I strode confidently through the hotel that was close to the Aishi building I had first met Lucina Metron in. After purchasing the penthouse suite, I walked into the elevator and rode up, laying my eyes on the setting sun across the horizon. As I watched as the night life started to stir in the city below, I exited the elevator and walked the measly ten feet between the elevator and the only suite on the top floor.
“What the fuck was that thing!?” Sitting in my hotel room, I activated the privacy settings and turned on full soundproofing before screaming at Judgment. I threw my helmet at the wall
Judgment activated the hotel room, and chose to appear in front of me. This time, Judgment’s figure was that of King Metron, but made entirely out of wires and steel. His skin glistened under the iridescent lights of the room, and his wire hair was floating as if it was submerged underwater.
“Sorry for the delay, Master. I’ve found that this form evokes respect from those who interact with it. For test purposes, could you tell me how this form makes you feel?”
“Like you’re worthless!” I lashed out, and Judgment’s eyes glowed yellow before it changed back to its previous form.
“Duly noted. Thank you for your input, Master.”
I clicked my tongue and flung off my boots. “I wasn’t talking about your god damn appearance, I was talking about the fucking cyber-stein! Do you have any idea how stressed I was trying to keep my composure during the interview!?”
“Apologies, Master.” What should have been an apologetic tone came out sounding indifferent from the AI. “However, I did warn you of the existence of such beings.”
“Yes, but by your words, there weren’t a lot of them. What are the fucking odds that something that coincidental happens out of nowhere!?”
The room was silent, save for the sound of my haggard breathing slowly becoming more and more regulated. “If you are finished, Master, I have a recording from the arena’s security feed. Would you like to observe?”
“Yes. Set it to the left wall’s holovision.” The AI did as commanded, and soon a top-down angle of Terminus Colosseum’s arena was being projected from the high-tech wall.
“Master, please direct your attention to Cho Gazix’s corpse.” The camera zoomed in on the crown of my helmet as I plunged one of the sonic daggers into Gazix. His body shuddered as I pulled it out, and then subsequently fell to the floor as I disengaged.
It seemed a bit silly to think about, but watching the film back made my stomach turn. Why doesn’t this bother me more than an errant thought? I was never like this in America… or maybe I was always this apathetic, and only saw that on the surface. I didn’t think I was truly morally… dead.
“Fuck.” I muttered as the scene progressed, and I started speaking to the MC. I’ve opened Pandora’s Box. Now that I know killing is such an easy choice for me, it’s become a viable option to solve any problems that might arise. Fuck my morality I guess.
“Please pay attention Master.” Judgment’s voice snapped me back to reality and I refocused my vision on the video. As soon as the cleaning crew started to remove Gazix’s body from the arena, a dark smog made its way out from his mouth and started swirling around the vicinity before burrowing inside the MC.
“It came from Gazix?” No longer freaking out about the ‘how’ or ‘why,’ I was now capable of rational thought.
“Yes, Master. I’ve also taken the liberty of looking at some of the footage in the gladiator cells, and I’ve found this.”
A new video spawned, and the old one paused and minimized into a box in the screen’s corner. What I saw made all the feelings of comfort immediately dissipate. “Reya’s slimy brother!?”
“Exactly, Master. I’m glad you’ve caught on to the situation so quickly.” I sighed, unwilling to admit that while I recognized the fact that Brice had planted the cyber-stein, I had little left to intuit the ramifications for the world at large.
“Ah, my apologies Master. We have been together in subspace for so long that I have failed to process that you have only been in Ethia for two weeks.”
“No worries. It’s escaped me sometimes as well, but there’s little we can do about my lack of knowledge.”
“Quite.” Judgment chirped. “It’s a shame research into turning humanity completely digital is stagnating at the moment. However, you might be the key if you have an interest in helping Ethia, Master.”
“None whatsoever. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, please continue from where you left off before.” I sat down on the large canopy bed and started to drum my fingers on the nightstand.
“As you wish, Master. This prince is currently wearing a false Judgment Panel, and as such he has no access to the network, but I also have no insight as to his actions. However, failing to abide by regulations for being connected to the network is a crime, and as such he can be subjected to the Kingdom’s laws.”
I mulled the information over in my head, and suddenly had an idea. “Hey Judgment, can you tell me the legislative rights that I have as a Duskblade?”
