Nodding at his perfectly valid question, Enyo, with a completely straight face, said, “I’m hoping that I can pass through the gate if I’m with you.”
So that was it. She was banking the entirety of her favor on the off-chance that she might be able to slip through the gate with him. There was no proof that she could. In fact, there was nothing in the history books that even mentioned heroes returning to their previous world after they’d been summoned. However, she was willing to take this one in a million chance that it would work.
“What if you can’t pass through the gate?” he had to ask.
Enyo’s self-deprecating smile was not the kind that he wanted to see on anyone, much less someone who, up to this point, seemed to be quite kind.
“Then at least I’ll have done a good thing by letting you return to the place you belong,” she said.
To that, Jacob could say nothing. What could he say? She was essentially telling him that she would help him, and that there was a possibility that she would get nothing out of it.
During his time traveling across the land, Jacob had saved many people. He’d asked for nothing in return. As a hero, he had accepted that this was how it should be. Now he was having someone who may or may not get something out of helping him, but she was going to do it anyway. How was he supposed to feel?
“Jacob?”
“Hm? Yes?”
With her hands resting on her lap, Enyo squirmed underneath his cloak. “W-will you help me? Please?”
Jacob took a deep breath. “Yes, I will help you.”
Enyo’s eyes went wide. “You will?”
“Yes.”
“That’s great!” Enyo stood up and raised her hands in the air. She seemed to have forgotten that underneath the cloak, she wasn’t wearing anything except a pair of panties. “Thank you so much, Jacob! I promise, no matter what happens, I’ll make sure you return home.”
Jacob looked away. “That’s, um, nice and all, but maybe we should, ah, buy you some clothes first.”
“Clothes?” Enyo didn’t seem to understand, not for several seconds, at least.
She looked down. Then she looked back at Jacob. Then down again. Back at Jacob. Down once more. After doing this several times, Enyo finally seemed to have realized what he meant.
Her screamed nearly burst Jacob’s eardrums.
***
There were numerous clothing stores in Albany. However, Jacob only went to one store for anything clothing related.
Justine’s Seams sold both men’s and women’s clothing, and the seamstress, Justine, was excellent at patch jobs. Jacob had been wearing the same leather pants for over a year now thanks to her.
As he and Enyo entered the store, a middle-aged woman with slightly graying hair and crow’s feet around the eyes and mouth greeted them, her long brown skirt swishing as she spun to face the two.
“Welcome to—oh, Jacob. What are you doing here? Did you rip your clothes again?”
In the face of Justine’s almost childish pout, Jacob could only raise his hands and smile. “No, no. Nothing like that. I’m actually here because she needs clothes.” He hiked a thumb at Enyo, who was busy looking around, still dressed in his cloak. “Her last pair were… lost. Think you can help her?”
Justine took one look at Enyo, and then she looked back at Jacob. She squealed.
“I can’t believe it! You’ve finally found a girlfriend after all this time!”
“Wha…?” Enyo and Jacob said at the same time.
“Oh, this is so great! I’m so happy for you!”
“Um,” Jacob started, “I think you’ve got the wrong idea about us—”
“I was beginning to wonder if you would ever settle down. I’m glad to see that you’re finally starting to take your life seriously.”
Okay. Jacob was beginning to get annoyed now—and Enyo was blushing up a storm. It was time to put a stop to this.
“Hey! You’ve got the wrong idea about us!”
Justine stopped gushing and stared at him. “What?”
“Enyo and I aren’t dating,” he said, running a hand through his hair. Enyo nodded alongside him. Her face reminded him of a fire truck. “She’s just an… acquaintance.”
“An acquaintance?”
“That’s right.”
Justine looked at Enyo. “Is this true? You’re really not his lover?”
With cheeks that could’ve outshone a crimson flame, Enyo nodded. “Y-yes. He and I only met two days ago, so there’s no way we could be lovers.”
