Refuge in Audacity (Original/Isekai Chapter 6)

It was only after I finally had the issue of the military handled, I could finally turn my attention to the internal affairs.

Honestly, wherever I look at the list of complied just so that Ereon can stand on it's own two feet without being exploited by the other countries, I feel like I'll start crying.

Bandits are a problem until they are caught. However, bandits are rarely caught. Know why? Because there are a group of noble families around ten or so, that have organized the bandits to work for them by having them harass areas in their territory for not paying the ever increasing tax, or to have them attack places in the territory of their rivals. Or the bandits can aggravate the monsters in the area and send them after an inhabited area, if they want it to appear as an act of nature.

Motherfuckers are having a proxy civil war in my kingdom! What the shit?!

Things aren't like that in Stilvall due to the concentrations of knights here. Something of a small revelations I began to have, ever since Rhedia had a small case of heart stab, was that the knights in the castle and in the capital city aren't complete shit.

Training with my sword instructor, who now isn't blackmailed or hampered down by stupid politics, (as well as watch other knights in their training and sparring), I realized that the reason they easily failed to protect me, when Lachynia first came around, wasn't because they were weak. It's because Lachynia Valefor was just that damn strong.

Honestly, even with all the number of times, I tried to use Appraisal on her while having sex, I could only tell her stats were at minimum more than three thousand across the board. I thank the Goddess everyday that I'm not dead yet, from even normal interactions with the Demon Queen. The fact that she's sex-crazed does get in the way of daily life, and it's kind of a balance between giving her what she wants (more dicking), telling her no so I can, well, work, do other stuff, live in general. There is always that feeling that, if she isn't given her daily dose of dopamine activity, she'll just grab me, lock us in a room, and not leave till she's satisfied, my groan area is broken and no longer works, or I'm dead.

That second outcome likely isn't gonna happen, as I'm having her learn healing magic, as it would be useful to have a healer with massive amount of magic power to throw around. Hopefully, it never gets to that point.

Back to the list of stuff I need to fix, that makes me want to cry. The reason I wanted the Guard Knights back, was to have them deal with those bandits. It would also help if they act as a police force within cities to increase security in those cities, and raise people's feelings of safety within their homes.

The Wyvern Riding Knights would be used to search difficult to reach places, for bandits hideouts. Mostly though, I want them to guard merchants along trade routes, as well as help with communication across the kingdom. Honestly, I wanted the Sleipnir Mounted Knights for this role, as they would be able to move much faster between locations, and their ability to patrol large areas would be most helpful. While the Wyvern Riding Knights are better at ending threats in an area and protect it, I felt the Guard Knight can do the same job.

Basically, the Guard Knight as good at being stationed in an area and keeping it safe from threats.

Sleipnir Mounted Knights are best at traveling from one location to the next, helping to reinforce whatever existing troops.

Wyvern Riding Knights are best at finding threats, ending them, and make the area secure before moving onto the next.

There aren't that many threats internally, the need Wyvern Riding Knights to come down on them like a bulldozer. It's like using a sledgehammer for the job of hanging a small frame. They were just too OP to use on simple bandits, and the average monster.

Sleipnir Mounted Knights would have been able to handle the bandits, protect the merchants, and move from one area to the next, to respond quickly to any reported threats.

In the end, what I had to work with was pretty good, so I really shouldn't complain. Or at least I didn't.

Duchess Verena throughout my meeting with her, kept balling her eyes on how 'I changed', or 'grew up too fast'. She even tried to do the whole girly run thing out of the room, from how 'distressed' she was. Naturally, I had the doors lock, so she just ran head first into them (They didn't break as she wasn't using her strength). After the third time she did that, and had the door meet her face, she finally calmed down enough to just sit and listen.

Thankfully when she took things seriously, the meeting turned out very productive on how to distribute her army. My first suggestion of four thousand as search party to trouble, would have spread those troops too thin. Seems the geography of Ereon was too vast for only four thousand to travel around it. I ultimately just left to her as it wouldn't be good to micromanage everything, when I don't know enough yet.

Good thing that my meeting with Duchess Verena came first. If I did the same with Duke Gabriel, he likely would have just listened without pointing out my error. I had to make sure that he understood that I was learning from him, as much as I was commanding him. It was important that if he sees a problem with my orders, he should point them out rather than let it potentially turn into a problem.

However, even with the majority of the army helping me, both Verena's and Gabriel's knights were missing one critical element. Almost none of them were good for stealth work. I needed another organization of loyal troops who can as a spy and information network for me. A lot of the problems I have with the nobles in my country, and happening with figures and organizations in other countries is that I don't know enough. Or worst by the time I find out about an important piece of information, it's already too late and it's another giant fire to put out.

