Aftermath

"Then, Agashi, I will now bestow upon you a noble name." Prince Surnova said smilingly, "In recognition of your feats at Durlivan and here in killing the traitorous Duke I, Prince Surnova hereby bestow upon you the name of Durlivan after the place where we first met, and I will also bestow upon you Durlivan and it's surrounding lands."

What. Agashi Durlivan, is it? Quite a nice ring to it. I like it.

"Thank you, Prince Surnova. I swear to carry out my duties as a lord of the Carrien Empire." With a smile, I kneeled placing one hand over my heart.

"Please, don't kneel, without you this entire subjugation would likely take much longer perhaps even years to settle down the people, but with a Hero who killed the Duke recognized as a traitor by the former royal family taking command over some land in Dra, I have nothing to fear." Prince Surnova said lightly picking me up by my shoulder, "And call me Nova when in private, I do not want you as simply a retainer but a friend as well now that I will be governing Dra with you as my right hand."

"Governing Dra?" I repeated surprised, I see. So I will take care of Durlivan in order to ease the people while Prin-, no, Nova will govern from the former Dra capital, I will act as the pacifier and help him to establish his rule here but why does he want me as a friend and even a right hand?

There must be better options? Could he want something else out of me?

"That stings looking at me with so much suspicion you know?" Nova said smiling, ah he saw through me again.

"Agashi Durlivan." Princess Shion suddenly grabbed my attention, "I hope that you will treat me well in the future."

"Eh?" what? Why would I be? Wait. Hold on. She can't mean....

"That is correct. She pledged openly that whoever killed Duke Loktre would be her husband and as such, you will marry her, of course, you can refuse but she would likely end up living a sad life at the Carrien imperial palace as a concubine or worse as that is the fate that befalls the royalty of fallen kingdoms." Nova said with a tone of disgust as he explained what would happen otherwise.

So, he is a concubine's son then? Is that why he went out personally to lead a small number of men to conquer a kingdom? That could be really interesting!

"I see." Turning to princess Shion I once again evaluated her indeed she is a pretty woman and around my age at seventeen at least she looks to be, "Then, Princess Shion, would you like to be my bride?"

"Of course!" Princess Shion replied enthusiastically giving me a hug even though I still had the sword with the dukes head in my hand getting her drenched in his blood as his head shook and more fell out upon us both.

"What a stalwart princess...." I unintentionally muttered quickly shutting up.

"Stalwart indeed, good luck, my friend." Standing up Nova patted my shoulder and whispered, "Come back here later tonight."

"We are going to announce all of this now, but after we should sit down and chat for a bit to get to know each other better!" Princess Shion said cheerfully drenched in blood.

Damn it. Why is it that everyone I come into contact with is so.....unique.

"Bring the head out and raise it high," Nova said his face becoming freezing cold as he stepped out, following suit I relaxed my facial muscles and released a barely disguised bloodlust as though a demon in disguise.

The princess too straightened herself out and after a few pats of her dress became the very embodiment of a battlefield beauty drenched in blood yet still elegant.

"Highness!! Are you okay?!" Right outside tens of high ranking people stood about worriedly.

"I am fine, the Duke Loktre attempted to kill me using his guard, however, my own loyal retainer took all three of them down, now gather the men for an announcement of rewards for this campaign." Nova spoke coldly, his demeanor making one think he would kill you for simply breathing too hard.

"Isn't that too cold, Princess? They looked very worried about him after all." I whispered to Princess Shion.

"Do not be fooled, they are only worried about the rewards they will get for assisting me in this campaign, each of them is either mercenaries or fourth sons of noble families seeking opportunity, the politics of the Carrien Empire are vicious and ruthless to the point that even sons of lesser noble families would attempt to take advantage of a prince." Surnova replied in Princess Shion's stead having heard me somehow.

"I see, I apologize for my misconception." So is that why he wants me to be his friend? Since I am not of the Empire my thinking isn't too deep and chaotic so he wants a friend who won't betray him?

"Stop calling me Princess this Princess that, My name is Shion, call me that instead, I am no longer a princess after all." Shion said angrily pinching my side just above the sword wound that put me under two days ago.

Endure.

"Yes, Shion-chan." I replied with a teasing smile only to see her start blushing like mad.

"What does chan mean?" Nova asked all of a sudden looking like his curiosity had been piqued.

"Uhh, it's just something I made up when I was young, something I used to call her." Yea. I'm not saying anything more than that. Despite knowing it was a stupid affection and an even more stupid death I can't help but be hurt when I think about it so I'll end the explanation there.

"Her?" Shion suddenly said but said no more as she saw my face though I can tell I will be pestered about it later.

"Prince Surnova, born to a maid and the king has succeeded in the rite of princes and become a true Prince of Carrien through succeeding in this conquest, all hail Prince Surnova and all hail the great Carrien Empire!" The announcer said loudly a round of cheers breaking out as though they were competing to see who could cheer loudest.

A den of snakes hissing to assert dominance over one another. What folly.

"I, Prince Surnova Carrien having completed the rite of princes claim the Dra capital as well as the lands surrounding it as my fiefdom! And, using the special right reserved to princes who complete this rite I appoint my right hand, Agashi the name Durlivan and give him the city of Durlivan making him a noble of the Carrien Empire and retainer directly under me!" Surnova's voice left the crowd speechless however no one dared to speak up since any false move could be taken advantage of by others in order to take away their gains by pouncing on whoever spoke ill.

In essence, by gathering everyone and announcing this, despite their displeasure it was a gridlock preventing anyone from speaking lest they not only incur the wrath of Surnova but also that of the others around them possibly losing their profits.

Feeling a slight jab into my side I glanced at Shion was now holding my arm. I see. Glancing at Surnova I caught his gaze and smiled.

"I, Agashi Durlivan having slain the despicable Duke Loktre take Princess Shion Dra as my wife!" I shouted out, my naturally deep voice leaving the people staring as Shion clung to me leaving no possibility for argument as to our arrangement.

After that for the next half hour lands were given out to the various nobles that had pledged their swords and had accrued achievements, while some went back to their tents happily others went back disappointed with only a small village as a fief being turned into extremely impoverished nobles.

At the same time, however, many mercenaries began to look to the lords who gained lands for employment attempting to become knights or high-level officials in the new fiefdoms.

Feeling a tug at my side I looked down to find Shion pulling on me.

"Prince Surnova, I must take my leave as the Lady Shion wishes for my presence privately," I said bowing slightly to Surnova who was still in Prince mode.

Nodding coldly he went back into the commander's tent while Shion dragged me off to a different tent nearer to where he had awoken.

"Agashi! Your back! What happened? Are you okay?!" Alias immediately charged up worriedly completely ignoring Shion who is still clinging to my arm.

Nefamiti appeared as well catching his collar, "Alias, can't you see that Agashi has a lady with him? Leave them be, will you? A hero needs his rest." Speaking as though he had seen through everything Nefamiti winked at me before dragging Alias away.

"Those guys...." Glancing down I felt stunned as Shion was twitching slightly her face bright red an insidious thought creeping into my mind.

"What are you thinking about, Shion-chan?" I leaned down and whispered into her ear her body jolting like a lightning bolt had passed through her.

"Not until after we get-get married an-and know each other better...!" Damn, I think I might have overdone it with the teasing.

Kehehehehe...

Oops. Crap I showed my real laugh. How creepy.

Looking over Shion looked wide-eyed as we entered the tent before promptly hitting me right on the sword wound, "Don't make fun of me!"

"Kuh... Okay okay, I apologize, Princess." I said only to be hit again seeing a teary-eyed expression on her face ah, "Shion. So what did you want to talk about?"

"Hm..." She didn't say anything for a moment pulling over a chair, "I want to get to know you better and understand you better, I also want to tell you about myself."

"Hmm, well there isn't much to tell about me," I said truthfully, there really isn't anything I can say about this life, after all, I don't have any memories here except for battle, I also can't exactly tell her about my past life, can I?

"Well, how about you ask one question I ask one then?" Shion replied steadily.

"Alright, you first," I said laying back. What a comfortable chair! Even modern times didn't have such comfy chairs. Or at least I never sat in one.

"Well, where did you grow up?" Shion said curiously.

"Where did I grow up huh..." Well I mean, in my past life I was pretty much a beloved son, I had a pretty loving family though they did get angry pretty easily, "I grew up far away with a very loving family, only really beat me when I was bad, but they did it to help me grow."

"They beat you? And you call them a loving family?" Shion said wide-eyed, it's not that strange is it? Maybe here... it's strange here?

"Yea, it was because they wanted me to be better so it's fine, they loved me," I replied nonchalantly.

"That's not love." Shion replied standing up, "That is abuse."

"Really?" I replied.

It was pretty normal though? Annoy family, get beaten, mess up, get beaten, that's generally the process in families, isn't it...?

"Yes! Really! How do you not know.... that... ah... mm..." Hum? Why is she making that face? It's really not that bad I wouldn't be so strong right now if it wasn't for that you know?

"Why are you making that face like you found a pitiful puppy?" Without thinking I asked, I guess that counts as a question.

"Because! Has no one ever shown you love!?" Shion yelled angrily, "How can you say that being beaten up for making mistakes is loving!?"

"..." Eh? Is it really that bad??? I see. So that wasn't normal then. But really?

"Deities above I can read your face so easily! Yes really! You have never been shown love, I am convinced." Shion now had her forehead touching mine her eyes threatening to gouge out my soul.

"But I have been shown love before?" I replied, it might not be normal or conventional but it must have been love, why would my family do that if not because they love and want me to be better?