Sylvester's finger moved slowly, ever so, while his mind had already accepted the outcome that was soon to appear.
Thud!
The body of the fat Master of the lands fell from the horseback. It fell with such force and in such a position that the man instantly broke his neck under his own weight. For a few seconds, he remained alive, even then clutching his chest as if in agony.
Sylvester was quick to paint the narrative with his masterful acting. "Master! Help! His heart is failing!"
The Prince swiftly dismounted his horse and attempted to use basic healing magic. However, as Sylvester's finger continued its movement, the tiny iron sphere within the man's heart continued to wreak havoc. There was no chance of survival, and no one could fathom why and how it occurred.
To the outside world, it appeared to be a heart attack. And that was precisely why Sylvester adored his secret technique, as it served him perfectly as an assassin and spy.
"H-He's dead." the Prince declared after examining the pulse. "I advised him to shed his excess weight."
Sylvester sighed and proceeded to lift the lifeless body. "We should bring him inside the Keep and notify the family. They may wish to select the heir."
"It has already been predetermined," the Prince interjected. "He announced it in my presence and that of my sister. He deems his legitimate sons wastrels. Therefore, Keilib shall ascend as the new Master of these lands, in accordance with the final wish of Master Yarik."
"B-But!" Keilib couldn't believe what he was hearing. Yes, the elderly obese fool had mentioned his wish just moments ago, but he never anticipated it would come to fruition on the very same day. "I know nothing about governing."
At that moment, Princess Fernis interceded. "But you're a farmer, aren't you? The Empire needs skilled farmers more than anything else. In contrast, your half-brothers have been raised in utmost luxury. So I can comprehend the source of Master Yarik's concerns. Believe in yourself, Master Keilib—you are capable."
Keilib felt the world spin before his eyes. He felt disoriented and stumbled backward a few paces. Thankfully, Amilda came to his aid.
"T-Then, does that mean I can free a few slaves?" Keilib inquired. "I understand I can't free everyone, but…"
The Prince scoffed and turned to make his way back to the castle, with Sylvester carrying the corpse on a horse. "They belong to you. Do as you please."
Keilib did not understand which god had graced him all so suddenly. He woke up as a slave that morning, and now he was the Master.
"I…I decree that Jack be set free!" Keilib blurted out.
Sylvester abruptly halted and glanced back. "Why? I have nowhere else to go."
Keilib shrugged. "I'm sure you can find a better job than being a slave. After all, nobody becomes a slave by their choice."
Sylvester was an exception to that rule, of course. But he played along, as his long year of hard work was finally coming to fruition.
"I know nothing but farming and fighting," Sylvester argued. "Nobody in this part of the world will hire a white man like me."
"I will!" Princess Fernis exclaimed, smiling cheekily. "I am in need of a bodyguard."
The Prince swiftly responded to that. "You cannot do that, Fernis. You cannot trust Easterners! If you require additional bodyguards, then I will get them for you."
She pouted and threw a tantrum. "Fine, I will sit here and not move unless I get to have Jack as my bodyguard. He has already saved me once, so why can we not trust him this time?"
The Prince glared at Sylvester, feeling powerless. "All royal guards must undergo scrutiny and approval by the Royal Knight Commander. We cannot select a random rat from the streets and permit them to be near us. Father would be furious if something were to occur."
"All I hear are excuses!" Fernis remained seated on the ground.
'Did I go too far with manipulating her?' Sylvester wondered after witnessing her stern reaction. He understood that if the Princess displayed excessive interest in him, it could raise suspicions and prove detrimental to him.
The Prince, sadly, loved his sister far too much. There were only three princesses to begin with, and they were cherished more than any treasure in the Empire.
"Very well, but he must pass the examination by the Royal Knight Commander. It is pointless to make him a bodyguard if he cannot fight—Still, you may retain him as a eunuch, perhaps."
"..."
Sylvester cursed inwardly as the flashbacks from his first day at the School of Dawn resurfaced. He may not be interested in women, love, or lust, but that didn't mean he wanted to lose the cannon.
Princess Fernis leaped to her feet and hurried to stand behind Sylvester. She proudly patted his muscular arms and boasted. "Hehe, I know Jack is a strong man. He will easily beat everyone at the academy!"
