The queens woke up and, not seeing their husband by their side, went out to find him. He was on the beach.
The 117 beautiful women went out to seek the love of their hearts, who stood there, multiplied in that very number. He waited for each of them in a line; they ran and jumped onto him, embracing him. Every queen had her king. But there was a surprise: as they embraced, Kai activated his gravitational field, and the 117 kings began to float with their queens.
Some were startled. The princesses of the Sky Kingdom said, "We can fly." "But this time, I will carry you," Kai told them. They ascended toward the heavens. They saw the beach castle quickly receding; that man could fly. He climbed past the clouds; they could see the curvature of the planet, the ocean, and the continent stretching toward the horizon. They began to ascend so fast that, out of fear, they started to hold him tight.
Kai took them to a floating island he owned, practically at the highest point of the atmosphere, and descended there with them. Some felt lightheaded due to the lack of air, but he took them in his arms and led them to a seat. There was a small mansion with outdoor seating, and he seated each one of them. "I bring you to one of my domains." The boy had a floating island. The three princesses of the Sky Kingdom, the hawk women, said to him, "This is not an island from my country." Kai smiled: "Yes, in fact, I stole it from your country." They looked at him angrily but then gave him a kiss. "Why do you do that, thief?" "I'll tell you the story later," he said as he embraced and kissed each one.
They spent the entire day above. They ate and made love all day long. The girls bathed in that mansion while Kai waited for them with roses and flowers; each Kai kneeling for each queen. He told them: "My loves, I will love you forever, but do not mistake my love for trust. I love you from the heart, not from my mind. I will protect you, love you, and honor you. I expect the same from all of you."
Kai stood surrounded by a bouquet of flowers in front of each one. They looked at him and also knelt; they took the flowers and set them aside. They said: "We live for you." It was the same response they all gave in unison. The moon passed over their heads; night had fallen. He told them: "For the first time, I feel a little bit of happiness." And they, each with a smile: "No, my love; for the first time, we are happy."
The Return from the Sky and the New Order
The next day, Kai descended from the island. It was... how do you say it?... an epic descent. There were 117 kings showing all their power before the glory of the firmament, thanking the Lord for every moment. The queens had ear-to-ear smiles; they didn't just have the power of a throne as they once believed. They used to think Kai's only power was being a king; the throne was merely one of his attributes or benefits. He is the power itself.
In that moment, they all understood. Kai left them at the beach house and went to work while they got ready, bathed, and helped each other; because from that day on, they would exist only for their king. It wasn't that Kai forced them to stay home, but they understood that not every powerful man is as kind as he seems. Aren't powerful men famous for their jealousy? These daughters of kings knew that very well. From now on, they would only spend half the day at the palace and attend to tasks that didn't involve many people, as the government was already established and they didn't want to spark the king's wrath. Even though Kai wasn't like that, women know a man's heart better than anyone.
So, while Kai was talking to the governor, the governor asked about the queens. Kai told him, "I don't know, I left them and they haven't come, Alequi. They say they'll stay at the house these days. I want to ask you a question: how is Fausto doing with the castle construction?" "Everything is actually going well; it's all underway and we've started on the coastal city." "I see. I want all funds reserved for the central city castle, and let's also begin the urbanization of the southern coastal city. I've thought it over and decided this city will be the capital. You will be the governor of the capital." "Are you serious?" "Yes, because the coastal city to the south will be for supply traffic; there will be a lot of commerce, so it will be more of a merchant city. The central city will be a vast business metropolis, and the nobles will want to seize it. Fausto will have a lot of work against those people, and we will support him. So, to maintain political order and the country's power, I'm leaving it to you."
"Why do you trust me so much, Kai?" Alequi asked. "Because ever since you arrived, only good things have happened to me." Alequi stood up and bowed, thanking the king: "Thank you, my King, for your trust." Kai said, "And you don't have to bow. You are the second most powerful man in this kingdom besides me. I know the vampire king betrayed you. The nobles almost cut off your head; they took the love of your life. I know."
