Mermaid Princess's Skin Armor (2)
Prisoners in handcuffs and shackles filed into the audience chamber one after another. There were thirty of them in total.
"Your Majesty. We've captured all the rebels who fled after their recent plot to commit treason, along with their families."
"Well done."
Queen Isabella lounged sideways on her throne, eyeing the prisoners. She popped a grape into her mouth, chewing it slowly as she spoke.
"Execute them all."
"Your Majesty! Please spare us!"
"We'll live like we're dead! Please show mercy! At least spare these children! I beg you, Your Majesty!"
The prisoners clasped their hands together, pleading desperately, but the queen showed no mercy. She kept munching grapes and giggling softly until they were dragged away.
Just before the doors closed, an angry voice rang out.
"A filthy dancer bitch like you!"
"Cut off her limbs and have a pig rape her."
"Yes, ma'am! I'll smear aphrodisiac on her anus and toss her into the pigsty!"
The knight bowed his head and strode out of the chamber briskly. The queen straightened up, sitting properly as she stretched languidly. Her nipples poked prominently through the thin fabric, thrusting her breasts forward into sharp peaks.
"So boring. Summon Head Maid Marie."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Moments later, Lady Marie entered the audience chamber.
"Marie, any new gossip? Something exciting."
"Word is that Hero Naru's leg has fully healed. He seems to be walking normally now."
"Oh? Good for him. Bring him here. I want to see his face."
"Perfect timing, Your Majesty. A letter from Professor Naru just arrived at the palace. I was going to deliver it during tea time."
Lady Marie handed the letter she was holding to the queen.
"I like how quick on the uptake he is. I'd have been pissed if he hadn't reported his leg healing."
The queen tore open the letter and smiled as she read it.
"He says he'll track down my mother's keepsake."
"That's praiseworthy."
"And he has a request. With the divorce still pending, he wants me to block the Laphone family's influence on the courts."
"I thought it was already finalized, but apparently it's still in progress. Granting his request seems wise. It'll boost his morale and let him focus even harder on the task."
"Marie, pass my word to the courts."
"What shall I say, Your Majesty?"
"Tell them that if any impropriety occurs during Naru and the Laphone family's divorce proceedings, I'll kill everyone involved."
Upon arriving at Naida Forest, fresh air and birdsong greeted them. One of the continent's premier great forests, packed so densely with trees that the end was nowhere in sight.
"Do you know the way?"
"No clue. But I can sense anything unnatural."
From what he'd heard, the Mermaid Princess's Skin Armor was in an ancient palace hidden by a barrier. No human eyes could find it.
"That's why it's stayed intact for thousands of years. But what about a hero?"
They had just two days for the adventure. No room for hesitation in action or judgment.
One of his hero skills: the ability to detect hidden barriers. He activated Intuition.
His vision blurred, tinting everything gray. There it was—the palace in the distance, glowing a special yellow amid the rest.
"Found it. Let's go."
An hour later, they reached the barrier. It looked like nothing but trees and rocks. But that was an illusion.
He summoned his hero sword, Lancer.
Lancer. The supreme blade that made him a hero. When he first fell into this world, it had appeared in his hand unbeknownst to him. No idea who gave it. Probably whoever dragged him here.
Anyway, he drew hero's power from Lancer. The dark elf family he met first named it—in their tongue, "Atrocious Blade." A horrific sword from their perspective.
"Lancer."
White particles gathered in his right palm, elongating into a sword's shape. Soon, a magnificent blade filled his hand.
"Whoa... a sword just manifesting like that. Amazing."
Sophia stared in disbelief. He played it cool and changed the subject.
"You said you'd hide while I handle this, right?"
"Ah, yes. How long do you think it'll take?"
"Hmm. Twelve hours?"
"Shorter than most."
He thrust Lancer into empty air. The atmosphere split wide with a crack, revealing a massive palace within. Ancient walls and buildings overgrown with plants emanated dark energy.
Sophia swallowed nervously, eyes tense.
"Mind whistling for me?"
"Wheeee~"
"Whistle like that when I return. I'll hide here."
"You okay alone?"
"Yeah, fine. I'm a pro at hiding and waiting."
Sophia bit into jerky from her pouch and pulled her cloak over her head.
"If you're not back in twelve hours, I'll assume you're dead and head home. Good luck."
"Wait—make it twenty-four. Just in case."
Sophia frowned.
