NOVEL NEXT Life 35 - Chapter 29 - Luncheon Crawler Carl - Nethe's Throneroom Scenario
The fancy door led to a fancy corridor, which led to a fancier door and a posh hallway. We were going places, I must say. Guards, guards, wards, defensive enchantments, the magic seemed top-notch but wouldn't hinder me too much. We finally reached some secondary throne room, and the knights made us halt before the door.
"Wait until His Majesty summons you," he oriented.
Barbara snorted a titter. She was overwhelmed.
The girl sighed, then smiled.
We waited for another twenty minutes until the liveried official who brought us here came back.
"Dames, His Majesty wishes for your presence," he announced.
The knights holding the door pushed it open. We moved into an antechamber with a line of heavily armored [Royal Guards] on each side. This room had several magical diagrams engraved on the roof, providing the best magical security I've seen so far. One senior [Knight Captain] came and declared, "You must surrender any weapons in your storage items,"
The diagrams flared, and his command was infused with Mental magic. I thought that to be somewhat rude, given that we were here for a friendly meeting. Besides, we were spellcasters, what use did we have for swords and the like? I made the compulsion magic bounce off of us. Also, I didn't want to let Barbara's staff fall into the wrong hands.
"No weapons?" He asked. Barbara shook her head. "Very well, then."
He probably trusted the enchantments to do their job. The captain turned around and the second set of doors opened. This throne room was small and also heavily enchanted. It imposed a percentile penalty to Magic and Strength scores unless you had the {Pinnacle of...} for those Attributes. Barbara didn't and felt weak on her knees.
Concerned, I offered.
She put me on the floor. We followed the captain as he walked five steps forward, stopped, and turned around.
"Kneel!" He ordered. We obliged.
We were before the throne. Sitting on it, the [King], a satyr of imposing build with the muscular upper torso of a centaur lord. His only elven features were the angular face and pointy dagger ears. Without those, he would be a centaur without the horse torso.
I could sense some presence in the room, hidden behind some well-crafted illusions. About twenty people. By the [King]'s right side, the Duke we met at the training arena. He kept a neutral face but I could sense he had his senses more focused on the people hiding than on us. Two steps lower, also to the right, Margrave Hamilton, representing our sponsor faction. His presence was reassuring. I sensed a power split. Certainly, the opposing factions convinced the [King] that extra security was necessary because of me, but the two serving as advisors to the Throne clearly thought differently.
I still sensed that Barbara was in no danger, even if everyone were to attack at once. If push came to shove, I had {Suppress Curse} to rely on and go full God(dess) mode.
"Dame Ambrose, Dame Netherbane. We greet you," His Majesty said with a deep rumbling voice. "You may stand."
Barbara stood up and curtsied, keeping her head low. The training she got from the girls paid off, as they taught her basic manners and also how to speak, though they went overboard on the tea etiquette.
"We are humbled to be in your presence, Your Majesty."
I was a familiar so I kept my mouth shut. I only curtsied in tandem with Barbara.
"It is always good to know our Realm's talent will rise to the occasion in these trying times. We also thank you for saving three of our promising noble scions at the Labyrinth. For your bravery and proactiveness, we commend you."
"Netherbane and I are honored by your words, Your Majesty," Barbara answered. "We did nothing out of the ordinary. We only saved our friends and ourselves."
"Nevertheless, the Crown recognizes your deeds. If you wish for a reward, ask."
"Your Majesty, my familiar and I are in awe of the Crown's generosity," She replied. "We dare ask only for one minor boon. Please grant my companion Netherbane full citizen rights."
She surprised me, Margrave Hamilton, and also the Duke Captain, though the seasoned nobleman quickly recomposed himself. As someone who allegedly had three {Capstone} Perks, it was a given that I would be taken into the fold and elevated in status, but only if I was a real boy, as Pinocchio attested. My monstrous origins and the uncertainty also painted me as a threat to be nipped in the bud. I had no doubt many Kings would just eliminate the threat, no matter how small it was.
Barbara probably feared exactly that. Her request then intended to tip the balance in our favor. To the [King], the boon was inexpensive unless he had already made his mind.
"We shall take this into consideration," he proclaimed, keeping his cards close to his chest. He then addressed the elephant in the room. "Dame Netherbane. You are perhaps the first monstrous sentient to claim citizenship in all the two thousand years this country has existed since the Cataclysm. We also know you had some altercations of a verbal nature with the Academy administration, which conveniently suffered a spell mishap with grievous consequences.
