CHAPTER 9 - MY EVERLASTING VOW TO THE PRINCESS~ 

“My name is Princess Alessia Erindel, the 99th heir to the Kingdom of Agartha. A few days ago, my father; King Erindel was murdered. I was framed, and now everyone else now points me as a culprit.”

Lizzy explained as she leaned on the railings of the balcony. She kept on waving her popsicle as if she’s holding a teacher’s stick.

“Kingdom of Agartha, you mean the city inside the earth?”

“To put it simply, yes. But it’s slightly complicated because you can’t just enter the kingdom by drilling all your way to the earth’s core. You see, Agartha exists in a different plane of existence that is too complex for mortals like you to comprehend.”

She spoke as if she’s not human. Well, considering that she can do magic and stuff, she might as well be. I stayed silent to listen to her talks.

When she finished her popsicle, she presented the stick to me which started to burn with bluish-white flames. The flames unleash colorful glowing dust that makes it look like a firecracker. She lent it to me so I immediately accepted it to have a greater view of this magic trick.

“Wow.”

“We Agarthans are evolved races of humans, as we have unlocked the secrets of magic. Aside from that, we use technology that is far more advanced than the human world. You may have seen those UFOs in the news. Those are our vehicles, some of them at least. Our kingdom has attained the status of a utopia for thousands of years.”

“I wonder what your kingdom looks like,” I muttered. 

“I’ll bring you there if we get a chance.” Lizzy crossed her arms. “For now, I have to lay low from the Aegis Knights that are trying to capture and kill me. I’m wanted, dead or alive after all.”

“Aegis Knights, you mean that blonde man who attacked us?”

“Yes. They are highly-trained Agarthan knights who serve the kingdom. Of course, they’re no match for me but I’ll be dead if I get outnumbered. One of them even managed to inflict a harmful curse on me.”

Lizzy turned away to hide her face, but I swear she’s blushing. She started to mumble as she said the next words.

“I’m actually lucky that you discovered me back in the grove. If I stayed there a little longer, the Aegis Knights would have ambushed me when I was injured and weak.”

“I was lucky that I discovered you bathing in the grove too,” I said with a smile.

Suddenly, Lizzy materialized a magical sword and pointed it at my throat. Her glaring golden eyes are full of murderous intent.

“You want to die, stupid donkey?”

“N-No!” I shrieked. “I didn’t mean it like that!”

Lizzy dematerialized her sword, but the killing stare was still there. I made a soft sigh in order to calm myself before giving out my explanation.

“I mean, you saved my life. Back then, I'm planning to end my suffering by drowning myself in the lake. If you weren't there at that time, I might've been a dead corpse floating around that lake, waiting to be discovered.”

Lizzy glared at me. At first, I thought she'll be scolding me for trying to do something stupid but she seemed to have restrained herself. She held her head as if she got a headache, and gave a deep sigh.

"You really are hopeless, aren't you?" She said.

"Well... Yeah." I scratched my head. "I think my life is a lost cause until I met you and received that weird system to me that night. I thought I can become a superhero with that power. What was that again? Arch-something-"

“Archonlight System, you stupid donkey." Lizzy corrected. "Archonlight System is the power of rulers, and it can do a lot more than real people. It is the power to program the world and alter reality with Command Codes. It’s not even considered magic or technology, but reality alteration.”

“Program the world? You mean it’s like the power of game developers to alter a game?”

“Precisely. But instead of a game, Archons can control reality at will with the help of the codes. You can treat the universe as a one big glitchless and bugless simulation. And the Archonlight System is a program to alter it. For all we know, Archonlight System is the closest thing to becoming a god.”

“That explains why the Command Codes I saw looked like a cheat list,” I whispered to myself.

There was an awkward silence between us again. Lizzy is enjoying the breeze of the night winds. Her hair is fluttering so freely so she used her hand to pin some of it.

She glanced at me. For a hundredth time, I get to see her beautiful face up close. I think she's staring at my soul through my irises.

Lizzy had this slight smile on her face, but it was immediately erased. She immediately asked a question as she raised her finger. 

“I don’t want to drag you deeper than this, but this will be a big help for me. It’s not like I have a choice anyway. You can say no if you don’t want to.”

Lizzy took a deep breath and then unleashed her words.

“Would you like to have the Archonlight System to help me?"

There was silence. Pure silence. I don't know what to react just yet. I just stared at her eyes.

Lizzy thought that the atmosphere is getting back to awkwardness so she continued to talk while twirling her hair.

"I need to find the culprit on the murder of my father as well as the people who framed me, and I will need the help of an Archon. I saw that you handled the system well, so I think you’re suitable for the job. Well, you’ll be exposed to all sorts of danger and-”

“Stop right there.” I held Lizzy’s hand with both of my warm palms. “I’m in.”

“W-What?” She shrieked.

“See, I really wanted to have some superpowers ever since I was a child. I want to have that power again. So yes! I do!”

“You didn’t think through this, didn’t you?” Lizzy made a disgusted face. “You’re just like a child. A stupid donkey child.”

“I’m gonna help you anyway!” I laughed.

Lizzy pouted with her red cheeks. “Geez, fine then. But you have to do something first to prove your loyalty to me. I have to make sure that I’m giving my Archonlight to the right person.”

“What should I do, my princess?” I genuflected.

“It’s simple. Abandon your pride as a man and bow down to me.” Lizzy crossed her arms. “You also have to pledge that your life and loyalty are for me and me only.”

Hearing those, I immediately prostrated in front of her feet and made my oath.

“I pledge myself to be of service for Princess Alessia Erindel of Agartha, 99th heir to the throne, to hand and to hold, through sickness and in health, till death do us part! So help me God!”

“Y-You creep!” The princess cried in disgust. “What’s with that oath? Don’t you have any pride as a man, you stupid donkey?"

”What? You want me to lick your feet too?” I gently caressed her toes with my gentle fingers.

“N-No!” 

She shrugged my hands off and kicked my forehead. I can see that she’s embarrassed, and her face is red as strawberries. She started to walk away from the balcony and enter the room. 

“I’m tired, so I’m going to sleep now! I’ll use your room so you have to sleep on the sofa in the living room! Don’t you dare enter the room until morning, you perverted donkey!”

“Eeeeeh?” I tilted my head. “How about the Archonlight System?”

“I’ll reinstall it to you tomorrow! So get some sleep now!” She shouted before she had my bedroom door shut.

I can see great days ahead while living with the princess of Agartha.

Or so I thought.

<>

[Alessia Erindel Registered]

[Affinity Level Up to 1]

[Ultimate Unlocked]