《Road to Ruin》 Prologue In the middle of the continent, there''s this country ruled by a King. This King was loved by many for he was just and wise, but sadly, he perished. A knight clad in red armor stared at the gloomy, gray sky. He was like a mountain, big and powerful, but he rode like a weak child. He slouched even as hepulled the reins;he barely kept control. The trees swung by in his background, a quiet forest if not for the hooves of his horse, Azio. Weird name for a horse, but he loved him. As much as he loved his countrymen. He spoke to himself as if telling a story. Of the days of the glory of their country Eins, and how they adored thatwise king. He lived a great life, as we all did in Eins, this big country of ours. It was as big as the Pas Range, a mountain range that keepsus safe from the Rorldon Empire, just west of our borders. Passtretches over whatwe call the Great Arm, the large uninhabitable area around itthatspans one end of the continent to the next. A natural defense against theenemy of all nations. The colossal Rorldon Empire squandered their men and aimed to conquer ours;with the wise king''s guidance, the blessing of Pas, and a turn of fate, we made it out alive. He shook his head, and focused himself as looked forward. He thought about the gloomy skies, and how it started to blanket the region. He needed to find out what happened. They survived, and yet they paid too much. It was not enough that they lost the lives of their people, they still had to take their King. And it wasn''t the empire, that truly was our bane. It was the factions within. The invasionhad reaped many talented men but we still bought time. Time that was used to wage a civil war that killed many more talented men. Our faction lost. It was inevitable. He was loyal to his country if ruled only by the trueRoyal Line. Not this incomingreplacement. He arrived at an old shack, in the middle of a small bald part of the forest. He dismounted beforehe slowly approached a dilapidated door. The house could seem to be abandoned - but the door was open.Someone''s waiting for him. But we still have some time. The civil war is overand while we lost many talents, there are still good men out there. Men ready to take action. I believe I''m one of them. He needed to do this before they could crown that fool of a right-hand. It all began with him. He spouted bullshit to thousands of men, he gained the support that he needed to overthrow and murder their King, and the First Prince. He entered the shack, and observed. There was nothing worth of note inside, apart from the creaking wooden walls, and rottingtableware. Upon what appears to be a rotten countertop, stood a woman of averageheight, pale as a rose, an almost glowing, pinkish complexion.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. She had silvery hair snaked up to her neck, some almost coiled around it. Her purple, observing almond eyes followed the Knight''s movementsashe approached her cautiously. She had thin, red lips and asmall, smooth diamondface. She exuded a femininity that exceeded her seemingly young age. He stopped a few steps away from her, and rest his hand ona weak table. He was careful not to drop his guard just because he towered over her. She wore some hazel mage''s robe, adorned with lines of crystal-like gems along the neckline. A small necklace sat on top of the robe''s crystals.The necklace would be considered plain, if not for a faint blue glow around a small azure ruby. A curse, as they call it, manifests itself as jewelry, tattooes, or small keepsakes; unremovable and indestructible by anyone, except for special curse mages or conditions. Who knew that such small magic could be so powerful? Still, a necklace won''t reveal anything about the curse, so for now it remains a mystery to Laurin. We''ve still got a lost heir. He left to see the world when he was just 12 years old. That was 14 years ago. We''ve never heard from him since, but right now we''ve got a lead. Truth be told, it''s been a year since our faction got in contact with someone who knows his whereabouts. They just wouldn''t tell us where. Back then though, he was a complication, so I guess we never really thought much about it... Now, things are simpler. He took a deep breath. What he was going to do was going to shake Einsto its core. It is as frail now as it could be, and this might just be selfishness against the people''s desires to just leave it be. They probably did not want another war, but he wanted to believe in their conviction. He decided to do this long ago, anyway. He shook his right hand through the cold air eating away at his gloves, while he grabbed his wrists with his other. To Laurin, it was an unusually freezing, summer night.He took an icy gulp of airto focus his determination. "Did you find him?" The woman fashioned a thin smile. It was as if she''s expected what was to happen, and that her conjectures preceded even the death of the King. Laurinwas starting to realize that Madea has more hands in this conflict that anybody else. If she''s planned for this, then she was on the right trac. This heir is Laurinand his allies'' last hope, and once the traitor has been crowned, there''s no turning back. He reminded himself to be careful. This woman had always beendangerous. As the head of an underground organization, who sneaks and plays around within nations, she altered the balance of power to her whims. Her organization is part of the reasons why they got through the invasion of Rorldon; why theyhad to lose theirKing. They wouldn''t have the events play out in any other way, he reckoned. For whatever reason, this woman''s suddenly decided to help them find their prince. She was an enigma, to say the least. But Laurin and his allies can''t do anything about herand theorganization that furthers her agenda. It was frightening to think that this is just as she wanted,but that''s not what''s important. Right now, it''s that they havea chance. "You''re lucky, Laurin Haeusl. We''ve contacted the Foolish Prince." He pushed his worries asideashe took another deep breath while straightening his posture. She''s expected this to happen; he''ll think about it when the time comes. His men had always been ready, now that he thought about it. They''ve probably seized the Castle by now, preparing for their chosen King''s arrival. They should be able to hold it out for a bit more. He betrayed a soft smile, a faint desire to reveal that they''vegot schemes of their own. We have to do our best to come out of it alive.It''s all part of the plan. Chapter 1 - Arrival A girlwith a long, black, pony-tailed hair ferried a stack of books across various bookshelves, returning each one to where they were before. Her luscious lips curved into a dimpled smile as her deep-set eyes scanned through the shelves. She had a fair complexion that allowed her soft skin to glow under the sunlight. Approaching a shelf named History, she found that she had trouble reaching the top shelves so she settled in placing the last book in the middle stack.She turned her lean body as she heard the bells to her store ring. It was hot outside, the sun was as bright as it always was for Eins'' summers. Sometimes people liked to rest a bit inside the store while taking a peak at the books. She was beginning to think that it''s a good idea to ask a copper coin for every time they borrowed a book to read inside, but for now it was free. Her name was EmiliaMarseille, a daughter of once-wealthy and influential merchants. Unfortunately, she lost both of her parents in the war againstRorldon. After Eins won the war, she drafted a plan to open a bookstore. Shenever wanted to be a merchant, but she knew a lot of things. Her parents taught her some subtleties of politics, the world,making connections and arriving at correct decisions. Still after their death, she longed a life where all she worried about was home. From the small fortune that she got from her parent''s will, she commissioned to opena bookstorewhere she could share her love of reading, and the comfort it brings her, as well as be able to use her mercantile skills. The store had twelve bookshelves lined up, creating 4 rows and columns, each with their sides adjacent to the entrance. Their positioning made it easy to take a look at an arriving customer anywhere inside her store. As soon as she returned the last book, she made her way to the her desk, close to the door. In front of the desk, where she''s frequently at, stood a tall man with silver unkepmt hair. He was at least two heads taller than her. His hair was a gritty mess, but she had to say that it made the man look mature. A young, chiseled face shaped almost like an inverted triangle. His pouting, full lips slightly parted as he breathed in the scent of books. Ennuiwas apparent in his hazy, black large eyes. Still, Emilia couldn''t nudge the feeling that she felt entranced for a bit. He was handsome in his muscular frame, and it seemed to give life to his otherwise uninterested expression. He turned his head towards the girl''s direction, startling her trance. "W-welcome." She managed to greetbefore clearing her throat. As she got closer, she couldn''t help but wonder why this man seemed to be intriguing, but strange. As if those hazy eyes hide a myriad of thoughts, like he didn''t have time for the world. He also felt, familiar in a way. Finally arriving behind her desk, she redid her welcome. "Welcome, mister. How can I help?" The man straightened his leather garment, and revealed a playful smile. "Must be true what they say. It really does feel safer around the borders." The man looked around the bookstore, gesturing for her to do the same. Emilia felt almost ignored as he studied the store''s immaculatestate. He returned his gaze to her, Emilia pouted as he did. "I didn''t know that such a pristine store could exist in a country just a month ago was ravished by selfishness." Emiliasnorted at the comment and scowled. As a storeowner, she''s had a lot of people show up in her store; she also knew when she was being made fun of. This man must be a foreigner. He didn''t know how sturdy the people ofEins could be. "Just so you know, the borders are kept relatively safe ever since the brink of the civil war. The very nature of the war drew the pieces closer to the Royal Capital, Lourdes, and the surrounding areas." She stated matter-of-factly. "Though, unless you go directly to the capital, you''re not going to find any indication of a war-torn kingdom. As dumb as the war was, the people in charge made sure to not level our houses to the ground, preferring men to take the toll. So, how can I help you?" She didn''t bother to hide her annoyance. She madesure to be sarcastic in her animated gestures and sing-songy tone. She didn''t want to be judged by an unknowing foreigner. The man almoststifled a laugh, unable to keep a straight face. Emilia frowned, and thought that this man was deliberately trying to getto her nerves. When the manseemed to be able to keep his laughter to himself, he slammed his hand on her desk. She flinched away as a thud reached her ears, and felt wary of the man. Was this a robbery? Her body was shaking from the possibility, and robbers around these parts were never quite merciful. She didn''t know how to defend herself, but she couldn''t just wantonly shout for help. Even if she did, there''s no telling what this man could do. If he''d rob her in broad daylight, then the brightness must not faze him. The man chuckled before puffing his chest out.He had this smug look around his face. His lips were curved and he raised a brow. "Tell me more, will ya?" He bowed slightly, his right arm in front of his chest, but kept on deeply staring at Emilia. "I am Al, I''ve returned to this hellhole after quite some time. So I don''t really have a first-hand look at things. I thought I''d let you enlighten me!" He beckoned. For someone asking for help, he didn''t forget to sport an arrogant smile and posture. This fact made Emilia feel a bit more relaxed, and she thought that he might just be some bumbling idiot. It was as if he treated himself as the one doing the favor. Emilia sighed, helping herself to relax. Theguy wasn''t a robber, at least. Though it freaked her out a bit when he slammed her desk, it didn''t lessen her urge to just slap him out of the store. I want to say I don''t care about enlightening him, but there''s something off about him. I kind of.. want to find out what. She decided to squirm her way with words, and find out just what it is about him that puts her off. She knew that she''s going to have to answer his questions, but in return she should be able to get a grasp on him. She shrugged thenshe pointed at a small table in front of the desk, surrounded by four wooden chairs. She motioned for him to take a seat as she approached a chair on the opposite sideof his appointed seat. As the man sat down, he tapped a finger on the table, and rested his head on his other hand.It seemed like he was waiting for her to start, but she didn''t know where she should begin. "Well, what do you want to find out?" The man seemed to take his time to think, pouting his mouth and creasing his eyebrows. As if on cue with arealization, his face tensed up then heraised his index finger in front of him. "I have no idea." Emilia felt really irritated, and puffed her cheeks then snarled. They just came out of a bloody civil war! Granted, as someone who caters to different book-lovers and intellectuals daily, she''s had her fair share of discussion so she''s learned quite a bit. Still, it''s unfriendly to ask her about things that desertersarenot involved with. If he didn''t know anything about the war, then why risk it and come back, just to start asking with no directions? "You''ve got some nerve don''t you? Coming out here and just saying whatever you want while being so clueless... Whatever.." She was a bit offended, but his unknown motivations piqued her curiosity, so she chose to patronize him. She can hit the man with a book if he got out of hand with his comments; he seemed harmless enough to deserve it. She wasn''t freaking out anymore, though her blood was boiling. Relaxing her expression, she slammed a finger onto the table, trying to make a point. "The biggest thing right now is that tomorrow, the decision to crown a King must be finalized. It takes a month after the death of the Royal Line before they''re allowed to crown a new one. I''m not sure about the details, but it was placed in the event that the Royal Line dies out with no one as apparent heir. It''s speculated that there''s a lost, or maybe hidden heir to the throne that King Deukalion kept safe, as a precedent towards that law." Emilia watched as the man observed her as she spoke. "Of course, I''m not talking about the Foolish Prince." She clarified. The man perked up at the mention of that Prince. He urgedfor her to continue by raising an eyebrow. She decided tojust go with the flow, and maybe try to work her way through the topic that seemed to interest the man. "Well, the Foolish Prince has relinquished his right to the throne. So unless there''s really a hidden heir, I''d say that tomorrow would be the start of theMassarelli Royal Line. So right now would be a better time to mind your own business." She winced a bit indisgust by her mention of Massarelli, a family of traitors. If the people could do anything about his crowning,they''d definitely revolt. It was just that everyone was weary, and there was no one lead the way. It pained them that they can only let it go on. The man continued to just stare at her for a bit. After a few seconds, he pursed his lips. "I am in here for some business. What? You think I''d just go back to a war-torn and barely alive country just to sightsee?" He claimed. The man stuck his tongue out for good measure. It took all Emilia had to let it go, andhid a really tight fist just under the table. "I''ve got to say though, The House of Massarelli? You seem to hate just talking about them. I wonder why''s that?" The man creased his brows as he questioned her. He watched Emilia''s movements, most likely trying to spy for any peculiar body language. Emilia felt that he was seizing her up with his gaze, trying to read her body language. Though, she wasn''t trying to hide her hate. She knew she wasn''t able to keep her disdain from showing in her gestures and expression when talking about traitors. She paused to think about the one thing she couldn''t figure out about the succession law she mentioned. The Massarelli line didn''t have to follow it. It just doesn''t add up that those traitors could wait a month before seizing the throne. It''s like they couldn''t,like something''s in their way. "For someone who came back to do some business, it''s suspicious that you have no idea about the state of affairs, or about the people in here." She scoffed. "If I''d have to guess: you left before you were barely a child, or you''re just plain ignorant." She speculated before pulling in some air to her lungs. This was going to be a painful discussion. "Before anything, mister, I advise you don''t talk about this with anyone else. I''m walking a fence here just speaking about it to some stranger." The man just gave a blank, almost questioning expression. She threw her arms up in resignation. The man then smiled in response, and she felt that it was because she looked funny. She sighed, and dropped her head on the flesh of her right palm. She warned him, but it''s moreto protect herself. She didn''t want to get tangled with anything to do with a potentialLeseMajeste. It was better to keep their mouths shut. "Then why speak of it?" The man inquired as he fixed his sitting posture. Indeed, why? She didn''t know. It was as if the moment this man entered, she was going with the flow. It wasn''t like her. Sure, she had to speak with newcomerson a daily basis, but it was all small talk and mostly about books. If she''d talk about the news around Eins, she''d be speaking with people she knew and trusted. Majority of the people learned to just accept things as they were, and not talking about what''s happeninghelped them through the struggle. It was unusual for anyone to speak about anything, especially with a stranger.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. She closed her eyes, resigned to just deal with it when it comes. "I don''t know. Honestly, there''s something weird about you that I just can''t put my finger on. I love to read books, but it''s always been because of my curiosity." She smiled a bit. "I''ve never had the courage to explore beyond my little store though, so I''m most likely just going with the urge of an unpleasant opportunity." She spoke a bit more forceful this time, a hint of nostalgia here and there. She shrugged, as she turned to take a look at the various books lined up along the shelves. "I guess you could say, it''s been a while since anyone''s walked in here and casually asked about our state of affairs." She chuckled a bit with a little self-mocking of her own. "Though, if they really crown the Massarreli House, we might be able to put this all behind. Still, it does not change the fact that a lot of people, including me, consider them as traitors, and they stole the Kingdom from the people. They would do anything to keep a hold of that kind of power once they grab it." She felt as if she was trying to justify her inaction. The man seemed satisfied as he returned a nod. Glad that she was able to convince him, she continued. "In my opinion, unless we have an heir from the Eins line, we shouldn''t stage a coup or try to overthrow the Massarreli''s incoming rule. We won''t be able to deal with the backlash of such a decision." Emilia concluded while she fixed her gaze untothe man''s. The man smirked. Seeing that, Emilia suddenly felt a cold creep into her skin. There was this look on him, as if he was testing her. She was starting to regret her decision to probe the man. "You seem loose-lipped about it anyway, so I guess I''ll pry deeper. What do you think should happen if you find out that the Foolish Prince did not relinquish his rights?" The man threw an inquisitive look as Emilia''s mouth hung agape. That was impossible. For heirs to a bloodline, and especially the throne, they had a special cursethat designated the lines of succession. The only reason Massarreli could become a Royal Line was because in the event of the death of the House of Eins, there was a mandate the Nobles wereinstructed to follow. Julien Massarreli,former adviser to King Deukalion, would succeed as per King Deukalion''s wishes if the Royal Line does die out. Once the curse has been set, without the consent of the concerned party it may never be revoked. Unless of course, under special circumstances. Unfortunately, the King was not priveleged such options. That was also the reason why the people didn''t want to topple Julien Massarreli''s ascent. He was the only one who was placed as a legitimate heir apart from the Eins bloodline. There was no other personality to fill that role. In the case of the Foolish Prince, he stated the oath to relinquish his title, removing the curse. This meantthat the death of his father and brother meant the end of their line. She organized her thoughts for a moment, as she hung her head down and wrapped her fingers around her chin. The man chuckled, eliciting a glare from Emilia. "If the Foolish Prince is still in fact a legitimate heir, then maybe that''s whyKing Deukalion put this month-long wait into motion. To buy time." Emilia shrugged. "If the prince comes back to take his throne, then the people would have a reason to rally under his banner. He''ll have enough support and just cause to have a chance to expel the Massarreli House away from Eins." She felt her tone gain conviction as she considered that prospect. The man leaned in closer, supporting his weight by placing his arms on the table. Emilia moved away a bit before she continued. "Unfortunately, the Massarreli won''t go down without a fight. They too fought hard and lost many, but they have the resolve to lose some more. They have no reason to back away from conflict now of all times, and if it''s just against one foolish heir who left his country to pursue other ideals, I don''t think they''ve much to lose." Still, she felt that it was very unlikely. "However, there are eyewitness reports and court documents that confirms that the Prince,the former prince, did in fact relinquish his title. There''s no point in talking about it. What would you know about that anyway?" She asked accusingly. I''m definitely revealing that I know a lot about this for a bookstore owner. I can''t help it, that''s what bookstore owners do! At the back of her mind, she knew that for her it would be the best case scenario for that prince to return and take the throne. She''d much rather endure another war if it was for the sake of this country, but that was onlyif they had someone to lead them. If she really wanted to get her hopes up, perhaps this man himself was the Foolish Prince. Though that''s a stupid idea. If this man was the prince, he''d spend his time better to travel back to the Royal Castle. Not interrogating a librarian. Or maybe he''s really the prince, it''s just that the rumours about his foolishness were true. She managed to hold in her laugh to just a weak chuckle. The man raised his brow in response. "Well, I think that the Eins line had it coming." The man retorted, a sense of mocking in his voice. Emilia was shocked, she wanted to pretend she didn''t hear what he said. She paused her thoughts and regained her calm. "What do you mean?" She asked. There was no point in suddenly becoming full-blown hostile, so she carefully spat her question. She was one of the people who loved their King and his family, so unless this man just wants to get thrown the hell out of here, he needs to clear up some misunderstanding on his part. "Think about it. On the surface, Eins and its people were happy and satisfied. It seemed that the Kingdom could only grow moreprosperous through the years. But they forgot that they could only control what happens inside the country when the exterior factors ignore you, or you have control on these outside elements." The man leaned back on his chair as he argued. He then raised his arms and shook his head in false defeat. Emilia thought that he must be referring to Rorldon as the external factor. It''s true that they previously ignored Eins as it was protected by the Great Arm - but when the Empire discovered that there is a mage with an ability to teleport massive numbers of people, they decided to take the chance. According to what she''s heard from her more privy customers, that mage was speculated as a member of the underground group Madea, but the Empire and the Kingdom''s own noble courts deny the possibility. She''s noticed long ago that there were a lot of factors that didn''t add up, but maybe this man had an idea. It was especially curious that this same mage was said to have died as the embers of the invasion weakened. "King Deukalion was wise in that he continued to ignore Rorldon, trying to avoid rilingthem up. Besides, an ability to teleport massive numbers beyond Pas? It''s unheard of, as much as teleportation in itself. Still, that was an oversight that could have been avoided had he played his cards right." The man then paused for a bit, allowing Emilia to mull on his argument. Rorldon was a powerful empire: they had the men and the resources to take over Eins, a Kingdom half as large as their domain. But the Pas Range creates a wide stretch of uninhabitable terrain surrounded by thick, foggy forests filled with dangerous wildlife. The Great Arm, as they called it, is a natural border that impeded threats from Rorldon since the founding of Eins. The man smiled, and his eyes changed to a dangerous glint. An air of superiority danced around his hands, as he meticulously closedit into a fist, like grasping the very space it hovered in. He watched his very own hands tighten up, as if he saw the air succumb to its force. Emilia started to think that maybe this man knew more about what''s happening than he''s letting on. "Had he considered to expand Eins and conquer the countries behind the Great Arm, he''d have enough resources, men, and power to conquer the sea-fearing Rorldon." As he talked, he twisted his fist and continued to stare at it. Rorldon''s shores have always been filled with perilious waters and ravenous storms, not giving them a chance to create a stable port, and ships to circumvent the Great Arm. However, for Eins, had they taken a chance, they might''ve been able to find a window where it was a relatively calm season, and insert their military at key positions around Rorldon. That is, as long as they had the men and resources. Even with a seemingly solid argument, Emilia eyed the man with suspicion. She reminded herself to be patient and see where this man wanted to take his point. King Deukalion and the First Princewere never warmongerers, and were never conquerors. The people respected them for that. Yet, this man felt like he should make fun of that resolve. But she held her anger in, knowing well that it was useless to rage about it. "He also had enough time before the invasion. The Kingdom was only growing in power then." He shrugged. "He could only stabilize a growing power by stretching this across larger lands." He circled his hands wide and around the surface of the table. "At least, that''s what the Massarreli believed. But the King wanted to hold the reins while only worrying about the internal factors of the Kingdom." He reasoned. That is in fact, true. There was too much power in Eins'' hands at one point that the Massarreli started to discretely petition a conquest. This formed a rift in the political structure of Eins, and created the first two factions. The Massarreli line demanded to put this power into use, but Deukalion wouldn''t have it. The King, wise as he was, managed to hold off any thoughts or embers of conquest from fully taking root for ten years, and he was barely able to solidify his reign on the kingdom''s policies, and Eins'' by then weakening power. "Then the war came. Personally, I believe that the Massarreli''s are right in this case, that Deukalion should''ve taken the fight to Rorldon 5 years before they invaded, and that we needed to take control of our side of the continent to accomplish that." He then tapped on the table to emphasize his point. His ideas were heavy, but to Emilia it felt like he didn''t take things seriously. After he tapped a finger on the table, he proceeded to slouch on his chair. He fiddledwith his hair, curling them around his fingers. She wondered about his twisted view for a moment, but she knewthat for all its good points, it didn''t matter because what she believed in was right. To the man''scredit, Emilia was inclined to agree if not for two reasons. First, Eins was allied within all the Kingdoms east of the Great Arm. By waging a war of conquest, they''d haveto cut ties with all of these countries, making enemies of a large alliance. As a result of this circumstance, in order to invade Rorldon without getting the east of the continent under active control, he''d have to directly ask for the Alliance''s help - but it was impossible. Eins'' allies would never be convinced to even use the sea to get around Pas just to attack Rorldon. It left the King''s choices with only conquest, or the status quo. Second, she was glad the King chose the peaceful approach, and aimed to just stabilize his power. Emilia hated the idea that they had to wage warlike the Rorldon Empire in order to survive. The blood that''s been shed to expand the Empire''s power, and the freedom they''ve taken from other people is what''s made them an enemy to many nations. It was very unlikely for the people of Eins to follow and believe in that line of thinking, even in the face of that very same power. "As much as I believe that we have to live with realities, I am still very much interested in fantasies." Emilia said as she stood up. She was surprised that she mocked herself, and in realization felt her anger reach a boiling point. She walked angrily towards a bookshelf and took out a clean, brown book. It wasn''t thick, maybe a few hundred pages. She examined it for a while beforewalking back to the table to place the book in front of the man. "I''ll give you this for free."Emilia offered. The book, titledThe Kind Road,was inspected by him. He flipped through a few pages and read a bit before shutting the book, then placing it on his lap. "I see, an idealist. Basically, you believe that cruelty should be called upon only when in dire need. That too much bloodshed is only a meaningless and selfish demand. It''s what this book is about isn''t it?" The man suspected. Emilia nodded in response. "So you''re saying that the King had the leeway to do it peacefully, things just got complicated in time." He concluded but not really looking to her for a response. He stood up and took a look at the door. Was he going to leave?Emilia thought. Though, even after a few seconds he only continued to stare, like he expected something. "I don''t think you''re wrong." The man smiled as he said so. Emilia shook her head quizically. It was confusing her how contradictory this man was being. Holding her thoughts, she waited for him to continue. "What you don''t realize though, is that there''s no better time to be crueller than now." The man perked up as they both heard the noise of hooves growing louder. Just outside, a number of horses seemed to home in on her store. The horses stopped just in front, two of them pulling an