30 『Alias』 (2/2)

She blinked a few times at him, ”Even humans can be tamed. We're animals after all.”

Climb nodded, ”Very wise, your highness.” He understood her wisdom, especially in these words, though not the depth of them. The two would continue to make their way down the corridor together towards her own chambers.

+ + +

Jack was seated upon his throne looking over a screen that was showing the outside world, mostly the wall which was being erected around the village and part of the forest.

It was going faster than he had originally anticipated. He had completely underestimated the building power of his own people. Many of them worked without break, which he didn't necessarily understand why.

He had told them to take breaks when they were tired, yet they never stopped, unless they were a homunculi as they needed far more nutrients in order to operate normally.

His eyes rested on the people of the Village and the way they were moving about. That's when he felt a sneeze coming on, a tickling sensation in the back of his nose. Tilting his head back as he took a deep breath, he paused and waited.

He didn't sneeze, not right away.

”Oi... What is-- Aaachoo!” Jack frowned as he sneezed and pursed his lips. ”Now..” Sneezing again a few more times, his eye twitched. ”The head warrior is definitely giving his report about me,” he clicked his tongue as he joked to himself, shifting

He could use divination or even survienence magic to see what was going on in the capital, but he didn't want to be caught spying. Not that it really mattered. He had very little expectations for this Kingdom's magic casters, especially the ones in service to the crown.

He hadn't seen any professional magic users in the Warrior Troop that had visited the Village. It was likely they were either in low demand, or in high demand, but were not available.

Plus his inside knowledge of how bad the Kingdom was pretty much gave him a general idea.

”Jack-sama,” the female standing beside the throne spoke loud enough to take his attention away from his thoughts and the screen ahead of him.

It was Silva, she had finished her reconnaissance on women wares not too long ago.

”What is it?” His eyes shifted over the vampire for a good look, before resting back into the cold crystalline throne, relaxing.

”Something's been bothering me for a while now, how the villagers, especially that Enri and her child spawn... Address you so normally. Your name lets them relate to you, a little too much.”

Jack narrowed his eyes forward hearing her words. It was normal, to him at least, since this wasn't the kind of world he originally lived in. Using his true name was one way that allowed people to either see him as who he was, or in this case, to relate to him.

”What do you suggest?” His eyes shifted towards the girl, who had turned herself in order to face him completely, she hid nothing from him, even behind her glimmering red eyes.

”A new name, Jack-sama. A name that will inevitably cause Kings, Emperors and Principalities of this world to kneel before your might. Fear, love, whatever you desire, your name should project.” She gestured with one hand as she used a soft tone with him, he was her superior, a creator of the beings within this very tomb.

As guild leader he had a hand in coding and creating all of their personalities, their quirks and even their looks in some parts.

”A new name...” He leaned his head back into the throne, his eyes going to the blue flickering hues of the flames above on the chandeliers that dotted the 'world' above him.

A single name came to his mind, it wasn't special, it had no real meaning. ”Vertum...?” His eyes squinted slightly as he focused. ”...Vertumus?” He liked the sound of the first three letters on his lips. The name itself reminded him of the word Virtue.

”Hmmm...”

The woman looked over him as he was in thought, working out a new name that could possibly work to impress others that he worked with. Or lorded over as he would be doing with the village and its inhabitants.

She couldn't help but smile softly seeing that he was enjoying himself as he traced over words.

”I think Vertum would make a great name, Jack-sama.” She nodded to her own words as she stepped towards him, lowering her head and then her upper body slightly in a subtle bow.

Jack narrowed his eyes on her. Vertum, the first name he had uttered was the first name she agreed with. Was she being Objective, or being a yes man. He preferred objectiveness, but he knew yesmen weren't something he could get around easily when it came to his creations.

”Vertum it shall be then...” Jack leaned forward in his chair, no wondering how he could introduce himself, or in this case, reintroduce himself as Vertum to the inhabitance. He had already shared his true name, now he was going to give them an alias in which he wished to be addressed.