Ferdinand's POV
I was having a very bad headache. Sylvester the current aub and my half brother had given me a very annoying task to complete "Go to tempest to establish trade relations". Easier said than done our duchy follows the religion of luminism with its core tenants being to kill all monster and not to come in contact with them. We had Templar knights stationed at the border with the Jura forest along with our own knights. We can't use that route as we will be caught very easily and our duchy will be in peril. The only other routes are via Dwargon or Blumund but since Dwargon is a nation of dwarves and they are considered near to monsters our knights are also stationed there and I will easily be recognized hence the only viable path is Blumund. I need to ask Baron Velyard and Fuze the guild manager for details about Rimuru leader of the monsters.
I swiftly made preparations and started contacting my knight guard and merchant contact about the travel. I was in luck to have Myne who was also an otherworlder seemingly from the same country as Rimuru hence I can at least go there and understand what language they speak and their tradition and tenants. I can't be too forceful either as it is known that Rimuru posses various monsters under his command and we would be dead if we instigated them too much . Really a truly headache inducing job.
"Arno call Myne to meet me now I have something to discuss with her".(Ferdinand)
"As you wish".(Arno)
Arno immediately left and then after sometime Myne entered.
"Head Priest you called for me?" asked Myne dressed in her apprentice shrine maiden robes. She was currently staying at the orphanage as it was harvest festival time and no one was present to conduct ceremonies.
(imagine this but pure white instead of the usual blue credit goes to https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/87322548)
After we lost the grace of our old gods our instruments which we used to do all our daily work had stopped working , fortunately for us god luminous helped us as we could pray to her for holy magic which was compatible with our instruments and we were saved from a disaster. All our old bibles were removed and burned the temple was refurbished to depict god Luminas and it became a sin to remember our old gods. Myne was now the only person besides me in the church who could do the ceremonies required to heal earth and other blessings besides me. If a call came suddenly for a Trombe extermination we were present so that the knights did not have a hard time fighting it and repairing the earth.
I gave myne a golden magic tool which was a privacy tool to prevent others from eavesdropping.
"Myne you will go with me on a very secret mission tell your parents that one of them could come to watch over you along with your sister. Benno and Lutz are also coming and don't breath a word about it to anyone".(Ferdinand)
"Is it about Tempest head priest?". Myne told with an expectant gaze at me.
"Yes". I gace a nod
"Understood Head priest I will inform my parents". She looked a little sad that she was being forced to do this can't blame her though she doesnt have the best impression of nobles.
"Thank you Myne with you there we can at least talk and start talking , you are extremely crucial for this task and failure is not an option. This is a task directly from the aub and only a few people know it, if we are caught we are dead , understood?".(Ferdinand)
"Understood sir". She told with her back straight but eyes resigned to the decision
"Also this could save your life as I heard they sell magic tools which could be used to prolong your life so consider this an opportunity for yourself". I told to get her spirit up she is the most important person for this mission i cant have her not take this seriously.
"I will Head priest". She told with a determined gaze this time.
"Good begin your preparations I will begin mine".(Ferdinand)
"Of course ,Good day Head priest".
Myne left and I began my own preparations to leave for Tempest.
Myne's POV
I came out after talking to Ferdinand about our preparations to go to tempest. I can't say I'm not scared but it is all out of the window if I can get my hands on a magic tool without becoming a nobles servant or wife like Freida suggested. I will do everything I can to prolong my time with my family.
I went to my house in the southern district and my mom was surprized I came back home considering I was supposed to stay in the church.
"What happened ? Weren't you supposed to be in the church right now?" Mom asked.
"I have something very important to discuss, it can literally prolong my life if all goes well".I said with determination in my eyes
"Really we should inform Gunther than". Mother told with a sparkle on her face relieved she could see me live.
"No need mom I will inform thing during today's family dinner". I told while standing and going towards the door
"I need to to go to Benno san to discuss our plans".
At this Tulli stood up and came towards me with a determined expression.
"Wait take me with you" Tulli said.
"You are sickly Myne and Lutz always cant stay with you , I will go with you whether you like it or not " she said with a face that told she will not back down on this.
I tried to argue but finally relented she also had a smile on her face knowing she had beaten me.
"Ok big sister thank you". I said happy that she was willing to look out for me
"Be careful out there and come back before dinner" Mother said and then started to make preparation for our trip.
I then went outside with Tulli and Lutz to Benno's shop while thinking about how to break the news to Benno.
I didn't have a favourable view of monsters they were mindless beings who only attacked us and didn't seem like they had high intelligence.
While worrying like this I reached to Benno's shop in the central plaza.
