- This game is created to be totally unpredictable. All the quests, stats and classes are generated according to the actions of the players. Even the NPCs sometimes act in an unexpected manner. I myself don't always know what will happen. Sometimes, I find myself afraid of what I have created
- Yoo Byung Joon, Creator of Royal Road in a private discussion with close friends
*-* *-* *-* *-*
A long, long, very long time ago, years before the creation of Versailles, humans migrated to Malek. The lands of The Line were no longer a feasible place for humans to live in due to some catastrophe. Thus, humans decide to move to Malek, a floating continent. Unfortunately, Malek at that moment belonged to the celestials. Although they had their homes in heaven, Malek was considered their playground, a place for them to de-stress.
So when they heard that the humans had occupied Malek, they got pissed that His favourites had taken something of theirs again and kindly asked the humans to please leave...by attacking them.
Well, obviously the humans did not take kindly to this action and decided to return this by using their impressive technology to bomb an important celestial settlement. Thus, a senseless war started between humans and celestials.
*-* *-* *-* *-*
“We have to do something, it’s unthinkable for us to lose to those winged bastards.” In a throne room a younger female was shouting at an older male. If one had concentrated, they would be able to hear sounds of explosions and crashes just outside the window.
“Alyssa, there is nothing we can do.” The two figures seemed to be having an intense argument to the extent that the other people around them often flinched or winced, particularly when the female ‘replied’ to her father. These two figures were currently, two of the most important people on the human continent of Malek. King Richard and his daughter Alyssa were the reason why the human race had even survived to that day and the other occupants of the room knew it. Perhaps, this was why, during their argument they did not interrupt and tried their best to seem non-existent.
The king at the moment did not possess any of the qualities that the citizens of the continent had heard he had. Patience, optimism, strength...none of them was evident in the king at that moment. He only seemed tired as he answered his daughter.
Apparently, Alyssa did not like his answer as she started to shout with renewed vigour.
“Nothing we can do. Father, we have fought the celestials for almost a thousand years. Your father and his father and the one before him. And we have always managed to still remain here. So what do you mean, we can do nothing?!”
“Alyssa…”
“No father, no. No more excuses. Tell me why you are refusing to send aid to our frontlines. Our men need all the help they can get if we have to win this war.” From their conversation, one could no doubt deduct that Alyssa was in charge of their relationship. Truly, the king was henpecked. “I am beginning to wonder if you care about our people at all.”
“Alyssa,” the king shouted. She immediately shut up. Even if she was truly the one in charge, her father was still the king and he had his moments. She breathed in trying to calm down. Perhaps she should reduce her tone and try talking to him again. the moment she did so, a window popped up.
[p=left]Quest Update![/p]
Persuade the King!
The Celestials and the Humans have been fighting for almost a thousand years. However, the present king, Richard, is getting tired of the war and wants to surrender to the Celestials. This might be disastrous for the humans as the celestials might order a massacre.
Convince the King to continue fighting the celestials.
Quest Rank- SS
Quest Requirements- Have over 30000 familiarity with the King, have a strong desire to defeat the celestials. Fame 3000
Quests rewards (if accomplished)- A way to win.
Penalty if Quest is not accepted- The celestials will win the war, the human race might be extinguished.
Penalty if quest is not accomplished- 30000 familiarity with King will be taken. The celestials will win the war, the human race might be extinguished. Due to the heavy penalty, the rank of this quest has been increased considerably
Alyssa knew that this might be the only chance for her race. She had tried her best and had never had a reward which indicated that they might win the war. She didn’t even worry about the penalties. No, she didn’t even think about them. The only thing she saw was the reward she would get if she was able to simply persuade her father to continue the war. This won’t be difficult at all. It isn’t the first time father’s gotten cold feet but this time I’ll be able to stop the war.
In her excitement, she stopped breathing and thus every person in that room turned to look at her in surprise. She smiled to put them at ease and under her breath said “I accept.”
Quest Accepted
Ready now to do battle, Alyssa sat up and said, “No.” Such a simple word but it immediately changed the atmosphere of the room. Her father’s advisers sat up too, feeling the tense and unnatural atmosphere as well. After all, they did not fight tooth and nail and flatter the King for nothing. They were at their position because they knew what to say and when to say it. They were in other words parasites.
