"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
Jason had barely finished counting down when the sound of iron chains pulling echoed from inside the palace, and the enormous portcullis slowly lowered.
For the soldiers standing guard, allowing Jason in would surely result in punishment from the king. On the other hand, refusing to let him enter might lead to death. Faced with the two choices, they concluded that it was better to face the king's wrath than to risk their lives.
With a loud thud, the portcullis finally dropped fully. A group of soldiers rushed out of the palace, panic etched on their faces.
"Lord Shield Hero... I didn't know it was you—I'm so sorry!" one soldier exclaimed, bowing deeply.
"Yes, yes, we would never intentionally stop you!" another added hastily.
"If we've offended you in any way, please forgive us!" piped up yet another soldier.
"Had we known you were here, we would have lowered the portcullis right away!" they continued in unison.
Each soldier wore a flattering expression, their heads bowed as low as possible, showcasing their respect for Jason. Yet, there was no admiration in their eyes—only fear.
Jason narrowed his eyes, skeptical of their flattery. He recalled how they had looked down on him before; their current subservience was a direct result of the strength he had displayed at the celebration banquet.
"Hmph... a bunch of cowardly fools," Jason scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Yes, yes, you are right. We're just cowards," they all nodded desperately in agreement, seeming willing to admit anything just to stay in Jason's good graces.
The sheer spinelessness of their humility made Jason's disgust evident.
"Seeing you all makes me want to vomit. I'm going to find that old king, now get out of my way!" Jason waved his hand dismissively and marched toward the palace, with Raphtalia at his side.
"Yes, yes, we're leaving right away!" the soldiers hurriedly responded, scrambling out of Jason and Raphtalia's path.
"I said roll, don't you understand the word roll?" Jason suddenly halted and shot them a cold glare.
The soldiers exchanged nervous glances before they all knelt down and started rolling away in unison, the clanking of their armor echoing as they moved.
"Raphtalia, what do you think about this situation?" Jason asked as they walked toward the palace.
"I remember when these soldiers looked at us with disdain before, but now they are so obedient. They even roll away when you tell them to," Raphtalia observed.
"This is quite beneficial. They fear me now. Their fear makes them obedient, and as long as they know their place, I have no need to eliminate them," Jason replied with a slight smile. He relished the newfound respect he had earned through strength.
"Then why not just kill them?" Raphtalia inquired.
"Because obedient dogs can be useful. It's better to keep them around; they might serve a purpose later," Jason answered just as he spotted a maid passing by in the corridor. He quickly stepped forward and seized her arm. "Tell me, where is the king now?"
"My lord Shield Hero, the king is currently bathing," the maid stammered, startled, but immediately bowed her head upon recognizing him.
"Where is it?"
"Just… go through two corridors and turn left. He's at the end of that corridor," the maid pointed in the indicated direction.
"Thanks!" Jason replied as he began to walk away but then paused after only a few steps. "Raphtalia, step back a bit. I don't want you to see anything inappropriate."
"Yes!" Raphtalia nodded and moved away, disappearing into the shadows.
Following the maid's directions, Jason soon reached a grand three-meter-high gate guarded by two soldiers wielding long spears.
The soldiers immediately positioned themselves to block his path. "Lord Shield Hero, please wait a moment. His Majesty is in the bath!" they said, trying to stall him.
"Get out of my way!" Jason snapped, his voice laced with a lethal edge.
Inside the bathhouse of the royal palace was a lavish setup, resembling a vast swimming pool filled with steaming water. Above, a stone lion head spouted jets of water, creating a misty atmosphere throughout the room.
Just a bathhouse can actually make you feel spectacular, and the level of luxury is astounding.
As for the king inside, there was no sign of enjoyment on his face, instead he had a ferocious face, and he was constantly washing his body with a soft brush.
Because the baron exploded before, a lot of filthy things splashed on him, which made him feel extremely sick.
It seems that no matter how much I wash it, I still feel that there is a stench on my body, which is extremely dirty.
Suddenly, there was a loud noise.
The king was so frightened that he fell into the hot water and even choked a few mouthfuls of water. He almost thought he was going to drown in the bathhouse.
The king who finally climbed out was furious and shouted: "What's going on?"
However, in the next second, he saw two soldiers lying on the ground, the door of the bathhouse also became fragmented, and a figure was slowly walking in.
0
"Shield... Shield Hero!"
The moment he saw the face of the visitor, the anger on the king's face disappeared, and he was so frightened that he hurriedly pulled a towel from the side to cover the important part: "You...what do you want to do?"
"Don't cover it up. Ordinary people can't see this little gadget of yours. I'm a little suspicious now. Is your daughter really yours?"
As Jason said, he raised his right hand and gave a thumbs up. After thinking about it for a while, it didn't feel right, so he turned his little thumb up, and the thumb was placed on the nail cover of the little finger.
"you you..."
Being poked at the sore spot, the king blushed from holding back, "You" for a long time, but he couldn't say a complete sentence.
"Your size, didn't I tell you to wait for me there, I haven't settled with you yet, and now you're taking a leisurely bath here, come here for me."
Jason didn't bother to taunt him anymore, he strode forward, grabbed the king's hair and dragged him outside.
The king grinned hoarsely in pain, suddenly remembered that he had nothing on, and hurriedly shouted: "Shield Hero! Wait, I understand, at least let me put on clothes.
"I've said it all. Ordinary people can't see your gadgets. It doesn't matter whether you wear them or not. Anyway, they are invisible.
Jason didn't stop at all, instead he quickened his pace and stepped out of the bathhouse.
Hearing this, the king almost vomited blood. Even if he couldn't see it, he was a king anyway. If he went out like this and was seen by soldiers and maids, would he still be a man?