elegant white carriage in tow. There were ten other horses, and each had Knights in red armor riding them. The Knights dismounted and hurried to their stations, some lining up in front of her door to guard it, and some surrounding the carriage. The carriage doors opened, and through her windows, she saw a large man in the same red armor dismount. He held his helmet in between his right arm and his waist, and he wore a distinct coat that bore the crest of the Royal Guard Captain, leader of the King''s personal Knights. He quickly made his way to the entrance thenburst openthe store''s door, revealing an excitement almost unfit for a knight. He had stiff, brown hair, and he appeared to be a man in his forties. Wrinkles revealed his experience and stress, along with a small stubble on his chin. Those plagued what seems like a once-was handsome visage. Still, his large build added on to the strength of his features, underlining his square, broad face and steady gait. That''s the captain of the Royal Guards, Laurin Haeusl. Emilia did her best to hide her surprise, biting her lips secretly. Laurin took notice of her before shifting his view towards the man beside her. Laurin gazed at the man expectantly, his narrow eyes gleaming from excitement, and thentook a deep breath. The Knight slowly approached both of them, the clanging of his sword and armor creating a rhythm of anticipation. He knelt down a few paces away; his head hung low and staring at the ground, his fist around his heart. Emilia''s jaws dropped at the scene, her eyes wide in surprise.Don''t tell me, the reason he seems off is... She turned her head and studied the young man''s face beside her. It only took a while before she started to notice the resemblance. "My Prince, we welcome you back. I apologize for not preparing any better accommodations for your return, our-" The young man raised his hands, cutting the Knight off. The silver-haired man then began to walk towards the door, touching the Knight''s shoulders as he passed by. The Knight, in understanding, stood up, and followed quickly behind the young man. Just before they could exit the store, the man looked back at Emilia, studying her every move. She was still shocked, and the aftermath was written all over her face and her unmoving posture. The Prince didn''t wait for her to speak. "I had fun Ms. Bookstore Owner. Though I could say that you hold a bit too much of an ideal, I found it interesting regardless. Could I ask for your name?" There was his playful tone again, but this time it seemed to make her relax. "E..Emilia. EmiliaMarseille... Your Highness." Remembering her position, she abruptly got down to her knees, in the best way she knew how to prostrate properly to royalty, almost emulating the way the Captain did, but with her right hand on her knee. Though, in her rush, she forgot that she had to keep her head down until told otherwise. This is unfair... How could I have known? Damn it. She regretted that she had to be a bithostile in the way she spoke, but there was nothingthat warned her about him. The prince smiled, this time a soft, charming smile that made her somewhat calm down again, letting her momentarily forget the absurdity of it all. "I am Aleuas Eins, the Foolish Prince. We had a very interesting talk, Emilia. Though you are pretty loose-lipped. Still, I don''t think you meant any harm.I hope we meet again." He then grinned. She barely hid her scrunching face at the Prince''s mention of her talkativeness. He laughed loudly before finallyturning to leave, entering the carriage along with Sir Haeusl. The carriage and the men around it quickly went back to formationand sped to a run, in what she assumes as a race against time to reach the capital. She stood up timidly, eyeing the table beside her. She found no traces of the book she showed him. I guess he took the offer. She slumped back into her chair, defeated. She was worried aboutLese Majeste,but it seems that she''s unwittingly committed it anyway. "I can''t believe I just tried to talk trash to a Prince." She sank her face into her palms, remembering her regret. Still, she wondered about what the Prince had told her today and from what she could glean was his weird thought process. Apart from that, she also ran his reappearance and what that meant for the Kingdom in her mind. If he returned, then it must be true. He must still be an heir. It seemed that she wasn''t going to get any sleep that night. There was a lot to think about. Chapter 2 - Catching Up Laurin Haeusl; Kingdom of Eins, 610,Summer The sounds of wheels and hooves sped past a wide grass plain, led by a stone road that could fit at least two carriages side-by-side. This road began in Winschel, the bordertown where they arranged to meet the Prince at the local bookstore. They were now in themiddle of the plains, but the road still extended as far as the eye can see with large trees looming in the horizon. They had a lot of distance to cover; after passing the plains and forest, they''d have to go through another town to take a bit of rest, before heading back to this long road that led to the Royal Capital, and through another round of abundant greeneries and wildlife. Laurin was excited, but he was uneasy. Rolling up the curtains on his side of the carriage, he took a peek outside. His men were on guard, surrounding the carriage. Just in front of them were two of his most talented men, Arnold and Reese, scouting the immediate vicinity. Behind the carriage, three men and their horses followed, keeping their backs in check. Satisfied with his men''s position and their dutiful guard, Laurin glanced a bit at the person seated across. The Princeslouched his back, and rested his elbows on the windowsill, his head slumped on his hands. Earlier, when they entered the carriage, the Prince made sure to tie the curtains on his side of the window, like he wanted to never miss the view. Laurin was going to try to dissuade him, lest they happen upon some travelers and they recognize him. Worst yet, if the Massarreli has gotten wind of his return, they might expect to have some run-ins along the way. Still, there was this weird tug that told Laurin that heshouldn''t try to make a fuss about it. He reasoned that it''s been quite a while since the Prince returned. More than that, it felt like the bored man wouldn''t have it any other way, like he always had. There was just nothing else to do besides have a conversation and stare at the grasslands. "Laurin, it''s been a while." The Prince greeted, cutting Laurin''s introspection. The young man looked at Laurinlike they''d known each other for quite a while. It was true that he knew him since he was a child, but this man right now seemed different. Far different from the rumours and what he actually observed of him when he was still a kid. "It has been. I hope you''ve been doing well, Your Highness." Laurin greeted back before he bowed and felt glad. Laurin didn''t try to stop a smile from escaping his calm facade. As much of the rumours seemed true back then, he knew that the Prince, in all his quirks, was a good kid. Knowing so, Laurinwas the first one to jump to action when he found out that Madea had a lock on his whereabouts. He was still unsure about the circumstances that led to Madea''s discovery, but he''ll take it over anything else. "God, it''s been what? 14 years?" The Prince said. "I''ve got to say, you don''t seem to have been given any time to relax. I just hope you haven''t burnt yourself out." The Prince leaned in to grab Laurin''s shoulders and shook his body playfully. Laurin smiled awkwardly before The Prince removed his grasp. For what was still the same though, it seemed that the Prince still hasn''t got out of his habits of being a wisecrack at times. The Prince was observing Laurin, looking at his aged features, his large slightly shaking hands. It was true that Laurin really does get into his work, but that''s because of his loyalty. He thought it was his duty to work himself dry for the sake of it. "Once I get crowned, the first thing you have to do is, I don''t know... Like go to a bar or something? You could use a woman''s touch." The Prince whispered while he placed a hand beside his mouth. Laurin was perplexed, so much for the Prince being different. He still has a habit of getting to the nerves of people.Laurin stifled a chuckle, then retorted: "Ahh, but I''ve never found a woman to pique my sights for a while now. I''m sure you could introduce me to some foreign woman who''d be happy to have me?" "Hmm, I seem to have met one woman who rejected my advances cause I looked too damn young for her." The Prince creased his brow as he spoke and pouted as he finished. The Prince then shut his eyes as he tried to recall something, perking up when he seemed to remember. "Ahh, yeah. She''s this 40 year old from Anila, said I should find a woman my age." Laurin creased his brows. Is the Prince a womanizer who had a thing for older women? "Hey, don''t give me that look. I''m kidding." The Prince squinted his eyes as he reprimanded Laurin. Then both let out a hearty laugh, eliciting some interest from the Knights beside the Prince''s window. The Prince seemed to notice them take a look, and returned their gazes. As he did so, The Prince raised his eyebrows and showed a small hostile glare. Needless to say, everyone who turned to look pulled themselves together and faced forward, glad to just let the two men''s reunion be. "I thought that something was different, but all in all it seems like you''re still the same as ever, Your Highness. You didn''t even fail to make the guards flinchwith just a glare." Laurin spoke softly,and the nostalgia he felt altered his usually firm voice. "That''s what I do even then, huh? Funny, even I thought I''d grown past that phase." The Prince chuckled, then let out a momentary smile. The Prince then changed his expression: he stilled his face and slanted one side of his lips. He held his chin with his right hand. "So what''s the plan?", The Prince asked. Laurin thought back on the state of the Capital, and the Royal Castle. By around this time, Massarreli should still be kept in their estate, per Madea''s guarantee that they would see to it to allow time for the Prince''s arrival. Laurin didn''t know how much contact the Prince has had with Madea, how Madea managed to keep theMassarreli without allowing them to expedite their ascent, or how much Madea has revealed about Laurin''s side to the Prince. But it was enough to just safely escort his liege. While Massarreli is occupied, the rest of the Royal Guard were instructed to remain stationed at the Castle, scanning any nook-and-cranny for suspicious activity and also in wait to welcome the Prince''s arrival. Laurin didn''t want anyone to be notified about his liege''s return until the planned, slightlyalteredcoronation the next morning, so he told his men to be as discrete as possible about the details. There was still much to figure out. "We''ll arrive at the capital by nightfall, Your Highness. We''ll disembark at the gates, and use the escape routes beside the western walls to covertly give you access to the Palace." Laurin lowered his voice. "Afterwhich, tomorrow at noon has already been established to the citizens and important ambassadors as the time of the crowning of a new King, so then you''ll state your-" The prince raised a hand to cut-off Laurin. "No. I''ll do the curse''s oath as soon as I arrive at the Castle. You do know that I don''t need to do it in public, don''t you? Though I''ll do one for show tomorrow." The Prince suggested. Laurin knew that to be true. In actuality, he just wanted to gloat to the people that they''ve still got a rightful ruler to lead them. Still, he knew that the Prince was right. Then Laurin realized one detail that made the Prince''s suggestion make more sense. He''s been stressed lately and it wasn''t a detail you just forget, but he was glad that the Prince didn''t overlook it, or rather, it was just a matter of fact. "I see you''ve realized. That is, the agreement for the Massarreli royal line to take the throne is when the Eins line dies out." The Prince shook his head at the end of his sentence, reminding Laurin that it wasn''t the case. "Though the people thought that this agreement was placed long before and it was what they were told, the truth of the matter is that it''s only been arranged by Father shortly after I left." The Prince paused a bit and looked outside before continuing. "He didn''t expect the Massarreli, who were originally his most trusted subordinates to then suddenly commit treason. Still, you weren''t wrong that he was wise." The Prince seemed to contemplate a few things, before sighing and staring at Laurin with a fierce intensity, making goosebumps jump all over the Knight''s skin. "The reason Father falsified the documents and accounts of me relinquishing my rights, as well as me actually going through with his plans, was a sort of precaution." Laurin leaned a bit closer as the Prince spoke. "The Kingdom was growing in power, and though he trusted Massarreli, he couldn''t just leave Eins to someone who didn''t embody exactlythe same outlook on power and government as we did." Laurin nodded in approval of the Prince''s suspicion. "Still, in the event that it was needed, there had to be someone who took control of things. Massarreli was the natural choice in that regard. Had it been that the Massarreli really were to be trusted when father and brother died of a different reason, they still wouldn''t have bothered to look for me. That was the precedent." The Prince raised a finger.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. "The plan originally was that in the event of their death, I would return as soon as I found out about it, since Julien''s curse''s oath would not take effect. With that taken into consideration and the state of affairs, they wouldn''t just stand idly by knowing that I can just appear and do the oath, so the earlier I do it, the better." The Prince then placed his chin on the hand he used to raise a digit. As Laurin leaned back on the back of his seat, the Prince continued: "It wouldn''t stop them from trying to find ways to get rid of me, and we don''t have means to remove the curse from Julien apart from killing him, that''s why I took my time." The Prince then paused a bit to heave. "Besides, don''t you find it strange that it took me a month before I returned even if things are supposed to be urgent? If I had just suddenly appeared, without preparation, things could have ended sourly." The Prince shook his head and Laurin closed his eyes to digest the Prince''s words. "Also, one month was the time I gave father back then." The Prince raised a finger again. "He just decided to announce the one month limit to the populace so that they don''t get confused about the lackluster response of the government when it came to it. I thought it was a bad idea, and it might end up being the reasons for an incoming challenge." The Prince shrugged then placed his arm on the windowsill of the carriage. Laurin was allowed a few moments to take it all in. "If I didn''t return within one month, that means I''ve completely abandoned my country, and I would then automatically, and that time definitely, relinquish my rights." The Prince said before removing his gaze from Laurin. Laurin hung his head down in contemplatiion. The curse and the curse''s oath weren''t just simple curses. For one, a lot of royalty mandated documents, ledgers, important equipment, treasury, and other important functions can only be accessed through a recognized King who has taken the oath, and his will. If someone tries to play King without these functions, it would make ruling far too complicated and even risky. Plus, the people wouldn''t really see someone who wasn''t accepted by the curse as their ruler. Two, the curse only works in its intended way to follow the right of succession. No multiple rulers, and no one skipping the hierarchy. Third, it allows the current King to lay out succession rights, and the circumstances behind them. Lastly, the curse itself is recognized by the citizenship, lordship, the Eastern Pas Alliance, as well as other nations, antagonistic or neutral to Eins. As for the curse''s oath itself, it has two functions. When the legitimate successor recites the oath while holding the crown to his chest inside the Throne Room, the curse would take effect. For the denizens of Eins especially, when the King recites the oath for the first time, they are notified through their linkthat a new King has been crowned. As such, the citizenship are linked to this curse, although limited and with its function only serving as identifying their affiliations. In that sense, the citizen''s still have complete freedom to do whatever, regardless of the King''s orders. Subsequently, reciting the last lines of the oath anywhere at any time and with a desired object touched by the King creates the King''s Seal, a powerful barrier magic used for identification of the King for the sealed documents, royal letters, equipment, places of interest and others that can never be broken or utilized without a King''s approval. Needless to say, the curse''s oath would be useless without these functions, and as such it was as essential to the Kingdom as the King himself. As Laurin was done contemplating, his gaze fell back on the Prince. The Prince noticed it and returned with a gaze of his own. "I see, Your Highness. You are right, things have been going the way His Majesty hasseen. From the looks of things, the curse''s oath wouldn''t have worked without you actually dying first. Julien has probably realized that, assuming he tried to do the oath right after killing the King, so he''s probably already prepared quite a bit of surprise for when we arrive at the capital, slowly building on that preparation until the final day, which is tomorrow." Then Laurin creased his brows. "Though, for that part, I''m not quite sure. Maybe Julien thinks that the one month wait had nothing to do with you, and is grasping at straws trying to figure out why the oath isn''t working and just decided to wait things out." The Prince nodded at Laurin''s hunch. "It might be so, and as such Massarreli has been keeping quiet this past month because they''ve reached the wall that my father, the King, made through me."The Prince then leaned in closer to Laurin as the Knight subconsciously stiffened his body. "Or ourbuddies must have gave them the false promise of killing me, all the while keeping track of their actions, so that''s why there hasn''t been any preparations on their end." The Prince grinned and Laurin''s eyes widened at the possibility and its implications. "As much as they want to impede my crowning, their options are limited since I have the advantage. It''s just a matter of getting to the throne room, which I''m sure you''ve made sure on your end." The Prince raised a brow and inclined his head as if questioning Laurin. Laurin was perplexed and sat agape at the amount of insight the Prince has gleaned. Laurin did in fact have some arrangements with Madea, but it was only to ensure the Prince''s crowning and contacting him. Maybe the Prince actually had much more to dowith things. From what he could conclude, it seemed that his liege was ready to take the oath anytime the country needed aKing. In hindsight, it was an agreement that made the King relent, though he made sure to create some sort of hold on his son. "I''m not quite sure about our buddies, but the latter should betrue, you and the Guards are one of my people, correct?" The Prince then held his breath, as if in anticipation. Laurin could almost feel that if the Prince didn''t like his answer, his head would be rolling down on the carriage''s floor right after. He wasn''t sure why, but there was this unspeakable strength in his gaze, unfit for who was supposed to not just be a fool, but a weakling. The eyes and strength of a leader. Fortunately for him, he and his men was as loyal and dutiful as a man can be. "Of course, Your High- no, Your Majesty." Laurin slammed his right fist unto his chest in resolve, not breaking eye contact with his liege. "I see. I just wanted to make sure." The Prince then chuckled a bit, straighthening his back and leaning onto the back of his seat: he then stiffened his expression, almost scowling in a way. "So, as my loyal guard captain. My first order, find a woman. Your stiffness bothers me quite a bit." The Prince scratched his head and furrowed his brows. Laurin could only chuckle a bit, and shake his head in disbelief. The Prince, though changed in some parts, was still mostly mischievous. It made Laurin feel at ease, the most he felt in the longest while. "I don''t expect that you hope this decree to be done with immediate resolution?" Laurin inquired. "Take your time. Just make sure you do it." "As you will." The Prince smiledhearing Laurin''s reply. "I''m glad. I do hope that your position does not change when you find out a little bit more about what''s different about me." The Prince mugged as he spoke. Laurinwas confused, and his squinted stare expressed it so. However, the Prince only shrugged before closing his eyes. "Now that that''s settled, I''m going to take a nap. Wouldn''t want you to feel uneasywith anything more I say now, would I, Laurin?" Relaxing himself and letting go of the Prince''s remark for now, Laurin chuckled quietly while he reminisced the Prince''s childhood. The Prince as a child was a trickster and prankster. He loved to pull fast ones on his tutors and servants, and liked to run around and make a mess of the palace. He wasn''t interested in studying, and he also actively tried to make everyone uncomfortable around him. Still, everyone knew it was in good fun, and people liked the Prince, as much as the Prince was there for them when they really needed it. However,when he was 9 years old, the Royal Familyfound out that he didn''t have a special ability. The Eins Royal Line was a family of mages, as any noble house was. However, they had a special affinity to control lightning to a high degree, a rare bloodline ability that inspired awe from other mages. It was not that other mages didn''t have their own specialties. Mages of their world only had one''s basic ability, which is common to all, and otherspecial abilities that represents their nature and heritage tocreate phenomenon through it. Some mages have innate control of fire, and some others the ability to create or disable curses. These special abilities varied from one mage to the other, some more unique and at its core, powerful than others. Still, it''s widely believed that even with the limitations that most mages had to consider, a mage''s talent has equal potential to others; strengthened through training and experience. However, the Prince neither had his bloodline''s special ability, or any apparent abilities apart from his mana. This only left him with the basic ability to enhance his body, which was something that all mages knew to utilize. For a Royal Line known for their bloodline''s magic, this was a very bad discovery. Of course, the Prince wasstill a legitimate heir even without his ability, but a ruler''s influence over the courts, the populace, and other nations would suffer without it. Soon after, the courts have learned to ignore the Prince''s existence, and pooled most oftheir resources to just focus on his brother, sevenyears older than him. In the courts opinion, even if Aleuaswas old enough to govern, he would have trouble controlling his demesne. The people wanted a strong ruler, and though the prince was loved, he was weak compared to any nobleman who had awakened to their magic when they were even younger than him. Of course, he still had to study politics and the intrigues of the court, but he was exempt from the combat practice he was supposed to start a year from then. As the months flew by, his pranks and playful nature slowly began to dwindle down, and he mostly kept to himself, not bothering to show up to royal functions and parties. Howeverthe reason he was called a fool happened when he turned 12 years old. It was simple actually. He announced to his father and the courts that he would relinquish his rights to the throne. He expressed his desire to see the world and travel, leave the comfort of the palace behind. The courts were flabbergasted, unsure of where the Prince got the idea of having an adventure. They tried to dissuade him, but the Prince wouldn''t budge. It was probably his disdain that he was being sidetracked for his brother, or his dissatisfaction about being a nobody in a sea of powerful men that pushed him over the edge. Whatever the reason, the courts thought of him a fool. As useless a ruler he would''ve become, they thought that he''d at least find something useful to do for the Kingdom. To think that they were quite glad when his personality started to calm down and it appeared that he began to take his studies seriously. A loner he became, but there was progress in his lectures. The King, after some persuasion, decided to relent and accept the Prince''s request. He left the Prince with only a bag full of coins, and ordered his knights to escort him to the Eastern Borders. The King also decreed that any documents that served as proof of his relationship with the Prince be expunged. It was years after that before Laurin found out that these documents are only kept hidden, and safeguarded, just before the King''s death. The King was a man of great foresight. Surely, he''d have known that his son would be back. It was only when he''d find out about Madea''s lead that he became aware of something bigger happening in the background. He was sure of it, that the Prince had been preparing for this long before.This created the stage for their counter-attack. For all his selfish desires though, he decided to run away, and then come back? I wonder what made him think that he should return to his country in the brink of ruin? Laurin darted a look outside, and noticed that they were approaching the forests. From there, it''d take at least a quarter of the day to reach the next town, after which, they''d arrive at the capital by nightfall, just in time for what he hoped is a quiet arrival. The forests had groves spread about, as well as larger trees with massive trunks and branches, their leaves shielding them from the Sun. If it wasn''t so bright out, it''d seem darker deep in the forests where mostly trees larger than here were abundant. As foreboding as the trees were, he knew that they''d have a relatively safe trip. The Prince was right that Laurin needed a bit of rest, and now he needed it more than ever. Laurin closed his eyes, the clamor of his men and the chirping of birds was all he heard before he finally fell asleep. ---------------------------------------------------- Chapter 3 - Complications? Laurin Haeusl, the Plains of Versez, the Capital; Kingdom of Eins, 610 The carriage sped up as the Knights saw thesilhouette of the capitals walls. This time the plains were surrounded mostly by dirt and soil, though the croplands across the horizon glistened under the weakening glow of the sun. Laurin peeked at the book that the Prince was reading. Titled, "The Kind Road", he knew it to be from an author who was a great supporter of King Deukalion. Remembering that he got that from the girl piqued his curiosity. "By the way, Your Majesty. It seemed that you weren''t lying when you said you had fun talking to the owner of that bookstore. What were you talking about anyway?" Laurin asked. "Ah, just a few things about politics and idealogy. Oh, that reminds me. Please have her visit for an audience soon after my ascent." He revealed before giving an order. Laurin coughed a bit, expecting the worst. During their journey, the Prince had been reminding Laurin about the first order his liege gave him, and the young Princethrew in some characteristics he describedas "his taste", much to the Knight''s chagrin. Gleaning a bit of insight, Laurin felt that the girl they met at the bookstore was really beautiful, and he cringed at the thought that the Prince wanted her to visit. "No... No. Laurin, as my loyal subordinate, please refrain yourself from thinking that I love womentoo much. It''s true, they really are lovable, but I don''t induldge myself with women forcefully, or simultaneously. I''m a good man, is what I''m saying." The Prince reasoned, shaking his hand in front of Laurin. Laurin looked at him agape, but the Prince just nodded with a suspicious smile. Laurin then puffed a sigh of relief. "She''s got a good head on her shoulders. I want to make use of that. So yeah, make that a priority." The Prince said. The carriage rocked as it stopped in front ofthe Versez''s western walls. The wallsreached almost 20 meters in height, a wide and thick fortification that has defended the large capital for years, its dark-bluish color a warning for anyone who dare lay siege. A sturdywoodengate occupied Laurin''s vision, almost thrice his size, with two large watchtowers looming in between them. The towers weremade of the same colored stone as the walls. As of then, the towers were empty, just as Laurin arranged it to be. The Knights scurried around the vicinity, eyeing for anyone unwelcome. Soon, Arnold knocked on the carriage, so Laurin motioned for the Prince to follow him as he opened the door. Stepping outside, Laurin immediately went to an area just below the right watchtower. He then pointed his right palm at the ground, his left hand grasping the wrist of the other. The soil where Laurin stood then started to shake, prompting Laurin to jump out. As soon as he did, the soil crumbled and disintegrated, revealing a deep tunnel. This was the secret passage that only Royalty, with the help of the Hauesl''s privy earth mages, could access. Laurin perked up as he heard a whistle a few steps behind him, turning his head towards the sound. He saw the Prince slowly approaching, who then subsequently started clapping and nodding, his eyebrows raised and his lips curving downwards. "That was awesome. You''re making me jealous now." The Prince sighed. Laurin stuttered. He didn''t know how torespond. "Relax. I''m kidding. Well, I really am jealous, though. But don''t feel bad about it." Laurin relaxed his expression, only able to answer with a salute. As The Prince approached the tunnel, he knelt and then jumped a few feet down, entering the tunnel. Laurin looked at Arnold and Reese, receiving a nod as response before following the Prince. As soon as he landed, he raised his hands towards the hole made through his magic. The hole slowly closed up, the earth looking as if it crawled through the air and merged to sew up the opening. It was hot inside the tunnels, and it would be dark if not for the lines of glow-orbs along the earthen walls. The tunnel was at least twice Laurin''s size, and could fit at least three people side-by-side. From here on, it''ll take at least 45 minutes to arrive beneath the castle at a walking pace. "The Crown, where did you hide it?" The Prince suddenly asked. "It''s at the secret storage behind the painting of the Royal Family, just behind the Throne. I''ve got Knights patrolling outside the Throne Room, and made sure that it''s off-limits beside these people and to only report to me. We''ll retrieve it as soon as we arrive." Laurin answered as he recalled the plan. The Prince stared at Laurin for a bit before heading down the tunnel. Laurin went to his side in a hurry. "Why do you ask, Your Majesty?" "Oh? Nothing. Was curious, that''s all. Good work, by the way." The Prince dismissed, waving a hand. Laurin felt a bad premonition.
