Chapter 10: Auction House

ARTHUR LEYWIN'S POV:Days quickly passed by as multiple events happened, I explored Xyrus city together with Helstea's family, mom, and Ellie.Xyrus was an amazing city. I couldn't help but stare at the different sights that came into view as we traveled down the main road. I could see magic shops, armories, spell books, and even beast core shops! There was everything a mage could ask for. Adults and children were all dressed extravagantly while luxurious carriages passed alongside ours. Some buildings were several stories high, making this city seem a lot bigger and denser than Ashber. I could also see children a couple of years older than me all wearing similar uniforms, some black while some grey and red. I could only assume by their pretentious demeanor that they were students of Xyrus Academy. While uniforms in my old world were meant to protect the financial backgrounds to lessen discrimination, here, it seemed that the uniforms themselves worked as a sort of gold medallion that they could show off to the rest of the world.I was used as a mannequin for each of the girl's preferences in style. My mother wanted to dress me in simple clothes, while Tabitha wanted to transform me into some sort of prince. Even Lilia and Ellie made me try on some clothes.Next, I ended up meeting the director of Xyrus academy-Cynthia Godsky, Our greeting was... never mind, let's not talk about it. After the greeting, we had a so-called 'demonstration' where the director made me realize that in this world there are people who I cannot touch, even if I go all out.Everyone was quite shocked when I used earth and wind elements during the demonstration, probably shocked is a bit downgrading but you get the idea. Once everyone calmed down, the Director and I were able to come to an agreement regarding my enrollment at the Xyrus Academy. Because of the sudden appearance of the Director thanks to Vincent's courtesy, I ended up revealing my adventuring plans much sooner.Somehow I was able to talk out my parents to go adventuring with a few conditions, them being:A member of Twin Horns will accompany me during my time as an adventure.Every once in a while (2 months) I have to come back home or at least write a letter to them.My safety would be kept a priority, and so on and so forth.Afterward, I asked Uncle Vincent to provide me with some equipment for my upcoming adventure. I requested a voice-altering mask, a sword that suits my size, and a cloak. As a way of thanking him for these items, I offered to train Lilia in awakening. This proposal drove Vincent crazy.Later, I taught Lilia and Ellie the mana-gathering technique I used to awaken as a toddler. I injected my quadra elemental mana into their bodies to increase their mana concentration. While I am almost sure that Lilia will be able to awaken, I only told them there is a 70% chance for Lilia because there is still a small chance that she may not awaken.We continued that process almost every day, while Lilia worked hard, Ellie on the other hand seemed to prefer playing with Sylv rather than meditating which I suppose is normal for kids her age.During these past two months, it was evident that there had been progress in Lilia's and my sister's mana manipulation. It was no longer necessary to infuse my mana into them anymore, so they were able to train by themselves now. Of course, it would still take a few years for them to form a mana core-especially Ellie and her short attention span-but I did drill into both of them the importance of keeping their training a secret.I didn't need to remind my parents and the Helstea family that keeping this a secret was important, but it was blatantly obvious that the four of them were excited for the day Lilia and Ellie would awaken.Sylvie had been sleeping much more these past two months, but there were changes that became noticeable. For one, her intelligence was rapidly increasing. Her thoughts to me were more intricate and contained complicated emotions that went past just 'hungry' or 'sleepy. ' In the few short months after she was born, it felt like she had gained years of emotional intelligence.One major change had happened recently; she learned how to transform. Okay, it wasn't something as drastic as transformation, but she was able to manipulate her body a little. It felt like it happened so suddenly. I had been pondering how to hide her appearance in the days to come when she grew larger. She had been beside me when she started whining and scratching herself as if uncomfortable. The next thing I knew, her red spikes began retracting while her horns got smaller. It was a mind-blowing surprise. Now, most of the time, Sylvie just kept her spikes and horns retracted, making her look more like a cute, black-scaled fox with