[A/N: This chapter is a bit long, but informative ;)]
Ash sat upon the throne of Velora; a jagged relic of marble and gold perched precariously amidst the shattered grandeur of the throne room.
The once-pristine chamber now bore the scars of battle.
Seated on each armrest, vying for every inch of his body with a possessive fervor, were Nia and Vaeloria.
Nia's black-white hair spilled across his left shoulder, her warm breath brushing his neck as her fingers traced slow circles on his chest, while Vaeloria's ten tails curled around his right arm.
[Seris Kaelthar's Affection 44%]
Standing before the trio, their attitudes as different as night and day, were Seris and Thalion.
Despite her affection, Seris's crimson braids carried a weight of defiance, her ember-red eyes fixed on Ash with a daring challenge.
Beside her, Thalion's frail form, wrapped in tattered white robes, met Ash's gaze with a calm, almost eager acceptance.
Ash's golden-pink eyes shifted between them, taking in the unrelenting fire in Seris's stare and the quiet surrender in Thalion's, a slow smile playing at his lips.
'I'll let it be for now…' he thought.
He spoke up, his voice a lazy drawl as his fingers idly combed through the girls' hair, tangling in Nia's dual-colored strands and Vaeloria's midnight locks.
"Alright, I'll be honest. I don't know much about running a kingdom."
The words lingered, unvarnished and unexpected, a truth he hadn't planned to share so soon.
He didn't know where this road would lead, but one thing was certain—if he was going to take on this mantle, he'd make damn sure to do it well.
"Really?" Seris shot back, her voice sharp with frustration, fists tightening at her sides as though she could knock sense into him. "So you barged into this kingdom, grabbed the keys, and have no idea how to run it?"
Thalion, calm as ever, gave a slow, deliberate nod, his voice steady amid the chaos.
"Fair enough. Just tell us what you need, and we'll make it happen. When exactly are you planning to tell the world you're Velora's new king?"
The question piqued Ash's curiosity.
He tilted his head, brow knitting slightly.
The novel he'd once known had never gone this far; by the end of its first volume, Kale had only just reached A-rank at best and hadn't truly 'claimed' a crown.
His knowledge ended two kingdoms past Solace's fall, leaving him in the dark about this new game.
"Hm? Is there some kind of rush?" he asked, genuine confusion in his voice.
Seris rolled her eyes so hard it was almost audible.
The instant those crimson eyes flared with disdain, Nia slid off the armrest, stepping half a pace closer to the throne, chin high, golden flames flickering around her knuckles.
"And you're giving him that look because?" Her voice cut through the air like ice, halting Thalion mid-breath as he prepared to speak.
Seris shifted her gaze to the fiery intruder, sizing her up in one swift glance. She pegged Nia at Late B-rank—practically a child compared to her own power—yet the girl's sheer audacity earned nothing but a scoff.
She shot a glance at Ash, then at Vaeloria, whose presence remained an enigma even to her well-honed senses. With a shake of her head and a sigh of fresh exasperation, she pushed forward.
"Why speak up now? Without those two here, would you even have the nerve?"
Nia froze, the words hitting not with clarity but with a sharp sting she'd never known before.
The golden child, the protector who had always stood above her enemies—now reduced to being looked down upon. Her fists tightened, golden flames flickering as she hovered on the brink of violence, until Ash's voice sliced through the tension like a calming breeze.
"Little Nia… not now. Business first."
She let out a sharp breath, the flames fading as she settled back into the armrest, her body brushing his with a hint of possessiveness. On her way, her gaze caught Vaeloria's, a silent message flashing between them—'training. ASAP!'.
Vaeloria's lips curled into a knowing smile, her dark eyes sparkling with agreement. Ash motioned to Thalion, who stepped forward to speak of the crown's history.
His voice was a dry, measured cadence, each word steeped in centuries of meaning: the tradition dated back to the Era of Kings, when the Elarian Kingdom first forged its dominion.
The World Kingdom Ranking Stele bestowed an illusory crown upon its ruler—a symbol of power, yes, but also a devastating tool.