King Richard, himself did not look amused by this change in behaviour in his daughter. He imperiously raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth ready to speak. But his daughter got there first.
“Father, you are going to send troops and equipment to the frontline. We need to win this war.”
King Richard looked at his daughter for a few seconds. For that short while, no one in the room spoke. He might be getting older but in that moment, everyone remembered that he had been christened by his enemies as Richard the slaughterer. Rumour was that at times, the Celestials even whispered that nicknames driven to fear. Remembering this made Alyssa much more angry. Her father had once been worthy of her respect and he was now reduced to this- a weak, pitiful weary man who had no qualms with condemning his soldiers and people to death at the hands of their enemies. She swore then that when, not if, they won she would make sure to kill the celestial queen. Painfully.
She was brought back from her dark thoughts by laughter. More specifically, her father’s laughter. What is he laughing about.
“Ah, my lovely daughter. You really are my daughter. Your mother did well in giving birth to you. You even surpass your brothers when it comes to military ability.” Alyssa winced and grimaced. She hated when her father spoke about her mother as he always used a mocking tone that reminded her how much he hated her. “However, there is one thing they have that you lack. do you know what it is?” As he was saying this, he used his index finger to poke her temple repeatedly.
“I do not know what it is. Esteemed father, please can you teach so I may learn from your wisdom.” It was an act and they both knew it. Alyssa became extra polite whenever she was angry but she herself knew that she had to play along with their father’s game. It infuriated her that she was going along with this when they were soldiers fighting. When they could fight and finally defeat the celestials. But he was her father and he was her King. So, she played along.
“Your problem is that you don’t know when to stop. You just keep on pushing. Do you know how i was able to conquer Kaloin despite their size and number of soldiers.” Silence. Alyssa did not know what to say. Her father was older than her and had been in more wars than she. “I knew how to be cowardly. I knew how to sneak attack and kidnap people important to those I wanted.”
“You…”
“Now, now. Don’t look so shocked. I am sure you’ve heard the rumours. But you have to know that that is the way war is conducted.”
Alyssa breathed in again. She had been thoroughly rebuked.
“But Father, if you are so good at war, why do you want to give up now. Surely you know that if we lose the human race might become instinct. So why?”
“We can’t fight back..”
“Bullshit. When I was a child you entertained me with stories of how humanity was able to fight on even footing with the celestials even though we did not have magic all because of our ingenuity and almost maniacal drive. And now, we even have magic. So what do you mean we can’t fight back?”
“Alyssa,” her father backed at her. It was obvious that he found something she said irritating. “Think, how many years have we been fighting celestials.”
Oh… Alyssa had already realised the folly in her reasoning but answered her father’s question. “Almost 1000 years.”
“Do you know what the first things the Celestials started to destroy after we began to dominate in the war.” She did not reply. She already knew that it was a rhetorical question. My father does love to hear his own voice. I wonder how he gets work done. Oh right he doesn’t. I do everything and when i try to bring up something important he treats me like a child.
“They went after our research factories. While we wasted our time attacking useless towns that did nothing to dull their attacks. They went after what we needed to attack them and now, a thousand years later, we really have nothing to use to fight them.”
No one could speak. The King had just brought to their attention something they had all thought at one point or another but never dared to speak out loud because they feared it becoming a reality. However, now that it was out there, they could not deny it.
“We still have powerful magicians. Plus, if we ally ourselves with other nations…”
Richard did not let her finish talking. “Other nations,” he said with a sneer, his upper lip curled up. “Why would we do something that foolish. We ally with other nations and they will try somehow to destroy us.”
Now, rather than the rational manner in which her father was speaking in earlier, Alyssa was more used to this childish aspect of him.
“Really father, Paranoia is rather disgusting and unbecoming of the King of Tari. It is this attitude of yours that is leading us to our doom. You and the leaders of the other nations are so childish they cannot let go of the grudges and paranoid behaviour inherited from their ancestors. We are being led to our extermination and you cannot even think about co-operating with the others.”
