Blood Thicker Than Fire III
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[Arthur Iglesias]
Epic.
I am so proud of my work, I barely noticed the glow around me. Motes of lights appeared and blurred vision became apparent as I apparently would be transported to the ‘next stage’ as Aniki called it. Even so, I couldn’t care less as all I could think of was how awesome was I during that final attack.
Who’s awesome? I’m awesome! Kukuku!
“Kukukuh!”
Anyway, after a few seconds of lightshow, the magic circle below my feet rotated like unlocking a doorknob and glowed slightly brightly. Then I was teleported to another place.
Well, the floor above.
Apparently, my ancestors didn’t know the concept of ‘stairs.’
Anyway, I was in the center of a room. With red-and-white checkered floor with no ceiling or walls(Yeehee!), all I could see were globes of fire around me. They surrounded me with the nearest ones floating 10 meters from me and the farthest about 60.
They were spheres of different sizes and presumably different shades of red(who the hell would know that!) that I concur were the viewers of my new gig. I could see the holy-shit class of fireball 40 meters in front of me that somehow I mistakenly assumed to be the sun was the representation of my father, the Duke of the Crimson City and nearby Domains.
I could infer the balls(teehee) of Princess Liliana, 3 of the generals, 5 aides from the Saccaron and Regnez families, 8 patriarchs and 3 rising Scions of the noble houses, and 4 Elder Court magicians.
The rest are extras.
Oh, I counted 82 fireballs. Of them, 30 have voting rights to accept or deny my ‘claim to be with the fire goddess, etc.’
Anyway, here I am. Waiting for those losers to make a move as I steady my breath and calm my speeding heart because of [adrenaline] usage. When I could feel that I was okay and steady, I decided to concentrate to the matter at hand: Thee Voting.
Well, it was simple really. It was just a system for those in power a chance to fuck someone over by vetoing the right(or claim, they say) to proceed to the ancestors’ dwelling to receive the blessing from our bloodline. Well, the main House and all major noble Houses passes this no-questions-asked because of the power they hold and no one crazy enough to counter their ‘claim.’
The minor Houses depended on favors and bribes to issue their ‘claim.’ Sometimes, those who wanted to try even forfeited their freedom and Vowed to serve the noble house just to get their vote and protection.
Well, many things did and could happen and various complications aroused but the Houses looked at them only as minor inconveniences. But, enough about that.
It is about me. Everything here, at least at this moment, is all about me.
Wow, even if I’m such an awesome guy, that line is a tad too arrogant for me.
Anyway, what’s taking them so long? It’s been 3 minutes since I was here but no one dared to speak?
“Hey guys, are you th---”
“A-Arthur Azaleus Regali-lius Von A-Ashchiemvierre-e!”
Old man, your voice suspiciously cracked, y’know. It sounded like a bit forced in contrast to your gravel-like voice that always sounded loud and a bit oppressive, y’know. Even if you’re the castellan, you should take of your voice, y’know.
Whew, I did admit that it seemed my performance was tad bit extreme that they were still shocked. Well, considering that I annihilated more-or-less 400 shadow-shadows when only 40 of them should be present using FIRE was, yeah, overkill.
Despite that, I needed every vote I could get, even from those battle-junkies and pyromanic crazies. Especially from those people.
“Yes!” For the moment, let’s act appropriately.
“ *ehem* YOU HAVE PASSED THE TRIAL AND THE COURAGEOUS PROVING THAT YOU ARE INDEED WORTHY! YOU HAVE PROVEN TO ANYONE AND TO THE GODS THAT YOUR BLOOD IS THICKER THAN FIRE!!!”
…yea, as I said, Aschiemvierre dig this kind of play. Hahh… oh, it’s time to reply. Hahh… I sure hope they wouldn’t notice my embarrassment for this charade.
“PRAISE THE ANCESTOR!”
“INDEED! PRAISE INDEED! GWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!”
““““PRAISE THE ANCESTOR!!!!””””
I’m surrounded with crazy people. Ah Aniki, I understand now why you left!
