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Path to Prosperity - B3 Chapter 7
🕑 Added 2024-10-21 10:00:05 +0000 UTC“You’re trying to tell me you could add an Augmentation to the Syreablade with your Ego?” The Old King asked, his eyes narrowed to tiny slits as he added in a whisper, “Adding an Augmentation to a weapon…seven hells…”
Percy chuckled, but a husky laugh followed by a groan was all that escaped his lips, “I know how that sounds, but that is what I did.”
“And adding the Augmentation to Dragon Fang triggered your bloodline and awakened it,” The King joined the conversation.”
“Are you a dragon now?” Sophia asked excitedly. Percy was about to respond when he realized something.
I don’t think triggering the Azure Dragon bloodline transformed me into a full-fledged dragon. I look too human for that. But…isn’t our entire family part dragon in some way? Father said we’re the offspring of the Azure Dragon, so…in some way, we are all dragons… I think?
The Queen studied him for a few seconds in worry, but it didn’t take long before her worry transformed into anger.
“Why did you do that?”
Percy wiggled a little uncomfortable. If possible, he would have made a run for it. Unfortunately, that wasn’t a feasible option, and he would have to face his mother’s question head-on.
“It might have been a stupid idea, I know that now, but I wanted to be fully prepared for this afternoon.”
“This afternoon?” The Queen asked Percy and looked over to the King and his father when her son wouldn’t answer.
“You were serious about this?” The King inquired from Percy, who nodded with fiercely burning determination shimmering in his eyes.
“What is going on?” The Queen demanded answers, “I do not like that I have no idea what is going on.”
Percy and the King looked at each other in discomfort, hoping the Queen would leave them be. Unfortunately, they’d woken the restless beast.
Her son got injured because of some preparations for something she wasn’t aware of. A secret between father and son.
Under normal circumstances, she would have been happy if Phillip and Percy got closer, but neither did she like secrets nor adore seeing her beloved injured. It had only been a few months since she reunited with her son. She didn’t want to lose him again.
“Don’t tell me you were planning to join the envoy,” The Old King put the pieces together a little faster than the Queen, but Reina concluded what was happening a mere moment later.
“The envoy to the Beastlands?!” She exclaimed, her eyes narrowed in fury.
Even though the Guild and the crown’s forces worked well to pursue and decimate the demons sighted all across the kingdom, they did not have an easy time dealing with the issues arising in the Beastlands.
The Beast King was seen near the borders multiple times in the last few weeks. He didn’t attack the border defenses, but his appearance at the border came close to a declaration of war. The Beast King was a Gifted of unparalleled power. Even the Old King considered the Beast King as a formidable threat.
Percy and his grandfather had been talking about it a few times, and they concluded that it would be best to befriend the Beastmen and pull the Beast King to their side. The Beast King would be the perfect ally in an all-out war against one of the Devils and the demon hordes. He and his Beastmen possessed the power the Kainesh Kingdom needed in a fight against the Seven Hells.
Another war with the Beastlands was the last thing they needed. Too many good people would die needlessly, further weakening the defense lines against the demon hordes.
“The Beast King accused us of breaking the peace treaty,” Percy mumbled, “I don’t remember the exact words written in the report, but he must have mentioned something about hunters roaming through the woods of the Beastlands, kidnapping and enslaving their children. There are also rumors about hunters spreading poison into the food of the monsters they’re hunting. That is another problem, but it is not as grave as accusing us of slavery, especially after Father abolished slavery after the war ended in the first place.”
There were a few more problems entailed in the Beast King’s accussion, which was why nobody took it lightly. Phillip Kain and the Old King met with the Beast King a few times and understood he wouldn’t accuse them of something if he didn’t have concrete evidence.
“The Beast King seems to have proof to back his accusation. That means there is an underground operation revolving around the enslaved Beastmen in the kingdom. Since the crown hasn’t heard anything about it – not even our secret information network – this will take some time to solve. That is the problem. We do not have any time. The Beast King and his subjects are in fury. The tension at the border is increasing by the day, and it certainly doesn’t help us that the number of demon sightings is still increased,” The King explained to everyone present, even though most of them were already aware of the intel.
“We need to soothe the Beast King’s wrath while researching and annihilating everything related to the slavers. That is only possible by showing the Beast King that the crown and nobles have nothing to do with the disappearance of his subjects. We cannot afford another war with the Beastlands.”
“That is why I will join the envoy to the Beastlands,” Percy said, “I wanted to tell Father about my decision this afternoon. That’s why I unsealed the [Dragonblood] Augmentation of the Syreablade. I was already close to ranking up and was hoping the Syreablade’s Augmentations would enhance my prowess even further so that you and Father wouldn’t have to worry.”
“You won’t go,” The Queen responded decisively.
“Yes, I will,” Percy retorted instantly.
He didn’t expect to receive his mother’s approval, but that wasn’t necessary. She couldn’t force him to stay in the royal palace and the capital forever.
“The envoy consists of multiple future Imperials, but also noble heirs. Maybe some houses are trying to connect to the Beastlands or to demonstrate their loyalty to the crown, but we are nothing more than a ‘security’ to the Beast King. I know you might not like the sound of it, but someone from the royal family has to be part of the envoy as insurance, and I will be damned if I let my sister join this envoy.”
Reina’s lips parted to say something, to burst aloud in fury, but the rational part of her mind urged her to stay silent and think about what was just said. She looked at her daughter before throwing glances at everyone else who was present while nibbling on her lower lip.
“In that case, I will–...”
“You cannot leave. You are the Queen and shouldn’t join the envoy. If I join the envoy, we can say that my first mission as the crown prince is negotiating with the Beast King. I was willing to join the envoy and accept more responsibilities. However, if you join the envoy, it will seem more like you are willing to become the Beastlands’ hostage. Maybe some nobles will think of it similarly if I join the envoy, but most will praise the crown for…their actions,” Percy was about to say something else at the end but decided against it. There was no need to worry his mother any further.
“It’s too dangerous!” The Queen shook her head in denial, but the Old King spoke this time, “But it will be even more dangerous if there will be no negotiations. Percy has the authority to make decisions in the name of the crown, which is exactly what we need right now. Furthermore, Percy is a much better pick than you. I’m sorry, but you and the King are too weak.”
The King stared daggers at his father, but the Old King only shrugged, “You barely ascended two years ago. When I was your age, I was already an Exalted. Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying this to talk down to you and your progress, but Beastmen respect the young and powerful. That was also why they praised this bastard Baron Levian Darkai so much. I was forced to surrender the Moonlight Forest to that bastard!”
The Old King was about to keep raging, but the Queen’s deadly gaze stopped him.
He cleared his throat and said what had to be said.
“Percy is already at the Master Tier and has progressed quite a bit. He will become an Ascended before the age of 18 even if he doesn’t do anything but stay in his shop. However, Percy is not weak either. His prowess is excellent. The Weaponmasters have been praising Percy’s diligence and progress since he joined the Kingsguard’s training,” The Old King revealed, “The Beastmen will love Percy once he reveals his prowess. That is great and definitely something we need if we want our negotiations with the Beast King to succeed.”
The King nodded approvingly and added, “Furthermore, Percy needs to socialize with our neighbors. We need to prepare him to take over the reins from me when it’s time for me to step down from the throne.”
Reina was taken by surprise by her husband’s comment. She had a lot to say, but the King’s words swallowed her commentary. But she wasn’t the only one taken by surprise.
Percy stared at his father and grandfather and swallowed hard.
Are they already planning…No, they wouldn’t…right?
