BXBX NOVEL Chapter 241 Gathering Of Paladins
1 day till the Odysseus, the Castle Gates.
Today, all the present paladins had been ordered to welcome the remaining paladins who would be making their appearance. There were currently 9 people standing attentively, waiting for the remaining members to come.
They stood in order of the most experienced, starting from the left with the Paladin of Nature. At his side was the Paladin of Water, Paladin of Space, Paladin of Light, Cursed Executioner, Paladin of Fire, Paladin of Steel, Cold Blizzard and Paladin of Jewels.
They had been expecting the last three members for quite some time. They were all off on very important missions and were amongst the most experienced and powerful members of the group, hence the level of respect.
Jasmine, who was getting kind of restless kept looking around. She was trying to communicate with Seiko who was the only one she was truly comfortable with, but he was ignoring her completely. The young man who stood next to her looked at her and smiled.
His black hair was cut short and left wildly unkempt, covering even his eyes. It was impossible to tell what his eyes looked like due to this, but he always wore a gentle aloof expression on his face. He was clad in orichalum armour, painted red with silvery edges. In his right hand, he held a powerful looking staff with a tiger head at the bottom and a very sharp blade with weird symbols stamped onto it.
She looked away from him bashfully, embarrassed to have been caught trying to communicate with Seiko.
“Hi there.”
“Oh, hi. Silas, right?”
She’d been told his name, but didn’t commit it to memory since she’d assumed he was not a person she’d interact with much.
“Yes. And you must be Jasmine. The new paladin everyone keeps talking about.”
“People talk about me?”
“Yes. They say you’ve got quite the mouth. Word of advice, control it before King Excelcior returns. He hates the noisy ones.”
Silas sent a warning her way. Jasmine gulped after receiving it and reminisced about the scary things she’d heard from everyone on how Excelcior was.
King of the Dhijan Hero Nation, the youngest man to ever slay a dragon at the tender age of 13, won his first war against Krull the War Monger, seven years ago, father of three exceptionally powerful princesses called the Hero Princesses and bearer of the moniker, the World’s Strongest Human.
There were many more feats he had accomplished, some too terrifying and simply unbelievable for Jasmine to accept as facts. From the collective information given to her by everyone, the King Excelcior was far too strict and terrifying a person to play around with.
She stood still for a few more minutes, but her hyperactive mind couldn’t take the silence an inactivity.
“Psst, Silas.”
“What is it?”
“Could you tell me about the others we’re expecting?”
“The Paladins of Lightning and Iron, Fubuki Hanma and Ajax the Iron Giant.”
“What are they like?”
At her question, Silas put his hand to his chin in thought.
“I’d have to call Fubuki a free spirit if anything. She is definitely one of the strongest paladins, but her nature makes her kind of difficult to deal with. The only one who can keep up with her is Ajax whose just as wild as she is if not wilder. He’s a Pixie Dwarf so you can guess how mischievous he is. Though his appearance may be terrifying at first sight.”
“So, she’s not as uptight as the others?”
She said while gesturing to the other paladins whose backs up straight and were staring into space attentively.
“I’d have to say no, but she can be terrifying. Trust me when I say you’ll prefer uptight to those two.”
Loud trumpets sounded, causing the two to stop their conversation.
“Seems like they’re here. Be on your best behaviour.”
Silas advised then returned to his original position. Jasmine did so as well and the corner of her eye looked at the massive gates that were wide open. The soldiers all run up towards the gate and held up their flags to salute the incoming person.
It was a woman with dirty blonde hair carrying a large pouch on her bag. Her clothes – simple leather armour over a tunic, fitting pants and boots - had multiple tears in them and were filthy, like a low-level adventurer’s gear. She hair was in a mess and she looked like she’d just come out of a tussle with something dangerous.
She grinned widely, showing them her white teeth and waving.
“Hey! You guys! I’m baaacccckk!”
There was a weird clinking sound that could be heard as she got closer. Jasmine wondered what it was, but she couldn’t determine what exactly it was. She scanned further and noticed that something was being dragged along behind her.
“Did they get into a fight again?”
“Seriously? Those two again?”
“I hope they did it in a forest this time.”
“Yeah, that village was completely wrecked the last time.”
Jasmine heard such things come from the other paladins. They were groaning about Fubuki fighting someone, but she had no idea who they were talking about.