A few tears rolled down Alequi's face. "I was the vampire king's right hand. I didn't want his daughter; he betrothed me to her. She was in love with the vampires' champion. I am strong, but not that much... well, yes, I am stronger than the champion. I only wanted to serve my country, and they betrayed me. They falsely accused me and took everything I loved, everything I had. I loved my people; my devotion and happiness were protecting them. But they rejected me. If it weren't for the princess, your sister-in-law Kai—the first princess who was my former fiancée—they would have cut off my head. That baseless betrayal they did to me hurt deeply."
"I know, friend," Kai said. "Look, no one will touch you here. You are the second most powerful man on the peninsula, and I know there are about 60 nobles in the mansion seeking your attention." Alequi turned red. "Yes, many girls from other countries and kingdoms come to interview with me; they talk to me, they won't leave me alone." "See? God rewards hard work. God always rewards hard work, friend. Now you have an important position and no one will take it from you. Both the queens and I trust you greatly. I know you are a loyal man, which is why I'm giving you the nation's capital."
The two embraced, and Kai told them, "I won't be back for a few days. See you." The vampire bowed to his king and closed the door. "So the king has become a man," Alequi said. "Our king is a complete man thanks to these beautiful women. Take care of our king," said the 1500-year-old vampire.
The Secret of the Black Knight
The three months leading up to the coronation passed by; days felt like minutes. Alequi handled the kingdom's troubles with his servants and nobles; meanwhile, Fausto took charge of the Central City and the southern coastal city. Fausto was the father of Luna, one of the queens, a thousand-year-old duke.
So, while these people handled administrative matters, the wooden castle was a cacophony of pleasure. The young ones had surrendered to their desires. Kai, never slow or lazy, pampered them with chocolates, flowers, jewelry, and perfumes; but they didn't care for any of that, as they were used to having everything as princesses. What fascinated them was that their hero—the hero they admired as little girls—was now their husband. In fact, Kai didn't understand it, but he was the hero of the entire planet. He had no idea of his own fame. No one knew who the Black Knight was, but they did.
As teenagers after the Sun-to-Sun War—where the Black Knight set a limit on hell—the girls had dreamed of him; they fantasized about a hero who would rescue them from a dragon or a villain. The stories shared among the princesses, most of whom grew up together... their fantasy was becoming a reality. They were standing before their hero.
However, Kai didn't like heroes. Aurora, the noble of the church, asked him: "Why don't you like heroes, my love?" He said: "For two reasons, and I hope everyone is listening. To be a hero, someone has to be in danger, right?" Everyone agreed. "What happens if that hero doesn't arrive on time, or can't pass the test, or doesn't defeat the villain? The person dies, don't they? Or a village is destroyed. Right?" Everyone agreed. "That's one of the first reasons: to be a hero, someone has to risk their life. And the second," Kai said, "all heroes die and become legends. I have no desire to die," Kai said. "So, calling me King is enough." They all laughed, but the truth had come from his mouth: heroes die.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, the 36 monarchs of the planet gathered in the Dragon Empire. Something unprecedented: the Dragon Emperor had called a meeting to discuss his daughters' marriages to the new White Witch King. The 36 monarchs wanted to hang him. But the Amazon Queen, a beautiful woman and mother to two of Kai's wives, said: "Before you try to do anything to my son-in-law, I want you to see this."
As the 36 monarchs watched the video, they witnessed a massacre. The queen said: "This is footage from one of our spies who was monitoring the Tiger Army; a total of one hundred thousand bandits who attacked villages in different countries and kingdoms. Everyone said 'we tried to capture them,' but they always escaped. Well, this footage was taken on one of my kingdom's beaches," said the Amazon Queen.
Before they could even move, a man in a black suit, unarmed and dressed like a noble, appeared among them. And in that moment, they all saw... as you will see in the video, they paused it; the orb played on a giant mirror. "As you can see, including you, Dragon Emperor, I want you to see how this man killed one hundred thousand men in ten minutes." As they all watched the massacre, those ten minutes passed; then the queen rewound it. The King of the Black Witches said: "It's a butchery. They didn't even have time to move a single meter." "Yes. We have a witness who is practically psychologically scarred; she's terrified that being will return. She was our spy on the beach who filmed the video with the orb. And we have an image of this individual's face. As you can see, there is an immense force in his eyes—a blue cosmos emanates from them."
