ONE SHOT COLLECTION

A Request(translated)

A/N: Its finally done! Took way longer than expected (as usual) but it is done and yes! My English is broken!

A Request

That night, only the moon and the stars fill the sky no single cloud could be seen. A fancy horse carriage guarded by 6 guards is slowly marching on the Rhoon street, this street is a shortcut that connect 2 kingdom. The street is surrounded by dense forest and because of a lot of important people use this road, bandits usually waits in between the dense forest. And tonight… is no different. Waiting on a small hill, there are two people watching this carriage.
“They’re here.” He tap my boot as he says that.
I was laying down when he told me that, I lift my body and look for the carriage.
“There.” He pointed at the carriage, the guards is wearing a full body armor complete with buckler.
“Good god, the payment was worth it, if its not, full armored guards is such a hassle to deal with, let’s go!” We both start to close our distance with the convoy.
I stopped to examine the armor that the guards is wearing for any weakness and advantage I could exploit, the weakness is the gap between the joints of the guards body, I throw a small dagger to the guards’ throat that’s leading the convoy, after his body falla to the ground it alerts all the guards. Meanwhile my friend uses this moment to take out 1 of the guard.
When the guards are busy dealing with my friend I sneak closer to the unguarded carriage.
“Are they really a guard?” I open the carriage door as ai whisper to myself.
Inside, a surprised beautiful princess with a brown long hair and blue eyes look at me, her clothing is very royal.
“Time to go my lady.” I bowed down and reach out my hand to her, in my hand there were a pendant and she recognized it, it was a pendant from her kingdom. But she look hesitant to grab my hand, so I pulled her out of the carriage and ran into the forest.
I turned around and see my partner still fighting with 2 other guards even when outnumbered, he still can kill another guard.
“You are a strong man my friend, but I’m prey, your name is on the board.” I threw my dagger at his neck and ran into the forest without looking back, the princess’s dress was too long so I cut the short and carry her to my hideout.

After about 3 hours, we arrived at a wooden house.
“Finally… carrying you for 1 hours sure make my hands cramp.”
At the middle of the way here, I decided we just walk here.
3 Wolfs is guarding the house, when they sense my presence they started running to me, I squat down and open my arms welcoming them.
“Heyyy Ka, Ki, Ko!”
The three of then take turn tu lick my face and howl.
“Ki…?”
Peeking from the door a maid with a broom on her hand. I stand up and greet her.
“Yo! I’m home.” She is a Dragonkin that I rescue on a mission one time, I let her stay in this hideout with one request, that she will be my maid and I named her Sali.
I noticed that the princess is kinda scared by the wolves.
“Don’t worry, you have the same stench as me, they know you are not a threat so they won’t attack you.”
Ki, the eldest of the three walks up to her and the princess held out her hand, ki sniffs her hand and she chuckles.
“Good boy…” I whisper as I enter the house.

I take a seat at the dining table after picking up a glass of beer and she take a seat across the table.
“So my mother sent you?” Her expression is serious she even leans forward.
“You can see it here.” I reach to my shirt pocket and pull out the pendant I was showing her earlier.
She took the pendant and carefully examine it.
“This is her pendant… Why?”
“Huh, What’s why?” I raised my eyebrows.
She didn’t answer and just stare at me, until I finally understand.
“Oh yes why, its because you petition. ‘The demi is not a pest' it is true that your petition is a great news for the demi, but a lot of humans disagree with that. Don’t worry I’m on your side, course because of personal reason.”
Even after hearing that, her face is still dead serious while stared at me.
“Haaah… on that road earlier, you were about to be attacked by other band of bandits and dies there, and somehow, the queen, you’re mother knows about this and calls me for help. She doesn’t explain much, she looks in a rush. Happy?”
She’s shocked hearing this. I cannot blame her, betrayed by your own race. I stand and goes to the kitchen where my maid is cooking.

“Go to the princess, I’ll cook.” I kiss her forehead.
“Don’t you dare ruin the taste!” She glare at me as she walks out of the kitchen.

After about 30 minutes we finished the meal, and the princess now resting with Sali in her bedroom.
I sat at the terrace with my wolves and a full cup of beer. Even though the sun already rising up and the birds starts to sing, the area surrounding my house is still relatively dark thanks to the dense forest around it.
I never imagine myself to have a home, pet or even a maid. Hearing the nature’s breathing calms my mind. My mother is a bone demon, she got executed. I never see her hurt a soul. She with my father even go as far as helping the village from starving by teaching them about seasons and farming. But, the higher ups sees it as a cult. All of their hard work is for nothing. My mother died and my father is thrown into the jail. I was 19 at that time. But I swear… I swear In the name of my parents, I will change this unforgiving world. But… look at me now, I’m just a mercenary.

Suddenly, the wolves growl and stand up. At the same time I remembered the guards from yesterday.
“Oh yeah… they must’ve called for a search party.”
“You three, just stand by do not engage.” I stand up and enter the house to Sali’s room.
“Wake up, time’s up, you two need to prepare.”
Sali is Immediately awake while the princess is half asleep.
“Use the escape route beneath the fireplace and I will tell the wolves to follow you two.”
Sali pulls the princess off the bed and help her to prepare, while I run back to the terrace and saw a numbers of soldier slowly pathing through the thick bushes.
“You three, go to the princess and protect her.”
The three wolves walk slowly to me with their ear and tail down.
“Go! This is an order!”
Ka and Ko immediately goes inside while ki is still In front of me, I know what he meant by that.
“you probably wouldn’t make it.”
I get back inside the house, the princess with the help of my maid is entering the secret passage beneath the fireplace.
“Take this, there are people waiting for you at the end of this tunnel let them see this and they’ll sure to help you.”
I hand out a scroll to the princess and she looks concerned.
“But… what about you?”
Even Sali's face is concerned at me.
“You really are kind eh?”

“That’s the house! Find the princess and kill her immediately!”
The loud shouting of a Knight can be heard. I saw ka and ko cowering behind Sali. Ki is staying with me though…
“Be a good boy and follow your new master and…” I look at Sali. “I will meet you there, now go!”
They run to the end of the tunnel with only a lantern as light source. I close the entrance and put some firewood on top of it.
“You are the hope of our kind, so please change the world.”
My body slowly change, my hand start to lengthened until it touches the floor. Huge fangs start to replace my teeth, sharp and long nails grow from all of my fingers. A tail spurts out from my tailbone. A horn came out from my head and chin forming a protective helmet around my head.
“Because I already tired of this world!”