Chapter 13: Coronation and System's Last Gift
Lucas POV:
As the final week of the system approached, I won't deny feeling a sense of stress. I had grown fond of the system, appreciating its ability to allow for mistakes and corrections without significant loss. However, facing the prospect of its absence, I worried that expanding our borders at the rapid pace we had maintained for the past two weeks might become challenging.
In the aftermath of the recent discussion with the Sisters two days ago, a peculiar occurrence unfolded. I began sensing unease and fear among the population, directed towards me. Perplexed, I wondered if someone had spread harmful rumors about me. To get to the bottom of it, I summoned the Praetorians to bring Duke George, a man deeply involved in city affairs and someone I trusted implicitly.
That's why I granted him the title of Duke early on; among the initial four summons, he displayed the utmost loyalty. The other three were also incredibly devoted, but George's loyalty bordered on the unwavering, a quality that earned him the prestigious title.
I heard the distinctive sound of armored footsteps approaching, followed by a polite knock on my door.
"Did you call for me, Your Majesty?" George's voice inquired as I opened the door with a casual flick of my fingers—an act I found satisfying.
"Yes, George, come and sit. I need to talk to you," I beckoned to the Crusader. He settled on a slab of stone in my workshop, removing his helmet and placing it beside him.
"I've sensed a growing fear among the population toward me. Do you know the reason?" I questioned him. His face contorted into a scowl in response.
He sighed before meeting my gaze. "Forgive my frankness, Your Majesty, but I'll tell you what's happening. It began with the last summons. For soldiers like us, and those devoted to faith, we have no issues with you. We understand the indispensability of your magic."
"However, the peasants are becoming apprehensive about your activities in the workshop. More importantly, they feel disconnected from you. You rarely appear to them, seldom engage with them, and spend most of your time secluded in your workshop. While I understand it's for the benefit of our nation, those less educated don't perceive it that way."
"I—" I began, only to halt myself mid-sentence. I genuinely didn't know what to say. This week marked the last opportunity to garner rewards from the system, leaving me with little time for socializing and connecting with everyone.
"Thank you, George," I responded to the man. "But this week is one of the most crucial for our kingdom, so I must continue to be 'secluded in my workshop' for the time being." He scoffed, then smiled upon hearing my reply.
"I understand, Your Majesty. I will try to talk to the peasants and those who are fearful of you, attempting to resonate with them," he said as he replaced his helmet. Opening the door to the outside, he paused before delivering another piece of information.
"I heard about what happened with Janette," he continued with a dark tone in his voice. "I overheard the woman screaming in her house about you and Jeanne being filthy peasants. It must be one of the reasons the peasants are uneasy about you—being governed by someone perceived by a noble as a peasant may not sit well with them."
I scoffed at the notion, dismissing the words of a pompous and arrogant woman like her. However, if she persisted in spreading discord in my kingdom with her words, I would personally step in to silence her.
My eyes widened at the direction my thoughts were taking. Had I become so inclined toward violence in just three weeks? I was aware of the changes within me, but this extent of transformation surprised me.
'Is this the work of the blessings?' I pondered, reflecting on the alterations that had shaped me. Urgash's blessing seemed to contribute to a heightened sense of aggression, while Elrath's, acquired more recently, felt like a suppressant on my emotions and feelings, but the blessing of Elrath was far more potent that Urgash's.
"Am I losing grip on myself?" I questioned internally, feeling a sense of concern. George looked at me with worry, awaiting a response to what he had conveyed about Janette.
"I don't want to become a tyrant; I want everyone to be content under my rule," I thought sadly, sensing the stir of suppressed emotions inside me.
"Let her say whatever she wants. Start by trying to talk to her, but if this goes too far, silence her and imprison her," I said to the crusader. George looked at me with widened eyes.
"You are merciful, Your Majesty. I knew some kings back then who would have killed her and her entire family," he replied.
"This is what I am trying to prevent. I don't want to start resorting to such behaviors. After all, Elrath's teachings emphasize purity and gentleness. How could I be pure if I execute someone for having a different opinion of me?" I explained to the crusader with a gentle voice.