little horns.Waiting in the living room downstairs for my father and Vince to get ready, I heard an obnoxious knock from the front door.Sheesh, knocking once is plenty.I let out a slightly annoyed shout that I'd get it since I was close by, anyway. No need to trouble the maids when I was right next to the door."Who's ther-OOF!"I was hit with the nostalgic sensation of getting smothered by a pair of foam pillows. A classic way of assassination, but shouldn't it be used while I'm sleeping?"Oh my goodness! You were alive! Look how big you've gotten! I'm so sorry, Art! I wasn't able to protect you! I'm so glad!" the lady sniffled."Mmfph! Mmmfph!""Angela, I don't think he can breathe..." A comforting voice pointed out."Eep! S-Sorry!" Angela squealed.Peeling my face away, I smiled at the sight of my companions. "It's so good seeing you guys again!"My giant guardian angel, Durden, patted my head and I saw his narrow eyes getting watery, triggering a tear from me as well.Adam smacked me on the butt. "Little brat! Do you know how devastated everyone was because of what happened? It's good to see you again, hehe. ""You've gotten better looking, Arthur. " I turned to see the charismatic Helen Shard with her signature bow still strapped to her back squat down in front of me. She lightly pinched my cheek and gave me a sympathetic smile before standing back up.Suddenly, I was embraced again, but this time, I was thoroughly surprised. "Sniff. "It was Jasmine. That cold, aloof Jasmine. She kept mute as she just tightened her arms around me, letting out soft sniffles.I couldn't resist the urge to pet her head when she suddenly peeled herself away from me, her face scarlet. Quickly standing up and trying to regain composure, she shot me an embarrassed nod and turned away.At this time, Sylvie woke up from her nap on the couch and trotted towards us. "Woah! What is that?" Adam exclaimed. The rest of the Twin Horns had the same expression of surprise as even Jasmine turned back to look at the mysterious mana beast."She's my contracted bond, Sylvie," I announced while my bond hopped on top of my head."Holy crap! Do you already have a contracted beast? Do you know how valuable it is to have a bond? Oh man, I've been trying to look for a beast to tame these past few years but with no luck. The ones that they sell are way too expensive, too, lucky brat!" Adam was practically pulling his hair out in jealousy."What's with all the commotion down...Ah! You guys are here!" My father, wearing his uniform, leaped down the flight of stairs and rushed toward his ex-party members.He was giving all of them a hug as my mother and sister came down soon after."Everyone! It's so good seeing you guys again!" my mother exclaimed. She didn't have the chance to say anything more as the girls all threw themselves at her and started drooling over my baby sister, who were dressed very nicely for the event. My parents hadn't seen the Twin Horns for almost as long as me, so everyone was just as excited."Oh my goodness! Alice, Ellie looks just like you! She's going to grow up to be so pretty!""...Cute. ""Rey is going to have his hands full soon with potential candidates kukuku. Can you tell me how old you are?""Four!"The girls were a jumble of excitement and estrogen as they ogled Ellie._________________________________________________________________________________After a short reunion, we were on the way to the auction house. On the way Twin Horns asked me multiple questions about where I was and how I got Sylvie. While I did tell them I was in the Kingdom of Elenoir, I kept the rest of the details to myself, for safety measures, of course.The ride was pretty short, so I wasn't able to finish telling them everything before we got off.The first thought that had come to mind upon arrival was that Vincent really put in a lot of work into this. The Helstea Auction House was breathtaking. It was rather misleading to even call it a house as it towered high above any of the other buildings nearby. I suspected that they had a lot of help from Conjurers because of how large it was. The Auction House was a magnificent theatre with intricate designs all over. The main doors were over 4 meters in height and were made from petrified wood with carved designs on it. Compared to the naturalistic and elegant designs that I saw in the Elf Kingdom, this was more complicated and grand. It was in the shape of a half-cylinder with detailed stone sculptures of different weapons as supports.Turns out, that VIP room on the ceiling was the room we'd be seated in. Father and the Twin Horns, who had decided to help my father and the guards prepare for any unwanted commotions or outbreaks, were the first to separate from us. Vincent separated from us after as he barked out orders at the workers and