Chapter 17: Why Me and not my Dead Friends!

To Clementine, it was difficult to understand how so much power and skill could be contained within such a lazy person. Her family had always explained that a firm foundation made for a sturdy structure and that such applied to people just as much as construction. Her mother was a prime example. Disciplined, determined, strong… Rai achieved whatever she wished, not through power or influence – but through old-fashioned hard work.

The Dogmatic Knights were always the best of the best... Yet that lazy Desmend fights five of them in battle and is not losing. The Knight-Commander doesn't understand how that lazy, perverted, always joking moron keeps getting better every day.

"How is someone so lazy, wearing over 100 pounds of training armour while equipping his javelin?" Clementine doesn't even know how is that possible. His Ether Core should be done by now. He's gonna get himself killed. But he is not showing any signs of fatigue or heavy breathing. His Javelin appears a slimmer version of regular Javelins looks more like an armoured suit than anything. She also can't sense any mana emission from his armour, which means there must be some kind of power source that doesn't require an Ether Core.

But The Knight-Commander paid it no mind, noticing something on the scroll. "Wait, a minute…." She snatched it from the table. "Stop the fight now!"

All five knights stopped their battle at once while Desmend just fell to the ground embracing the break he was given. Press a button on his chest and the armoured Javelin suit of his turned into a leather armour set.

"What's wrong?" He asked with a grin. Not that people can see his grin through the breathing mask.

"… What is it?" He sighed.

"What did you that leaves you with 20% of Vespa?" Clementine asked slowly.

"U-uh… The Rectory Water and I didn't turn off the Magus Circuit incorporated with the Physical Boost spell. Also, whatever the dragon egg that turned into a gem which is stuck on my forehead." He spoke honestly.

"You complete idiot!" She roared at him, but Desmend was too tired to react. "How will you be able to listen to my lessons after such a tiring training? And you shouldn't have kept using that spell, you dolt!"

"I'll listen..." He waved it off. "Don't worry."

Clementine huffed in frustration before continuing. "So your physical boost is still active?"

"Yes."

"Then why haven't turn it off? Because I remember Aura and Tangerine, my very smart sister who seemed to care about you and forbade you from USING THOSE SPELLS! AND WHY ARE YOU USING RECOVERY WATER!"

Recovery water is a popular item in this world because it slightly regenerates your endurance. But what most people don't know is that it significantly boosts your mana if you drink a lot of it. Most people don't drink past three bottles because of the price, but those few individuals drink four or more. Which explains why Desmend has been drinking four bottles of recovery water every day.

You have to drink over ten bottles at once just to get a little boost, so it's not super practical. Desmend was the only one crazy to try his method.

Desmend scratched his head and looked down. "Aura is not here right now, so she can't tell me what to do. Tangerine won't even come near me for some weird reason."

Clementine sighed again. "This is why I'm not happy with you."

"Aw, you know you love me!"

"Shut up! You're a menace! Do you think this is funny?" She yelled at him.

"It's alright. It's not like I don't know." He replied calmly. "That you heal me every single time after I pass out." Desmend laughed, catching the tomboy knight off guard, who quickly made a face of anger. "Anyway, I need to see Ruby and the other before I go."

"Chevaliers..." The petite brunette woman uttered a single word who seemed to dominate the hall. Ruby and her team went silent immediately and weren't at all surprised when everyone else did, too. It was almost like her mother, in a way, the woman's uncanny ability to command the presence within a room. She would be like that one day as well… people listening whenever she spoke.

"Today we... will be holding introductory spars... as both an introduction to the rules and structure of the Knight Order, but also a chance for some demonstrations. As such, only the leaders of each team shall be competing... I will also let you know that I will watch the bouts most carefully. This is not a game, and to treat my lessons as such will result in swift punishment... Am I understood?"

"Yes, Lady Eliza!" every newly Dogmatic knight recruits echoed. Of course, they all knew better than to test the rumoured demon instructor.

