Bab 17: Prologue (Volume 2) ─ Happiness has limits
From time to time I have these strange dreams.
In a few I'm crying, in others I'm being judged by people I know, and others are about me holding a child in my arms.
But I always say the same question "Why?" hoping for an answer when I wake up.
That is what I, Regulus, dream of from time to time.
I am a soul specially created by My Creator, Zelzeus-sama the Sword God.
As his name implies, he is a God. The best of them all in fact.
I am made in his image and likeness, white hair and blue eyes.
I was sent to this planet months ago to spread his name and conquer it.
I go at a slow pace, there is much I have yet to learn, he even told me that I should enjoy my life as I please.
Isn't he a wonderful God?
I woke up a few minutes ago thanks to a wonderful feeling on my face.
When I opened my eyes I saw a wonderful cloud embracing me.
No, it wasn't a cloud as my vision cleared.
It was legs, thighs to be exact.
Pink, plump white thighs which belonged to someone.
"Good morning sleepyhead."
A beautiful voice called out to me in a gentle tone.
As I looked up, the light coming through the window covered her head giving her an angelic aura.
A beautiful girl with orange blonde hair framing her face, tied in a ponytail with doe shaped scarf and light sky blue eyes.
She is Mary, a girl who lives in this inn with her mother.
A few weeks ago she was kidnapped by the lord of this land and I had to rescue her.
After that, we became lovers and consummated our love.
Mary came up to me to kiss me good morning, it was an affectionate and passionate kiss as always.
As we pulled our lips away she said.
"It's time to go to the guild already isn't it?"
"It is. But it felt so good to sleep that I wanted to keep enjoying it."
"Really? When I snuck in it looked to me like you were having a nightmare, so I comforted you so you wouldn't feel bad."
"Is that so?"
(I had a nightmare?)
(I know those dreams are weird and I don't know why they come up, but was it really that bad?)
I stood up and before I got dressed I realized something.
"Why don't I have my underwear on?"
I looked at Mary who was giggling playfully.
"Hehehe, I took care of that issue while you were sleeping."
She said as she flashed a victory sign.
"You would have waited for me to wake up."
◇
After getting dressed, I went downstairs next to Mary, the place was bustling again due to the customers that were arriving.
Mary changed into her work uniform and began taking orders.
I headed to the kitchen to say hello to someone.
I walked in and there was Shannon, Mary's mother, who is the adult version of her daughter except for her jade-colored eyes.
She and I shared something special.
As I approached, I hugged her from behind.
"Kyah!"
She shouted as I reassured her.
"Haha, you keep surprising yourself easily."
Seeing me, she caught her breath.
"Geez~. You're really a bad joker."
I approached her lips and we gave each other a passionate good morning kiss.
That's right, Mary is my girlfriend, but I also managed to get her mother to be my girlfriend.
It's a mother-daughter combo.
As we pulled our lips away, she said.
"I told you we shouldn't do this while Mary is around."
"She's taking everyone's orders and it was just a good morning greeting."
"..."
"I'll prepare your breakfast, please wait outside."
It seems she is still confused about being my wife too, knowing that her daughter is my girlfriend.
I have nothing wrong with waiting for her to accept it.
I'll look forward to my breakfast.
◇
After breakfast, I said goodbye to them and went straight to the adventurer's guild.
Half a year ago I started as a rank F adventurer, the lowest of them all, then I jumped to rank E and now I'm rank D.
My goal for now is to become a rank S adventurer, and so slowly climb up to become a Sword God.
I'm going slowly but surely.
Arriving at the guild I was greeted by some familiar faces, but first I went to see a certain receptionist.
Like every day, seeing her work with a smile on her face shows her professionalism.
Jessica saw me and greeted me, nothing unusual about that, but for a while now her greeting feels different from the rest.
The kind that puts more effort into it.
"Good morning, any worthwhile assignments today?"
"Umm, orders lately are scarce and it's a bad thing. Let me look while you take a seat."
On the bulletin board are some quest requests, but since there isn't enough space you have some specific ones saved.
I decided to sit down and wait.
Before I did, I saw a familiar face.
A middle-aged man, unkempt appearance like his black hair and beard, his dark brown eyes giving him a dead look.
"Hello, Russell."
"Umm? Oh, Regulus."
Russell was a former bandit I nearly killed and turned him into my master in some branches of swordsmanship. To do that, I made him a slave and then freed him.
