“Oh my, this is the first time I visit a castle.” [Maya]

“Really? Well, make sure you don’t wander around and get lost. That’s an order.” [Ryner]

“Can’t you spend one day without bossing Maya around?” [Ryan]

Ryner, Maya and the group of knights and heroes were walking down a large hallway with a high ceiling and a red carpet. There were pillars on both sides with beautiful paintings on the wall. They were in the castle of the king of Elea kingdom.

“Nope. It’s to protect myself, so it can’t be helped. Just overlook it, kid.” [Ryner]

Since Ryan was being ridiculously stubborn with not letting them go and was about ready to fight, Ryner decided to agree with his demand and went back to the castle with the group of knights and heroes. It was better for him to avoid battles when he could since he was playing Alice’s game and he didn’t want to lose because of this kid. After introducing themselves, Ryner went to ride behind the knight commander, but Maya stopped him and asked for a horse for the two of them. ‘I’d like to be with my master, please lend us a horse’ was what the slave shamelessly demanded with a smile. Cain, feeling bad about forcing them to come with them, gave them his horse and rode behind one of his knights. Along the way, some of the heroes, especially the boys, tried to talk to them. More specifically, they tried to get closer to Maya.

“I saw you fight. You were amazing, Maya!” [Random hero]

“It was awesome! You were like a one-man army!” [Random hero]

“You’re easily an S rank! You should join us and help us out. We could train together if you want.” [Random hero]

“Ah, that’s a good idea! Once we get back, we’ll talk about it to the king. Maybe you could stay at the castle.” [Random hero]

“Yeah! And when things are settled, we could grab a bite to eat or something.” [Random hero]

One after another they subtly tried to invite her to spend time with them. Although it was not banned for other races to come to the city, they usually stayed away from capitals, so the young high schoolers haven’t interacted much with other races. To see a beautiful woman with animal ears and tail was considered a dream for a certain group of people back in their world.

“Oh my, Master, I am getting so many invitations. What should I do~?” [Maya]

With a smile on her face, she playfully asked her master while putting a hand to her cheek.

“Reject them gently. Kids are sensitive, so don’t break their hearts. That’s an order.” [Ryner]

“Understood. I’m sorry, but I plan on sleeping with my master every day and do naughty things with him in bed~.” [Maya]

“That wasn’t gentle at all!” [Ryner]

“Also, once it’s mating season, I’m going to lose myself and thoroughly enjoy him until he can’t stand up anymore~.” [Maya]

“Stop that! Look at their faces, you’re breaking them!” [Ryner]

That was how their journey was like until they reached the capital city, Elura. As they walked towards the throne room, Ryan glared at Ryner for calling him a kid. Even though he had gone through tough training and been in a number of battles, he wasn’t taken seriously at all. He turned to look at Maya and gave her a refreshing smile. Coupled with his handsome face, any girl’s heart would have skipped a beat.

“Maya, you don’t need to do as he says if you don’t want to. I’ll protect you if he tries to harm you.” [Ryan]

“You heard that, Master? He says he’ll protect me from you.” [Maya]

“What? Shouldn’t he be protecting me from you? I suddenly feel like my chastity will be in danger during mating season. More like, you have a mating season?” [Ryner]

“Oh my~, I’ll be troubled if he protects you. And don’t worry, I’ll tell you more about it later.” [Maya]

It would appear that her master didn’t even know something so basic. But, if he really was from another world, then that would make sense. She wasn’t really surprised by that fact since his abilities and the person himself always seemed otherworldly. As such, besides opening her eyes slightly wider than usual, she didn’t react much when she heard the news. To Maya, it didn’t matter where he came from, she would always follow him.

“Stop spouting nonsense, you slaver! Maya, you shouldn’t let him take advantage of you during mating season! Please choose your partner carefully.” [Ryan]

“I know you mean well, kid, but don’t casually ignore what she just said.” [Ryner]

“Could you stop calling me kid already? I’m seventeen years old.” [Ryan]

“Stop casually ignoring what I just said too. Man, this is annoying. And do we have to meet the king so soon?” [Ryner]

As the group got closer to the throne, Ryan kept fighting with Ryner while the others wisely chose to stay quiet. But, eventually, Aria pulled Ryan by his arm and made him walk with her in front of the group much to his dissatisfaction. So, the master and slave, who were walking in the middle, could peacefully enjoy the splendor of the castle until they met the king. After a while, at the end of the hallway, they reached a double door with an old butler standing in front of it. He bowed to them and opened the door before passing through and closing it again. The group waited for a bit in front and soon, the doors were opened and the old butler was standing by on the other side, announcing their arrival.