"Good. Now Desmend and leader of Team March come up to the ring." Desmend, who was watching, could only groan at more fighting. Don't him wrong, he loves fighting as the next person, but this is getting old. Desmend didn't recognise the boy who strode up to face him in combat, though he looked to have almost a metre in height on him. Must not be human? He would obviously way older than him, too... ten years, by the looks of it, and no doubt much more experienced. The way he wielded his polearm suggested as much, the wicked blade on the top shimmering.

"All bouts ... will be until a participant's Vespa enters the red, at which point I shall call the match. Failure to heed my instruction will not be tolerated, nor will attacks that are deliberately intended to cause grievous harm... But, rest assured," the half dwarven girl's eyes flash ominously, "I will be watching, and I can intervene on a moment's... notice."

"Geez, Eliza, you want to hurt me that badly?" Desmend jokingly said the scary brunette. The new knights just stare at the foolish brave man. While the others just shake their heads at his shenanigans.

"You may begin," Eliza called out before stepping back, leaving Desmend to the mercy of his opponent.

The boy smirked and unsheathed his polearm. "Let's have fun, Desmend."

"I give up," Desmend instantly responded, yawning loudly.

Ruby, who was watching, could only shake her in frustration at his surrender. Clementine had to instantly suppress the urge to throw the judiciary she was sitting on at him... along with the other ten people still on it. What in Goddess name was he doing!? Not even her sister Eliza knew how to react, still stood with one handheld down – her face blank as she stared at him.

"My dude," his opponent called, "ya scared?"

"Yo…" Desmend answered, one finger coming up to scratch his cheek. "Anyway, I give up. Can I go to bed now... I got like 10 more hours left?"

The combat classes had been an eye-opening experience. At least for the Champion Diana. It raised more questions than it answered when it came to the Chosen One and King Desmend D. Dylan, who also just happened to be the biggest threat to her continued existence if he remembers her.

Why was so unmotivated being called King? Why was he able to backtalk to Eliza and Clementine so easily? How come he had such a strange aura around him? What was his relationship with Eliza and her sisters?

She would have to ask him more about it later. At the time, she was more concerned with the fact that he had justly forfeited his match against the boy.

More questions than answers... it was the story of her life at the moment. The bigger one was, of course, did he remember her, and if so, what did he intend with that knowledge? Their last encounter hadn't really convinced her either way. He'd come across as an idiot, a flirt, and a pervert. That, combined with how he'd acted out before initiation, had convinced her to avoid being paired with him at all costs.

She was used to running away. But maybe it was time she approached the problem head-on.

"Desmend". Diana called out, prompting him to look over. The Champion was standing behind the boy, hands clasped behind her back and a slight smile on her lips. "We need to talk."

"Hey yo," he flirted, greeted her, stopped talking to a chambermaid who was blushing like crazy and turning to face her, "you..."

Goddess, he is using that accent again, but nevertheless. The question was, how did she approach this? "Do you remember what I said to you when we first arrived at the capital?" His face scrunched up, electric blue-tinted eyes crossing as his very forehead seemed to writhe in agony. The gem on his forehead is giving off a faint glow.

Diana felt her own eyebrows rising as he seemed to actively struggle.

"Yeeeessss?" he said at last. Nodding his head and dragging out the word for a good three seconds.

"You don't remember," Diana sighed, "do you?"

"I could never forget you." He winked. "For that, you'd need to be out of my mind for even a second."

He is your King, and you need to free your mother, she sighed, so no, you can't kill him.

"Does the word..." Diana sighed, massaging her forehead, "train mean anything to you? Or" She observed his expression, waiting for that flash of recognition, the widening of his eyes.

"Yes." he shivered, making her muscles tense. "It's this scary thing. Clementine, Eliza, Tangerine and Aura are trying to impose on me. Well, that is a magical vehicle drawn by two Giga Horses. Is this a quiz? Cause I hate tests, Luv." Was he playing dumb, or was he just this dumb? Either way, she'd need to up the ante. It was time to be a little blunter.

"We met at Skyhold train yard." He looked at her questioningly, waiting for more.

"You saved me from a group of bandits." She waited for him to nod before continuing. "At the train yard."

His eyes widened, and she saw a flash of something in them. "I've met many people at Skyhold train yard," he said politically. "Some good, some bad, some indifferent, and many more."

