16 - Help letter

The next day, as soon as I woke up, the first thing I did was open my status screen and see how much I had assimilated from the characters in the previous night's battle.

- Eric Lunaris -

Race: Human

GP: 14

- Character Assimilation -

Fully Assimilated: None

In Progress: [Percy Jackson - 16 -> 19%] [Johnny Cage - 35 -> 40%]

Summoned Characters:

Nami (3★)

Bolin (3★)

Powers:

Water Breathing (3★) ✅

Levitation Magic (2★) ✅

Hunter's Night Vision (2★) ✅

Tsunade's Healing (4★) ✅

Aura of Intimidation (1★) ✅

Sonic Scream (2★) ✅

Diamond Skin (4★) ✅

Equipped Items:

Raven Mask (1★)

Empty Poké Ball (1★)

Mario Gum (2★)

Ninja Smoke Bomb (1★)

Invisibility Ring (2★)

Batman's Tool Belt (2★)

Consumables:

Reinforcement Card (2★)

Speed Potion (1★)

Seeing that tonight's improvement wasn't as striking as my last training session had been, I wasn't disappointed.

Even if I had practiced a lot when killing monsters, it would be difficult to have an even greater growth than when I discovered the Chi in my body and started to learn how to use it.

But 5% in a single night of battles was already a great number.

Over breakfast with my parents, a piece of news he gave me had me a little worried and excited.

"Eric, we've just received a letter asking for help from Lord Genard, a small baron in the kingdom with information that might interest you." He said as he picked up a letter and handed it to me.

Curious, I took the letter and began to read.

"To King Aldric, Sovereign of Miralune,

I, Baron Renard Galven of Velholume, write with a heavy heart and a mind full of worry. In recent days, my land is facing something I have never seen before.

Wolves, but not like the usual ones, these beasts are huge, with eyes that glow like fire and fangs that look like blades. They are prowling the Grinnel Forest, near the city, and have turned a peaceful place into a nightmare.

Before, hunters and travelers strolled through without fear. Now, no one dares go near it. We've already had three attacks at dusk, with blood-curdling howls and trees broken like sticks.

Livestock has disappeared, and the villagers, who were already avoiding the night because of my warnings about other monsters, now live locked up, terrified.

I know it's a lot to ask, but I've come to respectfully beg for Your Majesty's help. Be it by sending soldiers, scouts or, if you'll pardon my boldness, Prince Eric himself.

Stories about his magic and power are going around, and I believe he could not only protect my people, but also find out what is causing this misfortune.

Miralune has always been a peaceful kingdom thanks to you, and that's why I dare to ask for help. I hope, with all due respect, that you can help us.

With respect and loyalty,

Lord Renard Galven

Baron of Velholume

Eastern Lands, Kingdom of Miralune."

This letter... while I was excited to hear about a different kind of monster appearing in the kingdom, I was worried about the threat and chaos they are causing to the population.

I was also surprised that news of my power was already spreading so quickly throughout the kingdom.

Even considering that the Miralune kingdom was much smaller than the great empires, it still happened much faster than I had imagined.

'Perhaps the celebratory feast my father threw caused nobles to leave informants in the capital to try and find out the reason for this confidence as quickly as possible?'

"What's the situation like in the other cities around the kingdom?" I asked worriedly.

But before my father could answer, my mother snorted in displeasure as she alternated her gaze between the two of us. "Darlings, this isn't the time to have such a heavy conversation, let's finish eating first."

Hearing this, my father and I smiled apologetically and continued eating, avoiding the subject.

As soon as the meal was over, my father and I went to his office and continued the conversation.

"Eric," he began, his voice firm, but with a weariness that was hard to hide, despite the relief caused by his recent discovery of my strength. "Now that you're more involved in this, and more mature, I think it's time to tell you everything the kingdom knows so far. Miralune is holding it together, but it's difficult. These monsters... goblins, kobolds, and now direwolves in Velholume... they're exhausting us."

I leaned back in my chair, feeling the weight of his words. "I know it's ugly, Dad. But how much damage have they really done?" I asked, wanting to understand the reality.

He walked over to the table, picking up a map of the kingdom that was marked with red ink. "Look here." he said, pointing. "Near Grinnel Forest, three villages have lost almost all their livestock. The goblins are stealing what they can and destroying the rest. In Thalor, a bridge collapsed after kobolds came over it, knocking down trees and rocks. No one has died yet, thank heavens, but we have families leaving their homes in the countryside, crowding the capital. The city has more people than it can support, and food stocks are falling fast."

I swallowed, imagining the wagons full of frightened people, crying children. "What about the guards? Can't they at least hold off the attacks?" I asked, even though I knew that normal soldiers didn't stand a chance against the monsters I was facing, but still with a little hope that numbers could make up for it.

