Chapter 12: The Former Kings Feelings (1/2)

Auth.o.e.r's note : Didn't get to write much this week here's a chapter at least, from next chapter Sol enters the forest. Also, after thinking for a while I don't think I'll be asking for anymore input plotwise. Grammar and other criticisms regarding writing in general are always welcomed. Too much stress with the whole wondering what to do, I see alot of people didn't like the fact that Sol made up with the royal family to a degree but honestly I never had planned to have enmity between the two sides as later down they'll become people Sol can rely on so please consider the whole hynoptic stream thing a plot device in a sense.

It was meant to mature Sol up a little bit for the audience to enjoy but I see one guy even recommended destroying Salira's cultivation which made me LOL and think of meng hao.

Chapter 12-

Inside the dining room of the Duke's mansion-

Mitra was currently facing off against the Royal Family.

[Wha?! A Crowned Illuminus Sphinx!!..No wait..a variant? I've never heard of one possessing two horns! They usually only have one crown horn! Yet this one is...could it be? Y-You're a King Crowned Illuminus Sphinx?] -Former King

[This one has already said it was a King you gray-haired smelly old barbarian! What do you know! You can't even recognize a King at first glance! Hmph! Lowly unintelligent human!...Ahh ~ No...master...this one will behave] -Mitra

Sol scratched the little guy's head and had him calm down. All the while Salina had her eyes fixated on Mitra, her eyes sparkled and she would have flew over and grabbed him almost immediately but she knew Mitra was something like a Sentient weapon and it could very well harm her if she tried to touch him. She could only sit and gaze at Mitra with a yearning gaze. This was the most torture for her to endure as far as she was concerned.

[Sol I'm guessing you can't use the bow yet right?] -Former KIng

[Of course he can't you ugly gray mongrel! Otherwise why would I be stuck in this wretched form! Can't you ask a question that actually matters with your disgusting cold clammy hands!] -Mitra

Mitra could see the Former King's hand was cold with sweat and didn't know why. The Former King however knew what an Intelligent Weapon meant, it meant one had a future super power that could save a city. Sol's value had just went up even more and in the future his value would go up even more. The Former King then instantly made a decision in his mind.

Mitra fell asleep shortly afterward and went back into bow form sitting comfortably on Sol's back. Sol realized the little guy slept a lot and knew it was due to his lack of strength, this was yet another reason he had to get stronger as he enjoyed the company of Mitra.

The Former King motioned for Sol to follow him, the King and Queens said nothing as they didn't themselves didn't know why but they decided not to intrude on the Former King and Sol and let them have their privacy.  The Former King led Sol to a balcony away from everyone else and then gazed at the stars. Eventually he raised his hands and pointed towards the sky.

[That is where you came from! So you may not understand your position, so I will tell you!] -Former King

[Sol, Now that you've awoken an Intelligent Weapon you must never let others know. The bow should be able to change appearance and hide it's aura like all other Intelligence Weapons, once he wakes up make sure to remind him. In the future I'm afraid to say it but you will become a very huge piece, people will try to recruit you from all over if they learn of your existence, ability and future potential.

We are no different, everything we've done so far was in the name of the survival of Earthernvale. Out here, survival is key to everything and that's why we encourage men to have more than one wives and encourage having lots of children because at any given moment in time a tragedy can occur. It's better to have some survive than have all die, humanity in this world has always been like this and no stronghold is different.

You have learned in the books that you read at Renissa's place, that strength means everything in this world but do you truly understand what that means and what the reason for it is? It isn't because we choose to have it this way but because we MUST have it this way! For the sake of the survival of Earthernvale countless people died and countless more will continue to die, this has always been understood and we have no choice but to live with it.

That was until we met you, Sol. You may think your existence might not affect our decisions but you are terribly wrong.

When we learned of what you're body was like and learned what you could do, we became overzealous and over ambitious. We treated you like an object and tried to cultivate you into what we wanted. The fact that you came with amnesia made it even more convenient for us and at first we really saw nothing wrong with it. I even thought about if you and Liore got married how good it would be!] -Former King

*Cough*

Sol let out a cough and his cheeks slightly reddened as he thought about marrying Liore and was caught by surprise by the Former King's comment. He pictured the blue-haired cold faced gorgeous girl and entertained a slight, but pure fantasy before the Former King interrupted him.

[My point is, Sol can you understand the burden of a city? Do you understand what Royalty would do to ensure the success and prominence of their city?] -Former King

When Sol heard these words his heart trembled as he thought of something...Compared to this Royal Family...How bad are the others? So far the biggest incident he had with them was pertaining to the Queen, who made a mistake and gave compensation along with a sincere apology.

