Inside the royal palace, the king Xavier was having a few drinks with Rory.
“Huh? You almost killed my ancestor?”
Xavier asked Rory.
“Yeah, it wasn’t anything intentional though.”
Rory replied.
“You see, we had just finished a big job and was out celebrating in the woods, when we caught a boar and was getting ready to eat it when we met him.”
“Was he on a hunt and you guys ran into him?”
Xavier asked. Rory shook his head.
“No, he was the boat itself.”
Rory answered.
“Huh?”
“Your ancestor’s animus granted him the ability to shapeshift.”
“Whew~. That’s amazing. So when did you realized that was him?”
“After we tied him up and put him over a fire.”
Rory replied.
“So he didn’t transform back into a human when he was caught?”
“No, he did. It was just that we were too drunk to notice.”
Rory’s reply shocked Xavier.
“So how did you notice?”
“He started screaming ‘I’m human, I’m human!’”
Rory replied.
“We released him after, because none of us were interested in human meat.”
He said.
“After that, he told you that he was a king?”
“Nope. We found out after we robbed him and started going through his things. We found a crown in his bags.”
“…..You robbed him?”
Xavier asked.
“Yup. Since we couldn’t eat him, we thought that we might as well rob him. It’s common sense.”
Rory replied.
“Common…sense?”
Xavier started to wonder if Pandemonium was filled with maniacs.
“So how did you move from robbing him to helping him fight off a rival country?”
“Easy, he paid us. We were mercenaries, if you pay us enough we will even rip apart a country or two.”
Rory replied.
“But, I heard that the country was really poor back then. How was he able to pay you?”
Xavier asked.
Rory smiled when he heard his question.
“Your ancestor was really an interesting person. When he requested our help, and we asked what would he repay us with, this is how he replied.”
Rory took a drink of liquor before saying-
“Help me destroy those bastards and I promise you half of their wealth, even their lands if you wish. I just want them to disappear from this world. I don’t care if I have to give my soul to a demon to achieve it!”
Xavier’s eyes widened when he heard that.
“Half the country’s wealth and land? That’s crazy.”
“We thought so as well. That’s why we took the job.”
Rory replied.
“While we work for money, we also prefer to work with interesting people. That way the job will be more worth it.”
“For him to be willing to pay you guys that much, he must’ve been desperate.”
Said Xavier.
“Yeah, he was. He was even willing to go to war himself. In the end, he worked with us to destroy the foundations of the country, thus causing it to crumble under its own weight.”
Rory replied.
“You’re stronger than your ancestor, but I don’t think you’re more hard headed than him. He’s one of the few that were weaker than me, that I actually respected.”
He said.
“I think he would be glad to hear that.”
Xavier poured a glass of champagne and gave it to Rory.
“Let’s get to the reason you called me here.”
Rory took the glass and said.
“You want to know which one of your sons I’m supporting, right?”
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious, but that’s not my reason for calling you.”
Said Xavier.
“I wanted you to give me your honest opinion.”
He looked at Rory.
“Am I doing a good job as a king?”
Rory’s face showed shock for a second, but it soon returned to normal.
“Why are you asking me? I’ve only been here for a little over a week.”
“Because you’ve seen the country at its lowest and is very familiar with it in its most difficult period. There’s no one who could know if the country is moving in the right direction, more than you.”
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Xavier answered.
“I’m flattered.”
Rory replied.
“If you want my honest opinion….”
He showed a bright smile.
“This country is done for.”
“?!”
Xavier was shocked by what he said. It wasn’t the content of what he said, but how he said with a bright tone. It would make you think that he was talking about something praiseworthy.
“Why do you say that?”
Xavier asked after a while.
“It’s because this country is too divided.”
Rory answered after finishing his glass of champagne.
“I’m not talking about the little competition among the princes. This stems deeper than that.”
He smiled.
“If I’m not mistaking, there are three separate powers supporting each prince. The princes are more like their proxies than anything.”
He said.
“As expected of the Devil King, you’ve already figured it out.”
Said Xavier.
“I’ve seen a lot of kingdoms in similar situations. So I immediately realized from the rumors circulating around the city.”
Rory answered.
“Are you sure you didn’t use your Omni-Link?”
Xavier asked.
“Even if I can use it, there was no need to. It was quite obvious.”
Rory replied.
“This is what the rumors tell me.”
He started speaking.
“The country is split into three factions, with each faction supporting a prince. However, this is where the situation differs from the others I’m used to.”
He pointed at Xavier.
“Even though the country is split in three, you are still the absolute monarch with all of the power. The three factions all want to put an end to that, using your sons. They each want the prince they’re supporting to succeed you, that prince will abolish the current government model and implement a new one where they can hold some of the power.”
Xavier frowned when he heard what Rory said.
“Your ears are sharp.”
He then sighed.
“Its just as you say. And to make it worse, I can’t punish neither my sons or their backers.”
“The first prince is backed the military, the second prince is backed by the nobles, while the third prince is backed by the Church of the Sacred God. It’s hard to punish any of them without harming the country.”
Rory added.
“But the princes’ struggles are kind of futile, since you’re the one who will decided your heir.”
Rory poured himself some more champagne and said-
“You’re going to die, you know.”
Before throwing it down his throat.
“You’re pretty blunt.”
Said Xavier with a wry smile.
“And you’ve realized it.”
Xavier nodded.
“The only way any of the three factions can win, is to either convince me, or kill me.”
“But killing you would only lead to a gruesome three way war.”
Xavier nodded again.
“That’s why neither side have tried it. If I die and there’s no one lift to hold the reins, this country will be ruined by a three way civil war. They realized that. Because of that, I don’t think they will try it.”
“I would.”
“Eh?”
Xavier froze after hearing what Rory said.
“I said that I would kill you regardless of the consequences.”