For reasons that Jacob couldn’t begin to understand, Justine’s shoulders slumped as though she was mightily disappointed. “Way to get my hopes up. Thanks a lot.”
“I’m sorry you have such an unhealthy interest in my love life,” Jacob responded with the best sarcasm money could buy. “Now, if you could do me a favor and help Enyo find some clothes, I’d be much obliged.”
“All right. Fine. Come here, Enyo. Let’s find you something cute to wear.” Justine grabbed Enyo by the hand and dragged her off. “We’re going to find something so sexy, it’ll knock that stick in the mud’s socks off!”
“I think you mean knock the socks off that stick in the mud,” Jacob muttered before he realized what she was saying. And find something normal, please! Normal!”
“Yeah, yeah!”
As the two disappeared deeper into the store, Jacob found a wall to lean against and crossed his arms. There was nothing to do now but wait. He really hoped Justine wouldn’t find something outrageous for Enyo to wear.
“I always liked that old woman, even though she’s not hot,” Durandal chimed.
“I swear, between you and that woman, my life has been nothing but misery.”
“I think you like that we’re so interested in your personal life,” Durandal said.
“You mean my sex life,” Jacob rebutted. “And I don’t like it. I wish you’d both shut up.”
“If ya really wanted us to shut up, ya could have made us done so easily enough. The fact that ya never actually make us be quiet is proof that ya like it.” Durandal’s hum contained a metallic quality. “I wonder if that makes you an M.”
Jacob twitched.
Several minutes after he started waiting, shouts emerged from deeper within the store.
“H-hey! What are you doing?!”
“My, my, my. You have a lovely figure, Enyo.”
“S-stop staring at me like that!”
“He he he, I’ve got just the thing for you! This outfit will be sure to knock that prude flat on his ass!”
“Wait? You want me to wear that?!”
“Yep! Now let’s put it on!”
“No! I don’t want to wear that! What are you—noooooo!!!”
Jacob strained to listen as Enyo’s shouts were reduced to incoherent gargling before they disappeared altogether. He waited for several seconds on bated breath. Nothing happened. He then waited some more. Nothing happened. What was going on over there?
Seconds later, Enyo and Justine emerged from between several racks of clothes. Jacob could do nothing but gawk.
Enyo was wearing something that he wasn’t entirely sure could be called clothing—unless the person saying it was being really polite. He wasn’t even sure if it could be called underwear either. It was more like several straps of strategically placed leather. It covered her nipples, her crotch… and nothing else.
She was also wearing black garters.
A grinning Justin gestured grandly at Enyo, who did her best to cover herself. “Ta-da! What do you think? Sexy, isn’t it? Doesn’t it just make you want to ravish her?”
“I love it!” Durandal shouted. “Justine, you’re a genius!”
“Aren’t I?” Justine puffed up her chest in pride.
“I thought I said something normal!” Jacob shouted.
“This isn’t what I wanted to wear! Now I’m wearing even less than when I had nothing but underwear on!” Enyo cried at the same time.
It took
nearly fifteen minutes of arguing, Jacob chucking Durandal into the street, and he and Enyo ganging up on Justine to convince the woman that they wanted normal clothes. Finally, Justine had agreed. She’d been pouting the whole time.
What Enyo ended up with was an outfit that reminded him of a swashbuckler. Her brown pants were rather form-fitting and creaked as she moved. They flowed into a pair of knee high boots, which were held together with straps. Her off-white shirt stopped at the elbows, revealing her pale skin, and thrown over the shirt was a leather bodice several shades lighter than her pants. A belt went around the whole thing, though it seemed more for show than because she needed it.
“I’m glad we were finally able to get that woman to help you into some normal clothes,” Jacob said as he picked up the complaining Durandal.
“What the hell’s the big idea, Partner?! Ya think ya can just throw me on the street and expect me to—oof!”
“Shut up,” Jacob said after slamming Durandal against a wall.