Those motes of swirling balls of heat blazed brighter that I had to shield my eyes with my arm. After a few seconds, those balls of fire were replaced by people wearing different expressions. Some was bewildered, most of the younger guys were a bit scared, a few were burning with desire, oh! I can feel battle-lust from guys over there and the rest were somehow amused.
Of course, there are people with indifferent masks, but they couldn’t conceal those piercing stares.
They were sitting around me; I felt like I was a gladiator from those arenas these leeches liked to visit. And of course, they’re elevated position really helped on looking down on me.
Well, no worries. I’m in the halfway point.
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…
Dafaq old man, continue your speech. I really want to go back to my---
“Lord Arthur!”
There ya go! For the moment, let’s kneel on one knee. Y’know I’m pretty convinced that bullying was part of this clans customs.
“YOU ARE HERE BEFORE YOUR KIN AND THIS PRESTIDIOUS FAMILY TO ASCERTAIN THAT YOU, MY BOY ARE NOW READY! THUS THIS VOTING PROCEEDS. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!!!
Old man, I'm glad that you got your punk back but your voice really, really is too loud, y'know. it really made my ears hurt. And not even counting those scolding during my spearmanship training. Y'know, one of these days I'll~~~
"LORD ARTHUR!"
Crap. "Yes! this young master understands!!!"
"Very well." He then looked around the viewers in an overbearing yet intimidating manner that suggested the seriousness of this proceedings. That look that practically screamed: I dare you to do something inappropriate and i'll burn you like a fucking pig in a fucking Morella festival!!!
But after literally exposing my existence to that glare rendered me preeeeeeetty much immune to it.
*eye contact* Hyiii! W-well, maybe only high resistance... *gulp* Right right.
"*ehem* TO ALL GATHERED HERE TODAY, YOU HAVE WITNESSED THIS YOUNG MAN'S VALIANT STRENGTH AND INGENIOUS MAGICAL PROWESS AND UNDENIABLE PROMINENCE! TO ALL ASHCIEMVIERRE PRESENT IN THIS GLORIOUS , YOU HAVE LAID EYES UPON THE CURSED GENIUS' OVERWHELMING SUCCESS! I BELIEVE THAT IT IS AN UNDEBIABLE PROOF THAT THIS YOUNG MAN IS WHOLEHEARTEDLY, UNDISPUTEDLY AN ASHCHIEM---"
"I object!" Someone interfered. Unsurprisingly, the old man castellan wasn't angry that his speech was cut off. after all, it was supposed to be like that.
Thus, the voting shall begin.
Aiya, popular men sure had it rough.
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"I object! That bastard cheated! He cheated! It is impossible for this mudlike bastard to be worthy of our noble blood!!!" a young voice practically screeched. When I looked at my left, I saw my first prey.
He was beautiful, in a weird way. his red hair was long enough to touch his lower back and his eyes would be mistaken for a girl's because of their long eyelashes if his face wasn't so scrunched in anger. In the first glance, you would mistake him for a girl.
If I remember correctly, he was the heir of the eastern side Earl. I never got his name but that androgynous appearance and somewhat calming aura could not be imitated. Let's call him Gender-chan for now.
Well, Gender-chan seemed to glare at me menacingly as he strode towards me with his lackeys. Two of them came from lower baronett hose and the other two was from one of the knight families on our eastern borders. I remembered that those at the eastern front were good at bows but Gender-chan didn't have one as he had a rapier on his rather-slim waist. Hmm, Oh! I predicted that he practiced the Waving Sunlight Sword Arte.
Wao. Privilege of the rich, indeed.
"Yo, Gender-chan! Aiya, didn't see since the party two years ago!" I laughed amicably. Meanwhile, he was staring daggers to me again.
"It's Ganderr, you imbecile! GANDERR!!!" he was metaphorically seething as he made his way towards me. He jumped off his pulpit, jogged unhurriedly off the seats and walked at my direction. I didn't know why, but whenever I greet my fellow comrades of this weird family, they always wanted to blow me up.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Straaaaange.
