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Chapter 334
Shao screamed on stage. For some reason, she hadn’t fallen yet.
“Is it because she is standing on that formation?” I wondered out loud.
“Save her!” Eliana cried as desperately to her brother.
The Prince’s confidence was lost and he looked away angrily. “This… the death mark isn’t connected to a slave mark. It’s not a bond. It’s a kill switch. They’re illegal in this country, so I never would have expected someone to use it in front of me. All we can do is watch her die…”
“No…”
“I’m sorry…” He looked up at the stage painfully. “I’m so sorry…”
“You… liar!” She screamed one last time as she collapsed to the floor like her string had been cut. “I hate… everything!”
The Prince turned away guiltily, no longer able to watch as her body stopped moving. Why it took so much longer than the other two was anyone’s guess. Despite the Prince’s words, perhaps the formation did have an effect. Or, perhaps it had to do with being level ?? of some unknown job. Either way, the guards dragged the still laughing slave master over to the prince.
I wanted to run up and try to heal her, but before I could take a step, the girls stopped me. They shook their heads at me tearfully. I knew it too. Somehow, I knew, deep down, that none of my current spells was sufficient to reverse this. There was nothing I could do to save her. She was already dead.
“You will face the death penalty for this!” the Prince snarled at the Slave Master.
“Hehe… I don’t think so…” He pulled out something from his robe.
The guards tightened their grips on the swords, but the man ignored them with confidence, showing the Prince a small plaque. His face turned white as he looked at it.
“You… that’s the seal of the Imperial Cloud Palace!”
“That’s right. I said I knew powerful people, didn’t I?” He chuckled. “Now, I had come here for a gift for the imperial party. The last living elf, as it were. Considering the inconveniences, you’ve provided me, I think taking this elf as my slave is only suiting.”
“You…” the Prince lowered his head helplessly.
“Hehehe… don’t feel bad. I’ll put in a good word to the Emperor when I hand him the slave. He does like exotic toys. He’ll play with her for a while, and your country will have good relations. Isn’t that worth a few measly coins?”
“No…” the Princess protested from her box, but her words were incredibly weak.
“Come, kneel. I will reapply your slave mark, elf.”
“N-no!” Faeyna took a step back, glancing over at the prince, “I’m free… I refuse! Prince?”
The Prince lowered his head. “This is a decision I can’t make. It could start a war, and the Imperial Cloud Meadow could destroy this country easily. We’ll go to the King and…”
“Hmph! You want to wait for daddy to make your decisions for you?” The Slave Master’s face turned cruel. “Here, I’ll make it easy for you. I don’t feel like dragging a slave halfway across the continent. I already have a return spell for one. Since you can’t decide what to do with her, I’ll bring her back as a corpse and resurrect her when I get home!”
A crossbow suddenly appeared in his hand, appearing from his storage ring. He aimed it at Faeyna and pulled the trigger.
Chapter 335
I pulled upon Celeste’s Haste, my body moving at unbelievable speeds. As the small arrow, more of a dart really spiraled toward Faeyna’s chest, raced from the side. It was clear from the gleam that the arrow was poisoned. If it struck Faeyna anywhere, she’d die. I slammed into her, pushing the elf down. A moment later I felt a burning pinch as the arrow struck me in the back. Before we even struck the ground, I had already using Cure Poison and Heal.
“Pull it out!” I said, painfully as my slaves spread around me and yanked out the arrow.
I grunted in pain, continuing to use healing spells until it went away. The Slave Master had an ugly look on his face as he glared at me.
“You… fool,” he snarled. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Deek, stay out of this,” the Prince urged. “The Imperial Cloud Meadow can’t be messed with.”
“The hell I will!” I shot back.
“Boy… give me the slave!”
“She is free, and I will protect that freedom!” I snarled back, reaching my hand down to her as she was on the floor.
Faeyna looked up at me with a stunned expression, a blush appearing on her cheeks as she took my hand. As I lifted her off the ground, she didn’t meet my eyes. Perhaps, she was feeling guilty over leaving me earlier. None of that mattered now. She was no longer a slave. That was her right! That was all of their rights!
“You… saved me,” she spoke breathily, finally looking over at me with a strange look.
“I told you when I bought you. I will protect you and keep you safe. Free or not free, I will never go back on my promise.” I said, still staring down the Slave Master.
Her body shook slightly, and tears started to form in her eyes.
“Prince! Do something about this! If you don’t give me that slave, then I will make sure this whole country burns!” He held up something in his hand.
It appeared to be some kind of one-time use magical item. If I had to guess, it was the item that would take him back to Imperial Cloud Meadow. He was saying that if we thought we could just imprison him or something, he’d immediately flee and cause us great trouble down the line.