Everyone stared at him. "And who is this man? Do we have any proof of who he is?" "In fact, yes. I want to introduce Cardinal Alessandro Moretti." Alessandro entered, bowed, and greeted all the kings: "I address you, monarchs of all nations, to explain who this man is. This man is the powerful White Witch, named Kai Killerman. He is the secret weapon that the church kept under wraps for many years. He is the Black Knight. He is the one who ended the Sun-to-Sun War and destroyed the Tiger Army in the Amazon Kingdom. We have taken every precaution to keep his identity secret. So, he is the man married to all your daughters and the other noblewomen. The church has requested that everyone keep this video secret, and we have asked to confiscate the orb."
The Dragon Emperor said: "Are you telling me a monster created by the church is married to my granddaughters and my daughter?" —With all due respect, Emperor, Kai is not a monster; Kai is the hope this planet had ten years ago. —We could have exterminated the demons if we wanted, or heralds, whatever they're called —said the Dragon Emperor. —Yes, sir —Alessandro said— my Emperor... but the divine dragons did not move from their continent during the war, or am I mistaken? Kai, at only 16 years old, faced the entire vanguard of hell and even defeated... well, not defeated, but fought against four Archdemons with power very similar to yours. Kai was trained in every nation of the planet simultaneously; he is a supremely powerful being. The Church does not treat him as a monster; it treats him as an ally, and as King of the White Witches, he is a monarch like any of you. Therefore, the Church has requested that the marriages be respected. If this powerful king, or being we don't yet understand, has alliances with each of your kingdoms—and those alliances are the marriages to each of your daughters—there is very little chance he will attack us or subject us to his power. Kai is a supremely powerful being, my Emperor; in a few years, he may be the strongest being on the entire planet. That is why the Church has requested caution and understanding. We hope for a positive response from all kingdoms.
The emperor looked at him sideways. —Very well. I have heard you; now, please, leave.
The cardinal withdrew, and the monarchs remained in the room at that giant table, all seated. The Dragon Emperor spoke: —This boy might not be a threat today, but truly, if he fought the Riders of the Apocalypse, in a few years he might be an invincible being.
Everyone looked down. And the Hero King of the Human Kingdom said: —My daughter has always been a person of impeccable morals, and her decisions have always followed the path of justice. If she decided to marry this man, she sees him as a virtuous man of impeccable morality. I trust her judgment and give my vote for these marriages, including the marriages of the noblewomen, to be approved by this court.
Everyone looked at the Hero King, and in a unanimous decision, they agreed. The Emperor said: —I agree as well. Whatever my daughter and granddaughters decide is their life; it's none of my business, and I don't want them to hate me —the emperor said—. But I am going to put him to the test. Do you all agree with that?
Who was going to say no? They all accepted. Portals opened behind each monarch, and they disappeared; only the Dragon Emperor remained, the one they allegedly called God's pet. The Dragon Emperor thought to himself: "Finally, a worthy rival."
Chapter 7: The Coronation
Then, Kai decided to send letters and invite all the monarchs to his coronation. It was to take place in just five days. All letters were answered and confirmed: everyone would attend.
The monarchs arrived, including the Dragon Emperor with his sons and daughters-in-law, the Black Dragon and the Golden Dragon, all of them in their humanoid forms. The Fire Emperor, the Ice Emperor, and other kings, such as the Hero King, also arrived. Each monarch came accompanied by their court and queen; they had arrived the previous night and were staying at the palace. Even the Duke—father of Luna, the White Witch—and his servant were staying in that enormous palace of over a thousand royal rooms.
The six Kings, the Crowned Beasts, arrived as well; they wanted to see their heir and their daughters become royalty. All of them, with their wives and courts, were hosted in the great palace.
The following day, the grand festivities began. The city was full of joy; it had been a thousand years since a coronation had been celebrated on the peninsula. The new King was about to be crowned. The crown rested in the treasure vault. The knights of the White Witch King, along with shadow soldiers, carried it to the throne room. The kings and emperors were astonished to see a crown that had not been seen in a thousand years: the Crown of the White Witches.
