Who Needs Magic in a Fantasy World Anyway?

Chapter 88: Before the Festival

"Is this alright?!" Koko asked to her classmates as she lifted a gigantic wooden archway that was large enough to cover Goldgate's main street.

"It's tilted a little to the right!" A girl yelled back in reply from the other side, though she started waving her hands around frantically when Koko began to correct the issue. "My right! My right!"

"How's that?!" Koko asked once she readjusted it.

"Perfect! Just hold it right there for a while!" The girl replied, and soon, several of their other classmates who had been waiting rushed forward before securing the archway to the nearby buildings. And once they were done, Koko released her hold of the archway before she stepped back to review their works, smiling widely as she saw it along with the other decorations that were being arranged in the city for the upcoming festival.

"Thanks Koko. We probably would have been here until dinner if you hadn't helped us." The girl from before ran up to Koko and thanked her.

"No problem! Just let me know if you need another hand, alright?" Koko asked, and the girl nodded enthusiastically before Koko ran further down the street, passing not only students from her academy, but students from every academy near Goldgate as they all had the day off from their studies in order to help the townsfolk set up the festival. And after checking to see if anyone else needed help in the 'strength' department, Koko found that everyone was progressing on their assignments rather quickly as they all seemed to be excited for the festival.

"Koko!" Koko suddenly cringed as she heard a familiar yet unwanted voice call out to her. But seeing as she was in the city, she figured that she couldn't very well ignore him.

"Heeey, Prince James... How have you been?" Koko asked as politely as she could as she turned around to face both him and his guards.

"Oh! I think that's the happiest tone that you've ever used when greeting me." James seemed happy. "So what are you doing today?"

"Helping to set up the festival along with all of the other students." Koko replied dryly as it should have been obvious. "What are you doing out here?"

"Taking a break from my never-ending duties as prince to enjoy this wonderful day." James replied with a smile. "But seeing as you're not doing anything right now, care to join me?"

"Sorry, but I'm not really supposed to be doing anything other than helping with the festival." Koko attempted to get out of it. "The headmaster gave us the day off to work on it, after all."

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind." James stated in a tone that sounded like he wouldn't take 'no' as an answer.

"Is this a command?" Koko asked suspiciously.

"I'd like to not make it one, but I really do have something I need to speak to you about." James replied in a lighthearted tone, and all Koko could do was sigh as she was trapped.

"Alright then... so where are we headed?" Koko asked while giving James a disgusted look.

"Oh, just around." James replied before he started walking away and Koko had no choice but to follow him. "So I heard that you were one of the students that actually managed to beat the newly evolved Leaky Caverns, right?"

"Yeah, though I can't really say that I remember the end of it seeing as I was poisoned." Koko sighed as she remembered her experience in the land of flying fruit bowls and gingerbread mountains.

"How were you able to handle the monsters?" James asked.

"Not too badly." Koko replied. "To be honest, the only thing that gave me a little bit of a hard time was the first boss, and that's because it was shooting lasers everywhere. But other than that, nothing seeming that difficult. Though there was always the threat of the dungeon collapsing on our heads if I accidentally hit the wall and I have no idea how I would have fared against the giant puppet that we met towards the end if Christina and Richard hadn't killed it first."

"I see..." James replied thoughtfully. "And how effective do you think that your fighting style would have been against them had you been weaker than you are now?"

"Okay, what's the deal?" Koko asked. "You aren't being your usually creepy self, which is even more unsettling than normal."

"So that's how you see me..." James let out a pained expression. "But if you must know, then I'm asking you this because I want to know the effectiveness of your fighting style against monsters. After all, should you become a unique class, other people might try to follow in your footsteps someday, which will no doubt effect the kingdom."

"Hmm... I suppose so..." Koko replied slowly as if she still wasn't sure that he was telling the truth, though his words did make sense. "As for fighting monsters, I can't attack anything that's covered in poison or acid. Though other than that, there isn't a lot of stuff that my fighting style isn't good against. Though fighting undead creeps me out, and I probably wont want to fight any giant insects either."

"How effective would it be against other people?" James asked.

"It depends on the circumstance." Koko shrugged. "In a large group of myself, I'd find that I'd be getting in my own way seeing as I would use the same movements as a rogue would. Though in an individual fight, I guess I'm just as good as anyone else."

"I see..." Jame replied thoughtfully, and seeing as he didn't seem to like her answer, Koko confirmed the suspicion that she'd had as soon as he'd started asking about her.

"What's the matter? Sad that you can't use my techniques to make some kind of cheap military force?" Koko asked with a smirk in knowing that she'd figured him out. And while she thought James was smart most of the time, the boy looked at her in shock before he quickly tried to cover up his surprise.

"O-of course not. I was- I was just worried about how you would be able to fight in the future, is all..." James made up a story on the spot.

"You know, for royalty, you're a terrible liar." Koko continued to tease him as James glared at her for the first time that she could ever remember.

"I've never lied in my life, thank you very much." James told an obvious lie. "But nevermind your fighting style, what's this I hear about you being in this year's talent competition?"

"Ugh... you have spies going around and keeping tabs on me, don't you?" Koko eyed James suspiciously.

"That... may or may not be the case." James turned his head and waved Koko's glare away as he spoke. "But regardless, I'm looking forward to seeing what you're going to do."

"Well... I guess you have just as much of a right to be there as anyone else." Koko sighed seeing as she couldn't ban him from attending.

"Then I guess I'll see you at the festival." James gave her a smile before walking away. "As well as the dance afterwards!"

"I-! Don't want that at all..." Koko had been about to yell at him before she became quiet. If she, the second daughter of a baron were to refuse a dance with the second prince, it would embarrass his position and things would become tense between her father and the king... 

"Stupid James, putting me into these positions..." Koko grumbled to herself before turning around so that she could continue walking through the streets and checking to see if anyone needed help. After all, even if she was mildly annoyed at the appearance of her stalker, the festival would go on. Prince or no prince.