(What if it was another Queen or King?...How would they have handled this news?) -Sol

Sol seemed to understand the direction of the conversation and didn't want to keep back the old man who obviously had a lot to share, so he spoke to allow the Former King to continue.

[No....I cannot] -Sol

The Former King smiled sadly and then replied.

[Imagine you inherited a Kingdom that your ancestors created, pa.s.sed down from generation to generation. Countless years of men's honestly spilled blood and the deaths of countless others. The entire population within this place have all paid dear prices to be able to live here, and that is what Earthernvale is!

Those huge metal walls you see, countless men and women died building it! Every day upon the construction of Earthernvale, the men and women who sacrificed to build this place had no shelter to the conditions of the weather and had to enter the dense mana forest for materials and food and got themselves killed by the heartless beasts. Our men, Our fathers, our husbands, our brothers and sons! Our mothers, wives, sisters and daughters- Our lifeblood!!] -Former King

As the old man spoke one could hear the pain and sadness in his voice, Sol could feel the old man's feelings as though they were his in the old man's tone.

[Everyone sacrifices something in Earthernvale! Hunting everyday is dangerous and everyday we lose men! Over 50% of the population of Earthernvale are commoners without the ability to fight leaving us with a tiny but capable force. Still, we are living under a time bomb and all it takes is one curious S-Rank beast to attack this fortress and all of those people will die before the main force could attack!

Sure we do have counter-measures in place, but Sol it's probably because you haven't seen the terrifying might of these beasts yet that you don't understand that we humans sit at the bottom of the food chain and are sitting on the very precipice of extinction! If humans don't find a way to overpower these beasts soon I'm afraid the future generations of children in every city will be doomed to die.

As humans continue to grow plentiful, beasts continue to grow stronger as if we were a food source! When will the day come when us humans hunt these beasts? Before we've never thought about such things and were more concerned about how to survive another day..... That is until today!] -Former King

The old man then turned to Sol and looked into the depths of his eyes, Sol could feel as though an omnipotent being was peering into his soul. He let out a b.a.s.t.a.r.dly grin filled with madness and his eyes flashed with vitality as he looked at Sol and spoke.

[But what if we could increase the base power of man? What if whether they were born with a Dantian or not those 50% commoners were able to become stronger and own abilities similar to yours and possess fighting force of that frightening nature? What if the other 50% of n.o.bles who have Dantians were able to become a race much stronger than the human race by combining your physique and a Dantian?

Then how many casualties would we lose then? How many future generations of children will be saved? How much will Earthernvale's future potential raise? How could we be the same again after something like that? How would we be so easily destroyed? How could we not slaughter those beasts at every angle?! How could our glorious city fall when our children grow with a.s.surance of power deep in their veins!

One day if this all becomes possible then humanity will enter a new era! You know who would be to thank for all this? None other than you! Not for doing some famous accomplishment or succeeding some insane quest but because of simply existing you give humanity it's greatest gift of revolution and salvation!] -Former King

The Former King then calmed down and looked towards Sol once more, one could still see the fire burning deep within his eyes. Sol was surprised by the grand plans of this old man and could understand why, Rights was given to the strong and as the strongest in Earthernvale this was this old man's duty.

[Our family may be a bit eccentric and we may go about things differently but we are not bad people, even the Queen had her personal reasons as to why she probed you. However do not misunderstand, Julius as well as I had no part in that and was not a plan concoted by anyone of any sort, the last thing we wanted to do was create a rift between you and us. The King and I were discussing that when you went to the dining room.

Had I been more vigilant, I would have remembered that personality quirk of hers and none of this would have happened in the first place. Also, she should have told you but the spell she used was a 7th Order Magic and it usually doesn't do any harm at all. If one possesses a Dantian that is, those hallucinations you witnessed were not of the Queen's doing and she had no intention to defile the memories of your parents.

Salira usually uses this spell on every new arrival guest of Earthernvale that she can use it on, she's like a barrier that keeps human threats out of our city. Do you know what other people in other cities call her? The Mind-Warped Queen. She lives with that shameful t.i.tle all so that our city can have piece of mind. I know That still doesn't justify her actions but she is not someone who can be looked down upon.

But I'm not hear to speak to you on her behalf, you two can sort that out by yourselves so I'll leave it at that . I'm hear to tell you what position you're in, and what position we are in and what I would like to offer you.

Sol, what you offer, what your body offers, what your existence offers Earthervale is salvation! We may have been over excited of the thought and acted like a bunch of fools but everything was done in the name of our city that has been standing on the blood of our bones! Can you honestly say that since you've arrived here you've been mistreated?] -Former King