Chapter 30 - A Grand Scheme (3)

"Now then, let's get down to business," The god in front of me then grinned and opened his palm to the seat in front of the both of us, "Shall we?"

"Right…pardon me then," I said sliding into the seat, before continuing on i straightened the jacket of my suit in nervousness," So as I'm sure you already know, I've come to ask a favor of you."

"I know, and the favor you want to ask is for me to tell you the location of the divine power, and the contents of the test, correct?" He asked.

"Yes, if it's not to much for me to ask," I said.

"Haha, of course, it's not, i would love to be of assistance in this matter, I get to be of help after all," He teased.

"Well, i'm glad you feel that way, but please don't talk to me that way, it makes me feel uncomfortable."

"...My apologies, Anyways! So, the location of the divine power huh? I must say the power and ability for this one is not very easy to control, especially when you try to make it weaker," He teased while bringing out a file from who knows where, "Now, about it's location…you might like what you are about to hear."

"What do you mean? It's not like it's on a volcano that's about to explore or anything right…right!?" I asked a little panicked.

"...Maybe? BUT, but, it isn't about to erupt, in fact the volcano has been rather dormant for around 30 years, so it should be fine, and another plus factor is that it isn't at the top of the volcano just in a little cave in the side of it!"

"..."

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Haaaa, THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT ANY BETTER!" I shouted in a manner of disbelief.

'This bastard god really thinks that i'm crazy enough to hike up a FUCKING VOLCANO!?'

"You know that i can hear you're thoughts right?" the god suddenly said.

"Good, then you should know exactly how I feel about the current predicament!" I expressed.

"Well it's not like I can do anything about it, plus if I move it there is a chance of the fire god coming and kicking my ass, which I for one, don't want to have to experience," He said.

"One, she is currently sealed if I remember correctly, and two; you are the god of Order and space, so I doubt she could really do something to harm you," I recalled and said while spreading my arms, pointing out that we are currently in a void space.

"You never know, I mean, that little gremlin is quite persistent when angry, or in the mood to see some bloodshed," He paused and looked as if he was trying to recall something.

"I'm well aware of that, but can we please get back on topic?" I scolded.

"Alright, alright, you want to know the contents of the test as well right?"

"Yes, I very much do want to, if you be so kind and get straight to the point!"

"Right, i will, just let me get to that page!" he said while flipping to the next page of files, "Okay, the contents include…"

"What? Why'd you pause?" I asked.

"Huh, that's very odd, it doesn't say the content to the test…"

"What do you it doesn't say what the test to get it includes?"

"Here," he said handing me the papers for me to look at, "that part is blank, while everything else is filled in, odd isn't it?"

"Quite, is there perhaps a problem with the test then, or maybe the person who wrote this just made a mistake," I tried to reason.

"Impossible, the goddesses of knowledge wrote these themselves, i'm pretty sure they would make sure to not leave anything out," the god in front of me explained with a puzzled expression.

"Then that would be odd," I agreed, "Well since that's over, there is one more thing-"

"OH! Look at the time, it appears that our meeting has to be cut short, such a shame, but i good rest of your night! Ah! And one more thing, don't go to the test place alone!" He said hurriedly before zapping me out of the space and into the room i was staying in.

"..."

'BITCH ASS GOD!'

***

The next day i summoned Arwan to my quarters to speak with him about going the location of the divine power with me, to which he seemed quite giddy about, i presumed it was because it was just the two of us going, but i decided to ignore that fact.

Arwan then started to question me on what he should bring, to which my reply was the same, "Only bring the essentials, and maybe your sword and an additional weapon that you can keep concealed," I replied.

"Are you sure that, that's all we'll need? I mean, i want to know that you are protected and that i have the proper things to protect you with," Arwan worried.

"Arwan please, i'm sure you know by now that you are fully capable of protecting me with just a sword, and i am also fully capable of protecting myself, so we really don't need to bring a lot of things, its just a few short days up to the side of the volcano and then down again," I reassured him, not wanting to hear any of his bantering anymore.

"Alright, i will trust you for now, but My liege if you get even a scratch on you, i will be carrying you on my back for the rest of the hike!" He announced.

"Haaaa, for the last time Arwan, i can take care of myself," I sighed while rubbing my temples, "Now, get out of my quarters and tell Victor of our plans, after that i want you to get your things together, we will leave at sunrise tomorrow."

"Understood!" He said before bowing and leaving the room.

'Haaaa, I swear, these people are going to drive me crazy one of these days.'

I went back to bed after the conversation and woke up in the late afternoon, due to my adventures the night before i was feeling quite tired throughout the whole day.