Neither the Black Witch, nor the White Mage, nor the Black Mage had seen that crown for many, many years. It was an incredible jewel, with golden and white colors, filled with emeralds. The crown was placed on an altar near the throne, which remained empty. The cardinals of the church—including Alessandro, who had cared for the king for so many years—were present to crown him.
In that moment, the trumpets sounded. All the monarchs entered the throne room. Then the 117 ladies appeared, each with a unique dress, distinct colors, beautiful eyes and hairstyles, jewelry, and incomparable beauty. It had been a long time since the monarchs had seen their daughters; they had left them at the academy and had practically forgotten about them.
The Amazon Queen saw her two daughters in gala dresses; they looked like angels. The Fire Emperor gazed upon his daughter, the legitimate heir to his kingdom, in a flame-colored dress. The Vampire King saw his daughter's smile for the first time, for she had lived her whole life with a facial deformity; he had never imagined how beautiful she was. The Ice Emperor saw his daughter walking. She, who had lived in a wheelchair after losing her right leg and left arm, was now standing, beautiful and healthy. Tears streamed down his face as he watched her walk.
The King of the Fang—leader of the half-wolves—saw his eldest daughter and his other two daughters parading, radiant, and noticed that the eldest had her arm back. A beast had torn it off years ago. The Hero King saw his daughter, his princess, with her face healed; her right eye was alive again. Not even the most powerful doctors in the world had been able to restore her sight, and yet, there she was, whole.
But what the monarchs did not know was that Kai had not done anything directly for them: it was the White Witch rings—powerful magical relics—and the blood of the Black Knight that had healed all the princesses. The power of those rings was impressive.
The one hundred and seventeen beauties surrounded the throne. The commoners and nobles shouted for the king's coronation; the trumpets resounded throughout the city. The guards proclaimed: "We now present the White Witch King!"
The trumpets sounded again, and Kai entered in a black gala suit. His blue eyes, surrounded by fire, shone intensely. He could not change that appearance, but it didn't matter: today, he would wear no mask. The kings finally saw the alleged and powerful White Witch King. They did not understand what their daughters had seen in him, but they understood that they themselves had forced their daughters to make that decision. For the moment, they remained silent.
Kai knelt before the throne and offered a prayer, giving thanks for his wives, his home, and everything God had given him.
...had given him. Then he rose and walked toward Alessandro. The cardinal called for silence from everyone present; he offered a prayer and announced that they would witness the power of the White Witch, to whom God would grant the kingdom's crown—a crown that had not had an owner in over a thousand years.
The 117 queens stood before the throne. The hall was gargantuan, so vast that people looked like ants from the ceiling. The queens watched their king, waiting to see him crowned. Alessandro placed the crown upon Kai's head. The crown glowed, recognizing the new White Witch King. It was a magical crown: if he were not the true heir, it would have attacked or even killed him.
Kai climbed the ten steps leading to the throne; each footfall cracked the steps beneath him. The moment arrived, and Kai sat upon the throne of the White Witch: a thousand years without a king. In that instant, all the nobles and monarchs applauded. They had witnessed the new coronation. From that moment on, Kai was a king in every sense, and his wives held absolute and legal power over all the lands.
Kai introduced himself: "My name is White Witch King Kai Killerman."
He greeted the monarchs one by one; none of them spoke a word. Then he asked his queens to attend to their parents and relatives. The three dragon princesses went toward their grandfather and parents; the others did the same with their families.
The Amazon Queen's two daughters approached. One of them was the daughter of the King of Earth Mages and introduced herself to him. Her father had never recognized her—not for lack of love, but because of the troubles her birth had caused, as she was the illegitimate daughter of the union between the Amazon Queen and him. But that girl now held as much power as any queen of Jetrix. The king looked at her and embraced her; she had never received a hug from her father before.
All the monarchs embraced and congratulated their daughters, and even the nobles did so upon seeing that they had become queens. After so many emotions, the queens were happy: they were finally accepted by their families. The King of the Ice Empire tightly embraced his eldest daughter; she was healthy, and his heart filled with joy. For the first time in many years, he felt such happiness seeing her well. Freya told him, "I missed you, Daddy."
