowing toward the forest and only that sound audible with everyone waiting and the darkness surrounding the caravan, the soldiers scurried and began tossing lights around the ring of wagons. The people seated within the circle began to become more composed and mustered the energy to look around.


    ¡®Be on high alert, everyone. I¡¯m going to calm everyone down.¡¯ On the radio, Egor spoke.


    ¡®See, the goddess defended us with her weapons; the feeling that I had to rescue our people in the forest came from her; I feel it.¡¯ Eli extended his hand upward to the sky.


    On the duchy, Ariadne was sipping tea and reading some papers as she gazed up at the gloomy night from inside her bedroom. Her heart was filling up like never before, a warm sensation that made her feel needed. With a sigh of relief, she gave a sincere smile while looking out the window.


    ¡®I thought I heard someone calling for me. Strange.¡¯ She sipped a little of the tea.


    ¡®Maybe the people of the duchy are calling your name, their savior, your highness.¡¯ Eliza gave Ariadne a smile.


    ¡®Indeed.¡¯ Standing up, Ariadne made her way to her bed.


    ¡®Good night, your highness.¡¯ The maid got out of the room.


    ¡®Good night, Eliza.¡¯ She laid down on the bed and closed her eyes.


    The sun began to shine on the horizon, and as people awoke, they peered over the wagons at the monsters that were lying on the ground in front of the forest. The bodies were left behind as the caravan began to leave.


    ¡®We currently have too many people. For safety and to avoid drawing the kingdom''s attention, right now we are moving directly toward the duchy.¡¯ Egor spoke more loudly.


    Ethan could hear the murmuring of everyone praying around him while he was in one of the wagons, words of gratitude, and some even crying, thanking the duchess for a safe trip. It made him uncomfortable seeing these people turn the duchess into some kind of god so quickly, but he understood why; their conditions were not the best. The girl from the previous night was sitting next to him, praying.


    ¡®I¡¯m grateful to the goddess for her protection and blessings.¡¯ She blinked, opened her eyes, and turned to face Ethan.


    ¡®Do you genuinely think that the duchess is a goddess?¡¯ Ethan enquired.


    ¡®Yes, when I accepted her in my heart, I was able to use the magic stove; what more could I ask for proof? On her territory, according to the soldiers, there are also more magical things. It''s like being rewarded for my faith in her.¡¯ The young lady smiled.


    ¡®The duchess is a great person, but she even has a slave, you know? I don¡¯t think she views herself as a goddess; the duchess just wants to make the duchy strong so that everyone can be safe." Ethan cast a glance at the floor.


    ¡®A Slave? I am sure there is a reason for it.¡¯ The young lady looked at him and put a hand on his knee.


    ¡®He was a prince in Velvent; he now does a lot of things for the duchess, even teaching people how to make these devices.¡¯ He notices her hand, and his eyes widen.


    ¡®See? Everything happens for a reason, and I bet she is treating him very well.¡¯ She gives him a smile while squeezing his knee.


    ¡®I¡­ m sorry; this was our first ge-ge-genuine conversation. My name is E-E-Ethan Aaron, and I serve in the Du-Du-Duchess A-A-rmy as a corporal.¡¯ Ethan stutters every time she squeezes his knee.


    ¡®Ho, that is right; my name is Ruth Abadi. Ah, I almost forgot: this is my sister''s husband, my sister, my mother, and my father.¡¯ Ruth points to each and every member of her family while moving her hand to his thigh.


    ¡®What?¡¯ He looked at the family confusedly while blushing.


    ¡®Soldier, don¡¯t be like that; you will make a brave husband. I witnessed what you did and how you led the battle.¡¯ The elderly Shafran laughed,


    Ruth looked into Ethan¡¯s eyes and tightened her hold on his thigh again as Ethan gave an awkward laugh. Caleb, who was standing across from Ethan, was grinning while pretending to sleep.


    As they continued to travel to the duchy, the caravan began to get attention from local nobles, and from afar, soldiers looked at them. At the same time, previous homeless Chatzi living in the streets of the cities joined in; Eli was the cause of that, traveling ahead of the caravan and preaching for the people on the way to the Chatzi in the slums. The caravan itself never entered or got close to any city, but because of Eli, they knew how and where to join.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 37

    ¡®Teacher, take a look over there.¡¯ The young boy pointed to the crowd that was encroaching from the distance.


    ¡®Wow, that is a lot of people; things will be better from now on." Edmund climbed down the ladder he was on.


    ¡®Have you finished? I tried using different colors on the sign, but it didn''t work.¡¯ The youngster crossed his arms.


    ¡®I will teach this to everyone in tomorrow¡¯s class, but you came close. Well done. Continue with the experiments.¡¯ Edmund grinned at the boy.


    ¡®My sister will prepare dinner today if you would like to join her; she said it would be nice if you could.¡¯ The boy poked Edmund with his elbow.


    ¡®Maybe tomorrow; I want to verify whether these people actually believe Ariadne is a goddess, like rumors said.¡¯ Edmund''s arms were crossed.


    ¡®She is not? Everyone I know thinks she has divine powers or something.¡¯ The young boy stared at Edmund and rubbed his head.


    ¡®What?¡¯ Edmund looked confused.


    ¡®Yeah, isn''t she?¡¯ The boy kept staring at Edmund in confusion.


    ¡®Well¡­ Maybe¡­ A normal mortal is what she isn¡¯t.¡¯ With an awkward smile, Edmund pats the boy¡¯s head.


    ¡®Right?¡¯ The young boy smiled.


    Edmund began to make his way toward the town''s entrance. He didn¡¯t realize that people in the town would regard Ariadne as a goddess. That could be a blessing, as Egor stated in his periodic reports that everyone on the caravan could use the devices, but for him, that should be a problem for her to solve, not his. He might be able to begin the train track construction.


    ¡®Thank the goddess!'' Edmund grinned, and he laughed sarcastically.


    Everyone was going about their daily business as usual at the mansion, and there was a calm atmosphere. They were used to the lights because some of the workers had them in their homes. They didn¡¯t view the night as a time to be feared, like before, but rather as a time for other activities. Rita, however, disturbed their peace as she ran through the mansion.


    ¡®Your Highness!!¡¯ Rita spoke out loud while running into Ariadne''s office.


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    ¡®Rita, calm down. What is wrong?¡¯ Ariadne stood up.


    ¡®There is a sea of people at the village''s entrance.¡¯ Rita attempted to breathe deeper.


    ¡®So they have arrived; prepare the carriage; I need to see for myself if they really think I¡¯m a goddess.¡¯ Ariadne started to leave the office.


    ¡®Of course you are your highness; many people, including myself, believe you are a goddess sent from heaven to save us.¡¯ Rita grinned at the duchess and started to follow her.


    ¡®Whaat?!?¡¯ Rita''s words caused Ariadne''s eyes to widen as she muttered to herself.


    While waiting for everyone to arrive, Edmund stood outside the town with Alon and additional soldiers at his side. Weaks before the duchess ordered to build more houses, but the amount that was reported by the scout team was too much for them to believe, but now in front of them, the reports were true.


    ¡®They will have to wait here to be relocated to other villages, or they will help build more houses; being an immigrant is difficult, huh?¡¯ While observing the approaching wagons, Edmund uttered these words.


    ¡®Well, as long as they cooperate, we can solve this issue. The only problem is that these people think the duchess is a goddess, and to me, that is dangerous. Even my wife believes she possesses divine powers.¡¯ Alon begins to wave for the wagons.


    ¡®I completely missed this, huh? You wife prays to her?¡¯ Edmund laugh.


    Alon looked at Edmund with the corner of his eye and gave him an awkward laugh while nodding his head. As the people arrived, Alon directed them to a location near the town where he had prepared the day before. He stood up in one of the wagons, took a cylinder-shaped object from his pocket, looked at one of the soldiers to his side who had put a square box on the ground, and began to speak into the device, and his voice was amplified.


    ¡®Hello, my name is Alon Agron, and I¡¯m the captain of the duchess army. There aren¡¯t enough homes in the town for everyone, but we will place people in villages. If you would like, you can also help build more homes in the town.¡¯ Alon pointed to the town.


    Alon stepped out of the wagon as some women in uniform began to ask the new people names and make notes on their tablets. The soldiers were assisting everyone on the caravan in setting up camp. Ariadne¡¯s were coming close to them.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad Ariadne is coming right now because I really don¡¯t belong here. I''m just curious to see how they''re going to react to her.¡¯ Edmund started to move in the direction of the carriage.


    ¡®Why not look for more students to instruct? More weapons would be very helpful.¡¯ Alon grinned as he walked after Edmund.


    ¡®They were homeless or lived in the woods; if they can¡¯t write, I wonder how they can be useful in this way, but the women right there are gathering information; maybe some of them can be.¡¯ Edmund shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡®Don¡¯t you really feel bad about being prejudiced, huh?¡¯ Added Alon.


    ¡®I¡¯m just telling the truth; at the end of the day, if they are happy, here is what will help the most: they don¡¯t need to be my students, like yourself, who couldn¡¯t understand a thing about my classes; it is not your thing.¡¯ Edmund chuckles.


    At the same time that Alon punched the back of Edmund''s head, the carriage stopped in front of them, and Ariadne got out, looking around. The crowd began to gather as soon as she emerged; her figure was different from everyone with her bright white dress, white fur, and white hair. A soldier came next to her with a cilinder-shaped device, and she grabbed him and began talking.


    ¡®My name is Ariadne Melech, and right now I¡¯m the duchess of this domain. I welcome everyone. With your help, I know we can protect ourselves from our Velvent and Lavan. Believe in me and I will show you a new world.¡¯ She smiled and waved to the crowed.


    After hearing her words, all of the newcomers heard and called out her name. With more and more people chanting one world that made Ariadne''s heart fill with a warm feeling, her hands came closer to her chest like she wanted to grab it, which made her show them a tender smile. With that, the people that saw it got on their knees and started to pray, moved by a sentiment of fulfillment that they had never felt before. Seeing this, the people on Ariadne¡¯s side did the same, which made Edmund curious about where this was coming from.


    ¡®Well, this is new.¡¯ Edmund muttered to himself.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 38

    A hand was placed on Edmund''s shoulders from behind, and as he turned around, Ethan showed himself with a smile on his face.


    ¡®Hello Edmund, it has been a long time.¡¯ Ethan came to Edmund¡¯s side.


    Edmund looked at Ethan just by chance and saw marks on his neck, making him curious if he got some kind of disease in his travels.


    ¡®Ho, hello, Ethan, may I ask something?¡¯ He looked into Ethan¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®Fine, no problem.¡¯ Ethan looked at Ariadne¡¯s back.


    ¡®What are these things on your neck? Are you sick or something?¡¯ He touched Ethan¡¯s neck with his finger.


    Ethan used his hand to cover his neck, and his face blushed light red while looking away from Edmund.


    ¡®It was a girl.¡¯ He muttered.


    ¡®Hum, it took only a trip and a nice girl to break you, hum? Now I know why Leah never gave you a chance.¡¯ Edmund chuckled.


    ¡®Is not that, She is older, you know; you would break too.¡¯ Ethan spoke awkwardly.


    ¡®I doubt; maybe when we defeat the demon lord.¡¯ He laughed while tapping Ethan¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡®I don¡¯t understand you, Edmund.¡¯ Ethan smiled.


    ¡®You don¡¯t need to; if you excuse me, have things to do.¡¯ He smiled.


    Edmund walked out of the scene into the town and back to the mansion up the hill. As Ariadne started to walk into the crowd and talk to the people up close, Egor came next to Alon and greeted the captain.


    ¡®Sir, as ordered, we hid the antennas all the way to the other side of the kingdom.¡¯ Egor looked at Alon seriously.


    ¡®As we do more expeditions to gather more people, we expand our communication network, like her highness wanted.¡¯ He looks at Ariadne, smiling while talking to the people.


    ¡®Ho, this is Eli Blau; he was the one that gathered most of these people from the cities we passed by.¡¯ Egor looked at Eli by his side.


    ¡®I only did what the goddess wanted me to do; I don¡¯t need compliments.¡¯ Eli greeted Alon.


    ¡®Hum, did she? Well, from the reports that Egor passed, you know of more Chatzi and their families hiding in other parts of the country, yes?'' After looking at Ariadne and smiling, he turned his gaze to Eli.


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    ¡®Yes, in the kingdom, there are more of us hiding, some in plain sight in the slums of big cities. Commoners don¡¯t really care for us, as you probably know; just nobles don¡¯t like our existence.¡¯ The old Chatzi spoke angrily.


    ''Look, Eli, this may be tasking an old body like yours but we need all of these people here and that is an order from your highness. Can you do that?¡¯ Alon put his hand on the old Chatzi shoulder.


    ¡®Of course, it makes sense that the goddess wants to gather all of her followers in one place to protect them.¡¯ Eli spoke with a grin on his face.


    ¡®Yeah, let¡¯s go with that, my friend; she really wants all of us to be safe; that much is true.¡¯ Alon smiled at the old man.


    Ariadne noticed that some people were passing their hands on her arms, not to grab but just to have a feeling; some were looking at her with tears of joy and large grins on their faces. She felt needed, but not because she was a noble who was receiving recognition but because of something deeper than that. Her heart was noticeably full of joy like never before.


    Eliza almost didn¡¯t recognize Ariadne for the smile and grin she was showing to all those people; it was a noticeable contrast to her when there were parties in the capital and her face was completely shut in as nobles openly disrespected her. The archduke could only watch and as a maid, she was responsible for the aftermate. She was wondering what changed; she could only remember the last party they attended, and Ariadne just looked around, paying attention to what others were saying. At the end, when she thought tears would come down her eyes, she had a glimpse of a smile.


    ¡®Again, I hope I can count on everyone. Have a nice day, everyone.¡¯ Ariadne walked back to her carriage.


    ¡®Your highness, I¡¯m glad you are receiving the praise you deserve.¡¯ Eliza opened the door of the carriage.


    ¡®It is an amazing feeling, Eliza; I¡¯m really happy; let¡¯s go.¡¯ She sat in the carriage.


    ¡®I¡¯m happy for you, your highness.¡¯ Eliza sat on the side, facing Ariadne.


    On the way back to the mansion, Ariadne saw Edmund walking towards the mansion and signaled for Eliza to stop the carriage when they passed him. He came closer and looked at Ariadne through the window, waiting to see if she wanted something from him.


    ¡®I will give you a ride, peasant; I¡¯m in a good mood today.¡¯ She blocked her grin by opening her fan.


    ¡®Ho, thanks, your highness.¡¯ Edmund opened the door and sat next to Eliza.


    As the carriage began to move again, the young man noticed by her eyes that the duchess was happy. With a corner of his eye, he noticed that Eliza was smiling while looking at Ariadne.


    ¡®Well, this people worshiping you is strange, I said.¡¯ Edmund crossed his arms.


    ¡®I¡¯m not against it; it makes me feel good, which is a better feeling when people recognize me as their leader. It fills my heart with happiness.¡¯ She looks outside.


    ¡®You really feel something or is it just normal happiness? Because seeing you back there, I thought it was really having an effect on you. Don¡¯t you think so, Eliza?¡¯ ; this Edmund looked at the maid.


    ¡®I just think her highness never had this kind of love being shown for her; this is a new feeling for her highness.¡¯ Eliza smiled.


    ¡®To me, this is real; it feels like my heart is filling up more and more. Today, it was more obvious for me that this is not natural.¡¯ She started to fan herself.


    ¡®Humm¡­ Maybe it is a two-way path; they can use the devices, and you get something from them. What is it? I don¡¯t know but I have a better question.¡¯ Edmund looked at Eliza.


    ¡®What it is, Edmund.¡¯ The maid looked at him puzzled.


    ¡®Why are you still a maid? You should be practicing healing.¡¯ He moved his eyes toward Ariadne.


    ¡®She asked me too, is there a problem?¡¯ The duchess looked at him with a serious expression.


    ¡®Well, I think she should focus on being a healer; now, more than ever, she could help the new people and gather for your highness more support.¡¯ Edmund grinned.


    ¡®You are right, Eliza, your healing magic is usable?¡¯ Ariadne changed her gaze toward her maid.


    ¡®With Edmund¡¯s wand, I can do it; I even cut my finger a little at night to see if it really works and is amazing¡¯. Eliza moved her hands nervously, trying to calm herself.


    ¡®That is amazing, Eliza!!!¡¯ Ariadne patted her seat, signaling for the maid to come to her.


    Eliza sat next to Ariadne, who gave her a hug. It was different from other times; she was feeling her chest burn and the air escape her breath, but it was a good feeling that she had never felt before. It made the maid smile, and she could feel how proud Ariadne was.


    ¡®Anyways, you could help the town doctor; that way, it serves as training and you can gather more support for Ariadne and even be a saint, who knows.¡¯ Edmund laugh.


    ¡®You have a greater calling, Eliza; we will still be close or better, closer than ever before.¡¯ Ariadne showed a tender smile to her maid.


    ¡®Ok, I will do my best.¡¯ Eliza nodded.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 39

    The carriage came to a stop, and all three came out, with Edmund coming to the front and stopping right in front of the two of them, looking straight into Ariadne¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®Duchess, this is really important; I don¡¯t get why you just let her do whatever she wanted, even though she was learning healing.¡¯ Edmund looked at the duchess, confused.


    ¡®She is my friend, peasant; I¡¯m not going to force her to do anything she doesn¡¯t want to do. What is your point? I have better things to do.¡¯ Ariadne crossed her arms.


    ¡®Hum, ok, I understand. After our training, I¡¯m going to show you the refrigerators we will sell. Sorry for the question, duchess.¡¯ He turned around and started to walk to the side, going around the mansion.


    ¡®Your highness, I¡¯m sorry for everything; I should have been more focused on learning. Can I pass my time with you as a friend, not serve as your maid?¡¯ Eliza stepped forward and turned around, facing Ariadne.


    ¡®You will always be my friend Eliza; even if you wanted to stop learning and just came back as my maid, there would be no problem; don¡¯t concern yourself with the peasant.¡¯ Ariadne smiled.


    ¡®I think he stopped because he saw that you consider me a lot; as a real friend, not a maid, Edmund wouldn¡¯t push for me to do anything if I didn¡¯t want to.¡¯ Eliza looked at Edmund as he vanished from the corner of the mansion.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know. For what I can see, if it has to do with the demon lord, he will do everything in his power to get what he wants.¡¯ Ariadne passed Eliza and entered the mansion.


    When the sun was in the middle of the sky, Alon was showing the training field behind the mansion for those who wanted to be soldiers. The idea was to reinforce the villages.


    ''Well, let me introduce myself again. I¡¯m Alon Agron, the captain of the duchess army. In the next few weeks, we are going to train the basics but your real training will start in your respected villages.¡¯ He walked left to right, looking at the man.


    The mixed bunch showed him conviction in their eyes, like this was a kind of last chance. It was around a hundred men that volunteered to be soldiers, which, according to Alon¡¯s calculations, made their army almost two hundred strong at this point, but they could protect themselves from any number of monsters the kingdoms threw at them.


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    ¡®Behind me is one of the lieutenants, Bartel Adler. He will show you everything you need to know, from how we talk to how we act. It is an ever-changing way of fighting, so pay attention and be open to change at any time. Yes?¡¯ Alon looked at them with serious eyes.


    Bartel came forward and looked at everyone the same way Alon had before him; he noticed that they had the most young men among them.


    ¡®Right now, I just want you to see to your left those two over there, Edmund and the duchess Ariadne. Just watch.¡¯ He pointed to his side, and everyone¡¯s gaze followed.


    Ariadne was walking toward Edmund with her sword, making a path on the ground like every time they train. She didn¡¯t say anything to him, but she was grateful for what her abilities could do. Compared to Edmund, it was nothing, but he says to her every day that she is getting better, and in a way, it made her happy. It was strange because, outside of this moment, she didn¡¯t like Edmund much; he was a nuance that helped her, but a nuance none the less. The way he talked to her made her remember the nobles that mocked her at every opportunity they had; he didn''t know his place even though he was her slave and she was his master.


    ¡®Duchess, you need real combat experience so from today forward, I¡¯m going to hit you like we are fighting to the death. In the dungeon, you will face something you can¡¯t even dream of.¡¯ Edmund prepared himself in an attack position.


    ¡®Peasant, are you trying to use this to kill me? I will allow. Come with everything you have; teach me how is a real fight.¡¯ Ariadne stopped and assumed a defensive position.


    The soldiers came closer to look at them, but the first thing they noticed was the strange sword they were using. They were interested in how the two of them would fight with such swords; they only trained basic forms to protect themselves. Bartel stopped the man from getting any closer to the two of them.


    ¡®We are too far, lieutenant; we can get closer.¡¯ One of them spoke from the back.


    ''No, you can¡¯t; this is too close to my liking but I wanted to show you guys what your leader can do.¡¯ He turned around and smiled at the man.


    Edmund jumped forward and attacked Ariadne¡¯s side, her eyes following his movement already positioned her sword not to block but parry swinging toward the sky, making the young man¡¯s sword spin with him still holding it, and Edmund used the momentum to come crashing down into the duchess from above, but again she saw him making the move, and again instead of trying to block Edmund¡¯s attack, she swang upwards, clashing her sword into his. This time, she felt her feet crack the ground under her.


    ¡®My turn.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    To others, it felt like she was giving into Edmund¡¯s blow, but quickly she positioned herself following her sword movement, and as Edmund came down, Ariadne attacked his side using the momentum Edmund''s blow had given her. The moment it was about to land, he completed a loop, and instead of his sword meeting the ground, instead the two blades clashed and Edmund was launched to the side.


    ¡®What just happened? I just saw them doing something completely impossible. How can someone move like this? It was like a drunk man with a giant sword,¡¯ a young soldier in the front spoke.


    ¡®This is the duchess and her slave Edmund; respect them; don¡¯t look down on him because he is a slave.¡¯ Bartel crossed his arms.


    ¡®Now that you''ve seen the show, start the training.¡¯ Alon Yelled.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 40

    Ariadne and Edmund traded blows one after another, like they were always on the offensive, each impact more powerful than the last. It was starting to call the attention of the maids in the mansion. They looked out the windows, impressed by the two of them fighting, but it didn¡¯t really feel real because of the movements they were performing and the impact of the blows. Each blow that Ariadne received made her sword swing in the opposite direction, but she moved her body in a way to redirect that swing into Edmund again. The two were doing the same while moving across the field. Even the soldiers gave up on their training because of the ferocity the two were showing.


    ¡®Is this okay, capitan? Her highness looks really angry.¡¯ One soldier points at Ariadne.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know, but indeed, she doesn¡¯t look normal to me.¡¯ Alon looked concerned.


    Again, Ariadne jumped at Edmund with another blow, this time launching the young man toward the sky. To Edmund¡¯s surprise, he noticed the duchess''s face, and she seemed upset. The fight was not going in her favor, but it was too much. She jumped after him and traded blows in mid-air but the young man took the upper hand and swung his sword to make her plunge into the ground. When his feet met the ground once again, Edmund looked at his sword, and the dents were starting to be noticeable. Even with the magic on it, it was not enough; this would serve as a test for the real deal.


    ¡®Wow, Edmund is amazing, don¡¯t you think?¡¯ A maid put her hand on the window.


    ¡®If he wasn¡¯t a slave, I would have taken him months to go.¡¯ Another maid replied.


    ¡®What?¡¯ She looked at her in shock.


    ¡®He is cute; not even going to put the devices he builds, now this?¡¯ The maid smiles while looking at Edmund through the window.


    ¡®Humm, you are not wrong.¡¯ She returned her gaze to Edmund.


    ¡®But you better forget; the way the duchess treats him is like he is her possession, like a thing; I doubt the duchess would accept such a relationship.'' The maid sighs.


    The two were still looking at one another as the wind blew and the silence settled. Ariadne had a feeling of betrayal in her mind and heart like nothing she had ever felt before in her life. It made her mad to no end.


    ¡®Your highness, why do you look so angry? Don¡¯t worry; you still can improve.¡¯ Edmund fixed his sword on the ground and walked toward Ariadne.


    ¡®You are trying to kill me, peasant!!! ¡® She sholted angryly.


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    ¡®Wow, well, that is the point of the training. I said it to you at the beginning, What are you talking about?¡¯ He looked at her, confused.


    ¡®No!!! This is not part of the training; I''ve never felt like this before.¡¯ She looked frustrated.


    ¡®Calm down; I can¡¯t betray you; I¡¯m a slave; this feeling is what is necessary for real combat.¡¯ Edmund smiled at her.


    ¡®Argh!¡¯ Ariadne tightened her grip on the sword.


    Without any warning, Ariadne tried to swing her sword at Edmund, but before she could position herself, Edmund¡¯s first was right on her face, touching Ariadne¡¯s nose before stopping completely. It made her stop immediately.


    ¡®Don¡¯t do this; you will kill me.¡¯ He gave her a serious look.


    Her eyes focused on his, and after hearing his words, she felt reassured and relaxed her stance, making him relax as well. The two were there, just staring at one another for a minute.


    ¡®Did she just try to kill me? That was scary.¡¯ Edmund thought to himself.


    ¡®It is your fault, peasant, that I felt like this.¡¯ She threw the sword to the side and crossed her arms.


    ¡®What? It was training; your highness, I may be so bold to say that you have a hot head.¡¯ Edmund chuckled.


    ¡®Humph¡¯ Ariadne turned to the side.


    ¡®Anyway, I was surprised at how good you are. It took just some months of training and you are already this good; it¡¯s amazing.¡¯ Edmund walked to Ariadne¡¯s sword and picked it up.


    ¡®It¡¯s me after all, peasant; why should it be any different?¡¯ She looked at his back.


    ¡®Yeah¡­ right.¡¯ He laugh.


    ¡®Let¡¯s free the training grounds; you need to show me the refrigerator, right, peasant?¡¯ She started to walk to the warehouse.


    ¡®Ho, that is right, your highness.¡¯ Edmund grabbed the other sword and followed Ariadne.


    At the warehouse, he showed the two versions of the refrigerators, one for nobles with gold ornaments and a more luxurious design, and the normal one for commoners, which was the same thing but with no details at all; there were even imperfections on the surface of the device.


    ¡®To make it a justification for the price, the commoner one is not perfect; other than that, they are the same.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    ¡®You are smart peasant; let us go with this. I will talk with the companies so they can export this to the Markaz kingdom on the north and even a better deal for their king in the future.¡¯ She said this while passing her hand on the refrigerator for nobles.


    ¡®Well, you know what you are doing, so may I put this in the mansion kitchen? And give the other to some of my students?¡¯ He looked at her.


    ¡®Very well, peasant, do just that. I¡¯m going to take a bath. Continue with your day. Tomorrow we do more training.¡¯ Ariadne got out of the warehouse.


    ''Well, today she was different, that is for sure.¡¯ Edmund scratched the back of his head.


    After some time in the kitchen, the door was opened, and Edmund came with the refrigerator. The chef and the maids were surprised by what he was carrying and stopped what they were doing.


    ¡®What is this, Edmund? Are you going to explode something in here? I¡¯m going to tell the duchess if you try anything funny.¡¯ The old Shafran lady with a chef hat crossed her arm.


    ¡®No, no, no... This is a finished product; the duchess gave permission to put it here; it is used to freeze or cool food, like meat, drinks, or fish. It''s up to you.¡¯ Edmund smiled at the old chef.


    ¡®That is amazing, Edmund; you are so smart.¡¯ A maid came close to him, smiling.


    ¡®It¡¯s no big deal, i mean... maybe is kind of...¡¯ He stopped suddenly.


    ¡®Edmund? Are you alright?¡¯ The maid touched his arm and put a hand on his chest.


    ''Chef, what do you think about the refrigerator the peasant made?¡¯ Ariadne entered the kitchen from another door.


    Ariadne came in the kitchen right at the moment, looked at how the maid was touching Edmund, and her cheerful gaze transformed into rage. Her eyes couldn¡¯t betray her feeling, but only her ears could convey it.


    ¡®What is happening here?¡¯ She spoke, looking at the maid''s hands.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 41

    ¡®Y-Y-Your h-highness!!!¡¯ The maid jumped back.


    ¡®I think Edmund is not feeling alright, your highness.¡¯ The chef looked at the duchess.


    ¡®Are you okay, peasant?¡¯ Ariadne touched Edmund¡¯s shoulders and looked at his face.


    The feeling of regret he was feeling was slowing going away the moment Ariadne touched him, but his eyes were almost overflowing with tears as he looked at the duchess and blink. Tears flowed from his eyes, just enough to make a line on both of his cheeks.


    ¡®What is wrong, peasant? Did they do something?¡¯ Ariadne turned her gaze at the women in the kitchen.


    ¡®We didn¡¯t do anything, your highness, I swear!!!¡¯ One maid exclaimed.


    ¡®Shut up!!!¡¯ The duchess yelled.


    The kitchen was silent for a minute as Ariadne looked at every single one of the women there, following their expressions one by one until she heard Edmund¡¯s voice.


    ¡®No, I¡¯m sorry, duchess. This was my fault. It was just too much for me when she touched me; I was just too happy, you see. Edmund smiled at her.


    The duchess gaze of discontent turned to Edmund, and her hand, like always, came for his throat, lifting him up and slamming him to the wall close to her, making everyone in the kitchen shiver, and causing him to grab her arm with his two hands as her nails started to enter his flesh.


    ¡®What did you just say?¡¯ She looked at him with enraged eyes.


    ¡®I-I-I¡¯m sorr-y-y, it was a jo-jo-joke.¡¯ He was fighting to gasp for air.


    ''Why do you keep doing this to me, peasant?¡¯ Ariadne looked at him with disappointed eyes.


    She released him, and as he sat on the ground, gasping for air, she came closer to the maid. She was aggressive and took her two hands, came closer to her, and looked into her eyes like she was almost reading her soul.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, it was my mistake; please forgive me; I shouldn¡¯t have yelled at you, or any of you for that matter.¡¯ After looking at the maid, she turned her gaze at the others in the kitchen.


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    ¡®No, duchess, no... You don¡¯t need to apologize; you just care about Edmund; if he doesn¡¯t appreciate it, it¡¯s his fault.¡¯ The maid gave the duchess a tender smile.


    ¡®Yeah, you just care too much, duchess, which isn¡¯t your fault.¡¯ The chef laughed.


    Edmund got up while massaging his throat. He looked at the scene in front of him and opened a calm smile. He took the opportunity to put the refrigerator in an open corner and came next to Ariadne.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, everyone; it was my fault.¡¯ He bows to them.


    This startled them, but they all just brushed off and started to chuckle. Ariadne sighed, turned around, and walked out of the kitchen while everyone bowed to her. After some time, she stopped next to a window, looking at the closest tree. There she stood, deep in thought, with regretful eyes.


    The town was receiving more and more people each day that passed, as they were directed to the villages all over the duchy. Some families didn¡¯t have a chatzi in their families, fully A-Dam or Shafran, but when it came to using the tablet to complete their registration, they all could use it. The families that had more education stayed in the town so that they could go to Edmund¡¯s classes, making it necessary for a rapid expansion.


    At the castle in the kingdom of Velvent, King Rufus was at the table having a conversation with his council.


    ¡®So you are saying that the Chatzi that were living in our forests are not there anymore? Where did they go?¡¯ Rufus asked.


    ¡®Your majesty, reports say that they are moving to the ex-princess Ariadne duchy; they are moving at night and there are rumors that she is a goddess or something like that; they pray for her.¡¯ A man next to the king gives him a paper.


    ¡®They are praying for her? What an absurd thing to do. Did any noble try to do something against them?¡¯ Rufus punched the table.


    ¡®No, your majesty, we did like you ordered us to do.¡¯ A man to his right shivered.


    ¡®So why are they leaving my kingdom?¡¯ Rufus looks at everyone with angry eyes.


    ¡®May I speak my mind, your majesty?¡¯ A man at the back spoke.


    ¡®Sure.¡¯ Rufus gestured for him to get up.


    The man with dark hair, some gray parts, and blue eyes appeared to be in his fifties. He went up from his chair and looked at everyone before fixing his eyes on King Rufus.


    ¡®We didn¡¯t give them anything other than misery; it was better for them, the Lavan nobles, who use monsters to kill them in the forest, but living in the woods like they did was no happy life.¡¯ The man spoke.


    ¡®But the people are afraid of them; abomination is what they call the Chatzi. We tried to force the integration but the commoners said they were stealing their jobs.¡¯ The man to the right of the king sighs.


    ¡®It¡¯s true that our king tried to integrate them into society but I think something like this takes at least one generation and if we pulled back after a year, I would imagine they feel betrayed.¡¯ The old man spoke in a sad tone.


    ¡®They are ungrateful; that is what they are.¡¯ To the left of the king, a man spoke.


    ¡®But what I think really pushed them was the fact that the monsters that we are pushing towards Lavan and there are rumors that Lavan is pushing monsters towards the duchy but they are holding strong somehow.¡¯ He holds his ching with one of his hands, lost in thought, looking at the table.


    ¡®That is indeed interesting what the duke of Aram said; how are they holding the monsters back?¡¯ Rufus tapped the table with his finger.


    The room fell into silence as the one thing that could be heard was the tapping on the table that Rufus was doing.


    ¡®Pushing the monsters into Lavan made it impossible for us to infiltrate because of the nests they made on the border.¡¯ The duke broke the silence.


    ¡®Yes, the nobles that are in charge of the border even gave reports of more repeated attacks on forts by monsters.¡¯ The man to the right of the king spoke.


    ¡®I don¡¯t like it being in the dark; fix this.¡® Rufus said it angrily.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 42

    At the duchess office, the two representatives of the only companies that trade inside the duchy are with Ariadne. The duchess had a serious face and was tapping the table with her finger while looking at the two merchants sitting right in front of her.


    ¡®So... how can we trade with the Markaz kingdom?¡¯ She pulled back and relaxed in her chair.


    ¡®Officially, we need permission from the kingdom to make any kind of trade like this with other nations.¡¯ Levi looked at Ariadne with a disappointed face.


    ¡®Oh my¡­ As expected of an Arc, it doesn¡¯t have the courage to do what it takes.¡¯ The A-Dam woman next to Levi made a devilish smile while looking at him.


    ¡®Hum¡­ Do you have a solution, Persia?¡¯ Ariadne asked.


    The brown-skinned woman looked at the duchess with clear brown eyes and a smile on her face. The dress she was wearing was a light one that was characteristic of the litoral of Velvent to the east.


    ¡®With the history of our company, we can make it work. With these products, it will be in everyone''s interest to keep them under the table.¡¯ She smirked at Levi.


    ¡®Of course the Socher company would suggest such a dangerous thing; we need to think about the people, about her highness, not just profic, you witch!!!¡¯ He raised his voice, looking at Persia.


    ¡®What did you just call me? I demand respect you, coward; if you are not going to give a solution, leave.¡¯ She got up from her seat, facing the merchant.


    ¡®I have no respect for someone who only looks for profit, not for the people of this land. How many times have our people outmost gotten the end of a blade because of your company''s actions?¡¯ Levi got up and looked at Persia with angry eyes.


    ¡®But all those times I broth precious resources for our people, what if I profit by doing that? Don¡¯t be a sore loser; our company is better than yours and that is just a fact.¡¯ She smirked at him.


    ¡®This is not some of your little operations; we are playing with the lives of everyone on the duchy.¡¯ He angrily shouted.


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    Ariadne punched the table and startled the two merchants that quickly looked at her; her serious, deep red eyes could drown out the two that slowly sat on their chairs, looking at the duchess like a cornered animal.


    ¡®That is better; I like Persia''s plan not because it is good but because it is the only one we have. Now I also like that Levi cares so much about people, so the two should join in and split profits from this trade with Markaz.¡¯ She showed the two a tender and caring smile.


    The two merchants looked at each other, and with a deep sigh, they nodded in agreement. The duchess got up from her chair and started to walk around the room while refreshing herself with her fan.


    ¡®I need to set up a meeting with the king; I think this trade would be very beneficial for all of us if he uses our products as a bargaining chip against the Confederate tribes that would bring him peace.¡¯ She looked at the two, covering her mouth with her fan.


    ¡®That is a good idea, your highness but I¡¯m sad to say that it is impossible for him to leave his country and it would be dangerous for you to go there; rumors would be the worst of it all.¡¯ Levi crossed his arms.


    ¡®How about using that device that the peasan¡­¡¯ Persia stopped talking abruptly.


    The moment Ariadne noticed that she would call Edmund a peasant, she quickly rushed next to Persia and put a finger on her lips. It was so fast that the two merchants widened their eyes, looking at the duchess in shock.


    ¡®Don¡¯t call him that; only I can do it, do you understand?¡¯ Ariadne looked right into Persia¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®I-I-I¡¯m sorr-y-y-y your highness.¡¯ Persia replied nervously.


    ¡®Anyway, continue.¡¯ The duchess continued her slow walk around the office.


    ¡®The device your highness uses to contact the villages, the mayor, and us. Even the soldiers are using it now; maybe that way you can talk to him.¡¯ She looked in the duchess''s direction, afraid of looking at her directly.


    ¡®Humm, indeed.¡¯ Levi nods his head.


    ¡®That is good, but first I want you two to establish a relationship with the king; only then can we use the phone to talk to one another and use the devices to lore him.¡¯ The duchess returned to her chair and sat comfortably.


    ¡®It shall be done, your highness!!¡¯ The two of them spoke at the same time.


    The two merchants got up and left the office, leaving Ariadne alone. Her mind was racing full of possibilities for the future, and the speed of the expansion her town and the villages were growing in so little time made her happy but uneasy at the same time. Last night, one person couldn¡¯t right their name on the registration, an A-Dam. She thought it could be a spy trying to get into her duchy, but how could she know? Maybe they are expanding too fast.


    Alon was looking at a cell where an A-Dam was being held. He came alone, saying he wanted refuge; it could be nothing, but now he thought that security needed to be a priority.


    ¡®What you need to do is accept her highness Ariadne Melech as your ruler or, as some say, it''s better to accept her as a goddess.¡¯ Alon sat on a chair right in front of the cell.


    ¡®Why did you imprison me? I didn¡¯t do anything!!!¡¯ The man shoulted.


    ¡®Just accept the duchess as your ruler or savior; then write your name in this device, which is kind of simple, my friend.¡¯ He signaled for a soldier to push the tablet and a pen into the cell.


    ¡®I can¡¯t agree on this thing; what are you talking about accepting her as my ruler?¡¯ The man tried to write his name on the device.


    ¡®Well, you can do things like this if you follow her.¡¯ Alon turned a light on and held on to his hand.


    The man on the cell was amazed by the light; his mind couldn¡¯t understand why this soldier was using magic like this and in such a trivial manner, no encantation what so ever.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 43

    ¡®What are we going to do with the prisoner, your highness?¡¯ Alon looked at the duchess with concern.


    ¡®I sent a letter to my father; he is going to take care of this for us; even if the nobles hate us, their distrust for Velvent is higher, and the prisoner, just kill him, is not like we can turn him to our side.¡¯ She closed her fan and put it on the table.


    ¡®It will be done, your highness.¡¯ Alon turned around and exited the office.


    ¡®Humm, I wonder what the peasant is doing right now.¡¯ The duchess thought to herself.


    Ariadne got up her chair and walked to the window behind her. There, she saw Edmund lying down next to a tree in the green grass and by his side, one of his female students was eating.


    ¡®Is he doing a picknick while I¡¯m working hard? I knew that giving him this much freedom was a mistake.¡¯ She clenched her firsts.


    Edmund opened his eyes and saw Ariadne looking at him through a window. He got up and waived his arms at her. Leah was surprised by his action, but she quickly noticed the duchess looking at them. Leah got up and bowed to Ariadne.


    ¡®At least he knows his place, but I don¡¯t like it; he should be working, not having a date.¡¯ She clenched her first again and frowned at her eyebrows.


    Edmund stopped waving his arms and looked at Leah while she was cleaning her dress from sitting on the ground.


    ¡®With your help, I thought of a way to provide basic protection for the soldiers; having someone to talk to is really helpful. Thank you, Leah.¡¯ He gave her a wide grin.


    ¡®It''s nothing, but your ideas are really interesting; I would never be able to imagine that these simple protections would be so effective before you explained to me.¡¯ Leah picked up a bat next to her.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go; we can make this right away; it will give the soldiers a better chance.¡¯ Edmund started to walk in the direction of the mansion.


    ¡®That would be my pleasure, Edmund.¡¯ She ran a little and walked right beside him.


    Edmund entered the room he was using as classroom and with the help of Leah, he started to draw what he was envisioning: a vest that the soldiers would use that could repel magic. Unfortunately, as Leah remembered him a while ago, he needed to think about the wight so it would only deflect two shots of magic in the area of the torso; he didn¡¯t know how it would do against fisical protectles.


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    .


    ¡®I wonder how many arrows this will protect against.¡¯ Leah spoke.


    ¡®That is why we need prototypes; it depends on its velocity and power, but lets aim for two magic protectiles; that is what matters.¡¯ Edmund held his chin deep in thought.


    ¡®True, the way you talk about the dungeons, we will need much more protection from them.¡¯ Her mind wandered as she stopped writhing.


    The door suddenly opened up, and there was Ariadne with her red eyes persuading Leah¡¯s soul; she had never felt like this in her entire life. Edmund noticed the duchess, looked at her, and continued with his work like nothing had happened.


    ¡®You are done with your little date, peasant? I don¡¯t feed you, cloth you, or give you everything you need so that you have dates with girls.¡¯ Ariadne punched the table, making everything on it a table.


    ¡®N-n-no, your highness, w-w-e were talking about this device here; Edmund just wanted to change the location so new ideas could flood in his mind.¡¯ Leah spoke with a trableling voice.


    Humph, is that true, peasant?¡¯ The duchess crossed her arms while looking at the young man.


    ¡®Yes, it is your highness; besides, I would never have a chance with such a beaty.¡¯ Edmund laugh.


    Leah rolled her eyes but was taken aback as Ariadne grabbed Edmunds throut and pinned him against the wall, griding her teeth and a furious expression.


    ¡®Ah¡­ here... we... are... again...¡¯ He spoke, grabbing her arm using his two hands.


    ¡®I wonder why you keep doing this to me, peasant; you never answered my question.¡¯ The duchess sighs.


    ¡®Well¡­  it is... funny¡­ That is all¡­¡¯ He struggles to speak.


    Ariadne realized him, looked to the table Edmund was working at, and saw a drawing of some kind of vest as she walked past Leah. She toched her hand that was on the table.


    ¡®Good job, continue.¡¯ The duchess looked at Leah and smiled.


    ¡®N-No, I thank the duchess, our goddess... for everything.¡¯ She bowed as Ariadne got out of the room.


    ¡®Wow, did you see how strong she is? Her speed and strength are improving by the day, but she needs more training.¡¯ Edmund coughs while holding his throat.


    ¡®So you are testing the duchess with these silly games of yours? I don¡¯t even know what to say.¡¯ Leah nodded her head in disapproval.


    ¡®Is the more natural way of doing it, If she is sentimental, her true power comes forward, and I saw firsthand that trying to test this in combat is dangerous.¡¯ The young man sighs.


    ¡®You are talking about your fight against the duchess? It was something of a legend; I don¡¯t know what you are but she is solidifying more and more as a goddess among the servants.¡¯ She got her pen and started to write again on the tablet.


    ¡®I¡¯m a slave, and she was exciting in the fight; that is not her real power; she used more strength and speed here in our fight.¡¯ Edmund grinned at the young lady.


    A couple of weeks later, Edmund was walking side by side with Alon to the shooting range. To the side of the range was a lot of vest that covered the torso in the front and back and gave a lot of space for the arms to move around.


    ¡®So these are the protective vests you were talking about, hum? How can this protect much, Look at how light it is.¡¯ Alon took one of the vests and started to look at it.


    ¡®If you are injured in the arm and legs, the combat doctors can patch it until the soldier can be transported to where the more experienced doctor and healer is. This helmet can give you half of the protection.¡¯ The young man pointed at the helmets behind the vests.


    ¡®Hum¡­ Let me see if it really works. I had other things to do, and I believe in my subordinates, but this is completely different.¡¯ Alon looked at Edmund with a doubful expression while crossing his arms.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 44

    ¡®Right there, I put an iron plate, an iron helmet, and to the other side, one protective vest and a protective helmet. I¡¯m going to show you the difference.¡¯ Edmund pointed at the objects.


    The distance used for training was 20 yards. Edmund took a rifle that was leaning against the table; it already had a battery in it. He aimed at the objects and used all seven shots because he was not that good at them.


    ¡®Now let¡¯s see the damages, Capitan. I¡¯m sorry for my poor aim; I don¡¯t really train and don¡¯t really see the need to.¡¯ The young man started to walk toward the iron plate while still holding the rifle.


    ¡®No problem, kid, I think you are pretty good, not compared to me, but again, I train every day, and it''s really good that the ammo for these weapons is rechargeable.¡¯ Alon laugh.


    Getting to the iron plate, the young man touched the hole, and the magic projectile did. The results didn¡¯t really impress Alon, as he had seen this before. Going to the iron helmet had the same result; with a hole to its side, it didn¡¯t really hit the center much like the iron plate. Again, the capitan didn¡¯t really find the results strange.


    ¡®What is your point, Edmund? I have things to do.¡¯ Alon crossed his arms.


    ¡®Calm down; your work will not run from you, humph.¡¯ Edmund looked at him, annoyed.


    The protective vest, on the other hand, had no marks whatsoever. Alon found it strange that the cloth didn¡¯t have any damage whatsoever. Edmund passed his hand on the vest and looked at Alon before pulling another battery and reloading his rifle.


    ¡®Look.¡¯ He shot at point blank the vest.


    It was like the shot that came from the rifle was absorbed the moment it touched the vest, making Alon widen his eyes, but Edmund shot again, and it punched right through like it was nothing.


    ¡®In the front, in the back, and to the sides is all a battery so that it can manage two shoots of the rifles and maybe ten normal arrows; on the other hand, the helmet right there.¡¯ Edmund turned and shot the protective helmet.


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    It made a hole in its side like the one made of iron. Edmund looked at Alon with a smile.


    ¡®The helmet only stands one shot; oh, by the way, this will only work on basic-level magic; the foot soldiers use this kind of firepower, so that''s fine.¡¯ He walks badly to the table.


    ¡®Ok, you really are building all of this thinking about this demon lord stuff, hum?¡¯ Alon scratches the back of his head.


    ¡®Well¡­ Yeah, why would I do any of this if it was not to defeat the demon lord? Sometimes you say the funniest things, captain.¡¯ Edmund smiled at the capitain.


    Hum, I understand.¡¯ Alon crossed his arms.


    ¡®This is it; I would recommend the soldiers train in full gear, with more to add later as I still need to perfect and prevent this little ball right here from just randomly activating like this.¡¯ He grabbed the ball with his right hand.


    The device had the size of an apple and the moment Edmund grabbed it, it made a noise and the red mark on its side began to blink. Right after that, he threw it in the direction of the iron helmet, but it exploded mid-air.


    ¡®There, I need to work on that... It just doesn¡¯t work at all; I don¡¯t get it.¡¯ Edmund looked up and sighed.


    ¡®Yeah, work on that; my men will never use that death trap unless it is safe.¡¯ Alon looked at the young man with concern.


    ¡®Fine, this is progress; the first ones just exploded at random.¡¯ He laughed.


    ¡®Ho no¡­ ¡® The captain nodded his head negatively.


    At the capital of Lavan, the archduke was meeting with the representative of the noble faction. The room was well lit, and they were drinking tea while the tension in the room was really high as their eyes met from time to time.


    ¡®So, your majesty, the nobles will give you full support in dealing with the A-Dam scum of the Velvent kingdom. The nobles don¡¯t really like the duchess, as you may know but we can¡¯t let that territory fall under Velvent control.¡¯ The Shafran with dark clothes took a sip of his tea.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad we can put some differences aside for the greater good; spies are no joke, and it looks like my daughter is turning the territory around; I¡¯m happy to know that.¡¯ The archduke smiled.


    ¡®I¡¯m surprised to know too that her duchy is going well, expanding their villages and town, but the better is to get rid of the Chatzi scum that plagged our beautiful forests.¡¯ He laugh.


    ¡®Humm... enough, Marquess Oren.¡¯ Adrian spoke angrily.


    ¡®But even with this good the duchess has done to the kingdom, the nobles still want compensation for their support; you need to marry; we need an Archduchess.¡¯ Oren looked at Adrian with a smirk on his face.


    ¡®I understand¡­ ¡® The archduke looked to the ground with a defeated expression.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be sad; my eldest daughter is a beauty; she is shy and too kind for my liking but you will see she even sympathizes with your cause; your majesty, even if that makes me angry, I think is a good compromise, right?¡¯ His face had a wide smile that he covered with his hand.


    All the Archduke could do was sigh as he listened to his words; the sound of his voice cut deep into his heart, making him uncomfortable. His position was like this because of his love for Ariadne; his wife died before giving birth, and Ariadne¡¯s mother was killed by the nobles, trying to cover what he did while traveling to Velvent. If only he could turn back time, he would take his first true love under his wing and, like he did with his daughter, face the nobles head-on, but she wanted a simple life. He should have tried harder.


    ¡®Yes.¡¯ Adrian sighs again.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 45

    In the capital of the kingdom of Markaz, the two merchants were waiting in a room for the king to arrive. Much to their surprise, it was easy for them to arrange a meeting, so much so that Levi was sweating a lot because of how nervous he was. On the other hand, Persia was completely fine until she looked to her side and noticed Levi.


    ¡®You are disgusting; do you know that?¡¯ She looks at him, covering her nose.


    ¡®What did you say? I¡¯m nervous; I¡¯m not even smelling; you just hate me, don¡¯t you?¡¯ He pointed his finger at her.


    ¡®Not even my husband points his finger to my face, you coward.¡¯ Persia slapped his hand to the side.


    ¡®Ouch! This is important; of course I would be nervous.¡¯ Levi looks at her with an angry demeanor while massaging his hand.


    ¡®Bla bla bla, the same old Arc talking point, you guys are so boring with your responsibility and code, not like we don¡¯t have a code ether but, too much bla bla bla, this is important, relax... I got this.¡¯ She laughed while slapping Levi¡¯s back.


    As the doors opened, an A-Dam came waking wearing a golden crown on top of his black hair and looking at the two merchants, giving them a mature smile. Behind him, two maids came caring sweets and tea; they put it on the table in front of the two and got out of the room. The two merchants got up and bowed to the man.


    ¡®It¡¯s alright, you have something to talk about with me; I wonder what it is.¡® He looked intrigued as he sat on the sofa, facing the two.


    ¡®Your majesty, it is an honor to be in the presence of the protector, the wall of Markaz, Rex Harmia. My name is Persia Socher from the Socher Company, and this is Levi Arc from the Arc Company. We have interesting things to show you today.¡¯ She smiled at the king.


    ¡®It is a pleasure but I¡¯m short on time. Can we make this quickly?¡¯ Rex crossed his arms.


    ¡®Of course, what are we even doing? Let¡¯s begin.¡¯ Levi went up and walked to the chests to his side.


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    Persia followed him, and as Levi took one of the devices, she snatched it from his hand and smiled at him. Walking back, she gave it to the king.


    ¡®Wait, this..¡¯ Levi tried to reach her.


    ¡®This device, which can be used by the queen to dry her hair, is really convenient and an amazing gift; just put your index finger more to the top to turn it on.¡¯ Persia rubbed her hands.


    ¡®Like this?¡¯ Rex put his finger where she said it.


    Levi widens his eyes as the device starts working with no problem at all. Persia looks to the side and sees Levi¡¯s jaw wide open, which confuses her. The king is amused by the device pointing at the cup of tea and seeing the liquid being pushed away and dropped on the table. He was also pointing at Persia, making her hair fly.


    ¡®Really interesting; I think it will be an amazing gift for my beautiful wife. I¡¯m going to show you perfection in the flesh.¡¯ Rex pulls a small chest from underneath the couch.


    It was a flat chest; he put it on his lap, opened and pulled a painting, and showed it to the two merchants. It was a Chatzi in a deep blue dress with clear blue eyes and light brown hair with an imposing look.


    ¡®It¡¯s like I¡¯ve fallen in love again.¡¯ He stares at the painting.


    ¡®She is indeed beautiful, your majesty; you said that you didn¡¯t have much time, so come with me; this will help you and your kingdom in the best way possible.¡¯ Persia got up and walked to the chests again.


    Levi was still shocked by the fact that the king could activate the device. He had no words as the king followed Persia to the chests. Levi turned around and just watched.


    ¡®What is this thing? It''s kind of big, but pretty.¡¯ Rex taped the side of it.


    ''It''s a refrigerator; it cools things; you can preserve food, cool water, and even make ice.¡¯ She opened the door of the refrigerator.


    A cool breeze came as she opened the door. Persia took a bottle of water and gave it to the king, making his hand feel the cold that was completely out of season. It took him by surprise, and without any ceremony, he drank it, making the brown-skinned merchant right in front of him widen her eyes.


    ¡®Your majesty!!!¡¯ She shouted.


    ¡®What? You put poison on this?¡¯ The king looked at her, confused.


    ¡®No! I would never, and we would never do something like that but your action took me by surprise.¡¯ She looked at Levi and at Rex.


    ¡®So is fine; this device is really good and look at these things inside; I want this right now to put on the royal kitchen and thanks for the water; it''s really refreshing.¡¯ Rex took another sip.


    ¡®There are more things to show you, your majesty but before that, we would like to ask for Nihilium as payment for this first batch of products.¡¯ She took a more humble posture.


    ¡®Ok, no problem, but is he okay? He is just there watching me, which is kind of creepy if you ask me.¡¯ The king pointed at Levi with a smile on his face.


    The look that Rex gave Levi made him snap back and come back to reality.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, your majesty, but I would like to propose a better deal. We can take the Nihilium as payment but we can also buy all the Nihilium you have and even use it as a discount on the next batch of products.¡¯ Levi gave Persia a quick smirk.


    ¡®I can work with this; we may look at more of these products and if they do something similar to these two that I saw, you two will be rich, or would it be better to say, the duchess will be rich?¡¯ Rex gave a wide grin.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 46

    ¡®Duchess, there is a letter for you.¡¯ The maid entered the room and delivered it on a silver plate.


    ¡®Thanks; you have done a wonderful job.¡¯ Ariadne smiled at the maid.


    The duchess noticed the emblem on the wax; she knew it really well because it was the royal family emblem. Her hands were quick to open as she expected the response to the case of the spy they got. At first, her heart was happy with the words of her father, as he said arrangements were made to meet Velvent and ask questions about the spies with the help of the nobles, but as soon as her eyes read the other lines, her heart was struck by anxiety.


    ¡®He is going to marry again at the end of next year¡­ ¡¯ Her eyes, going left and right, were fixated on the letter.


    It was like she forgot how to breathe. After finishing reading the letter, her lungs called for air, and she opened her mount to pull in what her body desperately needed. Ariadne stooped there, sitting on her chair, looking at the door, just lost for words. The last part is what made her stop breathing.


    ¡®So they think I only have until the end of next year to live, damn nobles, trying to take what I built!!!¡¯ Ariadne punched her desk, making everything on top of it move.


    A maid opened the door with a concerned look on her face. After seeing the duchess expression, she came closer to the desk, and with a shy voice, she asked.


    ¡®How may I serve, your highness?¡¯ The maid bowed.


    ¡®Can you call the peasant here?¡¯ She sigh.


    ¡®As your wish.¡¯ The maid turned around and walked out.


    Edmund was outside, looking at the soldiers building some walls. It looked like a house, but it didn¡¯t have a roof; instead, the catwalls were over the head, which was already completed.


    ¡®Look, inside the dungeon there is a city. We need to be able to clear houses and it will be useful if fights break inside a village as well. This town soon will be a city; this is good training.¡¯ Edmund crossed his arms.


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    ¡®What training? I don¡¯t really get what you are trying to do with this; what is the point?¡¯ Alon stroked his chin.


    ¡®To be honest, I have just a simple idea, but for an example, better formation, how to cut corners, breach the building, you need to remember that in the dungeon, the enemies all use magic, they are ranged units, and they can also use melee as well.¡¯ Edmund gets a rifle that was leaning on a barrel.


    ¡®I understand; the duchess didn¡¯t really say that it was forbidden to do this, so I think it''s fine; we need to be prepared. Your notes that you gave me months ago were useful and I added a lot with the help of my subordinates.¡¯ Alon pulls a tablet from a purse he has by his side.


    Edmund comes closer to the door, holding his rifle in a position he remembers from the person before the hero; he didn¡¯t think it was perfect, as the person itself was not doing it; he was just seeing through some kind of window on a wall.


    ¡®Entering the front door right here, we need to stick close to the wall, check if the door is open, if not, shoot the hinges, and if the enemy was confirmed to be here, throw one of those devices I was working on, the ones that go boom.¡¯ Edmund positioned himself as he explained to Alon.


    From his pocket, he pulled a rock, threw it inside, and after three seconds, he entered using his rifle to sweep from left to right and take position to the side of another door. The captain followed him and found it interesting how he moved; he understood now what the young man was saying before.


    ¡®Now I understand, Edmund, Now we need to know if this is the best way or if it is different with more people. Trying to defend against a breach like this one too can be part of the training. Good idea.¡¯


    ¡®Yeah, I don¡¯t really know what I¡¯m doing; you guys need to figure it out and in my opinion, in half a year, you guys did just fine.¡¯ He pats Alons shoulder.


    A maid entered the room from the front door, surprising Edmund, as it was the maid who had been avoiding him since the incident in the kitchen, but he welcomed her with a smile. Alon turned around to face the maid.


    ¡®Your highness wants your presence in her office right now, Edmund.¡¯ The maid avoided Edmund¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry if I make you uncomfortable; lead the way.¡¯ He opens a warm smile at her.


    She looked at him right on time to receive his smile; it made her blush a little, but her mind was dragged back to reality, and she turned around and started to walk toward the mansion, looking back to see if he was following her.


    ¡®Is the white hair? I don¡¯t get it.¡¯ The capitain nodded his head in a negative way while writing on his tablet.


    Edmund increased the pace and walked to the maid side. She was again surprised by his action, so she distanced herself from him a little. He noticed this and scratched the back of his head.


    ¡®Again, I¡¯m sorry; that will never happen again. You and the kitchen staff were scared; I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Edmund spoke with a sad tone in his voice.


    ¡®It¡¯s n-nothing; I need to t-thank you; now I¡¯m the duchess personal m-maid.¡¯ She stutters.


    ¡®I¡¯m happy for you; at least something good came out of it.¡¯ He laugh.


    As they walked through the mansion, the maid came closer and closer to his side. She felt like he was a close friend; she didn¡¯t talk for long, but his tone was getting more and more sideways with each sentence, which troubled her. Edmund noticed her expression and smirked.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m like this; it is not your fault; it is complicated... By the way, what is your name?¡¯ He laughs.


    ¡®My name is Alya Malkah; my father said it means sky queen, a completely different name. He said I just liked to be in high places so he changed my name after my mother died.¡¯ She chuckles as her hands open the door of the duchess''s office.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 47

    Ariadne saw the two coming as the door was open. With Alya smiling and Edmund laughing, she clenched her firsts, but her eyes stayed the same as their eyes locked on her, and she approached with a serious posture.


    ¡®Thank you, Alya, Can you leave us alone?¡¯ She smiled at the maid.


    ¡®As your will.¡¯ The maid turned around and left the office.


    ¡®So, what is the problem, your highness?¡¯ With a relaxed attitude, Edmund sat on the chair in front of her desk.


    ¡®Why do I even try? You really don¡¯t care about my position, hum?¡¯ She lay back on her chair and sighed.


    ¡®We are alone; what is the big deal about it?¡¯ He crossed his arms.


    ¡®You need to respect me; I¡¯m your master, and you come here all happy and jumpy with Alya, disgusting.¡¯ She slammed her hand on the desk.


    ¡®Wow, what is going on? I¡¯m your slave; just give the order and I will do it.¡¯ He spoke with a tone of indignation.


    ¡®NO!!! You need to do that by yourself; what is the point if I command you? Respect me, damn it.¡¯ Ariadne slams the desk again.


    ¡®I do; you gave me the opportunity to do all of that, and I respect you more than anything.¡¯ Edmund looks into her eyes.


    ¡®Humph¡­ Okay, I will believe you. Anyway, my father said that he is going to marry in a year and a half, and with that, this protection we have is going away. They think I¡¯m going to die soon too.¡¯ She took a fan that was on her desk and gave herself a breeze.


    ¡®That sure is a lot, but I think we are fine. For the amount we did in six months, I think we can invade the dungeon in another year because of your training to fight against the dungeon guardian. We are fine.¡¯ He smiled at her.


    ¡®What are you talking about, peasant? I¡¯m not talking about dungeons; they are going to invade us.¡¯ She raised her tone.


    ¡®Calm down; we need the resources from the dungeon and after that, we can face off against the two kingdoms at the same time if you want, even conquering one of them if you focus.¡¯ Edmund taped his chin.


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    ¡®Hum? Is that true?¡¯ She leaned forward.


    ¡®What surprises me is the fact that you are worried; we see the soldiers train all the time; maybe it''s the fact I didn¡¯t show you a vehicle that I was working on for the past six months; it takes time; I¡¯m in fantasy levels of innovation here; not even Leah can help me; I tried and she didn¡¯t understand what I was doing.¡¯ Edmund scratched his head.


    ¡®I know, I think it just took me by surprise. What is this vehicle you are talking about?¡¯ Ariadne closed her fan.


    ¡®If you want, I can show it to you, but it is not really ready or anything. My idea is for transport because we can¡¯t really bring horses into the dungeon.¡¯ He continued to scratch his head.


    ¡®So show it to me; I already said to the village chiefs using the phone and the mayor too, but Alon and the rest need to know to prepare for it.¡¯ She got up from the chair.


    ¡®Not a problem; now that we have a real timeframe, I¡¯m going to adjust things so that we can be fine, but we still need more nihilium and magic crystals for the vehicles.¡¯ He got up, too.


    The two got out of the office and were followed by Alya, who walked right behind the duchess. Out of the mansion, Alon was still seeing the construction of the building for closed-quarters training, but as soon as he noticed Ariadine coming, he came close to her and bowed.


    ¡®What a great surprise, your highness, putting on another show with your training for the soldiers?¡¯ The capitain smiled.


    ¡®I¡¯m afraid, not Alon; we need to talk about something important so follow me and the peasant.¡¯ She continued to walk.


    Edmund took the lead, and as they passed the warehouse and entered the forest, after some time they came across an open field in the middle of the forest.


    ¡®I did this so that if something got wrong, it wouldn¡¯t put the lives of the soldiers training in danger; that is why it is quite far from the mansion.¡¯ Edmund came closer to something covered by a black sheet, but it looked kind of reflexive.


    ¡®You keep pulling strange things like this, Edmund; now I know why the duchess keeps grabbing you by the throat.¡¯ Alon nodded his head negatively.


    ¡®He has his motives; forgive his manners.¡¯ Ariadne made a motion calling for Alya.


    ¡®Yes, your highness, here.¡¯ The maid opened an umbrella and protected the duchess from the sun.


    Edmund took the cover off and reviled the vehicle. It was large with a massive front, but it just looked like a larger wagon with a weird front, and it had no weels. The three were confused about what the thing was; for them, it appeared to be broken because of how it looked.


    ¡®I said it was not finished but I have something to show you.¡¯ Edmund jumped into the front of the vehicle.


    He pushed a button that was on a panel in front of him, and a sound of homing could be heard coming from the front of the vehicle. He then pressed another one on the panel, and the hole structure lifted from the ground, making everyone open their mounts. Seeing their faces, he started to laugh, jumped out of the front and walked toward the three of them.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know how to make stronger weels or something like this, so why not lift it up? But right now, I don¡¯t know how to move forward. This is a lot in six mounts, if you ask me.¡¯ Edmund smiled while looking at his creation with pride.


    ¡®Peasant, you cleared all my worries with this monstrosity.¡¯ Ariadne grinned.


    ¡®It is Edmund; to this point, everything is possible.¡¯ Alon massaged his forehead.


    ¡®With the power of the goddess, everything is possible.¡¯ Alya looked at the vehicle with bright eyes.


    It started to slowly fall to the ground by itself, and the homing sound stopped right after. Edmund was just scratching his head as his face turned into disappointment.


    ¡®We really need those magic crystals, your highness... Nihillium has reached its natural limit for magic storage use.'' He kicked a stone next to him in protest.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 48

    Ariadne was again in her office, reading the reports on her tablet. Over the months, everyone in her duchy has been using one of these devices to deal with bureaucracy, making it easier to read everything without the mountains of paper that would cost a fortune by themselves. The paper is only used to pass transactions outside of the duchy using the printer Edmund developed.


    Her eyes turned to the phone as it rang, and her hand automatically grabbed it. Though it was not long before she started to use the device, it felt natural to put it over her right ear.


    ¡®Hello, this is Ariadne talking.¡¯ She spoke in a soft voice.


    ¡®Ho ho¡­ Duchess, it is a pleasure to finally talk to you.¡¯ He laugh.


    ¡®I don¡¯t recognize your voice. From what village are you talking? What is the problem?¡¯ Her voice showed concern.


    ¡®No, no, no. I¡¯m not from any of your villages; this is the king of Markaz, the one you wanted to talk to.¡¯ He said it in a playful tone.


    ¡®How do I know you are telling the truth? Where are the merchants?¡¯ She got up and looked out the window.


    On Markaz in the castle, the king used the phone to point at Persia, who was sitting right  across the table.


    ¡®Your highness, this is Persia talking; do you have any questions?'' Persia pressed the phone against her ear.


    ¡®Yes, is he the king? How is he using the phone? You are holding against his ear or something?¡¯ Ariadne looked down, where Edmund was lying again on the grass underneath the same tree.


    ''Yes, your highness, he is indeed the king of Markaz and no, he is using this and other devices by himself.¡¯ Persia scratched her head while looking at the smiling king.


    ¡®How? I don¡¯t understand.¡¯ She used her other hand to tap the window.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know; he wants to talk to you again, your highness.¡¯ Persia gave the phone back to the king.


    ''So, duchess, let¡¯s just go straight into business; it doesn¡¯t matter how I can use your devices; it''s too soon for this conversation.¡¯ Daw lay back on the couch, looking up.


    ¡®Humm, fine, is not like I can force you to tell me, I want to form this partnership but it needs to be a secret, your majesty; nobody can know.¡¯ She starts to open the window.


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    ¡®That is the best for me too; I already have the tribes to deal with, and I don¡¯t need the Lavan on my back either; these two gave me a good deal about the devices.¡¯ The king smiled.


    He grabbed a small frame that was to his side on the couch, and while looking up, waiting for what the duchess was going to say, the image on the frame was a painting of his wife; this time she had a gentle smile, calm, pouring all over his body, relaxing his muscles and mind.


    ¡®Your majesty can use the devices to trade with the tribes and maybe the war will be over; you could even have better relationships with the kingdoms.¡¯ Ariadne opened the window.


    ¡®Well, that will never happen. This animal said that they would make my wife a slave 14 years from now; they just need to die.¡¯ His expression turned serious.


    ¡®But it would be good if, in the future, you could form an alliance with me so we can help one another.¡¯ She put her head outside, looking at Edmund.


    ¡®You don¡¯t need me right now, duchess; I certainly don¡¯t need you; you need money and resources; that is what you need.¡¯ Daw got back to his normal position and put his wife''s portrait to the side.


    ¡®Humm... I understand. If your majesty has any more questions or something more, just use this phone and call me, your majesty.¡¯ Her eyes were focused on Edmund.


    ¡®Ok, duchess, I hope we can see one another in person in the future.¡¯ He looked again at the portrait of his wife.


    ¡®Ei!!! Peasant, go back to work!!!'' She shouted.


    The sound made the king pull the phone away from him. Right after the final word left her month, she realized what happened, but the only thing she could hear from the other side on the phone was a hysterical laughter right after the call just ended.


    Edmund opened his eyes, sat down, and looked up to see Ariadne with half of her body out of the window, looking at what appeared to be her office phone.


    ¡®I¡¯m working!!!¡¯ He shouted back.


    ''No, you are not; that is just sleeping; at least sleep at your bed; you are distracting the maids!!¡¯ Her voice was laudable and strong.