A good example of this was the prophecy related to me and the Demon Queen, and how it was stolen and leaked from the Vertus Fatum Temple.

To give a bit of context, the single religion in Regalia--the continent Ereon, the surrounding kingdoms and Dark Region were on--was Evertinity. The Goddess, Everita Vertus was the one and only recognized deity in this world, however there were different denomination each devoted to a single one of her domains.

In the far south, separated by the sea from the mainland, was the technological country of Ocetoka, they housed the Everita Conatus Temple, worshiping the aspect of Struggle of the Goddess.

Just south of Ereon was tranquil, trade center that is Sequilia, which housed the Vertus Fatum Temple, worshiping the aspect of Fate of the Goddess.

Southeast of Ereon was the country with spring all year round, Lancasteria, which housed the Vertus Aurora Temple worshiping the aspect of Daybreak of the Goddess.

Southwest, and technically west, or Ereon was Gorbon, a country that's...weird. I haven't visited it yet, but what I have seen on the map really confused me, and for a while I thought I was being pranked. Gorbon was a country that was geographically divided in half. Two thirds of it, middle and down, was mostly a desert, and suddenly on the mid to north was a complete frozen tundra. There was just a line where suddenly it went from desert to ice land. I don't understand how that could work. Back on topic, the country housed the Everita Twilight Temple which you can guess from the name worshiped the aspect of Twilight of the Goddess.

Ereon seemed to be the only country that worships all aspects of the Goddess equally without distinction or focus on a particular aspect. We housed the simply and aptly named, Everita Vertus Temple.

Now the important thing is, each temple holds a High Priestess, and the thing about Priestesses is that they hold a special type of magic available only to them called Miracles. Naturally the High Priestesses, not only have access to the strongest Miracles but are assigned a special duty by the Goddess. For the Vertus Fatum High Priestess, this would be receiving prophecies.

Now something interest to note, is that no one can tamper with the content of a prophecy, nor can they change it, nor can they tell someone a fake prophecy, as the goddess takes anything related to her instructions very seriously. Basically, fuck around with the content of a prophecy or tell someone a wrong prophecy, or make up a prophecy about them when none were sent, and Divine Punishment abounds.

Thing is however, there are always mortals that just can't help but look for loopholes. So for a prophecy, you can't alter, tell someone an incomplete one, or make one up... But you can deliver an incomplete prophecy as long as you explain to the other party clearly that it is incomplete. Or, while the Vertus Fatum Temple takes their job seriously to deliver a prophecy and can't bribed, you can just steal the prophecy while they are traveling, and have it delivered to the recipient in another way. Like say, steal a prophecy about a Chavagner prince and if he becomes too much of a problem, or too uncontrollable, just give the prophecy to the other party it pertains to, and let them "deliver" it.

Now, the prophecy was stolen while still within the border of Sequilia. Three guesses on who had the most benefit to hold it, and no the first two don't count.

Fucking Walnut. Family.

Of course it was them. As for the reason why the leaked the prophecy to Lachniya, well, I guess I wasn't as clever I thought I was with the rumor of how Rhedia Almond died. Really, I should have expected that someone within either the Almonds or Walnuts would be suspicious or just figure it out.

One thing I don't understand though, is why was it so easy for them to just try to assassinate me like this. Not the method but the willingness. There isn't another Chavagner and my great uncle likely wouldn't play games with the Nut Families. There is too much I'm in the dark of.

...Is possible there is another heir I don't know about?

Beyond Great Uncle Marcus I don't have any other immediate family, so I don't know.

This brings me back to the main point. I need an information network.

Luckily, something did fall into my lap from Albus Gregory's destroyed village.

"Hmm, so what notes are you working on here?" Said my new Governance tutor, Albus Gregory.

"Mr. Gregory, can you please not steal my private notebook?" I sighed knowing the futility of fighting him, when something catches his interest. "Besides, aren't we on a break now? I have some thoughts I need to organize, can you please give it back?"

"'Ocetoka's rebellion'. Hmm, you thinking of taking advantage of that in the future? Getting access to blueprints from their technology would be a major boon, but they are pretty strict about that. Which side would you join to get those blueprints?" Albus asked. He easily deduced most of my idea from just a single note. This guy is annoyingly smart as ever.

"I haven't decided yet." While he was lazily flipping through the notebook, I reached out and snatched it from him.

"Come on now, I gave you the idea on getting a pocket notebook to expand on your ideas." He huffed like a child.

"Yes, thank you, but the thing about private notebooks, is that they are private." He huffed in turned, before we both smiled, and I carried on. "Thing is it is just something to remind myself about for the future. I haven't really focused on the situation in Ocetoka because I have other things to think about."

