Everyone is now kneeling down to the king while the king is sitting down. The king lifted his hand and the group stood back up.
The three of us arrived and quickly took a position on the line. Everyone is lining up horizontally so that our faces can be seen by the king.
The king quickly realized the difference that existed physically from the arch-mage and the headmaster.
"Veneo, Julius... Did something happen to you two? You two seemed… different?"
The king said to the two that just arrived, and they chuckled while holding their new body parts.
"My eye has regrown."
"-And so did my hand."
The king then grinned at them as he turned to see me, only to find me playing faces with Lescia. The two of us are making ugly faces at each other while ignoring everyone.
Seeing what was going on, the queen chuckled while the king coughed.
"Miss Saint Heale--"
"It's Rize, my king. I would really appreciate it if everyone used a different nickname to call me."
Hearing me suddenly cutting the king off his words, everyone was rather surprised.
Oops, did I do that wrongly?
The king then closed his eyes and decided to use my name instead.
"Miss Rize… The war started a long time ago. Everyone has been fighting and risking their lives. Where were you?"
He must be thinking that I am to be held accountable for being absent. After all, a lot of people did die because I wasn't here.
I am… very annoyed by that fact. But, it wasn't something within my control, nor was it within my knowledge.
So I answered. Barely.
"I was being held by something. At… Naverne."
"And what were you doing at Naverne?"
"Something that no one should ever know about."
Hearing that, everyone let out a tired sigh. Maybe it sounded that I am being disrespectful towards the king right now, but I need to firmly state that my business at Naverne wasn't something to be discussed publicly.
King Bestall squinted his eyes at that answer, but then turned his firm gaze back to me and asked another question. His expression became more serious, and I know his next question will be related to the war.
"Miss Rize... I am sure that the headmaster of the academy had informed you about the war?"
"Yes, your majesty."
"And he had told you about your position as The Chief Healer?"
Hearing that, I became confused.
I turned my gaze to Veneo, but the headmaster only turned his face away from me. Feeling bewildered, I kept my gaze his way and asked the king without looking.
"N-No, what's this… Chief healer?"
The king then facepalmed slightly before shouting to the headmaster.
"Veneo! Why didn't you tell her!?"
"Because I believe you should tell that to her yourself, your majesty."
Veneo said that coldly towards the king of Mazino, also while not looking at the king. Hearing that coming from Veneo's mouth made the king confused, because he thought they had an agreement.
The king let out another long tired sigh and turned to the incredibly confused me. I turned back to the king, and realized that something was very wrong.
"A Chief Healer… is the position where you are the leader of all the healers on every base. You will be the main healer that controls all the healer's powers in the bases, and you will be directly responsible for all the injured soldiers."
He explained it to me, and my mind tried really hard to understand it.
"W-Wait, wait, all the healers in the bases? As in… only… in the base?"
"Yes. Because healers… don't leave the bases."
Hearing that from his mouth, I quickly began my processing.
The headmaster didn't tell me… and he must have a reason. And for this reason, it must be related to the king himself. And from what conversation the two just had, it must be related to what King Bestall originally had planned for me.
Healers don't leave the bases...
And as the Chief Healer, that means…
"That means… I don't… leave the base… at all…?"
"That is correct."
My mind… could not process this.
Everything bad is happening so fast and too sudden, that my insanely fast mind simply could not keep up anymore.
It has been hinted at for a very long time, and yet I was too blind to see it. Valon's reaction when he found out I'm the saint healer, the way Veneo is acting towards me ever since he started dealing with the whole war thing.
The fact that the Saint Healer is the Axelon, and not Rize Violet.
I turned my gaze to Veneo, and found him still facing away from me. Everyone else also understands what is going on, but not a single soul is willing to speak up.
I am… alone in this.
… Fine.
I quickly turned to anger. I stepped forward and kneeled down again to act more concise. I need to show him my respect first before bursting out, because from his expression, it looked like he was very ready to have a debate with me.
Fine. Let's have a talk.
"My king. I am suggesting that my position is changed to-"
"No! You are our main healer. Having you there means that our soldier will be undefeatable and nearly immortal."
"There won't even be a fight if I just go out and fight--"
"Think about it, Rize! If our army keeps on fighting, with no regard at all about getting wounded because they can be healed again, our army can fight forever!"
Hearing the king suddenly barking, I had to bark as well.
"I can kill the squadron demons easily!! I can fight and put an end to all of this!! There won't even be a need for the Axelons--"
"No, you can't! There is always the demon king, and he has the Two Hundred Demon Army in his squadrons!! Your role is needed as the healer--"
"I am an adventurer, I don't just heal. I mainly kill…"
"Then you are ready to fight on the right battlefield… And this time, swords and shields are not your battlefield.
Learn to put your ego down, Rize. No matter how strong you are, this is the most optimal way for us."
Hearing his sentence made me pissed. His plan is too safe, and minimizes the risk as much as possible. I disliked it.
It will be much easier if I just go out and take down the demon king quickly, which shouldn't be hard considering how strong I am now. Alone, it's already possible for me to take down an entire kingdom like Veldonia. Alone, it's already possible for me to kill so many squadron demons on that southern base.
I can do it. I can kill the demon king if I just go there and slay him. I can kill the demons very easily as well.
But to stay in the base and not go out at all…
I realized that no matter what I say, the king will not change his mind. His expression looked like he is implying that he has twenty more arguments that he can throw at me, to change my mind into following his plan.
He has been preparing for this conversation for so long. Meanwhile, I just learned of this situation.
This is… unfair.
I gritted my teeth, and went to the only solution I could find.
I turned to my friends, the Axelons, for support.
"Guys--"
"You don't trust us?"
But what I found were people who looked hurt.
After I turned to her, Fran quickly asked with a saddened expression. I noticed that everyone else also seemed down from my words, words that I didn't even realize were actually lowering them.
'There won't even be a need for Axelons.'
I recalled the words that I said, and I immediately bit my lips.
I never meant those words that way, but the Axelons did feel it like that.
"Fran--Guys, I--"
"Rize. You need to trust us for the battlefield. We can take down the squadron demons, and we will defeat the demon king."
Arfius said to me firmly, and I immediately felt guilty.
"I-I don't want to burden… anyone…"
"You can be the healer, Rize. At least if we know that you will always be there to heal us and the other army, we can fight more confidently!"
The arch-mage said to me while forming a fist, which moved me even more.
I turned to everyone, and every single one of them was wearing the same expression and light on their eyes.
Confidence.
Together, they are unbeatable.
They are the Axelons.
But for some reason, I still had my doubts.
What if… things go wrong?
"What's wrong, Miss Rize? Are you doubting the power of the Axelons?"
The king asked mockingly from his throne, and I turned my cold annoyed gaze back to him and stared sharply. Then I turned around and left my position while folding my hands.
You win. I'll let it go… for now.
I leaned my back on a circle pillar while turning my head away from the king.
I don't even want to look at him… or anyone else.
Lescia can't help but feel bad for me. After all, the battle will be quite difficult without me in it, and she understood that I felt that way.
The king then stood up and announced.
"Then, we shall begin the planning for the Demon King Takedown Mission!"
And so… this is where it all began.
The beginning of the end. The event that will forever… change me.
One that will haunt me, for the rest of my life. One that will anger me, more than anything that I have ever felt in the past.
Up next, is war.