109 Ambition - Part 1 (1/2)

These men aren't part of the town's guard; these are men that swore loyalty to their Lord. They were followers that believed in their Lord's vision for the future, and they were pillars that supported the Este family so that their Lords could exert their immense power and keep others safe.

Their Lords gave them training, food, shelter, and safety. All that they required in return was loyalty, protection, and the promise that they would fight their Lord's enemies when the time comes. And they all failed, indubitably so.

A few of the soldiers try to lash out, to continue fighting so that they could die in a blaze of glory. But the God of the Sun makes it clear: ”there's no glory in death, only in life”; ”so live to fight another day”; ”live with the shame of defeat so that you can achieve glory one day.”

The soldiers attacking in a blood rage are quickly put down by Confiel's men and also by their own comrades. There's no need for any more death here today.

I unsummon the Nalusa, then we take off our helmets and exhale in relief. Aoi shrinks into small-Aoi and crawls up to me, so I take her into my arms and start to cast [Regeneration] on her broken scales.

My erection fades as I clear myself of the dragon's anger, and the disgust quickly takes hold of me. I suddenly feel like a weak and frail old man who just needs a long, long nap.

”Kweh! I understand! I want armor!” Aoi exclaims and nods.

I chuckle and say, ”Your scales are too beautiful to have them get broken in every battle.”

”Exactly!”

Alissa runs up to me, and Roxanne struggles to catch up. My foxy worrywart immediately inspects my bloodied neck and armpit.

Her angry eyes are like daggers stabbing at my face. ”If you're going to continue fighting so recklessly, I'll make you wear full metal armor,” she chastises me and pouts. Even when she's angry, she's cute.

I cringe a little and smile apologetically. ”Yeah… I will,” I say.

Roxanne finally reaches us, wheezing for breath.

With everybody here, I inspect our wounds. Hana's armor has a number of new scratches and a few small dents. Alissa, Roxanne, Ciel, and Lina look perfectly fine; at the most, their armor got dirtied by the smoke and debris. Aoi has a few blemishes on her beautiful body: her broken scales; such disrespect for her perfect form will soon be corrected by my [Regeneration].

It really seems like I was the most reckless out of all of us this time.

I see Confiel pull out a golden flag with Este's heraldry: six white flowers arranged in a circle, with each flower different from the others. Then he covers Mavel's body with the flag, and two temple priests appear to carry the body away on a stretcher.

Ciel sighs and [Clean]s my armor, but it doesn't remove all of the blood that seeped into the padding.

”We'll have to wash it,” Alissa says.

Go spread your love, my angel.

Luz suddenly lands beside us and greets us with a sad smile. ”Helios, can you accompany us? There's something we want you to see inside the castle.”

Ciel clumsily stops walking away, and after she thinks things through for an awkward few seconds, she comes back to us and stands beside me.

I stop myself from narrowing my eyes in suspicion at Luz. I don't really have the emotional capacity for anything intense again today, but my curiosity gives me enough energy to nod respectfully anyway.

Luz smiles and starts walking towards the castle. Her heels clack against the stone path as she walks with confidence and a perfectly straight posture. Her presence exudes authority and the power to enforce it; she inspires her men to salute her and intimidates the subjugated soldiers to kneel in her presence.

In a way, I envy her, since that's exactly the kind of aura that I want for myself. Not only to help with my dragon transformation, but also to assist me against those that would normally underestimate me.

Confiel's men strip the defeated soldiers of their weapons and armor, then herd them away towards the Shell's gate, likely to release them so that they can return to their families.

I see the elven officer that I fought. He's removing his armor and keeping his head hung low with an impassive expression concealing his gloom. He's an old man that looks almost sixty years old, but with the slowed aging of higher-level people, he could be older.

--

Soul Info

[Name: Sandoro Irme; Level: 60; HP: 71; MP: 1,120; Magic Power: 505]

[Strength: 17; Endurance: 17]

--

He notices us walking close by and merely nods, then his neck bleeds a little more since the wound is not yet fully closed.

A nearby healer notices him and starts to chant a [Heal], then we pass him by, and I look forward again.

We quickly reach a short wall, well, a small wall in comparison to the first layer of the Shell. It's about ten meters high, but it doesn't hide the barracks behind it. This is where most of Mavel's men were stationed when we attacked.

We cross the gate and pass by a few sets of ornate, but identical tall buildings, then we cross through another gate and enter Este's private garden.