“Of course, please stand by while I transfer them to the screen. Just keep in mind that these don’t apply to you anymore, Master.”
As I read the list on the wall, a small smirk found its way onto my face. “You mean it doesn’t apply to me, yet.”
---
I walked up to the Hideki Labs building, feeling comfortable in my new clothes. I was wearing black dress pants, a white dress shirt with a cotton-candy colored tie, and a black vest over the ensemble. A black watch was on my left wrist, with the face pointing inwards.
“Boy does it feel nice to be in something other than a latex suit.” I smiled, holding the briefcase that contained my folded up helmet and SMART suit.
“Master, it would be in your best interest to stop monologuing. We’re coming up to the entryway.” Sure enough, there were armed enforcers guarding the gates to the lab.
As I stopped at the gate, a guard immediately recognized my face and ushered me into the building without a second thought. “Mr. Teramoto must have figured out what you had done, Master. He won’t be pleased.”
“That’s alright.” I accidentally said out loud to the AI. I’ve come to return his clothing, after all. The entirety of the world saw the suit, daggers, and mask I used. If I continued to use them, there wouldn’t ever be any peace for me. I’d always be recognized right away.
I continued farther into the bunker-like design of the lab, and came up to the familiar barrier of cleaning solution. Stepping through the bubble, I was greeted with the face of a very tired-looking Teramoto.
“Mr. Teramoto. A pleasure to see you.”
The oriental man glared at me through his glasses and sighed. “Come in. I’m pretty sure we have something to discuss.”
I followed him into his lab, where we each took a seat at a white, hexagonal table. “What did you come here for, Joshua?” The man sounded defeated, and very, very tired.
“I’ve come here to return your suit.” I gave him a grin and set the briefcase down on the table. Opening it up, I displayed the contents, all still fully intact.
Contrary to my expectations, Teramoto’s eyes were solely on me. “Do you have any idea how much money it cost me to just find out that the sample you gave me was my own blood?”
I shrugged. “No, but you’re a head researcher. I figure it couldn’t have been too bad.”
“Former head researcher.” Teramoto sighed and lightly rapped his fist on the table. “They stripped me of my position after I failed to produce results after using ten percent of our budget.”
I felt a dull ache in my heart as I spoke. “Ah, but you can just become a head researcher again, right?”
“Probably not. At least, not for a while. Our company takes failure very seriously, and there was no logical way to use my trust in you as an excuse to get out from under the cost of the operation.”
My heart sank. “Teramoto, I’m-”
“I don’t want your excuses. I’m just very disappointed. Both in you, and myself. I thought I was a better judge of character. Congratulations, you’ve made a fool of me. Keep the suit, it was commissioned by the princess, after all. Just don’t show your face in front of me again.”
He tapped his desk twice, and armed forces came out from the shadows, ushering me to leave. I ignored the complicated feelings in my chest as I stood up and walked out. “That didn’t go as planned, did it, Master?”
Shut up Judgment. I didn’t like how awful that conversation with Teramoto made me feel. I thought I had purged all my sympathy, but me being the direct cause of his turmoil really struck a nerve.
Am I ill? One second I can kill in cold blood, and the next I feel guilty for getting a man fired? Judgment, run a full brain scan to make sure that the time-dilated training didn’t leave any permanent damage.
“As you wish Master.” I exited the facility and started walking back towards the hotel. What to do next… I guess if I was going to leave the city, I might as well tie up all loose ends.
“Judgment, contact Lucina. Tell her to meet me at the new hotel… and bring her toys.”
---
“So the first thing that happens when you start to feel pain again is a craving for sex? Fascinating.” Lucina, in all her erotic glory was currently sitting on the large bed in my hotel room.
I had underestimated her. Of course, she had figured out who I was by using the same method I had used to discover her own identity. Note to self, I stared at her shapely ass as she stripped off her shirt and pants, people here, especially royalty aren’t as dumb or as shortsighted as my classmates back in Boston.
“So, even though you know my identity, why did you say yes to having sex again?” The woman stood up, revealing the dark red gimp suit that she wore under her clothes. She tossed the duffel bag full of sex toys onto the bed, and proceeded to sort through them.
“Because, ‘Jester’, sex just feels good. On the plus side, you’re cute, and an unrestricted commodity. It wouldn’t hurt to show you what bringing you over to my side could entail.” Her sultry voice mocked me. Well, at least she was honest.
“And you’re deciding to tell me this because…?”