"Again you haven't gone to breakfast at the inn."
"I really like to eat here since the cooks serve me extra portion, remember one always goes where one is treated best, even if the place is expensive."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"And... any interesting quests do you have?"
Due to the incident with the lord of these lands, we decided to join forces for when we are attacked from behind and thus use the other as a shield.
"No. Actually yeah, I have a quest from yesterday trying to stop bandits, but the road was blocked by a fallen tree and couldn't be crossed by carriage so I had to wait for them to move it. I'll certainly go today."
"Sounds good to me. Take me with you, I want to train."
"...What if you better get your own quest?"
"What if I better send you back to being a slave?"
"You're a fucking snotty little shit, you know that?"
"But you're a drunk-looking old man."
"Hahahaha!"
We burst into laughter as we detested each other.
◇
"So... are those rumors real?"
"Kill them!"
We embarked to go catch the bandits, when we arrived we found them on the spot and proceeded to chase them until we ran into their base.
The fight started, Russell along the way commented something to me and now he was picking it up again as we killed bandits.
"So they say. It seems that for some time now strange voices have been heard in the Darkness Forest, many say it's a bad sign that."
"Truth be told, I don't care unless it affects my lifestyle."
"I understand."
"Finish them off!"
The Darkness Forest is a large forest that covers part of the territory of this country, the Rosenthal Kingdom and other attached nations.
The trees are black in color and dangerous monsters abound there.
No one approaches it out of fear.
But the curious thing about that place is that when I approach it, I can hear a woman's voice calling for help.
What does it mean?
I don't know and as Russell said, I shouldn't care.
"Gyah, I don't want to die!"
"Shut up already."
◇
After returning to the guild and reporting that the bandits were eliminated, I decided to take a walk.
The reward would take a while to be so Russell stayed.
What Russell said got me thinking.
It's none of my business, but I feel something strange that suddenly I hear voices.
Maybe I'm paranoid?
I don't want to think about that.
"Welcome."
I didn't realize and ended up in the slave market.
I came here unintentionally.
I turned to leave when I stopped.
"Huh?"
"...?"
I stared at an acquaintance.
"Are you the man Russell beat?"
An old man with long gray hair tied back and green eyes sat with a necklace around his neck.
Our gazes met when I mentioned Russell's name.
He told me how he used the same trick I used on him to defeat a butler.
I was very pleased to hear that story.
The old butler spoke to me.
"Are you the partner of the man who went to defeat the viscount?"
"I am."
"What can I do for you?"
Talking to slaves was not forbidden as you could go so far as to get a sale.
I asked out of curiosity.
"Why are you here? Where is the girl with the animal ears?"
"If you mean who I think, she left, she was released from her debts. As for me I don't have that luxury since I have nowhere to go, so I put myself up for sale to see if I could get something useful out of this life."
"You're selling yourself to find a place to live?"
"I'm an old man who is no longer of any use, it's better to have a roof over my head and food than to live on the street begging. That's why slavery is a good option for people like me, it's a chance not to end up as bandits."
What he says is valid. Many bandits begged me for mercy before I killed them. They even said they were peasants looking for something to eat.
I didn't give it a thought, if you want to live, find a method where others don't want you dead.
That gave me an idea.
"Old man, how much are you asking for this butler?"
"Based on his age... about 30 Clair would be."
(Only 30?)
(To put the bondage mark on Russell cost me about 50.)
"I'll take it."
"...!"
The butler looked surprised.
"I'm looking for servants, and you're a good choice according to the trouble you gave Russell."
"I will only say this once, if you betray me, I will kill you without hesitation."
He knelt down and with tears streaming down his cheeks said.
"My name is Cedric Zora Valkenheim. From the bottom of my heart I thank you for this opportunity..."
"Regulus."
"Regulus-sama. I promise to serve you until the day I die."
"I like that."
I quickly turned to the slaver who was about to perform the master-slave contract.
"No slave mark."
"He'll escape if you don't put the mark on him."
"I told him I would kill him if he betrayed me. So if he doesn't want to die, he'll be under my shadow from now on. Right?"
"Yes. I promise to serve you faithfully."
"Good."
I paid the slaver who looked disappointed and we left there.
◇
"That was that."
Back at the inn, all my acquaintances were gathered, I told them about Cedric.