My day went like this; Wake up, get ready for interacting with people i don't want to(Minus Vendetta), get brunch with Vendetta and Victor, go to a strategy meeting with the other captains in attendance, go to dinner, then have more meetings.

Pretty boring and stressful if you ask me, so as soon as i returned to my quarters i immediately got dressed into my pajamas and went to sleep, though before i could fall asleep Arwan came to my doors wanting me to check his luggage, to only be turned away with a weary curse.

I woke up at sunrise the next day and immediately left my room in the outfit and bag i had prepared a few days before, i went to the place Arwan and i agreed to meet at, where i saw him standing next to the piller of the trining ground arena.

"My liege!" He said in a daze when he noticed me walking up to him, "Good morning!"

"Yes, good morning Arwan, were you waiting out here for long?" i asked, not wanting him to have been out in this heat for very long.

"No, not at all, but thank you for you're concern, a servant like me is undeserving of it," Arwan said in a humble tone.

'Huh?! Has he been out in the heat so long that he's started to go crazy?'

"Um, Arwan…are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, why do you ask?" Arwan assured me, tilting his head in confusion.

"Its just that you're not acting like how you usually do, so i thought that maybe something might be wrong," I explained trying not to sound rude.

"Oh…this how i usually act, I just realized that i had not been using the same manners i usually do, i hope you forgive me my liege, for i was being insolent due to what happened on that night, i got ahead of myself, so please feel free to punish this insolent servant as you wish too," Arwan said, sounding like someone who was talking about their most favorite thing in the whole world.

"...Haaaaaa, there's no need, and its not like you have committed a grave crime, especially not one worthy of death…I forgive you, so feel free to act like yourself around me, or like how you would want to act around me," I reasoned.

"If you say so, please let me take you're bag, and if you are ready to go then i am as well," He responded.

We then departed to Eruption mountains, boring name right? Well the author of "How to Kill Demons Without Dying" didn't exactly put the most creativity into the names of some places. 

Anyways, as we reached the bottom of the mountains we were greeted by the scene of several small mountains and then a big mountain that was surrounded by them.

'Damn that mountain is as big as Mount. Fuji is…for the love of the gods of this world, please tell me that isn't the place we have to hike!'

Right as i had that thought i felt a little vibration in the spatial bag i brought with me, i turned my head to my side and pulled out what i guessed caused the vibration, and i turned out to be a map, of the valley of mountains right in front of me.

"Perfect timing huh?" I mumbled to myself.

"Is something the matter your grace? Oh, what's that?" Arwan stopped and asked, turing around to walk back over to me and immediately stopped in front of me.

"Nothing, it's just a map of the mountain range, and showing the path of where we need to go, come on, i know which path to take now," I said walking past him.

The map did indeed show the mountain range and where the divine power was, but it also showed all of the paths to it, which got a little confusing, since it also showed what was on those paths.

Some of the examples being; a cave full of man eating bats, a path full of zombie skeletons, a path with a dragon…excetera, and they were all shown with little drawings that had a key on the bottom left corner of the map, and in the other corner a p.s.

The ps said "Courtesy of you're favorite god Hunapo, enjoy!" with a little chibi self portrait of him holding up a peace sign.

'Oh, so thats the asshole gods name, i'll be sure to look him up later to try and get some dirt on him.' i thought, making sure to give myself a mental note of that.

***

It had been a few hours since we started our hike and so far we have encountered salamanders, goblins, and a small pond full of piranhas. And thankfully Arwan took care of all them, so i just got to "Sit back" and enjoy the journey.

The sun was currently setting, so Arwan and i were currently looking a cave to spend the night in, one that was preferably not occupied by some monster or any other aggressive animal.

We were searching for around half an hour before we found a cave just big enough to set up base and do a bit of reconnaissance before we got out sleeping bags out and set up a campfire to start dinner.

"Tomorrow we need to pack up as fast as we can and head out, then we'll reach a fork in the road where we will need to go west through a cave, that cave is the safest bet for us for now," I said.

"Okay, but um, Myliege forgive me for asking this, but how exactly do you know where to go?" Arwan asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"...I happened to come across a map that had all of the possible paths on it, it also shows what lies ahead on them, so i've been using it this whole time to take the path that i've deemed quickest and safest," I said, trying to think up a good enough lie for how i got the map.

"Oh! My apologies, I was having a few doubts so I wanted to confirm somethings," He admitted.

"Mm, well i hope that information helped clear them up."

"Yes, they did, thank you My Liege."

"Sure, just go to bed and make sure to get enough rest, i'll take first watch, and don't worry, i'll wake you up about halfway to switch out," I reassured him.

"Alright, goodnight you're grace…"

"Mhm, good night Arwan."