    The maids that were passing by were startled by the duchess''s words and quickly ran inside the mansion.


    ¡®See? They don''t like it.'' Ariadne pointed at the maids running.


    Edmund nodded his head in a negative way while standing up, looking up where the duchess was shouting from and shrugging his arms. Seeing this, she got back inside and closed the window again, right after putting the phone in its place.


    ¡®Duchess, what was that all about?¡¯ Edmund opened the doors.


    ¡®I was talking with a very important person and I was distracted by you lazilying around underneath that tree.¡¯ She closed her eyes and started to massage her forehead.


    ¡®I said it before; I was thinking that it is calm outside and sometimes the maids give me food, which is just a win for everybody.¡¯ He smiled.


    ''That''s what I was talking about; you are distracting the maids; they are even giving you snacks, peasant. What is this? Your vacation villa or something? Know your place.¡¯ Ariadne slammed the desk with the palm of her hand.


    ¡®Fine¡­ I¡¯m going to hide deep in the forest, if that is everything I¡¯m leaving.¡¯ Edmund turned around.


    ¡®No, peasant! You don¡¯t need to do that; you can use that couch right there and I¡¯m going to open the windows. This way, you aren¡¯t going to distract the maids and deep in the forest, if something happens, how am I supposed to get a hold of you?¡¯ The duchess pointed at the couch while looking at Edmund¡¯s back.


    Edmund walked to the couch and lay on it, put a small pillow behind his head and crossed his arms, and his eyes became heavy as the couch was better than his own bed. A relaxing feeling came through his body, and his mind was now a blank slate to where he could build everything he wanted.


    Ariadne sat on the chair on the right side of the couch, closer to his head, with her tablet in her hands and her eyes fixed on the text as she resumed her work.


    ¡®This is much better, your highness; I don¡¯t know how to thank you.¡¯ He spoke in a soft voice.


    ¡®Just stay here...¡¯ She whispered to herself.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 49

    For the past three months, Ruth¡¯s routine in the morning was to buy bread before Ethan woke up. As she left the house carrying her basket, other people were leaving their houses and walking to the bakery. In the way, soldiers were still patrolling with a sleepy face and were yawning as she walked past them, making herself ywan as well.


    As Ruth got closer to the bakery, the person she most admired in the city was walking in her direction as people gave her a light bow of respect. Eliza used her healing magic on her last month because, while she was cooking, her mind was overwhelmed. Ethan was not home yet, and there was something in her mind that thought he was with Leah, and her hand was hurting really badly. But at the doctor, Eliza healed her in no time, and before even Ethan came back, she was just fine, finishing dinner.


    ¡®Good morning, Lady Eliza; thanks for healing my hand.¡¯ She gave a light bow.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad I can help; the one you should thank is the duchess; without her, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do this.¡¯ Eliza smiled at her and walked away.


    Ruth smiled at the woman walking by and held her two hands, closed her eyes, and thanked Ariadne for everything, showing true gratitude. In three months, she had a house, a husband, and a peaceful life. As her eyes opened, she could see other people doing the same as her.


    At the bakery, she saw that this time there wasn¡¯t a line outside of it like every single day, and people were just in and out of it. She entered, and a person collected the money, and another handed the bread to the customer really fast; it was her time to buy.


    ¡®I want the usual.¡¯ She put the coins on the counter.


    ¡®We have new prices; this will be ten breads instead of two.¡¯ The Shafran looked at her, smiling.


    ¡®What? For the same bread?¡¯ Her eyes widened.


    ¡®Yes, my son, with the help of Edmund and a laon from the arc company, I can make more breads faster. You want two or ten?¡¯ He tapped the counter.


    ¡®Give me ten; I¡¯m going to give it to my family too.¡¯ She pushed the coins closer to him.


    With her basket full, she left the bakery, and on the way to her house, she passed on her parents home, and her mother was walking out with a basket herself.


    ¡®Mother, are you going to the bakery? Don¡¯t need it; I already have enough bread for all of us.¡¯ She walved while shouting.


    ¡®Be quiet, girl; what are you on about? Did you buy bread for us too? Did your husband get a promotion or something?¡¯ She put her finger on Ruth¡¯s lips.


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    ¡®Ethan earns enough, mother; I just don¡¯t want to overspend. Anyway, bread is cheaper now, and the store owner said it was because of the new devices his son developed with Edmund¡¯s help.¡¯ Ruth gave a large smile to her mother.


    ¡®The goddess keeps giving us more; on this month, I think we aren¡¯t doing much to pay for all we have now.¡¯ She closed her hand and put it in front of her while closing her eyes.


    Ruth gave six of the ten to her mother, and after hugging her, she walked back home, where Ethan was just getting out of the bedroom, stretching his back and pulling his arms up.


    ¡®Good morning, my love, Did you sleep well?¡¯ Ruth put the basket on the table.


    ¡®It would be better if you didn¡¯t leave like this every day.¡¯ Ethan gave her a hug from behind.


    ¡®Ho, you are really more and more comfortable with me, hum?¡¯ She turned around and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.


    ¡®I think someday I woke up and said, I guess this is my life now.¡¯ He chuckled.


    ¡®What does that mean? You are with me by choice; remember that.¡¯ Ruth spoke angrily.


    ¡®If you are saying sneaking in my bed, putting animal blood on the sheets, being fully naked as my mother opened the door to wake me up, my choice... well. ¡® Ethan looked up and sighed.


    ¡®Argh¡­ '' Ruth clenched her first and punched his chest multiple times.


    ¡®Wait, it hurts a little. Calm down.¡¯ He held one of her arms.


    ¡®It was just a little push to start our love story, nothing more... humph.¡¯ Her eyes started to get teary.


    ¡®Ok¡­ Ok¡­ I know you love me; it was just a joke. I¡¯m learning bad things with Edmund.¡¯ Ethan let go of her hand and gave her a warm and tender hug.


    She calmed down as she leaned on his chest. Even if she was older than him, a lot of times she felt like he was much more mature than her, and this was one of the reasons she became so fond of him. The way she treats her and talks to her, and that was another reason to thank the goddes. Another gift.


    ¡®Let¡¯s eat; from now on, the bread will be cheaper because of some new device they built.¡¯ Ruth pushed him a little and kissed him on the cheek.


    ¡®Things are going really fast; even our training now is completely different from when I enlisted in the Duchess Army. I think next month we will have enough to buy that device that washes clothes by itself. More time for you to be with your mother, hum?¡¯ He smiled at her.


    ¡®Yeah, my arms are going to retire.¡¯ She started to prepare the table for them to eat.


    ¡®So, I¡¯m going to be out for two weeks; is it the same as before, ok? Just cleaning the monsters at the border and trying to apply the training in real-life situations. Of course, I''m keeping you safe.¡¯ Ethan got the sandwich his wife made and started to eat.


    ¡®Ok, don¡¯t try to be a hero; I can¡¯t have your child if you are dead.¡¯ Ruth made another sandwich and put it on her husband''s plate.


    Her words took Ethan back, and he drank a cup of water because he couldn¡¯t swallow his food.


    ¡®What? We just sleep together; that is too forward even for you.¡¯ He drank another cup of water.


    ¡®What is that supposed to mean? I¡¯m waiting for you to step it up.¡¯ She crossed her arms.


    ¡®Me? I was respecting your space and waiting for you to do something or even give a hint. I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Ethan scratched his head.


    ¡®So you are saying I would be already pregnant if it weren¡¯t for this misunderstanding?¡¯ She spoke angrily.


    ¡®W-wa-wait what? No, why are you jumping all the steps?¡¯ He nervously replied.


    She got up, walked to the young man, and sat on his lap, putting her arms around him and getting closer to his ear.


    ¡®I¡­ just want¡­to build¡­ a family with¡­ you.¡¯ She spoke in a soft, paused manner next to his ear.


    Her voice made his body feel calmer and more relaxed, and it made him remember why every time she did something like this, he didn¡¯t have the strength to push her way, and everything he could do was do a relaxed sigh.


    ¡®I guess this is my life now.¡¯ Ethan smiled.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 50

    The head maid looked at Alya and received a light bow as she opened Ariadne¡¯s office door and saw for a second that she was looking to the side and smiling; her eyes followed, and Edmund was again laid down on the couch, and more to the side, Leah was sitting right across him on a chair, and she could hear mumbles.


    ¡®Duchess, the chiefs of the villages are waiting.¡¯ She gives her a light bow.


    ''Thanks, Rita, and I¡¯m leaving peasant.¡¯ She looked to the side.


    ''Alright, Duchess, I bet you will do a great job in whatever this is about.¡¯ He waved his arm at her.


    ¡®The villages are towns now and they want advice on how to do things. When I come back, I want to know what progress you made in these months, because to me, you just slept here.¡¯ She passed by Rita.


    As Ariadne got out of the office, Rita closed the door behind her, and Alya followed the duchess, but the head maid headed the other way. She needed to remind the kitchen to make more food because of the village chiefs.


    The door right before the kitchen was open and noticing this, she tried to close it, but right before she touched the knob of the door, she was pulled into the room and the door was suddenly closed. The first thing Rita saw as her eyes opened was her husband, Alon, as her hand touched his chest.


    ¡®Honey, what are you doing?'' She pushed him away.


    ¡®I just wanted to say hello; you know I¡¯m your husband after all.¡¯ He put his hands on her hips.


    ¡®W-wa-wait, why are you doing this?¡¯ Her back rouched the wall.


    ¡®What? I can¡¯t be close to my wife?¡¯ Alon smiled at her while looking into her eyes.


    ¡®No, the pro-problem is that you are not li-like this.¡¯ She looked away from him.


    Alon noticed that her face, He lifted her face by the chin and kissed her on the cheek. Rita¡¯s eyes widen with the surprise of her husband''s kiss, and again she pushed him away, but this time, her first action after that was to open the door next to her and run to the kitchen.


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    ¡®It happened like Edmund said it would; how did he know?¡¯ Alon crossed his arms.


    The head maid suddenly entered the kitchen and startled everyone who was working there. The chef came closer to her, putting a hand on her shoulder and looking at Rita¡¯s red face.


    ¡®What is the problem, Rita? Are you sick?¡¯ She looked at her face.


    ¡® Alon acted strange. He never did something like this before; I mean, it was not bad but it was so sudden, I just ran.¡¯ Rita took deep breaths while keeping her hands close to her chest.


    ¡®What did he do?¡¯ She looked concerned.


    ¡®She pulled me into a room, put me against the wall, and did stuff that he never did to me. I panicked.¡¯ Her face became flustered.


    ¡®Ahh¡­ I remember Capitan Alon talking with Edmund yesterday in a room. Edmund was saying that you were wasted on him because he didn''t do much with you.¡¯ A maid who was cutting vegetables said.


    ¡®What? Wasted?¡¯ Rita looked confused.


    ¡®Yeah, he said that the capitan was treating you like you were friends, not a couple; a beautiful, elegant, and majestic woman like Rita needs to be treated better; he even said Alon should watch out because he could lose you.¡¯ Another maid close to the magic over replied.


    ¡®I would never... What is that young man even saying?¡¯ Rita covered her face while moving her body from side to side.


    ¡®Alon even tried to punch Edmund after that; it didn¡¯t work, but the captain looked really angry, but Edmund said he would give him some tips and the things that came from his mouth make me blush even now.¡¯ The maid, who was cutting vegetables, looked down, trying to hide her face.


    ¡®Anyway, we have the chiefs of the villages as guests so we need to make more food than usual.¡¯ Rita composed herself.


    ¡®I already did this; her highness herself came and talked to me about it before her training this morning.¡¯ The chef returned to her counter, where she was preparing meat.


    Before going out, Rita opened the door a little to see if Alon was outside. She noticed that the room he was in was closed. Seeing this, she opened the door and made her way to the laundry room, where there were two maids folding the clothes.


    ¡®Hello girls, everything is alright?¡¯ She walked around the room.


    ¡®No head maid, with these devices, everything is so much easier; they even dry the clothes.'' She smiled at Rita.


    ¡®They are expensive but not impossible to buy. My husband said that in three months we will have one, but I¡¯m going to save too to help him.¡¯ The other maid commented.


    ¡®I have so much time to do other stuff now; I¡¯m having tea with the neighbors, which is fun.¡¯ Rita chuckled.


    ¡®More and more things are being built by Edmund¡¯s students; the bakery now has better prices; and our prayers for the goddess are not in vain.¡¯ The maid closed one of her hands and put it close to her mouth while closing her eyes.


    ¡®Indeed, continue with your work.¡¯ Rita opened the door and left the room.


    The head maid continued with her usual patrol, seeing all the maids work and making corrections to some of them, until she saw the door of a room open, but with no one in the corridor, Rita came closer and tried to reach for the nob. She was grabbed by the hand and pulled inside.


    ¡®This time you are not going to run.¡¯ He grabbed her other hand.


    ¡®Again?¡¯ Her eyes widen.


    Alon pinned her against the wall while closing the door with a kick. There was no sound from the door closing; only the sound of the birds outside could fill the silence in the room. She was so anxious and took his action so seriously that her eyes were fixed on his. He came closer to her left ear, and with a calm and tender voice, he spoke.


    ¡®My love.¡¯ Alon gave her a light kiss on the lips.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 51

    ¡®Edmund!!!¡¯ Leah yelled.


    ¡®What? We have so much to tell you, duchess¡­¡¯ Edmund sat down and started to look around.


    ¡®Rita is here with tea for us, Edmund.¡¯ She took a sip of it.


    ¡®Ho, we even have snacks; this slave thing is not that bad after all.'' He took a bit out of a cookie and a sip of tea.


    Leah and Rita look at one another and sigh while rolling their eyes. This expression made the young man confused, but he continued to have his snack as he noticed that Ariadne was entering the door. The head maid did a light bow, and Leah did as well.


    ¡®So, peasant, what do you have to show me after your afternoon nap?¡¯ Ariadne gave Edmund a serious look.


    ¡®Ah, me and Leah made a lot of progress; yesterday we finished the vehicle and I¡¯m calling it a truck because it''s easy to say.¡¯ Edmund got up and came closer to the duchess.


    ''Yeah, your highness, today we were discussing the new weapons we can make with the magic crystals, but we just have enough for three of those trucks because we need spare batteries.¡¯ Leah quickly got next to Edmund.


    ¡®Humm... can we use those trucks to transport people around the duchy?¡¯ She sat on her chair.


    ¡®Well, yes, that wouldn''t be a problem at all. Put some seats in, and I think it would be fine.¡¯ He taps his chin while looking up.


    ¡®The duchess wants to use it as transportation between the villages? It''s a good idea.'' Leah smiled.


    ¡®Now they are more like towns because of the population increase, but you said that we can only have three right now; why not use this opportunity as a test, one for transport and the other two as supply transport for the army?¡¯ Ariadne smiled at the two.


    ¡®That is fine, but I think we will need the three of them when we go to the dungeon. Anyway, do you want to test it? It will be good to show the city and all, a moral boost, not that is needed or anything.¡¯ The young man shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡®Ok, peasant, let¡¯s ride this new contraption of yours.¡¯ The duchess stood up.


    Ariadne walked out of the room, followed by Alya and Edmund, and Leah got to the back of the mansion and went into the forest to get the truck. He had already cut down the trees so that it would be easier to drive the vehicle around to the front of the mansion; nobody saw it until it got out of the forest, which impressed the people that were working outside of the mansion, including the soldiers that were going to train in at that moment.


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    It was a monster coming out of the forest because of how huge it was. It had a large front where everyone could see Edmund waving out of it and a large box in its back. As it came closer, everyone stopped what they were doing and came close to the huge metal masterpiece, but what impressed them the most was that it was floating as Edmund stopped it right in front of the mansion and got out of it with Leah.


    ¡®What is this, Edmund? Is even floating? What is it for?¡¯ A soldier asked.


    ¡®We will use this to transport people and supplies; I call it a truck; it can¡¯t fly but if it doesn¡¯t have high obstacles in front of it, it will just cruse through easily.¡¯ He smiled at the soldier.


    ¡®So this monstrosity is the final product that you showed me months ago, hum? Is not elegant, that is for sure.¡¯ Ariadne put her hand on the front of the vehicle.


    ¡®Is functional your highness! On the battlefield, it won''t matter if it is ugly, but to be honest, it is not that bad.¡¯ The young man turned to the duchess.


    ¡®Anyway, I would like to test it with people inside that box in the back; this is for supplies but just test it.¡¯ The duchess put her hand on Edmund¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡®Ok, I don¡¯t see why not.¡¯ Edmund smiled at the duchess.


    Edmund walked to the back of it and opened the doors, reveling in the empty space with some handles inside. Behind Ariadne were some of the staff that work in the mansion, and the young man looked at them with excitement.


    ¡®You guys are going in there. Hold the handles on the side. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to go fast and it will be open all the time.¡¯ Edmund pointed at the people behind Ariadne.


    They were taken back by his words. The duchess turned around and made a gesture for them to go inside. As everyone got in, some with more fear than others, one of the maids was paralyzed by how nervous she was while holding one of the handles.


    Tree people could fit in the front of the truck, and with the duchess in the middle, Edmund started to drive forward. Ariadne didn¡¯t understand because, to her, she was not moving at all; there was no sound and no bumps; it looked like she was sitting on her chair back in the office, but her eyes were fixed on the circular object that Edmund used to control the vehicle. He too used his feet to press one of the two plates within reach of his feet.


    ¡®I¡¯m not really feeling that we are moving peasant, but my eyes betray what my body feels a little strange.¡¯ The duchess looked around.


    The truck was making a turn to go down the hill the mansion was built on and go in the direction of the city. As for the people inside the cargo area of the truck, they didn¡¯t feel much movement, only a change in angle as the truck worked its way down the hill. There was nothing really to be afraid of; they were all amazed by what was going on.


    ¡®This is wonderful; imagine traveling like this; I think I could even sleep while this is moving.¡¯ The maid, who was nervous before, let go of the handle.


    ¡®You are right; it seems like we are not even moving.¡¯ Another maid spoke.


    There was a straight path to the city, and viewing this Edmund increased the speed, but again, it felt like nothing was really happening, only that the view was passing much faster than before for the duchess. Inside the cargo, the staff noticed by looking at the open door that their speed had increased.


    ¡®How fast we are now peasants, it doesn¡¯t look fast at all.¡¯ The duchess looked at Edmund, disappointed.


    ¡®We are half of a full-speed horse, your highness.¡¯ Edmund smiled at her.


    ¡®What? It doesn¡¯t feel like it.¡¯ She looked confused.


    ¡®Right? I felt the same, your highness.¡¯ Leah grinned.


    As the city entrance was closer, Edmund began to stop, and again, no one inside felt like the vehicle was stopping on its tracks, which made the duchess even more confused. There was no sound, not even the movement the carriage makes when they stop abruptly or begin to slow down.


    ¡®Can you make a more luxurious version of this peasant?¡¯ Ariadne looked at him, hopeful.


    ¡®Yes, but we can¡¯t make it because the mine of magic stones is inside the dungeon.¡¯ He looked at the guards coming closer to the vehicle.


    ¡®We need to make preparations to conquer the dungeon, them. I want one of this, but a more beautiful one, fitting for me.¡¯ The duchess grinned.


    ¡®That is her motivation? Not the demon lord? We are so dead.¡¯ Edmund whispered.


    ¡®You said something peasant?¡¯ She looked at him.


    ¡®Just happy we can enter the dungeon soon; you just need more training.¡¯ He smiled at her.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 52

    ¡®Hello Ethan, Are you prepared for these next two weeks?¡¯ Caleb smiled.


    ¡®It¡¯s Corporal Ethan; you guys really need to use rank; I¡¯m going to be called out again by Sargent Egor.¡¯ He punched Caleb''s arm.


    All of the soldiers around Ethan laughed; they were standing at the city entrance, and in the distance, Ethan noticed the head of a figure hiding behind a barrel. Egor, who was coming from the same side, nodded negatively while looking at Ethan.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t that your wife, Corporal? Did you forget something? Why is she hiding? You know what? Forget it; just deal with it.¡¯ Egor rolled his eyes.


    ¡®Alright sir.¡¯ Ethan ran in his wife''s direction.


    Ethan came closer to the barrel, and Rita tried to hide even more behind it, but he squatted next to her, his eyes locked on hers, and Rita tried to cover her face in shame.


    ¡®What are you doing? Did I forget something?¡¯ Ethan pats her hair.


    ¡®No, I just wanted to see you go.¡¯ Rita covered her cheeks and looked at Ethan.


    ¡®Something tells me that is not it.¡¯ He scratches the back of his head.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, it''s just that I can¡¯t control myself; in my mind, you were going to meet up with Leah.¡¯ She looks down at the ground.


    ¡®Why? I said to you that this is just a mission; it has been some time since I talked to Leah anyway; our lives are too distant.¡¯ Ethan continues to pat her hair.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know; I¡¯m sorry; don¡¯t be mad at me¡­¡¯ She began to use her dress to dry the tears that came out of her eyes.


    Seeing this, the young corporal came closer to his wife and hugged her. It took Rita by surprise that he would do such a thing, even more so with the kiss he gave her forehead before looking into her watery eyes.


    ¡®I love you, right? If it makes you happy or comfortable, just follow me, but nothing dangerous; I don¡¯t want to see you in the middle of my mission.¡¯ Ethan laughed.


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    ¡®I will¡­ i¡¯m sorry¡­    I just love you too much... I¡¯m sorry.'' Rita hugged him with all her strength.


    ¡®No problem, just smile alright?¡¯ He lifted her face by the chin.


    The two looked at one another and smiled. Rita took the opportunity to steal a kiss from her husband while hugging him. The soldiers didn¡¯t notice when Ethan came back, as they were impressed by the metallic monster right in front of them; it was floating.


    ¡®We are going there using this thing, a present from the Duchess herself; we will be carrying supplies to the border in this too; there we will be under Lieutenant Bartel Adler, so you guys know, jump in.¡¯ Egor used a small ladder to enter the back of the truck.


    ''Yes, sir¡¯ all of them shouted.


    One by one, the soldiers embarked on the back of the truck. Some of them noticed that there were small windows to the side where they could position their rifles to shoot outside, and on the front, there was a ladder and an opening on the ceiling where they could access the top of the vehicle.


    ¡®Ethan, your team gets the first shift; go up there and be on the lookout; there are covers and places to sit.¡¯ Ego tapped Ethan''s shoulder.


    ¡®We are up; let¡¯s go.¡¯ Ethan started to get up the ladder.


    His squad got on top of the vehicle, but to their surprise, it was already moving; they just didn¡¯t notice until they positioned themselves on top. The last thing Ethan could see was Rita waving to him in the distance.


    ¡®Sir, aren¡¯t we too fast? Look at the trees to the side there.¡¯ One of the soldiers pointed at the trees.


    ''Yeah, sir, my brother Samal is right; we are crazy fast.¡¯ He was holding on to the cover, afraid of the speed.


    ¡®Don¡¯t freak out, Oran; be on the watch.¡¯ Ethan helped the young Shafran position himself again.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe you two are brothers. That is crazy. An A-Dam and a Shafran coming from the same mother is quite a rare sight.¡¯ Asher spoke while looking at his medical supplies.


    ¡®Indeed.¡¯ Caleb put his rail canon to his side.


    Ethan¡¯s team was quite relaxed on top of the vehicle, but to the right side, Samal saw what appeared to be a group of goblins running in their direction. He turned to Ethan and pointed to the group. The corporal quickly opened the hatch to the interior of the truck.


    ¡®We have contact to the right side with an unknown number of goblins, Sarge.¡¯ The corporal shouted.


    Egor walked to the front of the truck and opened a small window that was just large enough for him to see that there were people driving the vehicle.


    ¡®Goblins to our right side; intercept them; let¡¯s see if we can use this thing as a shooting platform; do a pass by as close as you can get.¡¯ Egor closed the window.


    ¡®We already going to fight, Sarge? No breaks, hum?¡¯ The soldier laughed.


    ¡®The truck is going to pass by the monsters; we don¡¯t even feel this thing move so I expect clean shots from everyone and more from those up top.¡¯ He looked at Ethan, looking at him from the open hatch.


    Ethan¡¯s team positioned themselves on the right side of the truck while the soldiers inside used the small windows to point their rifles outside. The truck was fast, and in just moments they were in sight of the weapons, and as the vehicle drove past, the goblins that were just surprised by the giant metallic monster didn¡¯t see or comprehend what happened, just a salvo of shoots piercing every single one of them.


    The truck stopped for a moment. Egor looked at the goblins from the open back of the truck to see if they were moving, but after some moments, nothing could be seen. He just punched the right next to the small window to the driver with the side of his fist two times, and the vehicle started to move again in the direction that was already going.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 53

    In the distance, Ethan could see the town on the horizon, and they were approaching fast. What caught him by surprise was that this trip normally should take a day, but it took them some hours, and they didn¡¯t follow the road, so he thought it had something to do with it.


    ¡®Sir, didn¡¯t we get here way too fast?¡¯ Samal looked at Ethan.


    ¡®What would you expect from the goddess gift?¡¯ Ethan smiled at Samal.


    ¡®That is right; don¡¯t take her lightly, Samal.¡¯ Asher laughed.


    ¡®I don¡¯t; I¡¯m impressed.¡¯ Samal looked at Asher.


    ¡®He is just joking with you, brother; don¡¯t pay attention to him.¡¯ Oran tapped Samal''s arm.


    Taking another look, Ethan noticed that they were almost in the town. Before opening the hatch, he took a good look at his team, and it made him happy that they all get along, which brought a smile to his face. Corporal Ethan opened the hatch and looked around for Sergeant Egor.


    ¡®Sarge, we arrived at the town.¡¯ Ethan nodded to Egor.


    ¡®Comeback in; we need to help unload the supplies.¡¯ Egor got up and walked to the opened doors at the back of the truck.


    As the truck stopped in the middle of the town, a group of soldiers approached the back of the truck. With the help of the Egor squad, they unloaded fast. As Ethan was helping, he noticed the door of the truck open, and his friend got out of it with a smile on his face while waving to him.


    ¡®Edmund, you were the one driving it? What a surprise! What are you doing here?¡¯ Ethan extended his hand to greet the young, white-haired man.


    ¡®I¡¯m teaching the guys to drive the truck; kind of, I teach two drives, they teach four, and so on.¡¯ He gave Ethan a handshake.


    ¡®Anyway, I wanted to thank you for what you said to me about Rita; she is quirky but a good woman.¡¯ He smiled, putting his hands on his own hips.


    ¡®If quirky means framing you sleeping with her, ok. But you see? That is why you are perfect for a woman like her; a normal guy wouldn¡¯t let that pass.¡¯ Edmund laugh.


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    ¡®I¡¯m normal; what are you talking about? It was a misunderstanding.¡¯ Ethan frowned and raised his eyebrows.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know about that; if you are happy, that is what counts. As long as you know and accept what she is like, I believe there will be no problem.¡¯ He patted Ethan¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡®Well, I think she is cute; just a little weird about Leah sometimes, that all.¡¯ Corporal Ethan shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡®I would imagine that she is jealous of her; she might try to kill you while you sleep.¡¯ Edmund laughed.


    ¡®Sometimes you talk like an old man, Edmund; you even gave Captain Alon some tips and all.¡¯ Ethan smiled.


    ¡®I¡¯m older than you guys; it''s like you never interacted with a woman before, which is kind of crazy if you ask me.¡¯ He chook his head negatively.


    ¡®You and me are literally the same age, you crazy fool.¡¯ Ethan laughed.


    ¡®I mean, here''s where it counts; we are not.¡¯ Edmund points at his own head, using both hands.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know about that, but you are smart; I give you that much.¡¯ The corporal gave a small grin.


    ¡®Anyway. I¡¯m going back now; what do you think about this thing?¡¯ Edmund put his hand on the side of the truck.


    ¡®It is amazing, fast, and it looks like we are not even moving at all, but it needs a fixed weapon on top. He points to the top of the truck.


    ¡®Well, this thing is not supposed to move alone; it is not even armored, but I understand what you are saying.¡¯ Edmund holds his chin.


    ¡®It was a good talk, Edmund, but I need to go back to work and say hi to Leah for me.¡¯ Ethan turns around and goes back to his squad.


    Edmund turns around, goes around the truck, and enters from the other side, sitting on the passenger side.


    ¡®You guys will go back; just drive like I did; it is easy. Just remember, if you crash, everyone dies except for me, so no problem, relax.¡¯ Edmund laugh.


    The two soldiers looked at one another with widening eyes and a visible fear as the driver looked back through the side mirror, an ok coming from corporal Ethan, right after the small window on his back opened.


    ¡®Everyone is here; take us home, brother.¡¯ A rough voice echoed.


    The driver pressed a button on the panel that turned red and pressed the left pedal like Edmund had taught him, and the truck started to move.


    ¡®Ethan, this is Lieutenant Bartel Adler.¡¯ Egor nodded at Ethan.


    ¡®Sir, I¡¯m Corporal Ethan Aaron, in charge of Team Red." Ethan put his fist close to his mouth and nodded at the Lieutenant.


    ¡®At ease, corporal, welcome to cleaning duty.¡¯ Bartel smiled.


    ''Corporal, go check your team to see if they are combat-ready.¡¯ Egor nodded to Ethan.


    ¡®Sargent, because of the new toy our goddess gave us, you guys got here earlier than expected, and right now we were going to clean the border; expect Lavan soldiers.¡¯ He looked at Egor with a serious face.


    Right after checking everything, Egor¡¯s squad united with Bartel soldiers outside of the town. They were complementing one another with handshakes and pats on the back, and the morale was high.


    ¡®Alright people, Egor¡¯s squad is now part of this platoon; I hope everyone checks their radios. To cover a larger area, we do as usual, split into squads here and at the location I gave to the squad leaders, split into teams.¡¯ Bartel spoke while walking among the soldiers.


    ¡®Will we enter the forests, sir?¡¯ One soldier asked.


    ¡®I will leave this to squad and team leaders; there is only one order that is absolute: if a Lavan soldier sees you, kill them on sight; if civilians see you, just let them go; maybe they are running from monsters or are even from the duchy; to confirm, use the radio to check if they follow the Goddess.¡¯ He presses the radio on his chest, making a sound.


    They were divided into tree squads of ten, and lieutenant Bartel had a team with him. As they pushed in different directions toward the border, Ethan looked around his team, checking if their gear was fine and patting them on the shoulder while walking.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 54

    ¡®Ok, Ethan, this is where the Lieutenant orders us to split up. Take your team and go to the right and I will lead to the left. Try to maintain a low profile and only engage Lavan soldiers if they see you.¡¯ Ego nodded at Ethan before turning around and starting to walk.


    ¡®Right guys, you heard the sarge. I know nobody here has killed a person, but it is the job; that is why we are here, and we will accomplish this mission for the goddess.¡¯ Ethan started to walk to the right.


    One behind another with a good distance, the uniform they are wearing is a mix of greens in all of the vestiments with random patterns. It was Edmund¡¯s idea to use it because of the territory of the duchy, which has a lot of green in it, with forests, valleys, and open fields.


    Only the sound of nature was heard by them as their steps came one after the other, on the lookout at all times. All of them were nervous, not because of the monsters, goblins, or orks, but because of the possibility of encountering Lavan soldiers and having to kill them.


    ¡®If Lavan soldiers keep dying, that is not going to be suspicious, sir?¡¯ Oran looked around with his rifle up.


    ¡®I think because of the amount of monsters they pushed into us and how we pushed the majority back at them, they will put the blame on the monsters.¡¯ Ethan looked back for a moment.


    ¡®What he said makes sense, brother; that is why trade caravans passing through the duchy have such a heavy guard.¡¯ Samal spit to the side.


    After some time walking, Ethan noticed at the distance that there were forms waving around. He put his right arm up and took the knee. Everyone behind him did the same and started to look around with caution. He opened one of his pouches and took a wooden spyglass, extended it, and used it to look at what was going on in the distance.


    ¡®Those things are really useful; the duchess got them from Velvent, right? Their ¡°navi¡± uses.¡¯ Oran made a gesture of quotation marks with his hands while grinning to Samal.


    ¡®Stop joking; take this seriously, Oran, Samal rolled his eyes.


    ¡®Hey, what is going on?¡¯ Calb threw a rock at Asher.


    ''Hell, would I know? Shut up.¡¯ Asher looked behind him, putting his index finger in front of his lips.


    What Ethan saw was a group of ten Lavan soldiers fighting a bunch of goblins and orcs. How they even got to this side of the border was a good question, but he thought that alone was the reason this cleaning up needed to exist. He made a signal with his left hand to continue with the low profile and follow him as he changed direction to the left of the fight that was going on.


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    He didn¡¯t want the Lavan soldiers going more into the duchy territory; that could be a problem on its own. As they walked to get into position, he pressed his radio.


    ¡®Blue, this is red; we have contact: ten Lavan soldiers and some monsters.¡¯ Ethan talked closer to his radio.


    ¡®Red, this is blue; continue observation.¡¯ Egor¡¯s voice came from the radio.


    The fight was almost over when Ethan¡¯s team came to their position, given the distance they were The corporal could see that no Lavan soldier had died and that there was only one goblin alive. The formation the soldiers were using was tight and didn¡¯t give much space for the goblin to counterattack; it was all over after a spear pierced the small monster''s chest.


    ¡®That got to hurt.¡¯ Caleb spoke to himself.


    ¡®Indeed.¡¯ Asher nodded in agreement as he watched.


    ¡®Sir, I¡¯m not saying you are wrong or anything, but if they come this way, what do we do?¡¯ Oran looked at Ethan.


    ¡®Why would they come this way, soldier? This is the duchy terrority.¡¯ The corporal looked at Oran with a serious look.


    ''Yes, brother, why would they come this way?¡¯ Samal patted Oran''s shoulder.


    ¡®Ho¡­ I understand; I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Oran nodded to his brother.


    As Ethan¡¯s team continued to observe the Lavan soldiers, the ten were looking for traces of something, walking in different directions but not too far. At the end, they returned to where the monsters were and started to do something to the goblins and orcks that were in the ground. With the spyglass, Ethan could see that they were cutting their left ear.


    ¡®We almost forgot about the proof that we killed these bests.¡¯ A tall soldier spoke while looking around.


    ¡®Yes, but we came to find those children, no?¡¯ Another soldier spoke while cutting one ear of an ork.


    ¡®I¡¯m not going to risk my head for no children; the job we are doing is dangerous enough.¡¯ The tall soldier said it with an angry tone.


    ¡®There is a Chatzi village close to this area; I saw it on the map yesterday back in the fort.¡¯ Another soldier without a helmet and leather armor spoke.


    ¡®I¡¯m not going to risk my life for your disturbing fantasies with some Chatzi woman.¡¯ The tall soldier nodded his head negatively.


    ¡®The leader is not coming; how about you guys? Is really close to here.¡¯ He looked around.


    They looked at one another, trying to decide if it made sense. Some felt like the job was getting more and more dangerous and the reward was the same; maybe they could get something more from this village he was talking about.


    The soldier in leather noticed that they kind of agreed to go with him and started to walk in the direction he thought the village was, which for him wasn¡¯t about women at all; it was more likely the village was abandoned or destroyed by monsters at that point.


    ¡®Just follow me, lads; we can pick some loot in the village and we can even find some more goblins; it is part of our job to kill them after all.¡¯


    He had only walked less than twenty steps; they were desorganized, relaxed, talking to one another, and laughing; even the tall soldier joined in, more for fear of being alone than anything else.


    But as the soldier with leather armor looked back to say something, he heard a sound no one had ever heard before, and five bodies were suddenly on the ground. There was no reaction from him other than looking to the front again, and by that time, he heard the same sound and felt a deep pain in his chest; darkness was clouding his vision. At the same time, he looked down and felt with his hands a hole in his chest.


    At the same time, the tall soldier on the back was hit on his leg, making him fall in an instant and scream in pain, but his eyes captured all of his comrades laying on the ground lifeless before laying with his back on the ground and trying to see how his leg was.


    The pain was so great that the passage of time was lost to him, and with that, the world itself. The last thing he saw was someone coming to his side, and as he extended his hand toward the person, it was a Chatzi, and that was the last thing he saw before darkness swallowed his existence.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 55

    ¡®Sir, what do we do? They''re walking toward us.¡¯ Oran looked to the side.


    ¡®Just wait and lower your profile.¡¯ Ethan picked up his radio from his chest.


    The soldiers on his team were nervous as the Lavan soldiers came closer to their position. They started to look at one another as Ethan put his radio next to his mouth.


    ¡®Blue, this is red, Lavan soldiers going deeper into duchy territory, close proximity.¡¯ Ethan spoke softly.


    ¡®Red, this is blue; drop them.¡¯ Egor''s voice came from the radio.


    As Egor¡¯s voice came to an end, Ethan got the radio back on, looked at his team with a serious expression, and noticed that they were unaware of what they should do now, but in a second that uncertainty vanished as his mouth opened.


    ¡®Pick your target.¡¯ Ethan looked at the Lavan soldiers.


    Like they did every time they trained together, aiming for the one to the right, Ethan pointed to the farthest to the left, Oran to the right of that, and so on. That was not something they learned from Alon or any other superior; for them, it was just common sense.


    ¡®Hold¡¯ Ethan locked in on the soldier''s chest.


    They came closer with each step. Asher was surprised at how the Lavan soldiers couldn¡¯t see them, maybe because of their uniforms or the foliage, but the mixture of both was the right call.


    ¡®Fire at will.¡¯ Ethan pulled the trigger.


    He noticed that the sound startled the kingdom soldiers, but it was for nothing; his count Asher missed one, but at the same time he didn¡¯t because it dropped the guy behind him. The one with leather armor looked towards them; maybe he saw the blue trace. In the end, it didn¡¯t matter as they all prepared for the next shot, pulling the bolt almost at the same time and pulling the trigger again, and only one scream was heard at the end.


    ¡®I missed.¡¯ Samal punched the ground.


    ¡®Asher missed too; let¡¯s go.¡¯ Ethan stood up.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡¯ Asher spoke while looking at Ethan.


    ¡®No problem, soldier; it was my first time too.¡¯ Ethan nodded at him with a smile.


    Even with a smile on his face, he felt a strange feeling; all of his teammates were feeling the same. It was like they took everything from these people they killed. What made it worse was that it was true. Did they really need to kill these soldiers? They will never know. That was on their minds while they came closer to the bodies of the lavan soldiers.


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    ¡®What do we do, sir? One of them is still alive.¡¯ Asher pointed at the soldier holding his leg.


    ¡®I will deal with it.¡¯ Ethan came closer to him.


    As the soldier on the ground extended his hand toward Ethan, he just took a deep breath and looked at him in the eye, and his expression was filled with sadness.


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t you turn back?¡¯ Ethan pulled the trigger.


    ¡®What now, sir? I don¡¯t think we can let root here.¡¯ Caleb stood next to Ethan.


    ¡®Let¡¯s drag them next to the goblins and orks; they killed each other, sounds like a good story.¡¯ Ethan pointed at the monster corpses.


    ¡®Oh no¡­¡¯ Oran sigh.


    ¡®Less complaining and more lifting bodies, brother.¡¯ Samal put his rifle to the side and lifted the body of one of the soldiers.


    ¡®No one finds strange how quickly he accepted that we are going to just lift bodies; what is happening?¡¯ Asher put his hands behind his head and turned away from the others.


    ¡®Asher, calm down and help me grab this one. Look at Samal; he already threw his body on the ground; these guys are heavy.¡¯ Ethan pointed at Samal while grabbing someone¡¯s foot.


    Asher helped Ethan lift up a body while looking up, and while Ethan was holding their feet, the others did the same, with Samal coming closer to Asher and looking at him, finding his behavior strange.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad that your line was killing these soldiers at cold blood, Asher.¡¯ Samal shook his head.


    ¡®It is everything; your idiot, don¡¯t talk to me.¡¯ Asher tried his hardest not to look at the body.


    It took some time to get all of the bodies into place, and when they dropped the last one, Ethan¡¯s radio crackled.


    ¡®Red, this is blue; we are coming from the south into your position.¡¯ Egor¡¯s calm voice came on.


    Ethan turned around, looked around, and saw at the distance that the blue team was approaching. He signaled to the others and pointed in Egor¡¯s direction. When the sargent came closer, he noticed the bodies on the ground among the monsters.


    ¡®What are you doing, corporal?¡¯ Egor looked at the bodies and at Ethan.


    ¡®Sir, I¡¯m trying to cover what we did if one day another patrol comes by.¡¯ Ethan scratched the back of his head.


    ¡®Well¡­ Ok, let¡¯s go.¡¯ Egor passed Ethan, continuing to walk.


    Ethan looked to the members of his team and signaled for them to follow behind him as they walked away from the bodies. Asher looked behind the bodies and forward again, this time putting his hands together, putting them closer to his mouth, lowering his head, and closing his eyes for a moment.


    With Egor and Ethan at the front of their doble line, the sound again was just the wind, but now, with the steps of their shoes, birds started to fill the ears, which made them all feel relaxed, as normally animals would hide themselves because of the monsters.


    Looking at the scenery of the green plains with forests to their right serving as a sort of wall between the duchy and the rest of the kingdom, that is how every single one of the members of the squad saw it; the duchy was completely separated from the kingdom in their minds. Maybe that is why there was no problem in killing Lavan soldiers if it was called for it.


    They stopped at a small hill closer to the forest, and Egor used this opportunity to use his spyglass to see if he could see something around them at a distance. They formed a circle, with Egor and Ethan in the center and the others looking outward, pointing their weapons in search of a target.


    ¡®You got all the fun corporal; I think this mission is kind of over; we are close to meeting point.¡¯ Egor looked around with his spyglass.


    ¡®Don¡¯t know if you can call that luck, sir.¡¯ With his rifle down, Ethan looked at his teammates.


    ''Sorry, Ethan, it was just a way of saying.¡¯ Egor looked at Ethan with a sad face.


    ¡®It is¡­ ¡¯ He was cut off by a crackling sound coming from Egor¡¯s radio.


    ¡®Shadow three, this is light; we request immediate support east of the meating point.¡¯ Bartel''s voice sounded puffy.


    ¡®Light, this is shadow three, understood.¡¯ Egor nodded to Ethan.


    ¡®Alright, we need to move fast; they need our help.¡¯ Ethan spoke out loud.


    Egor started to up his pace, with everyone following behind him, but some of the soldiers noticed that they were going in the direction of the forest.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 56

    Sounds of shots being fired and explosions coming from inside the forest made Ego¡¯s squad sprint toward it, passing through fallen trees and holes in the ground. The bodies of goblins and orks started to show but suddenly an arrow passed to the right of Asher, making him and the others hide behind what they could find, right after they came closer to the rest of the platoon.


    ¡®Light, this is Shadow 3. We are right behind you. What is the situation?¡¯ Egor spoke on the radio.


    ¡®Shadow 3, I need you on the left flank to push those freaks out; they are trying to encircle us.¡¯ Bartel looked to the right and saw an arrow hitting someone''s leg.


    ¡®We need to defend the left flank. Ethan, take the lead.¡¯ Egor shouted.


    Ethan looked at his team and started to go cover to cover, tree to tree, as arrows flew and started to hit the ground around them. While going for cover behind a rock, he couldn¡¯t see how many enemies they were facing. Some of his squadmates were hit on their chests and backs but the arrows didn¡¯t pierce; they just bounced back and hit the ground.


    ¡®Find cover!!! You are all going to get yourselves killed.¡¯ Ethan shouted.


    Egor started to look to spot the monsters but before he could find them, he heard a shot being fired from his right side. One of his squadmates shot in the direction he was looking at but he himself couldn''t see anything at all.


    ¡®Everybody shoot in the direction the arrows are coming from and avoid the trees; go for buches.¡¯ Egor''s voice came on every squad member''s radio.


    They started to shoot completely blindly but the arrows stopped for a moment. With this, Ethan looked at his team and signaled them to advance and before going with them, he tapped Egor.


    ¡®Let¡¯s use this to take better positions and advance.¡¯ Ethan grinned at Egor.


    To their right, they could already see three duchy soldiers using fallen trees as cover but they continued to push. They looked frozen in place, looking into nothing, but nobody could stop to help them, as at this moment any mistake could cost them their lives.


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    Now they started to see clearly from where the arrows and now rocks were coming from, and behind any cover they could find Egor¡¯s squads started to kill the monsters that they now could see and at this point even some of them started to run towards their position.


    ¡®Orks!!!¡¯ Oran yelled.


    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m seeing them.¡¯ Samal shouted.


    Because of the trees on the way, one ork eventually came close and jumped on Caleb, who used his rifle to block the monster sword and as they were struggling on the ground, Ethan pulled a knife from his belt and plundged into the ork¡¯s skull, killing it instantly.


    ¡®Return to your position, soldier.¡¯ Ethan


    Egor noticed the monsters were now coming from their right, meaning they stopped the attempt at flanking, which made him realize that they were just too smart to be normal goblins and orks.


    ¡®Light, this is Shadow 3, we repealed the flanking attempt, and we are going to now join the like to your left.¡¯ Egor spoke to his radio.


    ¡®Shadow 3, do you have any wounded?¡¯ Bartel''s voice sounded sharp.


    ¡®Light, only minor wounds; we can still fight.¡¯ Egor looked at his squadmates.


    As he talked, suddenly the forest became quiet, and nothing more could be heard, not even the sound of rifle shots.


    ¡®Shadow 3, regroup in the center; we need to push forward.¡¯ Bartel''s voice was heard by everyone because of the silence.


    ¡®You heard the lieutenant; let¡¯s go back, people.¡¯ Ethan turned around and started to walk back.


    As everyone started to follow Ethan and Egor, they passed the three duchy soldiers, who now had someone talking to them and checking if they had any injuries. Now that they were closer, everyone in the squad could see the blood marks and arrows on their arms and legs, unlike before, when they passed through them too fast to notice.


    After minutes of walking, all of them reunited with the rest of the platoon and Ethan noticed that some people had bandages around their arms and legs. Asher started to help patch up some injured soldiers too.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to fill in everybody on the situation. Shadow 1 saw one child being chased by a group of goblins; help her and she reported that a group of no less than twenty people were being held by these monsters deep into this forest.¡¯ Bartel sigh.


    ¡®Look at us, sir; this is too much. How are we going to rescue anybody like this?¡¯ A soldier behind him said.


    Bartel turned around and looked at the soldier, who had just spoken, and noticed that he had a bandage on his arm. He took a deep breath and his eyes also saw others injured as he turned his head.


    ¡®I called for reinforcements, but for them to come here, it will be too late and the people captured will be dead.¡¯ Bartel looked around.


    ¡®That girl is not from the duchy; she was surprised that we had Chatzi in our ranks.¡¯ Another soldier frowned and raised his eyebrows.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter; did you forget our orders, soldiers? Are you going to disobey the orders coming from the duchess herself?¡¯ The lieutenant quickly looked at the soldier and spoke in a harsh tone.


    After this, silence filled the forest once again, apart from the injured on the ground being treated. The soldiers looked at one another and nods and resolute faces appeared among them.


    ¡®Egor, your squad will take the lead from now on; nobody died but let¡¯s not play stupid games.¡¯ Bartel looked at Egor.


    Egor looked at his squadmates, shook his clothes, and gave a big smile to the lieutenant. As everyone started to stud up, Bartel walked in the direction the monsters were attacking from, followed by his team, Egor¡¯s squad, and the rest of the platoon behind them. Left behind were ten soldiers with injured legs that made it impossible for them to walk.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 57

    ¡®Transport one, this is command, where are you?¡¯ A female voice came from the radio on the truck.


    The voice made Edmund open his eyes. He was just trying to sleep and enjoying the ride back to the city. For him, this was a rare moment where he could rest and didn¡¯t feel like he was wasting his time because of the guilt of the hero. This made him in a good mood and he took the opportunity to grab the radio and respond.


    ¡®This is transport one; we are half way in, and can I ask something?¡¯ Edmund looked out the side window.


    ¡®Transport one; you need to return to the village and go towards the location I will give you.¡¯ The female voice sounded more authoritative.


    ¡®Wait, what? What about my question?¡¯ Edmund looked at the soldiers to his side and shrugged with his shoulders.


    ¡®What question transport one?¡¯ Her tone was more curious.


    ¡®Why are you saying transport one? There is only one transport; just call for Edmund; it would be nicer.¡¯ Edmund laugh.


    The other two soldiers beside him sighed and shook their heads in disbelief at what he just said for no reason at all. Sometimes they would look at one another to see if what Edmund was saying or doing was really real or not.


    ¡®Peasant, I knew it.¡¯ Ariadne¡¯s voice came strong from the radio.


    ¡®Ho, Duchess, it is a pleasure to talk to you.¡¯ Edmund tapped the panel in front of him to get the driver''s attention and signaled him to turn around.


    ¡®Always joking and playing; I bet you were sleeping. Now turn around and go back to the village. Lieutenant Bartel needs help.¡¯ Her angry tone was on point.


    ¡®Well, it will take time; just ask them to wait. With these two over here driving, we have twelve soldiers; that is excellent in my book.¡¯ He patted the soldier¡¯s shoulder to his left.


    ¡®No, you are going first, peasant; the monsters have prisoners; they are trying to rescue them.¡¯ Ariadne¡¯s voice was more concerned.


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    ¡®Wait, I said it before to you, remember? We don¡¯t fight with the soldiers, which is dangerous; I¡¯m going to be hit by our own people.¡¯ Edmund widens his eyes.


    ¡®NO!!! Right now, you are going to run there first, right after receiving their location, and you are going to kill every single monster to rescue the villagers in captivity.¡¯ Her tone turned serious and commanding.


    Edmund forgot how it felt when Ariadne used her authority as his master. A surge passed through all his body and the first thing he did was take the knife from the soldier sitting beside him and his face turned from a playful dimener with a smile across his face to a serious and determined one.


    ¡®Well¡­ ok. You just killed me; I hope this made you happy.¡¯ Edmund calmly to himself.


    The radio operator on the other side started to explain what happened and where Bartel¡¯s platoon was, and at the end, the white-haired young man looked at the two soldiers before tying up the knife he took to his side. Now with two knives, one on each side, he opened the door and looked again at the drivers.


    ¡®Explain everything to the soldiers in the back and follow the orders; don¡¯t try to go faster than you are comfortable with.¡¯ Edmund jumped from the truck in movement.


    The soldier in the middle was quick to see if Edmund was alright but what he saw was just him running right beside them. After an exchange of looks, the white-haired young man dashed forward and in front of them, running in a perpendicular direction on the road, and now the two drivers couldn''t believe what was happening.


    ¡®I think we can match his speed but I¡¯m scared.¡¯ The driver spoke.


    ¡®Don¡¯t do it; if you try to follow him at the same speed, we will all die. Just try your best.¡¯ The second driver said this while opening the small window behind him.


    ¡®What happened?¡¯ An older-looking soldier asked.


    ¡®Sarge, command said we need to reinforce Bartel¡¯s platoon; they are in big trouble.¡¯ The second driver sighed.


    ¡®Ok, no problem.¡¯ The older Sargeant closed the small window.


    His squadmates were talking with one another and didn¡¯t hear. He used the point of his rifle to knock on the hatched door above and a soldier opened.


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t you report that we changed direction, soldier?¡¯ He looked disappointed.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry,sir.¡¯ The soldier looked to the side with a sad face, trying to hide his expression.


    ''Look, people, vacation is over; command gave us the order to reinforce the seventh platoon.'' The old sergeant put his two hands behind his back.


    ¡®But we just let village sarge.¡¯ An A-Dam soldier spoke in the back.


    ¡®The other squad arrived earlier than expected; it is supposed to be us there now. Do you want to disappoint the goddess, soldier?¡¯ He looked at the soldier with a serious expression.


    ¡®Of course not, Sarge.¡¯ The soldier put his right hand close to his mouth and closed his eyes for a moment.


    Everyone repeated the same gesture after seeing the soldier do it; their minds were at ease now. They all took a deep breath and in an instant, their eyes were filled with determination.


    At the same time. Edmund was running at full speed, but his mind was thinking about something completely different because his body was moving by itself with a strong sense of duty. This gave him time to make a plan. Even if his body moved by itself in a way, he noticed that if he embraced the task at hand, it gave him a sensation of controlling his own body from the outside, a strange sensation that gave him more control over the slave command.


    ¡®This is so weird; at least now I don¡¯t have a hundred percent chance to die.¡¯ He tried to move his hand while looking at it for a moment.


    Edmund looked ahead and he already saw the forest in the distance. He was impressed with his own speed, but again, because of the command Ariadne gave him, his head was confused. He didn¡¯t really grasp how much time had passed; he thought that maybe he was just too focused on trying to control himself to the best of his abilities.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 58

    ¡®Sir, they are really organized with walls, guard posts, and patrols.¡¯ Ethan talked on the radio.


    He was proned and using his spyglass to see how the fortress was. His squad was looking around, anxious, and the palms of their hands were sweating as patrol looked their way and goblins on the way observed the area around the fortress.


    ¡®At least it''s all made of wood; all we need to do is blow everything skyhigh.¡¯ Samal smiled.


    ¡®We can¡¯t do that, brother; don¡¯t you remember that this is a rescue mission?.¡¯ Oran shook his head.


    ¡®Samal, you are so weird.'' Asher sigh.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ Ethan slowly goes back while looking, and the others do the same.


    Ethan¡¯s team arrived at the point where Bartel¡¯s platoon was waiting for their report. The first thing he did was inform them of what he saw but they heard a scream coming from the direction of the fortress.


    ¡®We can¡¯t wait anymore.¡¯ Bartel looked in the direction of the screaming.


    ¡®What is the plan, sir?¡¯ Egor asked Bartel.


    ¡®We don¡¯t have the numbers to slit our attention; we don¡¯t know how many of them are in there so the best option is to go into a frontal assault to try to pull them out as much as possible and go in pushing hard.¡¯ Bartel looked around while talking.


    ¡®I think we should use the rail cannons to put some holes on those walls using explosive shots, making us a larger force than we actually are.¡¯ Egor¡¯s strokes his chin.


    ¡®That is a good idea, Sargeant; let¡¯s do that.¡¯ The lietenant nodded.


    Everyone heard a loud scream coming from the fortress and it made everyone look in that direction with a concerned face. Some even let the goddess sigh right after asking for divine intervention or protection.


    ¡®I think this is our cue, people.¡¯ Bartel shouted.


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    They moved, forming a line around the front of the fortress. Between the forest and the fortress, there was a stretch of fallen trees and some of them were cut down like they used the ones around the fortress to build it.


    ¡®We have some cover to advance; use the fallen trees and the tree stumps on my mark to start the attack.¡¯ Bartel¡¯s voice came from every radio in his platoon.


    ''Caleb, prepare the rail cannon and aim for the front gate. Everyone prepares to advance and always looks at the walls.¡¯ Egor¡¯s voice came from every radio in his squad.


    ¡®I¡¯m ready, Sarge.'' Caleb talked into his radio after preparing.


    Every squad leader confirmed to Bartel that they were ready. All of the soldiers were nervous; some could already see some orks patrolling outside and goblins walking on top of the walls. Everything was rudimentary for humans but they had never seen or heard of monsters doing something like this.


    ¡®Fire.¡¯ The lieutenant spoke to his radio.


    Five rail cannon shots flew across the desforested area. A goblin took notice for a moment but at that instance, an explosion came from below him as one of the shots hit the wall. The explosions made the monsters angry; the gate was completely destroyed and other holes in the wall were formed.


    The first shot was fired and an ork that was on patrol outside fell. All the squads advanced while shooting and looking for cover; blue traces filled the air, and the monsters were confused about what was happening, looking around and falling one after the other.


    After moments outside, they were all completely annihilated; the ork patrols didn¡¯t even know what had happened to them. As the duchy soldiers came closer, arrows started to fly in their direction as they advanced from cover to cover. The part that Egor found strange is that there were no monsters coming toward them from the holes in the walls or the front gate, which was now wide open.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go!! Keep moving!!¡¯ Bartel yelled, taking cover behind a trunk stump.


    Lieutenant Bartel was surprised to see Ethan and his team advancing without much care for cover or protection, just rushing to the fortress, focusing on running, not shooting, and protecting themselves from enemy fire.


    ¡®This is insane; what are we doing!?¡¯ Asher shouted while running to a rock.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be a coward; move!!¡¯ Samal passed Asher and hid behind the rock in front of him.


    ¡®What are you guys doing? Return fire; don¡¯t just run like idiots.¡¯ Ethan shouted at his radio.


    The members of his team forgot about shooting back at the enemies and just followed Ethan from cover to cover, living the rest of the platoon behind, drawing most of the arrows to them. They didn¡¯t notice much but they were still alive because of their helmets and vests.


    His team members only cared about following him but Ethan, on the other hand, only moved when opportunity struck so he didn¡¯t take any shots, but he was worried about how reckless his teammates were.


    ¡®Did you guys forget basic training? You would be dead if it weren¡¯t for the protective gear. Lower your profile and don¡¯t expose yourself too much. Do I need to teach you guys again in real-time?¡¯ Ethan yelled at the radio while looking at his team.


    This word resonated in their minds and Samal hit his own helmet and shook his head. Seeing this, everyone took a deep breath and looked at one another while having a glimpse of the rest of the platoon shooting at the enemies at the fortress and advancing at a rather rapid pace, with some getting shot in the arm and others being dragged by combat medics behind cover.


    ¡®Follow me and keep your heads down!!¡¯ Ethan got out of cover while shooting in a goblin down a goblin on the wall.


    His team was getting closer to the destroyed gate and by this time, orks started to get out of all of the holes in the fortification, rushing forward at full speed against the duchy soldiers. It took Ethan and his team by surprise that, in the chaos, some orks were able to jump close enough to engage in melee with the duchy soldiers.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 59

    Now in the ranks of the Bartel¡¯s platoon, there were several works engaged in melee with his soldiers; they were struggling behind cover; some of the orks were shot by arrows; the goblins themselves shot or a rifle shot came from a squadmember as they were close to one another; others saw the attack coming and pulled their knives and foght like mad men¡¯s against the creatures; A-Dam, Shafran, and Chatzi alike, in the middle of the chaos, all of the duchy soldiers had one voice of rage.


    Orks kept rushing but none could get closer as the platoon advanced closer and closer to the fortress. Some duchy soldiers were left behind with a combat medic because of more complicated injuries caused by the orks and others were moving slower because of more superficial wounds. This made them the primary target for the goblin archers, even though this made them more exposed to the duchy soldiers that were now at the wall or closer to the fortress, picking them one by one.


    ¡®They have no end; what is happening? We killed so many and they keep coming.¡¯ Egor was breathing heavily.


    Egor saw in front of him Ethan¡¯s team reaching the wall and Caleb trowing grenades into a hole in the wall to the right side and to the left, Samal threw another grenade he took from his teammates through the destroyed gates. As they exploded, Oran ran past Caleb to the other side. Looking inside, he saw orks and goblins on the ground screaming. Ethan welcomed Egor to his side as the rest of the squad had their backs to the wall.


    ¡®Ethan, we are going to enter through the hole in the left.¡¯ Egor put his hand on Ethan¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡®Prepare yourselves. We are going in the hole, guys.¡¯ Ethan spoke to the radio.


    ¡®This is crazy; we are dead; this is just an illusion.¡¯ Asher talked to himself while shaking his head.


    ¡®Are you alright, Asher?¡¯ Caleb looked behind him for a moment.


    ¡®I¡¯m just astonished that we are not dead.¡¯ Asher looked into Caleb''s eyes with wide eyes.


    ¡®Thank the goddess for that, my friend.¡± Caleb chuckled.


    The rest of the platoon started to get to the wall but there were still goblins on top of the gate. Using a thick piece of log as cover while aiming at the soldiers running towards the wall, Bartel noticed but couldn¡¯t take the shot because, on the other side of the destroyed gates, other archers were starting to shoot in his direction.


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    The soldiers that were with their backs to the wall, preparing to enter, saw something running from the trees toward the gate. The goblin archer was looking at the two soldiers, trying to run. towards the wall but before letting go of his arrow, he felt his chest being compressed and he felt immense pain like his insides were exploding and the sensation of being in midair. His eyes caught a figure standing where he was before as his vision faded to black.


    The scene took the breath away from Bartel, seeing the figure give a two-leg kick on the goblin¡¯s chest and do a backflip to land where the goblin was. He widens his eyes when he notices that it was Edmund, by the clothes and white hair as he was there standing there.


    ¡®Edmund is here. I repeat, Edmund is here.¡¯ The lieutenant shouted on his radio, making everyone aware.


    Edmund jumped in the direction of the goblins, pointing their arrows at the destroyed open gate, taking them by surprise. Every strike, plumbing one of the knives on a vital point, killing the creatures instantly, He used acrobatic moves to douge arrows flying at him but using the momentum of the move to kick the creatures so hard that it killed them instantly. All of this was happening at an incredible speed.


    ¡®The path is clear; let¡¯s go, people, enter... go, go, go!!! Bartel''s voice was heard from the soldiers radios.


    As the remaining duchy soldiers rushed to the inside of the fortress, another brutal exchange began with goblin archers, orks trowing rocks, and some mix of the two rushing the duchy soldiers, who were trying to engage in melee combat with make-shit weapons, but the latter was more focused on what was happening in the middle of the fortress.


    Right in the middle of everything was Edmund, killing every single creature that came close to him while he was dodging stray shots coming from the duchy soldiers using acrobatic moves and using the creatures as shields at some point. From the perspective of a duchy soldier that took time to look at Edmund for a moment, completely mesmerized by the way he was battling the creatures, his face was calm, cold, and focused, but he didn¡¯t know what was happening in the white-haired young man''s mind.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to die!!!¡¯ Edmund screamed from inside his mind.


    All the mental fortitude he had was to control his body in such a way that it wouldn''t just focus on killing the creatures but on self-preservation too. Every sense that he had was being used to make sure he could feel the projectiles coming from friends or foe alike; he didn¡¯t care if it was an arrow aimed at him or a stray shot coming from a duchy soldier; he dodged them the same while rampaging through the battlefield; but some movement couldn¡¯t be controlled as Edmund trew one of his knives in the direction of the duchy soldiers hitting a goblin that was going to jump at the distracted soldier.


    ¡®One less weapon, great.¡¯ He thought.


    While trowing his other knife at an ork¡¯s head that was struggling with a duchy soldier, his expression changed for a moment of complete disbelief in what just happened.


    ¡®There is no way I did that just now.¡¯ He had a lapse for a moment.


    In the interior of the fortress, there was rudimentary housing that the duchy soldiers were using as cover to advance. On the inside of the fortification, they noticed how large it was as they advanced, hitting arches on the walls or creatures running toward them. Using grenades, some of those makeshift shelters exploded, with some creatures going up in flames and others running in the open to get shot by some other soldiers right after.


    Everything was happening so fast that Asher forgot to breathe. With his eyes focused on treating a soldier that was hit by an arrow and all kinds of voices coming from his radio calling for help in pain, the word medic echoed in his mind while his eyes focused on the soldier''s torso right in front of him as the air found its way again to his lungs. He remembered that it was Samal, with one arrow lodged on his arm, a deep cut on the other arm and another arrow in his leg.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 60

    ¡®Chew this Samal; it will help with the pain and from time to time you need to realize pressure from the belt on your arm; the arrow in your leg needs an Eliza to heal you; I can¡¯t pull it out, ok? You will bleed out.¡¯ Asher took a deep breath.


    ¡®It hurts so much... but it is starting to... Alright¡­ thanks.¡¯ Samal looked up, his back leaning against a wall.


    Asher tapped it on Samal''s shoulder and left the shed he was in, trying to pass the chaos, finding other injured soldiers calling for help and patching them up to the best of his abilities. Right now, he was detached from his squad like all the other medics, who were busy running around helping the injured or just patching them up enough to continue the fight.


    They were advancing at a fast pace, even with the heavy resistance from the monsters. The fact that there wasn¡¯t really cover for them as the rifle shots punched through most if or they didn¡¯t really use any cover at all, being out in the open or rushing towards the duchy soldiers made them suffer heavy casualties, but their numbers made up for that and as they advanced, the number of duchy soldiers that couldn¡¯t fight anymore grew because of the severe injuries.


    Now it was evident that Edmund¡¯s presence was a huge factor in the duchy soldiers being able to advance so fast the way they were doing. Because of the amount of attention he drew to himself, he gave time for the duchy soldiers to patch up and distribute batteries to recharge their weapons among themselves as the battle raged.


    To the creatures, Edmund was death itself, but they couldn¡¯t do anything other than try to rush against him. The soldiers pushing forward saw how he used everything against the beasts, using pieces of wood, broken swords, and his bare hands to kill, and one soldier saw him splitting a goblin in half with a kick. He thought that if there was a word for what he was seeing, it would be brutal.


    ¡®Shadow three, this is light; we have a corridor inside of the walls from this point on; a team from Shadow 1 is going to take the right side; you need to hold or push the left side at all costs.'' Lietenant Bartel''s voice could be heard on Egor¡¯s radio.


    ¡®This is yours, Ethan.¡¯ Egor¡¯s looked at Ethan.


    ¡®Yes, sir.¡¯ Ethan nodded.


    ¡®Light, this is shadow three; the red team is on it.¡¯ Egor spoke to the radio.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ Ethan looked at Oran and Caleb and ran to the wall.


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    ¡®Edmund is just on another level; I saw him fighting against the duchess but this is crazy.¡¯ Oran was distracted by seeing Edmund fighting against the creatures.


    ¡®Hey, Oran, we need to go.¡¯ Caleb pulled Oran by the collar.


    They ran toward the objective, cover to cover, as arrows were still flying towards them and the tree returned fire against the monsters. They noticed two goblins coming out of the entrance in the wall, shot them without hesitation, and proceeded to enter the structure. Light was purring from the gaps on the wall, but it was more complex; it used rocks and some sort of mortar to hold it together, and it looked surprisingly sturdy.


    The sounds of the fighting outside were audible, as it was happening right beside them as they moved through the corridor, killing any creatures that appeared, but at some point the creatures were using a variety of things as cover. Ethan thought that it was things they looted from the villages or trade caravans coming from the kingdom, and as his team came closer to another entrance, he got his radio.


    ¡®Blue, this is red; we are at the end of the corridor; we encountered low resistance.¡¯ Ethan looked to the two behind him.


    ¡®Red, you need to draw more attention to yourself; the right side is being... ¡¯ Egor¡¯s voice was cut.


    ¡®Blue?¡¯ Ethan tried to call the blue team.


    Ethan looked at the two and shook his head. The two nodded at him and fixed their eyes on the entrance right in front of them.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go; we need to draw more attention. Anyone have grenades?¡¯ Ethan spoke while walking towards the entrance.


    The two soldiers behind him grabbed each other and held them with their right hand. The two passed Ethan and put their backs against the wall with their shoulders next to the entrance, while the corporal was pointing his rifle at it.


    ¡®Go!¡¯ Ethan stepped to the side and leaned against the wall.


    The two soldiers threw the grenades in and moments later they exploded and screams of pain coming from the monsters were heard. As the tree entered the room, they all saw the corpses of the monsters on the ground, but there was one ork that used another as a shield to protect himself from the blast, and as he dropped the dead body of his companion, the soldiers noticed that he had another pair of hands coming from his back and were now glowing blue and pointing towards them.


    ¡®What is that?¡¯ Oran spoke with fear in his tone.


    There were marks on the creature''s body; all of them scated and jumped for some kind of cover. There were only rocks around them, and that was enough to protect the trio against the magic the creature was shooting. The ratio was almost the same as their rifles. Using their numbers, they started to return fire against the creature that jumped to the ceiling, started to behave in a strange way and was able to hide behind some kind of flipped wooden table, but still continued to shoot with only its arms visible behind the wooden table.


    It¡¯s position was next to the wall on the right side, and the moment Ethan tried to look for a way to flank the creature, the wall exploded, and Edmund came from it, stunning the creature. Right after, the white-haired young man just used a makeshift sword he was holding and cut the strange ork head in a swift move.


    ¡®Edmund¡­ ¡® Ethan was cut off by an ork scream coming from another entrance.


    Edmund looked at the strange creature for a moment before dashing towards the ork scream, giving no time for talk.