After entering and asking mark to inform Benno san of our arrival we went inside though I told Tulli and Lutz to stay back as this is a highly confidential meeting. They pestered me to allow them to enter but when I told nobles were informed they backed down.
The nobles had not learnt their lesson after they were punished by the gods. They put all the blame on the commoners and became more obsessed with themselves. We were like little ant's to them whom they could crush if they want. I still remember the first time I met a noble at the church. It was during my baptism ceremony and the head bishop was telling us the story of our beloved god Luminas. We were read the scriptures and then we knelt in reverence to her while also badmouthing our old gods who had so cruelly thrown us out of our old world to prove a point that nobles should behave like their name implies, to behave with a just character and not oppress the weak.
Of course that was the real story the official story told to us were that us commoner's had offended the old gods by living in such poor conditions that they punished us, the noble's tried to defend us but the gods had made up their mind and we were thrown out of our old world. There were a lot of holes in the story but no one dared to bring it up ass it was considered a grave punishment to defend the gods and insult Luminas who so graciously helped us in our hour of need and we should be eternally grateful to her .
I then wandered to the church's library but was caught by the grey priest who worked over there and brought before the head priest and head bishop. There I found out that the devouring disease was actually mana which flowed through my body. I had an unusual high amount and I would die if I did not use it. The head bishop asked to call my parents and after a week I went there. He told us that I would become a grey priest in service of god and that they should feel proud of me but my dad rejected him. He was surprized by the rejection and became angry and called the guard to kill my parents. This caused me to snap I nearly crushed him to death if not for the intervention of the head priest who accepted our demand that I become a blue Shrine maiden and that I commute to work. He had no problems as there was no room present for a lowly commoner like me. I agreed and also provided 10% of my profit from my business to the church as donation but I had developed a hatred for the nobles who did not even listen to our request and straight up tried to kill us and scared that they could get away with it without consequences.
"Myne what is it now I'm busy" said Menno in an annoyed tone.
"It is something extremely confidential and I don't want to talk without privacy like this".
Benno was shocked to see my determined look and understood something is wrong we went inside and then he asked.
"What is it?" He asked clearly anxious of the situation.
"The aub has ordered us to go to Tempest to establish trade relation with them. It is a higly confidential mission and we are to do it in an extremally discrete manner".
To say benno was shocked was an understatement. He had heard about the goods that arrived from tempest and already had some plans to conduct indirect trade but never in his imagination that he would be asked by the aub to open trade relations with them.
"When do we leave?" Benno asked with a resigned look in his face.
"In one weeks time also one of my parent and sister is coming along with the head priest and his attendants". I told with a slight sympathy for him
"Alright I will make the preparation to o go through Blumund". He told with a resigned face.
He understood without me telling which route we will be taking .
" I have some contacts which will come in handy we need to disguise ourselves though". He told me to which I replied.
"No problem this a discrete mission after all".(Myne)
I then left and went back to my home dad had arrived and we discussed the order we received my mother volunteered to come along as dad's face is well known in the lower city so we cant be inconspicuous. Dad was against this but relented and told me to take better care of myself over there and also to search for a cure to my devouring over there.
Benno's POV
I was having an anxiety attack after what Myne told me . We were to go to tempest to establish trade, Easier said than done. First hurdle is how do we avoid the various monster attacks that will inevitably occur. We will not have templar knights to protect us and we could be killed by them very easily. Second we needed to prepare large amount of rations to sustain us for two to three weeks and we needed to buy all of it in Blumund, and third there is no guarantee that we will be successful hey may reject as we have nothing to give them so the odds were stacked against us.
"Mark I will leave for 2 months one week from now to depart to tempest. You will take care of this establishment in my absence also possibly my death there is no chance to refuse as orders have came from the aub" I told in a pained voice.
"Understood sir " Mark nodded in understanding.
"I will also bring Lutz with me so prepare three inconspicuous carriages". I said while prepairing myself.
"As you wish sir".
I then went and started my preparations for possibly my last journey in this world. Really nobles are unreasonable.
It was extremely difficult to get it done within a weeks time but due to ferdinand sama helping me with monetary issues i solved it in time to leave.
3rd person POV
Just like that a week passed and everyone was ready for possibly their last ride Ferdinand brought along with him his knight Eckhart and scholar Justus and Benno brought Lutz . Myne brought her mom and sister and they set of toward tempest. They passed out the guard post where Benno told we were merchant going for a business in Blumund the guard swiftly allowed us as Gunther was also there who vouched for them and they were of to Blumund Little did they know that this will lead to a series of changes for them and they will see history in the making of why you should not mess with the wrong people.
***********************************************************************************************
Hi please comment down how was my first story. English is not my first language so it may be bad and please provide pointers to improve the story further in the comments down below .
Thank you