Chapter 74: Might As Well Be OP (2)
"You sure have grown a lot, Arthur."
Arthur dipped his head respectfully. "Then I suppose Aunt has been teaching me well."
In an instant, a blue light enveloped Arthur and his family as they vanished into Amara's throne room.
She glanced at Alicia with scornful eyes, then looked back at Arthur. "It seems you've awakened."
This time, Arthur neither lowered his gaze nor spoke in a polite tone. "Aunt Amara, did you just glare at my mother like that?"
The room, filled with various people—not just female demonic humans, but dragons, demons, humans, dwarves, and elves—gasped.
The black-haired dragon now standing beside Amara stepped forward. "How dare you use such crude tone in front of the Queen?"
Arthur looked at him calmly. "And who might you be?"
The man opened his mouth to respond, but Arthur continued. "If I recall correctly, I'm the only male in the demonic dragon clan, am I not?"
No one spoke, so he went on.
"And just like in the human domain, the throne of a clan is contested by direct descendants. It isn't limited to Aunt's children alone."
He smirked, resting a finger lightly at the edge of his lips. "Doesn't that mean Aunt allowed an outsider to speak to an heir in that tone?" He locked eyes with the blue-eyed woman. "Is that how we uphold our customs?"
Immediately, murmurs rippled through the crowd:
"Wasn't that guy supposed to be the disgrace of the Arcains?"
"Yeah. So why is he talking so boldly?"
"Maybe he came here to die with dignity."
"Now wouldn't that be a plot twist?"
But those among the powerful, including Amara, could tell the boy before them was no joke.
It wasn't just his current strength, which far surpassed his apparent core rank. But his latent potential felt boundless, like a river without a source or an end.
The black-haired man tried to refute Arthur's words, only for Amara to raise her hand.
"Donald! enough."
The man stiffened, then bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Amara leaned one arm on the throne's armrest and rested her face on her knuckles, her white hair drifting softly to the side.
"So, my nephew, what exactly did you come here for? I doubt you arrived just to stir trouble."
Arthur smiled innocently, like a harmless child. "Of course I came just to stir trouble."
Everyone's eyes widened, even his family's reactions briefly shifted in surprise.
Then a clear, melodic laugh echoed through the silent hall.
It was a laugh Arthur could never forget, no matter how hard he tried.
That awkward, reflexive laugh that always escaped unintentionally.
He turned toward the third floor of the throne room, which rose high with long ceilings and balconies facing the center.
And there she was.
Amelia, standing next to Ravian, wearing the same academy uniform Arthur had found in his room.
It had a faintly militaristic design, unlike the one he wore before, and was made from a strange material resembling leather. A slightly long wand was strapped where a sword would typically go.
All eyes turned toward her as she covered her mouth immediately.
Arthur's gaze softened for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure.
Alicia stepped forward, well aware her son needed a moment to gather himself.
But unlike all her previous visits to the castle, her gaze wasn't cast downward. She stared directly at Amara.
Amara clenched her jaw. "Alicia, can't you show respect to your—"
Alicia cut her off. "And why should I? I never accepted you as my queen."
Amara raised her chin. "Are you testing my patience, Alicia?" she said, releasing a wave of force meant to intimidate. But the pressure she exuded was only that of a mid-level Elite.
Unbeknownst to the world, Alicia had used the knowledge from her past life to reach the mid-tier of Monarch rank.
She didn't even flinch at Amara's display and instead released a force far greater, so powerful that the knees of lower-ranked beings buckled and all heads bowed involuntarily.
Though her children felt nothing, even Amelia remained unaffected, while everyone else submitted.
Alicia took a step toward the throne.
The guards fought through the pressure and lunged at her.
Selena, Thyra, and Sylvia intercepted them effortlessly.
Alicia ascended the throne stairs and held Amara by the cheeks. "Big sister, I believe there's been a misunderstanding here."
Her force tripled, driving everyone to their knees, including Amara, who collapsed from the throne.
Alicia's eyes glowed a piercing crimson. "You're the one testing my patience."
Then she retracted her force and smiled sweetly. "I hope we can all get along from now on, Amara."
Amara, unable to control her body, nodded submissively.
Alicia turned to Arthur, who stood behind her. "So baby, what did we come here for again?"
Arthur knew the reason they'd come but paused a moment, pretending to think. "Oh right. Aunt, I need my pass to the academy."
Amelia suddenly leaned on the railing the moment she heard his words.
Before she even realized it, she was smiling, gazing at him without looking away.
Ravian, still winded from the earlier pressure, glanced at his sister. "Hey, sis… how are you okay?"
Amelia looked at him. "I don't know. It felt like mother…" She trailed off, uncertain of what she was about to say.
Ravian studied her. "Hey... big sis."
Amelia turned toward him, though one eye remained fixed on Arthur. "Yeah?"
Ravian hesitated, clearly choosing his words with care. "Are you in love with that guy?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Amelia's face turned impossibly red, and she whipped fully toward him.
"What?!"
Ravian's eyes widened, not at her words but her reaction. "No way, right?" He looked at Arthur. "How did he—"
He forced a nervous smile. 'How did he make my emotionless sister fall for him so quickly?'
...
Meanwhile, Amara stammered through her rage, her voice cracking under the weight of embarrassment as she knelt before the sister she always looked down on.
"I'm sorry, sister... but I can't."
Alicia's expression didn't change. She hadn't wanted to use force, but Arthur needed the pass more than anything.
Before she could speak, however, Arthur stepped forward, his tone playful, yet laced with subtle deception.
"There's a 'but,' right?"
Amara turned to the boy behind Alicia, meeting his eyes.
"If you're able to defeat someone who's already in the academy," she said, her voice regaining its usual arrogance, "then I'll revoke that student's pass and give it to you instead."
She smirked. "But I doubt anyone would be foolish enough to step forward—"
CRASH!
Ravian landed from the third floor, sword in hand, the weight of his arrival silencing the crowd.
"I'll fight him," he said, unsheathing his blade. 'I need to know what's so damn special about this guy.'
Arthur smiled faintly. 'Still the overprotective brother. Though I doubt the real Ravian would ever raise his sword against his big bro.'
He nodded calmly. "If Aunt agrees, we'll begin."
Amara grinned, amused. 'Does this fool really think he can defeat Ravian?'
She nodded without hesitation.
Gasps echoed through the watching crowd—her shamelessness left many visibly disgusted.
Ravian raised his blade and pointed it directly at Arthur. "Where's your weapon?"
Arthur stretched casually and tilted his head.
"What weapon?"
─── ✦ End of Chapter ✦ ───