    ¡®Sir, there are stairs here.¡® Oran pointed at it with his rifle.


    ¡®Let¡¯s check; we can¡¯t have monsters on our backs.¡¯ Ethan spoke while moving toward the flight of stairs made of rock.


    As they came up, Caleb, who was on the front, noticed Shafran in chains, all corned far away from the stares, looking at him terrified.


    ¡®We found them, sir.¡¯ Caleb looked behind him, toward Ethan.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 61

    Edmund had a familiar feeling, but it wasn¡¯t nostalgia. But he couldn¡¯t think for even a moment. His body moved by itself and ran toward a more fortified structure, leaving the creatures behind. In the way he grabbed a makeshift blade that was on the ground and when he got right in front of it, his body again, by itself, punched it open without any hesitation whatsoever, like his body could feel that there was something on the other side that should be dead.


    The white-haired young man only noticed the creature to his side when it was already dead; his body took a moment to feel like it was looking for a new victim. At that moment, he was surprised that the creature resembled a demon lord soldier, much more than an ork, but even so, it was still not quite right, but the symbols on his body, on the other hand, were spot on.


    He heard an ork scream coming from a corredor, but as his body dashed in the direction of the sound, Edmund noticed duchy soldiers inside the room and Ethan was one of them. This made his determination and focus rise as he entered the poor, illuminated corridor.


    ¡®If I wasn¡¯t here, these guys would all be dead by now. Ariadne made the right call.¡¯ He thought to himself.


    Even with the low visibility, he threw the blade he was holding and hit a tall ork. As he rushed forward into the corridor, Edmund was smashing the heads of the creatures on the walls with punches and kicks. One of those kicks was so hard that it punched through the ceiling. The light that pored in the corredor was weaker, like the sun retrieving his place of rest. As he walked through the light, it was clear that his clothes were drenched in blood.


    Seeing this, the creatures started to back down, but they had no time to think or obey their instincts. Edmund was already punching an ork in the chest, making him fly forward and knocking out a lot of the others on the way. For a moment, he could hear the sound of a rifle shot and with that, he felt that something was coming and moved his body to the side in time to see a blue beam pass where he was.


    ¡®It was too good to be true.¡¯ Edmund thought to himself.


    He still moved forward but with every monster killed, he needed to douse himself with a rifle shot by either, using another creature as a shield, doing an acrobatic move or just moving to the side just enough so that the blue beam didn¡¯t hit him. One thing was good about this situation: he could see better because of the light trailing the shots left behind.


    As he advanced, the number of creatures started to dwindle, and the amount of debris in the corridor along with the monster bodies increased. Edmund grabbed the last one by the neck and just squeezed with one hand. At that moment, he recovered control over his body, but there was no time to celebrate as the shots continued to come. In a moment of desperation, he laid down on the floor.


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    ¡®Friendly, friendly, is me, Edmund!!!¡¯ He started to scream.


    ¡®Cease fire, Cease fire!!!¡¯ A loud voice was heard.


    ¡®Don¡¯t shoot. Don¡¯t shoot.¡¯ Edmund spoke while getting up.


    ¡®Light, this is shadow one; Edmund is here in the corridor with us.¡¯ A gray-furred Shafran duchy soldier talked to his radio.


    ¡®Shadow one, protect him, and continue.¡¯ Bartel''s voice came from the soldier''s radio.


    ¡®We are the ones that need protection.¡¯ The soldier talked to himself.


    Tree soldiers passed the young white-haired man covered in blood and walked forward, avoiding the debry on the way along with the bodies of the monsters on the ground. Edmund took a deep breath before following the soldiers.


    Coming back to the room he barged into, it was now full of scared Shafrans in chains. Coming in from the hole in the wall was Bartel, accompanied by another soldier with a backpack who wasn¡¯t walking right, with a visible cut on his leg and bandages on his head.


    ¡®Light to all units, mission accomplished.¡¯ He spoke while holding his radio in his mouth.


    ¡®I counted fifty of them; they come from various villages of the kingdom.¡¯ Ethan came closer to Bartel.


    ¡®Well done. I don¡¯t know how we are going to get these people out of here because this is it.¡¯ The lietenant looked around.


    ¡®All my men are incapacitated and there are ones that will not resist going back to the city.¡¯ A gray-furred Shafran soldier spoke as he walked past the chained Shafrans.


    ¡®Your squad is not the only one sergeant; the medics are working hard to keep the guys alive.¡¯ Bartel sigh.


    ¡®Ho, I think the truck will be here at any moment. Lieutenant, if I drive it, we can get back to the city in no time. With Leah''s healing magic, nobody needs to die.¡¯ Edmund walked with difficulty toward Bartel.


    ¡®Are you alright, Edmund?¡¯ Ethan looked at his leg.


    ¡®I¡¯m fine, funny enough; this is a rifle shot, urgh... I¡¯m covered in too much blood to see how bad it is. ¡® Edmund touched his right leg.


    ¡®So, is it not a good idea to go fight hand in hand in the middle of a ranged battle?¡¯ Caleb chuckled.


    ¡®Right? I said it to the duchess, but I¡¯m happy that she ordered me to come here; this was crazy.¡¯ Edmund sat on a rock by his side.


    ¡®You are the duchess soldiers? Thank you for the rescue; how did you find us?¡¯ One of the chackled villagers came forward.


    ¡®We found a little girl on our patrol; don¡¯t worry, she is with our wounded in the forest.¡¯ Bartel leans against the wall.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe it; she made it... She was the only child in here so we sneaked her through a small hole and we made it in the back of our cell.¡¯ He smiled.


    All of the Shafran in chains there began to cheer and hug one another, some for the realization of the girl being alright and others used this moment to come to their knees and cry of relief.


    ¡®Light, this is transport one; we are outside the fortress; everything is alright? There''s a little girl with us too.¡¯ The voice of the truck driver came from Bartel¡¯s radio.


    ¡®We need to change; we are alive but at the end of the day, this was a disaster.¡¯ Bartel slowly sat on the ground, leaning against the wall.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 62

    Edmund walked out of the building through the hole he made before. Now, with Ethan¡¯s help, looking around and seeing the number of monster corpses made him realize how many they were fighting in the first place. He didn¡¯t notice before but there was a central path from the gate to the central structure he came out of.


    ¡®This was crazy, Edmund; if it weren¡¯t for you drawing the majority of their attention, we would be dead.¡¯ Ethan sigh.


    ¡®But I think me being here also made things difficult for your man because you needed to follow my pace; it was like a suicidal charge.¡¯ With Ethan¡¯s help, he started to walk toward the gate.


    ¡®Yeah, if you think about it, you are right but still, a lot of things could have happened, like running out of ammo or too many injured to fall back; it wasn¡¯t bad for you to be here.¡¯ The soldier looked around.


    Ethan saw the soldiers that came with the truck carrying others who couldn¡¯t move or needed help to walk; everyone was helping one another, even the ones that were injured. He looked back for a moment and the villagers were right behind him; they were already helping one another walk. Asher was at the gate, using a belt in another soldier¡¯s arm.


    ¡®How is Samal doing?¡¯ Ethan spoke, concerned.


    ¡®If he doesn¡¯t get Eliza to heal him, he doesn¡¯t have five hours and he is not the only one.¡¯ Asher shook his head.


    ¡®Patch Edmund up; he is going to drive the truck as fast as possible to get us there.¡¯ Ethan came closer to the medic.


    ¡®Be gentle; this is my first time.¡¯ Edmund chuckled.


    Asher and the soldier that he was treating laughed and Ethan just rolled his eyes. Egor was one of those that were leaning on the wall at the gate; he didn¡¯t appear to have any injuries, so Ethan came closer.


    ¡®Sarge, what happened?¡¯ The corporal kneel next to Egor


    ¡®Some crazy ork threw a gigantic rock at me and now I¡¯m having difficulty breathing, but nothing too crazy; I think some broken ribs... argh¡­¡¯ The sergeant spoke, gasping for air.


    ¡®Rest some more.¡¯ Ethan gave him a pat on the shoulder.


    One by one, everyone was put in the truck; the ones that were in better condition were on the roof of the vehicle. Edmund walked to the driver¡¯s side of the truck but before he could open it by itself, it was on one of the drives. He helped him by giving him a hand to get in and going to the side, letting Edmund feel comfortable in the driver''s seat.


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    ¡®One of you needs to pat my shoulder from time to time because I can pass out from the blood loss and how tired am I? No one here wants to die, right?.¡¯ He smiled.


    ¡®Why are you like this?¡¯ The one to his side spoke.


    ¡®The duchess says something similar from time to time; I don¡¯t quite understand.¡¯ Edmund chuckled.


    The other driver next to the door started to sweat while holding the truck door. Edmund looked through the mirror by the side of the truck door and saw the villagers and the old sergeant who was staying behind with his squad. He raised his hand while looking at Edmund''s reflection.


    There were three bangs coming from behind him and a small window opening. It was Ethan, with his tired eyes, looking at Edmund¡¯s neck.


    ¡®We can go now; don¡¯t pass out while driving this thing.¡¯ Ethan looked concerned.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, this guy here to my side has all of our fates in his hands.¡¯ Edmund looked into the young corporal''s eyes while smiling.


    Ethan looked to the side and the soldier was looking at him and he was clearly nervous about the responsibility Edmund was putting on him. He couldn¡¯t see the other one by the door but he imagined his face too and it wasn¡¯t good.


    ¡®I¡¯m just joking; I¡¯m fi... Edmund closed his eyes for a moment.


    ¡®Wow, did you just pass out?¡¯ Ethan widens his eyes.


    ¡®No, I¡¯m just joking with you.¡¯ The young, white-haired man took a deep breath and started to drive.


    In the city, more specifically in the mansion of the duchess, a room was asked for by Captain Alon to serve as the central command of communications for her military. Ariadne had no problem with that, as the mansion had too many empty rooms.


    Ariadne entered the room, followed by her maid, Alya. Everyone looked at the duchess and saluted her by putting their hands close to their mouths, lowering their heads, and closing their eyes for a moment. More and more people did this when they saw her; it just started to happen one day when she was walking in the village.


    At first, she was taken back by the salute. Alya said that in their spare time, some people even prayed to her. It increased after Eliza became a healer and started to treat people.


    The only thing that could describe the sensation was mothely love; it was not natural; it¡¯s a connection between her and the people because she noticed that people she never knew before made the salute to her and all she wanted to do was smile like a child was doing something interesting to her. It was really strange for the duchess.


    ¡®How is the situation, Captain?¡¯ Ariadne smiled.


    ¡®Bartel¡¯s platoon was successful in killing the monsters and rescuing the villagers with Edmund¡¯s help.¡¯ Alon bowed to her.


    ¡®So... the peasant was useful... good.¡¯ The duchess took out her fan.


    ¡®Yes, The lieutenant said that if it wasn¡¯t for him, the platoon would have been wipeout trying to push inside the fortress.¡¯ Alon put his hand behind his back.


    ¡®But are they all fine? I¡¯m worried for them.¡¯ She showed a worried expression to the captain.


    ¡®Well, the majority had injuries; to be honest, if it wasn¡¯t for the truck that Edmund built, half of the platoon would die on the way here.¡¯ Alon turned to face the radio operators working on their desks.


    ¡®What about the peasant? Is he injured?¡¯ Ariadne tapped the palm of her other hand with the closed fan.


    ¡®He got shot in the leg by accident in the middle of the chaos.¡¯ He looked to her with the corner of his eyes.


    Her expression was one of anger and concern; he just observed as the duchess walked toward the radio operator who talked to Edmund hours ago.


    ¡®Can you please connect me with the driver of the truck?¡¯ She put her hand on the young lady''s shoulder and gave her a tender smile.


    ¡®Oh¡­ah¡­ Of course, Goddess.¡¯ The radio operator started to use the tablet on her side that was connected to a radio.


    ¡®Thanks.¡¯ Ariadne squeezed her fan and took a deep breath.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 63

    ¡®Transport one, this is command; the duchess wants to talk to you.¡¯ A female voice came from the radio on the truck.


    Edmund grabbed the radio, looked at the two soldiers next to him and noticed that they were holding on to their seats and sweating a lot.


    ¡®Command, this is transport one; we need to think in a better way to communicate for example, by saying over after finishing talking and over and out when the conversation is done.¡¯ Edmund gave a weak chuckle.


    At the central command, Ariadne saw the young lady, who was the operator, rolling her eyes. She was an A-dam lady and like the others, there was something like a tiara over her head with circular and fluffy cup-shaped objects on its end covering her ears, and on the desk there was a small pole with an iron sphere that she spoke in to and two squared-shaped iron cubes.


    To her side in the desk there was a tablet; it was the same on the others too; there were numbers on it in order from nine to zero. In the middle of the room was a map and the desks were facing it.


    ¡®Put it for me to listen too, please, and what is the name of this thing in front of you?¡¯ The duchess padded the radio operator¡¯s sholder.


    ¡®It¡¯s a microphone, your highness; this on my head is a headphone and those square cubes are speakers, Edmund named them.¡¯ The young lady gave the microphone to Ariadne.


    The young lady got the tablet again and after messing with it, Edmund¡¯s voice started to come out from the squared-shaped metal cubes.


    ¡®Hey, are you rolling your eyes?¡¯ Edmund¡¯s voice sounded annoyed.


    ¡®Peasant, is it me? How are you doing?¡¯ The duchess spoke into the microphone.


    ¡®Ho, hello duchess, I¡¯m fine; I¡¯m just bleeding out and almost passing out driving a high-speed vehicle, just another day.¡¯ The young man''s voice now sounded more tired.


    ¡®How close are you to the city?¡¯ Ariadne bit one of her nails, showing a worried expression.


    ¡®I¡¯m closer to them... a go, in five.. we are going to be at the front... i guess, something like it.¡¯ Edmund closed his eyes for moments and was shook by the soldier to his side.


    ¡®Don¡¯t sleep; if I need to, I¡¯m going to give you an order.¡¯ She elevated her voice.


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    ¡®Don¡¯t; the last one is almost... It needs to be more complex; if you give the order, I may... everyone die.¡¯ His vision was blurring out.


    ¡®Peasant!!!¡¯ She shouted.


    ¡®Command, he passed out; we were already slowed down; I can see the city from here.¡¯ Another voice came from the speakers.


    ¡®Soldier, they don¡¯t have space at the doctor''s office; pass by there and bring him and Eliza with you here to my mansion.¡¯ Ariadne looked at Alon.


    ¡®Yes, duchess, transport one over and out.¡¯ He replied with conviction.


    Ariadne put the microphone on the table, looked at the young lady that was looking at her and smiled. The reaction from the radio operator was one of surprise and right after happiness, like her duty was fulfilled. As Ariadne walked out of the room, she looked at Alon again.


    ¡®Talk to Rita and prepare the rooms for them; use everything you can.¡¯ She nodded to him.


    ¡®Thank you, your highness.¡¯ Alon bowed to her.


    She walked through the mansion as soldiers and maids walked around trying to get places for the wounded to be treated; they were getting everything to two rooms on the left side of the mansion. Getting out of the mansion, she waited for the truck to come, with Alya by her side and soldiers gatering around also waiting for them.


    ¡®I hope they are fine.¡¯ Alya spoke while looking at the entrance of the mansion.


    ¡®To be honest, Alya, I thought that he was invincible; his problem was that he didn¡¯t care or didn¡¯t want to help when he could.¡¯ Ariadne gave a sigh.


    ¡®Every time someone asked Edmund for help, he never said he wouldn''t do it; when he talks with your highness, I think it''s more of a joke.¡¯ The maid looked at Ariadne¡¯s back while giving her a light bow.


    ¡®Maybe he does this as a way to get back at me for being my slave and the fact that I will never let him go.¡¯ The duchess looked at the maid with the corner of her eye.


    ¡®Prohaps, but he has a better life than the majority in the duchy; I could even say better than the majority in the kingdom.¡¯ Alya''s head continued to be slightly inclined.


    ¡®Freedom doesn¡¯t have a price, Alya; it doesn¡¯t matter how good he has.¡¯ Ariadne looked again to the entrance.


    ¡®Indded.¡¯ Alya looked at the duchess with a sad expression.


    The truck passed the entrance, Ariadne clutching her fists, waiting to see the state of the soldiers and as soon as the truck stopped, everyone around was helping them unload them one by one, carrying the ones that couldn¡¯t move inside the mansion; some of the maids were just there paralyzed by the amount of blood on the soldiers.


    As this was happening, Ariadne walked to the front of the truck. The door opened, and one soldier got out. As another was holding Edmund¡¯s body down, seeing this, she ran and pushed the soldier to the side, making him fall to the ground.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, let me do this.¡¯ She looked at the soldier on the ground with a sad expression.


    ¡®Not a problem, duchess.¡¯ He studs up.


    Only when Edmund was on her arms did she notice that he was covered in blood and some of it was dripping from the arm that was closed to his leg. Alya held her mouth as soon as she noticed Edmund¡¯s state.


    ¡®Is he... dead?'' Alya asked.


    ¡®No, I would have known if he was, but he needs treatment fast.¡¯ The duchess walked toward the mansion.


    Eliza was finishing healing the arm of a soldier that was close to passing out due to blood loss; as she hovered her hand on top of his arm, a glow was emitted and the wound began to close. Her eyes closed, trying to concentrate on the task at hand.


    She looked for other injuries and the ones that didn¡¯t need immediate attention so she looked out of the truck and saw Ariadne with Edmund in her arms walking in the direction of the mansion among the injured, being assisted by soldiers and staff of the mansion.


    ¡®What? He was here?¡¯ Her eyes widen.


    She gave another look at the soldier to see if everything was alright. They got up and jumped out of the truck and ran after Ariadne.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 64

    The most the maids and staff in the mansion could do was use everything they could as pillows for the soldiers as they were laid on the floor of the rooms. Edmund was no different; Ariadne laid him next to a soldier in a similar condition, uncontious and with blood dripping but unlike Edmund, the soldier was bleeding from his arm.


    As she got up, Eliza came right next to the duchess with her hand closed to her own chest with a concerned expression.


    ¡®So much blood.¡¯ She came down to her knees next to Edmund.


    ¡®Alon said if it wasn¡¯t for him, all of these brave soldiers would be dead, but I think his state is my fault.¡¯ Ariadne clenched her fists.


    ¡®How?¡¯ Eliza starts to strip him of clothes, trying to find wounds on his body.


    ¡®I ordered him to help with the slave magic; Alya, help her.¡¯ She looked away while his clothes were being stripped off.


    ¡®As your wish.¡¯ Alya got to the other side, got to her knees and started to help Eliza.


    ¡®I don¡¯t really understand, but I¡¯m going to do my best to heal him and everyone here.¡¯ Eliza looked at the duchess.


    ¡®I trust you, Eliza; I¡¯m just going to be in the way here; stay and help Alya; I¡¯m going to my room to change.¡¯ Ariadne walked out of the room.


    Eliza noticed the belt around his thigh but it was loosened. She pulled off his pants with the help of Alya. The wound was not big or anything but it passed straight through his thigh. Blood was still dripping from it. Eliza put her hands on both sides of the wound, asking Alya to help her and again the glow came from her hands. With no time, the wound closed, leaving behind a circular scar.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe it; it just healed.¡¯ Alya looked at Eliza with her mouth open.


    ¡®Everytime I do this, I can¡¯t believe it too, but this is all possible because of him. Can you please take care of him? I need to see the others.¡¯ Eliza stood up and sat next to the Shafran next to Edmund.


    Alya returned him to his original position; she saw a bucket with water and a towell, asked a maid to give it to her and using a sheet to cover his private parts, she took his clothes off and began to clean him from top to bottom.


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    The two rooms now had maids running back and forth with new sheets and buckets of water; after sometime other people came running from the front door of the mansion in white clothes and entered the room.


    Ariadne changed her clothes and was taken by surprise when a Chatzi female barged the front doors, screaming a name and looking around until she saw the duchess looking at her with a surprise expression.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, duchess; I¡¯m looking for my husband; I¡¯m really sorry.¡¯ Ruth looked down, bowing to her.


    ¡®No problem; I was just surprised. Who is your husband?.¡¯ Ariadne smiled at her.


    ¡®His name is Ethan; people are coming here. I just ran faster.¡¯ She was still in the same position.


    ¡®Walk with me and what is your name?¡¯ The duchess continued to walk toward the rooms where the soldiers were.


    ¡®My name is Ruth Aaron; as I said before, my husband is Ethan; he is a corporal.¡¯ She followed behind the duchess.


    ¡®No, be by my side.¡¯ Ariadne looked behind at the woman.


    ¡®Oh, I¡¯m sorry, your highness.¡¯ She ran quickly to her side.


    ¡®Did he work in a carpenter shop?¡¯ The duchess opened her fan.


    ¡®Yes, he said he did; there was a woman there too, Leah.¡¯ She spoke her name with anger in her tone.


    Ariane was surprised by her tone change when Leah¡¯s name was mentioned, but she hid her chuckle with her fan. Ethan was in the corridor talking with Alon; he was dirty because of the dry blood on his skin and clothes. The moment Ruth saw his face, she ran and jumped on the corporal, giving him a hug.


    ¡®Wow, Ruth?¡¯ He held her face, looking at her teary eyes.


    ¡®Are you alright? Are you hurt? I knew it; you can¡¯t go again; stay with me.¡¯ She tightened her hug and put her face on his chest.


    ¡®Calm down, I¡¯m alright, just calm down.¡¯ He looked at Alon.


    The capitain nodded at him, turned around, and saw the duchess standing there looking at the two hugging, using her fan to cool herself. As he came closer, she looked at him with a serious look.


    ¡®How can we prevent something like this from happening again? I want solutions, Capitain.¡¯ She passed him and entered the room Edmund was in.


    He saluted her and took a deep breath, turning around and looking through the window. When he saw people walking toward the mansion, Alon walked to the front door, which opened at the moment an old A-Dam male was pushing it to try to open.


    ¡®What are you people doing here?¡¯ Alon walked forward and closed the door behind him.


    ¡®I¡¯m Caleb¡¯s father; I want to see my son; my wife wants it too.¡¯ The old man grabbed a gray-haired Chatzi female hand.


    As everyone came closer to the door and saw Alon in front of the door, they stopped and just waited for him to say someone as he just scanned the people with his eyes.


    ¡®Look people, the soldiers are being treated by Eliza and the apreendices of the doctor; right now you would only be in their way; come back tomorrow and I will put in place where one at the time you can visit them, ok?¡¯ Alon raised his voice.


    Their looked at him disappointed but as they looked at one another, they all turned around and started to walk way from the mansion door.


    ¡®What the guys at the gates are doing? I really need Rita right now.¡¯ He sighed as he looked at the blue sky.


    ¡®You need me for what?¡¯ Rita opened the front door.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know; I just like to be with you; it calms me down.¡¯ He turned around and hugged her.

 The Hero is not Coming - Chapter 65

    Edmund opened his eyes, confused as to where he was; he was in a bed and to his sides, other men were in beds as well, in a room that he reconized as being one of the duchess mansion rooms. One maid passed in front of the bed and looked at him surprised and ran out, which was confused to him.


    ¡®Well, that is a normal reaction.¡¯ Edmund sigh..


    Looking around and trying to adjust himself in a better position with the pillow on his back, he noticed that under the sheet he was actually naked and the thought of one of the maids cleaning his body made him look deep and concentrate in a red mark on the wall, but a feeling of regret pulled him back to reality and his shock quickly subsided.


    ¡®I need to go back to work.¡¯ He used the sheets to cover himself and tried to get out of the bed.


    Ariadne entered the room and saw him trying to get out of bed instantly. The moment Edmund tried to get up, he came crashing down to the floor. He was surprised by this.


    ¡®It was that bad?¡¯ Edmund spoke to himself.


    ¡®Peasant, what are you doing?¡¯ Ariadne looked at him on the floor.


    ¡®I¡¯m just doing my daily exercises.'' He looked up and smiled at her.


    ¡®So you are just fine, hum?¡¯ She pulled a fan from a pocket inside of her jacket.


    ¡®It¡¯s not like you would help me or something, ok.¡¯ Edmund crawled his way back to his bed.


    Seeing this, everyone in the room started to laugh; this made Edmund sigh as he positioned himself on the bed again. For a moment, he thought that he saw a smile on her face directed at him, but it vanished behind her fan.


    ¡®Wait, why have any of you helped me get up?¡¯ Edmund looked at the group standing to the left.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Ethan, Leah, Alon, Alya, and Rita spoke in unison.


    ¡®Ok¡­ ¡® He rolled his eyes.


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    ¡®Now you will have new clothes, Edmund.¡¯ Alya spoke in an enthusiastic tone.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t that great?¡¯ Leah smiled at him.


    ¡®What is happening? Am I going to die?¡¯ Edmund looked at them confused.


    ¡®Now you will have a monthly allowance so that you can buy things; it¡¯s a reward for what you did.¡¯ Ariadne looked at him for a moment but looked away right after.


    ¡®Seriously? That is so good. Thanks, Duchess; I¡¯m going to forgive you for almost killing me.¡¯ He smiled at her.


    Ariadne closed her fan. came closer to Edmund with a serious expression on her face, the young man expressed confusion while looking at her. All of a sudden she grabbed him by the throat; in response, he held her arm and with his eyes widening, Edmund looked at the group.


    ¡®Wh... are you, doi...? Hel... me...¡® Edmund tried to gasp for air.


    ¡®How dare you? Forgiving me?¡¯ She pulled him closer to her face, lifting him up from the bed.


    ¡®Your highness, you are going to kill him.¡¯ Eliza came running and held Ariadne¡¯s arm.


    ¡®It.. Ov¡­ ¡® Edmund rolled his eyes as his vision blurred.


    The duchess let go of him; his body crumbled to the ground. She took a deep breath and looked around her with a sad expression. It was quick and she didn¡¯t care to notice the looks of everyone. The only thing Ariadne felt was instant shame from what had transpired.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry; take care of him.¡¯ She opened her fan again to cover her face and walked out.


    Edmund passed out, and the mark of her hand was visible on his neck. Alon, Rita, Ethan, and Alya just stood there like nothing happened; they just shook their heads in disapproval and sighed. The soldiers on their beds looked at Edmund and looked to one another with an expression of disapproval.


    Eliza put her hand on his neck, and as the bright light appeared, the redness started to fade, and a more calm and serene expression took over him. While outside of the room, Ariadne was looking out the window and saw some people coming, like days before, to see their loved ones.


    ¡®Thank you for saving our son.¡¯ An gray-haired coople saluted her but closed their eyes.


    Ariadne instantly felt a warm coming from her heart; it calmed her and like a subconscious reflection, she gave them a smile, but right after that, Ariadne stepped closer to the coople.


    ¡®It was nothing; be strong and everything is going to be fine.¡¯ She gave the two a hug.


    The two experienced a surge of happiness only compared to when Eliza said their son would be fine while looking at him breathing on the floor the first day they came to visit, tears poring from their eyes but their arms didn¡¯t reciprocate the hug. At the end, when she stepped back while smiling, they just stood there admiring her smile for a moment.


    ¡®Ho, what happened? Did I harm you two?¡¯ Ariadne looked distressed.


    ¡®No, these are tears of joy; I can¡¯t explain.¡¯ The gray-haired A-Dam man looked at the Chatzi female to his side.


    ¡®Yes, I just feel so happy.¡¯ The gray-haired Chatzi woman smiled at the duchess.


    ¡®If you are okay, there is no problem; I feel happy for you two. Ask Eliza to take a look at you; say that I asked to.¡¯ She spoke while opening the door of the room.


    ¡®Thank you, your highness.¡¯ They entered the room.


    Ariadne returned to the window and to her side, more people came but before entering the room, all saluted her. She noticed not by looking but feeling that some were praying as they walked towards her.


    ¡®I need to talk to the peasant about this; I don¡¯t understand what is happening to me.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    If she concentrated enough, Ariadne could feel the same thing from a distance in the direction of the city; it was something that couldn¡¯t be pin pointed, just the direction of it. Remembering the first time it happened that night when she was having a cup of tea, from that day on it only became stronger; now it feels so good that she is becoming inebriated from it; there was no time she didn¡¯t feel good, unless when she interacted with Edmund.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 66

    Edmund opened his eyes suddenly and gasped for air on his bed, his hands touching his neck but there was nothing wrong with it. Looking at the ceiling, he noticed that he was in his room.


    ¡®Did they just stand there watching Ariadne kill me? What was that?¡¯ Edmund was stunned and incredulous at what had happened.


    ¡®Yes, I would too but her highness was in a moment where she wasn¡¯t thinking straight.¡¯ Eliza stood up from a chair next to Edmund.


    ¡®Eliza? It was you that saved me?¡¯ He looked at the healer.


    ¡®Yes, I think her highness forgot that you were not in your usual state; you were weaker than normal; she would feel guilty if you died.¡¯ She put her hand on his forehead.


    ¡®Ok¡­ Now that you are saying, yes, I wasn¡¯t at my best; she just used her usual strength; that was dangerous. Wait, did you say you would let her kill me?¡¯ Edmund widened his eyes, continuing to look at Eliza.


    ''Is it like her highness says, How can someone so smart be this dumb? Almost cost your life.¡¯ Her hand started to glow.


    A sensation of peace entered Edmund¡¯s mind, making him relax more to the point of closing his eyes, something the hero did when he needed to sleep more comfortably.


    ¡®I took too far; I didn¡¯t take into account my body state. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m going to personally ask for forgiveness.¡¯ Edmund spoke with his eyes closed.


    ¡®I forgive you, peasant.¡¯ Ariadne opened her fan to hide her mouth.


    He was taken back by the crack of the fan and the sound of her voice; he didn¡¯t notice her at all; maybe it was the magic that relaxed him so much to a point of numbness to his surroundings. With his eyes now open, he looked at the duchess by Eliza¡¯s side.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, it was a bad moment to play like that; maybe another time.¡¯ He chuckled.


    ¡®I can¡¯t, such a child.¡¯ Eliza slapped him on the forehead.


    ¡®Ouch!!! It didn¡¯t really hurt.¡¯ He smiled.


    ¡®You were right, peasant; I almost killed you with my order and for that, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t have your disrespect go unpunished in front of the people that look up to me; it doesn¡¯t matter if it is a joke or not.¡¯ Ariadne cooled herself with her fan.


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    ¡®I understand, it''s boring to just work and that is why I do these things; it was the same with my friend Ruppert, the blacksmith; i guess I didn¡¯t grow out of it.¡¯ Edmund looked at the ceiling and remembered his time with the blacksmith.


    ¡®Just remember the state of your body and that nobody will help you if you do this again, peasant. If you accept those risks, I have nothing to say about it.¡¯ She hid her smile behind the fan.


    Eliza for a moment looked at the duchess as she talked and noticed her smile. She took her hand off Edmund¡¯s forehead, took a deep breath and let out a shy smile.


    ¡®I need to go back to the doctor¡¯s office, if you excuse me your highness.¡¯ Eliza walked toward the door.


    ¡®No problem, Eliza; you did well. Thank you for everything and your dedication.¡¯ Ariadne looked at the healer with a tender smile, giving her a nod.


    ¡®I will do everything in my power for our goddess.'' She turned around and saluted Ariadne before going out of the room.


    The room became silent for a moment; only the birds outside could be heard. Edmund was still looking at the ceiling and Ariadne¡¯s eyes were fixed on the door that is now closed.


    ¡®Even she is a believer now, hum?'' Edmund stroked his chin.


    ¡®I was going to talk about this with you, peasant; something really strange is happening to me.¡¯ She sat in the chair close to Edmund¡¯s bed.


    ¡®With you? These people think you are a god.¡¯ He changed his position and sat on the bed with his back leaning against the headboard.


    ¡®I understand, but this all has an effect on me and maybe an effect on them too; I feel their prayer, I feel pure joy when they salute me, not like a monarch would; it is something greater; it fills my heart.¡¯ She put her hand over her chest.


    ¡®Let¡¯s say it is true; maybe it is because it is an open gate; you give them the ability to use the devices but as a side effect, you sense their feelings towards you and that too is reciprocal.¡¯ Edmund crossed his arms, looking at the white sheet, deep in thought.


    ¡®It began at night one day. I felt like a drop poured into my heart. From that point on, it just increased the amount and my feelings also changed. I¡¯m more kind to them, but not because i want to; i just am.¡¯ Ariadne began to fan herself again.


    ¡®Humm. it¡¯s beginning to make sense; that is why nobody helped me before; whatever you do is right on their minds; Eliza saved me, but she was only thinking about you.¡¯ He looked at the duchess.


    ¡®This sounds like brainwashing; I don''t know how to feel about this.¡¯ She gave Edmund a concerned look.


    ¡®You could say the same about someone who is overzealous about a cause or loyal to a king; they still have their individuality. The thing is, whatever you do is kind of morally gray in their eyes, well... I don¡¯t know... He tapped his chin with his index finger.


    ¡®Well, I still think for myself, I just have this motherly love for them now, not everyone, of course; for you peasant, I feel nothing at all.¡¯ Ariadne put one of her hands over her chest.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know if that was pure information or a personal attack, so you still think straight even if you feel this way. These are just feelings, not mind control. I¡¯m saying this because if effects you, it will do the same to them in theory.¡¯ Edmund frowned, thinking deeply about it.


    ¡®Is not mind control but it was the trigger to command you to help the soldiers in the forest, so it can cloud my judgment to some extent.¡¯ She directed the hand that was over her chest to her cheek.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad you almost killed me out of love.¡¯ Edmund rolled his eyes and sighed while looking at the ceiling.


    ¡®Is not that bad, peasant; you are a skilled warrior; I knew you could do it.¡¯ Ariadne chuckled.


    She smiled right after but covered her mouth with her two hands. Edmund didn¡¯t see her smile but he was surprised by her words.


    ''Ok, what just happened? I don¡¯t know if you were really confident in me or you just don¡¯t care if I die; why did you chuckle?¡¯ He shook his head in disbelief.


    Ariadne took a deep breath, made herself more comfortable on the chair and closed her eyes. Edmund looked at her calm and serene expression and lay down again, closing his eyes but now his mind was full of possibilities of what could happen if more people saw her as a goddess.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 67

    Next to the room that was being used for the central command of communications, Alon was sitting on his desk reading from a tablet. Right in front of him, Bartel was sitting on a chair, waiting for the reason he was called. In the same room, more people were talking and going in and out of the room itself.


    ¡®I¡¯ve read your battle report, but I want to hear from you what changes we should make, Bartel.¡¯ Alon was looking at a tablet.


    ''First of all, do more scouting; after that, request more personal if the situation demands it. That is the first thing I wanted to say because I didn¡¯t do this; only after our first engagement did I call for reinforcements and, at that point, didn¡¯t even scout the enemy fortress.¡¯ Bartel leans forward in the chair.


    ¡®I understand, from what I read, you were just overly confident and that applies for your soldiers too; the majority of the injuries were because they just didn¡¯t care to take cover properly, putting too much confidence in their protective vests and helmets.¡¯ The captain stroked his chim.


    ¡®Yes, you are right, Captain. I almost killed my entire platton but they too played a part in it.¡¯ Bartel took a deep breath.


    ¡®Another recommendation that I saw was to not do the rotation of squads anymore.¡¯ Alon taps it on the desk with his index finger.


    ¡®The individuality of the squads and the teams is a good thing, but the rotation is just too much; they don¡¯t form that bond with the platoon as a unit, just squad and team bases.¡¯ He was sad with confidence in his tone.


    ¡®I understand, I did that just because we don¡¯t have enough people to switch plattons around the border; if it wasn¡¯t for the magic weapons, we wouldn''t have people to defend the towns, let alone this city.¡¯ The captain passed his finger on the tablet again.


    ¡®The idea that Edmund gave about the radio communication is also good; in the middle of the fight, sometimes I was confused talking with the squad leads and the way it is now is too slow. I have some recommendations based on Edmund¡¯s feedback in the report.¡¯ Bartel continued with a confident tone.


    ¡®We are going to apply all of your recommendations, Lieutenant; you have first-hand experience in what works or not and with the information that we have now, it just makes sense; you can leave now.¡¯ Alon started to read from his tablet.


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    ¡®Yes,sir.¡¯ Bartel gave him a salute, turned around, and got out of the room.


    As he walked in the corridor, he remembered that day. As much as nobody died, the chaos and the fear he felt assaulting the fortress still remain within him; even when he sleeps, the screams and the smell of blood are still in his mind.


    ¡®What is happening to me?¡¯ He sigh.


    Ariadne got out of her office the moment he passed in front of it. He stopped and looked at her. At that moment, the feeling he had and the memories vanished the moment he saw her light smile and heard her voice.


    ¡®Lietenant, I¡¯m glad that we have people such as yourself taking care of our brave soldiers.¡¯ She came closer to him and touched his shoulder.


    ¡®It was nothing, your highness; they are all brave men.'' Bartel saluted her while closing his eyes.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be modest; I¡¯ve read your report and the recommendations will prevent that things like this never happen again. Walk with me.¡¯ She gave him a light tap on the shoulder and walked away.


    He walked beside her and like always, Alya was right behind her, prepared for anything the duchess suddenly asked from her. The soldier noticed that the maid was always focused as he looked behind him for a moment as his eyes were drawn to Ariadne.


    ¡®What I hope every day is that nobody dies wanting to be a hero; this feeling only grows inside me as I know more about every single one of the citizens of the duchy. Take care of yourself and the people under you.¡¯ She continued looking forward with a serious expression.


    Her words touched him in a way that he had never felt before. He took a deep breath while looking at his fist and realizing the air from his lungs and opening his hand, revealing his palm. For a moment, he was confused because this simple motion relieved all the worry left he had. Bartel felt a smile forming on his own face, happiness filling his being.


    ¡®Your words are my will, your highness. I¡¯m not going to let you down.¡¯ He nodded to her.


    ¡®Well, I need to visit the peasant for a moment; you will never let me down; I can feel it deep inside my heat.¡¯ She smiled at him before stopping in front of the door.


    ¡®Have a nice day, your highness.¡¯ He saluted her and continued to walk.


    Bartel got out in the back of the mansion and there his platoon was standing in four lines, three of ten and another with only five soldiers. As he positioned himself right in front of them, everyone looked at him patiently waiting, sargents up front with the corporals right behind them.


    ¡®As for today, there will be no rotation; this is it. This platoon was forged in fire and we almost died. The duchess personally said that she doesn¡¯t want people to die trying to be heroes and that I needed to protect myself and the people under me. I hope this for every single one of you too.¡¯ He spoke in a loud and firm tone while making eye contact with the soldiers.


    ¡®Yes, sir!!!¡¯ All spoke in unison.


    ¡®We are going to be stationed here until next mission; we are going to use this time to train from the ground up; squad leaders will write me a report on improvements in tactics using your men''s experience in the fortress assault.¡¯ He looked to the three squad leaders up front.


    ¡®Yes, sir!!!¡¯ The three raised their voices.


    ¡®Let¡¯s start running; we need more speed and more resistance. Remember, what we do now will be the template for the next generation of soldiers; follow me.¡¯ Bartel starts to walk to the training area.


    Every soldier felt the weight of those words as they followed the lieutenant in order; the pressure was already high because of the fact that they were protecting the duchy with their lives, but in addition to that, the realization that they were the pioneers in what some of them thought would become the goddess army.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 68

    Edmund entered the classroom but nobody noticed as they were completely distracted laughing or talking with one another. They felt more relaxed because Leah was the one that was in charge. At this point, the original class was developing new magic tools and new ideas.


    ¡®Well... Well... Well... Nobody here even tried to visit me; am I just a vessel for you to drain knowledge?¡¯ Edmund hit the desk.


    ¡®We were busy teachers; he has a lot of work because of that thing you created; the runs are so complex we are learning just by reading your instructions on it.¡¯ One young man to the right spoke.


    ¡®Now I remember why I left the teaching to Leah... Wait, you are here?¡¯ He pointed at Leah.


    ¡®I was talking about their project; I think they advanced a lot in their flying vehicle.¡¯ Leah walked towards him with a tablet in hand.


    ¡®Ok, that is interesting. The duchess asked me what was new, not from me but from you guys. I know a lot of you have groups and even are working for Arc or Socher; I know what you guys are doing.¡¯ Edmund tapped the desk.


    ¡®Some of our ideas are limited now because of the amount of magic it takes to make it work; we need the crystals.¡¯ A Shafran female raised her arm.


    ¡®It will take some time until we go on the suicide mission inside the dungeon, so you will need to still be on the theory side of your experiments for now. Anyway, start from the left to the right. What are you are doing and how close are you to finishing?'' He pointed at a young A-dam female in the corner.


    She was writing on her tablet but looked up for a moment and saw Edmund pointing at her; she didn¡¯t really understand what was going on because of how immersed she was in what she was doing.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, teacher, what did you say?¡¯ She scratched the back of her head.


    ¡®Ok¡­¡¯ Edmund sigh.


    ¡®He just wants you to say what project you are doing now and how close you are to finishing it.¡¯ Leah smiled at her.


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    ¡®Ah, I¡¯m in charge of teaching the new students; right now I¡¯m trying to find better ways to teach the basics of runes for them; I¡¯m not close to finishing it because teaching is on going.¡¯ She spoke confidently.


    ¡®Do we have new students? I¡¯m behind in all of this; I wasn''t really that involved to begin with, but I¡¯m glad you have that under control using my way of teaching for a new generation.¡¯ Edmund nodded at her.


    ¡®I¡¯m doing my own thing; your way of teaching almost killed us multiple times. It was our goddess that asked me to teach with a safer learning experience; I had Leah¡¯s recommendation. I¡¯m not really good at developing new things, but I can explain how they work.¡¯ She looked down, trying to hide her face.


    ¡®Hey, if it wasn¡¯t life or death, you guys wouldn¡¯t be so good at it. Well, continue your work, next!!!¡¯ Edmund sat on the chair that is behind the desk.


    ¡®Our group is developing a vehicle sponsored by the Arc company and much like the one you made but it uses tracks. We already had a small prototype when we saw the truck but with what we learned by constructing the other trucks with everyone, now it is better than before.¡¯ The young Shafran male got up and put a tablet on the teacher¡¯s desk.


    Edmund was surprised by what he heard; the snowball was starting to roll. As he got the tablet and scrolled through the pages, he was happy to see the content in it, not really the vehicle itself; he already thought about something similar, but that they were already doing things without his guidance.


    He sighed, looking at Leah to his side and at his students with a smile on his face. He was imagining if in every city of the kingdom there was a similar school and more companies sponsored more creations.


    ¡®This is really good, but is the same as the other one; you need to wait until me and the duchess go into the dungeon; there is the only place I know where there are crystals in large quantities to push for the next step or upgrade what we already use.¡¯ He pushed the tablet to the edge of the desk.


    ''Ok, teacher, we can work on other things until they''re done.¡¯ The young Shafran took his tablet back.


    He was surrounded by multiple people and they all nodded to Edmund as they quietly talked to one another. The group on the back where Leah came from before lifted their hands at the same time and an A-Dam male got up and walked towards the desk with a tablet in his hand.


    ¡®I was going to say next but ok, you are the ones with the flying vehicle.¡¯


    ¡®Like our classmates, we learned a lot by building the second truck and we used that to improve our vehicle, more specifically the engine and how it stays floating above the ground and how it moves at great speed. We too have a sponsor but ours is bolder, The Socher Company.¡¯ He gave the tablet to Edmund.


    He started to scroll through the pages and was happy to see that they were going in a completely different direction than he had in mind. He had a working prototype for a flying device but it used fire and wind. His students, on the other hand, were using pure levitation magic.


    The concept intrigued him, using it even to make it move forward; that alone wasn''t a new concept, as his truck did the same, but because of how it was shaped, their vehicle could fly and maintain itself on air, even making quick turns. Although it was all theory at the moment, mostly because even a small prototype needed crystals, it could work.


    ¡®I hope the Socher company has patience because this will take time and a lot of tests, but you guys are on a good path.¡¯ Edmund gave back the tablet to the student.


    ¡®We are proud of our work teacher, thanks.¡¯ He turned around and walked back to his group.


    They all started to hug one another and cheat; the others in the class looked more determined and held their tablets tighter, waiting for their turn to show what they had.


    ¡®Ok¡­ Next!!!¡¯ Edmund pointed at another student.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 69

    A Shafran couple is walking through an alley; there was no moon in the sky and the flames that illuminated the main street they came from were not enough but they didn¡¯t need it because their path was already planned. The female easily found the door handle in the darkness, and she looked to her partner and knocked on the door three times.


    ¡®The light will guide us.¡¯ She spoke with a soft voice.


    To their right, behind them, a door opened, and a small child called for them.


    ¡®Over here, come.¡¯ The child spoke while waving his hand.


    The two of them looked at one another and followed the child inside. As they entered the door, it closed behind them. When they looked behind them, a Chatzi male with a strange wooden stick on his hand was with his hand on the door.


    ¡®You can go; it will start soon.¡¯ He nodded at the couple.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ The child called.


    They continued to follow him up to a larger room where more people were gathered. Up from him, an old Chatzi male was on top of some wooden boxes, and behind him there was a young Shafran female brushing her hair, leaning against the wall.


    ¡®Hello, my name is Eli Blau; don''t be afraid; you are not alone; the majority of you here are new, all children ready to know about their savior, the goddess Ariadne, who is making the border territory the best place to live in the whole kingdom.¡¯ Eli spoke while looking into their eyes.


    ¡®For those that don¡¯t know, my name is Avi Acker, and my father is the leader of the Acker Company.¡¯ He stepped forward and stood between Eli and the crowed.


    ¡®Ho, did you really go to the new duchy capital? How is there?¡¯ An middle-aged Shafran spoke.


    ¡®It wasn¡¯t easy to walk around the city; if it wasn¡¯t for that woman over there that recognized me, I don¡¯t think I would be here to be totally honest with you.¡¯ He pointed at the Shafran female leaning against the wall.


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    ¡®Why is that?¡¯ A young lady looked at him confused.


    ¡®Because they want to stay hidden as long as possible, but that would be difficult if it weren''t for the fact that it is dangerous to go there if you don¡¯t have a proper scort in the first place. Goblins and orcs attacked me multiple times inside the duchy.¡¯ For a moment, he expressed fear while looking at the young lady.


    ¡®But how are they able to live there?¡¯ She looked curious.


    ¡®The duchess blessing, they have weapons that turn every soldier into a mage and lights that frighten monsters. I was lucky to be able to get to a road where the lights were; the monsters gave up the moment I was in the light.¡¯ He nodded to the young lady.


    ¡®The duchy looks dangerous; I wanted to see the magic light, but going there is too much.¡¯ She looked disappointed.


    ¡®You don¡¯t need to go to the duchy to see the lights.¡¯ Eli squatted and grabbed two devices.


    ¡®These two that Eli is holding are the magic lamp itself and the switch that turns it on and off, but you can only use it if you accept the duchess in your heart; those are the rules.¡¯ Avi extended his hand for Avi.


    Eli gave the two devices to the young merchant. After looking at them for a moment, Avi came closer to the crowd, showing the magic lamp in one hand and the switch in the other. He then pressed the switch and it lit up the magic lamp. It was strong enough to make them cover their eyes for a moment.


    ¡®Don¡¯t look directly into it; it will hurt your eyes. You can hold it, but again, to switch it off, you will need to have faith in the duchess.¡¯ He gave the magic lamp to the young lady he was talking to.


    The first thing she did was to touch the light; it was coming from inside a translucent crystal, nothing new. Her brother worked in the mines and he said it had no value, or that was what she thought it was; it was a beautiful and intense light.


    ¡®Can you give me the switch, sir? Can I try to turn it off?¡¯ The young lady extended her hand.


    Avi gave the device to her, and with it, she tried to press where the young merchant did but nothing happened. It frustrated her but she gave it back to him with disappointment in her eyes.


    ¡®Look people, I was there; it was easier to accept seeing all at hand; for Eli behind me, it was because he was living in a forest; like you all see, he is a Chatzi; he had no other option; he needed to believe.¡¯ He looked into the people¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®It will take time, my friends; I took time for the people that were with me, but after you pray, after you see the wonders that her blessing brings, after you feel the connection.¡¯ Eli spoke in a calm, soft tone.


    Avi turned off the light and got the magic lamp back while Eli waved his hand for the crowd to come closer to the wooden boxes. The majority came closer but there were those that stayed behind just observing what was going to happen.


    ¡®What I¡¯m saying is true because you here were recommended by others; you saw what they hide in their houses, how they preserve food, and how they warm their food and depending on your wealth, even more like Avi here.¡¯ He waved his hand and pointed at Avi for a moment.


    The woman leaning against the wall got up on the wooden boxes with Eli but she squatted to be on their level and looked right into their eyes with a smile.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, nothing is too expensive to buy but is limited for now for obvious reasons; all of this money will be used to create more and better devices; if you have the talent and faith, even one of the younger ones here could learn how to build them.¡¯ She nodded at a young lady.


    The youngest among them looked at one another with excitement; the mood in the room became more bright as the possibility of building those fantastic devices was mentioned. Eli sighed while looking at her talking to the crowd but didn¡¯t say anything.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 70

    ¡®By the way, my name is Luca Socher; in the capital, I represent the Socher company and with the help of Avi here, I¡¯m helping Eli spread the message and the blessings of our goddess.¡¯ She put her fist close to her mouth.


    ¡®Luca, don¡¯t be too pushy; everyone has their time and we need to have patience; nobody will be forced to accept her; it is a blessing after all.¡¯ Eli tapped her head.


    ¡®My hair, but look, our goddess is so benevolent that there is a device that preserves food but you don¡¯t need to accept her to use it and it is not expensive at all.¡¯ She tore two Shafran males to the side and nodded at them.


    The two came close to her carrying an iron box and put it next to her. As she opened it, a weak cold air washed the people close to her.


    ¡®See? You don¡¯t need to believe in her to use it, but it will make you believe. I would recommend you get a refrigerator and a magic stove so that after praying and seeing how the first one helped you so much naturally, you will be able to use the magic stove.¡¯ She pointed at one of the two Shafran males from before.


    The crowed came closer and touched the refrigerator, putting their hands inside of it. At the same time, one from before gave her a magic stove and she put it on her other side, twisting a nob, making the flames come out of it.


    Seeing this, the attention was now split between the devices. Eli, looking at the commotion, noticed that there was a group that didn¡¯t come closer. He walked to the edge of the wooden boxes, jumped to the floor and got closer to the group.


    ¡®Hello friends, do you have any questions?'' Eli gave them a small bow.


    ¡®I saw the devices on my close friend''s home but it''s just too crazy for me; to me, it''s more like a scam, I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ A Shafran male using a robe and holding the hads of another spoke.


    ¡®I understand; that is why you can come again with no problem; don¡¯t feel pressure to buy anything. If you pray and try to accept her in your heart, you can try turning on the light every time you come here.¡¯ Eli smiled at him.


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    ¡®But we will take the refrigerator, which I saw at our friend¡¯s house and is so good.¡¯ The female holding the hand of the one with the robe spoke.


    ¡®If it helps you, this makes me remember that from time to time Ariadne walks around the city to see how things are evolving, with no guards, just her personal maid; she enters random shops to buy food; being in her presence is something else.¡¯ He puts his hand close to his chest.


    ¡®No guards? And why this made you remember her?¡¯ An old Shafran looked at Eli confused.


    ¡®Yes, but it is not because she thinks everyone loves her, even though everyone there does love her from the bottom of their hearts, but because she herself is extremely powerful, she can break my neck using her fingers.¡¯ Eli strocks his chin.


    Those words took the group back, but they remembered that the duchess had white fur disease, but the way he and others describe her, she wasn¡¯t struggling at all with the pain that comes with it. They looked at one another confused.


    ¡®One of the princes of Velvent, whose name is Edmund, felt in love with our goddess and offered himself as her slave and first devoted; he created the first devices, but what cured her affliction was his love for her; now he himself has white hair because of it.¡¯ Eli gave a small smile while looking at the group.


    Some of the females that were in the back of Luca¡¯s group heard Eli¡¯s tale and walked to him; now, a circle was formed around him, and they had sparkly eyes and smiles on their faces.


    ¡®Is so beautiful, so he is like her husband? I imagine that he had special treatment.¡¯ One lady spoke from behind Eli.


    ¡®No, she is harsher with him than anybody else; when someone makes a mistake in her presence, she just smiles and says it is fine in a sweet voice, but with Edmund, because he is the first devoted, she expects perfection from him so he receives punishment often.¡¯ Eli turned around, looking at the new people.


    They looked at one another, confused by what he said. She doesn¡¯t know his love for her, one of them thought but before her lips could move, Eli continued to speak.


    ¡®This is proof of his love; it doesn¡¯t matter what she throws at him; he continues to persevere and thrive; the two even fight with swords; seeing the two fight will definitely convince you of her divinity; she is testing his faith every day because of the power he received from her.¡¯ He nodded his head.


    ¡®Why doesn''t she treat her followers like him? Why she is good to the others even after giving them blessings; they don¡¯t compare but are blessings none the less.¡¯ The old shafran spoke while looking at Eli¡¯s back.


    The old chatzi took a deep breath and for a moment he thought deeply about what he just heard. As he turned around once more, he stroked his chin again.


    ¡®When you have real faith in the goddess, you will feel that a connection is formed between you and her, which is even stronger if you are close to her; the love you feel for her, she will feel it for you. Edmund doesn¡¯t have that; I noticed from observation and the reason I don¡¯t know myself.¡¯ Eli looked at the old shafran.


    ¡®Maybe is a test for himself alone as the first devoted, a price for his powers.¡¯ The robed Shafran male to the side spoke.


    ¡®Prohaps¡­ I just know that she is just; she wants the best for her followers; I felt it when I was by her side, so have faith in her; later, I will tell you more about her; go to Luca if you want the devices. Eli nodded to them as they walked out.


    Luca was talking with a crowd of people but she saw that the ones talking with Eli were coming towards her. One young lady wearing a robe put her finger on the magic, and for Luca''s surprise, everyone, including the young lady herself, had the fire turned on.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 71

    Two weeks have passed since the battle in the fortress in the forest and Edmund was walking around the town but today he had a hidden objective; he was just going to crowed places and eavesdropping, trying to know what people thought about Ariadne. As he was passing through the central square, a group of people caught his attention.


    ¡®This was not what happened; Edmund has his white hair because she shared a part of her power with him and that contection made his love cure her pain. That is why she doesn¡¯t feel pain.¡¯ The young Chatzi lady pointed at a Shafran male in the group.


    Edmund sat on a bench close to them; they were so invested in the conversation that they didn¡¯t notice the young man; the words he heard took him back; it was completely fabricated and far from the truth.


    ¡®No, he felt in love and offered himself as a slave for her and became the first devoted; that is why he was the first one to make the devices we use, but you are right in one thing: his love cured her.¡¯ The Shafran male steps forward.


    The young white-haired man covered his face with his two; he was concerned by those claims, and as he heard more of that they were talking, more concerned he became, not because of the stories by themselves, but because it was all a lie, but it made sense with reality.


    He also noticed how they talked about her; the feeling was strange, even those that didn¡¯t call her goddess but her highness said in a way that might as well have called her goddess; there was no real difference.


    The group dispersed but some of them saw Edmund sitting on the bench, recognizing him by his signature white hair. As they walked close to him, they made a gesture for him that he interpreted as for him to give his all. His sighed in response.


    ¡®All of this goddess thing is moving way too fast; they even have their own stories about what is happening, but what Ariadne said is right, they are behaving in a strange way when talking about her.¡¯ Edmund thought to himself.


    He got up and continued to walk around the city; he didn¡¯t notice before how full of life it has become with kids running around, couples holding hands, and people in general coming in and out of shops.


    Going to the outskirts of the city, the sight of new buildings rising made him smile, but what surprised him the most was the magic tools the workers were using. He decided to get closer and one of the workers waived to him.


    ¡®Hey Edmund, there is something you need?¡¯ The young Chatzi walked in Edmund¡¯s direction.


    ¡®Ethan? What are you doing here?¡¯ Edmund looked at him confused.


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    ¡®Those magic devices cost money; Ruth really wanted the device that washes clothes, so here I am.¡¯ Ethan scratched the back of his head.


    ¡®She is really perfect for you; I was just walking around the city to see what was going on. Did you hear about the stories that are circulating about Ariadne?.¡¯ He looked at him crossing his arms.


    ¡®Ruth told me about it; they are really interesting; she seemed so happy while telling them; is any of it true? They are kind of crazy if you ask me.¡¯ Ethan chuckled.


    ¡®It¡¯s all true; all that I do is for Ariadne; it''s not easy but one day she may recognize my love for her.¡¯ Edmund looked way while covering his mouth with his hand.


    ¡®Seriously? Well, you know I¡¯m not good at this whole love thing; I never really noticed; it is really destiny, them, how you took her pain way and all; when I get home, I will tell Ruth about it, but now I need to go.¡¯ He turned around and walked away.


    Edmund looked at Ethan walking away and at the other workers that were looking at him; he smiled at them and continued to walk, observing the new buildings being constructed.


    ¡®Might as well play into the story: an army or religious zelots against the demon lord army; it can work and they are not bad people, for now.¡¯ He talked to himself.


    He walked through a new street with brand new houses; there were simple but nothing to be ashamed about; the people that lived there paid a fraction of the wages they gained by working for the same company that funded the building effort, Arc and Socher; even if they were the same companies, they went with the same design of home.


    ¡®I hope that by the time they finish these new buildings, we already have conquered the dungeon; all of this manpower will be needed to build the train line connecting the duchy.¡¯ Edmund was kicking a rock while looking down, talking to himself.


    As he was blableling to himself, he didn¡¯t notice the eyes looking at him and hear the whispers of the people at the windows and walking in groups in the middle of the street. He kicked the rock forward and the street he was in ended, giving way to a more crowed one, the main street of the city that was called Duchess Street.


    Edmund thought it was a really bad name but it was Burns that was renamed and there was even an opening. He shook his head, remembering what happened. What really filled his eyes with hope for the future was how fast everything was changing, especially the main street. Now there were even shops that sold the devices, the sighs bomming bright with colors and even drawings.


    It filled him with happiness; he didn¡¯t do anything for any of this to happen; it was built and thought out by the people of the duchy themselves; maybe in twenty years he won''t be needed anymore.


    He entered a shop that sold cakes; it was brand new; he just remembered eating it from the memories of the past lives, not himself. There was a small table with just one chair next to it; he chose that place to rest. After some time, an A-Dam with a black beard stood next to him with a tablet in his hands.


    ¡®Ho, Edmund, what kind of cake would you like to eat and you want tea with it?¡¯ The bearded man smiled and gave Edmund the tablet.


    ¡®Wow, this is impressive; you guys made a menu with drawings and everything, nice.¡¯ Edmund scrolled through the items.


    ¡®Is thanks to you; my daughter did this for me; she learned at her classes; one of your students is the teacher, I believe.'' He stroked his beard while chuckling.


    ¡®Well, I want this and this one too with tea.¡¯ Edmund touched the drawings and they were highlighted on the tablet.


    ¡®For those, it will be just...¡¯ The bearded man was interrupted by Edmund¡¯s palm.


    ¡®Wait, I thought it was free for me, like I¡¯m a slave. How am I supposed to buy anything without money? Put it the duchess tab; she is going to give me some but I don¡¯t really know when. Edmund scratches the back of his head while looking at the table.


    ¡®Well, I¡¯m going to give a slice and a cup of tea on the house for what you indirectly did for my daughter.¡¯ The man turned around, shook his head, and smiled.


    ¡®Thank god. Yeah, the treatment doesn¡¯t apply to me at all, hum?'' Edmund looked at his clothes.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 72

    Ariadne opened the door of her office and saw like any other day that Edmund was there lying on the couch to the side of her office. Leah today was not there. His eyes opened and he met hers with a smirk.


    ¡®Duchess, after a week of spying on the people of the city...¡¯ Edmund was interrupted by Ariadne raising her hand.


    ¡®You didn¡¯t spy on anyone, peasant; all I saw and knew was that you were walking around and trying to get free food from the shops and restaurants.¡¯ She sighed, covering her face with one of her hands.


    ¡®I need to eat, and because of it now I have my own money so that''s a win for me too. Anyway, it seems like that in an organic way they fabricated this story and idea around you, some based on reality and others complete fantasy, to be honest? Is kind of amazing.¡¯ He stood up and walked in her direction.


    ¡®At least, isn¡¯t someone building a religion around me, but I don¡¯t think it''s good to just let this be; I wonder what the consequences are in the long term.¡¯ She passed her desk and sat in her usual chair.


    ¡®Can I be completely honest with you, duchess? I¡¯m asking this because I don¡¯t want you to have the wrong idea of what I¡¯m about to say; the people of the duchy are important to me; walking around the city only solidifies this feeling in my heart.¡¯ He stood in front of the duchess desk by the side of a chair.


    ¡®Ok, you are free to say what is on your mind.¡¯ She held her chin, relaxing in the chair.


    ¡®To be honest, having an army of religious zealots against the army of horros of the demon lord is the best outcome; you need to put yourself little by little in a position of a real goddess or, at minimum, continue the way you are as now.¡¯ He spoke in a serious tone, looking into her eyes.


    Ariadne frowned, her face showing anger as she listened to Edmund¡¯s words. The hand that was not on her chin formed a fist and she squeezed with all her strength. She just stood there looking at Edmund, waiting for him to continue.


    ¡®Look, aside from this connection that you have with them and they have with you, everything is fine; it will give them courage to fight in the future, more even to go into the dungeon; they are good people; I¡¯m just pointing out the good points.¡¯ Edmund lifted his hands and took a step back. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡®I understand, peasant; this reaction now was outside of my control; I could only hold back, not because they are my subjects but something more, I can¡¯t really explain.¡¯ She took a deep breath of relief as she relaxed again.


    ¡®Humm¡­ Interesting, like when you used the slave magic to send me on a suicide mission to save your lovely followers. Those were the good old days. Anyway, again, better to continue as it is and try to control this impulse; that is bad.¡¯ He crossed his arms.


    ¡®I wonder from where comes this urge to try to be funny peasant; you never change, but I understand what you are saying; I will keep that in mind.¡¯ She saw two tablets on the table and got one.


    ¡®Alon left this one there; we need the crystals to transfer information between tablets in a more efficient way. Speaking on this, one of my students made something really cool; it captures light in a way that you can record moments.¡¯ Edmund sat on the chair to his side.


    ¡®It is here?¡¯ She got the other tablet.


    ¡®Yes, it is interesting; it can even record movement and transmit it; the possibilities are endless; I¡¯m going to help him personally; it is a Socher device; I know that your money is not enough to fund everything; the idea to open for the companies was a smart one.¡¯ He smiled.


    Ariadne was listening to Edmund speak while looking at the moments he was talking about; they were like paintings put together perfectly; it was like those people were right in front of her; it was indeed impressive but the last one was the most impressive; it was like she was looking them through a small window, moving but with no sound; Edmund was in it too, doing somersaults in the class.


    ¡®Now imagine recording your image and the sound of your voice at the same time and transmitting that through out the kingdom right now, the same as you already do with the phone at this desk, which I know is possible; it will spread your influence more and more.¡¯ He leans forward, grinning.


    ¡®Well, I wonder for how long we can do this peasant; we are receiving Nihilium from Markaz but for how long it will last? Going into the dungeon is our next step; you said it has crystals and Nihilium there.¡¯ She put the tablet to the side and stared at the desk deep in thought.


    ¡®Yes, but from the fortress experience, the soldiers need more training and you need to tell these people that going there is dangerous; everyone could die. From the books I read, this is basically suicide for us.¡¯ Edmund had a worried expression.


    Ariadne reached for the other tablet Alon left on her desk and started to read. The information was about a new fortress and was requesting Edmund¡¯s assistance to guarantee success but not his direct intervention. It made her wonder what his intentions were.


    Scrolling the tablet, he too put the total number of soldiers they had for the standing army of the duchy with a possibility of drafting more but now all were volunteers, a total of a thousand soldiers. scattered as city, town guards and soldiers patrolling the borders; for her surprise, even the ladies working the communication were part of this too; it was more detailed than she imagined.


    ¡®I understand what you are saying; we need more time to consolidate what we have now, but in six months we need to enter that dungeon; there is no other option.'' She looked into Edmund''s eyes.


    ¡®That gives me time to build another weapon that is going to be crucial inside of that dungeon; just you wait.¡¯ He smiled at her.


    ¡®But before that, peasant, Alon asked your help to clear some other fortresses, ok? not now but if he asks, you will go.¡¯ She leans more on her chair, relaxing her body.


    ¡®No problem; if those things get any bigger, we will have a problem on our hands; it will be a good testing ground for a new weapon.¡¯ Edmund chuckled.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 73

    As days and weeks passed, Edmund continued to train Ariadne every day; at a point, he came to the conclusion that his training sections contributed a lot to the people of the duchy, especially the city itself, to see her as a goddess.


    Every time his eyes glanced over the crowed that watched them train, he saw their eyes fill with admiration, and the new faces among them started to pray as soon as the two started to fight, impressed by the speed and strength of the blows traded between them.


    He also noticed that Ariadne became more confident and her temper more controlled. Training with him was the time she lashed out the most of pure frustration or when he made jokes but now she doesn¡¯t react at all or gives him a smile, making him wonder if her personality is changing.


    In another training section, he evaded her strike and put his hand right on top of hers and looked into her eyes. The two stopped and she looked around. The usual people were there cheering her on or in complete disbelief at what they saw.


    ¡®I noticed that you are more focused and don¡¯t lose your temper when I provoke your highness.¡¯ Edmund stuck his sword in the ground.


    ¡®So you did all of that on purpose?¡¯ She looked at him with the corner of her eyes.


    ¡®Well, is funny, but I was just trying to see how well you did under stress. We will have only one chance to go into the dungeon; if we fail, that is it.¡¯ He scratched the back of his head and looked her awkardly.


    ¡®I know¡­ But to answer your question, yes, since noticing this connection I have with these people, I feel more calm and reserved compared to before.¡¯ She walved at the crowed.


    ¡®I think we are ok for a time; I have to go with Alon like you ordered me to, so if you excuse me.¡¯ Edmund bowed to her, extending his hand.


    She turned around and gave him her sword and started to walk in the direction of the crowed with a shy smile on her face. Edmund, on the other hand, walked towards the warehouse to store the swords there.


    After some time, Edmund was entering Alon¡¯s office and saw him at the back reading something on a tablet. Getting closer and locking around, he noticed that now there was a giant map of the duchy on a table in the middle of the room with one Shafran male moving some pieces around as he walked past it.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ''Hello, Captain, how is it going to be? Another suicide mission or what?¡¯ Edmund smirked at Alon.


    ¡®No, this time we are going with a company of two hundred soldiers. You said that we would be testing another weapon that you have; I¡¯m excited for that.¡¯ The captain smirked back at him.


    ¡®It is just one; we will net your brightest minds to use it and one week to train and explain how to use it; that will also apply to the leaders of your... company, right? Yeah.¡¯ Edmund tapped his chin with the point of his index finger.


    ¡®Is that complex? I can push back the operation another week if you need that much time, but no more than that, ok? You can go now; tomorrow they will begin.¡¯ Alon waved at him to get out as he returned to read his tablet.


    Edmund turned around and walked out of the room. He was surprised at how he built on the basic information he provided to Alon, like the new ranks and command structure; it was not the same but a better version. This made him happy as he looked out of a window.


    The next day Edmund entered the class where he normally gives classes, but instead of his usual students, soldiers were sitting on the chairs. was happy to see some familiar faces like Ethan, Egor, Bartel, and even Alon were right there in the front row. He continued to walk until he stopped right on his usual desk.


    ¡®Hello, you know I find it really interesting that you guys don¡¯t salute me; I¡¯m a part of this too.¡¯ Edmund crossed his arms, looking at the soldiers.


    ¡®Let¡¯s begin, Edmund; stop joking around, but to answer your question. You are a slave.¡¯ Alon looked at him with a bored expression.


    Edmund looked at Alon and burst into laughter. Ethan rolled his eyes and shook his head in disapproval. The others had mixed feelings, some chuckling, and others just ignored what Edmund was doing.


    ¡®Ok, ok, ok... What we are going to learn is how to use this thing right here, so come closer.¡¯ Edmund pulled an object from underneath his desk.