“The subjugation team has returned!” [Butler]

What came into view was a spacious room used for audiences with guards standing by the walls. The red carpet continued all the way to the other side and up some stairs. On the elevated platform, nobles with important civil and military positions were lined up on both sides of a large throne. On it sat a middle-aged man dressed in luxurious clothes with long brown hair and a prominent beard that had streaks of gray here and there. There were wrinkles carved on his face over the years, but his sharp green eyes showed cunning and vitality. A golden crown sat atop his head and told every one of his status. He was the king of Elea kingdom, Charles Dregory. The group looked down on the knights and heroes that just arrived and some noticed the two new faces which made them raise an eyebrow. With Cain and Ryan in front, the whole group kneeled and showed their respect to the king.

“Remember Maya, don’t cause any trouble.” [Ryner]

“I know, Master.” [Maya]

Ryner whispered to Maya, reminding her not to act out. With his ongoing game with Alice, he really couldn’t afford to get a kingdom as his enemy.

“Knight Commander Cain, Hero Ryan Wayer, what news do you bring me?” [Charles]

The king asked in a powerful voice to which Cain made his report in a respectful tone.

“Your majesty, as we feared, a large group of horned wolves had gathered at the main road and were heading towards the city.” [Cain]

The nobles whispered among them as tension rose. The reports were accurate and the city could have come under attack.

“Then, have you properly dealt with the threat?” [Charles]

“Yes, though we do not know why they acted as such, most of them have been eliminated and the remaining few fled back to where they came from. However…” [Cain]

He hesitated for a second before telling the king about Ryner and Maya.

“We did not stop them. It was these two here with me.” [Cain]

When Cain told everyone that it was Ryner and Maya who defeated the horned wolves, surprise and awe passed among the nobles as they intently watched these two individuals. Moreover, the beastman was an S rank in terms of strength and the human was an otherworlder who possessed otherworldly weapons called guns. Although he kept an impassive façade, the king was extremely curious about them and asked some questions such as who they were and where they came from.

“What is your name?” [Charles]

“My name is Ryner and this is my slave, Maya, your majesty.” [Ryner]

He answered in a polite and humble tone of voice. His current appearance was vastly different from how he would usually act.

“I see… And you come from another world like the heroes, correct?” [Charles]

“Yes, your majesty.” [Ryner]

“Who summoned you?” [Charles]

Taking more interest in the otherworlder than the beastman, he asked him which country managed to perform a hero summoning.

“No one your majesty. I suddenly woke up in this world.” [Ryner]

“What? How could that be?” [Charles]

“Please believe me. I was not summoned by anyone and if I was, then I do not know who it was.” [Ryner]

Ryner decided to spin some suitable lies that he could believe. It was better than telling him the truth, after all. The king then asked him to show him his assault rifle to which he complied while keeping his face from frowning. He pulled it out of his pocket dimension, which caused them to be surprised at that sight, and showed it to the king and his entourage. They curiously examined it while talking among themselves.

“So that is a gun… A weapon stronger than the bow and capable of piercing through the horned wolves’ shells… Cain, bring it here.” [Charles]

Deeply interested in that foreign weapon, Charles told the knight commander to bring it to him. Ryner passed him the rifle and Cain walked up the stairs and presented it to his king on one knee. It was a strange contraption that he never saw before. He brushed it with his hand before lifting it to take a closer look.

“It is quite heavy… Hero Ryan, you said this does not use magic, correct?” [Charles]

“Yes, your majesty. In our world, we fight with guns, not swords. It is a powerful weapon without magic that anyone can use, regardless of their mana pool.” [Ryan]

Ryan answered in a serious tone of voice while still kneeling at the head of their group. Charles thought about the implications. If every soldier had one, his army would be a force to be reckoned with. Even the weakest grunt soldier would be able to take out armored enemies from a distance. It could drastically change the tide of battle. They would be better equipped to deal with any threats, notably the demon race, and the kingdom would be better protected.

“Remarkable, truly remarkable… Alchemist Sorko, bring it to your laboratory and see if you can’t replicate it.” [Charles]

He called for the head of the Alchemist department, hoping that he would be able to mass produce it. One of the nobles stepped forward at his words. It was a skinny man in his thirties with short green hair, blue eyes and round glasses. Just as he was about to grab the gun, looking like a child that found a new toy, Ryner spoke up.

