Privilege of the Powerful [End]

Working as an escort for merchants travelling between Fuyanagi and Purvale during the day, and chasing bounties on criminals or bandits at night, the former hero found himself to be fairly busy during the first two years he spent in this country.

After the eight months he'd spent in Matrio and the large sum of money he had offered Icares for the repairs on his automaton, he finally got to the point where he had to actually earn his keep by himself.
Before then he had survived on the absurd amount he'd inherited from selling his hero garb, but now that he'd bought a house, commissioned a brand new gear, traveled to Depteria with the kids, paid for his automaton, and finally landed in Fuyanagi, it was no wonder he was now borderline broke.

A noble house backing Fuyanagi's hero huh ? It's rare to see this kind of request. Browsing the signboard where the wanted posters were pinned at the assassin's guild, Taiyo had found a peculiar one.

"I'll go with this one." He confirmed, placing the poster on the reception desk. "I'll leave the rest in your hands as always.

Stamping the poster with his own seal, Taiyo turned on his heels and made to exit the building. When you took on a request involving a bounty placed on an individual, it was common practice for the assassins and mercenaries who sought work at this guild to stamp the request sheets with their own seal. That way, they made sure the guild was aware of who took on which mission and would make sure on their end that nobody else would try to steal the quarry from the stamper.

Incidentally, Taiyo, who had been assigned to Diamond rank upon his registration, that is to say the fourth rank from the top, had started to build himself quite the reputation in the field. So there were fewer risks for him to see his targets get stolen by another assassin or mercenary once he'd secured a request.
Part of the reason for this fame was obviously from the number of bounties he had claimed since registering a year ago. Another reason however, was his gear. Which didn't stand out as much as it simply looked too good for an assassin.

The product of the weeks he'd spent designing it with the travelling blacksmith back in Leorto was an entirely black set of reinforced clothing with black fur. It had also golden ornaments, a breastplate, and patches of armor for his joints. But most importantly, it actually comprised a head piece with a veil meant to obscur his face, which they'd managed with the help of dark magic. Much like the ones executionners wore back in Ispron, or the Baravia nuns he had heard about once at a tavern.
So from the great fabric of his gear, the fact he always came back without so much as a scratch after his missions, and finally that veil, it would have been stranger if he'd skipped under the radar of his peers up to that point.

Back to the bounty he'd secured this time, as he remarked, it was quite uncommon for big names to be found on wanted posters around these parts. The reason being that most of the time, they were the people who tended to issue said requests to this guild branch and, or, sponsored some of the missions. Just like how Ispron noblity had hired assassins and mercenaries from Glursem for years. Behind the scenes of course.

Fourth floor, room seven.. Confirming his target's location, Taiyo prepared his weapon enhancing chant to give his blade a heat comparable to that of lava, tied a rope to the pommel, and launched his sword close to the window of his target. The blade effortlessly plunged into the wall and stuck there as he dispelled the enchantment.

"Who goes there ?! " Opening the window in a panic, a woman who looked like she was in her late fourties looked to the side at the object that'd just pierced the wall of her room.

"Countess Virar, right ? Don't bother calling for help, as you can see they are quite busy at the moment." He shrugged, pointing at the fire raging in the woods southwest of the manor. One he had started himself to mobilize the most people he could from the property.

"Who are you, and what do you want ?!" She fumed, gritting her teeth.

"That's not of your business, I'll be the one to ask the questions."

Pulling a few times on the rope tied to his weapon, Taiyo climbed the wall swiftly and quietly and pushed the noblewoman to the ground as he made his way in from the window.

"I-If it's my body you're after then I-I guess I could let you get away with this much."

Somehow, it seemed this old hag who painted every corner of her face with layers of makeup to hide her aging features, took the manœuvre performed by the intruder as a sexual assault. And thinking she could get away with offering her body as compensation, she made to untie the lace of her dress in her chest area. All with trembling hands.
That said, and most to Taiyo's disgust, he remarked a hint of anticipation in the woman's expression, like she was enjoying some sort of gulty pleasure out of the situation. 