Richard cleared his throat. “Anyway, nothing you say will make you change my mind. We are surrendering. And that is final. I am so very weary of this war” Saying this, he turned to the window and sighed looking at the soldiers fighting with the celestial who had been able to invade the royal capital.
Alyssa gritted her teeth and clenched her fingers. This stupid old man. At that moment, Alyssa considered killing her father. It would not be very difficult. She had after all being running the kingdom for a while now. And her father while still strong was already passed his prime. If she sneaked in an attack somehow, she would be able to kill him. And she was very certain one of the men in the room would talk. They were opportunity seekers after all. They did not care who the monarch was only that they would ingratiate themselves to him. Truly it would be so easy.
Alyssa sighed and gave up that idea. There were too many holes in it. It would be stupid to assassinate her father herself as it would be counterproductive. There would be too much confusion and she would be under too much suspicion to actually inherit the crown.
Also, although her brothers were cowards, unwilling to stand before her father, they did not fear her. They would fight to get the throne and it would leave a trail of blood so much that it would surpass the amount the celestials had already spilled. And at the end she would not get the throne.
Besides, the quest had asked her to persuade and convince the King. She could not attack him physically. But she could use words.
“Very well father. You can surrender if you want. You are after all the King and you can do what you want.”
“Of course…” It would also do you well to remember that. But her father waited. He had a feeling that his daughter was planning something. She would never acquiesce so easily.
“But what do you have to offer”
“What! What does that have to do with anything.”
“Father.” She was smiling now, he was sure of it. And he wondered what his daughter would do to persuade him from his chosen course. After all, he was so very stubborn. “Whenever a country surrendered to you, didn’t you first calculate what they had that you wanted.”
“Yes…”
“What do you think celestials want from us. Our land? They claim this land belongs to them if they win they will still need us. They don’t need to keep us alive. Our women? Celestial women are extremely beautiful and while there is the ‘exotic’ factor to consider, I don’t think you are a woman unless there is something you are hiding from us.” Amused her father started to chuckle, his advisers following after him.
“What about our technology,” Amitr, one of his advisers replied, “We were able to dominate the war.”
“Our technology,” She scoffed, “Haven’t you been listening to my esteemed father. We have no technology to offer them. Like father said much has been lost in the last 500 years and our firepower has massively reduced. So, no, there is no technology to offer the celestials if we do surrender.”
Turning to her father she continued. “That means, father, that we are useless to them and therefore disposable. One does not surrender when he has nothing to hand, one surrenders when he has something in hand. Right now, our resources are drained. Surrendering now would be a death sentence. I mean, do you want to die, dear father.”
Seeing him remain silent, Alyssa continued to push. You cannot persuade father with only logical and ethical reasons. He too is afraid of death. Or rather afraid of dying without leaving any mark that he ever existed. He is far too arrogant to even consider himself becoming that.
“Perhaps, you are not afraid of death. Do you know what they will do to the royal family. All your family will be killed. You will have no progeny left. All your efforts and actions will become nothing because you will die a useless stupid man who gave himself up and then lost everything.”
She was getting too passionate about this. Alyssa breathed in and calmed herself. To say that her father and his advisers were shocked would be an understatement. Knowing that she had made her point, she spoke in a softer tone of voice as if to sooth the images that her words had provoked.
“Father, don’t end the war. Please. I am-I am afraid of what would happen. No matter what does those winged bastards offer you, you can never be sure that they will never relent on their promise. So please, for your people, for your sons, for me. Please ally with the other nations.” At this moment, tears had come out from her eyes and her chin was quivering.
Seeing her in this state, her father sighed and relented. “Very well, we will send relief to the frontlines.”
“And…”
“And we will ally with the other nations”
“Yay, thank you father,” she said overjoyed and hugged him. She then ran out of the room in joy, seemingly. Her father chuckled behind her.
“Women,” he said and continued discussing with his advisers. His daughter will return later on and help in finalising the order. But for now, he decided to let her have her joyous moment.
