Up close, those ships were absolutely enormous—I could not even begin to imagine how many monster cores such behemoths consumed per hour of flight… And their combat power… I could not tell exactly, but I suspected one of them was worth at least ten Gods of War. I shook my head, reflecting on how much stronger the Imperial Court truly was compared to what I had imagined.
“Honorable Aney?” Munk did not immediately understand why I had paused.
“I’m coming, I’m coming…”
We stepped onto the deck of one of the ships, where several dozen lavishly dressed people had gathered. I quickly scanned all the auras aboard. Neither the first nor the second prince was present. So who had they sent for the negotiations? Could it be the emperor himself, finally stirring his ancient bones? No, that would be too much… Most likely, it was some relative—an old and experienced negotiator, skilled in pouring honey into ears with words and twisting arms with terms. We walked along the wide deck between tense-looking people. It seemed my reputation was well known among them.
“Hey, folks, relax. I’m here as a negotiator—you are not allowed to kill people like me, in case you did not know.”
They did not appreciate the joke. Their faces remained twisted with unease. Well, to hell with them—I did not come here to share a feast. Vasa and Munk led me to a large set of doors leading into the officers’ lounge and let me in while they remained outside. The room was empty.
I shrugged and made my way to a round table with two chairs, taking a seat in one of them. There were drinks and fruit on the table, but I decided it was best not to consume any of it. Minutes passed, but no one came to see me. Were they deliberately making me wait? This was not just disrespect—it was… Damn it, they wanted to rattle me, to make the negotiations easier later. Fine. I stood up and made for the exit—let them negotiate with themselves, then. The door behind me opened.
“Honorable Aney, forgive the delay—I needed time to gather my thoughts.”
I turned around. In the doorway stood a young blonde woman, perhaps twenty years old. Pleasant-looking, though not a beauty. Minimal makeup. Calm, soft voice. Who in hell was she, and what was she doing here? Her clothing gave nothing away—she could have been either a servant of someone important or an official herself. Her aura matched that of a low-tier mage.
“And who are you, exactly?”
I decided to start off playing the role of a rude ignoramus.
“Oh, I beg your pardon, Honorable Aney. I am Myrta, Princess of the Northern Empire.”
“Hooo… A real princess. And what are you doing here?”
A flicker of confusion crossed her face, which brought a smile to mine.
“Honorable Aney, today I am here as the representative of the Northern Empire, with full authority to conduct negotiations with you.”
I returned to my chair and gestured to the one opposite me.
“Well then, go on. What are you standing there for?”
They had sent this barely-of-age girl? What the hell was this? The Emperor? No, unlikely. He would have used the second prince—someone who was neither my enemy nor my friend, but at least someone I knew personally. Or someone completely unknown but experienced. And what if the Emperor knew nothing about these negotiations at all?
I watched the princess closely as she walked toward the table. She had not come alone—too many guards. The second prince? He would have come personally. Then there was only one possibility. That damned bastard! It had to be the first prince of the Empire. The son of a bitch did not want to rule a ruined Empire after daddy finally kicked the bucket, but he had not come himself because he knew I might break his smug face. What a cunning bastard. Fine, let’s play the game. Myrta sat down in the chair across from me.
“Honorable Aney, I understand that reaching an agreement will not be easy, but believe me—the Empire will do everything within its power to put an end to this hostility.”
“Oh really? And how exactly? Will you raise the bounty on my head? Great idea—one million gold for killing the God of War is a bit stingy, make it at least two. No, what am I saying—less than five and I will not even consider dying!”
“At the moment, Honorable Aney, this is a necessary measure to ensure your motivation to negotiate.”
Whoa, the girl could bare her teeth. I grinned.
“So, what is the first prince offering to keep me from leaving him butt-naked before his coronation?”
“You have already guessed?”
There—I caught her off guard. She had not expected that.
“I am not Lady Vasa, but I can still add two and two.”
Myrta gave a short nod, as if acknowledging my deduction.
“The position of the Emperor’s right hand.”
“Excuse me, what? I am a criminal every citizen in the capital wants to tear to pieces, and just like that I am offered the role of the Emperor’s right hand? Is the prince even in his right mind?”
