Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Moments before Maria's talk with Raven, another guest had made its entrance in the royal hall. Standing before the giants was the hero of this land and its people, Frazer Coastrom. And with him were a collection of four girls, each from a different monster tribe that lived in the oceanic desert.

At a glance, the giants were enraged, but the proposition that he'd brought satiated their ire.

"Let me march with that army. I'll help them defeat the general, but also make sure that none of them can come back to this city alive again." Their ears perked up at the suggestion, but what did the hero stand to gain from such a deal? Well, they didn't wait or think about the matter as stepping forward. Muena added.

"In return, our worship of Asmareth continues, and the people of my clans and the other girls behind me get to live within these walls."

The giants turned heads and looked at each other, unsure what to make of the request and confused as to why a monster would even want to worship a god that doesn't accept their prayers. And yet batting a knowing eye, the two smiled weakly and turned their attention back to the hero standing to their front.

"I'll allow it," said the king.

"What?! My lord, I have to insist that this will only fuel the animosity between us and the army!"

"If that army remains, that is!" Melenai tried to talk sense, but was quickly interrupted by Frazer.

Stepping forward with loud, firm footsteps, he matched the advisor's gaze.

"This is moronic!" Melenai yelled, frustrated, bleeding through her vision.

"You've seen what we've done already without anyone knowing," wearing an eerie smile, Frazer waves his hand towards the meeting hall's entrance. "Poison has already weakened the army; all that's left is to use what strength they have left against the demon general and then cull the remaining injured soldiers."

Stuck with the horror of realization, Melenai hugged her ledger tight while the royals gasped with an amused expression.

"Y-you poisoned that army?!" Asked the advisor.

"I did," Muena responded, her rosy lips curled upwards.

The sound of clapping hands interrupted the conversation, and the amused laughs of the king only further fueled Melenai's confusion. Bowing her head lightly, Muena, the dryad, lifted her head and faced the king.

"Apart from elves, my poison is potent enough to stay in their bloodstream until every drop has been replaced. They might recover, but the poison will keep them weak for at least a week from now on." Reaching for the flower petals that covered her eye, Muena pulled them apart to reveal a giant, green eye with a darkness in place of the white. The lords recoiled in their seats at the sight, but that only stretched her smile even further. "If we make a deal, I can travel with them alongside Frazer. I can dose them in a way that they won't even realize that they're being poisoned."

Letting go of the petals, Muena covered her eye once more. Lowering her head, she turned her body towards the hero and stretched a hand towards him.

"Of course, we'd appreciate noble titles once we've done you this favor, along with everything that we'd stated already." Taking her hand, Frazer stepped forward. The rest of the girls walked closer to them as well.

"And lastly," looking up at the royals again, Frazer's expression contorted into a mix of anger and frustration. "I want to be next in line for your seats, me and my harem of girls."

'What?' Having not expected such a demand, the king slowly turned his head to the queen. But wearing the same confusion on her face, she was no better at assessing the situation, much less offering any advice.

"Keep your end of the deal first, and then we'll think of your inheritance. The rest you can have as soon as you're back from concluding your end of the deal!" The queen announced, trying to sound more assertive than she actually felt in the situation.

"Good enough for now," Muena replied, and the party took their leave.

In their absence, the sound of Melenai's fingers squeezing on themselves cracked within that room, but the giants paid her frustration no mind. Already, they saw Frazer as their pawn; already, they were ready to get rid of him once he was no longer necessary.

Dropping her ledger, Melenai began to walk towards the exit. The giants eyed her from behind, and just before she could leave, the king said to her.

"Do you not see it, bard? That monster is controlling him."

Turning her head sideways, Melenai took a deep breath and heaved.

"And you think you can control that monster?"

"For a price, she would abandon him, I know you sensed it too."

"And what about the rest?"

"They don't matter; we only need that dryad to agree to our terms."

Melenai could sense the truth in their words, but their ability to control even a flea, she had no trust in. For once, she understood whom she was serving, a pair of fools that couldn't see beyond power and themselves.

"I should check on Mei," she said and finally took her leave.

The thought of betraying her masters crossed her mind instantly, but then again, with her being the only other person who was present while the deal was struck, if anyone else knew what the hero was planning, she would be hunted and she would be killed.

'I'm not risking my life for strangers, no way.' Despite knowing what was going to happen, she decided to do what was best for her instead of for Raven and his army. After all, in her eyes, they were still strangers, and it was better that they died instead of her.

The thought, however, never left her head. A few words and she could save many lives, but at the time, risked getting herself killed.

'I…I need some time to think.' Still unsure, she shook her head and went downstairs to visit Meimei. In her presence, she could forget the bad, but with the army leaving in a few days, she has to make her decision quickly or have her hands be stained with the blood of the very army that has come to save her home city.

"UGhhh! Fuck me, why do I have to be the only one with a brain in this damned mansion?!" She complained to herself, but the clock is ticking, and fate awaits her decision.