At the center of the tunnel where Laurin and The Prince was is a ladder ending abruptly at the earthen ceiling with no exits. Laurin was the first one to scale the ladder. When he reached the top, he placed one hand on the surface of the ceiling. Without the brightness of the sun, one could notice that a faint green glow shone around his hand, and a few seconds after, a portion of the ceiling that blocked the ladder disintegrated, revealing they were underneath the castle.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Laurin glanced down at the Prince before stepping out of the tunnel. He was at a wine cellar, with barrels of wine and alcohol sitting tightly together at the edges and corners of the room. Above the barrels were makeshift shelves that had bottles of fine wine, and in front of him a wooden door. Laurin signaled for the Prince that it was safe. The Prince got himself out of the tunnel and eyed the room expectantly, admiration in his eyes. The young prince must have a love for drinking, Laurin thought, but he decided to move on to pressing matters. "I''ll check outside the door. There should be aguard outside. He''ll notify me if the people are still in place." Laurinproposed. Laurin stifled the sound of his steps as he closed in on the door. He knocked twice, and in a few moments the door opened, revealing the guard. "Captain!" The guard gave a salute. Laurin turned his head and nodded towards the Prince. "Your Highness!" As soon as the guard noticed the Prince, he immediately prostrated, the few moments before he did so revealed an expression of relief. "Good work. Rise." The Prince remarked as the guard shook a bit from the praise before standing up. Laurin placed a hand on the guard''s shoulder as he stood up. "What has been going on around Versez and the castle?" Laurin asked. "Sir, there''s been nothing noteworthy of the sort. The civilians are quiet in wait for the coronation tomorrow. Patrols are still undergoing around the capital and the castle, and the Throne Room and the 5th floor by your command is still kept off-limits apart from the appointed Knights. Please be at ease." The guard finished his report with a salute. Laurin heaved before turning to the Prince. "From here on, we''ll be going to the top-most floor and to the Throne Room, Your Majesty." The guard winced when he heard how Laurin addressed their liege, eliciting a chuckle from the Prince. "Laurin.. What if something happened at the Throne Room, and just because of your orders, the personnel upstairs are at a loss with what to do? What if they''re already dead?" The Prince speculated as he stared at Laurin. Laurin blinked rapidly, in thought and confusion. If something indeed happened, then to Laurin it was paramount that nobody else found out, lest the Royal Guard is panicked. During Laurin''s expedition to meet with Madea days ago, the Royal Guard had no way of contacting him, and there was no one else that he could trust to make the decisions in case of emergency. He reaffirmed that at the back of his mind. "It''s fine, Your Majesty. For one, I don''t think that our guard here would be this relaxed if something did indeed happen. The enemy has to go through rounds of patrols before they could reach the Throne Room, and as soon as we arrived we''d be informed of a suspected break-in." Laurin then looked a bit towards the guard, and saw no reaction. The Prince raised his chin a bit as he beamed, as if he was proud, while he listened to Laurin. "Second, it''s for the best. If something did indeed happen, it''s better for people to be kept in the dark at least until we''ve returned. I don''t want people taking this matter unto their own hands and complicating matters." Laurin concluded. The Prince closed his eyes and hung his head down before looking at Laurin again. "I see. Good work." The Prince then stepped outside of the wine cellar, moving past the guard and Laurin. Laurin looked at the guard.In understanding, the guard closed the door and stood at attention beside the door, back to his duty. As Laurin caught up to the Prince, he saw a hazy, unfocused glare. The Prince noticed him looking, and stopped walking before staring back at Laurin. "What''s the matter?" The Prince asked with a raised brow. "N-nothing, Your Majesty." He stuttered. The Prince shrugged as he continued on. Laurin felt that the premonition he felt was born from his instincts. Was there something wrong?
As they turned the last corner of the staircase, the view drained Laurin of his color while hestared wide-eyed in shock. Some of the paintings, vases, glow-orbs and statues that were used to decorate the hallway leading to the throne were broken, scattered along the floor. The red carpet had rips and cuts along it, some areas as burnt as some of the previously white sections of the wall. "Laurin." The Knight was winced when he was addressed. He turned to see The Prince looking at him, a subtle frown in his expression. "Your Majesty.. this.." "I get it. Find out what happened." "Sire!" Laurin sped to a run, the sound of his footsteps almost muffling the Prince''s own. He ran through some things in his head as he approached the door to the Throne Room in the middle of the hall. From the looks of things, it seemed that a battle had taken place here. How come no one from downstairs even heard the sound? Granted, they''re not allowed to access this floor for now, but if they heard something some people should have ignored orders to try and see what was going on. What''s even weirder was that the cellar guard, and the previous guards they passed on the way up to the fifth floor were relaxed, happy at the sight of their Prince. It didn''t make sense. Though, he was mostly glad that his men stuck to his orders, but this was this one time that he thought they should''ve rebelled a bit. It must be a magic based on sound. Or maybe a memory altering ability. Shit, just what the hell? Laurin stopped in front of the tall and elegant door, then slammed it open with a kick. His strength was enhanced by his mana, just enough so that the door is violently pushed open. He frantically looked for any sign of trouble, scanning the vicinity. The Throne Room had a tall ceiling, with walls and pillars made of marble. A large, silver chandelier dressed in lavish-looking glow-orbs hanged relaxed on the ceiling. Several of the pillars also had glow-orbs of various sizes, neatly arranged and embedded on these pillars'' upper portion, illuminating the hall in a bright, white glow. Running his line of sight along the carpet, he saw the Throne and a bunch of Knights in red armor huddled over. They stared at Laurin in surprise and a bit of caution. On a raised pomp sat the Throne made of ivory, with long sections of it knotted together and criss-crossed all over the chair, allowing for a robust structure, finished with a soft-looking yellow back and seat. The carpet led directly under the pomp and throne. Some of the men sighed and slumped their shoulders before all of them started to approach Laurin. Laurin was also relieved, but he was more confused than ever. There was a battle, yet these men were alive. By his count, these were all the men in charge of this floor, and they were all supposed to work shifts. Laurin clasped at the sword on sheathed on his waist. "Captain! We have something to report." One of the men shouted. The men stopped a few steps away from Laurin, before saluting in cadence. One of them stepped forward. He was Anson, the one Laurin had in charge of this group. He was a tall, masculine young man with a neat and short spiky blonde hair, and a long face. He had hollow cheeks and slightly dark bags under his blue, bulging eyes. His thick lips slightly opened as he slacked his jaws, and took a breath of air through his crooked nose. "Just two days after you left, we were attacked by a small number of powerful men. Some of us tried to leave to ask for help, but there was a barrier surrounding the exits to the stairs. It must have prevented anything from stepping out. Even though we outnumbered them, we couldn''t do much before we were all incapacitated." Anson lamented, making Laurin frown. Anson hung his head and lowered his eyes to the floor. He clenched a fist before he continued. "The weirdest thing was that the morning after, we were all alive. We thought of going around the Palace and asking the other Knights for suspicious activity, even notify some of them, but we didn''t want to go against orders and we decided that it wasn''t a good idea for this to come out till'' you returned." Laurin creased his brows as he thought about the report. It was very weird. How did the intruders even reach the fifth floor without alerting the nearby guards along the way? At some point, the Prince arrived in front of the door. The men dropped their jaws and prostrated to the floor. "Your Highness!" They shouted in unison, a hint of happiness underlining their tones. "I''m back to save your asses from Laurin''s punishment. Consider it a favor. Stand up." The Prince beckoned with a toothy grin. It was only Anson that remained kneeling, noticeably shaking. Laurin could only look at the defeated demeanor of a dutiful Knight. "My Prince... the Crown.." Anson'' voice was shaky and ominous, prompting Laurin to hold his breath. "It was stolen." Laurin scrunched his face before quickly turning his head towards the Prince. Only to see a thin, victorious smile. Chapter 4 - Plans Julien Massarreli, Massarreli Estate; Kingdom of Eins, 610 The King''sformeradviser was furious. He couldn''t do anything about the way things were running, contrary to what he was led to believe before all this fiasco. For one, it seems that thefool is alive and well. That wouldn''t be such a drag, if he actually did relinquish. But no, the fool and his father had other plans. However that wasn''t exactly the problem. Before he could contemplate further though, he heard a quiet knock on the door. "Come in." Julien beckoned. The door opened to reveal his trusted aide, Baldwin. He wore a simple gray cotton butler''s clothes, almost matching his gray hair and moustache. He had a square, wrinkled face and a wide nose, chapped, lopsided lips and prominent cheeks. He had squinty, down-turned eyes. The aide closed his eyesas he bowed a bit before addressing Julien. "Master, our guest fromMadea has arrived." Baldwin simultaneously opened his eyes at the word Madea, making sure to pause and underscore the importance of their guest, and the news she will bring. Julien smiled at the thought. "Escort her to one of our private conference rooms, I''ll be preparing myself a bit." Baldwin bowed in response before quickly turning to leave and shutting the door gently. Julien stood up from his chair, supporting himself with his wooden desk. He was slightly trembling while looked around his office. A bookshelf with books of history, politics and magic, anda table that had a single large glow-orb that illuminated his surroundings. A white silk curtain blocked the dwindling sunlight from the afternoon sun, helping the glow-orb reveal his office''s lavish white walls, and the myriad of paintings that he prided as his collection. "I guess only the paintings need to be moved to the chambers." He chuckled, recalling his imminent victory. He walked to a drawer just parallel to the bookshelf, and beside a large oval mirror, then reached out for his pockets, grabbing a small golden key. The lowest compartment had a gray lock, which he then unlocked using the key. Opening it revealed a red crown, with small protusions of its body sticking out on its side, and a red ruby embedded on its center. Beneath the crown was a red cotton robe, that bore the crest of the King: A simple, yet elegant looking lightning bolt striking a red ruby. It wasn''t bad, he thought, but he also played around with the idea of replacing it for a bit, before shrugging it off. He did however, think that he should wear the robe as he presented himself to Madea. He took both the crown and the robe, and donned both before walking in front of his mirror. A 6''5'''' middle-aged man with short, straight red hair that he fashioned slicked down and arrogant-looking hooded crimson eyes stared at him. Julien clasped his hands as he admired his visage. He had a rectangular face and tight jaws, curving his small lips. He also wore a golden chestplate, the red King''s robe hugging him and the armor. He certainly looked the part, and he was ready to make sure everyone understood the he was made for it. "It''s time for my era, Deukalion. Watch as I conquer the continent." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- While he was walking through a wide staircase and looking at a painting of him placed on the walls at the staircase''s landing, he couldn''t help but suddenly feel apprehensive. It was Madea. They were the ones who were behind all this. Back before the outbreak of the civil war, Madea struck a deal with Julien. They were going to help him in his cause to topple Deukalion, in return he had tostay putregardless of the aftermath of his former liege''s death. This meant that he had to stay in his estate, only allowing him some leeway in that he could send his men to do some menial tasks. Before that though, he planned to do the oath during the last battle when he killed Deukalion, but the old man was insightful enough to have that battle far from the capital, intercepting Julien and his men two cities away; invading the Massarreli troops who were preparing to siege the capital. Julien was lucky that Madea had tabs on the King''s plan, and Julien was able to set up countermeasures with their help. Unfortunately for Julien, even though the King died, he was also cautious. He left the crown and the robe behind. The robe had nothing to do with being a King other than the crest and its prestige, but the crown was important to the curse''s oath. After Julien defeatedDeukalion''sforces, Madea stepped in. It was then that Madea revealed that their leader, that woman, had the power of curses through simple agreement. At that very moment of revelation, a small tattoo that looked like the fascesappeared on the back of his right hand.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The woman told him not to panic and explained her ability. When a party agrees to that woman''s terms, theycan be magically bound by a curse in that both parties must do all they could for their part of the agreement, or else they die. That didn''t mean they had to successfully do their share, it''s just that they can''t take any action that would otherwise mean undermining that agreement. The worst thing about the curse is that its user does not need to state that she''ll bind them in a curse for it to activate. A tattoo will reveal itself on the bound-party when she does talk about the existence of the curse and the terms behind it. Conveniently, she stated she can control whether or not an agreement was to be cursed. To Julien, this meant that the only thing that was ensured for him was that Madea would help them kill the King andthe First Prince, the agreement in which he was sure that the womanmusttry to grant because it was bound. Though, he was relatively safe, as the only thing Madea wanted was that he be kept inside the estate, and to not take major actions for almost a month: twenty-nine days to be exact ending at the dawn of midnight on the final day. A few days after that final battle, the woman visited him. What she said was the reason he first felt the same feeling of dread he had now. "Iwanted you to lock yourself away for a month before trying to do the oath is simply because the Royal Guard has found the Foolish Prince''s whereabouts. If my sources are correct, they must have found out before we made contact. They definitely have some sort of plans against you should you ride towards the Capital. The most important point is that the Prince never really relinquished his title, although that one month limit the King put in place? It was a time limit for the Prince apparently, and I surmise he stated that for your benefit. Had you not been treacherous, I''m sure you''d figure it out and wait for the Prince''s return, but sadly, you had other plans. I have to give the dead King some credit, he did well in keeping you in the dark about that. But you don''t have to be worried, it seems that if the Prince doesn''t return within that one month, the curse''s oath will abandon his succession. As for you, you can only leave your estate just a day earlierthan his time limit, so you''re in a tough bind. Rest assured, I''ll have the crown and even the robe delivered to you, and at most, by a month''s time I''ll have the Prince found and killed, his plans exposed or at the very least impede his return. For now, for your sake,do not take action. Remember the curse. Besides, you just have to sit still for a month." After the woman said so, he was perplexed, but he thought nothing of it until he remembered what this organization was all about. They were all about tinkering the cogs of nations. Established only five years just after the onset of Rorldon''s invasion, Madea helped Eins in repelling them by playing around in Rorldon''s capital, and finally, for some unknown reason, had the teleporation mage executed. With her ability of curses, it wasn''t impossible. Still, he didn''t have a clue what Madea wanted out of him, or the civil war, but he was sure that there''s no better alternative. Sure, he had to go along with the woman for a little bit, but the curse ends oncethe month wait is over. The only thing he wasn''t happy about was that he had to limit his actions. It was fishy. If Madea really wanted him to be crowned, they''d already have the Royal Guard''s captain killed as soon as they returned to the capital. What was more confusing was even though the woman hadn''t initiated any other curse-bound agreements, they still delivered Deukalion''s effects tohis estate. He shrugged off his thoughts, feeling that it was unnecessary. Once he gets crowned, he''ll have the woman''s head. It was just a matter of course. He arrived at the conference room, the woman was seated at the farthest side of the table, staring at him. "My my, you do look as if you''re the King now. All that''s left is doing the oath tomorrow." The woman greeted. Julien scowled. "I thought you were going to have the Prince killed? He must be on his way to the capital by now. I''m not sure why you''re taking your time." Julien retored. The woman grabbed her necklace,twiddling it around. "Well, I thought of something really interesting." She said. The woman grinned. "Tomorrow, ambassadors and the lordship will arrive at the Capital, under the assumption that you''ll be taking your oath by then. It''s the perfect time to have you kill the last Eins. You musn''t forget why he left in the first place." The woman revealed. That''s right. That kid was weak.Even if he does return, no one will actually trust his rule, and if Julien arrives and states that he wants the crown, that kid will have no other choice than to go against theBlood Mage. To make things even better, he had the crown in his possession. If the kid wanted to do the oath, he''d have to take it. It was a cunning plan that will help further his reign and totally discredit the Eins Royal Line. Especially considering that people didn''t actually know that Julienis the Blood Mage.He wanted that satisfaction of culling Deukalion''s last hope. "I see where you''re getting at. Still, that doesn''t help much in the long run. You could have had him killed and there wouldn''t be a need for this farce." Julien argued. Julien wanted to test her. The woman stood up carefully, then walked towards him, her gaze fixed on the crown. Julien was shaking slightly as she approached. She went past him, before stopping at the doorway. "What are the agreements of our curse, Julien?" She asked. Julien thought for a bit. "That you''ll make sure to help me succeed in killing Deukalion and the First Prince..." The realization dawned on him. "And?" "That I''ll make sure to not take any major action thereafter, and see to myself that I do not leave my estate, ending the agreement at midnight today." Julien recalled. The woman chuckled. "There you go. This is my lastfavor to you. He''ll arrive tonight. I''ve already taken the liberty of giving you the advantage of having that crown in your possession.All you have to do is earn the Kingship tomorrow by killing him in front of the nobles, then do the oath." She said then turned around to face Julien. "You could even wait out for tomorrow to end and just let the curse''s oath remove his legitimacy. But that would be unsightly, and I think the Prince would be sure to reveal himself as aguest to your crowning." Julien creased his brows as the woman revealed his options. "It''s a good deal, in my opinion. The cards are in your hands. Though honestly, I just didn''t want to stick my nose further than having the King and the First Prince killed. From tomorrow on, you''re on your own. I congratulate you." She bowed before turning her back from Julien. Julien gulped, that apprehension he felt now became something tangible, but still something he couldn''t figure out. Was this woman testing him? Or is there something more? "I hope we see each other again, Julien." As the woman left, Julien steeled his heart. Tomorrow, he''ll kill the brat and become King. Tonight, though, he''s got to thinkof a plan to get rid of Madea and the woman. Chapter 5 - Confrontation Julien Massarreli, Massarreli Estate; Kingdom of Eins, 610
to the Lordship of Eins and the Ambassadors for the Eastern Pas Alliance I regret that you all think that I''d let some upstart grab the throne. If you are all wondering, no I didn''t actually relinquish my right. It seems fate has other plans, and my Father was smart enough to buy me some time to return if it came down to it. Like a sort of warning maybe, that a traitor was in the midst. Worry not though, for I have already settled down in the Castle, and even threw a party last night to celebrate my incoming crowning. I''d have to say, I did miss the fun royal parties I used to attend; Laurin getting drunk and babbling about the woman of his dreams and all. Still, I digress. For all those who were informed that the Adviser was going to be crowned today, I have news. The deal''s off. Though you are all still invited to attend my crowning, if that makes you feel better. It should, actually. Also, to Julien, you are still invited. Or rather, you have to go, seeing as you''ve taken the liberty of actually having your own person deliver the crown and the robes to me. How thoughtful of you. To all of you, I hope that we get acquainted more in the future. To the Massarreli line, just know that I am forgiving. All you have to do is swear loyalty to me, then maybe work your bones dry for me. Pretty lenient, if I do say so myself. See you all in a bit! Aleuas Eins, the Foolish Prince, True Heir to the Throne, Single
Though Julien was already furious yesterday, right now he was in a rage as he tore the letter to pieces. The fool had always had a knack for being annoying, but right now he was getting really courageous. Julien sought to change that. As he looked down at the torn pieces of paper on the floor of his office, he went over things in his head. First of all, it was weird how fast these letters arrived. Baldwin woke him up abruptly and told him that there was a letter for him. Julien''s aide also told him that almost every noble and ambassador in Eins received the letter almost simultaneously. Baldwin found out through his ability to communicate telepathically over vast distances, enough to cover double the size of Eins. Still, that doesn''t change the fact about what Julien had to do. He planned to embarass this charlatan of a Prince, and then have his head. He vowed to personally kill the little brat. For all his antics, he wasn''t worth anything in terms of combat or potential. Julien wanted to make that point heard around the continent. As his maniacal laughing rocked his estate, he couldn''t help but think what a fine day it was to become King.
