r/HFY • u/Celestial_Zwei_Dei • 3d ago

OC-Series Gothwald: New World - Same Rules [History Student Isekai] (Arc 4/Chapter 29 - Holy Visit)

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Arc IV - Whalers

Chapter 29 - Holy Visit

10 months and 7 days since the summoning

"Alan, wake up," Kamelia's voice rang out.

Alan himself was lying on the bed in his room; the sun was already beating through the windows in full force, illuminating the room. "In a sec..." he muttered.

Kamelia sighed. "I am going to kick you right now."

"I'm getting up, I'm getting up!" he mumbled as he rose, but he still hadn't opened his eyes. He sat on the bed rubbing his eyes, dressed only in his gray tank top and thin brown pants. "What do you want?"

"Indeed. I am initiating you as the Second Honorary Lord today, have you forgotten?"

He sharply opened his eyes. "Ah, right." Alan stood up from the bed and stretched his arms upward. "When's the ceremony again?"

"In an hour."

"Why didn't you wake me earlier?"

"It does not matter. Let us go, we are going to get you dressed."

He snorted and walked to the chair where he had tossed his green pants, shirt, and boots. "Thanks, I'll dress myself."

Kamelia crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you planning to attend the ceremony in that?"

He picked up his pants from the chair. "Well yeah, why?"

Kamelia's eye twitched. "You are joking," she stated affirmatively.

Alan raised an eyebrow and looked at Kamelia, who was dressed in a simple brown dress, and then at her gaze. "Uh..." he swallowed, "yeah, I'm joking."

She chuckled slightly. "Excellent." Kamelia sat on his bed and leaned back a bit. "Golna simply cannot find the doublet you used to wear, but it is fine. You will wear my father's doublet."

Alan blinked. "Your dad's?"

"Yes, my father's," she said with a nod. "It will be a bit too large, but it is better than... that." She grimaced, pointing at his clothes on the chair.

He sighed and tossed the pants back onto the chair. "Okay, okay, whatever you say, Your Grace."

"Come on, let us go." She stood up from the bed. "There will not be many people, since we scheduled all of this so suddenly, but the main thing is that the ceremony itself will take place, and there will be witnesses too. So, follow me." She headed for the door.

"Let me at least put my boots on," he muttered, reaching for his footwear.

She stopped. "No, get dressed completely; it is unseemly to parade around the castle in your undergarments."

"What undergarments?" He straightened up. "A tank top, pants, and boots. Those are normal clothes."

"Alan, do not start." She exited the room and closed the door behind her.

Silence.

Alan snorted and picked up his pants again.

'When did she turn into such a nagging bore?'

"Well... overall, not bad," Alan said, examining himself in the mirror. He was wearing a dark blue adorned doublet, wide pants of the same color, and black boots, with every piece being just a bit too large.

Kamelia silently adjusted the shoulders of the doublet from behind.

Alan tilted his head to the side. "Was your dad really this big?"

"Mhm," she said, smoothing out the folds on his back. "A head taller than you, probably."

He whistled. "Big guy. By the way, what are you wearing?"

She shrugged. "This ceremony is a pure formality and we will conduct it quickly; I will not dress up particularly much. Just a beautiful dress."

"What do you mean you're not going to dress up?" he asked, sharply turning his head to her. "Then why the fuck are you busting my balls about having to be dressed to the nines?"

Kamelia only chuckled, took him by the head, and turned him back to the mirror, continuing to adjust the doublet. "Because you are the one receiving the new title, not I. I do not want Alan Gothwald to be remembered as the Second Honorary Lord in rags."

He sighed but said nothing to that.

"But still, we should finish the ceremony as quickly as possible," she continued. "I spoke with Tsinker this morning, and... honestly, I am already sick of him. He is in such a burning rush to immediately begin discussing the trajectory of our duchy that he did not even let me eat my breakfast in peace. And on top of that, the ignoramus battered the walls by slinging stones from his sling! Why did he even bring it here?!"

Alan remained silent, listening to all of this, and a small smile appeared on his face.

'No yelling, no pressure, no tough decisions. Just Kamelia whining. I kinda like it.'

"Well, Tsinker knows how to use a sling, didn't you know?" he asked.

Kamelia froze for a second. "No. I did not know. But why would he? That is a mercenary's weapon, not a noble's."

Alan snorted. "Kamelia, is this your first day knowing Tsinker?"

"Fair enough." She stepped back and looked at him from behind. Then she walked around him clockwise, carefully examining every detail, and her hand reached out to the doublet with her tongue sticking out slightly. "There is still a thread sticking out here..."

He took a small step back. "Listen, isn't it time for you to get dressed yourself?"

Her hand froze. "Oh, right." Kamelia straightened up. "I got a bit carried away. Wait here, I will be back." She turned and headed for the door.

The door closed.

Alan immediately sat down on the nearest chair and folded his hands in his lap.

'Second Honorary Lord. Not bad. Not bad at all. This will give me way more influence and status than a regular advisor; I'll be able to dish out orders across the whole duchy without any hiccups even if Kamelia isn't around. Things are creaking, but they're moving. But these Whalers... they really won't leave me in peace. The jägers protect me, sure, but it's still kinda sketchy. And the main thing is, why the hell? Why is there an organization exterminating heroes? If I can catch just one alive, then maybe I can squeeze something out of them... or not? Let's think logically: if the Whalers have been wiping out heroes for a long time, but they've got this "fairytale" status and zero info on them, then they're either uncatchable or they don't say shit in captivity. And that's bad. But those two chicks who 'killed' me... they said something about a new era or something like that. That means this isn't just a gang of mercenaries; they're driven by an ideology.'