"You claim to be a grimoire, and Margrave Hamilton shared with us the Attribute values you displayed as well as the results of your earlier sparring session. {Answer me}, did you have anything to do with the [Archmages]'s predicament?"
> You are immune to this Perk. It will be displayed to the other party as a Charisma contest.
I looked to the left, then to the right. The Duke seemed surprised that I was aware of the people hiding at the sides of the room. "Is it safe to speak in here?" I asked the [King]. Yes, it was confrontational.
"You can rest assured no secret divulged in this room will leave it," The Duke answered for his boss. "They are just guards and cannot hear us," he lied. It was obvious to my {Diplomat} Proficiency.
"Very well, I trust His Majesty and the good Duke. Answering your Question, Your Majesty, of course," I replied shamelessly. "In more than one way, Your Majesty. Please, forgive this foolish familiar as I go on a tirade. First, they didn't manage to steal me from Barbara's side and use me for their own ends. Second, their attempt to pin the blame for the Labyrinth situation on us failed. Third, they felt threatened by my magical prowess. Fourth, the Headmaster was responsible for my mother's imprisonment, delaying her return by a thousand years. That alone was enough to deserve their demise, I'll explain why later.
"Therefore, when the Headmaster attempted to lie and caused dissonance with his own Truth spell, I just nudged the dissonance and caused the spell to unravel. Now, I assume Your Majesty is aware of my mother's true identity, which will explain why they were in the wrong for coveting the gifts she imparted on us."
The [King] wasn't satisfied by my candid answer but he wasn't outraged either. He kept his neutral stance and seemed to be in deep thought.
"Do you mean the cursed book he sealed in an underground vault?" The Duke asked on His Majesty's behalf.
"The tome where my mother was unjustly imprisoned, yes. The Headmaster's greed and ignorance caused Yznarian great suffering. I assure you that this catastrophe that struck the Labyrinth would not be of this magnitude if my mother was free to act. Thus, the destruction is his fault. As wise men, they should know better."
"You caused this country to lose a valuable asset," the [King] accused. It felt like a test.
"I freed this country from a bunch of overleveled buffoons that was stifling the growth and keeping the [Mages] graduating from their stupid travesty of an Academy from reaching their full potential. I saved every student currently enrolled in that place from his egotistical ways," I retorted, a bit inflamed. "Regardless, I could've reversed the damage to their minds given time. If you seek those who deprived the nation of valuable assets, go after those who hired [Assassins]."
The man on the throne gripped the armrests. I bet he wasn't used to being talked to. Some of the people on the sides took that as a signal and left their hiding spots.
> Level 75 male half-orc-human [Aberration Hunter]
> Level 58 female quarter-gnome-elf-half-human [Monster Slayer]
> Level 68 male half-goblin-wolfkin [Crypt Stalker]
> Level 64 female elf [Underground Ranger]
> .... What a bunch of noobs. I didn't bother to {Appraise} the rest ...
Two of them remained hidden.
"Your Majesty is most kind," I broke the silence without a hint of sarcasm. "Are they... offerings?" I provoked the newcomers to get a reaction out of the hunters.
> Contested Charisma test won.
"What?" The [Crypt Stalker] did a double-take and assumed a defensive stance, wary of betrayal.
The Duke sighed, nonplussed. "They're..."
"Enough!" His Majesty regained control of the situation. "{Nobody is fighting in my presence.}."
> You are immune to this Perk. It will be displayed to the other party as a lost Charisma contest.
If I read the people's body language and the situation, these monster hunters were here due to pressure from the factions that opposed Margrave Hamilton. They were worried the [King] would be alone with a "monster" and offered the services of these guys as a courtesy. They weren't on the [King]'s payroll, otherwise, my prank wouldn't have sparked doubt.
Also, they didn't have visible weapons, and the [King's Guard] in the room weren't at ease with the ragtag band. Furthermore, they seemed to lack coordination among themselves. Each of them was as wary of each other as they were of the [Knights] and the nobles. Of course, their focus was on me. I felt a dozen failed {Appraise} attempts on me but decided to not retaliate.