    Everyone stood up and made a circle around the desk. The device was a cylinder-shaped object with two legs on its front. At the bottom was a pointed piece of metal. Edmund pulled a metallic square piece and put it at the bottom of the device, using the pointed piece to attach it to it.


    ¡®This is our new weapon, the A-RCM1, or just rail mortar; I called it that because it uses the same principles of the rail cannon we all know and love but now to propel up and make an arch to strike our enemies at a distance.¡¯ Edmund was pointing at the weapon.


    The soldiers were not impressed by it and didn¡¯t understand the need for them to be there. Egor broke into Edmund¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡®This looks simple to use; why do we need to be here to learn how to use it? I don¡¯t understand.¡¯ He looked puzzled.


    ¡®My friend, you need to know how to calculate the distance if you are going to use it and the leadership needs to know to because you guys are going to call for it; the guys that are going to use this are not going to be on the front lines.¡¯ Edmund looked explaining.


    ¡®So is it more complex than I imagined, hum? Do you use these knobs here to adjust the position of this thing? Interesting.¡¯ Alon pointed at the different knobs.


    ¡®Yes, at the front you need to call the distance correctly because if you don''t, they will hit you instead, so pay attention to the class for the next few days and the practice right after, ok?


    The soldiers got back to their seats, and Edmund took the weapon and put it on the floor right in front of his desk so everyone could see. He turned his back to the soldiers and started to write on the board.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 74

    Edmund and the soldiers were in the middle of a field outside of the city; it was an open space between the city and the farms. There he was planning to put into practice what he taught in class the days before.


    ¡®Alright, like I explained, you need people to carry the ammunition there in those boxes, so some soldiers will literally be just carrying those things, which is not something that should be moving around much.¡¯ Edmund pointed at the boxes right next to him.


    Alon was looking around, thinking of a way of implementing those things but he needed a test to be sure it could be done and placed into his company structure.


    ''Look, someone will do the calculations and give the orders; another will put it in position and adjust the mortar; after confirming everything is alright, it comes the real stuff; another will just get this and put it in the weapon.¡¯ Edmund took a projectile from the ammunition box.


    After showing it to everyone, it had a pointed shape with a strange format at the bottom of it. The soldiers were intrigued by the format. He placed it at the point of the cylinder-shaped weapon and looked at everyone that was five feet behind him before letting go of the projectile and right after everyone that was seeing was taken back by the loud noise the weapon produced.


    ¡®That was loud. After this, you look over there and see the result. I adjusted so that could be the closest possible.¡¯ He smiled.


    The moment he pointed to the front, all of them saw an explosion in the distance and a noise. Alon was impressed by how far it landed; it made him think that now this new weapon definitely needed to be in the duchy army.


    ¡®That was cool, but now someone needs to make sure is still in position and do it again. Let¡¯s do it like it was for real. You can use one of these with two people but with three is optimal. Now come here, you three.¡¯ Edmund pointed at Bartel, Egor, and Ethan.


    Bartel positions himself to the side in the adjusting position, and Ethan to the other side of the weapon was going to drop the ammunition on the weapon. Egor was behind the weapon but at arms length of Ethan but also close to the box of ammunition, like Edmund was instructing them to be.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ''Alon, this is an exemple; you can change if you want using your military stuff, ok? You can give the order.¡¯ Edmund looked at Alon and nodded at him.


    ''Bartel, you will give the order to fire if the position is fine; the rest follow his command; begin!!!¡¯ Alon looked at Bartel with a serious expression.


    Bartel looked at the position and shoulted the command that propted Ethan, who already had one projectile on his hand, to put it in place and let it go. The noise came and Bartel checked again. At the same time, Egor was giving another round of ammunition to Ethan, who again dropped the projectile on the weapon as soon as he heard Bartel¡¯s command.


    This happened a total of four times. Alon pulled out his spyglass as the explosions happened in the distance. He was surprised at how accurate it was; they were not falling in the same spot but the area was small.


    ¡®Good job everyone, especially for you Edmund; this is a good weapon and will help a lot in destroying the fortresses.'' Alon smiled while looking at the distance.


    After this, they started the practical training with everyone. Alon decided that his company would have a platoon of mortars composed of three of these weapons with a total crew of seven because of the amount of ammunition they needed to carry.


    Things would need to switch around but he was happy to test before showing the results to Ariadne. Everyone was impressed; now they see why they needed all the hours in the classroom before coming here.


    ¡®Before you ask Alon, I built just this one and those boxes here are all we have as of now, so more than twenty shots. After the real testing, you can ask the duchess for more, and it will be produced like everything we use now.¡¯ Edmund held his chin.


    ¡®Ok, put everything on the truck and let¡¯s go back; we need to prepare to depart tomorrow.¡¯ Alon turned around and walked to the truck.


    Some days have passed and outside of a town to the east side of the duchy, close to the frontier with velvet, Alon was olding an object similar to a radio but it was connected to a box next to him. Right to his, all of the soldiers of his company were waiting in line for their orders, all two hundred of them.


    ¡®We are going to attack the fortress located inside of the forest to the east of us; we have information that is bigger than the one Bartel and his man almost lost their lives to destroy; now we are prepared for what is to come.¡¯ He paused and looked around.


    The majority of the soldiers were nervous because it was their first real large battle. Before it was just cleaning up duty, most of the time the monsters didn¡¯t even know they were there, but one thing made them feel more calm and reassured, the fact that Eliza was right next to Alon.


    ¡®Eliza will assist us with her healing but don¡¯t let that be a reason to not take this seriously; she can¡¯t revive the dead. I hope every platoon leader reads the instructions I gave it based on Bartel recommendations.¡¯ He looked to the platoon leaders that were to the front as they nodded.


    Eliza was feeling nervous, even though she had experience because of the last incident; that didn¡¯t make her feel secure about her abilities. One thing that made her stop thinking about it was how Edmund was just looking around and kicking dirt like he didn¡¯t care at all to be there. She used her elbow to poke his arm and shook her head in a clear demonstration of disappointment.


    The young white-haired man just gave her a wide smile and straightened himself up but his feet were still moving a little; all Eliza could do was sigh in frustration.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 75

    Alon¡¯s plans were to concentrate his forces and push towards the fortress, making it like a spear formation; upon contact with the enemy, the front holds the line or retreats if the enemy forces are too much and the sides surround it; do that until they arrive at the fortress.


    Those kinds of movements were only possible because of the communication they had; the radios opened up a vast amount of strategies that couldn¡¯t be implemented before at a larger scale, and the device became pivotal to the coordination of his forces. Now the radios had multiple functionalities where they could talk without talking over one another. Edmund called channels.


    At the tip of the formation, the Bartel platoon was looking around and moving forward carefully because of the uneven terrain that they were in. One of the soldiers spotted an ork pulling back a bow, aiming at one of his comrades and instantly aimed and fired his rifle. The sound alerted everyone and right after, the same soldier looked at his squad mates.


    ¡®Enemies up ahead.¡¯ He shouted.


    As soon as his words ended, Arrows stated to fly in their direction; they all took cover behind what they could but the terrain didn¡¯t help much and some were caught right in the open, with the only option being to run to the closest cover.


    ''3-6, this is 3-1. Contact on the left flank, over.¡¯ The sargent hid behind a rock.


    Everyone in the platoon heard the transmission and tried to find cover immediately, hiding behind fallen trees or rocks.


    ¡®3-1, hold your position over.¡¯ Bartel looked around, trying to find a monster.


    ¡®Undestood 3-6, 3-1 out.¡¯


    He heard a shot before someone shouted; this time goblins with swords and shields were coming down a small hill to their right; the battle had begun.


    ¡®Angel-6, this is Angel-3; we have contact and we are holding our position over.¡¯


    Alon heard the transmission and looked at Edmund and Eliza that were right behind him for a moment and turned forward.


    ¡®Angel-3, if you have any difficulty, fallback, over.¡¯ Alon looked around like the soldiers close to him.


    ¡®We got this Angel-6, Angel-3 out.¡¯ Bartel pulled his rifle and shot at a goblin coming down the hill.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Alon opens a grin. Now he thought it was a really good idea to put the most experienced platoon on the tip of the spear, but his mind returned to the moment quickly and he took his radio again and spoke.


    ¡®This is Angel-6; execute the trap, Angel-6 out.¡¯ He continued to look around.


    All platoon leaders started to move as soon as the transmission was over; the first to make contact was to the left and them to the right, making it impossible for the monsters to encircle Bartel¡¯s platoon.


    ¡®3-6, this is 1-6, were are to your right, over.¡¯ A gray-fur Shafran gestured for his team to advance.


    ¡®Undestood 1-6, 3-6 out.¡¯ Bartel hid behind a fallen tree.


    ¡®3-6, this is 2-6, we have your back in the left, over.'' A brown-eyed Chatzi looked at an arrow hitting the ground next to him.


    ¡®Glad to see you 2-6, 3-6 out.¡¯ Bartel ran up the hill ahead of everyone.


    Before reaching the top, he looked behind, and he was glad to see that nobody that was with him was injured.


    ¡®All squads, this is 3-6; be advised 1-6 and 2-6 are guarding the flanks; move forward, 3-6 out.¡¯ He waited for his man to come to his side.


    The battle continued to rage the moment the other members of his platoon came forward and started to advance, throwing grenades to disrupt the creature''s formations and at the same time, the two other platoons that weren¡¯t engaged in the battle moved to the sides doing an arc; they encountered one another and started to attack the monsters from behind.


    ¡®Angel-6, this is Angel-4; we are already shooting at the backs of the bastards, Angel-4 out.¡¯ A blond-hair A-Dam smiled.


    ¡®Angel-6, this is Angel-5, already executing the trap, Angel-5 out.¡¯ A blue-eyed Shafran pulled his rifle and shot a goblin running in his direction.


    Alon nodded while looking at the deep forest ahead and the sound of the shots echoed with explosions following behind. Behind him, Eliza was leaning against a tree, with Edmund sitting on a rock right in the open while looking at her, using his sword as support for his hands. The other soldiers were all behind cover.


    ¡®Edmund, why are you even here?¡¯ Eliza crossed her arms.


    ¡®Because of you, it looks like you don¡¯t know how important you are.¡¯ Edmund shook his head.


    ¡®I understand that is because I can heal people.¡¯ She sigh.


    ¡®Ah so you do know the reason I¡¯m here, and if you weren''t, I would still be here, but in a different position, scouting ahead maybe.¡¯ He looked at his sword while speaking.


    ¡®I only asked because it looks like you don¡¯t want to be here at all.¡¯ She made a confused expression.


    ¡®Well, I don¡¯t think I need to be here; you have all of these soldiers; you can maintain them in the fight for a long time, but the duchess wanted to be safe; you were there; I don¡¯t understand why you are asking.¡¯ Edmund tilted his head to the side.


    ¡®Maybe it''s because I don¡¯t feel the weight of my abilities yet.¡¯ Eliza kicked a rock.


    ¡®If this helps, all of the people will give their lives if it means you return in safety. Your importance is absolute; to be honest, you being here is really dangerous, so again we return to the reason why I¡¯m here.¡¯ Edmund chuckled.


    Eliza looked around and to the faces of the soldiers around her, each one nodding in agreement with Edmund¡¯s words. A feeling came rushing over her body but it wasn¡¯t fear or anxiety, more of the simple weight of the power she possessed. She took a deep breath and looked at Edmund with a serious expression and he nodded at her.


    ¡®Well, Alon, if this is just one group, I can only imagine the size of the fortress.¡¯ Edmund looked at the captain.


    ¡®You are right, we will put your new weapon to good use, but let¡¯s move out; they are already finished.'' Alon started to walk forward.


    The sounds of shots and explosions were disappearing as they walked forward; the radio was silent, one of the things that were recommended by Bartel because he imagined that in a larger-scale battle, too much talk over the radio would confuse the chain of command.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 76

    After the battle ended, Alon, accompanied by Eliza and Edmund, walked around the slaughter that happened in the middle, with corpses of goblins and ork in a huge area of destroyed trees and craters. Fortunately, no soldier was killed in the confrontation; they met up with the platoon leaders after passing the scene.


    But Alon was taken back by the sight of a Velvent soldier on their knees, surrounded by the platoon leaders that were asking questions about what he was doing there. Coming closer to the group, he pulled his rifle armed and shot the soldiers, making everyone turn around, and the surrounding soldiers focused their attention on the captain.


    ¡®I don¡¯t need to remind anyone that if anyone sees a Velvent soldier, report and shoot to kill, not on that order, specifically, no witness a side from civilians trapped on the fortress.¡¯ Alon pulled back the bolt on his rifle, preparing to shoot again before resting it.


    Eliza covered her mouth in shock after seeing Alon shoot the man in cold blood. Edmund, on the other hand, was completely indifferent toward the action but looked at the healer with concern.


    ¡®This is war, Eliza; they can¡¯t know what we have; the ones we rescue are going to be grateful, or if they talk about someone important. Who will believe them? But I understand your feeling.¡¯ Edmund put a hand on her shoulder.


    Alon looks back for a moment at Eliza being comforted by Edmund and returns his attention to the platoon leaders in front of him.


    ¡®We just thought that he had useful information about the fortress or the movement of their forces in the forest.¡¯ The younger brown-eyed Chatzi saluted Alon.


    ¡®Well, I can expect this from you, Calb; you are still young, but not from everyone else. The information is that they can be here, that they do have troops on the other side of the border; we know where the fortress is and that is why you should kill any of them on sight.¡¯ Alon raised his voice.


    As soon as he stopped talking, all of the platoon leaders that weren¡¯t already doing a salute like before covered their mouths with a closed fist. Eliza had never seen this but was curious on how it was similar to the salute people recently to Ariadne and even to herself sometimes, the difference being that they closed their eyes and lowered their heads.


    ¡®Do you understand?¡¯ Alon Shouted.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡®Sir, yes, sir!!!¡¯ They all spoke in unison.


    ¡®Now return to your positions; we still have some ground to cover.¡¯ He walked past them.


    As Edmund and Eliza passed their heads, the rumblings of their conversations on their radios, giving orders to the squads, Alon finally got to where he really wanted to go, the makeshift medical camp for the wounded.


    ¡®They need my help; let me pass.¡¯ Eliza ran ahead.


    ¡®Calm down; they aren¡¯t going anywhere.¡¯ Edmund followed her while giving a smile to Alon.


    At this point, the captain already had plenty of experience with the white-haired young man and his personality; he only smiled back at him and continued to walk toward the camp. There Eliza began to treat the wounded; the majority of them had nothing more than light wounds. Her little show made the ones that she already treated, the ones that were waiting, and the combat medics start to pray as the wounds of another one were cured under the light of her hands.


    ¡®The ones that are fine, go back to your squads; this is not a religious pilgrimage.¡¯ He spoke loudly.


    But right after, he turned to Eliza, closed his eyes, and made a religious salute to her for a moment before helping another soldier to get up.


    ¡®Angel-6, this is Angel-5; we have contact to the right, a small group, over.¡¯ The blue-eyed Shafran stopped and looked around.


    ''Undestood, Angel-5, keep me informed if the situation worsens, Angel-6 out.¡¯ Alon helped another soldier get up.


    After healing the last one that had a sprangled ankle, she smiled at him. Edmund was by her side and helped the soldier get up and gave him a pat in the back. The soldier thanked her and asked on the radio for the location of his squad before leaving.


    ¡®Ok, let¡¯s move.¡¯ Alon spoke as he started to walk forward.


    Alon¡¯s company continued with their formation, but the encounters were asparced, with no much more than five monsters; they even encountered a group of Velvent soldiers on the far left of the formation.


    ¡®Angel-6, this is Angel-4; we have eliminated a group of Velvent soldiers, over.¡¯ The blond A-Dam was using his rifle to poke the body of a Velvent soldier.


    ¡®Good job, Angel-4; keep it up, Angel-6 out.¡¯ Alon stroked his chin while walking.


    Eliza was again taken back by his words; her expression changed, and the feeling of loss filled her heart. Edmund noticed her change and came closer to her.


    ¡®In some years they will be under the duchess rule so we don¡¯t have to kill them anymore; they will be killing others instead, smile Eliza.¡¯ Edmund chuckled.


    ¡®Ok, Edmund, I get it.¡¯ She sigh.


    The soldiers around them laughed, including Alon. She opened a smile and shook her head as they walked forward until Bartel¡¯s voice came from the captain''s radio.


    ¡®Angel-6, this is Angel-3; we are seeing the fortress and it is much larger than reported, over.'' Bartel is using a spyglass to look at it.


    ¡®Understood, Angel-3, continue to observe and report immediately if anything changes; don¡¯t do anything rash, over.¡¯ Alon scratched the back of his head.


    ¡®Ok, we are going to take position here, Angel-3 out.¡¯ Bartel signals his squads to spread out.


    Alon looks back at Eliza and Edmund for a moment and clenches his fist. He was doubtful of the circumstances, but that was the mission, and the fact that Eliza and Edmund were there with him made him remember the duchess words after the last incident.


    ¡®Angel-6 to all units; we found the enemy fortress; execute the first stage of the operation, Angel-6 out.¡¯ Alon continued to walk.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 77

    ¡®Sarge, are we going to do that suicide charge like last time? That wasn¡¯t good, I tell you that much.¡¯ Asher asked, looking at Egor while hiding behind a fallen tree.


    ¡®No, the plan is different; how did you forget? I told everyone here what was going to happen.¡¯ Egor sighs while rolling his eyes.


    ¡®You worry too much, Asher; last time wasn¡¯t that bad.¡¯ Smiled at the combat medic.


    ¡®You almost died, you idiot; what are you talking about?¡¯ He lowered his voice, trying to hide his anger.


    ¡®You two, go to Alon; the field hospital is going to be two hundred yards behind us.¡¯ Egor pointed at Asher and another soldier.


    The two nodded at the sargent and walked back to where Alon was, but Egor thought that this kind of configuration wasn¡¯t good; now he had two men less in his squad to shoot and to carry injured, not a good look from his perspective.


    Ethan was concentrated on the mission at hand, so much that he didn¡¯t really talk much with his squadmates from the moment they were in battle; he was more concerned with keeping his promise with Ruth to not die, but the conversation between his colleagues and his thoughts were interrupted by Bartel¡¯s voice coming from the Egor¡¯s radio.


    ¡®3-6 to all squads; the operation is about to start; pick a target if you have one.¡¯ Bartel¡¯s voice was sharp and decisive.


    Egor signaled to his squad to get into position; they just waited for the exact moment everything was about to begin. Bartel¡¯s platoon were the most calm about it, calmly waiting.


    ¡®Yeah, we need people just for this field hospital thing.¡¯ Alon was looking around.


    Eliza sat on a rock, waiting for the battle to start. She saw two soldiers coming in their direction, but her mind was on the task at hand: healing those soldiers so that they could go back and fight again. That was the plan anyway; it made sense in her mind anyway.


    ¡®Sir, we are the medics from the 3-3.¡¯ Asher spoke as he saluted Alon.


    ¡®You two will need to assess those that need priority so that she can only focus on healing, ok?'' Alon nodded at the two.


    ¡®Yes, sir.¡¯ The two spoke in unison.


    Alon walked forward and stood next to Edmund, who was looking around, even closing his eyes, looking like he was trying to hear something, and that made the captain curious.


    ¡®What are you doing, Edmund?¡¯ Alon patted Edmund¡¯s shoulder.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡®Trying to sense how many of those mages are inside of this one; I can¡¯t put my finger on there are too many of them.¡¯ Edmund held his chin for a moment.


    ¡®This is bad.¡¯ Alon pulled his radio again.


    ¡®I think I¡¯m going to be needed in the end; there is something more inside.¡¯ He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate.


    ¡®Angel-6 to all platoons; be advised there is a large concentration of mages inside of the fortress. Angel-6 out.¡¯ Alon spoke while looking at Edmund.


    The platoon leaders were surprised by the information, and as they passed the information down, all soldiers became more nervous about their situation. A mage was something out of a fairy tale; nobody there, aside from some people on Bartel¡¯s platoon, saw one.


    ¡®What a bunch of idiots! You hunt these creatures for a reason; they become stronger if in larger groups, but the kingdoms didn¡¯t care at all about this.¡¯ Alon clenched his fist.


    ¡®Lavan hate for Ariadne and Velvent hate for Lavan created a big problem for us, but don¡¯t worry, Alon, we are going to make it.¡¯ Edmund gave a pat on Alon¡¯s back.


    The captain nodded at the young man and took a deep breath before again pulling his radio and pressing another set of numbers.


    ¡®Command, this is Angel-6; we are about to begin the operation but it is worse than we thought, over.¡¯ Alon stroked his hair.


    ¡®How worst, captain? Over.¡¯ The young lady''s voice sounded concerned.


    ¡®Multiple unknown creatures inside of the fortress; I¡¯m requesting all available personnel in the area for immediate assistance.¡¯ His voice was firmer than before.


    ¡®Negative captain, all personnel in the region are currently engaged.¡¯ She was scrolling through her tablet.


    ¡®Undestood, Angel-6 out.¡¯ Alon took a deep breath.


    On the front, Bartel saw with his spyglass a strange movement on the walls. He gasped as the memory came rushing through his mind of the creature he saw inside the fortress, but this time now they were among the goblins and orks, beginning to walk around on top of the walls.


    ¡®Angel-6, this is Angel-3, visual confirmation of the mages, over.¡¯ He continued to observe.


    ¡®Undestood, continue to wait for the signal, Angel-6 out.¡¯ Alon looked at Edmund.


    In the back, at a distance, the mortar squad was prepared and just waiting for the orders as three more soldiers that were with Alon were helping guard the position. The ten soldiers were nervous for the simple fact that they were so distant from the front line alone, around a thousand yards, the only place they could set up the weapon with safety.


    ¡®Mortar squad, begin the operation, over.¡¯ Alon¡¯s voice was heard from the squad leader''s radio.


    ¡®Undestood, Mortar squad out.¡¯ He spoke with a firm voice.


    The soldier on the left of the weapon checked the position, and another got one round and gave it to the one on the right side; he then held it, just waiting for the order to start, ready to drop it inside of the weapon.


    ¡®Three rounds, three rounds.¡¯ The squad leader spoke.


    The weapon started to fire with one round after the other being lauched until the total of three were shot, and they all looked at one another with a smile on their faces but quickly prepared to shoot again.


    On the other side of the fortress, the blue-eyed Shafran was waiting for the signal like everyone else, but he heard a long wistle, and suddenly one of the walls of the fortress exploded, making creatures fly. This was the signal they were waiting for.


    From the forest, a rain of blue traces emerged and flew toward the fortress, at the same time hitting the creatures on the wall, but the majority was aimed at the patrols outside of the fortification; all of them fell in an instant. The other explosion was inside the fortress, but the last one landed outside of the walls to the right.


    ¡®Mortar squad, this is 2-6; your last shot was a miss; adjust based on my mark, over.¡¯ Calb pressed two marks on his tablet.


    ¡®Undestood, information received, adjusting for the next volley, Mortar squad over.¡¯ The squad leader looked at his tablet.


    Using the position of 2-6 and all of the other platoons around the fortress, they adjusted the next shot. It was something Edmund made so that the platoon leaders could give their locations to help the mortar squad calculate the distance if they didn¡¯t have a detailed map of the area. It wasn¡¯t perfect; it needed to be manually pinged, but it helped a lot.


    ¡®Three rounds, three rounds.¡¯ The squad leader spoke.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 78

    As the second round of explosions was beginning, fire balls and ice spikes started to come from the fortress against the positions where the platoons surrounding the fortification were, and at the same time the creatures started to pour out of the broken walls the gates that were now right open.


    ¡®Get down, stay in cover.¡¯ Egor shouted.


    The fireballs passed above their position, hitting trees behind them but the ice spikes were different; their shape and force got chunks out of the trees that some of Egor¡¯s squadmates were hiding behind. Ethan saw that Samal wasn¡¯t in a good position and shoulted for him to move; clearly, the tree he was hiding behind wasn¡¯t going to last, as he was only concerned with returning fire.


    ¡®Move damn it.¡¯ Ethan jumped on Samal.


    The tree he was using as cover was cut in half by ice fragments. Ethan got up quickly and gave Samal a light punch so that he followed him to a better position behind a small, dirty elevation caused by a previous fallen tree.


    ¡®3-6 to all squads; the trees are not a reliable cover; dig small holes or use the terrain, 3-6 out.¡¯ Bartel¡¯s voice was heard from Egor¡¯s radio.


    As the battle raged, all soldiers were moving, trying to change positions, and that was the chance for some of them to get wounded by the flying projectiles in the middle of the battle; one even got part of an ice spike on his shoulder from the larger one that exploded on his chest due to the magic shield on his combat vest.


    The creatures were approaching the trees where the soldiers were hiding little by little because of the intense volleys coming from the walls of magic. Seeing this, Bartel took again his radio.


    ¡®3-6 to all squads, use the cannons to destroy those walls, now!!!¡¯ Bartel shouted.


    After those words came through the radios, all of his platoon moved in a way to make it happen, and one by one the shots were fired against the walls, making them crumble. At the same time, more explosions were happening inside of the walls, making more creatures pour out of the broken walls, this time not because it was a planned attack but more out of panic.


    The other two platoons to the sides of Batel¡¯s saw what was happening and mimicked their action firing against the walls, causing the mages to make more holes in the massive structure, and from there, because of the bombardment coming from the mortar, creatures were trying to flee from inside of it.


    The problem now was the amount of monsters coming their way. Now the cannons were even having to use their explosive ammunition against the mob of creatures. On top of that, arrows and magic were still flying towards the soldiers on every side of the fortress.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Distant from the chaos, the soldiers were starting to arrive at the makeshift hospital field and Eliza was healing those that needed it the most first. Alon even needed to send more than half of his soldiers to supplement the fourth platoon because of the amount of wounded that came.


    ¡®I thought that they had large numbers but this is insane; we didn¡¯t even get out of the forest yet.¡¯ Alon talked to himself, frustrated with the situation.


    ¡®Angel-6, this is Angel-4; thanks for the reinforcements; they just don¡¯t top coming out of that thing over.¡¯ The platoon leader got his blond hair out of his eye.


    ¡®Undestood Angel-4, your man is going to return to you soon; these are just some burn marks northing major, over.¡¯ Alon looked behind him at the burn marks of the soldiers screaming in pain.


    ¡®If you say so Angel-6, i¡¯m be waiting, Angel-4 out.¡¯ The blond-haired A-Dam took a deep breath as one ice spike landed right to his side.


    Edmund was looking in the direction of the fortress, moving his head like he was trying to hear something; nobody noticed because of how busy everyone around was running back and forward from the front lines.


    ¡®Alon, something just passed us.¡¯ Edmund looked at Alon with wide eyes.


    ¡®How is that possible?¡¯ Alon looked around confused.


    ¡®Underground, and is going for the mortar squad.¡¯ Edmund looked behind him.


    ¡®Mortar squad, there is an unknown creature going your way and is underground, over.¡¯ Alon talked on his radio.


    Edmund pulled his sword out of the ground, looked at Alon, and jumped over the wounded on the ground. The moment he landed and the people looked at him, his eyes were directed at Alon, full of determination, and he suddenly started to run towards the mortar team and soon vanished between the trees and small hills. Because of the uneven terrain, it was difficult to see far in the distance.


    ¡®Undestood Angel-6, over.¡¯ The squad leader looked to the ground around him.


    ¡®Edmund is going your way, Angel-6 out.¡¯ Alon looked around and to the ground.


    His thoughts were filled with multiple scenarios that could happen; he was hearing the shots and explosions coming from the assalt, taking everything in trying to think about his next move.


    ¡®Angel-6 to all platoons; enemies may be coming from behind you or below you. Angel-6 out.¡¯ He looked at the distance, concerned.


    As the mortar squad was packing things up because they only had ten rounds left, the squad leader decided to move, but at the same time, loud noises of trees crackling and breaking got closer and closer to their position until one of the soldiers saw a large creature charging at them coming from the left as it punched a tree to the side.


    ¡®By the Goddess, he is coming for us.¡¯ The soldier shouted as he aimed his rifle at the creature and started to fire.


    All of them turned to where he was firing and did the same but nothing was stopping the creature; the shots just bounced on the creature''s armor and skin like it was nothing as he was still coming in their direction. Now closer, they noticed what looked like swords on its hands, cutting trees on its way.


    ¡®Run to the sides, scatter!!!¡¯ The squad leader shouted


    In the panic, everyone was in one direction and the creature aimed at a soldier that ran from the beast in a line. Because of the panic, he just didn¡¯t think right. The creature swung its sword but he jumped forward in the right moment and was able to dodge the devastating blow.


    His squadmates continued to fire against the creature with no veil. The shots just continued to bounce off his skin and armor. The creature looked at the soldier on the ground and swung its sword again, this time trying to crush him.


    A loud noise like one of the rounds had exploded came from the direction of the creature; the soldiers seeing from behind thought it was the sound of the impact of the creature strike but instead of the ground, the sword of the creature now was up high and Edmund was to the side of the fallen soldier, holding his sword to the side.


    ¡®Run.¡¯ Edmund spoke in a calm tone.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 79

    The creature roard after noticing that his sword was repealed by the small one, the soldier on the ground fleed, the monster strook again now with his other sword, Edmund blocked the strike but instead of flying because of the strength of the blow, he used it¡¯s own force against it like he did daily while fighting against Ariadne but his counter strike was blocked by the giant monster that was pushed back, even getting some inches of the ground as Edmund looked at him with a smile on his face.


    ¡®An catapult, that was the name of your kind, different weapons for a different age or you are not complete just like the one I saw in the last fortress.¡¯ Edmund stroked his chin.


    The catapult looked at him with rage in its eyes and pressed his swords against one another with such speed and force that sparks came out of it. Another roar came from the creature as he ran towards Edmund, who had prepared himself for the fight.


    One after the other, the strikes the creature did against him were blocked and its force was redirected back to the creature that responded with more ferocious blows. The mortar squad was still there packing things up but they stopped for a moment because of the sound the blows were making.


    Their attention was pulled to the fight and they saw Edmund doing something like a dance while fighting against the mighty beast as the forest around them was being completely destroyed and parts of trees flew in all directions by the swings of their strikes.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go!!!¡¯ The squad leader shouted as he ran holding a part of the mortar.


    The soldiers ran in the direction of the field hospital, holding the different parts of the weapon, hearing the sounds of the blades crashing in the background and trees shattering. One last time the squad leader looked behind and he saw the giant beast flying across his team while they were running, his body hitting the larger trees and the ground with such brute force that he couldn''t believe the creature was still alive.


    As they continued to go forward, Edmund was standing between them and the beast; he was holding the handle of the sword, and the point of the blade was touching the ground as the young man was walking towards the creature that now was getting up. The last man of his squad passed him, and with his, he turned his back to the scene, having a sense that Edmund was not fighting seriously because he had seen the duchess and him fight, and that was a completely different thing.Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡®You are so weak that even a rail cannon shot could take you down.¡¯ Edmund smiled as he began to run towards the catapult.


    The beast was confused as it was getting up; he couldn¡¯t understand how every strike the small creature that was fighting against him was heavier and heavier to the point it launched him this far, but he had no time to think straight because the small creature was already on top of him. striking it with another heavy blow that again was blocked but this time it was already heavy; it didn¡¯t need to be an exchange of blows between the two. This again confused the beast; no one in his home could match this. For the first time in his short life, fear was what his body was feeling; he knew that because it was the same as those thin ones felt back at home.


    ¡®And it goes an arm.¡¯ Edmund swong his sword, severing the catapult right arm.


    The beast roared as his arm flew to the side but there was no time to think as he couldn¡¯t feel his other arm too; only his eyes could follow it to the other side but then the small creature was out of sight for a moment and the world began to spin. The last thing he saw was a hunge body on the ground with the small creature to its side scratching his face before darkness swallowed his world.


    ¡®You were definitely not made to close combat, too slow but fast enough against normal soldiers so I understand why you give used swords.¡¯ Edmund was looking at the fallen body of the beast.


    Edmund looked at the body for a while, with sounds of the battle in the distance. Thinking more about the differences between this beast and the original catapult from the demon lord army, he remembered that inside of it there was a crystal. He pulled a knife and opened the beast''s chest and pulled a shining object of the size of his first. With a wide smile, he looked at the blue object.


    ¡®Maybe there are more of those inside the fortress, maybe even inside of the small ones.¡¯ Edmund cleaned the crystal on his pants before putting in a small bag attached to his thigh.


    On the frontlines, the explosions inside the fortress helped the soldiers on the trees because most of the monsters returned to the fortress and stopped trying to swarm their positions; they were not even in a position to advance into the structure because of the wounded soldiers going back and forward from and to the field hospital.


    The fact that sometimes their medics had to stop fighting to carry or assist the soldiers to the hospital was really bad going as far as a complete squad wipe in Angel-5 position as multiple mages aimed fireballs at their position and they were only saved by their protective gear. All of those situations were being passed on the radio, making the situation chaotic at times for Alon alone to deal with.


    That was enough time for the mortar squad to arrive at Alon¡¯s location and start to position the weapon again, but now, with the help of the rest of the soldiers Alon had at his disposal, he had cleared the path so that it could be used effectively. Again they loaded and launched the rounds at the fortress.


    ¡®Angel-6 to all platoons; use all your explosive cannon rounds against the fortification, over.¡¯ Alon¡¯s voice was heard on Bartel¡¯s radio.


    ¡®This is Angel-3. What about the possible prisoners? Over.¡¯ Bartel protected his eyes from dirt that flew in his direction.


    ¡®They are not a concern anymore; this is too dangerous. Angel-6 out.¡¯ Alon¡¯s calm and cold voice came in all platoon leaders radios.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 80

    With the first mortar round out of ten falling into the fortress, all the available rail cannon shot at the same time, aiming for walls and even the holes on those walls where more enemies were coming out of.


    The monsters entered a complete state of panic and the magic projectiles came to a halt, but all of the platoons used all of their explosive ammunition on what was left of the walls, doing enough damage to the structure that nothing could go up them, whiteout the whole thing, and come down crumbling.


    Even after Alon¡¯s order, the soldiers tried not to shoot on parts of the fortress where they thought a building was next to it or the wall itself was part of it, as they didn¡¯t want to kill the prisoners that may be in those buildings.


    The last shot felt, and with that, Alon¡¯s order to move forward into the fortress was given via radio; to their surprise, no reaction came from the fortress as the soldiers approached from all sides.


    ¡®Here we go again.¡¯ Ethan murmured to himself.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, corporal, you will be fine.¡¯ Egor patted him on his back.


    It was quiet up until they got really close to the walls, where orks ran towards them coming from the debris of the walls and gaps on the remaining structures. They weren¡¯t alone from behind; some mages used them as shields and fired their spells, some even hitting the orks themselves in their backs.


    ¡®Get down and shoot!!!¡¯ Egor shoulted as he quickly lay down.


    There were some orks that got close to some soldiers and knocked them down but the others around quickly disposed of orks using their knives or even shot at them in an opportune moment while the exchange of fire between the two sides continued, but Alon¡¯s company advanced, almost getting stuck as they passed through the monsters bodies lying on the ground as they reached the ruins of the walls.


    Ethan took a deep breath entering the gap in the wall and was surprised by the fact that inside the fortress was completely destroyed; unlike the fortress his platoon invaded before, there was nothing left inside the fortress, just the remains of the walls and as he looked around, he saw soldiers coming from other gaps in the wall.


    ¡®This new weapon sure is powerful.'' He talked to himself while walking forward.


    ¡®Inside is worse than outside; look at these body parts.¡¯ Caleb looked around and kicked a hand away.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    As the soldiers surveyed the ruins of the fortress, no building was intact, the mortar rounds made huge holes all around the fortification, and the body parts of the creatures were all around a sight to make the stomachs of those inside turn, but right in the middle, one of the soldiers heard a voice; it came from a pile of debris. As he came closer, he called for assistance from those around him.


    ¡®Angel-1, this is 1-2; there are voices coming from a pile of debris in the middle of the fortress, over.¡¯ The A-Dam looked intrigued at the huge pile of rocks.


    ¡®Maybe the prisoners; proceed with caution over.'' The gray-fur Shafran turned around and saw the sargent in the distance.


    ¡®Undestood,1-2 out.¡¯ He nodded to the soldiers next to him.


    They started to get the rocks out of the way as more soldiers came closer to see what was going on and help with the task at hand.


    ¡®Angel-6, this is Angel-1; we may have found the prisoners trapped on the debris over.¡¯ The familiar voice came from Alon¡¯s radio.


    ¡®Oh, I hope they are fine; now I¡¯m not going to feel bad for my order.¡¯ Alon smiled.


    ¡®You did what it had to be done, captain; I would do the same, but what are your orders now? Over.¡¯ The gray-fur Shafran stopped and observed what was going on in the middle from a distance.


    A hand touched Alon¡¯s shoulder; it was Edmund smiling at the captain and with his other hand showing a blue crystal to him.


    ¡®Look what I found. Can you ask the soldiers to open the chests of the mage creatures to see if there are crystals like theses? And if there are, take it.¡¯ He smiled.


    ¡®Why would I be surprised by anything you say Edmund?¡¯ Alon sigh.


    ¡®Angel-6, do you hear me? Over¡¯ The voice again came from the radio.


    ¡®Yes, help the prisoners over.¡¯ Alon spoke in a calm tone.


    ¡®Undestood, Angel-1 out.¡¯ His voice was full of determination.


    ¡®So, when are you going to ask them? Now?¡¯ Edmund poked Alon¡¯s right shoulder.


    ¡®The goddess gives me patience that I can only be grateful for.¡¯ The captain took a deep breath.


    ¡®Seriously? That is new.¡¯ Edmund looked intrigued by Alon¡¯s words.


    The captain looked at the white-haired young man and shook his head. He felt that the operation was a success for the fact that now he has a better idea of how things should function and was happy about the new weapon Edmund developed, but there were still gaps that could be fixed.


    ¡®Angel-6 to all units, open the chest of the mages and look for a blue crystal; we will need them. Angel-6 out.¡¯ The order was heard by all soldiers.


    At the back of the fortress, Egor¡¯s squad was patrolling outside the fortress as they heard the message from their radios. The sight outside was chaotic; craters and bodies of monsters scatered between the fortress and the forest; even the forest had some sections burning because of the magic the mages used.


    ¡®Now we are butches; I wonder if the pay will increase as well.¡¯ Oran sigh.


    ¡®What are you talking about, brother? Is not hard at all, look..¡¯ Samal raised his voice and showed a small crystal to Oran at some distance.


    He looked at the crystal and to the body by Samal¡¯s side with the chest open and a knife plunged into its holder. It surprised him how fast his brother simply followed the orders with no hesitation but it wasn¡¯t the first time he acted like this and he thought that it wasn¡¯t going to be the last.


    ¡®Why are you like this brother?¡¯ Oran shook his head.


    ¡®What did you say?¡¯ Samal shouted, confused; he put the crystal in his pocket.


    ¡®Well everyone, do like Samal there; let¡¯s continue with the patrol and pick the ones we see, but continue to look for any Velvent rats; remember your orders; kill on sight.¡¯ Egor spat to the side.


    ¡®Yes, sir¡¯ All of his squad members spoke in unison.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 81

    Eliza was done treating the last soldier; it was relentless. The problem wasn¡¯t that she was tired of using the healing magic; it was the feeling she felt as she healed someone; it was like a link between the two formed and that came with a cost of mental fatigue. She leans against a tree; Edmund saw this as he came to her aid.


    ¡®What is the problem, Eliza?¡¯ He looked at her, concerned.


    ¡®You never told me it would be like this; in the duchess mansion last time it wasn¡¯t this bad, but I didn¡¯t need to use it in this intensity; the link is just too strong.¡¯ She looked up and closed her eyes.


    ¡®What? Link? What are you talking about?¡¯ Edmund came closer to her, confused.


    ¡®What do you mean? When I healed, I always felt bonds forming but now it is stronger than before, and I also realized that I can heal faster now.¡¯ She massaged the sides of her head.


    ¡®Well¡­ that is new, but now that you are saying it, yes, you were healing faster. Interesting. Hmm¡­¡¯ He held his chin while leaning on his sword.


    ¡®Eliza, we need you inside the fortress; there are survivors.¡¯ Alon spoke as he walked towards her.


    ¡®Ah, ok¡­ no problem.¡¯ Eliza gave him a quick smile.


    She stood up and started to walk in the direction of the fortress. Edmund and Alon were by her side, with a squad of soldiers always surrounding them, maintaining distance, and the mortar squad following behind.


    Getting out of the forest, she was horrified by the carnage of corpses of the monsters in the open, covering her mouth and looking to the ground, trying not to look directly at the bodies. It wasn¡¯t that she hadn¡¯t seen the monsters before; it was the small number of them and the smell of iron in the air that made her uncomfortable.


    Inside the structure, she didn¡¯t see bodies but parts of it; the smell wasn¡¯t that strong, and she could breathe again. One of the reasons for that was that the platoon leaders made the soldiers cover what they could with dirt; it made it better.


    Up front, A-Dam males and females were getting out of a pile of rocks; one by one, they looked at the soldiers with fear; most didn¡¯t even have the courage to look up, their eyes fixated on the ground as the medics were giving them aid and some rations.


    ¡®Let me help you.¡¯ Eliza kneels down next to a young lady.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The young lady looked at Eliza and was startled by the fact she was a Chatzi. Eliza understood her reaction but didn¡¯t care at all; of course she would be like this. How many Chatzi will this young woman see in her entire life? This thought made her smile as she began to heal her injured leg.


    ¡®What are you... Ah, it isn¡¯t hurting anymore and this light is warm¡­¡¯ The young lady looked surprised at Eliza¡¯s hand.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, it will be fine, but is it healing slower than before? I wonder if it is because you are too weak or that I used too much power.¡¯ Eliza spoke, now putting her two hands on top of the wound.


    This action captured the attention of the prisoners; the ones that were close enough were impressed by how her wound was closing by itself, saying it was a miracle, that the gods were with them, that a saint was with them.


    Edmund looked at the commotion forming and was surprised that the first thing they said was that there was some godly intervention, even to the point of saying Eliza was a saint.


    ¡®A goddess indeed; she ordered us to come here and save you all, strike evil at its core and correct the mistake that mortals committed. Who had the bright idea to push all of these monsters into one area?¡¯ Edmund opened his arms while raising his voice.


    Alon looked at the white-haired young man, intrigued with what his objective was with all of this, but around him all of the soldiers did the salute, closing their eyes and lowering their heads for a moment. Noticing this, he followed without even thinking, like he was in front of the duchess.


    ¡®This soldier around you had the power to fight against the overwhelming force of those monsters; she has the power to heal and I can sense magic; that is how we found you all, thanks to the goddess''s blessings.¡¯ Edmund walked among the people.


    Eliza was healing the ones that had more serious wounds while the medics bandaged the ones with more light injuries; they were already eating the rations; some of them even mimicked the salute the soldiers did.


    ¡®What is her name?¡¯ One man held Edmund¡¯s hand.


    ¡®You are not ready yet, but I will prove her blessing is real.¡¯ Edmund pulled his radio.


    He showed the device to the man, grabbed his hand, and pressed the part that activates the device, and nothing happened. He smiled, and the man looked at him confused.


    ¡®Your faith is not strong enough and is understandable, but¡­¡¯ Edmund used the radio.


    His voice was heard on Alon¡¯s radio; their eyes widened with the display of magic, but Edmund looked around and saw a woman coping with what the soldiers did before and murmuring to herself with the corner of his eyes. Still holding the man by the wrist, he walked to the woman. She opened her eyes and saw the white-haired young man give her the strange object.


    ¡®Put your finger on its side like this and talk; after that, give it to him.¡¯ He pointed at the man to his side.


    Following his instructions, she talked into the device and to everyone''s surprise, her voice was heard on Alon¡¯s radio, making the majority lower their heads. Edmund pointed at the man to his side; she gave him the device and he tried to do the same but like before, he failed.


    ¡®Give it to her.¡¯ Edmund looked at him with a calm expression.


    She got the device and again talked and her voice was heard from Alon¡¯s device. She gave it back to Edmund right after; this made the others around lower their heads and begin to murmur among themselves. While this was happening, Eliza was still treating the wounded, with some touching her hands and thanking her with a big smile on their faces.


    ¡®When you go back to your homes, maybe you will hear about her and what she can do for you and the devices that do amazing things. For now, just follow those that spread her word; just think a little. Do you think that those in power would want everyone to be able to use magic?¡¯ Edmund looked into the people¡¯s eyes.


    He walked to Alon¡¯s side, closed his eyes, and turned his head like he was trying to hear something in the distance. With his eyes open, he looked at Alon with a serious expression.


    ¡®Velvent is coming.¡¯ Alon pointed to the northwest.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 82

    ¡®How do you know?'' Alon looked at Edmund puzzled.


    ¡®They give me the same feeling Eliza does; they have six nobles, maybe a subjugation force aiming at this fortress.¡¯ He opened his eyes, looking at the northwest.


    ¡®Angel-6 to all units; Velvent is coming from the northwest; fallback to where we came from, now!¡¯ Alon turned around and started to walk.


    All of the soldiers started to walk in the direction Alon was going, leaving the A-Dam behind with Edmund and Eliza, who were still treating one of them.


    ¡®Our mission here is over. Walk that direction and you will find the Velvent soldiers. You don¡¯t know what happened; if they pushed, just tell the truth: the soldiers of the goddess saved you all. Let¡¯s go, Eliza.¡¯ Edmund turned around and walked away, puling his sword from the ground as he passed by it.


    ¡®Ah,ok¡­ Have faith and trust in her; she will be with you like I feel she is with me right now.¡¯ Eliza put her hand on top of her heart and nodded to the people before turning around and walking away.


    As the two walked away and the soldiers passed around them, they looked in the direction that Edmund pointed at and started to walk slowly and steadily going to the ruins of the fortress walls, but now with a smile on their faces, now that they would return to their town.


    ¡®Edmund, you can sense people that can use magic?¡¯ She looked up to the sky.


    ¡®It was in the middle of the mission on the other fortress; my body just sensed one of those that they call mages and now I can do it. Interesting, isn¡¯t it?.¡¯ He smirked.


    ¡®Humm, when I was healing those people, it wasn¡¯t as fast but when you started to talk and show things to them, some would heal faster and one even the same as one of our soldiers.¡¯ She looked back for a moment.


    ¡®Maybe, just maybe what makes the link between you and the person you are healing is her highness and that effects the effectiveness of your healing powers.¡¯ Edmund stroked his chin.


    ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ She looks at him curious.


    ¡®It needs testing, but even a person that can use the device has tiers of loyalty to her highness, like some call her goddess, others her highness, or just our leader.¡¯ Edmund looks forward deep in, though.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡®That means that if you want the healing to be more effective, you need to see her highness as the god that she is becoming; this is so beautiful.¡¯ She put her hands on top of her chest.


    ¡®Well¡­¡¯ Edmund scratched his head.


    As Alon¡¯s company walked out of the fortress and into the forest, they started to head to where they came from in the same formation in an arrow shape, with Eliza in the center protected by the Alon squad, and right behind the mortar squad, Edmund was just talking with her; she became more curious about his actions.


    ¡®Why did you preach to them about her back there?¡¯ She looked at him with a serious look.


    Some soldiers around them look too, curious of his answer because they too saw what he said. Alon wasn¡¯t really paying attention to any of it, as he was concentrating on the coordination of the platoons.


    ¡®It''s simple; they are a seed; now in Velvent we have a large group that can spread word about Ariadne; the situation was perfect.¡¯ Edmund turned his head like he was trying to listen to something.


    ¡®You are thinking far a head, hum? Are you trying to sense the people from before?¡¯ She extended her hand to Edmund.


    ¡®Yes, they are not following us; I think they are at the fortress; I don¡¯t really know for sure and it''s not that I¡¯m thinking far ahead; I just did because it was a good opportunity.¡¯ He got her hand and helped her get over a small fissure that she couldn''t jump over.


    As he was helping her, Edmund had the impression that she was probing him or something like it; he can¡¯t say anything about how he only sees the duchess as a leader and nothing more; in his mind, this would completely make everyone against him on the spot.


    Their views on Ariadne are becoming more religious; even Eliza, who is a childhood friend of hers, was saying that the people back there should have faith in the duchess and he remembered that they already have a story about him in their minds and he can¡¯t go against it.


    He smiled at Eliza after helping her and continuing to walk. The soldiers around them looked at Eliza from time to time and at him too, maybe waiting for them to resume the conversation but it would be some time before Edmund opened his mouth.


    ¡®We learned a lot on this mission; after listening to you talk, I will give some recommendations to the duchess.¡¯ Alon looked behind for a moment as he continued to walk.


    ¡®What recommendations? That they all need to worship her as a god? Well¡­¡¯ Edmund scratched the back of his head.


    ¡®That would be wonderful.¡¯ Eliza spoke in a chearful tone.


    ¡®I already do that, captain.¡¯ A soldier raised his hand.


    ¡®Me too,¡¯ another one said.


    Some others raised their hands before Edmund started to be concerned, not because they were viewing Ariadne as a goddess; that is expected and even wanted, but it was happening too fast; his thoughts were full of speculation. But one thing is certain: this connection Ariane and now Eliza talked about is becoming stronger.


    ¡®Yes, that is one of the recommendations, which is a huge advantage. I wonder if daily prayer would improve it somehow.¡¯ Alon looked behind again for a moment.


    ¡®I think I do; my healing improved greatly after I began to pray to her highness daily right before going to bed.¡¯ She began to smile, like she had a feeling of relief.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know about healing, but I feel way calmer now that I pray for our goddess.¡¯ A soldier to the right spoke.


    ¡®Me and my wife are feeling so much happier now that we pray thanking her every day for everything we have.¡¯ Another soldier spoke but now from the left of the group.


    Edmund was shocked at how they were talking about Ariadne; it made no sense; this ability was deeper than he thought. With his sword resting on his right shoulder, he was trying to take in what everyone was talking about, but he felt more and more like an outsider.


    ¡®What is happening?¡¯ Edmund thought to himself.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 83

    An A-Dam with a crown on his head was riding a horse and by his side was another A-Dam with black hair with some gray and his blue eyes were the most striking. The two figures were scolded by another three in horses and behind them was an army fully equipped, marching through the forest.


    Only the steps of their man could be heard; unlike before, distant explosions filled the atmosphere. Now closer to their objective, they had stopped; in their place, tension was among the footmen, but their eyes were firm and focused.


    At the distance, movement stopped the soldiers on their tracks, an defensive formation was put to use and a strident and loud voice came from within the formation.


    ¡®Hold it, right there!¡¯ The commanding voice echoed.


    ¡®We came from the fortress of the beasts; help us.¡¯ The man¡¯s voice was struggling for strength.


    As the man in the formation was starting to raise his voice, another came from behind him, and a path among the formation was open; the crown was apparent, the blond hair and blue eyes concentrated with the black cap, but the shining silver armor uplifted his aura.


    The man looked around, seeing his other soldiers entering a defensive formation, waiting for a possible ambush from the enemies they came here to slay, but nothing happened; he was there in his white horse in front of his army, looking at the large approaching group.


    ¡®Come quickly; don¡¯t be afraid; we are here to slay the creatures in this forest.¡¯ His voice echoed  in the forest.


    Behind the lines, the other four horsemen stood but only one was stoick and completely imobile, just waiting his turn to act like a wolf waiting for the right moment to strike, his black hair walvering with the wind, seeing the group walking in their direction, now faster than before.


    ¡®Father, how those people escaped from the monsters?¡¯ The young man looked at the black-haired man to his side.


    ¡®Don¡¯t know and don¡¯t care; you shouldn¡¯t occupy your mind with things you can¡¯t explain, son; we need to be prepared only for the fact that this could be a trap.¡¯ He looked at his son for a moment.


    ¡®Ho¡­ I understand, you are right.¡¯ The young man looked to the large group approaching.


    The large group was only ten feet from the man in the white horse; up until now, nothing happened, and he looked around and saw signals coming from his other formations saying that there were no enemies visible, but as he did this, voices coming from the large group caught his attention.


    ¡®Like the angels said, they are the Velvent soldiers.¡¯ A woman shouted.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    This made a comotion that erupted in the people getting on their knees one by one and starting to pray, thanking for what had happened.


    ¡®I¡¯m King Rufus Volter; what are those angels you are talking about?¡¯ He spoke with a commanding tone as he pointed to the woman.


    His soldiers started to move forward, not in formation but to aid the people; they were being led to the back of the formation by them but some stood face to face with the King.


    ¡®Your Majesty, we are from a small town that was close to this forest; we were captured weeks ago.¡¯ The woman looked to the ground while speaking.


    ¡®We know this; that is why we are here. What about these angels you were talking about?¡¯ Rufus raised his voice.


    ¡®We are only two hundred out of maybe six hundred; the majority served as food for the creatures.¡¯ The woman spoke with dreed in her voice.


    ¡®Are you making me for a fool, woman?¡¯ He pointed his sword at her.


    The others covered the woman with their bodies as they tranbled in fear, but one looked up at the king with visible fear in his eyes.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, your majesty; she is just in shock for what happened to us. The angels saved us and destroyed all of the creatures on the stronghold ahead; a white-haired A-dam young man with blue eyes pointed us to your majesty.¡¯ The man spoke with a trambled tone.


    ¡®Humm¡­ I understand, we are here to rescue you, but say more about those savious of yours.¡¯ The king put his sword away.


    The other four horsemen approached the king from behind, looking at the state of those in the group with concern and curiosity, but one didn''t care at all; he only looked around, ignoring everything and everyone.


    ¡®They all were wearing greenish clothes, caring wooden clubs or something, but the white-haired young man was wearing dirty commoner clothes and he carried a large sword.¡¯ The man went up and looked at the king.


    ¡®Humm¡­ Interesting; maybe Lavan forces but an A-dam, Edmund?¡¯ The king talked to himself.


    ¡®Your majesty, let¡¯s investigate this stronghold they are talking about.¡¯ They black-haired horsemen spoke.


    ¡®You are right, Bartholome; let¡¯s continue.¡¯ He moved forward with his horse.


    As they passed the commoners, the horsemen noticed that the ones on the ground were murmuring, but with only one hand covering their mouth in the form of a fist, they found this strange but continued.


    ¡®What do you think, Bartholome? Lavan dealt with these creatures before us and I think they may even be using Edmund on the frontlines.¡¯ Rufus scratched his chin.


    ¡®Prohaps, if you want, we could send scouts to see the size of their forces.¡¯ He spoke in a calm manner.


    ¡®Don¡¯t; we are between the territories; this could trigger something bigger; let¡¯s investigate and go home... The idea of pushing these creatures like this was bad; we had to reinforce our border for a problem we caused.¡¯ The king shook his head slowly.


    ¡®Indeed, forces were diverged from the borders with the cofederate tribes to protect the towns and villages around here. We have two thousand troops; I wonder how many they used to take down the fortress.¡¯ Bartholome had a puzzled look on his face.


    The king and his army marched for a while but finally they got to the edge of the forest surrounding the fortress and they were all shocked by the sight of the creatures lying on the ground, the walls of the fortress with giant holes in them and crates around the fortress and in the forest itself, where they were standing.


    Rufus pointed toward the fortress and the soldiers stated to move toward the ruins of the fortress. Some looked at the bodies of the creatures on the ground and found it weird that some of them had no visible wounds; they could only see blood but no arrows or sword cuts; others completely served in half in a confusion of bodies all around and beneath the A-Dam soldiers.


    ¡®Father, this is strange; where are the bodies of Lavan soldiers? I don¡¯t think they would have the time to get all of them before we get here.¡¯ A blond young man on top of one of the horses pointed at the bodies.


    ¡®Yes, Edinburg, now that you are bringing this up, is indeed strange.¡¯ Rufus looked at his son.


    ¡®We need more information, scouts!!!¡¯ Bartholome raised his voice.


    Two horsemen cam to his side from the right and stopped right behind him; the soldiers continued to pass through them as they advanced towards the ruins of the fortress.


    ¡®Go towards the kingdom of Lavan, there! If you find soldiers or anything strange, return. Do not engage.¡¯ His words were firm and crisp.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 84

    Inside of the fortress, King Rufus was walking around, noticing the craters and the pieces of the creatures bodies that are now starting to smell, but another thing he noticed was that the mages had a hole in their chest and it looked like it was made with a knife or sword.


    Bartholome was impressed by the amount of mages he saw on the ruins of the walls and the numbers of goblins and orks around the fortress itself. With the force they had now, it would be impossible to take down this fortress without heavy losses; the number of mages alone would make this almost impossible, even with the help of the five of them using magic spells.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t make sense; how many soldiers did they have? How many nobles took part in this battle?¡¯ Bartholome kicked a monster¡¯s hand away.


    ¡®It''s really strange, Duke; the walls are in ruins and the structures inside here are nothing but rubles. How did they do that?¡¯ Edinburg walked to the side of Bartholome.


    ¡®Tell everyone to look for mages that don¡¯t have their chest open like this one here and bring it to me.¡¯ Rufus looked at one of his captains while pointing at a mage with its chest punctured.


    The captain left with all of the soldiers that were around them, leaving only two to guard the five nobles. One of them was just observing everything. Part of his face and all of his hair were covered by a cloth. It was like he didn¡¯t even care to be there at all.


    ¡®Why are you even here, Julia? You look bored.¡¯ The son of the duke spoke in a mocking maner.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter what happened here; Edmund was the cause of it; if Father had listened to brother before the deal, we would have a killing machine in our hands.¡¯ She took off her cover and her blond hair.


    ¡®Shush Julia, with highsight everything is easier; don¡¯t disrespect our father.¡¯ Edinburg sigh.


    ¡®I¡¯m not saying anything bad; how was he able to have white hair all of a sudden? He wasn¡¯t in pain, it wasn¡¯t like he could get drugs from the servants; nobody talked to him, it was just a waste.¡¯ She crossed her arms.


    ¡®Julia!!!¡¯ He raised his voice.


    ¡®Enough!!!¡¯ Rufus turned around, looking at the two.


    The two siblings looked at their father and to one another for a moment; Julia sighed, and Edinburg gave an angry look at his sister.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡®There is a point in allowing people to talk with some leeway over your actions, Edinburg, it shows flaws that you couldn¡¯t see so that you can adjust for the future, if i could get Edmund back, it would be good.¡¯ The king walked closer to the siblings and smiled at them.


    ¡®Your majesty is really wise; learn from this, Erick .¡¯ The duke gave a pat on his son¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡®Yes, father.¡¯ He nodded to his father.


    After some time, the soldiers came back with the body of a mage with multiple holes in his body. Rufus made a gesture for them to lay down the body and he pulled a knife from one of the soldiers that was by his side and drilled into the chest of the creature right on the spot the others he saw before were.


    ¡®Interesting, a crystal...¡¯ He held on his finger a small blooded crystal.


    The two horsemen cameback in a hurry but stopped right to the side of the duke and his son, dismounting and taking a kneel in front of the duke.


    ¡®Sir duke, we found something you should see for yourself.¡¯ The soldier looked up to the duke.


    ¡®Let¡¯s all see what this is about, i didn¡¯t know that mages had this useless crystals inside of their chest.¡¯ Rufus showed the crystal to the duke.


    The duke was intrigued by everything he was seeing, from the fortress itself to the number of creatures on the ground. Now these same creatures have crystals inside of their chest and from the look of it, it was the same they sometimes find in caves while mining for iron or gold.


    They followed the two soldiers and entered the forest again but on the other side of the fortress and in on the way there, the same imagery of the bodies of the creatures around the fortress.


    As they go further inside of the fortress, one of the soldiers points at something on the ground. They got closer and every single one of them gasped at the sight of the gigantic monster with a hole in his chest and without his two arms and head.


    ¡®What in the world is this thing? And is that right there is his head? ¡¯ Julia pointed at something on the ground to the side.


    Rufus and the duke desmounted and got closer to the creature corpse; he was huge. Looking at one of his missing arms on the group, the duke notices that the sword the creature was using was like him enormous; it had dents all over the blade and it was also bended.


    ¡®All of this cuts are clean, like it was made in one single strike, everysingle one of them.¡¯ Rufus stroked his chin.


    ¡®And look at the trees around us; they are shattered. Someone fought this thing by himself?¡¯ Bartholome looked at the destroyed trees.


    ¡®Edmund¡­ ¡® Julia whispered.


    Edinburg noticed his sister¡¯s words and thought deeply about it: maybe he should have stood up and stopped the transaction that traded his brother for peace; he didn¡¯t really care about the fact that Edmund couldn¡¯t use magic; maybe he could be a good administrator, anything. At the end of his thought, Edinburg sighed.


    He came closer to the other arm, followed by Julia; it was on the other side of the creature and he noticed the dents on the blade and how bended it was. The soldiers that were accompanying them were shocked by how the surroundings were completely destroyed, with trees shattered.


    ¡®I never talked to him; on that table was the first time i¡¯ve heard his voice and to think he could be this powerful.¡¯ Julia spoke in a cold tone.


    ¡®This could be the work of the now duchess of the dokedom on the border; I don¡¯t know if you remembered she had white fur.¡¯ Edinburg looked at his sister.


    ¡®No¡­ she didn¡¯t know how to fight, the way she walked and behaved, she was no warrior, she is just completely insane, I felt for sure looking at her eyes back there.¡¯ She adjusted herself on the saddler for a moment.


    ¡®Prohaps you are right, my dear sister.¡¯ He looked again at the giant blade on the severed hand of the creature.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 85

    Edmund was again in a shop eating an afternoon snack while writhing on his tablet. His surroundings were full of cheerful families having lunch. Letting out a small smile, the young man remembered how far he got; now he even had money to buy things.


    A female chatzi sat on the chair across his table and called for one of the staff, He recognized Leah but sighed because one of the reasons he was there instead of in the duchess was that nobody would be talking to him about things about which he didn¡¯t care.


    The moment one of the staff got her cake slice and tea, Edmund really didn¡¯t understand why some times Leah did that; it was like she had no friends or nothing better to do, but it was not like that; she was just fulfilling the duchess orders to make sure he was working.


    ¡®Edmund, her highness wants to talk to you about what you are going to do with the crystals you got on the fortress and your opinion on the current situation.¡¯ She took a bite out of a cake.


    ¡®I¡¯m working right now, but so that you know, i want make a new weapon for the transports and maybe later for the troops after we conquer the dungeon.¡¯ He looked at her while writing on his tablet.


    ¡®Really? Interesting; you should show your ideas to her, and she can even give you more resources like she does for my projects.¡¯ Leah took a sip of her tea.


    ¡®Wait¡­ what? I need to beg for pocket money and you get resources? Is not that i care; i bet your things are much more important than mine.¡¯ Edmund sigh.


    ;


    ¡®No, majority are things from your notes; i just make it so they get to see the light of day with the help of the new and old students, She gives me money too because the duchy needs more sources of revenue, which is an investment for her.¡¯ She continued to eat her cake.


    ¡®I understand that everything around us wouldn''t be possible without those investments she made and the companies made. Well, the break is over; i¡¯m going there now.¡¯ He gets up and quickly walks out of the shop.


    She continued to eat but a staff member stopped right next to her table and dropped a tablet with the amount she should pay. She was in shock because of how expensive it was and there was a hole in it.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, i only asked for a cake and tea.¡¯ Leah looked at the staff member, a Shafran with blue eyes wearing a blue outfit with the name of the shop on the jacket.


    ¡®He left and you are here. This is the third time he does this to someone.¡¯ The staff member sighed.


    ¡®Fine, i will pay this time; now i know why the duchess gives him such a hard time.¡¯ She gets some coins out of her purse.


    ¡®There is no way he will prove his love for the goddess with an attitude like that, is a lost cause.¡¯ The staff member got the coins and walked back to the counter.


    ¡®More and more people are seeing the duchess as divinity; i kind of understand but she is no god... just our duchess.¡¯ Leah murmured to herself.


    Edmund ran to the mansion; his speed made everyone in the way there dazzled. Kids were used to him coming and going around the city from time to time; he didn¡¯t notice it as he was always in a hurry but they were looking up to him. The boys were pretending to be him and the girls were pretending to be Ariadne. The parents always laugh at the kids playing; to him, nothing of this existed; he was just running towards another task.


    At the door of Ariadne¡¯s office, the door opened by itself. Eliza was the one he saw; she gave him a smile and a nod before walking away. Edmund entered and stood in front of the duchess desk like many times before. He waited for her words with his hands behind his back and a serious expression.


    ¡®I received the report from Alon and wanted to confirm with Eliza, It''s interesting that her magic worked better on the ones that saw me as a god; it needs more confirmation, What do you have to say about that peasant?¡¯ She began to tap her desk with her index finger.


    ¡®Alon wants to transform your army into a bunch of religious zelots. That is what I have to say about that. Before, I thought that it was a good idea, but as i was walking back with them, i felt that some of them were completely different people from before.¡¯ His eyes fixated on hers.


    ¡®How different? You are not a bar for normality; why are they seeing me as a god a bad thing? Like i said before to you, i can feel the contection even if it is weak, like those on the fortress; even now i can feel a weak presence in a Velvent¡¯s direction.¡¯ She continued to tap her desk.


    ¡®Do you know if they are good people? From what you said, you know their feelings towards you; it doesn¡¯t mean they are good; i¡¯m just saying, maybe writing a book of your godly teachings would be a good idea.'' Edmund shrugs his shoulders.


    ¡®Humm¡­ i understand what you are saying; i will give it some thought.'' Ariadne lay back on her chair, crossing her arms.


    ¡®Wow, you really embraced all of this god thing, hum? Again, is good but be careful; last thing you know, this people will start a war in your name.¡¯ Edmund sat on the chair to his side.


    His words made sense, it was something she had thought about before, the connection she had with people sometimes acted like a drug she was never too high on to stop, in fact, the more she has of it the more she wants, but there are no drawbacks for her, but Edmund put a missing piece on the puzzle; it doesn¡¯t have for her. What about those on the other side, the worshipers? That was a question populating her mind at the moment, to the point of she forgetting completely that she had another person in the room.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 86

    ¡®You wanted to know in what I''m working right now? Is simple: a new weapon for the trucks; they need to protect themselves in the dungeon.¡¯ Edmund relaxed in his chair.


    Ariadne looked up to the ceiling, thinking about everything Edmund had said. She felt really calm with him in her office; that was the real reason she called for him. She didn¡¯t like the fact he was wandering around the city alone, but she remembered what Alon told her.


    ¡®Alon talked about a new type of monsters he never saw before, you called it a catapult, why is that?¡¯ She returned her eyes to the young man.


    ¡®It was on an old book in the kingdom library, it matched the look but the demon lord creature had something on his back and by the description, it stayed in all fours when it used his weapon or something; I don¡¯t really know more.¡¯ He again shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡®Humm¡­ The velvent royal library has a better collection of books, which is understandable; at the time of the tale, only A-dam existed.¡¯ She got her fan from a drawer.


    ¡®Actually there were more, but i don¡¯t know what happened with them, i would like to ask how much time we have until Lavan comes for us?¡¯ He taps the arm of his chair for a moment.


    She almost forgot that the clock was ticking because of all of the work she needed to oversee; everything was happening so fast. Again, her thoughts returned to reality as she looked at Edmund.


    ¡®We have six months now; I don¡¯t think there are more chatzi coming to the duchy; all of the projects are on hold because there are no crystals; we actually need to go to the dungeon; even with our weapons, Lavan has too many soldiers.¡¯ Ariadne started to fan herself.


    ¡®Give me a month to build the weapons for the dungeon raid.¡¯ Edmund pulled a tablet from a pocket inside his jacket.


    ¡®Ok, no problem; now you can sit there on the couch and work.¡¯ She pointed at the couch to the side with her closed fan.


    Edmund looked at the couch and felt like many times before, he was like a pet, but at the same time he was her slave. He looked at her and sighd after realizing how useless it was for him to go against her; it was even dangerous for him to do so. He looked at the celling and took a deep breath before standing up and walking to the couch.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Ariadne was wondering about what was going on in the kingdom; no information about her father was given to her in a long time, only about the business relations; the companies have not even noble movements; it was like walking in the complete dark and that concerned her recently. She returned to reality when the door to her office opened.


    ¡®Your highness, do you want me to bring your meal or you will eat at the dining room?¡¯ Alya walked in the office


    ¡®I would like to eat some fancy food.¡¯ Edmund looked at Alya for a moment.