“I apologize, your majesty, but please give me back my gun.” [Ryner]

All eyes turned on him as tension slightly rose. Although he was polite in his speech, his request basically denied the king’s wish.

“… Young man, are you aware of what you’re asking?” [Charles]

The king calmly asked him.

“Yes you majesty.” [Ryner]

“This weapon will allow my soldiers with small mana pools to better defend themselves and will make them a greater threat to our enemies. It could save their life. Do you understand that?” [Charles]

“Yes your majesty.” [Ryner]

“My kingdom would be safer to live in and my powerful fighters such as the heroes would have better support in battle. Do you understand that?” [Charles]

“Yes your majesty.” [Ryner]

“Knowing all this, you demand it back? To deny all that I said and keep it to yourself?” [Charles]

“Yes your majesty.” [Ryner]

Charles stayed silent as he stared at Ryner with a calm demeanor. Everyone waited nervously for what would happen next as they wondered what the king would do to this man who refused his demand.

“… Guards, escort him and his slave out of here.” [Charles]

Looking at the rifle in his hands, he thought for a second before ordering their leave and passing it to the alchemist that stood close by. As a king, the benefits to his kingdom were too great and he couldn’t pass them up just because of the selfishness of one man. The nobles agreed with the decision and nodded their heads as they too understood the value of this otherworldly weapon. Some of the heroes, including Elena and Aria, worriedly looked at the two but said nothing. Knight commander Cain knew that it would be best if they acquired it, but he wanted to object to taking it from the ones who stopped the horned wolves attack.

“Your majesty, I believe that we should at least-“ [Cain]

“It is not your place to speak, knight commander.” [Charles]

However, he was cut short by the king who talked with a domineering aura.

“Please understand, your majesty, I have no intention of spreading that weapon in this world. I kindly ask you to return it to me.” [Ryner]

As four guards approached them from the walls, Ryner asked for his gun back without letting his serious act slip. But, Charles ignored his plea and waved at the armored men to hurry up.

“You have my gratitude for dealing with the horned wolves, but I can’t allow you to keep this to yourself. Guards, take them away.” [Charles]

While being held up by both arms, Ryner sighed loudly.

“Well, I can’t say I didn’t expect this.” [Ryner]

“I guess the visit is over. Where should we go next? Or do you want to stay here a bit longer, Master?” [Maya]

Maya, who was in a similar position, had a playful smile on her face. She was actually asking him if they should leave quietly or start a fight. While Ryner was thinking up a plan to take back his rifle, someone spoke out loud, getting the attention of everyone present.

“Please wait your majesty. I believe you shouldn’t be so hasty.” [Ryan]

It was the leader of the heroes, Ryan. As Charles stared at him, wondering what he wanted, the young man quickly explained himself.

“Maya took on over three hundred horned wolves with her fists and came out without a single injury on her. I saw her strength myself and I think it would be better to invite her to join us as a comrade.” [Ryan]

He didn’t want her to have to keep being Ryner’s slave and live a miserable life under his oppression, so he tried to get her away from him by having her stay at the castle as an ally. She could easily fight alongside them with her abilities. Thinking about it, it would be better to have as many S ranks as they could get, so Charles accepted Ryan’s proposal.

“Very well. Young lady, you may stay at the castle and help the heroes in their fights. Ryan Wayer will answer any questions you have later.” [Charles]

“Oh my, Master~, I’ve been invited to join the heroes. What should I do?” [Maya]

“Isn’t that obvious? Reject them gently without breaking their hearts. Gently, ok? That’s an order.” [Ryner]

“Then, I apologize your majesty, but as per my master’s order, I will have to decline your offer.” [Maya]

Hearing her answer and seeing how it was so casually decided between the two, everyone looked at them with a dumbfounded face. Even the guards that were holding them forgot what they were doing and froze up. The first one to get back to his senses was Ryan, who got mad at Ryner for ordering Maya again.

“Stay out of it. This is Maya’s decision, not yours. Maya, I told you I would protect you, so just honestly tell me what you want.” [Ryan]

He spoke to her in a gentle tone, thinking that Ryner punished her severely every time she didn’t do as he said which made her fear him. Ignoring what he was thinking, Maya looked at her master, who went back to having a sleepy expression and was yawning while being held by two guards, and decided to tell the hero her honest wish on a whim, but she immediately regretted it.