'Why is she so confident in me?' Sylvester wondered and felt slightly apprehensive about his future plans.
Fortunately, no more time was wasted there, and everyone decided to enter the Keep. With the Prince advocating for Keilib, the wife of Master Yarik and his sons had no choice but to accept Keilib's appointment. He did share their bloodline, and he had a much better relationship with the Keep's soldiers than the entitled sons, so the transfer was smooth.
Naturally, a funeral ceremony for Master Yarik ensued later. The family shed a few crocodile tears, while the common folk and slaves could only offer curses. Nevertheless, more people rejoiced to witness the pyre burn than shed tears.
That same night, Keilib freed Amilda from slavery and offered her a position as his personal maid. She essentially had no duties as Keilib did not require much. Nonetheless, the man possessed enough sense not to force her to like him.
It was also Sylvester's final day on that land, so Keilib came to share a drink with Sylvester and bid him farewell.
"I hope you make it big in the capital. Find some nice lady and get settled maybe, or perhaps, the Princess…" Keilib playfully raised his eyebrows. "She seems quite interested in you."
Sylvester maintained his stoic demeanor and spoke, "You have done nothing but move me from one servitude to another. My life now rests in the Princess's hands, and she can do anything she desires with me."
Keilib's joyful smile vanished. "Jack, I've witnessed you decimate trees with your fist. I've seen you battle a lion and defeat it with a single punch. I may not know who you are or what your story is, but I do know that this is not where you belong—call it my intuition if you prefer."
A peculiar silence hung in the room for a solid minute before Sylvester responded. "I have no choice but to go. I suggest you watch your back more than your front from now on. Yarik's wife and sons will not allow you to possess what they deem as theirs."
"I understand. That's why I intend to leave with Amilda. With some money, both of us can lead content lives as ordinary farm owners," Keilib revealed.
Being the Master was something he detested. After all, it was the same social rank that had caused him the most anguish throughout his existence.
'I don't think you have a choice, buddy,' Sylvester thought.
"Who knows what destiny holds for both of us? Let's meet again in the future," Sylvester extended his hand. "May the Holy Light Enlighten you."
Keilib clasped his hand. "You too, my brother. Stay safe and ascend through the ranks so I can boast about knowing the great Jack one day."
'I wonder how he will react once everything is revealed?'
Keilib didn't leave that night until he was drunk enough to fall like a wooden log. Meanwhile, Sylvester packed his bags and made preparations to depart the following day with the Princess.
However, there was still one task left to accomplish. So he locked the door and sat down cross-legged on the bed. Then, he employed Elder magic to communicate with his allies through Solarium, using the Solarium Signature.
Having grown accustomed to it, he swiftly identified the radiant orb of light within his closed vision, guiding him toward the target. In no time, a voice came from the other side.
"How may I be of service, Apostle?"
It was Moonwatcher Hozin. The man had chosen to accompany Sylvester, along with Kimino, as there was nothing else for them to do in the Divine Desert.
"Hozin, I am journeying to the capital as the third Princess's bodyguard. I will attempt to get closer to the King and uncover clues regarding the Shadow of Masan. Simultaneously, I will initiate a killing spree and sow chaos throughout the Empire.
"So prepare yourself. I will eliminate Saint Cardinal of the West first and compel the Holy Land to become more involved in the West. The more Masan is distracted, the more advantageous it will be for me."
On the other side, Hozid gave his own status report. "The plan is moving smoothly from my side as well, Apostle. Kimino is nearly finished training Princess Xylena. Once she masters the ability, she will be able to locate the Shadow of Masan with her Eye of Omniscience. As for the recruitment of the suicide order, it's already completed."
Sylvester was content with everything. However, there was still one task remaining.
"Once Masan crumbles, I will require faithful men and women to assume the roles of Kings and Queens in the divided land. So I have a mission for you—Kill Master Yarik's wives, concubines, sons, and daughters—legitimate or otherwise. Only spare Keilib and Amilda."
"It will be done, Apostle." Hozin promptly accepted the orders. To him, there was nothing in his destiny but to follow Sylvester. "Will he be one of the Generation Zero?"
"Yes, he will soon ascend to the position of a King." Sylvester briefly replied and proceeded to terminate the magical communication.
"Be well. See you in the capital."
Thank you for reading. GT votes are much appreciated.