“That is irrelevant. Today’s enemy is tomorrow’s ally… Everything will be as the Imperial Court decrees. Besides, the people love a winner—and you quickly became one in the battle of the Hundred and the magic tournament. Restoring your title as a hero of the Northern Empire will not be difficult. Do not worry about that. However, if you refuse, the people’s hatred of you will only grow, as you are depriving them of a cheap resource—monster cores—and thus worsening their lives. The Imperial Court will always get what it wants, you understand that.”
She was right. The Empire’s production, agriculture, and daily life all relied on monster cores. Without them, the country would spiral into poverty, industrial collapse, and famine. And before they even rose against the Imperial Court, the people would crucify me first.
“So what? Do you think I care what happens to them? The Northern Empire had the audacity to attack me, despite my warnings. The Imperial Court falsely accused me of the tragedy that occurred in the capital, and I am supposed to just forget that? I am the God of War, damn it! I have enough power not only to destroy your Northern Empire, but to flip the entire damned continent upside down!”
“I understand that, Honorable Aney, and that is exactly why I am here—to negotiate with you. But regardless of everything that has been said, you have not given a clear answer to the proposal.”
“You mean serving your bastard of a brother? Absolutely not—I feel sick every time I see his face. So no, there will be no such deal.”
I stood up, ready to leave, but she stopped me.
“I have one more offer. How about the throne of the Northern Empire, Honorable Aney? Is that a sufficient price for peace?”
Whoa! I had not expected that one.
“What do you mean?”
“Take me. And become the Emperor!”
“What the hell are you talking about?!”
“Honorable Aney, it is quite simple. My father has not left his bed in weeks, and few still hope for his recovery. The First Prince may be the current favorite for the throne, but should misfortune suddenly strike him—if he were to fall down the stairs and break his neck, or tumble drunkenly out a window—no one would mourn him. And considering your strength, the Second Prince will retreat, so long as you offer him guarantees of physical safety. Thus, as the lawful husband of the princess, you will become the sole and indisputable candidate for the throne of the Empire! As I said, the plan is simple and realistic.”
What an ambitious girl. From a mere princess straight to an empress, and she even wants to use me to get there.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
“Pffffha-ha-ha-ha! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!” I burst out laughing. “Why would I want the throne? Especially with you included in the deal?! Do you truly believe I care about your internal intrigues and the power over some Empire? Ohhh, what a laugh… But now I’m curious—how did you dare make such a proposal? Was this your plan from the very beginning?”
It seemed my reaction startled Myrta; she even blushed.
“Do you think, honorable Aney, that the life of an imperial princess is so easy? There will be no place for me after my father’s death, especially if I fail to come to an agreement with you today. And it does not matter who becomes the next emperor, the First or the Second Prince—they will sell me off like cattle! All my life I’ve done nothing but try to survive, so what is wrong with doing that now?!”
“Enough, enough, I doubt you’ll move me with that,” I waved my hand, cutting her off. “Besides, I am not interested. So if that is all, I will be on my way.”
The girl stood up.
“Take me with you, honorable Aney!” she exclaimed so loudly I was momentarily taken aback.
“What are you talking about?”
“A contract! I agree to a lifelong contract under the Eye of Judgment! I will become your servant! Even if I am not pretty enough to attract you, I understand people and politics of the continent very well! I am certain I can be of use to you! Please, honorable Aney!”
Damn it, what is that bastard threatening her with that she’d agree to a slave contract? Heh-heh, a princess turned into a servant? I felt the urge to mock her further.
“You want to serve me? With your power level? You must be insane—I do not pick up dead weight for my team.”
“I truly am only a third-circle mage, but my value lies not in strength, but in intellect—I guarantee it, honorable Aney! Moreover, I have this!” She pulled out a white plaque from her storage.
“What is that?”
“A certificate of imperial blood. Few would dare to attack someone carrying this plaque.”
Now that was more interesting than the princess herself.
“That’s not enough. What else can you offer?”
Myrta’s eyes sparkled; she could sense she was close to securing the deal.