It granted the loyalty of every soul under the banner and, once a year, allowed the ruler to wield twenty percent of the combined strength of all cultivators sworn to him/her.
The revelation danced in Ash's mind.
'So, basically it gives me the loyalty of all those in the kingdom… and also allows me to use twenty percent of the power of every cultivator under the banner. Once a year.'
The offer was tempting—loyalty and power within reach—but Ash wasn't one to be swayed so easily. Did he need the boost? Maybe, but he already had a plan taking shape, one that meant keeping a low profile… for now.
"Alright, I won't take the crown. But it's staying with me. What I need most… is a list of the kingdom's finest talents, an inventory of the treasury, weapons, and…"
His voice faded as he began listing the matters he wanted to tackle first.
Meanwhile, beyond his focus, the world outside kept moving forward without pause.
------
As a new king took Velora's throne, a wave of ambition pushed toward Solace.
A convoy tore along the pale scar of the royal roads with unyielding precision, six colossal mana-driven carriages rumbling in flawless formation.
Overhead, crimson banners bearing the crowned serpent of House Voss cracked in the wind, catching the last red streaks of the dying sun—an omen of ruin for the kingdom ahead.
At the forefront, atop the lead carriage, a mobile throne of dark steel and crimson velvet hovered three meters above the roof, supported by pillars of shimmering mana.
Kale Voss lounged there like a king already crowned, long black hair whipping wildly in the wind, blue eyes cold and bright as winter stars piercing the twilight.
Flanking the throne platform were two women who had become more than mere tools in his rise.
Standing to the left stood Sylvara, nineteen, Late A-rank, skin pale as moonlight, waist-length ink-black hair, violet eyes that could drown a man's soul.
To the right stood Rhea, twenty-eight, Peak A-rank, sun-bronzed muscle and scars, short scarlet hair, amber eyes burning with determination.
The throne lowered through the roof into the rolling palace within.
Crimson velvet walls, floating chandeliers, war-table with three kingdoms already crossed out in fresh red. Kale leaned back, one boot crossed over the opposite knee, fingers drumming idly as he stared at the marker labeled "Solace Kingdom."
Sylvara knelt fluidly at his left, head bowed. Rhea stood at his right, sword planted.
"Tell me," Kale's voice sounded, low and lazy. "Has my mother made any contact?"
"Love, your mother did contact us a few days ago," Sylvara answered, voice honey and shadow.
"She said everything is good to go. You just have to show up and work your charm~" She offered a smile that could start wars.
Kale grinned, sharp and hungry. 'Good. Mother is always there.' He thought as he rose from his seat, already shrugging off his shirt, fabric sliding down sculpted muscle.
"It's been far too long since I've tasted you two."
He licked his lips.
In perfect sync, almost autonomous, both women stripped naked and approached him, silk and scale armor pooling on the floor like shed skins.
While their convoy rolled ever closer to the fourth kingdom doomed to fall, Kale Voss enjoyed himself.
----
Far from the distant rumble of Kale's march, Queen Sonna lay alone in the shadowed seclusion of her private chamber, the air thick with the scent of jasmine and regret.
Her silk sheets were already damp with sweat.
A black-and-crimson lotus was branded across her lower abdomen and womb, a mark that had haunted her for seventeen years.
Now it had begun to open again, its petals peeling back one by one, glowing brighter with each heartbeat. A molten craving surged through her veins, thick and consuming, until rational thought was swept away entirely.
She hated it, hated the way her thighs parted of their own accord, hated the way her fingers slid down her stomach without permission, tracing the burning mark before slipping lower.
A broken whimper escaped her lips as she touched herself, hips arching off the bed, the lotus flaring crimson with every stroke.
"Mmh~"
Memories flashed behind closed eyes; about the night the sweet and loving Sonna began to lose herself.
Years ago, she was raped by a King of an unranked kingdom. That was also the night Kale was conceived and coincidentally the same time her doom began.
