System S.E.X. (Seduction, Expansion, eXecution)

Chapter 756: Chapter 756: The Imperial Tournament

Ethan processed the monarch’s words before asking the obvious question.

"Is there no way to achieve it, Your Majesty?" Ethan asked.

"Only the Golden Dragon Empire can abolish it," King Alaric replied, locking his silver gaze on him. "And to do that, you must win the Imperial Tournament."

Ethan narrowed his eyes, unfamiliar with the scope of such a competition.

"What is that?" Ethan asked.

"The Golden Dragon Empire is something special," the King explained. "They are the supreme ruler and decide the future of these lands, making their power truly terrifying. However, to allow the greatest possible justice among the vassal realms, they hold the Tournament of Heirs. Each kingdom sends its heir, and they face off in a contest that determines the rewards for each realm. Furthermore, mines, territories, resources, and the favor of the Empire are bet at that time. If you win that tournament, you can request the abolition of the marriage."

"And if we don’t win? Will she still have to marry them?" Ethan inquired.

"Indeed," the King nodded heavily. "The Empire will not allow a single kingdom to absorb everything so easily, so they will step in to select a different king and she will be sent away as a maiden to the Silver Dragon Kingdom."

Ethan tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword and glanced at Isabella before addressing the throne once more.

"Very well," Ethan said in a firm voice. "I suppose the Princess has fought for this day. We will do whatever it takes to help her achieve her goal."

Alaric offered a faint smile, showing a glint of approval for the first time.

"Youths should be like that: reckless and willing to take what they desire by force," the King declared. "I cannot grant you what you originally asked for, but you must still be rewarded for your achievements. I hereby grant you the title of Deputy General and appoint you as the official Protector of the Princess."

Ethan bowed his head.

"It is my honor to serve Your Majesty," Ethan replied. "I will give my best to protect her."

The King rose from his throne, walked toward him, and slapped him heavily twice on the shoulders.

"Follow me," Alaric ordered Ethan and Isabella. "The rest are dismissed."

The generals, nobles, and guards bowed and exited the hall in silence. Within moments, only the King, the Princess, and Ethan remained in the immense chamber.

Alaric turned toward the young swordsman and his demeanor shifted completely; the cold oppression of the monarch gave way to the intense gaze of a guardian.

"Before, I spoke as a king, fulfilling what is expected of me and my position before my people..." Alaric said, taking a deep breath. "Now I speak to you as a father."

The atmosphere in the room grew exceedingly heavy.

"I truly hope you succeed and manage to pull my daughter out of her misery," the King continued, locking his eyes on Ethan. "However, if you make her suffer, I will crush you like an insect."

"Dad...!" Isabella exclaimed, her cheeks burning with an intense blush.

Alaric looked at his daughter with gentleness before turning back to the youth.

"Did you think I wouldn’t notice?" Alaric said. "Your mother told me about that ability... Although I don’t believe in destiny, I believe in your mother. I know how powerful her intuition must be, and if she told you to trust in him, I will trust in him for you as well."

"I will give my best, Your Majesty, I promise," Ethan said, nodding firmly. "Thank you for your blessing."

"So you finally show your true colors, brat?" the King asked, raising an eyebrow with a hint of mockery.

"I have never hidden them," Ethan replied with composure. "I simply do not exhibit them openly."

The princess lowered her face, completely red upon hearing his bold words.

"It seems I don’t have much to worry about," the King muttered, letting out a soft chuckle. "Do the best you can."

Ethan made a final bow. The monarch turned and gave him a hand signal.

"Come, look at this," the King said.

The three of them stepped through a magical portal and within a blink appeared in the great royal hall. Ethan recognized the place instantly; this was where he had met the king for the very first time. Back then it had felt like an overwhelming domain, and now it remained just as exquisite and terrifying.

Upon entering, the King guided them directly behind the throne. From a sealed runic box, he extracted a small gem of a deep, crystalline blue color.

"What do you think?" the King asked, handing it to him. "This is what my daughter brought back."

Ethan took the crystal into his hands. As soon as his fingers touched its surface, Crul’s voice echoed hurriedly inside his mind.

[Master, this is a genuine treasure!] Crul exclaimed with enthusiasm. [It is called the Blue Dragon Marrow. They have no idea what they have in their hands! Luckily we arrived in time. Follow what I tell you, and we can reap the maximum benefits.]

Ethan began playing with the stone, spinning it between his fingers while internally discussing the details with Crul.

The King showed no impatience. Observing the subtle smirk that began to form on the young man’s face, he gathered that the brat actually knew something everyone else had missed.

"Your Majesty, may I ask what you did when you discovered and received it?" Ethan asked, breaking the silence.

"As soon as my daughter showed it to me, I felt an extremely powerful pull," the King explained, recalling the moment. "Thanks to it, I managed to achieve my breakthrough. It was as though it unlocked a jammed mechanism within my cultivation."

"I see..." Ethan murmured. He then turned toward the royal maiden. "Princess, why did you bring it to your father?"

"When I discovered it within the inheritance, certain experts read the ancient runes surrounding it," Isabella answered with gravity. "They said it held the secret to ascending beyond Dao Manifestation, so I risked everything to bring it to my father as fast as I could."

"Interesting..." Ethan said, inspecting the gem under the light. "And let me guess... the ruins were destroyed, and the expert—or experts—have vanished due to some ’hidden mechanism’?"

Isabella’s eyes widened in sheer shock.

"How did you know?" the princess gasped. "Don’t tell me...?"

"That is correct, Princess," Ethan declared, locking his eyes onto the monarch with gravity. "Your father has been poisoned... and someone is trying to control him."

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