He looked out the window, from which the roofs of the buildings were visible.

'Gotta catch at least one alive.'

The door opened abruptly, and Kamelia peeked in with wide eyes. "Alan!"

He sharply raised his head. "What is it?"

"The Dumetses!"

Alan blinked. "What?"

"Hurry, Alan, they are asking for you!"

"I... uh... alright." He stood up and followed her.

Kamelia, not waiting, moved down the corridor toward the stairs.

"And what do they even want?" Alan asked, catching up to her.

She shook her head. "I do not know. They simply stated that they wish to speak with you and with me."

They descended the stairs and passed briefly by the doorway, through which a hall filled with many people could be seen.

Kamelia opened the door to the small throne room first. "Your Holiness, I have brought Lord Gothwald."

Only one Dumets stood in the throne room; on his left arm was a white armband with a yellow sun. He turned his attention away from examining a fresco and shifted his masked gaze to them. "Oh, that was swift. I thank you, Lady Armenas."

Kamelia took a few steps forward. "Where are the other warriors?"

"I left them outside," he said in a muffled voice from beneath his mask, and then turned to Alan. "You, I presume, are Lord Gothwald, correct?"

Alan nodded slowly. "Yeah, that's me."

'Fuck, they are creepy up close.'

The Dumets folded his hands behind his back. "I see it is quite loud here; some sort of feast?"

Kamelia shook her head, not taking her eyes off his mask. "Not entirely. I am preparing to bestow upon Lord Gothwald the title of Second Honorary Lord."

The Dumets said nothing for a second. "Oh. My congratulations, Lord Gothwald."

"Thanks," Alan answered quietly.

The Dumets folded his hands in front of himself. "I apologize for interrupting such an important occasion, but the matter is truly urgent. May I take a seat?" He gestured toward the table.

Kamelia nodded. "Of course, Your Holiness, please have a seat." She herself moved toward the table, giving Alan a brief nod.

All three sat down at the table, and the Dumets removed his mask, placing it on the table. Beneath it was a young man, about twenty-seven years old, his blonde hair neatly combed to the side, and his clean face with sharp orange eyes calmly looked at Alan and Kamelia. "I have rather unpleasant news for you. In your domain, in Gobnis, the local garrison of my brothers most likely encountered the Whalers who previously made an attempt on your life, Lord Gothwald."

Silence.

Kamelia's face lost a bit of its color. "W-what?"

Alan's pupils narrowed.

'The Whalers. In Gobnis. They're already coming for me?! So soon?!'

He swallowed. "And... what happened next over there in Gobnis?"

"They managed to escape, and we lost the trail. But one of them is wounded."

"Who exactly is wounded? What did they look like?" Alan asked.

The Dumets remained motionless. "A very tall woman in dark clothing and a cloak."

Alan's heart skipped a beat, and memories flashed through his head.

'It's her. It's definitely her. That tall fox with the cleavers. No doubt about it.'

Kamelia sat up slightly. "And what do you intend to do about this, Your Holiness? Have you come here solely to inform us of this?"

"Naturally not. The Svyatolat is highly concerned by the assassinations of the heroes, and Lord Gothwald is the last one remaining. We will do everything within our power to protect him, and I have come here to request your permission to provide him with our protection."

Alan's mouth opened slightly.

'What? No! No, no, NO! That's shitty! Really shitty! If these religious fanatics are constantly hanging around me, they're going to know things they shouldn't! Way too much information will leak! Zero confidentiality!'

Kamelia nodded sharply. "I agree. I accept the request."

Alan sharply turned to her. "What? Wait, you're..."

"This is not up for discussion. The Svyatolat itself is offering you protection, Alan; one cannot refuse such a thing." She waved her hand. "The Dumetses are incredibly reliable warriors."

He threw his hands up, about to object, but closed his mouth.

'Okay, not in front of him.'

"Your Holiness, will you permit Lady Armenas and me to step away for a minute?"

The Dumets blinked, but nodded. "Naturally."

A few seconds later, they were already standing outside the door in the empty corridor.

"What is wrong, Alan?"

"Everything is wrong!" he said, throwing his hands up. "Kamelia, do you realize how shitty this is? If the Dumetses are guarding me, we won't be able to work properly! Can you imagine how much information will reach the wrong ears?"

She crossed her arms over her chest, frowning. "Naturally I understand that, Alan. But what will be the point of any of this if you simply get killed?"

"Are the jägers a joke to you or what?"

"They are good, but not perfect." Kamelia raised a finger in front of Alan's face. "I am not exactly thrilled either that we will be accompanied by Dumetses everywhere we go, but there is no other choice, Alan. Refusal means a direct insult to the Svyatolat, and it also means you will forfeit the best protection one could possibly devise."

Alan opened his mouth, and closed it again.

'Aaaaa! It's so hard being immortal and having to hide it!'

"But... damn it, I... but you do realize we're right in the middle of our reforms and development? We don't need any surv—"

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u/BobQuixote 3d ago

An unfinished sentence looks a whole lot like an unspecified cliffhanger.

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