The Vampire King saw Alequi escorting his beautiful daughter—now a powerful queen—and Alequi acting as Governor. The two stood before him. Alequi said with great respect, "My King, I present to you the Queen of the White Witches." She said, "My King, my father, I thank you for your presence at my Kai's coronation." Both stared at the face of the man who had expelled them from the Vampire Kingdom; her for being a "monster" he couldn't show in public, and Alequi for rumors of treason that were pure fallacy, without rhyme or reason. The satisfaction of seeing the Vampire King's face, which looked as if he had seen a ghost, was a great reward for them.
Kai sensed the tension of the moment; in fact, everyone was watching the encounter. Before the Vampire King could speak, Kai approached and said, "Alequi, take my wife to the others. I'm going to speak with the Vampire King for a moment, please." "Goodbye, father," she said with a smile that screamed you're going to pay for everything.
To change the subject, Kai asked, "King, do you like my palace?" "Yes, it is beautiful," the Vampire King replied. "I thank you for looking after my daughter and healing her, and also for giving Alequi such an important position."
Kai looked at him and said, "I'm going to speak to you man to man." While the noise of the festivities muffled his words, Kai continued, "If you ever mess with my friend again, or if it occurs to you to do anything to my wife, I will come for you without a crown, without armies; just you and me, and you will regret it." Kai looked at him with a smile. The Vampire King had seen demons and terrible beasts in his long life, but he had never seen eyes like Kai's; he was a beast of evil and a man of his word who could slaughter armies alone. He understood he couldn't defeat this being even if he were born again, and said, "I understand. But I still thank you for the place you gave them and everything you have done for them."
Kai looked at him and said, "Thank you for your gratitude. I will continue to strive to make their lives virtuous. Enjoy the party; I made it especially for you, my King," Kai said and walked away. "He is a monster," the Vampire King muttered, staring into his glass.
The grand banquet began; everyone took their seats while celebrating, applauding, and toasting. There were more than 600 people in that great hall. The throne room was so vast it measured about 3,000 square meters; the palace was enormous, like a city. While servants attended to the nobles, everyone ate at individual round tables. Naturally, the tables were expansive: grand banquets fit for kings.
During the dinner, each princess—for they are now turned into queens—spent time with their families. Even the Vampire Princess, now Queen of the White Witches, stayed close to her daddy, who had recently been threatened by her husband. "Sometimes," the Vampire King thought, "one must bow their head, especially for the sake of one's daughters." Meanwhile, the Crowned Beasts stood with Kai, applauding, nudging, and embracing him. Everyone was joyful; the boy had fulfilled everything he had promised: a kingdom, peace, and the defeat of hell.
Elsewhere, Sara affectionately embraced her father. The Hero King shed tears, but they were tears of joy at seeing his daughter healthy—his firstborn, as Sara was the eldest of the family. Many of the queens who were Kai's wives were the firstborn and legitimate heirs of their respective kingdoms; Kai didn't even know it. That was the reason for the monarchs' great hatred toward him, especially regarding the future Empress of the Fire Empire, one of Kai's wives; her position would now be taken by her younger brother. It had been a heavy blow for the Fire Emperor, but even so, he saw her happy, and that brought great relief to his heart.
Meanwhile, the conversation within the Dragon family was different.
The three dragon princesses approached their family. One was the sister of the others' parents and the daughter of the Emperor; Hannah was the daughter of the Dragon King. Since that continent held both a Dragon Empire and a Dragon Kingdom, it had become a blend of families: Kai had married the aunt and the two nieces.
The Dragon Emperor and the Black Dragon were not amused, but the mothers of Hanna and Ayaime told the Golden Dragon and the Black Dragon: "Do not interfere in my daughters' lives." The dragon queens were also there, but the Emperor had no wife, so he asked to speak alone with his daughter and two granddaughters.
