Chapter 175: King Of Zarion (2)

The Dean was at a complete loss for words. Her mind, a finely tuned machine for academic and political nuance, was seizing up.

Her first instinct was to unleash a sharp rebuke for such an outrageous claim, but that instantly died on her lips. Usually, someone making such a preposterous statement would be laughed out of her office. But this was Von.

Melissa had known the man for years. He was a pillar of discipline and strict adherence to the rules.

He wasn’t one for jokes or baseless claims, especially not in a setting as serious as this. The triumphant, genuine smile on his face wasn’t one of a man playing a prank; it was one of a man who had seen the truth. And that, in itself, was terrifying.

She stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the stone floor. Her sharp, intelligent gaze fixed on the imposing figure standing before her.

She met Adrian’s firm stare with one of her own, and a silent challenge hung in the air. Just immediately, she said a delicate chant.

It was to cast a simple diagnosis spell, one that would reveal the true strength of the person standing before her.

A second passed. Then another. And her eyes, filled with a mixture of disbelief and fear, froze. There was no results. The spell had simply fizzled out. It was as if she had tried to measure the ocean with a thimble.

"He’s... stronger than me," she muttered. Her breath caught in her throat. She snapped her head back to Master Von. "How is this possible? What happened to the King? How’s the war going? I’m so confused right now!"

Master Von raised a hand, his usual calm returning.

"Melissa, breathe. All I know, and what I believe, is what Adrian himself told me; he confronted and killed King Theron. That act, by the laws of Zarion, makes him King. As for the rest..." He gestured towards Adrian. "...perhaps His Majesty would be kind enough to enlighten us."

Melissa turned back to Adrian, her posture unconsciously stiffening into something resembling deference.

The news that he had killed King Theron genuinely frightened her. Who wouldn’t be scared? She didn’t know the reasons behind his actions. What if he was a tyrant who had murdered the king out of greed? Her earlier rude welcome would surely be a death sentence..

"Your... Majesty," she struggled to say, "Please... explain. What transpired?"

Adrian calmly answered her.

"King Theron initiated a war built on lies and greed. His incompetence led to the pointless deaths and disruption of lives, and with his actions he threw the kingdom into chaos. He crossed an irrevocable line when he endangered the lives of those close to me."

He paused before saying finally. "I ended his reign. Permanently. I hope that explanation suffices."

Melissa flinched at the blunt finality. "Y-yes, Your Majesty," she stammered, nodding vigorously. " I totally agree with you."

Adrian could sense the nervousness in her voice, so he said calmly. "I’m not here to harm you. So you need not fear me. Speak freely."

Melissa trusted Adrian’s words before saying. "I do agree. That man was a menace. He took many lives unjustly long before this, but with you... I feel like the Kingdom is in safe hands."

She hesitated for a moment before adding. "But about the war... how did it go? The Academy was against it, but there was nothing we could do. We were even lucky to be exempted from the battle."

Master Von also turned his gaze to Adrian with curiosity on his face. He had been so focused on the immediate situation that he hadn’t asked Adrian about the broader conflict.

Adrian simply stated, "You don’t need to worry. The war is over. All the surviving warriors are back in Zarion. They’ve gone to their homes to face their families and deal with the aftermath of the war. We just arrived minutes ago."

Both Von and Melissa stared in shock. The sheer scale of such an event happening entirely outside their awareness was staggering.

The mobilization, the return, the peace making – all while they remained cloistered within the Academy walls? It spoke volumes of Adrian’s control over the situation.

Melissa recovered first, "While you are King by right of strength, Your Majesty, the people need to know. They need to see their new sovereign. It would be prudent to convene with the Dukes immediately to plan your coronation and public address."

Adrian considered this. "Hmm. There’s no need for a coronation of any sort. But about the meeting, I anticipated the need already. I had arranged a public gathering in the Capital for 7 PM tonight. However, considering the logistics and the need for broader coordination..." He paused, calculating.

"...I will postpone it to tomorrow evening. You," he pointed to Melissa, "and Master Von, will ensure the Academy spreads the word. You’ll both make arrangements for it."

