The Kingmaker System
Chapter 297 - 296. The Demon’s Game (6)

Chapter 297: 296. The Demon’s Game (6)

It didn’t take us long till we reached at the small village near the outskirts of the kingdom. The child was still a bit anxious but wasn’t letting it take over, Lyall carried him while I faced the men of the group.

"Um..."

"This is the Master." Lyall prompted and the first one in the group flinched before he bowed.

"Th-This way." He gestured for me to come along.

I walked on with Lyall behind me, the child squirmed a little and I could see him hiding his face in the hood of his little cloak.

The men led us towards a small barn where they gestured me in and I saw the lone figure crumpled on the ground, with ropes binding his appendages and mouth gagged. The man being none other than Zale Turquoise.

"Where did you find him?" I asked.

"Near the treeline." One of the men answered.

"Was he alone?"

"Yes,"

I looked at the figure and then back at Lyall and the child.

"Leave." I ordered the men and they looked at each other warily before they left leaving me, Lyall and the child.

"Child?" I called softly.

The child stirred a bit and turned to look at me.

"Don’t be scared." I told him.

His response came as the tightening of his grip over Lyall’s tunic. He was scared and anxious.

I sighed and then looked at the person of interest. I walked up to him and looked down at his figure properly.

The void that was there before was gone leaving behind the familiar sense of prickling. The presence of aura in his being swirled as if reacting to my mana. I had come across the Aura users before but he was a completely new species and I hadn’t expected to run into them so early, in some years sure but now itself was a bit unsettling.

"Get up." I commanded.

The figure remained still and I looked at Lyall who understood and covered the child’s eyes and I swung my foot, kicking into his side. He groaned and coughed violently before he squirmed and his eyes finally opened revealing the clear blue orbs.

His long silvery white hair were strewn around the ground stained with mud and dirt.

"Get up." I commanded again and he moved a bit groaning at each movement before he managed to sit up.

I reached out and removed the gag from his mouth making him wince and cough, he threw up some blood before he wheezed looking weak and withered. Considering his natural habitat he had went by without water for a long time and survived. He was a merman and somehow, his aura was blocked, its flow was unnatural and stunted.

"Didn’t expect to see you here," I spoke and he looked at me with bloodshot and teary eyes.

"D-Do I... Do I know... you?" Zale asked and I scoffed.

The demon used him and threw him away and this idiot didn’t even realise it.

"Seems like you’ve been abandoned," I spoke making him frown.

"I... I don’t... I don’t understand..." He coughed and I rolled my eyes.

"Well, you’re going to die anyways so, if doesn’t really matter if you understand something or not." I said and his eyes went wide before he looked up at me.

"What?!"

"You’re useless to him, that’s why he tossed you away." I said and he gulped.

"I-I..."

"It’s impossible for you to not know that you were being possessed by a demon, you’re so far from your habitat after all." I pointed out and he gulped looking down.

"I-I never... thought it would be like this..." He admitted.

"It’s none of my business anyways," I said as I turned.

"Let’s go, he’s useless." I told Lyall and felt Zale panic behind me.

"Wa-Wait, you can’t leave me like this I-" he shouted.

I turned and fixed him with an icy glare that made his heart thump louder, and his aura reacted defensively and I activated my Dragon’s Presence making him gasp as he felt the air freezing around him.

"Mind your manners, if you can’t sense who I am then look down and yourself and realise at whose mercy you are at." I warned him and he wheezed before he coughed out more blood.

"H-Help me." He wheezed and I crossed my arms at my chest.

"And why would I?" I asked.

"I-I’m..."

"The one who summoned that demon and let him grant you power." I completed making him look at me with a shocked gaze.

"You think I don’t know? The demons are required someone to offer them something in order for them to possess, if you got something from it then it was only natural that he got something from you." I said.

The demons were bound by the rule which cannot be broken unless their rule the King would have his powers established in this world. The seal that was put on them years ago banished the Demon King’s rule hence, his demons’ powers were also limited here. They could be more powerful if a human offered them the freedom, the more freedom and capable the body, the more power the demon could exercise.

"You gave it the power to create chaos so, do you think you are in any place to ask for help?" I asked.