The Emperor, a man of advanced age but with impressive musculature, asked them what they had discovered. Speaking with their Emperor, the three women said: "So far, he is a monster with great strength, Grandfather." "Yes, Father," the other added, "it's as if he possesses so much power that I don't think you could beat him in a fight." "I see," the Emperor replied. "I want you to keep watching him, and I want you to report all his movements to me." "Yes," the three replied. "One question," the Emperor asked, "are you happy with this decision?" The three embraced him with a smile: "We are the happiest women in the world." He held his three princesses: "I will respect your decision, but I will put your husband to the test." "That is fine," they said while embracing the Emperor.
Kai stood by the throne next to Alequi, just the two of them, watching the families celebrate. Kai asked Alequi: "We have built all of this together. I hope you will help me look after it." "Yes, my King," Alequi replied. "Because there are many years ahead of us," Kai said. "Yes, I know what you mean, Kai. We must protect it."
Chapter 8: The Gathering of the Monarchs
At that moment, the 37 monarchs, the White Witch, and everyone else remained. Then, the White Witch invites all the monarchs who accompanied him to a meeting room where there is a gigantic table. It was an immense room, a hall with more than 200 seats, where the queens —Kai's wives— gather to settle the affairs of the nation.
He invites them to sit, and everyone sees that it was a table so large that there were spare chairs. At that moment, Kai invites them to talk about the political affairs of the nation or, mainly, if they want to start by talking about the matter of his marriage to their daughters.
The first to speak is the Dragon Emperor. He indicates to Kai:
—I do not agree with you having married my daughter. My granddaughters and my sons wanted to assassinate you; they do not agree either. So there were three families discontented. The entire Dragon Empire is in disagreement —the emperor said.
Then Kai responds to the Emperor with all respect:
—I want you to understand one thing —Kai said—. This whole marriage issue has been out of my hands. Your daughters entered a private property. They entered a kingdom that did not belong to them, and they were accepted into it. They were offered citizenship and now they are citizens of this kingdom, but they also wanted more. I do not know how, nor do I understand why, they reached my private vault, where I keep my treasures on the last level, and they put on the rings. Even so, those events happened eight months ago. Unfortunately, I cannot do anything: your daughters are already my wives —he said, referring to all the monarchs—. If you have any dissatisfaction, you will have to talk to them. But, at this moment, the crown protects those Queens, and any threat against them will be immediately stopped.
The Fire Emperor remains silent, and the Ice Emperor responds:
—We understand that you were unaware of it, but you are the King of this Kingdom and you know perfectly well that an engagement or a marriage must be arranged first.
Kai then asks them to understand:
—I understand your frustration, but the decision was your daughters', not mine. And I can also understand that what bothers you is that they have chosen their destiny without involving you.
At that moment, the Amazon Queen jumps in:
—My daughters have never been forced to marry anyone if they have not wanted to, and I do not believe they would leave us out of their decisions!
Kai responds:
—First, your daughters escaped from your Academy, my Queen. They escaped because they did not want to marry the people you had chosen. I am talking about the 111 princesses and high-ranking nobles from each of your kingdoms who are now, at this moment, turned into queens. I want you to understand that if you try anything against the Queens, the Army of this Nation will support them, and it will not matter what their King says. You must understand that this Reign is like yours, my queen: in your kingdom, women have the power. Well, here, the ones in charge are Them. I only negotiate some things, but the power is held by the 117 Queens.
At that moment, all the monarchs grew nervous, and the King of the Earth Mages asks:
—So, do you have no strength in your own Kingdom?
—I do have enough strength to tell all of you that what is done, is done. There is no turning back. If you wish, we can move on to the other topics.
Everyone remained in silence because they had nothing more to say: what was said was the truth. The matter was finished. Then the Dragon Emperor speaks again:
—Do you think we are going to stay still without saying anything? Only with such a crude explanation? My species has eons on this planet, and you are telling me that we will leave the three heiresses of my Empire under your Crown.
Kai, the White Witch, responds while everyone looked at him poorly, supported by the Dragon:
—You are the grandfather of two of the queens I have and the father of one. Am I wrong?
—No —the Emperor responded—. My two granddaughters are daughters of my two sons: the Golden Dragon and the Black Dragon.
