Chapter 88: Eventful night

I sat at the edge of my bed with my hands covering my face. The time was past midnight and everyone had gone to sleep.

Dinner was the most awkward. After the sudden meeting with Olivia, my family continued to talk to her about me and only me. No other topic came up. Not even my accomplishments.

At dinner, they talked about embarrassing childhood memories that I barely had any recollection of. They could've made something up and I would totally believe it!

Luckily, now that it's past midnight, I can finally relax. Since I made it home, I've been on the edge of my seat.

Even though I felt no romantic interest in her, she was still beautiful nonetheless. She had an attractive body and a pretty face. Dare I say, she was gorgeous

But still, I'm only trying to marry her for one reason. To be the duke. Next in line to be King consort.

I'd have to survive through these instances to aid Artorius and myself in having a thrilling adventure to change the world.

I laid back on my bed and looked up at the marble ceiling. My body ached as I lay in my bed, sinking deeper into the mattress. The train was comfortable but my sleeping posture was terrible.

My eyes were heavy as I tried to keep them awake. But I was done for the night. I just wanted some sleep. I put my finger up and dimmed the lights before slowly crawling to my pillows.

My head throbbed, possibly due to intoxication. To cope with the anxiety, I began drinking unnecessarily, accidentally drinking too much at dinner. I felt nauseous and ill.

As I rested my head on the pillow, three knocks came on my door. Who is it now?

"Come in…" I groaned out softly while looking at my ceiling.

The door crept open and a glimmer of bright light came through. The door closed swiftly and light footsteps entered the room.

The strange thing was, the footsteps didn't stop at the usual three to five. It continued. It came closer and closer as I stared at the ceiling.

It stopped as it came right next to me. My eyes dozed in and out of consciousness as I felt someone on top of my stomach.

"I expected a lot more in your room," A sweet feminine voice sounded. "Oh well, it doesn't matter,"

I forced my eyes open, only managing to squint. The moonlight barely snuck into the room and gave me a familiar shadow that sat on top of me.

"O-Olivia?" I muttered in a daze.

"Yes, darling?" She smiled and then laughed.

"W-what are you doing!?" I asked in a panic.

She was sitting on top of me. I managed to get a peek at her figure from the moonlight that illuminated the room in a gentle glow.

Olivia wore a white nightgown that barely covered her top. It was risque and seductive. She leaned forward on me and placed her forehead on mine.

"Say, Alexander," She whispered softly. "Why do you want to marry me?"

"Because I love you," I muttered, trying to not spill my plans.

"Really~?" She slowly sat upright. "Is that really why you want to marry me?"

"Yes, that's the only reason,"

She gently fell on my bed and slowly crawled up to my pillow. I turned to my left to face her as she looked at me from the side.

"Do you really love me?" She said softly while holding my face.

"I do,"

"You're a stubborn one,"

She leaned in closer and our lips met. It was soft, smooth and tasted of sweet liquor. But, she was not satisfied with my lips. She went deeper.

Her tongue tugged on mine and fought inside my mouth. My mind was becoming empty with every minute passing.

I felt my heart racing. She pulled away but her tongue kept fighting with mine.

"Not bad~," She said before licking her lips. "Was that your first?"

"Y-yes…" I whispered while panting.

She wrapped her arms around my body and pulled me closer. I felt her warm breath on my face as she smiled at me. I couldn't tell if her heart was beating faster or mine. But all I knew is that I felt two hearts, syncing and beating at the same rate.

"Do you want to go further?" She pulled my head closer and whispered.

I swiftly rolled around and put her under me. She gave me a condescending smile as I nervously hover over her.

"Will you keep it down?" I whispered to her, breathing heavily and sharply.

"Of course," She laughed. "I'll do as you say if that's what you wish,"

"Keep it down,"

"But remember," She wrapped her arms around me again. "I'm a princess," She whispered as she pulled me closer to her.

"And I'll be your husband soon,"

ARTORIUS' POV

The cave began to smell like blood. Burnt wolves littered the floor as the campfire sat in the middle of the cave. A colossal beast was slain beside it.

