Chapter 1: Limited Quantities Available
“Then, will you help me Aheni?” Hiromi grabbed onto my arms and leaned in close her giant watery eyes looking up at me as she asked.
Me? Did she just say help me I just said I would help since when did our rank’s change arrogant cunt?
A vicious vanilla scent ravaged my nose with her so close suffocating me, leaving me almost at a loss to answer her. God she reeks of it.
Like her all of these were the students that were on the bullet train with me. I didn’t pay much attention to their faces but their uniforms, it’s definitely them.
“Yes! We must help them!” I replied a voice filled with enthusiasm.
It’s not like I have any other choice.
I glanced over to the bastard king that has, quite literally, kidnapped me into war. I wanted to spit in his face when the worry in his eyes left after my agreement.
The same eyes an my coworkers have when realizing the scope of the project was halved.
With a smile he stepped forward on his little platform looking down at us as if he stumbled across a newfound treasure.
“Heros!” He said happily.
“I pray the day you will understand the hope you have given our country.” The King said though these words felt the most genuine.
Who knows how they would treat me if I denied their pleas. They could treat me well and teach me the basics about this new world or exile me with nothing except food for the wolves.
So of course anyone would and should chose to help at least outwardly.
“I’m sure you all are tried and I will personally see to it that you are not wanting for anything during your stay here, but before you can all retire I ask each of you step up to cardinal Hinerth to discover your blessing.” Finally speaking again the soft and cute voice of the beautiful princess appeared again.
Her charisma was something extraordinary. Her voice, her facial expressions, and manner of conduct truly stirred something within me that wanted to protect, serve her, and wake up besides her drenched in sweat.
It was a bizarre feeling that was not easy to suppress so before I knew it I was already lined up last to be “checked” by this cardinal.
“Your blessing is the Goddess’ grace upon you for those who have taken the mission to save us from our suffering.”
“Step forth.” The cardinal called out waking me from the enchantment.
Damn this bitch is good. Shaking my head slightly I walked up I would be next after the nervous kid in front of me.
Oh? Wasn’t this the kid that was clutching his gut earlier? Shit, it looks like he’s about to pass out.
“Please place your hand onto the Grave Scripture.” The old man, Hinerth, said.
He looked like a strict man who had never felt any emotion other than gloom.
The black haired kid shakily moved is hand then shuddered the moment he touched the book before letting go. He staggered back almost falling onto me hand I not reached out.
From the silent smiles and muffled giggles aimed at him I could already guess what had happened or at least been done to him.
After Hinerth chanted in some unknown language for the millionth time the book shined a grey light and opened itself up showing all of its blank pages before stopping in the middle. After a moment the book floated in the air above the wobbly student’s head.
“You better not make us look bad Tomoki.”
“Everyone, it doesn’t matter what blessing he gets all of us have to work together okay? So do your best okay Tomoki!”
Like the many others a chalice made of golden light appeared in the air above the book then began to pour a blue liquid over the top of the meek kid’s head.
As the liquid poured letters began to write themselves into the blank page. After emptying its contents the chalice stood itself upright and faded away. The book landed once more in the hands of old man Hinerth.
“What!?” Hinerth stared at the letters only he could understand in the book.
“You, you have no blessing…”
…
Fuck, that blows. Doesn’t that mean he’s just basically dead weight? Maybe because we were kinda all in this mess together no one said a word. Having dead weight meant the crusade that bitch dragged everyone into had a higher chance of failure.
As if the news was a shock the kid passed out sprawled on the floor.
I looked at him on the ground below me then at the students to the side.
Is no one gonna help him? This kid is your classmate I’m not gonna help his ass. Hurry up and pick his ass up.
“Tomoki!” Finally the bitch, Hiromi, yelled out and ran to his side.
Quickly following were her two doggies Haruto and Satou.
“My blessing?” I looked at the old man.
“Step forward.”
Following what everyone else had done I reached out and touched the book.
Cold! It was freezing to the touch and this old man has been holding onto it the entire time? I felt the bones in my finger chill to the core a dry deathly type of cold as if I had gripped a chunk of dry ice in a graveyard at midnight.
As had happened before the blue liquid was poured on me and the chalice disappeared.
…
Old man?
“Cardinal Hinerth?” I questioned his long silence.
Showing emotion for the first time in his life he put on a bitter expression.
“You, you also have no blessing…”
SHIT!
Argent 