"We are still a bit a way." I finally speak up to break the stifling silence.

"Yes."

"I am sure we can come up with something before we get there."

"Yes."

"You seem to be in agreement with everything I am saying...."

"Yes."

"and I find it strange."

"Would you like if I disagreed?"

"If you had disagreed at the start we might have been in the land of the Traders and not facing an oversized Garrison.” I think the sarcasm was killing us. “Sharing opinions might be a start."

"I believe it is as you say. We cannot waltz right in but we can surely come up with something as we get there."

Cool.

The Abbe and I just agreed on something….and it was complete nonsense. I would like to believe that he approved my plan of "going with the flow".

Suspicious. Well...whatever. We are still a few leagues from the town.

***

“Few Leagues” was an overstatement. It took three nights to get there.

There being massive city not some shoddy outpost or tiny village.

I was completely mistaken about the distance which obscured the size of the “town”. This gave me reasons to believe my Cyclops eye has become sharper.

I let the Abbe know as I saw it.

“Looks like a fortress from the outside. Grey stone castle walls, several archer pockets in between….leading me to conclude the walls are at least 2-3 meters thick. Heavily, guarded, too many towers to count. There seem to be check points before the main gates….and there is a dried trenches serving the purpose of what I can imagine to be a moat.”

“Describe it some more.” The Abbe said taking some interest in my description.

“Moving inwards, there seem to be secondary walls…and more. Cannot see any high rise buildings…and after that there is the keep. Is this big city even a city? Or just an oversized garrison?”

“Feladonia” He said after listening to my description of the city.

“…” Were those tears in his eyes? Nostalgia? Maybe…. *suspicious*

“Have you been there before?”

The Abbe was sweating. Normally, anyone would sweat in the desert, this was different.

*Suspicious*

“Is it bad?” I ask.

“Very much so.”

“…” His honesty is what throws me off. I guts are telling me this man is scheming something but when he warns me of dangers my guts go for a toss. I know he is hiding something from me…I need to be on my guard.

“They are the Empire’s ferocious pet dogs.”

“So it is an over-sized garrison?”

“It’s the birth place of warriors of the Empire.”

First thought: Sparta!!!!

Jokes aside, I am having second thoughts about visiting the city. That last sentence from the Abbe’s mouth had a hint of pride in it. Nostalgia and pride. A very dangerous combination when your walking into Sparta; a city that hates adventurers.

This might be the first city in forever, I might have a chance to eat something other than rats and insects (don’t ask how I got myself to eat them in the first place) my point is the city could be a paradise it could also be my death bed.

“Abbe, it’s each man or woman for themselves from this point on. Don’t play Templar in trying to save others. Those who get left behind get left behind.” This was the best advise I could give to my Guardian who was clearly surprised. “I am not saying we abandon our comrades but we need to think things through if something does happen.”

Why am I taking so much caution? Because I am scared. There I said it and its out in the open.

Yes, I am scared. My life might be at stake here. I don’t know if we die here whether we reboot or its game over. So I have right to be scared. This is not simple decisions. Imagine if everything was rigged in your house. Every appliance that you use is rigged as a booby trap. One wrong move and they kill you. Hello Microwave…BANG….dead.

“Would that be all?” The Abbe asked without a care in the world.

*Suspicious*

My instincts are telling me this man is up to something.

“Maylon will be the adventurer.” I instructed.

“Pardon me?” The Abbe shot me a puzzled look as if he did not understand.

“In the event that our cover is blown please refer to Maylon as the adventurer and that we are her Guardians.”

The three Guardians looked at me in confusion.

“I absolutely won’t risk it.”

That’s only half the truth. I am hedging my risks here. If the Abbe is going to hide stuff from me then I’ll have his grand-daughter bear the risks.

“I am also assuming they will check us at the Gates….if they begin checking me I’ll be caught immediately…” I pause to observe their body language; something is off. “Abbe, suggestions how we can get in?”

“I am a Templar.” The Abbe said. “A Templar of the Empire.”

Is that what he was hiding?

“Do you hate adventurers?”

“No.” Another puzzled look.

Can I trust him? My senses are either dulling or thrown off. This man’s poker face is too good.

“I am assuming, being a Templar gets you a free pass into the city?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll wait outside. You three can go inside and come back in five days with some clothes. And by clothes I mean a cloak included. Once, I have something proper to wear, it might be easier to enter. Also get me enough bandages to cover myself from head to toe. Understand?”

“Yes, Sora-sama.”

He’s in agreement again.

*Suspicious*

He referred to me as Sora-sama.

*Even more suspicious*

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter: 11.1

The trio headed into the town leaving me behind.

Technically speaking, with the Abbe acting suspicious, I should worry if they might abandon me…however I am not worried that they will abandon me. Don’t panic, I haven’t taken the beautiful and sexy Maylon hostage. Though I did suggest it. However the Abbe insisted that having a woman in the group is better – it makes the guards more vulnerable to make mistakes in judgement and the idea a woman in a group makes the group appear less dangerous.

I didn’t buy the argument. Not one bit. I mean the “group” is an old man and a boy. How is that remotely dangerous?

