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Chapter 30: First Subject of the Lesser Throne

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You have passed the test.

“What the?”

Grade Information: The Test of Heart +500 Points

As soon as he managed to read it all, it vanished. Another screen took place.

– Conditions Met – Subject of the Lesser Throne Unlocked

Krone stared at the blue screen, spacing out.

Before long, he shook his head. The last screen was blinking, compelling him to place his finger onto it.

As he did, it expanded.

[Subject of the Lesser Throne] Lesser Throne has the authority to make a Vow of Allegiance with anyone, in exchange for one’s deepest desire. The exchange must be made with upright intent and each person must be equitable. The Vow will be witnessed by the Owner of the Glorious Throne, and will be monitored by the Keepers of The Law. This Vow will null and void all binding or contract which contradicts it without notification. The Vow requires True Name.

Special: Soul-bound

Cost: 700 Grade Points.

Time: One Rule Cycle.

“This is,”

Outside, he sensed movements.

The knights were probing the ground, yet dared not take actions.

“The place’s not stable,”

“Umm,”

As he had made sense of what was happening, Julia twisted her body.

As if in pain, she opened her eyes. It was dark, but the violet eyes on her left could make sense of what was in her front.

Krone, shirtless.

He was looking over her, next to her. Lying on her front, she felt weak, really weak. Even moving her limbs, her body aching all over.

Yet unlike her, he was in better shape. Unlike her, he could still fight.

At the time, all he needed was one clean hit.

And she's gone.

Easy enough.

As her sight made sense of this fact, she jolted.

Something had been triggered, deep in her mind.

Failure, death.

“…Acknowledge,”

A simple word, from her mouth.

A surge of mana, came out from her back. Krone’s eyes widened, his hand moved, pressing on her lower back. Ice came out from his hand, he pulled out every last bit of mana and turned it into ice.

It was too sudden, yet he knew what was happening.

A surge of mana, uncontrollable.

It was the same deed he made back then, when he was locked in a duel with that fanged giant.

Except this time, the owner did it itself.

Core destruction.

'Come on, stop!'

Krone’s heart thumping. He knew how powerful it was.

She was close to self-destruct.

So close, had he been late for seconds, she would have exploded. An explosion of High-grade Core, even as small as hers, would be enough to incinerate the entire peninsula.

Along with the knights and candidates within.

“You, are you crazy?!”

“…Orders, obey,”

“Damn!”

She had been brainwashed.

If not, no one sane, not even a beast, would do such a thing. Hand still on her lower back, his ice kept her mana from running amok. The ice froze her mana veins and partially her core, preventing the explosion.

Yet he knew, he could not keep it for long.

“You stupid fool, you want to die?!”

“Fail, cannot live,”

“You can!”

“Cannot,”

“Who the fuck said so!”

“They, did,”

“Who?!”

“…”

She kept her sight down.

Looking at her being all silent, he had the urge to just slap this girl. How could one be thinking of suicide in this manner?

Well, he did once, but in that situation he was compelled to.

‘Right, the way of seeing the world,’

The girl had been brainwashed, and he had a feeling that there was something else behind it.

Something, but he could not quite get it.

“You, don’t you want to live?”

“…Impossible,”

“Not impossible! You just have to stop this, don’t you want to see your family again?!”

“…I’m bound, by the contract,”

Her simple words, silenced him. It was something not quite familiar to him.

Contract.

“Information on Contract,”

He said it out loud, prompting a screen to appear.

Contract A legal binding made by two or more parties. Contracts needed agreement from all parties vested, and were enforced by The Law. Those who broke a contract face consequences stated within, in accordance to The Law.

Krone realized.

This so-called contract, that man in white, those rifts, all of these were supernatural, beyond natural understanding of men. Heck, even Lesser Throne within him already beyond natural. He could not just say it out loud and expect others to believe him.

He was unfamiliar with these, he needed to fix this weakness.

‘Right, I’m dealing with things beyond my understanding.’

At that time, an inspiration came from within.

‘The Vow, deepest desire, null all, what timing!’