"As for the Dukes," he continued. "Only Duke Varyn remains active."

He saw the flicker of alarm cross both their faces. "I did not kill them," he clarified. "But most of them are dead."

An audible sigh of relief escaped Melissa. Von simply nodded grimly.

"Nevertheless," Adrian pressed on, "I require their Houses’ formal recognition and presence tomorrow. Representatives from all Houses are expected to swear fealty. Furthermore, you will communicate this development directly to the Adventurers Association. I require their public support and attendance as well."

Melissa hesitated. "The Dukedoms... What if they refuse?"

Adrian’s stance shifted slightly.

"Refusal?" he said in a low voice. "That would be... unwise. A simple reminder of the power that removed Theron should suffice to correct any misconceptions. However," he added, "with the two of you personally delivering the summons and vouching for the legitimacy of the transition, I anticipate cooperation. The common people despised Theron. Only the families of the Dukes may pose any potential friction, and that is not an issue."

His voice seemed to drop several degrees as he said the last part. Von and Melissa exchanged a long look.

The implicit threat was clear, but so was the logic. They both bowed their heads slightly.

"Understood, Your Majesty," Melissa said. "We will see it done."

A wry, almost disbelieving smile touched her lips. The Dean of the Academy, an 8-Star Mage like her was reduced to being a messenger for the new King. She had to admit, there was a certain irony to the situation.

Adrian nodded. "Good. I’ll be going now."

He then reached into his [Inventory] and pulled out two Communicators, handing one to Melissa and one to Master Von. "Reach me if any issues arise."

Melissa and Von both flinched as they watched Adrian materialize the communicators out of thin air.

"How did you do that?!" She gasped as she took the device, but Adrian was already turning to leave.

Master Von, however, was not about to let him go so easily. He quickly ran to Adrian’s side. "Wait, what about our agreement?"

Adrian stopped in his tracks. "Oh, that. I didn’t forget. I’ll take care of it sooner or later."

Master Von was about to complain, but it was too late. A single word had already left Adrian’s lips.

"Translocate."

Von and Melissa were left speechless when they found out that the Adrian who was just in the office with them had seemingly disappeared into thin air.

"Did he just...?"

***

Translocation Cooldown: [23:59:58]

The blue numerals filled Adrian’s vision as he reappeared in the familiar surroundings of his room in New Haven.

The reality of the cooldown still stung Adrian, but he knew quite well that he wouldn’t need it again.

He focused on his next goal. Tomorrow evening. The thought anchored him.

He knew the returning soldiers would have spread fragmented tales of the war’s end and their return. Confusion would reign in the streets. Fear and uncertainty.

They would be waiting, desperate for answers, for leadership, for hope. He needed to give it to them, decisively.

But standing before thousands, projecting the image of a king worthy of replacing the tyrant, required more than just power.

It required preparation and an undeniable presence.

A wry smile touched Adrian’s lips. He’d faced down a Transcendent Mage, redeveloped the entire of the Corrupted Lands, and impacted the lives of thousands through his inventions.

Yet, the prospect of addressing his own people felt... significant in a different way.

Adrian sighed and switched his thoughts.

’I still haven’t made use of my Quest rewards.’

The realization cut through his strategizing. Theron’s demise hadn’t just changed Zarion’s fate; it had fulfilled the System’s Quest.

Adrian was well aware of it for long, but had been waiting for the perfect moment. And now, he had no excuse not to check them anymore.

With a focused thought, Adrian summoned the notification and the holographic text materialized across his vision:

[Quest Completed: The Sovereign’s Reckoning!]

[You’ve received 5,000,000 TP!]

[You’ve received 1x Mystery Reward!]

[You’ve received 5,000,000 EXP!]

[Congratulations! You’ve achieved Level 17!]

[Congratulations! You’ve achieved Level 18!]

[Congratulations! You’ve achieved Level 19!]

[You have received a new skill!]

[Congratulations! You’ve achieved Level 20!]

[Evolution Initiated!]