Versez, inside the Royal Castle; Kingdom of Eins, 610 Julien looked behind him, turning his head towards his large entourage. He had five knights behind him, all who swore fealty to him and were present during the civil war. To his left, was Baldwin, and to his right, his Knight Commander Tenron. He promised his sons that they''ll call them when he''s taken care ofthe fool. Tenron held the robe and crown in his arms, steady in his gait. Satisfied, Julien looked around the hall leading to the door''s of the Throne Room. The last time he was here, there were a lot of decorations, but right now the place was practically empty. It seems that Madea really did a number when they infiltrated to steal the crown. He still didn''t figure out why they had gone to lengths to do so, but in hindsight, he was quite happy with this development. He gets to destroy that kid and his cocky attitude. As they arriving at the set of double doors, two of his knights went forward and opened it, revealing the Throne Room. A large number of important-looking people, who wore elegant robes with emblazoned accessories, looked towards his direction. In the middle of the Throne sat a silver-haired young man. His prey. Beside the Prince was the Royal Guard''s captain, Laurin Hauesl. Julien made a mental note of also having this man executed. He''s done far enough damage to him to have any use. The idiot made eye contact as Julien moved his line of sight towards him.After a few seconds the Prince shifted his view to the crown and then beamed. The Prince stood up, gracefully, as if he''s been the King all along and then raised his arms, gesturing that he was ready to receive the crown. Laurin then stepped forward and addressed the crowd. "Gentlemen, here we have... Ahem... Here we have thedelivery service that has promised to return the crown to the Prince. Please give them... give them a round of applause." Laurin was visibly cringing, his eyes darting uncomfortably to the audience and the young man beside him. The people in the audience looked to each other, some had their hands up and ready to applaud, others were pale and slack-jawed, and a few others were frowning. Julien didn''t even wince. He''ll allow this fool take his time with his antics, and when he was done, Julien will finish him off. Julien held his head high and looked around him, and as he swept his head over Baldwin''s direction, he briefly looked at his aide and then nodded. Baldwin kept looking towards the Throne. He stared back at the Prince, making sure to sharpen his glare. The Prince was still holding his hands up, seemingly patient. Laurin still didn''t respond. The Prince, as if finally giving up, raised a finger. "Look here,Blood Mage, it''s either your life or the crown. I believe you know what''s best for you." The Prince pointed at Julien.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Julien couldn''t stop a loud, prideful laugh to escape from his throat. The audience watched him warily, none daring to make any sudden actions out of impulse. They all knew that this turned out to be a complicated situation, however, they also knew that what was to happen to the Prince was something he had coming. Especially now that Julien''s card is out. Julien abruptly stopped laughing, then put his fingers over his chest carefully, the movement precise. He saw the fearful gazes of mostpeople, those that didn''t dare to ire his wrath. Though, others were more interested than uncomfortable. "Aye, people, you''ve heard him right. I am the Blood Mage. So you all should understand the difference between me and that Prince." He pointed back aggresively towards the Throne, before shaking his pointing hand. "Besides, my esteemed Lordship, this man is a deserter. He accuses me of being a traitor, yet he left his country so that he may find some bit of worth. After all, heis the foolish Prince, and a weak one at that." Julienstressed and enunciated his words, speaking loudly and steadily, his expression filled with confidence. "The Eins line''s policies had become weak, my people, and there is no reason to rally under a banner that would only put us through more despair. Perhaps, a lot of you are still unsatisfied about my sudden coup, however, you all should understand that Eins was weakening even before Rorldon arrived." He shaked his head, and tightened his hands into a fist. "Our country needs power! We are the first country that Rorldon has to go through before they reach any of the countries behind Pas. I cannot blame the ambassadors for being wary, but please do know that the petitions I made to the previous King back then were out of necessity. No country was willing to take the fight to the Empire, and that was then the time to fight back, as it still is now." He shouted, then shook his head. He saw a few of the ambassadors cluck their tongue, and a few others staring at him, dissecting his words. Some though, were grinning, gleeful in their reactions. "We still have time.We''ve earned that time.Right now, I know that Eins'' allies have been in discussion, trying to go over the feasibility of a full-blown invasion against Rorldon, and that they''re now more willing than ever to defeat the bully that has threatened us since long before." He weaved his hand across in front of his chest, almost as if cutting the air. "We cannot let a man who has left his country to die to ruin that resolve. As such, I, Julien Massarreli, the Blood Mage, will personally quell this prankster so that we may move on to what really matters." As Julien closed his eyes at the end of his speech, he heard murmurs of discussion flow throughout the room. He knew that he''d strike a chord. He grinned as he spied for any reaction from the Prince, but he couldn''t help but crease his brows when he saw the Prince starting to clap. The Prince had his eyebrows raised, and the corners of his lips curved. After his mock applause, he tapped Laurin on the shoulders. The Knight looked over where the door was, and Julien was startled as he heard the sound of the doors closing behind him and his men. The Prince then proceeded to sit down in a thump, and then sighed. "That was a pretty good speech, courier." The fool fiddled with his hair as he remarked. "Shut your mouth, imbecile. Actually, go on. Today is the day you die anyway. Consider what you say your last words." Julien suggested. The Prince then snorted, and suddenly the air around him seemed different. The Prince fixed his sitting posture, straightening his back and resting his arms on the armrests. He raised his head and then looked over the audience, before his gaze fell back to Laurin. "Most of what you said is true, Julien. It is indeed the time for us to rally and destroy the Empire." The Prince then stood up, most of the audience and including Laurin took a step back. For someone who carried the blood of Eins, he had a starkly different view about things. A view he didn''t share with his father. Something about the man was different. For the first time today, Julien''s confidence started wavering. "It is also a fact that Eins was weakening even before the invasion, putting it on its knees when Rorldon arrived." The Prince snorted. "Back then, Julien, you probably thought that it was because though the King was wise in times of peace, he was dismal in war." The Prince raised a finger. "I don''t blame you, because I also believe that. He didn''t exercise the full extent of his power, and thus he grew old and helpless." The audience started murmuring once more. Julien saw that some people were looking at him and the Prince back-and-forth, as if they were trying to make sense of it all. Julien though, had no answers. The Prince then waved his hand, and silence corrupted the Throne Room. Even Julien didn''t know what to say. People were shifting their postures, unsure of what to make out of what was transpiring and the words they were hearing. Julien spied Baldwin a bit, but he was the only man who didn''t have any reaction. "However,the truth is Eins had trouble only because of the rift in power." The Prince darted his eyes around the hall. "If the King''s adviser hadn''t brainwashed around half the lordship into his side, you would have been able to concentrate the powers of Eins and made timely decisions and leap into action when it counted the most." He grinned. "You are alive today, only because you were lucky.All of you, were lucky." There was an unbridled anger in the young man''s voice, causing some people to tremble and look towards Julien, as if he was their salvation. Some were nodding their heads in approval, while others were whispering to each other''s ears. Julien signaled one of his men to hand him his sword, and right after he received it, did a few swings, the sound of the cracking of the air echoing around the hall. "What do you know, fool? If anyone has luck on their side here, it''s you! You weren''t even here!" Julien shouted, his hold on the sword''s handle tightening. "You know why you did. You are weak. You have no power nor influence. You are a throwaway." Julien mocked. The Prince grimaced as he abruptly closed his eyes. "It is true that I was weak." The Prince then put his arms forward, and slowly clasped both of his hands into a fist. Thin swirls of gray mana started rotating around his arm from his shoulder, collecting and slowly crowding around his fists. In a few moments, it shaped itself, a triangular lump of mana forming in front of his knuckles. Suddenly, the mana changed color and glistened, revealing a blade of the same shape, held by the Prince through what looked like wooden handles he grabbed withhis hands. The audience stared blankly then gasped in surprise. They all thought that the Prince was someone who didn''t have an ability, but the way he answered Julien by summoning his own weapon was unexpected. Julien placed his left foot forward, and pulled back on his right foot as he leaned forward and crunched his body, entering his stance. The audience, though all mages, knew to back away and get themselves as close to the wall as possible. Though the Prince shocked them, Julien was the Blood Mage. Things will get messy. Julien was also interested in the Prince''s weapons. Was it his special ability? Though Julien was shaken a bit from Aleuas'' retort, he''s by now recovered. All he has to do is finish what he started. He was happy that his entourage knew not to interfere. "But now, I am here toreap the continent of the evil that plagues it. I will bear the sin of taking the lives of many people, and knowingly sacrificing many more. I will take control and give the people direction, and I will be the nightmare that cuts through anyone who stands in my way." There was a different force in the Prince''s voice, as if every consonant was spoken close to the ears of everyone present. Then, the Prince started going down the steps of the pomp, his weapons held firmly on his hands. Julien''s cautiousness jumped through the roof, and he looked for openings. But as the Prince slowly got closer, he realized, that he felt there were none. The Prince stopped five meters away from him, not even bothering to raise his weapons. "Still, I do not want to kill when I do not have to. I will only be cruel when there''s something crueller than I could be. As long as I''min control, I will give the people much freedom. Now, tell me, Julien Massarreli. Do you choose to die today?" The Prince asked. The man known as Blood Mage scowled, and suddenly he crossed the distance towards the Prince. Julien chose to charge. Chapter 6 - the Blood Mage Laurin Hauesl, the Throne Room, Versez'' Royal Castle; Kingdom of Eins, 610 Laurin watched as the Prince walked towards Julien. He couldn''t help but be caught up in the mood, feeling the tension create sparks throughout the Throne. The audience is coming along to the ride, and he knew that his Prince has planned for it. Yesterday, after Anson reported that the crown has been stolen, Laurin felt a cold air creep along his back as he saw the Prince''s expression. Before he could say a word, the Prince suddenly turned around and proclaimed that they were going to have a party that night. That everyone should relax and just forget about everything until tomorrow came. Laurin couldn''t judge the Prince. Most of the time, he was playful, but yesterday and especially earlier, there was a different vibe around him. His movements were precise, thetone in his voice strong, and then when he summoned the weapons Laurin was convinced. This man is not the same kid he knew. "...do you choose to die today?" As the Prince threw his question, Julien dashed towards the Prince. He was fast, bridging the distance before anyone could blink. Once Julien got close, he made a quick thrust forward with both arms, aiming for the Prince''s chest. The Prince side-stepped, using his right foot to pivot his body to his left, and crouched as he did so. Julien''s swordonly brushed past him. Julien steadied his footing as his thrust missed and used his upper torso to follow the Prince''s step. The Prince cocked his right arm before throwing an explosively fast jab towards Julien''s neck. Julientbent his body backwards, while also changing his grip to a single-handed one. Julien guided his free hand and crossed over the path of the Prince''s blade, avoiding it. He was probably aiming to grab the Prince''s head. The Prince showed excellent control even after releasingsuch afastattack. He withdrew his right arm back and used his other weapon to slash vertically, aiming to interceptJulien''s right hand. Julien saw through it and also withdrew back his arm. As he did, he swunghis sword to deliver a slash. He used his left foot to push his weight forward. The momentum transferred power to his shoulders, delivering a snappy diagonal slash. The Prince quickly jumped away from Julien and the slash, landing on both feet a few meters away. Laurin was surprised that the fight didn''t completely surprise him, but the audience around him were concentrating, tracing every movement with their eyes. They all held an atmosphere of disbelief, probably towards the few glimpses of the Prince''s fighting ability. He also saw that a lot of the people were watching the Prince with hopeful stares, their hearts probably captured by the Prince''s unique style of combat. Julien returned to his stance, while the Prince only made a few slashing gestures, before both charged towards each other again. As they neared their opponents, mana erupted from them: the Prince glowing with a thick, gray halo around his body, Julien''s red. The next few movements seemed all too surreal to Laurin. Julien decided to stop abruptly as he closed in on the Prince, then turned his body. He stopped turning mid-way so that his swordarm was adjacent to the Prince''s body, before commiting to a downward slash towardsthe Prince. Though the slash was faster than what he''d done before, the Prince was able to use his left bladeto block the incoming slash, the sound of metal rapturing the Throne Room. As the Prince blocked and their blades intertwined, The Prince took a step forward and forced his blocking hand backwards, forcing Julien''s swordto go over and behind the Prince. Julien''s stance was ruined, and the Prince dropped his body towards the groundand spun while delivering a slash targetting Julien''s midsection. Julien was only barely able to dodge, and the audience flinched as the Prince''s blade edged around Julien''s abdomen before he could jump back, off-balance when he landed. The Prince didn''t plan to plop to the ground. He threw away the blade in his blocking hand andquickly used his free hand to pushhim away from the floor, launching him in the air. The Princemaneuvered through his freefallsmoothly, and landed to a crouch as another blade quickly materialized on his left hand. The discarded one disappeared. Throughout that exchange, the Prince''s expression remained the same: hazy, unfocused eyes, and an unmoving face. Laurin gulped. He felt a shiver tickle behind his neck. The Prince did well in that exchange, he thought, as blood gushed forth from Julien''s abdomen, the traitor clutching it with his left hand and glaring at the Prince with a grimace. He could hear the audience discussing the battle, in concert with his thoughts as the battle went on. The Prince didn''t wait for a counter-attack, and rushed in as he darted from left to right while heneared his opponent. Once close, he didn''t actually strike, but positioned himself close beside Julien, just to the traitor''s right side. Julien aimed a downward thrust as he stepped aside, stabbing towardsPrince''s head. Immediately before the strike proved true, a gush of mana imploded inwards the Prince''s body, and he disappeared. He appeared behind Julien before he delivered a cut that ran straight fromthe traitor''s right shouldersdown to his waist. Julien buckled, but steadied his stance with his right foot, then he twisted his body haphazardly as he threw a blind diagonal slash behind him, hitting nothing but air. Julien perked then looked above. The Prince was diving towards him, his arms crossed over his neck, bolting downwards. Julien leaned back and placed his sword-arm near the floor, then threw a blinding thrust, meeting The Prince''s path. The audience held their breathsin anticipation, whileLaurin in dread. But as the Prince got close, he used his right bladeto deflect Laurin''s swordto the side, and plummeted with a downward thrust of his own with his left. Julien was able to step to the side quickly, before a rummage of smoke exploded from the ground. Julien''s body flew through the air like a ragdoll, crashing a few meters away from the battle. He rolled through the crash and was able to quickly stand up. The audience''s discussion got louder as they saw his state. Laurin clenched his fists tighter. Blood stained Julien''s face, arms, and back, and he limped as he went back to his stance. As the smoke cleared, the audience saw a large crater on the floor, and in the middle of it, stood an uninjured, unfocused Prince.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Mana then started glowing around the Prince. He probably was intent on finishing Julien off. His killing intent made the crowd fidget, eyes looking towards the door. The eerieness of the Prince''s glare was frightening most people. The audience only allowed themselves a few seconds to glance at the Prince before looking away, though others had steady looks of admiration. By now, Laurin realized that the way the Prince fought wasn''t similar to any styles he knew. It was fluid, it had control, and it had power. Throughout the battle, it felt as if the Prince led and influenced Julien''s movements, making the traitor dance and creating openings. Laurin came to the conclusion that because the Prince didn''t have any special ability, he must''ve trained his control over the enhancementsthat his mana is able to grant. He could be fast and strong constantly, but it also allowed him quick bursts of power and speed that not many people could perform consistently. From what Laurin could glean as well, the Prince had a large mana pool. Not a lot of people could maintain an enhanced state without draining their reserves. The Prince, from the beginning where he used his mana, did not let up and continued to utilize it to improve his body and movements. Julien on the other hand, is unable to enhance himself constantly. That was why he wasn''t able to follow through with the Prince''s attacks. The Prince could also steadily dodge, parry, and block Julien''s strikes. It also seemed that constantly enhancing your body increased its toughness and resiliency. The Prince still breathed calmly as his eyes started to set on Julien. Through Laurin''s experience, he knew that not manycould stand a chance against the Prince in close-combat. In fact, not a lot of mages save for the Knights are even trained in martial arts. He felt fear and pride for his liege. Laurin wasn''t even sure he could handle the Prince without his earth magic. He shuddered, he felt his heart and mind steel themselves, whispering to him the desire to serve The Prince. Though the Prince was called weak, he fought through it and found his own strength. The strength of someone who wants to lead. Someone who''s ready to take the brunt. If this was a normal battle, the Prince would''ve won anytime he wanted. But this was not a normal battle. Mana explosively left Julien''s body as he dropped his sword. His bones started cracking, evidenced by the distinct noises coming from his body. He started to laugh weakly, before it became what was a maniacal laugh erupting throughout the hall. The mana covered all around the Throne Room and the audience, causing goosebumps and ripples of dread to be revealed on their faces. Laurin felt as if the mana bypassed his armor, slithering around his skin. The fight has just begun. "So... You aren''t as weak as I thought you''d be." Julien coughed his laugh to a stop, and heaved alarge chunk of air. The sound of Julien''s breath traveled through his throat and wheezed their way to Laurin''s ears. "I''d thought to play around with you for a little bit, but I guess this is fine. The conditions have been met. I''m in such a pitiful state. Just how it was before I killed your Father." Julien revealed as he grinned. The Prince sped to a run as he threw one of his blades towards Julien. The blood gushing out from Julien''swounds then literally started to boil as Julien''s face crunched and shook. His body contorted in weird angles before the blood that stained his figure floated away from his body, then circled around him. As a few seconds flew by, the spinning whirlpool of blood increased in speed, growing larger, before finally deflecting the blade thrown by the Prince. The Prince stopped in his tracks a few paces away, then summoned another blade. He threw both at openings that Julien''s blood didn''t cover. The crimson liquid moved as if it had a life of its own, intercepting the blades as the bloodcaught them. The blood then started to form into a hand, and with unnatural speed threw the blades back at their owner, forcing the Prince to dodge by his hair''s breadth. The Prince summoned two more weapons, then started to walk around Julien, his gaze never leaving the bloody whirlpool. "Prepare.. yourself, fool." Julien said, the strength in his tone gone. Some portions of the blood then sped forward, forming into numerous blades of their own that seeked the Prince''sflesh. The glow around the Prince''s body brightened, as he dodged multiple blades that followed anywhere he went. As the blades of crimson went past him, it couldn''t be helped that some found their way to the audiences. The audience scrambled as they screamed for their life, running quickly for the door save for a few. There were some people who crawled on the ground, blood of their own gushing out ofcuts and gashes, big and small. Even fewer were people who stood idly by, still watching the battle. As the crimson blades neared them, some dodged precisely, others blocked with varying magic. Laurin frantically looked over the Royal Guards, andbolted towards the crowd. He was careful not to get himself in the path of the blood-blades. As he did so, he glanced a bit at the struggling Prince, before grunting and committing himself to getting the people out. "Men, open the door! This is Laurin!" His shout loomed over the people''s panicked pleas, calming some of them down. There were people who tried to steal a glance back towardsthe battle, but a lot of them were just waiting for their opportunity to escape. The doors opened, then Laurin noticed a gray-haired man calmly leaning his back on a pillar, away from the stampede. The old man held in his arms what appeared to be the crown and the robe. Laurin gestured for one of his men to take some of his orders. "Get the castle in a lockdown. The crowning will still happen today, and I don''t want these people leaving the premises until after that. Get them to somewhere safe within the Castle." The guard saluted and went to his duty, while Laurin ran to the gray-haired man. As the quiet aide of Julien, Laurin has had many run-ins with the man named Baldwin. Laurin was frequently at his King''s side, as much as Baldwin was at his master''s. "Baldwin. You still seem awfully relaxed. You do know that even the Blood Mage has limits. He only has so much blood. I''m surprised you''re only standing there as if your master''s life wasn''t in danger." Baldwin turned his head at the mention of his name, only slightly nodding. "Correct, it does have limits. Limits which will show today. Be glad, Laurin, it appears your faction''s victoryis near." Laurin stopped approaching, then creased his brows and eyed the old man in suspicion. "What do you mean? Didn''t you swear loyalty to Julien? You''ve got the wrong idea about how you express that loyalty." Laurin argued. "Swear loyalty? Loyalty is but a concept, Sir Laurin.I''m amazed you still haven''t realized that." Laurin pursed as he heard a painful scream from the battle. Looking over, his heart sank. His Prince was panting and bleeding heavily. He had cuts across his legs, limiting his movements, allowing the blades to at times reach and cut his arms, shoulders, cheeks and torso. The Prince''s right hand limped awkwardly to his side, and his stance was slumped as he maneuvered around any attack that he could manage. Deep inside, Laurin wanted to come to his assistance, but he knew that he must trust his Prince. It was true, loyalty is only as fickle as the times, but Laurin was determined to see through his loyalty to the end. Laurin snarled at Baldwin. "That might be so for you, but to people like me, loyalty is born out of privilege. We appreciate and are thankful for the fact that we have leaders that we can look up to. How about you ask yourself? You probably saw that Julien was not a man worthy of your fealty, hence your outlook." Laurin accused of Baldwin. Baldwin curled his lips. "Maybe." The battle then took a turn in a different direction, as the Prince''s mana bursts outwards, then covered his blades. The Prince forced his arms and legs to move, and he gradually gota grasp on the incoming blades. He bobbed through the attacks and blocked some. Slowly, he began to close in on Julien. Julien on the otherhand jutted his face as he raised his arms, directing the leftover blood circling around him. The red pool shaped it into a thin wide stretch: a curtain of blood in front of him. The previous blades of blood then coalesced and surrounded the Prince, throwing his approach off balance, before the blood encircled his body and entangled him into a bind. As The Prince lost his freedom of movement, the blades he fashioned disappeared but the glow of his mana brightened even more. The Prince shouted in agony as the bindings tried to go past his mana defense and split him in half. Veins buldged on the Prince''s body as he struggled, and he triedto catch as muchbreathas possible. Julien''s face looked like thunder as the curtain of blood he prepared marched slowly through the air and homed in on the Prince. "Your Majesty!" Laurin started to zone in to help the Prince. Suddenly, a large explosion of mana threw Laurin, Baldwin and the few spectators who left to see the fight to the end, away from the center of battle and smashed them to the walls. As they all dropped down to the floor to their knees, Laurinimmediatelyfelt a piercing, heavy pressure weighing down on him. He used every muscle in his neck to look towards Baldwin, the remaining audience and guards close to the door, and concluded that they were all struggling under the same pressure. Laurin felt a wave of mental trauma invade his being, feeling agony, fear, and death closing in on him. He fought against it as he forced himself to look towards where the Prince was. Laurin felt a chill and sense of foreboding overcome this pressure, as he bugged out his eyes. Julien was kneeling, and screaming. The Prince, standing squarely where he was before, was staring down at Julien with the look of murder in his eyes. Chapter 7 - The End of the Line Julien Massarreli, the Throne Room, Versez; Kingdom of Eins, 610 Julien dropped to his knees as an overpowering pressure clamped down on his being. He furrowed his brows and twisted his face, trying hard to ignore the pain flaring up all over his body. In front of him stared a young, silver-haired man; his eyes showing an uncharacteristic focus and sharp gaze, and this man was the only person who stood steadily in the room. The young man''s blood stained his body, but the blood on the floor wasn''t his. It was Julien''s. Juliencouldn''t use those pools of blood.This has never happened before, even when he was edging life-or-death in the past. He didn''t understand it fully, but his opponent seemed to have the answer. Julien tried to stand up, only for his body to fail to do so. He chuckled to mock himself while his hand clutched his shoulders. He tried to recall when everything started to get out of hand. He was considered a traitor, but that was only because the people didn''t agree with him. He had to do actions that were considered treacherous, though he did so because he thought he was the only saving grace. Contrary to what a lot of people thought, Julien isn''t power-hungry. But the difference was he knew that power needed to be flexed, so that the people and the Kingdom is kept on their toes. He was more loyal to the countrythan to the one who ruled, and when he realized that the King was growing old and weary, he decided to take things upon his own hands. The power to change things is only given to the one in control, and he was ready to throw himself unto sin, so that there may be a better future for Eins. He lived the last few years believing this, and until the present moment he did so. Because of that, Julien killed his King and his son, sacrificed people in a war against their own, and made an enemy of the nation. He was ready to take the consequences, but he never thought that it was going to be this early. The Blood Mage, as he was called, was an existence feared because of his nature. Only a few people knew who he was: the many who learned of him danced with his blood-magic, and all were already dead. The more he put himself in peril, the more powerful his magic became. More importantly, blood is a perfect conduit for mana, making his spells naturally more efficient and deadly than other magics. He also exhibits extraordinary control. Of course, this type of magic can only be paid for by his blood. The moment he uses his magic, blood continually flows out of the wounds on his body and its orifices, only stopping when he stops his magic. He literally, and at all times, fought with his life on the line; he has lost much blood throughout the war, but spilt many more in return. Still, he chuckled. The battles that mages fought were always quick and bloody, but never in his battles has he ever lost this much blood. The peculiar thing was, he couldn''tuse his magic right now. As if his will isn''t strong enough to be answered by his own blood. "So... this is... your ability?" Julien coughed and grimaced at each hoarse sound that travels out of his throat, and those threw his body in discord and in more pain. The Prince shook his head. "The ability torelease my large mana pool as pure magic without characteristics or inherent effects. A far cry from the powerful but exhausting power my lineage." the Prince then raised his arms and stared at them. "Due to the peculiar way of my magic, I had to be able to master the use of my mana and increase my mana pool through training before it all made sense to me. It''s as if my magic was telling me that if I didn''t know who I was as a mage, I would never have been able to gain access to it." the Prince explained. Julien slowly opened his eyes as the Prince explained his ability. The ability to release mana without a conduit or purposeis something that''s never been heard before. But this doesn''t explain the pressure. There''s more to this ability, Julien thought. The young man stepped forward,towards Julien. "Through that realization, I understood who I am as a person. You wanted power so you could change things. I understand that, it''s almost the same as me." The Prince grinned as he spoke. "However, for me, all I wanted was to influence things around me. Allow as much freedom, but be able to throw myself into action when the situation warrants it. Believe me, Julien: I never wanted to return." The Prince stopped to take a look around the hall, sweeping his head, as if to address the few people left inside the Throne Room. All of them were on their knees, like they were a part of this battle. Julien thought that maybe they were. "Power was something I never thought I needed. I only needed control- and I needed that control because..." the Prince paused speaking. The Prince''s face was relaxed, and his irises looked as if they were trying to recall things that the Prince didn''t want to remember. There was unspeakable sadness in his gaze. The Prince took a deep breath, closing his eyes. His shoulders were slumped, his valiant fighting form from earlier gone. He then opened his eyes, staring daggers at Julien. Julien swore as if his soul was being examined by those eyes, nitpicking every detail. Julien could almost feel adifferent kind of pressure was forced to face. "Nevermind..." The Prince shook his head. "You don''t need to know. We all have our own reasons for doing things. I''m sure you''re not interested. Just know that I don''t blame you for the death of my family. It was only because they were weak. They were losing influence. They were losing touch with reality." Juliendidn''t react and he only watched the young man in front of him. Sure, he was a bit shocked but still, during the fight, he felt that he understood more about the young man than anyone from Eins ever did. Julien knew that the man wasn''t lying when he said he didn''t blame him. "From the weakness.. that you had.. back then.. and this feeling of helplessness that I feel from you now..." Julien began to reel control of his mana again, relaxing its almost chaotic state caused by the mana pressure exuded by the Prince. Slowly, the heavy weight on his body was starting to disappear. "You must''ve seen things... things that aremore evil in nature... and it seems that you also understand... that the civil war that happened here-" Inside his head, Julien was glad. "-it was just the people fighting for their beliefs." Right now, he felt that he had more reasons to win this battle. He wanted to prove to himself that he had what it takes to lead this nation. That he had more ability and determination than what the young man had. He thought of the young man as a kid who knew nothing, but right now, he was determined to teach him a lesson he''ll never forget. Both men smiled, and suddenly Julien could feel power spring back to his legs. He stood up as his feel for his blood and magic back to him. He quickly used his eyes to look around,no one else was standing up. It wasn''t strange. Julien knew that the others here can''t overcome this pressure yet, but maybe that''s because they weren''t actually in the heat of battle. At least, the people still left in the Throne could see how everything unfolds. Julien locked his eyes with Baldwin for a brief moment before turning back to the Prince. The young man''s brow raised, and he crossed his arms. "Seems like you''ve gotten over the pressure. Hah, I never used to talk so much during a fight. I don''t know. Maybe I''m just feeling nostalgic today." the Prince said. The Prince then jumped back and summoned his weapons back. Julien knitted his brows. The pools of blood around the room, both from Julien and other people, started to boil and collect behind him: a thick, sticky ball of blood that hovered just above his head. "Of course, I''m not dumb enough to suddenly approach you even though you''re under the weight of my magic. You''re the blood mage for reasons that I want no part of." the Prince revealed.