Chapter 3: King Raymond

Chapter 3: King Raymond

The king's private room

We enter the room following behind the king. It has 2 luxurious couches facing each other in the center of the room with a low table in-between, like a coffee table from my old world. The second the knight closes the door, the king dives onto the couch, sending his crown flying.

"Aaaaah! So stressful."

It seems he only wears the square crown for formal occasions, he wasn't wearing it in the forest. I look at the knight she has her palm over her face looking exacerbated, as if she is thinking

'There it is' she lets out a heavy sigh all the life drained from her face.

When I turn back to face the king, he is sitting upright now gesturing me to sit down.

"Sir Kaijuu, please sit down. Be at ease and let's discuss the rest comfortably."

He looks up sharply at Shanon as soon as I sit down.

She jumps.

"I forbid you to raise any objections as it pertains to Sir Kaijuu's behaviour or speech"

She then bows and takes her place next to me. As in right next to me!!. I move away a bit crossing my arms in front of me. She notices this then looks at me. Then beams that scary smile again.

The king clears his throat. We both face him again.

"As I was saying before, my daughter Roka."

He holds up his hand again just as Shanon looks like she wants to say something.

"She certainly is a genius, however..." 

He sighs again.

"If only I never made that bet with her, she'd still be.. "

Shanon relaxes like she can see her concerns got through.

"Sir Kaijuu, let me tell you a bit about Roka if you'll indulge me...

You see she scored nearly full marks in all of her practical as well as theoretical exams on etiquette, but outside of class she stubbornly refuses to act ladylike. When I reprimanded her on her behavior, back when she barely passed those same exams in an effort to get kicked out of class whilst avoiding punishment from me I assume. She challenged me and said that if she showed me she didn't need those classes she could be free to do as she pleased until I can find her a husband. I got angry and agreed on the 

condition that she scored higher than anyone else."

He sighs again. He collects himself. Thinks for a bit.

"As for you other request about the doors, I'll have those replaced within the week. Ah!"

He crossses his fingers in front of his face

"The other door you mentioned"

I can feel my face get real hot. As I hold my hand to keep her from hearing me, she leans over with her hand to her ear, the king leans forward.

"The woman's bathroom"

They both go white as sheets again with eyes wide open.

"Huh!?" 

The king looks dumbstruck. Shanon pulls her upper body away, holding her hands in the air away from me. She then skitters away from me to the far side of the couch looking at me like like I'm some kind of creep. 

I'm not I swear!!

You see 2 nights ago I got up to go to the bathroom and the men's and women's toilets both open to the outside. While it was still dark I walked into the corner of said door. 

I almost cursed, but I thought as I regained my composure, I am awake now anyways so as per usual I opened my status to see the damage. At first everything looked normal except for there was no damage. I checked and it showed full 1024/1024 (Full). When I looked closer. I hit the door pretty hard. I noticed a bit of red past the bar visual. At the time I was like, whatever time to sleep. I turned around and went back to bed. Then the urge to pee hit me again. Don't you just hate it when that happens? Anyways the next morning everything was back to normal, 1024/1024. No red past the bar. This kept bothering me until lunchtime, after I ate I fell asleep. Then woke up in the middle of the night. I went to that door again, sneaking while looking around making sure no one's around. It finally hit me 'This must be a Half life Door'

So I opened up my status. 1024/1024. I opened the door hard and slammed myself in the face with the broad side. I checked. 1023/1024. This is weird. Maybe it only works on the corner. 

I work up my courage and hit my head on the corner like before. Lightly at first, nothing, no change. Then harder and then harder again. When I checked my status each time there was no change except for the last impact.

My health was 1024/1024 again. 

'One more time'. I slammed my face again then looked. 1024/1024. This time the little red past the bar was back. This confirms it, this corner of the door does -1 damage, and it seems that it can give you HP above the max. 

A bug. I have to get this door to confirm... But wait won't they think I'm crazy creepy for requesting the women's toilet door. I think for a bit.

I've got it, I'll ask for another door and then when I'm asked to explain I can say 'I like doors'.

Brilliant, yeah! 

Not so much.

Back to the current conversation. Shanon was still creeped out anyways.

Don't look at me like that!. I jump up facing her, flailing my hands

"I'm not a creep!"

I take a step forward. She retreats, jumping over the side hiding behind the couch keeping her eyes suspiciously on me.

I freeze.

"I see."

I look at the king, he has his eyes closed with his hand on his chin. deep in thought

"I can see why you wanted to make this request in private." 

The king looks up at me, then notices her.

"Sit back down"

She gets up slowly sidesteps to her left like she's got her back to a wall. 

I look at her. She freezes. She then slowly sits at the very edge of the couch 

arms crossed ready to defend. I look back at the king. I stay silent.

"Do you perhaps like doors"

Shanon has an Ah-ha moment and slowly drops her guard.

"Y-Yes!" 

Oh crap! my voice went unnaturally high as I answer. I look over she has her hand on her chin looking at me suspiciously. 

The king claps his hands together snapping us both out of our thoughts.

"Alright then, Granted" 

Granted! really you believe me! Seriously.

"Really?"

"Yes"

"You are my benefactor after all, Sir Kaijuu"

Ah- my king. I'm so moved I wanna cry. The king looks up at the door.

"Enter"

The door opens, it's the head assistant. Wait I didn't hear a knock. Was he waiting outside 

this whole time? As I contemplate this he silently made his way behind the king.

He leans over. I hear *gotcha gotcha gotcha whispers again.

"Understood my king, I'll make the arrangements."

"And Roka?"

"She's currently at the new section"

The king sighs again.

"Well Sir Hero, I won't do you the discourtesy of lying, so instead of explaining I'd like you to meet the princess right now, even if it will make a bad impression. If afterwards you'd like to reconsider, I would understand. In that case please choose someone else. However I must insist we at least put on a show of handing you a bride, as is our custom."

"Before that your highness, why can't I hear what you are saying when you whisper, all I can hear is a gotcha gotcha gotcha sound" 

The king points up.

"Ah That is part of my kingly blessing from above, It's called encrypted speech"

He opens his palm revealing a Magic Circle.

"When I hold my hand up, only the person to whom I'm speaking can hear me."

I want one, that can be very useful.

"Well then let's depart, shall we"

We leave.