The battle totally wore me out. It's frustrating that I'm still not that great with the skill [Devouring Hunger]. Maybe it's 'cause the skill's not fully there yet, unlike the other ones I got from devouring their weapons. It's a bit like the [Incomplete Rhongomyniad]. Even though I don't see any side effects from the Versatile Weapon, I sense it lingering. Plus, I pushed that skill way beyond its limits.
"You holding up, wielder? That skill really takes a toll on you the longer you use it in a fight, you know."
"I get it, but I had to use it to stop Nobuhiko from making Hagane immortal. I'm okay... I might look a bit beat, but I'm not about to collapse."
"That's good to hear. My wielder can't afford to go down easily. But next time, go easy on that skill until it's fully developed. Even with me in control, there's a risk my hunger could get the best of you. Don't rely on it like you did in that battle."
"Yeah, got it," I muttered, straightening up. I might not be super fresh right now, but I can keep going and head to the throne room. The others are probably already there, facing the King and Queen.
...
...
...
Manato's still catching his breath and trying to stay on his feet, while the gang's made their way into the castle. They had a few scuffles with the guards, but they were no match and went down pretty easily, no big deal.
In the throne room now, they burst in with weapons at the ready, but it was a letdown. The place was empty.
"No sign of 'em," Avos grumbled, scanning the room.
"Yeah, I'm not feeling any vibes either. You think they made a run for it?" Mila asked Renatta.
"Nah, those two are too stubborn to bail out, even with all this chaos. My bet is they're hiding somewhere around the castle, maybe chowing down in the dining area," Renatta guessed.
"In that case, we better haul it. Sitting around won't do us any good. Let's track 'em down and deal with this pronto," Akira was all for action.
"Brother, calm down, we are not here to fight them remember?" Sora keeps her brother in check.
"Sorry about that..." Akira sighed as he scratched his head in disappointment.
Renatta, having a better grasp of the castle's new layout, led the way in search of the King and Queen. The dining area was conveniently close to the throne room, and they reached it in a sprint without encountering any guards.
"I can feel them through those doors. It's either the security here is too relaxed or they're overly confident in their defenses," Mila remarked, shaking her head.
"I never taught them to be this complacent, but it seems they've forgotten," Avos sighed.
Renatta pushed open the doors, revealing the opulent dining room where the King and Queen were leisurely enjoying their meal.
"You guards are disturbing our mealtime. What's the commotion once more?! Shouldn't you have dealt with it?" The King's tone shifted from annoyance to surprise as he saw Renatta and her companions.
"Seems like security is pretty lax around here. They didn't even pay heed to the guards' warnings," Avos said, disappointed.
"Father?! How...shouldn't you and Mother be missing, even now? How did you return so soon?" The Queen stammered, struggling to make sense of the situation while feeling the ominous auras emanating from Avos and Mila.
"Relax, my dear wife. They shouldn't be here, right? They might just be illusions trying to scare us," the King attempted to dismiss the threat.
Avos smirked and conjured a spell that combined flames and electricity. It engulfed the King, causing him intense pain and agony, though his clothes remained unscathed. His cries echoed in the room, making it clear that this was no illusion, and he would soon regret his complacency.
"Not real, huh? How 'bout now? Does it feel real yet?" Avos sported his trademark grin.
"Father! Please, forgive my husband! We had no clue, we thought you weren't real."
"Enough of that nonsense. You two seem pretty convinced we're all illusions, so why would I break the spell? If I'm not real and everyone here's just a mirage, the spell's just as fake, right?"
"AAAAAHHHHHH, MAKE IT STOPPPPPP!" the king screamed, though he showed no physical damage, the mental torture was unbearable.
"Sheesh, too much noise. Here, have a bucket of water," Avos snapped his fingers, and a bucket of water drenched the king. The fire went out, but the electricity lingered, causing the king to convulse.
"DEAR!" The Queen was hysterical, watching her husband teeter on the brink.
"Alright, Avos, that's enough. We're here to talk, not torment," Mila lightly punched Avos on the arm, and he grinned.
"Haha, what do you mean? It's fun giving this guy a reality check."
Avos snapped his fingers once more, everything returning to normal, except the king, who continued convulsing, seemingly trapped in the aftermath of the spell.
"Now, how 'bout we have that chat, hmm?"
...
...
...
The king was in rough shape, looking completely out of it after everything he'd been through. That left only the Queen to face her parents and her daughter, who was sitting across from her with the rest of the group standing nearby.
"Now, let's get straight to the point. We need to talk about how things have gone to hell in this kingdom since we've returned," the Queen began, a hint of nervousness in her voice.
"What are you even saying, Father?" she stammered, her eyes filled with fear.
Mila, her mother, let out her frustration with a loud bang on the table. The durable elven craftsmanship gave in, leaving a big crack and a deep crater on the table.
"Don't play dumb, Layla. You're the queen; you can't act like you have no idea what's happening," Mila snapped, clearly angry.
Layla, the Queen, had no choice but to respond, "I... It's for the sake of the Elven people. We need to maintain our status and protect our kind."
lightsΝοvel Mila's smile turned sinister, and her aura grew menacing. Even Pandora, who was standing behind her, was taken aback by the ominous vibe in the air.
"For the sake of the Elven people? It seems like the royal title has made you blind to reality. Have you even stepped outside this kingdom to see how your subjects are suffering? Based on your reaction, it's clear you haven't. All you care about are the wealthy nobles who can afford the taxes you impose. I don't know where you got this twisted idea but mark my words, sooner or later, those you claim to 'protect' will turn against you," Avos taunted Layla with a hostile glare.
At this point, the king had just woken up, still looking a bit dazed. He responded to Avos and Mila's questions.
"You guys don't get it. It's all for the greater good. Getting rid of potential troublemakers is the key to securing our kingdom's future. Everyone will thank us in the end."
Avos clenched his fists, trying to control his anger, not wanting to let his wife down. But before he could react, Mila leaped onto the table, charged at the king, and grabbed his neck, slamming him to the ground.
"Listen up, you little f*cker. We risked our lives to save every single elf when our race was in danger. EVERY. SINGLE. LIFE. We didn't leave anyone behind or make excuses to let them die. We went to great lengths to ensure everyone's safety, even those who couldn't walk. And now, what have you done? You've slaughtered the very lives we fought to protect, lives that should have been under your care."
Mila's grip on the king's neck tightened, making it hard for him to breathe, and her aura of rage filled the room.
"Mother! Stop!" Layla is on the verge of tears, trying to stop her mother from choking the king who is starting to turn violet as he is getting depraved in air.
"Fine," Mila lessened the grip on his neck. However, she didn't let the king go so easily and slammed his head to the floor, causing the floor to crack and causing the King to pass out for real this time.
"The responses we hear between the two of you are too disappointing. I might have tried to listen to your thoughts when planning up the accursed law of yours and how you two have come up with this idea to solve it but seeing how trashy you two have become, I don't think you two are even serious about it and instead thought more on the profit the two of you could make," Avos is looking more and more disappointed.
Layla couldn't say much but then she turned to look at Renatta. She decided that it might be a good way to stop the two in their little wrath.
"Renatta! You understand our laws right? Please convince your grandparents that this is not okay at all!"
But Renatta shook her head in denial. "No. I refuse to join in and agree to your bullsh*try, Mother."
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