Silence reigned between us, and after some time, he nodded and exited my workshop, leaving the cave. I staggered toward one of the slabs before falling on it heavily, panting, tears streaming down my face.
'What is happening?' I questioned myself as my emotions started to swirl uncontrollably, I couldn't control anything as if a tempest was raging inside of me.
[Seeing you suffer, Shalassa, Dragon of the Sea, gave you help.]
[Shalassa's Minor Blessing]
[Legendary]
[This Blessing of Shalassa helps you reign over your emotions and counter the undesirable effects of Urgash and Elrath's blessings.]
[This Blessing is Hereditary]
[This blessing is purely an emotional support one, so don't expect any boost in your magical or physical prowess.]
As I received the blessing, I felt as if my mother enveloped me in her warm embrace. My liberated emotions calmed themselves, as if a tempest had been stilled on the sea.
[Urgash looks at Shalassa while laughing at her weak blessing.]
[Elrath looks at His Sister with narrowed eyes.]
[Shalassa looks at Her Brother, saying that he will never change.]
[Arkath, Dragon of Fire, is looking at you and says that a blue lotus mark on your forehead is quite humorous to look at.]
'Thank you Shalassa' I exprimed my thanks to the dragon as I stood up with difficulty from the slab.
'This blessing is Hereditary too, just like Elrath's, was this fais exprès, just to counter his bad influence in the next generations ?' I thought as I looked at the effects of the blessing.
Mastering my emotions, I resumed my work on the tasks I had been focused on since the beginning of the week – creating gemstones to adorn my crown. The palace I constructed leaned more towards a defensive castle than a luxurious palace like Versailles.
A protective wall encircled the castle, featuring four towers where, in the future, I planned to mount some weapons of my own design. A drawbridge, operable only by the Praetorian guards, secured the entrance against potential intruders. Golems patrolled both the walls and the halls of the castle.
Turning my attention to the interior, I addressed the furniture issue by opting for wooden pieces infused with crystals of various elements. The castle's illumination during the day came from natural sunlight, while at night, the gentle hues emitted by the light crystals bathed the interior and exterior in a soft glow. I distributed similar crystals to the people for their homes, providing not just light but also warmth. This dual functionality served as both lighting and heating for the present and the upcoming winter.
The focal point of the castle's adornments was a majestic golden statue of an Angel, wielding two swords high toward the sky. This remarkable statue was positioned at the pinnacle of the castle, a symbol of vigilance and protection.
Turning to the crown, the skilled smiths fashioned a stunning headpiece. While I wouldn't be wearing it continuously, I sought to ensure that the crown provided optimal protection and durability. To achieve this, I chose to create a legendary gemstone infused with the essence of Light, alongside a pseudo-Legendary gem of Earth, enhanced with a potent Regeneration spell.
Then in the wake of the last day before my crowning, I finally finished the crown, and well the result surprised me greatly
[Crown of the Falcon King]
[Legendary]
[Earth Pseudo-Legendary Gemstone, Light Legendary Gemstone]
[Mana ?/500,000]
[Spells: Angel's Protection, Regeneration, Self-Resurrection]
[Passive Spell: Truth Discernment, Authority of the King]
[Truth Discernment: This spell allows the user to distinguish lies from truth]
[Authority of the King: Your words carry power within them; the weak-minded will be easily influenced by your voice]
[Leadership +9]
[A magnificent crown embellished with two flawlessly crafted gemstones, each providing an immense reservoir of mana. The gemstones, while absorbing mana, have been carefully designed to have a limit to prevent an overwhelming influx of magical energy.]
'Authority of the King, huh,' I mused upon seeing this passive, feeling a mix of emotions. It seemed like a form of mind control over my subjects, something I detested. However, with time constraints, I decided to stick with this crown.
Successfully crafting a piece of equipment with the resurrection spell was no small feat. This Self-Resurrection spell allowed the wearer to be revived, though it did not extend the user's lifespan. The crown would repair the body and temporarily store the soul during the restoration process. While it served as a failsafe against assassination or death, the prospect of immortality would require delving into chrono-magic, a possibility for the future.
