Chapter 92: Meeting of the Chosen Lords - Alan Stands Up!
The moment Ryuji stepped into the colossal building, he could feel Alan's gaze, a silent question hanging in the air. 'Don't worry, Alan,' Ryuji reassured, sensing the hidden worry in his friend's heart. 'We will be fine.' He was determined to shield Alan from any disrespect in this cursed place where only enemies existed.
Even if they must die.
Ryuji and the four of them walked down a long corridor looking at the decorations, beautiful pictures of various women and what seemed to be monarchs, and a soft red carpet led them towards an enormous pair of dark double doors the size of four people.
The double doors creaked open, and the four figures came to an abrupt halt at the threshold. The sheer number of people filling the pews and the space above the meeting room overwhelmed Ryuji's senses.
Yet, his focus was drawn to the table at the centre, where seven individuals held the key to this meeting.
The others must be their people.
"Where is our seat, Alan?" Ryuji whispered to his friend, who looked at Ryuji and then, with his eyes, asked him to follow.
Lord Qwass sat on the eastern seat with the hero party standing behind him; the moment Ryuji and Erika entered, they made noise.
Fuuka Suzuhara, the Rank B Sword Master, looked at Ryuji for a moment, her face wearing quite alluring makeup with bright red lips and her messy brown hair tied up in a side ponytail with a curled strand across her cheek. Despite her small breasts, she looked quite beautiful. "Erika... you, why did you join that monster? He's a murderer, you know?"
They choose to attack me first. That's quite amusing.
The next moment, Erika's arms wrapped around my right arm as she leaned against me, unable to reach my shoulder because of our height difference.
"That bastard must have some dirt on her. Erika would never choose a yakuza bastard like him to date!" Kenta Suzuki, the tall skinhead Judo captain who seemed to be a Rank A Guardian, tried to cheer up Haruki with his comment, but it just made Ryuji smirk as he leaned down to kiss Erika in front of all the nobles and higher-ups.
Alan chuckled for a second; no one noticed except Ryuji.
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The moment his tongue explored Erika's mouth, her body trembled as she tightly clasped Ryuji's black jacket. Fuuka looked like lightning had struck her as her mouth opened wide, while Ryuji just enjoyed the sweet taste of his lover's mouth.
"I can't believe it... Fuuka, he must have drugged or used some kind of magic on her!" Yuki Ito was someone who liked to sneak around and create rumours. He was as good-looking as ever, but a mage who was skilled with the sword felt quite amusing. He was in love with Fuuka; thanks to Erika's information, Ryuji knew them all by a single glance.
"Ryuji~ I'm a little embarrassed. Look, everyone is looking at us."
"No, they are just jealous of how beautiful you are. Don't worry." Ryuji comforted Erika, stroking her cheek with his right hand while he squeezed the thighs of Yumiko under the cover of the massive tabletop.
The two of them blushed at Ryuji's words and actions while Alan's eyes widened. "Ryuji... could you stop being so... charming?"
"Wow... the hero party has a beastkin. That's amazing."
"The guy in black is really hot... I want him to kiss my lower lips with that long tongue."
"Is that the hero party? Wow... they look so strong." Many voices from the upper levels murmured. However, they mistook Ryuji, Alan, Erika and Yumiko for the hero party because of their superior equipment from the dungeon.
The male members of the hero party had their mouths open because of Erika and the crowd's words and the sudden action, especially Fuuka and Yuki.
"ENOUGH! All of you, sit down." Lord Qwass seemed to be upset, his old, grainy voice resounding as Alan guided Ryuji and Erika to the Northern seat. It seemed Alan really held a high level of power, but he played it down because of how he was.
"Yumiko, look at how stupid the holy knight looks, haha," Alan whispered while pointing at Haruki Tanaka, the supposed hero who played soccer, had impressive looks and followed Erika for the longest time. Now, he looked worn with stubble, and the dark rings around his eyes made him look like a homeless man.
"What happened to him?" She asked Alan while smirking.
"His lover ran off with another man, and he became a cuckold." Alan used the native word that Ryuji and Erika would use for that kind of person, who likes to see his lover pounded by a real man while he just beats himself off. The moment the word echoed in the silent chamber, the face of Haruki turned bright red from embarrassment.
"Oh god... you're so pathetic; she left you for someone better, how sad~" Yumiko's voice was loud as she leaned on Ryuji's chest, her lips curled into a huge smile while the hero party stared daggers at them.
Ryuji snickered and thanked Yumiko. While the other lords entered the room, a lot of strange people entered the room. In the western seat, an older male with a long, brown beard and shaggy hair sat with one chosen while in the south position, a beautiful woman who resembled a very familiar woman...
Wait... is that...
The woman looked at Alan for a moment before she smiled gently. "My dear brother, I am so happy you managed to come this year. Who helped you stand once again? I would really like to meet them." Her voice was sexy and filled with womanly charm as she eyed Erika and Yumiko and then stopped on Ryuji, who gazed at her in the same way.