*-* *-* *-* *-*
In her rooms, Alyssa collapsed in her rooms in exhaustion and exhilaration. She did not even want to think about what would have happened if she had not been able to persuade the King. However, that was all in the past, she had managed in the end even though she had to resort to crying and being emotional to do so. I did it, I made him bend to me. This feeling is indescribable. Her happiness was easily understood. King Richard’s stubbornness was legendary. And as he got older and older, his stubbornness just seemed to increase. The fact that she was able to change her father’s mind was worthy of praise.
She had set her messages to be on mute throughout the talk she had with her father. Now that she was in a place she considered comfortable she could then check her messages.
Quest Accomplished
Due to the aggressive nature of the persuasion, familiarity with the King has reduced by 2000 points. Fame+2300.
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
You have gained a title: The Maniacal Manipulator
You have levelled up
You have levelled up
You have levelled up
You have levelled up
In all she had levelled up 11 times. Alyssa was satisfied with her progress. She also saw that some of her skills had increased.
Your Persuasion skill has reached Master level 1. You are now able persuade heads of state and advocate for peace amongst countries.
You have gained the manipulation skill. You are now able to convince and manipulate people to your ideas. Effect increases with persuasion skill and deception skill. Your familiarity with the individual also helps in increasing the effect of this skill.
You have uncovered secret class Negotiator. You will be able to negotiate for release of prisoners and negotiate for peace between warring tribes. Persuasion+5, Deception+5, Manipulation+10. MP+250.
Do you wish to accept this class?
YesNo
Alyssa was sorely tempted to pick the class. But…
“There is no real reason to pick this class. It’s not much different from my persuasion skill. Besides,” she said now grinning maliciously, “I don’t want to negotiate peace with the celestials. I want to trample over them, to triumph over them. To utterly destroy them. If this is the way the system has given me to win this war. Then I don’t want it. I will carve my own path. I REJECT this class.”
You have rejected this class.
“That weak pathetic class that can only ‘negotiate’ for peace, I don’t want it. Instead I want power. Power to save my people. Power to destroy the Celestials. Power to destroy that old coot and remove him from the throne.” By now, her voice had reduced. Although she had been shouting earlier, now she was almost whispering. “I just want power.”
Then all of a sudden a voice said, “Good answer.”
“Who’s that? Who’s there?”
“Ooh temperamental. You won’t help your father and get married then.”
“Come out. I command you in the name of Alyssa Resienne Tari, First Princess of the Kingdom of Tari.”
“So you want me to come out,” the voice said giggling. Now, it sounded suspiciously feminine, “Well, thank you for the offer. I don’t mind after all.”
For a moment, it seemed as if the room was becoming darker and Alyssa became afraid. I don’t know this magic. Is this celestial magic. But this is impossible. Could they have gotten here already.
But then, a light, so brilliant and indescribable filled the room. Alyssa shut her eyes as the light was so bright it hurt her eyes.When the light faded, she opened her eyes slowly, wincing as her eyes were still hurting her. What she saw, though, removed all reticence from her behaviour as she opened her eyes wide in shock and surprise.
There was a woman in her room. There. Was. A. Woman. In. Her. Room.
And she was indescribably beautiful to boot. Alyssa suddenly felt a stab of sadness. Even though she had generally been regarded as the ‘most beautiful woman’ in the Kingdom, she did not compare to the beautiful woman in her room.
She had silver eyes and long white hair. Alyssa did not recognise the clothes she was wearing and that meant something as Alyssa had once spent a summer memorizing the dress sense and cultures of the all the nations. And that included the celestials. So saying she did not recognise her dressing implied that this woman was an unnatural existence. But the truth was that the woman dressed weirdly. Unlike normal Malekian fashion that demanded that women cover themselves with beautiful clothes and ornate jewelry, the woman was definitely underdresses. All she had on were two pieces of cloth that covered her top and bottom. Her stomach was showing. Shameful. She had on earrings that were so long they reached her chest. And she was wearing handcuffs.
It was amusing that that was how she knew this woman was not from her. Not because of the clawed feet she sported, not because of the fact that she had her hair reaching to her feet and wrapped around it like manacles. And definitely not because she had a tattoo that seemed to start from her temple and ended underneath her heel.