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The Prince swung his weapon forward, and this time, set unto his stance. He spaced his feet apart and then placedhis right foot a bit forward. He raised his left weapon close to his chest. The tip of the blade almost touched his chin, while the right blade stuck close to his stomach. "Then, Aleuas, allow me to apologize for calling you a fool." Strength flew back to Julien''s voice. His magic felt more powerful now. It seems that overcoming that mana pressure once allows, maybe even forces you to be more intimate with your magic. Julien only noticed that even the Prince''s blood was now under his control. If the Prince wanted to influence Julien''s magic, he will have to meet with the brute force of the feared bloodmagic. Julien raised his right arm and his chin. The pain around his body was still creeping on him, but he paid it no heed. Now that he''s overcome that pressure, he felt that he could overcome anything weaker. "You are no fool... what you are though, is someone who stands in my way. As people recognized by the curse''s oath, allow me to use your ideals as I conquer the continent!" Julien declared. Julien''sball of blood started to gush towards the Prince in high speeds. The Prince''s mana started to glow around him again as he sped to a run. The blood ravaged the ground where the Prince once stood, and flungdebris in all directions. It then followed the fleeing Prince. The blood traveled fast, but the Prince right now was faster. Julien closed right hand into a fist, then followed the Prince movements with his eyes. Three tentacles of blood erupted out of the ball of crimson, extending like whips. The Prince stopped running and focused his attention to them. The Prince was forced to dodge each and every tentacle; each strike created fissures on the ground of the Throne Room. The ball continued to approach, this time much slower, as the tentacles occupied the Prince''s attention. "Julien! You will not conquer this continent!" the Prince shouted. The tentacles flung back before moving for another strike. The Prince got back to his stance as the mana around his body blurredthe area around him, like heat escaping the ground during a hot summer day. The Prince dodged the consecutive strikes of the tentacles in a hair''s breadth by stepping to the sides, before running forward and cutting each of the tentacles in half as he avoided. With three powerful strikes, the tentacles lost its connection to the bloodball. The Prince then pivoted his body towards Julien and ran towards him. Julien felt a distinct loss of mana after his tentacles got split in half. He jutted his chin as he considered his options. A characteristic of Julien''s magicwas that mana stays within the blood that he uses, and only gets depleted as he uses more magic. It seems that the Prince''s power is more than just being able to exert pressure on his opponents. He calculated possibilities inside his head in a few quick moments,and remembered that the nature of one''s magic translates to the personality of the user. Influence. Does this mean that the Prince can remove another''s control over his mana? Julien wanted to test this theory. Julien waved his hands away from the Prince''s direction. The ball of mana moved away from the approaching Prince while sucking back the remaining half of the tentacles. Julien consciously tried to feel for the blood that was previously a part of the tentacles, and he felt a connection reestablish itself accompaniedby a feeling of rejuvenation. He had his mana back in control. The Prince dropped a weapon then aimed an open palm towards Julien. Julien buckled, again this pressure. But it wasn''t as powerful as before. Julienforced some mana from the ball of blood back into his body. A waterfall of blood flowed out of the bloodball towards the ground, shrinking it. Julien feltthe pressure weaken then disappear as his mana traveled back to him. Due to his concentration, he didn''t realize that the Prince was inching closer. Julien directed the blood that flowed down to the floor into bloodblades and then let it home in on the Prince. The crimson blades traveled faster than the silver-haired man. The Prince didn''t notice the attack as the first few bloodblades created deep cuts on his leg and waist. The Prince twisted his body toface behind him,towards the remainingbloodblades. As the remaining bloodblades neared, the Prince swung his blade in front of him. The crimson blades of blood started to lose life and rain down on the floor. Julien was still a good fivemeters away. Julien darted forward towards the Prince, at the same time, he let his bloodball advance. Julien aimed for a pincer attack. Julien ignored his loss of control over the bloodblades, he didn''t have time to concentrate on getting them back. As both the ball and Julien got close, the Prince jumped high, and straight upwards. Julien couldn''t enhance his body now that he was using his mana for blood magic, but he still wore a dangerous smile. Julien stopped his run and raised his arms in anticipation, waiting to catch the ball. As soon as the ball of blood made contact with his hands, he threw it at a speed faster than before towards the Prince. The ball hit the Prince squarely in his chest as a rocking sound echoed in the throne. The Prince''s ribs might''ve broke, but Julien didn''t rejoice and only stared wide eyed above him. The Prince didn''t get thrown out of whack through air even as the ball of blood hit him. Julien saw that the young man was grabbing the large ball with both his arms. As the ball continued to travel upwardsalong with the grasping prince, the young man pushed against it. Using the whole weight of his body, he threw the ball back down. Julien gulped as a concussive force plummeted on him, creating another crater that was drenched in blood. The bloodball shattered and was flung in different directions.Julien felt the bones in his body succumb to the weight of the ball and was forced to kneel in the middle of the crater due to the power. The Prince was already in free-fall. Julien immediately tried to connect to his bloodmana, only to find that he could only control half the amount. It seemed that he lost a lot of mana during that exchange. Julien stood back up. He formed spikes with the remaining blood just above where the Prince would land, aiming to impale the Prince as he dropped back down. Was this victory? He was going to smile and announce his win, but... Julien could only bug out his eyes. Before the Prince could drop down, he saw the Prince smiling as Julien lost control of his blood and mana rushed out the Prince''s body. It covered the spiked, crimson pitfall in a silver torrent of mana, and he saw the spikes caving in. Instead of the Prince dropping to a spiky death, the blood catched him and prevented even a simple fall to his death. Julien still couldn''t gain control of the mana. The Prince got himself out of the blood that ironically saved him, and helped himself up. He was panting and heaving air through his lungs, pain visibly shaking his body as he clutched his chest. But he was still smiling. Julien couldn''t move his body, or even his mana. There was no pressure from before, but there was a feeling of dread. His body was trembling and he felt surreal, like he was looking at a painting that spelt his death: his own blood floating over the Prince, grinning at him while it glimmered in a silver, hazy, light. Instead of fear though, he felt admiration and intense feeling of peace. He could only stare, his jaw relaxed and mouth opened, his fingers without strength to even make a fist. The Prince dragged his feet towards Julien. Julien''s blood moved along with the young man, subservient to the silver mana. "This ability of mine allows me to inva...invade and influence the magic of others...as long as I use more than twicethe mana they used." The Prince labored his breath as he explained, and he limpedhis feet while careful in his steps. "Even then, I cannot fully control their magic... only influence it to exhibit a few changes.. all at the same time battling with the will of my target..." The Prince coughed up blood, wincing his face. "The amount of change I can exert is dependent on how quickly I can take over... and how much strength and mana is left of my enemy. It is also largely dependent on how powerful... the original caster is..." The Princespoke slowly and with a weak tone. During this time, Julien still tried to take control, but his mana wouldn''t speak to him anymore. He felt like a normal person. "This is the reason... why I have a large mana capacity... and why you can''t control your blood anymore..." the Prince concluded. Julien now understood. The reason why the spikes disappeared, the reason why the Prince was able to cut and release the tentacles, and why he was able to throw back the bloodball. The more Julien used his magic, the more that the Prince was able to influence it. During the last few seconds when the ball of mana raptured his chest, the Prince was finally able to exert full control. "Of course, I can''t use magic... that I don''t naturally have. Only existing.. magic surrounding me..." the young man added. The Prince''s ability isn''t omnipotent it seemed. The Prince has to put himself in harm''s way before he could exert control. Sure, for mage''s weaker than Julien, the Prince might be able to almost immediately seize some of their magic. Though, from what Julien could glean, for other mages, especially with larger amounts of mana and greater control, the Prince naturally had to drain them of their reserves. Any change he might be able to force at the early stages of the battle won''t be much. The reality of the matter is, Julien right now, used up more magic than the Prince and lost a lot of mana. The Prince stuck to just enhancing his body, only trying to force influence Julien''s magic in small units at a time. The Princealready had a natural reserve maybe six times larger than Julien. Juliendidn''t have as large a capacityin the first place, though the Prince had trouble simply because Julien''s mana had strong connection to his blood, and he and his magic was innately powerful. Julien then remembered the time when the Prince was suddenly able to exert that pressure. That was when Julien used a large portion of his mana to bind the Prince and tried to squeeze him. That''s when the Prince''s counter-attack could begin. Had Julien been able to finish off the Prince early, he might''ve won. But the Prince was resilient. He must''ve gone through many other grueling battles, strengthening his body and endurance. The Prince grabbed Julien''s neck and raised him up. Julien felt strength from the grip. "I am thankful Julien Massarreli. Your death means more... to this Kingdom than it does for me. In many ways though, it also... is a great help to me." Julien didn''t try to struggle. He was resigned. Still, his throat fought through the tightening grip that the Prince had on his neck. "I... only lost... but I... was... not wrong!" Julien struggled to convey. He saw the Prince smile. Strangely, it wasn''t a mocking smile. It was a smile that agreed, a smile that will now carry the blood and sin that Julien had. "All your sin... will be mine..." the Prince declared. The blood behind the Prince started to coagulate and form a large spike, its ends pointing at Julien''s heart. "You will not be the one... who conquers this continent..." The spike plunged deep into his heart, and Julien felt that the life his body had was startingto dwindle away. Julien felt no pain, though. He only looked at the Prince, tears clouding his vision as he realized his failure. "I am the one who will." The Prince told him in a whisper. Julien wanted to chuckle, but he couldn''t even control his body anymore. Like he forgot how to. The edges of his eyes slowly went darker, and he spied one last look at the Prince and Baldwin. Baldiwn was already on his feet and was smiling. You knew, huh, Baldwin?... that it was the end of the line for me... The last thought that he had gave Julien reprieve as his vision was robbed of him. Carry this country, Aleuas Eins! Chapter 8 - His Majesty Aleuas Eins A lifeless body sprawled on the groundcould make you have the most unnerving scare of your life within usual circumstances. I wasn''t so lucky this time. Those irises saw in me what Julien felt about himself: guilt. It''s true what I said, I couldn''t blame him for my family''s, or anyone''s death for that matter. That is the way of the world. He just did what he thought he could and it wasn''t just for the sake of atoning. No, what he did was what he thought necessary- Like what I done have in the past. However, it''s not that I forgave him about it, but more so than that I couldn''t forgive myself. I didn''t want to kill him if he just stepped aside. I might''ve allowed some cooperation. I do long for control, but I only choose to stealfreedom when there are no other options, and I won''t hesitate; not now. Although, every time I do it, I still feel really unpleasant and dissatisfied. I''ve always believed that the heaviest crime a human could commit is steal: Steal a life, steal wives, steal chastity, steal property- you name it. However, there are times when you have to be steadfast in your decisions. I gave him a chance, as father did before. But he still chose to try and steal. I had to take that away from him. That''s not all. With Julien''s death, I''ve taken away the Massarreli line''s influence on the nobles, and thus I avoided the one war I didn''t want to happen. It''s one thing to have another heir battle for the throne, than just some other Houses that didn''t have that privelege. Still, I have to keep my eyes peeled for trouble. I moved away from the body as spots of blood sticked to my shoes. It didn''t bother me physically, but I felt that the weight of my steps were heavier than before: more from the implications of this battle than the pain. I bit my lip and crunched my fist, before chugging a huge breath of air. I''ll have to be back to normal, on top of my game, and assess my next actions. I couldn''t let anything shake me. I''ve been through similar momentsmany timesbefore. I looked around the mess of a Throne Room. Craters were depressed in nearly every space ofthe floor, while gloworbs that were shattered sat on top of it, theirbrilliance all but lost. The carpet was in tatters, its elegance ripped away by tears and missing patches. The few remaining audience exchanged glances between me and the body at peace just a few steps away from the Throne. It''s peculiar how the Throne is kept unharmed. Still, it''d be a chore to clean the hall. I labored my arm up to raise them, shaking under the pull of gravity and the complaints of my muscles. "That was easy!"I steadied my chin and proclaimed to the people as they stared agape. What? They thought that I was going to say something flashy again? That was almost as embarrassing as the chambermaids attending to my bath when I was a kid. It was a good thing I hadn''t reached puberty yet, or there might have been someupright consequences. I gazed my sights upon the door. Two men studied my bloodied figure. A towering knight in glistening red armor ran towards me with a bounce in his step. He sucked on his teeth, but I could feel tremendous happiness from the way his eyes were tearing up. Another guy in dandy navy-colored butler-clothes examined the battlefield after confirming my crimsoned figure''s state with a poker face. He held myrobe and crown in a cradle.Baldwin''s always been that way. Uncaring, unflinching, uninteresting. Creepy old man. I must say that I like Laurin better and I can relate to his ideals: a tall, voluptuous woman of intelligence. I sincerely pray he can find someone because even I haven''t found one for me yet. I wouldn''t want another battle for the Throne just because I didn''t have an heir. We''ve been there twice already. "Your Majesty!" My ears ringed of Laurin''s loud and invading voice. Though I like his tastes in women, he''s a bit of a worrywart. He shouldn''t worry about someone like me. I''ve got tricks up my sleeve I haven''t even shown him yet. Needless to say, both these men must''ve thought I was awesome! All the people around were also probably curious about the specifics of my ability, and were cringing in realization. They all thought I was powerless! Well they weren''t wrong back then, but right now I can take them all on. Well no, notnow, but I don''t know, next time? Well, if any other person was in that kind of bloodiedstate they might as well be accompanying Julien to the flaming hot pits of the unfriendly afterlife, but people like me can''t be- My legs buckled and I lost my balance before I hit my head face first on the floor. A mind-numbing ache jolted down to my neck, immediately making me hold my head in a frown. That was so uncool. I rolled my body to lie on my back, and caught up to my breath in a daze. My legs were starting to numb and I couldn''t feel the tips of my fingers. I closed my eyes and felt for my mana. There wasn''t much left in me, but they were keeping me conscious. At least, I could take it easy. "Your Majesty! Are you okay?" Laurin''s massive armor clanged louder, and I opened my eyes. Laurin knelt down at my side, scooping his hand under my back and carefully helped my body sit straight. "Oh yeah, I''m perfectly fine... this is fake blood" I coughed a bit of fakeblood as I covered my mouth. After a few fits, I held my shaking hand in front of me. There was a lot of fake blood. I hated personal combat, and I will hate it till'' my dying breath. Laurin''s head jolted towards the door''s direction. "Guards, get the healers!" Ah, finally. Laurin worries too much and sometimes forget details like that. I didn''t really have the energy to complain though, so I just felt glad that he shouted into action. As I rejoiced in the prospect of feeling healthy again, I barely heard muffled footsteps approach both of us, making Laurin''s lips purse. I used my hands and pushed my feet to turn my body towards thedirection of the footsteps, and Laurin made sure to support me with his hands. "Baldwin. Took you long enough." I said. Baldwin smiled a toothy, thin smile and knelt down in front of me, my effects in tow. "Your Majesty. I congratulate you." He spoke with a hint of sarcasm, but I felt an underscore of gratitude and expectation from him. I wanted to kick him while he knelt, but that isn''t a regal thing to do. I''ll kick him next time. "Whatever.", I replied. Laurin stood up and hastily grabbed the crown and robe from Baldwin. The old aide simply stood up and bowed. "I shall call all the guests back for your oath." He turned around, but before he could start making his way to the door, Laurin grabbed his shoulders. Baldwin didn''t turn around. "What do you think you''re doing, Baldwin?" Laurinscowled. Laurin prepared a fist behind his armor. Baldwin sighed. It was obvious that he was more annoyed than threatened. "The guests are here for the oath, aren''t they? I''m just going out of my way to invite them back." said Baldwin, his tone arrogant and sounded matter-of-factly. "I have the Royal Guards who can do that. What you''ll be doing is making your way to thedungeons." Laurin prepped his shoulders and tried to pull Baldwin, but he could only bug out his eyes at the unmoving, thin body of the aide. While Laurin was struggling, I used his other arm to pull myself up before tapping him on the shoulders. "Enough. Let him do it." I ordered. Laurin furrowed his brows in protest, removing his ineffective hands from Baldwin shoulders. Baldwin dusted it in response. "But Your Majesty! He''s the aide of Julien!" Laurin reminded. I scratched my chin as I thought of a response. I wanted Laurin to just stop being annoying. He''s dutiful like that I guess, there''s no helping it. "That''s true. Don''t worry about it." I waved my hand in dismissal. Laurin blinked his eyes, and stared at me in askance. I shrugged. Baldwin turned his head discretely towards me and made eye-contact before nodding slightly. I made a silly face in response. Laurin was too late when he turned around to face Baldiwn. Baldwin was already walking away. "Baldwin, at least have my Royal Guards escort you." Laurin pressed. I''ve lost all energy in trying to stop the both of them from clashing. "There is no need, Sir Baldwin. I''ll ask my way around." Baldwin continued to walk, and replied while he faced the door. Laurin''s face screwed up and I rolled my eyes in response. Glad that was over. "Your Majesty. If the Massarreli and the people in their faction finds out about what happened here through Baldwin and they escape, it might create large consequences." Laurin jutted his chin as he speculated. "You did good in defeating Julien, their cause should unravel in a few months or weeks. Even so, it''d be better for us to be cautious. Our standing army isn''t up to par right now." Laurin spoke softly, but I felt complied to consider every word he said; his voice digging deep into my eardrums and reverberating in my calculating mind. However- "Like I said, there''s no need for that. Everything''s going as expected. Besides, Baldwin wouldn''t do something like that." Laurin also took the time to consider every word I said. "How can you be so sure, Your Majesty?" he inquired. "I just know things." More than everyone else knows.
As expected, a few minutes later people started crowding back into the Throne Room. A myriad of reactions greeted me as they looked around the destroyed and messy throne room. Small chatters collected into a unintelligible garble while they settled back to their places with a bit of annoyance, unease, inquiry and especially surprise; maybe even a hint of fear in there. I had a feeling though that they were more shocked about the state of the Room other than my bloodied figure resting on the Throne.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Baldwin must''ve given them the summary of my gloriousbattle. Couldn''t blame him if even he was excited about it. I hope that he wasn''t too excited and told them of my ability though. I want to save the best surprise for last. The last few people who arrived were the Knight Entourage of the Massarreli''s, and their kin. Two young men, one two heads taller than the other, and both dressed in lavish robes in glowing white colors entered the room while surrounded by the wary knights. All their faces, including the Knights,shifted to grieving and anger at the still lifeless body of Julien. The younger of the brothers bawled as the knights all turned their gazes away. He sunk down to his knees and buried his face in his hands. I unconsciously slumped my shoulders and turned my face away from the view, but movedmy eyes to the edge of its sockets to try to at least see any reaction that I had to answer to. The other man had a different air around him. He did look sad; his expression was shrouded in disbelief. His pupils dilated momentarily while it came to terms with his father''s death, before focusing back on the Throne. Still, he didn''t look like he was going to try and fight me, and he had a look of acceptance in his face. The young man still crying on his knees is someone I never knew and probably will never, but the resolute other is someone very familiar to me. His name is Leonard Massarreli, or as I used to call him: Leon. I regained my composure and fixed my gaze unto Leon''seyes, the corners of my vision memorizing his grown figure. I haven''t seen him in years. He still had his blue, deep-set eyes and spiky, long red hair from back then, but instead of being a bit chubby, he has grown into a more handsome face. He had a chiseled face, thin lips and prominent jaws. He held his chin up, empowering his already large muscular figure. He wasn''t as big as Laurin, but I could tell that it didn''t mean he was any less strong. I almost dropped my jaws as I reminded myself that he was a Massarreli, but I shut it back close when I remembered that like me, he was different from his family. "Aleuas, It''s been too long." He greeted, bowing with his right hand unto his chest. He''s probably a Knight then, maybe his father''s, or maybe he was from the army? I''ll find out soon. "Not long enough in my opinion, Leon." The other knights stared daggers at me as I replied, but I paid them no heed. I stood up, supporting myself withthe rests of the Throne. The Knights of Massarreli immediately went for their weapons, but before they were able to unsheath them, an abrupt glare from Leon stopped them. They hesitantly placed their swordarms beside them, before Leon turned back to me. "It is quite unfortunate that we had to have our reunion under these circumstances,old friend. I wish it could''ve been under more stable circumstances.", he said as he stole a bit of look towards his father''s dead body. "Trust me, Leon. I would''ve preferred it some other way." Leon chuckled at my reply before kneeling down. The audience and his Knights gasped. Leon''syounger brother only looked at him perplexed, before he gestured for the younger man to kneel as he did with a nod. His brother stared blankly for a few seconds before a look of determination set on his face. With both of them kneeled, their Knights looked towards each other, asking questions through their eyes. An uneasy clanging of metal throbbed in cacophany, before they all decided to copy their now master''s kneel. The Knights probably went about earlier this day with high expectations, so it couldn''t be helped that they felt robbed. But they shouldn''t. They were the ones trying to rob me. Leon here might''ve been sitting in the Throne after a few decades if they had succeeded. The Knights and Leon''s brother simultaneously hit their chestswith their hand while on their knees. "Your Majesty!" I smiled at their address. The audience and the Royal Guard were jolted awake from their trance and they all knelt down, most of them with their right hand on their knees save for the RoyalKnights. I patronized them with glances, looking towards one part of the room to the next. "Leonard Massarreli, I am glad that you''ve understood your situation. I didn''t want this to end up in another bloodbath. I''m sure even the bloodmages don''t like the sight of too much blood." I said then Leon smiled as he raised his head. "Yes, Your Majesty! The Massarreli Line has lost this battle of inheritance. As now the Head of the Noble Mage House of Massarreli, I declare that we hereby accept any punishment you deem for our treachery." he stated, his voice powerful and full of conviction. No one could have any doubt about what was happening. I could see that some of the audiences were slightly shaking. They ought to be. If I punish the Massarrelis, the punishment would extend to them in different ways. That is, if that is what I planned to do. "Then, I decree that the Massarreli Line is herebypardoned of any crimes under King Deukalion''s reign, but shall be confined to their estates until further notice. That goes the same for all rebel factions." Discussions immediately filled the hall in response. Some had voices filled with relief, but most of them were in denial and dissatisfaction. I sighed as I knit my brows and set my face into a scowl. "Silence! You do not talk when I do not give you permission." My voice permeated every inch of the hall, echoes of it bouncing multiple times on the walls and through our ears. The sound of chatter died down and most of them stared back down to the ground. Only Leon and the rebel factions looked at me, some with suspicion, but most had relaxed faces. "I understand the dissatisfaction that some of you have. It''s also fair to think that this is something that looks down on the lives sacrificed due to a petty war." I had a sharp glare resting on the numerous bodies. "I implore you to look at the bigger picture. Right now, what we need is to be one, wholly functioning kingdom," I raised a finger. "The squabbles have tainted the trust we had for each other, but do you think that we''d stand a chance against an armydetermined to dig our graves? Have we not learned our lesson? Should we now sacrifice more lives just to put our hearts at ease, that we may revenge our fallen?" My voice grew louder with each question I presented. Some people couldn''t control themselves and raised their heads towards me. Their faces moved around expressions of confusion, understanding, admiration, and guilt. I let them be. It''s important that I understood them as much as they understood me. "We may do that- however that will spell the end of Eins. We have no need of a country divided. Neither does this continent. Pas will not help us from the deliverance we will befall on ourselves. Now think, is that the future of Eins you live for? The once glorious Kingdom, the largest East of Pas, destroyed by the ambitions of their brethren?" By that time, all people lookedupon me expectantly. Their eyes showed resolved and determination, their breaths labored as they got excited. Most of them relaxed their shoulders, but straightened their backs as they knelt. They''ll learn to forgive themselves and each other, they had to. "Look to your brethren, enemy or not. Remember, these are the people raised by our land. Talents adored by many, nobles who lived with their faith innoblesse oblige,we were once hand-in-hand-" I paused. "Now recall, recall how you''ve ordered your men to slay theirs. How you sacrificed your men to further your cause." As they looked towards each other, I saw many unnerved and disturbed expressions. Many couldn''t even make eye contact with each other. I shook my head and took a deep breath. "That is what we did to ourselves. We didn''t lose sight of our goal of a greater Eins, but we lost sight of the values of other people." The audience probably felt uneasy or guilty, judging from their obvious want to fidget and avoid my gaze, and the gazes of other people. "However, right now, we''ve gone past that hurdle. We''ve overcome that challenge. I even think that this is what Julien might''ve wanted had he come out victorious." I looked at Julien''s body, feeling a bulging sensation in my chest. "Nevertheless, I came back because this is what I promised. That I would come back in the time of Eins'' greatest need." I then gazed up at the amazingly still-steady chandelier of gloworbs hanging on the ceiling. The gloworbs were like afaint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. I closed my eyes. I could feel Father watching me. I could feel himjudgingme. I can only feel sorry. But I''ll do what I can. I looked over to Laurin who was just beside the pomp. He had the robes and the crown with him. He walked over the steps, and stood behind me. He placed the crown on the seat of the Throne, then fastened my robe unto my neck. He promptly made his way back to where he was, and then knelt down in a salute. I took the crown from the seat, and held it with both my hands in front of my abdomen. "That is why today, I, Prince Aleuas Eins, Second Prince of the Eins Royal Line, inheritor of the curse''s oath, will ascend to the Throne!" I placed the crown in front of my chest, it''s ruby facing me so that it was closest to my heart. "I take this promise and further it with resolve. I take my people''s trust and bond with their true desires. I take my land''s soil and strengthen it with my power. I take my sky''s glow, and reveal the path we all strive. I take this oath, and pledge upon the divines!This oath that seals me, will be mine until I die!" The ruby glowed intensely and I felt my mana synching with its power. An explosion of silver mana washed over the surroundings, exiting out of the Throne Room. People gasped as the mana enveloped their body for a brief moment. The mana felt pristine and clear, and was even euphoric in a few moments. I felt one with all the people in the room. I was surprised, I even felt one with the ambassadors. It confirmed one of my suspicions then. As the wave of mana dissipated, I could see distinct auras of mana in different colors oozing out of each individual in the Throne Room. I could feel how in control they were, how powerful their mana is, and how large their capacities are with striking detail. I smiled as I thought of its usefulness in combat, especially with my ability. I''ve always wondered how my Father was able to precisely control his lightning. Aysuel, my brother, simply wasn''t able to do it and he got exhausted far more easily. Our bloodline''s lightning ability, well, their ability, were very powerful and quick but also demanded a lot more of the user. It seems that the curse''s oath makes your connection with your mana and other mana sources more intimate. But as for my ability for combat effectiveness, that was for another day. It did make my idea of ending today with a bang come to me quite easier. The people settled down and looked back at me, waiting for me to continue. "You all must be wondering, how I was able to defeat the Blood Mage." I stared at Leon. I saw him beam with nostalgia. "I say this: it is only by being once weak that we can become strong! The world is unequal, but our magic though different, have always been known to be of the same potentials. I have traveled through lands far and wide, and I''ve been in peril more times than I remember. I forged my body, my spirit and my power through those trials, and thus I became strong!" The people gulped as I released a bit of my mana in the surroundings. Some were visibly shaken, but they all were resolute. "Look to yourselves and feel your mana and body. Do you not feel it? That feeling of being released from the shackles of fighting within our ranks. The feeling that you have opened up to more potential?" I could feel them check their manas, and some were surprised enough to open their eyes wide. They probably must not have realized it. They had to realize it, or else that potential was going nowhere. Not only do we need a united front, we needed a strong backbone. "We have the potential to grow more powerful! To become grander, to progress our society and peoples, and to set our sights upon goals only madmen could ever dream of. We have earned this right." The hall erupted in a cheer, and stood up. It was a heartwarming scene for me, to be honest. I waved my hands as attention fell back to me. "I promise to all of you that I will become a kind and wise King, as my Father was. But I also swear by the curse''s oath that I will crushanyone who stand in our way, that I will break their bones bit by bit, and if they still choose to set theirsights on our land,I will drown them in suffering." Suddenly my mana expanded and wrapped themselves around the bodies of the crowd, forcing them back down to their knees. Instead of a salute, they were weighed down by the intense pressure of myinfluence. Their faces twisted in agony, they were even trying to stop themselves from screaming. I let up and forced the pressure to disappear as calm then returned to the hall. They were all sweating without exceptionas they picked themselves up off the ground. It was good that I had them going with my pace using the speech, it makes it much easier to exert my powers. Especially with the crown''s ability. However, it wouldn''t be as simple in battle. Part of the things that I had to take note of are emotions. Extreme emotions, whatever spectrum they reside, can causedissonances in mana that I can take advantage of. They simply cheered at just the right time, allowing me in. And at just the right time, right after my influence, most of them had fear and apprehension. "Remember this, my brethren: we will not make the same mistakes twice!" I reminded them, their expressionssetting back to resolution. "Rally under my banner, and I shall reward you with great sights! Today, I am now Your King, Aleuas Eins! Raise the flag of Eins, for it is the dawn of the true glory of our nation!" I demanded. Most of them saluted, their hearts to their chests. A sign of loyalty, like a Knight''s loyalty. The ambassadors straightened their backs and looked at me with satisfaction. "By your will, Your Majesty!" They shouted in cadence. I felt a chill as I thought I saw Julien''s body curve his lips upward. Even in death, you think of me as a fool, huh?