However, the Abbe insisted saying Feladonia was very strict. He even went on to say that if caught they would be met with death.

I do agree with the Abbe in some ways. Ever seen how men behave around a totally hot babe? They behave like door mats.

[Oh yes! Please walk all over me.]

Seriously, men are idiots.

Not that I am like those idiots….

Eventually, I caved in….however that was only when the Abbe swore to return.

I sensed the sincerity in his words?

Okay!

Fine!

It was Maylon!

She begged me!

:’(

What can I do?

What can I say?

I am weak towards her bootilic….towards her!

I don’t remember what she said but I just agreed right away….

Seriously darn me.

“Halt!” A guard shouted to the approaching beggars. “Who goes there? Name yourself and occupation.”

What is he an idiot? They are beggars. They could easily be mistaken for beggars given their unkempt looks and ragged clothes.

Oh right, if you are wondering how I can hear them even though I am very very far off; clue – I am a slime and it has something to do with my ability to dismember myself and yet be able to piece myself back together.

I first got the idea after Maylon’s soft and earth shattering punch. When my body was splattered all over I noticed that all my organs were still functioning. I just needed to gather them together and fuse them back…and voila I am fixed.

This was reconfirmed when the Abbe had been pinned down in three parts after I had bitten of his arm….

Thus, I experimented with various organs during our journey.

*sigh*

If you haven’t guessed it; I gave a bit of my ear and eye to them. As long as there is slime on those organs and the Abbe regularly stuffs the slime with nutrients; they will be okay.

This way I’ll be able to keep an eye on them…and an ear on them?

I let the Abbe know secretly that if I find myself abandoned they will be answerable with their life.

I believe at this time it must be clear that I am not so trusting of people.

I can make stupid decisions when it comes to women…but not at the expense of my life.

“I am James Adler however I now go by the name Abbe Faria. I used to serve his Majesty’s Imperial Army however I have now retired.”

“Maylon Irene Adler. Granddaughter of Abbe Faria”

“Gustav Garzal, son of Hakan Khatif Garzal.”

That might have been the first time I heard their entire names.

Interesting

The guard looked at the Abbe carefully.

The Abbe was the only one with an identity that could be verified.

“When did you retire?”

“After the fall of the stars.”

“Regiment?”

The Abbe rolled his eyes as if to say really you are going to ask me such easy questions. “The Imperial Army had none before the fall of the stars.”

The guard smiled. “I’ll still need a reference from someone who can vouch for your identity.”

“Then, I would like to call upon Graman Jozela, President of the Apothecary Association.”

The guard frowned. “Alas, it is unfortunate that I must inform you this but he lives no more. He passed away last year…”

“His son? Wife?” The Abbe asked.

“They perished with him too.”

“What happened?” The Abbe asked with a worry.

“They were journeying from here to the Saun”

“Ah…Saun…his home town….” The Abbe murmured.

“He took the wastelands…” They both said together.

“Is there anyone who can vouch for you?”

“No. Given my age and nature of occupation, I believe most of my acquaintances should be buried beneath the earth.”

“Guard-san, please let us in!” Maylon begged. “We have been travelling through the desert for a hundred days. I haven’t taken a shower or had a decent meal…” She was becoming teary.

Maylon worked like magic.

The guard rolled over like a door mat for her.

He didn’t even bother asking them basic questions like why are you travelling with a Garzala or what have you been doing 100 days in the desert?

“Sure..” He said in a shaky voice.

The Abbe has redeemed himself in my eyes. He wasn’t taking Maylon with him unnecessarily; he did so because he needed her.

Good call.

Before they could enter the second guard spoke up. “Wait!”

“Any weapons?” He asked looking at Gustav.

Gustav emptied his pockets and revealed the two daggers.

One of the guard’s snorted; surely that doesn’t qualify as a weapon.

Before they could move again, they needed to go through one more trial… hound check?

The second guard opened a kennel and out stepped a three headed dog? Cerebrus?

Not good.

This is more strict that airport security….if not as strict. I could never imagine that a medieval looking town could have such a sophisticated sense of security. I wonder what they are looking for?

Cerebrus (my name for a three headed dog) began sniffing each one but then froze at Maylon and began barking…

The guards quickly pulled out their swords.

“You…what have you got?” one of the guards asked.

“…” She sucked at acting. “Nothing” The most terrified nothing in the world.

“Search her.”

The Abbe stepped in front to stop them. “I assure you she has nothing.”

“Rules are rules old man.” The guards were speaking in delight.

Either they were perverted in a bad sense or they figured out my eye and ear was tucked in between the folds of her dress.

“Kyaaa!” Maylon screamed as the dog tugged her skirt.

Before anyone could do anything the damned dog bit off the portion of Maylon’s skirt where my slime covered eye and ear was hidden.

After that I am not sure what they were saying since the bloody dog chomped off my eye and ear however I could only watch them from a distance.

There seemed to be some kind of dispute but then after a bitter exchange of words, the three were let in.

Good….and not good.

I just lost my eye and ear.

Losing the organs wasn’t so much so the problem (it hurt like crazy when the damned thing chewed on it like a toy) but losing tabs on the three was an issue.

I don’t trust people.

:noei: