New Age

Where are all of his supporters and retainers who helped in the fall of their own holdings for his sake?

"Prince Surnova, I'm sure that you understand what it means to have killed my retainers and yet you have the gall to ask me how dare I even point a blade at yours? How do you plan on compensating me for their deaths?" Duke Loktre said coldly.

Wow... he isn't even trying to hide his implications nor threats? It's a wonder how this man has gotten the amount of power he has and even managed to keep it.

"What are you trying to say, Duke Loktre?" Prince Surnova backed off slightly giving ground, his demeanor different from his usual self.

"Hmph. Prince Surnova I hope you do not forget who helped you to conquer this country, as that person can just as easily plunge it into a long drawn out war, the people were never loyal to the royal family but to me, Duke Loktre!" The Duke, I see now.

It all makes sense now. This Duke Loktre is seemingly around thirty years old, healthy, and slightly plump. He speaks arrogantly and without regard for whoever it is he is speaking to... Being the top dog in this kingdom has ruined him.

To be so foolish as to speak with a Prince from another kingdom as though he is the same as the ones from his own, comparatively smaller and weaker nation that he could bully at will.

In other words, he is a frog in a well threatening a smiling man unaware of the shotgun in his hand since he couldn't possibly know of the power it holds since he has never encountered such danger before.

Most would call this type of person a fool.

Glancing down I realized that his fate was now sealed, the smiling Prince Surnova had leaned back, "Princess Shion Dra, come forward."

At his words, Duke Loktre's mouth opened wide not even trying to hide his shock, what a dull man.

"Yes." Princess Shion Dra. The first and only princess of the Dra kingdom, even after coming into this body for only a short while I had heard of her albeit only a little.

A beautiful flower. Her temperament that of a true royal. Caring for the people and loving all. 

"Princess Shion, tell me, what do you think of Duke Loktre?" Prince Surnova said his smile deepening.

"He is a traitor to his kingdom as well as to the royal family, he killed my brothers even killing my baby brother as he lay in his crib, only I survived pledging to marry the man who kills him." Princess Shion spoke with undeniable conviction, a bloodlust unexpected from a princess dripping from every word.

"Wait-" Duke Loktre put out a hand but...

"I see, so he is a traitor to the Dra kingdom, whose lands are now of my Carrien Empire, even going as far as to threaten a prince of the empire to his face insulting both Dra and Carrien who now owns it." Prince Surnova looked back at me.

I guess he sensed my bloodlust for a while now. I tried to hide it completely and no one could sense it, even the guards had only felt my displeasure for a few moments, truly a Prince of a great empire.

"Your orders, Prince Surnova." I said shifting my gaze slightly to include the two guards within my peripheral vision.

"Kill everyone in this tent except for myself and the Princess." Prince Surnova responded coldly.

Immediately the two guards tried to attack the Princess but they were too slow as I had already grabbed her pulling her behind me before attacking.

The two guards held spears two meters long much too long to be used indoors, decorative in their use at best, their skill at switching weapons too slow giving me ample time to quickly jab one on their adams apple destroying their windpipe.

An instant later the man beside me swung his sword but he was too slow.

I caught his wrist before he could gather enough power then feinting a strike to his adams apple he brought his head down to cover his neck leaving his eyes exposed.

In the next instant, I pierced his eyes sending him screaming to the ground but only for an instant before the spear he once held turned into a headdress.

Breaking the spear in two I wielded one piece in each hand, the incredibly shocked Duke Loktre clearly showing off his lack of battle experience as even now he forgot to scream.

Walking forward I stopped just before him, "Despite your deeds, you are still a man born in Dra and a defeated commander, kill yourself and die honorably, do not stain Dra anymore."

Throwing the broken spear into his lap I stood calmly above him.

"Ahhhh!!" Duke Loktre finally screamed as he saw the brain matter still on the tip of the spear trying to wipe it off his dress.

"I see. Then I will act as your attendant." Turning back I drew a sword from one of the dead soldiers.

In that instant Duke Loktre attacked, but I already expected as much from a coward like him and thus I kicked him with my good foot directly on the knee breaking it backward forcing him to the ground.

"For your crimes against crown and country, Prince Surnova finds you guilty and I, Agashi will now mete out punishment."

"Wait wai--"

"There is no mercy in war. I may have been lucky but no one will save you as I am not merciful like the Prince." My voice resounded through the tent causing the temperature to seemingly drop a few degrees.

Swish. Plop.

His head rolled to my feet. Stabbing the sword through his head I turned to the Prince who sat quietly drinking tea, never wavering for even an instant, what a monster.

"Prince." Presenting the head of Duke Loktre I bowed my head.

"Good job, Agashi. For your deeds, I think you should be granted some land and a name don't you, Princess Shion?" Prince Surnova finished the last of his tea before speaking, not even turning his head.

"Brave knight of Dra, you fought hard at Durlivan and felled many an enemy troop and when the odds became unbearable you forfeit your life for your fellows, and even now under orders of the ones who conquered us you continue to serve Dra faithfully cutting down the Duke Loktre who betrayed us, I believe rewards are in order." Princess Shion said with a smile as she looked at the Duke's head run through upon my sword.

"I am grateful for your praises, Highness', but I do not wish for status nor a name, I only ask that Dra be left in capable hands so a tragedy like this may never again call this land home." I replied honestly, lands would be a pain, a name isn't so bad but I clearly understand where this is going and a name would leave me no route for escape.

"Truly, real men of Dra are a different species my father always spoke of them, loyal to the core and unyielding even in the face of certain death only giving ground for what they believe in, and I believe that if you truly wish for a calamity like this to never befall these lands again, then you must lead it yourself, Sir Agashi." Princess Shion said stepping forward, "Please do not abandon us in this time of need, I beg of you!"

Bowing before me huh. Glancing over at Prince Surnova I instantly felt a bad taste fill my mouth. Smiling the whole time as though everything was going as he had planned it. But I can feel the sincerity in the princess, it's clear that this is not a setup and she genuinely feels this way, but this Prince is really too crafty.

"Princess Shion, I have pledged my loyalty to Prince Surnova as such I can never become a ruler of Dra for it would be the same as breaking my pledge to Prince Surnova forcefully splitting my loyalties." I'll just throw the ball over to Prince Surnova, let's test him a bit, will he give me my freedom in exchange for me taking control of Dra, or will he keep me and throw Dra to someone else?

"Oh, you've misunderstood, this land is conquered and is now land under my Carrien Empire, I won it through the rite of princes so I will take over this place turning it into the Earldom of Dra, so you can stay wholly loyal to me and still be loyal to this land as we will have overlapping interests at all times." Prince Surnova smiled once more, what a cunning guy.

I admit defeat. I can't deny this without being forced to insult both of them and risking the death of not just myself but my men.

"I understand, then with Prince Surnova's blessing I will take over any lands given to me." I bowed lightly.