Tears mixed with sweat as she chased the release her body demanded, fingers moving faster, breath hitching, until climax crashed over her like a punishing wave.
The lotus dimmed, petals folding halfway, granting her a few precious hours of clarity.
She lay there afterward, stark naked, chest heaving, staring at the ceiling with eyes full of disgust and self-loathing.
This mark on her, the lotus, it was nothing more than a curse. It began growing the night Kale began growing in her womb.
Its presence was so faint at the time that she didn't notice it.
Or maybe she had always been too weak to notice it at all.
In time, she did become aware of it, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't remove it. Then, when Kale was born, the lotus finally bloomed—bloomed into an Aspect.
--
[Aspect: Insatiable Lotus Heart (S) - The Lotus of Craving. This aspect will cause the user to feel unnaturally horny at times due to the buildup of 'Craving Essence.'
Passive Effects:
-The user's body will continuously generate "Craving Essence," a unique mana that pools in her core and slowly overflows. Every 6 hours the excess essence must be released, or it converts into raw, overwhelming lust that overrides rational thought.
-Skin contact with any person the user finds even mildly attractive multiplies the buildup speed by 300%.
-Orgasm (giving or receiving) is the only way to fully vent the essence without pain; each climax resets the timer and temporarily calms the lotus for 12-48 hours depending on intensity.
Active Effect – Petal Fall
-Once per day the user can force the lotus to bloom fully for exactly nine minutes. During this state: Every male within a 200-meter radius experiences an instant, mind-breaking surge of desire focused solely on the user. (Works up to one major rank higher than the user.)
-Their willpower is treated as if it's three minor realms lower when resisting the users voice, touch, or suggestions.
-Any verbal promise or oath spoken to the user while under Petal Fall becomes magically binding.
Drawbacks
-If the user goes more than 12 hours without release, the lotus begins devouring user's own life force, dropping one minor rank for every hour after.]
----
And which made matters worse, the Aspect bloomed the day Kale awakened his SSS ranked physique. Once she learned of the ability he had, the power to become a king amongst kings, her dream for revenge became real.
It all was perfect.
She had the power to bind a promise, and he had the ability to take crowns simply by an agreement. However, this all left her stepping further and further away from who she truly was.
The once innocent and loving maid.
However, her personal feelings truthfully mattered naught. The lotus would force her one way or another.
And with that came....
Months of her working on seduction and charm.
Anytime Kale was in seclusion she would practice around the kingdom and when he was free, she would practice on him. The first time she needed a release it was Kale who she used.
But the day he left to put their plans into motion. Was the day the final shred of the innocent and loving maid left.
For six months she seduced the kings, princes, and even prime ministers of the Kingdoms her and Kale mapped out. She planned it all perfectly, she would meet them days or weeks before Kale arrived at their Kingdom.
By the time she was done all he would need from them is a simple yes.
And how could they lie to her?
So, for months spent her time spreading her legs for kings and those of importance, stealing their oaths while Kale marched to their doorstep.
All this time she mascaraed her filth saying it was for the kingdom, for her son, for revenge, when every night the flower reminded her, she was nothing but a prisoner of her own flesh.
A shiver wracked her. She sat up and dressed herself with mechanical precision, smoothing royal velvet over skin that no longer felt like hers.
'He should be arriving at the Solace Kingdom soon. After that it's one more before we finally pay that bastard back.'
Her reflection in the mirror showed a beautiful queen with dead eyes.
She walked out of the room. In the corridor beyond, her sister Yonna waited, lounging against a pillar with a teasing smile.
"Let's go, we have to meet with the Darklight Kingdom."
"Oh, another target already?" Yonna laughed lightly. "King Caelum only left a few days ago, you know."
Sonna rolled her eyes, a practiced gesture to hide the ache. She never blamed Yonna for the jabs; her sister didn't know the truth.
'To her… I probably became a whore overnight.'
The thought deepened the disgust, but she buried it behind her regal facade as the two sisters left the room, footsteps echoing into the shadowed hall.