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Ruler Vol 6 Chapter 5

Author: Anit666

Editor: Weasalopes

【Sam’s POV】

“I know I’m kinda late in asking this, but couldn’t we have used teleportation magic?” I asked while looking at the scenery passing by outside the window.

So, what exactly am I doing or idk some shit- you know what, I don’t give a fuck now. I’ll just vibe along with the situation and do my best to not die. Sounds like the perfect strategy imo.

Of course, I was now riding a carriage with Cecile and Lantz which was headed towards the Imperial Capital. Apparently, the King had sent an urgent summons for us.

But why us? Why does the King want me to come with Cecile? Is it because of the farce we had been playing? Is it possible that the King wants to finalize our marriage? Or is he calling me to see whether I’m worthy of the Princess?

I feel like it’s the latter.

Yup, that makes sense. There’s no way in hell that he’s interested in me because I’m someone who single-handedly defeated the Heroes and also won the tournament by using a strategic class magic spell capable of razing the entire Imperial Capital to the ground.

Now, as far as the novels- er, I mean, manuals I read back on Earth, Kings are supposed to be dumbasses. Regardless of whether their disposition is good where they want to help people or evil where they want to usurp power and reign supreme, only rarely have I seen Kings who actually used their heads.

I suppose I should prepare for either kind. Assuming that the King this time is good, aka someone who wants to maintain peace to protect his people, it would be safe to assume that the King will try to reasonably negotiate with me to make me help his cause. In case that turns out to be futile, he’ll still do his level best to maintain a good relationship with me so as not to antagonise me.

And if the King is evil, he’ll try to use any means at his disposal to own me. From offering me a noble title to keep me tied to the country, to offering money and women to keep me pleased, to even scandals that’ll guilt me into helping him. He might even forcefully marry Cecile to me to make me a pawn to be used at his own discretion.

Huh, that sounds kinda familiar. Hmmmmmmm, ah, right. This is what a King and a Prince did to my dear(?) friend a long time ago. I wonder if she’s still alive.

Wait, I digressed a bit, didn’t I? Well, whatever.

As I decided earlier, I’ll just vibe it out.

“By the way, Samael.” Cecile sitting across me started a conversation.

By the way, this carriage is incredibly comfortable. I can’t feel any bumps or shaking. Is it because they have fitted hydraulic suspensions in the tires, or is it magic? Or maybe a combination of both? How would that work anyway?

“Hmm?”

“I’ve actually been talking to the Heroes.”

“Well, yes, I can see that every day.”

Did she think that I was suspecting her of using some kind of telepathic powers to communicate with the Heroes?

“…What I mean by that is that I had a long one-on-none talk with each of the Heroes after they returned from the Trial.”

“Ooooh, so someone’s trying to deepen their bonds with the Heroes, huh?”

Did she decide to be their pillar of support or something after seeing their pathetic performance back at the dungeon? Well, I guess I cannot fault her for that.

“I asked them about the Trial, and while none of them told me anything because they couldn’t, they did tell me one interesting piece of information.”

Couldn’t, huh? Did that Trial impose some kind of restriction on them to keep the details from being leaked?

“And that would be?”

Just what was the interesting piece of information, I wonder.

“Most of them believed that you were the reason they passed the Trial.”

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

⟦You knew that was coming, didn’t you?⟧ Simone sighed.

⟦Perhaps?⟧

⟦Just how far can you predict, really?⟧

⟦It wasn’t a prediction, per se. I just followed the pattern and deduced that Cecile would eventually ask me about my actual involvement with the Trial.⟧

⟦That’s what it means to predict, dumbass.⟧

⟦Shut, Papamone.⟧

⟦Hey what the hell did you just call me?!⟧

⟦Is it not true that you love your father?⟧

⟦I do, but-⟧

⟦Papamone.⟧

⟦Listen here you little shit-⟧

I cut the connection before she could finish her words. Our seemingly long exchange took only a fraction of a second, so I was able to immediately reply to Cecile’s words.

“Really?” I tried to appear shocked. “I’m flattered.”

“Yeah, right.” She scoffed. “Flattered, you say. It’s ridiculous, I say.”

“Curses do not befit the Princess of a kingdom, my lady.”