"We met a little over eighteen days ago." She stared into his eyes, daring him to try and deny it.

"You'll have to narrow that down," Desmend smirked. "I've lost track of the exact date since I was trying to make Aura blush at the time."

"When you were with a woman?" she continued, feeling herself getting heated.

"You'll really have to narrow that down." Desmend sounded proud of that. It wasn't easy, but he managed to get laid finally. The South African boy doesn't know why the princesses are really trying to prevent him from having sex.

"You told me your name was Des," she said coldly.

"Oh yeah," he nodded, "I should probably introduce myself." His mouth opened as if it was ready to say something, but nothing came out.

"Desmend, you're with me now." She said firmly. "Your name is Desmend D. Dylan, and you're going to answer my questions."

"What makes you think that? Also, you have to narrow that down."

Diana blinked, confused. It was as if he didn't understand the meaning of sarcasm. He's the Chosen One. So why is he acting like this?

The raven-haired girl's cheeks darkened as she growled, "I saw you naked."

There was a brief silence before he burst out laughing.

"I suppose that does explain it." He snorted, then he coughed, "You'll... er... still have to narrow that down."

"I caught you having sex with a random woman on a train!" She finally snapped, hissing the words as loud as she could, resisting the urge to him. "And if you tell me you need me to narrow that down, I will throw you out that window!"

Desmend eyes widened, "I just wanted to get laid... Oh, it's you!" he coughed into one hand, face suddenly becoming serious. "I remember now."

Diana's breath hitched. Finally, he can to matters of her family and- "It must have been awkward for you. I'm sorry."

"What?" Diana asked, her voice cracking.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to... get you involved with... this." He glanced at her, eyes wide. "This is such a mess."

A mess?

"It was inexcusable," he shook his head before looking up at her. "I should have offered you the chance to join in. I'm sorry."

"Join in?" Diana asked, her voice sounding strained as she tried to keep it low...

"That wasn't what I meant!" she nearly howled. Damn him for making a fool of her, her cheeks were cherry red, and she wanted nothing more than to push him down onto a bed and smother him. With a pillow, she meant. Argh, now he was infecting her brain with his stupidity! Forget it. He wasn't playing dumb - he just was dumb. Stupidly, ridiculously, undoubtedly, moronic. "Just..." she sighed, "know that I will be watching you."

"Sure, sure." He smirked, "I'll be the best knight ever... And you sound like you've had more than enough fun watching me." He wiggled his eyebrows in a manner that made her want to cut them off. "But I do have one question."

"Yeah?" she glared at him, wanting to strangle the stupid idiot. "Go on."

"Who are you?"

The grand summoning circle in the mountain of Aurarock leads to a dungeon deep underground. This is the place where adventures fight with fantastic monsters and acquire their power. They're able to take these items back home and use them for their own purposes. But dungeons are pocket dimensions. Generally, it is a place rich with mana and resources, making monsters' existence a matter of course. People can visit a Biome through a Rift, a crack in space that can appear absolutely anywhere. It can occur at the top of a snowy mountain or at the bedroom of someone's house. Biomes can be a boon or a calamity. Boon in case finding an untapped goldmine. Calamity if the residents of the Biome are too strong and come out to feast.

Only the Kingdom of Aucrulethen has three dungeons that can enter through summoning gates. The three dungeons are: the Dungeon of Death Moutain, the Dungeon of Fae Forest, and the Dungeon of Beastial Planes. Each dungeon connection to the Kingdom of Aucrulethen brought many reishi crystals to the kingdom. At present, the four great dungeons in the Kingdom of Aucrulethen have closed off thanks to the power of the four lords. However, adventurers still go to the dungeons because they believe something is waiting for them inside.

Adventurers gather here and fight for the glory and wealth of the Kingdom of Aucrulethen. Every day, new adventurers appear in the city to test their strength against the dungeon monsters and become heroes who will save the world!

Too bad they failed, and now it's up to Desmend to reopen the gates to the Dungeon of Death Moutain.

And free an entire race of rock people and the dwarven cousin races and shiz.

