Be My Friend..

The Royal Library in the palace was full of books, so many that Vastarael couldn't finish them all. However, thanks to Phaenora, who is an Omniscient, he had a moving library as a companion.

Even if the Mage and Blade Nexus have an extensive collection of ancient times and texts, they couldn't read them all. But Vastarael has a companion who has the Tether to absorb knowledge.

Phaenora is an Omniscient, one of the Four Great Races. She has her own capabilities too.

Aeterium have near indestructible souls.

Celestials have immense power both in their body and soul, even more than the Aeterium.

Verdarites, also known as World Trees, have a very powerful connection with nature.

And for Omniscients, they can absorb knowledge from anything they encounter. It's like psychometry on an universal level. Ever since he was four, Phaenora has always been absorbing knowledge from the hundreds of thousands of books in the Royal Library.

The more knowledgeable Phaenora has, the more powerful she gets. Omniscients become stronger through knowledge and mental training.

That's how he learned about the secrets of Xypelia, the northern icy continent ruled by Dynasty Starisnova. It was from a diary from a mortal dwarf living in Xypelia, explaining about the mountains of the continent and the wonderful things Dynasty Starisnova helped the Xypelians.

Of course, to the rest of the Nexuses, this would be considered as traitorous. And of course, only Vastarael and Phaenora know about this. So right now, he had information that would very well lead to the war between Starisnova and the other Nexuses.

"You want to know what I want? Fine. I'll tell you. But understand, Princess Narisva, that this isn't a negotiation. It's an ultimatum."

Narisva had been expecting a request, perhaps even a demand, but something about Vastarael's tone made her uneasy.

"First," Vastarael began, his voice dropping into an icy calm, "I want three favors from you. Three. No more, no less. And you will promise... no, swear, on the very essence of Spheraphase itself that you will never deny me these favors, no matter what they are."

Narisva stiffened, her lips parting to speak, but he held up a hand to silence her.

"Don't interrupt me. You will make this vow, or there will be consequences. Breaking a Vow of the World is fatal. You know this as well as I do. If you agree, your life and your Dynasty's legacy remain intact. If you refuse..."

"I will ensure that the secrets of Xypelia reach every corner of Spheraphase. Your people, your ancestors, your very bloodline will be labeled traitors, and there won't be a single Dynasty willing to come to your aid."

Narisva's starry eyes widened, her usual composure slipping slightly. Vastarael noticed the faint trembling of her lips, the first sign of hesitation he had ever seen from her.

"Second," he continued, "you will tell me your Boon and Bane. All of it. No omissions, no half-truths. You will lay bare the essence of your existence, and you will do so without hesitation. Refuse, and the same fate befalls your Dynasty."

Her shock transformed into a cold glare, her jaw tightening as the weight of his demands settled on her.

"And finally," Vastarael said, his voice taking on an edge of finality, "you will become my friend.*

The words hung in the frigid air, their weight suffocating.

"You will vow, again to Spheraphase itself, that you will never betray me, never conspire against me. If you even consider breaking that bond, the world itself will strike you down."

Narisva's icy composure cracked, her eyes blazing with fury as she stood abruptly. Her voice, usually calm and authoritative, trembled with anger.

"You dare to demand this of me? Of me? You have no idea what you're asking—no, forcing me to do!"

Vastarael stood as well, his expression unreadable but his voice steady.

"I know exactly what I'm asking, Narisva. And I know exactly what's at stake. You can hate me all you want, but the truth remains. If you don't agree to these terms, your Dynasty is finished."

"You think I'll just roll over and submit to you?!"

"I think that you're smart enough to know when you're out of options. This isn't about submission. It's about survival. You can either protect your people and ensure their future, or you can cling to your pride and watch everything you've ever cared about crumble."

Narisva stared at him, her chest rising and falling with barely suppressed rage. The silence between them stretched on, the wind howling around the spire as if the world itself were urging her to decide.

"You truly are a cruel man," she said finally, her voice quieter now, though the venom in her words was unmistakable.

Vastarael didn't flinch.