We walk along a short and fluffy grass lawn that feels like pillows under our feet. Beautiful hedge sculptures of small monsters and animals flank the comfy path, but most of them are more cute than beautiful. I recognize Rabid Rabbits, Ploms, Dragolites, and kitten Gatuns.

Gify pops onto my shoulder, and Luz glances curiously at her. The elf rewards us with a small smile and continues on as if nothing happened.

A few alluring paths branch away towards sightseeing routes or resting areas. I feel drawn to stray away from the main path as the old man inside of me begs for rest, but we move on and get closer to the bush-like golden castle. Quite a few of its ”branches” have been blown off or charred, blemishing its indisputable beauty.

As we walk, I finally feel the [Gate] scrubbers being turned off, calming my heart a little. I hear a commotion on the wall and see a few gems light up near the top of the Shell. I think that Confiel's men are preparing for the other Lords who might be coming to ”liberate” Escanso.

We climb a long set of stairs and finally reach the castle's entrance. A huge double door welcomes us to its main hall.

White velvet covers the floor with a color so pure that it feels like a crime to dirty it with our shabby boots. Painted statues of all of the previous Lords of this castle populate the walls of the hall, with stairs to its ”branches” positioned between each set of statues. The ceiling is decorated with a painting of the usual elven-like patterns. At the end of the hall, a huge portrait of the Este family hangs over a double doorway.

In the middle, there's a man with glacial blue eyes, soft features, and a round face, Lord Mavel Este; he looks kind and calm, more like a gentle father than a strict Lord. Two similar-looking women with sharp features and square jaws flank Mavel, his wives; they are both golden elves and have a much more severe gaze, making them look noble but strict. Below Mavel, there's a young girl with a soft face and very sharp blue eyes, his first daughter; her hair is styled in long and fluffy drills, and her slightly fleshy lips give her a bit of a pout. Beside the daughter are two twin young boys with very similar faces to the Lord; they look like normal boys, but they still seem to be very cute and energetic.

I don't even feel like teasing Ciel, not even in my thoughts. Seeing their portraits only brings me dread.

We somberly walk under the portrait and cross through the double doors to another room. It's initially rather dark, but then Luz activates an enchantment on the wall, and it lights up.

Multiple portals covered in white veils appear out of thin air. Behind each veil, I can see that they lead to other parts of the castle. They are all arranged in a circle and have identification plaques above them on the wall. This is an [Eternal Gate] network hub.

The room becomes a mix of colors as the different natural lights coming from all the rooms connected to this hub blend into one vibrant mix. The orange of the sunset is the most prominent of all, but it doesn't detract from their combined beauty.

Thankfully, [Eternal Gate] only gets forcefully turned off when a scrubber is on. I don't even want to think of the chaos outside that was caused by every [Gate] coordinate in the entire town being wiped out by Confiel's scrubbers.

Luz crosses a portal without hesitation and we follow her through. We exit into a meeting hall rather similar to Goloria's. The table also has a recreation of Escanso carved into it, but this one has the buildings painted with its adorable multitude of colors instead of being mostly white.

The portal behind us fades into nothing, and behind where it was, I see a white gem embedded in the wall. It likely holds the enchantment that will activate the portal again when it's needed.

”Take a seat,” Luz says and we obey.

She sits across from us, but doesn't take one of the three lavish seats reserved for the Lords.

Just as we all sit down, an [Eternal Gate] materializes out of thin air near the one we came through, and Confiel and Lua emerge out of it. Right after they cross, the portal disappears into nothing.

”She's coming,” Confiel says and takes a seat beside Luz, who nods and smiles with a little bit of pain hidden behind it.

Lua then sits beside Confiel, and her eyes scan us. Her stern gaze gives me a chill, and I straighten my posture instinctively. Once her scan is complete, she says, ”We are about to meet with Yulania Este. Keep in mind that she just lost her parents, so be very tactful about what you say.”

Wait… since she's the first-born, she's automatically considered the Chosen Descendant unless stated otherwise. By imperial law, when a Lord is deposed, his Chosen Descendant is also executed.

So, why are we here…?

All the girls, except Aoi, seem to understand the meaning of this, and their expressions stiffen. Alissa, most of all, seems rather displeased to be here.

A few seconds later, another [Eternal Gate] opens, and one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen comes through. Flanked by one of Confiel's men, Yulania looks like a delicate flower wilting away.

