The Demon King's Paladin

Chapter 58.5 Ashley's Journey

Ashley Garrett's Point of View

It's been about a week since we started this journey to Diablos. My training has gone well. We dedicated a good 2 and half months to training with a teacher and delving into dungeons around Promethia. It was explained to me that dungeons are places where strong monsters inhabit. There are apparently rare monsters known as "bosses" these monsters have a chance to leave rare items when defeated. During our time we were able to pick up a good pair of knuckles for myself and a good dagger for Lucy. Besides that, we were outfitted with good and balanced armor before we set off for Diablos and to defeat the Demon King.

The first day I found a problem with Luke. It obviously shocked me to the core that this fool who spent more time parading around his Hero Job than training or preparing would be battle ready. The first time we were attacked, his back was ripped into by a dark wolf's claws. To say that he has burned whatever bridges he had left with all of us, would be an understatement. If not for the squad of logistics members who will be feeding us on our journey being fanatically loyal to him due to his Hero status, we may have left him there.

The first few days have not been easy, to say the least. From Luke attempting to lead like he doesn't need a strategy, to the number of times we have barely escaped from horrible injury, this trip to Diablos has been fraught with danger. Specifically, for me as I am a frontliner. I've spent so much time in battle trying to clean up Luke's mistakes that I find it difficult to not simply wash my hands of this idiot. Luara is already on board with the idea. Safe to say that since she realized John thinks that she was on his side and causing that blow out argument, to his insistence on trying to speak to her when she wants no part of anything to do with him. It's safe to say she'd be on board with abandoning him. Jaime has been giving him the stink eye for 2 months now and Lucy can barely speak to him without becoming irrationally angry. Perhaps this journey would be easier if he were not here?

The hero party has been able to hold a meeting and make some needed changes. The most important is that Jaime will be the one calling the shots now in battle. As a Wizard she is a backliner who has to assess the battle to find the perfect time to cast magic. We outvoted Luke 4 to 1. He attempted to make a fuss, but the team wouldn't budge. He attempted to gain some kind of compensation, but we simply told him this was how it was going to be, or we would head back to Promethia.

Since then, our performance has improved dramatically. Which is good considering the closer we get to Diablos, the stronger the monsters become. This would be a bigger problem for us if not for Laura, her Cleric Job gave her the ability to cast a barrier that warded against monsters. This let our group rest well most days. After a few days and 10s of battles, we had the act of fighting while Jaime commanded us nearly down to a science. Luke complained but the results spoke for itself.

At night on the 8th day of traveling, I was resting in my tent. I was joined unexpectedly by Jaime. She and I have grown closer through this ordeal of being brought to another world. I spoke to her with a friendly tone as she sat down in front of me.

" Jaime, what's up!"

" Ashley, I came to talk to you about something."

Jaime looked to be in a serious mood, I decided to sit up straight and listen to her speak. After some time had passed, she began to speak to me.

" I want to tell you about something I overheard about a month ago."

" What is it about?"

" It's about Luke. I heard him talk about John. He somehow knew something about him. I felt like I should inform everyone about this. Also, he was using it in a negative way. It seems that even with John not here, Luke still tries to blame him for something."

Jaime began to look more and more displeased as she spoke.

" So, what did he say about John?"

" Well apparently, John is an orphan. he called him an " orphan bastard" when I was in ear shot. "

I asked her to tell me, and Jaime's words hit me like a punch to the gut. The anger I felt was quenched by how sad I felt for John.

" Well, was Luke just trying to say anything to disparage John? We all know how he acts around him after all."

" No, he was mumbling to himself when he said it and he sounded very sure of himself. I also thought about it after leaving him be. I always wondered why someone so talented in academics and sports allowed himself to be bullied like that or why he didn't have friends. Don't you think it would make sense, if he didn't do anything because he didn't want to cause problems for the people who took him in?"

I started to ruminate on what I remembered about John and how he acted during these 4 years I've known him.

" It would make sense, in a way."

" How do you think?"

" Well, I never told you but, do you remember how Lucy worked as a student council member?"

" Yes, what does that have to do with this?"

" Well, somehow... She never really explained it, but she found out that John was going to move out of our city to another one across the country to attend college."

I explained a secret I knew about John to her. Jaime looked saddened by this news, understandably so. I was as sad when I first heard about this from Lucy as well. Actually, Lucy was also deeply sad when she told me. I think that's why it slipped out in the first place. She made me promise not to tell anyone after spilling the beans. Jaime started to speak in a lonely tone.

" But what does that have to do with him being an orphan, Ashley?"

" Well, he was leaving Jaime. Thats why he finally bit back against Luke. Don't you remember? He was waiting for Luke to try to hit him after he told him that he was always 2nd best, or something like that. He looked so confident then."

" So, you're saying that since he was leaving, he wouldn't be causing any problems for his foster family and could just let loose finally?"

" Yeah, I mean weren't you surprised how quickly he escalated that argument?"

" This makes things a bit more difficult. What's going to happen if Laura hears about this?"

Jaime looked concerned for Laura. I was a bit concerned as well. Laura has been doing everything but sacrificing virgins at an alter to get back home as soon as possible. I woke up in the middle of the night not too long ago and she was practicing her magic instead of sleeping. When I asked her if she slept, she just looked at me and smiled. She said she would sleep soon after when she was done. I started to speak to Jaime after recalling that.

" I feel like we should inform Lucy and Luara regardless."

" Are you sure?"

" Yes, if I were them, I'd want to know. Let's go and tell them now. We can tell Lucy first, then all 3 of us can tell Laura."

" Okay, Let's hope nothing terrible comes of this."

I nodded at her words and then we left our tent to find Lucy. Here's hoping this doesn't cause a catastrophe.