｢ Crowned ｣

13

"24 hours 33 minutes 35 seconds..."

Cale has just regained consciousness but after hearing the countdown he wanted to faint again.

"24 hours 33 minutes 39 seconds..."

'I didn't remember passing out. What happened?' Trying to reconnect his memories Cale ended up with a blank, the last thing he remembered was Basen crying while looking at his bloodied hand.

"Haaa I made a kid worried over nothing" Opening his eyes Cale came face to face with a chubby paw resting on his chest, 2 crying figures displayed in his vision and 1 shaking her head.

"Human! You fainted again! You are very weak!" Taking out an apple pie from his spacial bag Raon pushed the apple pie to Cale's mouth, knowing that this was the only way to make them relieve their worry Cale just chewed it silently.

"Where am I? What happened?" To Cale his future slacker life is more important than thinking how he fainted.

"The bedroom beside the crown prince Alberu's room" Raon sniffled.

"The room... beside...? why!" Cale shot up the bed after realizing what this bed is for or specifically for whom.

"Human! Rest, you cannot faint again!" Raon pulled Cale's hand towards the bed as On and Hong bit Cale's pant.

"Let's leave now-" Before Cale could think about escaping the door slammed open revealing his friends.

Rosalyn, Choi Han, Lock, Mary, Eruhaben, Ron and Alberu.

"Oh hell no. Raon!" As if sensing the danger befalling on him Cale opened the window and tried to jump only to be pulled back by Alberu.

Pinning Cale down Alberu started to talk "Wait! Calm down!"

"Calm down my ass! What the fuck is this development huh!" Cale struggled to set himself free after thinking that it would be useless he just stopped and glared at Alberu inches away from him still pinning his arms and legs. It would have been romantic if Cale was pinned down but Alberu was using Taerang to pin Cale's hands.

"Let's talk about this!" Alberu sensing that Cale stopped struggling immediately released his hold and helped him stand up.

"Haaaaaa...." Cale couldn't think ahead with all this shit, Zed really scammed him.

5 minutes later they were in Alberu's office. Cale sat on one couch and Alberu sat on the opposite. Eruhaben left with the children because this conversation would not be suitable for their age. Ron stood behind Cale while Rosalyn and Choi Han stood behind Alberu. Lock and Mary were beside the door frame as they felt how dense the air was.

"First tell me what happened after I fainted." Cale's gaze was cold the one he used to give to arm's soldiers. He was looking at Alberu as an enemy.

"This disrespectful punk Haaaa you-" After a sigh and multiple deep breaths Alberu explained "You fainted- no, knocked out by Ron."

Blinking stupidly at the new found evidence Cale turned to Ron with a questioning gaze.

"The stress, noise and bugs would have made you bleed a lot." Ron simply stated with his usual smile, shivering at the answer Cale looked back to Alberu.

"You were raced towards that room guided by my fathers aides. Saint Jack was called but you were already healed, though you bled a lot so potions and even Cage checked your body thankfully everything was intact. The people were in an uproar but the guards managed to disperse them, the nobles went home after being informed of the next meeting and your family returned to the Henituse territory after threatening the former King Zed." Alberu finished explaining and pinched the bridge of his nose in stress.

"What a mess" Both Red head and golden haired men sigh simultaneously.

"How did it come to this?" Cale asked irritatedly.

"..." Alberu couldn't speak, he didn't know how to tell him that his own friends had contributed to the mess they were in.

"Should I just flip everything over?" Cale was mumbling to himself as he stared blankly at the golden table in-front of him. Their ears perked up, they knew that if it was Cale then it was not an empty threat.

"Wait! Let's make a deal." Alberu slammed his hands down on the table. He knew Cale too much, he was the best asset in everything mostly in tactical battles and if Cale became an enemy Alberu was sure that he won't be able to win.

Cale blinked away his thoughts and stared at Alberu intrigued.

"What do you mean?" Cale felt chills down his spine. "It sounds like you've already decided..." Cale trailed off as he did not want to say what he thinks.

"Listen to me first!" Alberu was nervous as he was about to propose a laughable idea that Cale might turn down in an instant. He stared at Cale's reddish brown eyes emitting the seriousness he felt.

"Fine." Cale thought that he would just listen but not entertain the idea then turn Alberu down straight.

"Become the empress." Alberu stated and waited for Cale's reply. Unfazed by the proposal Cale raised his left eye brow and glared at Alberu in distain.

"You promise to support my dream of being a slacker." A cold voice echoed on the room.

It felt like cold water was poured down on the people who listened to Cale as he never used this kind of tone towards them. Lock looked like he was about to cry, Mary held her breath in shock, Rosalyn and Choi Han flinched and looked away, Ron's benign smile turned to a thin line and Alberu clenched his fist but maintained the eye contact with Cale.

"No, not an empress become the Prince consort" Alberu corrected. Cale maintained his cold silent aura.

So Alberu continued "A prince consort is the husband of the Queen but in this case- King. The role of The King's consort is to provide companionship and moral and practical support to the King. The consort does not hold a formal position in the structure of government and does not hold State papers or hold official audiences. You will be given a title and influence over the Kingdom but you won't be working in any official papers." Alberu sigh as he release the tension in his hands because his nails dug into his palm.

"I already have an influence over the Kingdom with or without the title. What makes you think I want the title?" Cale replied nonchalantly his cold aura dissipated as he felt how nervous the people around him were.

'Why are they so nervous? They could easily knock me out cold with a flick of a finger.' Cale raised his eye brow towards his companions who seemed to avoid his gaze by finding other things to stare at. Turning his gaze back to Alberu, Cale let out a sigh of pain. "Do not beat around the bush that's unlike you. Tell me what would you gain and what do I gain from this?" 

Alberu's heart calmed down as his companion was willing to listen to his idea. "I want use your influence to create a kingdom in where no one needs to hide not just dark elves but other species as well. In return, the Henituse territory will be exempted from tax as long as we remain together by paper not only that I will help you claim the Forest of darkness as your own territory and... you will have allowance from the Roan Kingdom's funds."

"What do you say?"