The Kingmaker System

The knight knocked on the large double doors and Ocean could sense not one or two but a total of fifteen presences inside.

"Come in,"

The knight pushed the doors open and gestured for Ocean to step in.

Ocean walked in finding Eric already inside standing before the large ornate desk behind which Augustine sat. Eric turned to look at Ocean and a relieved smile graced his handsome features. Ocean didn’t like the fact that Eric was mistreated.

Having the Prince of another country standing like that in front without even offering him a seat was as good as saying that their position and status wasn’t acknowledged or rather than they were looked down upon.

There were two aides that sat at their desks in the adjacent sides of the large room with the knights standing at proper distance all over the room including two high ranking ones behind Augustine.

Ocean’s blood bristled as he kneeled.

"Glory to the sun of Denril." He spoke through his teeth, maintaining his facial expression to be neutral while the storms brewed beneath the icy eyes.

"Rise, Marquis." Augustine spoke.

Ocean rose to his feet and stood beside Eric hands held behind his back. Augustine eyed both of them for a long moment before he sighed.

"Whatever happened yesterday couldn’t be brushed away as an unfortunate accident." He started, "And from what I learned so far, Marquis Ocean, you had complete knowledge of what was going to happen but instead of reporting, you decided to keep it with yourself and made plans behind our backs and let the chaos happen."

His tone was accusing despite being barely saved last night, but Ocean didn’t feel offended by that tone, he was rather offended at the fact that the child whom he wanted to have respect and honor was made stand like a criminal when he was completely innocent.

"Prince Eric, I would have at least expected you to have reported of such conspiracy to me when you found out about it. You told the Crown Prince but not myself who was going to be assassinated. What exactly were you planning?" Augustine raised his voice and Ocean’s Dragon’s Presence sizzled around him.

Eric barely resisted the flinch after feeling it from the proximity and he understood that Ocean was getting angry. If the King kept speaking he might lose his tongue or his palace.

"I-I apologise for keeping such an important information from you, Your Majesty. But we didn’t want to worry you and also, if the information would have been leaked further then the assassins would have changed their plan and we wouldn’t have been able to protect you and everyone." Eric quickly explained hoping to calm Augustine so that he wouldn’t push for his death.

Augustine scowled, "And what about those creatures? What explanation do you have about that?"

Shouldn’t he be asking that to those who actually sent them? Ocean thought feeling his Dragon’s Presence surge out, but he made sure that Eric was unaffected.

The aides including the knights who were around flinched, Eric who noticed that gulped, he didn’t feel that intimidating brush but he glanced at Ocean whose face seemed like it was carved from ice.

"I understand what your concern is, Your Majesty. But what Marquis Ocean did at that time was for the safety of everyone, those cursed assassins were unprecedented, we had no idea that something like that was going to happen." Eric reasoned.

Augustine frowned, eyes blazing, "But Marquis even had a plan for that."

Eric gritted his teeth, "That’s because Marquis is a prudent person, he keeps everyone’s safety above all that’s why he makes many plans to make sure no one would lose their lives. Even at the end, you saw he teleported everyone in the ballroom outside and fought those cursed ones himself. Do you really think the one who could do that would plan to harm Your Majesty or the peace that is finally achieved?"

Augustine had been happy to have the peace at first but seeing that the assassins were cursed he couldn’t help but feel even more wary. And his prime suspect was Marquis Ocean, the cursed ones were basically the ones turned by those who were capable of using the dark mana or were experts in using dark spells. If Marquis Ocean can defeat such individuals then he was either of those. He couldn’t trust such a man.

He was impressed by the Princes during the peace talks but this man, Marquis Ocean had his network lines here in Denril and that meant that he had been here before during the times of the war and had been planning God knows what. For the safety of his kingdom and son, he knew he had to first make sure to know what this man’s real intentions were. But, could he even trust Prince Eric?

Augustine eyed Eric before he said, "What about you then, Your Highness? Even if I disregard the words of the assassins but, you would still have some sort of a plan to have an upperhand to claim the throne of Sestia, don’t you?"

Eric’s fists clenched, "What might Your Majesty mean?"

Augustine steepled his fingers before his lips as his narrowed eyes at Eric.

"I am well aware of the situation in Sestia right now, Prince Eric. You who weren’t even up for the fight for the throne are suddenly up against the Queen’s son. You wouldn’t have thought that you could use Denril as your stepping stone, would you?"

Ocean’s patience was remarkably vast, but it had limits.

He lifted his eyes meeting straight with Augustine’s.

"It seems like Your Majesty doesn’t quite remember the voices of the ones he talked with after a some time." He spoke and Augustine frowned.

"What do you mean, Marquis Ocean?" He asked.

Ocean focused his Dragon’s Presence only over Augustine and Augustine’s chest clenched as he felt his shoulders tightening under the immense pressure. His heart hammered in his chest like a caged beast and the coat of cold sweat covered his forehead, dripping down his back as he recalled the familiarity of this pressure.

He had felt it once in the past, exactly four years ago. He had forgotten that voice but he couldn’t forget this pressure that was capable of crushing him like a mere clay doll.

The knights who sensed something wrong with the King moved at once.

"Your Majesty, are you all right?"

"What did you do?!" The knights rushed to Marquis Ocean unsheathing their swords and Eric took the stance to resist if they attacked.

"Stop!" Augustine shouted, "Get back!"

The knights who were taken aback, reluctantly retreated and the aides rushed to Augustine’s side.

"Your Majesty, are you not feeling well? What’s wrong?"

