unforseen events
[Name: Leonel]
Title: Hero/T****R
Class: Hero
Str: 3rd order (90%)
Spd: 4th order (20%)
Int: 4th order (50%)
Phq: 4th order (50%)
Mana: 5th order (30%)
Talents: Quick learning, quick adaptation, hero's will, swordsmanship, magic affinity
Equipment: 11th grade demonic ring (skills: demonic summon (0/3), demonic absorption, anti-demonic magic, partial transformation)
---
"Thanks to the system and the ring! My growth rate is incredible! Ever since I started summoning those weakling demons and absorbing their demonic Mana, along with the system's help, I could convert their power into my own. Right now, I'm already stronger than that princess! And it's only been two days since I got the system… Amazing!!" Leonel thought to himself, a wicked smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he walked out of the room.
---
Meanwhile, in her chamber, Princess Roselle sat cross-legged on her bed, as if in the middle of a deep, ancient meditation technique. The soft glow of her Mana flickered around her, reflecting the strength of her newfound power.
"I've broken through to the sixth order—all thanks to my ancestor! The difference between the fifth order and sixth order is truly incredible. I feel so much stronger, even without relying on physical enhancement! Perhaps, with the help of the ancestor, I might not even need Leonel anymore…" she thought to herself as she stabilized her Mana, but just as quickly, she dismissed the idea. After all, having one more pillar of strength wasn't bad at all.
Just as she finished, a knock on the door broke her concentration.
"Who's there?" Roselle called out, her voice calm but alert. She wasn't expecting anyone.
"It's me, Leonel! May I come in, Your Majesty?" came the muffled voice from the other side.
"Come in," she replied, her tone formal yet slightly wary.
---
Leonel entered the room, his smile never faltering. The moment the door closed behind him, Roselle's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer than usual. Something was off about him. Her intuition, honed by years of training and the ancestral spirit inside her, warned her to stay cautious.
"Is everything okay?" Leonel asked, his wry smile attempting to mask the tension in the air.
"Yes, everything's fine," Roselle replied, though her eyes narrowed slightly as she continued. "But I couldn't help but notice… You're already at the fifth order of magic?"
Leonel chuckled. "Well, it's all thanks to the power of the ring! It lets me absorb Mana much faster than before."
She wasn't convinced. Her gaze turned sharp. "Then… could you explain why your body is as strong as a seasoned warrior? There's no way that's just due to Mana."
Her tone had shifted—serious and probing—and Leonel felt it. Something wasn't right. Roselle was no fool.
"Are you suspecting that I'm hiding something from you?" Leonel asked, his voice gentle, though a flicker of tension lingered behind his smile. He leaned against the wall, attempting to remain nonchalant.
"Maybe," Roselle replied, her suspicion still clear. "I'm just curious. You've progressed so quickly without any proper guidance."
Leonel's smile remained as calm as ever. "Well, even a servant is allowed to have secrets, not to mention I'm already off the status! I'm your hero-in-training, and I don't see why I can't have my own little secrets."
He spoke with such confidence, as if his own words could cloud her judgment. But Roselle wasn't easily fooled.
---
At that moment, an urgent quest popped up in Leonel's system interface:
[Urgent quest: Win against the princess]
Reward: +30% in all stats
Failure: Imprisonment
The system's notification echoed in Leonel's mind, but he only gave a small, satisfied smirk. This was the kind of challenge he could work with.
---
Roselle, however, wasn't about to let him off the hook that easily. She narrowed her eyes. "Then I order you, as your princess, to tell me everything."
Leonel's gaze hardened, but he maintained his smile. "Then I refuse, as your hero!" he retorted, still cool and calm, but with a hint of defiance.
---
There was a brief silence as their gazes locked, each measuring the other. But then, Roselle's eyes glowed with an eerie intensity, and with a snap of her fingers, a surge of magic erupted from her, sending a shockwave that threw Leonel through the wall of the room. His body crashed into the stone, creating a large imprint of his form.
---
"Impossible!" Leonel grunted, struggling to push himself up. His body ached from the spell she had cast. The difference between the fifth and sixth order was vast—he could feel it now more than ever. The power gap between him and Roselle was staggering.
As he tried to regain his bearings, he muttered to himself, his mind reeling from the sheer force of the princess's magic. [Losing consciousness in...]
10... 6... 2... 1...
---
Three hours later…
---
[The dungeons of Aelfhim]
Leonel groggily woke up in the dark, cold dungeons beneath the royal palace. His arms were shackled by reinforced chains, and a magic suppression barrier enveloped the walls, dampening his Mana. He could hardly move, his body aching from the last encounter.
"How unfortunate," Leonel muttered to himself as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. He was trapped, and there was no way out without help. The chains, designed to prevent escape from anyone of his caliber, felt like they were made to mock him.
In that moment, he couldn't suppress the bitter thoughts that flooded his mind. "At every turn, I've been looked down upon! Even in this new life, all I wanted was strength—enough strength to protect myself. Yet I can't even attain that, even with all the external help I've gotten! I'm just a pawn… and now, I'm going to die in a prison cell."
His hands gripped the chains, trying in vain to break free. His magic felt suppressed, and there was no sign of his usual power. The weight of his situation hit him hard.
---
Suddenly, a familiar sound broke his reverie. The sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor outside, and the door creaked open.
"It seems you're awake," Roselle's voice rang out, cold and authoritative. She stood at the entrance, flanked by guards. "For some reason, the ring surrounded itself with a powerful barrier protecting your hands. Now that you're awake, why don't you cooperate with us?" She gestured to the guards. "You can start by handing over the ring."
---
Leonel, despite his circumstances, felt a twisted grin form on his lips as he glanced at the ring still clutched in his hands.
"Hey, system," he muttered under his breath. "With my current Mana reserves, what kind of demon can I summon?"
The system's response appeared before him:
[With your current Mana, these are your options:]
1st Hell: Every demon, including those with royal blood essence.
2nd Hell: Every demon, except those with royal blood essence.
3rd Hell: ...
---
Leonel's mind raced with possibilities. He wasn't defeated yet. He could still escape—if he played his cards right.