    ¡®Shut up, peasant, you should go eat with the staff; it''s good food, isn''t it, Alya?¡¯ Ariadne continued to fan herself.


    ''Yes, your highness, but the cook complained that you are eating the same food as us, the only difference being that yours looks nicer.¡¯ She smiled.


    ¡®Do i need to worry?¡¯ Turn to face Ariane.


    ''Again, peasant, shut up, we are not in a position for me to spend like i¡¯m a queen or anything, those projects need money and it would be impossible if it wasn¡¯t the money coming from the companies, as you know.¡¯ Ariadne shook her head.


    ¡®Alright, i¡¯m glad that i don¡¯t have to deal with all of that.¡¯ He lay down on the couch.


    ¡®You can bring it in; have one for the peasant too.¡¯ Ariadne waved her hand.


    The maid got out and closed the door. The atmosphere in the office was calm as Edmund and Ariadne were focused on what they were doing; she was looking at the information about the battle and recent scouts of another possible fortress along the border; it was already dangerous to travel in the duchy and this made it worse.


    In the meantime, Edmond felt at sleep with the tablet facing up on top of his chest. It happened from time to time because of how relaxed he felt while working on something because if he didn''t, a deep guilt overwhelmed his mind like a curse.


    ¡®I wonder if we are going to be fine.¡¯ Ariadne muttered to herself while looking at Edmund sleeping on the couch.


    At the same time in the city, Ethan was walking back to his house; every day he was surprised by how everything changed in such little time; last year he was a carpenter apprentice, now a soldier.


    Ruth waved at her husband from the front of their house with a smile on her face; she had great news to share with him.


    ¡®Ethan, the doctor said that i¡¯m pregnant.¡¯ She shouted to him.


    ¡®What?¡¯ Ethan widens his eyes in shock.


    She ran towards him and jumped on his arms; he got her as she kissed him. Ethan was still confused with the situation; his mind started to race, thinking in all the possibilities of his future while embarrassing his wife with much care.


    ¡®Aren¡¯t you happy? Is our child!¡¯ She looked into his eyes.


    ¡®Yes, i¡¯m just a little bit shocked; of course i¡¯m happy.¡¯ He gave her a kiss on the forehead.


    Ethan was already with a lot on his head because of the next mission he was supposed to go; now he was going to be a father, but he hid everything inside and smiled at Ruth.


    ¡®And this is just the first one; we are going to have many more.¡¯ Ruth laughed while stroking his hair.


    ¡®Wait, what?¡¯ Ethan looked at him confused.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it; we are going to be even happier than now.¡¯ She kissed him again.


    Ethan was concerned but by now he knew that there was nothing he could do about his situation. It was completely hopeless but at least the one thing he knew was that this woman in his arms was completely in love with him.

 The Hero is not Coming - Chapter 87

    One more month passed by, and at the back of the mansion on the training field, Ariadne, Alya, Edmund, Ethan, and Alon were stating on the shooting range that soldiers normally practice. Edmund was holding in his arms the new weapon he promised to Ariadne; it looked like a rifle but larger, with a longer and larger barrel.


    Ethan looked at it with curiosity, but he couldn''t believe how they were going to carry that thing. Edmund held it with just one hand but judging by his force, it needed a minimum of two people to carry it.


    ¡®Welcome everyone to the test of our new weapon.¡¯ Edmund was surprised by Ariadne¡¯s fan close to his face.


    ¡®I have no time for this peasant; go straight to the point.¡¯ She started to fan herself.


    ¡®Well¡­ alright.¡¯ He put the weapon in a trypod.


    He adjusted it to face the targets at the distance, looked to the side on the ground and there was a blue crystalized case; it even shined a little. In one of its sides a wide t-shaped form, he unlocked the top of the weapon, opened up a lid, moved to the side of the weapon and saw the exact shape also in the vertical on it¡¯s side. He put it in place, fitting it perfectly. He closed the lid and locked it in place.


    ¡®How are we supposed to carry this thing around?¡¯ Ethan looked at Edmund puzzled.


    ¡®No, this is for the trucks; the crystals we got on that fortress raid was only enough for three of these and the ammunition.¡¯  He stepped back and gestured to Ethan to go forward.


    Ethan looked at Alon, who gave him a nod and he stood behind the weapon but it was strange that it didn¡¯t have a trigger like a rifle so he looked around looking for it.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Here at the back, use your two hands to aim like this.¡¯ Edmund held the two vertical handles.


    ¡®But how do i fire it?¡¯ Ethan looked confused.


    ¡®Now with your two thumbs, press it this here on the top; give it a light touch first.¡¯ Again, he gave a step back and gestured to Ethan to go forward.


    Ethan followed Edmund¡¯s instructions and positioned himself, preparing to fire the new weapon. He was curious but nervous about how powerful this thing was. At the distance was a helmet and to its side a vest, the same ones every soldier in the duchess army used.


    He gave it a light press and it fired once. The sound was loud but similar to the rifle; it was just stronger; the shot didn¡¯t hit the target but a tree behind was shattered on it¡¯s side. Ethan looked around him and everyone but for Edumond, the reaction was the same. Alya covered her ears but maintained her position by the duchess side.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡®Now aim for the targets.¡¯ Edmund patted Ethan¡¯s shoulder


    Ethan aimed to the helmet and shoot; it took four shots until he was able to hit it; the fault wasn¡¯t on him, more like the unfamiliarity with the weapon; they didn¡¯t see the magic barrier break because it simply passed through it and the helmet fell to the ground.


    To hit the vest was easier and it took him only tree shots to hit the center of the vest, where the result was the same; it simply passed through it with no resistance what so ever. After that, Edmond patted Ethan on his shoulder again and let his hands off the weapon.


    The white-haired young man ran to the objects and retrieved them so that the others could expect them. He could see the expression on their faces in complete disbelief just by the sound alone.


    ¡®Look, it just passed thought it with no effort what so ever; it will kill a soldier in one shot, no problem.¡¯ Edmund showed the objects to them.


    ¡®If it does this to our soldiers armor, the Lavan soldiers might as well fight naked.¡¯ Ariadne opens a wide grim.


    ¡®Is powerful, but slow; even our normal rifles can do more damage if we have the numbers.¡¯ Alon crossed his arms.


    ¡®What? It will be on top of the trucks and Ethan here was using it the wrong way.¡¯ He again pats the soldier''s shoulder.


    ¡®How come? I did like you told me to.¡¯ Ethan looked at him confused.


    ¡®Try hold the trigger and move it left to right.'' Edmund smiled.


    Ethan looked at the weapon and positioned himself again and instead of pressing, he held the trigger. The continuous sound of the shots coming from the weapon took everyone by surprise, but Ethan was exasperated, like he had all the power of the world on his hand. As he held it, he moved like Edmund asked from left to right.


    They could see the continuous stream of blue beams cutting the air and the sound was like a rytm of death that was accompanied by the sound of whisles the projectiles made, just like the rifles.


    Everyone was in complete shock by what just happened. Ariadne put her free hand on her forehead, looked at the sky and started to laugh out loud. Alya was taken back by this but what she just saw didn¡¯t pass as reality yet; she had never seen such a display of magic. Alon instantly started to think about the possibilities of using such a thing for attack or defense.


    ¡®I think you didn¡¯t really see what is capable of; just look at the tree line in the back.¡¯ Edmund pointed at trees.


    Edmund patted Ethan again and made a gesture for all of them to follow him. He walked to the tree line with everyone closed behind him. As they came closer, the destruction was more visible; the trees were in bad shape; some were even almost falling over.


    ¡®Peasant, you outdone yourself.¡¯ Ariadne came closer to a tree and looked at the damage.


    ¡®Ho, this is the first time you said something positive about me.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    ¡®Don¡¯t get full of yourself.¡¯ She looked at him with the corner of her eye.


    ¡®Ok¡­ Ok¡­¡¯ He took a step back.


    ¡®Your highness, we can start preparing for the dungeon incursion, but we lack information about it, i really don¡¯t want to send my men into the darkness.¡¯ Alon put his hand on Ethan''s shoulders.


    Ethan smiled at his captain, feeling how he cared for him and everyone under his command; he was everyone''s father in a way to everyone, and at the same time, now that he was going to have a child, going on a suicide mission was really bad luck.


    ¡®Ethan here will have a child, so let¡¯s think before doing anything, i hope Edmund has information about it as he talks so much about this dungeon.¡¯ He pats Ethan¡¯s back.


    ¡®What? I thought i was your best friend; why didn¡¯t tell me about this, Ethan?¡¯ Edmund looked disappointed.


    ¡®We barely talk to one another.¡¯ Ethan looked at Edmund confused.


    ''Congratulations, corporal; you will be a great father, i know that your wife loves you very much.¡¯ Ariadne gave a sweet smile.


    He felt strangely calm as he looked at the duchess; it was like everything was going to be fine and suddenly he smiled at her and a sentiment of gratitude sparked within him; he had never felt like this before.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 88

    ¡®Your majesty, congratulations.¡¯ A Shafran male opened the door.


    ¡®Thanks Oren, i hope this child can be the future of the kingdom.'' Adrian lay back in his chair.


    ¡®My grandchild will be, but i didn¡¯t come here to just congratulate your majesty and see my daughter; i¡¯ve heard that your health is not great.¡¯ Oren sat on a chair across Adrian.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad for your concern; i¡¯m just a little weak, the idea of a new religion showing up among the people in this trying times, i don¡¯t like it.¡¯ The archduke began to massage his hands.


    ¡®I think you are blowing this thing out of proportion; rumors are that this goddess have the appearance of a Chatzi, What a joke.¡¯ The marquess had a smug expression.


    Adrian took a deep breath and looked at the Oren with disdain in his eyes, but he couldn¡¯t do anything because he was the leader of the noble faction that simply hated the Chatzi and they were the majority; the other part didn¡¯t love them either; they just didn¡¯t care viewing them the same as the rest of the commoners.


    ¡®Ah, i¡¯m sorry, your majesty As a token of my respect for your daughter, i will now give you space and visit the Archduchess.¡¯ He got up and walked to the door.


    Adrian saw Oren¡¯s back and thought that he was there just to provoke him. It has been a long time since he wrote to his daughter; he was regretful for that but there was no choice for him as he needed to cut communications with his daughter for the nobles to help with Velvent at the time. Another thing was that he wanted Judith, his now wife, to feel loved.


    ¡®I¡¯m so tired, but i wonder what Ariadne is doing now; she is even taking care of the monsters on her duchy.¡¯ Adrian grined.


    In the castle, a Shafran female was on a chair on the balcony, just looking at the sky, trying to relax while having one hand on her belly. A smile was stapped on her face. Finally freed from her father, she was now the happier in her life.


    ¡®Humm... you seen happy; that is good.¡¯ Oren steps on the balcony, looking at his daughter.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡®F-Father, let¡­¡¯ She was interrupted by Oren¡¯s hand.


    ¡®There is no need, Archduchess, you need to rest and relax, you have the future inside of you, everything you need shall be granted.¡¯ He smiled at her while looking into her eyes.


    ¡®Ah, thanks; i will do my best.¡¯ She looked at her belly.


    ¡®To be honest, i was surprised on how quickly you seduced the Archduke, that was commendable, maybe a task only you could have done, but the future is uncertain, just keep that in mind.¡¯ He patted her shoulder.


    She was finding strange how he was acting with her; at home he would ignore or frown at her shy demeanor, but now he is acting like a loving father, the same way he did with my brothers and sisters; something inside of her prevented herself from falling into his grace.


    ¡®He is kind, loving and cherishes his daughter, i saw her many times but never had the courage to talk to her myself; everyone talked behind her back and i didn¡¯t want you to have a bad reputation because of me.¡¯ She took a deep breath.


    ¡®Even back them, thinking abou me, i truly had a diamond in the rough; for that, i apologize, daughter.¡¯ He bowed to her.


    That took her back; she didn¡¯t know what to say; it was like a completely different person was talking to her; maybe that was her time shining in his eyes, but again, something prevented her from opening up.


    ¡®No problem, father; you had your own ways of educating me; we can start again from now. Could you help me prepare the funeral of the duchess? Adrian said she had only five months left.¡¯ A tear dropped from the side of her cheek.


    ¡®Of course, I¡¯m surprised on how her territory was holding on; maybe those Chatzi have something to offer after all, surrounded by all of those monsters and they are still there and growing in numbers if her numbers can be trusted, of course.¡¯ He gave a small laugh.


    ¡®Maybe giving her name to the duchy after she passes would be a good present for his majesty, a gift from the nobles.¡¯ She smiled at her father.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think it will be needed, but nobody knows.¡¯ Again, he patted her shoulder before turning around and walking away.


    She looked at him going out of the room, leaving her alone; something didn¡¯t feel right but her thoughts were redirected to her belly as he passed her hand on top of it; for now she would just focus on her unborn child.


    On the halfway point, Oran was humming, and the sound made him calm as he walked; nobody was in sight, his thoughts were completely empty, and that sensation was foreign for him; a tip of intrigue filled his mind because of it.


    ¡®Everything is going like it should; i wonder if we could use the Chatzi, if they are resisting like they are now, with our support, it would be a good wall against Velvent.¡¯ He smirked.


    He stopped right next to a window, put his right hand against it and looked outside, seeing some Chatzi doing gardening in the courtyard and smirking again. He let go of the window and scratched his cheek.


    ¡®Look at me, even thinking about those abominations, maybe even they had their place in this world, let¡¯s see it when i¡¯m in control of the country.¡¯ Oren smiled and continued to walk while humming.


    Adrian was on his bed. It has been some time since he was feeling weak; his age was showing more; in his mind, he thought that having a child with his new-found love trigged the clock of death in his heart, like finally he could let go, but he needs to endure for some more years, as his thoughts fade away, his eyes closed, and he felt a sensation of peace as he remembered Ariadne¡¯s face for a moment.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 89

    Ariadne was training with Edmund in the back of the mansion as always. She was tired and held her hand up to Edmund. He looked at her, tired and dripping sweat but he remained composure with the sword by his side. As Ariadne walked back toward Alya, who was preparing a cup of water to give to her, she stuck her sword in the ground and kept walking. Alon was approaching her to the side with a tablet in his hand.


    ¡®Your highness, this is the list of people that said yes to going into the dungeon.¡¯ He gave it to her.


    She picked up the tablet, looking at the list with a calm demeanor, but she found it strange that on it there was just ¡°Angel Company." She looked at Alon confused.


    ¡®Why did you put Angel company here?¡¯ She showed the tablet to him, pointing with her finger the name.


    ¡®Everyone will go, they accepted, the rest comes from volunteers from other units.¡¯ Alon stood there, looking at her in the eyes.


    ¡®I hope this much doesn¡¯t let the duchy unprotected, but from your report, having only a company is insufficient for this task.¡¯ She returned her eyes to the tablet.


    ¡®Yes, we need people for the field hospital, trucks and battery recharging to say a feel.¡¯ He continued to stay, still waiting for her to finish reading.


    ¡®Fine, you basically want to create a base inside of the dungeon, let¡¯s see if that is possible after talking with the peasant; i don¡¯t really know much; i wouldn''t be surprised if he himself didn¡¯t know anything.'' As she finishes reading, Ariadne gives the tablet back to Alon.


    With the tablet in hand, he saluted her before turning around and walking back to the mansion. Edmund approached her from behind, passing her and going to the table where there was a jar of water and two cups, one of them full.


    ¡®Something important?¡¯ He drinks a cup of water.


    ¡®Yes, the list of people that are going to go with us in this suicide mission of yours.¡¯ She walked towards the table.


    ¡®Dying here or dying in the dungeon, some months would be the difference, is going to be fine, you are really strong now, we can kill the dungeon guardian, i think.¡® He drinks another cup of water.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Alya takes the jar from his hands; she looked furious but put water into the other cup. Ariadne smiled at her gesture and drank it. With her tirst satiated, she sat on a chair next to the table.


    ¡®You don¡¯t change, peasant.¡¯ Ariadne relaxes in the chair, looking at the trees.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, i¡¯m going to explain how the dungeon works for you and Alon, which is kind of simple.¡¯ Edmund sat on the other chair, smiling at Ariadne.


    ¡®You never explained anything about this place to me, even though you talked so much about it.¡¯ She smirked.


    ¡®My bad, duchess, i didn¡¯t think you really cared to learn to be honest.¡¯ He relaxed his body a bit.


    ¡®I thought we wouldn''t need to go there, but unfortunately our current state is not enough; giving weapons to the farmers can only do so much for safety.¡¯ Ariadne looked at him and shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡®Tonight i will explain to you and Alon how it works and we can draft a plan; we may even need more people than Alon had on that list.¡¯ Edmund stroked his chin while looking at the sky.


    ¡®We can¡¯t; it will have to do.¡¯ She spoke to him in a serious tone.


    ¡®So, it will do.¡¯ He nodded at her.


    Edmund got up and started to walk to his previous position, followed by Ariadne. In the way she got her sword and prepared for her training to begin.


    Later at night, Edmund, Ariadne, and Alon were in the command room, where Alon¡¯s office is. They used the table as the map of the duchy. Edmund pulled out and put on the table a drawing of a map; it wasn¡¯t well drawn, not because he was bad at it but because there were a lot of missing parts.


    ¡®Well, this is what i remember from the books i read in the castle: after a long hallway, there is a city inside of the dungeon and there is where the battle will happen.¡¯ Edmund pointed at the city on the map.


    ¡®But maybe there are monsters or even traps on this long hallway; we need to be careful.¡¯ Alon crossed his arms.


    ¡®No traps, no monsters but golens; inside all dungeons, golens are the ones protecting it, and...¡¯ He stopped in the middle of the sentence as Ariadne raised her hand.


    ¡®You are wrong, In an old book i once read, it said that inside of this dungeon there was demons, not golens, We also have books about those; they are not the same peasant.¡¯ She put her two hands on the table and looked at Edmund.


    ¡®But even in the records of the hero, it said that he fought against golens inside of the dungeons.¡¯ Edmund stroked his chin.


    He was trying to talk like all of the information he had came from books or papers he found in the royal library but now with this kind of pushback, it was becoming hard to not feel frustrated over this simple discussion.


    ¡®Lavan did an expedition inside of the dungeon and that is what the survivor told, these are text from the military part of Lavan library, not some fairy tale book, don¡¯t look at me like that.¡¯ She slammed the table with her two hands with anger on her face.


    This took Edmund back, but it wasn¡¯t her behavior but what she said. It didn¡¯t matter what those demons were but the fact remained that maybe the golens are not going to be there; that alone would make the expedition harder.


    ¡®If that is true, things got alot lot harder, i don¡¯t know what those demons are but Golens have a crystal to their head or chest; one shot and it would be over, i wonder if these are monsters that wondered in the dungeon somehow.¡¯ Edmund frowned and looked at the map, thinking.


    ¡®So... we don¡¯t know what is inside? It didn¡¯t change a thing to me; that was always in my mind.¡¯ Alon smiled.


    ¡®Not exactly...¡¯ Ariadne looked at Alon.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 90

    ¡®There was more information on those texts?¡¯ Edmund again crossed his arms.


    ¡®The text dismisses what the soldier said because he looked to be out of his mind; he said it was the demon lord army.'' Ariadne looked at Edmund with a calm expression.


    The young man was confused by what he just heard. How would this man know what the Demon Lord Army even was like? More questions clouded his mind; he was wondering how long a go all of this was.


    ¡®How old are these texts?¡¯ He looked at her confused.


    ¡®The librarian told me that maybe is from the time the Shafran first came to this continent and fought against the remnants of the demon lord army.¡¯ She held her chin, trying to remember.


    ¡®I head that the Shafran came beyond the mountains to the east, from a vast empire; those who tried to return never cameback or talked about ancient beast that guarded it, anyway.¡¯ Alon tapped the table two times.


    ''Well, let¡¯s assume that there are unknown monsters inside but the golens need to be there because the dungeon has a condition for conquering it; there are rules to it.¡¯ Alon pointed at the center of the city in his map.


    ¡®Rules, i thought that it was just like a monster cave.¡¯ Alon scratched his head.


    ¡®No, In the middle there is a Dungeon guardian; from reports of the hero is a golen in the format of the last hero.¡¯ He gave a quick look at Ariadne.


    He noticed that she had her hand next to her chest and a worried expression; it was understandable; fighting against the last hero was not going to be an easy task.


    ¡®Are you alright, duchess?¡¯ Edmund in a worried tone.


    ¡®I¡¯m alright; just the fact that we are really going to do this is sinking in. Continue,  peasant.¡¯ Her gaze returned to the map.


    ¡®Well, there we will find the sword of the hero; the only way to kill the dungeon guardian is to use that sword or literally be the hero.¡¯ Again, he pointed to the center of the city on the map.


    ¡®At least we have the sword of the hero; that is a good sigh.¡¯ Alon tapped the table with his index finger.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡®But there is a catch; to be honest, I don¡¯t know if the duchess is going to be able to get the sword out. I could try but I don¡¯t know if I can.¡¯ Edmund stopped speaking because of Alon¡¯s voice interrupting him.


    ¡®Wait, wait, What?¡¯ Alon looked at Edmund confused.


    ¡®It is a weapon only for the hero to use and the books said that the hero knows he is the hero, our best bet is the duchess because of her white hair disease; i did this to myself; we are not the same.¡¯ Edmund shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡®So we need a fallback plan in case you guys can¡¯t use the sword.¡® The captain scratched the back of his head.


    ¡®Do a fallback plan in case we die; I will use that sword.¡¯ Ariadne spoke in a cold tone.


    ¡®Yes, your highness.¡¯ Alon nodded to her.


    ¡®Well, ok, i like your confidence, duchess, you don¡¯t need to worry about her, Alon, if we need to fall back, i will give my life for her, Its over anyway if we can¡¯t conquer this dungeon.¡¯ Edmund gave a quick laugh.


    ¡®What are you talking about, peasant? We can defend ourselves from the kingdoms.¡¯ Ariadne looked at him with anger in her tone.


    ¡®We can, but against the demon Lord? The sword of the hero is the only thing that can kill him.¡¯ He spoke in a serious tone.


    Ariadne sigh followed by Alon; she didn¡¯t really care for his demon lord story; the only reason she was going inside of the dungeon was because of the lack of resources; Alon too knew it; that is why he always found Edmund¡¯s talks about the demon lord absurd.


    But they started to plan. Edmund continued to point out all the information he knew about the place; the ceiling was high and it has it¡¯s own light source that was powered by the same energy that powered the golens; everything was connected.


    ¡®The hero just passed through all of this alone and fought the dungeon guardian while at the same time dealing with the golens around him.¡¯ Edmund crossed his arms.


    ¡®Impossible¡­ ¡® Ariadne spoke to herself with a shocked expression.


    Alon looked at the duchess confused with her reaction; he thought that was impressive but he was a hero after all; of course he could do that much.


    ¡®Yes, impossible indeed; there is no way we can do that, so the army will fight the golens and continuously advance, killing the golens in the way, With that, the dungeon will replenish the golens instead of powering up or healing the dungeon guardian.'' Edmond spoke in a sad tone while looking at Alon.


    ¡®This is bad; how do you know this Edmund?¡¯ The captain looked at the white-haired young man with concern in his eyes.


    ¡®Because that is why the hero¡¯s party was created for later dungeons; it is an easier method, even though the hero could have cleaned all the dungeons alone, my opinion? He just wanted friends.¡¯ He looked to the table with a sadded expression.


    ¡®Yes, really sad peasant. Alon why did you say this was bad?¡¯ She started to walk around the table.


    ¡®This means that we need to be constantly attacking; we can¡¯t hold positions,   that is how the dungeon works; i doubt the golens will be attacking us but just defending and holding their ground.¡¯ Alon put his two hands on his head and sighed.


    ¡®Is this true peasant?¡¯ Ariadne looked at Edmund puzzled.


    ''Well, yes, why did you think i made those weapons, the protective gear, rail cannon, the mortar and now the heavy automatic magic rifle, better known as A-HM1, which I know is a long...¡¯ Edmund stopped talking as Ariadne raised her hand.


    ¡®Why can¡¯t you say yes and stop?¡¯ The duchess shook her head.


    ¡®My initial plan is to divide this into 4 and have one platoon in charge of one of them and one mortar platoon on the back, giving it support with the trucks going back and forward and getting the wounded, proving supplies and reinforcements as they get healed by Eliza and the medical team.¡¯ Alon pointed one by one his idea in the map.


    ¡®You are a good general, Alon; really good ideas.'' Edmond gave him a pat on the shoulder.


    ¡®When he comes back, he should get a promotion; the next rank on our next structure is  Lieutenant Colonel, yes?¡¯ She smiled at the captain.


    ¡®Thank you, your highness; tomorrow i¡¯m going to pass this plan along to the other captains and my platoon leaders so that we can iron out any flaws.¡¯ He nodded at her.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 91

    Ariadne and Edmund were in the hallway. Alon stayed in the command room sorting things that he would present to the other captains and his company platoon leaders. The moon¡¯s light was coming through the windows as they walked. She was in silence but on the other hand, Edmund didn¡¯t like it one bit so on the first opportunity he got his mouth opened.


    ¡®Everything in the military of the duchy was based on my annotations, duchess? Really cool, hum?¡¯ Edmund smiled as he continued to walk.


    ¡®Humm... yeah... is cool, but right now i think majority is an upgraded version of your annotations.¡¯ She gave him a quick look and a smirk.


    ¡®Well, that was the point, but don¡¯t you find weird that they evolved so quickly?¡¯ He scratched the back of his head.


    ¡®Alon is an experienced warrior, he adjusted everything using try and error based on the soldiers experiences; he is not too hard peasant.¡¯ With the corner of her eye, she glanced again at him.


    ¡®That is amazing on its own, but what about my students, i did teach them but i do think they are evolving way too quickly, i know that is not something above what i could do but they are improving my designs.¡¯ He crossed his arms and looked at the duchess puzzled.


    ¡®I too think that everything is moving quickly but i was putting that on your teaching; now i can see that i¡¯ve put too much faith on your teaching skills.¡¯ She gave a timid laugh.


    ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ Edmund sighed. ¡®Never mind, but faith could be the answer to this growth on the duchy; i can¡¯t be sure but if affects the healing magic, why not in this way too?¡¯ He tapped his chin with his index finger a couple of times.


    ¡®You have a point, peasant; all of this is elgofed in mystery, but let¡¯s focus on things that can give us an edge for now.¡¯ She opened the door at the end of the hallway.


    The two entered the hall where the front door is. Ariadne, instead of going to the room, chose to walk to a couch on the right side with a table right in front of it. Edmund didn¡¯t have much to do so he followed her, thinking she wanted to talk more. It wasn¡¯t too late so there were a couple of maids passing by and the moment Ariadne sat on the couch, she followed Edmund. The two approached and bowed to her.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡®Your highness, do you want something?¡¯ One of the maids spoke.


    ¡®Tea and some cookies; bring it to the peasant to see if it isn¡¯t too much to ask.¡¯ She gave the two a tender smile.


    ¡®N-No, we will be glad to bring it to you and to Edmund; your presence fill us with happiness, right?¡¯ The maid looked at the other.


    ¡®Yes!!! We will do anything for you.¡¯ She gave a wide smile to the duchess.


    The two maids started to walk fast out of the hall and as soon as they closed the door and the two were alone, Edmund took a deep breath and shook his head for a moment.


    ¡®See, this is dangerous; they were looking at you like you were their mother, no, something even greater than that.¡¯ Edmund laxed on the couch.


    ¡®To me, what is dangerous is you sitting next to me like i¡¯m your lover.¡¯ She looked at him with the corner of her eye.


    ¡®Is just you and me here, your highness, and i¡¯m kind of far away from you, Putting the fact that you literally can hoard me to kill myself, i think you are safe from my claws.¡¯ Edmund laughed for a moment.


    Ariadne closed her eyes and smirked as she sat in a more comfortable position. It wasn¡¯t a bad situation for her as she remembered that reason she wanted him inside her office when she was there; his presence gave her a sense of calmness, like everything was going to be fine, unless when he wasn¡¯t talking, that is, but even that was at least interesting, and she tried her best not to show it to him.


    ¡®I wonder how long it will take until they start to wage war on your name, conquering land and all; that will be interesting.¡¯ He looked up to the ceiling.


    ¡®They will wage war when i say so, like is happening now, but i do understand what you are implaing here, peasant; i¡¯m not a fool.¡¯ She looked at him.


    ¡®Ho, you are getting me wrong; i¡¯m saying among themselves... like, someone will say your teachings is something while others will say another.¡¯ He turned his head and looked deep into her eyes


    ¡®That can¡¯t happen; i¡¯m their leader after all.¡¯ She crossed her arms and looked at the patterns sculptured on the side of the table.


    ¡®With the people inside of the duchy, no, but if you expand to Lavan or maybe Velvent, it will happen. You should think of basic laws everyone should follow if they are to be followers of the goddess Ariadne, but not now, of course.¡¯ Edmond looked at the door the two maids had entered before.


    The door opened, and the two maids got out, holding the tea, the cookies, and the tea cups to serve the duchess and her slave. They put everything in the table in front of the duchess, who was happy to see the two working with such care; only Edmund didn¡¯t feel the feelings they had for one another, one happy to serve and the other happy to be served but in a totally different level, a unique experience the two maids never felt before as normally only Alya was in charge of serving Ariadne.


    ¡®You two can go; if you don¡¯t have anything else to do, have a good night.¡¯ Ariadne waved at the two while smiling.


    ¡®Thank you, your highness.¡¯ The two turned around and quickly entered one of the rooms while holding hands.


    By the day Edmund found himself feeling like an outsider because of those moments some of the people of the duchy had towards Ariadne, it was special, and because of that, he was afraid someday he would be judged by everyone for not being like them. The backstory they made up for him helped alleviate some of it but still, it made him wonder about the future.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 92

    Edmund got out of the back of the truck; around him, soldiers were patrolling, others talking to the locals. It took him some time before he got here because of some things he needed to do in the capital of the duchy but being back in the town that is close to the dungeon brings him memories of testing the rail cannon, which made him smile, but he had no time for that.


    The town was different from before, of course larger but the houses were rebuilt from the ground up to look more like the ones in the capital of the duchy. As he walked in the direction of the mayor¡¯s home, Edmund saw a kid playing with a soldier, but as he walked by and heard the little Shafran hug the soldier and call him dad,.


    Edmund honestly couldn¡¯t imagine why someone with a kid and wife like him would want to go on such a dangerous mission; that soldier wasn¡¯t the only one; a lot of the soldiers had families. He was wondering if the link with Ariadne had something to do with it, but that could only stay in his mind as there was no proof of it.


    He nodded to the soldiers at the entrance of the mayor¡¯s home and walked in; he just followed a female Chatzi with a head set on, and as she entered a room, Edmund followed, and there was Ariadne, Alon, and each of the platoon leaders surrounding a table with a larger version of the map he had drawn.


    ¡®Right, the peasant is here; let¡¯s begin, but before that, let me remind you all that this mission is voluntary and for those that die inside of that dungeon, your families will be taken care of by me.¡¯ She looked at everyone and smiled.


    Their reaction was to just salute her and as their eyes opened, they looked at one another and gave it a nod.


    ¡®Everyone here is thankful for your kindness; by your name we will conquer this dungeon.¡¯ Alon spoke with a firm tone.


    ¡®You can begin now, captain.¡¯ She nodded to Alon.


    ¡®He is the plan.¡¯ He pointed at the map.


    He started to explain how things are going to be using the information Edmund provided and the feedback from the captains and the platoon leaders. In the hallway, he is just going to get a squad act as scouts and possibly clear the hallway so they can have access to the city inside of the dungeon.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡®Egor squad is going to be the scouts.¡¯ Bartel raised his hand.


    ¡®Good.¡¯ Alon nodded at him.


    Alon continued, now pointed directly at the city part of the map; he putted four pieces of wood along the side of the map.


    ¡®Each infantry platoon will take a part of the frontline and be responsible to push; assume they are intelligent and they will try to exploit gaps in our formations.¡¯ Alon pointed at the gaps between the wood pieces.


    ¡®I said it to Alon but i¡¯m going to say here to everyone: if you kill one, another will replace him in time.¡¯ Edmund crossed his arm.


    ¡®Yes, because of that, we will have Nortis here of the Mortar platoon at the back proving support and if their ammunition is depleted, serve as reserves in case we need to reinforce the frontlines.¡¯ Alon pointed at Blue Eye Shafran.


    ¡®Count on my platoon, sir.¡¯ Nortis nodded at Alon.


    Alon nodded back at Nortis and continued to move the wood pieces until it passed the center of the map, where there is the drawing of a larger structure. He looks at everyone for a moment and puts a red piece of wood right on top of it.


    ¡®Right here is where the real battle begins; this is where the mortar platoon will use what they have left at my command so that her highness and Edmund can fight a weaker form of the dungeon guardian.¡¯ Alon taps the piece at the center.


    ¡®What if we don¡¯t kill the guardian and we have no more mortars left?¡¯ Calb looked at Alon puzzled.


    ¡®We start dying to buy our precious savior time.¡¯ The gray-furred Shafran spoke in a calm and cold manner while looking into the brown eyes of the young Chatzi.


    That took him back and he looked to the other platoon leaders and they had mixed reactions but none were of fear; he himself wasn¡¯t afraid but he cared for his man so this made him sad for a moment but he took a deep breath and for a moment he noticed how Ariadne was looking at them with sadded eyes; it looked like she was almost tearing up. Not just him but everyone took notice of her and the state they were in became one of pure resolve.


    ¡®Zaken, thank you for reminding me of our job.¡¯ Calb smiled at the gray-furred Shafran


    Ariadne saw Zaken nod at Calb as they continued to talk about the plans; she was overwhelmed with emotions; her face didn¡¯t show anything but inside; the fact that these people would die for her made her almost bust into tears; the contection she had with them amplified what she was feeling in a way that cut deep.


    But she found it strange that those tears she wanted to put out of happiness, as she was feeling how important she was for them, an overwhelming gratitude towards her and all of a sudden.


    ¡®Thank you everyone. This is not just for me, but for everyone. Everyone now has a land to call their own and this would guarantee that stays true, I hope everyone lends me their strength.¡¯ She looks around at everyone at the table.


    ¡®Even me? I knew one day things would come around duchess.¡¯ Edmund smiled at her.


    ¡®What are you talking about, peasant? You are not lending me anything; you are mine.¡¯ She looks at him with cold eyes.


    ¡®Well, it was worth the try.¡¯ Edmund shrugs his shoulder


    Alon let out a short laugh and every other platoon leader followed. Ariadne was confused by the situation; she noticed that even Edmund had a smile on his face so she just sighed, not understanding what had happened.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 93

    Ethan got up from his bed because he heard a loud sound. Looking to his side, he saw the rest of his squadmates waking up; Egor was already up and dressed in his uniform with a pan and spoon in his hand.


    ¡®As you all know, the honor of being the first ones going in is ours, so get up and let¡¯s get going.¡¯ Egor turned around and got out of the tent.


    After he got out, Asher scratched the back of his head and looked around. The others were preparing themselves, putting on their clothes or cleaning their rifles. He was nervous, even after all of the situations he was in, the fact that he was going to be the first ones to get into


    ¡®Why are we always in the front?¡¯ Asher sigh.


    ¡®Because is the most fun.¡¯ Samal laughed.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t you almost die a couple of times, Samal?¡¯ Asher shook his head.


    ¡®It was just scratches, nothing too serious.¡¯ He went up and walked to the door.


    ¡®I was literally there; if it wasn¡¯t for Eliza, you would be dead.¡¯ Asher shoulted.


    ¡®The Goddess will protect me like before; don¡¯t worry about it.¡¯ Samal smiled at Asher.


    Asher shook his head in disapproval. Ethan put his hand on Asher''s shoulder and, in response, looked at him. Ethan just smiled at him and gave him a pat.


    ¡®We are doomed.¡¯ Asher sigh.


    Outside of the tent, Ethan and the others were faced by soldiers walking around preparing for the operation; they were close to the dungeon gate location; he could clearly see it; there was an structure being built going in the direction of the gate; Ethan had no idea what it was; there was no time to think about it as he entered the command tent with the rest of his squadmates.


    On the other side of a table, there was Ariadne wearing a leather red coat over her shoulders, using it only as to cover a black shirt that was thicker and covered with light armor in a pattern he never saw, really thigh to her body; her pants were similar to those she used on her training with Edmund.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Edmund wasn¡¯t different, but not totally equal, as he only saw the white-haired young man using simple clothes even in the most dire situations; his coat was black and over his shoulders, not really wearing it; the shirt was black too, really tight to the body; the pants were too black with a silver belt around the waist holding everything in place; and his expression was of happiness at all times; it looked like he was proud of himself. Alon, Bartel, and Egor were using the uniform of the ducky like everyone.


    ¡®I called you here because the duchess wanted to see you out, but don¡¯t forget, this is a scout mission.¡¯ Alon looks at them across the table.


    ¡®Like the captain said, i wanted to see the faces of the brave soldiers to be at the tip of the spear in this endeavor, but again, like he said, it is a scout mission, don¡¯t throw your lives away, that would sad me deeply.¡¯ Ariadne took a deep breath and her expression was one of frustration and sadness.


    Her words and how her expression looked moved the soldiers on the other side of the table. Ethan almost saw his wife on Ariadne for a moment; it was strange; he felt bad for her; there was a rush inside of him to comfort her with words but someone else spoke first.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, your highness; we feel how much you care for us.¡¯ Caleb looks to his squadmates and them to Ariadne again. ¡® We will not let you down, never, our Goddess.¡¯


    He saluted her and like clockwork, every single soldier did the same, closing their eyes and bowing their heads with their firsts in the center of their chest. This moved Ariadne more than she imagined. Full of emotion, a tear dropped from her left eye; she wanted to cry but didn¡¯t know why actually.


    Edmund saw all of this again with a sense of strangeness, but he could see the link they had working by how they treated her and how she reacted to everything, but it could all be brushed off as someone being emotional so he at the end did care much to explore more of them; he already knows about this.


    ¡®I know everyone will do their best; now I''m going to leave for my tent. Continue,  Alon.¡¯ She turned around and walked but looked back. ¡® let¡¯s go, peasant; entretain me as I wait for their safe return.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m not going to even say anything.¡¯ Edmund followed Ariadne out of the tent.


    Alon chuckled, and the other soldiers did the same. The air in the tent was lighter than before; it was like everyone was at their full strength, relaxed, and with sharp minds.


    ¡®Ok, everyone knows about this map here but Edmund told us that to the sides of the hallway there are entrances for rooms or more elaborate structures; he just doesn¡¯t know. Your job is to clear those rooms and mark those that are more complex for later clearing.¡¯ Alon passes his finger on top of the map.


    ¡®Why don¡¯t we use a platoon to clear everything in one go, sir?¡¯ Ethan raised his hand.


    ¡®Good question, because we just can¡¯t afford to lose an entire platoon, is simple as that soldier, don¡¯t let this map fool you, it is a huge hallway but is not that far from the city.¡¯ He looks at Ethan with a serious face.


    ¡®Communications will be complicated; inside of the dungeon there is a huge concentration of magic, so someone will carry a backpack and be at Egor side so that reports can be passed through.'' Bartel looked at Egor.


    Egor looked at a black-haired and brown-eyed A-Dam, pointed at him, and he nodded at the Egor, giving him a salute.


    ¡®Kurt will handle it; nothing major.¡¯ Egor nodded at Bartel.


    ¡®Well, this is it, everyone pack up and move, i hope everyone is familiar with the flashlights, inside is pitch black so watch your backs, dismissed.¡¯ Alon gave a salute.


    Everyone did the same, turned around, and walked outside while putting their helmets on their heads. Egor was now at the front with Ethan as the two walked towards the dungeon gates.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 94

    The squad was right at the front of the dungeon gate. Egor stepped forward more and the gate started to open on it¡¯s own. Around the gate, there were two platoons worth of soldiers pointing their weapons towards the gate; the massive structure moved easily; it didn¡¯t make any sound what so ever; the experience was quite bizarre.


    As the gate completely opened, reveling the inside, a massive hallway that led into total darkness, Egor looked behind him, nodded to his squad, and started to enter the massive structure. Right from the start, they turned on the flashlights attached to their rifles, looking around for possible targets.


    No sound came from the darkness as they moved forward; they did have the light on their back coming from the entrance but that too was fading away as Kurt received a communication and quickly looked behind and his squadmates followed.


    The Gate was closing behind them, like before, quickly and didn¡¯t make a sound; there was no point and even running; it simply closed, immersing Egor¡¯s squad in total darkness, with only their flashlights as a source of light looking at one another.


    ''So... we are dead; that was quick.¡¯ Asher gave a nervous laugh.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be dramatic, soldier, They can open from the outside but can¡¯t maintain open for long, Kurt here can call and they will open for us, Now focus.¡¯ Egor turned around and started to walk forward.


    ''So... if kurt is taken or the device is broken, we are dead, got it.¡¯ Asher took a deep breath before following the others.


    The lights they used showed how houselike the hallway was, with massive pillars on the sides. The squad was walking in the middle and from their point of view, the walls were 6 trucks from the middle on each side.


    ¡®Sarge, how is the ceiling higher than the gate, i just noticed that.¡¯ Ethan pointed his flashlight in the direction of the gate.


    The light was already dim because of the distance but it was like he said and it didn¡¯t make sense because the gate was projecting out; it wasn¡¯t like a tunnel in the rocky mountain.


    There was no sound coming from anywhere other than their steps on the floor; it echoed and made them feel more nervous with each step they took forward.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡®Sir, there''s an entrance on the right side.¡¯ Oran pointed his light to it.


    ¡®Alright everyone, you know what to do; Ethan, take the lead.¡¯ Egor walked toward the entrance at a faster pace.


    Ethan looked at his team, nodded at them, and ran towards the entrance with his team right behind him. He pointed to the left side of the entrance and Samal and Oran separated; Ethan, with Caleb and Asher in the back, were on the right side of the entrance.


    Ethan looked at Samal and with his hand, he counted to five using his left hand. At zero, Samal entered, followed by Ethan, and the others, one by one, entered what appeared to be a room with multiple entrances, like water; they filled all spaces, and each time, like in training, they yelled.


    ¡®Clear!¡¯ Ethan yelled as he scanned one empty room.


    As he returned to the main room, Egor entered and looked around the place that was well lit because of the light coming from the soldiers rifles and flashlights. It had different detail on the walls and pillars carved in the walls; he didn¡¯t think it had purpose.


    ¡®Well done everyone; we are going to take turns doing this until we get to the city.¡¯ Egor turned around and got out of the room.


    ¡®We are always the firsts; i don¡¯t get it; i blame you, sir.¡¯ Asher sighs, looking at Ethan.


    ¡®Just do your job Asher, and you will comeback to your new Velvent girlfriend.¡¯ Ethan laughed as he walked out of the room.


    The others looked at Asher with smiles on their faces; he was starting to blush when they started to walk out of the room. As they continued to go forward, other similar places were also cleared, but with nothing different within them, just more rooms, or there was another with a second floor and more rooms; nothing more expanded them than that.


    As they continued to walk right in front of them, there were rubbles similar to the walls. Looking to his right side, Egor noticed how heavily damaged the wall was, like something bust out of it. He putted his left hand up and halted; everyone took a half-moon position with him at the center, aiming at what looked like a hole in the wall.


    As they got closer to the massive hole in the wall, the light didn¡¯t find an end to it, and like the massive hallway, they were current it. Egor looked at Kurt.


    ¡®Give me a line with command.¡¯ Egor extended his hand towards Kurt.


    ¡®Yes, here and give me a second.¡¯ The soldier started to move some knobs in a device he had in hand.


    Kurt then gave the radio to Egor, but this one was attached to his backpack just like the device with knobs the soldier had in hands. That annoyed the sergeant but he looked around for a second, focusing on the task at hand.


    ¡®Command, this is Spear; do you copy?¡¯ His voice echoing more because of the massive hole in front of them.


    ¡®Yes, loud and clear, what is the situation? over.''  Alon¡¯s voice came out of the radio.


    ¡®We cleared some rooms to the sides but now we found a massive hole on the wall and from the surroundings, it looks like something came out of it; there is rubble everywhere, over.'' Egor looked around for a moment.


    Maybe it was the darkness or the openness of the hallway but for a moment Egor felt like something was watching him, but nothing was behind him; even the other soldiers pointed their rifles towards the hallway where the rubble was more prevalent, because now at the hole, they noticed more of what looked like more rubble, but they couldn¡¯t see where it could have come from.


    ¡®Spear, don''t explore the entrance; move forward with caution, over.'' Alon¡¯s voice came out of the radio.


    ¡®Copy, moving now, spear over and out.¡¯ Egor gave the radio back to Kurt.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 95

    Egor Squad continued to walk forward and they started to find more and more parts of the walls and pillars scattered on the ground; some would even be massive chunks; it was strange to say the least.


    Oran was looking around but pointing his light to the debris to the side and noticed that some of those had a strange shape. He tapped Ethan on his shoulder and pointed at the large rock.


    ¡®Sarge, i think we should take a loot at this.¡¯ Ethan raised his voice for a moment.


    Egor looked back and noticed the soldiers pointing at a rock to the side. He started to walk toward it, followed by Kurt, not noticing what they were looking at, but he was right in front of the light; his shadow obscured the view. Ethan, now right beside him, pointed at the rock with his rifle and revealed a large humanoid face.


    ¡®There are no statues on the walls, anywhere for that matter; are these the golems?¡¯ Ethan looked at Egor.


    ¡®You are right, and take a look to the other piles of rock; they look similar to this one.¡¯ Egor looked around, pointing his rifle at those piles.


    ¡®Kurt, give me a line to command, now!¡¯ Egor looked at the soldier with distress in his eyes.


    ¡®Yes, sir, is already calibrated.¡¯ Kurt gave the radio to Egor.


    ¡®Command, this is spear; do you copy?¡¯ Egor spoke while signaling his men to look around.


    ¡®Loud and clear, what is the situation?¡¯ Alon¡¯s voice sounded calm.


    ¡®Some of the debri we found has a humanoid shape, and there is alot of them around us.¡¯ Egor scanned the darkness around him with no luck.


    Alon was starting to put some pieces together in his head. The conversation he had with Edmund and the duchess at the mansion was still a theory but it wasn¡¯t a bad one


    ¡®Maybe you will have to deal with the demon lords army sargent; if what Edmund said was true, those piles of rocks should have been the enemies you were there to fight.¡¯ Alon¡¯s tone became more serious.


    ¡®Did i hear demon lord¡¯s army?¡¯ Asher eyes widen.


    ¡®How can you hear from here? You are a freak, Asher.¡¯ Caleb shook his head.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Egor took a deep breath, again scanning the darkness for sighs of movement but nothing could be heard or seen. His mind came back to the conversation as Alon asked again.


    ¡®Spear, do you copy?¡¯ Alon sounded apprehensive.


    ¡®Yes, loud and clear, we are going to continue forward. Spear over and out.''  The sargent gave back the radio and walked to his initial position.


    As they continued to walk, some other entrances were clear by the squad, but the difference was that the pieces of the golems were inside of the rooms, and it made everyone be more and more nervous. Ethan started to think that, by the numbers they saw until now, there was no way they would be able to face this many.


    ¡®Sarge, i think we should go back and come with a full platoon.¡¯ Ethan was right to the side of Egor as they walked.


    ¡®Why? There is nothing yet; we maybe close to the end.¡¯ Egor scanned a head with his rifle for a moment.


    ¡®Look how many of these things are around; we couldn¡¯t have possibly done this alone so if whatever killed them is here, we will die, sir.¡¯ Ethan looked to the side, trying to see movement between the rubbles.


    ¡®No, doing this is literally our job, we can¡¯t risk a platoon because we might die, we can always retreat.¡¯ Egor walked around a fallen golem.


    ¡®Yes, sir.¡¯ Ethan returned to his position.


    Some more time passed and the look of the walls and pillars was more like a battle took place there. Parts of the walls and the pillars were blown up, which clearly should be those entrances with the rooms, completely destroyed, but as they walked, a sound to the right of a rock hitting the ground was heard by everyone, making everyone point their rifles in that direction.


    It was dead silent once again. Egor looked around, trying to scan for anything. For a moment, he hears the sound of something cutting through the air.


    ¡®Take cover!!!¡¯ Egor jumped to the side, right behind a pile of rocks.


    Everyone jumped to the side out of pure instinct as a sight that was far to familiar for them to forget. An ice lance landed right in the middle of their formation; they scanned ahead but now they could see light coming their way.


    ¡®Scatter!!! Fireball!!¡¯ Ethan yelled.


    Everything was happening too fast but fortunately the fireball hit the same spot as the lance and they had already spread out their formation, Samal pointed his rifle towards the front and there he could see it; it looked like a mage but it was bigger, like nothing he had seen before. With no hesitation, he pulled the trigger, hitting the monster on the shoulder but it had no damage.


    At the same time, the others formed what looked like a line; some of the squadmembers too saw the monsters ahead of them; like Samal, they too fired at them; the ones that had a hit confirmed were shocked by the fact that it didn¡¯t cause any damage.


    ¡®No damage!!!¡¯ Samal yelled.


    ¡®Here too.¡¯ Others spoke.


    Now the monsters approaching started to fire magic in their direction, trying to hit the soldiers; they were not that close to them so the hits were not really accurate; they overshot most of it in the first volley, hitting the back lines of the squad.


    ¡®Are they trying to cut our scape?¡¯ Egor talked to himself.


    ¡®Command, this is spear, we have contact with enemy, i repeat, we have contact with enemy.¡¯ Kurt spoke with the radio next to his mouth.


    ¡®Return fire!!!¡¯ Egor yelled.


    ''But, sir, is not effective.¡¯ Caleb yelled from behind a fallen part of the pillar.


    ¡®You are just not trying hard enough.¡¯ Egor aimed at one of the monsters approaching and pulled the trigger.


    As his shot impacted the creature''s chest, it didn¡¯t do any damage. Ethan saw the one that was hit by Egor¡¯s shot and aimed at him too; he was finding it odd that these creatures were also hiding behind the parts of the fallen walls.


    The battle was ragging on and the monsters were still trying to get closer. Ethan, who was aiming at the one Egor had shot before, got his chance and took it; his shot blew up one of the monsters shoulders, knocking him back.


    ¡®It needs shots to hit the bastards; we can do this.¡¯ Ethan yelled.


    The darkness now was illuminated by the flashes of blue light coming from the rifles of the soldiers and the fireballs coming from the creatures.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 96

    Samal noticed a glow coming from the wall on the right side of the hallway, pointing his rifle to it. One of those monsters was in full view, familiar but yet completely different. It¡¯s size was what threw the familiarity off.


    ¡®The wall! Right side!!!¡¯ He yelled.


    Ethan quickly took a look and started firing but the magic coming from the others was making it difficult; it didn¡¯t have time to shoot back the squad because it couldn¡¯t stay still for long as Ethan was shooting at it just in time.


    ¡®Caleb hit it with an explosive round.¡¯ Ethan raised his voice.


    ¡®Oran, give me one explosive.¡¯ The young soldier got the rail cannon that was on his back.


    He quickly put his backpack on the floor, opened it, and got one explosive round, trowing to Caleb in the sequence. After that, he stood up and took a shot at another creature that was approaching their position, hitting it but it didn¡¯t kill it; he just made it take cover behind one of the piles of rubble.


    Caleb put the round on the cannon and, with confidence in his eyes, aimed at the now multiple creatures on the wall trying to flank the squad on the right side and fired. The explosion echoed and it felt like someone gave a punch to the soldiers chests due to the proximity but the creatures were engulfed in flames. The explosion made some of their limbs fly toward the soldiers positions.


    Egor looked around and saw that the number of creatures coming their way from the darkness was increasing; the fact that they needed two shots to put one down was starting to show its advantage.


    ¡®Fallback!!! Use the grenades; they are bunching up together.¡¯ Egor threw a grenade at the approaching monsters.


    ¡®Command, this is 3-3; we encountered heavy resistance, retreating now,over.¡¯ Kurt spoke on the radio.


    As they all go back, Caleb, using his rail cannon, fires against the monsters coming on the wall to the left. The explosion illuminated again a large area. Ethan used this opportunity to see how many there still were; he was shocked to see that still there were a lot of creatures on the back and there he found where he would throw his grenade.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    The other soldiers of the squad weren¡¯t behind and showered the creatures with the explosives; there was no reaction from them. As soon as the grenades started to explode one after the other, flashes of light illuminated the darkness around the creatures, showing their faces of pain as their limbs exploded and their attempt to find cover explosed them to the blue shots coming from Egor squad rifles.


    Not everything was so good; some squadmembers were behind cover being treated by Asher, his arm burned by a fireball, and Asher was cutting the vest of another because of the blood getting off their back. He was so highly concentrated on treating the soldier that he didn¡¯t notice Ethan pulling him by the collar from the back.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go! We need to move Asher, Now!!!.¡¯ Ethan shouted.


    ¡®Ah, ok¡­¡¯ He looked at Ethan disoriented.


    Asher helped the soldier with the back exposed get up with the help of the other burned soldier and moved back, being coved by Ethan that landed a shot right on the head of another creature. The light show continued with projectiles coming in both directions.


    ¡®They are different but behave just like orks and goblins.¡¯ Egor thought to himself.


    Even though the creatures were advancing and pressing his squad, their numbers were dwindling fast, but it wasn¡¯t enough, as attacks came from complete darkness beyond the reach of their flashlights; there were injured men on his squad and they were cornered.


    His only concern now was that the cover they were using as they retreated was getting less and more spacious between one another. With that in mind, he looked behind him, using his flashlight to illuminate the last debris they could use as cover.


    ¡®Command want us to retreat back to the gate, sir.'' Kurt looked Egor while having his radio next to his ear.


    ¡®Negative, we can''t; we will be in the open.¡¯ Egor pointed his rifle to the open hallway.


    ¡®Negative command, there is no cover from here to the gate, over.¡¯ Kurt sholted with the radio next to his mouth because of the noise of the battle.


    The battle raged. As Ethan was moving between covers, trying to reinforce where he thought it was needed, he saw Oran run away behind a broken pillar and get hit by an ice lance right in the chest, making him flee back and hit the fallen piece of a wall.


    ¡®I¡¯m not dead? Argh!¡¯ Oran touched his chest in desperation, feeling pain in his back.


    Ethan pulled Oran behind cover and looked at his chest. He then smiled at the young soldier and slapped his cheek gently two times, leaving him completely lost in words for a moment.


    ¡®The rest of the platoon is entering now, sir; command said we just need to hold.¡¯ Kurt covered his head for a moment as an ice lance knocked some rocks on his helmet.


    ¡®This is it, boys.¡¯ Egor shouted as he looked to the sides, ¡®Give everything you got; we need to wait for reinforcements.¡¯ He took a shot at one creature that was trying to advance.


    Caleb was tired because he was having to carry the rounds on the backpack Oran left behind and the rail cannon but that didn¡¯t make him fail to prevent the creatures from using the walls to flank his cornered squad with another shot to the left before retreating further back, evading the numerous magic projectiles focused at him.


    ¡®It almost got me.¡¯ Caleb hid behind a rock.


    He was feeling more and more tired, leaning his head against the rock and there was a familiar worm running on his arm. There was no need for him to look at his injury; with all of his strength left, he just shoulted.


    ¡®Medic!!!¡¯ He breathed heavily.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 97

    Samal was on top of one of the creatures using his rifle, pressing it¡¯s throut from behind. As he was struggling with it, the arms sprouting from the creature''s back couldn¡¯t reach him. The two got out of cover, and Samal noticed another creature looked at him and the balls on it¡¯s back arms started to glow, them still struggling with it. He was able to turn just in time the ice lance pierced it¡¯s chest, only an inch away from his own body.


    He had no time to feel relieved as another creature was preparing to shoot, giving him just enough time to get his rifle and jump behind cover. The young A-Dam man wiped the sweat off his face, reloaded his rifle, and saw a squad member of his trying to reteatet and get a piece of ice straight through his leg.


    ¡®Cover me!!!¡¯ Samal shouted.


    He ran toward his squadmate and started to drag him to the last set of cover there was while his injured squadmate kept shooting at the creatures. Their only luck was that they needed to stay still for a time before shooting and that made it easier to intercept their attacks, but their numbers were too much for the squad to handle.


    ¡®Kurt, where are they? We are going to die.¡¯ Egor shoulted.


    ¡®I¡¯m looking for their signal; when they entered, it scrambled everything.¡¯ Kurt nervously wiggles the buttons and knobs on his device.


    Egor looked at the darkness behind him for a moment and to the sides as his men were completely cornered, with most of them injured in some capacity but still fighting for their lives that made him come to the realization that was it; everything happened so fast and they now had no way of retreating, no cover inside of the caves and it was too distant from the nearest room on the wall.


    ¡®I got it!!! Angel 3-6, this is 3-3; we are on our last legs.¡¯ Kurt nervorsily spoke.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, 3-3, we already see you; be ready for some loud noises.¡¯ Bartel¡¯s voice came through the radio.


    All of a sudden, four bright lights shone from behind them and Ethan heard the familiar sound of the new weapon Edmund made and it was two of them. Their effect was seen right after as one shoot pierced thought one creature and pierced another right behind it. The weapons were fast and they were sweeping through the entire battlefield, making the creatures confused and desorganized, like when the first rail cannon was shot.


    ¡®1-3 to the left, 2-3 to the right, i will reinforce 3-3, Go! Go! Go!.¡¯ Bartel shoulted in the radio.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The back of the two trucks opened and soldiers started to jump out of it and run towards the first line of cover while shooting at the creatures they saw. It wasn¡¯t hard, as they were having heavy support from the truck A-HM1¡¯s, the heavy automatic magic rifles, were strong but didn¡¯t have much ammunition so after the first spray and the soldiers got to cover, they were more precise with their shots.


    ¡®Good job, Egor; you held the line.¡¯ Bartel tapped Egor¡¯s back.


    ¡®I thought were gonners, sir.¡¯ Egor let a relived laugh out.


    He nodded at the sargent and positioned himself at the edge of the cover.


    ¡®Overwhelm them with firepower and push forward, NOW!!!¡¯ He got out of cover and shot at one of the creatures.


    At the same time, every single soldier did the same, as they overwhelmed the creatures with the high amount of blue beams as they advanced. The creatures were ignoring the soldiers, only focusing on the trucks with their magic, making them vulnerable targets.


    ¡®Are we going to be really fine?¡¯ The driver looked to the soldier by his side.


    ¡®Yes, our shields can handle this kind of punishment; every power we have now is only for the shields and lights.¡¯ The soldier smirked.


    ¡®So what am i even doing in the driver seat?¡¯ The driver noticed the truck touching the ground as they were hit by innumerous magic projectiles.


    As they continued to advance through the darkness, the flashlights, the beams, and the light coming from the explosive rounds reveled an end to the wave of monsters in their way; only Egor, Ethan, and Kurt remained from the squad; the rest was down in the back; they were absorbed into Bartel¡¯s team, continuing to press on.


    There was a price to pay for their advance; many injured on the squads but nothing that could incapacitate them. Some times a melee was seen in the middle of the battle as one of the creatures hid behind cover, waiting to get their enemies by surprise but every time it was shot, it lived, as they were larger than the soldiers and it made it easier to shoot at them the moment they started close combat with one of their squadmates.


    ¡®They are at their end, gunners; give everything you got.¡¯ Bartel gave the order via radio.


    The A-HMA¡¯s on top of the trucks go full auto and behin to spray the frontlines. The blue light show came with the strondous sound of each shot coming from the weapon. As the soldiers moved forward, finishing off the ones that were down, they were just overwhelmed by the amount of firepower being thrown at them.


    Going cover to cover, Ethan followed Egor and Bartel, taking shots at the enemies he could find only for that same creature to be hit by two other shots or a spray of the heavy magic rifle on the trucks. He wasn¡¯t complaining at all; he was smiling more than anything at what was happening.


    It was like time has been slowing down; every soldier thought that they were fighting for hours but only minutes had passed. With all the explosions and injuries caused by the magic employed by the creatures, the soldiers too were afraid to push but it was like they had a hand behind their backs, making them go forward.


    The battle finally came to an end when they went to the end of the debris and encountered the rest of the vast hallway with just darkness, ready to drown out the light they pointed at it. Bartel got the radio from his communication operator.


    ¡®Command, this is Bartel; mission accomplished, over.¡¯ Bartel spoke with a serious tone.


    ''Good to hear from you, Lieutenant. How is your situation? Can you continue? over.''    Alon¡¯s voice came from the radio.


    ¡®Negative, too many injured and we need to get debri out of the way before advancing over.¡¯ Bartel looked around, seeing his man pointing their rifles toward the darkness.


    ¡®No problem, comback, over and out.¡¯ Alon¡¯s voice seemed relieved.


    ¡®Alright everyone, let¡¯s go back, help the injured and let¡¯s go home.¡¯ Bartel shoulted.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 98

    Alon was outside of the camp, looking at the gate as it opened and the two trucks got out of it and were coming in his direction as outside of the camp, to the right, a provisional field hospital was built. He started to walk toward it and arrived at the same time the trucks stopped right outside of the cluster of tents.


    Bartel jumped from the back of one of the trucks and saluted Alon. At the same time, soldiers with white helmets got out and started to transport the injured inside the tents of the field hospital; others were just looking up or down, scratching their heads and the backs of their necks like they were reflecting on something completely deep in thought.


    ¡®Report Leitenant.¡¯ Alon spoke in a firm tone.


    ¡®Yes, everyone is alive but in various grades of injury, To be honest sir, if we didn¡¯t have our Saintest Eliza, the majority would just die in a couple of hours.¡¯ Bartel sighed.


    ¡®I forgot to ask Edmund if the things on the entrance of the dungeon return, like the ones in the city; we can¡¯t just send one squad inside.¡¯ Alon looked at the gate of the dungeon in the distance.


    ¡®We can do it, sir; give me one truck as support and i will make a path for us.¡¯ Bartel fixed his sight on Alon.


    ¡®Very well, when you are ready, report back to me, Go take care of your men, In my experience, praying helps.¡¯ Alon turned around and started to walk back to camp.


    ¡®Yes sir.¡¯ Bartel saluted Alon quickly, going back to his man.


    After some time, Alon was outside of the duchess tent; it was in the middle of the camp and compared to others, it was bigger and had to guard outside. Looking at the two, he noticed that they had smiles on their faces; however, he didn¡¯t think much about it and before entering, he announced himself.


    ¡®Your highness, this is Alon Agron with a report from the scout of the Dungeon.¡¯ He got some dust off his uniform.


    ¡®You can enter, Captain.¡¯ Alya pulled the curtain for him to enter.


    Alon entered the tent and saw Edmund upside down going from one side to the other while Ariadne was sitting on her chair, observing, clapping, and smiling while looking at the young white-haired man balancing books and other things on his foot.


    ¡®Quickly, kill me; i can only resist the slave magic for a moment, Take the shot.¡¯ Edmund looked at Alon.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be dramatic, peasant; we are just having fun for a moment.¡¯ Ariadne shook her hand slowly. ¡®Captain, did everything go well? I hope nobody died.¡¯ She turned her attention towards Alon.


    ¡®We had injured but thanks to Eliza, nobody will die, but there were some strange developments.¡¯ Alon saluted Ariadne like always, closing his eyes for a moment.


    ¡®Very well, i would be sad if anyone were to die, but what strange developments?¡¯ She took a fan that was on the table next to her.


    ¡®Hey, did you guys ignore me? I¡¯m still upside down, hello!¡¯ Edmund was still trying to balance things with his feet.


    She sighed as she looked at him, not because she found him annoying but more because she was genuinely having fun watching him do tricks, an amusing distraction that made her forget who she was and what she was doing.


    ¡®You can rest now, peasant. We can play more later.¡¯ She wavered at him while chuckling and trying to hide the expression with her fan.


    ''Alon, could you believe that Alya was just there watching me being used as some kind of joke.¡¯ Edmund, go up straight. ''And I know you guys were laughing,¡¯ he said, raising his voice and directing to the outside.


    Alya just quickly looked at the young man and returned to her normal position. As outside the guards looked at one another and smirked, Alon was amused by the scene, but Ariadne just ignored it completely like nothing was happening.


    ¡®So, what was strange inside of the dungeon.¡¯ She began to fan herself.


    ¡®Yes, The squad was almost whipedout by creatures similar to mages but larger; i don¡¯t really have a real description, this was what the radio operator told me during the operation on the hallway.¡¯ Alon walked toward the table next to the duchess and pointed at the hallway in the map.


    ¡®So the remminents of the demon lord army are inside of the dungeon; the stories are true.¡¯ Ariadne closed her fan, looking at the map.


    ¡®Impossible, how did they get inside and on top of that, the golems should have been able to dispatch all of them as they can regenerate.¡¯ Edmund scratched his head with his index finger while walking closer to the table.


    ¡®They also reported a huge hole on the wall with no end in sight and destroyed golems that they used as cover in the battle against those creatures.¡¯ Alon putted his finger in the middle of the map of the hallway.


    ¡®What? That doesn¡¯t make sense; after the dungeon is conquered, yes, the golems will breakdown but not before.¡¯ Edmund was looking at the map deep in thought.


    ¡®They destroyed the golems ability to regenerate but didn¡¯t conquer the dungeon?.¡¯ Ariadne tapped the table with her fan.


    ¡®Yes, if the dugion was conquered, the gates would be permanently open, only the hero can turn it back into a dungeon, that is why the sword is there for.¡¯ Edmund crossed his arms.


    ¡®Why turn it back into a dungeon? It doesn¡¯t make sense at all.¡¯ Alon held his chin while thinking.


    ¡®The demon lord army can¡¯t open the door, this is where the A-Dam hid themselves after the hero failed; i don¡¯t know what happened next.¡¯ Edmund shrogged his shoulders.


    ¡®The A-Dam were already fighting the remnants of the Demon lord when the Shafran arrived from the mountains, so i don¡¯t know ether.¡¯ Ariadne looked at Edmund.


    ¡®Anyway, a whole platoon will go in with a truck acting as support to scout the rest of the hallway when they are ready.¡¯ Alon walked always in the direction of the entrance of the tent before turning around, facing the duchess.


    ¡®Alright, when that happens, i¡¯m going to be at the command tent with you.¡¯ She nodded at the captain.


    ¡®Yes, your highness.¡¯ He saluted her before turning around and exiting the tent.


    ¡®So Alya, can you bring some food for us, i¡¯m hungry.¡¯ Ariane looked at the maid.


    ¡®As you wish, your highness.¡¯ Alya left the tent.


    ¡®I thought you were going to make me do those things again.¡¯ Edmund showed a sigh of relief.


    ¡®I was just toying with you, peasant, a harmless joke.¡¯ She covered her mouth with her fan as she laughed.


    ¡®I¡¯m speechless...¡¯ sat on a chair across the table.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 99

    The gates again opened, and now the entire Bartel¡¯s platoon was going in with the support of the one truck that also was serving as a mobile base. Now they knew that there was something strange in the hallway itself; the lights coming from the truck and the flashlights pointed forward; the light just stopped at a point; it was like a wall of darkness.


    ¡®Now form columns to the side and one in the middle, let¡¯s walk, no need to rush this.¡¯ Bartel spoke on the radio.


    The backpack that the communication device was carried in was large because of the battery it needed to power it. They just didn¡¯t have enough blue crystals to do a hand-sized device with enough power to overpower the dungeon effect.


    ¡®And we are back again in the darkness; of course, the lieutenant volunteered us to do it again.¡¯ Asher sighed.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be like that, Asher; everything is going to be fine, like last time.¡¯ Samal gave him a small push forward.


    ¡®What are you talking about, We almost died last time; if it wasn¡¯t for our Santiest Eliza, the majority would have died.¡¯ He spoke while doing a quick salute, thinking of Eliza.


    ¡®Trust the goddess Asher, is the only thing we can do.¡¯ Caleb looked behind.


    ''Why do I even try?¡¯ Asher shook his head.


    ¡®Hey, shut it; focus on the mission,¡¯ Ethan spoke, looking behind him.


