[LitF] 20. No Mercy (Patreon)

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Sophie giggled. "No! No, no, no! You didn't!"

Arthur had removed his helmet and head cover and was smiling at her. They sat by a fire pit side by side, on the same trunk that Graham had once produced. The grand knight and head maid were talking in the other corner of the cavernous room.

"I certainly did," the prince replied. "I'm a mage, a pursuer of the arcane, a seeker of all truths of the universe," he said dignifiedly, chin held high. "I had to know."

Sophie giggled again. "You can't put biting a pebble elemental under that light!"

Both Sophie and he had stopped physically aging and looked to be in their late teens. High body stats made Fate push them towards physical maturity for their race; then, they would age proportionally to their lifespan.

And Fate, almost twenty-year-old Sophie was breathtaking.

Only the prince's high mind stats and willpower let him not get lost in her smile and laughs.

"Of course I can," Arthur argued. "I just did, didn't I? Mighty is my way with words. I learned from the best. If you want, I could ask Graham to teach you, too. For a fee."

Her eyes twinkled with amusement and terror at the thought of the grand knight being a paragon of small talk. She kept smiling and asked, "Oh. And what manner of fee would a simple lady like me need to offer for such exquisite skills?"

"Why, my lady, nothing too difficult. I reckon killing a hundred dragons would do."

"What? How is that not difficult?"

"Think of what you shall gain. Compared to becoming an outstanding conversationalist like me, how can such a trifle task be worth it? I lowered the price on account of our relationship. Dare you spit on my generosity like that?"

She became mockingly crestfallen. "Oh, my prince. I would never dare! But I fear this weak maid is not up to such a quest."

"Then I'll pity you, for you shall live knowing you shall never master the secrets of speech as I do."

She opened her mouth in shock. "Oh, the woe of the low nobility. You royals will never understand our pleas. I should feel lucky to even speak at all with my limited intellect, shouldn't I?"

And there it was; the bait.

Sophie agreed with him that monarchy was the best government possible. However, she believed the Golden Kingdom's absolutism was destined to fail due to the eventual, unavoidable rise of a tyrant, just as any republic was destined to fall from corruption.

To her, splitting the monarch's power into other hands would help. To him, it was the entryway to corrupt politics and republican ideals. Maybe absolutism would eventually fall, but adding politics to the mix would only hasten it.

Despite their differences, he enjoyed arguing with her as much as sharing his stupid moments.

It was just that they respected each other's options. They accepted the ultimate truth: the other party didn't believe in what they did out of being an asshole and hating the common people. They legitimately thought their worldview would benefit everyone the most.

Some individuals weren't like that. They exploited good ideals to pursue their own agendas. But both Arthur and Sophie trusted each other in that regard.

They were also open to being convinced if provided with good arguments, which helped some more.

Yet, as much as he enjoyed arguing with her, he wasn't in the mood today. She had thrown the bait, but he wouldn't bite.

"I'd say we are all lucky to be able to talk," the prince replied. "Imagine being a defenseless pebble in someone's mouth and not being able to beg for mercy?"

Arthur could think way too fast, but he had learned to slow down his thoughts in relaxing environments. It wouldn't do to treat Sophie as an opponent in a debate. They were just having a good time and, as he had learned after his sessions with Tamara and as his friendship with Sophie strengthened, it was alright to mess up here and there, too.

And the prince had just messed up.

He realized how terrifying the scene he described was as soon as he said it. When put in the way he had, it sounded hideous. Not that he had done that; he didn't have enough strength to bite a level 51 monster to death. But even as a passing, playful commentary, it was too much, especially due to his present company.

He had talked about eating a monster alive, and Sophie was half-monster.

Sophie's eyes showed her disgust at his comment, and she saw the regret in his. They knew each other too well. They also respected each other enough not to make a storm of every mistake the other made. They kept their discussions to important matters.

So, she only slightly smiled from the corner of her mouth to show she understood and forgave him, and he nodded ever so slightly to say he was thankful.

"Ah, I see it now, my prince," she continued their conversion as if nothing had happened. She displayed mock enlightenment this time, her eyes wide. "You are a glutton! Do you also want to eat this poor... young... lady...?"

Her mocking wide eyes turned legitimate by the end as she realized what she was saying. She only blushed slightly—proof of how Tamara's lessons had thickened the two youth's skin—but she looked down to avoid his eyes.

Yet, what surprised him the most wasn't her misstep but that she went to the end with it. She could've stopped talking instead of just lowering her voice and slowing down her speech.

