After the servant heard Miko’s order, he pushed open the giant doors and someone was seen walking in.
He was a handsome man with slick back blonde hair, emerald eyes, and was dressed in a very expensive looking suit. His overall look was like a business man.
The man looked around the room a little before bowing.
“Please to meet you, King of Dragna. My name is Derek Marshall, and I’m an envoy sent from my home country, the Aloe Kingdom.”
The man, Derek, introduced him.
Miko stood up from his seat and walked towards Derek. This action made everyone watch with high tension, waiting to see what he was going to do.
“Welcome, Sir Derek. It’s a pleasure to meet someone from the esteem Aloe Kingdom like yourself.”
Contrary to everyone’s expectations, Miko greeted the man with a smile and stretch out his hand offering a handshake.
“……..”
Derek looked at Miko from head to toe and then smiled.
“I see that you’ve prepared a feast in my honor.”
He ignored Miko’s hand and walked towards the table.
“How nice of you.”
He said leaving Miko with his hand still in the air.
Everyone stared at Miko’s back wondering what he was going to do. They were angered by the disrespect Derek showed Miko and wanted Miko to crush him.
“Of course. I was taught to always be courteous towards my guests.”
Once again to their surprise, Miko not only didn’t get mad but even kept smiling like before. What made it worse was that they couldn’t even sense an ounce of bloodlust from him.
It was as if it really wasn’t a big deal that he was snubbed.
“Please, Sir Derek. Take a seat.”
Miko said with a “Go on” gesture.
“Don’t mind if I do.”
After he said that Derek did something no one expected.
He didn’t take the seat closest to him, but instead walked up to the head of the table were Miko sat previously and sat there.
“Son of a-!”
The moment he did Ace, Sora, Kaido, and Jin flew up in rage. They almost rushed to beat Derek into meat paste. However, they were stopped by the people sitting beside them.
They looked back at Miko and realized that he was still calm as if it didn’t bother him.
‘What self-control. Normally, this Derek would’ve been dead already but Miko is still calm and unbothered.’
They thought to themselves.
They soon looked at each other and sat back down with frown on their faces.
“I apologize for the actions of my generals just now.”
Miko said as he sat at the other end of the table.
“I hope you can forgive them.”
“Ah, I don’t mind at all.”
Derek answered with a smirk.
He looked at the four who were still glaring at him and smile.
“After all, if the owner is incompetent, then it’s natural to think the dog is too.”
“?!”
The moment he said that, it was as if the temperature in the room dropped significantly.
Not only Ace, Sora, Kaido, and Jin, everyone was fuming. Well, everyone expect Miko himself.
“I see. I guess you’re right about that.”
He kept his benevolent smile and said.
When everyone saw that, they couldn’t help but to calm down. If the one who was receiving the most disrespect could tolerate it, then there’s no way they couldn’t as well.
“Hmph.”
When Derek heard Miko’s response, his smile widen.
‘It’s just like what the intel said. This brat is nothing but a figurehead.’
He thought to himself.
‘I’ve provoked him over and over again, and he clearly didn’t have the guts to get angry because I’m from the Aloe Kingdom.’
He looked at Sasha and others.
‘He’s even inexperienced like I thought. I mean, he openly declared that everyone in this room were his generals. Doesn’t he know that revealing such information was a amateur mistake?’
He grinned.
‘I guess I’m just dealing with a brat after all.’
Derek placed his gaze on Miko who was at the opposite side of the table.
‘King Miko, I’m sure you’re dying to know the reason for my visit.”
He said.
“Oh, my. Was it plastered over my face?”
Miko suddenly looked away as if embarrassed.
“And I was trying my best to hide it too. I’m so embarrassed.”
He tried to hide the blush on his face, but it didn’t escape Derek’s eyes.
“There’s no need to feel embarrassed, Your Highness.”
Derek said.
“You’re still so young after all. Inexperienced isn’t anything to be ashamed of.”
“I-I see. I guess you’re right.”
Miko finally stopped hiding his face and started to smile again.
‘Stupid brat.’
Derek thought with a smug.
“My lord, it might be impolite to ask but could it be that there was someone who would, how should I put it…..Give you advice on how to act and what to do previously?”
He asked.
“How did you know?”
“Miko!”
Momo suddenly stood up and glared at him as if telling him to be quiet.
This caused everyone else to be confused.
“Ah!”
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Miko childishly covered his mouth as if he just realize his mistake.
‘Bingo!’
When Derek saw that he rejoiced in his head.
‘So the intel about someone aiding him from behind the scenes were true; that little girl’s reaction proved it. And the fact that most of the generals were confused proves that they don’t know about it. Which means that the little girl that spoke up just now must have a connection to the one behind scenes.’
His smile just kept getting creepier.
‘Now everything as been going to according to plan so far. Time to confirm one last thing.’