Augustine breathed heavily, his face had gone ashy pale while his pupils quivered, he seemed like he was on the verge of passing out at any moment. Ocean removed his Dragon’s Presence making Augustine slump over his desk as the air finally found its way back into his lungs but his heart had yet to calm down.

He could feel the ghost of the pressure still being there as if he wasn’t a King of a country but a mere prey in the shadow of a predator.

The aides and knights fussed over Augustine who gathered himself and Eric looked at Ocean.

"Ma-Master?" He whispered and Ocean hummed.

"Wha-What did you do?" He asked.

"I haven’t done much yet. He’s forgotten his place, let me remind it to him." Ocean responded in a low voice.

Eric flinched hearing Ocean’s words. Everyone in their world saw themselves through the eyes of other people, status position, wealth and power denoted their standing and also identified them but beneath it all they forget that they were all mere mortals. They could try to fight it all they wanted but death was inevitable and strongest of them all, before the death nothing mattered. You could be the King or a pauper but in the eyes of death, you were just a mortal.

"I request to have a private audience with Your Majesty." Ocean spoke without any hint of politeness in his voice.

The knights and the aides found it offending but before they could say or do anything Augustine coughed.

"All right. Everyone leave." He spoke.

His retainers watched him in shock wondering what the masked man did to their King to become suddenly so sickly and subservient.

"But, Your Majesty-" the Captain of the Royal Knights who was there spoke but Augustine waved his hand.

"Leave, now!" Augustine ordered firmly.

The knights and the aides left reluctantly giving Ocean suspicious glances and Eric lingered looking at Ocean. Ocean turned to look at him and gave him a cordial smile.

"Wait for me outside, Your Highness."

Eric couldn’t understand if he should feel relieved or feel scared for the King but he obliged. He bowed to the King before he walked out.

The doors closed behind Ocean and Ocean’s face returned to its icy demeanor. His eyes narrowed glowing faintly with the suppressed anger.

Augustine couldn’t stand since his legs had gone weak so, he asked from his spot.

"A-Are you really..."

His voice had lost its earlier condescending and hostile tone, leaving behind the frail, vulnerable voice.

"Do I have to appear as a Dragon before you every time for you to realise who’s standing before you?" Ocean asked.

Augustine now was completely sure, he had made a grave mistake. Four years ago, he had come across a Dragon who had saved his kingdom and just a few months ago had also showed him a way to achieve the peace. And he had gone and angered that very Dragon.

Augustine rose to his feet and bowed, "I-I apologise! I-In my ignorance, I dared to humiliate the Great Dragon and savior of my kingdom!"

Ocean’s expression didn’t change as he watched Augustine’s bowed head. He didn’t even say anything, simply watching.

Augustine also didn’t straighten up as he kept bowing, feeling his heart beating in his ears. A Dragon who was capable of protecting his kingdom also was capable of destroying it completely. If he made any mistakes here then he would lose everything that he had worked hard in protecting.

"P-Please forgive this lowly human’s mistake, great Dragon!" He spoke.

Ocean opened his mouth, "Have a seat."

Augustine lifted his head looking at Ocean, "Yes?"

"Your body is old, staying in that position for long might give you a back pain." Ocean spoke.

Augustine gulped wiping the sweat from his brow before he sat down heavily in his chair and looked at Ocean who was still standing.

"P-Please have a seat too, Great Dragon." He said gesturing to the chairs.

Ocean glanced at the chairs before he focused back on Augustine.

"I’m fine with standing," he said, "considering my Prince wasn’t allowed to sit. I couldn’t accept."

Augustine flinched. The last time, the Dragon had met him, he had told him about the destruction that was to come and the heroes that he had chosen including the future ruler of Sestia. It was unmistakably Prince Eric but to disrespect that same person in front of the Dragon, no wonder the Dragon was livid.

"I’ll apologise to His Highness Eric, Lord Dragon. Please don’t hold this ignorant one’s foolish mistake against the kingdom and my son."

"You’re the King who has the responsibility of protecting everyone, I understand that you were wary of those who hid their motives but even after knowing that Prince Eric is of my choosing, you dared to suspect him and even accused him of using cheap tricks to have the throne of Sestia. Your memory must be getting affected by all the drinking and your age... Your Majesty." Ocean spoke.

Augustine couldn’t lift his head as he gritted his teeth. Yes, he had forgotten, in front of the big issue of nearly dying and having his people in danger he forgot about how much importance His Highness Eric held.

"I-I’ll make amends, Great Dragon. Please... forgive me." He apologised again.

He had never apologised to anyone after becoming the King but he had apologised four times in a row in the single conversation today. This proved to him that even after being the King, there were some things that were beyond his power and rule. He wasn’t omnipotent or immortal, but a mere human who was bound to move under the influence of those stronger than him. And currently, the one who could crush him like a bug stood before him.

"Wha-What should I do to ease your anger, Great Dragon?" He asked.

Ocean eyed him for a moment before he spoke, "Why do you think I’m angry?"

Augustine gulped, "B-Because I dared to disrespect you even after being saved by you... And a-also suspected you and Prince Eric."

Augustine felt like he had given the right answer but Ocean’s unchanging grim expression made him feel like he made a mistake.

"I’m angry, because you disrespected the Prince whom I had been raising for years. You not only suspected him but also disregarded his efforts and his courage to stand against the stronger opponents who sought his death at every turn. I am angry because you disrespected my chosen child’s will."

Augustine flinched, blood draining from his face and he rose from his seat nearly knocking the chair back before he rushed ahead and kneeled before the Dragon.

"I apologise!"