"Uhh, nice day, don't ya think?" Harry noted, trying to help his princess start a conversation with the black-haired boy. Tangerine needs to get over how much the Chosen One turns her on. Unfortunately, all their attempts to be friendly so far were just met with the cold shoulder. Yulis signed at the healer's stubbornness.

So far, Desmend has changed all five princesses of the kingdom. Harry wonders if he would change the last two. Because he can't even remember that last time, Tangerine was ever stubborn!

"Yeah, it's lovely! Almost as lovely as this book I'm reading!" The girl said with fake enthusiasm, hoping the two would take the hint. However, when she noticed them still standing there, she continued. "Which I will continue to read." She let out an annoyed sigh when the two still stood there before getting her point across. "I'm not talking to him." She finished, emphasising the last word in case they still didn't get it.

"Princess", Yulis sighed, realising the girl clearly wasn't interested in talking to the Chosen before he went on his journey and more than a little offended by her new dismissive attitude. Harry looked as though he had something witty to say, but before he could say it, the sound of footsteps caught the brown-eyed knight's attention. Looking behind him, he saw Desmend walking towards the sliver-haired girl with a stone-faced look of determination on his face.

Still has the breathing mask on his face.

"Uhh… Your Majesty, what're you doing?" Harry asked, a little off-put by the unusually serious look on the ordinarily goofy guy's face. Even Yulis was caught off guard by his sudden shift in moods. Desmend, however, ignored the gay knight's question and continued walking towards the girl, raising his right hand as he did so.

This odd display finally got the attention of the sliver-haired girl, who looked up from her book to see her muscular Chosen One man on the pathway walking towards her with his hand raised, seemingly reaching for something on her head.

"Oh, my goddess?" The girl thought in panic, beginning to feel very uncomfortable with how close Desmend was getting. Got to remember to be mad at him.

Every fibre in the girl's being was screaming at her to get up and stop this guy before his hand reached her face, but for some reason, her limbs wouldn't respond. She felt like a deer caught in headlights! And so, she could only watch as the man's hand finally closed the distance to her face and…

How can the Chosen One kiss if...

*poke*

"Touched youuuuu~~!"

….Poked her nose?

Yes, in a move that rendered the silver-haired girl speechless, Desmend did something that caught her off guard entirely, and that was the simple action of poking her on the nose before hopping away from a few feet merrily. It seemed as though she wasn't the only one surprised by this turn of events either, for both Harry and Yulis were currently giving Desmend a look that bordered on pure bafflement and confusion. However, the Chosen One didn't care about the stares he was getting at long he could get his favourite princess to talk to him again.

"What~? Why are you giving me the silent treatment like this? Cat got your tongue or something?" Desmend asked the girl, who was still looking at him in shock and confusion.

"H-Huh? What? B-But I"

"Then try and be a bit more talkative!" Desmend interrupted, the joy he wore not fading in the slightest. "I'm just trying to be friendly here! Just try repeating this! HELLO~ How're you doing~?"

"HAPPY, JOY-PY, DAMNED PLEASED TO MEET YA!"

"HAPPY, JOY-PY, DAMNED MEASURED TO PLEET YA!"

Desmend continued his merry chant another time, unaware of the stares the various people in the summoning gate were giving him, as well as the looks of pure confusion on Harry's, Yulis, and Tangerine faces. Then, suddenly, he turned around and pointed towards the girl who wouldn't talk to him for a week, waving his fingers back and forth like a music conductor.

"C'mon everybody all together now: HAPPY! JOY-PY! DAMNED PLEASED TO MEET YA!" The black-haired boy finished happily, giving the silver-haired girl an odd, two-fingered salute. Then, after a moment of confused silence, Harry was the first one to speak up.

"Um, mate…?" He asked, a blank look on his face.

"Yeah, something the matter?" Desmend asked as he looked at the Tangerine, who was refusing to meet his eyes.

"Could you… explain to me just what in the hell you were doing just now? I'm kinda having a hard time comprehending it, to be honest." He asked, honestly not sure what to make of the situation.

"Well, I'm trying to cheer her up."

