Oath

"Strip." Yrhan ordered apathetically.

"Pardon?" Cedar blinked innocently as if he didn't understand his command.

"I said strip." he repeated.

However, Cedar just froze there with his wide eyes staring at the High Priest.

Seeing his reaction, Yrhan snapped and knocked Cedar's head. "Remove your robe and show me your back so I can start treating you! Just how confused can you be?!"

"W-well... I mean... telling me to strip so suddenly..."

"Haaah?" Yrhan's brows furrowed and with eyes full of contempt, he stared at Cedar as if he was the most ridiculous thing he had ever seen. "Haven't you done these things in the other world?"

"At the very least, I was prepared." Cedar pouted and averted his gaze. "Besides, you just blurted out your order as soon as they left."

"You're unnecessarily cautious," Yrhan commented as he waved his hand. "Alright. Chit-chat's over. Strip."

With a bitter smile, Cedar muttered, "You don't care about people's feelings at all, huh?"

"Yep. Because it's bothersome."

As Cedar bared his back, Yrhan prompted him to sit down.

The latter then placed his hand on it, his palm radiating a soft golden light.

Having his mana pool damaged, Cedar had felt sluggish and had difficulties in breathing as if there was a sharp thing poking on his chest and back from time to time. That's why, feeling the relaxing sensation of warmth, Cedar couldn't help but sigh in pleasure.

"Oh... that hit the spot..." he groaned, earning a hard slap on his back from Yrhan.

"Ouch!" he yelped. "The hell was that?"

"Don't moan like a woman in her climax."

"Kuk!" hearing such remark, he blushed and curled his upper lip. "Well, I WAS a woman."

"And a lousy actress at that."

"Excu~se me!" with a bit of feminine tone, he refuted. "Hey, I was awarded multiple times in Emmy's and Oscar's!"

"Yeah, yeah... I don't care about your Amy and Oswald..." Yrhan rolled his eyes as he burned a talisman and seven small blue orbs swirled around Cedar's back.

"It's Emmy's and Oscar's." Gale corrected.

"Yeah. Whatever."

"You were nicer in that world though." remembering her screenwriter, she looked back at Yrhan.

The High Priest just raised one of his eyebrows. "Me?"

"Yep!" she beamed. "Your name was Kylie Dawn. A really shy girl."

Yrhan's face twitched. "G-girl?"

"Un. Unlike you who gets angry easily, she was a kind person and—aahhh..." she moaned once again as the blue beads embedded itself into her body.

...

Meanwhile...

The first time he heard a faint noise coming from the next room, Alexander didn't mind it and continued on reading the documents that were piled atop his desk.

However, as time passes, due to his curiosity, his hearing was unconsciously amplified, thus he accidentally heard Cedar's whimpering.

Surprised, he messed up one of his signatures.

He took a deep breath as he collected himself.

At this point, another soft sighing was heard. And then...

"Hey... you're good at this Yrhan."

Hearing Cedar's compliment to the other, Alexander abruptly stood up and took long quick strides towards Cedar's chamber.

Outside, he saw Roki standing at attention a few steps from the door.

"Open it." Without any explanation, he ordered.

"Your Highness?" baffled, Roki asked.

"Open. The. Door." Although he said it word for word, his facial expression was stoic.

"But the treatment is still in progress. The High Priest also specifically said that he doesn't want any disturba—"

"Will you rather have me smash that door open?" Alexander gave a smile while cracking his fist.

Seeing that the prince was dead serious into smashing the door, Roki gulped as a chill ran down his spine. Without a choice, he bowed before the Prince and opened the entrance.

...

Cedar was now lying on his stomach and Yrhan had a few magic circles in front of him.

Without turning his head, he spoke, "Your Highness... did you forget something?"

Hearing this, Cedar perked up his face that was buried in the pillow and glanced at the Prince.

"Oh... you have such a keen perception." Alexander laughed lightly.

