This Isn’t My World, And It Pisses Me Off

Chapter 12

Ikari strode with purpose towards the massive doors that led to the grand hall. The place where he first ended up in this world. Where the King spent most of his time.

“I really don’t think you should interrupt whatever meeting might be going on.” Madyline whispered loudly to Ikari, in pace with him as the doors grew nearer and nearer.

As they got closer to the doors, two men in what looked to be a royal version of the knights armour outside stepped in front of the doors. “I’m sorry. You may not enter at this time. King Otto is in the middle of a meeting with other nobles.”

“Shame.” Ikari said, suddenly on the other side of the knights and pressing a hand against the door. “Huh, mobility really is useful.” He thought idly as the doors swung open.

There was a hum of chatter in the air which stopped dead the moment the doors started to open. Ikari walked through and the hum returned, but at a hushed volume, probably filled with jabs and barbs towards the unwilling hero.

The door guards were shocked that they were so easily avoided, and Madyline offered a small apology before also going around them and joining Ikari’s side. The whispers increased as she appeared, and Ikari’s patience wore thin.

Just as he opened his mouth to tell the King that he was going to kill the Demon King, and that he had better get a way for him to go home ready, a noble stepped out in front of him. “How dare you!”

He was a portly man with several chins, and Ikari recognised him immediately as the noble that gave him the [Orange Powder] when he first arrived. “Do you have no sense of- AH!” Ikari placed a finger under his collar, and lifted.

The noble dangled in the air, his fat legs flailing uselessly. Ikari set him to the side and continued on his path forward. He stopped a small distance in front of the King, Madyline standing just behind him.

“I’m going to kill the Demon King now.” He told him, and the whispers were replaced with a large gasp. “You had better have a way for me to get home after.” He warned.

The King’s mouth fell open in surprise, before closing and snapping his fingers. “Bring a Teleport Orb!” He announced, and almost immediately a servant appeared from a door in the corner of the room, carrying a ball of glass with crackling energy inside it.

The servant bowed low and held the orb out to Ikari. He took it cautiously, careful not to break it with his gauntlets. “When you smash this orb on the ground, it shall open a portal home.” The King explained, and Ikari’s eyes widened.

He could smash it now. Just go home. Not have to beat the Demon King. Go back home and live his life with his family. His hand shook, but eventually it lowered. He held the orb out to Madyline, who took it and placed it in his bag.

“Alright then.” He nodded, fighting with the urge to punch the King in his stupid bearded face. Ikari’s eyes roamed to behind the throne, where who he assumed the Queen was standing. She met his eyes, but they didn’t show any emotion.

He thought of what Madyline had told him about what the servants in the castle were expected to do, and how the King not only allowed it, but encouraged it. He wondered if he treated the Queen like that as well.

Ikari’s fist clenched, but he was distracted by a cry of surprise from behind him. His head turned so fast his neck cracked, and saw the fat noble from earlier holding onto Madylines arm.

“How dare you allow him in here!” He said in a hushed tone, though it was easily heard by most everyone in the room. “You shall be most severely punished-”

“Let. Her. Go.”

The noble looked up, squealed and immediately backed away in fear. Ikari’s wrathful gaze was centered on him, much closer than he was a second ago. He stood protectively in front of Madyline, who was hyperventilating.

Ikari’s gaze never left the noble, his red eyes burning so brightly they might as well have been on fire. “I am taking this girl with me.” He announced loudly, watching as the nobles legs quivered. Madyline calmed her breathing and looked up in surprise.

“She is my-” He hesitated for the briefest second, trying to think of something to say. “Battlemaid.” Inwardly, he was cringing. But outwardly he was the very face of seriousness and consequence.

“If anyone has a problem with that,” He cracked his knuckles against his palm, the sound somehow coming through the gauntlets. “Please. Speak up.”

There wasn’t a sound in the hall, aside from a soft trickling sound. Ikari looked to the floor beneath the noble in front of him. There was a yellow liquid on the ground.

Disgusted, annoyed and filled with Wrath at what that noble might have done, he turned to leave. His footsteps echoed in the silent hall, but were quickly accompanied by Madyline’s heeled shoes.

Ikari smiled inwardly to himself, glad that she found the courage to follow him. They walked past the guards, who had come out of their stupor in time to see Ikari lift up a noble with a finger.

They closed the doors behind them as they walked through, and immediately Ikari knew what he wanted to do.

“We’re going to be paying Eliza a visit.” Ikari told Madyline, walking towards the exit of the castle. Madyline remained silent, eyes on the ground as she followed Ikari.

The unwilling hero noticed this, and stopped. Madyline kept going, crashing into him and gasping in surprise. “I-I am so sorry!” She bowed low, and made Ikari feel rather upset.

They were still in the castle, and so Ikari briefly looked around. He grabbed Madylines hand and led her towards a door made of darkened wood. The maid’s eyes looked up to Ikari, confused and a little scared.

Ikari opened the door, finding what looked like an office. It was unoccupied, so he entered, bringing Madyline with him. He closed the door behind him and turned to face Madyline. Her eyes met his, and they looked concerned.

“Reinigen-chan, what’s wrong?” He asked softly.

The maid was taken completely by surprise at his gentle tone. For a moment she wanted to say all was well, that was what she was taught to say if a master questions his maids wellbeing. But with Ikari, she felt like she could be honest.

“Why me?” She asked, looking away from Ikari for the briefest second.

“Excuse me?” Ikari asked, confused.

“Why me?!” Madyline repeated, making fists with her hands and staring up to Ikari. “Why are you taking such good care of me? Why are you protecting me? Why?”

Ikari’s eyes were wide, he had no idea she had been thinking this. For a moment he wondered when the last time Madyline experienced genuine kindness was, before deciding that he had better answer honestly.

“I died.” He told her. Madyline froze at his words, her eyes shaking slightly. “Yeah, to be summoned to this world, you have to die in the other.” He explained. The maids fists loosened, and she covered her mouth in horror.

“And I had a life in that world. I had friends. I had a family. I had a-” He swallowed. “A sister. And she was thirteen as well.” His hand formed a fist, his gauntlet shaking in anger. “And because of where I lived, there were a lot of bad stereotypes about young girls.”

“So anytime someone made some stupid lewd comment about a thirteen year old girl, they didn’t exactly have much to say when I was done.” The amount of foreigners coming over and wondering ‘Where the loli’s were?’ was enough to drive anyone mad.

“And when I found out that’s what is expected here…” He unclenched his fist, letting go of his anger. “I knew I had to protect you.”

Madyline remained quiet throughout his explanation. She stepped forward, hesitating for the briefest second, before wrapping her arms around Ikari. The boy froze, realising he was being hugged.

After a second of bewilderment, he gently wrapped his arms around Madyline. The two remained like that for a moment, before Ikari lifted up his arms.

The maid stepped back after unhooking her arms, looking embarrassed for her actions. “I-I’m sorry. That was an action unbefitting of a maid of Larune.”

Ikari tilted his head with an amused sigh. He reached over and gently pat her hair. “You don’t have to follow those rules anymore.” He told her, exiting the room they were in and holding it open. “You’ve got me.”

Tears welled up in Madyline’s eyes as she stepped past the boundary of the room, into the light of the open doors to outside the castle.