"It shall be as you wish, Your Majesty. I beg your forgiveness for my impudence, assuming your intentions," I genuflected. Pride was secondary now. Avoiding a massacre in front of Barbara was my main goal.
Speaking of the girl, she was studying the newcomers, surprised they were there. She did notice one of the two that didn't reveal them. Were those trump cards in the [King]'s sleeve?
"What happens now?" The elf woman asked, impatient. All of the hunters were on edge, their fight instincts going at full throttle.
"Nothing!" The Duke ordered. "Stand down!"
"Your majesty, if I may ask one thing?" I begged. The [King] nodded. "Are these people trustworthy? We spoke of many secrets already, and were about to disclose more."
The [King]'s face expressed doubt momentarily as he gazed upon the hunters. He quickly recomposed himself as he donned his poker face again. His gaze ended up on me. "Are you certain you can win against these hunters?"
The hired goons (regardless of whoever hired them) didn't like the question.
"Unless the two unknowns still hiding from me are on the fourth tier, I do."
"They are," His Majesty smirked.
"Oh, well, bollocks. I might need to go all-out but I'll keep the collateral damage at a minimum," I replied with a smirk of my own.
A peal of soprano laughter as crystalline as morning dew and as resounding as wind chimes rang in the room, coming from one of the two people hiding. A two-legged woman with seaweed-like wavy hair and wearing a silk dress came out of hiding.
> Level 97 female dolphin-mermaid [Eternal Siren]
I was astonished. I didn't expect it to be her.
*
*
Arista, one of my old incarnations was one of the two hired hands. She was still halfway in her bout of mirth when she stopped halfway between the throne and me, but a few meters to the side.
"I don't think we'll be fighting today, little mimic. I don't intend to bash on the weak," she provoked me.
"I don't like cetacean meat anyway," I rebutted. "Too blubbery for my taste."
She glowered. "Maybe I can make an exception. Let's see if your ink runs when wet."
"You're welcome to try, but please don't flop and splash everywhere. I am a fan of dry sarcasm and His Majesty's tapestries are too beautiful to get damp."
"So, are we doing it?" Arista provoked with a purr.
"You're not my type," I disdained. "And again, I'll refrain from showing His Majesty any unsightly acts."
"Dame Netherbane!" The Duke chastised. "Please respect the [Saintess]' escorts."
"Escort, huh?" I wiggled my embroidered eyebrows. Arista covered her chest and sneered. "Wait, there's another one?" I stared at the last person hiding. "Come out, you."
I heard a grunt. "Goodness, what a waste of time! Are you done with your games?"
A petite girl, appearing no older than fifteen or sixteen Earth years revealed herself. She wore dragon scale armor.
> Level 86 female human [Dragon Slayer]
"Yes, mom," I rolled my button eyes.
"I'm not your mom!" Lily protested.
"Do you know each other?" The [King] asked Arista.
The mermaid bowed. "Yes we do, Your Majesty. My partner and I vouch for Netherbane and his mistress."
Uncomfortable next to the King of Pekothas due to a grudge several thousand years old, Lily grumbled. "If push came to shove, we would side with them. Not that it's happening, anyway."
"I see," the man on the throne rubbed his chin. "You, hunters unaffiliated with the Church. {You are forbidden to communicate or reveal what happened here, under the pain of death. In fact, you'll forget all about it after you sleep.}" He placed something like a {Royal Geas} on them, with the aid of some enchantments.
The hunters slumped on the floor, unconscious. Some [Royal Guard] knights promptly picked them up and dragged them out through side doors craftily hidden in the walls.
"Now, Lady Arista, Lady Lilly. Is it true that Dame Ambrose is the Goddess' [Champion]?" The [King] asked.
"Should anyone attempt to harm Barbara, Your Majesty, not even the Gods will save that person from our wrath," Arista replied straight away.
Barbara was moved. She glanced at me.
I shook my head.
She nodded, then straightened out,
The halfling girl's eyes widened as she stared at Arista, then she averted her gaze.
Not all of my previous incarnations made a big impact in the Holy Scriptures.
Was her soul remembering? I had no idea but it was not impossible. Just highly improbable.
"I hold no doubts, not anymore," the monarch smiled. He stood up, and the Duke offered him a sword. His hooves clopped against the marble with purpose as he solemnly climbed down the stairs, stopping before us. "Kneel," he commanded and everyone obeyed, including Arista and Lily.
