Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win

Akamir opened the door of the room as the sound boomed around.

He walked in as he saw a lady sitting on the chair on the other side of the chair.

Princess Sylari tilted her head, her hair falling on one side.

"Sir Akamir." She greeted him with a smile. "How have you been—."

"Cut the crap." Akamir cut her off as he sat down. "I will ask a few questions and you will answer them truthfully."

Sylari frowned as she didn't like the tone of his voice.

She looked at the door as Inara walked inside the room.

"What's the meaning of this?" She asked Inara. "Is this how you treat your guest?"

"He will be taking my place." Inara replied with a smile. "Better to answer what he is asking."

Sylari's smile thinned, a faint crack in her polished composure.

Her amber eyes flicked from Inara to Akamir, measuring the air between them.

"So," she said slowly, folding her hands in her lap, "the queen sends her fiancé to question me. Interesting choice."

Akamir leaned forward, elbows on the table. "Enough games. Why has your army been sitting on the border for weeks without striking? What are you really planning?"

The princess blinked, the corner of her lip curving in a hint of amusement. "That's your first question? Not even tea before accusations?"

Akamir's crimson gaze stayed fixed on her. "Answer."

Sylari's fingers tightened slightly on the armrest, but she kept her voice light.

"Because war is costly. My family would rather weigh all their options before burning fields on both sides."

"Too neat," Akamir said. "You don't move troops and feed thousands of soldiers just to hesitate. Someone is behind you. Who?"

A small pause.

The only sound was the faint crackle of a wall lantern.

Sylari finally tilted her head, letting a strand of golden hair slide over her shoulder. "And if I don't tell you?"

Akamir didn't respond as he kept on staring at her face.

For the first time, a sliver of unease passed across Sylari's face.

Akamir pressed on. "Answer. My. Question."

Sylari exhaled softly, as though releasing a secret she'd held too long.

"There is a family known as the Zagroth Household." She replied, looking at him. "Aure kingdom works for them."

"Why do they need slaves?" Akamir asked, looking at her. "And don't give me stupid answers like labour, they are too advanced for that."

Sylari's amber eyes flickered, just for an instant, as though she weighed how much to reveal.

She leaned back on her chair as she stared at him. "I can't reveal that." She replied softly. "That is against what I desire."

"I think you don't understand your condition, lady." Akamir said, looking deeply into her eyes. "Unless you answer all my questions, you aren't going anywhere."

Sylari smiled at his words, like she didn't take it seriously.

"And what are you going to do?" She asked with a chuckle. "You can't touch me unless it's part of my plan."

Akamir leaned back on the chair as well as he looked into her eyes.

"Last chance." He said softly. "Tell me or you will lose a lot."

Sylari's smile grew even brighter. "Try me."

Akamir snapped his fingers at her words.

The door of the room snapped open and six soldiers walked inside the room.

Sylari's smile died down as she looked at three figures that the soldiers were dragging.

"Recognised them?" Akamir asked, looking at her. "Your shadow guards, aren't they?"

Sylari's breath caught in her throat.

For a heartbeat she stood perfectly still, amber eyes locked on the three bound figures forced to their knees before her.

Dark-cloaked and gagged, their faces were half-hidden, but she knew the subtle tilt of a shoulder, the disciplined way they resisted the soldiers' grip.

Her shadow guards.

The ones she'd trusted to vanish like smoke at the first hint of capture.

"How—" she started, then stopped herself.

Akamir rested his chin lightly on one hand, voice calm as winter. "You hid them well. But not well enough. My soldiers don't miss much."

One of the prisoners struggled, earning a quick jab from a soldier's spear butt.

The muffled sound that escaped was unmistakably a warning meant for their princess.

Sylari's fingers curled tight on the armrest. "They were only here to ensure my safety," she said, each word precise.

"Exactly," Akamir replied. "And now they ensure mine."

He gestured lightly.

The soldiers stepped back, leaving the three kneeling in a silent line.

"Now," he continued, his gaze never leaving Sylari's, "you understand what I meant by losing a lot."