However, in the Warcraft universe, meddling with the timeline could lead to unforeseen consequences. I was unsure if there were time guardians beyond Azeroth—perhaps other species created by the First Ones or the Titans.
Speaking of Titans, I genuinely hoped to avoid encountering any of them. The latest bits of lore didn't paint them in a glorious light. I would prefer to face Denathrius or Zovaal over the Titans.
And we still didn't know what Zovaal meant after his defeat, this is driving me mad, why couldn't I've transmigrated into, I don't know Star Wars for exemple where there was a comprehensive lore written about a lot of things happening in the Galaxy, but no, I am stuck into an universe where the lore was retconned every two or three years.
Unfortunately, luck wasn't on my side; I got transmigrated before learning the conclusion of the world soul saga with Azeroth and the Titans. However, I'm confident that in terms of power, Asha and Urgash absolutely crush these Titans. Still, I am nowhere close to even a tiny bit of the power of these godlike beings.
Contemplating the possibility of becoming a god or an Angel to match them, I acknowledged that such aspirations were not for the immediate future. Leaving my cave, I headed towards the Priory where I engaged in a two or three-hour discussion with Jeanne about the upcoming ceremony. It had to be perfect; I needed a favorable assessment from the system.
George later joined us to share his insights on the ceremony. While I listened to his suggestions, I found myself brimming with ideas. After much deliberation, we settled on two key elements for the ceremony. Following our discussions, George and I left the Priory to retire to our houses for a night's sleep. The ceremony was slated to commence at midday.
As part of the preparations, I extended an invitation to Malarion and the Dark Elves for my crowning. Despite the potential backlash from the population due to their allegiance to Malassa, I deemed it necessary to solidify our alliance for the years ahead.
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Malarion POV:
Lucas's invitation was a tremendous opportunity. Over the past two weeks, our underground realm flourished, thanks to the benefits of the human-built farm. Lianna, despite her initial frustration in attempting to replicate Lucas's golem craftsmanship, eventually succeeded. Witnessing her determination to create these "dark golems" was endearing. When she achieved success, she eagerly sought my approval, and naturally, I praised her—after all, Lianna was a formidable woman, and I preferred to stay on her good side.
Preparations were underway for our journey to Falcon's Reach, the capital of the human kingdom.
The population of my kingdom had surged in these weeks, and I reaped numerous rewards corresponding to the increase. However, the most significant development was my level. Continuous combat against various enemies and beasts in the undergrounds had propelled me to a notable level, complemented by my [Blood] specialization, which seemed to please Malassa.
[Level 7]
[Blood 542/10000]
The resources provided to the humans proved more than sufficient, and I marveled at how Lucas managed to stockpile such abundance.
On the day of Lucas's formal crowning, I set out with my [Master Assassins] and [Chakram Dancer], accompanied by Lianna, heading towards Falcon's Reach with our carefully chosen gift. I had a feeling Lucas would appreciate the gesture.
Throughout the journey, Lianna persistently reminded me to remain vigilant throughout the crowning ceremony and emphasized the importance of a swift departure afterward. According to her, humans were both cunning and prone to violence, and the less we lingered in their midst, the better.
Upon reaching the first checkpoint on the way to Falcon's Reach, I couldn't help but admire the strategic use of a single-way passage, fortified and guarded to regulate incoming and outgoing traffic. However, such defenses proved ineffective against Dark Elves.
My assassins had the skills to scale the walls and neutralize the guards long before they could signal any threat.
But we weren't adversaries; we were allies. I hoped that the future king of Falcon's Reach would continue to support us as Lucas did. However, I was aware that many years would pass before the next succession. Our elven lifespan, considerably longer than that of normal races like humans, could be deemed almost immortal. Still, I earnestly wished that whoever succeeded him would hold the same regard for our alliance as he did.
"Clan Leader," came the voice of one of the assassins as we entered through the gate. I saw the radiant Sun Crusader George looking at me with a smile before he greeted us.
"Greetings, Darkblade Clan Leader. It is an honor for us to receive you on this special day for our entire kingdom," he said as he dismounted and came to shake my hand in greeting.