When Fubuki came up, she met Jasmine first. Up close, Fubuki was a giant. Easily as big as Seiko, proof of her lineage with the New Kyoto Empire, but there was something odd about her. She didn’t give off the same energy Seiko and the Kazoku did.
Fubuki’s eyes dazzled when she saw Jasmine.
“You are such a cutie. What’s your name? How old are you? Do you like flowers? What’s your favourite food? Are you a newbie? What kind of magic do you use? What’s your height?”
She bombarded Jasmine with several questions that would normally overload someone. However, this kind of pace was more Jasmine’s speed. She saluted and breathed in.
“Thank you! Jasmine! 19 almost 20! Only the ones I make! Seiko-san’s roasted pork! Yes! Please take care of me! Jewel magic! I have no idea, but I’m not short, ok!? OK!?”
Fubuki froze up. Jasmine felt like she’d done something wrong and looked at the others, but they all stared at her with expressions that screamed, “WHAT JUST HAPPENED?”.
“Hahaha! I like this one! She’s got a nice fire in her! From now on, call me Fubuki nee-san!”
She patted her on the shoulder, filling Jasmine with a sense of relief. Her hairs stood on end at the prospect of meeting someone who could match her in terms of communication speed.
“Will do!”
“Oi, Silas! How’s your lightning magic coming along?”
Fubuki had already moved along to Silas, shocking even Jasmine. That was nothing however, compared to what she was dragging behind her. It looked like a mechanical humanoid she had trapped in a net and tied around her waist.
Jasmine couldn’t say she’d seen something like that, as it looked completely out of this world. Even Seiko’s guns that were apparently far ahead of their time looked like toys in comparison to this machine.
“My lightning magic should be on your level now.”
“Eh? No way. Maybe on the level I was a year ago, but my power’s skyrocketed, you know? We’ll have to check later. Here, I got you a Shandore Berry.”
She took out a fruit from her pouch and dropped it in Silas’ palm. Both Jasmine and Silas looked at the fruit and cocked their heads.
“Um… Fubuki… this is just an apple.”
“What? No way! It’s the super rare Shandore Berry I bought at a super deal for 10 gold coins.”
She said with a thumbs up. The fruit popped up in Silas’s hand and he just looked at her with his usual smile.
“I see you still lack common sense. I wonder how you survived the past year on your own.”
“Tch. Shut up, you shitty brat. Be like Jasmine-chan over there.”
She left him and went to Seiko. From her pouch, she pulled out two items. A sniper rifle and weirdly shaped gun that looked like it wouldn’t work under no logical means.
“1 Ban and 4 Ban.”
“Some obvious frauds tried selling me your guns. I beat them up and took them back. You need to stop playing these games with me.”
“Right where I wanted them to be. Good job finding them. Maybe the next time it won’t be so easy for you.”
In that moment, everyone had the exact same thought.
‘He still refuses to admit he lost them!’
Fubuki laughed and went on to the next person.
“Yay, Fubuki’s here.”
Charlotte sarcastically said with frazzled hands.
“Still the brightest lamp in the room, huh?”
“Not as bright as you, Fubuki.”
The blonde grabbed the scientist in a bear hug. Charlotte kept wailing and trying to break free from her captivity, but there was no winning against Fubuki in a contest of brute strength.
She finally let Charlotte down after the woman nearly lost consciousness, and delivered news.
“Oh yeah, apparently Renosue herbs aren’t used in poisons. They can only be used in healing potions and stuff, although they’re hard to come by.”
“You think I don’t know that? With my knowledge I can make anything into a poison. I want the renosue herbs in particular for a reason.”
“That so? I have a bag of herbs riiiiiigght… here.”
She took out a tiny bag from the inner part of her leather vest. Charlotte took the pouch, opened it then looked at the purplish herb. She smirked.
“This is good.”
“Stop doing that. You look like a criminal.”
With that, she passed on to the next person. The youngest member out of everyone present, Rulis the Cursed Executioner.
“How are ya doing, kiddo?”
“Oh my gosh! I’ve always wanted to talk to you, Fubuki san!”
“Eh?”
“I have several questions pertaining to the angel residing in me. Could we talk later?”
“Huh? Huh? HUH!? Rulis can talk now!? What happened?! When did it happen?”
“Last I checked Jeanne sent me to take care of something in Larm. I guess I hit my head really hard fighting that thing and n- we’ll talk later, I guess...”