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
“Because I saw how poorly Reya trying to play her games ended with you. After telling all of us about your powers, she vented to her sisters because she was furious that you didn’t even fall for her charms. I really don’t want our kingdom losing someone of value, and I’ve even resolved myself to needing to be your partner in order to keep you here.”
“Reya just didn’t understand that we have different tastes. She thinks she’s good at playing games, but she isn’t. What I need isn’t someone unaware of who they truly are. All I wanted was a kinky genius.”
Lucina smiled and put a jet black collar on herself, on which she put a small padlock. She finished spreading out all her toys, gags, plugs, restraints, and sensory deprivation tools. When she was finished, she turned back to me, revealing her shapely breasts, pierced nipples, and seductive smile. “Come now Jester. Do your worst.”
---
“You really do love it, don’t you, Luxia?” I called Lucina by her sub name while sitting on her back. She was on her hands and knees, and panting heavily while drooling onto the carpet through her ring gag.
“Hey, I’m speaking to you.” I flogged her ass, causing the skin to turn a bright shade of red. She squealed, and uttered something akin to an affirmation to my previous question.
“Good.” I got off of her, and walked over to the bed, picking up a medium sized butt plug. “Bend over.”
She looked me in the eyes as she lowered her chest to the floor and raised her ass. I shoved the plug in, and she squirmed, but ultimately made no noise aside for panting.
I smirked. “Trying to play it tough?” I walked around behind her, and started rubbing my foot against her genitals. She stifled her moans, and trembled as my toes ran over her clit.
“You’re really an insufferable masochist.” I slapped her ass and walked over to the bed, which looked more like a tool chest once more. I took a singular weight and a clothespin, alongside a thin dildo with a harness on it.
I took the nipple with a stud in it, and placed the clothespin on it. Lucina moaned in pain, the sound coming as sweet music to my ears. “See? If only you’d just stopped playing the tough girl at first, we wouldn’t have had to resort to this.”
She squealed once again as I hung the weight off of her other breast, and I looked back to see her dripping legs. “Close huh?” I smacked her ass with my hand. “Can I hear any appreciation for getting a filthy slut like you off?”
“Hank you, Mahter.” Lucina managed to get out through the gag.
“Too little too late for appreciation. You reap what you sow.” Her eyes opened wide as I shoved the dildo through the gag and into her mouth. A bulge appeared in her throat, and she gagged as her eyes partially rolled back. She quivered as she squirted onto the floor.
“I’ll never get used to that.” I strapped dildo to her head, making the dildo a newfound fixture inside her throat. She could only let out a muffled moan as I bound her arms behind her back and slung her over the bed. I slid my member into her, and she arched her back in ecstasy.
Taking advantage of the situation, I grabbed her arms and held her in that position, pounding into her harder and harder as time wore on. I would occasionally spank her, eliciting weak whimpers from the bound princess.
Eventually I pulled out and undid the straps to the dildo, clearing up her throat. Or, well, clearing it up until I shoved my own member into her mouth. She looked up at me with teary eyes and running makeup, but there was a spark of arousal in her eyes. “Put that tongue to work. After you clean me, we’re moving on to round two.”
---
“You really are my guilty little pleasure.” Lucina spoke to me as she soaked in the large bathtub provided by the hotel. I was in the middle of giving her aftercare, and the bath followed the thorough massage I had given her to ensure her blood circulation was functioning normally.
“Do you realize how many assholes don’t take proper care of their partners?” She gave me a look, and I sighed while applying shampoo to her very long hair.
“Sorry about last time. I was in a hurry.” She smiled.
“Don’t worry. One bad night isn’t the be all end all of a relationship.” That got my attention.
“Bad night? Please, Lucina. I had you practically drowning in a sea of your own fluids.” The sultry woman took the casual jab in stride.
“Yes, but your fluids were plentiful as well. What kind of person even does oral for two hours straight? Do you have any idea how hard it was to hide my raspy voice from my parents?”
“Sorry.” We fell into a comfortable silence, until Lucina was the first to speak up.
“So what are you doing now? What’s the plan?”
I scoffed as I rinsed the lather out of her hair. “Please, you don’t actually care.”
She placed a warm hand on top of mine. “And if I told you I did?”
“Then I might want to run for the hills because you definitely have something planned around me thinking that you’re a genuine person.”