He leaned back in his chair as if he was completely relax.
“Miko, one last question before I tell you what my country wants from yours.”
Derek’s words sounded simple, but they were laced with arrogance.
Him saying ‘Before I tell you what my country wants from you’ is like a superior getting ready to order around a subordinate.
It was as if he was of greater status than Miko who was the king of the country. Such arrogance would invite only death if the situation wasn’t what it was.
Trying their best to keep calm, everyone clenched their fists in anger wishing that they could bust up this fool’s face with their fists.
“Go ahead.”
Miko replied with a naïve smile.
“Where is the person who once gave you advice?”
“Ah, he left when the rest of the clan came back.”
“Idiot!”
Once again Momo shouted at Miko. She sat back in her chair and placed her hand on her head as if she was going to have a headache.
‘Hahahahaha! What an idiot!’
Derek laughed in his head.
‘He actually let out such information so easily.’
If Derek wasn’t relax before, he was certainly relaxed now.
‘We weren’t wrong to trust that intel. Hehe, that traitor was really telling the truth.’
He thought to himself.
A few years ago, an injured man was found on the borders of the Aloe Kingdom by a group of guards stationed there. The man was first going to be turned back or be put out of his misery, but he quickly offered the guards a large sum of gold to let him in.
Swayed by greed, the guards did as he asked and let him.
Of course they wanted to kill him and take all of his gold, but he stored his valuables in a magic pouch that required his will for it to be accessed. So they decided to bring him to a military hospital and keep watch over him and wait for the opportunity to rob him.
However, they never expected that the severely injured man would escape and contact their superior.
The man found the leader of the guards and request for him to let him meet with someone in the government. Of course, the leader denied his request right away. That’s when the man identified himself as an infamous criminal from the Dragna Kingdom who was known as Human Blade Robin.
He then went on to say that he was once a part of an organization named Fate that was destroyed by Tiamat’s Proxy, who was also Nero’s grandson Gamiko Dragna the Third. He said that he had intel that could help the Aloe Kingdom destroy the Dragna Kingdom.
Of course, the guard leader didn’t believe Robin. This was because Miko was yet to be announced to the world. The leader did however, imprisoned Robin. He also informed his superiors of what he said. His superiors were skeptical and took it as nothing but nonsense of a desperate criminal.
They were however proven wrong just a few years later.
The Dragna Kingdom had gained a new king, and that king was named Gamiko Dragna the Third, who was not only Tiamat’s Proxy but Nero’s grandson. It was just like Robin had described.
When the guard leaders learned of their mistake, they immediately informed the royal family, who ordered that Robin was brought before them. When Robin appeared he was ordered to spit everything he knew about Miko out. Robin refused and said that he would only talk under the right conditions.
This action angered the royal family, but it was reasonable for Robin to want something in return for his intel. So the crown had no choice but to free Robin and try their best to please him.
Robin wasn’t stupid, he didn’t spit out everything all at once and only told them snippets of information. He told them the changes the kingdom would undergo in the upcoming year, which was proven to be right.
He also showed off his skills to the royal family and rose his value in their eyes. Eventually, he was given the noble rank of Baron which involved him receiving land and capital from the country.
As if he was satisfied, Robin told the crown about a time of turmoil that was about to hit the Dragna Kingdom. He told them how Miko wasn’t as great as everyone thought he was, and that the real threat was the mysterious person behind him.
He went on to tell his backstory. He told them that he was a part of an organization that went against Miko, called Fate which was led by Miko’s current love interest Luka Flameheart. He told them how they were so close to killing Miko but then someone came and destroyed them in one swoop. He told them how his Leader Luka was brainwashed into becoming Miko’s woman by that same person.
He told them with anger and tears flowing down his eyes that he wanted revenge against Miko and the kingdom and was willing to help the Aloe Kingdom to crush the Dragna Kingdom.
He then informed them, that it was likely that the person behind Miko was an ally to Nero and that Nero could be the real puppet master. He told them that he was able to overhear the plan that Nero and the mysterious person had to recall the rest of the Dragna clan back and take over the clan in entirety.
This was of course confirmed when the other branches returned.
Robin soon told the crown that he was using his friends to spy on the situation in the kingdom and inform him. The crown soon found out that Robin’s spies were far better than theirs because he was able to inform them that the clan was in so much chaos that Nero didn’t have anytime to deal with Miko.
This was confirmed when Miko was almost assassinated in public and the saevio clan was destroyed as punishment. After seeing his constant achievements, the crown decided to trust Robin completely.
So when he said that the mysterious person behind Miko had ran away because he was scared he would get killed in the clan’s conflict, they believed him. Even when he told them that without the person behind him, Miko was extremely docile and incompetent.
With Nero too busy to deal with Miko, and the mysterious person gone, the kingdom thought that it was the perfect time to act and sent Derek to confirm everything.
Derek smiled.