"Ah yes, trade with Sequilia." Albus said nodding to himself.

"And Lancasteria and Gorbon." I added.

"Maybe, but Sequilia holds the most importance. If you can't secure a trade route through there, you can't work with Ocetoka." I rolled my eyes at the smug know-it-all grin he had.

"Yes, maybe. But all of that is on if I can manage a trade route in Sequilia... Actually, why am I thinking about trade routes? First I need to have trading partners first to think about trade routes!" I shouted.

"Hmm," Albus shook his head in a 'so-so' manner. "Preparation always paves the way. If you have the trade route, you can find companies willing to trade with you... if it wasn't for the fact that the Big Three Companies will make it impossible on you."

"Not if I find hundreds of small companies and trade with all of them. They can't possibly obstruct all the trading companies in their country." I pointed out, grinning.

"True~." Uh oh. I knew that tone of voice. He's about to tell me something really frustrating. "If it wasn't for the fact that those big three? They also have subsidiaries that act as they farming agencies. Those sub-companies are the ones who sell the farmed resources of fish, poultry, beef, fruit and spices, and sell it to everyone else, with a large cut to the big three."

"..." My jaw could have hit the floor. "Ooooh that is fucking bullshit!" I cried out. "How is this legal? They fish, farm and raise cattle, and then sell to themselves and then everyone else? How can that work? Why would they be allowed all that power?"

"Time and favors." Albus shrugged.

"I'm gonna need you to elaborate on that." I deadpanned.

"Basically over the many years, the Nut Families," he chuckled. "Have done a lot of services for their respective crowns, and so bit by bit they were given more and more leeway, till they had the power they have now." Albus smiled sadly. "Simply put, no matter how faithful, or virtuous a retainer of yours is, never expect that their children, grandchildren and later descendants will turn out the same."

"Okay, I get that." I nodded to his lesson. "But it doesn't help my current problem. How to have trade without the interference of the Nut Families?"

"Simple, what is the one resource that Ereon has, that no one else does?" Asked Albus with a mischievous smile.

"We don't have...Wait." I paused as a thought came to mind. There was one thing. One thing we couldn't afford to trade before due to the Dark Region border duty. "Mana Ores."

Mana Ore.

A concentration of natural magical energy into a single location, due to the abundance of life. Ereon's lands are vast. Far more that any of the other four. There were far too many forests, and other types of areas teeming with animals or monsters. Overtime the mana give off hangs in the air, and as more time passes, it is gathered, condenses and concentrates into a solid shape.

The thing about the Magic Tree is that they all have faults. Nothing created or changed by Environmental Magic is permanent. Nothing made by Forge Magic can have magical effects. And all physical conditions modified or changed by Status Magic is eventually undone. Even magic potions made from Forge Magic, has more to do with the magical properties within reagents than with the magic itself.

Mana Ores however changed that. As they were ores that had a storage of magical power within them, it allowed them to be used for different applications.

I never noticed that the ceiling in the castle had chandeliers that had light bulbs like a modern world. Due to the world I reincarnated from, I never noticed how similar some everyday application there were in the castle like in my world. It didn't occur to me to question them till recently.

We have lamps, standing showers, air conditioners and many more items that wouldn't be out of place in twenty first century world, but with a magical spin to them. The reason being Mana Ores can be modified to the magical power within them can take on the attribute from one of the Environmental Magics, and then using Forge Magic change it into a device that helps with everyday life. It wasn't used for things like automobiles, airplanes or technologies that would consume them quickly as fuel due to the main function we used them for.

Weapons.

Mana Ores were a hell of a game changer once discovered, as they allowed a whole new avenue to battle. The Light Races may not be able to create magical items that last forever, but could make a very close imitation, which was the next best thing. Magic bullets, magic guns, swords that can absorb a person's mana and release it in a completed spell. Things that finally gave the average person an equal footing to the demons.

For the most part, all mined Mana Ores went to the border, but a small sample was sent to Stilvall for keeping the level of luxury it has. It wasn't something we would use in trade. But now...

"Exactly. Many generations of scholars and scientist have thought of what would happen, if Ocetoka was allowed access to Mana Ores and combined it with their technologies. They already have horseless carries, and air conditioners without Ice and Wind Ores. Wonder what they could do with it? Possibilities could only be fathomed at." Albus said excitedly.

"Or they can make a weapon and invade the mainlands. From what I hear, the revolutionaries following the deceased king's brother, they are a bit too ambitious for people who barely managed to grab hold of the throne." I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, makes you wonder who you should side with?" He replied with wiggling eyebrows. When Albus thinks an answer to a situation is obvious, he tends to be a bit obnoxious.

