The Replacement of the Sword Hero

Chapter Four: A Royal Charade

I was awake before dawn. I left Eclair sleeping on the bed and went downstairs. The tavern below the inn was deserted. I went outside and asked a passer-by where I could find a pail of water. As I was washing my face, I heard a staccato of marching footsteps through the streets. The city soldiers were on the move. I finished freshening up and ran my fingers through my hair. I felt better now, but still...
Dreaming about Ren two nights in a row concerned me. Was the Sword Spirit trying to tell me something? What was the deal with the Sword of Usurpation? Was it my punishment for usurping Ren's position as the Sword Hero? Why? I didn't ask for it. Not that I hate being the Sword Hero, and I don't want to give it up just yet. There are characters that I can save, and events that I can avert with my knowledge.

I headed back to the inn as the sun climbed into the sky. The streets started to come alive as the town woke up. I didn't have to wait long until the knights arrived.
"Sir Sword Hero, urgent summons from the king." Declared the leading knight.
"I will come immediately." I said. Then I turned to Eclair. "Stay here and take care of our equipment." I ordered her. Then I let the soldiers escort me away. I trusted Eclair, even if she wasn't willing to trust me just yet.

As I walked back to the castle, the Bow Hero and his party arrived in a carriage.
"Good morning Itsuki!" I called out to him. "How are you guys doing?"
With such a large party behind him, he was probably levelling up faster than me. If my memory served correctly, most of the heroes' parties had been able to undergo a class up before the first wave.
"Hey, Wilbur. Do you know why we have been summoned?" Itsuki asked.
"Not a clue, I'm afraid. What level have you reached now?"
"I'm level 10."
Really, dammit. I was definitely lagging behind. I was only level 4.
"Yeah, well, it's not that important at the moment." I said as I turned away from him and crossed the drawbridge to the castle. Maybe the Ren that kept appearing in my dreams was trying to tell me to level up more, it was one of the legendary sword's power up methods after all.

An attendant directed me to the audience chamber, however, this time I was not bought to stand before the king but rather taken to the side where the Spear Hero and his party were already waiting. A tearful Myne was huddled close to Motoyasu. If I didn't know better, I could have been fooled by her crocodile tears. I approached Motoyasu and asked. "Hey, what's going on here? Is she alright?"
Motoyasu shot me a look and ground his teeth. "That bastard Naofumi tried to force himself on Myne last night!"
Itsuki, who had been leading his party into the room heard Motoyasu's growl and stared in shock.
"How could he?"
I looked up at the king's grim expression. Motoyasu and Itsuki were talking. Myne was looping her arm through Motoyasu's and drying her eyes. Then the king's retainer informed him that the Shield Hero was about to arrive.

Naofumi was unceremoniously dragged into the room at spearpoint in his underclothes. He desperately looked around and called out when he saw Myne.
But upon hearing her name, she ducked behind Motoyasu, clinging to his arm.
"What the hell, Myne?" He asked in bewilderment.
I looked at him. From his body language to his actions to his tone of voice, there was not a shadow of a doubt that he was innocent.
"You mean you really don't remember?" Yelled Motoyasu, stepping forward and striking the ground with his spear. I sighed. If I wanted the king's support, I was going to have to act out this charade convincingly.

"What do you mean? Remember what... Hey!" Naofumi broke off mid-sentence and shouted back at Motoyasu. "So, it was you... you thief!"
"Who's a thief? I didn't know you were such a scoundrel!" Motoyasu retorted.
"A scoundrel? What are you talking about?"
After Naofumi's outburst, a brief silence settled over the audience chamber. Myne began sobbing. The king spoke. "We will now hear the charges against the Shield Hero."
"Charges? But... but I!" Naofumi tried to protest but he was at a loss for words.
The red-haired woman began to weave her tale. "The Shield Hero drank too much, and then he came bursting into my room. Then he... He held me down and..."