HPDBC Chapter 93: Lorem's Doubt - The Butterflies Wing
Chapter 93: Lorem's Doubt - The Butterflies Wing
⁜ Lorem POV
A sudden buzzing started vibrating from the Royal Knight gauntlet on Lorem's hand.
The moment she felt the dreaded call of the King, many unwanted thoughts passed through her mind before she found two regular knights appearing by the judge's desk to relieve the royal knights from their duty of watching.
"Lady Lorem, the king has summoned all Royal Knights to the throne room for an urgent matter."
"..."
"Lady Lorem?"
"Is it mandatory?" Her voice was low—something caused her chest to become unstable, a deep worry that this wasn't something so simple.
'Damn... Something happened to the prince. He would never summon us for the princess born with a unique ritual.'
She could tell by their pale faces and how they looked at each other. So, without causing more trouble, Lorem sighed and stood from her chair. "Fine, I'll head out."
The knights seemed relieved they didn't have to force her as ordered.
Not that they could even think about contesting with the renowned Lady Lorem. Their nervous eyes watched her back, giving a respectful bow before sitting in the two open spots.
"Wow... I was terrified."
"I know her power made my muscles tighten. Now I've got a cramp in my crotch, damn."
***
Lorem could hear their stupid words and found them amusing. Most other knights seemed to think she was a monster or someone to avoid.
'Well, that's how it is for all the Royal Knights... We are a bunch of damn freaks.'
"Right, Knight Barbatos?"
Her voice seemed less irritated as a goliath of a man walked ahead of her. He didn't wait to be asked and moved the moment his gauntlet summoned him.
The queen rescued Barbatos, a former Half-Goliath slave, from his bitter fate after the demon queen's army destroyed his entire village and travelling group, slaughtering everyone.
"Lorem."
He was a man of few words, but his strength and power as a warrior surpassed most of the kingdom.
At Stage Five, his physical power surpassed someone at Stage Seven, but his mana density seemed to suffer because of the racial traits he inherited with a Stage Four level of density at Stage Five.
"What do you think happened? Prince or Princess?"
However, with his brute strength and the enchanted weapon that penetrated magic defence, Barbatos could fight mages and knights on a higher stage.
"Prince..."
"Oh? Why?"
"Spineless..."
"Hahahaha."
Lorem didn't make enemies with the royal knights; most respected her for two reasons.
Even Barbatos showed respect to this woman because of her sheer explosive power and mana density, surpassing all the other knights except one. Not to mention, many documents and stories pointed to Lorem serving as the first queen of Silvara.
This was a cause of prestige that she didn't care for, but it brought her significant benefits.
"Something is wrong about this Barbatos." Lorem respected this warrior who fought for the kingdom. Even when suffering terrible wounds, he never stepped down.
"The cultists are running about our lands unchecked. They have brought Stage Four and Five Abyss beasts to the first-year assessment in the southern wilds."
However, she knew this man would likely become an enemy to Asura or herself one day.
It felt like an amusing instinct, but the moment she met Asura Lorem. She couldn't dismiss the feeling that she might fight with her former comrades to protect him one day.
'I don't like how things are going...'
****
⁜ The King's POV
Not long after, the knights left, taking their elite warriors and units. The king entered a small room filled with the scent of herbs and floral fragrances drowned with the stench of medicine.
In the centre of the room, filled with every healing herb, plant and water known to man, a small white bed lay under the beams of sunlight.
The prince lying on the bed seemed limp but almost normal under the sunlight.
"My son... Are you there?"
His hands grasped the broken and fragile fingers of his son, gently stroking along the wounded arms of the boy he used to hold in his arms and teach about the ruling.
"Don't worry, your father will never let them live. No matter how many lives I must lose. You are my only son, and I love you."
The king spoke with sorrow and determination.
No matter the kingdom's strongest mage or healer, both have doomed his son to death or a life that cannot be called living.
'How dare they crush my son's eyes... Destroy his Mana core so it can never be repaired!'
"My dear Valos... Can you forgive your stupid father?"
"..."
The prince couldn't speak even if he wished. A strange acid only made on the distant continent of the east melted his tongue and voice box while the cultists attacked his son with such fury they crushed and broke all his teeth.
The King's face looked haggard, his vacant eyes those of madness as he reached into his pocket and removed a small black box with dozens of seals and locks to prevent it from opening.
"If... If you cannot live as a human or my son..."
"Is it selfish to let you live on as a monster?"
He pulled the squirming black creature from the box, breaking all the seals.
His lips curled into a bitter smile. "My wife, you should have detected the release of this monster... A Stage Six Larvae. But forgive me, this is my son... I would rather die than watch him go!"
The King placed the squirming eldritch creature onto the crushed eyes of his son... The tentacles began to slither and slide across Valos's face...
Then, with a disgusting pop, they penetrated his eye sockets and brain, causing his body to tremble, convulse and scream in agony.
A monster was born, and the prince of Silvara died.
"..."
"I will fall into the abyss, where the devils and sinners roam gladly. Because you are still alive in this world... Valos."
⁜ ???? POV
A beautiful woman surrounded by ten female knights wearing heavy silver armour and pale white hair stopped in place.
She looked around as the wind blew her silver hair while carrying a spear and suddenly looked up to the sky, her eyes shining silver before dilating as she detected the seals she forged broken.
"Oh, my dear husband... Will I truly have to kill you?"
"No matter how much you love our son... That monster killed my mother and seven of the previous Royal Knights!"
"Hilda."
The dignified voice of the silver-haired female echoed; as the entire area became clearer, hundreds of orcs and monsters lay slaughtered with the only living things, the ten knights and this gallant woman in the centre.
"Your Highness!"
"We are heading back home. To Silvara... My husband has made a grave mistake."
"Yes, My Queen!"
It seemed Silvara would no longer remain calm...