—Hey... are you still alive? —I heard that voice every so often, repeating the same question. I just wanted her to shut up and let me sleep; I was exhausted—. Wake up, you lazy bastard!
I felt a sharp blow to my stomach that jolted me out of my lethargy instantly.
—What happened? Why so much violence? —I asked dazed, feeling like I had the worst hangover of my life.
—You've been asleep for a month! —exclaimed the green old woman who had rescued me.
—What? What do you mean a month? —I was stunned. That wasn't sleeping; I had literally fallen into a coma.
—I thought you had actually kicked the bucket. At least, spending so much time unconscious helped your body heal efficiently —the lady said with a mocking tone while arranging some ointments.
—Thank you very much for taking care of me, miss! —I sat up as best as I could, feeling a crack in every vertebra, and thanked her from the heart.
—Don't thank me; thank the King. For some reason, he personally asked me to keep you alive. By the way, my name is Mona.
—Hey, Mona... Do you know why the King didn't execute me in the arena?
—Who knows? Sometimes that boy is very reckless —she replied with disdain while putting away some herbs—. I only know he's curious to know how a stupid, wild animal like a Liva can have reasoning and be so resilient.
—I guess that makes sense —I stood up carefully, feeling a slight dizziness, and then gave her a deep bow—. Truly, thank you so much for looking after me and saving my life.
—I already told you not to do that! Oh, these youngsters nowadays! Get up already! —she scolded me with a wave of her hand.
I stood up, trying to regain my balance.
—His majesty ordered that he wanted to see you as soon as you woke up, so I have to take you to the palace —Mona pronounced while opening the door wide, letting in a torrent of light that almost blinded me—. Come on, move it!
When I stepped out, I was amazed. This was nothing like what I saw in that place where they took me when I was kidnapped. In front of me stood a two-story building embedded directly into the rock; it was carved into the mountain itself.
I looked around and all the houses had that style; they were painted in different colors and, although the decorations were rudimentary, they felt cozy. There were people strolling and children playing as if it were nothing. It was a normal village; moreover, these demons seemed to reason and coexist, unlike the deranged ones who murdered my parents.
—Hey, little boy, hurry up! —the old Mona shouted from a few meters ahead.
I had more questions than answers, but at that moment, the only thing I could do was follow her toward the palace.
We walked for a while until we left that villa. From there, I could appreciate that I was in the middle of two cliffs, at a dizzying height; my destination could be seen in the distance, after passing a hill.
With the wind whipping my skin, I followed the path to the King's quarters. Upon reaching the great entrance door, there were two large, burly guards guarding it. "This was where I had to play dead... how humiliating," I thought as the heavy gates opened. The palace was also embedded in a limestone mountain, but it was immense, nothing like those little colored houses.
Once inside, I found myself in front of the throne. Zoran wasn't there, but the lovely Janeth was, just as imposing as I remembered.
—Hello, Janeth! —I waved at her, but she didn't even look at me—. As bitter as ever, you haven't changed a bit in this month.
—Shut up, you cursed vermin! You're alive only because fate is fickle! —she replied furiously, clenching her fists—. His majesty will come soon to speak with you. Sit over there... or die, whichever you prefer.
—"Keep trying to win her over, I know you'll never succeed" —the System's voice spoke in my head, laughing at me.
I sat on one of the armchairs in the room. It felt strange to me that, although the kingdom looked prosperous at first glance, everything was so archaic. Was I perhaps in a very ancient era of this world? This reminded me a bit of Babylon or ancient Egypt, at least as the books represented them.
I waited for an hour until everyone in the room stood firm and tense.
—Everyone welcome his majesty! —announced the voice of Achilles, the coliseum narrator.
Heavy footsteps could be heard in the distance. The giant entered with his axe on his shoulder, holding the carcass of a Shockpinfinder under his arm. I was flabbergasted. How did it occur to me to fight this madman? It was normal that I had lost in the worst way.
Immediately, the monarch drove his weapon into the wall with staggering ease and tossed the beast to the floor.
—I want the new chef to prepare this animal I just hunted! —exclaimed the King, looking genuinely proud.
—Right away, my lord —Janeth ordered four small demons to take the carcass away; they could barely drag it between them all.
—Here you are, Samuel! —The giant approached me with strides that made the ground shake—. How have you been?
—I don't think I've been very well lately; someone almost killed me —I replied with an arrogance I didn't even believe myself.
—How dare you speak to his majesty like that?! —Janeth shouted.
—I brought him just as your majesty ordered —Mona intervened, calming the atmosphere with her mere presence.
—Thank you very much. You may leave now, mother —Zoran replied.
I froze. Was Mona the King's mother? That explained many things, especially her lack of fear before the giant. The old woman left with a calm step and, subsequently, the Viking settled into his stone throne.
—Do you know something, Samuel? I like that, despite the beating I gave you, you're here in front of me as if nothing happened —the King said, resting his face on his closed fist.
—I'm not going to start crying about it either. But tell me... why did you leave me alive? —I asked, going straight to the point.
—Who knows. Maybe it was a simple whim of mine —he replied, dismissing it with a gesture—. But tell me... who are you truly?
Zoran leaned forward, closing the distance between us and staring fixedly into my eyes. His presence was overwhelming.
—I'll be direct with you. It's not normal for a Liva to have so much strength and will, not even being one of demonic blood. You are hiding something.
"Shit, what do I tell him?! I can't confess to him that I reincarnated as a stone; I could get into a lot of trouble. I must be cautious."
—I already told you before: I ate the meat of a demon that tried to kill me —I looked at him defiantly, holding the lie.
—That is true, but it doesn't explain why you had consciousness from before —the giant replied, without taking his eyes off me.
—Let's see, how to put it? Since I was a baby, apparently, I am the only one of my species who reasons —I replied, feeling a cold sweat from the nerves.
—So you're saying that even you don't know why you're like that?
—Exactly. One day something that looked just like my mother hit me and I appeared here, in your home —I explained, trying to join the dots.
—It's strange... the Moria don't have that ability —Zoran murmured.
—What is a Moria? —I questioned with curiosity.
—They are low-ranking demons that inhabit the gloom on the outskirts of the kingdom. I have some enslaved here in the palace, but the day you appeared, they had a revolt and sneaked into the castle —he put his hand to his chin, thoughtful—. Maybe they saw you as food while hunting and brought you here as their dinner. But that doesn't explain the shapeshifter thing.
"So, what knocked me out wasn't a Moria," I thought, increasingly confused.
—That was what happened. I'm not from these lands; I was peacefully living my life and I was dragged to this place against my will. Besides, they killed my parents and you gave me a beating —I replied with a fury that burned in my chest.
—Calm down. I'm sorry about your parents. I will investigate what happened; meanwhile, I need you to stay in the kingdom —the Viking replied, softening his tone to calm the atmosphere—. Janeth, have a room prepared for our new guest.
—But sir! That bastard had the audacity to try to take the throne from you —the girl replied, her eyes flashing sparks.
—We already know that was a misunderstanding; he is not a real threat for the moment —the monarch stared at me, with an intensity that made me swallow hard—. I hope you behave yourself, Samuel. You already know what I'm capable of if you provoke me.
After that, Janeth escorted me grudgingly to a room inside the palace. As soon as I closed the door behind me, I collapsed onto the bed. All of this was increasingly confusing; my head ached from trying so hard to fit the pieces of this puzzle together.
[Stat Increased]
[Bullshitter 1 › 2]
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[Main Quest: Kill the Leviathan]
[Time remaining: 2 years, 10 months and 25 days]
[Side Quest: Teach the Demon King a lesson]
[Time remaining: ??]