“Deek… let’s just talk about this,” the Prince said helplessly. “Let him take her. When my father returns, I’ll ask him to cut a deal and…”
The fact that he was trying to negotiate with me because he realized that the Slave Master wouldn’t budge already infuriated me. Now, he wanted me to give her up, let her be raped, and maybe after the King got bored with her, they could negotiate to have her back? How ridiculous was that?
“Enough!” I growled. “You think you’re the only one who can teleport?”
I grabbed Faeyna and pulled her into my arms. She let out a surprised noise, and then her face turned even redder as she remembered the portal. The other girls all put their hands on me too.
The actions of my slaves immediately revealed to them that I was serious. “No… Deek… think about this. As a Lord of Aberis, you can’t…”
“What Lord?” I snarled. “I tried to be a Lord, and all this country has done is put me through loops and make my women suffer. To hell with your lordship, and to hell with you!”
The crowds all gasped, never believing that someone would be bold enough to openly curse their Prince. However, that was just how angry I was.
“You…”
“I am the Lord of Chalm! I should have realized it before now, but it doesn’t matter what you say. I’m their lord and I will continue to be their lord! Since Aberis is unable to and unwilling to protect my city, I will protect it myself.”
Chapter 336
As we were talking, clouds had filled the sky. Strangely, the clouds were starting to appear red in color. There was also a strange feeling spreading out. It was a feeling of dread, sorrow, anger, and malevolence. As the three of us argued, we didn’t really notice these changes to the world.
“You fool!” the Slave Master growled. “The Imperial Cloud Meadow will destroy this Chalm. You think you can fight back against our greatness.”
“Our city is a city of slaves. We free people and we will fight for that freedom. Do not think that my people won’t fight until the last one!”
“D-Deek…” Faeyna said lightly. “I-I’ll go…”
I put on a smile and looked over at her. “Faeyna… you don’t want people dying because of you. Don’t think I don’t understand. However, I’ve seen your true heart. You have a heart that wishes to be free. So, I will protect your desires.”
“Oh-h…” She blushed even more, “Really…”
“Insolence!” the Slave Master cried out. “I will have-”
Something suddenly exploded through his chest. It happened so suddenly, that no one was able to understand what they were seeing. There was a small hand that had suddenly burst through his chest. It seemed to be holding something. It took a moment for Deek to realize that this something was the Slave Master’s heart. It was still beating in that small grip.
The person most shocked was the Slave Master himself. He looked down at the arm in his chest and the beating heart. The hand squeezed, and his heart broke apart and fell to the floor. He didn’t even let out a groan as the hand slid back out of him from behind. He collapsed forward, dying instantly.
Behind him was the girl, Shao. Her demonic horns were more pronounced. Her eyes were glowing red. Her arm was covered in blood and gore, and drops fell from the fingertips. Her sight was absolutely terrifying. People in the watching crowds started to cry out and panic. Some even started to flee the arena.
“Shao… you’re alive,” the Prince let out a breath. “Priest, check on her immediately.”
“You… lied to me!” she screamed, her hand pointing at the Prince.
A black miasma shot out and suddenly, the Priest screamed as he collapsed to the ground. His skin blackened and a few moments later, he was dead.
“G-guards!” the Prince backed off as a dozen guards moved between him and the girl.
She backed up, keeping her distance as the guards started their approach.
“Lord Tibult!” the Prince said with a panicked voice. “Control her!”
Lord Tibult had a terrified expression on his face, but at the order of his Prince, he nodded, standing up. The Slave Master was dead. A slave shouldn’t have been able to do it. However, Lord Tibult was her true slave owner. The mark was still in effect.
“Slave Order! Shao! Stop all this and kneel!” He ordered, crushing a small crystal in his hand.
I had seen those before. They were one-time-use crystals that allowed non slavers to use slave spells. It was a must-have for nobles, and one of the ways the Slave Guild continued to make money even after slave sales.
Shao spasmed as if she was about to kneel, but then she grabbed her head and started screaming. It was clear that she wasn’t going to listen to the order. The black miasma around her started to grow. It suddenly exploded into the air like a massive pillar. Darkness exploded out, and everyone was shoved back like they were hit by a shockwave. Even the box the Princess was in blew back.
The Prince suddenly glowed and leaped up to the box, grabbing his sister and jumping away to safety. Many on the bleachers were not so lucky as they collapsed. Crushing some and injuring others. In the span of a few seconds, the entire arena exploded.
I flew back as well, the girls with me. I just managed to Create Cushion, causing us to hit a wall softly before collapsing in a pile. However, my eyes were more focused on the words that had just appeared in front of me.
{Emergency! A temporary dungeon has been created in the Capitol City of Aberis. Defeat the Demon Lord or all is lost!}
{Shao – Demon Lord – LVL 100}