"Sister..." Alan whispered, his hand tightly clenched, but he still smiled and greeted her at least.
It seemed Alan, Lord Qwass, Alan's sister and the other scrubby man were the key people in this meeting with another five lords who seemed to be minor players in this meeting.
"That man... who is he?" Erika whispered the moment she saw the older man; a cold chill ran down her spine, and her skin turned white.
"I think that is Lord Virion, a baron from the far east, bordering the beast kingdoms..." Ryuji answered while she nodded her head and tried to calm down.
After everyone had finally settled in, the first thing Lord Qwass did was ask Ryuji to stand up and answer a few questions.
"Before we start, there is a person that I must address before we can continue; forgive me for this, my fellow brothers." He then pointed to Ryuji. "You were sentenced to clear a Rank-C dungeon to be cleared of your crimes of killing innocent knights! Tell me, have you completed this task?"
Of course, it seemed Lord Qwass hadn't gotten the news; maybe Alan, who started laughing in the background, did this on purpose.
Ryuji stood, but he didn't show any respect to Lord Qwass. Instead, he leaned back against the wall and tapped the wooden chair, causing a loud thud to echo.
"I don't remember those scum being anything but inferior trash that enjoyed attacking the weak. Oh... they were part of your faction, no wonder... You choose such feeble heroes who cannot achieve the most basic tasks in the dungeon." Ryuji's voice caused a tremor in the room; none of the lords would ever slight Lord Qwass.
Even Alan's sister couldn't help but smirk as she looked at all, mouthing, 'Who is this amazing guy?'
"No... no... my sister is getting interested in him...." Alan lamented while Lord Qwass stood from his chair and slammed the table, once again pointing at Ryuji with a foul look.
"YOU! HOW DARE YOU REFUSE TO ADDRESS ME, A GREAT LORD?!" His old, croaky voice echoed as the air tensed.
Ryuji stopped leaning against the chair and fixed his collar. "You, a great lord?" Something was convincing about Ryuji's words, the deep and pleasant tone that vibrated with a comfortable sensation in most people's ears.
His eyes seemed to shine with a slight flame as he antagonised the old noble. "Where are your accomplishments?"
"Accomplishments? The fact that I have kept this region in peace for over three decades is enough!" The moment Lord Qwass declared this, Ryuji laughed.
"Don't you mean Alan and his family's achievements? Do you think everybody believes your lies when it's their family shedding blood each moment to keep the demons at bay?" Ryuji pointed at Alan and then looked at the other lords; his voice was now the only sound in the room.
"Tell me, whose seed did you have to swallow to be seated in the key meeting of the key noble houses? The fact he committed a minor failure in the past, and you think he will forever kneel and take your abuse. I am a hero, here less than a month and I know more about this kingdom than these fools!"
Ryuji's voice and thoughts caused not only Erika's and Yumiko's eyes to shine but also their lips to curl into huge smiles. Even Alan's sister smiled; her sickly pale skin showed her current state, yet seeing her brother with such an embarrassed face seemed to make her happy.
"That's good... Alan truly found someone that could make him smile... Hero Ryuji, I pray you can pull my brother from despair..."
Alan's sister then took out an old, weathered tome and started writing about Ryuji, and at this moment, her lips curled into a massive smile, showing her pearly white teeth. "To think the so-called Blood Tyrant would be so passionate and caring."
In the back of the top floor, a beautiful girl with a hood and cloak smirked to herself, crimson hair dangling from her cheek, while a tall woman stood at her side. "You really are an amusing hero... You've made me want to have you as my personal Chosen... how difficult. Maybe the fox holds the key to getting what I desire."
Meanwhile, Lord Qwass looked mortified as his body trembled; a moment later, Haruki drew his golden sword and pointed it at Ryuji.
"Enough! Who do you think you are? Are you challenging a great lord in these grand halls? A mere C-Rank hero thinks he is something more than a flesh wall!"
Haruki Tanaka stepped forward with his glowing sword in hand and aimed it towards Ryuji, the tip glistening with a powerful aura.
Thanks to his demon eyes, Ryuji knew that this was a holy spell named [Sword Smite]. The attack was a Rank-A attack magic that could split a boulder with a single blow.
"Ha, a hero thinks he's a king? How laughable; tell me, did you pass this test on your own, or did the academy lower the standard?" Another noble joined in, seeming to support Lord Qwass. It was now that Ryuji could feel the sense of alienation where nobody supported Alan.
However, they made a mistake—this is the situation that Ryuji thrived on.
The moment he was about to release the demon inside him. Alan's soft hand wrapped around his shoulder. "Thank you, brother, for getting angry at me. But please, allow me to show you my cool parts. Ok?"
Ryuji saw the look of appreciation in Alan's eyes and felt his anger fade.
Somehow, seeing Alan's confident eyes and smile, even in this situation, makes me happy...