Chapter 354: A Doomed King

"Shadowless Executioner, Wolban."

"Iron Bastion, Geberson."

"Mountain Cleaver, Luke."

"Molten Cutter, Rafa."

"Forester, Groot."

King Beladian introduced each of the five legendary figures loyal to the royal house to Muria, briefly mentioning their strengths and titles. The introductions were succinct, and the two parties became acquainted.

Muria nodded with a smile to the five legends. He noticed that all of them were melee fighters; none were magic users, and judging by their names and titles, they seemed to come from humble origins.

"Dukes, please excuse yourselves. I have matters to discuss with the Regent Duke," Beladian said, his tone distinctly different when addressing these legendary dukes.

"As you command, Your Majesty." After nodding to Beladian, the five dukes gave Muria a long look before leaving the mini demi-plane.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, these five legends would soon be taking orders from Muria, the dragon of remarkable origin.

"Regent Duke Muria, let me explain the situation of Rockman Kingdom that you will be governing," Beladian said once only he, his daughter, and Muria were left in the demi-plane.

"Go ahead," Muria said, adjusting to being called 'Duke' and preparing himself to listen attentively.

Beladian began to speak but was interrupted by a severe cough, raising his hand to cover his mouth as foul, stinking blood seeped through his fingers.

"Father!" Seeing her father coughing blood, and being only in Muria's presence, a slightly bolder Remilia grasped her father's robe, her face full of concern.

"What's this?" Seeing the visible black aura on the king's face and sensing the further weakening of Beladian's life force, Muria expressed his concern.

"Just a curse, nothing serious," Beladian responded with a casual demeanor, trying to alleviate the worry evident on his daughter's and Muria's faces.

"A curse?" Muria raised an eyebrow, then pulled out a half-person-tall metal book under the puzzled and slightly wary gazes of Beladian.

"What are you planning to do with that, Lord Muria?" Beladian instinctively pulled his daughter behind him at the sight of the ominous book, a protective father's reflex.

"Don't worry, I'm just checking if it can cure you," Muria said as he held the Book of the Deceased with one hand and tapped on it with the other, giving a reassuring smile to the timid princess hiding behind the king.

"Cure me?" Beladian looked uncertainly at the book in Muria's hands as strands of dark mist rose from the metal tome, coalescing into the well-known form of a devil in Erathia.

"Abyssal Necromancer?" Seeing the form of the book's curse spirit, Beladian slowly retreated with his daughter, his suspicion about Muria's identity growing. A noble gold dragon wielding such a sinister tome was highly unusual.

"I said, don't worry," Muria sighed, rubbing his forehead. He understood that most beings judged others based on appearance and form, and the curse spirit's sinister visage typically suggested malevolence.

"Eat the curse from his body, Black," Muria commanded the spirit, using the simple name he had given it, a capability of the Book of the Deceased.

"At your service, my master," the curse spirit Black responded without any hint of displeasure, having been thoroughly disciplined by Muria over two years of being used as a tool. Constantly serving as a whetstone would wear down anyone.

As Beladian watched in shock and Remilia in curiosity, the ghastly-faced Black faced the king, opened its mouth to perform a sucking motion, and dark tendrils like black snakes streamed out from Beladian, entering the curse spirit's maw, causing it to swell slightly in size.

"Father, you're cured, your illness is gone!" Remilia exclaimed with joy as she saw her father's complexion visibly improve with the curse spirit's actions.

"Heh, too late," Beladian managed a bitter smile, hearing his daughter's cheerful voice and feeling his body regain vitality.

"Cackle, cackle, little girl, you're celebrating too soon," the curse spirit Black interjected bluntly. "If this had been done ten years ago, your father would be fine. Even five years ago, a bit of care might have extended his life by a century.

But now? Even though I've removed his curse, he only has a few days left to live, at best. I just made his last days less painful."

"How can this be?" Remilia looked incredulously at her father, who now showed a hint of color, hoping for his denial.

"Be strong, Remilia." The king, his frail body rapidly healing from the curse's ravages, bent down to hug his tearful daughter, comforting her

 softly.

"What's happening?" Muria frowned at the sight of the king, no longer exuding any aura of authority, and turned to question the curse spirit.

"As you might have felt, his soul has been shattered by the curse. It's a wonder it hasn't collapsed already. I can remove curses, but healing such soul damage is beyond my capabilities."

"I see." Muria nodded, then tucked away the now-useless Book of the Deceased. He looked at the king, who was trying to comfort his blue-haired princess.

"Just a moment! Let me put her to sleep, and then we'll talk," Beladian said to Muria, his expression apologetic as he spoke in a colloquial tone.

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