"Ouh, close enough. Gender-chan, So? Whatyawant?"
"Huh? Ah, You peasant! You dare?!?! You cheated, you arrogant bastard! You don't deserve to be here!!!!"
"Cheat? Me!? I-i would never!" I answered with mock surprise. I had known that my performance a few minutes ago would be criticized just like all of my actions so far, but I didn't expect that this small fry would point it out. Just kidding, I totally expected that.
Haha! Losing one of the cards they can play, those adults backstabbers glared at the idiot with the same intensity they would glare at me. Well, whoever provoked this idiot so that he narrow-mindedly charge at me and allowed this birdbrain to attend this Inheritance to serve as a pawn was seriously a BAD person.
Kukukuku... KAHKAHKAH! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!
"The Valiant Trials is so sacred that your filthy fire fire had tainted it! furthermore, it is a trial to test our martial Arte! You doing magic was against the rules!!!" he shouted.
I could see nods of assent around those from younger generation but those adults were sighing as if it couldn't be helped. In the same time, a short somewhat pudgy yet stocky kid waddled through the center without care with his little army of followers. I counted nine, including that piggy.
"Well said, brother Ganderr" he said grandiosely, as if he owned the world. "Truer words can not be said. This young master Isham Avamazze le Malava Ashchiemvierre supports you wholeheartedly!!! GweheheHEHE!"
Arere? Is it just me or is my half-baked plan going on too smoothly? Wow, I must really be a genius.
I didn't paid attention to little Isham's burning speech as I weighed my circumstance. I indeed planned to provoke Gender-chan to come down here to vehemently antagonize me so that the adults with slightly more head than this idiot would lose their turn, or at least hindered their attacks. And with Gender-chan their unfortunate and unknowing representative pawn, the jabs to me would be limited.
"-believe that-"
On the other hand, this pretentious, can't-read-the-mood dipshit was something I only hoped to fish. He was the second son of the Malava which boasts of their high explosive power of their magic. Believe it or not, this fatty here is more than just decent Flame.
However, even now, he wasn't stopping ridiculously long and pointlessly annoying speech that served him no favors. I could see at the corner of my eyes that few of the major noble houses were shaking their heads in frustration and glaring at that sheep with irritation. I couldn't fault them either, what they're hoping to be an intellectual match of loopholes and deceit has turned to an ole good kid's brawl.
And they couldn't stop it, considering the power that these two idiots' backing. So they let us be, just like I planned.
So then, all I have to do is to en-
"THAT'S RIGHT!!" a shrill yet slightly jarring voice interrupted my scheme. as I looked upon the owner of that voice, I saw another actor in this stage I made. This one however, I didn't put on the list of casts.
"This peasant dared to destroy my creations! My masterpieces!!! MY BABIES!!!" the young master of the Vermillianas basically howled without restraint, pointing at me agitatedly as if I killed his own children.
Between his fit of rage and his murderous eyes was supposedly the calm and patient scion of the leading inventors and golemancers in all of the fiefdom. His handsome face with his cropped-up red hair was supposed to sport of a calming smile that made those who see that you could instantly trust him even if he's covered in blood hacking your wife with you watching. Maybe even help him bury the body. His slender arms and almost-feminine hands were rumored to be the origin of the famous paintings and high-functioning golems circulating lately throughout the kingdom.
Randell Evenell Vermilliana Ashchiemvierre was a genuine great guy and now I pissed him off.
But who told him to splurge all of those shadow-shadows to me?! It was as if he was begging to turn them into ashes!
I didn't expect it at all but now that he came down here (alone if I might add) and decided to side with those two idiots, I could not just spare him. Using Aniki's words: He now entered my killzone; he can't leave unless I said so.
Haa... Anyway, it seemed whatever tirade my three preys were over that they're drilling me holes with their stares. Also, the old man must may been talking to me considering his deepened frown in his scarred face.
"Ehh, pardon?"
