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Chapter 19: The Royal Family Meets the Plague
The stone staircase creaked softly beneath Leornars' boots as he descended with regal calm. His black cloak trailed behind him, and a faint, unreadable smile played on his lips—one that masked the storm of strategy brewing in his mind.
At the base of the stairs, a group of demi-humans bowed in greeting, their expressions tense with anticipation. Leornars gave a subtle nod, walking past them—only to halt as several fully-armored guards stepped into view.
"Tsk." He clicked his tongue, displeased.
"Hello there," a smooth voice called from behind the guards. "It's been a long time since I started looking for you."
A blonde-haired man emerged from the ranks, radiating the confidence of someone used to power.
"I don't remember asking you to do that," Leornars replied coldly, already turning to leave.
"Wait, wait. Let's talk first. You can decide afterward whether or not to walk away, alright?" the man offered, hands raised in faux peace.
Leornars paused. "I doubt I can fend off all of you. I've only just recovered… My body's not exactly in top shape." He clicked his tongue again. "How irritating."
Behind him, Stacian appeared, silent as shadow, her hand gripping the hilt of her blade. Her crimson eyes locked onto the blonde stranger, filled with murderous intent.
"Calm down. I'm not your enemy," the man said quickly, stepping toward her.
"Take one more step," Leornars interjected coldly, "and I'll treat you like one."
In that instant, he summoned Bellian. Black fog erupted from the ground, and from it stepped the red-eyed warrior, sword shimmering in the sunlight. The blonde man flinched, guards instinctively encircling him.
Leornars smirked.
"Oh… Now it's getting interesting."
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They relocated to a lavish restaurant, the kind reserved for nobles. The blonde man extended a hand. Leornars, face contorted in visible disgust, hesitantly accepted the shake.
"I'll be in the restroom," he muttered and walked away.
In the quiet of the washroom, he scrubbed his hand clean, dried it thoroughly, and returned to the table.
"Alright. Start talking. I'm exhausted and very, very busy."
The blonde man placed a goblet down and spoke with dignity.
"My name is Edward, Crown Prince of Lurtra. I'm here on official royal business."
Leornars raised an eyebrow. "A noble, huh? Just what I was expecting… though not this early. I'll need to seize this opportunity."
Edward leaned forward. "You've likely heard of a group calling themselves the Black Acers?"
"They attack villages, kidnap civilians, and sell them as slaves," Stacian answered.
Leornars nodded. "And how does that concern us?"
"They've set their eyes on you both. You, the infamous White Plague… and her, a rare Holy Demon of the Dydroclydra race. You're high-value targets."
"Oh really?" Leornars mused.
"The original idea was to protect you," Edward continued, "but honestly, you seem like the kind of guy who'd rather get abducted just to see what happens."
Leornars chuckled. "We agree on something at last."
Edward smirked. "I mean, who'd be stupid enough to target someone literally known as 'a plague'?"
"I suppose… I am one." Leornars sighed as if reflecting.
"Now, if there's nothing else," he added, "I'll be leaving."
"Wait," Edward said. "Are you aware the kingdom of Durmount has summoned heroes from another world?"
Stacian's eyes widened. "Heroes… for what purpose?"
"To complete two missions. One: eliminate the demons. Two: eliminate the White Plague."
"Oh," Leornars said with amused curiosity. "So I'll be adding them to my undead army when we meet."
Edward paled.
"At least let me buy you a meal before you go," the prince offered. "It'd be a waste not to eat at such a fine place."
"I'm no pauper. I can pay for myself," Leornars said calmly, handing the menu to Stacian.
Her stomach growled at the sight of the food.
"Cocky brat…" Edward muttered.
Leornars' cold glare met his. "You might not read minds, but I always know when someone's looking down on me."
"I'll take the fried octopus, steamed rice, and bean kollirano soup," Stacian said brightly, oblivious to the tension.
"Why the silence?" she asked.
"You're charmingly vague, as always," Leornars replied with a sigh.
Edward sipped his wine, trying to calm his trembling hands. "He's… truly a monster," he thought.
