Amara sat on the ornate chair, staring at Analeis, who had her eyes fixed on the floor. Aaran was there as well, sitting at the far end, wondering what his mother had planned for them.
After the class, Amara insisted on having some bonding time with Aaran. But he knew it was just an excuse for her to seek answers from them.
First, she asked him about the spell he used in the class. Aaran told her everything. He even lied, saying he was secretly practicing that spell during bath time and didn't want anyone to see him fail. That's why he always bathed alone.
As for the explosion, Aaran just said he lost control of the spell. It was an amateur mistake, nothing more.
Amara bought the excuse, remembering how adamant Aaran was to bathe alone.
Now it was Analeis's turn to get grilled.
"Analeis, do you remember why I sent you with Aaran?"
"Yes, my lady, I—" Analeis said but got interrupted.
"You are supposed to protect him and yet you left him unattended. What's your excuse for that?"
Analeis remained silent, staring at the floor. She would not tell the truth, and because of the blood contract, she couldn't lie to Amara either. So she stayed silent.
Her silence agitated Amara more, as she impatiently tapped the armrest.
"As the leader of the barbarians, I thought you'd be responsible. I was wrong. It'd have been better to send someone else with Aaran."
Upon hearing her words, Analeis flinched. Her lips were pressed into a thin line. But Amara wasn't done. Her gaze shifted to Aaran as she continued.
"Aaran is a child, but you're almost an adult. I expected better from you."
Each word out of Amara's mouth was full of disappointment. But Aaran was worried about something else.
He could manipulate and fool Analeis, but if Amara changed his maid, all his freedom would disappear instantly.
He couldn't allow that. Analeis was a useful tool if cultivated properly, and he would not let her be taken away.
Before Amara could say anything else, Aaran stood up and respectfully interrupted her.
"It's not her fault, mother," he said, his head bowed.
Amara raised an eyebrow, surprised by the unexpected interruption. This was the first time Aaran had spoken to her in such a manner. But she said nothing, waiting for him to continue.
"I overslept today and would have missed my class if not for her. We didn't have the time to get breakfast, so I asked her to get me something to eat. That's why I was alone. It was my fault, not hers."
Amara expressionlessly looked at Aaran. She didn't even have to think before she knew he was lying.
She knew Aaran well. He never overslept and was always on time. But she couldn't ignore the fact that he lied, not to save himself, but for Analeis.
Amara didn't show it, but she smiled on the inside. It seemed her son didn't hate women after all. Perhaps he even had a crush on Analeis and that's why he was protecting her.
Of course, that wasn't the case. But Amara's deduction skills weren't her strong suit. Coupled with her stubborn nature, once she formed an opinion on something, it was difficult to change her mind.
In her eyes, Aaran liked Analeis, and so it would be for the rest of his life. But that didn't excuse his behavior.
Still, since Aaran was claiming responsibility, it was only right to teach him a lesson.
"So, you're responsible for this mess?" Amara asked.
"Yes, mother."
"Be careful with your words, Aaran. Life would often hold you responsible for them."
"Of course, mother."
"Then I hope you're ready for your punishment?" Amara said, straightening her dress. "As your mother, it is my job to discipline you."
"Discipline?" Aaran blinked.
Amara patted on her lap and all color drained from Aaran's face.
If others taking care of him felt demeaning, then being spanked after living for two centuries was straight-up humiliating. But Aaran didn't have a choice.
He eyed Analeis as he walked up to Amara. She lifted him and placed him on her lap.
This ain't humiliating. If I can cheer for goblins without shame, then this is nothing!
SMACK.
The sound echoed in the room as Amara delivered the first spank. But Aaran didn't flinch.
Why?
Because of his pain resistance.
However, Amara thought of it as Aaran putting a brave front before the one he had a crush on.
SMACK.
The force intensified, yet not a sound came out of Aaran's mouth.
Analeis looked away, but Aaran didn't stop staring at her.
One day, he would use this favor on her. Till then, he'd enjoy the butt massage.
***
A few hours later.
[Repair completed!]
[Elite Hobgoblin corpse is ready for use.]
Those words flashed before Aaran the moment he stepped into the daily dungeon.
"At least something is going as intended," he said, taking the corpse out of the inventory.
If Aaran hadn't killed the hobgoblin himself, he'd think the monster was fast asleep.
"Little liege, you killed this creature yourself?" Darius asked, floating above the hobgoblin.
"Of course not. They helped me."
With a snap of a finger, Aaran opened a portal, and two undead goblins walked out of it. They bowed the moment they saw Aaran, but Aaran pushed them back inside the portal.
They were stuck at level nine and still had their rotten smell. He planned to get them to level ten, so they'd lose the smell.
But first, he had something else to do.
Aaran summoned Dread's orb. Since Dread had been without a body for so long, Aaran thought he would happily accept the hobgoblin's body.
But he was wrong.
[Is that how little you think of me? I am a frost giant!]
"Right now, you're barely a bowling ball." Aaran rolled his eyes. "Besides, isn't this better than that teddy?"
[I am not getting into that body!]
"The ball is right, little liege," Darius chimed in. "I think it'd be better to raise the corpse as a soldier like you originally planned."
[Yes! It would help level up the legion.]
"Level up the legion? How do you do that?" Aaran asked.
[You need to max out the current limits. Once that happens, it would level up automatically.]
Aaran opened the legion management page to get a quick look.
+++
Legion level: 01
Current legion captain limit: 2/3 (Click here for detailed information)
Current legion footsoldier limit: 2/3 (Click here for detailed information)
Legion Commander level limit: 25
Legion footsoldier level limit: 10
Note: Upgrade the legion level to increase the limits.
+++
"So I need one legion captain and footsoldier?"
[You need to max out their levels as well. You don't have to worry about upgrading me or that floating cotton candy. But you'd have to work on the rest.]
"Who are you calling floating cotton candy, you puffed-up marshmallow?" Darius yelled into the orb. "I'll have your head for insulting royalty!"
[The joke's on you. I don't have one, dumbass!]
"Enough!" Aaran yelled. "I brought you two here to help me, not to bicker!"
No one said a word for a while until Aaran asked Darius for help.
"The hobgoblin, can it turn into a captain?"
[Yes.]
"Alright… let's try it."
After manifesting his core, Aaran directed it towards the hobgoblin's corpse. However, unlike the time he resurrected goblins, a strange screen appeared before him.
+++
The target's resentment is too high. Extraction failed!
An emergency quest has been created!
Quest name: Resentment
Task: Solve the target's resentment.
Reward: Target's resurrection.
+++
"What is this—?"
Before Aaran could ask Dread about it, everything faded to black.