I stood up slowly. Though the pain is gone already, I still feel like my body was about to explode from the inside.
Michael's spirit familiar who can come out by themselves appeared before him.
"Udo, go get May and lead her to the inn. Soliare, go to Zel and bring me his family. Pori, rescue Nrowe and Alfred and bring them to the inn. The rest will stay here, we'll be receiving guests shortly"
"Understood!"
Now that those things have been taken care of I should... huh?
[The primordial God of Void was delighted watching you]
[He now understand why the other three primordial gods took a liking to you]
[The primordial God of Void have fix the flow of internal energy in your body which was being disrupted due to the actions of your family members]
[The primordial God of Void strengthen the power of your ability
[You have received a title]
[You have acquired the title Void king, breaker of law]
Too many damn notifications at once, ugh.
Another king title? How? Since it said 'breaker of law' it must be related to my phantom world.
"System, if I don't rule over something does that mean that the title 'Void king' doesn't have a king's covenant?"
[That is correct]
Speaking of king's covenant, what Fae told me really disturbs me.
(Note: Fae is Omorfae's nickname)
Though it does make sense why I am feeling annoyed and happy at the little things that is happening around me. To think that my emotions would be back. I have so much to do and something like this is forcing its way in to me.
I went inside the library to take and drink the elixir. Afterwards, I drank the poison which will temporarily negate the effects of the elixir.
I summon Inosi, Ella, Ello, and Zoe so that they can possess the body that I have prepared for them.
As soon as Soliare came back with Zel and his family I had Lorea remove the negative mana in their bodies to stop the corrosion. I then put them inside my inventory and their souls inside the
[Huge mana detected approaching at high speed]
Oh, so he got here first huh. I thought it would be Hasshule and Max but to think that it would be him. Well, considering what he's been through I supposed it's normal for him to act like this.
Troy landed violently, shaking the earth as if there was an earthquake.
He walk towards me while glaring at my spirits.
"Explain. What was that?"
"You mean a sudden shock that showed things that haven't happened yet"
"I don't care what it is. Tell me what it was"
"Those were your memories from the previous time. In summary, you did something to the gambler king, he killed himself to rewind time, he then took revenge by killing Gwen in front of you. That's it"
"Why would he took revenge on me when I did nothing to him?!"
This guy needs to calm down I' already protecting my ears with aura but I'm still going to be deaf at this rate.
"If you can't stay compose how will you understand what I am about to say, huh? Sit down and listen"
I then explained to him what happened in great detail. I don't have access to his memory from the first time since the contract was signed previously which is the second so only the memories from the second timeline and the next timelines can be recovered.
While explaining it to him, his mood change from destroying the forest to crying and then trying to kill me. A truly bothersome cycle.
"You don't need to worry this time since he already finish his revenge on you"
Though the fact that he remembers how brutally Gwen was killed right in front of him won't change.
"Please be more careful to what you do. I am saying this for Gwen's sake"
I left him to think things through.
Just as I left him my other guests arrived.
Both Hasshule and Max arrived at the same time. Since I've already told Max to wait for Hasshule so that they can come here together.
I then healed Hasshule since using long range teleportation several times in succession would normally kill anyone. It's actually amazing that she is still conscious.
"Will you now explain what your grand plan is?" Hasshule said while glaring at me.
"Simple. We all know that the imperial crown prince is capable but an asshole and a tyrant, right"
"Yes"
"And that Marcellus and Layla are good at leadership"
"Yes"
"We simply need to raise the number of Layla's supporters by stealing them from the crown prince"
"How?"
"Blackmail and taking advantage of their greed. But it would be nice if we were to present ourselves carefully to the masses"
"What do you mean by that?"
"You mean the emperor's birthday?"
"Yes"
The emperor's birthday is January 7 which is one week from now. The previous time, Hasshule said that Layla wore a used dress already. This time she will enter the imperial palace with the best dress that will highlight her beauty.
