Chapter 41 - The King's Gambit!

On the street.

Kara, looking at the king, pulled his hand from her arm. – It's hurting me...

Arthur, laughing, placed his hand on his chin. "Does a child have this strength?! I didn't put much effort but despite that. Even though she is an amazon, this strength is too much... And most importantly, she can look into the red eyes of the Spirit of Justice." he thought to himself. – How old are you?

Kara showed four fingers.

Arthur ran his hand over her head and smiled. – Where are your parents?

Looking at him, Kara cried and covered her face.

Arthur smiled and took her arm from her face. – Do you know who I am?

His fake smile showed that he was up to something, poor little one.

Arthur wiped the girl's tears, and she looked at him in surprise. – Yes...

– Well, I am alone, you are alone. Do you want to be my daughter and keep me company? – Arthur asked with a smile on his face.

– UUUUWAAAH!!! – The girl's tears and sobs only intensified.

With a stoic face, Arthur squeaked. – Use words, kid! Yes, or no? – he asked.

Behind the crying girl, Butler looked at his master with his hands behind his back. – My king, please don't manipulate a child to achieve your goals... – he whispered, rolling his eyes.

Arthur, looking at her, kissed her forehead. – Now you are Kara Treadway. – he said, taking her hand and leading her towards the Chamberlain mansion. – I am not manipulating the child, did you not see that she can look at the draconic eyes? And her strength is out of the ordinary. Imagine when she has activated her core...

Walking behind them with his hands behind his back, Butler rolled his eyes. – Who does not know that the king is cunning? And uses intrigues to his advantage?

Kara, walking beside the king, looked at Butler.

Butler, looking her up and down. "This girl has a reddish skin. I only know five beings with that color. I've never seen a human with that color. Is she a Phoenix?!"

…

Minutes later, at the Chamberlain mansion.

Arthur, holding Kara's hand, looked around and when he saw a woman pass by. – Butler, take that woman to the boardroom now. – he demanded, walking towards the meeting room.

…

In the meeting room.

"Butler will train this girl. She will have tasks that I won't be able to do as king, but a princess will..." Arthur thought, sitting and looking at Kara.

Butler entered the room accompanied by a brunette with brown eyes, a slender body, and a normal height for an Amazon, wearing a simple blue kimono that accentuated her sweet appearance.

The butler extended his hand towards the woman. – Lord, this is Victoria. Miss Selena's assistant...

It was a very familiar name for Arthur, too familiar.

Victoria crouched. – My king...

Arthur, looking at her, his eyes opened even wider. – Victoria?! … It's been five years...

– Y-yes, it's been a long time... – Victoria whispered, head down.

– Last time we spoke was at the Supreme Championship. You wanted to kill me. You were wearing a rank seven armor, it's very rare. It must have cost a fortune. Where did you get it?

Looking at the floor, Victoria rested her eyes on Kara's face and smiled. "What a beautiful child..." she admired the girl. – … It was in the city of Athens, my king... – she said in a trembling voice.

– You never called me by my title. When I was a prince, you called me by name and attacked me when you understood... I remember that I invited you for a walk and you never answered. We can take the opportunity to show me where you got the armor... – Arthur suggested, looking at her.

Victoria blushed. – F-Forgive me for that time, I was a child... About the tour, I don't think it's possible due to the context of war... – she said with a shy posture.

Smiling, Arthur ran his hand over Kara's head. – It's not for today, of course. For now, I want you to take Kara. I could ask Butler, but... – he said, looking at Butler, seeing the disinterest on the butler's face, he sighed. 

– Kara needs affection. I want you to take her to Selena to do tests on her, then talk to the servants to bathe her and dress her, she will sleep in one of the rooms near mine... – Arthur continued.

Looking at her, Victoria analyzed the torn clothes. – C-Can I ask who the girl is? – she asked, with a narrowed look.

Arthur lowered his head, looking at Kara with a smile. – My daughter. – he declared.

He would come to be called a monster for what he would do with this child, and with this woman.

..

Days later, in Hera's chambers, at the Chamberlain mansion.

Hera was sitting on the floor in a meditative position, covering her light dress with a white robe. A silver pendant that went down from her hair to her forehead, and dark circles under her eyes showed her tiredness. She controlled her breathing using the Five Rose Technique created by her older sister, Athena.

"It's been months since I'm trying. I've cultivated, taken Qi pills, Qi medications, ginseng, and so many other plants... What's missing, Light...?" Hera thought, absorbing Qi.

"Free your ambitious mind, get rid of yourself! He who wants to win has to lose first." Arthur's words echoed in her head.

"Is that so? So, my problem is me? To free myself from me..." she thought, entering a mode of absolute concentration.

A blue dust surrounded her body, making her hair float. Her eyes opened, and a blue light emanated from them. She had a breakthrough.

Hera spat blood, began to bleed from her eyes, ears, nostrils and even pores. Her body released black blood, she was going through the process of reconstructing her body.

"What's going on?! My skin, my eyes, everything is BURNING!!! AAAHHHH" her skin was red. – Agh!!! – Blood flowed from her mouth.

The pain was agonizing as her body purified not only the Qi channels but also her inner Qi itself, preparing her body to enter the Immortal Dimension.

In severe pain, Hera lost control of her breathing. "IT HURTS TOO MUCH!!" she thought, her clothes getting dirty from the impurities coming out of her body.

"Hera, focus! I've studied and read about this in books... It is body reconstruction. First the impurities, then the bones..." Hera told herself.

At that moment, the woman's bones broke and turned into pieces. Her eyes opened, her skin turned purple, and she screamed. Hera felt the pain of having all her bones destroyed.

Her screams were audible throughout the mansion, and as she was about to close her eyes, she heard Arthur's voice.

– Hera! Don't close your eyes! HERA!!! – Arthur shouted.