"Really? Wow, Chosen One, you really know how to talk to people. That was keen and stylishness of you." Yulis deadpanned, sarcasm dripping from her voice. Unfortunately for her, Her King seemed oblivious to the head maid's thinly veiled sarcasm.

"Thanks!" The Chosen One thanked, puffing his chest in pride at what he perceived as praise, which, in turn, caused the maid to slap her palm into her face in exasperation. She looked as though she was going to say something, but the sound of giggling cut off her train of thought. Looking towards the source of the noise, Everyone saw the third kingdom princess laughing lightly. She continued laughing for another moment before she took a deep breath and looked towards Desmend with a smile.

Yulis can't believe he managed to cheer up the girl. But then again, he couldn't be blamed for getting along well with everyone since he was the most popular person in the entire castle. People loved him, even if they didn't know why.

"Hey, Tangerine, how do I look?" Desmend asked the girl without using his accent this time.

"Damn! I might just end up going to hell because it must be a SIN to look this good looking~!" Desmend sang with pride as he took in his current outfit. Since the 2nd day of this week of training and with him being summoned to the dungeon at the end of the week was likely going to have a significant impact on his time at Aurarock and its clan leaders, the Chosen One wanted to wear his flashiest outfit to make a good impression on anyone he met.

Instead of his usual outfit, Desmend was currently dressed up in a light-blue/purple tank top with his regular jeans. On both his arms were a set of purple gauntlets with various jewellery adorned on each arm. On his left arm was just a large green bracelet, but on his right arm was a series of jewel-encrusted bracelets, which were all topped off by a gold watch. His Javelin pendent on his left ear and chose to apply leather armour set engraved to outfit.

"I gotta say, it feels good to look good!" Desmend claimed pridefully, and while some people would call the flamboyant brunette's outfit tacky if any of them said that to his face, they'd only get a punch to the gut for their troubles. Or he'd rob them blind or insult... or maybe just maybe all of the above.

"I wanted to leave a good impression on anybody I ran into today, so I got into my best outfit," Desmend explained before he gave his favourite princess a flirty smile. "So, what do you think? I look pretty hot when I'm dressed up, huh?" Desmend asked before he put his arms up in a cross-like formation, getting into another pose before looking to Tangerine expectantly, who was currently passed out after seeing his abs. Meanwhile, Harry and Yulis just laughed at how… flamboyant he looked right now.

"Why does she keep fainting around me?" Desmend wondered.

*CLUNK*

"-I welcome you all-"

*CLUNK*

"-warriors, and today, in the Aurarocks-"

*CLUNK*

"-Dungeon." Eliza grandfather finished explaining to all who was where on what the Chosen One would be doing, not showing any indication that he was bothered, or even noticed, the rhythmic sound of steel balls clacking against each other, taking the interruptions they caused in stride.

"Now, I'm sure-"

*CLUNK*

"... I'm sure many of you have-"

*CLUNK*

"-I'm SURE many of-"

*CLUNK*

"-Desmend!" Aura finally yelled; her patience eventually dried up. In response to hearing his name called out, Desmend, who had been absentmindedly playing with his Vespa clackers, looked towards the irate teacher with a disinterested look on his face. Clementine and Eliza look no less than pleased as their Older sister.

"Huh, yeah? What up?" Desmend asked, not noticing the ice-cold glares the three half-sisters was sending him.

"Will you PLEASE stop playing with those steel balls? I'm trying to explain on what your DOING!" The Elder Witch with the mommy milkers explained, barely able to keep her temper in check.

"Alright, sure. I would've stopped sooner if someone said something." Desmend said nonchalantly, not noticing the glares of the various clan leaders, knights, and Yulis, who DID try to say something but were promptly ignored.

"But I do have to say one thing, though."

"What?!" All three yelled at him.

"I'm being summoned now!" He said, and a bright light enveloped him. "Also taking the rare sword Clem... I will bring it back!"

"Desmend!"

He felt like he was falling without ever reaching the ground. No, wait, he is falling.

"What the actual fuck!" Desmend said in horror, free-falling from the sky.

Survive the first wave.

XOXXO~ The Goddess