readied the hosts to greet the more important guests.Tabitha led us to the room, making us comfortable inside the carefully designed and furnished area that was meant for only the most distinguished and wealthy guests. There was a wine rack and a few reclining seats and tables with closer seats by the window. I made myself comfortable on a seat closest to the window.The first to come in behind Vincent was an elderly man with long, deep-red hair that was aged with streaks of grey. His back was ramrod straight with broad shoulders that took off years in his appearance. The man's eyes were stern with harsh, sword-shaped eyebrows, giving him an undeniably eye-catching presence. He was wearing a red robe lined with white fur around the collar and had a cane that shined brighter than any silver I had previously seen. Trailing closely behind him was a lady who looked a few years older than my mother. While my mother had a lovely, sweet, friendly ambiance, this lady's facial features reminded me of an ice sculpture; refined, elegant, noble, and of no flaws, but also cold and devoid of emotion. She was wearing a shimmering silvery-white dress that complimented her dark blue hair that draped over her shoulders like a well-kept tapestry.Behind the lady whom I assumed was the man's wife were two younger kids that could only be their kin. The older child, a boy who looked to be about the age of thirteen or so, took more after his father. With his serious brown eyes, straight brows, and his short mahogany hair that had a shiny luster just like his father's, it was apparent as to what he would look like a few decades down the road. Despite his fierce looks, however, there was a sort of unrefined charisma that was different from his father's. It was the sort of charisma that would make him the center of any group.The younger one, a girl who looked to be about my age, surveyed the room carefully before locking eyes with me.It would still be a couple of years until she started maturing, but needless to say, the potential was there. I couldn't help comparing her to Tess. They would both grow to be captivating to the men around them but in very different ways. Tess was the lovely girl next door, with her comforting almond-shaped eyes that glowed a bright teal. Her peaches and cream complexion and rosy cheeks. Her unique, gunmetal hair complimented her eyes, giving her a mysterious, yet approachable aura.No, this girl was the complete opposite. Her porcelain white complexion was a canvas for her meticulously carved facial features. Her penetratingly sharp eyes which seemed much too mature for her age were a dark brown shade that appeared larger because of her long, thick lashes. Her hair was a glaring black, which she got from her mother. Compared to her dark hair and eyes, however, her small lips were covered in a soft pink shade that gave life to her doll-like appearance.It was hard not to wonder how they would grow up to be; whether mother nature would make them bloom or wither.Peeling my eyes off of the girl in front of me, I focused on the three guards that followed after the picturesque family."I didn't know we would be in here with guests, Vincent," the man said, neither harshly nor kindly."I apologize, Your Majesty! I assumed you wouldn't mind having a few other people with you. You remember my wife, Tabitha, right? Well, these are our close family friends," he introduced, waving his arm in our direction.After regarding us for a moment, his lips curled up into a smile. "If they are your friends, Vincent, then they are mine as well. ""It's a pleasure to meet you. At least we'll have some company besides these guards," the lady giggled.I raised an eyebrow in surprise at the sharp contrast in the woman's personality to her appearance. She seemed much more welcoming, despite her intimidating looks, than her husband."Everyone, as you all may know, I'd like you all to meet the King and Queen of Sapin. Introduce yourselves to King Blaine Glayder and Queen Priscilla Glayder and their children, Curtis and Kathyln. "At this, my mother-who was holding my sister-Tabitha, and even Lilia, dropped down, genuflecting. I caught on and lowered myself a moment later as well. It felt strange to bow before someone, considering I was king not of just a country but an entire continent, but well, I am retired now anyway.Giving us a nod, the King gestured for us to stand. "No more of this, now. No need to be stiff, we're just here for the auction, after all. "As I got back up, Sylvie peeked her head out from under my robe where she was sleeping, surveying curiously the new faces."Kuu?" she chirped, tilting her head.I thought I heard a gasp from one of the guards in the rear, but I wasn't able to tell since their faces were covered."Oh my! What a cute little