Reborn to be Royal

Chapter 20: Frost

[Kai] "Haa!"
[Vale] "Rubbish!"

It's been about a week since I began training with Vale and so far, everything has been going smoothly. I'm unsure whether it's because of the partial transformation into a Royal or because I've been training my mind but I've been able to understand the forms, flow and fighting styles of each weapon we've trained with so far. Ranging from different kinds of swords to knives and daggers, axes, spears, I've comfortably learnt them all but I'm having trouble now trying to figure out how to use something called a chain whip. Nasty thing, I can't count the amount of times today that I've stabbed myself with it. Looking at Vales examples, I'm actually ashamed of myself. Luckily, before I start embarrassing myself again, Verren showed up with news that Seyird had returned.

[Verren] "so, are you prepared?"
[Kai] "Yeah. I'll head down to the city to the east-"
[Verren] "Solben city."
[Kai] "Right, I'll head to Solben city were I'll seek out the dark guild and question them."
[Verren] "that's your plan?"
[Kai] "those types may be underhanded, but they're not stupid. They'll keep records just like any other establishment. The thing that separates them from say, an army, is their greed. I'll appeal to that. If that doesn't work, I still have plenty of other avenues to explore before it devolves into violence."
[Verren] "devolves? I thought you enjoyed fighting?"
[Kai] "fighting yeah, but there are only two reasons for me to kill."
[Verren] "and those are?"
[Kai] "out of necessity or..."
[Verren] "Or...?"
[Kai] "or if you piss me off."
[Verren] "ha- hahaha! Good! I feel I can trust you to get it done."
[Kai] "hmph, as long as you've got what I asked for."
[Verren] "hm? Oh! I've got that right here."

Verren handed me a black, cloth cloak and a plain, white, full mask with a golden line running vertically down across the left eye.

[Verren] "want to tell me what these are for? Wouldn't it have been better to get something more protective if you were going to ask for something?"

I held the cloak and mask in my hands.

[Kai] "<Reinforce>"

The cloak and mask shone ever so slightly in my hands before the light faded.

[Kai] "here, use as much force as you think you'd need to rip this."
[Verren] "Hm? Okay, but you're explaining it to Darius."

Verren tugged on the cloak with minuscule force but seemed surprised when he couldn't rip the cloth with ease.

[Verren] "I see... that magic of yours really is something."
[Kai] "thank you."

Verren tried to replicate the word I had just used but in the end he just bit his tongue and didn't sound Remotely like English which got me thinking. What do my words sound like to other people? I suppose I won't be able to find out right now though, maybe if I happen to meet one of the humans summoned heroes.

[Kai] "I suppose I'd better get going."
[Lucile] "you're leaving?"

The entrancing figure of Lucile appeared next to her father, a worry stricken expression plastered over her face.

[Kai] "only for a short time."
[Lucile] "Don't-... Don't get yourself hurt."
[Kai] "no promises."

Lucile's cheeks puffed up in childish yet understandable anger.

[Kai] "I'll try. And I'll definitely be back so don't worry."
[Lucile] "you're going to find the ones who came after me so how can I not be worried?! If you get hurt-! If you die-! I don't-!"

Looks like I've become important to Lucile. I can't help the soft smile that appeared on my face before I let out a small chuckle.

[Lucile] "W-why are you laughing?! This isn't funny!"
[Kai] "you're right, sorry. I'm just happy to know I mean so much to you."

Lucile's face was almost immediately flushed with a red embarrassment.

[Lucile] "e-e-e-eh!?"
[Kai] "well, I'd best get going."
[Lucile] "r-right.."
[Verren] "We'll hold another banquet when you return!"

After putting on the cloak and mask I began walking away by not before saying one final goodbye.

[Vale] "y'know, the mysterious angle kinda suits you."
[Kai] "See you, Vale."
[Vale] "I'll be expecting you to be stronger when you get back."
[Kai] "count on it."

With that, the two of us shared friendly smiles, though mine is hidden behind my mask.

I gave one final wave back behind me at the people I've grown to consider family, before leaving the castle for the first time since I was brought here against my will. It's after I've left their view that my smile faded, solely because I know that no matter where I am or how far apart from them I am, they've managed to wrecking ball their way into my life and thanks to that damn Entity, if I lose a fight, they're the ones that suffer. I won't let that happen.

- Lucile's pov

[Lucile] "he's really gone."
[Father] "he'll be back. He said it himself- hm? You don't seem too broken up about it?"

No, I'm not worried anymore. I know he'll come back because-

[Lucile] "he smiled."
[Father & Valentina] "hm?"

Father and Valentina looked at me confused, probably wondering why just his smile is enough to calm my mind and heart.

[Father] "He's smiled before hasn't he?"
[Valentina] "yeah, he was grinning from ear to ear when we fought."
[Lucile] "it's different. It's not a fake smile, a smile he has to put effort into or a smile you make when enjoying a fight. That was a smile-"
[Valentina] "that you wouldn't mind waking up to in the morning?"
[Lucile] "exactly-w-wh-wha-w- No! Not- I mean-"

Valentina and my father seem to be enjoying my embarrassment since their laughter can probably be heard by Kai at this volume.

[Lucile] "y-you guys-! Huh?"

Father and Valentina's faces suddenly changed, becoming more serious than I'd seen them in a long time.

[Father] "Come out!"

The sound of clapping echoed and a dark chill sent shivers through my spine, the likes of which you'd only feel in the presence of death.

[???] "Fascinating that you could detect me, Bravo."
[Father] "Lucile, stay behind us."

Father directed me behind Valentina and himself as the figure dressed in a dark blue cloak not dissimilar to Kai's if disregarding the colour. The figures cold, terrifying smile can be seen since only the top half of his face is covered by a plain black mask that has a gold coloured, diamond pattern flowing along the crown of it.

[???] "there's no need to be so on edge. You seemed to be treating the other one pretty well so why not me? Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen that mask before. Though, full mask, he must be pretty high up... eh, I'll ask later. For now, why don't we talk like proper people?"
[Father] "you want to talk? Then talk."
[???] "ehehe, very well then."

The cloaked figure bowed jovially and mockingly towards father which earned the immediate scorn of Valentina.

[???] "you may simply call me Vorst."
[Father] "Very well, Vorst."
[Vorst] "I'm glad we could co-"
[Father] "leave."

The man calling himself Vorst is taken aback by my fathers sudden demand and showed how new he is to the idea of negotiation. Either that, or it's the thought of someone immediately rejecting him that never crossed his mind.

[Vorst] "wh-what?"
[Father] "I said leave. Will you heed my demand or will I have to move your carcass out of here?"
[Vorst] "you-you do know who I am don't you?"
[Father] "You're one of those self-proclaimed Abyssal lords."
[Vorst] "I am. I am a direct subordinate of the Void himself."
[Father] "I see. Am I supposed to be impressed?"
[Vorst] "wha- A snap of my fingers and I'll have you-"
[Father] "I might no longer be the demon king but I still hold quite a large amount of sway within these lands. Yet here you are, still standing there."
[Vorst] "Tch. This won't be the last you here of us."
[Father] "I gathered as much."
[Vorst] "Hmph!"

As Vorst turned to leave, he threw out his right arm in anger, freezing the landscape in a straight line for miles and making me realise why I feared this man so much the moment I laid eyes upon him.