“Please, honorable Aney, tell me what more you want…”
“I like this little ship,” I twirled my finger in the air. “I want it.”
“Honorable Aney! That… that is of course not the empire’s flagship, but—”
“What now?”
“It is the First Prince’s favorite ship…”
“Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! Then I want it even more! So what—this ship and you thrown in, and we have a deal?”
Slapping the First Prince in the face like that would be fun.
“And you will stop destroying dungeons in the Northern Empire?”
“Yes, I will stop destroying dungeons in the Northern Empire. I’ll only enter them to collect cores or for other purposes, but I won’t destroy them.”
“Agreed!”
Myrta pulled a scroll from her storage and unrolled it. A red magical circle with a strange pattern lit up on the parchment.
“Before the Eye of Judgment, this contract is entered, and thus it shall be fulfilled! I, Myrta, Princess of the Northern Empire, hereinafter referred to as ‘the contractor’, and Aney, the God of War, hereinafter referred to as ‘the executor’, hereby enter into this lifelong contract of service. The contractor is obliged to serve the executor and obey all his orders, except those that would inevitably lead to her death. In return, the executor is only obliged not to destroy the dungeons of the Northern Empire for the duration of the contractor’s service. The contract shall be deemed fulfilled by mutual agreement. In the event of arbitration, a penalty of three percent of the remaining lifespan shall be imposed on the guilty party. If the contractor violates the terms of the contract in a way that threatens its fulfillment, a penalty of one hundred percent of the remaining lifespan shall be imposed on the contractor as the guilty party. All terms and conditions of this contract are in accordance with the statutes of the God of Judgment, are not subject to appeal, and shall be governed solely within the bounds of said statutes!”
As soon as she spoke those words, the magical seal of the Eye of Judgment appeared above us, and a voice declared, “The contract is now in force!” Text appeared on the parchment, and the magical circle transformed into two red ribbons that soared into the air and wrapped around our wrists.
“So that’s how it works—a contract of service can only be made by someone willing to serve… in exchange for something important to them.”
“Lord Aney, did you not know? Otherwise, everyone here would already be a slave.”
“You’re not bad either—you snuck a clause into the contract to protect yourself from your brother. ‘For the duration of the contractor’s service to the executor.’ Ha-ha-ha!” I quoted her own words.
“It will force him not only to stop any pursuit, but to protect me when he becomes emperor, Lord Aney.”
“Do not call me Lord. At least not in public.”
“Understood, Lord Aney.”
“Let’s go. It’s time for the guests on my ship to leave.”
Myrta walked ahead and opened the door for me. Dozens of eyes turned to look at us.
“Gentlemen, this ship is now my property, and she—” I pointed to Myrta, “—is my servant and will remain with me. And it’s time for you to leave, wherever you were headed.”
“I will kill that bastard!”
Vasa drew her sabers and slowly began walking toward me. Suddenly, Myrta jumped in front of me and spread her arms wide, blocking the path of the Goddess of War.
“Honourable Vasa, what do you think you are doing? I have just concluded a deal that will save our Empire, and you want to ruin everything?!”
“But Your Highness, to be a servant to this… this—!” Vasa struggled to find a fitting epithet for me.
“Your personal feelings are of no concern to me, Honourable Vasa! And do not you dare rebuke the Empire’s official representative in these negotiations!”
Vasa snorted and sheathed her weapons.
“I have no relations with him!”
“Oh, Honourable Vasa, so it was without any relations that you were nibbling my ear so sweetly only an hour ago? And just to convince me to agree to the negotiations? You have broken my heart, Honourable Vasa! I truly thought we were more than friends!”
“I swear I will kill him right now!” roared the Goddess of War.
Munk silently grabbed her by the shoulders and dragged her away from me.
“Good luck, Honourable Aney!” he called out, pushing Vasa overboard before jumping after her.
“And all the best to you, Honourable Munk! Do keep an eye on Honourable Vasa there, so she does not do anything foolish!”