"This is an honor too, Duke George," I replied to him. Over the past two weeks, I had been practically drilled in royal etiquette and manners by Lianna whenever we had the time.
He nodded and looked at Lianna. "This is an honor too, Matriarch," he said and nodded at her.
"Likewise, Sun Crusader," she replied curtly. I knew she didn't like the man from her voice. When she took this tone, it meant that she considered her interlocutor an eyesore. I understood her pride, but disregarding a Duke of an allied kingdom was a problem. I resolved to discuss it with her after the crowning; for now, we were here for my friend's crowning.
"I shall lead you to the crowning site. There is still one hour before the start of the ceremony, but we shall present you with our plans. You are our honored guest, after all," said the Sun Crusader as the Praetorians that were with him began the march toward the castle in the distance.
I was impressed; this city was extremely clean, with tidy streets, not much mud, and neatly arranged houses. It was very different from our cave and our underground environment.
However, what I noticed were the stares coming from the civilians—pure disgust and hate at seeing us. Some of them even left when we arrived. I sensed the unease of my subordinates seeing these stares, and we only found peace when we entered the castle, leaving their view.
When the gates of the castle were closed, George looked at us apologetically. "I am truly sorry about the civilians," he said as the Praetorians opened the doors of the castle.
"Then I hope that this will not happen again," came the venomous voice of Lianna. "Or I will show them the blade."
The Praetorians looked at her as George turned to look at her too.
"Be careful about your tone, Matriarch," he warned the elf, and some light started to escape from his armor. "Even if their actions are not appropriate, I will not stand your threat about the safety of the one that I promised to serve," he added as he continued to look at her. But before she could respond, I cut her off.
"Stop there, Lianna. It seems that my friend's subjects are still ignorant about their allies," I said as I looked at her, my eyes turning purple as shadows started to crawl from my body armor.
Seeing this, she took a step back and looked at me with widened eyes, as if I had just betrayed her.
"I am truly sorry about my Matriarch's words, Duke George. But despite her choice of poor words, I agree with what she said. This ignorance about us should not be present the next time that we are here," I finished.
They looked at us as George nodded, seemingly relieved about what I said.
"You have my promise that this will not happen anymore" he said as the Praetorians and him entered the castle as we promptly followed behind them.
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Lucas POV:
"I concur, my friend," I sighed as I looked at the Dark Elves delegation. I was aware of my subjects' ignorance and xenophobia, but I needed to address that soon before something regrettable happened.
"Hadrien," I called the leader of the Praetorian guarding my chamber's door.
"Your Majesty," replied the Praetorian, clad in golden armor with touches of red.
"Is everything ready?" I asked him as I handed the crown to the Sister who entered after him.
"Yes, everything is in order," he replied, kneeling in front of me.
"Perfect then," I breathed a sigh of relief on my balcony. This was one of the most important moments in my life, and I wanted to make every second count. Most importantly, I wanted it to be perfect.
Time passed rapidly as I welcomed the Dark Elves into my chambers to speak about their experiences during these two weeks. I was first absolutely shocked by Malarion's level, he outgrew me, but still, it was a shock to me.
"I know, Lianna," I said with a sigh to the Matriarch who looked at me with fiery eyes. "I should start their education next week. I couldn't implement drastic changes before my crowning," I continued, addressing the beautiful elf.
"I repeat it to you, Lucas, you are a friend to Clan Darkblade, so I will not hold you responsible. But I hope that the next time we come here, there will be nothing like that," the Matriarch said as she sat down on the wooden chair that I had created as furniture for the castle.
"Malarion," I hoped my friend could reason with his Matriarch, but it seemed she had a tight leash on him as he looked at me and shook his head in negation and fearful eyes.
"It serves no purpose to ask the clan leader; he has the same feeling as me," she said to me as she looked at him with her fiery red eyes. I saw his composure shake a bit; I was truly surprised by how Malarion had grown as a leader. Except for Lianna, every Dark Elf respected him immensely, a good sign.
I offered them drinks—well, water, as we didn't have anything else—but I think they liked it, judging by their expressions. We continued our little talk about what happened to them during these two weeks, but I soon sensed something between these two that made me smile behind my helmet.
