Chapter 137: You're No Hero

"Sir Arnold von Berkley has arrived, Your Majesty!"

Arnold heard someone shout that on the other side of the door. He was going to dine with the royal family. He didn't want to come here at all but it was better to eat someone else's food then the food he had to hunt on his own.

He'll leave his personal food alone for now and enjoy the feast that was given to him. He saved their "Great Warrior" from dying, after all.

The two large doors opened up with a loud creak. Arnold was greeted with a pleasant smell of meat, vegetables and wine. 

Arnold looked towards the gigantic table that was located in the middle of the dining area. The dining area was the size of the great hall in their castle in Lockinge city.

Arnold noticed a bunch of eyes staring in his direction.

The king looked at him with a pleasant grin on his face. His family had welcoming expressions, some even smiled when he made eye-contact with them.

"Welcome, Lord Arnold! Come join us!"

There were about four middle aged women sitting near the king and about ten other people at the table—they were the children. The children of the king were varied by age. The youngest looked 15. The only thing Arnold found weird was how there wasn't a single boy at the table.

"Ah, Lord Arnold! You can sit next to me!" one of the girls, the one who looked about 15 years of age, called out to Arnold.

Arnold decided to ignore the girl and went towards Arthur.

"Ah." Arthur noticed Arnold and smiled wryly.

Arnold wordlessly sat down. He suddenly heard someone's heels tapping on the floor. The chair next to him suddenly moved as well.

"…." Arnold looked to his left silently.

He saw the same girl who was calling out to him earlier. She grinned with her hands holding up her chin on the table.

"I'm Marcia, nice to meet you, Lord Arnold." She blushed, "I-I finally get to meet the warrior who defeated the king of the tribesmen! You sounded so cool in the rumor! You're even cooler in person! Kyaaah!"

'A slap counts as defeat?'

Arnold could've killed the chief but decided not to because he was worried that the witch might flee if she heard someone killed the chief who was supposed to be the greatest warrior of his tribe. She might take the cursed item with her then he wouldn't have any reason for being here anymore. He'll also lose the chance to gain a possible strong weapon.

"Uhm, Lord Arnold?" the girl tilted her head cutely, "Is something wrong? Are you sick?"

"…I'm just thinking about something. Oh right, it's nice to meet you too."

"—Ahem," the king cleared his throat, "Strong warriors must fill their stomachs for future battles. We can't have them fight on empty stomachs. Please enjoy the feast to your heart's content."

The king was probably implying that Arnold will fight for them again.

'This kingdom and its people aren't my responsibly. Arthur can save them on his own.'

Arnold decided that it was best if he leaves this kingdom early tomorrow morning to go to the mountain where the tribesmen lived. It was better to take their cursed item himself than wait for the kingdom to mobilize its armies.

Plus, it was faster this way. Once the other seventh years arrive here then he'll leave this world alongside Rafaela.

"Thank you for having me, Your Majesty," Arnold spoke with a smile, "You are too kind to throw this feast to welcome me in your kingdom. We should honor the hardworking soldiers who fight for your kingdom everyday instead of welcoming a stranger with such kindness."

"Hahahah, you are too humble, Lord Arnold! We value everyone in our kingdom but it's only the strongest who deserve to be thanked for their deeds to our people. This feast is in honor of Lord Arthur as well. He has helped our people in so many ways. If it wasn't for him then we may not be having this feast."

Arnold glanced at Arthur and noticed the guy was smiling sheepishly.

"Yes, Father is correct," the woman next to Arthur suddenly spoke, "You have helped us so we would like to give back to you, dear."

Then… she kissed him!?

Arnold looked at Arthur with slightly narrowed eyes.

Arthur broke the kiss first and continued smiling. However, that smile froze when he saw Arnold's narrowed eyes.

Arnold whispered, "You do realize that you can't stay in this world, right?"

Arthur cleared his throat and acted as if he didn't hear Arnold.

"Bring in the food!" said the king, "Let us enjoy ourselves tonight!"

**

Arnold and Arthur didn't speak during the course of the dinner.

But the girl named Marcia told Arnold a lot of things like the state of the kingdoms and the surrounding lands.

They thought at first that Arthur would stay in this world so the king offered to make Arthur his successor once the long war was over. Of course, they were in denial when they found out that he was an otherworlder but they accepted it in the end.

The woman who was sitting next to Arthur was the oldest daughter of the family. Arthur was apparently having sex with her nearly every day ever since he came here. The king begged Arthur to make him an heir. The child could most likely inherit Arthur's powerful genes.

Of course, saying he was powerful was going a bit far.

If Arthur failed to get the woman pregnant then he'll have to fill some jars with his…

Anyway, Arnold had a question on his mind while talking to Marcia. He asked her earlier:

"How come there aren't any males in the family besides your father?"

She replied, saying: "All of them were drafted off to fight in the war."

"So none of them made it back?"

"Sadly, yes. I was never close with my brothers but it was a tragedy. We've also lost a majority of our male population because of the tribes that invaded us. Us woman need to work hard to ensure we restore the kingdom's might."

Basically to make more children. Hopefully some of them will be born with strong genes, is what she said after.

The kingdom enacted a policy that all males are allowed to have more than one wife. In fact, those who had more wives were viewed favorably by the people. This made others see them as the "strong males".

They were saving their kingdom from ruin, after all. Even the king allows his wives to have other lovers since he was too old to do it with them.

A woman who manages to have children with a strong man would be respected by the kingdom's people. Looking at things from their perspective, Arnold can now understand why they want Arthur to impregnate the eldest princess.

Arnold glanced at Marcia up and down while she was babbling about something. She was so invested in the conversation that she didn't notice Arnold's lecherous eyes.

'Her breasts have a nice firm shape. They don't sag at all which is a sign of her youth. Her small hands… I wonder how they'll fit around my... She's definitely at the right age to give consent… Ugh, calm down…' he forced his raging erection down, 'But these women want men to impregnate them, right? She also seems to have a liking to me.'

Arnold noticed that even the king's wives were looking at him in a certain way that seems too friendly.

Hearing the state the kingdom was in was making his nether regions pulse with excitement. Maybe even Marcia's older sisters will be willing to do it with him and not just her mother and the other wives.

Arnold didn't want Arthur's pretend wife, Malecia since that would be like taking a guy's sloppy seconds.

These past few months of pent up sexual frustration would cause any man to have lewd thoughts. Arnold was thinking of even going to a brothel to release his urges.

"—By the way, Lord Arnold, I hear you've known Lord Arthur since the two of you were young." Marcia said.

"Hm?" Arnold finally snapped out of his dazed state, "Yeah… I'm from a main family and he's from a branch."

"So the two of you are nobles!? Is your father also strong? Do you have brothers as well?" Marcia's eyes sparkled.

"I only have a younger brother who's still a child. My father is known as one of the strongest men in our empire. He is also one of the Emperor's guardians. His city is on verge of becoming the first dukedom in the empire's history once he expands his territory using my marriage to gain the support of another great household. He's also a retired general who has been in a lot of battles."

"Your father sounds like a splendid man. To have such achievements… I cannot imagine doing the same even if I were in my prime," the king said jovially, "You said he's one of the strongest in your empire? How strong is he exactly?"

"I don't know his exact level but I assume it's between 70 and 80."

Arnold wasn't sure since he didn't have his hologram card the last time he saw his father to check his status. Marcus was definitely as strong if not stronger than Lancelot.

"Oho? May I ask what level you are, Lord Arnold?"

"I'm level 50." Arnold said with a smirk as he leaned back.

"My goodness! Even our strongest warriors from the past barely broke past level 15! Father, please allow me to marry Lord Arnold! I want the ceremony done tomorrow!" Marcia sprang into Arnold's arms and looked at her father with puppy-dog eyes.

Arnold licked his lips perversely in secret as he felt her breasts against his chest.

"Calm down, Marcia… We don't know if Lord Arnold will agree to such a thing. Remember that they don't understand our customs."

"…." She hesitantly let go and pouted, "…I just want a child… No one respects me because I'm the youngest…"

"I don't mind."

"Eh?" Marcia's head instantly shot up.

"This kingdom is in trouble and needs strong genes for its new generation. That's how a nation survives, right? So I don't mind helping out."

'I'm losing my mind here. Just say yes already.'

Arnold was definitely not doing it for the kingdom or anything. He couldn't care less if the kingdom fell. All he was thinking about was his carnal desires. All of them win as long as both parties got what they wanted, right?

"Huuk… Huuk…" Marcia was crying for some reason, "Lord Arnoooold!" she hugged Arnold's head.

His face dug into her chest and he inhaled her wonderful feminine fragrance.  

He felt like pushing her onto the table and doing the deed right there and making everyone watch. Of course, if some of them want to join then he'd let them.

"Hahahaha, then so be it! We shall hold the ceremony tomorrow! The ceremony will surely raise the morale of my soldiers!"

"I think it's better if we start tonight, right? The sooner we start the better the chances of getting princess Marcia pregnant. I can't stay here for long."

"Father!" Marcia seemed to agree.

'If only women were this easy to get in real life…'

If this was Earth then he would've been slapped with a sexual harassment charge even if he was so handsome. This world's circumstances were the cause of the norm these days that would seem weird on Earth.  

"Hmm…" the King looked at his wives, "…If it's my little girl's wish then I shall allow it. Korci, Melin, Leenil, I want the three of you to prepare Marcia's room."

"U-Uhm, Father?" one of the other girls raised her hand, "I-I would also like… become… Lord Arnold's p-partner tonight… If he'll have me!" she glanced at Arnold and instantly blushed.

'Two is better than one.'

"Then, I would like to as well, lord husband," one of the wives—the one who wasn't called—said with a seductive smile, "If you'll have me, Lord Arnold."

"Me too!"

"I would like to as well!"

The king scratched his head, "You are troubling him."

"Oh, not at all." Arnold said with a wide smile that was more like a perverse grin, "The night will be long but I will do anything I can to help."

"Oh, what a kind young man!" Arthur's "wife" exclaimed while clapping her hands, "I have never seen my sisters so enthusiastic about something this much. They will surely be happy to have a strong man's child."

"Why didn't Arthur just help with that? Is he too shy?" Arnold asked with a smirk.

He noticed that Arthur was looking at him silently with his chin on his hands.

"Lord Arthur is very picky," said one of the King's wives. She was probably the queen since she had a crown on her head, "We only send the younger women to his room if my eldest, Malecia isn't there to pleasure him. We can understand that he's into younger women since he's a young man."

"Lord Arthur is quite the fierce beast in bed as well. My friends have all said that they can barely walk the next morning. Well, my first experience was the same. It hurt but I cherish the memory~" Malecia hugged his arm with a smile, "I have never seen him in a battle before, though. Us women who are incapable of fighting must remain behind the kingdom walls lest we place our lives in danger."

"Arthur isn't that remarkable of a warrior so you aren't missing out on anything great. All of you must've heard what happened, right? If I didn't step in then he would've died. How do you think your little sister would've felt if she lost her big brother, Arthur?"

"…." Everyone looked at Arthur after what Arnold said.

"I get it. You want to be a hero. But do you know what heroes are? They're symbols of peace and hope. Your name alone should bring pride to your people for knowing they have a strong hero protecting them. Demons should shiver in their boots when they see the holy sword glow with a radiant light. It's hard picturing you as that exact symbol."

"…What the hell do you expect me to do? Give my blessing away just because I'm still weak…? I'm training everyday and I can tell that I'm getting stronger.... little by little..."

"Maybe keeping your mouth shut that you're the hero is the first thing you should do. People's expectations are high for the next hero, you know? " Arnold cut into his steak and put the piece in his mouth. He finished chewing and swallowed, "Oh, and if your classmates try and tell people then just say that they're lying. Do that and save yourself a few years of life. You probably won't be able to defeat a demon lord given how weak you are. I don't expect much growth really."

Arnold had no expectations for Arthur. He had more faith in Luke than Arthur even if Luke's power was limited right now.

The fact that one of them was a Transcendent while the other was just a regular warrior class combatant was also a significant difference. 

Arthur looked at Arnold for a few seconds before standing up, "Excuse me… I've lost my appetite."

"I will go with you, Lord Arthur. Uhm, excuse me as well, everyone." Malecia hurriedly stood up.

"No, it's fine. I want to be alone." Arthur said with a reassuring smile.

"Always one to run away and mope in the corner. Sheesh, you haven't changed," Arnold continued talking, "Here's an idea: Why don't you give me the blessing? I'd make a better hero than you, you know? I'm stronger, smarter, faster. One could say that I'm far better than you in everything. So come on. Give me that blessing so that I can run around saving people I don't even know like an idiot."

"The Sky God entrusted me with this power. I will hone my skills and become stronger. I…I may not be strong enough now but that will change with enough training."

"Do you even want this power in the first place?"

"What I want is irrelevant. It's a power that will save many lives and I'm the only one capable of using it."

'That's not it at all, Arthur. If Luke were here then he would've gotten it. You would've stayed the weakling that you're meant to be.'

The people at the academy might see Arthur as being one of the strongest students throughout the academy's history. But Arnold knew that Arthur's ceiling was ridiculously low despite how strong he was now. He would've been surpassed by many of his peers in just a few years time if he didn't have his blessing. 

"I'm not that boy who made promises about saving people while not having the power to do so. I'll prove to you that I deserve this power." He grabbed a napkin off the table and threw it at Arnold.

The napkin hit Arnold's chest and fell on his lap.

"What's this for?" Arnold picked up the napkin with a puzzled expression.

"I don't have a glove. You know what I mean… right?"

Arthur looked straight at Arnold with a determined gaze.

Arnold couldn't help but sigh at Arthur's following words:

"I request a duel."