“Alright, Miko.”
He dropped all formalities when addressing Miko who was nothing but a puppet without a puppeteer, in his eyes.
“My kingdom has decided to allow the Dragna kingdom to become a colonial state for us. If I were you I would gladly take up the offer.”
He said with a smirk.
“What?!”
Everyone got mad when they heard.
Derek ignored them and continued.
“Miko, you and I both know what kind of situation this country is in.”
‘According to Robin, Nero and other branches aren't interested in the country and only want to control the clan. So they wouldn’t care if we take the country for ourselves.’
He leaned forward and stared at Miko.
“No matter how inexperience you are, you must always put your country and its citizens first. I’m sure you wouldn’t want them to be destroyed in war.”
“Fucker! Are you threatening us?!”
Ace and Sora roared.
“I’m only giving a suggestion.”
Derek answered.
“Bring on it!”
“We aren’t afraid of anyone. Right, Miko?”
“………”
Miko didn’t answer and just kept a nervous look on his face.
“M-Miko.”
Seeing Miko being hesitant, Derek burst out laughing.
“Well, there’s no need to rush.”
He stood up.
“I’ll give you time to think. A week or two should be fine.”
“A-A month. At least give me that.”
Miko said.
“Fine. A month it is.”
Derek smirked and started to walk away.
“I’ll be back in a month. Be sure to think hard, young king.”
He couldn’t hold on to his laughter and laughed out loud before leaving.
“………….”
After he left silence covered the room.
Everyone looked at Miko who sat motionlessly. It was then that they realized the aura around him was slowly became more and more violent.
And then-
“Motherfucker!”
He smashed the table with his fist.
He was so angry that veins were pulsing in his head.
“Ok. I know who I’ll kill first when I take over the country.”
He said with his voice laced in bloodlust.
“He didn’t seem to recognize you Mayumi.”
Said Bloom, as if trying to change to topic to cool Miko’s head.
“Yeah. I left when I was young and was locked up from a very young age, so not that many people remember what I look like outside my family.”
Mayumi said after wiping the cold sweat of her brow. Looks like she was nervous about Derek recognizing her.
“Ahhhh! I’m so gonna burn that country to the ground!”
Miko suddenly roared.
“That’s the Miko we know.”
Said Jin. Everybody started laughing.
However, they were yet to realize that Momo, Tessa, and Sasha had disappeared at some point.
In the royal halls, Derek was still laughing as he walked triumphantly.
“Hm?”
That’s when he saw a woman appear before him. She was Sasha.
“If I remember correctly, you’re one of that brat’s general.”
Derek looked at Sasha from head to toe and had a perverted look in his eyes.
“What? Did you realized that you’re serving the wrong person and has to decided to switch sides?”
Sasha didn’t respond and kept smiling.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
He approached.
“How about this? Become my woman. That way you’ll be spared from being slaughtered.”
He placed his hand on her shoulder.
“What do you say?”
Sasha looked at his hand and then his face, and said with a beautiful smile-
“No, thank you. I’m sticking with my son. He’s far more durable.”
When she said that she waved something in front of Derek.
He quickly recognized it as an arm.
“Huh?”
He looked down and saw that his arm was gone.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh?!”
He screamed but before he his scream could even echo in the hall, he was kicked in the face so hard his head spun around and popped off his body.
His body collapsed on the ground and started to bleed out.
The blood flowed and touched Sasha’s shoe.
“Mama, your shoes are going to get ruined.”
Tessa appeared behind her said.
Sasha smiled at her.
“No, it’s not baby.”
She lifted foot and wiped the blood off her shoes on Derek’s clothes.
“See? There’s a mat here.”
“Oh? I guess you’re right.”
Tessa said with a cute little laugh.
“I was right to follow you guys.”
Momo approached them and said.
“Why did you kill him, Aunty?”
“He was so disrespectful to my son, I just couldn’t allow someone like that to live. He had to die at least once.”
“Once? Ah, I see. You know that I would follow you. You want me to resurrect him.”
Sasha nodded.
“His return home is essential to Miko’s plan right? Then we can't let him stay dead right?”
Momo sighed.
“I guess you’re really a Dragna.”
She looked down at Derek and spat on his body.
“While I can’t resurrect him, I can use a spell to turn him into a short term zombie. That way he’ll die but is still able to make it home like nothing happen.”
“Can you make it that he forgets about his death?”
Sasha asked.
Momo nodded.
“I can.”
“I see. Thanks, Momo. I’ll leave the rest to you.”
Sasha started to walk away.
“Where are you going? Aren’t you gonna spend some time with Miko?”
Momo asked.
“He’s grown. I’m sure he doesn’t need his mother that much.”
Sasha said and walked away.
“Thanks, Momo!”
Tessa said and went a separate way from her mother.
Momo looked at the two with a frown.
“What happened to those two?”