In the hour of greatest need [part 1 of 2]

Once again, I wake up before Ann, as she stays soundly asleep with her head on my chest. Being able to see that face first thing in the morning is a blessing I’m not entirely sure I deserve, but I’ll happily make the most of it.

But even saying that, what’s this feeling nagging at me? Why does it still feel like there’s something not quite right?

I shake my head, brushing it off as just an anxious mind not believing my luck. In such a short amount of time, I’ve achieved practically everything I wanted to. I’ve learned to use two of the forbidden arts I was trying for, I prevented further calamity with the wave dragons, and the woman I love so much returned my feelings.

By all means, I should be happier than I’ve ever been, and in a way I am, but there’s just… something that doesn’t feel right. Am I missing something?

“Mm… good morning, Shiidou. I trust you slept well?”
“Like a baby. You looked like you were sleeping pretty peacefully yourself just then.”
“You make a fine pillow.”
“Well in that case, I’m happy to have been of service.”

Despite still being half asleep, Ann’s little giggle is enough to fill me with every ounce of energy and motivation I need for the day.

She really is everything I need. There can’t be anything missing, right?

***

“Here to invite us to breakfast again?”
“Am I so predictable?”

As he had on several occasions since we arrived, Shimu came to collect Ann and I not too long after we awoke. The bags under his eyes tell me was up late into the night rewriting those reconstruction plans, but despite that his expression is one of barely concealed excitement. I find myself wondering what could have a man who’s faced so many problems recently so giddy.

“To tell you the truth, however, there is somewhere I’d like to take you both first. If you would be so kind as to change into formalwear, if you have it with you, I would appreciate it.”
“Formalwear? So early in the morning? I mean, sure, but I’m guessing there aren’t any meetings or social events with other lords at the crack of dawn, right?”
“Not quite. You shall see as we arrive.”

Realising I’m not gonna get any more information from my impertinent cousin, I turn my head to Ann next me and simply say ‘let’s change’ before closing the door again.

Jesus, formal clothes this early? Must be something important going on. Thankfully I packed one kimono and one doublet suit from Elizabethan England in case Shimu had wanted my help in any Lordly duties while here.

“Hey Ann, kimono or doublet, which do you think?”

“Hmm… as we know not what we’re summoned for, the doublet may be the better choice. A kimono is too limiting to one’s movement.”

“You raise a good point. Doublet it is, I suppose.”

Although this is certainly the better decision, I feel a slight pang of sadness. Call me a weeb, but I find traditional Japanese clothing so much more interesting than their European equivalents. As for Ann…

“Did you not bring anything except maid clothes?”
“What else could I possibly require?”

Having changed out of her combat maid garb, she had now changed into her maid formalwear. I’m starting to wonder if it’s not even because of her job and she’s just obsessed with always wearing maid outfits.

“How do you even have so many different types of maid garb? Surely there’s nowhere that sells combat gear and stuff specifically for maids, right?”

“I simply asked the lord Kana to commission them specially. He was happy to oblige.”
“That bastard doesn’t even let me choose my own clothes!”
“Well, I have always been his favourite.”
“Even you know it?”

I’ll have to give the old man a few angry words when I get back.

“Well, shall we be on our way?”
“Yeah, let’s not keep Shimu waiting any longer.”

Now fully dressed in our formal clothing, we leave the room, trundle through the hall and make our way down the stairs to the entrance of the inn, where Shimu awaits us. Waving goodbye to the innkeeper, old man Ryo, we follow Shimu out the door and along the main road.

“So, you still not telling us what you want us dressed up for so early in the morning?”
“You will see when we arrive.”
“Your evasiveness can be really annoying, y’know that?”
It’s a few minutes of walking, Shimu saying to a word the whole time, before I realise where he’s taking us.

“That’s a lot of people gathered in the town square, especially for how early it is.”
“I sent out notice to the whole town before dawn this morning, any who found they could spare the time have gathered.”

“Man, waking people up early like that on such short notice, that must have made you real popular.”
“Actually, most of the townsfolk seemed ecstatic at the idea.”

The entire town excited to be deprived of sleep? What circumstances could possibly lead to that? Ann’s face tells me she’s wondering the same, but Shimu unsurprisingly clears up absolutely nothing and continues walking to the centre. We follow him to the very middle of the town square, around which the enormous crowd stood in a circle. Once there, Shimu stops, turns to address the part of the crowd we just walked past, and signals me and Ann to stand on either side of him. For a moment, he waits for chatter to die down, before beginning to speak in the same deep, booming voice he always uses when addressing a crowd.

“Ladies and gentlemen of Higashi, thank you for heeding my summons.”

He breathes heavily before continuing. He always does this when making a big announcement, so this must be important.

“As many of you may already know, the scouts sent to investigate the flooded land on the coast recently determined that the tsunami that took so many lives from us was not a natural occurrence, but the work of one of the most intelligent and powerful animals on Terra. A wave dragon.”

The slight murmurs tell me that pretty much everyone here, from knight to nobleman to commoner, understands the gravity of those words.

“Such a situation was, as you may well have guessed, more dire than we could ever have assumed. Humanity has not had conflict with the dragons for many a year, and to break that fragile peace would have led to great calamity, the likes this island has never seen.”

Many in the crowd stiffen, and many grave facial expressions appear, but for some reason there seems to be a lack of genuine fear amongst the crowd.

“But as I informed all of you today, there is little reason for fear. Because in the hour of greatest need, two heroes stepped up in defence of our home and our people, and preserved the peace that was so quickly waning.”

No sooner than Shimu had finished his sentence, the crowd erupted into cheers. Ah, that’s why they weren’t scared. I think I can predict what’s coming now.