Chapter 10 – Royal Punishment

Kyle had officially given up. Not from defeat, but out of spiritual exhaustion. A man could only watch so many divine notifications pop up about chicken-themed miracles before something inside him cracked permanently.

He wandered the temple halls barefoot, dressed in ceremonial pajamas. They were gold-threaded, impossibly soft, and stitched with glowing sigils that shimmered under the moonlight. Every few steps, an acolyte bowed. Every few hours, someone offered him tea, devotion, or blessings in the name of poultry fertility. He refused all of it. Especially the tea. It tasted like incense.

[ WP -1 ]

The temple had changed. The inner sanctum now featured a mural of the Miracle Egg. The outer sanctum had a glowing image of Kyle, haloed and shirtless, standing between two hens. The kitchen now had a chicken-shaped oven. Even the sacred chicken had its own shrine. And followers. And a fan club.

Kyle stepped outside into the temple gardens. Fireflies danced in the air. Chickens strutted through the flowerbeds like they owned the place. A pair of children skipped by singing:

Feathered light, glowing bright, Divine seed in the holy night~

He stopped. "Nope. That's where I draw the line. Children should not be singing about divine seed."

[ WP + 2 for righteous indignation ]

Lina appeared behind him, holding a basket of softly glowing eggs. She wore flowing robes now, officially titled High Cluckmate, a rank the system had apparently assigned her without his consent.

"Great One, are you feeling better?" she asked, holding out a warm egg.

"No. And I never will be."

She tilted her head. "Just tell this mere human how to help."

"You want to help?" Kyle sighed. "Start by not calling me Great One. Just call me Kyle."

"I shouldn't say such impolite things."

"This is your first obligation."

Without warning, she produced a notebook from somewhere beneath her robe.

Verse 7: The first official task of the messenger. The Great One commands the chosen to call his name, so their souls may unite.

He stared at the book, defeated.

[ WP +330 ]

"Where do you even get this stuff?"

The egg in his hand vibrated.

[ Miracle Egg is responding to emotional resonance ]

"I'm not your father," Kyle said sternly.

The egg stopped. Then it glowed. Then it cracked. Then it chirped.

Lina gasped. "It hatched early! That wasn't supposed to happen for another three chapters!"

Kyle backed away. "That thing better not imprint on me. I swear."

A tiny golden chick rolled out of the egg. It opened its eyes. Divine runes shimmered in its gaze, the same ones that had appeared on Kyle's arms during... that time.

It chirped once. Then jumped onto his shoulder and let out a tiny, imperious cluck.

[ New Follower Acquired: Divine Hatchling ]

[ Bonded to Host: Kyle Emberton ]

Passive Skill: Aura of Destiny +5% to all Chicken-Based Event.

"Of course," Kyle muttered. "Of course, it's mine."

The sacred chicken waddled over and bowed. The chick bowed back. A soft breeze passed through the garden. From the temple towers, bells rang.

[ Divine Lineage Confirmed ]

[ New Title Unlocked: Father of the First Cluck ]

Kyle stared blankly into the distance.

"I'm going back to bed."

"Do you want your divine slippers?" Lina asked. "They have little wings on the sides now."

He didn't answer. Just walked off. The chick chirped and fluffed up on his shoulder.

High above, stars began to shift. Far away in the capital, a royal seer dropped her wine glass. 'The Child of Cluck has hatched' And somewhere deep beneath the earth, something ancient stirred.

It clucked.

***

Kyle didn't even make it to bed.

A royal carriage arrived, flanked by gold-plated knights and an honor guard of flute players who only knew chicken-themed melodies. The High Priest called it a divine summons. Kyle called it deeply stupid.

But he went anyway. Lina packed sandwiches. The newborn chick insisted on coming along.

The capital was absurd. Banners bearing Kyle's image draped across every tower. Many featured him shirtless and glowing, like some sort of celestial fitness model. Temple bells rang on loop. People wept when he passed. A flower girl offered him a single egg.

"Is this boiled?"

"No. It is Blessed."

The throne room was no room at all. It was a full stadium. Kyle stood on a glowing dais beside Lina and the newborn sacred chick. Across from them, the King sat on his throne, pale and sweating. The Queen sat beside him, far too composed. And radiant. Much too radiant.

"Great One," the King began, bowing so hard his crown slipped, "we've learned of my daughter's transgression. Her sword raised against your divine feathers cannot go unanswered."

Kyle raised a brow. "It's fine. She barely scratched me."

"No, no," the King insisted. "The people demand punishment. As per royal custom, I am prepared to parade her through the city, shackled and disrobed, so that none may dare defy your holiness again."

"What the hell kind of customs are those?"

Lina whispered, "Actually, that's tame."

"I hate this place."

Instead, they moved to a private room lined with velvet and silks. Only the King, Queen, Princess Alya, her younger sister Ilya, Kyle, Lina, and the chick were present.

The King produced a ceremonial paddle shaped like a chicken foot.

"I shall strike her as penance," he announced. He raised the paddle.

THWACK!

The princess gasped. "Ah~!"

He hit her again.

THWACK!

