84. Ethan and the hero

On that very evening itself, the hero party gathered at a small practice area next to the city's barracks. Northengard was a heavily fortified city, and there were many other soldiers present.

"Let's see what you're capable of." Kiara said, as she led Ethan to the side.

Ethan bowed respectfully, as he picked up the wooden sword. "My apologies, lady Kiara. I am but a humble cleric with some limited skill in swordplay."

Kiara shrugged. "I understand, but there are levels to all things. Without knowing your strength, it is hard to properly assign you tasks, at least in a combat setting."

Ethan had to admit that was a good argument. He inherited some talent and skill with the sword through his Level 1 [Dark Knight], but he wasn't sure it'd match up against Kiara. He decided to joke. "Be gentle, Lady Kiara. It's my first time."

Kiara stared, and laughed. "Here I come." Her sword thrust towards Ethan with a force worthy of a heroine. There were subtle lines of magic, and so, he stepped back and parried.

Still, it was a strong thrust, and Ethan was still pushed back. Kiara's second attack, a downward slash was already coming. He barely managed to parry it, and realized he needed to create distance. He stepped and leapt backwards. Kiara paused as she observed Ethan's actions. "You blocked two strikes. That marks you above the average soldier."

At that moment, Kiara suddenly blurred, and all Ethan could feel was a horizontal slash coming from his left. Ethan barely managed to duck it, as he felt the wooden sword grazed the edges of his hair.

"Whoah shit." Ethan cursed. He couldn't perform that badly. Not with Aman watching his moves intently. He somehow suspected the hero would find a reason to expel him if he showed weakness, especially with the goddesses' blessings. But he is a [Dark Healer, Level 3], and [Dark Knight, Level 1]. and he had abilities of his own.

"[Borrowed Strength]." Ethan muttered, as he felt energy surge in his veins. He would move faster, react faster, hit harder, at least for the next three to four hours. But he'd have to repay that debt later, through rest or eating.

Kiara felt it, as her eyes squinted. "Interesting." Her sword shimmered, as she came for another straight thrust. This time, Ethan saw it, and moved much faster. The speed surprised both himself and Kiara, because he was suddenly behind Kiara, and all he managed to do was kick her from the back.

Kiara staggered just briefly, as she somehow adjusted herself to face him again.

"Not bad."

Ethan frowned. He could've done better, but he'd need some practice to get used to Ethan's skillsets. Kiara too, then activated some kind of burst ability.

Kiara blurred again, and Ethan barely kept up with his borrowed strength. He parried one-two-three consecutive strikes, before finally taking the fourth strike right to his shoulder. The strike had tremendous force and blasted Ethan backwards, and into the ground below.

Ethan groaned. It hurt. He stood, and immediately used a healing ability on himself. Kiara noticed, of course, and somehow nodded in approval. "Combat healing?"

"Yes." Ethan countered, as he readied himself to continue the fight. But Kiara had seen enough.

Kiara turned to face Aman. "I've seen enough. He will be able to hold his own."

Aman shrugged with a sigh. "Well, since Kiara thinks you're good enough, I guess we'll have to do."

***

Ethan inwardly cursed, as he dispelled the effects of [Borrowed Strength]. It was

"Hero Aman. The Lord of Northengard summons you for a meeting."

Aman was surprised. "At this time? It's already so late."

The messenger shrugged. "The Lord is busy with the affairs of the city. I'm afraid this is the best chance to speak, without all the other members interrupting."

"What of my companions?" Aman asked.

"Three may accompany you."

"Three?" Aman asked, and looked around. His eyes landed on Hannah and Kiara. "Then Hannah and Kiara, both of you come with me. Kiara, because we're dealing with nobility, and Hannah, because you're a good listener."

He couldn't choose between Raven, Sofia, Wynn or Nysta. The remaining four looked at each other, and Raven conceded. "I think Wynn's magical knowledge could be useful."

Aman nodded. "Very well, Wynn it is."

***

Meanwhile, Ethan sat with the remaining girls in the inn. Dinner was some kind of plain meat and sauce. The inn wasn't a fancy place, and even if they served the hero, their kitchen remained the same old kitchen.

"Well, we're the group that's left behind, then." Ethan said with a smile as he downed the meat. It was horrible, compared to what Edmund ate in his Natarian Mansion.

"You fight well." Raven said. "I saw the fight, and if you didn't say more, I thought you even had a fair chance of winning."

Ethan laughed. "I'd love to beat Kiara though. But I doubt I will be able to. Not with my current power."

The ranger shrugged.

Nysta then said. "What sort of healing do you have?"

Ethan laughed. "Just minor heals, nothing compared to your healing powers, Lady Nysta. I wouldn't sully the hero's body with my kind of healing. I'll leave that to you."

Nysta blushed at the offer, instantly, in her eyes, Ethan's favorability increased. Raven chuckled. "You seem to have a good hang on how we work."

Ethan shrugged, and then decided to tease the ranger instead. "Well, then I have a question for you, Lady Raven. Have you successfully slept with the hero, Raven?"

Nysta turned red at Ethan's question. Sofia stared, blushing. Raven frowned, refusing to entertain the question.

"I heard from the temple that the hero has so many beauties, I would've thought he'd touch all of you by now, and I'd be the third wheel watching the affairs from the room next door. When we travel, I'll hear noises of bodies pounding each other from the unfortunately thin walls of city inns, or I'd have to stand guard for wild beasts while the hero goes wild in secluded tents in the middle of forests-"

Sofia and Nysta heated up from the imagery. Raven continued to frown.

"Or did none of that happen?"

Raven nodded. "None of that happened."

"Man, I'm kinda disappointed. All three of you here would cause people to fight for the right to hold your hand, and he doesn't?"

Raven countered. "The hero's the hero."

"Are you sure? The goddesses desired for the hero party to be filled with woman. What else can be it but to breed and make more believers for the goddesses?" Ethan countered.

Nysta was surprised to hear a similar idea from Ethan. Raven frowned. "Are you sure the goddesses is that-"

"There is a Goddess of Fertility and Family amongst the goddesses, surely this is intentional." Ethan countered. "I was told that the blessings of the goddesses would make all of you feel-"

Raven immediately stopped the question. "Don't. Don't say it."

But Nysta wanted to know. She immediately spoke. "I want to know. What do the temples think?"

Ethan looked at Nysta, and gave her a puzzled look. "What have the temples explained to you, Lady Nysta?"

Nysta shook her head. "Nothing."

"Well, I was privy to some of the discussions, and it seems the goddesses' blessings also comes with an intense desire to mate with the hero." This was partly a lie. Ethan knew that the hero party was designed such that all could fall in love with the hero, but it didn't go as far as mating. The original game wasn't a game of sex, after all, but Ethan decided such half-truths were worth risking it. If he could make the girls think that their desires is the goddesses' will, even if it's not, they would be more accepting of it's actions.

Nysta's eyes widened. "I knew it!"

Sofia and Raven stared at the nun, puzzled. "Nysta? Why did you say that?"

Nysta laughed. "I've been feeling a strong desire for the hero, and I've been wondering why. Why arrange and create a party with so many heroines and only one hero? What else could it be but to mate? The goddesses of fertility must have given us this blessing for a reason!"

Raven squirmed, uncomfortable at the thought. "Eeww. Suddenly I feel kind of disgusted that I'm being blessed to be the hero's bedmate."

Sofia looked at Raven, and nodded. She thought her admiration of the hero was because the hero was cool and all that, but the idea that the goddesses wanted her to mate with the hero, and may have planted the desire inside her, somehow turned her off.

Ethan smirked. Either they accept it, or they turn against it, either outcome was an opportunity.