There were several reasons as to why she couldn’t speak about such matters in the open, but the current reason was the fact that Fubuki lost interest and was already talking to Jeanne.
“Sister Jeanne! How have you been?”
“Fine by the grace of the gods, Sister Fubuki. I see you were quite busy the past year.”
“Yep. Doing our lords’ work.”
“We shall talk more later on over a cup of tea.”
Fubuki was searching through her pouch for something. Her hand came out through a hole in the pouch.
“I had a gift for you, but as you can see…”
“No worries.”
Jeanne excused her with a gentle motherly smile. Fubuki walked to the next person, Neburis who just looked at her with obvious irritation. Fubuki did the same and both just spent about five minutes glaring at each other before Fubuki walked to the next person.
“Looks like their relationship’s gotten better.”
Silas muttered and Jasmine failed to understand how that was in any way a good relationship. The only thing worse she could imagine was an all-out brawl between the two every time their eyes crossed paths.
“As captain of the Dhijan Nation Royal Guard, allow me to humbly welcome you to the Dhijan Nation!”
Veronica was in a salute and spoke with an uptight, authoritative voice.
“Come on, Ver- chan. We don’t need any formalities here.”
Veronica didn’t break her form.
“Apologies, but I cannot treat the Grand Master of the Holy Mexar Empire lightly.”
Fubuki heaved a sigh and walked over to the next person in disappointment. To this person, she bowed at a perfect 90 degrees.
“Eh? Eh? She’s the grand master? Why is she wearing such low gear then?”
Jasmine’s curiosity was officially piqued with this woman.
“It’s a bit of a long story. Consider her a child who does whatever she feels like.”
Silas answered in the easiest way he could imagine.
“Fubuki, your clothes are filthy. Go change from them and come wait with us for Excelcior.”
Yvon, the oldest and most experienced paladin rebuked her for her appearance. She took it quietly and left the giant piece of metal behind her to go take a bath.
“Huuh, what’s that thing?”
Jasmine pointed at it. Silas frowned and kept his gaze straight ahead.
“Make sure not to look at it, or you’ll be in trouble.”
“Eh? Seriously?”
“Yep. That’s Ajax’s exoskeleton. He’s absolutely terrifying when he comes out of it.”
Now Jasmine was even more curious. She wanted to take just a tiny peek. What exactly was so terrifying about Ajax’s appearance that all the paladins were trying to avoid seeing his face.
Fortunately for her, before she could take another glance at the lump of metal, a beam of light hit the floor in front of them. The earth beneath cracked and the entire palace shook mightily. Jasmine moved her hands to her weapons, but Silas grabbed her and shook his head as a little warning.
When the light passed, there was a man on his one knee. He looked up and observed the entire group with his green glowing eyes. The light from them disappeared as the man slowly stood up. He was a behemoth of a man… normal sized men that is.
He wasn’t as tall as Seiko, but he looked more muscular. Some parts of his armour were either broken, missing or torn right through, leaving his wounded body exposed to the world. Blood streaked down his forehead and from his lips.
The sword he held in his hand had no blade. Simply its handle.
Jasmine was very confused by the sight.
This newcomer looked at the bladeless sword and dropped it on the ground.
“Neburis! Jeanne! Rulis! My dear daughters! Come give your father a hug.”
“Excelcior, your appearance is appalling. Unfit for the leader of the most powerful human kingdom.”
Yvon’s eyes cringed and his disgust became too thick for anyone to dismiss. They all took a few steps back as Excelcior went closer.
‘He stinks…’
“Ugh, couldn’t have at least taken a bath while fighting in the winter zone?”
The one to say this was Neburis who’d pinned her nose to stop the stink.
“Neburis! Come over here. I got you a gift.”
“I refuse.”
A quick rejection.
“I thought you said no one could speak to him like that.”
Jasmine whispered into Silas’ ears.
“Well, Neburis is his daughter and Yvon is the oldest, so I guess there’s a difference between us and them.”
“Excelcior!”
“I hear you, I hear you. Please all of you, prepare yourself. This might be the most important Odysseus of our lives. Especially considering the fact that the demon lord is now dead.”
“You’re not supposed to spout such things in the open… whatever. Just get dressed. I have other urgent matters to address.”
<A/N: There\'s so much I want to shove in, but I can\'t. Or we\'d be looking at a minimum of 3k words per chapter.>