Chapter 42: Betrayed Princess - 2
-What...... does that mean?
Did she not think I would demand a price for releasing her from the seal? Sherazade asked back in a voice that suggested she couldn't understand.
“What do you mean 'what does that mean'? It means if you want to be released from there, you have to pay a fair price.”
I demanded a fair price once again with a firm tone.
-Wait! Aren't you supposed to stop Kelbes?
“That's right.”
-Then didn't you need my help?
“Yes, I need your help. However.”
My eyes narrowed.
“It is also an undeniable fact that I know nothing about you.”
-I told you who I am, didn't I? I am the last Princess of the Arasar Kingdom and.......
“Not that kind of thing. What I'm talking about is the issue regarding your existence itself.”
-My...... existence?
“Yes. What kind of desires do you have, and what do you want to do?”
-.......
Sherazade, who hadn't expected me to ask such a question, couldn't answer easily.
“You said it yourself just a moment ago, didn't you? That you possess power incomparable to Kelbes.”
-Ye-es.
“Then if you regain your original body, you will have much greater power than Kelbes, right?”
-Probably.......
“Good. Then, if things go well and you regain your body.”
I spoke looking at the altar as if I could see Sherazade.
“What will you want after that?”
-......I.
“And if you, having gained power much stronger than Kelbes, demand more than what he has done?”
-Do you...... think I am dangerous?
Sherazade's voice was subdued, perhaps hurt by being treated the same as Kelbes.
“Of course, I'm not certain. It's strictly a matter of possibility.”
Judging by the records on the stone slab and her appearance so far, the probability of Sherazade committing atrocities like Kelbes's group didn't seem very high.
But just because the probability wasn't high didn't mean it could be ignored.
“But humans are creatures that hang onto this possibility, you see. And you are a Sub-Dragon, an existence I cannot guarantee I can understand. Then don't you think it's not rude for me to have this much doubt?”
-I swear on all the honor I have, and the hearts of the countless humans who followed me. Even if I regain my body, I will never do anything to harm humans.......
“I'm sorry, but humans are suspicious animals, so they don't easily believe oaths. What is needed for trust is action, not words.”
-Still, to defeat Kelbes, my help.......
“I didn't come here to beg for your help. And I'm not foolish enough to recklessly bring in an existence that might become a greater threat just to remove an immediate danger.”
My attitude was firm, and eventually, Sherazade had no choice but to give up.
-Alright. So what do you want from me?
“It's simple. I release your seal. In exchange, you make a ‘Geas’ vow with me.”
-Geas? How do you, a human, know about that.......
“The content of the vow is that you will obey my words for the next 30 years after being released from the seal.”
‘Geas’ was a kind of magical vow commonly used among ancient races, including the Dragon Race. Since it was a promise engraved directly onto the soul, if the conditions of the vow were violated, one would immediately lose all power and writhe in endless pain until finally losing their life.
‘I need to do at least this much to feel reassured.’
I chose ‘Geas’ as insurance for the Sub-Dragon Princess who possessed immense power, both self-proclaimed and acknowledged by others.
Of course, behind that......
‘If I can control this girl, she will definitely be useful.’
-Another calculation was also underlying.
-Absolute obedience? Are you saying you're going to act as my master for 30 years?
“Titles aren't important. How you call me is up to you, Sherazade. What's important is the vow that you must obey my orders.”
-What if I refuse?
“Then the negotiation ends there. I will leave this place, and I will never return.”
Ping.
With my words, Sherazade stopped speaking and fell into thought.
As if reflecting the intentions of the contemplative Sherazade, dizzying patterns rippled over the altar.
-I have one condition.
“What is it?”
“I don't want to kill people, no, living beings. So please exclude harming lives from the orders you can give me.”
The condition Sherazade put forward after agonizing was a gentle one that suited her. However.......
“I refuse.”
-Why? Are you planning to order me to kill someone?
“I might.”
-I don't want that!
“Listen carefully. I can refrain from ordering you to kill someone directly. But what would you do in a situation like this?”
-Fwoosh.
As I extended my right hand over the altar, fierce flames flared up above it.
“I have a bomb in my hand that can turn a city into a wasteland. But the target city is protected by a magic barrier, and the only gap in that barrier is a very slight opening at the top. So I order you to take me to the top of the barrier. Then can you say you didn't kill anyone?”
-Th, that is.......
“If you accept that you are innocent because you didn't get blood on your own hands directly, there's no reason I can't grant that condition. But seeing as how you are, you don't seem like the type who could do that?”
Sherazade didn't answer.
I spoke in a firm tone that allowed no compromise.
“I have no intention of accepting clumsy conditions. If you want to wake up from your sleep and regain your body, there is only one way. Accept the Geas vow exactly as the conditions I put forward.”
Waves of patterns much more complex than before rippled over the altar.
After a little more time passed like that, Sherazade opened her mouth again.
-Alright. Then let's make it a request.
“A request?”
-Yes. If you must give me an order, I want you to make that order in a direction that harms the minimum amount of life possible.
“Possible? That's a vague word.”