Taking a deep breath, he turned to the girl.

“Listen, I know a way. Absolutely, you can survive,”

“Impossible,”

“Would you just listen?!”

“…”

“Do you, want to live? Do you, want to see your family again?”

“I…”

“You do, right?”

“Not relevant,”

“It is! What is it that you truly want? Tell me, and I shall do my utmost, to fulfill!”

Trembling.

The small rocks above him fell, reminding him of how fragile his location was.

The girl turned up, eyes landing on his.

Clear, confident eyes.

A feeling of safety seeped into her, she did not know why.

It was a feeling, a mere feeling. One which told her, she could trust him.

Absurb.

Just who in the world, could go against a contract?

Even she, with her mastery, had lost control of her mana.

Yet had she fought back, even her soul would shatter from breaking the contract. A shattering of soul, was no laughing matter.

…

She did not trust him.

Yet;

“…Tell, me,”

Krone breathed a sigh of relief. He related to her about the Vow.

“Subject of, Lesser, Throne?”

“Yes,”

“My deepest desire, and my, true name?”

“That’s what I need to know,”

“My loyalty… In return, you’ll protect, me? Bring me back?”

“To my utmost, and this vow will void your suicidal contract.”

“…Truly?”

“What other options do you have? Just trust me, alright?”

He had persuaded her enough.

The location was not stable as it was, wasting more time would be foolish.

He had to urge her.

“The vow, tell me how.”

“How?”

He was not clear of it himself. He did take a vow before, but that was during ceremony.

This time, this vow concerned the supernatural. He dared not to be hasty.

Fortunately;

Vow for Subject of the Lesser Throne I, Krone Kozak, Possessor of the Lesser Throne, stated the terms:

In exchange for fulfilling your deepest desire, of protecting your life and working for your return to your family, you shall serve me for a period of One Rule Cycle, nineteen years.

I shall be your master, yet shall observe proper etiquette.

You shall do no injustice, nor shall you be subjected to one. All party shall be equitable, and not conspire against each other.

This Vow shall override any other binding or contract which contradicts it.

Let the Owner of the Glorious Throne be our Witness. Enough is He, as The Witness.

Let the curse of the Almighty be upon those who breached this Vow.

Do you, with your true name, agree whole-heartedly upon taking this Vow, as a Subject of the Lesser Throne?

Still sitting, Krone assumed a dignified pose.

As per tradition, he raised his right hand. He read the whole thing out for her, going slow as to let her understand.

When he finished, she took a good look on him.

Still lying on her front, Krone’s hand was still on her lower back, halting her mana from self-destructing.

Thus she did not take long, slowly raising her hand.

Painful, yet she had to bear.

As she did, Krone supported her hand with his other.

“I do. I, Arnea Argon, agree whole-heartedly, upon taking this Vow, as a Subject, of the Lesser Throne. Please, treat me, kindly.”

Hearing her saying her name and agreed, Krone felt something stinging entered his head.

His head thumping, his blood circulating.

The Vow had been Witnessed. 700 points deducted.

Within the girl, the same thing was happening.

Yet it was not painful, it was as if warm water surging upon her, comforting her.

White light illuminated both of them.

====

In the Far Southeast, it was nightime.

Ping!

A glass had fallen, broken.

The music halted.

The surroundings filled with lights, colours, noblemen and noblewomen, it was a ball.

A grand one, at that.

Those dancing, those feasting, those guarding the hall, all turned to the man next to the glass.

The one kept silent, all nobles surrounding him did the same, prudent.

Some of the older ones wide eyed, as if realizing what was happening.

An old Duke approached the man, shivering.

“Your Majesty, this, this is,”

“…We’ll see.”

…

Morning.

In the near West, high up in the sky.

On top of a blue-white tower, passed the tranquil clouds, a doorless opening was visible. An old man in blue robe was sitting, jolted.

He gasped.

The frail old man, actually jumped. Hovering, his robe fluttering, he gazed to the east.

“This feeling… So they’ve sent another.”

His fist slammed the wall of the tower, a boom erupted.