Besides, my presence alone would most likely shock all of them since those who bear the title of 'king' are rare to begin with.
After resting for a few hours Hasshule and Max went back to the capital of Lorazio and began preparations. Hasshule sent a letter saying that I will be participating at the event and other minor things needed to be filled while Max started to gather dirt on the nobles that have ties with the duke of Exousia.
Troy left and went back to Maigrema with a blank expression.
After breaking in and saving Nunu from the dungeon we headed towards to the empire. Soliare was busy creating the underground facility while Xaldure volunteered to teach Alfred how to fight.
I also told them to rescue Airaloa from the house of a certain noble.
After the effects of the poison vanish I spent the next two days asleep due to the effects of drinking the superior grade elixir.
Just before the ship arrived at the dock I woke up.
"Will we saved Alister, master?"
"Yeah"
Based on Alister he said that he and his master was staying at the villa of a man named Marcus Deswum since they are relatives. This makes it easy since I already know where that villa is.
We infiltrated Marcus Deswum's villa and saw Alister with his master.
"G, guards!!!"
"Stop screaming will you"
Dean swiftly killed all the guards that came in.
"Dean, devour it"
"Understood"
In a matter of seconds the curse spirit ate the curse that is binding Alister to be a slave to the scumbag who is currently on the floor, wailing.
Oooh~ Dean's ability sure is handy at times like this.
Dean rendered Alister unconscious and proceeded with the plan.
I had Alister's former master to write down the nobles that were connected to him in exchange for his life.
The paper contained the names, rank, and location of their houses.
He did a better job than I thought.
The man got on his knees.
"You, you won't kill me now, right?! I've written everything perfectly just as what you instructed me to"
"You dare lie in front of me?"
Swiftly, the man's head who was kneeling down saw Michael upside down, as if a bat who is standing on the ceiling.
His head rolled down and blood spurted out.
"Yeah. As if I'd let a man like you roam the world"
After stealing the documents we went out and burned the entire villa.
"Where should we go now, master?"
"The capital. It's time to meet the princess"
Dean will send Alister back and come back to take care of Mel, that takes care of the two of them.
It took us another two days to reach the capital of Lorazio. Now there are only one and a half day before the emperor's birthday.
The duchy in the south, north and east have a teleportation gate which leads to the imperial palace. It can only be used in occasions like this though.
Nunu landed in front of Layla's palace.
Unlike last time, the guards welcomed us. As expected from the sorcerer king.
Though they did welcome us they had the expression that they can't believe that we are here for Layla.
After reverting to his human form, I gave Nunu a robe with a hood.
It's not the time for him to show his face to the public after all.
We entered a waiting room, shortly after both Hasshule and Layla appeared.
"It is an honor to meet you, Spirit king"
"I am thankful for the warm hospitality. Also, do call me by my name, no need for formalities between two kings"
-Master, why are you guys introducing yourselves when you already know each other?
-It's because it is needed to spread gossips.
The knights and some maids were trying their best to not look at me and Nunu while attentively listening to our words.
When it comes to gossip women and children are the best to spread it like wildfire.
The power of being a 'tsismosa'
"Leave us for a while as you prepare for dinner"
"Understood"
The knights and the maids went out quietly while stealing glances.
"Princess Layla" I knelt down in front of her. "I am Michael Santiago, the spirit king. And I have brought present for you" I kissed her hand like how a knight would to a lady.
[Huge amount of blood lust is detected]
This guy... he sure is hopelessly in love with her. To think that he'd be so mad at me kissing Layla's hand to the point that he'd release killing intent towards me.
"The pleasure is mine" She replied. "And he is?"
-Introduce yourself like how I taught you to.
Nunu removed his hood. He took three steps forwards and slightly bowed down with his right hand on his chest.
"I am Sir. Nuris Santiago. It is an honor to meet you, princess Layla"
I pulled the dress from the subspace library.