Russell was the most surprised.
The girls a little uncomfortable remembering the idiot viscount.
But Cedric reassured them.
"You don't have to worry about me. I lived my life being tied to others and since I am an old man, I will live serving Regulus-sama from today, you too since this is your home, right? I pray for you to let me live here after the trouble my former master caused."
"N-No need to be like that sir. You had nothing to do with that man. It's just that you surprised my daughter and me."
"I insist, I could have done something, but I was only a homeless servant. If I could make it up to you I would."
Reassuring Shannon who was surprised to see him, Mary backed him up.
"I don't hold any grudge against you, you didn't do anything wrong. So there's nothing to forgive."
"You can live here, we could use more hands, couldn't we?"
Her mother who had the last word, thought about whether to accept or not. But her smile she flashed told us the answer.
"It will be a pleasure to have him living here."
"That settles it."
I said in joy.
"Hey, you didn't ask my opinion. I'm not against the old man being here, but it's rude not to take me into account."
Cedric waved to Russell as soon as he saw him, there seemed to be no hard feelings.
I replied to this middle-aged man.
"No one asked for your opinion, you bearded drunk."
Ignoring Russell's discomfort everything was settled.
◇◇◇
On the other side of the continent, near one of the four empires.
There was a nation which was blessed by humans as the epitome of humanity.
Being the oldest nation of all with a history of 2000 years it is known to all as the Endymion Theocracy.
In the sacred palace of the capital, an important meeting was held in a hall dedicated to a select group of people.
They are called the [Eleven Adepts] which are made up of cardinals.
One part of them is formed by the [Seven Virtues] while the remaining members by the [Four Seasons].
The origin of their name goes back to their belief in magic.
In this world there are seven types of arcane elements.
Fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, light and darkness.
But the theocracy does not believe in darkness, since 3000 years ago, the [Six Gods] fought against the Demon Emperor to free the humans, there was a seventh god who betrayed them causing their deaths.
This seventh god was the element of darkness, the humans who saw their creators die to save them rose up against him to destroy him.
They won, but lost their creators.
But thanks to their sacrifices the theocracy was born, the name Endymion is the union of all their names.
For that reason, the humans born in the theocracy are proud, they were the people chosen by the gods.
And part of the meeting was about thanking the gods.
Until a certain topic came up for discussion.
"We received reports that the demon king's army is on the move again."
"Umm, this is very disturbing."
"I suggest that we should strengthen our defenses. Unlike humans, demons are longer-lived."
"That doesn't matter. We must show them that we humans are the only ones who should reign on this earth created by the gods."
Eleven elders in white robes which were decorated by a special border of each element with the exception of the four seasons.
Their name was derived from the [Four Gods], a group of lesser gods who helped humans and left this world due to their lethal wounds.
As each season, its border represented its color.
All but one, the regent of the theocracy.
The one who heads this group and acts as the leader.
"Companions, we should not discuss which is a better option for now. We have another intriguing matter at hand."
The regent placed a report on the table.
"The Avrora Empire notified us that a group of heretics is in the Rosenthal Kingdom. We must not hesitate and send a small group to eliminate them."
"Where is this group of heretics?"
"They are in the city of Crammond according to your information."
"Umm, if I'm not mistaken, isn't that where a witch was rumored to live."
"We had ignored it since they had no basis to investigate. It would be a waste of time and resources to send soldiers."
"But this time we have evidence. And since we are dealing with a witch, I think we should send [Testament] to deal with her."
"I suggest we send [Judgment]. They are effective when dealing with heretics."
"Companions... we'll send both of them. Combining heretics and witches is always a bad sign. This is our chance to make the other Holloway Kingdom countries look favorably upon us."
"I don't understand why they look at us in a bad way. Surely those heretics spread bad things about us."
"I agree. We are the cradle of humankind, our job is to ensure human survival."
The regent raised his wooden hammer.
"With that said. We'll send both groups to Crammond, let's move on again to deal with the demon king."
No one could have imagined, the trigger those words marked.
_________________
The fanservice starts with the beautiful Mary, who I hope will become one of the best and most popular waifus of the novel.
https://chan.sankakucomplex.com/es/post/show/31937801
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Siegburn
Siegburn We begin this volume 2 dear readers.
From here begins the real prologue, no doubt you won't want to miss what will happen for anything in the world.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone