Deep Seeded Beliefs

"I don't understand," I repeat, this time out loud.

"What is there to misunderstand! Your standing next to a monster, boy!" The oldest of the guards yell. He seems to be around twenty-something.

"Where?" I say, holding my staff and flinging my head all around.

Are they talking about Surge?

How is Surge a monster! She's just your princess but red!

Without any further warning, the eldest and most shaken-up guard dashes at Surge. It's obvious he's not going in for a kill, just to grab her, but I can't let that happen.

Relying purely on reaction speed, I funnel mana into my staff and summon the quickest spell I can.

It turns out to be a substantially powerful blast of wind, catapulting the guard into a nearby tree.

"What is going on!" I yell, as the faces of the guards tense further up.

Lifting his head, the guard who I had just launched looks pissed.

"Why would you use that magic tool on me?! I'm trying to save you!" He yells, standing up and steadying himself. He's more than twenty steps away from us at this point, he's got nothing.

"Magic tool?" I ask, keeping my eyes trained on him.

"The tool in your hand, it's a magic tool correct? You just used it to blow me away." He said, looking at me as if I was stupid. Before he's able to act again, I take the initiative.

Place the butt end of my staff on the ground, I begin to channel earth mana as I turn to look at a still terrified Teresa.

"Please tell me what is going on Teresa," I say, at this point my mana coating the earth underneath our feet in about a ten-meter radius.

"What do you mean? Have you never heard of the Devil Spirits? The Tiamat?" Teresa says, as a brief look of understanding fashes across her face. "Of course, you haven't, they kidnapped you and took your memory as a child."

That offhand comment was enough.

Kidnapped?

Stole my memory?

Are you an insane person?

Activating the mana I'd spread into the surrounding area, I sink the guard who charged us instantly two feet into the ground, and repeats the same feat with the other two guards.

It all happened in a moment, so thankfully they were unable to react. Yet, that didn't stop what came next.

Even after being trapped, the guards didn't react rashly, instead opting to drop their weapons and each pulls a small gem out from a small case on each of their hips.

"Stop!" Before they were able to cock back and throw the gems at us, Teresa shouts.

As if frozen in time, each of the guards stops exactly where they are and place the gems back into their cases.

"Listen, Antonio, I understand that your quite skilled as a magician, but assaulting Royal Guards will only bring trouble for you. I'm sorry for reacting negatively, but please step away from the Tiamat and listen." Teresa says, putting her hands forward in a non-threatening manner.

Taking a step closer to the Surge, who seems to be frozen in panic, I point my staff towards Teresa.

"I'm not stepping away from Surge, now explain what's going on," I say, continuing to point my staff at Teresa.

Is this racism?

"Tiamat is a known clan of demonoid. They are known for abnormal strength and above all else a ruthless nature towards all non-Tiamat cultures. My men heard the clan that your sister belongs to and immediately took action on prejudice, acting before I had time to process all available information. I apologize for their harsh actions and my harsh words, now please release my men." Teresa says, continuing in her warm and calm voice. It doesn't seem like she has any malice, and even stopped her men from using those magic crystals.

It also seems the guards will listen to her no matter what the order may be, so it is probably safe enough.

Channeling more earth mana, I liquefy the dirt encasing the legs of the men and raise them up from below.

Strangely enough, the guards don't seem to move an inch afterward.

"You may return to my side, silently," Teresa says, catching my confused look. "When I told them to stop, that also was an order to stop talking. They can't directly disobey me." She says, giving a satisfied nod. What? Is that like, slave magic?

Can demons use slave magic?

"Now, again I apologize for my actions and the actions of my subordinates," Teresa says, bowing. Her guards also follow suit and bow along with her. "Now ab-"

"No," I say, plain and simple. I know exactly where she's trying to lead the conversation. "We humbly yet firmly refuse the position as your personal guard. We aim to reach the next coming town within a week from now, and protecting you may slow us down." I say, giving us a solid excuse to not guard her as well as a firm outright rejection of the idea.

Yet, she seems to still want to press the issue.

"Coincidentally, we're also headed to Worthington. If you were to accompany us, we could submit it as an officially completed quest with the Continental Adventurers Union. I don't know of your goals, but having the successful escort of royalty will certainly boost your reputation." Damn, I don't know if she overheard me and Surge, but she hit the nail on the head. That is if we were adventurers already.

"Very sorry, but currently Surge and I have yet to register as adventurers, so although that would be a nice opportunity, we wouldn't be able to put it onto anything official," I say, as Surge shoots me a look of, anger? Maybe?

"What my brother means to say, is that we'd be happy to help if you would be willing to facilitate our joining of the Union, as well as marking that quest on our record." She says, nudging me in the side, hard.

"Of course dear. Unless you want to go through the rigorous examination process, becoming a member of the Adventurers Union requires a sponsor. I would be happy to return the favor of escorting me by acting as both of your sponsors." She says, a confident smile stretching across her face. She got us.

All she has to do is sign a piece of paper, and in trade, we have to protect her for a week. Talk about a load of nonsense.

"Actually, I have a different idea. I am willing to take the examinations, whilst you sponsor Surge. In turn, you'll mark this as an official quest on our records, as well as a different quest in relation to saving your life beforehand. I seem to distinctly recall you saying you'd 'accommodate me for my services'." The princess's mask seems to crack slightly as her eyebrow twitches, yet she stays composed.

"If you're able to pass the examination, I'll happily oblige. If you find yourself unable to pass, I will instead act as your sponsor. Do we have a deal?" She says, her confidence soon returning. Smug prick, if it's any sort of written OR magical test I'll blow it out of the water. I took calc two, I can solve some ancient quizzes.

"We have a deal," I say, plastering a confident smile across my own face.

For the next week, it seems this escort quest has gained four more NPCs.