Light blue transparent Cinderella shoes cover her delicate feet. Thin and rosy legs peek out from underneath her deep blue dress, which tightly hugs her body, but opens up at the waist and ends at her knees. The lower part of the dress flows through the air with loose folds and frills, while the upper part looks smooth and leaves little of her curves to the imagination. Her considerable bosom is held tightly together by the dress, which also shows off a dangerous amount of cleavage. Her drill-like hair bounces like springs as she moves and almost hides her long elven ears with a volume as impressive as Hana's wild mane. Her face is delicate and pouty, her lips are bright red and fleshy, and her makeup is perfect, but it all looks like a mask through which her lifeless, vibrant blue eyes look out at the world with detachment.

She stops for a moment to scan us, then shows no reaction and continues walking. The man escorting her stops midway and salutes the Lords before returning through the [Eternal Gate], which again fades into nothing.

Without any hesitation, Yulania sits in the middle of the three lavish chairs reserved for the Lords, her father's seat.

”Yulania,” Confiel greets her softly, and his wives warmly nod. His expression looks severe, and without his smirk, he appears much older than his mature face would imply.

”Confiel, Luz, Lua,” Yulania returns the greeting with a crystalline voice devoid of any emotion.

We wait to be addressed so that we can introduce ourselves, but neither Yulania nor Confiel's group looks at us, so we remain silent.

After a few seconds, Confiel breaks the silence, ”Did you prepare as I told you to?”

”How could I even start preparing for the death of my parents?” Yulania asks back with a hint of venom in her tone.

Confiel sighs softly. ”You knew that your father had no other way. He could've just resigned, of course, but that was never an option for him.”

Yulania's face remains unchanging, unnaturally so. ”Even though it was inevitable, it doesn't mean that I could prepare myself for it.”

Confiel shakes his head, and Luz gives her a sympathetic frown. ”We tried, my dear, we tried.”

Yulania stares at Luz with dead eyes. ”You killed them… and that will always be the truth,” she says.

Now even Confiel and Lua start to look sad. Then Confiel's face gains its own mask, and he looks sternly at her as he asks, ”So, are you prepared?”

Yulania closes her eyes and looks like she's praying. ”Yes, I am,” she says, resigning herself to her fate: death.

”It is good that you're prepared for this, but there are a few different paths that you can take, Yulania,” Luz says.

The elven girl opens her blue eyes wide in surprise, and we do the same.

Before Yulania can ask anything, Confiel continues, ”Your first path is to simply run away. You can abandon everything and start a new life on another continent. We recommend Maoka since it has better living standards than Bestiaram. We'll help you start a business that will sustain you, and as long as you stay away from nobility and avoid accruing too much power, you can lead a fulfilling life.”

A hint of anger enters her eyes, giving them a spark of life. ”And abandon my brothers to be Blood Slaves forever?!” Yulania asks, offended that Confiel would even suggest such a thing.

Confiel smiles faintly, regaining some of his youthful air. ”Your second path is to be sent to Elaria and become a Blood Slave yourself, then try to become a True Noble and recover your family's honor.”

That's just like Silvane's story.

Yulania looks skeptical. ”And the Empire would allow that?”

Confiel smirks and responds with enthusiasm, ”Consider that our way of saying 'fuck you' to the Empire and their brutal laws.”

Alissa subtly narrows her eyes, displeased at the elves' shyness when it comes to executing their enemies.

Light returns to Yulania's eyes, and she looks like she's awakening from a stupor. She stares at Confiel for several long seconds, seriously thinking through this option. ”And the third path?” She finally asks.

”Become Wolf Ryder's Blood Slave, and then acquire the True Noble Title. I have the word of the Council that if you acquire the Title, then you and Ryder can return as the Crown Lords of the Western High Forest.”

Wait, what the fuck…

Yulania's eyes turn to me and stare deeply into my soul. A small fire in them makes my cheeks burn with shame at my own lack of ambition. Then I put on the mask of the dragon and stare right back at her. I feel like I can hear the resounding ring of a glass being struck, then Yulania averts her eyes, and the feeling fades.

Gify, did you do something?

Gih.

That means ”no.”

The beautiful elven girl notices Lina's slave necklace and raises a thin eyebrow as she gives Confiel a questioning look. ”How many slaves does he have?” She asks.

”Lina, the dwarf, and us two,” Alissa responds, then she and Hana bare their wrists to show their Blood Slave mark.