Chapter 31: Story
That story was depressing as hell. He thought, chuckling slightly. Wait, where do I know that story from?
Who told it to me? Was it in the game lore or??
Eh? Where was this story from???
His eyes fell on the open door in front of him, making all the nerves he had before come back.
Taking in a deep breath as he shook his hands and legs to try and get the chill and nervousness out of his system before he goes marching into the room of the king.
Wolf King, as the people would like to call him. He remembered Ajax say that. He was a blessing to the people as the previous king was a tyrant that did not care about his people or the state they are in.
Pushing open the door wider, Ace took one reluctant step after the other, footsteps echoing in the night.
Was he a good king? Ace remembered asking.
Good? Well, that would depend on your definition of good. Ajax had said, smiling softly as he stared at the small orb of light in front of them.
Ace sat on his legs, crisscrossed while listening intently to everything his brother was telling him.
He must have been five that time, having never seen his father and only ever heard of him from other people, especially Ajax, you could say that he was very keen on hearing what his brother had to say about their father.
There must have been a time when he respected his father, even enjoyed hearing about him and the countless stories weaved around his 'origins'.
But that was not the case anymore. He could hardly care at that point and even thinking about him made him feel slightly sick.
As they said, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, the same thing can be applied to whether you view someone as a good ruler or not.
Even in the original storyline, the one where Ace played, he was not seen as a bad guy.
There were very mixed feelings about the king but people did not hate him enough to want him dead or anything like that.
They just didn't care too much about his existence, while many were grateful for everything he has done for them.
Even Ace felt that way. He didn't have strong opinions about the king, he was insignificant.
It was only when Ajax took over the throne that the place seemed to turn to chaos. No matter what he did, it always turned bad.
He could not control himself and, in the end, the only reason why Ace was able to win was because Ajax did not wish to fight anymore, especially with Ace.
He just wanted to be put out of his misery.
Ace was not strong, even in the game. Or, more like, especially in the game. He was ... lucky. A little too lucky.
Back to the topic of the king, Ace thought nothing of him. He did hear how his children were mistreated but they were only from second-hand sources like Ace or Ajax, the character, and he would always laugh it off.
He would not care too much about it so he did not either.
But, right now, standing in the room of the king, he can feel the fear the boy had towards the man.
That did well to remind him just how much the children had to go through in order to be good enough to even say that they are heirs to the throne.
Many died and many were born almost every month. Every wife and concubine wanted to be the mother to the next king.
The thing is ... the king did not lay with all of them. Especially every night.
He shook his head as he thought of what the women went through in order to try and give him a worthy heir.
There is a reason why many die before they were even old enough to walk on their own. The methods were sketchy.
Many others died from the training and conditions they were put through. Those that managed to rise to the top were not spared either though.
There is always a risk of someone stronger coming in and taking your place before you can blink.
Losing your place is worse than never making it among them. It is a fate considered worse than death.
The shame that will follow you for the rest of your life is not something most wish to carry with them. That is the reason why, even children younger than the age of ten would rather die than make it out of a test with the lowest marks.
Oh, right. The tests.
Every year, tests are conducted ... I think that is enough exposition for now, eh?
I will tell you about these tests some other time. For now, back to Ace in the king's bed chambers.
The room was completely dark. If he had not bumped into a chair while trying to walk in the dark, he would have thought the place was empty.
"So you are here." He heard a deep, gruff voice say as there was some shuffling of sheets in front of him. "You sure took your time."
"I apologise for the delay, your majesty." Ace said, trying to keep his voice as steady as possible. This reminded him too much of how his life was back in the first world and he hated every second of it.
"Hmph." He heard more shuffling. "You are a gutsy one, you know that?"
"Pardon?"
His palms felt sweaty clasped together, more than the man's voice, he could hear the beating of his heart in his ears and the blood rushing around like they were running a marathon.
Suddenly he heard a laugh, breaking the silence of the room. It was a rough, raspy laugh that seemed to be coming straight from his throat.
"Why are you so serious my boy?" He chuckled and Ace heard more shuffling as a flash of light appeared in front of his face.
He saw how the man looked like for a bride second, face covered in scars, rugged and a slightly upturned grin as he lit the cigar on his lips.
"I apologise, your majesty."
He heard laughing again. "Did you forget who you were addressing, boy?"
"I do not believe that I did."
"Then address me correctly." He heard the bed creak slightly and knew that he was laying on his side, looking at the boy while he continued to smoke.
"Father." Ace managed to push out of his lips as his entire body screamed in protest. "I apologise, I am yet to be used to calling you as such."
"You will get used to it." The man chuckled. "From that day on, you got that permission. Something many of your siblings died for. Are you not honoured?"
"I am ... very," he said, trying to keep the sarcasm out of his lips as much as he could.
Bitterness welled up in him as he remembers how Ajax looked when he was about to be killed by all those creatures with not one of them trying to help him.
They can rot in hell for all I care.
He paused, frowning. Did I really just say that? Was that me or ...???
"Sit. My boy. Sit." He heard a voice pull him out of his thoughts.
Looking around the room, he could not see a thing and he was in no mood to make a fool of himself, also not spending more time with this man than he needs to.
"I do not think that is necessary." He said, standing as stiff as a board as his hands continued to tremble.
"Oh~?" he heard a deep inhale as the only light in the room flickered slightly, then an exhale. "Why not?"
"I believe you called me here for a reason and I would like it if you told me the reason so that I may go home."
Silence felled the room as Ace felt like punching himself.
I should have just accepted and said yes. I could have lived. But I guess I am going to die here.
The seconds passed as he waited, fiddling with his sweaty palms.
Then laughter broke out again. This time, it was louder and even more excited than it was before.
"You indeed, are my son." The man said, blowing a breath out. "Yes. I can see now why your mother hated you."
Once he said that, Ace felt something clench at his heart but he did his best to dismiss this feeling.
"Mother was ... different." Is the only thing he was able to say to her defence.
"I could see that." His father mumbled. "Well, she was able to provide some kind of use in the end, so that is fine. Don't you think so?"
"No comment."
Laughter again. "Ok. I can see that you are impatient and very eager to get away from me. Let me tell you what you are to do."
He snapped his fingers and a map appeared in front of Ace. A map of a single kingdom.
Taking it in his hands, he examined this map intently.
It was only when he looked back that the man that he explained. "I want you to level this kingdom to the ground."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone