Chapter 109: Meeting the king

Inside, the castle was a labyrinth of corridors, chambers, and staircases, each turn revealing a new vista of grandeur and antiquity in the enormous castle.

Mikoto followed Aleister through this labyrinth of a castle. Apparently, the headmaster was important enough that he could just ask for a meeting with the king on the fly. Their guide, a young woman named Emma, moved with effortless grace through the castle, her footsteps echoing softly on the stone floor. Her attire was a blend of practicality and elegance, a leather jerkin over a simple linen dress, and her hair, a cascade of auburn curls, was tied back in a practical braid.

"This castle is a maze," Mikoto muttered, his voice flat as his eyes scanned the intricate interior. Aleister chuckled.

"It is indeed. But fear not, Emma knows its secrets." Emma smiled, a warm and inviting gesture that seemed at odds with the surroundings.

"It is my duty, sir," she replied. As they walked, their footsteps echoing through the cavernous halls, Aleister began to speak of the king.

"King Thordan the Seventh is a man of iron will and unparalleled power. He is a wise ruler, but his temper is as sharp as a sword." Mikoto raised an eyebrow behind his mask.

"Is that so?"

"Indeed," Aleister continued. "He has led our kingdom through countless wars and calamities, his wisdom guiding many through the darkest of times. But beware his wrath, it may as well be as swift as a storm."

Mikoto nodded, his expression beneath his mask unchanged. "Sounds like a pleasant dude." Aleister chuckled again.

"Pleasant? Hardly. But he is a just king, and for that, we are grateful." They passed through a grand hall, its walls adorned with paintings depicting the kingdom's history. The hall was empty save for a few scattered guards, their armor gleaming in the dim light.

"This is the heart of the castle," Emma said, her voice filled with pride. "Many a feast and council have been held here." Mikoto glanced around, his eyes taking in the opulent surroundings. "Big," he muttered.

Aleister nodded. "Indeed. Just shows the kingdom's wealth and power." As they continued their journey, the walls began to close in around them, the corridors growing narrower and darker. The air grew colder, and a faint draft carried the scent of damp earth.

"We are approaching the throne room," Emma said, her voice low.

Mikoto hummed. He felt a surge of anticipation, a strange sensation that he couldn't quite explain. Aleister, on the other hand, just heaved a deep sigh as they pushed through two enormous doors and stepped into the throne room. The throne room was a cavernous expanse, its ceiling lost in the shadows above. Sunlight filtered through stained glass windows, casting intricate patterns of color on the polished marble floor. The walls were adorned with more paintings depicting epic battles and heroic deeds, their vibrant hues muted by time. At the far end of the chamber, a colossal throne, carved from black obsidian and inlaid with gold, dominated the space.

As Mikoto and Aleister stepped into the room, their guide, Emma, bowed deeply before turning and leaving. The weight of the atmosphere was palpable, a tension that crackled in the air like static electricity. Seated upon the obsidian throne was King Thordan the Seventh, a man of imposing stature. His hair, stark white, contrasted sharply with his tanned skin, and his eyes, piercing blue, held an intensity that seemed to burn through the soul. His physique was that of a warrior, broad shoulders and strong arms, yet there was an air of regal authority about him.

Beside him stood a woman of no small amount of beauty, her presence a stark contrast to the austere surroundings. Her long, dark blue hair was braided into a single, perfect strand that cascaded down her back, reaching almost to her ankles. Her eyes, the same striking blue as her father's, held a depth and intelligence that belied her youthful appearance. She was clad in a suit of heavy, intricately crafted light blue armor, adorned with gold inlay that caught the light, casting shimmering reflections across the room. Her gauntlets were of the same design, and heavy sabotans protected her feet, yet they did not hide the grace and beauty of her legs.

Mikoto, his expression impassive beneath his mask, took in the scene. The woman bore a striking resemblance to Mirabella, her sister or another spawn of Aragorn no doubt.

King Thordan's gaze shifted to Aleister, his expression unreadable. "Aleister," he began, his voice a deep rumble, "it is an unexpected pleasure to see you. I was not aware you would be visiting so soon." Aleister bowed respectfully.

"Your Majesty, Princess Astrid, unforeseen circumstances have compelled me to seek you out." The king nodded, his gaze shifting to Mikoto.

"And who might this be? He seems to be a student." Aleister hesitated for a moment, then replied,

"This is Mikoto, Your Majesty. A... peculiar individual with unique advantages." A flicker of interest crossed the king's face.