Yikes.. does she think this is some kind of game ? Wake up old hag, you're way past your prime ! Lifting his feet from her arms, Taiyo got up and ignored the woman undressing of her own will. His goal was to secure evidence of what she had been accused of and to claim her head if she refused to cooperate.

"Apparently you have forced your daughters to sleep with the hero in order to blackmail him into marrying into your family." He stated, opening every drawer and closet he came across. "I cannot tell you who found out, but someone from the same faction as you discovered what you did and placed a bounty on your head."

"P-preposterous, how– I mean, why would they do that ?! This is obviously nonsense !" She screamed, not paying attention to the fact her slumpy chest was in full display as she got to her knees.

"You have two options." He cut her. "Either you confess and free your daughters from their 'duty'. That way we can allow you to simply disappear at the mere cost of your name. Or, you refuse to cooperate and I kill you right now."

Her face growing pale, the woman started smiling through her tears and desperately tried to appeal to the former hero once more.

"I-I cannot do that, if my family fails to tie the knot with the influencial figure that is the hero, we will lose everything once the first son of the king ascends to the throne. You have to believe me, someone most certainly set me up just to accelerate the fall of our house."

Apparently, that first son of the king had been the one to find out about her schemes. So the fact he was the first one who came to mind when she thought of her enemies, only backed up the claims written on the mission sheet affixed to the wanted poster.

"So you won't cooperate then. That's unfortunate." Taiyo concluded there was no need to waste any more time on finding clues. Since she confirmed the prince was after her, it was evident she had done what she was accused of. The prince was known to be on good terms with the local hero, so it was easy to imagine he had made sure guards and servants were always by his side and would report anything that happened to the hero. If he hadn't already heard directly from the man himself anyway.

With a swift movement, Taiyo beheaded the woman. He had found a set of keys that screamed prison cell to him and figured he would inspect the manor for any underground level before he escaped with her head.

Figures.. After finding a secret staircase behind a pillar in the main hall and making his way down, as expected he found a tight corridor with several prison cells on both sides. And inside one of them he found the girls.

"Are you this woman's daughters ?"

Holding the head by its hair, he presented the gruesome sight to the three girls seated at a wooden table at the back of the cell and gauged their reaction. Pure disgust huh, then I guess they really were doing it against their will.

"Fine, you don't need to answer. Your faces say it all." He said, opening the door. "You're free to go. I was only commissioned to negotiate with her, so as long you have nothing to feel guilty about, we shouldn't cross paths again."

Biting their lips as they passed by him, one of the three sisters cast a hateful glare in his direction before making her way out.

                                                                        ____________

"Is he the one who fulfilled my request ?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Coming his way as he sipped his morning coffee at the bar in the guild hall, a hooded man with a striking blue and silver armor peaking from underneath his robe joined Taiyo at the counter.

"Thank you for your services." The man said. "It is a shame to see the formerly exemplary head of a distinguished house from our lands fall to such recourse in order to maintain her political position but, I did all I could to avoid this resolution I think." And that wasn't enough.. he added in a near whisper.

Listening in silence, Taiyo recalled the hate he'd felt in the eyes of one of the daughters he had freed. It'd seemed she was the oldest among the three, so perhaps she had been aware of her mother's qualities and past deeds unlike her juniors. And that convinced her to comply to the desperate order her mother had forced onto them.

"Anyway, thanks to you those girls will be able to choose who they want to be with in the future at least. And our hero will not have to take responsiblity for his carelessness."

At least he understands that guy shares part of the blame. Taiyo thought. Indeed, the young man, drunk on his success and the power he was afforded as a hero might have gone to his head. Perhaps he thought he could get away with ultimately declaring the three daughters his concubines or something if need arose. Regardless, he had failed to exerce sufficient caution regarding his situation, as well as towards the result of his actions. That was certain.