“I’m glad, too,” Enyo said as she looked down at herself. “Though I’ll admit that even these seem a bit too immodest. I feel somewhat exposed.”
“You shouldn’t feel embarrassed. Those look good on you.”
“R-really?”
“Wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it,” Jacob replied to her embarrassed question with a shrug. “Let’s keep shopping. We still need to get you a weapon.”
Enyo had been trained to dual-wield daggers, and she was apparently quite good at it, according to her.
“I don’t mean to brag, but my former maid trained me how to fight using daggers ever since I was a little girl. I’m quite formidable.”
“You don’t say.”
Jacob had no clue if she was being honest or not, but he decided to let sleeping dogs lie. There wasn’t much point in arguing. He would see her skills eventually in either case.
They went to the nearest blacksmith and picked out a pair of daggers. There was nothing special about the ones they bought. They were just a plain pair of daggers made from steel, but it wasn’t like they could get anything better. Blacksmith around here usually carried weapons that were decidedly average. If someone wanted something stronger, they needed to either go to an enchanter, a master blacksmith, or find a legendary weapon in a dungeon.
There weren’t that many master blacksmiths, and in fact, Jacob only knew of one. However, he was far from here. It was too far out for them to travel to, especially since he didn’t know their first destination yet.
Jacob also bought her a pair of sheaths, which she strapped lower back so that the daggers hung off the small of her back. She said it would allow her to draw them more quickly and in secret. Having been attacked by more than one dagger-wielding assassin, Jacob knew this to be true. This also meant she really did have training, or at least theoretical knowledge.
After they returned home, he and Enyo took turns bathing. The bath was a simple thing. It was just a tub. Jacob fortunately had several water and fire fairies who helped him draw the bath. After they were done, the two adjourned to his bedroom.
“The key that you mentioned before,” Jacob began as he searched through his chest, “wherever you hid it, that should be our first stop. There isn’t much point traveling to Avant Heim if we can’t even unlock the gate, right?”
“Right,” Enyo agreed. She sat on the bed. Jacob could feel her eyes on him as he pulled out a large scroll and stood up. “I hid the key away inside of a cavern located near the edge of a deep ravine.”
Jacob set the scroll on the desk and unfurled it. The scroll was old. The edges were frayed. However, the map detailed within the pages was impressive, showing everything in Terrasole with a high level of detail. “Do you know which ravine?”
Enyo stood up and shook her head. “No. I’m not familiar with the geography of Terrasole, but I do remember that the ravine had a strange feeling to it. I felt like there was always someone looking over my shoulder. It kind of creeped me out, to be honest, but that’s why I hid the key there. I thought that feeling would keep other people away.”
Nodding at her description, Jacob studied the map. Terrasole was shaped like a crescent. To the south was the Tenebrae Mountain range, which spanned one side of Terrasole to the other, essentially splitting the continent in half. It also separated this country from the darklands, home of the dark clan. The rest of Terrasole was surrounded by the sea. Avant Heim, the capital, was located at the furthest point of the crescent, right in the center.
“That sounds a lot like Kyöpelinvuori,” he muttered.
“Is that the name of the ravine?” Enyo asked.
“Yes. Kyöpelinvuori is a ravine surrounded by thick forests. It’s said to be home to damned spirits who were unable to cross over. Supposedly, the spirits all congregate there because there is a gate that leads to the underworld deep inside of the ravine.”
From the way Enyo shivered as if she’d caught a sudden chill, she’d had no idea about Kyöpelinvuori’s history and the rumors surrounding it. By the goddess Alaya, this girl really didn’t know anything about Terrasole. It was a wonder she’d managed to find him.
“Kyöpelinvuori is about two weeks travel from here,” Jacob continued. “There are several cities along the way, so at least we’ll have a place to rest. We’ll begin our journey tomorrow.”
“Sounds good,” Enyo said. She paused, and then, in a hesitant voice, said, “and Jacob?”
“Hm?”