He sighed heavily, knowing I pretended to play dumb. "The young masters of Vermilliana, Remiller and Malava claimed that you have cheated at the Valiant Trial. How do you plea?"
"Eh, Hahh cheat? I'm pretty- hahh- sure I passed that one, " I acted dumbly between my ragged breaths. It really paid off that my "chara" as the great Aniki liked to dub it was an oblivious genius with a tendency for destruction
"Don't play dumb, you ignoble bastard! Using fire magic was against the rules. Only Valiant strength and martial skills allowed!"
Curses and sneers flew to me as my peanut gallery of 'opposition' agreed unanimously. unintelligent shouts light 'That's right, that's right' rang through the air.
Honestly though, what they complained about was almost a valid reason. For generations, young members of this house and a very few exceptions had been testing their martial skills and weapon Artes so finishing the trial of the Courageous with magic was unheard of. Afterall, against an army highly-mobile, fire-immune magebanes that was very adaptive and cooperative, launching fire magic was considered to be suicide.
However, it wasn't against the rules.
"Eh, rules? I'm pretty sure I followed them as I mowed down those smallfrys. Didn't the door just said to kill those and walk towards the light?"
There was an inscription at the double door of the Burning Tower that said, "The Brave must win Against His own Shadows to Walk the Path of Light" that served as a rule.
Nothing more.
And arguably, I followed them word for word.
What the three spoiled young masters' arguments were just a tradition. A custom. An outdated system we didn't bother to replace because it was still convenient.
However, if they somehow didn't use the excuse that I 'cheated' and accepted that but attacked me using the 'tradition of the Ashchiemvierre that I grossly neglected and trampled to mud in front of the whole family and the Duke himself' card, I might've taken political damage. And if they used that card with caution and cunning, using delicate and stabbing questions after question, cornering me gradually but surely... the passing mark for the first test might have been vetoed.
If they only let the adults politically mudball on me... But they devolved the fight into political equivalent of a drunken bar fight.
So guys, thank you!
...
Explaining that defeating all those shadowfies with any method was considered an immediate pass and me using fire magic was a legitimate tactics was easier said than done. After six minutes of cursing, shouting and arguing, that old man decided to give it my win to stop the disgrace those three young masters were accumulating.
But it is seem Moodkiller Isham was a bigger idiot that I let on.
"This great me can not accept this!!! In the first place, using a cursed-base fire to those golems was unfair! It was as if you had the right tools to pass!"
That was surprisingly a good reason so validate that I cheated.
But.
"And how was that my fault?"
It was not my miss, It was the admins here. Those higher ups should've known the quirks of my magics that they should've adjusted the tests. They should've known the capacity and genius of this great me because that's the only card I had: I was strong. Too strong.
Incidentally, Isham's House was one of them. So seeing him attacking his own was really funny. But I stifled my laughter and settled for a smug condescending smirk.
Which irritated him further. His red face was getting redder like a volcano as I tested the limit of his minuscule patience. This was the one last push to direct him to the scene I need to play...
"That does it, you pathetic philistine! If you were so above us that you your word is the law then you have no qualms proving it by defeating us in a duel!"
Hook.
"This young master shall participate as well. I could not fund in my noble heart to let my comrade to be bullied by monster!!! Come peasant, prove it to me!" from Gender-chan
Line.
"You shall pay for the sin of destroying my works!"
Sinker.
Now now, don't judge me here. The recipient of my weirdly long and painfully unnecessary monologue(bless you, by the way *wink*) might think that fighting these numbnuts when we were having a battle with brains was a heinously terrible idea but dear, you overestimate this family.
"Very well, I agree. But then dear cousin, if I did win against all of you, that would mean I am Worthy and Ready, aren't I?" I asked with a smirk.
In other words, 'if I win give me your votes.'
Oh, judging by their frowns, they immediately realized my hint. Gender-chan was hesitating, Randell-dino looked pensive but his bloodlust wasn't diminishing but my new buddy Isham...
"This great one accepts!!!"
...never disappointed me. Kukukuku...