This wasn't the first time something like that happened, not even the hundredth, and Arthur wasn't stupid. He pretended to be, though. He opened his mouth to say that yes, he would eat all nobles and peasants if famine arrived, for the royal family had to live for the good of all.

Alas, in the last weeks, she had believed he was too dense and tried to make her intentions clearer. She didn't give him a chance to turn the subject harmless. She quickly added, "Please, milord, don't be so eager. We can only kiss for a few years first. This young lady isn't ready."

Sophie was blushing harder now, but she wasn't looking down anymore.

She was staring intently at him.

Arthur hated it. He hated that he had pretended instead of giving her a clear answer. He hated being too weak to give her a definite answer that would leave her free to get over him.

But he felt lonely and acted like the egoistical asshole he had found himself to be.

"As you know, my lady," he said in a low and soft voice, looking her in the eyes, "my lips aren't mine to give, no matter how much I wish they were." And Fate, how he wished it! "How about we leave such considerations for our king? I'll talk to my father and explain my feelings. Less than two years remain until we can ask for his blessing."

The disappointment and hope in her eyes lacerated his heart, but not as much as if it had been only disappointment. He wasn't lying, not directly. He had developed feelings for her and planned to keep his word, to fight for her until he was directly ordered to stop, but he knew this would never happen.

Sophie was from a minor noble house, and he the crown prince.

Sophie was half-vampire, and he had way over 200 points of vitality.

He was only leading her on; maybe even she knew that but chose to fool herself. Arthur hated himself, but he hated the thought of losing her for good even more.

And Fate, he hated almost impossibly more—just as much as he loved it!—that she saw so easily through him.

"I'm not stupid, Archie," she said softly. He was resting his hand on the log, and she gently placed her fingers over his. The light touch gave him goosebumps, and the warmth that filled his heart threatened to make his body explode. "I... I shouldn't... I can't tell you why, but I understand obeying His Royal Majesty more than you might think." She teared up. "I also know with my head that this is fated not to be. But my heart can't stop hoping. And I will keep hoping up to the day you tell me it can't be." She user her free hand to dry the tears from her face. "I know I'm a fool. Such, such a fool. And I'm putting you in such a difficult position!" She laughed self-deprecatingly, then looked tenderly at him. "And that you can even like such a stupid and egoistical me the way I see in your eyes only make me like you more. I'm sorry."

Without 2,500 mind points and the willpower that came with it, Arthur would never have had enough power to stop himself from kissing her right then and there.

Fortunately—or not—he did have the stats, so he just put his other hand on top of hers and held her as if the world was about to end.

How could skin be that smooth and feel that amazing to the touch?!

"I'm sorry, too," he said softly.

They silently lost themselves in each other's eyes until Tamara and Graham stood up.

= - = - =

Arthur's 1,000 points of intelligence let him clearly remember his nights in the palace, as far in the past as they were. His room had never been absolutely silent, but the dungeon always had the sounds of monsters in the neighboring rooms.

Yet, it wasn't the sound of level 91 golems that haunted his dreams. It was the achievement window before him that outright made him incapable of sleeping.

「 Achievement: Dungeon Tenant

Tier: B

Reward: +48 stat points

You stayed inside a dungeon for 9 local years without leaving!

Your enemies learn, adapt, and evolve to kill you and all you love. You wished you could sleep well at night while others protect the world, but you know better. Only you are vigilant enough. Only you are willing to do whatever is needed to stop a wave of monsters from dooming all that ever was, from consuming all that is, and preventing all that might be. You have already been forgotten by the many you left outside, but you won't relent. You willingly sacrifice yourself for a greater good, for you know that if left unchecked, this dungeon will bring forth the end of everything. You share your enemies' homes so they also can't rest. You're a silent sentinel against the tide that only you believe in. Your grand fate is to protect those you care about, nothing more, nothing less. 」

The achievement's description talked about monsters, but Arthur felt it hit too close to home when he thought of his kingdom's war.

From his people's perspective, he had been gone for almost a month. Did anyone remember him? Of course they did; it had been too little time.

But did they care?

Did they miss him?

He didn't think many did. Arthur had never been socially active, and the few people around him had been servants whom he had almost no ties with. Even Graham still felt distant after nine years together. Tamara, while closer than before, still kept her distance. Only Sophie had warmed up to him.

For most of his maids, he had been or was just another master. The ones in the palace were likely worried about serving their current one now, not reminiscing about a random royal family member they used to serve. After Tamara returned, she would just continue her days as usual.

His 1,000 points of wisdom made him question if he was alright with that.

