Chapter 433: A Scheme Against The Throne (2/2)

”No, My Lord,” the unnamed knight kneeled. ”I always believed that my origins are the only thing that keeps me attached to this world, but that's a mistake. It is purpose. My purpose is what anchors me to life, and after what happened in the forest, I believe that my purpose is to be your eyes in the darkness, your dagger in the night.”

”Well said,” Arthur grinned as he raised his hand. The tree behind him resonated with his mana, and Rega's body began glowing. The light manifested into words, and they were the knight's name. ”This is my gift to you. As long as you are in Hidden City, you can sleep restfully. And this will also be your name,” Arthur pushed the letters into the knight's body.

The letters merged with the knight's body, and the tree blessed him with a soft glowing light. Arthur didn't attempt to infuse his body with the mana of creation, as that would turn his internals to ashes. However, he blessed him with a part of Rega's divine energy, and it should be enough for him to sleep.

”Your name will be Lusica,” Arthur said, and it was derived from words in Alvan Language that meant: ”My dagger of light,” he muttered as Lusica kneeled and the ceremony was concluded.

Sun, Shield, Sky, Wave, Lux, and Lusica stood before him in half a circle. The commander and vice commander stood behind the group with pride as Rega and Hana looked at each other with the expectations of a young kid.

”Welcome to my family,” Arthur said at last with a grin, and the curtains of the show drew close. The knights excused themselves and left Arthur, Dia, Hana, and Rega at the tree's base.

”Do you guys want to play?” Dia said to the two children, and they both bobbed their heads. ”Well, I want you to get me a pink flower with as many petals as you can. You can look for it together. Mana, don't cheat!”

”Yes!”

”Let's go!” Hana stuttered as the two began looking around the forest. As for Arthur and Dia, they looked at each other before looking to the side, avoiding direct eye contact.

”What are you going to do now?” Dia asked as she made circles with her shoes, which was a long boot of whitish-blue.

”We need to open Hidden City to the public, so the first thing to do is to clear the city and make it safe,” Arthur said as he scratched his nose. ”After that, we'll start amassing artifacts and selling them.”

”You are going to make a lot of people bleed,” Dia laughed as she jumped on the platform of roots. ”You need to be careful, Arthur. This kingdom is good, but nobles will always be full of greed and thirst for power.”

”And aren't you one of them?”

”I'll stab you if you say that again,” Dia grinned at him, light lighting up her blue and red irises. Arthur simply sighed and gave a weak smile.

”Larza is in Freda,” Arthur said as he walked to stand beside her, and he felt the princess's body stiffen. ”I don't know if your father is here as well, but I believe he has some hand in this.”

”I... see...” she muttered as her hands turned to fists. ”How did you know?”

”I came across it by chance,” Arthur's hand touched hers, and she released her fist and allowed him to hold it. ”The Marchioness of Herbs seem to be involved in a scheme against the throne.”

”Why should we care?” the princess said with a weak voice as she stepped to lean closer to him.

”I need Solomon to be alive to go back,” Arthur said, and the princess was quiet. It was the first time he mentioned his desire to go back after their kiss in the river. ”At least, we need him to stay alive for your plans.”

”My plans,” muttered the princess before sighing. ”You are right. I don't think any other ruler would like you and me. However, that's not the only reason, right?”

”I don't want to place you against your father,” Arthur said with a nod. ”But I can't forgive what they did to me. This is a chance for me to take revenge, but I don't know how it would make you feel.”

”I feel nothing toward him, and he is the same. The Duke of Fire was always after my mother's powers, and I'm the same for him. He was the reason that we got banished to the north, where she died,” the princess said and paused.