"I only did my job." Finally answered the assassin. "I don't necessarily enjoy killing people but, dirtying my hands to rid society of scums and bandits doesn't feel so bad."

Unconsciously trying to sound cool and professional as he said it, Taiyo finished his coffee, put the change on the counter, and left the guild in a relaxed manner.

"I see..." Said the prince to himself as he followed the former hero with his gaze.

                                                                       ____________

Leaving the country after he had saved up enough to move on, Taiyo made his way to Baravia, the capital of the most dominant religion on this continent. The place where he met yet another hero.

While the one from Fuyanagi had looked innocent and acted like a spoiled brat, this one exuded a fierce maturity in both her eyes and her attitude.

"I heard there is a young merchant who recently set up shop."

"Yes milady."

"Are those reports accurate ?"

From under her hooded robe, Tressa, the heroine of Baravia, planted her nail into a sheet of parchment that had been placed before her and shot a fierce look at her informant.

By the looks of it, the young merchant, a woman, who had recently appeared in town, had come with a great variety of tissues from abroad and had started selling her merchandise for about a third of the price currently found on the market.
Her motives were clear however, after visiting many countries and crossing the ocean, she said she had come to the conclusion that her life mission shouldn't have been to sell her goods to make a living, but instead to use her mobility and her ability for trading to buy and deliver what the people needed, where they needed it the most.

The hero from this land however, did not welcome such kindhearted methods. The reason the economy was concerning right now was because she had had the taxes raised momentarily to pocket some of the money in order to have a large house built for herself.
And anyway, she always worked with the power in place to have the economy of this country work in a neat and well-oiled cycle. That way, everything was always under control.
She only needed to pretend she was going to war or something along those lines once in a while, and the people would throw money her way to support the effort. Which then allowed the clergy that stood at the top of the hierarchy to lower the taxes "as thanks", and allow people and merchants alike to deal under more breathable conditions for a while. Enough so that they would not opt to leave the city.

What a rotten system... Taiyo thought. His investigation had led him to tail her to this high-end tavern but, upon confirming what she was up to, or rather, what she was unmistakably about to do, he left quietly in his inconspicuous brown suit and decided it was time to leave the country.

                                                                      ____________

In total after departing from Ispron, Taiyo had spent: half a year between Leorto and Depteria, about a year in Matrio, two in Fuyanagi, and three in Baravia. 

Thanks to that'd had the occasion to meet a lot of people and experience a great deal of both trouble and happiness, and ultimately it seemed he had decided on the next goal he would set for himself.

"There you have it. From those two experiences in particular and with all the intel I was able to gather while I worked in Fuyanagi, I've decided that's what I want to do." He said with resolve. "Which is why I will ask you to wait for me just a little longer."

Holding the hands of the woman he had promised to come back to, Taiyo mustered all of his will to convey his ambition to her while he fought the desire to simply give it all up and ask for her hand right then and there.

"So that's your answer.." she said as she hung her head with a pained smile. "Then I guess you leave me no other choice..."

Calling her personnal attendant over, Nika ordered her to go fetch something for her and moved to sit on the balcony couch that was part of her room. Patting the spot beside her, she gestured for Taiyo to come sit by her side.

"I understand that after witnessing people in the same situation as you re-ignited the soul of the hero sleeping inside you but, do you realize what it means to fulfill that ambition of yours ?"

"I know it sounds like I'll be going on a killing spree, but that's not what I mean to do. Well, unless villains come after me. In that case I'll do what I have to if I must."

"That's what I thought." She said, suppressing a chuckle. She looked exasperated. "Which is why I've decided that I'll go with you. This way I'll be able to monitor your actions and make sure you don't go overboard."

"No way, you can't–" Cutting him off before he could argue back, Nika looked at him with serenity and continued.

