Who Needs Magic in a Fantasy World Anyway?

Chapter 16: Celebration

"You did so well, Koko!" Shell had tears in her eyes as she hugged Koko, and even if she was used to it by now, the small girl was still tapping her mother's arm in surrender as being crushed was never fun.

"I'm so glad that you're alright!" Teya cried as well, though while Koko thought that her mother was bad enough, she soon learned the true meaning of pain as her over-leveled sister grabbed her from the other side and hugged her there to. Thankfully, just when Koko thought that she was about to pop, they released her and she collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily to refill her crushed lungs.

"I can't believe how strong you are! You truly are my daughter!" Shell laughed. "Even though you're only level six, you defeated him with only a single blow!

"Well... I did hit a critical point." Koko laughed hesitantly as she got back to her feet and rejoined the table, which held all of those who had been present at the trail, including Lord Blackman. However, Ernie unfortunately couldn't join them due to obvious reasons.

"Aren't you proud of your daughter, Benson?" Shell suddenly turned around to look at Benson, whose face had turned the same color as his hair as the man shivered slightly.

"Y-yeah... Proud..." Benson's voice seemed to shake even more now than before the trial.

"I can still hear the crunching..." David added as well, shivering as he stared at the table with haunted eyes. And it wasn't just them, but every man at the table seemed to be traumatized in some way or another as none of them ate the food that was in front of them. Well, everyone save for Lord Blackman, who glared daggers at Koko every chance that he received.

"But still, I've never heard of any technique that can deliver such a blow with just one's fist." Ess, the commander of Harven's military-enlisted rangers, said with excitement. "And the way that your hands glowed yellow, you infused them with focus, didn't you?"

"Y-yeah, but I'm not telling you how I did it." Koko said with some hesitation, wondering just why such an important woman was talking to her in the first place.

"That's understandable. I wouldn't share all of my skills and techniques with you either." Ess laughed, seemingly without a care in the world. "What about you, Tristan? I bet a melee combatant like you can barely contain your excitement to seeing a new kind of unarmed technique."

"Yeah... Excitement..." Tristan slowly replied, looking the same as everyone else. And Koko suddenly wondered if she'd done the right thing as even King Xavier looked shaken about it.

"Hey Koko, do you want to see something funny?" Ess asked mischievously, making Koko wonder just what the elven woman had in mind before she reached across the table and grabbed a bowl of nuts that had been set out as an appetizer. And after taking the metal tool that came along with the bowl in her hand, she cracked one of the nuts, making the sound seem to echo throughout the room as all of the men almost jumped out of their chairs.

"Your majesty, I must protest the results of today's trail!" Lord Blackman suddenly stood from his chair. "Not only did the brat win by using dishonorable means, but she even risked destroying my family! Ernie is the only child I have, and if he is unable to reproduce-!"

"That's enough, Lord Blackman!" King Xavier seemed to recover now. "The results of the trial are absolute, and questioning it is the same as questioning this kingdom's most sacred traditions!"

"But-"

"If your son blatantly chose an opponent that he underestimated enough to drop his sword and shield, then that is his fault alone. But as for the matter between your families, the deal is settled with the Cryners having been proven innocent of the crimes that you have accused them of!" Xavier continued. "This matter is settled, but it also brings another issue to us, which are your crimes!"

"My-?"

"Ganton! Explain what you've found!" Xavier yelled, and Koko was shocked to see another man wearing a black hood suddenly appear behind the king before handing a bundle of letters to the monarch.

 "It's as Prince James predicted, your majesty." Ganton, whom must have been a very influential rogue, stated as Xavier flipped through the letters. "I've tracked down everyone involved and they were all... 'persuaded' to reveal the truth. Lord Blackman hired bandits to steal from his own people and then passed the blame onto Wence."

"What?! That's a preposterous lie!" Lord Blackman suddenly yelled while slamming his open hand against the table. "I would never risk the-"

"Be silent or be dead." Now it was Koko's turn to shiver as Ganton had disappeared from where he'd been standing and was now holding a dagger to Blackman's throat.

"There's more than enough evidence in these letters to attest to it to." Xavier looked towards Blackman with furious eyes. "Stealing from your own people and then attempting to frame a fellow lord?! Such things can only be counted as treason!"

"Wait, please! Your majesty, I-"

"Save it for your final words, Blackman." Tristan now stood between Blackman and Xavier with his sword drawn and held towards the traitor. "Guards, take him to the tower to await execution."

"No! I refuse to accept this!" Blackman started yelling, though while he kept ranting, his voice was growing faint as the royal guards that had been on the sides of the room escorted him to some unknown location. And while she'd merely been a witness to what had happened, Koko suddenly felt that her blood had turned cold as she thought that she might have been partially responsible for the man's impending execution.

"And as for you, Lord Cryner, you have my sincerest apologies." King Xavier then turned and bowed his head slightly. "The act of a lord is the act of his liege, and as your family almost lost everything due to Blackman's greed, I fear that no amount of repayment is enough."

"Please, your majesty! I am not worthy to receive your apology!" Benson suddenly jumped up from his chair, only to bow before the king.

"Is that so?" Xavier pondered out loud. "From the way I see it, you've been managing your territory quite well despite the hard times that have been cast over it for the past few years. Not to mention that you've raised quite the astonishing young lady."

"Your words are to kind." Benson replied while Xavier casted a warm smile towards Koko, which she returned with the same feelings.

"I don't think that they're to kind at all. As a matter of fact, this entire debacle leaves me in quite the bind." Xavier sighed. "Blackman will be condemned as a traitor and his family stripped from nobility, thus leaving the province of Herkfield empty. And seeing as it borders with Wence, I see no problem in having you managing all of it."

"Y-your majesty?" Benson asked in a tone that betrayed that he couldn't believe what was happening.

"Hear me, from this moment onward, Wence will hereby absorb the territory of Herkfield into it's borders, and all of it will be governed by Lord Cryner." Xavier suddenly stood and drew the sword that he always kept to his side. "Do you accept your new position?"

"I am your humble servant, your majesty." Benson seemed to take a while before he remembered the words. "I shall accept this position and rule the territory in your name."

"Then rise, Baron Cryner, and serve your kingdom well." Xavier finished the ceremony.