Someone I can follow

Dante could not believe the situation he was in, he had exchanged his old undead body for a body of shadows made with the power of the same prince he refused to serve. The pirate was in deep despair but Jäwell was not cruel, not in the same way as the vampire.

"Tell me what you were coming to tell me, pirate, I'll listen to you," Jäwell said with a kind tone.

The pirate tried to keep his calm, Lady Fluffy was shocked by the sudden attention Jäwell was giving and tried to interfere, "My prince, you should not be losing time anymore with such pathetic creatures."

Jäwell stood up and served a glass to Dante to make him more comfortable, he made a sign to Lady Fluffy to leave the room and she obeyed with a dark look. The prince sighed, surprising Dante with his words, "I am sorry."

Dante dropped his jaw in shock, he expected a lot of things but not this. It was so surprising that he didn't even know if he was angry when he came. He took a deep breath to try to collect himself and grabbed the glass of rum from the prince's hand.

"It is fine," he answered, "I came because my men feel humiliated by the mission you ordered us. We refuse to serve you, and we are willing to pay the price of the consequences for our freedom."

Jäwell leaned on the sofa and laughed out loud, "Why would I punish you?"

"Because, we, we don't want to obey you?" Stammered Dante. 

"Will your men be happy if you obey?" Jäwell suddenly asked very seriously.

"No, they will not. But why do you ask this way?"

"You are a bad servant," Jäwell noted, "But you are a good leader, and this, I can respect."

Dante felt a bit of pride at these words even if he still didn't know where the discussion was leading him in reality. Jäwell sipped his glass calmly, adding, "What payment do you want for your services?"

The pirate could not believe it would be that easy, so he decided to just throw what his crew wanted and negotiate later, "More ships, a real port, weapons from the dwarves, and money."

Jäwell had an amused grin, only saying one word, "Granted."

Dante remained silent in disbelief, he didn't have to fight unlike with every other royal he had met in the past. The prince added, "What? Should I say no and we should argue for you to feel better? I have no desire to fight with you. I want this list more than anything else."

The pirate sat on the sofa and sipped the glass of rum, he shook his head slowly.

"No, no, it is fine like this. May I ask why you want to know about the other world's conflicts so much? They do not impact our world."

Jäwell had a long and desperate deep breath, "Because I am bored."

Dante looked at him with surprise, "And how knowing about the wars abroad will help you?" 

"Because I intend to participate in them."

"Are you going to fight mere mortals?" Asked Dante with a cold chill running down his spine as he imagined the carnage it would be.

"I will, I miss a good fight," Jäwell said with nostalgia. 

The pirate chuckled, "Have you forgotten that you are almost as powerful as a god? You defeated Archanium with Zuline. How do you think these fights will entertain you? You will just kill them all before they even notice you are here."

"This is why I will find a way to make me mortal again," Jäwell said without hesitation. 

Dante almost choked on his alcohol, he looked at the prince with round eyes.

"What have you said?"

Jäwell laughed a bit, "You heard me perfectly, I will find a way to get rid of my powers and turn myself into a mortal. Then, I will join the human battles in the different worlds."

"What if you die?!"

"I have no idea, I don't care."

The Ombrae was safe, the population proved themselves to be able to fight the angels and defend their land. Jäwell was a figure of authority and a representation of the creator of the world but his position now was only about being an image and he hated it. His plan was simple, becoming human again and returning to his previous life, to be a simple soldier again and again. 

"I, I understand. I will make a note of our needs in payment for our service and give it to Lady Fluffy. You will have your list," Dante paused himself for a moment before he added, "My Prince". 

The pirate found himself respecting this prince, he was not cruel or greedy. Jäwell was a soldier and a warrior in the soul. He cared for the low people and their happiness, and he had a great sense of justice, even if it could be questionable at times, he still was doing his best. The prince was good, even an independent pirate such as Dante could have respect for him. 

Jäwell stood up and turned himself to the window, looking at his kingdom prospering. The lights of the city shining in the eternal night were the symbol of his absolute greatness. He had eradicated misery and fear from his land. Dante left the room without adding anything else. He crossed Lady Fluffy but this time, he didn't want to mock her and she didn't seem to be ready to tease him. Instead, she walked with him to the entrance of the castle. Dante was lost in thoughts, he was surprised by what he saw in the prince's chambers. The prince was more human than everything he had expected or met. 

Lady Fluffy sensed it, her little childish voice breaking the silence, "He is something else, isn't it?"

"He is someone I could follow," Dante stated. 

She answered with a deep and serious voice, "He had this effect on us all. He is the reason why we are a united nation."

Dante heard about the war, he was in another world when it happened and he missed Jäwell's highlights. When he came back, the world had changed and the rulers were not fighting each other anymore. He had thought the prince was a tyrant who forced them to obey him, but now, his point of view changed completely and he understood why there were no conflicts anymore in Ombrae. When they arrived at the main door and Dante was about to leave, he turned himself one last time to Lady Fluffy. 

Behind the usual teasing and taunting between them, as they had mutual hatred, there was now something deeper. Something less chaotic, they shared a form of admiration for the prince and they acknowledged each other in it.

Dante came back to the port, he walked slowly thinking about the whole situation and how things had changed. He looked at his crab cla arm made of shadows with some sense of excitement. In the end, he won a new port, ships, resources, and a new body. He would be able to protect his crew much better from now on, even if he had to sign a pact with the vampire, he still thought the whole package was worthy. 

Near the lake, the crew had prepared the ship and they were ready to leave any moment. One of the men noticed Dante's arm, "My Captain! What happened to you?! Did they torture you?!"

Dante chuckled, his arm was so strong it could cut stone without forcing. He looked at his men with resolve and determination. 

"This, consider it a gift from the prince for our service. We are going to be his mercenaries. The prince accepts to pay us greatly and give us what we want for our work."

The men looked at their captain in awe, "Was it a hard negotiation?" 

Dante thought about lying to glorify himself but his gaze turned to the castle and he couldn't resolve himself to make Jäwell appear as a bad guy. 

"No, the prince of the Ombrae is someone worthy to work for and generous."

The pirate took his position at the helm and yelled to his crew, "We sail for the prince! We do not come back without visiting every world!" 

The crew cheered happily and with great excitement. It was about to be a long journey, one of the kinds they love.

On the other side, in the castle, Lady Fluffy took note of what Jäwell reported to her about his deal with Dante. She suddenly yelled in horror, "You promised me all the money he wants!!! But! Do you have any idea how much this greedy creature can ask for!"

Jäwell shrugged his shoulders, "You and Ajira created the system of money, can't you just produce more coins?"

Lady Fluffy slapped her forehead, "No, my prince, it doesn't work like this. An economic system is a bit more complicated and producing an unlimited amount of coins could put in peril what we have already worked for."

Jäwell looked at her with a clear expression that he didn't want her to explain to him. She refrained, "Fine, I will find a solution later. This Pirate better brings us what you want."

The prince added, "I also promised him ships and the construction of a real port in the Ombrae."

Lady Fluffy was frozen in shock. She wanted to yell but she maintained her demeanor, she murmured to herself, "So this is why he said he could work for you. I get it now," before she raised her head and asked the most calmly possible, forcing a smile on her face.

"Is that all now?"

Jäwell tried to think, "I think that's all, I don't remember something else."

"It could be so much simpler if you could read and write, my prince. How did you manage when you were a king in the light world?"

He laughed suddenly as he recalled the situation, "Well, my brother had regular headaches."