Ramiel smiled wryly at the black haired woman that was with Lunafreya and the blonde looked at him cautiously. They just broke through the blockades to the manor's back garden and they were currently avoiding the empire's pursuit of her. (pic)
"Great one... I was right, you were going to Lunafreya. But for what purpose?" Gentiana kneeled and showed great respect to him which surprised the blonde. Ramiel called her true name after all, yet the disguised astral was still very subservient to him.
"Wait, did you just say Shiva?" Aranea raised a brow at him and squinted her eyes, deciding to see just what the hell his relationship with the astral was.
"Gentiana, is it okay? He knows your true identity?" Lunafreya was concerned and the black haired woman nodded, beaming with a smile. "Yes, lord Ramiel has saves us after all." She remembered Bahamut's dastardly plan and she was glad that humans won't suffer the eternal darkness.
"So you're Lunafreya huh? Noctis' bride to be?" Ramiel studied Lunafreya and thought she was a bit too self suicidal. She was like a shounen protag, her heart's desire was to help the people like a two bit idiot that will risk her life for little profit.
"You're stupid aren't you, girl?" He said plainly and the princess was shocked that he would insult her out of the blue. "S-such rudeness!" Lunafreya glared at him and he scoffed.
"What are you gonna do about it? And Shiva, you are in a contract with this blonde. Why aren't you helping her? She's planning on killing herself in order to talk to more astrals and let Noctis have contracts with them." Ramiel revealed her plans as the oracle and Lunafreya went wide eyed.
"H-how do you know that?" She frowned heavily and he shrugged. "I can see the hearts of people girl, I know their desires. And yours, is to die and be useful to Noctis. Honestly, that's gonna cause more harm than good to him." Ramiel sighed.
"T-then what is it that I'm supposed to do!? The empire has taken over Lucis... Noctis has barely any friends and retainers to call upon. He cannot win against the empire with this status quo! I need to implore the gods for their help, even if it costs me my life!" Lunafreya had an outburst.
"Ahhh, they don't know yet huh?" Aranea smirked and remembered their insane invasion of the capital. "Do not know what?" Shiva and Lunafreya were confused. "You'll see later." Aranea winked at them.
"Hmm, what you're gonna do? It's to make Lucis great again!" Ramiel took out a hat that says the slogan and gave it to them. "That's right, it is imperative for the new generation to improve the country! Kill the traitors, destroy the empire. And make Lucis great again."
Ramiel nodded sagely and the two were dumbfounded. "What do you know? Lucis has fallen, there's no army to help us, the country is fragmented, the crystal has been taken. What can we do but trust in Noctis that with the astral's help, he will subvert everything back to what it once was?"
Lunafreya was stubborn and basically put herself inside a box, that it was their only option left. "Heh, if that's your mentality. You won't get anywhere in this world girl." Ramiel snapped his fingers and a ring appeared in his hand.
"No! The ring belongs to the Lucians! If you wear it, you will suffer extreme consequences!" Lunafreya yelled and he smirked. "Try me." Wearing the ring, time seemed to go in slow motion and Ramiel suddenly saw the ghostly visages of the previous Lucian kings that still have their royal arms out in the world.
"Kings of old eh? How about kings of mold. Because your shitty country is gonna grow them from now on." Ramiel scoffed at the incompetent kings that didn't even manage to develop a proper defense system for Lucis.
Insomnia had statues of them that they can possess, but the city still got thrashed and they refuse to protect it further. What a bunch of self-righteous assholes.
"You dare!? You do not even have the Lucis bloodline. Suffer for your rudeness!" One of them shouted in anger and Ramiel could feel magical flames envelop his arm from the ring.
"Hmm, nice and toasty. I think I'll wear this often to increase my bloodflow. What do you guys think? Warm temperatures improve blood flow after all." Ramiel just looked at the flames covering him with apathy.
"What!? This is impossible!" The Lucian kings were aghast. "Ahh! How about a cock ring? Not that I'm having difficulties in maintaining an erection mind you. And this ring needs to be much bigger, but having your cock be warm is good." Ramiel snickered at them.
"Enough! We will deal with you personally!" The kings' distorted voices resounded with a boom and they warped towards him in order to strike him down.
"Easy, easy, calm down boys. You're too uptight like cranky and old virgins." He stopped their royal arms by raising his hands and they all kneeled in front of them.
"You know, this is all your fault. The crystal from the astrals basically gave the capital of Lucis impenetrable protection if you lock it down and don't let anyone in. But you didn't conquer the lands." He shook his head and sighed.
The Niflheim empire were allowed to propagate and grab any land that they could with their expansions because Lucis. In its 2000 year glory, didn't do anything, and it resulted in thousands upon thousands of refugees.
Poverty, slums, high crime rates, the refugees being turned into kingsglaive fodder to stop the advance of the empire. They were called the magical city, but Niflheim was the one who use magitek and Lucis was stuck to the past. Even the royal guard fights with just swords.
When bullets go faster, imbued with magic it hits harder, and it is much more efficient than throwing fire and weak lightning at people.
"You are in one word. Garbage, incompetent monarchs that never achieved something great in your 113 kings. What a shameful bunch you are, royal arms? Really? That's your greatest crap that you can leave for the next generation?" Ramiel massaged his temples.
"Ugh, I'm getting too upset for something that doesn't concern me. This is Square Enix's fault anyway. Lucis should be much much stronger, it just doesn't make sense that they're this weak with the astrals' help." Ramiel analyzed their progression.
Two millennia passed and humans in earth are more advanced than them in technology. And they have the aid of magic too. Humanity back at home got to that level in just a hundred years when the technological boom started.