Our bellies were full and satisfied. We have an infinite supply of meat that we can eat for months here. But we aren't here for months, only days.

I laid my back on the fur of the gargantuan beast, hoping to fall asleep in the soft and bloody fur of my dinner. Amelia curled up on my lap and went into slumber within seconds.

But I had no intention of sleeping. Though it was past midnight, I felt a threat around me at all times. The constant feeling of a threat made it difficult to sleep.

It was unpleasant to sleep in such conditions. I was rolling around in blood at this point. It reeked of iron.

My clothes were covered in burgundy as the blood dried up. There's no way I can sleep.

"Amelia, wake up," I muttered to her as she slept peacefully on my lap.

"Hmm~ What is it?" She replied to me through telepathy.

"Let's continue," I told her while picking up the rucksack.

"Woah!" She exclaimed as she landed on her feet. "Easy there. Sure, let's continue,"

The rucksack weighed a ton but it was nothing I can't handle. Though it would've been nicer to continue without this.

It hindered my ability to leap around and fly using the wind. My fights would've been shorter if I had nothing weighing me down.

"Hey, do you think you can carry this instead?" I asked Amelia as we entered the tunnel.

"Of course, I can!" She exclaimed. "It's nothing to me.

She began transforming once again. Growing bigger and changing form to her original form.

I tied the rucksack around her body with a rope that we were given. It fit her well and wouldn't hinder her in any way, rather it should give her more protection. As if she needed anymore.

"All good?" I said while giving a slap to the rucksack.

"Yep! All good!"

We continued down the dark tunnel where the massive wolf came through from. It was much bigger than the rest of the tunnels. It must lead somewhere special.

Soon enough, my questions will be answered. We reached the end of the tunnel and were greeted with a surprise.

The remaining wolves from the den were taking shelter here. This was the king's cave.

Without thinking twice, I raised my arm towards the sleeping rouges. They perked their heads up as they saw me but it was too late.

I send out a shockwave of electricity, electrifying the wolves on the spot. Each of them howled in agony but couldn't move. They were paralyzed and died due to shock, including the cubs.

"You have no mercy," Amelia whispered as we walked past the corpses of dead wolves.

"It's survival of the fittest down here," I replied. "Kill or be killed. That's how you survive such circumstances,"

The emotionless and bloodthirsty killing reminded me of my past. Though I haven't murdered anyone other than Kay and his friends, the slums were a constant threat.

Every day was dark. Everywhere you looked, there was litter and garbage. It smelled like rotting bodies everywhere you went. Nowhere was clean, nor was it safe. Especially when it became dark.

When the sun set and the moonlight came out, none of it reached down into the narrow streets. It was covered by tall buildings where low-income families lived.

As we walked deeper into the cave, my mind continued to think about the past. It haunted me everywhere I went. My cold hard outer shell and lack of empathy all link back to my past.

"Snap out of it," Amelia told me. "I hear something,"

"Oh, sorry," I said as I snapped back to life.

"Forget the past and live in the present. Work in the present for your future,"

"Wh- huh?"

We continued to walk down the tunnel as I thought about what she said. "Work in the present for your future," I muttered as we reached a downslide.

"We're going lower? This is interesting," Amelia said before confidently continuing her stride.

I followed behind her and took out my swords. My wooden sword won't last too long if we continue in this difficulty. I'd be down to my steel sword which is losing durability as well.

It's already feeling much duller. I could see the steel having wear on it. Pieces of it slowly break off.

The path continued down. It didn't spiral or level out. Only went lower and lower.

"How low does this cave go?" Amelia groaned out.

"It's better than fighting," I replied. "It's less risky,"

As we talked about levelling out, the ground slowly began to level out before reaching a flat angle.

The tunnels continued to be lit up by crystals as if they were deliberately placed there. Though they were dim, they provided enough light to look around.

"Stay alert. There might be new enemies close by," Amelia whispered as she slowed down.

"How do you know anyways?" I asked her while crouching down.

"I have heightened senses. It allows me to sense movement outside of my vision if I focus hard enough,"

Quite useful for an ability.