“It is Leviathan,” the woman said, noticing the way Alyssa was eyeing the tattoo. “It is the mark of those He has rejected.” Hearing her speak only made Alyssa angrier. She had entered her room without permission and seemed to show no shyness or regret in doing so.
“Oh, that is a lie. I had permission.”
“I never gave…”
“Erm, wasn’t it ‘Come out. I command you in the name of Alyssa Resienne Tari, First Princess of Tari’.”
“Wha…” Alyssa was now gaping at her in shock.
“Oh, has the ‘Maniacal Manipulator’ being silenced.” Alyssa just looked at her seething and imagining what she would say to her. “Hey, it’s not my fault I hear things.”
That insufferable… “Woman, why are you here?”
“Hey, don’t call me that. I have a name. Call me Tarin.”
“Tarin,” Alyssa said smiling demoniacally, “Please tell me who gave you access to my room.” And I will make sure they die. Showing a more beautiful woman…
“Che, calm down. I really hate types like you people who act polite outside and inside are quite malevolent. Can’t you be a little more cute.” Cute. Cute!
“Well, to answer your question; you told me to come and so I did.”
“You…”
“Anyway,” Tarin said moving her hands as if she was wiping away something, “I can give you power.” Such an abrupt change in conversation. This person is tiring.
“And before you can say ‘wha...’ and gape like a fish, yes i heard what you said earlier.”
“Are you crazy.”
Tarlin laughed. There was something wrong about her laughter as if the person she was seeing was simply pretending. Alyssa became once aware of the fact that this woman had appeared out of thin air and also of the occurrences that surrounded her appearance. She was not stupid and immediately concluded that there was something supernatural about her. Is she perhaps the…
And just to prove her point, a window popped up
Quest Reward
Tarin el-leadlh has decided to offer you power. If you accept her conditions you will gain power enough to defeat the celestials.
Mp+12000 if you accept her offer.
Extra rewards depend on the deal between you and Tarin
Plus 12000 mana points if she only accepted the offer to have power. The power that she originally wanted anyway. She would be a fool not to accept. And yet, something told her not to.
“What are the conditions?” She asked suspiciously.
“Nothing much. I just want you to accept me.”
“Accept you?!”
“Well yes.”
Alyssa just looked at her incredulously. Is she jerking my chain? She is crazy right?
“Fine, how about this. I will give you all my power and I will give you my knowledge. Just not all at once because i am incredibly powerful. Besides, do you know how long I’ve lived. Now imagine all that power and Knowledge all in you at once without you having any chance to train your body. It would be soooo horrific. I mean, you might just explode immediately. Or, oh you poor dear. Your brain might just decide to shut down, you could go into a coma, or regress mentally, or become an invalid unable to talk or walk. You might even become plagued with nightmares, unable to sleep because you are terrified of your dreams. Because of that you might even lose your beautiful looks. This could make your father disinherit you and…”
“Tarin!” Alyssa shouted.
“Huh, yes.”
“Focus.”
“Oh, ok, alright. Well, i’ll give you my power and knowledge in stages because, oh dear if not…”
“Tarin!!”
“Sorry, sorry. Ah well, in exchange. You will have to let me in. To possess you, so to speak.”
By now, Alyssa’s face had changed to a vivid red. She was almost about to pounce.
“Possess me,” she said casually but Tarin did not notice her restraint or earlier actions. She was too absorbed in presenting her case.
“Well, that sounds so negative. I swear I have no negative intentions. I just want to rest a little. Inside you.”
“Inside me,” Alyssa replied in that blasé tone.
“Well, yes. But I won’t actually do anything. I just want to watch.”
“Watch, huh.” By now, Tarin was already aware of her too calm tone. She also noticed Alyssa looking at her or more specifically at her handcuffs. She too looked down to gaze at it. She almost seemed sad.
“Well, this get-up was because...I’m really suspicious aren’t I.” Is she really asking that? Alyssa thought giving her attire another look over before sighing, But this is my only chance. Still...
“I’m so so sorry. If you don’t want to, I’ll understand.”
“I’ll do it,” Alyssa said before she went on another tangent.