-If the expression 'possible' is vague, promise me that you will do your best.
“Have you never thought that the standard of 'best' for me and for you, Sherazade, might be different?”
-I know. That's why I'm saying it.
Sherazade spoke in a resolute voice unlike before, as if she had made a decision.
-Promise me that you will do your best.
“Fine. I accept.”
I accepted the request. And immediately began preparing the Geas.
Vwooom.
A moment later, a purple scale and two chains wrapped around it appeared in the air.
-By the way, how do you, a human, know about ‘Geas’?
“We can talk about that slowly later.”
I, who couldn't give the answer that I obtained it from the lair of an Ancient Dragon where I found the regression spell, silently focused only on preparing the Geas.
Rustle.
Soon, blue and green chains, each emitting different lights, headed towards me and the altar.
The blue chain wrapped around my chest and seeped into my body.
“ƣƜƷ.”
And the moment the Incantation in Dragon Tongue came out of my mouth, the ‘Geas’ vow was completed.
Thump.
I felt Sherazade's heartbeat inside my chest. The vow had been engraved on each other.
“Then now, what is the way to break the seal?”
As soon as I finished speaking, a golden sphere engraved with the Dragon Tongue of the seal floated above the altar.
-You just have to break that.
The method to break the seal was incredibly simple, just as Sherazade had said a moment ago.
I swung my hand without hesitation and shattered the sphere of the seal.
Crash!
The moment the golden sphere shattered, cracks began to appear on the altar one after another.
Crackle.
Fine cracks covered the entire altar, and the altar turned into thousands, tens of thousands of fragments and scattered into light.
What appeared after the fragments of light that filled the cavity disappeared was-
“Heave-ho!”
A blindingly beautiful woman with wavy blue hair coming down to her waist.
“Hello, human? No, should I call you Master?”
As Sherazade turned her body towards me, her hair, which was already fluttering, rippled even more abundantly.
“.......”
I had seen all kinds of high-quality silks throughout my past and present lives, but no silk I had ever witnessed was finer than her hair.
Her hair texture held a blue color that could not be created by human hands, as if the deepest dawn had been scooped up and molded.
Sherazade tucked the hair flowing along her delicate facial line behind her ear and took a step closer to me.
“Please treat me well. Master.”
Shining with eyes that held unearthly beauty, Sherazade approached me and extended her hand.
But I could neither hold her hand nor meet her beautiful eyes.
Instead of holding her hand, what I chose to do was bring my hand to my shoulder and unfasten my cloak.
Flap.
I handed the roomy cloak to Sherazade while still averting my gaze and said.
“First...... put on some clothes.”
***
“Kyaa! What do I do, we made eye contact! Do you know what the lady said to me earlier?”
“What did she say? Tell us quickly!”
Maids were gathered in front of the door where I was staying, repeatedly screaming in excitement.
Looking at the cart, it seemed they had brought a meal to my room, but every single one of them had flushed expressions.
“She said she would eat well, and thanked me so much for yesterday and today too. Saying that, she smiled with her eyes and mouth like half-moons, kyaa!”
“What do I do! I wish I could hear something like that from the lady too.”
“Who could she be? Seeing as the Young Master brought her personally, she must be a very noble person.”
“Could she be a princess from a neighboring country? Seeing how she's unbelievably pretty and overflowing with elegance, oh my!”
One of the maids who was chattering enthusiastically bowed her head with a startled expression.
“Greetings, Young Master.”
Then the maids who were huddled together all hurriedly bowed their heads.
“Are you coming back from preparing the meal?”
“Yes, my lord. Shall we prepare and bring up the Young Master's meal too?”
“No. I have no appetite, so you may leave now.”
“Yes, then we will take our leave.”
The maids retreated in a line.
I slightly shook my head looking at the large trays, plates, and the huge cart in the maids' hands.
‘Those friends should have seen this sight.’
In my mind, what happened at the training ground earlier after finishing the tactical training instructions came to mind.
“Commander, about that honored guest you brought yesterday. There are rumors that she is an angel descended from the sky, is it true?”
“.......”
“I, of course, don't believe in angels or whatever, but she is just so beautiful. And the other members said they were curious too.......”
Instead of giving an immediate answer, I lightly covered my forehead and called Pierce.
“Pierce!”
“Yes. Commander!”
Seeing Pierce looking at me with an expression that said 'Actually, I'm dying of curiosity too', I suppressed my headache and said.
“Since that friend seems to be overflowing with too much energy, double his training amount today.”
Since Sherazade appeared yesterday, the Inner Castle was full of stories about her.
It was understandable since she was a mysterious beauty brought by the 2nd Young Master who had emerged as the eye of the storm in the last year.
It was natural for attention to be focused.
Angel, fairy, princess; all sorts of speculations poured out surrounding Sherazade's identity.
‘Angel? Is there an angel in the world who devours a meal by the cartload?’
To me, who knew her identity well, they were all just funny stories.
What came into my view as I opened the door handle and entered the room was.......
“Hmm, hmmm.”
Sherazade, with a happy expression in front of a table literally full of food, focusing on her meal with elegant hand movements.