The room seemed to shrink under the weight of the stillness.

Even the wall lantern crackle dulled to a faint hiss.

Sylari drew a slow breath, the mask of amusement fading from her face. "You think threatening them will move me?"

"Make no mistake, I am threatening you." Akamir replied, his voice cold. "I have a lot of space to keep you here for years."

Sylari trembled slightly at his words because she knew how dire the situation was now.

Once she got captured there was no escaping the place.

She had already betrayed her family and being captured here would only make things worse.

She drew in a deep breath as she looked at Akamir seriously.

"They're not for labor," she admitted. "The Zagroths deal in far darker things—alchemy and forbidden rituals… They buy bloodlines, not workers."

Akamir's gaze sharpened. "Bloodlines?"

"They believe certain lineages carry latent power," Sylari continued, fingers lacing tightly together. "….Those who live in this continent have it."

She drew in a deep breath as she spoke. "They extract those bloodlines and take them into talent pills."

Akamir nodded his head as things slowly began to come back in place.

Everything was beginning to make sense to him now.

"How much does one pill sell for?" He asked softly.

"Millions." She replied. "They have been using this method for centuries to become a giant like the World Reserve Bank."

Akamir leaned back on his chair as he smiled softly. "Let me guess." He said.

"The Aure kingdom isn't even getting a fraction of that money despite doing everything."

Sylari's lashes lowered, a flicker of bitterness sliding across her poised expression.

"You guess correctly," she said quietly. "The palace treasury barely sees a tenth of what the Zagroths earn."

Akamir's faint smile deepened, though his eyes stayed sharp. "Ah, I see now." He mumbled. "So, one pill costs one life, isn't that right?"

She didn't respond as she kept her gaze low.

Akamir didn't need any confirmation as he was pretty sure that's the case.

'….Huff.'

He exhaled softly before he looked at her once again.

"How did the Aure kingdom keep all this hidden for so long?" He asked curiously. "No rebellion at all?"

"The royal family makes sure everyone gets the bare minimum to live." She replied, looking at him. "With a paradise to live, why would anyone revolt?"

Akamir nodded as he placed both his hands on the table.

"Now." He said softly. "What is your goal in all this mess?"

Sylari's eyes lifted, amber bright and steady now, no trace of the teasing mask she'd worn at the start.

"My goal?" she echoed, almost to herself. "To end it."

Akamir leaned forward slightly. "End it how?"

"By cutting the Zagroths off at the root," she said. "I have been making my plans to overthrow them—."

"You can't overthrow someone who is always above you." Akamir cut her off. "That's nothing but hollow dreams."

"You don't know—."

"Shut up, Princess." Akamir interrupted her again. "I see your vision but you are dumb as fuck."

"You think I don't know that?" she said, voice low. "You think I wanted fairy-tale heroics? I've spent years learning the rules I must break."

"I see no reason to trust you on that." He replied simply. "You could just be playing in their hands."

"I have allies inside the Zagroth network," she said. "I can take—."

"You really believe someone who is involved in fucking human trafficking?" Akamir asked with a chuckle. "Ah, stupid."

Sylari was about to speak again but Akamir moved faster.

Bam!

Before she could react he slammed her head on the table.

The princess immediately lost consciousness as her eyes rolled up.

Akamir let out a sigh as he rubbed his temples.

Things never go as planned, do they?

He looked up at Inara who was standing there quietly.

"What should we do with them?" She asked. "And her as well."

Akamir snapped his fingers and six soldiers returned.

"Throw them into the basement." He ordered them. "I will deal with her later."

They accepted his command as they dragged all of them outside.

Akamir was now left alone with Inara who moved to sit on the chair.

She rubbed her temples as she was feeling anxious after hearing the whole point.

"This isn't going good." She mumbled softly. "How are we supposed to defeat them with a fucking behemoth behind them."

Akamir moved as he placed his hand over hers. "Don't worry." He smiled. "With me here, everything will go smoothly."

Inara looked up at him.

She opened her mouth again. "Let's talk about your relationship first."

Akamir let out a tired sigh.