“Oh?” She furrowed her brows. “Then tell me; what befits me? To stay dolled-up and be docile and follow orders with just a smile?”

“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “If that’s your fetish, then sure.”

The first woman I ever slept with was kinda like that. She appeared strong and independent on the outside, but liked to be dominated in the bed. A cliche character gap if you ask me, but thanks to her my ‘skills’ were raised by a considerable degree.

Though I hope the Princess isn’t like that.

“What do you mean?” She squinted.

“Ugh. What I basically mean is that I don’t know how exactly a Princess is supposed to act. What I said earlier was a joke, and should have been taken as one.”

Man, she just killed my vibe. That’s wiggity-wack, yo.

“…I see. My apologies.” Her eyes drooped.

“Apology accepted. With this-“

“The conversation isn’t over yet.”

Damnit.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it is.”

“To each their own, I guess.” I shrugged again.

“So, as I was saying, the Heroes, especially Sherry, attributed their success to you.”

“Did they? They are totally overestimating me, aren’t they?”

“How so?” She raised her eyebrow.

“Isn’t that obvious? The Trial was designed in a way that it could be surpassed only by the taker’s own resolve. I could not have helped them even if I wanted to. Besides, I was busy taking my own Trial, if you remember.”

Also, I apparently set a new galaxy record for the fastest clearing time of the Trial.

“Using your own words, it seemed that you helped them in hardening their resolve.”

My my.

“Now, did I?”

“One of them told me that you made them doubt the very purpose of their existence as Heroes. You made them think hard about what it actually meant to be a Hero, and for what exactly did they want to fight.”

“I do remember doing something like that, yes.”

“If the Hero protects humanity, then who protects the Hero- that was the question you asked, wasn’t it?”

Goddamnit Sherry.

“Uhuh.” I nodded.

“To think that I, that we, never stopped to consider that.” She sighed. “We ended up putting the Heroes on a pedestal, expecting them to just acquire power through meticulous training and protect humanity. We forgot that in the end, they were just kids who had been forced to fight a war that wasn’t even theirs to begin with. We failed to provide a suitably protective environment to them, and that’s why they turned out the way they did.”

Interesting.

“As they say, admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding.”

“Furthest… You are absolutely correct.” She smiled wryly. “And we would have remained that way if not for you.”

“You rate me too highly.”

“If you are too high, then we are simply horrible, aren’t we?”

“Maybe?”

“Yes, maybe.” She giggled. “Thanks to you asking that question, both the Heroes and us realised our positions. You know what Thor told me?”

To think that I would hear his name.

“I’m afraid I don’t.”

“He said that the only one who can protect a Hero is another Hero.”

Nice.

“That’s a good answer.”

“That’s the perfect answer!” She exclaimed. “And this is especially true for them. After all, they are a group of Heroes. They have to be the one to protect each other, because no one else can. Well, no one other than you, probably.”

Cheap flattery won’t work on me, Cecile.

“I belong to the same category as you. In a few months from now the Heroes would have surpassed me.”

Decades*

“Perhaps, but strength isn’t the only way to protect someone.”

“That’s also true, I guess.”

“You’re the living proof of that.” She gazed at me with sparkling eyes. “When the Heroes lost two of their members to Solomon, they were utterly devastated. To protect their heart, they needed someone to blame, and Michael ended up taking that role. But this put a severe toll on his subconscious until his heart shattered.”

“I couldn’t have put it better.”

“However, through your training and rigorous mental assignments, you showed them that being a Hero didn’t mean that they had to protect all of humanity; it meant having the power to protect what they wanted to protect, what they needed to protect. You also made them understand that as Heroes, they were the only ones who could protect each other. In the end, you were successful in making them truly accept their roles as Heroes.”

Oof. Should I just tell her that Michael was my main target this time?

“Thank you for your generous praise.”

Too generous, in fact. Can’t she like, say a simple thank you and be done with it? No need to make it so awkward for me, yeah?

“From the bottom of my heart, I truly am grateful to you, Samael.” A beautiful smile blossomed on her face. 

Again with that.

“You’re welcome.” I nodded.

“However, I can’t help but wonder.” Her eyes glinted. “How much of it was planned?”