Chapter 57: Chapter 18: Do You Swear Fealty To Your King! [1]
Marimo was baking some potatoes on fire, with the female Sherwood archers in their green tunics and skirts watching her with cute faces.
None of them had learnt skills or other things, as Guinevere didn't make any buildings yet—rather, it was too hard for her to suddenly expand after fighting Lancelot and using most of her big abilities.
"Hmmm..." Lancelot was standing on the top of her Throne. The huge cave was embedded in a mountain, and the natural castle was just a front for visitors to admire.
"Guinevere, should I help you expand your territory?"
He looked amazing as the wind blew his silver hair while the black and red visor covered his face.
She couldn't help but feel he'd changed, becoming even more charming and devilish as his faint smile looked onto the expanding horizons of the demon continent.
"Why would you do that for me?" She asked, not taking for granted their past relationship in Avalon. It was worthless to be someone's family, even a wife, as betrayal was more common than a hot meal.
"I won't do it for free." His lips curved into a smirk; tilting his head to look at her, he pointed to her Throne as his aura exploded out from his body like a blast wave.
"W-what!?" She gasped—nothing like his power from the day!
Lancelot's power was like another level altogether compared to the school, as if he held back more than half of his power. It even caused the red dragon's body to be forced to her knees as his golden eyes locked upon them.
"Become mine."
"Swear fealty to me as your king."
*Tap*
His body descended from her throne roof, his huge wings black and red filling her view, landing a metre from her body.
"W-why....we could ally..." Her voice trembled as she was forced to prostrate herself from the sheer difference in power and force like an elephant was pushing her shoulders down.
Guinevere could only feel a cold, heavy blade hanging from her neck as her archers trembled in fear—Marimo knocked them all down before stepping forward and kneeling to him.
"Lady Guinevere, have you forgotten the last lifetime."
"Ally... how many of those betrayed us?"
"Do not make me ask twice, even if my heart is crazy about you. I will cut you down."
He didn't want to do this, but he had to; there was nothing more absolute in Avalon than true pacts, oaths and soul bonds.
But for a conquered Lord, there were many ways to deal with them.
First and easiest was death, killing them and taking everything they own.
Second, make them submit and become your ally, a good choice and doesn't crush their pride, but they can betray you—nothing is absolute.
Third, use one of the many types of promise(pact, oath, soul bond) to force them into an alliance their own will cannot break.
The terrifying soul bond would cause the person to die if their Lord died, which caused most to surrender and bide time to find someone to break it.
But others could! If someone learned of their pact, they could destroy or help them break it.
Thus, betrayal wasn't completely impossible.
Yet this wasn't the worst method...
Another existed, and it was the most profane, abusive and horrifying way to make them serve you and abandon their chance to become the King or Queen of Avalon.
They became the Lord's [Troop] like the old vassal kingdoms of those too distant for an Empire to control.
Lancelot knew this was offensive, could break their relationship and force him to kill her here, but he must do it. He was not human, and his trust in others was limited to those who would live or die with him.
Stepping forward, his bloody scale boots crushed the ground beneath him as he exerted his power to its limit, hoping she would accept.
"Guinevere, give up the folly of becoming the Queen and serve as my Lance. A lance that will take down the empire's traitors who seek to force your marriage and take your freedom."
His voice was enchanting, each word vibrating in her ears with a sweet and tempting timbre, causing her body to tremble with delight, lust and desire wanting more.
Biting her lips to hold back her moaning voice, she struggled to look up, wanting to see his eyes.
She wanted to know his reasons and believed the eyes were the gateway to souls.
"Follow me."
Lancelot knew she was in a tight spot, and although she regained her memories, unlike him, she couldn't come to Avalon without the academy's help.
However, if she became his Troop, she would gain the ability to come and go as she pleased, using him as a conduit.
He wasn't a naive hero or teenager who believed love could solve everything.
Some husbands and wives betrayed each other despite loving each other, even when their blades slid through the other's hearts.
It was his goal, desire, and promise to Morgana to become King of Avalon, and he didn't care how many people he trampled and hurt in the process.
'I can earn her forgiveness in the future many times over. But if she would refuse, how could I let the woman with this Red Dragon Empress grow?'
A moment of silence passed as the dragon struggled, his sword slicing through her shoulder, blood pouring down like a thick liquor—the dragon's blood was a special and rare commodity.
Swaying like a serpent as it dripped down her arm, she couldn't even roar in pain as his boot slammed her face into the dirt.
'Hate me, loathe me, despite me as long as you follow me and survive.'
"I will ask again will you swear loyalty to me as your King, Lady Guinevere of the Empire."
Guinevere's face was originally filled with anger, terror and spite after his sudden change, but she could see it...
As if his true face was just hidden behind that visor, his fears, worries and subtle care for her, she knew from the strength of Lancelot that he likely had a way to enter Avalon, which she should have too, if not for being strictly watched by her father and the council of knights.
"I swear..."
"I will swear my allegiance—perform the ritual!"
'Morgana, forgive me for using your blood this way if she one day surpasses you. Blame me.'
[This girl was always fated to die alone.]
[You are playing such a bad guy to force her because you know her enemy is someone else, right?]
'It is obvious if the one who killed her was Arthur, he would have done it the moment she betrayed him or rather the moment he took the throne from her father.'
[Fufu~ the former sword idiot Lancelot is starting to grow as a leader, it seems the hints I let you see in your dreams are helping.]
'Ah... they do help, thanks for being the best Queen... But you are giving your blood to your biggest rival.'
He stepped forward as Marimo took out two large vials, one smaller than the others, which was Guinevere's, and the large one was specially made for the dragon.
"Our method is not the human one, Guinevere. I am now different from before."
"Here, drink it to the last drop."