Chapter Eighty Seven: Heroic Rescue

Their response was not what I expected “You…… who are you?” it came from Meila nonetheless. You’d think she’d recognize me anywhere having spent the most time with her.I looked at her and smiled. Leila stared deeply into my eyes. With a smile, I said to her “You have nothing to fear anymore. I’ll end this once and for all. You’ll be free……… Leila.” 
The fat noble who was cowering in fear tried interrupting us “How dare you! Just who do you think you are! She’s my property not yours!” 
He was stopped by the king who sat arrogantly on his throne believing I wouldn’t hurt him………
“Enough……….” he then faced me “I should never have agreed to her request(Milta). It was foolish of me to honor a promise knowing the danger you possess. Tell me, what is it you wish to achieve by going against us? Have we not kept our hands off you?”
I’ve known all along that it was Milta’s actions that allowed for my safety in this kingdom. For that, I am thankful.
Without bowing or lowering my tone, I started with the first command the stone gave me “King…….. is it long life you seek?”
“What of it?” he replied. “You ask me that knowing full well who destroyed my vase of life? I have decided to punish both the master(noble) and servant(Leila) at the same time. That includes anyone who tries to defend them. As for your crimes, I find you guilty for soiling our sacred grounds and assaulting a noble.”
Hearing all that, I asked again “King………… is it long life you seek?”
His response was just like the first time “What of it?”
I asked for the third time “King………… is it long life you seek?”
He didn’t hesitate to give me the same answer “What of it?”
The conditions have been met. It was time for the next lines just as the stone commanded.
I pointed the black stone in my right hand towards him “Then I will give you long life!”
His reaction was that of surprise “Preposterous! What can a mere demon brat like you do?”
The hall was filled with even louder noise. “Silence!” the king ordered. He was very interested in what I had to say.
That was when the stone in my hand spoke “You king…………. to you, grant life.”
The king’s surprise couldn’t be hidden anymore. He realized how great the situation was. He panicked “What is that thing!? get out of my sight! The likes of you can never grant my wish!”
If he resisted, I was to send a small amount of energy to the stone. That I did when it started vibrating in my hand. Then all of a sudden, the king’s shadow began to stretch towards me. The girls followed with their eyes as it happened. 
His body showed signs of aging.The closer the shadow got to me, the older the king became. He stared at the back of his hands getting wrinkled slowly.
“What in the world………….” Leila’s master collapsed on the floor. All the nobles clearly watched as it happened. The heroes were passed out.
The king jumped out of his thrown crawling down the stairs “Stop!! I believe you!!” he bowed his head kneeling on the floor and said “I believe you……… please give me long life.” he looked over seventy years old.
I had heard from Lust that the current king has a weak will. He was not the one who united all the races. That was done by his father who went crazy because of Lust. The current king succeeded the throne at a tender age. He got married at sixteen and had two children. But then he started seeing changes in himself. His body, compared to when he first became king was not to his liking. As such, he started fearing death and sought long life. When his children were born, he used the fragments of the horn Lust received as rewards and embedded it in his children’s bodies. He was afraid of doing that to himself but showed no mercy on his children. The children became incredibly strong after the fragments accepted them. They were named the number one and two heroes. The number one hero is a girl who is the second daughter. She’s been absent from the capital since I came. The second is her older brother. I remember seeing him when they left with Milta. He rode a white dragon. I could tell how strong he was even back then.
The stone spoke in my stead “So it be. Shall have you, half you age. However…….”
The stone promised to divide his age into two. He would be turned into a twenty year old man with one condition. He is to never raise a finger at me. For if he did, the stone will instantly kill him.
Without a second’s thought, he shouted “I agree!!” 
The stone then jumped out of my hand floating above his head.
“Your majesty!!” some nobles tried stopping him but it was too late. The stone turned into black smoke. It poured inside of him from his eyes, mouth and nose.
He cried in pain “UURRGH!!”
Seeing that, almost all the nobles rushed towards me in anger “Kill him!!” “He killed the king!!”
“Stop!!” the king shouted as they got closer.
He was no longer the old man he was a few seconds ago. He had lost his beard, and his skin was almost sparkly.
“Release the prisoners!” was the first order he gave. The girls were released immediately.
They both jumped and hugged me “You did it!!” 
The atmosphere changed after that. I pulled the chains off the heroes and made the shield disappear. The king promised to never come after us again. He forgave the noble for his crimes and dismissed everyone. He also ordered all the fighters outside to retreat and the barrier over the sacred land to be erected again.
The nobles opened their magical gate and entered disappearing from the hall. The heroes were carried by a team of healers. 
I held both Leila and Meila in my hands and jumped out through the roof I destroyed. I didn’t even wait to hear anything more from the king. All I asked for was Duddul. He was released immediately by the happy king. I don’t know for what reason, but he made me promise that I would stay in the capital and to avoid trouble.
The home we once knew was no more. I can ask Leila to rebuild it using magic or pay for it to be rebuilt, but now everyone knows of me and where I live. We’ll just have to find a new place to stay. The mask I have on right now which changes my appearance has become useless as well. I have to change it in order to live quietly. The last time I changed my appearance was after coming back from Taht’s house. It’s been a while since then.
Even if it’s for today, we need a place to spend the night before making other plans. And now that we are no longer being chased, I know just the place. 
To Etis’ inn!!