"Again, not deciding on that yet." I said, before my brain made a connection, I didn't before. "That why we get a trade route, even if we don't trade with Sequilia. It's for trading with Ocetoka if we end up helping them out. They get Mana Ores and we get blueprints. We could also trade for some of the sea life Ocetoka pulls in."

Ocetoka was a unique country, not just because it was in the middle of the ocean, away from the mainlands. But also because a bit further away from it, laid a terrifying phenomena. Something I remembering seeing the full shape of, only when I was looking at the whole world from above, when meeting the Goddess.

The Great Charybdis Wall.

It was a continental sized hurricane, that stretched from supposedly the bottom of the ocean, all the way to the edge of the atmosphere. From Ocetoka's view, they cal only see this massive ocean all that stretch all over the horizon, cutting their view of one side of the world, and it only moved in one direction from east to west.

Thing is though, the Eternal Hurricane seems to bring with it all manners of unique and giant sea creatures. So while Ocetoka might not have the best fields for farming, or raising cattle, they have giant fish that can easily feed thousands. Something else to note, the reason Ocetoka took to advancing technologically rather than focus on magic abilities, it is because they couldn't afford things that were temporary, like Environmental Magic, thus Forge Magic became their forte, and through it their advancement.

"Thus if trade is successful with them, we might also gain food, via giant marine life." I explained my revelation.

"Quite." He nodded, smiling.

"Hmm," I turned the idea in my mind a few times, and while it appears fine on the surface, what we really had was the beginning of an idea. It wasn't something that could be acted upon yet. "Maybe it could work, but this isn't a concert plan, it has a lot of points to iron out." I explained.

"I'll leave that to you, and your advisers to work out. Or you can surprise me if you have another solution to your future food problem." He said dismissively.

"If a miracle comes up, I'll tell you." I smiled.

Albus snorted. "Very well... oh, by the way, are you going to deal with the Almonds, in the same way as your Caretaker?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Ah, yeah. I answered the finally Almonds repeated request for meeting with me. Given everything I know now, I couldn't ignore them anymore.

"Likely...yeah." Albus was trustworthy, so I didn't have a problem with him knowing. His disappointed look though wasn't helpful.

"Please tell me, you won't always use the sword to fix the problems you face." He sighed. "If you become such a boring example of a ruler, I'm afraid I'll have to resign."

"No, no. As I keep telling Lachniya, 'you can't solve all your problems with murder'. However they are no longer at the level of a problem to be worked around, or fixed. They are basically an infestation at this point. Termites eating at the foundation. I can't afford to negotiate with them." I explained, a grimace on my face.

"It's why I'm not objecting this once. The fact that you broke from their control is what drew me to this job, after my village was sabotaged. That you thwarted such a ridiculous plot as using the Demon Queen to assassinate you? Well now, I really want to see what kind of king you become." He said an excited grin.

"Sabotaged?" I frowned. "Wasn't it monsters that attacked your village--Wait. Was it bandits leading monsters? But why? Your village was small and in the middle of nowhere."

"Jealousy can be petty. I had a special grant given to me by your father for services done to the crown, that allowed me to set up a village that, as long as it doesn't exceed five hundred people, would be excepted from pay taxes for as long as lived. This grant was given only to me. If I have any children they won't have it."

My eyes went wide at that, as my eyebrow raised. "Well, shit." A grant like that was unbelievable. "What the hell did you do to get a grant like that?"

"Oh you know," Albus had a secretive smile, but it also held a bit of nostalgia. "Stuff I'm sure you can read about in the archives, if you're interested. Now, back to taxes!"

I groaned as that was the end of the conversation, and the lesson started again.

Arkman Almond POV:

It had been three months. Three! That that brat of a prince made us wait, before sending a missive to meet him.

Honestly. Kids these days have no respect for their elders. Every generation of Chavagners had been worse than the last. Each more unruly.

We allowed this kingdom to have food, and it only had one job, to keep filthy monsters and demons away. And this is the thanks we get?

And really? Smart Little Rhedia sacrificing herself for that child? It's truly unbelievable that that Chavagner kid and Rockhart, thought such story could be believed.

Maybe Samson had a point, and it was time for Ereon to be divided and serve the three great countries, rather than be served by them.

My family members, especially the younger ones would object to this, but I knew with a bit of time, they would see my point of view. Or rather, they will accept it either way.

Honestly though, how long does it take that brat to prepare himself to be presentable for generous self? I had been standing with an oafish knight for nearly an hour. I told him to get me a chair, but he nervously kept saying that his 'Highness' was just getting ready and would see him immediately.

Is that brat making a power play? On me? Ohhh, the hubris on this one. If he thinks having some demonic whore on his side would keep him safe, he must be dreaming.