A dress that Omorfae created after I gave her the materials she needed.
It was a not so simple sleeveless black dress with a red gradient. The silk was taken from a legendary beast. It had dozens of small red diamonds decorated from the bottom to the top of the dress which looked as if it were placed to copy what a spiderweb would look like.
The diamonds shimmered as they were hit by the light, enchanting the others.
I pulled the jewelry set which was also created by Omorfae from the materials I've given her.
A four pound necklace purely made from black diamonds, earrings made from rubies, a bracelet made from black gold with a red diamond of the highest purity.
To think that the Devil's forest had so much things like this.
Sigh.
Though the dress looks simple the materials needed for it are extremely expensive. In total it should be, at the very least, 40,000 million gold coins for their standards. As for the jewelry set, all in all, it should be around 20,000 million gold coins.
The duchy of Adifagos earns an average total of 80,00 million gold per year. I wonder what their faces would look like if they saw Layla wearing a third of their yearly income.
A telepathic message was sent from Hasshule saying that,
-Where in the world did you get such expensive items? And what is up with the crazy, off the charts runic inscriptions on the dress and the jewelries?
-One of my 'phantom world's ability is creation through duplication. So if I have one I can make many more from nothing.
I didn't had enough internal energy back then, when I was in my world, to duplicate diamonds. I was barely able to create pearls and now I am mass producing them from nothing.
I say that but I still need to understand the structure of what I am duplicating and it is also mentally exhausting so I need a lot of time.
-Do you now understand how I'm going to make the Adifagos fall?
She sighed and look towards the dress in awe instead.
"Why don't you try it on, princess? I am sure it would look magnificent on you. Just so you know I still have tones of other dresses just for you"
"I, I can't possibly wear such a thing"
"Do you not like it? Or is it perhaps not up to your taste?"
She became flustered
"It's not like that! Really. I'm just not sure whether I deserve something so expensive"
"It is my gift for you. I and my son would be happy if you accept it"
Layla look at me with tired eyes. She then looked at Nunu who was staring at her the entire time.
"O-okay. Please wait here"
Hasshule helped Layla to wear the dress.
Twenty minutes later, she came out while also wearing the jewelry set that I've given her.
Nunu's face turned bright red as he enjoy the view before him. Layla who was wearing the dress wasn't uncomfortable from the dress, rather, she was embarrass since Nunu's gaze was intense.
-Hey, this is an order from your father: Stop looking at her like a maniac. Don't you see she finds it weird.
-I, I'm sorry.
Nunu then turned the other way around, resisting to fall for the temptation in front of him.
"It looks perfect. I'm sure that you will steal the spotlight from everyone else"
I snap my fingers and the dress was replaced by the dress she was wearing earlier. The jewelry set also came back to their places.
I slightly bowed down.
"I'm sorry for my rudeness but I needed to remove it immediately since my son is having some other, not so needed, thoughts after seeing your beauty. Please forgive him"
"It's alright. Please raise your head"
I raised my head.
"Thank you"
Though this is the first we've met, from her perspective, she is doing her best to act dignified and composed no matter how over dramatic my actions and words are.
And this is how she was able to pass my first test with flying colors.
We were escorted to our rooms after chatting with them. It was more like we were killing time instead of actually talking important things. After all, if we put some sound barrier people would think it is weird that they can't hear anything especially when another king, who isn't affiliated to the empire, is the house of a royal.
The night passed by and so did the news of Michael, who is the spirit king, was residing at the palace of princess.
The birthday of the emperor came.
Before the sun rise, we went through the teleportation gate located inside the mansion of the Adifagos'. Thanks to Hasshule we didn't encounter them. As the three of us pass through many servants were surprised to see Layla with two unknown individual using the teleportation gate at the house of the duchy of Adifagos.
"Lead us to the waiting room, kay?"
Using my aura to coerce the workers, there was one who courageous enough to lead the way for us.