"Perhaps. But cruelty is sometimes necessary to protect what matters. Besides, I went to have the favor of the strongest Seventh Enlightenment."

Her fists clenched at her sides and she closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath. When she opened them again, her starry gaze was steady, though the fire in her eyes had dimmed slightly.

"Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "I'll make the vows. But mark my words, Prince Vastarael, if you break your end of this agreement, I will make sure Spheraphase itself remembers your name in shame."

A faint, bitter smile tugged at Vastarael's lips.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

Narisva's voice was tight, trembling with rage as she stood on the precipice of something irreversible. She clenched her fists tightly, her nails biting into her palms as she began to say the vows.

"I vow to Spheraphase itself that I will grant you three favors, no matter what they are. I will not deny you, nor will I attempt to twist the meaning of your requests."

As the last word left her lips, a soft white glow materialized around her chest. Slowly, ethereal chains formed, their spectral links tightening around her heart. She winced, feeling their binding power pull at her soul.

"I vow," she continued, her voice faltering, "to... never speak of the knowledge you've shared with me, nor of the agreement we've made here today. Should I ever betray this vow, I... accept that Spheraphase will strike me down without mercy."

Again, the chains grew tighter, their weight pressing against her as though the world itself was listening, judging, and binding her to her words.

Her next vow came slower, each word dripping with venom.

"I vow to become your... friend. I will not betray you, nor conspire against you. But only if you grant me the freedom to do whatever I please."

"Mmm. Okay. You're not my slave after all so... sure. You can live however you want."

The final chain looped around her heart, its presence sending a jolt through her body. Narisva gasped, her knees buckling slightly as the binding took hold. Unlike before, this vow carried an intimacy that startled her. Her entire body responded to the bond, warmth flooding her senses in a way she had never experienced.

For a fleeting moment, it felt as if she were lying in a bed shared with someone she cherished, their presence grounding her amidst the storm of emotions.

'What is this pleasant feeling?' She asked herself, clutching her chest. 'He's a manipulative bastard so why is his soul so... pure?'

This was a very complicated process for her.

Vastarael observed her reaction with a smirk, his calm facade betraying the satisfaction he took in her struggle.

"Now, it's my turn."

He placed his hand over his chest as he spoke his vow.

"I vow to Spheraphase that I will ask for no more than three favors. My requests will never exceed the boundaries of this agreement, and I will not seek to exploit your trust beyond what we have sworn here."

A white aura swirled around him as chains began to form, circling his heart. Unlike Narisva, his body seemed accustomed to such bindings, though the tightening was no less potent.

Just as the final links settled, a voice cut through the tense air.

[Making her your friend, huh? I find her intriguing. She could be quite useful to us. Not bad.]

Narisva's head snapped up, her starry eyes narrowing.

"What... is that?"

Vastarael smirked faintly, surprised that she could hear Phaenora. This further proved that Chainless could hear her too.

"Phaenora. My ever-curious companion. Narisva Starisnova, you are now bound as my friend. Consider it... a promotion."

The chains around Narisva pulsed, their energy shifting and twisting as a secondary layer of binding enveloped her. She gasped sharply, her body trembling as the bond solidified. Her starry eyes fluttered shut as the sensation overwhelmed her, her cheeks tinged with the faintest hint of color.

The feeling was... pleasant?

It felt like she was relaxing in a hot bath after a very long day.

"Enjoying yourself?" Vastarael asked, his smirk deepening.

Narisva snapped her eyes open, glaring at him through her mortification.

"You—!"

But before she could say more, Vastarael stepped back, the wind whipping around him.

"Goodbye, Miss Narisva. It's been enlightening. We will see each other soon."

With a deft motion, he leaped from the spire, the air rushing past him as he kicked against it with each descent, slowing his fall with graceful precision.

Narisva stood frozen, the bonds still thrumming within her. Her starry gaze followed his figure as he descended, her lips pressed into a thin line. Regret churned within her, bitter and unrelenting.

"I should have never agreed to talk to him. Dynasty Richinaria members are truly snakes just as the legends say."