I would have to see who I can get to deal with her. Marcus Chavagner could work. He hates all demons feverishly. That idiot Verena Westwind could also work. Just plan the idea that his 'Highness' is being corrupted in her mind, and she'll act on it on her own.

Might have to see if I can get contacts in the Dark Region and see who opposes the Queen's new actions. There are always bound to be someone dissatisfied with the actions of their authority figures.

I turned to the knight next to me, about to scold him for still not getting me a chair, when a voice called out from the other side of the throne room door.

"Presenting, Earl Arkman Almond of Yoshen Hill!"

"Finally," I muttered under my breath. Now then time to smile, play the eccentric grandfatherly role and--

Fear.

It was an emotion I was familiar with, but it had been a long time since I felt it. A truly vast long time then I experienced it, and this viscerally.

This boy, this child prince should be a mere thirteen year old boy. Yet why? Why did the second I meet his cold eyes, did my body shake in terror?

This is a trick it must be!

CLANK!

Startled, I looked behind. Oh, it was a room's door closing. It was now just me and the Prince.

...It was just me and the Prince alone in the throne room. So why did I feel I was standing alone with my killer?

The low sunlight, from the cloudy sky, made the shadows in the room and around him stretch longer. Almost like they were a living thing, reaching out to claw into me.

He's just a child. What happened with Rhedia was just luck. If he dared raise his hand against me, my clothes were lined with Mana Ores holding defensive Status Magic spells within. I would be safe. I should--

"Treason, or stupidity?"

"W-w-what?" Does, does he know? No, wait, he can't know. There are no acts attributed to us. Joseph Walnut was the one who leaked the prophecy. Even if I told him to do so, it should be untraceable back to us. He has nothing to pin on us, and if he dared, he'll be ridiculed as a idiotic childish prince.

"Treason, or stupidity? I don't think the question is complicated." Came they bored mocking reply. "The actions of the Caretakers you sent for the past multiple generations had been disruptive to a royalty's growth and at times even damaging. For example, Rhedia Almond attempting to stop a prophecy concerning me and the then Demon King, for reaching me, due to a concern that 'it would cause me undue stress as I wasn't mentally ready'. I was given this pathetic excuse for something that concerned my life or death at the hands of a Demon King. So I ask again, is this treason or stupidity?"

This, this little welp from a Sequilian dirt scum witch!

No, no. I must keep my grandfatherly face, and just lightly admonish him for being rude to a kind old man like me. I opened my mouth to answer...

"You were giving off signs of being rebellious, so my relative family in Sequilia, the Walnuts intercepted the prophecy delivery, and held onto it. In case we needed to remove you early if you proved too difficult to control. It turned out to be true with how to threw a tantrum and killed your benefactor, you ungrateful brat!" I slammed my hand over my mouth. What was that? Why did I speak my mind like that?

I didn't notice it before, but now that I looked down, I was standing in the middle of a Circle of Truth. A spell that forced the target to speak the truth as they know it. It was a favorite for interrogators, and paranoid kings, but, but it shouldn't have worked on me.

I looked at the bracelet in around my hand. It was a magic item, items with genuine magical effect can only be created by demons. This Bracelet of Liesmiths allows the detection of Circles of Truth and negate their effects. I could not remember the number of times I was exonerated from annoying situations by just allowing people to ask me questions in Circles of Truth while using the bracelets to give the answers that suited me.

But now, now it wasn't working? Why?!

"Oh thank goddess." I heard the brat prince sigh in relief and chuckled. As I looked back at him, he seemed more relaxed and cheerful, but the rage in his eyes stayed. "I can not begin to tell you how worried I would have been, if the actions Rhedia took was something you would have viewed as genuinely helpful. Really, I would have been worried for the general level of intelligence of my subjects if that was the case."

"H-how are you doing this? Why is this spell taking effect?" I couldn't help but nervously ask.

I felt the bracelet vibrated around my waist, then it felt like it would shear the skin off as it flew off my hand, and into the hand outstretch from behind the throne.

The demonic hand of Lachynia Valefor.

"This item was made by demons, it belongs to demons." She spoke the Demon Queen with bland disinterest, moving to stand next to her owner.

"Civilians aren't allowed to own demonic magical items, and any found are suppose to be turned over to the nearest military branch. Yet from what I can see, you outright have three. How peculiar?" The Prince rested his head against his fingers as he looked at me inquisitively.

"Y-you can't just treat one of my station like this. Do you think there would be no consequences! This just isn't done!" I shouted. I tried to move out of the spell range, but I found I was stuck in place. Dammit, was I paralyzed as well?

"How did you acquire those magical items?" He ignored me and asked.