In Leornars' head, Stacian's voice echoed through telepathy.
"Don't die. Not now. I'll support your kingdom-building, but don't be reckless."
He gave a subtle nod.
"Your mana's too low. Don't summon Bellian or Ascian again… or you'll collapse."
He nodded again.
Edward, unaware, kept sipping tea.
Then the restaurant's door slammed open.
Knights barged in.
"You, demon. You, plague. The king demands your presence now," the commander barked.
"And if I refuse?" Leornars asked calmly.
"We'll drag your lifeless body there. We know you're drained. You're no threat."
Click.
Leornars' finger tapped the table.
His eyes fell on a rusty fork.
He picked it up and smirked. "This brings back memories. Ten thousand men… a branch… and a rusty fork."
The commander lunged.
In a flash, Leornars stabbed the fork into the man's eye and kicked him backward. Chaos erupted. Swords clashed. Leornars dodged with precision—until a blinding white blast struck his chest.
"...What the actual—shit," he groaned before collapsing.
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Dragged like criminals, Leornars and Stacian were caged and paraded through the streets.
"The White Plague has been detained!" the knights announced.
Among the onlookers, a man whom Leornars once helped clenched his fists. He began rallying others.
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Leornars awoke beside Stacian in a cold chamber. He winced.
"What hit me?"
"Holy magic," Stacian replied, healing him slowly.
"Silence, mongrel. You stand before His Majesty!" barked the king's chancellor.
Leornars raised an eyebrow.
"One billion percent chance I'll kill that chancellor when I recover," he thought.
The king coughed and introduced himself.
"I am King Edmund Trialuh, ruler of the Theocracy of Lurtra."
"Skip the formalities," Leornars said bluntly, rattling the cuffs on his wrists.
"You insolent brat! You're a landless king. Know your place!" the chancellor roared.
"And you're a clown without a circus. I'm not judging you."
The chancellor nearly exploded with rage.
"Silence!" shouted the king.
"Oh. I nearly forgot you were here," Leornars said with a yawn.
"Do I look like a joke to you?!"
"No. You couldn't make anyone laugh."
The king hurled a spear. It struck Leornars in the gut.
Blood spattered the floor.
"Oh, look. I think Durmount will still accept you dead," the king mocked.
The cage shattered.
Bellian appeared, spear in hand.
Stacian healed Leornars swiftly.
He rose.
"I've killed so many, I've forgotten their faces. So don't test me."
"Is all life equally precious?" he asked.
"Of course not! Humanity is superior to demi-humans," the chancellor spat.
"Wrong answer. Life is only precious to those who cherish it. Otherwise, it's just another corpse."
The king tried regaining control.
"I've agreed to hand you both to Durmount."
"Oh? A puppet king then," Leornars said coldly.
"You know about…?"
Leornars smiled. "Of course." (He didn't, but the lie was convenient.)
Stacian looked confused.
"That's Stacian for you," Leornars thought fondly.
"My sister, Echidna, was given to Durmount as a concubine… to repay a debt."
"How much?" Stacian asked.
"Forty thousand Star Platinum coins," the chancellor said.
Stacian gasped. Leornars leaned in.
"Is that a lot?"
"One coin equals ten thousand gold."
Leornars blinked. "Was the king… stupid?"
The chancellor fumed again.
"If there's anything you can do to help, we'd be forever in your debt," the king said, bowing.
"Don't bow, Your Highness!" the chancellor protested.
Leornars stood in silence… then spoke.
"I was planning to destroy Durmount anyway. Your nation's support will speed things up."
The king's eyes widened.
"I'll fake fleeing to demon territory, buy us time, and while Durmount fights demons, we prepare. Stacian helps me. You follow my instructions. In three months… Durmount will fall."
His eyes gleamed with vengeance.
"I'll bankrupt their capital, flood Lurtra with resources, force Durmount into debt… and demand the return of Princess Echidna."
A devilish grin spread across his face.
"Economics. Finance. Warfare. Management… My mother taught me all of it by age three. Let's begin."
Everyone in the room stared in stunned silence.
Durmount had no idea what was coming.
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