    The platoon continued to go forward and finally reached the point of the last battle. One of the peculiar things they noticed was the smell coming from the dead bodies; it was very strong, to the point that Bartel ordered one part of his men to burn the bodies while the others made a path for the truck to pass through.


    ¡®And of course, we are on the burning bodies duty.¡¯ Asher grabbed the hand of a creature.


    ¡®Not that bad; imagine being those guys there moving those rocks.'' Oran pointed at the group of soldiers before helping Asher pull the other hand of the creature.


    ¡®What are you talking about? They are just going to use grenades to blow it up.¡¯ Asher looked behind him while pulling the body.


    A series of explosions destroyed the big piles of rock on the way while the bodies of the creatures were being burned to the sides in some pills. Work was slow because after the explosions they needed to get the small pieces out of the way by hand. In the end, a day passed; they were still halfway. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    They had the equipment to sleep inside the dungeon. The reason was because of the amount of work they thought it would take to clear the rocks, the soldiers were taking shifts to be on the lookout, and the ones that were in patrols looked into the darkness, becoming ever more paranoid, making shifts shorter than they should be. Bartel and his squad leaders thought that it was something in the air that made them like this, or it was just fear of the darkness.


    Another day of work and they finished cleaning the path for the truck to pass. Alon ordered them on behalf of the duchess that the platoon should sleep another night before moving forward. Bartel also thought it was a good idea and confirmed it through the radio; the only problem was, like the last, looking at the darkness made the soldiers paranoid.


    ¡®Last night was the worst; when I looked at the darkness with everyone sleeping, it was like something was going to jump at me.¡¯ Oran rubbed his eyes and yawed.


    ¡®Right? It''s just creepy but at the same time interesting that now I don¡¯t feel the same.¡¯ Caleb checked his backpack.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go guys; we will be taking the left wall as the other squad covers our backs behind the truck.¡¯ Ethan walked out.


    ¡®We are always at the front; I don¡¯t get it.¡¯ Asher picked up his backpack and followed Ethan.


    ¡®Stop complaining; more for us.¡¯ Samal followed closely.


    ¡®You almost died a couple of days ago; why are you like this?¡¯ Asher looked behind while shaking his head slowly.


    ¡®Because he has faith in the goddess, that is all.¡¯ Oran put his arm over Samal¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡®I forgot that now this is what we say every time we stick our heads into the mouths of beasts.¡¯ Asher sigh.


    The platoon got into position with one squad hugging the right wall, another the left wall, the truck right behind in the middle and the last squad behind the truck covering the rear. As they walked forward, the same entrances were found on the walls, some larger than others; one of those had even four sets of stairs going up.


    Everything was reported back to Alon at the command tent; Ariadne was there too with Edmund by her side, which confirmed that everything was normal using his knowledge from the scriptures he never read, as the memories of the place came from the last hero.


    He found it strange that it was dark inside; the first time the hero conquered the dungeon, lights were coming from the walls and ceiling; something about this wasn¡¯t right, but he didn¡¯t say anything because he didn¡¯t want to raise alarms about himself; he already knew too much.


    All of a sudden they saw a light at the end. Egor gave the order to stop his squad and reported it to Bartel; at the same time, the other squad did the same. Bartel, his driver, and his gunner didn''t see any light at all.


    ¡®Humm¡­¡¯ Bartel stroked his chin.


    Everyone stood there in place waiting for orders; the lieutenant didn¡¯t want to put everyone at risk, but that was their job; someone would need to do it.


    ¡®Let¡¯s continue.¡¯ His voice was heard on the radio by the squad leads.


    The squad leads looked behind them and gave them a nod or a signal with their hands, so the platoon moved on and by each step, another soldier could see the light, like passing a veil to another world.


    When they finally got out of the hallway, a vast plain was reviled with a city in the distance. As Egor and other members of his squad looked up, he saw the source of the light, a giant crystal that shined bright; it looked far; they couldn¡¯t imagine how tall the ceiling was.


    Bartel got out of the truck, looking around and at the giant crystal on the ceiling that gave the city its light. Using a spyglass, he saw the city in the distance; it didn¡¯t look familiar at all; a lot of what it looked like were three- or four-story buildings full of color; he just thought about the nightmare that it was going into that.


    ¡®Command, this is Angel 3-6; we have found the city and you will need to see this for yourself, sir, over.¡¯ Bartel''s voice was full of insecurity.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 100

    Ariadne and Edmund exited the truck and saw the giant crystal on the dungeon''s ceiling. The soldiers around them found it interesting that neither of them reacted to any of that; everyone who got out of the transports was taken back by the crystal alone.


    At that moment, the hero¡¯s memories transported Edmund to the past. In front of him, there were farms between the city and the hallway and people walked by him as he sat there acting like a guardian with his hands on top of the pommel of his sword, but the hero was letting out a sigh of sadness and that pulled him back to the present.


    ¡®What a joke... thinking for a moment he was a guardian.¡¯ Edmund spoke quietly to himself.


    ¡®There is a problem, peasant?¡¯ Ariadne looked at him with the corner of her eye.


    ¡®No, but this place was used as farmland in the past; maybe can be used again.¡¯ He let out a momentary smile.


    ¡®Perhaps, but before that, let¡¯s plan the invasion; in those buildings, there will be a problem.¡¯ She started to walk toward the bigger tent around.


    As Ariadne entered the tent, everyone inside saluted her at the same time. The air around was heavy, and it was clear that everyone was nervous about even being inside such an absurd location; the situation was unreal.


    ¡®Your Highness, with all due respect, I think we should call this off, those buildings are dangerous; I don¡¯t think we have the men for this mission.¡¯ The blond-haired A-Dam spoke.


    Before Alon opened his mouth and reprimanded the platoon leader, Ariadne took a step forward and motioned her hand, and the captain just nodded at the duchess in a sign of respect.


    ¡®I understand your concern, Lieutenant Orfar but this is all we got, the rest, as you all know, is protecting the people of the duchy, we have nothing to spare.¡¯ Ariadne looked at all platoon leaders.


    ¡®Her Highness is right but I too understand your concern; this is going to be a challenge.¡¯ Alon put his two hands on the table, looking at his lieutenants.


    The sentiment coming from them was one of frustration; the buildings were just too tall and they would need to take them one by one; there was no going around that.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡®I think we have the people, the real problem is the enemies, if they are the same demons Egor¡¯s platoon fought against, it will be a hard fight.'' Zaken crossed his brownish fur arms.


    ¡®We will advance slowly; the only time we will need to push and give or all is going to be when The duchess and Edmund here are fighting against the dungeon guardian.¡¯ Alon frowns his eyebrows, pointing at the map on the table.


    ¡®Yes, I don¡¯t want any of you to die in vain; if it is too much fallback, me and the peasant here are going to provide you all with the opportunity to save yourselves, don¡¯t die for me.¡¯ Ariadne looked right into their eyes as she spoke.


    ¡®And don¡¯t worry, I will die before letting anything happen to her.¡¯ Edmund gave a quick smile.


    His words were true but only because for him, if they failed, it was better for him to die inside of the dungeon as there was no point in returning alive; he didn¡¯t believe their power now would be enough to resist the full power of Lavan or Velvent.


    The platoon leaders and Alon looked at one another and smirked. They gave Ariadne a salute but stopped for a moment with their eyes closed. She took a deep breath like a bucket of cold water had been thrown on her head but instead traveled through her body''s extremities until it all reached her heart and she couldn¡¯t control the urge to smile.


    Edmund found her behavior strange but remembered her words about the link she felt with some people; in the end, he shrugged it off like it didn¡¯t matter; maybe it was the only thinking pushing those soldiers forward into doing this dangerous mission.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness; it will be done by your will.¡¯ Alon saluted her again.


    The initial plan didn¡¯t change, only complicated things; their ammunition was not unlimited even with the rechargers; they also needed to prioritize soldiers'' lives, as that too couldn¡¯t be replaced; each death would take a toll on everyone inside of the dungeon.


    As time passed inside the dungeon, they noticed that the light started to dim and it was becoming darker but not totally; the color of the light on the ceiling was blueish now and it was starting to get cold. That alone wasn¡¯t something out of the ordinary, and that was the problem; it was like they were outside under the moon.


    ¡®Ethan, what do you think?¡¯ Samal spoke while throwing a card on top of another on the ground.


    ¡®Think about what?¡¯ Ethan tapped the ground two times.


    ¡®He is asking if we are going to die tomorrow, Ethan.¡¯ Asher spoke in an annoyed manner.


    ¡®Come on, Asher.¡¯ Oran threw a card on the pile in the middle.


    ¡®Why are you so negative?¡¯ Caleb tapped the ground, holding four cards in his hand.


    ¡®Negative? I was there patching you guys up; you guys and I died in every mission.¡¯ Asher scratched his head, annoyed at his squadmates.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t die; I¡¯m right here.¡¯ Samal threw a card in the pile, with a confused expression on his face.


    Ethan was just observing his team talk and looking at the distance where he could see the silhouette of the buildings from time to time, thinking about how things were going to be tomorrow if his child saw his father.


    ''Like I said before in the hallway, if it wasn¡¯t for Eliza, we would have died a long time ago. What are you talking about? Sir, put some sense into this lunatic.¡¯ Asher slammed his hand on the ground.


    ¡®Well, Asher is not wrong, but let¡¯s worry about that when it happens, ok? Try to stay alive and watch each other''s backs; we can do this, all right?¡¯ Ethan looked everyone in the eye.


    The soldiers continued to play their card game; other soldiers were doing the same. There was complete silence aside from the noise coming from the duchess camp. Edmund walked outside of his tent for a moment to see the soldiers walking around, playing cards, laughing, or having conversations.


    ¡®The effects of her presence are crazy; it''s like we are on vacation, not fighting against ancient monsters.¡¯ Edmund spoke to himself in a lower tone.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 101

    The operation was about to start with the platoons reading to advance through the Plainfield using the trucks as cover. And walked right to the side of Ariadne, poking her? in the arm.


    ¡®What, peasant?¡¯ Ariadne looked at the white-haired young man.


    ¡®Those guys will record our battle for future generations to see what they will fight against and just give up if we fail, or inspire them to follow your lead if we succeed.¡¯ Edmund pointed at the four individuals to his right.


    ¡®What are you talking about? Like doing a journal? We don¡¯t have time for that peasant.¡¯ Ariadne returned to her position, looking at the soldiers preparing.


    ''No, did you forget what I said? You don¡¯t care about me, hum? Is using a device that can capture light and images like this one?¡¯ Edmund showed her a tablet.


    It was like she was seeing through a window; Edmund was wavering at her through the tablet, but she didn¡¯t react at all; he thought it was strange that she didn¡¯t even gasp at what was happening.


    She faced the people Edmund pointed at before, and they didn¡¯t look like soldiers at all. A Shafran, two A-Dam, and a female Chatzi all used uniforms like all soldiers, but what gave them away was their demeanor.


    ¡®So they are going to use that device? It looks like one of my suitcases. Well, as long as they don''t stand in the way, I don¡¯t see the problem.¡¯ Ariadne wavered at them with a smile on her face.


    Edmund called for them to come closer and got a stick the Shafran was holding. Ariadne didn¡¯t understand what was happening as she noticed Edmund straightening his clothes right before pointing at the A-Dam, pointing the device at them, and starting a countdown with his finger to three, down to one and zero.


    ''Welcome, we are here in the dungeon to the south of the duchy. My name is Edmund, and to my side here is our great goddess looking at the troops as they prepare to invade the city inside of the dungeon.¡¯ Edmund pointed at the city on the horizon.


    The A-Dam moved his body to the right, pointing at the city in the distance, his fingers tapping on the side of the device for a moment, and returned to Edmund and Ariadne.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡®The Angel Company will push the creatures and leave the path open for our goddess to fight against the dungeon''s guardian. Don¡¯t worry, I will help too. She will use the sword of the hero from legend to slay the creature.¡¯ Edmund made a slashing motion with the object he was speaking into.


    Ariadne was confused, and some curious soldiers watched the events unfold.


    ¡®Now a word from the duchess. You can talk to the microphone.¡¯ Edmund put the device closer to her mouth.


    ¡®Ah, we will win... and if needed, I will sacrifice my life for our soldiers.¡¯ Ariadne spoke nervously.


    Because everything happened so fast, she became nervous and stuttered a little. Behind her, a group of soldiers started to amass, trying to see what was happening.


    ¡®See, she will sacrifice her life for the soldiers, what a beautiful soul, that is our goddess for you, Now you will see images of the battle; I don¡¯t recommend children watch it.¡¯ Edmund smiled and gave a salute, closing his eyes.


    The A-Dam that was filming him gave a thumbs up and all the others by his side smiled at Edmund. Ariadne was still confused about everything but ignored brushing it off as just another of the things Edmund did constantly. He was just different; the soldiers  around them returned to do what they were doing without


    ¡®Peasant? Did you build this thing instead of better communication devices?¡¯ Ariadne clenched her fist.


    ¡®I couldn¡¯t do for everyone so this was... much better, showing what we did here to everyone in the duchy, everyone in the kingdom, that... is powerful.¡¯ Edmund gave a nervous look to her fist.


    ¡®Maybe you are right; I will let this one slide, peasant. Don¡¯t test my patience.¡¯ She turned to look at the soldiers preparing.


    Edmund and the camera crew got to Alon, who found the whole thing completely insane even with the images he provided with the tablet but the young man had permission from the duchess so he couldn¡¯t do anything but want them as far as they could from the action; their soldiers would not be responsible for their lives.


    ¡®I helped you, but you created this thing, so make it work and tell the stories that will be printed forever in history or something like that.¡¯ Edmund smiled at them.


    They nodded and separated into two teams where their objective was to record everything they could of the battle, even doing some interviews if they could; these were concepts Edmund had pitched them and it was like a light in the darkness for every single one of them. Fear was not on their minds as they approached the soldiers preparing.


    ¡®Hello, my name is Sorth and we are going to record this battle for future generations; we have permission from the duchess and the captain.¡¯ The young Chatzi female spoke.


    ¡®So you are saying you are going there with us without weapons?¡¯ Asher crossed his arms.


    ¡®Yes, don¡¯t worry, we will be far enough most of the time.¡¯ She nodded at Ethan.


    ¡®We are so dead, sir.¡¯ Asher looked at Ethan while shaking his head slowly.


    Egor came in next to Ethan, looking at Asher with a smirk on his face. The attitude of the soldier was interesting and funny; it made the morale higher as everyone saw it as a joke even if Asher himself didn¡¯t see it that way.


    ¡®Ok people, we are going to start moving now, as for you two.'' Egor pointed at the dual. ¡¯Don¡¯t be in the way, but ?we will take care of you; your mission is also important.¡¯ He turned around


    ¡®Angel-6 to all units; move out.¡¯ Alon¡¯s voice came through the communication devices of every squad.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 102

    At the sound of the slow march behind the trucks, all the soldiers had a serious face on them. The idea behind it was that they couldn¡¯t just have soldiers in the car, take the first buildings, and wait for the rest because the enemy was not expecting them; they were not even thinking; it was a reaction system, so the moment they engaged with the enemy, it would be a relentless battle, so going all in was the strategy Alon put forward.


    Using their spyglasses and scouting at night, they did not see monsters or golems. Edmund¡¯s accounts of the hero were useless, as they differed ?from before with demon lord soldiers inside the dungeon.


    Halfway there, the soldiers felt nervous, as this was the point the scouts were observing the city; now it was unknown territory. From time to time, the camera crew captured the scene with a brief word from the soldiers close to them. That these people were with them with no weapons, asking strange questions and pointing the device to their faces sometimes annoyed some of them but others understood and took this time to say a feel-good word to their families and loved ones, and one of them was Ethan.


    ¡®Have a word to someone at home, corporal?¡¯ Sorth the microphone next to his face.


    The cameraman positioned himself to film him while they walked; he was ?in the open, Egor saw, but because they were still far enough, he just continued to walk forward with confidence in his eyes.


    ¡®Ah, Well¡­ my wife doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here; she would have gone ?insane, but if something happens to me, the duchess will take care of her and our child that is on the way.¡¯ He spoke while walking.


    ¡®Any words for her?¡¯ She looked at the camera for a moment.


    ¡®If you see this and I¡¯m by your side, sorry? But if I¡¯m not, well, I love you.¡¯ He looked ?at the camera.


    Sorth made a gesture to the cameramen, and he stopped filming. She smiled for a moment, impressed by how the soldiers had no hesitation on the mission; some complained. She looked at Asher for a moment, but moved forward with everyone.


    More time passed, and they ?got to the city. On the radio, orders were being given to everyone. As the platoons dispersed to get into position, the trucks backed out a little to stay away from the city, and every platoon leader confirmed their position and readiness. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    As the plan suggested, ?four platoons would assault the city and form the front line, going building by building, while the mortar platoon would stay on at the base until they secured the first buildings and they could move closer and have the entire city on their range.


    Egor was positioning himself on the right side of a door while Ethan was on the left side, looking at him. He nodded at him and opened the double door, putting his rifle upfront. He scanned through the crack but didn¡¯t see anything. A tap on the back made him look behind. Kurt gave him a thumbs up; that was the signal to start. He gave a glance over Ethan¡¯s shoulder and saw a squad already entering, so he nodded at Ethan and, with his rifle, started to open one door and enter.


    Right behind him, Ethan was pointing his rifle also forward, but to his surprise, everything became brighter. They looked at one another and started to walk forward in different directions toward different doors; behind them, the others followed; but the two that were accompanying were outside, and the cameraman was peaking inside.


    The two teams swept the first floor of the building, opening doors as they trained back on the training model that Edmund had built in the back of the duchess mansion; the motions were fluid like water going down a river until the point the two teams faced one another in a room that looked like the front of the building with a larger double door and a set of stairs going up.


    Egor looked at Ethan and pointed at the stairs, with Ethan¡¯s team at the front going up the stairs and pointing their rifles up, covering all angles possible. They noticed another double door in the middle of a corridor that led to another set of stairs. Ethan¡¯s team entered the door while Ego¡¯s team passed them and got to the other set of stairs, continuing to go up.


    Ego¡¯s team saw another corridor with no stairs at the end of it but the double doors were at the end of the corridor. Going there, they entered quickly and swiftly as they trained before showing a hallway with just three doors to the right side and windows to the left where the walls of the dungeons could be seen and touched because it looked like it was at arm''s length.


    Entering the first door, Egor saw this smaller corridor opening to a larger room with other doors to the side. His team checked everything quickly and moved to the other rooms, but he noticed that the others were the same. This made him think this building was an inn with better rooms on the higher floors, but he needed Ethan¡¯s opinion to confirm it.


    After seeing everything, his team got back and encountered Ethan¡¯s team guarding the corridor and the stairs. Egor nodded at Ethan, who nodded back with a smirk. Egor looked back at Kurt.


    ¡®Kurt, tell 3-6 this building is clear and we are waiting for orders.¡¯ Egor started to walk toward the stairs to the ground floor.


    The radio operator stopped and started to contact the platoon leader; even though they were close to one another, now he needed to fine-tune more so that the link would stay up.


    ¡®What was inside there, Ethan?¡¯ Egor looked at the young man while descending the stairs


    ¡®Small rooms with other spaces. I think this was an inn, sir.¡¯ Ethan looked around a bit.


    ¡®That is what I thought, that confirms what Edmund said about this being used by the survivors of the last invasion of the Demon lord as a safe hideout; fairy tales are true after all.¡¯ He laughed a little.


    ¡®Well, good thing those creatures were not here, but that doesn''t mean they are not out there.¡¯ Ethan pointed at the larger double door at ground level.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 103

    ¡®Angel-6 to all units, hold position; we will move the field hospital to the central building and position the mortar platoons, Angel-6 out.¡¯ Alon gave the radio to the operator.


    Alon looked behind him and nodded to Ariadne and Edmund. She left the tent and toward the field, stopping right where the soldiers had departed before. Thinking about what was to come, she took a deep breath before releasing it, slowing herself down.


    Edmund stood right next to her, saying ?nothing and noticing how nervous she was; it was understandable; he? didn¡¯t feel a thing, and that was something he felt happy about; the fact he was inside of the dungeon ?negated the guilt he felt because of the memories of the hero. Some thought he was crazy, seeing him smile and look at the giant crystal on the ceiling of the dungeon with what looked like hope.


    The tents were left there while the transport of all the things that were needed to establish a base inside of the central building up front began; it was the tallest of the first ones and it had a door to the roof where an observation post was established.


    Alon was nervous because, until now, there was no resistance. He was asking himself where the creatures were; as he was looking deep into the city, he could see the temple to his right but again, no creature. Edmund walked next to him.


    ¡®They are out there; I would use this day to give the soldiers rest before the battle.¡¯ Edmund walked to the edge of the building, looking down.


    ¡®There is a good idea, but do you have any idea why they didn¡¯t attack us?¡¯ Alon frowned in frustration


    ¡®I don¡¯t know. The golems should have attacked us the moment we got out of the hallway with their long-range magic. That was what happened to the hero last time, at least.¡¯ He sat down with his legs free at the edge of the building.


    ¡®Maybe this is a trap.¡¯ Alon looked at Edmund¡¯s back.


    ¡®Or this is just the Demon lord army that does not know we are inside because what would alert them were the golems at the beginning of the dungeon.¡¯ He looked at Alon while moving his legs back and forward in the air.


    ¡®But the creatures in the hallway¡­ what about them?¡¯ Alon crossed his arms.


    ¡®At the hero¡¯s time, the hallway was well-lit; maybe the demon lord army corrupted the dungeon and now functions differently. I just don¡¯t know.¡¯ Edmund sighs while looking down at the street below.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡®Well, let¡¯s see tomorrow what happens.¡¯ Alon turned around and walked toward the door.


    ¡®I wonder how many of them will die before this ends,¡¯ Edmund talked to himself.


    On the following day, the operation continued. The filming crew that was accompanying Egor¡¯s squad switched because Sorth thought that she needed to have eyes on the duchess when the battle against the Dungeon guardian happened. The one with Egor¡¯s squad was Orlan, a Shafran with determined eyes and his cameramen had the same aura around him.


    Alon was looking at the new map that they had drawn based on the observation they had. Without pushing forward with a radio in his hand, he took a deep breath before talking.


    ¡®Angel-6 to all units; put me on speakers.¡¯ Alon looked at Ariadne for a moment.


    All radio operators put Alon on the speakers; it was another function Edmund added because he wanted all of the people in the squad to know what was going on, which they hadn¡¯t used up until now. After all, they needed a degree of stealth in their approach.


    ¡®Before anything, I just wanted to say that I¡¯m proud to be fighting alongside all of you; now our Goddess has some words directly at every single one of you.¡¯ Alon gave the radio to Ariadne.


    In all positions, every soldier was prepared to act, just waiting for the signal to open the doors. Alon¡¯s words were sincere and every single one of them felt it. A lot of smiles and nods were seen among them like they were saying the same to one another without speaking a word.


    ¡®Today will be engraved in history; we, not me alone or some destined hero, will conquer this dungeon. Be proud of yourself because I¡¯m.¡¯ She closed her eyes for a moment.


    At that moment she felt the connection with everyone inside the dungeon grow stronger; it almost overwhelmed the duchess to the point of shedding tears as they ran down her cheeks. Aside from Edmund, everyone in the room was touched by the scene, even those who were not there; in fact, everyone inside the dungeon was affected by it on different levels, some with a wide smile, others with a small one or other gestures but one thing was certain: they knew it was because of her. Ariadne gave the radio back to Alon as Rita helped dry her tears.


    Everything was captured by the cameramen that was completely hypnotized by her words, returning right after to Sorth, who was in tears, unable to say anything, just making the signal for him to stop filming.


    ¡®I hope everyone is motivated; she even cried for us all, and with that, begin the operation, Angel-6 out.¡¯ Alon took a deep breath before looking at the map again.


    At the same time, all opened their doors and crossed the street; they already knew what to expect, but the problem was that from that point on, it was a mixture of small, medium, and larger buildings with narrow streets between them.


    As they advanced, one squad of Calb¡¯s platoon saw one of the creatures walking toward an open double door As they got up to the second floor of a building, they stopped and watched as the creature entered the room.


    ''2-6, this is 2-1; we made contact, moving to eliminate.¡¯ The black-haired A-Dam whispered into the radio and gave it back to the radio operator.


    The squad moved softly until they reached the opened door. The squad leader peeked inside and saw 5 creatures standing there and it looked like they were talking to one another. He couldn¡¯t understand but one thing was clear to him: all of them needed to go. He looked behind him and signaled, pointing to the other side of the door.


    Two soldiers quickly sneaked to the other side of the door without the creatures noticing. He looked at the soldier on the other side and started to count down from three to zero with his fingers while having a grenade in his other hand.


    At the same time, they threw the grenades inside, the soldiers of the demon lord were surprised by the spherical objects, something they had never seen before; they were confused, but that only lasted for two seconds as they exploded right next to them and right after the soldiers of the duchess stormed in, shooting the stunned creatures.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 104

    The sound of a faraway explosion and right after roars coming from upfront as they advanced through what could only be a small house that shared a backyard with another building. Nothing was on the walls, chairs, plates, or beds, but they knew it was a house.


    ¡®At least we weren¡¯t the first this time.¡¯ Asher smiled as they got out of the building.


    As the last members of the squad were getting through the house, ice projectiles rained toward those outside crossing the street, making them sprint across the street and others to return to the house. Those staying in the house saw a creature on the corner of a building and the windows of a building to the side they were heading for?.


    ¡®3-6, this is 3-3; we contacted the enemy on the rightest side of the dungeon, ?under heavy fire.¡¯ Kurt spoke out loud as he crouched and covered his head with one of his hands and the radio in the other.


    They were always split into two teams; this time Ethan was at the front so he was on the other side of the street, clued to the wall, as the other side didn¡¯t have a direct building right in front of them but a wall made of rock. From his point of view, he could see rifle shots coming from a building to the left to a building to the right.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go. We need to clear this building so the others can cross.¡¯ Ethan spoke as he pushed, his left shoulder touching the wall.


    His team was quick to notice the magic coming from the windows and more on the corner at the end of the building. With their heads low, they passed the windows, throwing grenades inside that made the creature in the corner facing them, see the team ?explode, but shots coming from the house hit the creature, making it fall backward.


    As soon as the grenades exploded, Ethan¡¯s team stormed inside the building, shooting the stunned creatures on the ground. The building had two floors, making their way through the building. Combat intensified as the soldiers heard roars coming from the creatures, but they pushed the same toward the magic projectiles coming their way through the now shattered doors, trying to find the stairs.


    Oran noticed that the creatures on the floor were fading like wind blowing a statue made of dust; he had not timed to think much about it as the sounds of explosions happening outside and the roars of the creatures inside of the building mixed, making it a complete mess of everything as they got up the stairs and neutralized the enemies on the windows with another well-placed grenade.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Egor¡¯s team saw the windows on the second floor explode and moved across the street toward the corner of the building that led to a wider street. On the other side, he saw the other squad doing like him, one team guarding the corner and another storming the building even though he didn¡¯t see any enemy shooting at him or them from that one, but they needed to make sure.


    Behind him, Ethan¡¯s team got out of the building and Egor peaked the corner into the other street he was shocked to see rocks just like the ones in the entrance hallway of the dungeon but that didn¡¯t take his mind too long, as between those a wave of creatures, the so-called Demon Lord soldiers were coming. He looked behind him and up from the other side of the street and nodded at the other squad leader and at the same time, they pushed the street, shooting the creatures.


    The sight was worse than their first battle at the entrance of the dungeon: multiple enemies on the walls getting out of the buildings to the sides, raining magic on them as they were seeking cover and shooting back.


    The battle raged and a frontline was formed; the creatures didn¡¯t try to hide inside of the buildings, so most of the fighting was happening on the streets and alleyways of the dungeon; all of that information was passed to Alon¡¯s base of operations on the third floor, and the pieces symbolizing the platoons and their respective squads started to move forward through the map on the table in the center of the room by other soldiers as more information came, showing the whole picture of the battle in almost real-time.


    ¡®I think you are doing much more than just connecting these people through emotion; this is crazy.¡¯ Edmund spoke while looking at the table.


    ¡®How so? I don¡¯t understand.¡¯ She looked at him, puzzled, while drinking a cup of tea.


    ¡®They are creating these things way too fast, but I don''t want to sound like they cannot, not just about this, but the devices as well.¡¯ He frowned as he looked at the map, deep in thought.


    ¡®Humm¡­ I just think they have a common goal and determination; even your devices are not like they are creating things new, just improving or mixing what you already presented to them.¡¯ She looked at Alya while putting the cup on a mini table to her side.


    ¡®By the way, she is here so that you can have your baths and tears is just, wow.¡¯ Edmund scratched the back of his head.


    ¡®I¡¯m a civilized individual, peasant, not something you could even dream of being... and that is why you will forever be a peasant in my eyes.¡¯ She smiled at Alya and took another sip of tea the maid filled.


    ¡®I¡¯m doing this because I want to, Edmund. It''s my way of fighting and if need be, I will give my life for Her Highness.¡¯ The maid gave the young man a determinate look.


    ¡®Alright, alright¡­ don¡¯t need to pimple up on me, and you will not die here, Alya, there is no world where I will not give my life to protect anyone here, I will be the first one to go if it is needed to.¡¯ Edmund gave it a small laugh.


    Everyone in the room heard the conversation and smiled, smirked, or quick laugh before resuming back to their duties. The situation was for now under control as the platoons were gaining more and more ground, but just like Edmund said, they were endless; for every single one, they killed another after taking his place.


    ¡®Captain, 4-6 is requesting medical extract.'' A radio operator spoke.


    ¡®Ok, give the go for the two trucks to begin; this is where we will see if this operation falls apart or not.¡¯ Alon gave a nod to the radio operator.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 105

    ¡®T-1 go to 4-6 position for medical extraction, over.¡¯ A calm voice came from the radio.


    ¡®Alright command, T-1 going to 4-6, over.¡¯ The soldier beside the driver spoke while holding a tablet with the rough draft of the dungeon map.


    ¡®Understood, command over and out.¡¯ The radio became silent.


    The soldier with the tablet gave two knocks on the small hatch between him and the driver a moment after it opened, revealing a Shafran male with a deep voice sounding like he had just woken up.


    ¡®It¡¯s time for the switch?¡¯ The Shafran soldier rubbed his eyes.


    ¡®Yes, I don¡¯t know how you guys can sleep in a time like this.¡¯ The copilot shook his head.


    ¡®If we are going to die, better to relax before that.¡¯ He laughed.


    ¡®Alright, Now Let¡¯s go.¡¯ The co-pilot pointed forward.


    The Shafran soldier closed the hatched and patted everyone on their heads so that they would wake up. The hatch on the ceiling opened, and another soldier looked around inside.


    ¡®Medical extraction?¡¯ His voice was lingering with curiosity.


    ¡®Yeah, keep your eyes open and read to provide support as we put the wounded inside and reinforce.¡¯ The Shafran soldier rubbed his eyes again.


    ¡®Alright.¡¯ The soldier up top closed the hatch.


    As the truck moved, everyone positioned themselves and opened the back, looking outside the city inside of the dungeon. The driver turned on streets wide and narrow with dexterity until, in one turn, a magic projectile passed right to the left of the driver as now they were facing an open battle on this street.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to put more power on the shields and move towards our guys right there.¡¯ The co-pilot pointed to the right.


    Orfar, the platoon leader of the fourth, saw the truck turning into the street and waved at them as it approached and the gunner on top of it opened fire against the creatures advancing through the golems'' bodies. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    A line was formed using two buildings on the left and right to put the ones that couldn¡¯t fight anymore; only two squads were in charge of this street while the rest of the platoon was trying to push from another side and pull a flank. The truck stopped right to the side of a rock some soldiers were using as cover while they protected a door that led to the wounded on their side. Jumping right after was the Shafran soldier who walked toward those outside of the door.


    ¡®How many do you need, Lieutenant?¡¯ The Shafran shouted.


    ¡®Nine, five here and 4 on the other side of the street.¡¯ Orfar spoke?.


    ¡®Alright.¡¯ He nodded.


    The Shafran soldier signaled to the co-pilot with his hand that five were needed here and four on the other side of the street as one fireball was shocked against the shield in the vehicle''s front. He opened the hatch between him and the driver.


    ¡®Five of you here and four on the other side. Now! Go!!!¡¯ The copilot yelled.


    They looked at one another and five got up but before the first one jumped, two soldiers were carrying a wounded Chatzi with his leg dripping blood. As they jumped and the one''s wounded got in the truck, the Shafran soldier jumped on the back of the truck as the vehicle started to drift to the side toward the other side of the street.


    The same happened there, but it only happened the way it did because of the gunner raining magic shots on the creatures advancing from all sides; that was their job. Switching wounded with new troops, the driver, for a second, thought of how many times some of these soldiers would get healed and return to the frontline.


    As the last soldier got out of the truck and the final wounded got in, immediately the truck started to back down from the fight as the gunner continued to blast the creatures. Using that as an opportunity, the two squads started to advance and take more ground.


    The only one still left inside as they turned around the corner of the street was the Shafran soldier; he wasn¡¯t special or anything as everyone inside of that truck would have done the same; he just got lucky they didn¡¯t need 10 soldiers. The co-pilot opens the small hatch and looks inside for a moment; he couldn¡¯t see how things were real or if there was someone dead among the ones on the back.


    ¡®Is there anyone dead?¡¯ He looked around.


    ¡®No, but they are in awful shape, no missing limbs, that is good.¡¯ The soldier spoke while helping one Chatzi soldier lay down on the floor.


    ¡®Command, this is T-1, over.¡¯ The copilot spoke with the radio in his hand.


    ¡®T-1, how are the wounded, and how many you dropped? Over.¡¯ The younger male voice came from the radio.


    ¡®Nine in, no dead. Nine drop off, returning to base now, over.¡¯ The co-pilot looked outside, seeing the city pass fast.


    ¡®Understood. Prepare for a supply run as soon you return, command out.¡¯ The voice halted.


    ¡®I hope we can pass this one with no deaths.¡¯ The driver spoke.


    ¡®Impossible!!¡¯ An A-Dam soldier leaning against the back of the truck spoke.


    ¡®Why is that soldier?¡¯ The co-pilot was intrigued.


    ¡®Those things are relentless. You kill one. Another turns the street, we can advance but look at the cost.¡¯ The A-Dam soldier put his hand on his left shoulder that had and looked at his arm full of burn marks.


    Those words sink hard on everyone, not just the co-pilot, because they knew that once they recovered, they would get back to the frontline with no time to rest. Maybe this time was just luck that they didn¡¯t die from the injuries they had; some of them who were unconscious were in really bad shape with blood dripping from their bodies.


    They finally arrived at the command building; the second truck wasn¡¯t there; instead, a group of soldiers with white helmets were there and as soon as they stopped, they started to unload the wounded from the truck and transport them inside the building as fast and with as much care as possible.


    The Shafran soldier just sat with his legs hanging from the back of the truck while everyone entered and looked at the ones being carried inside. Coming up from the right side of the vehicle, the co-pilot stood there looking too at the scene of the soldiers being carried inside but glanced at the Shafran soldier.


    ¡®Well, let¡¯s put the ammo, grenades, and cannon rounds inside of the truck; we have to replenish the frontline when the time comes.¡¯ The copilot smiled.


    ¡®Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡¯ He jumped out of the truck.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 106

    The room Eliza was waiting on, the one large room on the first floor of the command building, that may be used for large gatherings as some of her staff speculated, was now transformed into a field hospital with beds and everything they could get because they were the reason the duchess could even challenge the dungeon.


    The staff knew better; it wasn¡¯t everyone; it was only because of the Saintes'' healing powers it would be possible to conquer the dungeon, as she was at the center of all the other operations before this one. She didn¡¯t care for the whispers about their situation, as now, more than ever, she believed it was her duty to save as many people as possible by helping her goddess succeed on her quest.


    Some of the staff left the room and went outside. Soon after that, they started bringing wounded soldiers in and putting them on the beds; some were still bleeding. A system was developed, with flags placed on the side of the bed that showed an order of treatment: yellow flags could wait, red flags needed help, with tiers on those up to five, and a black flag for dead soldiers who should be moved to another building.


    ¡®Saintess, this one is terrible.¡¯ The white helmet Shafran put the soldier on the bed.


    ¡®I can do this; have faith in her and everything is going to be fine.¡¯ She thought to herself as she dashed towards the bloody soldier.


    She looked at the soldier lying down on the bed, a red flag with a three to the side and blood dripping from his abdomen, and put her two hands on top of the area. The usual light associated with healing shone. The soldier looked at the light for a moment, pulled his hands together and prayed as the pain he was feeling was easing up.


    The yellow flags were all in one area of the room. As time passed and she healed all of those with red flags, they got out of the room and waited outside to get sent to a new battle line. Eliza walked to those that were in the yellow area, stood right in the middle, and while doing a salute the same as she did before speaking to Ariadne, lights came out of her and she headed in all directions, hovering above their injuries and a thin line could be seen connecting them to Eliza.


    Everyone, including the white helmets, was amazed by what they were seeing for them, nothing more than a display of pure divinity. The ones in the beds prayed as the white helmets cleaned everything for the next batch of wounded soldiers.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    With time, those that had the lights on top of them faded and got up as Eliza smiled at them before they walked out of the room. This magic was slower but less taxing for her, so she developed this cycle of healing personality and ?the yellow flags. The drawback was that it happened right after there were still three left and another batch of soldiers started to enter the doors.


    ¡®You three only have permission to go after I finish with you; wait here.¡¯ She looked at them and walked away.


    Those three soldiers looked at one another and already knew they were feeling useless, glad they were alive but bad for not being able to go right now to the front line; maybe someone died because he wasn''t going to be there to give cover for them. Some of these thoughts were on their minds, but all they could do was sigh.


    The Angel Company continued to push forward on all sides, but not evenly. The street Bartel¡¯s platoon was in chaos, with magic and shots from the soldiers filling the platoon leader''s eyes, but from a secondary narrow street on the far right, he saw a familiar creature he passed by when they finished the last mission, assaulting the fortress in the forest. He was similar to the one Edmund fought for, sure; there was an enormous difference; this one, on the other hand, instead of blades on its hands like Edmund did the other hand, had what looked like a massive cannon on its back.


    The soldiers widened their eyes the moment the creature walked out of a narrow street to the right side like it was waiting for this moment, a trap for those who adventure further inside the city. While breaking part of the building to its left, trying to turn toward the advancing soldiers in the middle of the street, red lights suddenly started to gather and go inside of the cannon-shaped thing on its back, but instead of pointing at them, he pointed at the building Egor was in.


    ¡®Take cover!!!¡¯ Bartel should


    The soldiers on the windows jumped away, and Bartel was one of them. The creature aimed at them and fired its projectile; the impact caused an explosion similar to the one the explosive round did but larger.


    Bartel was covered in dust and his senses were compromised; it was like the world had no sound at all for a moment. Other soldiers coming from a door dragged him and the others away from the open as the entire wall was destroyed.


    On the other side of the street, the sight of the explosion made everyone widen their eyes for a moment. Egor looked at Caleb, who was peeking from behind a partially destroyed wall that crumbled on the sidewalk.


    ¡®Caleb! Hit that thing.¡¯ Egor Shoulted.


    The Chatzi soldier pulled his trusted cannon from his back and looked at an Oran who had the rounds in his backpack. Because they were completely focused, he put the backpack on the ground quickly and pulled a solid projectile. Young Shafran got this one because he thought that if the normal soldiers of the demon lord had shields, this thing would too and a strong one at that.


    ¡®It''s loaded, sir, but I need a clear shot!¡¯ He shouted while looking at Egor.


    ¡®Alright people, start shooting!!!¡¯ He yelled while taking a peak and shooting at a creature, having its shield drop.


    It wasn¡¯t a counterattack; they were just trying to give Caleb time to shoot the thing that while everything was happening was preparing a second shot now aimed at the ground floor of the building it had shot before, where some soldiers were exiting from. The red lights were gathering and entering the cannon, but unlined before the lights were turning white and the creature looked like it was in a more grounded position.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 107

    Caleb ran to a position where he had a clear shot of the creature and used the opportunity to shoot at it. His shot impacted around the stomach area, making the beast scream in pain right after another shot came from the middle of the battle line on the street. This time, an explosive round impacted the read of the creature, but it did nothing; it just made the creature stagger to the right.


    When the creature moved, it shot a constant white beam that lasted for two seconds and cut two buildings to the side, making part of them fall over the street, blocking part of the way dust clouded everyone''s vision, but the projectiles didn¡¯t stop flying left or right. The squad leaders used this opportunity to shout for everyone to move up.


    Ethan advanced through the dust, but because of the low visibility, he didn¡¯t see one soldier of the demon lord right to his side. Their eyes met, and he ?pulled a knife from his belt and jumped on the creature. The problem was that the knife didn¡¯t cause any damage because it stopped right before it penetrated the creature''s skin.


    He distanced himself from the creature when he noticed this and tried to hide while dodging the random magic it was shooting in a complete state of panic and confusion. Because of this, the monster was hit by one magic shot from his side and another blue shot pierced right through its chest.


    As the dust settled, the battle still raged, and the soldiers of the duchy advanced and pushed forward, using the debris of the buildings that had fallen as cover. For the top of those gain-advantage things down on the creatures, the one with the cannon on its back was lying down on the ground and disappearing with balls of light coming from it like wind disintegrating a statue of dust, the same that happened with the creatures killed in combat.


    On the same street, several buildings behind Orlam and his cameramen were observing the battle as he narrated what was happening to the best of his abilities. It was ?unreal everything that was happening right in front of their eyes; they were only on the second floor, seeing everything through an open hole in the wall that let them view the battle, but it was not good enough.


    They went to the ground floor and got closer to the action and as he was passing, soldiers were carrying the wounded through a hole in the wall. Bartel opened holes between the buildings so they could transport soldiers and ammunition risk-free. As they got out of the building behind, another truck was unloading supplies and loading the wounded while a new batch of troops disembarked.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡®Do you have a moment?¡¯ He asked a random soldier trying to move inside the building.


    ¡®What?  We don¡¯t have time to waste.¡¯ The soldier frowned at him.


    ¡®This is your first time being deployed to the front?¡¯ He put the microphone next to the soldier''s mouth.


    Everything was being recorded by the cameramen; it wasn¡¯t infinite but they still had plenty of time left and the fact that they had a spare blue cube made of the crystal to get more images.


    ¡®This is my second time; it was with the 4-6 under Orfar, now here under... I don¡¯t know. Bartel is on the truck.¡¯ He started to walk inside of the building.


    ¡®Hey, let¡¯s move closer but from the other side of the street.¡¯ Orlam called for his cameramen to follow him.


    The two crossed the street; even with the distance, some straight fireballs and other magic projectiles still zapped close to them. Now on the outside, they needed to look out and move only when necessary. One thing those two noticed was that moving forward was easy, not because there was no danger, but because they were thrilled to be in that situation.


    The cameraman noticed too late that they were too close to the fight and could not hold Orlam¡¯s hand before he got out of cover and got what looked like an ice lance right through his chest, making him fall on his back instantly. Still, with his microphone in his hand, he closed his eyes.


    The cameraman was there with his eyes closed to Orlam''s stiff body for a moment; everything around him disappeared, and he finally noticed what he was doing. The feeling of guilt gave way to fear, but even with that, he got out of that place and pushed forward, leaving Orlam¡¯s body behind, entering the next building, and starting to film the battle again.


    He was capturing it all¡ªthe soldier that Orlam talked about just moments ago pushing forward through the destroyed street and shooting at the creatures. The cameramen had a strange feeling like he was just an observer, the eyes of God that had just one job: record everything happening so that people knew who these people were.


    Briefly, he remembered how he met Orlam and the others. They had this dream of computing everything with the device he had in his hands; now his friend was no more and he could only remember him calling for him to not miss the transport inside of the dungeon.


    ¡®Dou¡­¡¯ He spoke to himself.


    As the sounds of the battle raged outside, Dou simply put down his camera and sat leaning against a wall, looking at the light coming through and taking a deep breath with tears dropping from his eyes as he started to realize that his friend was dead. With the sounds of explosions and the building trembling, he looked at the camera and took a deep breath.


    ¡®This is important; he would have done the same.¡¯ Dou got his camera again and started to record the action happening outside.


    For a moment, he thought about what was going to be the reactions of the people watching these recordings. All the pain and horror he was capturing wouldn¡¯t produce something glorious, pure despair from the soldiers below as they fight for their lives.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 108

    Hours have passed since the start of the operation; the battle still raged; the light was dim, but the soldiers of the duchy were putting up a good fight; the map on the table of the central command was where Alon was giving orders; the pieces of the platoons were moving up to the main objective, where the sword of the hero is.


    ¡®I wonder if the night will give us more problems.¡¯ Alon walked around the table while looking at the map.


    ¡®What if they don¡¯t stop?¡¯ Ariadne stood up from her chair.


    ¡®The soldiers will need to endure it and hold positions.¡¯ Alon passed a line through the map using a wooden stick.


    ¡®it''s going to be a long night.¡¯ Edmund talked to himself.


    ¡®Tell all units that when they get to this line here, they will hold the position until tomorrow morning.¡¯ Alon raised his voice for a moment.


    Flashes of magic and blue beams mixed with explosions and white rays with terrifying sounds cut the dungeon from left to right, a screen of destruction. Nobody was counting losses at that point because of the way reinforcements happened; they just didn¡¯t know how many were dead.


    ¡®3-6, this is a command. Don¡¯t push past your current position. Hold it.¡¯ The voice of the operator through the radio.


    ¡®What?¡¯ repeat, over.¡¯ Kurt should be trying to be louder.


    ¡®3-6, don¡¯t push past your current position until further orders, over and out.¡¯ The tone of the voice was calmer.¡¯


    Kurt tapped Egor¡¯s shoulder as he was shouting out orders to the surrounding soldiers; they were on the left side of the street inside a building.


    ¡®Sargent, the command said we need to hold our position until further orders.¡¯


    ¡®What?¡¯ Egor frowned.


    ¡®Yes, we need to wait.¡¯ Kurt nodded at him.


    Egor looked around and noticed the light coming from the crystal up top was getting weaker. He was in charge of the platoon now until Bartel came back.


    ¡®Pass on the message.¡¯ He patted Kurt on his shoulder.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    As the light became weaker and weaker, the soldiers across the dungeon noticed that the ones they killed weren¡¯t replenished until it became dark, with only the lights coming from the street lamps and inside of the buildings the soldiers were in.


    ¡®Sir, 3-6 is saying that the creatures stopped attacking; they are not showing up anymore.¡¯ One radio operator spoke with a surprised tone.


    ¡®1-6 said the same.¡¯ Another spoke.


    ¡®Everywhere is the same?¡¯ Alon looked at the radio operators.


    They all nodded their heads to him at the same time; his eyes switched to Edmund, trying to reach for a response from the young white-haired man.


    ¡®Don¡¯t look at me; by this time, the hero had already conquered the dungeon all by himself.¡¯ Edmund shrugs at him.


    ¡®Better to use this opportunity to rest; we are close to the sword already and we need to see how many we lost on the first day.¡¯ Ariadne waved her hand toward Alon.


    The captain bowed to her, and immediately everyone started to work on knowing how many had died. Ammo inventory and the team responsible for recharging the batteries were going to work the whole night to make everything ready for the next round.


    As the night went on, the platoon leaders passed the information they could gather, and in the end, 12 people died; one of those was Orlan the Shafran, who was trying to record the action. The cameraman Dou was still there and wouldn¡¯t back down. This news made Sorth and her cameramen sad because of the history they had together.


    Only 2 of those deaths occurred in the field hospital with Eliza; the wounds were too much, and it wasn¡¯t just possible to heal them back to normal; the majority died in battle with a fatal strike. From the accounts of the soldiers, the majority was instant; they already had depleted the shield from their vest, and the next strike was fatal.


    Edmund was again with these feet hanging, looking down from the roof of the command building, thinking about how tomorrow he may die a quick death as he remembered vividly how strong the dungeon guardian was; it wasn¡¯t hard to compare to how he is now; it wasn¡¯t even close.


    ¡®What are you doing here?¡¯ Sorth spoke with a soft voice.


    ¡®Just thinking about how I told you and everyone that the vest wasn¡¯t some kind of invincibility cloth.¡¯ He sighs.


    ¡®From what Dou told, he was just too excited to get more, thrilled by it.¡¯ Sorth shook her head slowly.


    ¡®When the fight starts against the Dungeon guardian tomorrow, be at a distance, do now get close to it; it is intelligent; it may try to use you to get me and the duchess.¡¯ He looked at her for a moment.


    ¡®I¡¯m not going to be in the way.¡¯ She frowned at him.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to be completely honest with you; I will not save you, Ariadne will give her life to save yours, deep down, you know that, right?¡¯ He gets up and faces her.


    ¡®I know, I feel it.¡¯ She puts one of her hands on her chest. While looking down.


    ¡®So beware of your surroundings or you will kill her; don''t be like Orlan, ok?¡¯ Edmund passed by her toward the stairs.


    Ethan was looking outside of a window, and two soldiers were leaning against a part of a building that felt from the battle as they cleaned their weapons. Everyone in the platoon was doing something they didn¡¯t even think of the fact that two from their squad died during the battle.


    Not that they didn¡¯t care, is just that being sad wasn¡¯t a priority, or was the fact that a bunch of guys was wounded, from really bad to not so, and they came and thought that everything was just down to luck; one thing for sure was on their minds.


    ¡®Thank the Goddess, our Saint Eliza is here; I would have died for sure.¡¯ Samal touched the right side of his chest.


    ¡®Yes, when you get pierced through by an ice lance right in the chest, you better thank her; don¡¯t you know what cover is?¡¯ Asher shook his head with an angry tone.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad for you and her, Asher. I¡¯m not ungrateful; it''s just that those things are nasty; a lot of people here would have died if it wasn¡¯t for the Saint. Don¡¯t¡¯ He looked at the ceiling of the room and sighed.


    Dou was recording everything; he was walking around trying to peek at the real talks and the emotions the soldiers were feeling as the night went on. Before sleeping, he got to the roof of a building and recorded the surroundings. He could see lights shining to the left side, marking the other platoons.


    ¡®Will I die tomorrow?¡¯ He was talking to himself while recording the lights coming from the streets in the distance.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 109

    ¡®The platoon leaders wanted to send a team of each squad to scout ahead to see where the creatures are, which is a good idea, but I wanted your opinion, Your Highness.¡¯ Alon stood in front of the duchess.


    ¡®I already said that we will attack tomorrow; the soldiers need rest and we have patrols so that the creatures don¡¯t sneak on us, I understand, but that''s a no.¡¯ Ariadne fanned herself while sitting with her legs crossed.


    ¡®May I step in a little?¡¯ Edmund waved at Ariadne as he entered the room.


    ¡®No problem.¡¯ She looked at him.


    ¡®We don¡¯t know what is happening, if we do this, it may trigger the attacks again, it may have nothing and we all get to the sword but when the crystal up there shines again, the creatures could just appear right in front of in the mix of our troops, we don¡¯t know.¡¯ Edmund held his chin while tapping his chin.


    ¡®Because we don¡¯t know, much better to wait for the known; tomorrow we will advance again. Everything is being supplied and the soldiers can rest. I care too much about every single one of you to risk it.¡¯ She closed the fan, making a sound.


    The soldiers in the room smiled ?as they heard her words. Alon gave the order, which they passed down to the platoon leaders. There was no objection, as the last word came from Ariadne herself.


    Between the camp at the entrance and the city where the troops were, the soldiers of the mortar company were lying down on their backs; no lights were allowed because the creatures could use them to spot the soldiers.


    ¡®Alright everybody, before the turns begin, check your equipment; it needs to be good for tomorrow.¡¯ Nortis spoke as he walked between the troops.


    ¡®We did nothing today; I hope we can help tomorrow.¡¯ One Chatzi soldier commented.


    ¡®You will. We are the key to killing the dungeon guardian. The more creatures we kill, the weaker the guardian becomes, as the dungeon will use its power to replenish the troops. That is the play.¡¯ He looked with his blue eyes at the soldier who had talked before.


    ¡®Wow, now I¡¯m feeling the weight of our responsibility.¡¯ Another Shafran soldier said while cleaning the mortar.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡®Just a reminder for everyone; the moment we use all our rounds, we will serve as frontline reinforcements. Pray our Goddess can slay the guardian in time; if not, our lives will serve as the rounds instead.¡¯ He continued to walk, observing the soldiers do the check.


    They all looked at one another; some gave a nod, others sighed or had a sarcastic smile on their faces. One thing was for sure: no one there would disappoint the person who gave them such an amazing life for them and their families.


    In a separate room in the command building, Ariadne was looking out of the window and seeing the street below completely with two soldiers patrolling. One of them looked up and saw her; she gave him a friendly wave and smile, and in response, he smiled and nodded at her. The other soldier by his side quickly looked in the same direction and nodded desperately before continuing his patrol.


    It doesn¡¯t matter how many times it happened; she could never get used to the fact that she felt the genuine feelings of the two soldiers who looked at her, the genuine care and pride they were feeling for protecting her as she slept, even if she didn¡¯t hear the two talk from so far above, a genuine feeling of being taken care of and everything was going to be fine, like when her father let her sleep in his room when she was scared or the other nobles had bullied her.


    ¡®Your bath is ready, your highness.¡¯ Alya spoke while holding a door open.


    ¡®Thanks, Alya.¡¯ Ariane walked towards the maid.


    They discovered that all buildings had running water, bathrooms, and everything. Edmund said that it was magic; the dungeon provided it, but even if they let every single one open, it wouldn''t help. With that, they cleaned the bodies of the fallen and tried to clean the field hospital before resting.


    Eliza was sitting on a bench in the corner of the field hospital holding a cup of warm tea she got from one of the white helmet soldiers that was working with her. She remembers when every single one of them was learning with the doctor the basics of everything; it made her smile a little before sipping on the tea and hearing a familiar voice.


    ¡®So this is where we find the good stuff.¡¯ Edmund sat next to her on the same bench


    ¡®Yes, with everything happening is good.¡¯ She smiled at him while giving him the cup.


    ¡®How are you holding up?¡¯ He took a sip of tea before giving it back to her.


    ¡®Some were just too far gone or I wasn¡¯t strong enough.¡¯ She sighs while looking at the wall across the room.


    ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for you, this would be impossible without heavy losses and to be honest, everyone here would be dead and we would have failed.¡¯ Edmund gave a quick laugh.


    ¡®That much I know from experience, some were here two times, maybe even three; I just don¡¯t know.¡¯ She shook her head slowly before taking another sip of tea.


    ¡®They are alive because of you; be proud of that. I¡¯m just saying this because, with time, you can put all the losses on your shoulders, not really a good thing to have on your conscience.'' Edmund looked to the floor, between his legs.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think one day I will be used to it, but at least I can learn better ways or try to create better ways to use healing magic so that I can do more.¡¯ She looked at the ceiling deep in, though.


    ¡®For that to happen, you will need to be a better conductor of magic; I don¡¯t know how you can do that without modifying your body, like, for example, the nail on my shoulder.¡¯ He puts one hand on top where the nail.


    ¡®We can try; why not?¡¯ She smiled at him.


    Edmund was surprised by her commitment, but ever since, he knew about the deeper link between Ariadne and her subjects. Edmund smiled back at her while wondering how much was their own or just a projection of Ariadne¡¯s will manifested in her actions, like the hand of a parent directing a child towards a path but because it is invisible, the child doesn¡¯t know where her will begins or ends; it all blends in perfectly.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 110

    The crystal of the dungeon shone like the sun rising in the morning, but it was faster than yesterday. The soldiers were already awake, waiting for the creatures to attack their position like the day before, but they didn¡¯t come. Instead, like a synchronized show of lights, white beams pierced through buildings on all the frontlines, ?cutting buildings in half or causing massive holes in others.


    It took some by surprise, ?killing others. Others ran from the fallen buildings and with the chaos installed, explosions came from the buildings up front and creatures came out of them and shot at the soldiers on the streets.


    Inside the buildings, some walls exploded and more monsters came in from the openings. Communications were chaotic, an ambush, but the movements of the creatures didn¡¯t change, more like the orders received an update, a complete change in strategy.


    ¡®Die!!!¡¯ A soldier plunged a knife into the throat of a creature.


    It was a melee of mayhem inside the buildings, with explosions from grenades, knives, and rifles. In the chaos, everything was being used against the creatures. The streets were a different beast ?as the white beams continued to cause destruction all around, piercing big piles of rubble like nothing.


    Ethan was pushing forward with his team, trying to find the ¡°catapults¡± through smaller alleys where the streets were diverging following the path of destruction the beams were causing. The monsters were attacking from inside the buildings now; outside gave soldiers more room for maneuver and they could advance?, but now some magic projectiles were coming from all sides, complete chaos.


    In the back, inside the command room, Alon was looking at the map with information flying through the room, operators passing requests and relaying updates on the positions of the platoons.


    ¡®Sir, 4-6 wants mortar strikes at position G7/F6.¡¯ One operator shouted.


    Alon looked at the map and saw that it was ahead of their current position and made the instant link. Those monsters were using the buildings as cover; they didn¡¯t care for the destruction they were causing.


    ¡®Permission granted, the platoon leaders now can request ?from the platoon squad.¡¯ Alon nodded at the radio operator.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡®Yes, sir.¡¯ The radio operator turned around. ¡®5-6, this is a command. You are clear; I repeat, you are clear.¡¯ His voice was now calmer.


    Nortis, the leader of the mortar platoon, was checking his map; it was the same one Alon was using, but he was seeing it on a tablet. He was checking the numbers of strikes in different places on the map for practice; the map was divided into squares and after that into smaller squares with numbers and lanes on the sides to help with location, a good idea that Edmund came up with when he taught them how to use the mortars back at the mansion.


    The explosions at the distance made him uneasy because of how powerless he felt, but that wouldn¡¯t last long as the radio operator by his side gave him a tap, a thought up, and started to write numbers on his tablet.


    ¡®Alright everyone, is our time to shine.¡¯ He shouted.


    All soldiers started to get in position, some transporting the rounds closer to the mortar, others just getting into position. The idea was that the number of coordinates was passed by radio, and Nortis was assigned to each squad so they could complete their orders. If every squad already had their orders and more came in, he would do the calculations himself and pass along the positions, and the squad leaders would just check before launching the rounds.


    The first one was 4-6 requests for 3 rounds on G7/F6; that was the general direction, but calculating the distance using the map their hands made easier. It was still a developing system, so they couldn¡¯t say it was perfect, but as the rounds flew toward the sky and impacted the location behind the creature lines, a radio transmission confirming the hits or asking for adjustments was all they could wait for.


    ¡®Hit confirm, target destroyed.¡¯ The radio operator spoke to Nortis.


    ¡®Alright!¡¯ He clenched his fist.


    On the frontline, the battle was starting to stabilize as the initial confusion settled but now there were more advanced squads doing recon and hunting catapults, as now the enemy strategy was to use the buildings as cover and fire aimed trying to cause as much damage as possible, Ethan was upfront with his team and right between buildings to their right as they though an alley, it was two catapults preparing to fire another volley in the general direction of the defensive position his platoon was in.


    ¡®Caleb hit those things; the rest draw fire from the ones guarding spread out.¡¯ Ethan spoke to his team before running to another position.


    Caleb started to prepare his cannon and the other members of the team got into position and started to fire against the soldiers of the demon lord protecting the Catapults, drawing their attention. This allowed Caleb to fire against one of the gigantic monsters before moving to another position, followed by Oran.


    His shot passed right through his neck, making it crumble to the ground, but the projectile didn¡¯t stop there; it changed direction and hit the left arm of the other by its side, making the huge creature lose balance and fall toward the one lying dead on the ground but the energy was already stored on the weapon on the back of the creature so it suddenly fired. The white beam pierced the building right above where Caleb was making pieces of it fall and block the alley where Ethan¡¯s team came from.


    ¡®Into the building behind us, go!¡¯ Ethan pointed at a wooden door.


    Samal shot the handle of the door just in case and pushed using his shoulder, forcing his way into the building, followed by Arsher, who started to scan for enemies and advance toward a hallway. One by one, they entered and started to shoot against the creatures from the open door, leaving Ethan the last one to enter. Before trying to run toward the door, he threw a grenade at the advancing creatures. As soon as the explosion kicked in, some of them were launched to the sides and Ethan ran to the door with his team members, giving him cover.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 111

    The battle progressed. The duchy''s soldiers advanced, using advanced squads to call for mortars to strike the catapults or deal with them themselves using the rail cannons. After some hours, the strategy changed; the catapults were no longer seen. At the command building, Ariadne got up and pointed out the obvious.


    ¡®Where are those beasts?¡¯ She frowned.


    ¡®Yes, we haven¡¯t had a report of them for some time now, but we just need to clean around where they were. The sword is.'' Alon put his finger right on top of it on the map.


    ¡®Our time to shine.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be so excited about it, peasant; it''s disgusting, people are dying.'' She looked at him with disgust.


    ¡®Alright¡­ alright.¡¯ He took two steps back with his hands up and a quick laugh.


    Her gaze passed to the map and how the pieces were being moved, revealing that her soldiers had already passed the temple where the hero''s sword was. She was trying to hide, but she was feeling every death; it wasn¡¯t a hard blow but a buildup of anger within her being. It was hard to explain with words and ?useless to try, as there was no solution.


    Ariadne realized that being inside the dungeon amplified her connection with everyone, and she noticed this happening in both directions. She struggled to believe her soldiers were fighting ?against an ancient evil as if it were just another mission. She saw the soldiers coming and going from the field hospital, too. Some of them had experienced death two or maybe three times, and even that wasn¡¯t a deterrent.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go peasant.¡¯ Ariadne walked toward the door.


    ¡®Ok.¡¯ Edmund followed her. ¡®Hey, let¡¯s go, you two.¡¯ He pointed to Sorth and her cameraman.


    They looked at one another, nodded, and followed Edmund. Sorth tried to calm herself as they got out of the building. The duchess entered one truck as wounded soldiers were being transported inside from the other, all of which her cameraman recorded.


    Edmund Sword was always outside of the building, leaning against the wall with its tip fixed on the ground; nobody touched it because they knew only he and the duchess herself could use it. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    He also didn¡¯t ?care for the sword because it was a tool. He could protect himself without it, but it was needed to unlock Ariadne''s full potential while fighting the Dungeon Guardian. It was also huge compared to a standard sword.


    The new design used crystals on the handle and pommel, and its total length was to match the hero''s sword''s original size and shape. Edmund didn¡¯t want a complete copy; if it felt the same, there would be no practical transport method. Unlike the hero''s sword, which could be summoned at will, his was cumbersome because of its height, passing Edmund''s height a little.


    ¡®Edmund, isn¡¯t this thing kind of too large?¡¯ Sorth spoke as she saw Edmund sitting in front of her.


    ¡®Right? But that is how I fight. It is the same length as the sword Her Highness will pull on the temple we are going to.¡¯ Edmund looked and smiled at her.


    ¡®But with all due respect, her highness is my height; how is she supposed to fight with this thing?¡¯ She frowned.


    ¡®You didn¡¯t see the two training? It''s completely unreal.¡¯ The cameraman spoke.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m good with it, but it''s funny seeing your reaction, thanks to that.¡¯ Ariadne gave Sorth a wide smile.


    ¡®Well, it is beautiful with the crystals and all.¡¯ Sorth looked at the shining pommel.


    ¡®This is charged with magic to handle trading blows with the guardian; it won''t last forever but can buy me some time.¡¯ Edmund spoke while looking at the blue crystal on his blade.


    ¡®You are brave, Edmund, facing everything with this sword and not even wearing any armor; you love her Highness.¡¯ She smiles at him.


    ¡®Well, no armor we have would resist a hit by the guardian, and mobility is better than this. Armor is just for show; she put on it so people wouldn¡¯t be worried. It''s useless.¡¯ Edmund spoke in a calm and serious tone.


    Sorth''s eyes widened as she realized how dangerous things would be. She shifted her attention to Ariadne, who the cameraman was recording. The duchess got up and sat beside her, touching her shoulder.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, the peasant will sacrifice his life for me if things get serious.¡¯ She giggles.


    ¡®Ok, that was funny, but also true.¡¯ Edmund gave a quick laugh.


    ¡®To be honest, the brave ones here are you two, going there with nothing to protect yourself; don¡¯t put yourselves in danger, ok?'' Ariadne gave Sorth a quick pat.


    They were getting closer as the sounds of the battle were getting closer and closer until they stopped right in front of the temple. The truck stopped in front of the massive temple with an incredible set of stairs, making it stand out from the other buildings around it. When Ariadne got out of it, Lieutenant Orfar was there with the wounded, lying on the ground waiting for their transport.


    ¡®Your Highness, as requested, we didn¡¯t enter the temple; we don¡¯t know if the creatures are inside, but when we attacked, no magic came from inside the building, just the streets by its side.¡¯ He pointed at the streets.


    ¡®Okay, thanks for your hard work, Lieutenant. Let¡¯s put the men in the vehicle.¡¯ Ariadne walked towards the wounded on the ground.


    ¡®You don¡¯t need to; I have two spare soldiers to accompany you inside.¡¯ He stood next to her, scratching the back of his head.


    ¡®Is too dangerous, and they will only be in the way; help with the wounded, and you are dismissed.¡¯ She spoke while helping one soldier get up.


    Edmund also helped while Sorth watched, and the camera operators recorded everything. By the end, the truck was on its way back. The three soldiers saluted Ariadne and headed towards the side streets toward the frontline.


    ¡®Well, shall we?¡¯ Edmund looked at Ariadne as he started to walk up the stairs.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 112

    As Ariadne walked up the stairs, she ?could see inside the structure. A sense of nostalgia rushed down her chest as the details on the temple floor pulled her into the building. Edmund was right by her side but ? sighed because he needed to do something.


    He remembered the hero entering this same temple and running towards the sword, now right there as if it had never been pulled. It was the same as in his memory: half it on the flood with nothing special around it.


    The cameraman was recording all the details of the building but was stopped by Sorth, who put her right arm on his chest as they were going to enter the temple.


    ¡®To the side, let¡¯s have space between us and the fight, but not be too far from it.¡¯ She pointed to the right side.


    He nodded, and the two were almost at an angle, following each other inside the vast, open temple. The sounds of the battle were audible, but inside, there were no signs of destruction, unlike the destruction the two saw and recorded outside, with even buildings destroyed.


    Ariadne was in front of the sword, with Edmund by her side. He was leaning against his sword, waiting for her to pull it. They were in the middle of the temple, with images as she looked to the side.


    ¡®When you pull the sword, the portal will open, and a golem of the previous hero will come up in some place right there,¡¯ Edmund pointed up front.


    ¡®I know¡­¡¯ She put her hand on top of the pommel of the sword of the hero.


    For a moment, Ariadne was lost in her memories, a whirlwind of emotions and experiences. Her life, once simpler, now seemed like a distant dream. Despite the pain of her condition and the looming threat of death, she cherished the time she had with her father in the capital just before he returned from the trip where he narrowly escaped an ambush.


    They had a year and a half of happiness; perhaps he wanted to be with her, knowing their time was limited. Then Velvent attacked ?, overwhelming their forces. She was kept in the dark about the military meetings at the castle, but one day. They were at the gates. From her room, she could see the Velvent army breaching the capital gates in the distance, her hands trembling in fear.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    She stayed in her room hugging Eliza; there was no escape; it looked like the attack came as a surprise, and all she could do was wait in her room for her time to die, but it didn¡¯t happen. Instead, a young A-Dam with white hair, blue eyes, and a massive sword in his hand barged into her room. Her maid stood between the two of us, but he tried to explain that he was only there to stop Ariadne from taking her own life.


    He stood there looking at her with no malice, smiling occasionally, trying to initiate a conversation, but she was too afraid to talk to him. Velvent soldiers held strange pieces of wood, and right after, King Rufus Volter showed up in his majestic armor, with no blood on him or his sword pulled.


    The king told her that her father was dead; they were enemies, sure, but diplomacy brought them closer over time. The only thing was that his hand was too good this time for him not to use it. She would be treated commonly and be under his care. Before he left the room, he told her that most of the nobles had fled the capital; only her father stayed to defend with the royal guard. This revelation made her blood boil in rage, but she could do nothing. Days passed, and she was called to the throne room, where she once sat next to her father, being looked at with disgust by the other Lavan nobles; now, she was on her knees in front of the king of Velvent.