Zale looked down and I observed him, I activated my Mana Eyes and looked at his stats. Just as I had expected, he was a strong person and also someone who could be of use. But considering the amount of destruction that demon had caused because of this guy, I was thinking of a punishment.

"Lyall," I called.

"Yes, Master."

"Tell those men to get rid of him, we have wasted a lot of time here, let’s go." I said as I turned and instantly felt a tug at my cloak from behind.

"Wait, please!" Zale pleaded.

"I-I will... do anything that you tell me to... please don’t kill me!"

His eyes liquidised and his arms trembled as he stared up at me. The expression on his face somehow seemed to oppose the usual cunning and sinister look that I had seen on his face.

"And why would I spare you?" I asked.

"Be-Because I’m-I’m... I’m a Prince."

"So?" I asked making him look at me.

"I-I’m a Prince of Nelius Ocean."

"Again, so?" I asked keeping my expression neutral and he gulped.

"I-"

"You’re useless as of now since I know there is another Prince who is chosen as a Crown Prince."

"But I’m the first born!" He shouted.

"You summoned a demon and earned the wrath of Dragons, you think you’re capable of ruling an Ocean?" I asked making him purse his lips.

"I don’t have much time to waste here, because I’m the one who is going to clean your mess, Zale. So, if you don’t have anything better to offer, I’ll get rid of you."

"O-Once I become the King I’ll-"

"You’re not longer worthy!" I announced firmly making him flinch.

He trembled and I sighed, "Whatever,"

"I can tell you about that demon." Zale said.

"A-A demon’s name is his weakness... I-I can tell you his name and then you-"

"I’m a Dragon," I announced, "Do you think I’m not capable of destroying him?"

Zale trembled as he looked down and then he gulped.

"Wha-What do you... want me to do?" He asked, looking defeated.

"What kind of contract did you make with that demon?" I asked.

"I... I asked him for more power in exchange for anything that he asked."

"Moron." I muttered, "were you that desperate that you had to resort to this for power?"

"I-I can’t... harness... my Aura... as others... I... I wanted to..." He clenched his fists and I observed him for a while.

My Mana Eyes could pick up the anomalies in his body, something was blocking his aura and creating a reverse flow which was resulting in him not being able to use it properly. He might possibly be poisoned or cursed.

"I had always been a shame to my father... I was... I was desperate and helpless... That’s why when Lord Angler suggested that I-I should ask for help from demons I..." He spoke and I sighed.

"Who is this Lord Angler?" I asked.

"He-He is one of the ministers... He... He had always been looking out for me." Zale said and I sighed as I could already see what might have happened.

"There is no cure for being an idiot." I said making him look at me.

"But there is a cure for naivety," I said as I stepped ahead and he flinched squirming back.

"And also for your aura."

"What?" He gasped before I placed my hand over his head.

His aura resisted a little bit but it didn’t last before my Supreme Healing spell. The blockage which was hindering his natural aura flow was removed and my mana aided in repairing the hurdles and the other ailments that were growing within him.

He blinked as he stared at his hands as I removed my hand and looked at him.

"You’re free of the poison that was probably given to you for a long time," I said making his eyes go wide.

"Wha-"

"You’re naivety led you to trust a backstabber, learn your less from this and return." I commanded.

"B-But why..." He asked and I sighed.

"If you were beyond redemption then I would have killed you ages ago, but you were deceived and led to do all this."

His eyes went wide and he gasped, "D-Does that mean..."

"Yes, your dear minister was probably in cahoots with your half-brother or someone who didn’t want you to be the King. You can use Aura now so, return and claim what’s yours on your own."

"B-But..." He looked at me and I sighed.

"If you can’t even do that much then, you’re really not worthy of being the King." I said making him purse his lips.

He pondered over it for a long moment and I stood in front of him.

"I-I understand... I shall do everything I can to prove my worth." He spoke firmly and I nodded.

"Good,"

"I can’t thank you enough, Lord Dragon." He looked at me with a small smile.

"Then pay me back." I said making him blink.

"Pardon?"

"I haven’t done this for free. In future, when I ask you for something make sure you give it to me."

He gulped and I smiled, "Don’t worry, I won’t ask you do give me your body or your kingdom. I would just ask for something that would be in your power. Till then, good luck."