I walked back down to my chambers supported by Laurin. That last blast of mana pressure took a toll on me, too, but I couldn''t show an unsightly appearance after that majestic speech of mine. I wondered how historians will look back to the day of my crowning. Probably with wonder and excitement. That''s how I felt from the audience. Though it did look like that, I''m still wary of a few individuals. But Leon should keep the Massarrelis in check. Even without him though, I''m not worried. Laurin looked at me like a dad proud of his son while he carried one of my arms in his shoulders. "That was a good speech, Your Majesty. But was that agonizing pressure really necessary?" I chuckled before I coughed lightly. I could still feel pain in my chest. The healers have done a great job, but there are still a few bones that will take a few more days to recuperate even with their ability. "Not really, but they were all speechless though!" I bragged. "Your Majesty, they''re not allowed to speak." I pouted and chose to ignore him. "Still, Your Majesty, I did not see Baldwin return to the hall. I fear that he has something planned." I curled my lip as Laurin sent a curious look to me. Baldwin, Huh? He sure was an enigma. Though, he''s not going to be able to do anything against me. "Don''t worry-" I paused for a bit to think. Laurin waited. Things have been going according to plan so far. It was even too perfect of an execution. Imagine that. I felt guilty about father''s and brother''s deaths,but there was no avoiding it.It pained me to let them die like that. The royal power though, was the power I needed to influence. Influence is the way I learned to control. Unrestricted freedom only creates destruction; there needs to be a guide, a path, a direction for the people where they exercised freedom and progressed using that, yet did not leap over the blurred lines of corruption. It dawned on me years ago that to get there, I had to be in actual power. Influence may mean nothing in the end, but with the power I have, if I cannot influence the people, then I will take away their freedom. I sighed as I remembered the person who made me realize all this. It was funny how we always clashed our beliefs, yet at one point we found out that ideals are extreme. They can never be fully true. I''ll get as close to that ideal as possible, I decided back then. I felt a sudden pulse of mana, traveling in a small circle behind my back. I continued what I wanted to say under the curious glare of Laurin. "-No one can stop me now." This continent will be mine. Chapter 9 - New Advisor Pt. 1 Emilia Marseille, Versez, the Capital; Kingdom of Eins, 610 Emilia was confused, but more than that, afraid. Earlier that day, the Captain of the Royal Guard barged into her little bookstore with several Knights in tow. He asked her to accompany him back to the Royal Castle.She winced when she remembered a particular day. Before Laurin arrived to fetch her, the citizens were in quite an uproar. A few days after people felt through the curse that a new King has been crowned, the town criers all over Eins announced that the new King is in fact, Aleuas Eins. The people rejoiced, she even heard through travelers and merchants going around the country that people frequently had feasts and other forms of celebration to commemorate the crowning. Emilia was glad and very ecstatic about the news, but only until she remembered her unlikely encounter, and how she handled it. That was two weeks ago. Right now, Versez itself felt very alive. People walked through the stone streets with an unprecented calm, and joy; trading wares and exchanging conversations that underscored a lot of hope that they felt for their future. The numerous modest wooden houses in the commoner and housing wards and large stone buildings in the business wards felt sparkling and clean under the glistening sun. The marketplace was brimmed with merchandise, clerked by their motivated owners that shouted their specialties, earning interest from flocks of shoppers. Establishments that housed businesses were packed with customers, some looking to have a drink or meal, others to get a place to stay before acquainting themselves with the Capital. The crowning of an Eins sparked a lot of interest back in Versez, as exemplified by the admiring stares of people who watched the carriage she rode in. It bore the crest of the King, but it was painted blue that signified an honored or esteemed guest. The Royal Guards surrounded the carriage, each with their beloved horses and rode with a relaxed, but focused posture. The people must''ve thought the an important person was making their way to the Royal Castle, and they whispered to each other in obvious expectation. That was the confusing part. In front of her sat a quiet Laurin donned in red armor, who was also contemplating the view. Laurin only told Emilia that His Majesty wanted to see her, but judging from the way he talked about it, it looked as if even he was as clueless as her and was just a messenger. She was glad that Laurin didn''t feel like forcing her to come, but even then, she couldn''t just shake a royal invitation away and ignore it. The thing that made her afraid was the King''s playful nature. She at first felt that this must be to account for her direct comments when they conversed but after thinking about it for a while, he didn''t seem like the type of man to do that. Rather, what made her worried was in fact that playful nature. She couldn''t understand what the man saw in her that he made his way to invite her for an audience. Was it to investigate her vast knowledge of the state of affairs? Did he see her as a threat and wanted to at least put her on a leash? There was one question that bugged her all throughout the trip that didn''t make any sense: why choose the bookstore as a meeting place? That sealed the deal in her concluding that this audience is more to it than it seems. She was apprehensive, but she didn''t have a choice in the matter. It annoyed her that Laurin chose to be quiet throughout most of the ride; only speaking with her when they had to take a break in the town after Winschel, where she lived and only asking of mundane things about her life. They arrived at a small set of gates, manned by two guards in tight, but otherwise ornate leather armor. The guards quickly opened the gates as they saw their carriage approach before quickly bringing their hands up in a salute. Emilia shuddered. They were now at the noble wards. The noble wards felt a whole lot different than the commoner ward. In here, all houses were large and built with sturdy looking stone walls and foundations. Most of these dwellingshad their own patio and had their own guards keeping watch in front of ornate gates of their own. The guards donned a variety of armor in different colors and bore the crests of the Houses they guarded. The paved roads glistened, but she couldn''t help but feel that a lot of the space in the wards were too deserted. Except for a few patrolling guards, she couldn''t find any other person who were taking a stroll. That was intriguing because there were really lavish cafes and stores that she saw on their way to the Castle, but other than the storekeepers and waitresses lounging with nothing to do, she saw no one else. "Emilia, before we arrive, I apologize if this all seems a bit too much and too fast. I did ask why His Majesty wanted you for an audience, but I feel like you know a bit of his personality, so you should have figured out what I got as an answer." Emilia was startled when Laurin suddenly decided to talk, then awkwardly smiled as Laurin finished. "Y.. yeah. He''s a bit of an..." Emilia paused to consider if what she had in mind was a proper thing to say. Laurin raised his brows with a slight smile, as if he too was interested in how she viewed the King. She thought that it should be fine, since he was the one who felt sorry anyway. "Eccentric. But in a good way." Laurin slumped his shoulders down and shook his head, but Emilia felt that the Knight was more relieved than agitated about her comment. Still, she fidgeted closer to the back of her seat. "He really is, isn''t he? I still don''t get the way he thinks, but I do understand that he just does things his own way, and that he really looks forward to improve Eins." Emilia nodded. His Majesty might be mischievous, but what she felt from him was more of a round-about way of caring rather than harm. "Still, I do hope that you keep yourself calm in front of him. His nature may extend to any number of things and that could make your meeting with him a bit unpleasant. Judging from the way he talked about you though, I can say that you should be able to handle his quirks. Especially knowing about the details of your run-in when he visited your store." Emilia winced away from Laurin''s gaze in fright. That means that Laurin knew about what they talked about at least, though that doesn''t make her any less happy. It was quite odd that Laurin, who was known as a very loyal and dutiful servant of the Royal House, was lenient about that particular detail. Maybe the Prince''s habits seeped into him for some reason. Gaining confidence after some consideration of Laurin''s opinion, she sighed and settled her gaze back to Laurin.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. "Thank you. I''ll keep that in mind. I do want to say sorry about our little conversation though." Laurin chuckled, but looked at her in a comforting way. They both decided to keep to themselves after that, the awkward silence making Emilia realize the implications of this meeting. The King must have something in mind. She just hoped that it wasn''t something that''ll put him at odds with her.
Emilia felt disassociated when they entered the Royal Castle. If the gates of the Noble Houses in the noble wards felt secure, the Royal Castle Gates feltgrand,as grand as just about any other thing that accommodated the Castle. A large fountain was placed center in a colorful garden in front of the castle proper, exhibiting different greeneries and flowers that helped soothe her. Benches with delicately carved wooden sheds were littered around the large garden. The castle itself was huge, five-storeys high, and built with yellow stone that glowed. It seemed to be enchanted, and Emilia suspected it was a defensive enchantment. People like her, even though they didn''t use much magic, still had access to mana to use its basic ability to enhance, so she could tell when magic was being used or when items are enchanted at least. Though everyone had an innate special ability, there was at least a prerequisite of training someone''s control over their mana and learning more about magic before they discovered it. Nobles though, are lucky in that their special ability manifests at much faster rates, owing to their magic being passed through bloodlines. Rumours are that a special court magician had a special ability that allowed newly established houses to have their kin inherit their magic, and that court magician''s ability was alsopart of their bloodline. Still, there were a lot of intricacies that she decided long ago that she''ll never understand, like why their now ruling King was thought to have not inherited his father''s ability. Ministers ran around in determined hurry all over the castle, almost bumping to each other only to greet with quick resolution. Servants tended to the garden and bowed as she and the Knights led by Laurin made their way to the large castle doors. Two stone statues stood at the sides of the doors. They were majestic figures of large lions who were in the middle of a roar, and she allowed their carved visages to empower her and calm herself. They entered and she stopped in her tracks, agape at the scenery. The ornate white-walls were adorned with a multitude of glow-orbs in different colors, and neatly placed artwork from the Kingdom''s most esteemed artists. The hallways themselves were wide enough to be considered houses, and a lot of rooms to various functions were sealed with glossy wooden doors. "Miss Emilia?" She was startled out of her trance by Laurin''s beckon, and timidly walked close to Laurin. "I''m sorry. Please lead the way." Laurin nodded. If Emilia was apprehensive at first, right now she felt that she didn''t belong here. What was she doing here anyway?
The hallway leading to the Throne Room wasn''t what she expected. It was as though the carpet was new, and there wasn''t any decorations that led to the doors. She spied a bit of Laurin''s expression. He was sulking as he looked around and led her to the doors. It was suspicious, to say the least. They arrived in front of the doors and stopped in front of it. The Knights except Laurin quickly made their way out of the hallway and back downstairs. "Emilia, I don''t think this matters much to His Majesty, but I expect you to behave in the audience properly. As soon as we enter, we walk up to at least ten steps away from the Throne. From there, I''ll make my way close to His Majesty. You have to kneel when you get to that spot, place your right hand squarely on your knee, and lower your head. Do not raise your head or stand up until he tells you to rise." Emilia nodded and squinted her eyes as she reviewed and imagined the procedure in her mind. She didn''t mind that, and at the very least it felt very normal to have an audience with a King that way. "To be honest, His Majesty can be too playful at times. I at least want him to consider the time and setting, but..." The Knight simply shrugged. Emilia decided to not pry deeper. Emilia checked and fixed her clothing. She wore a simple white dress that went up to just below her knees. She straightened her posture and gestured that she was ready. Laurin opened the doors. She entered and tried her very best not to react. The Throne Room was plain. She''d expected a decorated Throne Room, but apart from the chandeliers on the ceiling and a few glow-orbs on the pillars, there wasn''t really much to examine. Laurin moved forward and Emilia followed. She felt her heart race as she made eye contact with the young King. He still had a similar brown leather garment on, but he wore a red robe fastened around his neck. On top of his head lay a simple crown with slight protusions, and a ruby at its center. He looked calm and just watched her approach the throne, his chin high and his hands resting on the rests. As she got close to 10 steps away, she knelt down as she was instructed. Laurin continued on and made his way to the young King, and whispered something. The silver-haired man had a thin smile as his reaction, before nodding. Laurin stood still beside the Throne. "Emilia, I welcome you to the Royal Castle. Raise your head." She slowly did as she was told, making sure to raise her head as slowly as possible. "I thank you for the invitation, Your Majesty.", she then remembered their conversation and she almostsupressed a frown. The young man perked up and raised his brow. "I.. I also apologize for the things that I''ve said upon your person. I would like to say that I had not a clue back then, and I didn''t know any better. I ask for your forgiveness." The King then laughed. Laurin seemed uneasy, and looked at Emilia, his eyes trying to communicate his worry. Emilia could only tremble and grasp at straws at trying to understand the King''s reaction. "I''d say that it doesn''t bother me, but that would be no fun." He grinned. Emilia felt life escape her body at the implications, but she stilled herself and waited for the King to finish. "In fact, what you said did hurt me quite a bit." He shook his head slowly, his right hand palming the flesh of his face. Then, he used the same hand to raise one finger in front of him. Emilia gulped. "That is why, I''ll have you prove your point to me." The King walked down the pomp and approached Emilia. She sunk her head down and couldn''t meet his gaze. She felt unpleasant, like her fate rested in the palm of the King''s hand. She regretted the meeting, but she never knew! She cursed her fate as she subtly gripped her knee with her hand. "Yo.. Your Majesty. Might you enlighten me on what you have in mind?", she fought back. She resisted her urge to run even though she felt that the King''s playful nature opened up possibilities. Possibilities that doesn''t necessarily mean it''s good for her. She tried to come up with ways that the young man might make her prove her point, but the truth of the matter is, she didn''t know whatpoint it was that he was referring to. The King then held out his hand as he got close. Emilia subsconsciously grabbed it and the King carefully pulled her up. He smiled one of those playful smiles that she has by now realized can spin and twist someone into his pace. She pulled her shaking hand away from the King''s hold. "It''s simple, Emilia. I''ll have a set of people come to the Royal Palace for some one-on-one discussion. They''re said to be thebrightest noble minds in Eins. I''d like to choose an adviser as soon as possible. That''s where you come in." Laurin sighed, and Emilia felt that the Knight just resigned to whatever idea the King came up with. She decided to ask for more information. "What exactly will I do, Your Majesty?" The King then smiled a friendly, toothy smile. Again, it seemed to make her relax. Again, it also made her go with his pace. "You''ll be the one to choose who I pick!" The King said, excitement underlying his almost sing-song tone. Emilia stared wide-eyed and she flinched to a step back. She didn''t understand what that had anything to do with her making a point, but she felt determined to at least ask one question. "Why me, Your Majesty?", she shouted, her shocked voice echoing around the Throne Room. The King only shrugged. "You''ll find out." At this point, Emilia just wanted to go home. Chapter 9.5 - Meeting Baldwin, ????, Kingdom of Eins, 610 A gray, wrinkled man looked over the trees surrounding the dead forest at night. He sat in waitwhile leaning on a huge tree, its trunk thick and coal-like in texture. There were no signs of life, and the meager illumination the moon could provide was blocked above by the covers of the leaves.The trees swayed along with the push of the wind, and it might be so cold if not for the thin layer of blue mana that shone around his body and protected him from the elements. He''s been here for a few hours, but until he''s met the woman he''s sworn his newly-found allegiance to, he chose to remain patient. He''s decided long ago that he''ll sell his freedom to her, just so she could provide some momentary satisfaction for him. His butler clothes weren''t always something that he used to deceive. Quite frankly, he used to believe in something as fickle as self-freedom. He still does want to believe that, but he knew that as long as he followed this woman, he''s not going to be able to do anything outside of her expectations. It was a necessary sacrifice. So why did he follow Julien? It was Baldwin''s choice. A choice that he felt regretful as years passed by. Julien wasn''t exactly an evil person, and he had high hopes and dreams for his country and even the continent; but he didn''t know self-restraint. The man would do anything, even if it was just outright criminal or wasn''t even necessary, as long as he believed it furthered his ambitions. It was fortunate that Baldwin was always at his side, and the old aide somehow managed to reel him in from what could have been unfortunate disasters. Small footsteps crunched the meager grass just behind him. He didn''t stand up or turn his head towards the sound, but the feeling of goosebumps traveling all over his back assured him of his visitor. "Baldwin, you could have contacted me through your telepathy. Do you mind telling me why I had to meet you here?" It was a sweet and calm feminine voice that snaked its way to Baldwin''s ears. Rather than judge him, the voice felt as if its owner was curious.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "You were making your way here anyway, Master. I just wanted to deliver the good news personally.", he reasoned. This time, he stood up as he pushed his weight towards the trunk. "Your chosen Prince has taken the throne." A gush of air swept over the surroundings, hugging Baldwin. He grinned. "Then we''re one step closer. Take care of yourself so you live to see the day of your dreams.", she replied, before moving close to him and standing beside him. Baldwin kept looking forward as he recalled why he finally betrayed Julien. What Baldwin loved is life. It was simple. The older he got, the more he realized that people had their own lives, choices, and forked paths. Sometimes these paths intertwine and lead to rewards or consequences, and that people were free to choose which road they''d travel. Society improved only when a large number of people work towards furthering themselves and helping others. However, the people are naive. They''d always choose the selfish rewards, and those choices always lead to consequences for anyone other than them. But then Baldwin met Maeonia Reele,the leader of Madea. She promised that as long as he sold his liberty to her, she''ll be able to show him a world where freedom is balanced. People who do evil will be punished without fail, and people who do good will be rewarded. "Balance is the most fickle thing, Baldwin. Though Madea lives to uphold that balance,there is never any shadow where there is no light.", Maeonia reminded him. He nodded slightly, taking a gulp of air to strengthen his motivations. The reason he felt so attached and grateful towards the woman was that she''s a purveyor of balance. If he recalls correctly, prior to that, like him, she also believed in freedom. But her perception of it was a bit different. It was unrestricted freedom, to be exact. People may choose to give or take, and she would not bat an eye whatever happens. That was her essence of being free. Due to the times though, she realized that too much liberty only creates much pain and suffering. How she came to that conclusion, Baldwin did not know. But one thing for sure was that Madea''s goal is to let the people enjoy the privileges of freedom, but to step in and make sure that there was balance. "We''re kicking things up a notch. It''s time for us to finally take the stage.", he felt an implosion of mana beside him that disappeared a few moments after. He finally looked to his side, only to find no one sign of anyone near him. He relaxed his posture and started walking back towards the castle. "Things are going to get busier.", he grinned as he decided to make his way to the Royal Castle''s wine cellar. It''s the easiest way for Maeonia Reele to sneak in. Chapter 10 - New Advisor Pt. 2 Emilia Marseille, the Royal Castle, Versez; Kingdom of Eins, 610 "This Kingdom needs someone who cares for its people, and is capable of answering to the challenges that the times may bring. The Kingdom may be weak now, but with my help, I believe this Kingdom will be able to rally its resources. I''ve been instructed by the most esteemed tutors that the Noble House of Lockwood has been able to find in the subtleties of leading and politics, and they for that matter are quite pleased with my progress. "To further that, I am also one of the most talented combatant in our House, and will be able to provide these talents in times of war. I beseech to you, Royal Highness, to consider that I be at your side in helping Eins reach the plateau of greatness." Just... what the hell is this? Emilia cringed. She stood behind a curtain that now hid the painting of the Royal Family, just behind the Throne where she assumed the King sat. She learned that the Knights removed the painting when there was a break-ina few days before the crowning, and that behind this painting was a secret storage where the King may choose to hide his personal items. She didn''t know why she was told that, but she surmised that maybe it wasn''t kept much of a secret anymore, and that the King might''ve moved his items to another storage. But that wasn''t important. As she listened to the man with a pitchy voice give his answer to the King''s question, she couldn''t help but be frustrated. The King''s question was simple: "How will you convince me to get you as my advisor?" The King only gave the candidates one chance to answer. Once the King decides that he gave someone enough of a chance, he''d end the conversation without any clues to whether they got the job or not, then ask them to leave. Emilia was sure that the first few timesthat that happened she''d hear some sort of grunt or gasp before they tried to convince the King to hear them out a bit more, but the King shooed them away by saying that he has other candidates to take note of, and that them leaving didn''t mean that they won''t get the job. As they''ve agreed on, or well, the King imposed on her, she had to listen in to the one-on-one discussions had by the young King and some chosen sons and daughters of the Eins'' Noble Houses. After each discussion, the King would then wait for Emilia to give her thoughts about the candidate. It''s been well over 20 candidates already. "Alright. That should be enough. I guess you''ve heard from the others, but I''ll need some time to think about all your answers before deciding. That should not be a problem, right, Sir Lockwood?" Emilia sighed quietly as the King ended the last candidate''s chance. "Yes, Your Majesty. Then, I shall take my leave." Emilia then heard the sound of footsteps moving away from her and the creaking of the Throne Room''s doors as it opened then closed. She gathered her determination before speaking. "Your Majesty, that candidate isn''t any better than the others. As with the others, all of them areobsessed with answering why they should be chosen, instead of what their vision or ideals are." Emilia reasoned. She heard a chuckle from the young King before the curtains were drawn open, the sudden influx light forcing her to squint her eyes. When she got used to the brightness, she looked over to the King. His lips were pursed and he was shaking his head. The King told Emilia about the question he was going to ask before they began the discussions. He then told her than he wasn''t actually going to listen to their answers, and just daydream and be idle throughout the discussion. He decides to stop the interview whenever he felt that enough time has passed. He also reminded Emilia that the question is made to be as vague as possible. They can answer in any context that they''d like. That was when Emilia came in. She was instructed to listen to the answers, and after every interview, give the King her thoughts about the candidate and their answer. The King said that whoever she chose would be the next advisor, no questions asked. "I''m sorry, Your Majesty. But there just isn''t anyone I want to choose over the candidates. I don''t quite understand. You said they were the most talented of Eins'' nobility, but..." Emilia decided to be as formal but honest as possible when it came to it. She''s by now understood some of the quirks the King had, and he was quite flexible when it came to things. She thought that it was fine as long as she didn''t try to do it in public. "...I don''t really think any of the candidates are up to par. If I may, I would like to advise you to find other candidates." she suggested. The King looked at her with a glint in his eye, before he beamed. "You advise, huh? Well, those are the most talentedthat we have. Could you imagine what kind of answers you''ll hear when you don''t even like the ones that thegifted gave?" The King then put his hand on Emilia''s shoulders. Emilia flinched and darted her eyes. She thought that it seemed easy enough, but she still didn''t understand why the King chose for her to carry that burden. She tried to reason out that she wasn''t qualified to do that, but the King didn''t want to listen and only made annoying expressions with his face. Emiliarelented after she realized that there was no convincing him. "Your... Your Majesty, I know that you''re trying to look for people who are capable, but it''s just... unlikely for them to serve as good advisors when all they have isability."she gulped. The King removed his hand on her shoulders, and inclined his head. "Then, you''re alternative is that I look for people who don''t necessarily have the experience but have commendable beliefs. But why is that?" He lifted his head and stared at Emilia. Emilia moved away in reflex, and averted her eyes as she started to think. The first candidate started the trend of almost narcissistic and ego-driven answers from the interviewees. Emilia told the King that she''ll choose someone who has great ideals and justifications for those ideals first, and then they''d have a second round of interviews where the King would then ask them about their qualifications. For Emilia, what mattered first was that they had a good vision before any of their capabilities. But the King was asking why she didn''t mind their capabilities, however great or lacking. Emilia mulled over her reasoning and organized it, then moved her gaze to confront the King''s. "It''s because leadership and politics isn''t all about ability. Skills are a great way to achieve things, but that only matters when you know what you''re trying to achieve, andhow you want to achieve it," Emilia shrugged "People without that type of vision, in my opinion, cannot serve as good leaders, Your Majesty." She felt a different kind of strength emanate from her tone when she spelled out one of her reasons. The King just watched her in curiosity. "So, what do you think about my ideals?" Emilia frowned a bit because of the King''s question. From what she gleaned from her first discussion with the King, he was someone that did what was necessary. But she didn''t know what the King deemed as necessary in the first place. "Your Majesty, could I ask what you''re trying to achieve?" Emilia fought back the urge to just shrink away from questioning the King, but she was too curious to let it pass She felt that this was an opportunity. "Progress, Emilia. It doesn''t matter how much powerful our Kingdom becomes if there is no progress in the other aspects of our society and peoples," The King explained "However, progress is a double-edged sword, and if you don''t lay down the outline as you try to progress a country, it might prove to become a chaotic mess with no direction." The King then turned his head to look at the Throne. His gaze felt soft as he gazed at the Throne, but with great determination oozing out of him. "That, and other societies won''t stay quiet. By that, I mean that they''ll also try to improve and progress. That is a seed of conflict, Emilia. So we need someone who can take control, take the brunt of that responsibility, and even sin for the sake of the greater good." he concluded. Emilia looked at him and felt her body relax, as if a weight that was pushing her down was removed from her shoulders. She smiled as she thought that she gained some insight on the King. It wasn''t a bad ideal, she thought. But it''s not over with just that. "I see, Your Majesty. I think I can understand what you''re trying to say." Emilia said before looking around the Throne Room. The Throne Room lacked any decorations, though it was a large hall. It felt like the room itself was wanting for some life to return to it. Right now, it felt empty to her. "However, the kind of power and control that you need to get in order to satisfy that goal is immense. I believe that what philosopers say is true: thatabsolute power corrupts absolutely-" she paused while the King seemed to mull about what she saidThis story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "-But in order for the dreams of your country to be realized, you need to be as close to that absolute power as possible." She then saw that Aleuas removed his gaze away from the Throne slightly, but didn''t reply. "That puts you in a difficult position where your personality is the most prone to be corrupted by that power. The same thing with what happened to Julien Massarreli, the former advisor." Emilia concluded. She then reminisced for a bit. The teachings of her parents weren''t just simple politics and intrigue. What she was most thankful for was the lessons they shared when it came to giving a helping hand to others. That a person, no matter their stature, has the duty to be a guide and support for other people. That was what Emilia''s parents saw in King Deukalion, and that was why they supported him to their deaths. She opened a bookstore for a similiar reason. She wanted to share knowledge, and surround herself with it. She wanted to understand the mysteries of life, the history of the world and the motivations of its inhabitants. It helped her quite a bit that most of her customers were friends of her merchant parents: Nobles, academics, and even other merchants. She thought that they might''ve been visiting her because of her parent''s friendship and influence, and that it was their form of saying thanks to their contributions. Emilia frequently had discussions with them, her bookstore becoming a sort of place where these types of people hanged out to discuss various topics. She''s even made friends and connections with some of these customers, and thus learned quite a bit about the world without having to get out of her little store. "But, Your Majesty, if there is someone there who doesn''t hold on to that kind of power- even only arbitrarily have some influence on your decisions, it will be your advisor. You need someone whose ideals can balance with your ambitions, and can help stir you in the right direction when you face a fork in a road that''s too much to cross by yourself." Right now though, she''s learning again. She''s learning that it takes so much more than just knowledge and ideals to become the guide that her parents would be proud of. It takes courage and a leap of faith, as well as definite actions for her part. She psyched herself up, and her eyes focused as she decided that after this King''s favor is done, she''ll find a way to do her part outside of her shop. Heck, if the King wants to, I''d even be his advisor! She chuckled while she covered her mouth with her hands and then abruptly stopped when she realized how rude she was being. The King only smiled, and then walked past Emilia and towards the painting. He removed some bolts and then pried the paintingaway from the wall, revealing seams that formed a large square. He knocked on the middle of the seams twice, and the wall surrounding the seams disintegrated. It revealed a space that she assumed was the storage. Emilia gasped as she watched, more from the theatrics of the storage than knowing about it. She then tried to peek inside the storage without moving closer. There was nothing worth of note that she saw; just a small, brown book that was placed inside. It was flipped-over, so she couldn''t see the title. The King took out the book then looked at the title before nodding. He smiled, and gestured for Emilia to come closer before handing the book. Emilia took the book and then promptly turned it over. Her eyes widened when she read the title. The Kind Road Emilia darted her eyes from the book to the King then back, and then creased her brows. What point was the King trying to make? "Your answer was so good, that I''d even thought about making you my advisor!" The King laughed. Emilia just stared at him, agape. "But I know you don''t want to be forced on that kind of responsibility. That''s why you opened a bookstore, right? Well, I''m sure that you''ll do great either way. It sucks, but I guess I''ll have to make do with these subpar candidates. Maybe I could even smack them into improving." The King said. Emilia breathed a sigh of relief. That was too much. She was glad that the King was joking. She was joking when she thought about that possiblity, anyway, wasn''t she? She laughed awkwardly as shemulled over it. "Thank you, Your Majesty... I''m glad that you understand." But did Emiliaunderstand herself though? Before her parents died, she promised herself that she''d be doing great things. Not just for this country, but for the whole world. But when they died, she just wanted to cope up with it in her own little world, away from it all. Would she really skip an opportunity to further that just because she was comfortable in her bookstore? Being an advisor is too much for her though, she thought. There are others things someone like her could do that would be a better use of her time. She glanced back at the book, and thought back on her parents. They were very good people, who were honest even in trade. Though they traveled a lot, they made sure that one of them always stayed so that Emilia was never alone. She missed the warm nights where they''d try different meals and ingredients that her parents learned of in their travels. The days when they''d discuss about practically anything under the sun. The times when her parents argued about petty things, and made up at the sight of Emilia''s then chubby, crying face. The moments when she''d tell them about her childish aspirations that she''d long forgotten, and the smiles on their faces as they cheered her on. She loved both of them and she regretted the one thing she told them that she couldn''t uphold. "I''ll never close doors that have opened for me, just as you have, Mom and Dad!" She idolized her parents in that they took every opportunity that they can get but were always steadfast in never taking advantage of other people. They were able to create friends and improve their business by simply being honest, and always looking forward to the future of their country and what they could bring to the table. They wanted for her to become someone who was similar. She didn''t have to be a merchant, but they thought that whatever Emilia discovered that she wanted to do, she''d do it bearing that in mind. They died supporting their King, and even in the end that very same King died: all because of one person''s claim that he can carve the right path for the country. She shook her head. "What''s wrong, Emilia?" She perked up, dropping the book. The King promptly leaned to pick it up, and dusted it off before handing it back to Emilia. "N-nothing... Your Majesty.",she managed to reply. As she took the book from the King, she had an almost blank look on her eyes. She still felt sad and regretful about her parents'' death. It frustrated her that when she''d thought she had gotten over it, at a time where she was in front of the King she just had to let her guard down. The King then placed a finger on her face and wiped her cheeks. It was only then that Emilia felt the tears flowing out of her. She moved her face away, embarrassed, and then used her forearm to wipe off the tears. She grit her teeth and then bowed in front of the King, but she made sure to keep looking at him. "I''m sorry, Your Majesty.. It''s just that.." The King raised a finger, prompting her to a stop. "Emilia, it''s simple really. Sometimes, you just have to do things even though you fear for yourself. Fear will never disappear, as is uncertainty, but when you go over these things, you realize: you''ve lived a life that you and your family could be proud of," The King smiled, and then sighed. "I fear to lose the things that I value the most, and I am uncertain if I''d become the type of King that I''d envision to become. However, it''s certain that your fears will come true if you never take a step forward." Emilia straightened her posture and bit her lip. Aleuas was right. She''s always feared that any life she''d choose to livewon''t be something that her parents could be proud of, and that''s why she settled on the comfort of her books, something she learned to love and picked up from her parents. Emilia exposed a thin smile, as she thought about how weird these past few days have been. It was as if her parents were guiding her when she''s lost her way. Even in death, they''d always be the people she''d look up to. She gathered determination as she breathed a huge chunk of air and then locked her eyes with the King. The King raised his brows and his chin in response. "Your Majesty. If you do so insist, I would like to be at your side and lead this Kingdom to the future you dream of as your Advisor. By your command, I will be your eyes and ears." She then proceeded to prostrate, her right hand now to her chest. She knew she wasn''t a Knight, but she wanted to communicate her will to exhibit her loyalty. Though, she still had her eyes looking straight at the King, waiting for any reaction. The King smiled a toothy smile, before placing his left hand on Emilia''s shoulder. "Then pack your things. We''ll make the announcement soon." Emilia inclined her head, and with the strongest voice that she could muster, solidified her determination. "By your will, Your Majesty!"