"The black market does bring a lot of items, usually found my scouring the battlefields between the knights and the demons at the borders. It's a pretty good business, and helps the right people like me have luxuries that they can't find anywhere else." I clicked my teeth, wanting to keep my mouth shut, but I knew it was a futile effort.

"Hmm, I see."

My eyes widened in horror, as sash and one of my robes flew away into the Demon Bitch's hand.

"This sash protects against the elements, and this robe can reflect any attack till a certain point." Said the Demon Queen nonchalantly.

"Huh, interesting." The Brat Prince tilted his head.

"Do realize the amount of connections you will ruin by this disrespectful act? If," I gulped as I addressed the one thing I feared most, as it became a very real possibility. "If you kill me, you will unleash hell upon yourself. We have connections in every country. My family knows what to do should I be killed, and, and--"

"Sshhhhh." He...he raised a finger to his lips and shushed me. He shushed me!?

"Yeah, I don't care. You made yourself such a nuisance that regardless of the damage, removing you is worth it." My eyes widened at the implication. He meant it. He genuinely met to purge the Almonds.

No, he wouldn't be able to. He wouldn't have the time.

"There is one thing I'm curious about. What was your plan if I did die? I mean, General Marcus wouldn't have taken the throne, but he sure as hell wouldn't have allowed a non-Chavagner to sit on it either." He asked with that calm, serene bored smile.

"We could have found and brought back your older step-brother to fulfill that role." I answered despite my wished, but for the first time I saw his expression change and his rage recede for a moment.

"...What older brother?"

For a small moment, I felt joy at having caught him off, but I understood that the moment he had no use for me, it would be my end, and the fear returned.

"Benedict. Benedict Corvus Charles Hyas Chavagner. Born of King Ernest and his first wife, Lady Glenda. It was during a turbulent time, and thus fearing for his son, King Ernest hide him, till he was sure harm wouldn't find him. This was after Lady Glenda has passed away." I couldn't help grit my teeth at the masterstroke of genius this welp's mother had done. "But then, Lady Glenda's lady-in-waiting, your mother, Lady Arianna, was there to hold his heart, and obviously get into his pants and get queenshi--" Pain exploded into my stomach. Blood. Blood gushed out of me.

"Lachniya!"

"He had to pay. He had to pay for daring to insult you, my Lord."

"Yes, but not now!"

I heard footsteps. The prince's face entered my view. Why was I looking up at him? Oh. I fell.

"Can you heal him?"

"I'm, I'm still not as good at healing magic as you wished, my Prince. I don't have the skills for this yet."

Is this it? Is this really how the great me is going to die? At the whims of a demon whore?

"Can you keep him alive for a few minutes longer then?"

"I can manage that."

Suddenly it didn't feel so bad. I could feel the pain receding. I could register there is pain, and that it was going away.

"Last question. Where is my brother?" I was about to give answer that would waste time. If I will die anyways, why give him the means to eliminate his competition easily. "And I meant all information to him. Where is he? Who is he with? How can I find him?"

"He's..." The pain came back, I wanted to fall into it and not answer, but the Circle of Truth compelled me. "I don't know."

"What?" The Prince growled.

"I don't know he's location. He is with the Royal Knight, Richard Oathhall. Constantly being moved around." The pain was now spreading despite the healing magic.

"How can I find him?!" He said with urgency.

"You can...can..." Even as the spell pushed me, I was too weak to answer.

"Fuck, he's kicking off. Lachniya, just try adding more power to the spell for now. I just need a few seconds."

Streams of light, like a condensed river poured into me. Everything was fine.

Wait.

My arms feel heavy. My body was warm. Really warm. My face--

Within the throne room, a prince was shouting how grossed out he was as the fat noble's body popped like balloon, covering him and his demonic queen wife in blood and gore.

After using Water Magic, the Demon Queen cleaned him and herself, before leaving on her second task of the day.

The Almond Family were invited to their Family Head's mansion. Each and everyone of them was given a personal invitation, telling them on the importance of this invite and the incentives to make sure they went.

When all of them where within the Almond Head Family Manor, they barely had time to be greet each other, before the mansion and all the Almond Family were incinerated by the drop of the blazing Demon Queen from the stratosphere.

And thus the Almond Family was no more.

Sometimes I wonder if I should have a Luck Stat after all.

I then consider that Murphy might be listening and forget that musing.

Bu really how could I think anything else, when the circumstances that lead to me meeting Albus Gregory, also lead me to gaining the one thing I needed for a long while now.

I was alone in my study, reading books I pulled from the Royal Library restricted section. It was something that I've been wandering about for a while now, ever since Lachniya mentioned it, but I never got around to looking it up.

Who was my mother really? What was my father like? What were my parents like basically?