He touched the sword to Barbara's shoulders. "Barbara Ambrose, before the Crown, you are worthy. I hereby knight you, and grant you the title of Baroness of Clovehaven."
The halfling sniffled and teared up. Clovehaven was her hometown.
Then he moved to me. "Netherbane Syllabus, before the Crown, you are worthy. I hereby knight you, and grant you the title of [Protector of Clovehaven], and the [Loremaster] Perk."
> You are not a valid target for this ability.
Probably because a [King] couldn't use {Royal Endowment} to grant Perks to an [Emperor]. Mom skipped that Royalty Perk because it was too cumbersome to use and had a huge cooldown of a few years.
"Perhaps it doesn't work on monsters? I'm sorry, Dame Netherbane. I'll make sure you receive a different reward. Is there anything you wish?"
I gave it some thought, then glanced up. "Your Majesty willing, a temporary reduction of Royal taxes from Clovehaven or maybe a stipend for the Baroness."
He grinned. "Why not do both? I do owe Baroness Ambrose a boon as well. If that's okay by you."
"I'm moved by Your Majesty's generosity," Barbara replied.
"Then it is settled. Clovehaven is exempted from Royal Taxes for a decade, and Baroness Clovehaven will receive a stipend of fifty Kingmetal coins per year to invest in her fief's development."
That's pocket money for me, but for Barbara was a ridiculous amount of money. I could sense her mind spinning.
"We thank the Crown for its plentiful boons," I replied in her stead. Arista clapped excitedly.
"Stand, Baroness Clovehaven," the King said with a soft voice. I noticed he'd put the sword away, probably in his storage item. "Please let me take a good look at you. The Goddess' champion!"
"I'm still too young to fully understand what it means, Your Majesty," Barbara replied.
"Don't worry about that, Baroness," he smiled. "You have friends to rely on. And in the unlikely case they can't help you, please bring your troubles to me. I'm sure you'll become a splendid Lord to your people, and enter the annals of history in the future. You have the most powerful grimoire by your side, I'm sure of it."
"You flatter us with your kind words, Your Majesty," she replied. "I'll make sure Clovehaven becomes one of the jewels of this mighty nation."
"It's a bit far to the south, but I'm sure Margrave Hamilton will help you reach that goal."
"I'll surely will," Hamilton replied from his place atop the dais.
The King was showing his disapproval of the nobles that pushed to have these hunters in the room with us. Hamilton's faction was mostly northern fiefs, now they had Clovehaven in the south. It also meant Barbara's domain was surrounded by less friendly fiefs, but it hardly mattered when she had the aspects and I on her bench.
"I am sure you are eager to rejoin your friends in the ballroom, please don't let this old man keep you any longer," he gently dismissed us.
"With your leave, Your Majesty," Arista interjected, "We'll escort them back to the ballroom, then do our job keeping the [Saintess] safe."
Lilly seemed glad just following Arista's lead and even happier to leave the King of Pekothas' presence.
*
*
The four of us walked down the hallways, escorted by some knights, at least until we left the inner palace.
My heart sank at the mention of the [Wisp of Creation].
I was sure that if I had all my memories unlocked, I would be writhing in pain on the floor now. Even with them locked, the saudade I felt was huge.
Barbara picked me up and I shrunk my doll form a bit to make it easier for her. She then patted my head.
Yup. That's Fate for you. Knocked me silly when I was about to hear something very important. Now, I was sure Barbara was Lorna's reincarnation. Who exactly was this kitsune girl?
We entered the ballroom, and the two Aspects left us to go back to their Saintess-sitting job. Some nobles stared at us, probably the ones who pushed the hunters into the throne room. From amidst the tall grass of dress uniforms and balloon gowns, a wild Eleanora appeared!
"Barbara! How was it with the [King]?" She asked, her voice intentionally louder than necessary.
I obliged and played along, "It was the most marvelous! I still can't believe I got to stand before His Majesty! He's so awesome, generous, and kind. Can you believe he granted Barbara a Barony? You're looking at Baroness Barbara Ambrose of Clovehaven!"
Eleanora gasped and squealed theatrically. She grabbed Barbara's hand, "Allow me to be the first one to congratulate you, Baroness Clovehaven!"
A few more gasps and sputters echoed among the nobility. The luncheon was just starting and the afternoon promised to be long.