Chapter 16 - 16 - The Unwanted Successor
Chapter 16: Chapter 16 - The Unwanted Successor?
The Dissidia Kingdom maintained strict vigilance over its territory, effectively handling rebellions and chaos caused by dark organizations and unruly players. This level of control made it a safer place compared to other regions that experienced greater conflict.
Before the King\'s throne, a young woman knelt, dressed in black knight\'s attire and adorned with shining silver armor. With a determined look in her striking green eyes, she implored, "Your Majesty, the attacks from players are escalating and citizens of Dissidia Kingdom are being killed. I will lead our troops to sweep the kingdom and capture these troublemakers."
The woman, standing at 1.69 meters (5.5 feet), had fiery red hair that flowed over her silver robe with a touch of red. Her striking green eyes were filled with determination. But what made her truly unique were her pointed ears, a clear indication that she was not fully human.
This was Alora Rogwyn, the Princess of Dissidia Kingdom. Despite her royal title, she was more comfortable with the ways of war, much like the Imperial Knights, than the luxurious lifestyle of a princess. She was always at the forefront of battle, ready to defend her kingdom.
Alora was also the Crowned Princess of the Dissidia Kingdom. Her dual role as the Crowned Princess and knight reflected the cultural heritage of the Dissidia Kingdom, where all leaders who held the crown were formidable warriors. In the past, one of the kings had been a Champion of Sloth, receiving the blessing from the Goddess of Sloth.
Recently, the activity of a mysterious organization, the Cult of the Darkened Flame, had been on the rise within the royal court of Dissidia Kingdom. These followers of demons were attempting to spread their beliefs among the kingdom\'s people and had even recruited players to join their cause.
Until now, the royals had dealt with these disturbances with relative ease, usually by exterminating the cultists. However, the players presented a unique challenge—they were seemingly immortal beings, capable of reviving each time they were killed, allowing them to grow in number and power unnaturally.
This situation had become increasingly alarming as more people joined the rebellion, causing local citizens to suffer abuse and murder. This was no longer acceptable to the government.
"My dear daughter, Princess Alora," the King replied, his aging face and stocky frame bearing a look of concern. "We must be vigilant. Players are unpredictable, and they can draw strength from many different regions of Yunatea in a manner that is difficult to anticipate. It is particularly worrying if they join the Cult of the Darkened Flame."
"Your Majesty," Alora responded, her voice filled with apprehension. "If they recruit players to join them, then we need to do the same. We have been worried about this for a long time." She paused, awaiting the King\'s response.
The royal family of Dissidia Kingdom was highly protective of the kingdom\'s position, particularly when it came to players. Players were known for their hedonistic tendencies, visiting the kingdom only for the purpose of having fun, slaying monsters, and doing as they pleased.
They often acted rudely towards natives, had no loyalty to the kingdom, and were even more arrogant due to their ability to grow abnormally strong and immortal in the sense that they could revive themselves no matter how many times they died.
"Princess Alora..." the King intoned, his deep voice echoing throughout the majestic hall. "I hereby entrust you with this task. You have my full permission to lead two Knight Commanders, twenty Knights, and hundreds of royal troops to accomplish this mission. Make sure that those players comprehend the consequences of disregarding the regulations if they wish to stay in this kingdom."
Alora bowed deeply. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will not fail you. The citizens of Dissidia Kingdom will be protected."
As Alora turned, her long red hair, tied in a braid along her waist, moved momentarily, revealing the edges of her face. It was clear she was different from the other people in the room; her pointed ears gave her away. Alora was indeed a princess of the Dissidia Kingdom, a human kingdom, but she wasn\'t a pure human. She was half-human, half-elf.
As Alora walked out of the throne room, it was clear that many within the royal court spoke ill of her. This was primarily due to the machinations of the King\'s younger brother, who was rumored to be scheming to remove the Princess and seize the crown for himself.
"Look at her... A Half-Elf daring to become a Crowned Princess in a Human Kingdom."
"Does she think she can lead this Kingdom?"
"Our pride as a Kingdom once ruled by the Champion of Sloth will soon crumble. Why must the Crowned Princess be a Half-Elf?"
"It\'s disgusting. I hope the King remarries soon and produces a more fitting heir."
"I don\'t believe she deserves to be the Crowned Princess."
Princess Alora was accustomed to hearing such disparaging remarks aimed at her. However, she had steeled herself to confront and overcome these prejudices. She was the legitimate Crowned Princess, and she would prove herself through her hard work and determination.
Alora had trained rigorously to become a Knight, not without reason. She aimed to demonstrate that she could be a leader who did not just sit on the throne and give orders. She intended to embody the legacy of their predecessors, kings who led in battle and commanded respect on the front lines.
She was born to fight on the battlefield!
At only nineteen years old, her level had already surpassed 200, a testament to her dedication and prowess.
"Your Highness, we are ready to depart at your command," The Knight said, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"Thank you," Alora replied. "We must move swiftly. The Cult of the Darkened Flame grows bolder by the day, and we cannot afford to let them gain any more ground."
***
[You have killed JackyChwan Lv. 69]
[Player JackyChwan dropped an item.]
[You have acquired a pair of +7 Mage Stride Boots.]
[+7 Mage Stride Boots]
[Grade: Rare]
[Intelligence +11
Agility +11]
[Durability: 78/100]
[Weight: 95]
[Skills:]
[Mystic Evasion: Grants the user the ability to swiftly move up to three meters and evade incoming attacks
Mana Cost: 50
Cooldown: 10 Seconds]
[User Restriction: Level 50 or Higher
A Mage Class]
Broken smiled broadly, having finally achieved his goal of killing one of the six player killers. Despite the high stakes, he succeeded and even managed to acquire a dropped item from his victim. To his surprise, it was a Rare grade.
The boots were Mage Boots, but they had a unique dash skill, quite unusual for a mage. This skill would certainly be useful to him. Additionally, the boots had Intelligence and Agility stats. This was a significant victory. However, he couldn\'t afford to revel in his success for too long, as he still needed to escape from the remaining player killers.
"Let\'s go, Polly. We need to get out of here," he exclaimed. He then leaped onto Polly\'s back, and she immediately bolted away, attempting to flee from the player killers.
Broken was taken aback as the player killers relentlessly chased after him. He found himself completely surrounded, with arrows, swords, greatswords, and spears pointed in his direction from multiple angles. "This is a dire situation," he muttered to himself.
"You can\'t run forever, Broken," one of the player killers taunted. "We\'ll get you eventually."