“It’s okay if you don’t want… Wait what, you’ll do it. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“I got it, now get off me.”
“Ok. Then let’s do the contract.”
“A contract, what for?”
“The Contract is the single thing in all existence that is unbreakable. It is a necessary step for a deal like this if we do not want to be cheated. One can take even His power if they have fulfilled a Contract of that nature with Him.”
“Please give me your hand.” When Alyssa complied, Tarin used one of her nails to scratch Alyssa’s hand.
“Ow, what was that for?”
“The Contract is always signed in blood.”
“You could have told me that before you cut my palm.”
“Why, can you not endure pain.”
“No, I detest it.”
“Hmm, is that true?” Tarin smiled mysteriously. Alyssa was about to ask what she meant by her statement but Tarin had torn her palm with her teeth and pressed both their palms together. Painful She then began to chant.
“Let all the witness gather, A Contract is made this day. To unite, to bind. To gift, to flow. May our bond be strong.”
It was extremely windy now and her room seemed to be wrecked. But she and Tarin in the eye of the storm were safe. It occurred to Alyssa at that moment that maybe she had been playing with magic and forces to ancient and complex for her to understand. She became nervous but her resolve was not weakened. She did not matter what she became as long as she got power. As long as she drank that intoxicating draught that few were ever chosen to drink.
“May our bond be strong. Let our Contract be blessed. Let Him witness. May we never break our bonds. As I give her my power to use but do not interfere unless asked and as she gives me her body for I am tasked.Let our contract be blessed. Let our souls be bound. And let our punishment be set if we ever relent this Contract. As I Tarin el-leadlh vow this day.”
As flashes of lightning arced through the sky, as torrents of rain poured down, as wind raced through her room, Alyssa Resienne Tari was awed by the display of power. Yes, this is what I want. Suddenly she felt Tarin’s elbow in her stomach.
“Repeat my last sentence only with your name,” she whispered.
“Oh, ok. As I Alyssa Resienne Tari vow this day.”
“As we vow this day. May this Contract be approved.”
And loud was the thunder. The lightning that arced, the wind that raced along with the wind, all converged in the spot that she and Tarin was standing. For a moment, Alyssa took the time to admire the beauty of the display. And then she screamed.
She had never liked pain and had a very low tolerance for it. And now, she felt as if she was electrocuted, stabbed and had boiling water poured on her. The pain was excruciating. But she would not die.
“Sorry, I forgot to tell you that it would hurt a bit. I mean using Contract might have made it hurt more. But it’s not that painful. Just breath and endure and it will pass.
That bitch she did this on purpose and is enjoying this. Just you wait when I get up I’ll kill you. No, I won’t kill you. I will slowly flail your skin and then using magic reanimate you over and over for me to torture until you fear both dying and living.
But, the pain was too much, Alyssa could not hold and fell to unconsciousness, planning torture and hearing the sound of System Messages:
You have levelled up
You have levelled up
You have levelled up…
You have gain Passive Skill: Pain Tolerance. Now, you can endure pain much better and certain levels of pain will not affect you. Vitality+50. Uses 75 Mp/minute.
Pain Tolerance has levelled up
Pain Tolerance has levelled up
Pain Tolerance has levelled up...
You have reached Master level 2 in Pain Tolerance Skill. You can feel almost no type of pain and can even transfer your pain to others. Vitality+ 400, 5 Mp/minute.
Your race has changed.
You have accepted obsolete class Tritan. Level is too low to provide information on this class.
and more windows
Well. Perhaps, it was worth it. I’ll still kill her though. Due to her Pain Tolerance skill rapidly levelling up, by the time she fell unconscious, the pain had greatly reduced. Still, she swore that she would from that moment always avoid pain.
Tarin looked amusedly at the sleeping body at her feet and then down to her hands. Well, that went well, I’m free now. I just hope this child would give me enough entertainment and time to rest before deciding to let me handle things.
She smiled and at that moment, there was no trace of her earlier flighty behaviour. Trina disappeared from the room and it reverted back to its earlier state.
Spoiler :
AN: Sorry for not bringing this earlier. I will update Part 2 which shows Ring...soon...I think
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