"He's not actually here.", said Daneel from behind, making a small expression of astonishment pass across the King's face.
What he was using was a high-grade trinket which let him project his image anywhere in the palace. Thus, he could not move forward from the boundary of the palace, but any Human Mage was not supposed to be able to tell the difference between the projection and reality.
Daneel was actually using the upgraded elementary sight, hence he could see the particles in front of him with the view of a Warrior Mage. On reaching that level, one's mind would become more open and capable of viewing and assessing the world better.
"Laravel, don't you know why your brothers and sisters do not even dare to have rebellious thoughts?", he asked in a normal tone.
Laravel had calmed down a little after hearing Daneel speak. Indeed, if his father were really here, he would have lunged forward to kill them already as both of them were simply no match in front of him.
"I do. I don't know how exactly, but you have some means to take our lives. I was prepared for that when I made the decision to approach Daneel's master. You are wrong, father. You should have listened to grandfather."
Hearing this, the King barked a savage laugh before saying, "My father? The old man was exactly the same way I am when he was in power. In fact, he was even worse. Once, he ordered a whole village to be killed because they refused to pay the high taxes! He contributed to the present state of affairs more than almost any King before or after him. If he faced the same situation I did, I know he would have made the same decision. After breaking through and enjoying such a long life, he suddenly starts preaching all that stuff to me? I have to sacrifice myself for the throne? Humph."
Each word struck Laravel like a bullet. It seemed that although he had known vaguely about the previous King's past, hearing the bitter truth from his father was attacking his mindset which had decided on his grandfather as his idol.
"Even his reasoning was flawed. Did he ever tell you to care for the people? All he wanted was for the family name to go on. Family name, family name, family name. I got sick each time I heard him say the same thing over and over again!"
As an expression of self-doubt and indecisiveness appeared on his face after hearing these words, Laravel slowly started shaking his head in response; both to answer the question the King had asked and to deny all of the allegations that were threatening to make his mind crumble.
"What use is the family name if I'm dead? I want to live and grow in power. Frankly, I don't care if that's here or at the Withering Leaf Sect. Your eldest brother will inherit the throne and the sect will slowly make this into a sectarian country. Of course, they will keep the people around because they need to recruit. But apart from that, the people will be treated with the same disparity.
"Boy, in this world, power is everything. It's a pity you were born from my blood and still don't understand that."
"NO!", shouted Laravel, clutching his head and bending to his knees.
Meanwhile, Daneel felt danger emanating from the open door that led to the palace. He did not want to teleport himself forward and get trapped, thus he waited and watched.
For some reason, Daneel felt that the King was buying time. He simply looked at the crouched Laravel, giving him enough time to sort out his feelings.
"Yes, he never told me care for the people. But we both agreed that it was essential to do so to prevent situations like these. Yes, he did all those things in his past. But I know he realized he had been wrong in his last years.
Raising his head up to face the King's, Laravel spoke in a strong tone that displayed the firm belief in his ideals that he had regained.
"Our family name IS everything. I want to face my great-grandfather and my ancestors with my head held high when I die. The family name must live on. For that, I am willing to do anything."
Speaking these words, Laravel felt a clarity that he had never experienced before in his life. All the doubts he had had about his grandfather's past were gone, because he now understood that changes like these could only be welcomed, not sought after.
Each and every story told by his Grandfather had awoken in him a zeal to live up to the deeds of their ancestors. Every time, he would compare his life and mindset to those of the princes of old who lived lives of leadership and conquest. Even he wished to be so; to work with the single ambition to expand the Kingdom handed down by his family.
Of course, his viewpoint had been flawed as the previous King himself did not care about the citizens. He had chosen to tell only selective parts after discarding the ones about them treating the people fairly. Yet, what he told had been enough to change this shrewd but arrogant kid.
The stories gave birth to a wish. A wish to save the Noble Lanthanore name from disappearing.
And even if he died trying to fulfill this wish, he would have no regrets.
Sighing, the King said, "So you've made your decision. Well, it's too late now. Remember the Royal Technique given to all members of the Royal Family to increase body potential or comprehension?"
Daneel was surprised seeing the King bring this up. He recalled his conversation with Elanev, who had talked about the rumors that the Royal Family had absorption techniques which increased potential but might result in gruesome mutations. What did that have to do with anything right now?
"Those techniques were a set: one increased body potential or comprehension whereas the other could remove the limiter stopping mutations from occurring due to the side effects of using the other technique. Our ancestor who betrayed his brother to gain control of the Kingdom was always afraid that his offspring might usurp the throne by doing exactly what he had done. Thus, he bought this set at an exorbitant price which placed the whole Kingdom in debt for quite a lot of years.
Raising his hand, the King stared into Laravel's eyes as a twisted smile appeared on his face.
"Except your Eldest Brother, I can kill you or any of your siblings at the flick of my wrist right now. Choose, Laravel. Take a step forward and you will die. Say a word and you will die. Just surrender, and I promise that I will not even punish you."
On Laravel's face, there was only peace regardless of what he heard. Since he saw the King here, he knew that his actions had been discovered and that there was a very high possibility that he would die.
What difference would the method make? There was only one more thing he needed to do: he had to deactivate the bloodlock on the door so that Daneel could enter safely.
At this moment, his whole life flashed before his eyes.
His childhood filled with arrogance where he took pleasure in showing off whenever he could.
His fear of defeat in Daneel's hands which made him use the explosion trinket during the test.
His indignance and desire to take revenge as he still lost.
And his first proper conversation with his grandpa who talked when he once accompanied his father to the bedroom.
Each and every long discussion they shared were vivid in his mind. Bit by bit, he had begun to envy the princes of old who had the true right to be arrogant with war merits under their chest and unfathomable power in their hands.
What did he have to be arrogant? Nothing. By letting go of that arrogance, the admiration for his family name was slowly instilled in him. And with that admiration came the desire to do something.
Now, a relaxed smile appeared on his face as the realization came that he would die soon. But, he still needed to do that one last thing.
Taking a lunge forward, Laravel tried to reach the door.
An expression of frustration appearing on his face, the King flicked his upraised fingers and disappeared as another loud BOOM was heard from above ground.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
With a scream, Laravel fell to the ground and started writhing.
After quickly confirming that there were no threats nearby, Daneel hastened to the prince's side.
An expression of agony was on his face, with eyes rolled back to show the whites and teeth gritted so hard together that blood started to flow from the corner of his lips.
Yet, what horrified Daneel the most was the realization that somehow, Laravel's body was growing in size while black hair started appearing all over his skin.
In only a few seconds, the body on the ground was already double Daneel's size.
"AAAAAAAAARRGGHHHHH!"
A roar shook through the dome, making the hair on Daneel's skin stand on end as he realized that that figure had raised its head and was now looking at him as if he were its prey.
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