Another ship docked alongside mine, and people began transferring onto it. I had to slap a few hands to stop them from taking everything that was not nailed down. I also noticed that some of them wanted to say goodbye to Myrta personally, but none dared while I was nearby. After seeing the last of them off and unmooring the ship, I did not bother to inspect my new vessel. Instead, I began searching for a storage large enough to conceal it. One of the mages’ warehouses—those I had recently slain—seemed quite suitable.
“We are disembarking too,” I told the girl.
I pulled out my boat and leapt onto it. Myrta paced along the ship’s edge, eyeing the fifty-meter gap between the ship and the boat.
“Utterly helpless.”
I had to jump back just to carry her onto the boat myself.
“Master Aney, are you truly planning to continue your journey in this tiny boat?”
“Do you have any idea how much fuel that fool of a ship consumes per hour of flight?”
“No, but this boat… it is rather small.”
I stashed the ship in the storage.
“It has eight cabins. One is mine, so you even get to choose among the remaining seven. What difference does it make how many bedrooms your palace has if you can only sleep in one at a time?”
“Understood, Master Aney,” the girl replied after a short silence. “I will no longer trouble you with such foolish concerns.”
I activated the navigation map and resumed course toward Garah. Just because I would not be destroying the dungeons now did not mean I would not be collecting mana cubes and monster baths. And destroying a few temples of the White Twins along the way would not hurt either.
I was about to sort through the junk I had collected after the fight with the mages in search of something useful when Myrta climbed back up to the cockpit.
“Master Aney, your galley… it is empty!”
Damn it all, she was bound to me by contract! I looked her in the eyes, trying to determine whether she was mocking me. Apparently not.
“Fine. Come with me.”
We descended into the mess hall, where I laid out several plates of food I had bought back in Lhote.
“Tomorrow we will arrive in Garah. You will have a few hours to buy everything you need for a few months of travel. Do you have any money at all?”
“Money? No, unfortunately I do not…”
“And there you have it, a princess of the Empire—without a single coin.” I handed her a pouch of money.
“Master Aney, since you said it would be several months, where exactly are we traveling to?”
“To Matan.”
“Matan? But we are flying in the opposite direction.”
“Sit down. You get a five in geography. As if I did not know. I need to obscure our trail and destroy a few temples of the White Twins. And also visit a couple of dungeons.”
“Master Aney, may I ask, why do you destroy temples? It cannot be without reason.”
I honestly did not know what to say.
“Do you know that temples siphon aura and mana from ordinary people, thereby shortening their lifespans?”
“That is not exactly a secret. Of course I know.”
“Then why ask?”
Myrta looked genuinely puzzled. It was as if she believed it was simply the way things were.
“Because I do not understand, to be honest. It has always been like this. It is our offering to the Gods for peace on the continent.”
“And you think they have the right to take such a price? The lives of people? People are not cattle, after all.”
“I dare not judge you, but are you certain your strategy is the right one? What is the ultimate goal?”
“Yes, I am certain. By destroying the temples, I will deprive them of power and kill the White Twins.”
Her eyes widened; she even held her breath.
“But… the balance of power on the continent will collapse as well, and then the demons… the demons will destroy us all!”
“Demons?”
I had heard people mention demons before, but I had always considered it folklore. Was I mistaken?
“Yes! Through the balance of power, the White Twins nurture strong mages and Gods of War to stand guard at the world’s breach and protect the continent from the demons that come from there! Master Aney, do you truly not know this?”
I truly did not. But I did know something else—that the world’s breach had been caused by the White Twins in the first place.
“And you use that to justify them? They are the ones who created the breach in the first place! And now, instead of answering for it or fixing it, they use the people of the continent to gain godly power and breed livestock—meaning you—to protect themselves! Fool!”
“Master Aney, I do not know who did what, but as things stand now, I believe your strategy is flawed. And it seems you know this yourself. Still, I will follow you and do whatever you command. At the same time, I will try to minimize the damage from your actions. Do not rebuke me for that.”
“And now she thinks she is the voice of reason!”
I went up on deck. She had said all the right things, but the desire to destroy that damned church and those two false gods burned in me like red-hot iron. And the breach… the demons… it all seemed so far away, like something I could not even believe in.
“To hell with it!”
I shouted overboard and sat down to read Rom’s grimoires.
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