'So this is how female dark elves show their affection?' I thought amusedly as I looked at them banter again in front of me after telling me about their kill of a giant cave worm.
'This is a tsundere moment,' I laughed fondly as I looked at them, but it seemed that Malarion heard me.
"Something is funny, Lucas?" asked Malarion as my laugh broke their argument, and they together looked at me. I wanted to tease them even more.
"I hope that I will be the uncle of the babies," I said without an ounce of laughter in my voice, as if I were stating a fact.
"Uncle? What are ab-" Malarion started but soon widened his eyes; his cheeks reddened suddenly, and he started to stammer.
I wanted Lianna to get flustered too, but that's not what happened.
"You will be long dead, even if my pregnancy with Malarion's child started right now," she said deadpanning at me.
'Well, you didn't arrange little Malarion , Lianna,' I deadpanned at her as Malarion truly resembled a tomato and started to look at Lianna while babbling.
"What is it, Malarion? Don't tell me that you are shy about something like that?" she said aggressively as she planted her hands around his head.
"As the leader of our clan, you have the right to lay with ever-" she stared at him dead in the eyes, but Malarion was suddenly engulfed in shadows and disappeared from her grip.
We looked at each other before a smile was etched on her face, and we together broke into laughter. I knew that she was a calm-headed person, but seeing that she kept her calm even in this situation was incredible after what she said was a joke, right ?
I heard knocks on the door as Malarion reappeared near us, looking at us like a beaten dog, still a bit red on the cheeks but a bit more level-headed.
"What is it?" I asked as Hadrien entered the room with Jeanne behind him. She was eying Lianna strangely, well, not Lianna, but her clothing.
"All is ready, my lord. Everyone has come to witness your crowning," he said as he once again kneeled in front of me.
"Well then, let's start the ceremony," I said to the two as I rose from my chair and marched toward the door. "Hadrien, take our Darkblade friends to where they are expected for the ceremony."
"Yes, Your Majesty," said Hadrien as he motioned to the two elves to follow him.
I strode through the hallways of the castle toward the throne room, where I would be crowned and where I would make my first attempt at governing a city and then a country.
'My heart is beating so fast,' I noted as I waited in front of the door to the throne room where I would be entering, all my subjects and allies already inside, waiting for my arrival.
Four Praetorians would be walking with me, and George would be accompanying me too.
Then the moment was here. George opened the door to the throne room, and silence reigned in the room. I took the first step toward my throne, with the Praetorians trailing behind me.
In less than twenty seconds, I reached the throne and sat on it. As I looked at the entrance of the throne room, Archbishop Jeanne came in, the crown in hand, as we didn't have a cushion like the kings on Earth.
She placed herself in front of me, but instead of placing it on my head, I took the crown from her hands and placed it on my head myself. Then thunderous applause erupted.
I waited to have the silence to declare what I wanted to declare to my people then seeing that everyone was listening I started
I waited for the silence to declare what I wanted to share with my people. Seeing that everyone was listening, I began.
"My people, my allies, today marks the beginning of my reign. As your King, my first decree is to grant each of you control over your destinies. Starting tomorrow, all of you are invited to schools created for everyone, without discrimination. I ask you to learn the principles and values of our kingdom."
"I promise to bring peace and prosperity, as I swore two weeks ago. At the beginning of each month, I will hold an audience for you to express your problems and needs, and I will address them to the best of my ability."
"I will not burden you with exorbitant taxes or demand a portion of your harvest each month."
"And most importantly, know that laws have been created and will be implemented starting tomorrow. You will learn every intricacy of the laws at school."
"And finally, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone for their contribution to the construction and betterment of our beautiful kingdom." I ended my speech as the people on the throne broke into a fit of applause and cries.
I looked at them and, in the corner of my eye, noticed the system windows showing me the percentage of completion.
[87%]
I smiled as I saw the percentage and looked at the rewards; my smile widened even more.
[All buildings of the Haven unlocked to be built.]
'Well, this is interesting,' I thought as I looked back at the jubilant crowd.
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Well, that is enough for today
See you soon :)
Sorry if the formating is disgusting I made it on phone
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