As the achievement said, he had sacrificed a lot. From the day he awakened, back when he was six, his life had been defined by turning into the perfect warrior. He had no time or disposition for anything else.

But his relationship with Sophie taught him that connection was the thing he truly valued.

The achievement's description also mentioned it: "Your grand fate is to protect those you care about, nothing more, nothing less." Arthur had cared for Charlotte and still cared for his parents. They were the ones he carried with him on his locket.

Graham understood it, too. He was willing to sacrifice everything for his wife. Their love was more important to him than everything else.

Arthur could tell how dangerous this line of thought was. It only took one step from valuing personal connections above everything else to becoming a fallen awakener.

Yet, he wondered.

What was the meaning of having power if he couldn't use it to save the ones he cared about?

And did he really care that much about his kingdom?

The deadline was approaching, and he was limited to killing the level 91 monsters on the second to last floor to level up. That floor's boss room had fifty level 92, ten level 93, and one level 94 monster, but that wouldn't be enough. He needed to start killing the level 95 dragons soon, or he would fail. Even then, they would give too little progression after he surpassed their levels.

If he failed, his kingdom would lose the war. His fate wouldn't be grand as all the achievements said; it would depend on his enemy's mercy.

Would he be beheaded, kept hostage, exiled, or rule over a puppet state?

Whatever the case, defeat would make everything meaningless. All his sacrifices would be for naught. His destiny would be the same as if he hadn't done anything.

Oh, he had enough wisdom to know that being stronger would give him a greater leeway to negotiate for his people's well being if it came to it, but that wasn't enough.

Could he protect his parents? Could he protect the sister he hadn't met? Could he keep Sophie safe?

Arthur couldn't sleep, for he realized he didn't care about the kingdom's subjects if it meant losing the ones he loved.

He would be king, and he would do his best for them. He had been born for that. He wouldn't dishonor his ancestors.

Probably.

What if he had to choose between his kingdom or Sophie? Or his sister? Or his future wife and children?

Even if a miracle happened and he reached level 100, was there really a happy ending waiting for him? Or would he be forever trapped on the obligations of his station, buried under responsibilities he didn't much care about?

He could tell what was happening. The description mentioned people forgetting about him after nine years. However, he was the one forgetting the pleas of the ones outside. Being away from the palace and immersed in constant combat for so long had warped his perspective.

He could also tell he had completely fallen in love with Sophie.

It was only logical, too; she was the only breath of warmth he had had for years. Isolated, lonely, and stressed, he found solace in the overwhelming beauty that laughed with him and was a pleasant companion.

And in the end, Sophie was the core of the issue. His time was almost up. He would leave after another year and almost wished he would fail, so he could die instead of living the rest of his very long life—he would live over 300 years!—without bringing that love to fruition.

The worst part was that he knew how he was being overly dramatic. Tamara had talked about it in her lessons. The first love was always the most difficult because it was too wonderful a novelty. One's expectations were tainted by new feelings, and the limits were harder to set. Arthur's own mind worked against him, and his Mind Resistance couldn't protect him from himself in that circumstance.

Of course, knowing that only made everything much worse. His people were dying for his kingdom, yet here he was, lost in an impossible melodramatic romance, wondering if a woman he had never even hugged was more important than all his subjects.

Once more, Charlotte had been right: wisdom was one thing, but there was no substitute for experience.

To him, this situation reminded him of his issues with vitality. He should know how to deal with that, but it wasn't the same. It was much worse because it was more profound than mere physical attraction. Sophie now resisted in the depths of his heart.

Yes, yes. Maybe it was only due to the circumstances. But it had happened, and there was no denying or ignoring it.

Even this episode of insomnia wasn't the first. The achievement had been the trigger this time, but it also wouldn't be the last.

Arthur sighed.

In the end, he knew he would overcome it again. He always did. His mind stats couldn't protect his sleep, but they did prevent him from acting unwisely. Childish as he felt, he could at least act like a responsible man.

In one year, he would leave, his father would likely forbid his relationship, and both Sophia and he would move on. Three would be tears, of course, but hard as it was, the prince knew the right path wasn't always the easier one.

He hoped his kingdom could survive such an uncaring prince.

= - = - =

Arthur was still lying down on the bed and looking at the ceiling when the door opened. It had been years since anyone had come to wake him up, so he was surprised to see Graham come in.

"Sire," he said, extending a Royal Decree to Arthur. "His Royal Majesty left sealed orders for me to open when we reached nine years in the dungeon. They directed me to give you this. Read it, then come to meet your maids outside." He paused, then added. "I also didn't know the truth, but don't blame them. They had no choice. Their king commanded them."