The silent tunnel suddenly was not so silent anymore. An ungodly growl echoed around us as we slowly walked on. Both of us became alert and ready to strike.

"Wait, this is strange," Amelia said while frantically looking around.

"What is it?" I asked.

"These enemies… they're not in front…"

The ground beneath us began to grumble. I whipped back to see where the sound came from.

"Behind!" I shouted.

A skeletal body began digging out of the ground. The skeleton was not of average size however, It was rather short and stout, barely standing over my knees. It had a round figure rather than a slender one.

"Huh!?" Amelia sounded. "Wha-"

Without warning, the short skeleton charged towards us as it screamed like a banshee. Without thinking twice, I threw a kick at it.

The skeleton's limbs broke off as its head popped off from the torso. It rolled away as the body landed on the ground with no animation or sign of living… if it was living in the first place

"What? Is it dead just like that!?" I exclaimed, surprised and confused.

I was bewildered. A foe I thought would be deadly was actually easy.

Suddenly, all around us, the rough stone walls began to open up. Through a small hole, dozens of short skeletons came crawling out.

"Seems like they are weak," Amelia said while conjuring ice. "They focus on quantity,"

Amelia had my back while I had hers. I got into my stance and was ready to fight the many dwarf skeletons.

They all came out and charged at us. Their bodies crackled as they rushed towards us with no weapon except their weak and short arms.

"What are these!?" Amelia exclaimed while killing them using ice.

"No clue!" I shouted back while kicking through their hordes. "These aren't human skeletons! This must be something else!"

"Surely not humans! They're too round and short!"

Amelia and I continued to rampage through the weak foes as they came rushing towards us. But it made no sense. They looked human but were not humans. How can they be alive as well? Necromancy does not exist.

Or does it?

"Damn it! There's so many!" I said while kicking through another dozen of them.

"How and why!"

There is no ending to their horde! They're worse than insects!

It was becoming overwhelming to just kick them away. They began climbing up my legs and trying to bite into them.

"They're like zombies!" I told Amelia while drop-kicking one. "They come in hordes and bite into you!"

"But they're skeletons!" Amelia replied. "Why would they try to eat us!?"

"Does it look like I have an answer!?" I shouted. "There's no logic!"

They were coming at us like mindless creatures. There must be a way to end them though. From the looks of it, they seem endless.

These dwarven skeletons came out from each corner of the tunnel, even dropping from the top. I rolled around and dodged them as they rained down from the sky.

"Damn! Even the roof!?" Amelia shouted as she fended against the sea behind me.

"Amelia! Let's make a run for it!" I shouted out. "There's too many! Grow bigger and ram through the horde!"

Amelia began to size up. Slowly but surely she became bigger. The rucksack that was tied to her now tightly fit around her, squeezing her tightly.

"Watch my back! I'm sprinting through!" She told me before beginning to run away.

The skeletons were instantly crushed and thrown away as she began to charge through. I followed behind her while hacking away at any that tried to drag me down.

She rammed through and through till we reached the exit of the tunnel. Now all we had to do was kill off these pests.

"Let's block it off!" I shouted. "I have a plan!"

Amelia quickly makes an ice wall that closes off the tunnel. There were a few that made it through but they were easy to kill off.

"What is your plan?" She asked while panting for breath.

"Watch me," I said while walking up to the iced wall, a sinister smirk on my face.

I walked up to the iced wall as skeletons tried to break through it. It continued to crack but Amelia repaired it as soon as a crack appeared.

I placed a hand on the iced wall and closed my eyes. Taking a deep breath and calming my nerves.

"Disappear," I muttered before conjuring fire.

A blue beam of fire shot out from my hand and went through the wall. It fit through the tunnel and covered the entire cave in a blue flame.

The skeletons inside all burnt to ash, beyond ash. I kept up the fire as I maniacally smiled as they burnt to nothing.

Amelia's wall melted and turned to water. The water evaporated to steam and before long, my flame was out too.

"Haa~ that felt good," I said as I turned back around.

I didn't bat an eye into the tunnel. I turned around and walked away, leaving the ashed tunnel as it was.