He swirled the champagne in his cup.
“However, that’s only if I’m certain of my victory in the civil war. Also, my desire to become king has to be extremely strong.”
He smiled at Xavier.
“I don’t know if your sons have complete confidence in their victory, but they seem to desire becoming king pretty strongly.”
Xavier gulped. He had to admit that what Rory said made sense. Sometimes desires rob humans of their sense of reason. It wouldn’t be strange for at least one of the sons to aim for his head.
“Then again. If your sons love you, then there’s no need to worry.”
Rory laughed and said.
Xavier laughed nervously with him. Meanwhile, he was thinking-
‘Was I too strict on them as kids?’
At the same time, Amelia was on the roof of the palace swinging her sword. Since she was using a new sword, she wanted to get used to how it feels. As such, she was planning to do as much swings as she can.
“1274, 1275, 1276…”
“Wow, you actually swung your sword that many times?”
She turned around and saw someone standing behind her.
“Prince James.”
She knelt in front of him. This action clearly shocked the first prince.
“I didn’t think that you would kneel before me, considering who you’re following.”
James spoke his honest thoughts.
“I was a knight before I met Rory, so to me respecting royalty is common sense.”
Amelia replied.
“I see. This is a pleasant surprise though. I was prepared to be kicked off the roof by you.”
Amelia stood up when she heard that.
“I’m not the same as that maniac. I have common sense.”
She said.
“When you’re that strong what others consider to be common sense no longer applies to you.”
James said.
“You’re defending his outrageousness? Just so you know, that won’t get on his good side. He’s an arrogant person, praising him will only boost his ego.”
Amelia replied.
“Hahaha. You’re probably the only one in this kingdom that can talk about him that way.”
James said.
“So, what do you want your highness? As you can see, I’m busy.”
Amelia said.
“I wanted to request a spar with you.”
“Oh?”
Amelia looked interested when she heard that. She looked at him from head to toe.
“Why do I feel like that’s just a front to get close to me?”
She said.
James smiled.
“Well, I won’t deny my desire to get acquainted with a lady like yourself.”
“You flatter me.”
She pointed her sword at him.
“But I advise you to not say that in front of Rory’s face. He might kill you.”
“I’m fully prepared to face death at any time. So I’m not afraid to say it to his face.”
James replied.
‘He’s not just putting on a front. He seems like he would really say it to Rory’s face.’
Amelia thought while staring his eyes, which showed determination and unwavering will.
“You, you’re not afraid of Rory or what he might do to this country?”
She asked.
James shook his head.
“While Rory is a dangerous element, he isn’t enough to make me divert from my path. Whether he stands before me as an enemy or an ally, I will still walk towards my goal. I will still become king.”
He clenched his fist and smiled fearlessly.
“I will make this country stronger!”
Amelia stared at him in silence. She could feel the passion that’s boiling inside him. She couldn’t help but to have a good impression of him.
She smiled.
“Prince James, you came here with the purpose of recruiting me to join your faction, didn’t you?”
She asked.
James nodded.
“Yes. I came with that intention.”
“Not even trying to hide it, huh?”
Amelia laughed a little.
“Why me? Did you fail with Rory and thought that I would be an easier target?”
She asked.
“I didn’t approach Rory because I judged that I would only waste my time. I can tell that we won’t get along.”
James smiled.
“I believe that you and I will get along better.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
Amelia said.
“However, whether I can befriend you or not isn’t something that any one of us should decide so hastily.”
James laughed when heard that.
“My apologies. It’s just that anyone would feel the urge to pick a beautiful rose if it was in front of them.”
Amelia gripped her sword tightly.
“Haven’t you heard, Prince? When picking a rose, you should always approach with caution.”
She smiled.
“Otherwise, you’ll get hurt by its thorns.”
James eyes widen when he heard that. He soon smiled again and pulled his own sword.
“I’ll keep your words in my heart.”
Amelia started surging her anima through her entire body. She the silently charged towards him. James rushed forward as well and met her charge.
The two swung the swords with all their might.
*Bam!*
A loud sound came from the rooftop. The heated spar between the two had began.
At the same time, in the Southern section of the city. There was a large building filled with people, who were on their knees praying. In front of them was a statue of a cloaked figure rising their arms in the air, with the sun shining brightly behind them.
This place was a church of Sacred God, or Sacred Church for short. The statue that the people bowed before was the Sacred God.
Thousands of years ago, the descendants of the Sacred God, the Scared Kin created a place of worship in dedication of their ancestor. Because they had became the rulers of the world, their religion quickly spread and was now considered the only right religion in the world.
Every other religion was treated as heresy.
It didn’t take long before the Sacred Church gained billions of followers from all races. Because of this, the church was seen as a powerhouse by itself. One word from it could cause a country to crumble. In fact, they were a lot of countries that were run by the church itself.
In this time an era, the countries which didn’t have a Sacred Church were considered rare.
Inside a room in the church, sat a bearded man with gold hair, who was dressed in all white. He was the leader of this church branch, Father Timothy.
“Father.”
Behind him, a person appeared with his appearance hidden.
“Did you find out if he was the real devil king?”
The father asked.
“Yes. He is indeed the real one. He matched our reports perfectly.”
Answered the person.
“I see. This is quite a predicament.”
Father opened his drawer and took out eight wanted posters that were in a stock. At the head of the stack, there was a wanted poster with Rory’s face and name.
“Because of their actions over 100 years ago, all 8 members of Pandemonium are wanted by the Sacred Army. As the sacred church, we’re obligated to capture all members we come across, expect one. However, the devil king is the one who was ordered to be captured or killed at all cost.”
Said the father.
“Then, should I go kill him?”
Asked the person. The father shook his head.
“The country is in a delicate state. For now, let’s watch and see.”