"Your Highness! You can really talk…" A young man, wearing a shoddy servant robe, mumbled with a stupefied expression, unable to believe what he was seeing.
Asher saw a young man with a goofy look and pointy nose standing in front of his door, his back bent. He had a lanky build and was of average height, though his skin color was red just like Ceti's. Was he a werewolf like her? How the hell were these werewolves staying here if they were enemies to the kingdom?
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Asher asked as he got off the bed.
"Your Highness…you don't remember your only loyal and faithful servant who took care of you since you were a child? I was at your bedside every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every year! How could you not remember this humble Kookus? The devils are indeed too hard on me," Kookus said as if he was almost about to cry in sadness.
Asher rolled his eyes, seeing his stupid act, and said with a bored expression, "Enough with the nonsense. So you are my servant named...Kookus?" Asher couldn't believe that his name was really such a weird one.
"Yes, Your Highness, But the pronunciation of my modest name is 'Cu-Kas'. I know my name sounds unique and special, but it is all this humble servant has. Still, I can't believe Your Highness is of sound mind, finally. This is certainly an auspicious time for our kingdom. I am sure with your return, our demon kingdom will surely reach new heights," Kookus said with a deep bow, making his head seem as if it almost touched his waist.
Kookus was indeed shocked to see the Royal Consort no longer mentally retarded. He thought he might die living as a crappy servant, but now that the Royal Consort was back, maybe he could curry favor with him. The Royal Consort was still part of the royal family, and even if the chances were almost nil, he might get to enjoy a fraction of the privileges the Royal Consort might get.
Asher could see that he had a servant who was good at licking his feet. He found it obnoxious and also felt that he looked like someone who might sell his own mother for some pocket change. Still, that doesn't mean he can't use this idiot for his own purposes.
"Why did you come now, and where are the maids that usually took care of me?" Asher didn't remember seeing or hearing Kookus in the memories he saw when he transmigrated. But he still wanted to know clearly who stepped on him while he was lying helpless.
Kookus stepped closer and said in a lowered voice, "The news of the return of Your Highness spread fast, but since it is known that the queen wouldn't entertain any guests or commotion in the castle during nightfall, I could only come now to report to Your Highness. As for the maids…I…" Kookus shifted his gaze around as if he was hesitant to say something.
"Just cough it out," Asher said with one of his brows wrinkled.
"Well…please don't say to anyone that I said this but…I did hear some news that the maids are a bit…reluctant to come to see you. They even kicked me off to see you first, not that I am saying it's the reason I came here first. As your loyal servant, I would—"
"Why were they reluctant to see me? You make it sound like they are worried or afraid about something, hm?" Asher asked as he interrupted him.
Kookus cleared his throat as his expression became vague and a bit jittery.
"Why do you seem so hesitant? Don't tell me…you had something to do with this reason?" Asher asked to probe him and see if his 'loyal' servant bullied him in the past.
"O-Of course not! This little servant would rather die a hundred times than do such…Uh-oh…" Kookus fumbled when he realized he had blurted out some things unintentionally.
"Gotcha. So you may not have done anything by yourself, but you watched on…Am I right?" Asher asked as his tone dropped and his gaze focused.
Kookus knew how grave this offense was, especially since it involved a royal family member, "Y-Your Highness...I..I had no choice. I never witnessed anything but only heard gossips. But they blackmailed this poor servant. Forgive—"
*PHAM!*
"Awooo!!!" Kookus didn't know what hit him, but he found his head spinning for a while before collapsing on the floor on his cheek.
"I am letting you off for now though your punishment isn't done yet," Asher said as he patted his hands, though he hurt his own hand by slapping him. This made him sarcastically scoff inwardly realizing how even his servant was stronger than him. Still, he had never seen such overacting from someone.
"Y-Your Highness, please have mercy on this little servant!" Kookus didn't even bother to rub his cheek and immediately lunged forward to hug Asher's legs as he cried out, "I haven't even tasted a single virgin fruit yet. This servant would be more useful to you than alive! I am even willing to clean your room with my tongue as punishment but please…spare—"
"Tsk, before you continue babbling, I will offer you two choices. One, you will get punished for real. Two, you will do everything as I say while reaping some benefits along the way. I mean…not everybody is as lucky as you to get to be the servant of the Royal Consort…Am I right?" Asher asked as he freed his leg from his grip.
'He thinks he is cool because of being Royal Consort? Whatever, I can at least boast about it, as he said. Any other servant would think twice before looking down on me, hehe,' Kookus thought as he fervently said, "Of course, of course! I will be your eternal servant and take the sacred oath of having my soul destroyed in the nine hells if I betray your trust. I also promise on the name of my godmother my—"
"Now…tell those two maids to wait on the smallest east battlement. Tell them I remember but that I am willing to forgive them in return for a tiny favor. I want you to be there as well," Asher ordered. He had already got an idea of the layout of this castle after reading one of the books that described this castle in great detail.
Kookus blinked his eyes, but he immediately stood up and made a quick bow as he said with a subtle relieved look, "Yes, Your Highness! I shall tell them right away. I am sure they would praise your magnanimous self just like I do. They will surely worship you for the rest of your life and forget tiny favors, they will be ready to do anything you want."
"You seem quite sure, hm?" Asher said with a narrowed gaze.
Kookus awkwardly chuckled as he said with a jittery smile, "Truthfully, I can only vouch for one of them since I know her quite well after working together for so long. But I am sure the other one would know what is best for her."
"We will see. Now get out," Asher said with a casual wave of his hand.
"Ah, yes….Oh no…I actually forgot one important reason I came to see Your Highness," Kookus said as his eyes lit up.
Asher rubbed his forehead and asked, "What is it now?"
"Your Highness…You don't remember that you have to absorb your life crystal for today?" Kookus asked as he took out a small wooden box from his pocket.
Asher knitted his brows and grabbed the box from his hand, and opened it, only to be surprised to see a small, glowing white stone that had a surface similar to a diamond.
He picked it up with his fingers and felt a cool, relaxing sensation just by holding it.
"What's this? Why would I need this?" Asher asked with a confused look as he also remembered that he had some life crystals,
[ Life Crystals : 10 ]
Kookus had a puzzled look as he asked, "Your Highness…Without absorbing this, how will you live to see the day after a few days?"
"Huh?" Asher was flummoxed hearing his words, but he immediately checked his health, only to have his brows raise in shock,
[ HP : 89 / 95 ]
'Why did my HP decrease...again??' Asher was stupefied even more since it was not just 1 HP but 6 HP he lost for no reason at all.
----
Blade of Damnation pic in comments :)