She smirked. “That’s why I like you. You understand people. Even if they’re too stupid to notice, they always act in their own best interests.”
I shrugged. “Regarding your question, just be present at the castle tonight. I’ll make it entertaining, to say the least.”
Lucina sighed wistfully before moving her fingers in a strange manner. A red light flashed in the corner of my vision, and I received a notification from Judgment. “You have received a Kingdom key from Lucina. Will you use it?”
“What’s a kingdom key?” I voiced out loud, and the voices of Lucina and Judgment overlapped momentarily.
“Well, it’s-”
“Proceeding with debrief. It’s-”
I put up a hand to stop Lucina. “Sorry, I meant Judgment. Not that I don’t trust you, I just don’t trust the human mind to remember everything important.”
Lucina looked mildly offended, but said nothing as she got out of the bath. “Towel, please.” I tossed the towel at her and turned around, fearing that staring at her figure too long would make me want to continue our activities.
“Wise choice, Master.” Judgment sounded happy. “A kingdom key is given to one of each member of any country’s royalty or head of state. It is designed to function much like a VIP ticket, granting diplomatic immunity and incredibly high security clearance for the holder. They may also take any official title that they wish. However, once used, the results cannot be changed or revoked, and they will lose certain functions of the key. Overall, it is the item that separates normal people and nobility.”
I turned back to look at Lucina, who motioned towards the bed. We sat down side by side, and she turned to face me, a grin on her face. “Think of that as an investment. One I hope you will be returning in the near future.”
“Don’t worry. Whether you think I’m worth it or not, I am going to eliminate any threats.”
“Why? For the sake of the country?”
“Of course not, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. No, it’s to make sure my life is clear of any obstacles or random brain jacking, cyber-steining menaces.”
---
Reya was practically fuming by the time she stepped into the throne room. Looking at her messages once more, she looked at the message that had made her blood boil only twenty minutes beforehand.
From: J.Cole - Reya, please gather up all the members of your family in the throne room tonight at 9. Oh, and don’t worry, I’ll let myself in with the kingdom key. See you then!
She slammed her hand into the wall next to her, causing several guards to avoid their eyes. Who did that asshole think he was? She had spent nearly two whole weeks trying to wrap him around her finger, but it had backfired on her horribly. She had appeared weak, sensual, and even mentally strong when she calculated that she needed too, and it all just served to push him farther away. Seriously, what was wrong with him? Granted, she was still in a fantastic position to take the throne, but even Reya realized how difficult it would be without Joshua by her side.
“I have to get him back…” she muttered as she stepped through the doors to the throne room. All eyes turned to her, but not for long. They returned back to the figure standing next to the throne, Joshua Cole.
“Great!” Brice cried. “Now that my slow sister is here, will you finally tell us what is so important!?” Joshua simply smiled and raised his hand. Several of the guards in the room surrounded Brice, and pointed their guns at him.
“What the-!?” Brice was shaken, and fell to his ass when his legs gave out on him. The rest of the room watched in stunned silence before the king stood up.
“I hope you all have a good reason to be pointing those at my son.” His tone was ice cold, and several of the guards started shivering.
“Actually, we do.” This time it was Joshua who spoke, and walked up to the king. “These people are just obeying the orders of the newest Paladin of the Metron Kingdom.”
The king’s mouth went agape. “You-” Then he turned to Reya. “You gave him a Kingdom Key!?” Reya shook her head frantically in denial.
“No father, of course not! I still have mine, look!” She pulled out her key in AR, and the king scanned the rest of the room, along with his daughter, who was fuming once more.
‘So someone else made a move on him!?’ She thought. ‘It must be that bitch Venus! She must’ve seduced him right out from under me! She is in charge of all the brothels in the capital, it’s not strange that- wait… was it Raiden!? Does he swing that way?’
“Regardless of where I got it from,” Joshua spoke, drawing attention away from the potential conflict, “I now have legislative and judicial powers in exchange for my freedom from this kingdom.”
Joshua sighed. “As such, I am arresting Brice Metron on the charges of treason, cyber-stein smuggling, and failure to wear a regulation Judgment Panel.” Brice paled as the King shouted at Joshua.
“This is ridiculous! Of all the charges you could bring up-!”
“If you don’t believe me,” the Paladin interrupted, “try to invite him to Judgment subspace.” Brice started to stammer as a beam of light shot from his father’s head and onto his own.
