Chapter 629 (2/2)

Without waiting for even a second, the King slid on the bracelet and his face settled into a satisfying grin. “Hohoho… although such an object isn’t too special… it is certainly novel compared to this King’s many other treasures… Well, let it never be said the King doesn’t keep his word. The man who came before… he was as tall and wide as you, and claimed to be a great Hero from your Zone.”

Drake kept his face studiously blank. Really? Just some bullshit like that after the King was drooling to get his hands on the bracelet?

But then the King held up a finger. “But. That man… he smelled of death. I did not like him much. I believe his name was… Roy.”

That gave Drake pause. Very quickly he sent Sydney a message.

What am I to you?

To Drake’s surprise, her reply came almost instantly.

You are my sword.

Drake’s eyes narrowed into slits. So this… this was why he was sent here.

*****

Phirun, King of Ifrenne watched the tall man boarding the Sky skipper and sail off into the star-filled night.

Good riddance. But then Phirun rubbed his new bracelet for good luck. He smiled widely at the sky as he waddled out of his viewing chamber and to his personal dock. His attendants were waiting for him there and took him over to a different one of Ifrenne’s spires.

The best outcome would be if the two foreigners killed each other. Which seemed likely, considering the monsters around the World Crater were approaching Level 65. But they also seemed tenacious, and based on the quality of their equipment, they were not pushovers.

Plus, their deaths would only delay the arrival of the foreigners. Phirun was perhaps a rare person that was overjoyed when the System arrived. There were monsters sure, but they could now grow strong to fight against the world. And the outside influences were barred from entry. Only the natives from the islands remained. It was a paradise.

But history repeats itself, Phirun thought as his expression soured. The westerners had returned.

After briefly knocking on a door, Phirun allowed himself into a room. “Ah! Where is my lovely niece? Mieu? We have arrived to see your perfect face.”

As Phirun walked into Mieu’s apartment, he paused briefly. Then he frowned. His disposition turned stormy. “Mieu, what is this?”

“This?” Mieu looked up from her stove towards the center of the room. She had gathered up many of her paintings and draped them from a central point on the ceiling, forming something like a canvas pillar. But of course, the paintings were all made from the same vantage point of this apartment, so they blended rather well together. “I believed I would try my hand at making a collage. Is it no good?”

“Humm. Perhaps a lesser man would enjoy… but a King’s eyes are more discerning. Such a thing does not suit our tastes.” Phirun said as he seated himself at the head of her sparse wooden dinner. Although it was only one day a week, he quite liked coming here to have Mieu cook for him. It gave him the nerve to imagine… other domestic activities they could participate in.

Mieu’s humming snapped Phirun out of his small indulgences. Mieu was humming a soft tune to herself as she walked around, carrying the bowls of food over to the table. “Did something good happen niece? You seem… very pleased about something.”

“Am I?” Mieu said. She slowly raised her hand and touched her face, as if she was unsure what she would find. Dragging her fingers across her curved lips, she seemed to consider it. “Maybe. There was a good wind today.”

“Humm.” Phirun said stiffly. He began to eat without waiting for Mieu to sit down and join him. This was the King’s privilege.