The prince raised an eyebrow and prehended the black and golden metal scroll case into floating to his hands. It had been forever since he last saw a Royal Decree, but the beautiful craftsmanship and intricate golden details were still as outstanding as he remembered.

Graham left as Arthur took the official-looking scroll from the inside and read it.

"Son,

A father's responsibilities to his children are many. In a kingdom of barely controlled speech like ours, protecting one's offspring from coming in contact with certain things is a lofty goal. Your every relationship and entertaining material were carefully curated to protect you.

Lamentably, I wasn't perfect. You got access to a book you shouldn't have at a young age. It was a fantasy story about an outlandish concept: battle maids.

I was informed you pestered your maids for months before you let go of it.

You were right: battle maids are real.

We investigated, and the author didn't know the truth. He wasn't innocent, either. He was even worse than a republican: an equalicist. He made up the story to incentivize the lower class to rise against their masters and upend the social order.

Real battle maids are nothing like in the story. Their existence in our family dates back to our first documented ancestor, the peasant who was granted knighthood. He made many enemies in his rise to power and feared for his children's lives whenever he left to fight for his lord.

He didn't believe adding extra layers of traditional security measures would be enough to safeguard them. If an enemy came, they would come prepared for all visible protections and expected consequences. His solution was to have an invisible final line of defense that none would expect.

Henceforth, every firstborn in our family has had a battle maid protecting them in secret.

They are to be perfect maids and even act slightly dumber than usual in public. However, they are also trained in espionage, battle, counter-espionage, tracking, anti-tracking, and guerilla tactics.

As spies, they know how to hide from everyone. Should their charge get attacked, they'll decide whether to meet the challenge head-on or spirit away with the child. I'm told no one can find them if they go into hiding.

Head Maid Lauquenbur was my battle maid before you. As you might imagine from how I talked to her during your awakening, we had a falling out in the past, but I never stopped trusting her. I won't bore you with the successes and failings of the battle-maid idea, but nowadays, they are very carefully selected. Lauquenbur would kill herself before betraying me.

She was sent into the dungeon to protect you from Grand Knight Graham if it ever came to it. He is trustworthy but has shown a lack of judgment in the past. I wanted to make sure.

She was also ordered to train Junior Maid Brimstone in her ways, and I gave them a mission, the first for your junior maid: do it without getting noticed by you. They would have nine years to train Brimstone and had to do it without you ever knowing.

This is my decree to you:

If any of them revealed the truth to you, don't ever trust the one who did it. She disobeyed their king. She would disobey you, too. You can disregard the rest of this letter.

Howbeit, should they have kept it secret, trust your head maid to protect you and your future child well.

As for your junior maid, you are to inform her of the following:

She needed the training but won't become your battle maid. She is also no longer hierarchically under you. I have other plans for her that will only be disclosed once you're about to leave this dungeon. Henceforth, you should treat her as you would a noble of a High House, for I have elevated House Brimstone. Regardless, she must continue to accompany you while learning and training until you leave.

I imagine you feel as betrayed as I did when I found out. As I'm doing to you, your grandfather revealed the truth to me after a new battle maid had been trained and passed her first mission. Barbaric as it might sound, this is done this way so that if the prince lashes out at the old maid, her teachings would've already been passed on.

Despite my feelings at the time, I chose to continue the tradition. You'll also come to understand it when you sire a child. If Lauquenbur is dead by then, you can ask Brimstone to train the new generation.

I hope you can be a better man than I ever was and forgive your maids the 'sin' of not disobeying their king's direct order. I know I didn't, but Charlotte Graham insisted you're a better man than I ever was.

You can definitely trust Lauquenbur and mostly trust Brimstone. The girl passed the compatibility and loyalty tests with flying colors. Unless she gives you a reason to suspect her, don't.

Lastly, many warned me that being isolated with only a few people for so long would be hard even on an awakener with high mind stats. They believed you might develop feelings for Brimstone. As such, Lauquenbur and Graham had standing orders to stop any kind of intimacy at any cost, even their own lives.

I have now rescinded those orders.

No, I'm not against such a union. She is the successor of High House Brimstone. She is worthy.

However, I also give you one further decree: don't do or decide anything until you've left the dungeon for at least a few months.

Your perspective is skewed by isolation. Before tying yourself to anyone, you should see and talk to other people, especially women.

I wrote this decree before you left, but I'm sure I dearly miss you.

Stay strong, my child.

- Charles Naerith-Tracey Boria V"

Arthur's mind could work fast, yet he only stared at the letter in astonishment for a long while.