The king started to tremble with rage as he waved his hand towards Brice. “Throw him into the royal cell! Call Bruce to interrogate him!”
“There’s no need for that, your majesty.” Joshua spoke up once again, and the King looked towards him, not with the undisguised rage from before, but with a newfound respect.
“What do you suggest, Paladin Cole?” Reya could hardly believe her ears. Her father just accepted Joshua’s legitimacy!? How was she supposed to put him back under her thumb now!?
“I’ll interrogate him here. No need to waste taking him to the dungeon. I should only need a minute or two.” Every member of the royalty looked at Joshua as if he was insane, which, by all accounts, he probably was.
“Hello, Brice.”
“Fuck off you monster!”
“Nice to see you too.” The new Paladin took a Judgment panel from his pocket, and attached it to Brice’s forehead, next to the fake one. “Don’t worry, this will only take a moment.
He pulled a large needle from his breast pocket and poked Brice’s finger with it. Brice jumped, but made no further show of pain. Joshua smirked, and Brice gasped. “What did you do!?”
Joshua stabbed at Brice again, a quick in and out, but this time Brice howled like a beast, and slumped to the floor when all was said and done. “Did you like that?” The Paladin smirked at Brice. “I amplified your pain receptors by ten, and dilated your perception of time to make one second feel like one minute.”
Brice looked up, his face now a slobbering mess devoid of any dignity. “Do you feel like telling me your secrets now? If not, we can continue. Just be warned that each new stab will last longer than the previous one. First, it will be ten minutes. Then twenty, thirty, fourty, fifty. Hell, you might even make it to one hour.”
Brice retched, and despite our conflicts, I felt sad for him. What a shitty life to be tortured by an insane, sadistic otherworlder. “It was the Luong Empire!”
My father collapsed into his seat as Joshua smirks. “Thank you. Boys, you can throw him into a holding cell now. We have a start. I’ll be by to extract the rest of the information out of him as soon as I’m done here.”
The guards responded with a, ‘Yes Sir!’ before dragging out a sobbing Brice. “Daddy, save me!” He called out as the doors closed behind him.
“Shouldn’t you be grateful for my work in protecting the country? In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if you get on your hands and knees and begged for me to stay.” What an insufferable man!
The room held its collective breath as King Metron muttered, “You’re right.” He got off his throne and knelt in front of Joshua. “I am sorry about how we treated you in the past.”
The room was silent, and Joshua looked uncomfortable as he sneered. “Your apology only serves as one sided recompense! It’s only to make the apologizer feel as if they are rectifying a wrong!”
“Perhaps.” The king spoke in a slow and calm manner. “Nevertheless, I am sorry. Would you consider being under our employ to resolve this issue?”
“No, I would not.” His answer was short and immediate.
“You dare speak to the king that way!?” This time, it was Raiden who spoke up as the former crown prince.
“I’m going to be honest, young prince. I’m sick of playing political games. What I really want to do is just go to a far off island somewhere to live out the rest of my days. Unfortunately, if Judgment’s guesses are correct, some organization has found out how to mass-produce the fuckers again. Plus, with the constant threat of a cyber-stein infestation, vacationing is not really that appealing to me.”
“It’s as he says. We are in dire need of someone who can move as an undercover operative, and since his only public appearance has been under a helmet, and he is shielded by Judgment itself, he is the perfect agent.” King Metron stood once more, and held out his hand to Joshua. “I hope you will be open to the idea of working alongside us in order to stop this threat. We can hammer out the terms and conditions after the interrogation, but will you assist in stopping this threat? Not as an employee, but as a proper partner of the Kingdom.”
Joshua looked at the man reluctantly, and shook his hand. “As long as you don’t impede on my freedom, I can see this being a profitable relationship.”
Reya rubbed her eyes. This could not be happening. This could not be happening. “Are you ok there Reya?” Reya Metron looked up and turned to see her sister, Lucina Metron. “It’s a shame about Joshua, isn’t it? Guess it’ll be difficult to keep a leash on him now, huh?”
The gears in Reya’s head spun as all the pieces finally fit nicely together. Reya scowled. ‘This masochistic bitch! I should have known that she’d been the one to give a sadist her key!’
“Well, we’ll see.” Reya replied and smiled at Lucina, leaving her true feelings buried at the bottom of her heart. She would get Joshua working for her again, one way or another. She swore it on the name of Reya Rust Metron.