"P-please wait inside t-this room"
"Gladly"
We entered the vacant room and I started to prepare Layla's dress.
"Don't worry you won't feel anything like last time"
"Okay"
After wearing the dress and the jewelry dress, I put make up on her and did her hair properly.
"How do you know how to put make up?"
"Because I know the basics about everything, no matter how ridiculous it may be. Knowledge is power however you must be able to apply it. It will only then become your weapon"
I left the two so that they can talk after inscribing the room with protection.
I wandered around the palace while I hid my presence.
Though the mana in the air is normal, if I look closer, this ridiculous highly concentrated program is all over the place.
A defense mechanism perhaps?
Even though I can understand all languages in this world, I was only able to understand a few.
No, are these even words to begin with?
"Who are you?"
When I hear the voice there was a sword at my throat already.
I was too immersed to what I saw that I didn't felt this presence.
"I repeat, who are you?"
"I am Michael Santiago, the spirit king"
The guy fell down unable to move.
Oh, it's him.
"You shouldn't be raising your swords on someone's throat so casually, young master Marcellus"
He inhaled sharply when I remove my aura that was blocking the airways in his throat.
Looking at him now, he does have a disgusting princely features.
The rumored 'Blood knight of sacred oath'.
While he is famous for being handsome he is infamous for killing all the girls who talk badly about Layla.
Thus, he was given the title 'Blood knight of sacred oath' from the masses. His vow where he'll only look and love Layla became his determination and self-harm at the same time.
I grab him and teleported to the room where the two were.
-Master, I've been wondering how you teleport like that.
-Well, it's more close to swapping the space of the designated target. So it is more close to me exchanging places with the place I want to go.
I can only do it to the thing's I've mark or places within sight though.
"Layla!"
Marcellus hurriedly went to Layla and push off Nunu. With one swing, Nunu flew to the other side of the room as if some great force hit him from the side.
-Play dead for now.
-Understood.
Layla saw Nunu who fainted from the shock of being hit by Marcellus.
Nunu sure know how to act good.
He unsheathed his sword and pointed it towards me.
"Mark, stop! He is the spirit king! He is lady Hasshule's honored guest"
He look at Layla's face who was noticeably worried, desperately trying to stop him.
After taking some deep breaths he sheathed his sword and apologize.
"I am sorry. I-"
Not letting him apologize I knocked out both Marcellus and Layla at the same time.
Before coming to the capital I stop by a territory ruled by a viscount and snatch one of his servant. It was the man who has the ability to see the memories of others.
So I killed him and took it away from him before going to Layla's palace.
Bang!
Hasshule bursted through the door, complaining to what I did.
She yelled after casting a sound proofing magic "Why is the young duke of Exousia here?! Why are they unconscious?! What happened?!"
"Stop shaking me" I sighed lightly, "For now, please don't let anyone enter"
"For how long?"
"At least for an hour"
"I got it"
She went outside and I felt a chair was formed and she sat down as if guarding the door.
I immediately went towards the two and started reading Marcellus' memories.
...
A boy who was training with an adult fell down, exhausted from the rigorous training.
"Stand up! As the future duke who is the sword of the empire, you need to be strong!"
Yelled by the man.
Though at first glance they seemed like they are training, it was one-sided beating. The young boy, covered in bruises, was desperately standing up. Even with wounds and broken bones he knew he'd die if he didn't stand up and continue on their 'training'.
After finishing his 'training' he'd go pass through a secret tunnel leading outside of the manor. Walking slowly enjoying the leaves falling down, he sighed.
"This isn't as suffocating as inside"
He mumbled.
He sat down underneath the shade of a tree.
He was relax. Breathing as he wanted to. There was no need to be on alert whether his posture was wrong, or whether his breathing was incorrect.
The boy's little paradise which gives him a peace of mind.
