Chapter 20 – “Can I?” “Ask your father”.
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Only a few minutes had passed since I returned to my room after the war council when Raziel stormed into my room disguised as Lucilla, shut the door behind her and ran to me.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” She said agitated and bordering to crying.
“Calm down, Raziel. You’re sorry about what?” I said, placing my hands on her shoulders.
“About the blood contract.”
“The blood contract?”
“Yes, every participant to the council has to take the oath and that oath is sealed with a blood contract, usually I would have asked the blood in advance to not disturb the council but I already had a sample of your blood so I just had to tell you about it but I forgot about it and when I remembered it was already too late and I had to do the contract during the meeting and I’m so sorry, I could break the contract if you want though I shouldn’t but there is no need to let others know if you don’t talk about what was said during the council with other people there is no problem with not having the contract, I’m sorry.” She said in a single breath, becoming even more agitated as she did so.
“Raziel, calm down. Don’t worry about that thing. Everyone takes the oath, right?”
“Well, yes, but…”
“Then there is no problem. I won’t talk about it with anyone anyway.”
“But what if you let it slip by mistake?”
“It won’t happen, don’t worry. It’s not like I’d die if it happens, right?”
Raziel seemed to freeze for a moment as she stared at me without answering.
“Right?” I repeated my question.
“Ehm… No, it only paralyzes you and sends a signal to me so you won’t die…unless you try to break free of the paralysis.”
“How strict is the contract anyway? I won’t be paralyzed just for saying war council to you, right?” I said, hoping not to fall on the ground paralyzed as I did so.
“Oh no, you can speak with anyone who was at the council about anything but to others you can only say things already of common knowledge.”
“Then it’s fine, isn’t it?”
“Are you sure about it?”
“Yes, don’t worry.” I said and gave her a light kiss.
“Speaking of the council, is the king free? I’d like to ask him a thing about that leveling part he didn’t say anything about to me before the council.”
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“Yes he is free, the council lasted less than expected but what do you have to ask-“— she seemed to realize what I wanted to do as her expression suddenly changed to one of mild anger–“you are not going to become an adventurer!”
“But I’ve been caged here for months! Do you realize what it means for me to be in a world completely different from mine and be only allowed to see the same rooms and gardens for all the time?!”
“I’ve been caged here for thousands of years! I do realize it, better than you!” She shouted.
“I… I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking when I said that. It’s just that… I want to really see the what this world is like before being thrown into a battle. I know it’s selfish but still…”
“You might end up dead!”
“Well, battlefields aren’t really safe either.”
“You know what I’m talking about! You’ll just be risking your life! And for what reason? Playing around a bit?”
“Yes! I don’t want to end up regretting having spent all my time here in a golden cage!”
“Please don’t.” She said as tears were starting to fall from her eyes.
“I made my decision, Raziel. Don’t force me to change it.”
“You might die.”
“I know.”
“I won’t be able to help you.”
“I know.”
“We might not see each other for months.”
“…I know.”
“I don’t want you to die.”
“I promise I won’t just die out of the blue.”
“Why do I feel like you really mean that?” She said, laughing a bit while wiping off a tear.
“Because I do.”
“I love you.” She said after wiping off more tears.
“I love you too.” I said and gave her another kiss.
“I guess I should tell the king you’re going to speak with him.” She said, her eyes downcast.
“Yes, please.”
“..fine.”
She took out the communication crystal from under her dress and told me to wait a moment as she went in a corner of the room to speak to the king through it. A few seconds later I saw her putting the crystal away. She turned towards me and said “the king is in his office, he said you can go there to speak with him.”
“Thank you.” I said and gave her another kiss.
I then went towards the door, as I opened it she told me “don’t let me regret it.” before I exitied the room.
When I reached the king’s office I knocked on the door twice and the king told me to enter from the other side of the door. As I entered I saw that only the king and Gabriel were in the office, like the last time I was there. I closed the door behind me and walked to his desk.
“Please, sit. Raziel told me you have something to ask me.” Said the king as he put a bundle of documents on a side of the desk.
I sat on one of the chairs in front of him and said “Yes, it’s regarding the matter of my leveling.”
“Oh, of course. I was planning to have you train with the monsters around the capital, maybe having a match with a rare monster in the arena every now and then to boost the morale of the population.”
“Actually… Raziel mentioned me what adventurers are some time ago and I wanted to ask permission to register as one.”
The king was a bit baffled for a moment but soon regained his composure and asked me “does she know about this?”
“Yes, we were talking about it just a few moments ago.”
“Then you have my permission.”
I must have had an expression of complete surprise as soon after he added “if she couldn’t stop you I doubt I could make you reason, don’t make that face.”—I closed my mouth –“I want to set some conditions though.”
“Yes, of course.”
“First, you will send daily reports through a communication crystal.” – I nodded –“Second, you’ll return here in the fastest possible way as soon as I tell you to.” – I nodded again –“Third, you will stay inside the borders of the kingdom.”
Hearing the third condition I said “Can’t I travel to other countries for a few days?”
“No, the borders of the kingdom are already far enough and we don’t know what could happen in the next few months. Until the situation becomes clearer please refrain from travelling too far.”
“Fine, I won’t. When will I be able to leave the palace?”
“Raphael should have some inactive communication crystals, I’ll tell her to prepare them and we will activate them tomorrow. After that you are free to leave at any time.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” I said and left the room.