The wall cracked.

"Curse you, Heavens,"

His eyes stared the sky. Veins of red filled his eyes, hatred engulfed him.

Hatred, as if recalling a blood fued.

…

Early Morning.

In the Far West, a grand palace was on top of a hill.

Blue, with clear water covering the bottom, the hill was as if an island.

Within the middle of the palace, high on the fifth floor, a maid was combing a brunette.

Slowly, gracefully, she was combing.

As if the hair was the most precious, priceless.

“Ah!”

The brunette rose.

The maid could not react on time, the comb hanged on her hair.

“Your Majesty, My Queen! Please don’t move all of a sudden!”

Afraid of damaging the hair, she protested.

Yet the young woman, did not hear her. She had tender skin, eyes fixed.

She turned to her, no, to her direction.

Her clear eyes, her beauty, fascinated the maid.

No matter how many times she gazed at them, they never bore her.

The so-called queen walked, passing by her, all the way to the window.

Silent, eyes as if mesmerized. Her gaze went out to the sky, looking for something.

And she found it.

A bright star, visible, even in the morning.

Seeing her uncanny behavior, the maid was puzzled.

“My Queen? What’s the matter?”

“Dear Elleen, it seemed,”

She paused, wondering the right word.

The right, proper words.

“It’s going to be fun, soon.”

“Eh, if you say so, My Queen. I’m all ears.”

The brunette smiled, uttering no more.

Looking up, the shine of the bright star reflected in her blue eyes.

…

Back to the closed space, white light surrounding them dimmed.

Dimmed, as if entering them.

Soon, Krone noticed his hand, still on her lower back, sensed it.

Her mana, calmed down.

“…Arnea, did you,”

She nodded.

“I have, it’s in my control, now.”

It was true, he sighed.

The Vow overrode any contract which contradicted it, thus Arnea could regain control of her mana.

The contract governing her, had no control, no more.

He was glad, for she was suicide bomber no more.

“Um, Master?”

“W-what?”

Krone stuttered.

Being called Master by a girl, so close to him, so soft a voice, he was unprepared.

It was pleasant, though.

“Y-your hand, somehow, it felt a bit,”

His hand, still on her lower back, very close to a sensitive place.

Or you could say, two sensitive places.

The hand was moving.

Taking full benefit.

“Ah, you meant this? Tsk, tsk, You see, Arnea, this is just normal. A master and his subject should not be ashamed of this. Actually, we could even bath together all in na-,”

“I have Julia’s memory, Master.”

…

“…I was joking.”

“Of course you did,”

He removed his hand, placing her lying to her back.

He thought of his next move, their location was too fragile. There was no telling when the whole hill would come crashing down on them.

As he did, a blue screen emerged.

Coronation of Lesser Throne – 30%. Congratulations! You made your First Subject.

As he read it, it changed into another.

Subject Menu Unlocked. Trait Link Unlocked.

He did not spend much time being confused. He checked them, first was the Subject Menu.

Subject: Arnea Argon Race: Dragon Age: 19 Host: Julia S. Garde. Desire: Safety, Reunion with family. Trait Link: --- Trait: Mana Mastery, Dragonic Presence. Trait Link Link your subject with one of your traits, or link yourself with one of her trait. You may change the trait once for every full moon.

“Isn’t this too good? How, well, study this later,”

He observed his surroundings. The slight trembling made him shivered.

"What to do?"

In a moment, good news arrived. He felt an active scanning from outside.

The mana was familiar.

"This feeling, it's Natalia. Good, if it's her, we can coordinate,"

He turned to Arnea.

She could somehow understand him, even without utterance.

Yet;

“Arnea, conceal your dragonic presence. And after that, I’ll need your mana,”

“Understood, Master."

Kla, kla, kla...

She shed her scales, many dropped down just like that. Some, he had to help, especially so in, um, some places and the horn.

His spatial ring activated, he sucked most of them into it.

All done, he took her into his embrace, violet mana surrounded him.

Soon, a mix of violet and white mana engulfed them.

…

===== Chapter 30 End =====