mana beast!" Queen Priscilla's face brightened up at the sight as she made her way towards me.The King and the two children's eyes looked towards my direction as well.The guards took a step forward as well, making sure they were close enough to react in case something happened to the Queen."She just hatched a few months ago. Her name is Sylvie. Come out and say hello," I responded."Kyu~!" she cooed while hopping out of my robe and stretching her body like a cat."I assume this little mana beast is your bond, young man?" The King came closer, kneeling down to get a closer view of Sylvie.I just gave a wordless nod. It should be fine with Sylv's appearance the way it is. "How fortunate you are to have a mana beast. Even infant ones are not easy to tame, yet she looks to be very obedient. ""Well we're able to communicate mentally, so it's more like a mutual agreement rather than obedience," I simply shrugged."What? You mean to say that you are under an Equals Contract?"We all turned our heads to face the source of the voice. It was one of the hooded guards behind the children.Damn, did I say something I wasn't supposed to?"Umm, I'm not sure what that is, but she was the one that initiated the contract, so I think so?" I shrugged, hoping to switch topics.Was it that big of a deal who formed the contract?"Let me take a closer look at your bond!" the hooded guard exclaimed, creeping closer to us.Before I could decline, the King stepped in."This isn't the time nor place to study someone else's pet. You're being rude, Sebastian. " His gaze turned harsh as he rebuked him."My apologies..." he said, hoping I'd complete the sentence."Arthur. Arthur Leywin," I finished, giving a curt bow. As he and his wife gave me a small smile, we took our seats in time to hear the clear voice declaring that the auction would start soon.A cold shiver made me turn back just to see Sebastian, who had taken off his hood, staring intently at Sylvie, who was nestled on my lap."Ladies and Gentlemen! May I say that it is of the highest honor for me to be here tonight? All of you are gathered here today for one reason and one reason only, I presume? It is to have the chance to obtain rare and valuable items in this auction!"Applause thundered in enthusiasm at the old gentleman's ardent introduction."If everyone in the audience would now kindly turn to face the back room at the very top, we have a few exceedingly important figures that have decided to bless us with their presence. Please join me in welcoming the King and Queen of Sapin!" The auctioneer was the first to flick out the tail of his suit and genuflect. The audience immediately followed suit, lowering themselves respectfully in a bow since they couldn't kneel in their seats.The King and Queen, in response, stepped out towards the window in front of me and waved their arms slowly in a practiced motion."Next, the one that made this whole event possible. Please give a big round of applause for Vincent Helstea!"The auctioneer's introduction was followed by another round of applause as Vincent stepped up next to the King and Queen, giving a deep bow in return.I remained seated, looking down below at the crowds of people who were supposed to be of much higher class than me, but I couldn't help but look at them as if they were...No... I shouldn't think like that. I'm not a king anymore. Hell, I haven't even gone through puberty yet. No point in acting like someone who didn't exist anymore.I turned my gaze toward the King and Queen, studying them. Despite the stoic expression the King always carried, he didn't have a domineering demeanor. He had a charismatic and strong presence, making it easy to believe that a majority of the citizens of Sapin would respect him, but that was it. He didn't earn his seat; his father had given it to him. The Glayder family had been the Royal Family since the founding of Sapin. I wasn't surprised to see that King Glayder's mana core was only at the red stage.Turning my gaze over to the Queen, something caught my eye that I didn't really notice at first. Strapped to the backside of her dress was a white wand. I couldn't sense her mana, which meant she was either carrying an artifact that could hide it or she was at a level high enough where I couldn't sense it.Queen Priscilla caught me observing her and gave me a discerning smile, revealing her pearl-white teeth. Her smile threw me off-guard, making me flinch and quickly turn away. I could feel how hot my face was, making it all the more embarrassing. The word beautiful wouldn't do justice as a means of describing her. However, one thing I had noticed ever since coming to this world was the fact that I lacked any sort of sexual attraction towards these older women. At first, I had thought that it might've been due to the