    With a shock, the king declared that she was to be the slave of the white-haired young man who had entered her room days before. After a swift ceremony, the young man was now her master, and on the same day, he would put a nail in her arm out of nowhere; after the initial pain, all that she felt before subdued. Everything was happening so fast that she didn¡¯t understand what was happening; he didn¡¯t explain.


    To her surprise, life didn¡¯t change much from before. Her master, a young man named Edmund, the fourth prince of Velvent, didn¡¯t behave or wear clothes fitting for his title. One thing he insisted that she do was train using the enormous sword he carried around sometimes. Despite the master-slave relationship, there was a strange sense of equality and mutual respect between them.


    Months passed, and Ariadne was growing accustomed to her new life. Edmund didn¡¯t mistreat her and was kind and polite; it didn¡¯t feel like she was a slave at all. He even said she was special and that the world depended on her, all flattery to her ears, things nobody had ever said to her. The two even had tea parties, talking and laughing about the silliest things.


    He was moving her heart, and she felt for him as well when he talked about his time alone developing his devices at a young age and how she might as well call him a peasant because his father didn¡¯t treat him like a son at all even after the things he did for the kingdom and how Ariadne¡¯s father refused to take him as a slave in exchange for peace in a border dispute.


    One day, Edmund told her they were going to a place in the mountains; he always talked about the demon lord and its army, powerful entities that threatened the peace of their world, and how they were going to fight it, the dungeons, and everything; she thought it was interesting, but nothing that could be traced back to reality; the method of transportation they used for her wasn''t comfortable as it was inside of a metal box; she didn¡¯t see where they were going, only getting out to eat and other things.


    When they reached their destination, she finally saw where she was and the number of people running around the camp; she didn¡¯t understand what was happening. Edmund told her that now was the time to use what she had received from him. He recognized how little it was, but it was enough, and he would do most of the work. He comforted her with a kind smile and a pat on the head.


    Ariadne was still confused until she saw the dungeon''s entrance. Guided by soldiers and Edmund by her side, she entered. They put her on light body armor, but Edmund just used his regular clothes; he said that was useless. Everything happened so fast that she didn¡¯t understand what was going on.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 113

    After passing through a dark hallway, she came to a camp with Velvent soldiers running around with strange devices and wearing cloth instead of plate armor; these were just details she could notice about everything. With Edmund by her side, she got into a wagon and went toward a city in the distance, where explosions could be heard.


    Edmund smiled at her and talked about how they would need to fight a dungeon guardian, just like he had before, but now it felt real. Like before, he assured her he would do most of the job, and she would only need to deal one deadly blow.


    As the wagon entered the city, she noticed the tall buildings. The bright light from a crystal on the dungeon''s ceiling made everything she was experiencing feel unreal, like a dream. The explosions and sounds of what looked like a battle were getting closer. The wagon needed to avoid the rubble of parts of buildings in the middle of the street and the destruction all around.


    They stopped in front of a building that looked like a temple, with soldiers guarding it. Edmund jumped out of the wagon, pulled a sword full of crystal adornments from underneath a pile of clothes, and offered a hand so that she could get out. With a smile, she got his hand and jumped out. They walked up the stairs, and, like many times before, she would use the hero''s sword and save the world.


    There was nothing inside the temple, only another entrance on the other side and a sword, half of which was inside the floor. The details on the floor themselves were beautiful to her eyes. When they got in front of the sword, Edmund tried to pull with one hand, but it gave up after one try. He laughed quickly, asking her to pull it herself right after.


    She pulled the sword; it didn¡¯t have any resistance whatsoever; it had the same length as the one Edmund trained her with and the one he had in his hands right now; the details on the blade were unreal; it looked like the steel was alive because of how the blade pulsated as she looked, but Edmund called for her attention as a portal opened between them and the other entrance.


    A figure emerged from it, a man with dark red hair, grayish skin, and darker freckles below his eyes across his nose, wearing light armor with transparent gems on his chest, arms, and legs, holding a black-handled long sword. Ariadne was taken aback by it. Edmund told her to follow him, but as soon as he said that, the dungeon guardian leaped forward, trying to strike her.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    She reacted only as much as to defend against the blow, which made her fly back and out of the building and hit the second floor of another with such a force that she was entirely out; for her, it was only a moment, but more time had passed, and when her eyes opened, two Velvent soldiers were by her side trying to wake her up using something with an intense smell. She walked to the edge of where she was and saw Edmund covered in black bruises and blood and with his clothes torn in the middle of the street, fighting against that figure.


    It took a moment for her to realize the bodies on the street that weren¡¯t there before were Velvent soldiers in various states. A gruesome look; her eyes met with Edmund¡¯s for a second, and without any excitation, he shouted, giving her a command to throw her sword with all her might against the figure, and so she did without a thought; her body moved like it had done the movement thousands of times before, but she had only trained with Edmund months up to that point.


    When her sword pierced the figure, she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Edmund felt victimized as he held it in place. At the last second, he tried to avoid it, but it was too late, and Ariadne¡¯s sword pierced his chest on the right side. She jumped off the building and ran toward Edmund, who was using the remainder of his strength to pull himself out of the sword while the figure faded away like a statue of dust being carried away by the wind.


    He was already on the ground when she got close, tears in her eyes. For the first time, someone other than her father was good to her, and she killed him with her own hands. Edmund told her everything would be fine and that she needed to continue his actions. He made his father promise he would go to the other dungeons. He was struggling to talk; the soldiers came running next to him, but when they saw his state, they just sighed as she cried on top of him.


    Edmund¡¯s last words were, ¡°The... her..o is not... Co¡­ ming, so you nee...d to... fight.¡± Before he closed his eyes, she started to cry even more on top of him, but she noticed that the sounds around her suddenly changed, and when she opened her eyes again, she was in the ballroom. Tears still poured from her eyes; confused, she looked around, and Eliza was there but a little younger.


    It took some time for her to realize that she had returned, but she returned before her father went to Velvent. With the information about Edmund, she could prevent her father¡¯s death and her kingdom from falling, even Edmund¡¯s death. So, she asked her father to go with him, and after the initial no, he let her go more because of the sudden change in her personality.


    After the trip, when she got to the capital of the kingdom of Velvent and accommodated herself in the castle''s guest room, she wasted no time before dashing out to the royal smith where Edmund said he had lived before. Her father always put two guards with her, but it didn¡¯t prevent her from looking around until her eyes met a white-haired young man sitting in front of a warehouse.


    The first feeling she felt was surprise; he was alive, but right after, happiness as she walked towards him smiling and asking him what his name was and what he did there, no answer; it made her impatient and then she said, ¡°Are you deaf, peasant?¡± she asked as she tapped his chest with her fan.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 114

    After those memories faded into the background of her mind, Ariadne gave a slow sigh and pulled the sword. The same thing happened; the guardian came out of the portal, and there was nothing different in his appearance. However, this time, Ariadne got into position right after assuming a battle stance and looked at Edmund momentarily.


    ¡®Follow me.¡¯ She spoke in a soft, calm voice.


    Ariadne dashed forward toward the guardian, followed by Edmund, who was surprised by her attitude. Still, there was no time for thinking as she swung her sword, and the guardian swiftly blocked and didn¡¯t move an inch, looking at her with a cold, expressionless face. Edmund came from above, trying to strike its other side, but the guardian pushed Ariadne''s sword away and blocked Edmund''s. With that, the battle began.


    The two in the distance, mouths open, were in complete disbelief. The cameraman pointed his device at the fight but didn¡¯t see anything; it was so fast that he couldn¡¯t comprehend what was happening. Sorth saw the fight but didn''t understand. One of her hands covered her ears because of the sound the clash of the swords was making.


    ¡®Wait, the two are fighting against one another as well?¡¯ Sorth focused and trying to understand the fight.


    ¡®Yeah, Edmunds and the duchess''s swords are clashing too; at least, is what it looks like.¡¯ The cameraman spoke with a tone of confusion.


    When Edmund blocked an attack from the guardian, his sword moved away, hitting Ariadne''s sword. This caused her to move and strike the guardian from another direction. Their dance continued with flips as if their bodies were trying to follow the flow of the force of each strike coming from the guardian.


    This made the guardian move back and even avoid some strikes, all coming from Ariadne. Edmund knew the guardian didn¡¯t fear being stroked by his blade; it was more like if his blade hit him, the guardian wouldn¡¯t have time to block or evade the next coming from Ariadne, so he blocked or avoided his strikes.


    One thing Edmund noticed was how different he felt fighting against him compared to how the hero did before. He felt like his strikes did nothing to him, a nuance and nothing more; they needed the mortar strikes to begin.


    Ariadne was focused entirely on the fight. Every inch of her body was present and in any direction. Her movements were precise, and the openings were intentional, trying to bait the guardian into committing an attack and giving Edmund an opportunity.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Suddenly, Ariadne jumped, grabbed the guardian''s head, and pushed it towards the ground, making him bounce once on the floor because of how strong the impact was, giving him no time to react. Edmund came while cutting the floor and slashed upward, launching him toward the ceiling. At the same time, as soon as Ariadne touched the ground, she swung her sword like a bat, aiming at the guardian.


    Still, there was no ball to be hit, only Edmund¡¯s feet touching the flat surface of her sword and being launched towards him at an extraordinary speed. In that short time, he positioned his sword, ready to strike the guardian, and so he did, launching him back to the ground.


    All damage Edmund inflicted on him was healed almost instantly, while the damage Ariadne had inflicted when she slammed him on the ground was still there. The guardian''s eyes were fixated on Ariadne as he flew back to the ground, and she ran towards him with each step closer and closer until she was in range to strike him again. He used his sword to block her sword, but because he was in midair, she launched him against one of the massive pillars on the side of the temple.


    From Sorth''s perspective, they looked like ghosts. She could see them, but she couldn''t understand them. The cameraman followed their movements, but understanding what was happening was a different task.


    Edmund continued to fly toward the ceiling, but he curled his body in a ball, making his body turn. His feet touched the ceiling, and he wasted no time launching himself toward the guardian on the pillar.


    At the same time, Ariadne launched herself against him; the two struck him simultaneously, but the guardian, who had recovered himself just a moment earlier, defended Ariadne¡¯s strike with his sword and took Edmund¡¯s strike on his shoulder.


    The two widen their eyes as, in an instant, Edmund¡¯s blade that had entered his body was pushed away, making Edmund back out a little and be in an attack position. The cold gaze of the guardian¡¯s eyes was now directed at Ariadne, and when she was going to back out, he punched her in the face, making her fly and just lay on the ground.


    On the other entrance to the temple, a soldier walked up the stairs just in time to see in the distance Ariadne be punched, making him quickly get his radio while taking cover by the side of the entrance.


    ¡®Command, I¡¯m here, and it was quicker than we expected; initiate Starfall NOW!!!.¡¯ He shouted.


    ¡®Understood.¡¯ The operator replied.


    He turned around and looked at Alon¡¯s back for a moment before speaking.


    ¡®He is requesting for the Starfall, sir.¡¯ The operator spoke in a calm tone.


    Alon turned around and gave him a firm nod with a serious expression.


    ¡®Command to all units; initiate Starfall.'' He spoke in a firm and calm tone.


    It was the code name they gave for the indiscriminate use of the mortars on the frontlines; it would give the soldiers breathing room and weaken the guardian because of the number of casualties it inflicted on the demon lord soldiers.


    They began to call, and the mortars flew. At the same time, the guardian was walking towards Ariadne, completely ignoring Edmund. Although he had no expression, the young man could feel that he was playing around by just walking and not fully attacking Ariadne, who was on the ground. He looked at his blade, full of dents, and no light emanated from the sword''s crystals.


    ¡®I think I¡¯m going to die; well, you win some and lose some.¡¯ Edmund chuckled.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 115

    Edmund started to hear explosions coming from the frontline. Looking toward the other entrance, he saw the radio operator.


    ¡®Maybe not today.¡¯ Edmund grinned.


    He dropped his sword and ran toward the walking guardian on his path toward the fallen duchess, who was unconscious on the ground. Only one punch was necessary for her to be put out of commission; that would have killed him, he thought as he approached at a fast speed.


    The guardian looked at Edmund and swung his sword with his left hand, trying to strike him. Still, Edmund noticed he was slower than before, so Edmund passed the blade and blocked its hand, but instead of going for a punch, he grabbed the guardian¡¯s wrist with one hand and, at the same time, with his other hand grabbed down the elbow.


    He pulled the guardian''s body down and bent its elbow simultaneously, using speed and strength, making the sword right next to its neck. Giving it no time for the guardian to react, Edmund pulled the guardian¡¯s head toward himself, at the same time pulling away the hand that held the sword, slitting its throat, almost severing its head.


    The white-haired young man, while still holding the guardian¡¯s hand, kicked it in the gut; to Edmund¡¯s surprise, it worked and appeared that it felt; now his other hand was holding the back of the guardian''s elbow while it was on its knees looking at the floor. Without hesitation, Edmund put all his strength into articulating the guardian¡¯s elbow while holding the hand, still holding the sword, breaking it, and making it drop onto the ground.


    Edmund gave no time for the guardian to recover and grabbed its leg, spun, and threw it on the wall, making a hole as its body pierced right through it and ended up on the building to the side. He looked at Sorth for a moment and shouted.


    ¡®Take care of Ariadne; I will keep that thing occupied.¡¯ He turned to the other entrance. ¡®And you there, she needs protection, call for support.¡¯ Edmund turned back to face the hole in the wall before jumping through it.


    As the radio operator approached, Sorth and the cameraman ran toward Ariadne, who was lying on the ground. Sorth turned the duchess''s body, and she had a bruise on her cheek. It looked like she was in a deep sleep. They couldn''t lift the sword, but the three could turn her around by moving her arm.


    ¡®Command, Her Highness is unconscious, and Edmund is fighting against the guardian. Over.¡¯ His tone was more agitated.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡®What did you say?¡¯ Alon¡¯s voice came through the radio.


    ¡®Yes, sir. She is on the ground and holding what I think is the hero¡¯s sword. Edmund is now holding the guardian back. Over.¡¯ His tone is now calmer.


    He looked to the side and saw the one holding the contraption on his shoulder, trying to drag Edmund¡¯s sword closer with incredible difficulty.


    ¡®Stay in position and wait until she wakes up. We can¡¯t move Eliza, and the medics can¡¯t do much, command out.¡¯ Alon¡¯s voice had a firm tone.


    ¡®So?¡¯ Sorth looked at the radio operator.


    ¡®We just wait until she wakes up.¡¯ He looked at Ariadne¡¯s serene expression.


    ¡®Her Highness will need to carry this when she wakes up.¡¯ The cameraman raised his voice as he gave up trying to drag the sword.


    ¡®You need to go after Edmund, Luther, and record. That is why we are here.¡¯ She pointed at the camera on the floor.


    ¡®You are right, I¡¯m going.¡¯ Luther grabs his camera before running out of the building.


    ¡®You people are crazy.¡¯ The radio operator shook his head.


    Sorth smiled and looked at Luther¡¯s back as he descended the stairs and disappeared entirely out of her sight. At the same time, Luther, now on the outside, could hear the distinct sound of the battle between Edmund and the guardian coming from the left and started to run towards it, always looking around just in case something popped out of nowhere.


    On the frontlines, Dou was right next to the action, but instead of recording, he was dragging a soldier¡¯s body with a spike made of ice stuck on its right chest. He was already dead, but they needed to clear the path, and as he lay the body next to the others, he heard Bartel speak to the squad leaders and two other soldiers around him.


    ¡®We are going to take that plaza surrounded by buildings on the left; from there, Ego¡¯s squad is going further left. Help 2-6 while we hold here.¡¯ Bartel cleaned his forehead with the back of his arm.


    ¡®And what about us, sir?" One soldier spoke.


    ¡®We hold there, we can¡¯t advance anymore, too many loses.¡¯ Gave him a nod.


    ¡®Now we wait for the final sacrifice, soldier.¡¯ Egor patted the soldier on the shoulder.


    ¡®The signal will be the next batch of mortars; I already requested in advance, so let¡¯s make this happen.¡¯ Bartel saluted them.


    ¡®Yes, sir.¡¯ All of them saluted back.


    Dou grabbed his camera before following Egor. As he returned to his squad, he saw other wounded soldiers being put in the back of a truck while it returned fire and provided cover, giving the soldiers some rest. They were now calling the enemy demons, as it became widely spread that they looked like the soldiers of the demon lord. Even the larger ones with massive cannons on their backs started to pop up again; they are being called demon trolls or ¡°DT¡± for short.


    Ethan saw the two of them run in his direction, passing through the magic flying past them. He was in charge of the squad while Egor was gone; Kurt was right behind him, and he was the only one besides himself who wasn¡¯t a random soldier from all over the frontline. All of his teammates were wounded and got shipped back to the hospital but never came back, so he doesn¡¯t know if they are dead or simply in another platoon.


    ¡®Get ready. We are going to advance to that plaza right there right after the mortars drop.¡¯ Egor Shoulted.


    As the rounds dropped and the explosions killed many demons on the square, some exploded on the buildings, making others fall to the ground and turn into dust in midair. One demon troll received a direct hit, making it explode.


    ¡®Let¡¯s GO!!! Charge!!!¡¯ Egor shouted.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 116

    Edmund landed on the other building opposite the temple, where he had just launched the guardian. As the guardian began to rise and heal its wounds, Edmund observed its movements. Slower than before, the guardian showed signs of pain, which intrigued Edmund. This was not the same creature that had faced Ariadne''s attacks.


    ¡®If you didn¡¯t feel my strikes, this wouldn¡¯t work, and I probably would be dead, but look how lucky I am.¡¯ He smiled as he positioned himself in a combat position.


    The guardian finished healing and held the palm of his hand toward Edmund. Noticing what it was about to do, Edmund moved forward, and before it could fire its spell, he punched right in the side where the kidney was supposed to be.


    And it felt it, stopping and instead trying to punch him multiple times, but each time Edmund, with his right, moved the punch away from himself and, with the other, struck the guardian on the core. As it felt the blow and leaned slightly, his right hand was now striking its head. Everything was happening so fast, but it was like a dance of destruction, and Edmund was winning.


    They weren¡¯t standing still; Edmund was pushing it back with every strike, destroying walls and changing directions multiple times until the guardian was pushed outside by him, and it took this opportunity to launch consecutive white beams at Edmund that jumped to the building to its side through a window and started to run as fast as he could, busting through the doors and jumping to the other building as the beams were piercing the building right behind him.


    He realized he was too far from the guardian and leaped out of a window, landing on the street below. He continued to run, dodging the fireballs launched at him. As he entered a building, he could hear his footsteps echoing in the empty corridors. He burst through a door, but there was no time to pause as he continued his pursuit.


    He started running in the guardian''s direction through the buildings, jumping through the windows of the first floor, and flashes of light and fire followed him until he was right next to the guardian.


    Edmund saw a wall of fire coming his way the moment he entered the building through the window, so he jumped towards a hallway to his right side, rolled on the ground, and continued to run as the fire was right behind him. He saw the stairs going to the second floor, jumped right to the top, busted through another door, and ran towards a window before him as the floor collapsed because of the fire.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The guardian noticed only at the last moment when he looked up, and Edmund was coming towards him with a kick; it dodged it to the side and punched him, but Edmund did just like he had been doing it this entire fight, always staying on the outside of his opponent pushing away the punches, this time it wasn¡¯t different and right after punished with a strike where the liver was supposed to be, making the guardian move back a little and coming with a kick with its right leg, Edmund moved to the left dodging and at the same time grabbing its right foot and pulling with him, making the guardian fall, it didn¡¯t stop there, he used his left knee to pressure and bend the guardian knee inward, but he noticed that he had to put more strength them before.


    Edmund, always on the move, dodged the guardian''s glowing hands as it prepared to cast a spell. The creature''s leg healed as it stood, a testament to its resilience. Edmund closed the distance, but this time, he was not met with punches but with white beams of energy.


    With the same movements, Edmund struck the guardian repeatedly, but this time, he wasn¡¯t trying to make him fall because maybe he couldn¡¯t break its bones anymore. The flow of the fight was fast but constant.


    Luther was recording all of this; he was following them as they fought on streets or pushed into alleyways, recording everything as Edmund punched the guardian more and more towards him. With every punch or kick that made it go too far, he would permanently close the gap or dodge a spell it launched at him, punishing it with another punch, kick, or elbow to the head.


    Although he was still surprised by their speed, he could now understand more of what was happening, at least the guardian movements. Edmund remained the same, but his white hair and black clothes mixed, making him look like a ghost.


    But as they got closer and were passing him, he hid in an alley and saw for a moment that it looked like a dance. Edmund was about to punch it like he was holding a hammer, but it was blocked, and with that, he punched with his other hand right on what was supposed to be its stomach.


    Just one thing made Luther worry: it didn¡¯t look like the guardian had any visible damage on him at all. Luther continued to follow and record Edmund''s fight from what he thought was safe, but Edmund had already noticed the cameraman and knew he was too close. This made his mind drift as he dove into the hero¡¯s memory and revived the moment he trained the children and young adults inside the dungeon.


    A new student asked the name of this fighting style, and he said it was Silat, something the gods gave him, but the truth was that it came from the memory of the other world, and by this time, he was trying to leave something at least behind.


    As the battle raged, the guardian''s movements became faster and more precise. It could now block Edmund''s strikes, starkly contrasting its earlier vulnerability. Edmund''s concerns were realized when he failed to block a punch, the impact leaving a bright red bruise on his chest and tearing his shirt.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 117

    The guardian was starting to block and even hit Edmund, and with that, he noticed that the explosions that were so plentiful before were becoming sparse, so it clicked on his mind; his power was returning little by little; even his arms had red bruises from blocking the guardian strikes and he even needed to put more strength into pushing away the strikes or pay more attention to dodge the kicks. His clothes were now torn because of how hard he was being hit; even when he was pushed back, Edmund moved in closer, denying the guardian time to use a spell.


    They were trading blows with one another as they battled on the streets, inside of the buildings, and through alleyways in a now furious brawl of punches and kicks, tearing walls and bricks as they passed.


    Edmund noticed they made a circle and returned to the burned buildings. There, he made his stand and focused entirely on the fight; everything around him became null and void; only the guardian and he existed; all he could do was choose what blow would extend the battle longer when he received, and his body convulsed; each strike was more painful than the other, but he had everything in mind.


    From Luther¡¯s perspective, it was almost like the fight back in the temple, movement challenging to decipher, something a standard eye couldn¡¯t understand, and because he could understand the guardian before, even though it was fast, now he understands it is not about speed, is something completely different.


    His body was now covered in red bruises flowing down his skin from the cuts made by the hits he was receiving. Edmund thought his situation was dire, and if it continued like this, he would only last a couple more minutes max as the guardian continued to increase its power at the same rate the explosions coming from the mortars dwindled, so there was only one option: if he were going to die anyway, this would buy him more time.


    The fact his bruises were red wasn¡¯t because his skin was white; that was his body absorbing magic with each strike he received. The hero used it to store magic in battle but used it as a reserve for more powerful spells.


    Unlike the hero before him, Edmund couldn¡¯t use magic like him, so he would use it in another way, the natural way his body was already using it naturally to make him stronger but in a burst of power.


    He kicked the guardian straight in the chest, creating a distance between them. This gave him enough time to focus all that energy on his right hand. It wasn¡¯t easy, and he needed to be in an exact position, with his legs extended, his right hand opened, and his fingers pointed towards his enemy.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    To his surprise, the guardian didn¡¯t try to shoot one of his spells towards him but instead chose to close the gap, coming his way at an astonished speed. It was focused entirely on Edmund, and an expression of anger could be seen on his previously cold face as it swung a punch and as it almost hit Edmund¡¯s face, the point of his fingers touched the guardian¡¯s chest; it formed into a fist, his arm extended like a spear, For the first time on the fight, he saw an expression of real pain on its face as he felt the bones on the chest break and his fist almost pierce the skin but instead the guardian flew back and impacted a building at an intersection.


    ¡®Well, I¡¯m going to rest a little.¡¯ Edmund got on his knees. ¡®Just a little bit.¡¯ He closed his eyes.


    Luther saw everything and ran towards Edmund, who was now covered in black bruises and blood dripping from cuts on his body while on his knees, looking down and appearing to be unconscious, so he tried to touch him to lay him down on the ground, but Edmund''s voice startled him.


    ¡®I think you should go back and tell Ariadne where I am.¡¯ His voice was weak.


    ¡®Alright.¡¯ Luther took a steep back.


    Before running to the temple, he positioned his camera to point at Edmund while recording; he didn¡¯t want to lose anything. Edmund opened one of his eyes for a moment, saw what was happening, and gave a quick laugh that caused pain all over his body.


    ¡®Are you kidding me?¡¯ He closed his eyes again, and his consciousness faded away.


    The last mortar round was launched in the backlines, and the truck was waiting. Nortis, with his blue eyes, observed his soldiers enter the vehicle and saw the expressions on their faces: some with determination, others with acceptance, and some with fear.


    ¡®Listen up, boys.¡¯ Nortis raised his voice.


    The people inside the truck turned their heads to him; others needed to get up, and outside, they just looked at his blue eyes.


    ¡®The time for us to become the rounds we launched on the skies is here; those on the frontlines are tired, and we can be a bust to their ranks, so don¡¯t embarrass me, but better yet, don¡¯t embarrass our Goddess.¡¯ Nortis saluted them.


    ¡®Yes, sir.¡¯ They shouted in unison.


    Inside the truck, the driver and the co-pilot looked at one another and smiled as they listened to the speech.


    ¡®Well, now we are only going back from the frontlines when the ammo of the A-HM1 up there is all used up.¡¯ The driver took a deep breath.


    ¡®Yeah, we need to push forward with the boys; that is the sacrifice for you.¡¯ The copilot smiled.


    All platoons on the frontlines stopped advancing before the last mortar round was fired. Everyone was physically and mentally tired because the majority had returned several times.


    Eliza used the same technique with Edmund back in the mansion to calm them down, but she wondered how much they could endure. She was on that as well, using the frames of the beds to support herself as she walked soldier to soldier and taking longer pauses to recover mentally.


    Everyone was preparing for the final order, the sacrifice. Luther got to the temple and up the stairs, but nothing changed. Ariadne''s head was still on Sorth''s lap, and the radio operator didn¡¯t move an inch from his position. He approved quickly and got to his knees close to the duchess.


    ¡®Wake up; Your Highness, Edmund needs you.¡¯ He spoke in a desperate tone.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 118

    ¡®Sir, everyone is in place and holding.¡¯ The radio operator nodded at Alon.


    ¡®Alright, everybody, the radio operator responsible for the truck will stay; everyone else is time.¡¯ He walks out of the room.


    Eliza saw Alon getting out, followed by most of the command staff, if not all, which would only mean one thing. She sighed and turned her attention to the soldier shaking on the bed, who looked at her with pure despair in his eyes.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to return; please, I can¡¯t.¡¯ The Chatzi soldier held her arm.


    ¡®It''s okay. No one is going to force you to do anything. Just close your eyes and relax.¡¯ She leans forward and touches his forehead with hers.


    She could feel a fraction of his anxiety; he was afraid of the pain he felt for the first time. Eliza didn¡¯t know what it was, more like a feeling; it took a little more time to heal the wounds of the soul as she named them; this soldier wasn''t the first to talk like this to her, and from the ones still, on the field hospital, they are not going to be the last.


    Everyone who wasn¡¯t doing a pivot job was transferred to the frontlines. There was no word about the duchess yet. The radio operator following her would give the go-ahead for the sacrifice. Alon positioned himself as a simple team leader. He wouldn¡¯t take a squad or platoon leader position. The company commander was useless now. The sacrifice was the final order.


    Ariadne felt uncomfortable, and there was nothing she could do about it. Unlike in her first life, the entire time she was unconscious didn¡¯t fly by; she felt everyone inside the dungeon, the state of their hearts, their resolve, their fear, everything.


    A malevolent trap where she couldn¡¯t escape, only by the grace of time, just like the first time. This made her think about some events that happen no matter what. The fact that she is unconscious is one of those, and Edmund fighting the guardian by himself is another.


    While the white fades to black, she wonders if Edmund''s death is one of those things that will happen. Her eyes open, and droplets fall on her cheeks. Sorth is the first one her eyes see, and to her surprise, she feels the sword still in her hand. She looks around; only a soldier carrying a radio and Luther is around her.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡®Where is the peasant?¡¯ She started to get up.


    ¡®If you go straight there, he will be in the middle of the street, unconscious.¡¯ Luther pointed in the general direction he came from.


    ¡®Alright, begin Starfall.¡¯ She looked at the radio operator.


    ¡®Your Highness, you were sleeping through it; only the sacrifice is left.¡¯ His eyes were full of sadness.


    Ariadne put her sword on her back, still holding the grip. She got Edmund¡¯s sword full of dents and did the same. Ariadne took a deep breath, thinking she would pass through everything again for a moment but realizing that would be a gift. Instead, another thought came to her mind: If Edmund dies, everything goes with him; he is the center of everything; maybe it was the reason she came back.


    She ran out of the temple and jumped up a building with one leap, dumbfounding the radio operator who followed her. She then put the radio next to his mouth.


    ¡®The duchess is awake and going to Edmund¡¯s location; I¡¯m on pursuit. Start preparing for the sacrifice.¡¯ He started to run and entered an alley next to the building. Ariadne jumped on.


    All radio operators received the transmission and passed forward the instruction; those holding the line didn¡¯t have time to think about it, but those conserving their energy for the push, like Ethan, were rubbing his forehead, trying to accept the fact he was going to die and everyone from his team was dead.


    ¡®Are you alright, sir?¡¯ A Chatzi soldier from his team looked at Ethan.


    ¡®No, I¡¯m not alright, green eyes.¡¯ He looked at the soldier.


    Ethan used easy-to-distinguish names for every soldier as they rotated; he found it interesting that he was fighting with these men but didn¡¯t know their real names.


    ¡®My name is Oliv, but I understand; I did the same with the others when I was the last one left on my original team.¡¯ He smiled at Ethan.


    ¡®I think it''s a good idea to know each other''s names now; I don¡¯t think there is a coming back this time, so my name is Ely.¡¯ A Shafran soldier with brown eyes and bandages around his head spoke.


    ¡®Mine is Giov.¡¯ Another Shafran lifted his hand. ¡®And he is Ukra; we are from the same squad.¡¯ He pointed at the A-Dam next to him.


    ¡®What are the odds?¡¯ Ukra laughed.


    ¡®Well, mine is Ethan. Let¡¯s just try not to die, okay?'' He smiled and nodded at the soldiers.


    The demons were passive and did not push. Strangely, there were no creatures in some places on the frontlines, which made everyone feel at the edge. The soldiers'' fears were of pain, and the unknown, but their trust in Ariadne filled the rest.


    When some considered it, they didn¡¯t find it strange that their families weren¡¯t the first ones on their minds; they laughed and found it reassuring. They were at ease as they started to pray in whispers.


    Sorth noticed a sound coming from the direction of the guardian''s sword on the ground to the side of the hole in the wall. Suddenly, it moved at high speed toward the wall at an angle in the direction Luther had pointed before, making a small hole. As she looked at the cameraman, she could hear the sound of other walls being torn.


    ¡®We need to go; show the way.¡¯ She got up.


    Luther got up, grabbed his camera, and returned to where Sorth had followed Edmund. She was thinking of just being there but realized quickly that if the duchess died, it was over for everyone inside the dungeon, as no one could flee or fight the guardian. So she could see the fight.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 119

    The sword finally reached the guardian¡¯s hand, and with that, he got up and exited the building against which he had been launched. In the distance, he saw the one that inflicted him with such damage, and without any thought, he dashed towards him.


    As he was coming closer, he sensed something coming from his left side, and he deflected a sword that was thrown against him, but that didn¡¯t stop him; he was focused on the one in front of him, so he jumped and swung his sword, trying to cut him in half.


    Ariadne noticed that even after launching Edmund¡¯s sword against the guardian, it continued to target Edmund. So she quickly dashed down the building and instantly used her sword like a bat at an angle that barely missed Edmund¡¯s head. She then hit the guardian''s sword with all her might, worried that if she aimed for its body, the sword would still hit Edmund.


    She noticed that the guardian''s sword was heavier than theirs before. This made her appreciate fighting with Edmund and how the two together made the fight much easier because of the hero¡¯s sword style. She could launch the guardian to the second floor of a building on the right side with difficulty.


    Ariadne wasn¡¯t confident she could take down the guardian by herself, but with Edmund behind her and seeing how he was in a worse state than in her first life, if she backed down, he would die. She was put to the test right after as the guardian launched himself against her, but Ariadne was prepared, and just like in her training with Edmund, she used the force of the enemy¡¯s strike against him on her subsequent strike, relaunching the guardian but this time a little further on the street.


    Now, she was on the attack. Edmund always said never to let the enemy have time to think; always attack, even when defending, and so she did. Attacking and defending with a barrage of strikes with each swing, the strength of her body wasn¡¯t against her enemy. Still, to control her sword and direct the strikes to a point after some strikes, just like in training with Edmund, she needed to land a final blow just because she couldn¡¯t handle the force generated by the fight as Edmund did.


    The guardian was blocking her full-strength strikes like it was nothing, just like in the temple. Again, she remembered how fighting with Edmund made it so easier; that thought made her slip up and almost get hit and blocked awkwardly, making her be launched against a building to the left of the street. With almost no time to get, she was attacked again and began to trade blows with the guardian inside the building, destroying everything on their part and cutting the structure like it wasn¡¯t even there.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    She wasn¡¯t losing but wasn¡¯t winning either, and for how long that would stand because, during her training, she would take breaks because of how taxing the movements were, she thought as he grabbed the guardian¡¯s head and slammed against the wall, pushing it, making it break into the building to the side.


    Ariadne followed right behind, giving it no time to get up. She slammed him with her sword, but it blocked right in time. The guardian kicked her on the side and quickly got up, but it felt pain in its back and face. It noticed that Ariadne was breathing heavily, and her guard was down, so it took this opportunity to attack. Because of her way of fighting, she was resisting with incredible difficulty.


    The radio operator was still running, trying to follow Ariadne, but he had lost her. He heard loud sounds coming from his right, so he ran towards them until he exited an alley into a large street. He saw someone kneeling in the middle of the street to his right and loud sounds coming from the buildings on the left.


    He ran closer to the person on his knees in the middle and saw that it was Edmund with black marks all over his body and blood dripping from his forearm. Fighting against that thing alone with one of his bare hands was no joke, he thought as he passed him, trying to confirm whether Ariadne was fighting against the guardian.


    He couldn¡¯t help Edmund because the trucks were exclusively for the soldiers; it would take too much time to heal Edmund, and with that time, soldiers'' lives could be lost. That was the general idea. The radio operator saw Ariadne fighting against the guardian as they passed to another building, and he saw a glimpse of the two through a previous hole in the wall.


    ¡®Her Highness is fighting against the guardian; start the sacrifice now.¡¯ The radio operator spoke on his radio.


    His words echoed to every other radio operator who signaled to start the sacrifice. The push was continuous until Ariadne killed the guardian, or they all died. Egor looked at Kurt and gave him a thumbs-up.


    ¡®Follow me!!!¡¯ Egor shouted as he jumped over the cover he was behind.


    Through the frontline, the soldiers charged, some into heavy fire and others into nothing, as that was precisely what happened to the far left of the city. Zaken, the leader of the Angel-1 platoon, noticed this and pushed towards the center, leaving teams with radio operators to continue moving forward as they supported Angel-4 on the center-left.


    As Ariadne was thrown out of the building by one of the guardians, she noticed that it wasn¡¯t as strong, and the sounds of the battle started to be louder. To her left, she saw that Edmund was still there, but closer to her was the radio operator who gave her a thumbs up before running into an alley, so it all clicked in her head; the sacrifice had begun.


    The guardian walked out of the building, but instead of looking at her, his eyes were directed toward the sounds of the battle raging on the frontlines.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 120

    Ariadne noticed his behavior change, and as soon as the guardian dashed toward the battle, she intercepted him with a strike of her blade. He blocked and glanced at her before continuing to dash toward the sound, pursued by Ariadne, who tried to strike him multiple times as they moved but blocked everything.


    She couldn¡¯t pin him down, so the two slowly but surely moved towards the frontline in a fearsome battle, passing through to the destroyed buildings as they swung their swords at each other.


    Egor and Ethan were at the center-right side of the frontline, as the far right was just holding in and trying to push slowly but not overextended themselves because of the lack of soldiers, so the push was at the center. Their objective was to just kill as many creatures as possible. What helped them to push the main streets was the trucks with the mounted heavy guns.


    Ethan heard something approaching from behind as they tried to cross the street towards an open area surrounded by buildings with nothing but shapes drawn on the floor. He looked to his right and saw the duchess busting through a building and being launched between them and the demons as the battle continued.


    ¡®Wait, is Her Highness, cease-fire.¡¯ Ethan shouted.


    Every soldier stopped firing as other squad and team leaders said the same. Even the demons stopped momentarily, and a strange silence took over the battle, but not for long. The guardian jumped from the building towards a point where multiple soldiers tried to slash them with their swords.


    Ariadne noticed that the soldiers were now his target and dashed while still in the air. The soldiers hit the guardian without success; it connected, and nothing happened. They thought it was over until Ariadne blocked the attack. Because of her proximity to the soldiers, she grabbed the guardian by the head and threw it at a building on the side of the demons.


    The demon¡¯s attack resumed, and the battle started again, forcing Ariadne to take cover behind a wall next to the group of soldiers she had protected seconds prior. Ethan looked at Ely, who was carrying the rail cannon on his back.


    ¡®Hit that abomination, Ely, NOW!!!.¡¯ Ethan shouted.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Giov took a round from Oliv¡¯s backpack. As Ely put the cannon on his shoulder, Giov put the explosive round on the cannon and tapped Ely¡¯s shoulder twice, giving him the sign that it was armed with no excitation. He pulled the trigger, and the projectile flew across the open area, hitting the guardian right as he stood up and causing a massive explosion.


    But the guardian got out of the fire unscathed, dashing in the direction of Ethan¡¯s team, making them startle for a second, but right before reaching them, Ariadne showed up swinging her sword, launching it back.


    ¡®2-6 to all units at the center-right, give her highness cover, and push towards the buildings using the trucks coming in as cover.¡¯ Calb spoke on the radio.


    Ariadne wasn¡¯t thinking straight, so she dashed towards the guardian as it got up. Right behind her, the soldiers came out of cover and pushed forward. As she got closer to the guardian, she started to fight with it again, but this time, she noticed the magic coming from the buildings around her.


    She was blocking the guardian¡¯s attack and dogging the magic being launched at her, but when a massive beam of light came towards her, there was no time to get out of the way, so she did the unthinkable and slashed through it, dividing it in two that hit the buildings to the side.


    Ariadne looked at where the beam came from. There was a massive hole in a building in the front. She could see a creature on the other side, but as she noticed an attack from the guardian and blocked, two projectiles passed her and headed straight to the hole, passed through the building, and hit the creature on the other side, causing a massive explosion.


    The advancing soldiers drew fire from the buildings, acting as bait; as one advanced, the other fell and needed to be dragged away. At the same time, two trucks coming from each side of the street turned towards the open area. They started firing against the windows of the buildings where the magic bolts were being launched. Other soldiers entered the buildings from the sides, trying to clear them from within.


    All of this happened while Ariadne was still fighting the guardian. The sound of the blades clashing was loud and distinguished itself from the rest of the battle. She needed to be on top of him at all times because, at every opportunity, the guardian would try to dash towards the nearest soldier.


    Even with everything going on, the situation was still manageable because the guardian was getting weaker but not weak enough for her to finish the job. As soon as the trucks and the soldiers approached too closely, she kicked the guardian in the head, launching him behind the soldiers into a building.


    As she dashed past the soldiers advancing, she saw the bodies on the ground, the soldiers hiding behind the trucks, firing back at the demons, and a glimpse of another soldier struggling with a demon and another firing against it, trying to help him inside the building to her left.


    Complete chaos was the word for it, and all she could do was focus on the guardian and try her best to kill the thing before it could recover its strength because if that happened, it would be her and everyone inside the dungeon.


    With his vision still blurred, Edmund opened his eyes, immediately filling the pain all over his body and looking at his arms, which were now almost black from the bruises and the side effects from the technique he used against the guardian, but he gave a quick smile.


    ¡®Well, I¡¯m not dead.¡¯ He got up slowly with a painful expression.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 121

    Edmund looked around and saw his sword stuck in a destroyed building to his right. He slowly walked there, jumped, and grabbed the sword handle. His weight didn¡¯t free the sword, so he tried to move from left to right. While doing this, he thought to himself.


    ¡®If I¡¯m having difficulty doing this, imagine fighting that thing again; I¡¯m so dead.¡¯ He moved left to right while holding the sword.


    Finally, the sword got unstuck, and his legs hurt a lot when he fell to the ground, making him scream. Then, a radio operator came running towards him with a worried expression.


    ¡®Edmund, the two of them are in that direction, and from what I¡¯m picking up on the radio, they are fighting among the soldiers.¡¯ The radio operator spoke frantically.


    ¡®Thanks.¡¯ Edmund started to run slowly, following the two''s path of destruction.


    Luther and Sorth left an alley and saw Edmund running and the radio operator standing there just watching. The two got closer, and the radio operator turned to face them.


    ¡®Why aren¡¯t you following him?¡¯ Sorth frowned.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know.'' The radio operator looked back at Edmund as he vanished into an alley.


    ¡®Come on!!¡¯ Luther started to run, following Edmund.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ Sorth looked at the radio operator and began running.


    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ He nodded at her and followed right behind.


    Ariadne was still fighting against the guardian, but it wasn''t much of a fight. It was more like she was preventing the thing from going after the soldiers when the trucks fell back to recharge their weapons and carry the wounded back to the field hospital.


    ''No, you won''t!¡¯ Ariadne shouted.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    As the guardian dashed toward the fleeing trucks, she came to its side and tried to slice it in half, but it blocked. Instead of simply being pushed toward the side of a building, she was tired, dripping in sweat; it was already clear that she couldn¡¯t beat it alone; it blocked her every strike. Even if the guardian was weaker, the fight was draining her; it was just too much.


    It looked at Ariadne with eyes that passed anger. Even if its face was icy, it jumped towards her and swung its sword, trying to slip her head open. She blocked but couldn¡¯t counter it, making her be pushed back. The guardian now was focusing on her, and their clashes were loud, and Ariadne was being cut in the exchanges, some even deep but not profound enough to kill her. The situation was getting out of hand.


    Edmund exited an alley and saw Ariadne fighting the guardian in the street, exchanging powerful blows. He followed those sounds for a while, but she wasn¡¯t fighting like before. She was slower, sloppier, and tired.


    ¡®Ariadne!!!¡¯ Edmund Shouted.


    The two stopped fighting momentarily as the guardian looked back and saw another enemy, and Ariadne saw hope.


    ¡®What are your orders?¡¯ He shouted again.


    She took this opportunity to strike the guardian, but like every time before, it was blocked and pushed back, forming a gap between them.


    ¡®Peasant, destroy him!¡¯ She shouted, pointing at the guardian with her sword.


    ¡®As you wish.¡¯ He muttered.


    He ran there, but his body was in pain. Dragging the sword was already demanding, but Edmund¡¯s grip on his sword tightened when he listened to her command. The pain and tiredness didn''t go away. He just entered a battle position, pretending his body had no damage, but he felt everything and gritted his teeth, trying to endure it.


    Edmund dashed toward the guardian, who did the same. The two clashed, swinging their swords around and pushing one another back and forth. Edmund gracefully dogged and countered the attacks, even lading, making the guardian fly toward the now-empty plaza. Ariadne used this time to rest momentarily and noticed someone on the third floor watching the two fight.


    The duo recorded the battle from the beginning; he stayed behind to record Ariadne, and now Edmund battled the guardian. The sight was so impossible because of the way Edmund moved that he had to check if it wasn¡¯t an illusion by rubbing his eyes. Some moves had Edmund being launched against the buildings, but he recovered mid-air and launched himself toward the guardian, giving the abomination no time to react.


    From Edmund¡¯s perspective, on the other hand, it was like he was being torn apart. Like before, even when he hit the guardian, he had no lasting damage, as he healed right after. It was like he was being tortured, a passenger in a painful, wild ride in his own body. She overlooked Edmund''s suffering, only that the guardian was no match for him. At the same time, it didn¡¯t matter; it healed right after.


    With that, Ariadne entered the fight; it was like when they fought the guardian for the first time, a synchronized dance that made everything more manageable, even allowing her to cut the guardian a few times. However, it was still fast and strong enough to dodge a fatal blow.


    When Edmund was kicked right on his chest and flew across the plaza, hitting the side of a destroyed building, Ariadne was again facing it alone, struggling not to get hit by his sword. Edmund¡¯s consciousness drifted for a moment as he almost passed out.


    Edmund got up without noticing it, and his vision blurred. He looked at his sword, and just from the shape of it, it was only half of it. His sword was being chopped away as he traded blows in the fight. Edmund got out of the cloud of dust that had formed from the impact. His body positioned himself like he was going to throw his sword. He ran but only took eight steps before launching his sword towards the guardian as it fought against Ariadne.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 122

    The eight steps he took were like a countdown for his demise because, with each one, the pain increased; it was like his body had been torn apart, something was breaking inside of him, and the slave magic was pushing his body above everything he could usually endure. The moment the sword left Edmund''s hand, his right arm broke in multiple parts. At the same time, his left leg also broke in multiple parts, making him fall to the ground.


    The guardian felt something would hit him, and he needed to block it. If he didn¡¯t, it would kill him, like every strike he evaded or blocked coming from the one he was fighting right now. But when he turned around, it was just half a sword. He quickly tried to deflect upwards, but the impact was too heavy, and he took a moment and all his remaining strength to change its trajectory.


    He tried to turn around right after but to no avail, so he looked down at his own body, and it was already cut in. With the corner of his eye, he saw the one he was fighting against with rage in her eyes right after he got impaled, her sword piercing his back and, with a movement upward, cutting him in half.


    Ariadne, now wholly drained, looked at the guardian¡¯s body on the ground, fading away like the creatures her soldiers were fighting.


    ¡®It¡¯s over.¡¯ She leaned against her sword.


    She was lost in thought because of the exhaustion from the fight, as if nothing was around her; only her breath mattered. The pain coming from her wounds now was also noticeable, especially the wounds on her upper body; punctures and slashes covered her now destroyed armor and bloody clothes.


    Coming back to reality, she looked around and saw Edmund on the ground with his face to the side while screaming in pain, his arm broken in three parts. As Ariadne gets closer to him, a person gets out of a building carrying a recording device simultaneously, and, coming from the back, another three-run towards Edmund.


    The pain was so great that Edmund''s eyes were teary while trying not to cry; no one was touching him while the radio operator nervously talked.


    ¡®The guardian is dead, and Edmund needs immediate medical care.¡¯ The radio operator spoke while looking at Edmund on the ground.


    While looking at Edmund, they noticed light coming from above, making their shadows darker. Looking up, small balls of light were falling from the sky, but they were coming their way. Sorth tried to touch one of them with her finger as if her hand were absorbed.


    As they felt like they were entering their bodies, Luther tried to use the camera to cover them, but it passed through it and was absorbed by their skin. Sorth looked at Ariadne and noticed her hair and light fur turning blueish-black. Ariadne also noticed Sorth¡¯s hair and the light fur turning white and looking at Edmund. His hair became darker but bluish as the light balls entered his body.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    The last one touched Ariadne¡¯s head and was absorbed by her; now her hair and light fur exposed by her thorny clothes were blueish black, and she felt rested, full of energy. Ariadne and the others were taken back by the snaps coming from Edmund; his arm and legs were snapping into place, making him scream, but after the second one, he was unconscious. After a few moments, his arm and leg were back to normal; only his blueish-black hair was different from before, and the bruises all over his body also stained the same.


    Ariadne heard footsteps from where the soldiers had advanced before and saw a group of A-Dam, Shafran, and Chatzi soldiers, their hair and fur completely white, just like they had been before all of this happened. They all walked towards her, a wave of white coming out of the destroyed buildings and alleys.


    ¡®If the peasant were awake, he would explain this.¡¯ She looked at Edmund on the ground.


    ¡®Well, Your Highness, I don¡¯t think my wife will like this.¡¯ Alon walks out of the crowd of soldiers while touching his hair.


    ¡®Captain, I¡¯m as lost as you, but are you or any of the soldiers feeling pain?¡¯ She looked at the soldiers.


    As her gaze passed the soldiers, they all saluted her and shook their heads. Ariadne put her sword in front of her, pointed it, touched the ground, and noticed something strange; the sword appeared smaller than before. As she looked at her hands, Alon spoke.


    ¡®Your Highness is taller now; it suits you, but your clothes are on their limit.¡¯ Alon looked away for a moment.


    She didn¡¯t notice, but her clothes were thicker now, making her form appear more prevalent than before; even the pieces of armor on her body had fallen. She thought it was because of the battle damage, but it was because she was growing as soon as the light balls vanished. Ariadne looked at Edmund, and for him, there was no change at all in his body aside from his hair color.


    ¡®Let¡¯s talk about this later. Most importantly, you guys are all fine, so good job, everyone.¡¯ She smiled at the soldiers.


    Relief rushed through their bodies; some didn¡¯t collapse because, somehow, their bodies were fine, even stronger than before. Ariadne felt the relief coming from them, and with that, she held her sword high.


    ¡®For those who fell, we salute them. Their sacrifice will not be in vain. They will forever live in my heat.¡¯ She looked at the soldiers and held the sword with just one hand.


    When she put the sword down, something strange happened. It looked like the sides of the blade folded on themselves until it became as thin as the grip handle, and it retracted inside of it, leaving just the handle of the sword with no blade visible.


    Everyone looked surprised by what had just happened, including Ariadne herself. For most soldiers, this was more proof of their faith, as now their goddess had the legendary weapon of the hero and could hold it without being the hero herself, making them kneel before her.


    ¡®Please, can some medic see if he is okay and prepare him for transport?¡¯ She spoke.


    Two medics checked Edmund''s condition, even turning him around and checking every part of his body.


    ¡®If it weren¡¯t for him, I would be dead for sure; I was at my limit holding up against that thing. Maybe it was recovering its strength as we fought; I couldn¡¯t tell, honestly, the fight just became harder and harder.¡¯ She looked at Edmund on the ground. while speaking


    ¡®He will be fine, your highness; we still have Eliza.¡¯ Alon came closer to her but hesitated to touch her for a reason he couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡®Those that can walk go back; those that can¡¯t wait here with me and wait for the trucks, tomorrow, search for the bodies of the soldiers who fell. ¡¯ She looked at Alon.


    ¡®Yes, your highness.¡¯ He turned around to face the soldiers. ¡¯ Alright, everybody, the show is over; let''s walk back and those that can¡¯t wait here with Her Highness, but I don''t think it will be needed.¡¯ Alon started to walk forward.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 123

    All the soldiers fighting on the frontlines walked back to command in silence. The duo recorded everyone but didn¡¯t ask any questions. He was there, and he knew why they were not talking. It looked like the soldiers were processing what had happened. Ariadne also felt this feeling coming from them, like a hard shell was hiding what was going on, but she didn¡¯t say anything when they were in front of her; she only hoped she could help them heal.


    They saw Eliza with her divine appearance, her white hair and fur enhancing her ethereal look. Those being treated there recovered without her help, thanks to the balls of light, but they still needed to calm their minds.


    Even for those who came from the frontlines, the stress from the pain and near-death experiences was too much for some. As they reached the command building, they collapsed, not from exhaustion but from relief, and started to cry while others hugged one another. Their resilience was a testament to their strength.


    Ethan sat on the ground and stared at the building. He didn¡¯t even notice Asher waving his hand before his eyes. It occurred to him how many he saw dying or those who didn¡¯t die but came back and died, the crazy randomness of it all.


    ¡®Yeah, he is gone.¡¯ Asher shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡®Just stop, Asher.¡¯ Samal squatted in front of Ethan.¡¯ Hey, sir, are you alright?¡¯He tapped his cheek with his hand.


    ¡®How many times did you get patched up, Asher?¡¯ Oran spoke.


    ¡®Three times, absolute hell, what about you?¡¯ Asher poked his nose.


    ¡®Four times, but nothing major. Samal got eight times. That is crazy.¡¯ Oran pointed at Samal.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know if that is good or bad.¡¯ Asher scratched his head.


    ¡®Is bad; he was always pushing on the front, like a maniac.¡¯ Caleb steps closer to Oran.


    ¡®Well, at least everyone on the team is alive, but Ethan is broken.¡¯ Asher pointed at Ethan on the ground.


    ¡®I think those that didn¡¯t receive the healing from the saintess Eliza became like that.¡¯ Caleb pointed at a couple of soldiers who were in the same state.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡®Alright, everyone. Tomorrow, we will help recover our brothers'' bodies and get Ethan inside so that the saintess can bless him and calm his heat.¡¯ Egor walked next to Samal.


    They all saluted Egor and nodded at him. Some helped Ethan get up and into the building, and others did the same with other soldiers in the same state. Egor took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and started to pray for Ariadne.


    His mind became clearer as he remembered how one of the demons empathized with Kurt when he tried to fix his radio in the middle of the battle. He became calmer, opened his eyes, and started looking for the others from his squad and platoon.


    Everyone was affected by the balls of light; there was no exception, even those just recharging the batteries or driving the trucks. It was a real surprise for everyone. Finally, Ariadne and Edmund arrived at the command building.


    Those who saw her kneel and salute her while praying noticed her new appearance. Her blueish-black hair and taller figure now made her seem more important. However, with a smile and gentle nod, that impression faded as she walked inside. Behind her, other soldiers followed, carrying Edmund on a stretcher.


    Eliza saw Ariadne and was immediately surprised, mesmerized by her taller appearance. After she finished treating a soldier, she quickly ran and kneeled in front of her, holding a salute position. The soldiers who saw her did the same; their minds became utterly blank, and a sense of tranquility overwhelmed them.


    ¡®Your Highness, now you look even more divine; it was truly a gift for those who survived the battle; we were made in your image.¡¯ Eliza looked up, looking into Ariadne''s eyes.


    ¡®This is a gift for all of us, but let''s not forget those who gave their lives for us to be here.¡¯ She looked at a Shafran soldier lying on a bed.


    He looked straight at the ceiling, only stopping to blink; his white fur was covered by blind dust. She kneeled next to him and looked at his face. When Ariadne entered his line of sight, he felt a rush of relief, and tears started to flow from his eyes.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, it was my fault; they are dead because of me.¡¯ The soldier murmured, sobbing.


    ¡®No, it was my fault; they are dead because of me. You and your brothers did the best you could.¡¯ Ariadne spoke with a calm tone.


    His eyes widened like a rush; he wanted to speak against what she had just said, but Ariadne¡¯s finger stopped his lips from moving.


    ¡®Let Eliza take care of you; this is not your burden; they are all right here.¡¯ She smiled at him while pointing at her chest before getting up.


    He stared at her and clenched his fists, but it let go after she got up, like a weight lifted from his chest; he didn¡¯t understand what it was; his faith had become clear; you could even say stronger when her words echoed in his ears.


    ¡®Continue your amazing work. I will leave the peasant here with you when you have time. Please take a look at his condition.¡¯ She touched Eliza¡¯s head and passed her, heading for the stairs.


    Alya saw Ariadne going for the stairs and quickly ran towards her, stopping beside her, her breath taken. The moment she saw her up close, she chose to look down, pushing her right hand in the middle of her chest and saluting her.


    ¡®Your Highness, you look majestic. A divine sight that took my breath away.¡¯ Alya spoke while mumbling a little.


    Ariane looked to the side, put her right hand on the maid¡¯s shoulder, passed through her now white hair to her chin, and lifted so their eyes met.


    ¡®Can you help me find better clothes, Alya?¡¯ Ariadne''s eyes fixed on Alya¡¯s pupils.


    ¡®Of course, I am here to serve.¡¯ Alya smiled.


    Ariadne turned around and continued walking, beginning to walk up the stairs, followed by Alya. The room was in complete silence while everything was happening. Everyone was looking at Ariadne, completely mesmerized by her. Of course, she didn¡¯t become more beautiful. They noticed this, but their connection became tighter. Some couldn''t breathe properly, as if they had forgotten how to breathe, which was an extraordinary experience.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 124

    As darkness descended upon the dungeon, the lights within the buildings illuminated the night just as they had before. The soldiers, their bodies weary from battle, each chose a building and a floor. They collapsed on the ground in a display of sheer exhaustion, their eyes closing as sleep claimed them.


    Ariadne was now wearing thicker new clothes, just like the one she had used before, but at least this one was not wholly destroyed. She was in the command room with Alon and others. Another thing she noticed was that fewer people were there before, but it was functioning just like before; the only difference was that everyone now had white hair and fur.


    ¡®Your Highness, the total lost was 20% of the total number of troops that entered the dungeon; excluding those in crucial support roles, everyone was on the frontlines by the end.¡¯ He looked at his tablet while speaking.


    ¡®Get the names of those that have fallen so we can build a memorial for them in the city.¡¯ She sighs out of frustration.


    ¡®As you wish, using every soldier left, we still have a strong company, using those in support roles to replace the ranks. When we return, maybe more would want joy to replace those we lost.¡¯ He looked at her.


    ¡®I hope they can forgive me for killing their husbands, brothers, and sons for the good of everyone.¡¯ She put her hand on her cheek.


    Ariadne felt a heavy burden weighing on her heart, a mix of responsibility for the lives lost and something more profound. The tears that fell were not just a sign of her grief but a connection to those who had fallen, a silent acknowledgment of their sacrifice. It was as if they were watching her, their spirits guiding her every move.


    ¡®They will understand more after they watch the recordings of the battle and Your Highness and Edmund fighting against that thing.¡¯ Sorth walked towards Ariadne, holding a tablet.


    Ariadne looked at the Chatzi, and the look alone made all her confidence disappear. It was not because Ariadne had an angry look, but now that she was looking at her, it made her instantly feel nervous.


    ¡®This is the raw recording, but see for yourself, Your Highness. But it was terrifying to watch, even though I was there for some of it.¡¯ She extended her hand with the tablet to Ariadne.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Ariadne took the tablet and gave a gentle smile to Sorth, and she noticed the nervousness instantly going out of her. Looking at the images passing on the table, it was like she was there looking at herself; it wasn¡¯t perfect; she and Edmund were moving too fast for them to follow them throughout the whole battle.


    She saw herself fall to the ground, and Edmund began to fight the guardian, first inside the temple and later on in the streets of the dungeon. She was impressed by how he fought with his bare hands for a long time. Again, the recording couldn¡¯t always follow the fight, so there were cuts. The fight finally ended with the guardian receiving a devastating blow, making it fly away, and Edmund was in the middle of the street like she saw him.


    The recordings of the battle on the frontlines against the demons revealed a surprising sight. The soldiers, faced with the horrors of war, showed not fear but unwavering determination in their eyes, voices, and actions. They pushed forward, even after their comrades fell. She thought that this wasn¡¯t courage alone.


    ¡®Now I understand why the peasant wanted to record this battle; words couldn¡¯t pass what transpired here.¡¯ She gave the tablet back to Sorth.


    ¡®It will inspire some and terrify others, but the result will be the same; it will gather them around your highness as you are the only beacon in the darkness.¡¯ Alya offered Ariadne a cup of tea.


    Ariadne took the cup and sipped it before walking forward and putting it on the table with the dungeon map. She turned around, her gaze watching everyone in the room; it was as if they all felt it, even those who had their backs to her.


    ¡®Alon, tomorrow we will see what we came here for: the resources. I will go there myself, too, to give the soldiers more time to heal and send word outside that we conquered the dungeon.¡¯ She spoke, her voice now more punchy.


    ¡®As you wish.¡¯ Alon bowed.


    Ariadne walked out of the room, going straight to hers, followed by her maid. As she made herself comfortable sitting on the side of her bed that now was too small for her, Edmund came to her mind; she did the same as him the first time, but knew it was a possibility, a weapon to be used; his objective was above everything if that was on the table, and that made her sad.


    Part of her thought was that Edmund only bonded with her the first time around to use her as a weapon, but that thought vanished as she remembered that there was no point in deceiving a slave; only giving in to a command was enough. As Alya covered Ariadne with a blanket too short for her and quickly left the room, bowing before closing the door, Edmund didn¡¯t leave her thoughts even for a moment before finally sleeping.


    As the light appeared inside the dungeon, Ariadne woke up. Alya prepared her clothes and knocked on her door. As Ariadne was changing behind a curtain, Alya opened the door. It was Alon.


    ¡®Your Highness, I have something important to say.¡¯ Alon spoke from the door.


    ¡®You may enter, Captain.¡¯ She spoke in a soft and gentle tone.


    ¡®Your Highness, something strange happened; the dungeon city is healing itself.¡¯ Alon entered the room and stood in its middle.


    ¡®What?¡¯ Ariadne shouted.


    ¡®The buildings are healing; these are reports from scouts, but no creatures are in sight.¡¯ Alon looked at the curtain while talking.


    ¡®Just in case, let''s be alert, but we''re still going to the other side of the city.¡¯ Ariadne opened the curtain and walked out.


    ¡®As you wish.¡¯ Alon bowed to her.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 125

    Ariadne was inside a truck with Alon and a squad for her security. Looking outside, she noticed no battle in the city, which was expected. Nothing was destroyed, and there was no explanation for it. Edmund was still unconscious, so nobody knew what was happening or whether staying inside the dungeon was a good idea.


    After some time, they reached the end of the city, and just like on the other side, there was nothing; however, in the distance, multiple black dots were on the wall.


    ¡®We need to get closer.¡¯ She gets back inside the truck.


    ¡®Your Highness, it can be dangerous; send a squad first.¡¯ Alon protested.


    ¡®If anything happens, I will deal with it, captain; don¡¯t worry.¡¯ She smiled.


    ¡®As you wish.¡¯ He sighs, getting in the back of the truck.


    They continued forward, their silent determination filling the air. The soldiers inside the truck, their eyes meeting in silent understanding, were bolstered by the duchess''s presence. They felt a quiet confidence that they would overcome any danger that lay ahead.


    When they arrived at the other side, Ariadne saw holes in the wall. When she walked closer, she saw supports to the side, but they weren¡¯t made of wood but stone like they had been molded by magic.


    ¡®Let the man check it first, Your Highness, I insist.¡¯ Alon raised his voice.


    ''Ok, captain, as you wish.¡¯ She stepped to the side.


    The soldiers had lights attacking their weapons, so they entered the place without a problem. Just after a few steps inside, the light showed a blue glow on the walls. One soldier kneeled and took one of the blue crystals.


    ¡®There is a lot of blue crystals here.¡¯ A soldier shouted.


    ¡®Alright, that is enough; come back.¡¯ Alon shouted.


    When the soldiers returned with some crystals, Ariadne instantly smiled. She looked at the other holes in the walls and imagined they had the same or even more resources.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡®That is enough, captain; we need miners to go with the soldiers to see if it is safe.¡¯ Ariadne turned around and walked back to the truck.


    ¡®As you wish.¡¯ Alon saluted her before following behind.


    Back in the command building, in the field hospital, Eliza was checking the last one of the soldiers; they didn¡¯t have any flesh wounds; it was their minds that needed healing. In the state Eliza saw, some were a complete mess; they couldn¡¯t even talk.


    Edmund lay in a bed in the corner of the room. He was the only case in which she needed to heal his wounds; this was the second time it had been necessary. As she started to heal him, the black bruises on his body became lighter.


    Not only had her appearance changed, but she had also become physically stronger. However, the real change was in her healing. She could feel that it was more effective than before, but Edmund was still draining her even with that.


    Ethan woke up and remembered how he had been feeling the previous day, but it was strange; he felt like it wasn¡¯t him. Still confused, he got up and looked around. He was alone in the room, getting up, walking down the stairs, and leaving the building. He saw his team on a line to eat some food.


    ¡®Sir, over here!!¡¯ Samal waved his hand.


    Ethan walked up to them and felt relieved from seeing their faces; yesterday, after the battle had ended, it became a blur for him, so he just smiled at his teammates, trying to forget what happened and move on, being glad that he was alive.


    ¡®How are you feeling? Yesterday was crazy.¡¯ Asher put his hand on Ethan¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡®I¡¯m fine now; it just took a toll on me. I guess your guys are stronger.¡¯ Ethan scratched his head.


    ¡®That much I know. We need to take care of you, sir.'' Samal put his arm around Ethan.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, we will take care of one another.¡¯ Caleb looked behind for a moment.


    They all got their food and started eating, leaning against a building wall. Others were eating on the ground around them, talking and laughing with one another. Egor walked up to them and sat on the ground next to them, but he had no food in his hand.


    ¡®Look, everybody, we had heavy casualties, and when we get out of here, even the cooks there will be on our ranks so that I will be the second platoon¡¯s new leader; Calb didn¡¯t make it.¡¯ Egor had a sad expression on his face.


    ¡®What about us, Sarg?¡¯ Asher scratches his head with a fork.


    ¡®Is Lieutenant now. Ethan will be the sergeant in charge of the squad, and Caleb will be the corporal in charge of this team. More people will join, too; we lost some brave men.¡¯ Egor stood up.


    ¡®Kurt was a good guy, those bastards.¡® Samal punched the ground.


    ¡®Everyone that fell here was a good man; let¡¯s not forget about them and try to make them proud, alright boys?¡¯ Egor nodded at the group.


    ''Yes, sir!!¡¯ they shouldered and saluted Egor.


    Squad and platoon leaders visited other groups to announce their new roles. From their perspective, everything was happening so fast. The promotions felt bitter because they came at the cost of their fallen friends, but they knew nobody would forget what happened inside this dungeon. It had bound them all, even to those they didn¡¯t know the names of.


    A squad was sent to the dungeon''s entrance. The hallway was now well-lit, and even the places the teams entered to the sides had lights, too, a completely different scenario from before. They signaled for the giant door to be opened through the radio, and so it was; the difference was that they locked it in place on the sides.


    The change in appearance of the soldiers took back the soldier on the outside. The white hair of an A-Dam and white fur on the Shafran and the Chatzi as they got their helmets out.


    ¡®Lieutenant Zaken, what happened?¡¯ The soldier asked, with a confused expression.


    ¡®You will see in time; no, her highness needs something.'' He patted the soldier on the shoulder.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 126

    Edmund opened his eyes and looked around. He was confused; his body was still in pain, and he couldn¡¯t move.


    ¡®What happened?¡¯ He spoke with his vision still blurred.


    ¡®You were unconscious for five days, Edmund, and I was treating you this whole time.¡¯ Eliza put her hand on his forehead.


    ¡®Where are we?¡¯ His voice is still slow.


    ¡®We are on a truck, returning to the city, and her highness is here too.¡¯ She smiled and looked to the side.


    His vision slowly returned to normal. The first thing he noticed was Eliza''s white hair, which shocked him. Moving his eyes around, he saw the soldiers sitting on the sides and noticed the white all around. He was bewildered by the sudden change in everyone''s appearance.


    ¡®Why are you all white? What happened.¡¯ Edmund moved his eyes around.


    ¡®I was hoping you would explain it to us, peasant.¡¯ Ariadne walked closer to him.


    ¡®You are huge? Do you have black hair now? I don¡¯t know if I liked to be Hon. His words were cut abruptly.


    Ariadne had put her foot on his neck, pushing down a little. She was refreshingly surprised at how her behavior had changed regarding Edmund. Eliza widened her eyes and put her hands close to Ariadne''s foot but dared not touch it.


    ¡®Already like this? This happened right after we conquered the dungeon; even you have black hair now. Explain.¡¯ She got her foot out of his neck, making him cough right after.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know; I don''t remember anything of this happening anywhere. Wait, did you say I have black hair?¡¯ He moved his eyes again.


    Edmund began to feel depressed. When he wasn¡¯t moving forward with his objectives, his time inside the dungeon entirely made him forget about them. Now, he needed to focus on discovering what had happened to them.


    ¡®Well, rest for now; when you can move, we''ll talk more about this... and thank you, peasant; without you, I wouldn¡¯t be able to beat the dungeon guardian.¡¯ She smiled at him.


