Chapter 185: I Have Doomed Myself And My Future Generations!
Chapter 185: I have doomed myself and my future generations!
King Rhopgin's mind raced, tangling with conflicting emotions and calculations. His voice, heavy with tension, broke the silence, reverberating through the grand chamber like the clash of steel. "I don't want to hurt you, but you did kill my son. I need some sort of compensation for that."
Tessa's sharp gaze locked onto King Rhopgin's, her expression unreadable, but beneath the surface, her mind churned. The shift in tone was unmistakable—the King wasn't focused on her imprisoning her anymore. Now, his words had shift to one of compensation.
Her tone was measured, calculated and deliberate. "What do you want?" she asked, though her instincts warned her to brace herself for something dire. She could see the faint flicker of a smile that danced briefly on King Rhopgin's face and vanished; like a predator toying with its prey.
King Rhopgin's lips curled into a thin line, his eyes narrowing with grim determination. "Follow me to the Sun Temple," he commanded, his voice carrying an almost ceremonial gravitas. "Every base has a Sun Temple, and thankfully, there is one functioning within this base, as is tradition. The reasoning is simple: we will invoke Lord Solaris' Presence and recount everything that happened here. If his judgment favors you, you will go free, and he will compensate us for our loss. However, if it is otherwise..."
He leaned forward, his voice dropping into a dangerous timbre, his face, darkened, with each word hitting as hard as a hammer against a stone. "I will personally obliterate you from existence."
The declaration hung in the air, its weight pressing on everyone present. Even the guards flinched at the ferocity of his words.
Tessa's heart pounded, but her face betrayed none of it. Lord Solaris... The name echoed in her mind like a haunting melody. She had never met her father. Abducted as a baby by Rhemon, she had been severed from any ties to the Kaelrian deity. Would Lord Solaris even acknowledge her? Her stomach churned at the thought.
"Shit," she muttered under her breath, tightening her fists at her sides to ground herself. Stay calm. Show no weakness.
Feigning confidence, she straightened her posture and stared directly into Rhopgin's eyes. "Alright. I accept. But," she added, her voice unwavering, "if his judgment favors me, I will demand compensation for the humiliation and danger you've subjected me to."
Her boldness stunned the room into silence. Rhopgin studied her intently, his expression betraying no emotion. Yet doubt flickered in the back of his mind. If she truly is the daughter of Lord Solaris, won't she demand my head in return?
From the sidelines, Prince Turner leaned toward Prince Turk, his voice a hushed whisper. "Could she truly be the daughter of Lord Solaris?"
Prince Turk hesitated, his gaze fixed on Tessa. "If she is, this whole kingdom may face divine wrath," he murmured grimly.
Meanwhile, Prince Egler sidled up to Prince Derek, his tone dripping with mockery. "So, it seems the throne is yours after all, dear brother. Congratulations on becoming the crown prince," he said, his words laced with subtle malice. His eyes studied Derek intently, probing like a scholar dissecting an enigma, searching for any telltale crack in his composure.
Derek responded with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, his voice calm but razor-sharp. "Ah, our ambitious third prince. No need to prod for answers. I have no intention of standing in your way. After all, I'm just the 'maid's son,' aren't I?" His words carried the sting of past insults, echoing the demeaning tone Prince Kuril had often used against him.
Egler's expression hardened. Derek's perceptiveness had clearly unsettled him. The third prince was keenly aware of the precariousness of his position. Should he bid his time and strengthen his claim, or seize the throne now, relying on their father's support to crush dissent? Neither option promised security.
Frustrated, Egler retreated, leaving Derek to his thoughts. Derek's focus shifted back to the standoff between Tessa and King Rhopgin, his mind calculating the unfolding drama.
King Rhopgin finally broke the tension, his voice steady but resolute. "Very well. Let us go."
The room seemed to exhale collectively, though unease lingered in the air.
Tessa followed the king as he led the way,
—————
Shortly after the King's departure, Bandel Blue arrived at the base. His steps were unhurried, yet his gaze was fixed with sharp intent as he relied on one of his most unique abilities: the power to locate anything in existence simply by calling out its name.
This power, however, came with a limitation—it only worked on entities weaker than him. Anything stronger would remain out of reach. With this ability, he had called out Tessa's name, and a glowing, ethereal line had appeared, stretching from the wilderness straight to the crown prince's palace at Base 137. Following the trail, he arrived at the palace only to find the courtyard bustling with people clustered in circles, their voices low as they exchanged whispers about the latest happenings.
Frustration bubbled within him as he scanned the area. Unable to remain calm any longer, Bandel Blue grabbed a nearby cobalt-armored guard by the shoulder, pulling him closer with an iron grip. His voice was steady, yet it carried an undercurrent of suppressed fury. "Did you see a woman—heavily pregnant—likely unconscious? She must have appeared here at a time"
The guard stiffened, locking eyes with Bandel Blue, his expression darkening as he tried to assert dominance. He knew exactly who Bandel Blue was referring to, but he couldn't just give out information to any Tom, Dick and Harry that asks for it. "What is it to you? And let go of me before I report you and demand your head! Who are you, anyway?" he snapped, his tone arrogant, mistaking Bandel Blue for a meddling peasant looking to stir trouble.
Bandel Blue's response was calm and simple, yet it cut through the air like a blade. "I am Bandel Blue."
The guard scoffed, rolling his eyes dismissively. "Oh, really? If you're Bandel Blue, then I must be King Rhopgin! What a joke." His voice dripped with sarcasm as he brushed Bandel's hand off, but as his gaze lingered, something changed. His eyes widened, and his arrogant smirk vanished, replaced by abject horror.
Every Kaelrian—commoner or noble—knew the signature aura of their gods, whether lesser or higher. It was an unmistakable mark, visible only under close scrutiny, mostly when the god in question allows it to be seen, or doesn't particularly hide it. And there it was: the telltale blue radiance that signified Bandel Blue's divine signature, the feared Kaelrian lesser god.
"The—the Blue Kaelrian god…" the guard stammered, his knees buckling. This god hasn't been seen for a couple of centuries and suddenly he was here out of thin air.
Realization dawned like a thunderclap, and panic seized him. He fell to the ground, banging his head against the floor as though punishing himself for his ignorance. "I've doomed myself and my future generations!" he wailed, each word punctuated by the dull thud of his head striking the ground.
The scene quickly drew attention, and murmurs rippled through the gathered crowd. Some onlookers chuckled in schadenfreude, amused by the guard's self-inflicted humiliation. Others whispered nervously, knowing the guard's mistake could just as easily have been theirs.
Bandel Blue remained unmoved, his piercing gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Now," he said, his voice cutting through the commotion like a whip, "where is the woman I seek?"