"Well, with this much killing intent, anyone will most likely notice it. Your Royal Highness." Yrhan was still as calm as ever as he continued fixing Cedar's mana pool.

"What kill—ooohh... why does this thing feel so good?" Cedar couldn't help but wonder, forgetting the things he had just heard.

"You like that, huh? Should I give you more?" Yrhan smirked as he felt the Prince's raging aura behind him.

...

After about an hour, the session was concluded.

Cedar sat up, looking refreshed and revitalized. In contrast, the Prince who's sitting at the corner looked a bit drained and beaten.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" Cedar asked as he tied his robe.

"You really..." Alexander chuckled softly as he nodded. "Don't mind me."

"Your Highness, are you perhaps feeling ill? Want me to help you?" Yrhan grinned at Alexander with a 'worried' expression.

"Nah... I'll pass." he forcefully turned up the corners of his lips as a vein popped out from his temples. "Thank you. You may leave now."

"As you wish." The beautiful High Elf bent his upper body in a graceful manner. After walking up to the door, he looked back and spoke to Cedar before finally heading out. "See you."

"Yep. Thanks!" Cedar waved cheerfully as he was feeling great at the moment.

"Hmmm... you're close now? despite having just met for a day?"

"Hm? We... we're not." he denied. "However, Your Highness, I haven't done this properly yet..."

"This... What?" Alexander was puzzled but not for long.

Cedar knelt down in one knee and bowed his head.

"Your kindness had once again saved my life, thus this humble servant wanted to renew my loyalty oath." This time, Gale was really thankful to Alexander. She knew that if it wasn't for him, her soul would really perish and die. That's why, she had resolved that no matter what, she wanted to serve the Crown Prince until it was her time to leave. In gratitude towards Alexander and to the previous Cedar whom she also promised to avenge.

For this reason, the oath was truthfully hers.

"I, Cedar, an aide to the Crown Prince, pledge myself, from now and forever, to the Crown Prince of Yv Empire, Alexander Yv. I declare a solemn oath of obedience with a strong desire and irrevocable intent to serve under your highness. I will vanquish my Lord's enemies and will assure that no harm would befall you. I pledge my sword, my life, my soul, and everything that I own, I lay everything at my Lord's feet. I submit myself fully before the Prince's grace. This oath, I pronounce loudly with the heavens as my witness."

Alexander was surprised at his knight's sudden pledge of loyalty.

Still, he was pleased with it and his face softened.

With that, the Prince unsheathed his sword, placing it over to Cedar's shoulders. "I, Alexander Yv, The Crown Prince of Yv, swear upon the Heavens that I will be a Lord worthy of respect. I shall allow you to walk beside me once more and I give you my trust in exchange for your unchanging loyalty."

"I vow that I will be loyal to you until my last breath. I offer you my life, My Lord, My Prince."

"I accept." Alexander happily answered. "Arise."

...

At the same time, somewhere in the eastern region, a few members of the Falcon troop under the Yv's army was in chaos.

They were on their way to deliver a dismembered corpse of a woman to the capital for further investigation when their horses suddenly went wild, thus they halted the three carriages.

One contained the body and the other two carried four soldiers and one mage in each.

When they tried to calm the horses, a dark aura was felt, not just by the mages but the non-magicians as well.

A purple mist then started to surround the group of 14 people.

The mages did their best to fight the mist but it didn't fade no matter what kind of purification spell they chanted, for its level was higher than what they could achieve.

Then, a cloaked man appeared in front of them.

His face was hidden and the purple mist made the surrounding darker than it should be. Hence, they can't figure out the identity of the man.

"Hello..." the dark-robed man greeted as if he's familiar with them.

The soldiers were vigilant and the mages quickly made a barrier to make sure that the man before them wouldn't be able to hurt their companions.

"What? You're not greeting me back... How rude." he complained and

took a few steps forward. "Rudeness needs to be punished, yes?"

As if talking to himself, he flashed a grin.