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    ¡®You know what? I like this new Ariadne, even smiling to me... certainly an improved version of yourself.¡¯ He struggled to laugh.


    Ariadne sighed and shook her hand. The soldiers around him gave a quick smile while others shook their heads in disapproval of his behavior. Eliza started healing him again, putting her hands on his chest.


    The truck stopped right at the entrance of the city with a crowd of people who looked like they were waiting for them. When it stopped, Ariadne was the first to get out of the back, landing on the ground. The crowd instantly felt her presence when their eyes met her blueish-black hair and fur, now accentuated by the sun, making a unique, mesmerizing, divine sight. She started to walk towards them, becoming taller as she did. Some took a step behind, while others were mesmerized by her appearance. They opened the way for her as she passed through them.


    Ariadne smiled and gave a gentle head rub on some as she walked. An A-Dam boy stood before her, meeting her eyes with a teary look.


    ¡®Where is my dad? Mom said he is not coming back.¡¯ The boy asked, trying not to cry.


    Ariadne knelt before the child, her arms reaching for an embrace.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry; he gave his life for all of us. Not just him but too many.¡¯ Ariadne hugged the boy.


    Without a word, the boy started to cry in her arms as she stood up and carried him. Some around her started to sob. The majority of those there were the families of the soldiers who had died inside the dungeon. Ariadne could feel their pain.


    After a minute of walking, a woman raised her arms towards Ariadne. It was the boy¡¯s mother. She gave the child to her and turned around, looking at the faces of the people around her.


    ¡®To everyone that lost a loved one, I feel your pain. You know that, you can feel it too. I will take care of the families of those soldiers. They will have a monument on their names at the center of this city with their names.¡¯ Her voice echoed through the crowd.


    The people knew her words were true. They felt pain, a link with her that they couldn¡¯t understand like they were sharing the loss of their loved ones with her. They all saluted her while closing their eyes and lowering their heads.


    ¡®I know this will not be enough, but I thank every family for their sacrifice.¡¯ She turned around and started to walk again.


    The crowd didn¡¯t follow her, so she walked toward her mansion alone. Everyone on the path stood there and watched her, almost hypnotized. As this happened, the soldiers watched the commotion and walked to their homes; only two stayed as they carried Edmund, and Eliza followed them.


    ¡®So, everybody just accepted that you guys now have white hair and fur?¡¯ Edmund spoke while being carried.


    ¡®They say it was a blessing; I won¡¯t say it is not. It feels like it.¡¯ Eliza walked beside Edmund.


    ¡®I think we were blessed with the goddess; she shared a little of her power with us.¡¯ The soldier on the back that was carrying Edmund spoke.


    ¡®Humm¡­ I need more information, Something different happened?¡¯ He spoke while looking up at the soldier.


    ¡®Strange balls of light entered our bodies, and now we are stronger than before.¡¯ The soldier smiled at Edmund.


    ¡®That is new; when the hero fought and defeated the guardian, the golens just disappeared along with the guardian and nothing more.¡¯ Edmund frowned, confused about what happened.


    ¡®Well, our soldiers weren''t fighting the golems; maybe it has something to do with it.¡¯ Eliza looked at Edmund as they walked.


    ¡®It needs to; everything else was the same, to some degree.¡¯ Edmund tried to move his head but had no strength.


    ¡®Don¡¯t try to move Edmund; you will hurt yourself.¡¯ Eliza put one of her hands on Edmund¡¯s chest.


    ¡®Ok, that move already tired me; I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡¯ Edmund closed his eyes.


    ¡®How can he be so carefree like this?¡¯ Eliza thought as she continued to walk.


    She noticed that everyone on the street was looking at her and making the same salute to Ariadne. The soldiers'' lives made her into a true saint. From the button of her hand, she wanted to be worthy of the title more than   Eliza now could feel a stronger connection with Ariadne, and it made her so happy, but she couldn¡¯t understand why; she was just happy.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 127

    ¡®Your Highness¡­ Edmund is here to talk.¡¯ Alya spoke as she served tea to Ariadne.


    ¡®You can let him in. I¡¯m glad he can already walk; it has been only five days,¡¯ Ariadne continued to write on her tablet.


    Alya sighed and shook her head as she opened the door. Edmund moved forward, strapped in a small bed and being pushed by a soldier. He was smiling. The moment Ariadne raised her head, she was struck by the sight. Her shock was palpable as she leaned back, crossed her arms, and looked at him with complete disbelief.


    ¡®Why? Just¡­¡¯ She was lost for words.


    ¡®I can¡¯t stop working; I will die of sadness, so this was the solution. I can¡¯t move, so my friend here is pushing me around. I say they should train, so it''s a win, win, right?¡¯ Edmund looked to his right side.


    ¡®Right.¡¯ The soldier put Edmund into position and got to his left side.


    ¡®We need to work on our communication.¡¯ Edmund gave a quick laugh.


    ¡®This is ridiculous, peasant, even for you, but you are already here; speak your mind.¡¯ Ariadne took a deep breath.


    ¡®You are huge; why is nobody always saying this?¡¯ Edmund looked at the soldier and Alya.


    ¡®Peasant, did you come here to say something this obvious to me? I don''t have clothes, and it will take time for things to adjust to me, but on this note.¡¯ She stood up.


    Edmund, the soldier, and Alya looked up; even Alya didn¡¯t adjust to her change in height.


    ¡®The new tools the people in the city are using are interesting; I didn¡¯t have the time to see all of them. Even for simple tasks, they have something; I¡¯m impressed.¡¯ Ariadne stood right before Edmund, touching his chest with the point of her fingers.


    ¡®Well, the majority was made by my students; I had no time to give much importance to everything; they were the ones that created everything, giving them the complements.¡¯ Edmund into Ariadne¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®I might do just that; thanks for the suggestion, now to the point you came here to discuss.¡¯ She returned to her chair behind the desk


    ¡®I have a theory of why we changed along with the soldiers.¡¯ Edmund smiled.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡®Alright, continue.¡¯ She waved at him.


    ¡®The demon lord army raided the dungeon; that is, obvious, from the destroyed golems, we can say they conquered the dungeons, but instead of conquering, they were trapped by it, becoming part of it.¡¯ Edmund blew a part of his hair that was next to his right eye.


    ¡®It makes sense, but what about the rest.¡¯ Ariadne held her chin.


    ¡®When the hero conquered the dungeon, the enemies just became dust; these also became dust, but I think that because they weren¡¯t golens, the magic that was used to make them come didn¡¯t have anywhere to return to; it wasn¡¯t the same magic used by the golens anymore.¡¯ He again blew a part of his hard that was next to his right eye.


    ¡®So attached itself with the first thing it didn¡¯t reject it.¡® Ariadne frowned for a moment.


    ¡®Yes, I think that was what happened, but there is more.¡¯ Edmund blew his hair away again.


    ¡®Just cut your hair, peasant.¡¯ Ariadne sigh.


    ¡®Yeah, but if they conquered this dungeon, the next one may have already been opened, and the same might have happened.'' Edmund looked into Ariadne¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®Humm¡­ tell me, peasant, how long it took the hero to conquer all dungeons before the fight against the demon lord?¡¯ Ariadne tapped the desk with her nails.


    Edmund tried to pull from the hero''s memories, and after some time, he estimated the time; it was not perfect, but it was close enough to what it was.


    ¡®Like five years.¡¯ Edmund said bluntly.


    Ariadne was taken back by the time; it was too close. Now that she had conquered the dungeon, the demon lord was as accurate as the clothes on her body.


    ¡®Well, even the hero itself didn¡¯t know how it works, so there are two ways things happened before: wait a second, my nose.¡¯ Edmund moved his nose around.


    The soldier to his side scratched Edmund''s nose for a moment, then nodded at him with a smile. He was impressed by the gesture and smiled at him, too, returning his gaze to the duchess.


    ¡®So?¡¯ Ariadne continued to tap the desk with her nails.


    ¡®The first one is that it will happen in five years; if that is true, we are all dead, but I don''t think it is because that might say that we have five years to conquer all dungeons before the demon lord arrives, and there is no such legend.¡¯ Edmund tried to shrug his shoulders with no success.


    ¡®That is true, and the other?¡¯ Ariadne held her chin for a moment.


    ¡®The other is that these dungeons are locks. By the end, we have released the demon lord so that we can kill him. It makes more sense. With the demon lord army attacking the dungeons, it becomes a real contender.¡¯ Edmund looked at Alya, who was carrying what looked like tea for Ariadne.


    ¡®Wait? So, if we just do nothing, she will just stay in prison forever?¡¯ Ariadne gave Edmund a confused look.


    ''No. We conquer the dungeons to free the demon lord because if he gets out alone, can you imagine how powerful he would be to do that? No one could kill him.¡¯ Edmund¡¯s tone was more serious.


    ¡®So why not just wait? He should be doing everything for us not to conquer the dungeons.¡¯ Ariadne took a sip of her tea.


    ¡®On the time of the hero, that was what he did, but now there is no...'' Edmund was interrupted.


    ¡®Hero, this time the hero is not coming, so the way he is now is enough.¡¯Ariadne was in deep thought as he held her cup of tea.


    ¡®Yes, but judging by what happened in the first dungeon, it trapped the demon lord army and used it to guard the dungeon. That is what I think, at least.¡¯ Edmund tried again to shrug his shoulders and failed again.


    ¡®I think you are right, even though you do stupid things like right now.'' She pointed at him. ¡®You are smart, peasant. So what now? What do you think we should do?¡¯ Ariadne put the cup on the table.


    ¡®We need to know how this improved us, the changes and all; finish the things we already were working on with the new resources we have from the dungeon, make the life of the people better so that we have more soldiers willing to fight and next time raid the next dungeon with at least two thousand soldiers, the more, the better, for now, that is it.¡¯ Edmund smiled at her.


    ¡®Alright, peasant, let''s go with that. Now get out, just rest. Don¡¯t you ever show in front of me like this again!¡¯ Ariadne got the cup again after Alya filled it and took a sip.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 128

    Edmund was outside the classroom, resting as Ariadne had instructed him. It took five days for him to get better, and the pain was too much to bear. The thought of doing nothing was eating him alive.


    Eliza helped him a lot, going to his room every day after her work at the hospital in the city to heal him, but he thought that was strange that it was taking so long for him to get better; it was like his body was destroyed and she was putting it together little by little.


    He rolled into the classroom. As he reached the center, all his students looked at him. He faced them and looked around. Leah was behind him, sitting in a chair behind the desk.


    ''Today, we will see the battle recordings inside the dungeon so we can learn more. Your only privilege is that you are seeing it first. By the end of the month, the duchess will show to everyone in the city''s center and to other towns after that.¡¯ Edmund cleared his throat.


    Edmund positioned himself between two of his students and turned around to face the blackboard he had built using the same process as the tablets. He walked to the door, closed it, turned off the lights, and stayed there. Using her tablet, she controlled what was happening on the blackboard and pulled the recordings, so she started.


    As the images rolled, Ariadne and Edmund fighting the guardian started to roll; the sounds simultaneously made the experience exciting and terrifying for most of them. The recording was different from the one Ariadne saw inside of the dungeon; it was edited into one single thing, not several parts; everything was about thirty minutes long, and by the end of it, everyone was at the edge of their feet and cheered when Ariadne cut guardian, killing him.


    ¡®Teacher, how you fought that thing with your bare hands was crazy.¡¯ A student to his side spoke.


    Leah turned on the lights, and Edmund rolled to the same spot he had been before the recording started, turning around to face his students again.


    ¡®At the end, you all got excited. There is not much you can do here now, but it was important to show it to you anyway.'' Edmund crossed his arms.


    ¡®Why was it important?¡¯ Another student raised their voice


    ¡®Because at some point in the future, we are all going to face things equivalent to the guardian, but it will be killed by normal means, so better weapons will be needed.¡¯ Edmund nodded to the student.


    The students talked to one another briefly before Leah knocked on the door three times, which made them stop.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡®I¡¯m not saying everyone here is to abandon their project and focus on weapons; you have your obligations, especially those sponsored by the companies.¡¯ Edmund scratched his cheek with his index finger.


    ¡®I don¡¯t understand what you are trying to say, Teacher?¡¯ A student on the back spoke.


    ¡®I¡¯m saying that if you develop something that makes harvesting crops easy, it will free people to do other things. If you develop something that makes construction easier, a job that took four now just needs two, and so on, you understand?¡¯ Edmund held his chin with his right hand.


    All of the students sitting nodded and looked at one another; they understood his line of thinking. They saw the potential of their projects to revolutionize the way things were done, and it inspired them to work harder. Edmund''s words made them feel way more important about what they were already doing.


    ¡®Something that will revolutionize things will be the train. We are building the tracks from the dungeon to this city; now imagine every city in the kingdom connected, with trucks and other vehicles on top of it. This is what I¡¯m talking about.¡¯ Edmund opened his arms and raised his voice.


    Everyone in the classroom nodded in agreement. They knew about the project, and it wasn¡¯t a secret, but they thought that, in this context, it would change everything.


    ¡®And I didn¡¯t say anything about what those guys there are working on, flying vehicles on top of this all.¡¯ Edmund pointed at a group of students.


    Those students looked at one another and instantly understood what he was talking about: the transportation of materials, people, and troops, which would make everything faster for them and everyone else.


    ¡®With that in mind, I want you all to see the perspective of the normal soldier on the frontlines and how it will be in the future fighting against the demon lord army.¡¯ Edmund pointed at Leah and rolled back between the two students.


    Leah turned off the lights and, with her tablet, started the next recording. This was a compilation of the battle in chronological order, with the more comprehensive parts because there were many scenes where the cameramen were hiding, trying not to get killed.


    An hour of screams of the soldiers, loud explosions, soldiers being hit by a light beam and completely vanishing, dying instantly, melee fights with the creatures, charges through streets and inside of buildings, and soldiers being carried behind destroyed walls.


    Edmund looked around for a moment and saw them all looking in horror. No one was there with a joyous expression, and even Leah covered her mouth in complete disbelief at what she saw. Then, there was a scene of Ethan on the front advancing while shooting at the creature with no fear whatsoever, even pulling other soldiers behind cover as he prepared to advance again.


    They all felt they were there with the soldiers. The sound was like looking through a window, a past that they weren¡¯t a part of. They only felt this now because of how brutal the one-hour recording was. As it ended, Leah turned on the lights again, and Edmund rolled to the front of the class.


    ¡®You all watched the real reason I did everything I did up until now, why I taught everything you know; imagine doing this with swords, shields, bows, and arrows.'' He scanned his students, looking into their eyes.


    There was only silence in the room. Some looked at their friends, and others looked up at the ceiling, finding Edmund¡¯s expression uncomfortable.


    ¡®We need more. We need those tracks to carry bigger weapons, those flying vehicles to carry troops and weapons, new ideas on protecting our soldiers, and more people. That''s why your work in whatever you are doing is important.¡¯ Edmund looked around with a serious expression this time.


    The students now had a reenergized resolve, their expression full of hope, and it was like new ideas were popping into their heads already; they were part of something greater, those that pushed everyone forward from behind. Ariadne¡¯s image popped up in their head, and they all closed their eyes for a moment, even Leah. Edmund found their behavior strange; it was weird, but it shrugged off.


    ¡®Start working.¡¯ Edmund shouted.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 129

    Edmund was going toward Ariadne; he was still in his wheelchair even after a whole month had passed; it just hurt too much for him to stand up for more than a minute, so he did just that every day.


    ¡®Alya, could you help me get closer? This thing is not meant to be used on this terrain.¡¯ Edmund waved to Alya.


    ¡®No, I¡¯m preparing the duchess lunch.¡¯ She spoke while putting plates on a table.


    ¡®O¡­ Ok.¡¯ Edmund looked to the duchess.¡¯Ariadne, could you help me?¡¯ He raised his voice a little.


    Ariadne was preparing to test the hero¡¯s sword for the first time outside the dungeon. She was too busy dealing with everything that came after to measure her strength, so she had no time. This caused her some trouble, just like when she was little, like breaking doors as she opened them.


    ¡®You should be resting, peasant. What do you want?¡¯ Ariadne sigh.


    ¡®That is another way of saying I¡¯m not going to help you, fine.'' Edmund continued to move forward.


    Ariadne watched as he struggled to reach the table. After a couple of minutes, she finally reached it, so she decided to walk to him and sit on the chair on the other side of the table.


    ¡®Are you kidding me? It''s hard trying not to break this thing or using too much strength and slamming my head to the ground. Why do I even try?¡¯ Edmund reached for a sandwich.


    Alya placed the plate closer to Ariadne and continued serving the rest of the food.


    ¡®This is her lunch; I will get something for you after, patience.¡¯ Alya looked at Edmund for a moment.


    ¡®I get it; nobody likes the wheelchair guy.¡¯ He spoke with a smile forming on his face.


    ¡®You didn¡¯t say what you want, peasant, and it''s not about your means of locomotion but yourself; just rest so you can be well and strong.¡¯ Ariadne drank some juice after taking a bite out of her sandwich.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know if I feel offended or happy with your words.¡¯ Edmund laughed as he covered his eyes with his left hand.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry if I offended you, peasant. I still believe you need more rest; Eliza said you progressed but still had about a month to recover fully.¡¯ She took another bite.


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    ¡®No problem. She told me this as well.¡¯ Edmund looked at Alya, who was walking away as he talked.


    ¡®Wait here and eat; I will practice a little. Maybe a show of absolute force can get the nobles to stay back when the time comes.¡¯ Ariadne wiped some bread from the corner of her limp as she got up.


    Ariadne walked to her original position; on her waist was support for the handle of the hero¡¯s sword. With her right hand, she wielded it, and with no words spoken, the sword unfolded instantly, showing its beautiful form.


    She swung it, and Edmund could hear the air being cut. Ariadne wasn¡¯t even trying, just using one of her hands, but when she used her hands and started to swing as Edmund taught her, her speed and strength were so great that he could feel the air being pushed in his direction like a calm breeze.


    Ariane didn¡¯t feel the sword''s heaviness while fighting against the guardian; she felt the speed, too. With each swing, the sword became one with her, and the feeling became more genuine. Edmund could see it, too. Alya came right after, and her mouth was open, impressed by the demonstration.


    Alya put the food on the table for Edmund, who began eating while watching Ariadne. He noticed she had likely become two times faster than before, but he couldn¡¯t measure her strength. The sound her sword made while cutting the air indicated a tremendous increase.


    ¡®She could kill the guardian when we first met him at the temple.¡¯ Edmund thought out loud.


    ¡®You think so?¡¯ Alya spoke while cleaning the table.


    ¡®From the looks of it, but to confirm it, I would need to fight her myself, but changing the subject, are you still going to be a maid?¡¯ Edmund turned to Alya.


    ¡®If Her Highness needs me here as her maid, I will do that.¡¯ Alya spoke while looking at Ariadne swing her sword around.


    ¡®I understand, but what if I told you you could help more?¡¯ Edmund rolled closer to Alya.


    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t be against it, but it is on Her Highness''s hands.¡¯ Alya took a jar of water from a food cart to her side and put it on the table.


    ¡®Prepare to take the skies, Alya; I bet you will love it.¡¯ Edmund raised his voice with excitement.


    ¡®I always imagine how birds feel while flying. It can be a good experience. If the duchess allows, I will help.¡¯ She nodded to Edmund.


    ¡®Help what? Peasant, what are you scheming?¡¯ Ariadne came closer to the two.


    ¡®She will help the team develop the flying vehicle; can you allow her to help?¡¯ Edmund turned around to face Ariadne.


    ¡®Alya can do whatever she wants; just don¡¯t make her do something she doesn¡¯t want to.¡¯ Ariadne smiled and nodded to Alya.


    ¡®The tests are going to be outside the city so that I will introduce you to the team tomorrow.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    ¡®So tomorrow we talk more about this; now serving the duchess takes priority.¡¯ Alya puts water in a cup.


    ¡®My maids are so good that they find something better; what a curse to have.¡¯ Ariadne laughed while hiding her mouth in one of her hands


    On the following day, outside the city, in a vast open field with the city''s silhouette in the distance, Alya was inside something she couldn¡¯t even describe; it was like a box with things to its side; she understood the controls; it was simple, and what the rest of the stuff in front of her did but the problem was that she didn¡¯t turn the thing on to see if it worked. The field was bathed in the warm glow of the morning sun, and a gentle breeze carried the distant sounds of the city.


    ¡®I hope she doesn¡¯t die; her Highness would be angry about it, and what about how this thing looks just like a box? So ugly.¡¯ Edmund spoke to one of his students.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, it''s safe; we need some adjustments. This is just a prototype teacher; we are doing the way you taught us.'' The student replied with confidence


    ¡®Humm¡­ Ok, you got me there, but let¡¯s not pretend this thing is safe.¡¯¡¯ Edmund crossed his arms.


    The two and the others watched as Alya started the starting sequence. It was the same sound the truck produced when it turned on and began to lift until it was ten meters off the ground, making everyone cheer.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 130

    Ethan was walking down the street looking around, and when he saw a man with white hair or fur, he gave them a nod. The battle inside the dungeon bonded the soldiers in a way nobody could comprehend.


    Ruth rested at home while Ethan did everything she did outside, like buying food. He could do that because the people inside the dungeon became their own separate company, with just infantry. Now, they were like the duchess''s personal guard, only dispatched as squads.


    He was passing by the square in the middle of the city, where they were building a stage. Ariadne will inaugurate the monument with the names of those who died on the raid and, to his surprise, show the recording of what happened inside the dungeon. Ruth didn¡¯t let him drink in the tavern, but those in the company who did said nobody believed them, even with the white hair. He hopes the children don¡¯t get nightmares after seeing the carnage.


    It took more time because people from outside the duchy were coming to see, and from what he heard, some important people from the kingdom were coming. Interestingly, all merchants were no nobles. He knew all of this because his squad was in charge of the security of an area. The duchess wanted all the people to see what happened simultaneously, so the people who had already seen it because they were there would take care of security.


    After getting everything Ruth wanted, he returned to his house and was immediately pushed by Ruth¡¯s belly, which made him step back.


    ¡®Are you still mad about the dungeon? And on that note, I don''t think it is a good idea for you to see what happened there; you are with a child.¡¯ Ethan took a knee and touched Ruth''s belly.


    ¡®Of course I am. What if you died? Yesterday, my mother said she heard it was voluntary; how could you do this for us?¡¯ She hit Ethan with one of her fists like a hammer.


    ¡®You two would be taken care of by her highness, just like those other families; now is too late to back down, and I receive a raise, so you can buy more things for the house and even eat sweets.¡¯ Ethan stood up and hugged his wife.


    Ruth struggled a little but stopped and hugged him back. She started to cry. She had always stayed mad at him, but the actual feeling was loss. Ruth didn¡¯t want to love him; he was perfect in her eyes, and no one could ever replace him, so frustration built up inside her until now.


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    ¡®Next time, at least I¡¯m going to tell you I still have my duties, but now I expect you to understand my role, ok?¡¯ He held her chin up, looking into her eyes.


    ¡®Fine, but don¡¯t ever lie to me!!¡¯ Ruth punched him in the gut, but it was rock hard.


    ¡®Alright, now let''s eat something; I¡¯m starving.¡¯ Ethan kissed her before putting the things on top of the table.


    At the same time, Alon was in the command room in the Duchess mansion, and with his new title of Lieutenant Coronel came a lot more responsibility, even if the job didn¡¯t change. The material Edmund had given him when they met helped with the new structure of the duchy¡¯s army, even if he needed to make some adjustments or think of new things to do.


    He was reading the platoon leaders'' report on the changes in their and the soldiers'' bodies and what they could do. Because of his responsibilities, he couldn¡¯t train like the others, so he ordered them to do this in two months to see what had changed.


    They became more assertive, faster, and resilient, and missions outside the city became much more manageable. Ariadne decided that they would protect the city; she was too busy to test their performance against her, so Alon waited for Edmund to get better so that he could measure their new strength. That¡¯s what was happening right now outside.


    Edmund was running against the soldiers on the training ground, but it wasn¡¯t close. He, too, was seeing how he compared to before, and this time, he was talking about stretching from being unable to move correctly.


    ¡®Egor, seeing them run, I can say they are a fourth of what I was with white hair. I prefer this one; I look younger, which is nice.¡¯ Edmund was touching his hair and smiling.


    ¡®You look the same to me, and you are still young. I think the LC will be happy to hear the test results, but what about you now against Her Highness?¡¯ Egor said with a curious expression.


    ¡®Let¡¯s see how it is!¡¯ Ariadne spoke while walking in their direction.


    ¡®Is going to be a good chance to test my new sword, so wait here.¡¯ Edmund started to run toward the warehouse.


    ¡®Your Highness, sorry for the state of the troops; we were testing their limits.¡¯ Egor saluted her.


    Ariadne looked at the soldiers, who were starting to stand to salute her, but she waved at them and smiled. They relaxed and continued to rest on the ground.


    ''And I¡¯m back.¡¯ Edmund returned, holding his new sword.


    The sword Edmund was holding was new to Ariadne, but she recognized the blue from the crystals; aside from the blade''s edge and parts of the handle, everything was made of crystals.


    ¡®It takes time to charge; I need to think of better ways to charge these crystals, but it will be able to hold the line against the hero sword for some time before it breaks. Those factories the Arc and Socher company built helped me greatly; they did it for free. I wonder if I can get some free food...'' Edmund was interrupted.


    ¡®Peasant, I have things to do. Let¡¯s go, follow me there, and keep a distance for those that want to watch.¡¯ Ariadne started to walk.


    ¡®Fair enough, let¡¯s finish this.¡¯ Edmund followed her and, like before, just dragged his sword on the ground.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 131

    Edmund and Ariadne stood in the open field, facing one another. She got the hero¡¯s sword handle and, with her right hand, it gave a swing to the side. Edmund held his sword to his side with his two hands. When he tightened the grip of it, the blue of the sword emitted a light blue glow.


    ¡®Come, peasant.¡¯ Ariadne puts her sword to the side, holding it with her hands.


    Edmund smiled, and, in an instant, his knee was already blocking her vision, giving her no time to dodge, so the strike made her fly back on a flip, but Edmund gave her no time to react; he had already swung his sword downward. Luckily, she blocked his strike, but it cracked the ground in some parts around her.


    As he was in the air, Ariadne could quickly push him upward. Edmund was shocked by how high he was going; she did that with just one arm. He remembered one of his training sessions with her, where she pushed him away to the side, nowhere near this.


    She got up and jumped directly toward Edmund, who was falling. She already expected him to spin midair and push her to the ground. The two collided midair, but something interesting happened. They stopped for a moment and fell together. They saw this as an opportunity and traded blows. No one was being pushed away, and the attacks and counterattacks were evenly matched.


    When the two touched the ground and found their fitting, the blows became more vigorous and faster, and the sound of their fight was like a thunderstorm happening right outside the mansion. The majority watching from inside the mansion couldn¡¯t follow what was going on; their eyes couldn¡¯t understand; it was a blur, but those with white hair could understand the fight, just like when Edmund fought against Ariadne before the dungeon; for them, it was just a little faster than before.


    They continued to fight into the forest, cutting everything in their path until, again, Edmund was launched, but this time towards the training grounds. He looked at his sword, and the glow stopped, even though they had fought for only two minutes.


    Ariadne came at him at full speed, but he let go of it instead of blocking or swinging his sword. As the blade was moving toward him, he moved forward, grabbing Ariadne¡¯s arm and using the momentum of her swing to slam her on the ground.


    Edmund felt a nostalgic familiarity with his movements and state like the pieces of a larger puzzle were put in place; it was still far from perfect, but compared to before, it was like night and day. That is why he could fight against Ariadne, even feeling the strength of her strikes every time their blades met, but he always held his ground by using her strength against her.


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    ¡®I will show you how I held up against the guardian. Seeing the recording doesn¡¯t give you the whole idea. Feeling with your body is the best way... a lesson if you will.¡¯ Edmund gave small jumps and positioned himself, waiting for Ariadne to get up.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to kill you, peasant.¡¯ Ariadne spoke with anger as she got up.


    ¡®You won''t, I think.¡® He gave a quick laugh.


    The laugh triggered Ariadne to dash towards him, swinging her sword, but he saw her coming. He anticipated her every move and dodged to the side, always outside her swings. For the first five strikes, he didn¡¯t do anything, but on the sixth, Edmund punched her, making her feel some pain. For him, it was like punching something hard, rock hard.


    ¡®My turn.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    Edmund moved forward, but as he was preparing to deliver a punch to her head, she swung the sword; he instead moved in, grabbed her arm, and was even pushed. He couldn¡¯t stop the movement,r but he thigh it and punched her in the face with his other hand. He tried to make her let go of the sword, but she was just too strong, so instead, as she attempted to strike him with her elbow, he moved back and got away from her.


    ¡®Your strength is a real problem, and the fact that I can¡¯t kill you.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    ¡®If that is a problem, try to, peasant.¡¯ Ariadne spat some blood on the ground.


    Edmund raised his hands a little and took two steps back.


    ¡®Wait, you know you can kill with one good hit, right?'' Edmund took another step back.


    ¡®If the battles are going to be like those in the dungeon, we must train harder.¡¯ Ariadne raised her sword with one hand, pointing at Edmund.


    ''So... here... I... Go!!¡¯ Edmund dashed towards Ariadne.


    Even after these two months, Ariadne wasn¡¯t familiar with her body, so even if she could see Edmund coming towards her, the body simply didn¡¯t follow her commands on the stop, so she was hit again. Still, now on the lower body, and after she tried to attack Edmund, he would dove and hit her again and even make her fall.


    The two didn¡¯t notice that their fight lasted only three minutes and almost devastated the training grounds. At one point, the people outside needed to run and jump to escape their path of destruction like they were fleeing a hurricane, a terrifying moment.


    It was like she was fighting against him for the first time when she didn¡¯t know how to hold a sword. The worst part was that he knew her every move because he was her teacher, but that would change when she hit him with her elbow right as he was going to punch her in the face again and made him step back, holding his left side and fall with his butt on the ground.


    ¡®Wait, Wait¡­ I think you broke one of my ribs; I give up.¡¯ Edmund raised his hands.


    Ariadne was shocked by what happened; maybe she was just so focused on the fight that she completely lost her newfound strength; she made her sword return to the handle and kneeled right beside Edmund as a group of people started to run toward the two.


    ¡®Are you two alright?¡¯ Alon spoke, looking at the two.


    ¡®I¡¯m alright,t Alon, thanks.¡¯ Ariadne nodded at Alon.


    ¡®I¡¯m not; call Eli, za, or I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ Edmund lay on the ground.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be so dramatic, peasant.¡¯ Ariadne sigh. ¡®But call for Eliza anyway.¡¯ She looked at Alon.


    ¡®Yes, your highness.¡¯ Alon saluted her. ¡®You two, call Eliza.¡¯ Alon looked at two soldiers close to him.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 132

    Edmund was sitting on the sofa in Ariadne¡¯s office, still holding his side. He wasn¡¯t feeling that much pain; he thought that was more like a feeling that his ribs were broken. He associated her strength with the blow and just reacted; he forgot for a moment that he, too now, was more powerful than before.


    Eliza entered the room with her white hair blending with her white clothes. The blue details on her clothes, which showed the contour of her body, gave her an air of nobility that she hadn¡¯t had before. Eliza walked towards Ariadne, who was on her desk, and saluted her right after she attended to Edmund, indicating a shift in their relationship dynamics.


    ¡®You can¡¯t just do whatever you want, Edmund. It took two months for me to heal you. Don¡¯t you realize what you have been through?¡¯ Eliza lifted Edmund¡¯s shirt and touched the area of the bruise.


    ¡®It hurts a little, and I know that if it weren¡¯t for you, I would still be on that bed, and I do not know for how long.¡¯ He looked at his injury.


    ¡®You are fine; fortunately, it''s just a bruise.¡¯ She put her two hands on top of the area, and a glow came out of it.


    ¡®See, peasant? You were just being dramatic.¡¯ Ariadne raised her voice.


    ¡®What? Didn¡¯t you see that you pushed me to the side when I held your arm?¡¯ Edmund''s voice was tinged with anger, the tension between them palpable.


    ¡®You are not ?cured, Edmund; you need more time.¡¯ Eliza continued to heal Edmund.


    ¡®Did you listen to what she said? You are not ?fine. You will fight against me on a more equal footing in the future. I don¡¯t know about your sword. You need to see that.¡¯ Ariadne continued to write on her tablet.


    ¡®On that, you are right. Even with the crystals, it was just too much for the sword; I need to think of a way to make it more efficient.¡¯ Edmund held her chin while thinking.


    ¡®Yes, do that; don¡¯t you fight against Her Highness like this for at least I say so, ok?¡¯ Eliza slapped him on the arm before getting up and walking towards Ariadne.


    ¡®I know you have my word. We are going only to have light training sessions.¡¯ Ariadne smiled at Eliza.


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    ¡®Thank you, your highness; if you excuse me, I have things to do at the hospital.¡¯ Eliza saluted and turned around, walking to the door.


    When Eliza left the office, Edmund stood up, walked to Ariadne¡¯s desk, and sat on a chair right before her. She looked at him with curiosity as she fanned herself.


    ¡®What is the next move?¡¯ Edmund crossed his arms.


    ¡®This was when the kingdom merchants came here and talked to me before the ceremony. That is going to happen later on today.¡¯ She continued to fan herself as she relaxed in the chair.


    ¡®Interesting, but you want to know where the next dungeon is?¡¯ He smiled while looking into her eyes.


    ¡®Well, I want to know; I had forgotten about this.¡¯ She closed her fan and tapped the desk a few times.


    Edmund got up and walked to a wall on the side of the door. On the opposite side, he suddenly stopped and pointed at a map on the wall. Ariadne had no idea what he was doing; she couldn¡¯t see; it was too far.


    ¡®Right here.¡¯ Edmund raised his voice.


    Ariadne took a deep breath, looked at him, and tapped the desk a few more times as she continued to look at Edmund.


    ¡®Ah! Sorry.¡¯ Edmund got the framed map on the wall.


    He walked back, put the framed map on Ariadne¡¯s desk, and put his finger on top of a point on the map. Ariadne widens her eyes and looks at Edmund with a puzzled expression.


    ¡®There?¡¯ Ariadne crossed her arms.


    ¡®Yes, on the Markaz kingdom.¡¯ Edmund nodded to Ariadne.


    ¡®We established quite the relationship because of trade, but we are in no position to go anywhere, and I wonder what''s inside that dungeon.¡¯ Ariadne lined back on her chair.


    ¡®I, too, wonder; the first dungeon is a kind of training dungeon; that is why the inside had golems, but this one has monsters, and the city''s layout is too. I have no idea.¡¯Edmund shrugged his shoulders.


    Edmund didn¡¯t know what was inside those dungeons because, in the memories he had from the hero, someone told him that the other dungeons were different each time, so he just didn¡¯t know.


    ¡®I think I was expecting too much. There is no problem. When we are ready, we will go there. You have my word, but before that, I need to talk with the king of Markaz in person.¡¯ She started to fan herself.


    ¡®Well, I have something.'' Edmund tapped the desk a few times.


    ¡®What? It is useful?¡¯ Ariadne leaned forward, full of curiosity.


    ¡®It is a piece of armor the hero didn¡¯t bother to get because he thought it was useless to him, a complete moron.¡¯ He face-palmed.


    ¡®What piece of armor?¡¯ She leaned back again with a disappointed look.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know. There is no word for what it was; he thought that was useless.¡¯ Edmund shrugged.


    ¡®What a shame. When the time comes, we will speak more about it; now, you are free to do what you do all day.¡¯ She waved her hand to him while fanning herself.


    ¡®I have work to do, so I¡¯m leaving.¡¯ Edmund turned around and walked toward the door.


    Just as he touched the door handle, it opened, and Edmund saw a group of Shafran and a maid directing them to enter. He gave away room for them to pass through; Edmund didn¡¯t care to look at them, and the moment they entered, he got out of the office.


    ¡®Now let¡¯s think about it to make it more efficient.¡¯ Edmund spoke to himself as he walked away.


    The maid outside Ariadne''s office raised her eyebrows, seeing him walk away talking to himself. As the new personal maid in charge of the duchess, she needed to get used to strangeness because now she was the personal maid of the goddess Ariadne.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 133

    Edmund was on top of a building, looking at the square in the middle of the city. It was ?packed with people, and he had a privileged view of everything. He could see the stone at the center hidden by white cloth from all sides, and multiple backboards were located around the square, and even on the side streets, everyone the people were, at least one blackboard was available to them.


    Ariadne was walking up the stage with a microphone and an impressive wall of blackboards that formed a giant screen. He didn¡¯t do it, making him proud that things were moving without his finger pushing them around.


    Edmund admired Ariadne''s courage in presenting such a significant event to the people. He couldn''t help but notice a group of Shafran ?, their elegant attire setting them apart. Like everyone else, they were eager to witness what Ariadne had in store.


    ¡®Hello, people of the duchy. Today, we are here to celebrate those who passed by fighting to secure a future for all of us. That is why their names are craved on that beautiful stone in the center.¡¯ Ariadne''s words hung in the air, the crowd holding their breath in anticipation.


    She pointed at the white cloth at the center, the tension in the square palpable. As she did, it fell to the ground, revealing a well-carved rectangular stone polished like those in a palace. The sight of such a luxurious object stunned everyone around. Some cried when they came closer and saw the names of their loved ones on it, the grandeur of the stone leaving them in awe.


    ¡®If I were strong enough, nobody would be dead now, but this is how things are now, and I wonder how many will die on the next one.¡¯ Edmund took a deep breath and sighed.


    Ariadne walked around the stage. She wanted to leave some time for those who wanted to grieve, but after some looks and smiles at those at the front, she raised her voice again and spoke into the microphone.


    ¡®Now, what I¡¯m about to show you is not to put fear in your hearts, no!¡¯ She looked at the crowd. ¡®I want everyone to feel proud of those names on the rock and those that returned from the dungeon.¡¯ She stood right on the edge of the stage.


    Ariadne noticed that now the people looked at her with determination, which was confirmed by how she felt. Their connection grew stronger. A white light came from behind her, and the wall of blackboards behind her became white. The wind carried her bluish-black hair, making her look like she was in a void from the perspective of those right before her.


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    ¡®Open your eyes to what they fought against and what is to come for all of us.¡¯ Ariadne turned around and walked down the stage.


    Right after she walked out, images appeared on the blackboards for everyone. They looked like windows all around the square and on the streets. Everyone was amazed by what was happening until it started: the explosions, the magic flying above the soldiers'' heads, and their advancing toward the grotesque and terrifying creatures.


    Edmund observed the reactions of those around him. The explosions startled them, and even the children, clinging to their mothers, couldn¡¯t tear their eyes away from the unfolding battle.


    Those at the gathering in fancy clothes closed their mouths in complete shock at the battle and the board itself, which could do such a thing. Some names were called, and others shed tears as they saw their loved ones alive on the other side of that magic window.


    Suddenly, the situation changed. They saw Ariadne and Edmund inside what looked like a temple, the Duchess pulling the sword from the ground, and what looked like a man appearing on the other side, only to be rushed by Ariadne and Edmund. Their fight completely changed the tone of the situation on the square and the streets. Fear and sadness gave way to excitement, and cheers started to be heard.


    ¡®They like this, hum?¡¯ Edmund laugh.


    The people were shocked when Ariadne was knocked out, but that quickly turned into cheers when Edmund began to fight the guardian himself. It was not like they could understand everything; it was too fast, and the camera didn¡¯t follow their every move. However, there were moments when it was crystal clear how Edmund countered the guardian''s every move, which made everyone explode in excitement.


    ¡®He is going to win, father.¡¯ A young Chatzi boy spoke while poking the man next to him.


    ¡®Well, he is alive, so he didn¡¯t die.¡¯ The A-Dam man stroked his son¡¯s hair.


    People''s moods changed again with the fact that Edmund¡¯s body was full of red bruises because of the multiple blows he was receiving.


    ¡®Nooo!!!¡¯ A young girl''s voice could be heard.


    Others followed her cry. Edmund was impressed by how they cut the footage. The fact that they could even do that was impressive enough, but what impressed him most was the emotional impact on the people. He didn¡¯t know that showing this would be this effective, evoking such strong emotions from the audience.


    There was a loud cheer when Edmund punched the guardian and sent it flying toward the end of the street, but it subsided when Edmund got on his knees and just stood there. The rest continued until Ariadne started to fight the guardian alone, trying to protect the soldiers.


    The angle came from above, so they could see them go from one way to the other quickly as they battled among the soldiers until Edmund came out of nowhere. The two were now fighting against the same enemy, and worry and excitement spread throughout those watching until Edmund did something and allowed Ariadne to kill the thing once and for all.


    Edmund''s actions were blurry, too fast for the camera to capture, but the result was clear: The guardian was defeated. Ariadne''s decisive strike against the creature sent a wave of relief and joy through the crowd, who celebrated with hugs, shouts, and tears of happiness.


    .


    As the change on Ariadne was shown and the soldiers now with the white hair appeared from the destroyed buildings, it faded to black, and a series of small clips were shown by some soldiers that died saying some words to their loved ones as they were walking making most of the people bust into tears.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 134

    Ariadne felt everything. It was a different experience, shifting from happiness to fear to excitement. Maybe it was because she was too close to them, or she didn¡¯t understand her connection with those who believed in her. She got up on the stage and looked at them as if they were wiping their tears or paying attention to what she would say next.


    ¡®Those there fought something unimaginable, an ancient evil, but don¡¯t fear.¡¯ Ariadne walked around the stage, looking at the crowd below.


    The crowd was silent, looking at Ariadne, focusing on her every move and word.


    ¡®We conquered the dungeon that only the hero could, and I promised you¡­¡¯ She looked around for a moment. ¡®We will defeat the evil that even the hero couldn¡¯t.¡¯ Ariadne shouted.


    She pulled the hero''s sword handle, raised it high, and pointed to the sky. As the people heard her words echo through the square, a wave of support and unity swept through the crowd; some started to clap and cheer, shout her name, and even salute her while praying.


    Sitting on top of a building, his legs hanging from the roof''s border, Edmund observed everything, thinking about what to do next and the challenges he and these people would face.


    ¡®I wonder if the hero is more like her if he would have killed the Demon lord. One thing is for sure, and I don¡¯t need to do that; it is a blessing. Maybe I got it from the hero.¡¯ Edmund gave a sarcastic smile.


    The gathering ended with everyone ?going back to their homes. It didn¡¯t last long. It was just to show the recordings and have a quick ceremony. Edmund jumped out of the building, landing next to a younger Shafran girl. This made her startle, but when she recognized him, excitement followed.


    ¡®It¡¯s him, Edmund, who fought against that thing we saw in the magic window.¡¯ She pulled on her mother''s dress while pointing at Edmund.


    ¡®Ho, don¡¯t point at him. He is not polite, so please forgive her.¡¯ The Shafran woman pulled her daughter next to her.


    ¡®No, no, there is no problem. I like this energy.¡¯ Edmund kneeled in front of the girl and put his hand on her head, stroking?. ¡®You and your mother are the reason I do what I do. I hope you can help us in the future.¡¯ He smiled at her before getting up.


    The girl''s mother smiled at Edmund, and he noticed that a crowd formed around him. Seeing the way he talked to the girl, they cheered. He didn¡¯t know what to do, so he ?walked away in the direction Ariadne was going and waved at them.


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    Edmund saw Ariadne being followed by those Shafran with fancy clothes as she walked. He ?got close to them and heard them talk.


    ¡®That was a fierce and brave battle. You have the courage and resolve to lead Lavan into a new era, Your Highness.¡¯ One of those behind her said.


    ¡®Yes, Yes.¡¯ The others confirmed.


    Ariadne stopped and turned around as Edmund walked up to her side.


    ¡®That is flattering, and I would like your support in the upcoming struggle. The people of Lavan outside the duchy already use our devices, thanks to you, gentlemen. For that, I¡¯m grateful.¡¯ She smiled at them.


    One of them walked forward and bowed to Ariadne.


    ¡®Your Highness, we should thank you for improving our lives and those in Lavan who can access these devices.¡¯ He salutes her.


    ¡®Avi Acker, when I become the Archduchess, everyone will have access to these wonders; of course, merchants will gain their share of gold, but it is only natural. I can feel that all of you believe in me and don¡¯t have evil in your heart. Your support will be welcomed.¡¯ She began to fan herself.


    Avi took a knee, and those behind him did the same. Ariadne felt good that her influence had spread so far as to reach the son of the most powerful merchant company in the kingdom. She could feel the people deep inside the kingdom, but seeing them with her eyes was another thing.


    Avi stood up again after recognizing Edmund. He approached him and took his hand, giving it a firm handshake. Edmund didn¡¯t fight against it but was surprised by the move.


    ¡®And you are the hero, the paladin of our goddess Ariadne, Edmund. If everything you did wasn¡¯t enough, you even fought against that thing with empty hands.¡¯ Avi gave a nervous laugh.


    ¡®Well¡­ Thanks.¡¯ Edmund nodded to the Shafran.


    ¡®If you excuse me, I want to sleep. Tomorrow, we will talk about our future relations.¡¯ Ariadne looked at the carriage coming from the right.


    The Carriage stopped ten feet behind Ariadne, and with that, she smiled at the group, turned around, and walked to it, pulling Edmund by the hand.


    ¡®It''s like the stories. She talks to him in a way, but you can see how she feels about him. I wonder how the future with her as the Archduchess will be.¡¯ Avi said to himself.


    As the merchants talked among themselves, Ariadne and Edmund were already inside the carriage, and it started to move. The two looked at one another for a moment, and the first one to open their mouth was Edmund.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t I tell you that you are tall now? That is just crazy.¡¯ Edmund had a surprised expression on his face.


    She suddenly had her foot pressed against his neck, pressing it to the point of hearing cracks from the wood of the carriage.


    ¡®You don¡¯t change. Everything is a joke, but I know you can be better, a different person.¡¯ Ariadne took her foot off his neck.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know about that. I lied to a child today.¡¯ He put his hand where her foot was moments before.


    ¡®Hum? What did you say?¡¯ She looked at him, intrigued.


    ¡®I told her that she and her mother were the reason I did what I did, a complete lie.¡¯ Edmund took a deep breath and sighed.


    ¡®But that is what happened, peasant, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ Ariadne crossed her arms.


    ¡®If I put Alya as a test pilot because nobody wanted to, and it would be a death sentence for any normal person,? it doesn¡¯t matter. We need these devices to work. Right?¡¯ Edmund looked to the ceiling of the carriage.


    ¡®She wanted to help. You didn¡¯t lie to her. You are being too hard on yourself, peasant. You are not responsible for their lives. I am.¡¯ Ariadne looked outside as they approached the mansion.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 135

    Days passed, and the merchants of Lavan were doing business with the companies of the duchy to prepare for the future. These preparations were crucial to Ariadne, as she envisioned a unified duchy and Lavan in the future. Edmund worked alone in the classroom to make it more efficient using the crystals. He already did that with the nihillium alone, but the blue crystal was a ?different beast.


    Ariadne entered the classroom, followed by a maid. She looked at what Edmund was writing on the blackboard, not recognizing it; however, she had another reason for being there, which would soon become clear.


    ¡®Peasant, I don¡¯t know what you are doing, but I have more important things for you to do.¡¯ Ariadne stood in front of the desk in the middle of the classroom.


    ¡®This is important. We can make things lighter or store more energy on the blue crystals, but it is not like I have any choice¡­ What can I do for you, your Highness?¡¯ Edmund turned around and bowed to her.


    ¡®You know my distaste for nobles, right?¡¯ Ariadne extended her hand to the maid and continued to look at Edmund.


    ¡®Here, Your Highness.¡¯ The maid put the fan in Ariadne¡¯s hand and stepped back to a respectful distance.


    ¡®Thank you, Edna.¡¯ Ariadne fanned herself.


    ¡®Yes, please don¡¯t say that you want to kill every single one of them.¡¯ Edmund sighed.


    ¡®I want to do just that, but I understand that not every single one of them is bad, but how can a kingdom without nobles be ruled?¡¯ Ariadne hither palm with the closed fan.


    Edmund stood there for a moment. Then, he turned around and erased the things on the blackboard with a swipe. He then wrote on the board and explained at the same time.


    ¡®The duchy is already a suitable model that needs improvement in self-governance. They didn¡¯t need you, but that is a weakness as they needed a central figure in charge of decisions.¡¯ Edmund continued to write on the blackboard.


    ¡®Ok, what is your point?¡¯ Ariadne looked at what Edmund was writing and drawing.


    ¡®Well, it is better for you to sit in one of those chairs and let me explain.¡¯ Edmund turned around.


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    He explained his system, which involved villages, towns, and cities on one level, the territories of the former nobles on another level, and the kingdom on the highest level. All of them would be as independent as possible, raising and lowering taxes as their reality allowed, but they would have different powers and duties. Edmund believed this system could lead to a more efficient governance structure.


    Edmund drew a house showing a village, town, or city, where they would elect a mayor and city councilors to assist him in the job of managing the city; only those that could use a device that would count the votes could vote, a person could only vote once, and it needed to be living on that village, city to count. The people being voted in also needed to use the same device, so only the ones who saw Ariadne as their leader or goddess could vote.


    Next, Edmund drew the shape of a territory called a province. In this territory, the people would elect five council members to act as mayors and representatives to make laws and raise or lower taxes, the number of whom would be proportional to the population.


    ¡®There are more things to explain, but let''s continue.¡¯ Edmund turned around and started to explain again.


    Edmund started to draw Lavan, and although it was not perfect, Ariadne could see it was the kingdom. The whole kingdom would elect seven council members to administer the country. They would also vote on representatives from each province proportional to the population, so the provinces with more people would have more representatives.


    ¡®Well, peasant that would give more power to the territory with more people, that sounds bad.¡¯ Ariadne crossed her arms.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, we need to add another institution, like an elder council, to balance that out.¡¯ Edmund started to write again.


    He pointed out that people would vote in another group representing the provinces, but only two per province, giving them equal power. Thus, the province could pass a law with more people, but the province representatives would strike it down, ensuring a balanced and fair decision-making process.


    ¡®Als, if you could strike down a law, nothing would be above you, and the vote wouldn¡¯t be mandatory, so those people would need to fight for each vote.¡¯ Edmund smiled at Ariadne.


    ¡®How taxes would work, peasant? We need to fund all of this, and the current system is just bad.¡¯ Ariadne pointed at Edna and to a chair next to her.


    ¡®Ho, sorry.¡¯ Edmund sat next to Ariadne.


    Edmund touched on a symbol on the side of the blackboard, and it became blank again.


    ¡®I have a draft of everything. I will give it to you. I had some time to think about it because of your distaste for nobles.¡¯ Edmund continued to write on the backboard.


    He draws villages, towns, and cities as one thing, territories, the provinces as the other, and the kingdom as the last one, 30% to the kingdom, 40% to the provinces, and 30% to the municipalities; those provinces or towns that couldn¡¯t provide with much tax would receive from those with more provided those adjusted their budget. This system, Edmund assured, would ensure a fair and efficient distribution of resources.


    ¡®The provinces have more money than me? What about that? I have the same amount as villages, cities, and towns?¡¯ Ariadne frowned.


    ¡®If a province needs a new road, they will build it. There is no need to ask for money from the kingdom like what happens today.¡¯ Edmund drew an example.


    ¡®That is amazing.¡¯ Edna spoke without thinking.


    ¡®Yes, you are right, Edna.¡¯ Edmund pointed at the maid.


    ¡®Hum, I understand, but I need more details.¡¯ Ariadne started to fan herself.


    ¡®To be fair, I don¡¯t think this could be implemented like this if it wasn¡¯t for your special connection with these people; it would take centuries to change the culture and start with a simpler version.¡¯ Edmund pointed to the blackboard.


    ¡®Ah, so you are banking on the fact that I have this profound connection with my subjects to make this work, hum¡­ I understand.¡¯ Ariadne looked at the blackboard, deep in thought.


    ¡®Yes, but before all of this.¡¯ Edmund pointed at the blackboard. ¡® We need to think of something more important, your commandments, your law, not the law of the land, your divine law.¡¯ Edmund looked at Ariadne with a serious expression.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 136

    ¡®I didn¡¯t kill him, don¡¯t worry.¡¯ Edmund looked at the announcer.


    ¡®Ah, let me see.¡¯ The announcer got closer and checked Seth.


    Edmund looked around and noticed that nobody was cheering or doing anything. It was like time had frozen. The announcer checked if the champion was still breathing and could see that he was just unconscious, so he got up Edmund''s hands and raised.


    ¡®The winner is Edmund, the slave!¡¯ He looked at the crowd.


    The crowd still did not react, but Ariadne clapped. Rufus and his children followed, and the Archduchess smiled?.


    ¡®And the champion Seth is alive; he is just unconscious.¡¯ The announcer let go of Edmund¡¯s hand.


    The crowd erupted in claps and cheers. Edmund smiled and walked to the place where the king was. Coming closer to the edge, he just jumped and landed right on the rail, staring at Ariadne, who nodded at him with a smile.


    ¡®Good job, peasant. Maybe some sweets would be a suitable reward when we get back. Now sit.¡¯ Ariadne pointed to the seat next to her.


    ¡®I¡¯m a dog now.¡¯ Edmund sighed as he sat next to Ariadne.


    Rufus was doubting his decision, if he had someone like Edmund by his side, Lavan would already be his by this point, the traditions impeded actual prosperity for his country, he could have used Edmund as a weapon to deter Lavan and the tribes from attacking him, he should have listened to his daughter Julia.


    The next announcements and subsequent fights continued with no deaths; even the tribes members gave up because yearly spectators knew losing warriors would become feared enemies, desperate to redeem their shame.


    Edinburg fought a Shafran from the Confederate tribes; none had the upper hand, but at the end, the prince overpowered his opponent when his blade was right in his opponent''s throat, making him give up.


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    The last match from the bracket was announced and king Rex walked to the ring, there was a huge ovation to him, his opponent was a member of the confederate tribes that was smiling all the time, glad that he could be the one to kill the monster that slayed so many of his friends and even family.


    When the match began, Edmund and Ariadne were surprised that Rex didn¡¯t finish as Edmund did. Using his short swords, he blocked the attacks and countered ?, but it looked like an equal match between the two; this even confused Rufus, who had already seen how the king fought, and it should be already over. Rex walked around his opponent.


    ¡®You want to enslave my people, to destroy my kingdom so that I will humiliate you, but I will not kill you, that will be for the battlefield where I will hunt you down like the pest you and the confederate tribes are and make you see that the hope you are feeling now is just an illusion.¡¯ Rex gave his opponent a devilish smile.


    ¡®We have a higher calling. you are standing in our way, the darkness is coming for us all, and it doesn''t matter what we do, when we win, we will be heroes.¡¯ His opponent gets into position.


    ¡®Every year, the same talk¡­ if you talk this much, you could have ambassadors, but no, instead you kidnap my people to be your slave and kill those that fight back, savages, my God will smite you down like she did before.¡¯ Rex got into position to attack.


    ¡®We knew it. You are one of the Demon lord''s servants. Die!!¡¯ The tribes men dashed forward.


    For a moment, Rex was confused by what he said, but quickly for him it was like his opponent was moving in slow motion, it gave him time to block his strike with one sword and use the other to cut one of his arms off right in the elbow, it happened in an instant.


    The crowd cheers after Rex''s opponent falls to his knees, screaming. He just kicked his sword away and kicked him in the mouth, making him unconscious. As the announcer raises the king¡¯s arm, people from the confederate tribes come and carry his opponent away.


    Ariadne found it interesting how the fight went, it was like Rex was playing with his opponent. Edmund thought the same and didn¡¯t understand why he did that, but something came to his mind: the amount of hate the two have against one another would be a drive for that kind of play in a match like this.


    Right before that, Edmund was called again, but this time, he just walked there, with no weapon again. This time, he didn¡¯t feel the need to care for weapons as the only ones who could make him use it it was Rex and Ariadne.


    The fight was against a Confederate tribes A-Dam, there was no words exchanged, Edmund ended just like he did with the last one, nobody saw, just that Edmund finished the match with one punch to the jaw, this time, the crowd cheer, it was something he didn¡¯t hear everyday so it was nice to have that moment.


    The subsequent fights happened with Edinburg getting the best ouf of another one of his opponents but he was wounded on his shoulder, nothing major but it was a difficult fight, with Rex he got another one of his soldiers so in respect for him, he quickly ended the match with not enough time for a reaction, it just ended because one of his black was already next to his oponent troat, the moment it began of how quick The king of Markaz was.


    ¡®So the next is going to be me against Edinburg and Rex against another Confederation guy. I think people like how things are going.¡¯ Edmund smiled.


    ¡®I don¡¯t care, just don¡¯t kill your brother, peasant.¡¯ Ariadne sighed.


    Rufus was thinking that it was a real possibility for Edmund to kill Edinburg just to get to him, so he put his hand on top of his son¡¯s hand and looked him in the eye.


    ¡®If you want, you can give up.¡¯ Rufus whispered to Edinburg.


    ¡®No, I will face my brother in single combat with honor.¡¯ Edinburg pulled his hand away.


    ¡®Edmund is not going to kill you, brother. He is a silly, goofy man, harmless.¡¯ Julia looked at her nails.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 137

    Edmund entered Ariadne¡¯s office, and Edna closed the door and stayed outside. She looked frustrated, which he assumed was because of the people she was losing. The connection now was stronger and more perceptive. Even with this, he remained calm as he walked towards her.


    ¡®Peasant, what did you do?¡¯ Ariadne shouted.


    ¡®Wow, what are you talking about? I was working.¡¯ Edmund sat on the chair in front of her desk.


    ¡®They are despairing and are not stopping. Make it stop!¡¯ She continued to shout at him.


    ¡®Your connections? Alon told me some soldiers lost the ability to use their weapons, and I bet many people in the duchy lost the ability to use the devices; it is obvious the why.¡¯ He shrugged.


    ¡®If you could feel like I do, you wouldn¡¯t be talking so nonchalantly.¡¯ She spoke in an angry tone.


    Ariadne was engulfed in a profound sense of grief, her heart heavy with the loss of someone dear, a pain she had to endure more than once. The burden was overwhelming, and in her distress, she lashed out at Edmund, seeking a momentary relief from the weight on her shoulders.


    ¡®It may be something closer to what I feel when I don¡¯t push to kill the Demon Lord, but worst, I imagine you feel every follower lost.¡¯ He spoke in a calm and understanding tone.


    Ariadne leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. Maybe it was because this new feeling bothered her so much. Now, she understood why the laws were important, too. She didn¡¯t know what laws her followers broke.


    ¡®If I¡¯m losing them here, where I think everyone is good, imagine if my influence reached the entire kingdom.¡¯ She spoke in a calmer tone.


    ¡®With time, they will come to you again; these are not impossible rules to follow, and there is room for adaptation; if you want things to go faster, talk to them and explain, take some days and go to each town and talk to people face to face¡­ explain your laws.¡¯ Edmund moved his hand through his hair.


    ¡®Hum¡­ that is a good idea; I will start with this city, and I will talk to people the rest of the day.¡¯ Ariadne got up from her chair.


    ¡®I just ask Your Highness to explain your laws as simply as possible and make sure someone is writing what you are saying so that you read after; we don¡¯t want multiple interpretations of the law going around.¡¯ He got up from his chair.


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    ¡®True, that will complement the laws so that there is no doubt about any of them.¡¯ She walked towards the door.


    ¡®Well, I wish you luck.¡¯ He bowed to her as she walked away.


    Ariadne turned around and looked at him with a puzzled expression. She approached him, lifted his face, and looked deep into his eyes.


    ¡®You are coming with me, peasant. There is nothing more important than this.¡¯ She grabbed his hand.


    ¡®Wait.. i¡­¡¯ He was interrupted.


    ¡®Shut up.¡¯ Her voice echoes through the room.


    Edmund was paralyzed. Only his eyes could move. He looked into her deep red eyes for a moment.


    ¡®Do not forget that you are mine. You will do what I tell you to do.¡¯ Ariadne passed a finger on his cheek. ¡®Now, you can relax and follow me. I hate doing this to you; it is your fault, peasant.¡¯ She turned around and started to walk, pulling him by the hand.


    ¡®Ah¡­ Ok¡­¡¯ He sighs.


    The two walked out of the room and through the building toward the entrance, where her carriage awaited her. Edna followed behind, curious why the duchess was holding Edmund¡¯s hand. She thought Edmund finally got to the duchess''s heart, but she also heard Ariadne telling him to shut up.


    As they waited for the carriage to arrive, Edmund wondered if that reaction wasn¡¯t a side effect of losing the connection with so many, like she didn¡¯t want to lose anyone else. There was no proof, only that she couldn¡¯t do something so simple alone, something she had been doing all this time but now needed him to.


    ¡®I need a tablet to write the things you say.¡¯ Edmund looked at her.


    ¡®Ho, you are right, Edna. Could you please get a tablet for him?¡¯ Ariadne looked at Edna and waved at her.


    ¡®Yes, your highness.¡¯ The maid turned around and walked back into the mansion.


    ¡®The fact that you are losing the connection with these people is getting to you, but I understand; I will help you pass through this.¡¯ Edmund firmly held her hand.


    ¡®Peasant¡­ ¡® She gave him a quick look.


    Edna came back right in time as the carriage arrived for the three. But this time was different. Ariadne was sitting at Edmund¡¯s side, and Edna was on the other side looking at the two. And noticed they were still holding hands.


    ¡®Duchess¡­ is this appropriate?¡¯ Edna pointed at their hands.


    ¡®Yes, there is no problem¡­ He is helping me.¡¯ Ariadne looked at Edmund for a moment.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, it is only temporary¡­ I hope.¡¯ He laughed.


    In the capital of Lavan, in a building on the city''s outskirts, Eli entered a large room full of Shafran, who looked at him as he got up on the stage and walked forward. He held a microphone and tapped on the point twice to see if it was working.


    ¡®I have received information from the duchy that our Goddess made eight divine laws. Those that don¡¯t follow those will lose her blessing and cannot use the magic devices.¡¯ He spoke in a calm and soft tone.


    ¡®I lost the ability right after speaking with my wife, but my wife is fine. I don¡¯t understand.¡¯ One on the front spoke.


    Eli looked at him and smiled. It came naturally to him, and he already knew what had happened.


    ¡®Well, one of those laws is that you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. So I think you told a lie to your wife.¡¯ He looked at the woman next to him.


    ¡®Where did you go last night after work?¡¯ She raised her voice.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, I just had a drink or two at the tavern. Forgive me.¡¯ He lowered his hand as he spoke to his wife.


    ¡®Are you sorry for your sin? So speak on this.¡¯ Eli gave the microphone to the man.


    His ears were lower, and he got the microphone. He turned around and faced his wife.


    ¡®The Goddess is my witness. Sorry for my sin. I hope you can forgive me, my love.¡¯ His voice reverberated through the room.

 The Hero is Not Coming - Chapter 138

    People in the crowd talked among themselves because the man could use the device again. After that, he gave Eli the microphone again and hugged his wife.


    ¡®God forgave his sin, and that causes your afflictions. Some of you have sinned, and the blessing given to you by her was removed; it''s as simple as that.¡¯ Eli''s calm voice echoed through the room, bringing a sense of reassurance.


    ¡®But what are the rest of the divine laws?¡¯ One woman spoke from the back.


    ¡®She is merciful, so there are only eight divine laws, and they are simple, so we will hand them to everyone on a piece of paper so you know, they are self-explanatory. These laws, bestowed by our Goddess, govern our actions and guide us towards righteousness.¡¯ He waved to two Shafrans on the right side.


    As the two gave it to everyone, a younger male raised his hand to call for Eli''s attention.


    ¡®But how shall you not bear false witness against your neighbor, which translates to his situation?¡¯ The young male scratched the back of his head.


    ¡®Well, if you bear false witness, it means you are lying, and those close to you are against your neighbor, but that could also mean your fellow believer. Can you lie to those who don¡¯t follow our Goddess? Yes, I did that to pass a guard before coming here.¡¯ Eli''s voice echoed through the room.


    Murmurs of them talking with one another and reading the laws. Most people there were positive about the laws, while others were confused about how to interpret them. Eli noticed that just by the look on their faces.


    ¡®Don¡¯t fear, I will explain all the laws, and you will also know they are simple. God is merciful.¡¯ Eli spoke with a calm tone.


    Ariadne was getting out of the carriage on the duchy''s capital when Leah came running and stopped before her.


    ¡®I can¡¯t make the devices. I can¡¯t use them. Some people are experiencing the same thing, duchess.¡¯ Leah had a desperate tone in her voice.


    Ariadne said nothing; she just stood there, petrified? . She didn¡¯t know what had happened to her, but one thing was true: her connection with Leah was gone. As she considered explaining herself, Edmund spoke.


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    ¡®You don¡¯t see her as your God, just as your leader, as the duchess, not as the Goddess Ariadne, simple as that.¡¯ Edmund got out of the carriage as he spoke.


    Ariadne ?held Edmund¡¯s hand, and some people around saw it and talked among themselves; she was nervous, not out of fear, but that if she said something wrong, more people would just abandon her; it was something she could not control.


    ¡®Yeah, because she is our duchess, our leader, but in the end, she is just like us.¡¯ Leah spoke, confused.


    ¡®Just like us?¡¯ Did you watch the raid? She is not like us. She is a God, our Goddess.¡¯ A Shafran female spoke from the back.


    ¡®Sorry, I didn¡¯t say it like that.¡¯ Leah turned around.


    Leah felt surrounded by judging eyes all around, punching straight through her.


    ¡®Look, Leah, worshiping Ariadne and following her as the God that she is and following her divine laws will give her blessing back, as simple as that.¡¯ Edmund looked at Ariadne and smiled.


    Leah remembered the images of the battle. She remembered all the devices she had built or helped build, and if that was a blessing, she made her own decision. Ariadne felt a drop in her heart, but now it was larger. As Leah turned around to face her, their eyes met. The connection was instant, a bond of understanding and forgiveness, and Leah was the one who felt more excited by it; the experience was something she had never felt before.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Goddess, I was wrong for not seeing what you were doing for me, and now I can feel all the love you are giving me besides your blessing.¡¯ Leah saluted Ariadne as she closed her eyes for a moment.


    Because of this, Ariadne felt a rush of hope. She smiled at Leah, put her hand on her shoulder, and looked deep into her eyes. Edmund pulled her a bit because it looked like she was lost, but the two were also lost in each other''s eyes.


    ¡®You have done so much for us, not just me, but everyone in the duchy, so be proud and move forward with your head high.¡¯ Ariadne smiled.


    An A-Dam man came forward with his Chatzi wife, holding an A-Dam child in her hands while pushing a young Chatzi male toward the duchess.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. My name is Tolb, and this is my wife, Sintra. My son lost your blessing.¡¯ Tolb saluted Ariadne.


    ¡®Did you disrespect your mother or father?¡¯ Edmund looked at the young Chatzi.


    ¡®No, sir, he would never do that to us.¡¯ Tolb put his hand on his son''s shoulder.


    ¡®Tell us the truth, boy.¡¯ Ariadne spoke with a soft voice.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry. He didn¡¯t mean to do it. I think it was just that he was young and energetic.¡¯ Sintra moved to the young boy''s side.


    Tolb was confused; He didn¡¯t know about any of this, and at the same time, the boy was just standing there in silence. Deep inside, he regretted what he had done. His mother didn¡¯t want him to train to become a soldier; he wanted to go on the next dungeon expedition.


    ¡®I just wanted to serve our Goddess. Look at everything we have now compared to before, but Mother didn¡¯t understand, and I snapped at her.¡¯ The young man stayed looking down while he spoke.


    Ariadne let go of Edmund¡¯s hand, raised the young man''s head by his chin, and looked into his eyes while smiling.


    ¡®You must respect your mother and father and talk to them. You can serve me in multiple ways, okay?¡¯ Ariadne said softly and calmly as she let go of the young man''s chin.


    The young man looked at his mother, hugged her, and kissed the baby''s forehead; Tolb felt relief when he saw them hugging and coming along, and they all hugged one another, and with that, Ariadne felt another drop in her heart as she saw them hug.