Laurin Hauesl, Versez, the King''s Solace; Kingdom of Eins, 610 Laurin stood beside the King and looked over the roofs of Versez'' buildings as they wasted their leisure time on the King''s Solace. They were at the King''sprivate terrace on the eastern-side of the Royal Castle, connected to the fourth floor. It was a simple terrace with thick, yellow stone railings and two sets of white marble tables and chairs. There were pots of various plants at the edges of these railings, and their leaves swayed to the wind. It was a private place for the King and the Royal Family to spend their freetime, and it allowed a wide view that covers most directions except for the western-side of Versez. Various houses and buildings of different colors spread throughout Laurin''s vision, and at the edges of the horizon he could see the Plains of Versez and the sparkling croplands. Aleuaswas whistling a tune Laurin has never heard of before, and when the young manwas done doing so and was silent for a few moments, Laurin decided to speak. "Your Majesty, I know that the young Emilia is quite smart for someone like her, but isn''t it a bit too much that you decided to name her your advisor? The nobles won''t stand for this," Laurin cleared his throat. "I''ve heard through my trusted sources that the rebel factions are planning to stir up some trouble, and this decision might not help in quelling that." Laurin thought that Emilia was admirable, but he didn''t think that she was up to the task of being the King''s advisor in tumultuous times. The King himself was quite an eccentric, and he was willing to go along with it, but right now he was quite unsure about his decision. The King was quiet and not answering. Laurin coughed to get his attention. The young man then moved his gaze towards Laurin. "Hmm? Well, she had a point though. That even though we scouted for the mosttalented people, they weren''t really suitable for a post as demanding as an advisor to the King." he retorted as he shrugged. Laurin sighed. "Aleuas, youspecifically told me to announce forpeople who were capable, but inexperienced.It was a matter-of-fact that they wouldn''t know much about vision and leadership, even if they did learn about it from their tutors or lords. You even told us to look for those who weren''t heads of the Houses, and weren''t even first-born sons or daughters." Laurin shot back. Aleuas smiled playfully as response, bobbing his head left and right. Aleuas instructed for Laurin to just call him Aleuas in private, and after a few days he was able to convince Laurin. Of course, Laurin sometimes still addressed Aleuasformally, but he''s learned to be casual around the playful man. "Well, that still just means they weren''t good enough. They were sent our way, so that means that the Noble Houses should have thought that they''d be enough." Aleuas smiled. "Besides, I think Emilia will do a fine job. There''s more to her than just being a librarian. Don''t you find it weird that I arranged our meeting place to be in that bookstore?" Aleuas said before chuckling. Laurin was shocked, but he paused and thought for a moment. Judging by Aleuas'' personality, and how he pressed for Emilia to immediately be brought for an audience, he surmised that his liege has already decided long ago for Emilia to be his advisor. It didn''t make sense though that he''d go through this farce of having her listen in on his interviews, only to pick her, who wasn''t even officially a candidate, in the end. "I know what you''re thinking, old man. But I''m not forcing anything on anyone. If Emilia didn''t come up with the answer by herself, then Iwould have dropped it." Aleuas then walked over to a table and sat down in one of the chairs. Laurin just stood by to watch. "Though, of course, I wanted to help push her in that direction. Honestly, it was quite a chore. But in hindsight, it''s better for someone to do something that they whole-heartedly set themselves to do, rather than be forced to. It''d make things much easier for her in the future, even." Laurin shook his head. He had to agree that Aleuas had a point, but he still couldn''t get used to how he did things. Aleuas did things differently but did them with purpose. It felt like what the young man did so naturally was to move people to his whims without them realizing it. It wasn''t even outright manipulation, he was just simply appealing to their desires. Still, in the end, Laurin thought it wasn''t different from manipulation in its effect, but, one distinct thing about it had Laurin feeling relaxed about the King''s methods. It wasthe fact that as long as they want to, even if Aleuas did what he does, they''d be free to make their own choice. "I guess you''re right, Aleuas." Laurin said as he smiled. Chapter 11 - Realities Emilia Marseille, the Royal Castle, Versez; Kingdom of Eins, 610 "Thus, I''ve named her my Advisor." The King concluded his speech. Emilia stood on the right-hand side of the Throne. The captain of the Royal Guard, Laurin, stood on the throne''s left. The King had just finished announcing to the nobles Emilia''s appointment as the Advisor, and the reasons for her being chosen. Emilia was uncomfortable internally, but she made sure to stand straight, set her gaze, and be as presentable as possible. The King promised her that he''d take care of things when he announces her position, and that she doesn''t have to answer to any of the lords if she was addressed. Though, the King also stressed that if she wished to, she could. One of the nobles, from the previous rebel faction of Lossange, took a step forward. From what Emilia remembered, he was the Head of the Lossange family, and his name was Reed Lossange. He is a Duke who controls a large portion of Eastern Eins and the territories near some of its borders. His army was instrumental in the civil war. He is a chubby old man who''s weight couldn''t be hidden by his overgrown white robes. He of course, has a chubby face and bulbuous nose, large lips, and a thick forehead. He is a bit small in stature. Reed raised his hands and looked towards his fellow nobles, quieting the chatter. He then placed his hands on his chest. "My King, please reconsider. She is not even noble-born. I know for a fact that she is the daughter of Bernard and Eureece Marseille, fine merchants of Eins, but that does not mean that she has the qualifications to provide you her counsel." Reed said, and then he shook his head. Emilia winced slightly, but she relaxed when she realized that no one noticed her reaction. "All of the noble heads of families, even first-sons and daughters, weren''t even considered for candidacy, Your Majesty. I understand that you wanted to give our kin who had no responsibilities a chance, but itdoes not mean that it removes the right of our most talented and prestigious to be heard as well." Reed revealed. Emilia opened her eyes wide and then she looked towards Aleuas slowly. The King was also looking towards her and slightly smiling apologetically. Emilia wanted to question the King at that very instant, but reeled her emotions in. "That''s right, Your Majesty!" "You must reconsider!" The King waved his hand and the pleas quieted down. "Ah, I get what you''re trying to say, Duke Lossange. However, isn''t it best that someone who is a commoner, who has the first-hand view and experience of our peoples, be the person who provides me counsel? She has insight that us from the royalty, or you from the lordship, will never be truly privy to." The King said. Reed creased his brows and was trembling. He then looked over to Emilia. Emilia flinched and took a step back. She heard a distinct, playful chuckle from the King. She felt that the King was making fun of her. "Emilia, I see that there is no convincing His Majesty. But to you, I''ll have to ask, do you really think that you''re ready for this kind of undertaking!?" Reed shouted as he asked Emilia. Emilia shook just from the sheer volume of his voice, but her troubles didn''t stop the King from chuckling. Emilia grimaced as she realized that the King has no intent to actually make do with his promise of taking care of things during the announcement. Emilia bit her lip, and then sighed. "I do not think I am ready." Emilia said, eliciting gasps and grunts from the nobles. Duke Reed grinned. "The truth is, I don''t think anyone is ready." Emilia announced, then swept her head over the nobles, fixing her gaze unto anyone who catches her sight. What the hell am I doing?! She was screaming internally and her heart was pounding. Every one of the nobles were either frowning or scowling, and she still allowed herself to arrogantly sweep her gaze over them, as if she had them under control. "To the nobles, this I ask, are you certain that you would want to be an advisor in Eins'' weakest moments?" Emilia said. Emilia could see Reed clenching his hands into a fist as discussion once again overtook the Throne Room. "If you were to choose to undertake this, and the Kingdom is once again thrust into emergency, are you ready to make the decisions that''ll affect everyone, even your esteemed noble household?" Emilia made sure to inflect her voice to show power. She was still feeling a bit nauseous, but since she remembered that she was the one who decided to do this, she had to at least show them her worth. Whatever the Nobles say, Emilia realized that it was already official that she was the Advisor. She now had some sway over the King''s decision, something that was more concrete than the nobles. She has also realized why Julien had the guts to do the rebellion in the first place. "The Advisor is the only position which has true bearing on the King''s policies'' at its core, so I do understand why the lordship would see to have themselves be placed in this position. It is also true that the Advisor has great influence over the Kingdom itself, and thus, an Advisor''s approach to ruling and their ideals affect a large portion of our policies." Though the advisor was supposed to have no actual powers, by the very definition, those who were the advisors were the Brains of the King. Usually, the Kings themselves allow the Advisors to act in his name. As such, the advisors words have the same weight as the King''s, and their words and actions have been given the blessing by the King. The people and the lords have learned to treat the Advisor as an arbitrary messenger of the King himself.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Only the King may veto and override these words at any time. Thus, it was also a given that the Advisor is the most powerful position in the Kingdom, second only to the King himself. This allowed Julien to spread his influence. It was as easy as holding secret meetings with the Rebel Faction, telling them about the King''s policies and the problems it underlined, and then giving a solution. It is also useful because Julien''s counsel was known to have always been considered by the King, allowing Julien more control over the Kingdom. In hindsight, it was easier for the rebels to follow someone who was in actual power rather than some random noble house. Emilia smiled as she realized Aleuas'' ploy. "However, those in power are also in danger. I am not sure all of you have realized, but our King, Aleuas Eins, is a king that is starkly different from our previous rulers. Do you think that just because you''re in the position of an advisor, you''d be able to sway His Majesty''s whims?" Emilia shook her head. "What if you were able to convince His Majesty to undertake whatever solution you have come up with, only for that very solution to serve as the downfall of Eins?" The nobles looked towards each other, quite unsure of where Emilia wanted to take her point. "What I want to say is that, His Majesty has reminded me that my actions will have consequences. Consequences that someone from a Noble House will not be able to tolerate!" Emilia shouted. The nobles kept watch, and Duke Reed was still visibly fuming. "The Advisor is right now the most delicate position in our Kingdom. Please be reminded about the recent circumstances that the Kingdom of Eins has had to face-" She paused. She heard the clucking of tongues from some of the nobles. "-For someone like me who was born from commoners, you may argue that I do not have the qualifications. However, I am not here to prove my capabilities. I am here to be the devil''s advocate for His Majesty, and I am willing to answer to the consequences. I have nothing to consider other than the fate and goals of Eins''. I have no land, no subjects, no allies. That is the difference between me and the lordship." Emilia concluded. The truth of the matter is, that''s just an excuse she came up with in the heat of the moment. The real reason the King chose someone from the commoners was simple: Eins right now is weak. If any existing noble of ample power becomes an advisor, it''ll allow them similar circumstances as that of Julien Massarreli. She realized it because the new Head of the Massarreli household, Leonard Massarreli, was not present for this audience. To her, it served as a reminder that the King had no intention of putting a noble into the Advisor''s role. The only problem with his ploy was that he still needed someone he could trust, and someone who was talented enough to suddenly be put in this position. Emilia was lucky, or maybe unlucky, that he had set his sights on her. She wasn''t sure if there were other people similar to her, but it all made sense if one would consider that theKing chose her store to become the place where the Royal Guard would meet him. Also, the fact that the King himself chose to have a conversation about politics with someone like Emilia helped to support that ploy. As Emilia finished her reasoning, Duke Reed relaxed and nodded to his colleagues. "I see that you, Miss Emilia, for whatever reason, will not be persuaded to change your acceptance of the role. That is fine, but I would like toadvise you to think about what you''re doing. Do not underestimate the conviction of the Noble Households." Duke Reed said. Emilia fixed her gaze on Duke Reed, regardless. The Duke then moved his sights towards the King. "Your Majesty, I still hope you reconsider." the Duke said before bowing. "Yes, I''m reconsidering the notion that a non-noble is now my advisor. So, she''ll now be named as Duke Emilia of Marseille. Yes, that sounds nice. Besides, her function might be compromised if she remains a commoner." The King declared. Emilia gasped along with the audiences. Duke Reed creased his brows. "Your Majesty! There are no ungoverned territories that we can provide for her, and also, she''s not even a notable mage!" Duke Reed shouted in protest. The King raised his hands, and motioned for everyone to calm down before standing up. "Not a notable mage? I see. For the lands to be under her demesne, we can push that matter away for now. I''ll have her remain in the palace." The King said. The nobles only listened, waiting for the one arguement that really mattered to them. "As for her not being a notable mage? It''s true that she isn''t. I doubt she''s awakened to her ability yet. But really, do you still underestimate me that much, Duke Lossange?" The King grinned as he said. Emilia trembled at the sight of the King''s grin. She reminded herself that there''s still a lot more to learn about him than what he''s letting on. "There''s a simple solution to that really. I''ll have her train her mage''s ability and have it awaken, and have the Rosare convert her ability into a bloodline ability. I''ll personally oversee the training of Duke Emilia. I doubt any one of you have any objections to that." The King said. The Nobles kept quiet, and Emilia was confused. This wasn''t a development that the King has warned her about. She was under the pretense that she''ll remain a commoner even though she''s an advisor. What is Aleuas thinking!? She sucked on her teeth as she thought about the implications. She thought that she understood at least Aleuas'' plans regarding the advisor, but she didn''t think that he''d declare something this unexpected. She speculated that even the nobles didn''t think she''d be raised to lordship. "I... I see, Your Majesty. Then, for now, we shall take our leave." Duke Reed said as he bowed. The Duke was still clenching his fists, and the other nobles couldn''t hide their disdain over the King''s decision, and their disdain for Emilia herself. Half of the nobles, from what Emilia assumed was the rebel faction, quickly darted towards the door and left. The King stood up, and whispered something to Laurin. Laurin nodded, and then looked over the remaining audiences. "Those who wish to remain to speak with the Advisor, you may do so at your leisure. I will accompany her during your discussions. The King shall take his leave." Laurin announced. The King left the Throne with a bounce in his steps, and looked over to Emilia before exiting. Emilia saw the King mouth out a few words before finally leaving: ''Good luck!'' Emilia was shaking as the nobles approached her. What the hell have I gotten myself into?