Enyo gave him a smile that could have parted storm clouds. “Thank you for agreeing to travel with me. I promise, I won’t let you down.”
It took everything Jacob had not to smile back. He couldn’t allow himself to smile. He couldn’t allow himself to get close to her. There was still a chance that this was all a ploy to stab him in the back later on down the road.
“You’re welcome. Now, I have to open my bar soon. Since the knights have been asking about you around town, I’d like you to remain here. I’ll come up a little later with some dinner.”
“Right!” Enyo nodded.
The last thing Jacob saw as he shut the door, was Enyo’s smile, which remained as bright as the sun during midsummer.
INTERLUDE I
A QUEEN’S WOES
Alice Lannister D'arche was the reigning monarch of Terrasole, though she rarely felt like a ruler these days. Day in and day out her council undermined her authority, overturned her laws, and disregarded her words. Thanks to them, even her most loyal and cherished friend, the man whom she had loved, had abandoned the kingdom and left for lands unknown.
It was late afternoon. Rays of sunlight filtered through the windows of the hall that she strode down. Refractions caused the polished marble tiles to glitter. Her footsteps echoed along the hall, which was empty of life, save that of her own and her maid’s. Within the numerous windows that she passed by, Alice could see her reflection.
Many people had often praised her as the most beautiful maiden in Terrasole. Compliments were heaped upon her golden locks, which sparkled with an effervescent sheen as it descended from her head in many drill-like curls. Her figure was considered the stuff of legends. Many a noble had proclaimed that her body was like that of a goddess, with elegant and womanly curves that sensualized the epitome of womanhood.
Looking at herself in the window’s reflection, Alice could only wonder where people had come up with such farfetched flattery.
“My lady?”
Being mid-day, Alice had just finished eating a light lunch provided by her servants. That morning, like all mornings, she had allowed her people to come before her and speak their minds or make requests. As always, the only people who’d come were nobles.
Why is it that none of the commonwealth comes to speak with me anymore?
“My lady?”
There had been a time where commoners would travel to her doorstep, stand before her, and report on what was happening to her people, or express concern for something that was happening or not happe
ning. Now the only people who came were nobles with complaints. It was a distressing state of affairs, to be sure.
“Queen Alice!”
Alice nearly jumped when a shout blasted in her ears. She looked around, seeking out the source, before realizing that the source was none other than her maid.
“Oh, Listy… you startled me.”
“Considering I have been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes, you should not be so startled, My Queen.”
Elizabeth Troule, or Listy for short, was a busty young woman with auburn hair that she always kept in an artful bun. Her elegant dress accentuated her figure, tight across the chest and waist before flaring out at the hips. While it was mostly white, the bodice that she wore was light blue. The dress was also sleeveless, so her slender arms were laid bare.
“I’m sorry,” Alice apologized, feeling properly chastised. “My mind was… elsewhere.”
“Clearly. What were you thinking about, I wonder?”
Alice turned away from the woman, whose intense gaze made her feel naked. “What were you saying?”
“I was trying to tell you your schedule.” Sighing, Listy held a scroll in her left hand, her notes for that day. “Now that we’ve reached mid-day, there is much work that needs to be done. You have a meeting with Marquis Denivan of the White Council, and after that there are several reports that require your attention.”
Alice wanted to cry. “That sounds like so much work.”
“Yes, well, being a monarch is something that requires constant dedication. You know this as well as I, My Lady.”
“Yeah… I know.”
Listy’s frown grew in prominence. “Is everything all right, My Lady?”
“Yes, everything is fine.” Alice shook her head. “I am merely feeling a tad exhausted.”
“You do look rather weary,” Listy said in concern. “Maybe we should consider cancelling these events for today, so you can get some rest.”
Alice shook her head as they walked past a set of large double doors. “No, it is fine. If I were to cancel a meeting with a member of the White Council, then the nobles would gain an even greater… foot… hold…?”
Journey of a Betrayed Hero- Volume 1 Page 5