lack of necessary hormones currently in this prepubescent body, but the more I thought about it, I felt like it boiled down to the fact that my mother was just a bit younger than I had been before being reborn into this world.I had never really been interested in human psychology but it was interesting noticing that women associated with the same age group as my parental guardian made them unappealing sexually. Maybe that was just me; no way to tell.Of course, that also didn't mean I'd go for children my age like Tess, Lilia, or even this ice princess here. They could be the very personification of beauty itself, but it didn't change the fact that their mental level was that of a child. This was the reason I wasn't able to see Tess as anything other than a friend or a sister to me, even when she was so obvious in showing her attraction towards me.Sigh. Being popular sure was a hassle."...kuu. " I looked down to see Sylvie staring at me cynically, her eye half-open, judging eye seeming to say 'Are you serious?'Time passed by as several items were sold, Vincent informed me that he was able to acquire the cloak and the voice mask, and I should be able to find a decent sword for myself in the storage room.Getting up from my seat, I leaned back, stretching my stiff body when I spotted the hooded guard named Sebastian eyeing Sylvie with a disturbing twinkle in his eyes.The beady-eyed, bony conjurer underneath that hood continued impatiently fiddling with his metal staff as his eyes stayed greedily fixated on my bond.After a few moments, he noticed that I was glaring back at him. Letting out a stifled cough in response, he straightened his robe as he spread out his normally hunched shoulders to make himself look bigger. Staring down at me, he had the audacity to let out a smug grin, as if he had every right to do what he was going to do.This foolish plebeian has the audacity to...This was the first time letting my killing intent loose, although only a portion. Even when I was up against the slave traders, I had chosen not to emit any kind of intent in order to catch them by surprise.I quickly noticed everyone panicking and immediately withdrew the pressure.The King's augmenter guards had their weapons unsheathed and positioned to defend the royal family by the time I had withdrawn the pressure I had exerted onto the room."Who's there? You dare try and attack the royal family?" the King roared as he pushed his wife and children behind him. Queen Priscilla had her wand out and was silently muttering a spell as she herded her frightened children.I quickly turned away from the pale-faced Sebastian currently shaking on the floor, hoping no one had noticed.I had only meant to give Sebastian a little scare, not to terrify every person in the room.Taking a quick peek around, I let out a small sigh of relief after seeing that my mother and sister were okay. My sister was startled and crying, but they were both far away enough to not get directly affected.I didn't think it would be this bad with this body of mine.Vincent used an artifact in his hands to call for more guards inside and had the others scout the area for any assassins that may be or had been, nearby.Time ticked slowly for me as everyone in the room was in a state of panic and tension. My mother had grabbed me, holding firmly onto me and my sister as guards ran around with weapons held close.My father had stopped by, but, after making sure that we were okay, left to try and search for the mysterious attacker.It wasn't until they confirmed the killing of an intruder on the roof of the auction house that everyone had calmed down.I let out a sigh of relief, but unlike everyone else, my relief wasn't for the fact that the intruder had been killed, but the fact that I had been provided with a convenient scapegoat.Thank you, intruder on the roof. Your sacrifice was not in vain."Oy Sebastian. How could a royal guard fall on his arse by a little intimidation from an intruder? You're going to die early like this. " A hooded augmenter holding a spear shook his head, trying to sound tough in front of his comrades.I merely slipped!" Sebastian snarled, slapping away the hand that one of the guards held out.He regarded me suspiciously for a moment but said nothing else as he turned away in disdain.Time passed as the auction continued, and the King was able to obtain an infant World Lion for his son.The Tenth Anniversary event ended without any further commotion besides the one that I caused, and the guards escorted all of us back downstairs.Upon reaching the storage room behind the stage, Vincent handed me a package wrapped in a black cloth. The items that the King purchased were being hauled to the carriage by some of the workers."Thank you. " I accepted it graciously."For everything you