"Judging things and people from your point of you is one thing. But acting based on that same judgement is called self-satisfaction. I admit that the power you possess is the result of your own efforts, but that doesn't make all of your future actions legitimate as a result. In the end you are only forcing your ideals onto the people in front of you." She paused.

"That being said, I, for one share some of your convictions, so I want to help you achieve what you aim to. Although, more importantly, I don't want to risk losing you over something like this. I know it'll sound fatalist but, I firmly believe that regardless of our actions right now, the world, people, will inevitably return to a state similar to the one as it currently is in, sometimes in the future I mean. Not to say that any action or thought is inconsequential or meaningless, but that maybe we should rather focus on improving our immediate environment and strive to be the best versions of ourselves before we think about changing someone or somewhere else." 

Seing as he listened intently to her, she took a deep breath and finished.

"There will always be people who will want to thank you or on the contrary who will despise you for what you say or what you do." She prefaced. "And you won't be able to confidently say what you did or said was the best possible course of action either, or at least I, won't let you. Simply because excess confidence is the inevitable precursor to one's downfall." She paused once again, for dramatic effect.

"You are not necessarily good nor are you necessarily evil. As the saying goes, 'even a Demon Lord has retainers'. Which means, someone you believe is evil by definition might still have people who believe in them, follow them, or even worship them. Like a hero."

As she studied him while she monologued, she saw that he showed signs of understanding what she was saying. However, he also looked uncomfortable and conflicted. She didn't blame him, that was a lot to take in after all.

After a few minutes of silence however, Taiyo, my love, my own hero, pierced me with his unwavering gaze and answered.

"You might be right in most of what you are saying. Or rather, I think that deep down I agree to most of it I should say. However, I still think I need to do what I said I would. I want to see where my ideals will lead me. I want to know if that will help satisfy the part of me who yearns for justice and is begging me to use the power at my disposal to fulfill those ambitions." He asserted. "But for that, I think you are right, I would need someone, not anyone, you; I think I need you to stay by my side to make sure I don't do something I would regret later on."

Having managed to convince him, I felt all the tension and the muscles in my body relax. I exhaled in a long sigh and started giggling to myself.

"Did I say something funny ?"

"No, nothing. I'm just glad. Somehow I feel like I'm facing the same you that I met back at the library for the first time. The you who devoured books after books with a truly animated expression on his face. Full of life both in his training and in his research."

After how defeated and worn-out he had looked when he left the castle, I was extremely happy to see his inner self was still intact and had come back alive and more shining than ever.

"Your eyes have the look of an innocent child looking forward to a future of adventure and discoveries but, from your words I can feel the maturity you have gained from thinking over what happened back here as well as from your travels. So I'm confident this too, will be a fantastic experience for you, for us." I finished.

                                                                        ____________

True to her words, their quest to better the world and rid it of some of the corrupt individuals really did benefit them. They found yet more people to cherish and welcome into their lives, they saw cities and villages get back on their feet after they erased the source of their misfortune, and they even ended up having a child of their own making.

Sure the former hero was now referred to as "the Revenger", or, "Eclipse, The Hero-Killer", but ultimately, those were simply monikers. Designations arbitrarily pronounced to refer to him in his absence, or to allow one to tell his tales.
What mattered most to him now was how the most important person in his life called him. Be it "dear", "Hyouma", "Taiyo", "Papa", he didn't care which. As long as she was the one to address him.

Once a hero, then a mysterious assassin, and now a father; Taitaku Hyouma was leading such a fulfilling life in this other world that he almost forgot all about the one he came from. 

One of his objectives was to one day find somebody who, like Prakia, his former magic instructor, would be able to create a ritual to send him back to Earth. He did not plan to return there for good, but he wanted to present his wife and child to his parents at least. He was now completely at peace with his situation and by no means did he intend to let it go. Which is why he made a final vow.

If with this power I acquired through hard work and the help of others makes myself a hero in the eyes of those people, then I am glad to don the cape again and to step forward against the world if that's what it takes.