The memory I had of her--That very first time I opened my eyes to this world, was something I cherished, and help keep me going when times were tough, but...who really was she?

The odd thing is, I couldn't find anything in the normal archives about her, but then again neither could I find about the first queen, Lady Glenda. Tales about my father were vague beyond embellish stories of bravery to have fought in the 1000 Year War till it ended. Nothing about who he was as a person, or the things he's done.

It was fishy--

I jumped back as I sensed it, a sharp swish in the wind. A knife was embedded on the desk, near the book and from the answer where my head were.

"Goddess dammit, Ella! I'm doing something serious now!"

"That's exactly the time for you to be alert, Prince~. "

I didn't even feel her appear behind and hugged me, even while I was actively looking for her.

The lucky thing I gain from Albus's destroyed village beyond, animal-eared maids, and a great Governance teacher, was a retired Grandmaster Assassin.

Ella used to be part of an Assassin Sect that was formed to bring justice to the innocent from the shadows. However like all things, it got corrupted over time. As Ella joined and quickly rose through the ranks, she saw their corruption, or at least, that's what I would like to say.

In truth, she wanted to eliminate this corrupt high ranked noble, but naturally he had connects in the sect, and they refused her. She went along with her gut feeling, and killed him. The Assassin Sect confronted her about this, and tried to punish her, so she killed them all. It was only afterwards that she learned they were corrupt.

Yeah, Ella was the type of person that did stuff she felt was right, but never bother to keep the consequences of her actions in mind.

"So, dear Prince. You eliminated part of the rats in your kingdom. What's next? The rest of the Nut Families?" She said with a lazy grin, before she move in front of me, and before I knew it I was sitting in my chair, while she was on her knees, pulling my dick out.

"No, I can't attack Noble families in other countries. That would just spark a war." I said while trying to keep my tone normal as she expertly kissed and licked my cock, hardening it while locking her gaze with me.

"If a war sparks then let it spark." The way her tongue rolled on the head, as it switched between a kiss to a suck back to kiss had me fighting not to cum.

"That'sssss," she stopped, holding her index finger and thumb around the base, stopping my climax in place. "That's not a good thing to push on people who want peaceful lives."

"Really? So you'll never go to war in fear that a person on your side will die." She raised an amused eyebrow.

"No. If I need to, I'll fight, but if I can find another solution I'll do so." I looked her right in the eyes, as I tried to transmit my resolve. "As a future king I need to try my best to find a solution to help the biggest number of people, and not recklessly charge in, innocent bystanders be dammit. So please, don't act rashly."

"Hmm," she seemed to think about it for a moment, and then let for of her hand from my cock and took it into her throat.

"Oooooh!" The suction overtook me. Lightening pleasure firing up in my head as my came and shot my seed into the catgirl's hungry hole.

When I finished, she stayed for a moment cleaning my urethra, before gently pulling back sucking all the way, and let my now hard again, dick out of her mouth. She slowly licked her lips as she smiled at me.

"Alright. As long as you don't become some tyrant--which would just be annoying--I'll keep serving you. And also," she wiggled her eyebrows and kissed the side of my meat rod. "Serve you. I have to say through sending letters to every Almond member? I really can't believe it was that easy. Not in the sense I think something is up, but I kinda expected it would have taken more than writing personalized letters to each one, with some 'reward' for them if they make it. I expected I have to improvise a lot on this mission."

"Yeah," I touched her ear, wanting to feel it in my finger. She was licking the side of my dick when she stopped to observe me. "Me neither really, I gave you the letter stuff as a basic strategy, because I got the impression they were all vapid and shallow, but after thinking about it, I thought you would also improvise and figure something out, but..." I slowly rubbed her cat ear between my index and thumb and felt her purr on my cock. I bit my lips, goddess that was good. "Guess they turned out exactly as I thought they were."

I gathers mana to my fingers as Ella bobbed her head back and forth. Just as the mana reached my fingers so I can use Heat Touch, Ella stopped, and pulled back to the head. I paled, fearing I fucked up somehow as Ella glared, barring her teeth on my cock head, and biting just the lightest bit to get my full undivided attention.

I slowly moved my hands away from her ear, and her moved her mouth away.

"If you're going with the whole 'sex god in bed' thing in the future, then learn to do this stuff without Sex Magic, or bedroom spells." She said kissing my length and going down till she reached my balls and stopped, closing her eyes. She took a deep whiff, as she let my cock rest on her face, and opened before kissing her way back up.

"Still young. You don't exercise enough."

"...Okay."

I am not really sure on my interactions with Ella, as I'm not sure what sets her off, and what doesn't. In a way, Lachniya is more predictable than her.