"U-uh~!"

Kyle winced. "Okay. That's enough. I'll do it."

He took the paddle and gave a light tap.

The princess shivered. "Mmm... better."

Alya's face flushed. "D-don't get the wrong idea! I'm not enjoying this or anything! I just… deserve punishment for losing to someone like you!"

Kyle blinked. "What a strange girl."

Alya, still in position, wiggled slightly. "I can take more, Great One. For the kingdom. Not because I like it! Idiot!"

Kyle took a cautious step back. "Yeah, we're done with that."

From the side, Queen Vanya's eyes narrowed. She tilted her head slightly, watching her daughter with a look somewhere between concern and curiosity.

After hearing those... noises, Queen Vanya was clearly tempted. Too tempted.

The Queen stood gracefully. "Perhaps I should take my daughter's place. A mother cannot bear to watch this."

Kyle squinted. "You say that like you're doing it out of love, but I'm pretty sure this is something else entirely."

Queen Vanya stepped closer. "Then let me bear her burden. I have more experience handling royal matters."

"I really don't think that's necessary," Kyle said, already backing toward the nearest door.

Alya perked up from the couch. "Mother, he hits a little soft. You may want to guide his hands."

"I will," Queen Vanya said, smiling like this was a perfectly normal afternoon.

Kyle held up both hands. "No guiding. No paddling. No royal tag-team punishments. This is officially weird."

Vanya placed a hand on his chest. "Then let me show you how a queen endures discipline."

He jumped back like her touch was radioactive. "Lady, I fought lava beasts. That was less terrifying than this."

Vanya followed, calm and determined. "Do not be afraid, Great One. We are simply honoring tradition."

"You are trying to get spanked and calling it national policy."

Alya clapped. "He's so assertive. Mother, I like him even more now."

[ Do you want to be summoned to another world where only plumbing is needed? ]

Ps: In that world, you're the sole plumber. Everyone else is a woman. Every payment is made by fulfilling... intimate desires. Are you ready to be summoned there?

[ YES ] [ NO ]

Kyle stared at the prompt like it personally insulted his ancestors. "No thank you. This is clearly better."

Queen Vanya raised the paddle, offering it with both hands. "Please. Just one ceremonial strike."

Kyle stared at it, defeated. He looked at the chick on his shoulder. The chick looked back.

He sighed. "I'm going to need a therapist when this is over."

The chick chirped sympathetically.

Ilya leaned in with a smirk. "Father isn't the real ruler, you know. Mother holds the bloodline. He's just a crown model."

[ New Questline Unlocked: The Throne Behind the Throne ]

[ Warning: Royal Drama Intensifying ]

In a dark corner of the palace, an ancient rooster opened one eye and clucked.

Queen Vanya stepped forward with unsettling determination. "Just once, alright? One sacred strike and we call it done."

Kyle sighed. "Fine. Just once. Deal."

He handed the sacred chick to the King. "Here. Hold this."

The King accepted it like he was cradling destiny itself.

Kyle turned to Lina and Ilya. "Can you two wait outside? This feels wrong with an audience. Really wrong."

Lina nodded solemnly. "Of course."

Ilya smirked. "Take your time. Mother can get... thorough."

Kyle winced. "Please don't say things like that."

No one objected. Even the ridiculous King seemed relieved to be left alone with the chick.

Kyle closed the door and turned back toward Queen and Alya.

His jaw dropped. The Queen was already lifting her dress.

"Wait... isn't this too much?"

"Great One, let me take Alya's place," she said softly.

"I still think this is too much. Way too much." Kyle muttered.

"No, Mother. I love you, but I deserve this. Let me receive twice the punishment."

"Do you like it that much?" he asked, confused.

"N-No," she answered, still in position, her cheeky rear lifted in the air. "Don't misinterpret this, dummy. I'm just being patriotic!"

"What a weird fetish."

The Queen moved behind Kyle. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing against his back. Her hands guided his.

"Like this," she whispered, helping him lift the paddle and bring it down.

SMACK!

"Ahh~" Alya bit her lip. "M-more, Great One... for justice."

The Queen tightened her grip. Now both her hands moved with his, her warmth wrapping around him like silk.

She leaned in. "Don't hesitate, Great One."

SMACK!

"So good... I-I mean—undeniably just."

Then she bit his ear.

Kyle froze. Goosebumps crawled up his spine. His pants tightened. His internal alarm screamed louder than any system alert.

"I can't do this anymore," he muttered. "I can't hold it any longer."

The Queen let him go.

"Then let's talk, Great One," she said gently, settling onto the edge of the bed like this was a completely normal royal discussion.

Kyle dropped the paddle like it burned. Alya pouted but obediently followed her mother to the bedside.

Queen Vanya smoothed her robes and looked up at him.

"Do you want to marry me?"

"No. I won't."

She raised a hand before he could walk out. "At least listen to what I'm about to say."

Kyle crossed his arms. "Why?"

"We could rule together," she said softly. "I've heard everything you've done. I know you're the one the prophecy speaks of."

He raised an eyebrow. "Prophecy?"

"Here me out…" Queen said.