There was a lot to take, and his first reaction was the most obvious one: he was deeply hurt.

The prince had opened his heart to both maids. Tamara helped him with their focused talks, and Sophie had become his sweetheart. Now, he learned that they had been lying to his face all this time.

He couldn't even begin to describe how betrayed he felt.

Admittedly, he didn't care much about Tamara. The woman had always kept her distance, and she had started as his father's maid. Only a fool wouldn't expect her to keep secrets from her new master, shocking and unexpected as the truth was.

Sophie, however...

Every time they had laughed together, she had been hiding her true face from him. Every time she had talked to him, her words had come from a poisoned well. How could he mostly trust her as his father had commanded him? He had no idea who the girl even was.

To be fair, she had almost spilled the beans when they finally confessed to each other. Yet, should he feel glad for that or threatened that she had nearly betrayed her king?

He couldn't think straight. Not with so many feelings clouding his judgment. He needed to quell his thoughts and find solitude for some time.

Arthur left his room to find Tamara and Sophie kneeling like knights before his door, one knee to the floor and a lowered head.

He wanted to ignore them as he went to seek monsters to kill. He wanted to treat them coldly. He wanted to keep them in suspense as punishment for their lies.

But Fate, Sophie was trembling.

And that ignited the cold anger that he had been suppressing. Because more than anything, Arthur felt betrayed not by Sophie but by his father.

The king was the one who had made the woman he cherished lie to him. It was also that man who had made things difficult for them. A man that could also have told them about his blessing much earlier!

Arthur could tell meeting other people sounded great; Tamara's teachings also mentioned it. But the prince also knew they should have mentioned all those things to him before he developed feelings for anyone!

That would've changed everything!

So, while he wasn't about to get married in this dungeon, he also wasn't about to listen to reason from a man that treated him like an emotionless puppet. He had disobeyed his king once before when he added points to agility despite standing orders otherwise. Now, he would disobey him once more.

He would do something before he left.

Arthur knelt before Sophie, raised her head by the chin, and kissed her.

Sophie was wide-eyed with surprise at first, her body frozen like a mouse who saw a snake. Then, her eyes softened, her body relaxed, and she returned the kiss. It started gently but soon became an outlet for all their feelings—loneliness, confusion, fear, anger, and love.

They slowly stood up, touching their faces, hair, necks, and shoulders. But Arthur knew not to go further, and Sophie was too scared to try anything he didn't start. Recognizing her fear only made him even more furious at his father and gave him an even greater need for her.

Still, he never let their bodies touch.

For all he repeated how high his willpower was, he didn't trust himself to hug her at this moment, with his emotions as they were, and that close to his room.

So, after an eternity, they calmed down and separated. They still stood close, holding hands, enamored and lost in the moment.

The way Sophie looked adoringly at the prince caused him to fall for her all over again.

"Tamara," he said while still looking at Sophie, "thank you for protecting me all these years. Sophie," he said with a wide smile, "I have wonderful news for us." He then revealed everything in the decree to her.

He felt tempted to lie to her about the orders he had just disobeyed, but it would be a terrible betrayal to her. He had just made her a part of his act of defiance. She deserved to know.

Arthur noticed her struggle as she absorbed everything. She wanted to get away from him. Not for her; for him. She didn't want to be a cause for his disobedience.

"Don't, please," he asked softly. "I won't try to go further, I promise. But I believe we deserve this. If..." He swallowed. "I won't force you. This... Being your... Your... Suitor..." The word felt weird in his mouth. "Means a lot to me, but I don't want to force you... If you meet someone interesting after we leave... You can just... Just tell me, and we can part friendly..."

She teared up, looked pained and passionately at him, and shut him up with another kiss.

After they parted this time, they kept their eyes close and foreheads touching, feeling the warmth of their nearby bodies and thinking about everything.

"You too," she whispered after a while. "Once we leave, go meet other people. I don't want you to like me just because you never knew better."

He smiled. Both knew they weren't about to do that, but also that it was essential to be said. At least, it felt important to him that she reciprocated his feelings on the matter.

Arthur took his head away from hers. "I should shut you up with a kiss like you did to me. But, lady, you took all my air! I beg for your mercy! Let me breathe!"

She smiled playfully at first, then seductively as she looked at his lips.

Sophie did not show him any mercy.

[A/N: I was torn about how to introduce battle maids. Should I make Arthur find out by himself? Should they make a grand entrance to save him?

In the end, I really like how it turned out. It connects well with the other point I wasn't sure how to approach, their romance.

I'll explain battle maids better in the next chapter.

The Dungeon Arc will end in chapter 26.]

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