Lucis being stuck in using swords and daggers for battle was baffling. Something like Vincent's Cerberus should be the staple around here. Magical bullets are devastating, and their soldiers are basically normal people with magic. Unlike the SOLDIER program in Gaia who are superhumans.
"Now, listen to me punks. I don't care if you think you're important, in front of me? You're just mediocre soldiers that failed to lead your country. And the younger generation suffers from it." He squinted his eyes and released his pressure, making them grovel on the ground.
"Kings of Lucis that linger in this world. Yet you ignore your kingdom and let it fall to daemons that you swore to defeat by your contract with the astrals. Disgusting human beings that grew arrogant in time." He took their magical powers.
"Your lineage is not great because of your effort, it was because of the astrals. Remember that, without your magic, you are what? Just like everyone else, nothing special. That's why you'll help the next generation with all you've got, are we clear?" He glared at them.
"Why would we listen to you!? Lucis is ou-" One of them complained and before he could talk even further, Ramiel absorbed his magic and soul. Devouring it like it was cotton candy as he screamed like a banshee, feeling his soul and spirit get ripped apart.
"Any more questions?" He raised a brow and they were all silent. "Good, you will regain your powers when the next king calls upon you with your royal arms and he robs your graves." Ramiel exited the realm.
"This thing isn't really that useful, just some old fucks who have nothing better to do in their ghostly lives." Ramiel tossed back the ring to Lunafreya who got shocked that he was just fine.
"B-but the kings of Lucis will punish those who are not of their royal blood." Lunafreya mumbled and he snorted. "Now, listen to me blonde. You'll have to do great things, take down the empire without the help of the astrals."
Ramiel instructed her, both her and Shiva was surprised. "But my lord! How can Lunafreya and Noctis do anything without our help? They'll be overwhelmed by the empire." Shiva frowned.
"Well, this lady here will train her into a pretty good warrior. You're useless, aren't you tired of being like that?" Ramiel introduced Aranea to them and Lunafreya winced at his words.
"T-that might be true, but I can help by giving Noctis an easier time to make a contract with the astrals. That's my duty as the oracle that can communicate with them." Lunafreya felt that was her purpose.
"That's why you're useless, you can't even rely on yourself. Besides, I can do this." Ramiel raised his hand and Shiva went to his side, he caught her by her waist and plunged his arm inside of her chest.
Shiva's disguise got cancelled and Ramiel cancelled her covenant with Lunafreya, shocking her to the core. "I... I can't feel our connection." Lunafreya couldn't believe it and Shiva looked at him with confusion.
"Why would you severe our contract my lord? I'll be a big help to Lunafreya and the prince of Lucis." Shiva frowned at his actions and he snorted.
"That's the problem Shiva, that's why they're useless and the empire defeated them. They think some higher power will help them. Look at her, she's so hopeless and can't even think for herself. She's like a meat puppet with programmed orders. Seek help then die like a useless piece that served its purpose." Ramiel sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Shiva went into deep thought and frowned heavily. "Lunafreya... My lord is correct, the thought of the astrals being your only hope chains you down."
"I... I know, but what else can I do? It's the only way to defeat the empire and protect Noctis." She bit her lip and bled, it frustrated her to no end.
Ramiel patted Aranea on the back and smirked. "How about it miss dragoon? Think you can change our little princess here?" Aranea analyzed Lunafreya and walked up to her.
"Strip." Aranea said to her plainly and Lunafreya gaped like a fish out of water. "W-what?" Her voice trembled and Aranea raised a brow at her.
"You heard me girl, strip. Down to your last garments." Aranea ordered with more force in her tone and Lunafreya got anxious heavily.
"Ramiel, shouldn't you turn around and give her some privacy? She's a little nervous you know!?" Ikumi who is the duality of conservative and bodacious pointed out.
"Isn't it fine? It's just a bit of skin, and do you really think Ramiel will get aroused by her? She's skinny and she looks frail. You've seen his harem, they're all top specimens for sure." Rindou grinned.
"Yeah, hurry it up you know? They're just evaluating your muscle mass and body structure." Alice pieced it together and saw nothing wrong with it.
"Give the lady some privacy at least. She's a princess." Cindy raised a brow at them. "Technically, we're princesses too. With much more political and financial strength than her." Erina pointed at herself and Alice.
Lunafreya grit her teeth and started stripping. With Ramiel nodding at her as Aranea was testing both her resolve and desire to be of help to end the empire's regime.
Aranea made her do some poses and rubbed parts of her body, checking what kind of fighter she should be. Analyzing her bone structure, muscles, and mana.
"She's pretty flexible and has enough mana to be a dragoon. But her strength, agility, and muscle mass is too lacking. But we can change that and I won't teach her the more strenuous techniques for now like fighting in the air." Aranea finished her examination.
"Now, let's talk how we'll make Lucis great again. And you will be spearheading this operation." Ramiel took out a table and prepared some tea, smiling at the blonde princess who nodded at him with a determined face.
"Show me your motivation girl, it'd be a shame if Shiva here who believes in you gets dishonored due to your subpar actions. Might makes right, power is the thing you can always rely on. All of this wouldn't happen if Lucis, you, Regis, or Noctis didn't lack power. Wouldn't you agree?" Ramiel gaslit her and drank some tea.
"Yes... Please make me stronger. In order to fulfill... No, create our own path and bring peace to Eos." Lunafreya bowed deeply.
"Well said, now sit down. We have much to converse about." Ramiel urged her to sit and he smirked.
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Thank you for reading everyone, ciao.