Now both of the slightly rational idiots can't back off without slightly damaging their reputation. For Gender-chan, It seemed like a big deal but Randell-dono just wanted my genius head on a pike.
Now now, The imaginary recipients of my ridiculously long and pointlessly dramatic monologue (you're awesome btw!) might've questioned the drastic change of the mood -from a political argument to a brawl- but this scene here, as seen with the glittering eyes and the almost-manic grins of at least 60% of the viewers, was tolerated and even welcomed.
One thing about this family that I loved other than its fondness for dramatic flairs was its hot-bloodedness. Members of the Ashchiemvierre basically adhered to three unwritten laws. (1)Overkill is a legitimate kill (2)If you can't burn it, well fucking try harder! and (3)Any complicated problem can me solved with a simple solution: WITH FISTS.
Normally, issuing and accepting a duel during this time would be frowned upon but considering my preparations: riling up the young masters, grandly showing off to make the nobles' blood boil, and dettering those realist nobles from speaking out their dissent, it could be done.
Anticipated even.
"This one accepts."
Now dance, fire spirits. It's a festival.
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[Arthur Iglesias]
There were three enemies infront of me. One was an adept swordsman with a straightforward but deadly Arte. Another was an accomplished mage with food sense of space. The last one was a genius inventor and golemancer. Defeating three of them with my almost empty mana reserves would be so... awesome.
This is bad. I could already feel my 'terribly-fatigued-yet-futilely-determined' look cracking as the edges of my lips quirked up. I could already felt my blood boiling against an impossible adversary before me. I'm sure now-
"Reynoll, Freyn, Narlord." Gender-chan started rollcalling his retainers. "Pin him down and never let him draw too much fire spirits. Dreyfus, you're with me. We're focusing on speed now that we have Malava house's famous FlameRingers."
Eh?
"Eh?" I was dumbfounded. Before I knew it, Gender-chan's retinue started to form into a party formation as Randell-dono used this time to summon three flaming golems wielding custom-made Hecate series halberds. Those halberds had a hidden property that was disliked by most elemental spirits that they disperses the latter's effect in a magical phenomenon.
On the other side, I could see Isham commanding four of his lackeys to take the standard magic artillery formation and the insisted the five ladies on his entourage to go back up the stands. One surprising thing about Isham Malava that he was a gentleman.
But hold on... that's not the problem here.
"Eh, they're fighting me too?" I was really puzzled. It wasn't in my plan to include those extras because I knew how prideful Ganderr of the eastern territory was but to swallow it in public earned him shocked gasps and renewed respect. It was indeed an overkill; one thing Ashchiemvierres were fond of.
"Of course you nitwit!" Gender-cha replied with a sneer. "We said to duel US didn't we? It obvipisly means all of us!"
Hahh, what a pain. My planned from here goes to drain. Haaaahhh.
However, I knew that this sudden change of his views was not his own idea. I spent almost three months of observing his behaviors and patterns that I deemed this change inconceivable. A sudden sweep of the viewers, I could already see the culprit as she flashed me her angelic smile.
Tsk, this devil of a half-sister really wanted me to die!
I was surrounded. A half-squad of competent archers commanded with an elite swordsman backed with 3 latest anti-personel golems on my front and a chorus of first-class (for young adults) mages lead by a noble with reckless tendency to cause mayhem at my rear was something I didn't plan for.
I only considered the two young masters of Remiller and Malava to fight but now it came to this, I could feel my heart beating fast as I activated [adrenaline].
I almost didn't notice the old man shift his stance as he boomed "Then Begin!!!"
On cue, my preys zoomed into action as they dashed to my direction, readied their bows, and absorb mana in almost frightening amounts. Time slowed as activated the frenzied [bloodboil] and the risky [manaburn].
I almost laughed in hysteria when they added their numbers thinking that they alleviated their odds against me but they couldn't be more wrong.
Bwahahahaahahaha!!!
Increasing their numbers worked exactly in my favor.
Come, oh lost children. Come and play with this great uncle. Kuhkuhkuh