THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

When I open my eyes, everything around me is dark.

"Ah, shit." I lost after all. That hero was crazy strong! But it was a good fight. At least now, I know where I am compared to them. Though the other two didn't fight, maybe they are stronger. "Oh, well, we will see with time."

Seriously, though. Where am I? When I speak, I can barely hear my own voice. I can't move as well. I try to use Angas but nothing. I only feel my physical aura manifesting. What the fuck is happening to me?

"I think he should be up by now."

"Then, let's start."

Two unknown people start discussing somewhere.

"Who are you? Where are you?" I don't think they heard that. I barely heard it myself. Fuck!

Suddenly, light comes back. It seems a door was open. So, I was in a room. Two people wearing a sort of goon and weird hats appear from both sides.

"Hm...Indeed. It seems weak. Remove the gag."

One of them approaches his hands and removes some sort of chains on my mouth. So that's what was preventing me from speaking properly.

"Child. Do you know the weight of your sins?"

"And you are?"

"Silence!" The one who removes the chain slaps me.

"Wait, I was not supposed to answer?" Why did he slap me?

"I said silence!" And there he goes, slapping me again.

I suppose I am really not supposed to say again.

"You are quite the rebellious child. Anyway, I am a high priest of MEETIA. I am accompanying the divine heroes."

"I see." And I am slapped again. This guy is getting on my nerves.

"And you, child, have committed the most sinful acts: slaughtering people like cattle and moreover, insulting, fighting, and wounding the divine representatives of MEETIA."

"I was… attacked first." This guy just slapped me two times? "Hey, aren't you tired of doing that?" And a third time. That's makes it six times. I should make sure to give it back later.

"Normally, you should have been beheaded already for such acts. But-"

"Just for those… Damn you guys… are…I am going to kill you, man." You just slap me for the tenth time, that's too much.

"Insolent-"

"Leave it. You will be put under custody until we reach Tatradum. The saintess is there right now. She will judge your case."

"Tch. Can't you kill me here instead?"

At least, I will have a higher chance of escaping. Ah, I should also handle this slapper.

"No. We do not kill people like that. Right now, we have restrained you with GEDRID, though I think it is overkill since I can barely feel your blessing, to begin with."

GEDRID? Gedrid…I heard that name before. When Excafol was teaching me. What was it again?

"Gedrid is a special chain used to prevent you from using Angas. It was created with the goddess's help."

The other guy seems to have noticed I didn't know what Gedrid was. Thank you, but I am still kicking you later.

"We will arrive in Tatradum in three days. You better stay put or our hands might slip." The high priest brings out a dagger and stabs my shoulder with it. So much for a high priest. You are just a vulgar beggar. "Oh, you are playing the tough guy, huh? Interesting?"

The high priest removes his dagger and brings a piece of cloth from his goon. Does he have everything inside? After cleaning his dagger, he throws the bloody piece of cloth on my face and goes out of the room. The other one slaps me one last time, then turn around. Wait, I should at least asks them about K'nor.

"Wait. What about my companions?" Anriette as well since we are at it.

"Hmph! Obviously they were executed. Those are the retributions for your actions."

"What?!!" He closes the door, leaving me in the dark again.

They killed them. They killed K'nor. "You fucking bastards!!" Not again, I can't lose anybody else, not you, K'nor. No!!! Not again!!!

"Argh!!" those fucking restraints!! "Argh!!!!!!" Finally, I break the restraints and jump out, kicking the door with all my strength.

"If you have touched as much as their skin, I will gut you all and feed you to gragoras!!! You hear me?!!"

Wait, what?

***

In front of me, there are not only the two priests from earlier but the heroes as well as twenty or so knights in full armor. K'nor and Anriette are here as well. What the fuck is happening?

"See, I told you he was strong."

"I can't believe it. He really broke them."

"Mr.Dragonroad, your arm!!" Sigh... Anriette. What is it with my arm again?

When I look at my arm, my shoulder is dislocated. It must have happened when I broke the chains. But the wound I got from my fight with Farner is completely healed. My body seems to heal faster now, I think. I replace my shoulder and goes back to the sort of cell they were keeping me in. I don't have time to play your little game.

"Hey, wait, where are you going?!"

Two or three knights come to me together with the priest who was slapping me. Ah, chance!!

"Hey, wait, we need to-"

I punch him hard enough to send him flying towards the others at the back. The knights almost instantly draw their swords. They are fast!! I don't think I can manage a surprise attack on them.

"I told you I would give back those slaps."

"Ugh!" Other knights helped him but he is in the clouds. When they carry him, I see his face, and his nose is broken. Yep, that should be good enough for now. You still have ten more to go.

"You are as ruthless as your pet." Roxcia advances to me and brandishes her staff. It starts shining with a glacial blue hue characteristic of water Angas. "Perhaps we should-"

"Wait! What are you doing?!!" But Farner stops her from whatever she was going to do.

"Teaching him a lesson."

"By killing him?!!"

"Is there any difference?"

"Of course, you dummy!!"

Roxcia lowers her hand and her staff stops shining.

"You calling me a dummy is a heavier sin than what he did."

"Eh?"

Wait, she lowered her hand because her sister called her stupid? Really?

"Anyway. He seems to be a good physical fighter like you so I think I am the most appropriate person to handle him."

All the knights present nod silently. Though their armor made some noise. I wonder how strong they are. They have the church's insignia all over their armor. On the chest plate, on the shoulder, even on the helmet.

"Therefore, I will be the one to watch over you until the saintess makes a decision. If you don't agree with it. We can-"

"K'nor, are you okay?"

K'nor and Anriette have moved to the side while the commotion was going on. I walked to them while Roxcia had her face turned.

"Don't you dare ignore me!!" she suddenly appears in front of me, in mid-air. As she is falling, I almost saw something white. What was that?

"I didn't ignore you. You seemed busy with them."

"You little!!" Roxcia holds her mouth before she ends her sentence. Wait, they can't curse?

"You can't insult people?"

"Unlike you, we are heroes. We have a reputation to maintain." As she says so, she holds me by the collar.

You don't really act like it, though.