"Fine."
She nodded and pulled the cloak fully over. She vanished in the blink of an eye.
"Come back quick, okay?"
Her voice floated from empty air. Invisibility cloak, huh. She rustled off somewhere, then silence.
No sound, no clue where. Out of curiosity, he activated Intuition again. There she was in yellow glow, crouched in nearby bushes, munching jerky.
He quietly stepped through the barrier into the palace entrance, shrouded in dark aura.
A sickle-wielding wraith flew at him.
"Begone!"
It eyed him closely and recoiled in shock.
"You—you! What is that power?!"
Recognized him as hero on sight? Light and dark were polar opposites, after all. It must loathe the holy aura he exuded.
"Take me to the armor that made the mermaid princess."
"Plunderer!"
It fled inside to warn others, no doubt. He cracked his neck and headed through the pitch-black garden into the palace.
Torchlight flickered along the wide corridors.
"Plunderer! Protect the treasures!"
"Kill him!"
"Remember Prince's orders!"
Hideous knights swarmed him—undead with rotting flesh. Did they even know they were dead?
He swung Lancer, cutting them down as he advanced.
"I'll curse you!"
"Don't touch the sacred relics!"
Every room he checked on the first floor spawned more. Even the palace dogs had become wraiths, snarling and lunging.
Grrr! Kyaaang!
Numbers meant nothing against a hero. One area-of-effect slam of Lancer into the floor melted dozens.
Three hours passed like that. He'd cleared every first-floor room and headed upstairs.
Stepping onto the second-floor corridor, his vision bloomed brightly.
"Honey, where've you been?"
The Laphone estate. Ashley greeted him warmly.
"...Aren't we divorced?"
"Divorced? Come on. The queen remarried us, remember? We promised to live well from now on."
"There you are. Come have some tea."
Michelle smiled and beckoned. Serena and Roberini appeared, beaming.
"Brother-in-law! Missed you so much!"
"We baked cookies! Eat with us~"
What the hell. These people who hated me acting nice? Made his skin crawl. They'd hate themselves too.
"Who told you to stick a straw in my head, you damn wraith?"
He reached up and grabbed the translucent, ghostly tentacle in his hair. It had been stirring his mind, forcing the illusion.
He yanked it, hurling the ceiling-hanger forward.
"Kieeeek!"
The female wraith, arms sprouting sea-anemone tentacles, shrieked. He stabbed her heart dead.
Showing the worst possible illusion. No happiness left with that family.
He kicked the corpse aside and moved on, slaughtering second-floor wraiths room by room.
About seven hours in, he met a middle-aged ghost on the third floor.
"I—I'm a scientist. I don't want to fight."
The guy lived in the prince's era, owner of this palace. He offered inventions in exchange for his life.
"What've you made?"
"Lots. Look around this room. For example..."
He cut him off with a sudden thought.
"Anything for virility?"
"Of course."
The ghost grinned and floated to a dusty shelf.
"Can't touch it myself. Grab it."
He picked up the ancient vial, dusted it—six thousand years old.
This bastard.
"Not spoiled?"
"Impossible. Perfectly preserved."
"What's it do?"
"Elixir to massively boost sperm count for higher conception. Made it for our prince who struggled with heirs—just in case. It was a hit. Flood the womb with massive loads repeatedly, and pregnancy's inevitable. Inspired by swarm tactics—my masterpiece."
He tilted his head.
"Drink and semen regenerates endlessly?"
"Fresh batch every ejaculation. Pure and new."
"One-time?"
"Permanent, no side effects. Impressive, right?"
"Did the prince succeed?"
"Sired over three hundred kids before dying. They fought over the throne, dooming the kingdom."
"Tragic. Anyway, know where the Mermaid Princess's Skin Armor is?"
"Tell you treasure spots, and divine punishment kills me instantly. Can't say—sorry."
"No helping it."
He pocketed the vial with thanks and left, pleased with the unexpected gift. But no drinking yet—test it first for safety.
"Halt! Death to plunderers!"
Stronger foes appeared higher up: elite guards on fierce steeds, eyes blazing murder.
But none could stop him. The power reclaimed after two years of humiliation. Venting pent-up frustration freely.
Refreshing. Satisfying. Grip the sword, run, run, run, slash.
Even if it meant being late to the academy tomorrow, he'd ransack the palace and claim the Mermaid Princess's Skin Armor.