A week later, the boy went back to where he'd usually go whenever he wanted to relax just for a bit. As he did not have anyone to lean on the tree serve as a shoulder that soothes his tired heart.
He went through the tunnel and saw the trees were cut down.
All of it. There was not a single tree within sight.
He went back using the tunnel.
A maid was there as if waiting for him. He froze.
"The duke is looking for you"
The maid said. She then left the boy alone.
The boy went to his father's office, when he got the permission he entered.
"If you have enough time dilly dallying there, you should invest that wasted time in training instead! Go out!"
Pang!
The man had thrown a wine glass to the boy.
The boy left the office of his father with blood dripping from his head.
All curled up in the corner of his room, he cried and ask himself "Am I not allowed to sit down? Did I do something wrong to receive father's wrath? What should I do?"
The door open slowly and a small girl appeared.
She walk towards the boy with bandages on her shoulder while carrying a basin with water.
"Princess?!"
As he recognize the identity of the girl he tried to stand up but lost his balance instead. He then fell down but stop midair.
"Don't move" The princess said.
She neatly wiped off the blood on the boy's skin and then put the bandage around his head properly as if she was experienced enough to know how to do it.
"Why are you here? No, how did you get here?"
"His highness visited and brought me along. I saw a trail of blood and thought that the duke must have beat you up again"
"He, he'll get mad when he sees you here"
"It's okay. No one would openly hit me as long as his majesty is here"
He froze once again. Realizing the meaning behind those words, he cried.
'Does that mean she also go through this? How can she smile if she does? Is that why she know to treat my wounds well?'
Questions flooded the boy's mind and felt pity to the girl.
"Here, eat this well"
She handed out a candy.
She kiss the forehead of the boy and left after waving her tiny hand.
For the first time someone showed the boy compassion.
He ate the candy as he cried, mad at himself. Not because of the fact that such a young girl treated him or about the fact that the pain all over his body continues to ache everyday. It was because he felt pity to the person who helped him, he felt pity to the person who showed him goodwill while knowing the possible consequences of entering a room she was not allowed to enter.
Several years passed by and the little boy who would go through the tunnel grew up. He became an adult.
In his coming of age the duke hosted a party for his son's 15th birthday.
Many people of high status came and visited. Many gave him presents and greetings.
But to him the event itself was suffocating. People, left and right, would sweet talk to him to gain his favor. Girls of the same age shyly ask him what he likes which only irritated him.
The boy, no, the man sneak out of the manor through the backdoor. Instead of going through the tunnel he jump and pass the wall.
He run towards the pond near the tree where he used to rest whenever he felt down.
"Ah"
He stop as he saw a girl who had bundle of milk-strawberry candies with her.
The clouds drifted and the moonlight shined upon the girl.
"Princess"
The princess was wearing a short dress and average shoes.
She smiled "I wasn't allowed to enter so I loitered around and saw this pond. i hope you don't mind"
He started crying.
"I don't have any money since his and her highness would never give me any. I sold some of my jewels to buy this. It's nothing much but hoped you would like it"
He walk closer.
"Happy birthday Mark"
The people who greeted him use his full name. The only one who called Marcellus as 'Mark' was the princess.
He accept the gift from the princess and apologize.
"I'm sorry. A man shouldn't cry so easily"
The princess gently put his head on her shoulder.
"It's okay. There is no need to worry. You can cry as much as you want"
Those words only made him cry even more.
He never received such kindness from someone else. A pure kindness with no ulterior motive.
"Why are you so nice to me?" He ask.
"Because you're my friend"
He unconsciously hugged her tighter.
The princess' words meant that she didn't saw Marcellus as a man and he knew that.
And so he swore to himself in his mind.
"I'll grow stronger so that I can protect you. Please wait for me, I shall carry you in my arms when I am strong enough to protect you from everything that may harm you"
He wasn't able to say it to the princess. Nevertheless, it was the birth of the vow he created that became his motivation and self-harm.