“Actually, I would like to not have to listen to his orders every time. He always prevents me from doing what I want.” [Maya]

“I understand! You heard her. She’ll be coming with us and you are no longer her master.” [Ryan]

After smiling at her, he then glared at Ryner and told him in a commanding tone what he one-sidedly decided. The hero in shining armor was saving another unfortunate soul. That was what it looked like to the people who were watching and many girls would blush if they saw him stand up to Ryner to protect Maya. In fact, some of the high school girls really were blushing as well as a few female knights and soldiers. His two close friends, Elena and Aria, were just looking at the situation worriedly and shaking their head with a hand on their forehead respectively. As king, nobles, heroes, soldiers and knights waited to see how Ryner would react to the hero’s declaration, the person in question was actually formulating a plan to use the current situation to his advantage.

“Sorry kid, but she’s mine. End of discussion.” [Ryner]

“As if I would let someone like you be her master!” [Ryan]

He stood between Ryner and Maya, protecting her behind his back. As such, he couldn’t see how she was blushing from her master’s words with a small grin on her face.

“Well, if you really want to free her that badly, you could use the king’s authority to order me to let her go.” [Ryner]

Looking at the hero straight in the eye, he then made his best provocative smile and continued in an arrogant tone of voice, stopping the hero from talking just as he was about to open his mouth.

“Or, you could fight me in a duel and have me release her… If some brat can actually beat me.” [Ryner]

He said the latter half in a quiet voice while looking away from Ryan. However, everyone clearly heard him and was shocked by his insolence before anger rose up in some of them.

“What was that?” [Ryan]

Ryan suppressed his emotions and asked him in a tone as calm as possible, but anyone could tell that he was furious.

“Nothing.” [Ryner]

“No, I heard you say something about me being just a brat.” [Ryan]

“Oh no, no, no. You’re wrong. I called you kid. You know, because you’re a kid.” [Ryner]

“Stop calling me kid.” [Ryan]

“But you are one though. Being seventeen still doesn’t make you legal yet.” [Ryner]

“I said, stop calling me kid.” [Ryan]

“Don’t worry about it so much. Kid or brat still means the same.” [Ryner]

Sick of his laidback attitude, he instantly shortened the distance between them and glared at him.

“Stop. Calling. Me. Kid.” [Ryan]

Receiving such hostility for insulting the strongest hero, Ryner kept quiet, looked right and left before leaning a bit closer and whispered to him.

“… Maybe in eight hundred thousand years.” [Ryner]

Not being able to take it anymore, Ryan closed his eyes, breathed deeply, took a few steps back and pointed at him as he declared in a loud voice for everyone to hear.

“I challenge you to a duel! If I win, then Maya will be freed and will come with us!” [Ryan]

He then turned around and bowed to the king who had been quietly watching the events unfold.

“Your majesty, I apologize for this disruption. But, please grant me your permission for this duel.” [Ryan]

“Very well, you have my permission. The duel shall take place in the training grounds! The fighters will be the hero, Ryan, and Ryner!” [Charles]

He immediately agreed to sanction the fight. After all, he had to teach a lesson to the otherworlder who showed such disrespect towards the kingdom’s strongest hero, or their authority will be undermined.

Hearing him, Ryan smiled in gratitude before turning around to face Ryner again.

“Don’t you dare run away.” [Ryan]

“Shouldn’t we talk about this instead?” [Ryner]

“I won’t let you back out, but you can always just give up now.” [Ryan]

“… *Sigh* Fine, fine. So, to confirm, if you win, I release Maya from slavery. If I win, I keep her as my slave. Right?” [Ryner]

“That’s right. I will free her no matter what.” [Ryan]

A small smile emerged on his face when he saw that despicable man reluctantly accepted his challenge. He tried to act high and mighty as he looked down on him and bossed Maya around, so now he will pay for it. The people in the audience room all thought that Ryner was regretting his actions and will be easily defeated by the hero. Many, like the nobles, were smirking at the insolent man while others felt bad about the situation, such as Cain, Elena and Aria. There were some who were looking forward to the fight, like Jayce, and many boys who couldn’t wait to have Maya join their side. Then, there was the beastman whose freedom was on the line and simply stared at her master quizzically, wondering what he was up to. Unbeknownst to all of them, Ryner was happy as well as a bit disappointed.

“(Easy, way too easy. This kid is really gullible. Is he going to be ok?)” [Ryner]

He successfully got an official duel with Elea kingdom’s strongest hero.

*Author* In your opinion, does this feel like a cliffhanger? It's become hard to tell when you're the writer.