"Improve your Detection skill, and be able to dodge my assault when I'm semi-serious. You need to at least be that good, to not worry about good assassins." She stated, then rose up till my cock was at her chest, and started stroking me, while touching the head to her nipple and playing with them.

"Are we talking about sex stuff or combat stuff?" I finally asked.

"Both. Sometimes they overlap. Your fun for now, so I want you to live longer. If you want to get better and breaking girls and women to you will in the bedroom, learn how to get them heated up without needing magic. Also learn about the nervous system and pressure points and memorize them~" She leaned forward, kissing below my abdomen, then moving up kissing my torso along the way. Then my chest, my neck till she was face to face with me. "Now rub my ears again and make me purr." She rested her upper body on my side.

"...Okay." I'm a broken recorder. I know that, but I really have nothing else to say.

Ella rests her head on the curve of my shoulder, and closed her eyes. Her breath lightly tickles me, and makes me sleepy. I raised my patted her head, she let out a content hum, then I moved on to one of her ears, and started rubbing it, experimenting with what she liked and what bored her. In the meantime, she was also stroking me but in a way to keep me hard rather than anything else.

"Hey," after a moment of...comfortable? aroused silence a thought came to me. "You want another mission to go one?"

"Hmm?" Ella opened her eyes, and started intrigued at me.

"It's about Natalie."

Ella raised both eyebrows, and an understanding seemed to come to her. She got off, moved in front me, and bent over, putting my cock between her meatbuns. The black catgirl started moving up and down while pushing back, to hotdog me (wonder if it's suppose to be hotcatting like this?).

"Go on." She said.

"Natalie is..." I put my hands on her bum, helping their compression on my penis. "Well, she's not okay, and I can't help her. I can't really heal her mind, but there is also the fact that it's known she...important to me. Or at least someone I care about."

"Hmm," Ella stopped, raised her hips, then when down her pussy engulfing my dick, and she leaned back and rested her body on mine, her head on my shoulder again. "You want me to protect her in my free time?" I let my hand circle around her torso and hug her from behind.

"No, I want you to train her." I wonder if I would be condemning Natalie to more pain from this. An assassin's training can't be good for the mind, but at least she will be strong enough to protect herself.

"Oh?" Ella smiled, her sharp teeth nearly glowing like a ghost in this darkened room, where the only light was a lamp and moonlight.

"I want to not worry about her, for her to become strong enough to not be used a hostage against me and I want her to feel like...like she can regain her strength. Like she can be strong again and be able to stand on her own." I tried to explain.

"Hmm," Ella's insides started squeezing on my cock in a rhythm where I wanted to do nothing but grab her sides, and fuck her like she was a toy. "'Stand on her own'? I'm not sure I can do that, or if I'm even the right person for the job, but everything else." She leaned forward, putting her legs on the floor, rested her hands on her knees. She looked back at me and grinned. "Oh yeah, I can manage that. It will be fun having an apprentice." Ella started rotating her hips, and I just lost control. I wanted to start fucking her and cum deep inside this horny cat, yet no matter what it felt like my release was out of reach.

I grabbed her sides, use magic to strengthen myself (for a moment, she was staring intensely waiting to see what I will use magic for). When I pushed her up and forward, she ended up bent over on the desk I want reading on, and grinning back at me. I stop caring about trying to understand her and starting thrusting with everything I got.

In the fleeting moment when I could think, I dreaded how everything seemed to escalate, yet I felt I should hopefully manage and figure things out as I went along.

I tightly hugged the catgirl assassin from behind, and groan as I shot my load, over and over again in her depth, to her moaning delight.

Man, my life was crazy and I was only thirteen. Welp, at least unlucky number was over.

Fourteen should be better.

Personal Info:

Name: Aidan Vealfas Rowan Atlas Chavagner

Titles: Crown Prince of Ereon, Bloody Smile Prince, Future King of Ereon

Age: 13

Condition: Confused Horny

Stats:

Strength: 25

Durability: 19

Dexterity: 18

Speed: 22

Mental Calculation: 58

Memory Capacity: 106

Aether Control: 39

Mana Capacity: 26

Skills:

Royal Etiquette:

Swordsmanship:

Kingdom Governance:

Status Magic:

-Sex Magic:

Bedroom Arts:

Presence Detection:

Traits:

Firm Stride: A leap of faith. The confidence of madmen. The ability to not hesitate once a decision is made, and to walk forward with open eyes.

Vengeance Torment: Cold-blooded torture. Pain repaid a hundred fold. The ability to inflict pain and suffering on others without being bother or affected by their screams and tears, or seeing blood and gore.

King's Presence: The air of a ruler. The aura of a leader of men. The ability to captivate attention and project authority to your subjects. When you act like a king, people will listen when you speak, and remember you when you leave.