—Then that means I have your daughter, the daughter of the Golden Dragon, and the daughter of the Black Dragon. That means I practically have the entire heritage of that Empire in my hands.
The Dragon Emperor sighs and says:
—Alright, boy. I'll play your game. How do you want us to settle this?
—Very simple —Kai responded—. But first I wanted to clarify something: you requested loans, right? Million-dollar loans to strengthen your armies after the war, to buy weapons.
The thirty-five kings —except for the Dragon Emperor, who did not participate in the war— looked at him. The King of the Mercenaries asked:
—How do you know we requested those loans?
—Because the one who lent you the money ten years ago was me.
Everyone looked at him in surprise.
—I was 17 years old when I founded a company that lent without questions in the Kingdom of the Mercenaries. I started a bank and lent money to all of you. I believe around fifty full gold chests per nation.
The Hero King, King of the Humans, exclaims:
—How do you know that? That is ultra-secret!
—Because I am the owner of that bank —Kai repeated—. I was given a mission to generate income, and my best option was to lend money to the nations. After almost ten years, I requested payment. You did not have the money, and I foreclosed on your lands. That is why the nobles kicked out the commoners, the low-ranking nobles, and handed over the land titles to me as payment. You were the ones who ordered your nobles to pay me with land, and they were the ones who expelled those people.
The Emperor of Cathay accuses him:
—So you were the one who left those villagers in the street, took their farms, let them live in refugee camps, and then gave them houses that weren't even theirs, and now you pose as a hero. They acclaim you, they swear loyalty to you, but you yourself threw them out.
—No, no, no. I didn't throw them out —Kai responded—. You threw them out. I didn't give houses to anyone nor did I help any refugees. The ones who helped them were the queens, your daughters. They gave them housing. I only wanted my payment. I gave you 40 chests per nation and you were supposed to return 60, which you didn't do. And even with the lands, you have only paid half. I demand that you pay me!
The King of the Djinn intervenes:
—You think you are smarter than all of us, White Witch. Right?
—No, with all respect, King, I do not think I am smarter. But a debt is a debt. And you have not paid me. Even your nation asked for 80 chests, not 40, and you haven't returned even half.
Kai then announces:
—I am going to propose a deal to the 35 nations that owe me money. Right here.
The King of the Lizards asks, fearfully:
—And what is the deal?
—I will forgive all your debts and return your lands to you if each of you signs a paper recognizing the marriage of your daughters to me and of the noblewomen who are married to me. If all those families sign here and now, in front of everyone, they will have their lands and will owe me nothing.
Everyone looked at him. They knew it wasn't blackmail, but a good deal. The Demon King raised his hand:
—I accept. But you will not have any more of my daughters. I will not give you any more.
Kai smiled:
—Don't worry, King. I already have two of your daughters.
The Demon King looked at him with the desire to tear him to pieces. Finally, everyone accepted. It was a good offer: to give marriage recognition in exchange for money and land. Alequei entered with the papers to sign, and all the Monarchs signed; then they left. Everyone greeted Kai with respect, and he returned the greeting, except for the Dragon Emperor.
The Dragon Emperor and Kai were left alone, as they had not asked him for money. The Emperor said:
—I hope you understand that with money and land you will not buy me, White Witch... or rather, Black Knight. The legendary Black Knight.
Kai took a deep breath:
—How do you want to resolve this, Emperor?
The man, tall, muscular, over eighty years old and considered the strongest warrior on the planet at that moment, responded:
—I want you to come to my lands. We will challenge you. If you defeat our warriors, we will recognize the three marriages. Do you understand? And if you don't go to my Empire… I will come looking for you in person.
—I understand —Kai responded—. Give me the date in writing and I will be there.
The Emperor looked at him seriously, but without hatred; he even smiled.
—What could they have seen in you? —he whispered under his breath. Then he retired.
At that moment, the doors opened and all the queens entered. Kai was trembling a little: that man could be stronger than him. The queens were carrying the papers signed by their parents, which Alequei had handed to them, recognizing their marriage to the white witch.
—What did you do? —they asked.
—I can't talk now —Kai said—. Alequei will explain to you.
Kai retired to the balcony, alone. And he understood that he would have to fight once more.