He shook his head, sitting down in the chair opposite me. "The men are brave, Eric, but they're not you. They can fend off one or two goblins with luck, but against groups or these new wolves? It's like sending sheep against lions. We've lost five guards in the last week alone, trying to protect a caravan in Riven. And that's not counting the wounded who are crowding the healers."

I clenched my fists, feeling angry at the monsters and at myself for fighting so little here in the capital. "And the neighboring kingdoms, are they still refusing to help? Althar has powerful knights, and Cresthaven has better archers than ours."

My father laughed, but it wasn't funny. "I tried, son. I sent letters to Althar, Cresthaven, even to the distant kingdom of Voryn. They all refused. Althar said he's dealing with his own problems, it seems there are ogres in their mountains, monsters worse than the Goblins and Kobolds. Cresthaven replied that he can't send men without leaving the walls unprotected. And Voryn... well, they didn't even answer." He wiped his hands across his face in frustration. "Nobody wants to risk their own soldiers while these monsters are loose."

I remembered my trip on the ship a few days ago, when the old Eric went to try to negotiate with Elarion in person. "That trip..." I said, realizing that maybe there was something wrong with the trip where I took over Eric's body, and he nodded, already knowing what I was going to say.

"Exactly." he said. "You went out to get support, and what happened? A storm blew up out of nowhere and your ship sank. I lost ten good sailors, a great ship, and you almost..." He stopped, his voice breaking. "If it hadn't been for your blessing from the sea, I wouldn't have had another child."

I lowered my gaze, thinking of Ariel and how lucky I was that she had come along. "I know, Dad. But at least I'm back. What do we do now?"

He stood up, turning back to the map. "Tonight, we received news from Thalor and Lorne. They've managed to kill a few goblins with showers of arrows from the walls, but it's costing them dearly. Each goblin takes around twenty arrows to die, and the towns are running out. Here in the capital, it's also tight. We've saved a third of our stock for emergencies, perhaps a direct attack on the wall, but if we carry on like this, in two weeks there won't be anything left. And it's not just arrows. Forges are working around the clock, but swords are breaking, armor is crumbling, and iron is becoming scarce. The blacksmiths are using scrap metal to try and keep up."

I widened my eyes. "Scrap? How bad is it?"

"Yeah..." he said bluntly. "What's more, the merchants have stopped traveling to the northern villages for fear of the monsters. Without trade, taxes are falling, and I don't know how long we'll be able to pay the soldiers and buy food. The people are hungry, Eric, and afraid. If it weren't for you going out every night, killing these bugs, I think we'd have riots in the streets by now."

I felt a tightness in my chest, imagining the families I'd seen waving to me, now hungry and afraid inside their homes. "What about the origin of all this?" I asked. "Doesn't anyone know where these monsters are coming from?"

He shook his head, his gaze distant. "Nothing yet. Some mages from larger kingdoms have tried vision rituals, but they've only seen mist in the east, or so we've been told. Some say it's an ancient curse, others talk of a portal, stories of a mad witch, but no one can prove anything. All we know is that it started a month ago, and it's getting worse. The smaller villages are being abandoned, and the monsters are getting bolder, as if they know we're weak."

I stood up, feeling the weight of what he was saying. "So we're alone, Dad? Just me and the soldiers who can't fight back properly?"

He looked at me, and for the first time, I saw pride mixed with concern. "Not alone, Eric. You're doing more than anyone else could. But yes, for now, it's just us. That's why letters like this one from Baron Renard..." he pointed to a pile of parchments on the table "Letters like this are arriving every day. They're desperate, and they all want you."

I picked up the parchment, seeing Velholume's name again, but dated a week ago. In that letter there was no news about Giant Wolves, just simple Goblins and Kobolds. "They're evolving..." I muttered, thinking of the new monsters. "If I go there, who will protect the capital?"

"The capital can follow, Eric," he said seriously. "You're our best weapon, but you can't be in two places, so tomorrow I'll get the council together to try to bring in mercenaries, even if it costs a lot, and reinforce the surrounding villages with barricades. But until then, son, every night you go out, you're giving the people hope. Don't forget that."

I nodded, feeling that my duty was heavier than I had imagined. "I won't stop, Dad. I promise." But as I left his office, my head was full... the monsters, the arrows running out, the people hungry, and now wolves that seemed more dangerous than anything I'd ever faced. I knew my cards could help me, but for the first time I wanted more, more cards, more GP...

Maybe I could get a mobility power next time, something that would allow me to help more places at once, but that would have to wait until I'd recovered enough GP to make more rolls.

For now, I would deal with the monsters within reach, and more importantly, I needed to find a way to finish off the monsters in the territory once and for all.

--- Cat Notes ---

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