"Indeed?" Astrid, the king's daughter, regarded Mikoto with a mixture of curiosity and something else; she must have sensed he was a handsome guy.

"To be blunt, Your Majesty," Aleister continued, "Mikoto is my insurance." The king's eyebrows rose.

"Your insurance? Explain." Aleister took a breath. "The Divine Blade, Nihil, has been stolen." A stunned silence fell over the room. Astrid's eyes widened in disbelief, while the king's face darkened.

"How?" the king demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

"The Chaosmaw have returned," Aleister replied, his voice steady. "They infiltrated the Academy and made off with the blade."

"But I thought Nihil had seals placed upon it." Astrid spoke up for the first time, an uneasy look on her face. "Unbreakable seals according to Lady Guinevere."

"Those were probably broken because one of those Chaosmaw had some unique magic." All eyes turned to Mikoto as he uttered those words. King Thordan's gaze burned into him with no small amount of intensity.

"Explain, child," he all but ordered.

"That demon chick had sentient mana particles; they absorbed and decayed anything with mana or life energy. Regardless of how strong those seals were, it would be a simple thing to eat away at any kind of seal." Mikoto smoothly explained. Astrid looked intrigued while King Thordan's face grew grim. "It ate away at those seals, hence they were granted access to that blade.

"I say, magic may not be my strong suit, but I've never heard of a spell like that or a hex." The crown princess mumbled.

"That Chaosmaw said it was her unique magic." Mikoto provided.

"It's not unthinkable that demons would make use of magic we have zero knowledge about." Aleister drawled. "They have been living for quite some time."

"That matters not." King Thordan stated, his voice firm. "This does not change the fact that you let Divine Blade Nihil be taken." The king's intense gaze locked onto Aleister's equally intense eyes. "I had placed trust in you that you could keep Divine Blade Nihil from the wrong hands; you have failed." King Thordan chastised. "And now that that blade is in the hands of the demons, our world, nay our realm as a whole, might suffer."

"Father," Astrid spoke up, a wry smile playing at her lips. "Do you not think you are being a bit too harsh?" She questioned. "I know the blade was powerful, but even so..."

"No, your father is right." Aleister waved off her concerns. "I make no excuses."

"Hm," The king grunted. "Perhaps I was a fool for not heeding my council's words on you." Aleister snorted.

"Heeding the words of old men who have never even experienced a bout of hardships?" He scoffed. "Hell, those few would hardly know how to wipe their own asses." Astrid, for one, seemed to stifle a giggle but was promptly silenced by a glare courtesy of her father. The aforementioned man turned to Aleister.

"Yet that changes nothing, you have failed, boy." Thordan reminded. "What do you intend to do about it?" Aleister shrugged.

"Who knows, but oh well." Aleister jabbed a thumb at Mikoto. "Like I said, I have insurance."

"And what insurance does this masked boy bring?" Thordan questioned, his tone one of impatience. He was clearly forcing himself to put up with Aleister, so Mikoto saw it fit to speak.

"I mean, it's not a big deal if that sword's missing." Mikoto rather boldly stated. The king furrowed his brows, a deep frown on his face. Astrid, only seemed to grow more intrigued. "Know why? Cause I'm in this kingdom, and I'm pretty strong." A bold declaration followed, as did a momentary silence.

"Whoa, how strong?" Astrid asked wide-eyed.

"Strong enough. I mean, with me here, the upcoming festival is as good as won." Mikoto declared. He gazed at the king; he imagined the man would lash out and yell at him for his hubris. Instead, the king leveled an appraising glare at him.

"Such hubris on your strength." Thordan stated, eyes narrowing. "Yet child, you hide behind a mask."

"And yet he fought on equal terms with the crown prince of Vel'ryr." The princess and king's eyes all but snapped to Aleister as he uttered those words. "See, it is a long story that no doubt requires more ears, but for now, all you need to know is that Vel'ryr troops were found in Verdantis. And Mikoto was in Verdantis for a few weeks as he was one of the students chosen for the curriculum. And as fate would have it, he battled the prince, a trusted associate relayed the information. Once more, we can just use a spell to see if it's the truth. Oh, and those large tremors Galadriel experienced were Mikoto's doing."

"Yeah, my bad about that." King Thordan, for the first time, looked confused, his daughter equally so.

"What?" The two blurted out.