Emilia has never felt so tired before in her life. She was right now looking over the castle''s entrance garden as she sat on a bench. Laurin, seemingly worried about her, accompanied her as she thought over the events that transpired. The nobles who left to remain discussed a variety of topics, and gave many suggestions. Most of them were great suggestions, but she knew that there were traces of ambition and motives behind them. She sighed as she resigned herself that she''ll have to deal with things like this in the future. "Duke Emilia, thank you." Laurin said. Emilia perked up and looked towards Laurin as she blinked in surprise. It was peculiar how she was also now officially a duke even though there was no ceremony. It seemed that Aleuas himself wasn''t too fond of those functions. "For what, Sir Laurin?" She asked. "For putting up with Aleuas'' nature." Laurin said before chuckling. Emilia smiled. It seemed that Laurin trusted the King even through his eccentricities. Emilia decided to put her trust and do her best for the Kingdom. "I''ll have to do my best, don''t I?" Emilia thought out loud. She''ll be undergoing mage-training, first-and-foremost, and that bothered her quite a bit. Every person had the potential to be a true-mage, but that didn''t mean that everyone could exhibit the capability to do it. She''ll just have to grunt through it. "Yes, milady.The King has said that I''ll be accompanying you for quite a while as I introduce you into the more... holistic nature of our Kingdom''s politics. You don''t have to worry, I''ll make sure to teach you as much as I know." Laurin said. Emilia felt a bit of her worries dissipate. In truth, there was quite a lot behind her discussions with the nobles that she didn''t actually have a deep understanding of. It was quite weird that the King chose Laurin to become her tutor about the deeper levels of politics, but it was enough that it seemed that the King trusted Laurin greatly. "Then, please take care of me in the future too, Sir Laurin." She replied as she stood up and held out her hand. Laurin grasped her hand. "I shall, milady." Chapter 12 - Fantasies of Magic Leonard Massarreli, Massarreli Estate; Kingdom of Eins, 610 "Think about this, lad." Said the stout noble before sitting up and walking away with his three noble-cronies. They walked out of the conference room in fumes, and Leon could only sigh. The stout man who led these nobles to visit his estate was Duke Reed Lossange. Before they came, their letter stated that they just wanted to meet up with Leon as the new Duke of the Massarreli House, and that they had some important matters to discuss. Unsurprisingly, they came to convince Leon that they should gather their army and storm the capital in rebellion. The rebel faction was unsatisfied with the way things have turned out, but they were hopeful because the Royal Army and the noble''s armies who were loyal to the King are in a state of disarray; their numbers have dwindled down, and notable personnel and officers of their armies have either died, or were missing. It was the truth that the rebel factions didn''t do much when Rorldon invaded, and because of this the rebels had the upper-hand as soon as the civil war started. It was assured that they were going tosucceed with the coup. They did succeed, however they never expected Aleuas to arrive to prick a thorn in their plans. The rebel faction however, thought that they still had the time and resources to reinstate their cause, and were inviting Leon and his army to lead. Leon shot them down. There were many problems with their plans, one was that there was no one else in their faction who is designated as an heir. It is simply impossible to occupy the Kingdom without changing its political structure. Two, the allies of Eins have already acknowledged Aleuas as its ruler, and know that there is no other person with a proper claim to the Throne. If they succeed in quelling Aleuas, Eins'' allies wouldn''t stand down like they did back then. They wouldn''t want the largest country in their alliance to undergo a change of its structure when there''s a better alternative. Lastly, even though their armies are in disarray, he doubted the Aleuas doesn''t havea solution to remedy that. The door to his conference room opened once more and revealed a smiling silver-haired young man. The young man entered the room and chose to seat close to Leon. He placed his legs on the table and chuckled. "So? How was their expressions when you declined?" Aleuas said. Leon smiled. "They were unhappy, to say the least. I''m intrigued. How did you even find out about their intention to visit me? You even had the time to go your merry way to my estate and strike a deal with me just before they arrived." Leon shrugged as Aleuas laughed. "Magic, my dear friend." Aleuas said. Leon snorted in response. "Though in reality, I doubt you would have accepted." Aleuas revealed. Leon nodded as he smiled. It was true that even if Aleuas didn''t strike a deal with him, Leon would still decline and rally under the King''s banner. Leon was never in full support of his father''s wishes to climb to the throne. He, however, knew that he loved his family and that if they ever lost the war, King Deukalion would definitely not only demote them to commoners, he''d have his whole family executed. That was the only reason why Leon was compelled to join the rebel''s cause and lead their army as its general. His father wouldn''t be reasoned with, but Leon joining under King Deukalion would only save his life, and not his brother''s and mother''s. His mother was relocated to a safe location under the Massarreli''s before the start of the civil war, but that wouldn''t stop King Deukalion''s rage from finding her and having her answer to her husband''s crimes. Actually, he was dissatisfied by his father''s decision to not help the King''s armies when they were first invaded by Rorldon. Rorldon wouldn''t have done as much damage if the rebel faction''s armies cooperated. Leon was an undisputed talent in the army, and he was climbing up the ranks before the invasion of Rorldon. His understanding of war shadowed over his knowledge and politics, and he was ready to put his talents to use. However, when they needed him the most, his father told him to quiet down. Rorldon was able to deal much damage to their army and the infrastructure. After the war, the King and even his father just decided to deal with the infrastructure by pooling all their resources into rebuilding. They were at least able to build enough so that it wasn''t apparent that they were just ravaged by war, although that action did a lot in depleting their treasuries. After that, his father decided to engage in the civil war. Both the King and his father were wise in avoiding the recently fixed buildings and houses, and chose the open plains to wage their war. In hindsight, that was the only good thing that came out of the war. Still, that didn''t hide the fact that the economy was undergoing a depression, and the military power of Eins has weakened. It was a problem that Leon was mulling over before Aleuas'' arrived. "Don''t tell me you''re also a worrywart?" Aleuas squinted his eyes. "What the hell do you mean?" Leon creased his brows as he replied. "You suddenly became gloomy and quiet all of a sudden. Don''t worry-" Aleuas flexed his biceps as he paused "-whatever troubles you have, I''ll find someone to fix it for us!" Leon slumped his shoulders in response. "Aleuas, you''re the King now, can''t you be serious about things like these?" Leon asked. "I am!" Aleuas promptly leaned over as he shouted. "That doesn''t mean that I''d have to be as gloomy as you, though." Aleuas pouted as Leon sighed. Aleuas then smiled as he put his hand on Leon''s shoulder. "Well, what do you have to say about my offer?" Aleuas raised his chin. "I must say, I was surprised when I found out that you were some type of military genius who''s hands were tied when Rorldon decided to visit," Aleuas removed his hands from Leon''s shoulders and used it to scratch his head. "I''m still uncertain why I wasn''t able to pick up on someone who''s supposed to be my best friend. Whatever though, I doubt you have any reservations about my offer." Leon shook his head, elicitng a gasp from Aleuas. "You decline!?" Aleuas asked in surprise. "No. I was just thinking how stupid you always choose to act." Leon said then chuckled. "So that means you accept, Leon?" "Yeah, I''ll be the Field Marshal." Leon decided. Aleuas smiled and pumped his fist in victory. The standing army''s Field Marshal is the head of the military. He has the rights to control not only the standing army, but also the royal army and the nobles armies, the Kingdom''s Knights, and the Navy, but also the Mage Corps. Of course, the Heads of the Houses can decline the orders of the Field Marshal in behalf of their private armies, but the only reason they would do that is when they want to undermine the Field Marshal''s power. During the rebellion, the rebels had to undermine the previous Field Marshal, but right now things are different. Aleuas'' move to appoint Leon as Field Marshal will allow him to clamp down on the unruly elements of the rebel faction, and if the rebels still want to cause trouble, Leon will instantly take care of them. Still, Leon thought a bit. He wondered why he so easily accepted Aleuas'' offer when that very same man was the one who killed his father. Is it because that was just simply the situation, and he in actuality bore no ill will? Is it because he was Aleuas'' best friend, and thus he could forgive him? Or is it because he gradually lost trust in his father, and his death was just something that fate had in store for him?Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Leon didn''t know, but what he was sure about was that he isn''t angry about what Aleuas did. In fact, he was ironically thankful. "But Aleuas, even if I do my job as Field Marshal, it doesn''t remove the fact that the rebel faction still has more mages than us, and if you really want to achieve what you''re saying you want to achieve, then we need more powerful mages." Leon reminded. Aleuas placed a palm on his face as he gulped. The wars fought by the countries in this continent, and probably the whole world, was not just centered by numbers war, strategies, and tactics. Mages are also a large factor, and the use of mages and their abilities have always been at the fore-front of the tides of war. The problem was that, there was no way to pad the numbers of mages that a Kingdom had. Eins is a large country, so it was only a matter of fact that a lot of people awaken to their ability, but even then there are still problems. One of the problems was the very ability of these mages: they were too sporadic. Sure, most abilities were similiar to each other; those who can control fire are as many as the others who can control the elements, but there was no reasonable way to predict which ability would awaken in each mage. There was also the problem that other mages are more unique, and thus their use in military tactics could vary wildly. These mages can serve as trump cards, or some even as useless fodder depending on the situation. "The rebel faction should still have about a thousand mages in their disposal, while we only have to upwards around two-hundred mages of varying abilities. This matter becomes much more important when you realize that you can''t conquer a continent without a massive array of mages, like the Rorldon Empire for example." Leon shook his head. It was also funny how easy Leon accepted Aleuas'' idea into conquering the nations. However, the fact that he''ll be the Field Marshal and at the center of it all when push comes to shove intrigued Leon. At his very core, his personality is much like a war-junkie; a war-junkie that knew when to retreat and knows to choose his battles. The very idea that Aleuas is basically leaving the army in Leon''s hands appealed to Leon. Aleuas'' ideals were very similar to Julien''spoint of view, the difference was the approach they planned to do it. Leon paused his introspection for a bit to continue to outline the immediate problems they must face, but before he could address it, Aleuas spoke. "Ah, I get what you''re saying. The problem with the mages is something that we''ll have to address soon. For now though, you''ll just have to figure out how to outmaneuver their superior capability. As far as I know, roughly all of their mages are combat and element-based, so I don''t know, good luck I guess?" Aleuas chuckled and shrugged. Leon creased his brows. "Alright, I''ll come up with some plans when it comes to the battle itself. I''ll just have a talk with our mage''s corps and see their composition before working my way through that. However, how do you plan in increasing the number of our mages?" Leon asked. Aleuas stretched his back and neck before fixing his gaze unto Leon. "It''s simple. We do it how Rorldon does it." Aleuas said, and Leon furrowed his brows in response. "How Rorldon does it, you say?" It was true that Rorldon had a huge advantage in their mages. They had a lot of mages who were similar in ability and capability. They also had the numbers to back them up. Their similarities might seem as a disadvantage at first, but when someone thinks about it, it''s obvious that this allows for a far more integrated unit of mages to operate. The Rorldon Empire had mages who specialized in fire, water, earth, and other elements, as well as mages with unique abilities. Since the countries East of Pas had no contact with Rorldon whatsoever, it was a mystery to them how Rorldon wasable to acquire and develop these mages. "Yep. Haven''t you ever thought about it? Why do we mages have to rely on awakening our special abilities in the first place?" Aleuas asked. Leon thought for a bit. "It''s because our abilities manifests itself according to the nature of the mage, isn''t that right?" "That''s true, but, think about it this way," Aleuas leaned forward. "If we change the wordnature into something more likeaptitude, what would that mean?" Leon placed a hand on his chin as he thought about the implications. He grunted as he realized what Aleuas was getting to. "You mean to say that, the abilities that we thought mages have, are just simply because they have the most aptitude for those abilities? If so, that would mean that..." Leon paused as he bugged out his eyes in realization. Aleuas smiled. "That''s right, Leon. Mages have the ability to access any kind of ability, it''s just that it''s easier for them toawaken to abilities that are more in line with their nature. It''s like... knowing what to do with your magic before you even learn its intricacies." Aleuas explained. "But that doesn''t explain why we weren''t able to do train our mages that wayin the first place, Aleuas!" Leon shouted, still surprised about the revelation. "Well, isn''t it simply because we thought of it impossible? For something like magic, which works with the will of its caster, if you don''t truly believe that your magic would work in some way, then it''snever going to work." Aleuas shrugged. A maid then entered the conference room carrying a tray with cups and a pitcher of tea. Leon motioned for her to place the cups in the table. There was still some things that didn''t make sense about what Aleuas said. If that is true, then how come the Royal Court mages of Rosare were able to convert a mage''s special abilities to manifests in their genes? Is that an exclusive ability, or as Aleuas'' said, is it something that anyone can access? Also, if mages were really able to use most types of magic, then what was the prerequisite in learning them in the first place? As the maid left the conference room and shut the door, Leon looked towards the chuckling Aleuas. "Aleuas, where and how did you learn about this?" Leon asked. "Somewhere, and someway, Leon." Aleuas said. "Then how about your ability, can you explain that?" Leon pressed further. "It''s simple really. The natures that mages oh-so-loved to talk about still count towards what types of magic you''re able to employ. My personality just allows me to use my influence magicmore naturally than others, but..." Aleuas then raised a palm and looked intently at it. Leon felt mana gather on top of Aleuas'' palms, and then...a small flame erupted and hovered a few inches above Aleuas'' hands. Leon gasped and felt his body tremble as the heat that emanated from the flame grazed his skin. Aleuas, what have you been doing these past twelve years? Aleuas slowly closed his hands into a fist, extinguishing the flames. "I can only summon a weak-ass flame, so it doesn''t really count as a magic to be so shocked about, Leon. My ability requires me to understand the principles in other people''s magic to be able to influence them. It took me quite a while to understand that your blood, and your father''s blood, are predominantly coated and infused with your mana. This is why you have low reserves, because well, you can''t just have more blood than other people." Aleuas explained. "So you mean to say that, in order for us to use other magics, we have to learn them from people who has a natural disposition towards that particular magic? If you say it that way, it becomes simpler." Leon nodded in realization. "That''s right, Leon. Though for me, it still sucks, since my disposition basically means that I can''t properly utilize other magic no matter how much I understand. This is the reason why my lightning ability didn''t manifest itself, it''s simply because I''m not able to properly use any other magic because of my nature." Aleuas said then sighed. "However, to you, that also means that you''d still have to sacrifice blood in order to use any other magic. Though of course, it''s going to be stronger and more efficient than other users. That''s just the way it works." Leon grimaced as Aleuas'' revealed how much a mage''s nature can affect their use of magic. "For our Noble Houses'' bloodline abilities however, the Rosare mages simply has the capability to change the affinities of a mage and have that affinity extend to their offspring. I''m telling you this so that you realize that although we can access a plethora of magic, a mage''s special ability can still exist beyond that." Aleuas then grabbed his cup of tea and took a sip. "I see. So that mean''s for example, the Hauesl Line, they have more powerful control over earth magic, but that doesn''t seal their use for other magic, since they don''t have any similar conditions to ours." Leon speculated. "Correct." Aleuas beamed, but Leon just dropped his head in resignation. Leon was a bit jealous, though his limitation didn''t necessarily mean he couldn''t use other magic, unlike Aleuas. "Rorldon in fact, has developed a way to summon magic without a user actually knowing the principles behind it. They call it chanting, similar to how we use a chant to activate the curse''s oath," Aleuas put down his cup. "and it''s basically the use of language to manifest magic. From what I''ve learned it requires a bit of experimentation to find out the specific runesto use, and due to the way they use it, it needs far more time to cast magic this way. Still, it''s pretty useful." Aleuas then stood up and clasped his hands together. "Lightning, purge and shock, ruin and deliver death, lightning bolt!" Aleuas released his hands and pulled them away from each other as sparks of lightning ran from his fingers. He abruptly pointed both of his hands towards the wall. A bolt of lightning ran down from his hands and shot forward. The lightning traveled quickly and hit the wall, creating a hole and a plume of smoke coming from it. Leon felt goosebumps as he watched Aleuas'' demonstration. "Of course, that might look powerful, but it''s weak as a baby''s magic. That''s not the problem with the incantation, it''s just a problem with my affinity. Basically, if a more attuned mage chanted this magic, he''ll be able to summon a more powerful bolt of lightning." Aleuas then sat down on his chair again. "Runes are simply the incantations or keywords that mages can chant to will their magic towards an effect, even if they did not know how it worked. I know of a few incantations from different elements and magics myself, and we''ll use these to propagate and improve our Kingdom''s magic." Leon smiled, he felt that he knew what Aleuas is planning. "In short, you''ll summon all the talented mages from different houses of varying abilities, have them convene and explain how their ability works, and from then, create an academy for nurturing the future mages of our country." Leon said. Aleuas smiled and nodded. "Yep! I''ve got the Head of the Rosare privy to this information already. Needless to say, his reactions were more subtle than yours, but I felt he was as enthusiastic as I was when he learned of it. He''ll be the Headmaster of the academy. I''ll have the academy built after we purge the rebels of their naive way of thinking. Look forward to it, Leon." Aleuas chuckled. Leon did in fact, look forward to the prospects of Aleuas'' plans. It still doesn''t explain how Aleuas discovered these things. It was true that he was more free-willed than other people. Was it because of Aleuas personality that allowed him to realize these things? If so, how was he able to access knowledge from the secretive and militaristic Rorldon? He vowed to investigate more about Aleuas, but for now, he''ll put that matter aside. Chapter 13 - Internal Affairs Leonard Massarreli, Versez''s Army Barracks; Kingdom of Eins, 610 Leon watched as the next few batches of mages tried their hand inchanting. Pillars of fire and torrents of water were clashing in the middle of the training field as hundreds of mages watched in wonder. The training area was closed to the Army today, and Leon only allowed the 189 remaining mages of the Army to attend today''s exhibition. Actually, only the mages of the Army knew about Leon''s appointment as it hasn''t been announced officially yet. Esbonde Rosare, the Head of the Rosare House and also the current leading Royal Court Mage,led and explained to the mages the new way that magic would be utilized. He basically reiterated and expanded on what Aleuas'' described of how magic truly works, eliciting a doubtful response from the mages. This is why he had done the exhibition. The Rosare was known to have no other ability other than converting a mage''s ability to be something that was passed down to their kin, but Esbonde led the Royal Court Mages simply because he understood more about magic than other people. Earlier, Esbonde also described to Leon that he has attempted to try other magic in the past, only to fail. Esbonde reasoned that it might be because he never truly believed that it''d work, but ever since the King demonstrated his use of varying magic, Esbonde became trulyconvinced and was able to successfully utilize many types of magic. The still on-going testing in chanting by the army mages was born out of their curiosity and surprise when Esbonde first exhibited his new-found magic. After demonstrating a myriad of spells, the army mages were completely caught in Esbonde''s pace, allowing him to outline the true basics of magic, which is simply knowing andwilling. One thing that Leon noticed was that Esbonde''s magic, either through the use ofchantingor not, was more powerful than the other mages. He realized that the Rosare Line is probably more attuned to many magics due to their curious nature, and thus Esbonde is able to exhibit far more control over any type of magic. The perfect candidate for a Headmaster. As the mages took turns in trying out chanting, and some failing to try simple casting of different magic, Esbonde approached Leon. "I must say Leon, I was surprised that His Majesty chose you to be the Field Marshal. Though he hasn''t made the announcement outside the army, this is sure to put a dent in the rebel''s cause." Esbonde said as he greeted with his hand. Leon nodded. Esbonde wore the Royal Court mage''s robes, a simple bluish robe that had the crest of the Kingdom on the chest area. Esbondewas a tall and thin old man with gray hair and a long gray beard. He had a wrinkled, triangular face and pointed nose. His pale skin was freckled and he walked with an unsteady gait. "He must have planned for it from the start, Sir Esbonde." "True, however, his discovery of magic''s capability and his plans of an academy have exceeded my imaginations," Esbonde raised his chin as he smiled. "I''m very excited about the prospects and the long-term returns of this undertaking. For now though, I''ll be the first to say that the thousand mages of the Rebel Factions will not stand a chance against our measly one-hundred eightynine." Esbonde laughed. Leon smiled as he thought about Esbonde''s words. It''s true than even though they have the advantage in numbers, the mages of the Army now had more magic in their hands than any other mage of Eins. Although, chanting takes quite a bit of time, it still doesn''t defeat the fact that it''s utility to jump-start the learning curve of magic is advantageous when the Rebel Faction''s mages come knocking. "I''ll bet that the Rebel Faction would start rallying their troops once I am officially announced as the new marshal. So I took it as a priority to have you demonstrate to our mage corps the usefulness of His Majesty''s discovery." Leon said. "Ahh, how very insightful of you, Leon. It does pique my interest that His Majesty has gotten hold of this discovery, and I would say that in retrospect, it seems that His Majesty''s travels has given Eins more potential in the long-run," Esbonde beamed. "As for the rebels, I doubt that they''d be able to come up with an answer as to how the army''s mage corps suddenly learned a lot of magic within a short span of time. Thank the heavens for thischantingthing!" Esbonde raised his arms up and looked towards the skies. In truth, they still didn''t understand much about magic other than what Aleuas revealed. Leon tried to pry deeper, only to be shooed away by Aleuas. Aleuas said that they''d have to discover and learn about magic themselves, and that him feeding them the information aside from this might just buckle their progress. Aleuas then concluded that realizing the rules of magic by yourself has more benefits to a mage than just being given to them on a silver-platter. Leon surmised that Aleuas planned the Academy to uphold the same ideals when it came to progress. You''ll be given guidelines, but you''ll have to learn and improve using your own ability. It was a thoughtful way of education. As Esbonde was done praising the heavens, he dropped his arms and looked at Leon. "It would still take some time before we train these mages so that they''d be able to cast without chanting, and I''m willing to bet that they still wouldn''t be able to touch most magic without it," Esbonde paused and squinted his eyes. "Also, I''ve noticed that chantingdrains more mana than just simply casting a magic, so you''ll have to take note of that." Leon nodded as he wrapped his head around Esbonde''s insight. "Still, this should give you more leeway in the immediate future. Don''t let it go to waste, Leon." Esbonde remarked with a smile. Leon bowed in response.
"Leon, do you think you''d be able to beat me?" Aleuas asked as he and Leon walked through the thin corridors leading to the barrack''s plaza. Aleuas had the soldiers and officers of the army, and select officers of the noble armies and the navy to line up in the plaza to be addressed by him and Leon, and also to properly announce Leon''s appointment as Field Marshal.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Leon told Aleuas that he should take his time before the announcement, but Aleuas said that he trusted Leon enough to do it the earliest they could. Leon just thought that Aleuas wanted to rush things like he did when he was younger, and relented when Aleuas just wouldn''t hear him out. "Of course. Who do you think I am? I''m different from my father." Leon retorted as he shrugged. "You haven''t even seen the full extent of my ability." Aleuas said. "True, but to be that bloodied and injured after fighting with father? I don''t even want to say what would happen if you fought against me." Leon said before chuckling. Aleuas shrugged and stopped walking. "Maybe you''re right, but don''t let that get to your head!" Aleuas said angrily while creasing his brows. Leon laughed out loud in response, and Aleuas snorted and turned away from Leon. "Well, Leon, I''ll be leaving the military in your hands, so don''t let me down." Leon bowed and put his right hand on his chest. "By Your Will, Your Majesty." Aleuas stuck out his tongue before perking up. "By the way, have you met Emilia yet?" Aleuas asked. "Your new advisor? No, you haven''t even thought about introducing us, I bet." Leon said. Aleuas raised a brow and then placed a hand on his chin. "Right, okay... Then I''ll introduce you next time. Anyway, I''ll address the army first, so right after I introduce you is when the time you show yourself." Aleuas instructed as he nodded to himself. Leon wondered why that is, but he then remembered Aleuas playful nature. He must want to annoy the soldiers a bit before introducing Leon. Leon sighed as he thought about his friend''s uncontrollable urge to be annoying. "I have a question though, Aleuas." "What?" "Why me?" Leon asked. Aleuas smiled before putting his hand on Leon''s shoulders. "It''s simple. Because I trust that you can do it. We''ve been friends for quite a long time, and though we haven''t seen each other for half of our lives, that doesn''t mean that you''ve changed." Aleuas said. "Well, is it simply because you have no idea about military affairs?" Leon speculated. "No, it''s not that. I''m quite versed in military affairs though I haven''t been in the military, but do you think I have the time to oversee every battle that happens? Of course not. It is also a fact that a King who does everything is no King. I have to learn to delegate and trust my subjects, that is the only way to progress." Aleuas said as he removed his hand. Aleuas then heaved before raising a finger. "Also, you do understand that my goals are verydangerous. Someone has to keep tabs on me. Emilia is that one person, then there''s Laurin, after that-" Aleuas paused then used the finger he raised to point at Leon. "There''s you." Leon nodded. "Originally, I only planned to work in the background before the civil war. You know, influence stuff in the shadows. However, I realized that I had to step up at one point, and it just so happened that the time was now." Aleuas then turned around. "I''ll tell you this now, Leon," Aleuas'' tone then changed. "I''m too deep into things, by now. Things that I''ve learned throughout my travels, things that I''ve realized when I journeyed. Things that I''ve gotten myself into. I can''t tell you everything right now, but soon, when things have settled down, let''s have another chat." Aleuas then walked towards the plaza. Leon just stood still as he watched Aleuas leave. Leon felt goosebumps as Aleuas'' left the corridor.
Leon was now kneeling as he hid at the edge of the corridors and away from the soldier''s view. He didn''t plan to kneel, but the pressure that was clamping down on him was forcing him to. The soldiers and officers on the plaza were also kneeling against the pressure as Aleuas grinned on a raised platform in front of the soldiers. A few seconds later, the pressure let up so Leon and the others were able to stand. Leon was catching up to his breath as he wiped the sweat on his forehead. He grimaced as he realized the potential of Aleuas'' magic. Maybe he really didn''t have a chance against his friend. He shrugged to put that thought aside and also to shake himself awake. Aleuas didn''t really address the soldiers. He simply walked up to the platform and then released that awful pressure on them as he chuckled. What a way to be King.. Leon thought. The soldiers all immediately went back to standing in attention, raising their chin and puffing out their chest. Their eyes as if they were looking a thousand miles away. "His Majesty, Aleuas Eins, salute!" The clanging of chestplates rang in cadence as the soldiers and officers hit their chests in salute. "Well, I''m sorry for that everyone, that was just my way of saying hello!" Aleuas waved his hand as he finally addressed the soldiers. The soldiers then returned their hand to their sides. "Anyway, I''m here to announce that a new Field Marshal has been named due to the death of our previous Field Marshal. I''m sure you know who this man is, so without further ado, please welcome Leonard Massarreli, Field Marshal of the Eins Military!" Aleuas shouted, excitement wrapping around his tone. Aleuas took a step back and Leon started to make his way to the platform. He heard gasps as the soldier''s surprise overtook them. Of course, no one could have ever speculated that Aleuas would choose Leon as the new Field Marshal. Leon step forward the raised platform and nodded as he approached Aleuas. Aleuas simply smiled. Leon walked to the front of the platform while Aleuas took a step back. "Leonard Massarreli, the Field Marshal. Salute!" The soldiers perked and simultaneously saluted, though this time a bit unruly because of their shock. Leonard paid it no heed, and he simply stood with his hands behind his back. "Good day, soldiers and officers of the Eins'' Military. I am Leonard Massarreli, and today onwards you are all under my command." Leon then saluted back. After a few moments, he dropped his hand back down, allowing the soldiers to return back to attention. "There will be changes in our military''s ranks and posts. To the officers, this does not mean that you''ll be demoted or removed from your positions, but there will be a reassessment of our military and its compositions. As for the soldiers, there will also be changes in how our army will be structured." Leon announced. "The details of the changes will be given to you in a memorandum as soon as I finish the fleshing them out. I hope that you cooperate to your utmost during this change." Leon then coughed to clear his throat. The soldiers were trying to discretely dart their eyes towards their colleagues, their unease creeping their way and weakening their postures. "Also, to the armies of the previous rebel faction: there will be no second time. If you still have the guts to rally under the banner of rebels, then I invite you to do as you will. However, I''ll use everything in my power to bring you down."Leon declared. He heard murmurs of chatter collect where the officer''s were, probably in annoyance that someone who''s father was the head of the rebellion is now threatening to shut the rebels down. "I know what you''re all thinking, however, those days are over now. His Majesty is right in that we need to be as one if we''re going to survive as a nation. I will believe in His Majesty, and will work with him towards the future of Eins! If I have to prove myself by crushing who were once my allies, then so be it!" Leon then heard the faint sound of the clucking of tongues. It seems that the rebel officers weren''t yet ready to give up even if they had to go against Leon. Leon also felt that the military who were loyal to Aleuas themselves still weren''t quite ready to follow Leon into battle. They were all still uneasy and the officers and generals looked at Leon in contempt. It''s one of the challenges he''ll have to face as the new marshal. At least, he''ll prove himself when the time comes. "Do not think that just because the military is right now in the state of disarray, that you''d be able to further your goals and cause havoc. These men, these who are loyal to the King, have it within themselves to pass any hurdle and commit to hunting you down. Remember that. That is all for now." The soldiers saluted as Leon turned around and faced the smiling Aleuas. Seems like Leon''s challenges would be more from his own men, rather than the rebels. He''ll either haveto work his way through a chaotic war, or solve the issue before then. Either way, it was time to prepare for war.