and your family have done for us, this is hardly enough," Vincent replied. "Arthur, we have some swords in the back if you want to take a look while you're here. They might not be anything special, but I'm sure you'll be able to find a solid sword to last you until your body finishes growing. ""Oh! Are you planning on taking lessons with the sword?" The King inquired, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "My boy has just started learning as well. Maybe you two can spar one day. ""Swords are merely a hobby for me, Your Majesty. I would never hope to amount to the same level as your son," I replied, turning back to redeem Vincent's offer."Your Majesty, Prince Curtis would only become infected with bad habits if he began sparring with mere commoners," Sebastian's hissy voice rang.As I turned back to retort, my father and the Twin Horns came into view."Ah, you guys are here! How did you enjoy the Auction?" my father exclaimed, picking up Ellie after showing his respects to the King and Queen.My father pulled Vincent aside as he and the Twin Horns began debriefing about the event."Your Majesty. If I may have a word with you," I heard Sebastian say as he leaned closely to the King's ear.After a few moments, King Glayder shot his royal guard an irritated glance, but let out a sigh.As the two walked towards me, it was obvious what they had just discussed by the way Sebastian wasn't even looking at me, but instead, at my bond.However, instead of talking to me, the King called upon my father.The King smiled at him, but his eyes remained stern. "I never did catch your name. You must be this young boy's father, correct?" he affirmed rather than asked."My name is Reynolds Leywin and yes, that is the case. What might be the matter, Your Majesty?" my father replied, lowering himself slightly."Sebastian, here, has been a royal guard for a while now and has helped our family an uncountable amount of times. "His voice stayed relaxed as he spoke to my father, but the condescension in his tone was still apparent. "For the exemplary services he has provided me, and therefore the country, I do feel the need to reward him at times. You see; he has taken a fancy to your son's bond. I know it's not easy to sever a contract and I'm sure the boy has grown close to his little pet, but I would be more than willing to hire a mage to take care of the contract and compensate you and your family for the troubles. ""Y-Your Majesty," my father stuttered, caught by surprise by the severe request. Taking a glance at me, he turned back to the King. "I must apologize, Your Majesty. Neither I nor my wife had anything to do with my son's bond. He had acquired it himself, so I cannot speak on my son's behalf on matters of his bond. ""Hmm," the King turned his attention to my direction, regarding me loftily, and I suddenly realized that I was returning his gaze. He realized, then, that for the entirety of their conversation, I had been staring icily at him and his guard."Boy. Didn't your father teach you to lower your gaze when speaking to someone of your superior?" Sebastian snarled in disdain as he slammed the end of his metal staff to the ground."Sebastian, silence!" The King held up his hand. Besides the royal family and their guards, the King's request had caught the attention of the rest of my family as well as Vincent's."Hello, child. " The King approached, standing an arm's length away from me. "I'm sure you've just heard me speak to your father so I won't repeat myself. How about it? My royal armory would certainly have a sword befitting that of any aspiring knight. "Not wanting to make a big commotion, I swallowed back the profanity that was itching to spew out of my mouth. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your gracious offer, but I must refuse. A simple sword could never replace Sylvie. ""How dare⎯""Sebastian!" King Glayder roared. Turning back to me, he spoke again with a much more impatient tone. "How about a trade then? The world lion cub that I just purchased for your bond?""Father!" Curtis scurried over to his father, pulling on his sleeve. "I thought the mana beast was mine?"Ignoring his son, the King waited for my response."Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I do not wish to give, sell, or trade my bond," I reiterated, failing to mask the annoyed expression on my face."I have asked you twice, child, for a favor. Twice," he emphasized, his tone growing grave. "I will ask you once more; will you give me your bond?"The air was tense as everyone's attention was directed at me. Sebastian gave me a menacing look with bloodshot eyes, just waiting to be released. The rest of the royal guards were on standby near the two, carefully observing the situation."Then let me ask you a question in response, Your Majesty. How much are you willing to sell your children to me?" I asked coolly, never batting an eye.Thrown off-guard, the King wasn't able to respond to the seemingly random question. "You have asked me twice and I have rejected you both times, yet it seems your pride won't allow you to accept my refusal. You don't seem to be aware of what you were asking me, so I hoped to clarify using my question instead. How much money should I give you in return for your son or your daughter, King Glayder?" I rephrased, without wavering.I heard the sharp whistle of a sword leaving its scabbard. "Insolent peasant! You dare insult the King and his family?" a guard roared as he charged at me before anyone had the chance to respond.As the sword arced towards me, I noticed that it had a faint glow of mana surrounding it. Augmenting his sword to attack an eight-year-old... this guy really showed no tact. The hood covering the guard's face was blown back as he charged towards me, revealing a rugged veteran's furious expression.Faces of horror could be seen clearly from those around us. The Twin Horns desperately tried to make their way towards the guard when they saw him attack me, to stop him from cleaving me in two. Even the King looked surprised at the unprecedented action of his guard, while the Queen had already frantically started reaching for her wand.My eyes stayed focused on the guard that was about to swing down, but I was quite relaxed. Whether or not it was because he was angry, or because the training the royal guards received was mediocre, his attack was rushed and full of openings. I didn't even need to will mana into my body to deal with him. I took a step forward with my right foot as his sword swung down towards me, then reached up and grabbed the space on the grip of his sword between the cross-guard and his hand.I proceeded to pivot on my right foot, using the momentum of his swing, while my body was parallel to the guard's. His reinforced sword whistled harmlessly through the empty space where I'd just been, creating a small fissure in the ground, and conversely embedding his sword in it. In one smooth movement, I quickly struck him in the jaw, which he hadn't bothered to guard with mana. The force of my upward punch, combined with his downward movement from his swing, created an impact much stronger than I'd expected. The guard only managed to let out a low grunt before he crumpled to the ground.My attention immediately focused, then, to Sebastian. As I had expected, the dense fool was silently muttering a spell as his beady eyes locked intently with mine.I decided to quietly deal with him, so I activated the acquire phase of Sylvia's will, which I called {Static Void}. This allowed me to separate myself from time and space for a very brief moment. Although I couldn't change anything around me, it did give me time to assess my situation. Currently, my limit for this ability is 2 seconds, but when all the cores are connected in a cycle, I have been able to extend it to 5-6 seconds without any repercussions.This allowed me to go unnoticed by the king. I am not strong enough to act against the King yet.As {Static Void} activated, the color drained from the world and everything stopped moving except for me and this worthless bug, Sebastian. I started striding toward him. The fool was so busy casting the spell that he didn't even notice the change in his surroundings. With a swift and forceful kick, I snapped one of his legs in two.Sebastian stumbled and lost his balance. Confused, he looked up to see me standing right in front of him. He looked down only to see his legs snapped in two as it bents inward."GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!""M-MY LEG! MY LEG!! AHHHHHHHH!""This space won't last long, so I'll make it quick. I'll tell you right now that it would be best for both of us if you stopped your hopeless pursuit of my bond. I don't wish to make an enemy of this Kingdom's leader, thus I'm giving you one last chance." As I gazed down at him, my expression devoid of any emotion, I exuded a powerful aura of killing intent. It was palpable in the air, and he instinctively knew that it was in his best interest to comply."KNOW. YOUR. PLACE"I turned my back to him. He was having difficulty breathing, with tears rolling down his cheeks and snot all over his face.~~A/N: First, I would like to apologize for not uploading any new chapter for three days. My mom suddenly asked me to come with her to a nearby city, so I was out for 3 days. I will try to make up for it so don't worry and a good news for readers who are bored because of copy-pasting as I am finally done with the build-up.I have a question do you want a long adventuring period or should I just skip it? It's because it will probably be filler-type.