Son of the Hero King
chapter-278

“So, how does it feel to become Prince?”

“Honestly? Pretty anti-climatic.”

It was a few hours after the closing ceremony and officially being recognized as the 5th prince, Sol was currently in his room in order to finish the actual important part.

After all, becoming Prince had never been the true goal. Just a means to an end for a way bigger goal.

Sol had received the cheer and warm welcome of the dragon as a whole, but that was all there was to it. He didn’t even have to do a speech or something of the sort nor did he wish to.

Still, in a way, this event had been very similar to what he went through in Lustburg and he answered as such to Isis, who had been the one to question him.

“You see, in the human world, the royal family had traditions slightly similar.”

Proceeded to explain the events that happened on that day. His training with Lilith and his fight with Setsuna as well as all the small details. [1]

Looking at Sol getting animated while speaking, something she rarely saw since he always liked to keep his polite smile, she understood just how important Setsuna and all the other women back at home were to him.

‘I really want to meet those women.’

For him, becoming the Dragon prince, something many saw as an honor, was nothing more than a troublesome problem and the only reason he participated was that he needed to.

Now though,

“The second part of your contract had been completed. All the dragons recognize you wholeheartedly as a prince. As for the reward…”

Sol prompted her, “You aren’t a reward in my eye. Not in this way at least, I do not want you to think that the only reason I am making a contract with you is that I want to use you.”

Sol didn’t want to leave any doubt in her mind. There was nothing nastier than the seeds of doubt. They always managed to worm their way into the deepest part of the mind before progressively destroying people.

Sol liked Isis, perhaps loved her? He didn’t know but he liked her enough to form the lust contract and make her his first partner.

This was precisely why the two of them found themselves alone in this room now, after being thrown in it by Tiamat.

Once they signed the contract and were tied together, Sol would have the possibility to choose one of Isis's numerous abilities as a phoenix and a necromancer and would be able to use it at the same level as her from the get-to go. If he was lucky, he could also get one or two more randomized innate skills from her for a grand total of three.

Though of course, he would have to be extremely lucky for it to happen….. Sol didn’t think he would have many problems there.

For the contract after this, what he would get would be randomized and at a lower level, needing much harder training because of the difference in species.

Still, with all of this, it means that Sol could transcend his race and obtain more ability as time passed and with each new contract.

This was the advantage all humans had over the other race and also one of the reasons why all King or Queen of Lustburg had been so dangerous despite the inherent disadvantages humans had when compared to magical beasts.

They were the kind to always win the RNG when it came to this mechanic.

“So now…What do we do?”

Isis fidgeted a little, a flush on her face as she looked everywhere but at Sol himself. This time, even Sheherazade wasn’t present with her and it was for obvious reasons.

Sol knew that in such a situation, he was the one that should take the initiative.

For all her bluster and tough act, he knew that deep down, she was a fragile girl with a big heart and promised inwardly once again to do everything in his power to never make her suffer any slight.

Approaching her, he took her hands in his and gave a kiss on them before looking her in the eyes, “Do you believe in me?”

Isis stopped trembling as she also gazed into his beautiful blue eyes. She had only known him for a few months all in all but she liked everything she knew about him.

Her eyes allowed her to see the soul and she had always liked Sol’s soul and as her power reposed on judgment, she could see all falsehood and knew that right here, right now, Sol only held goodwill for her.

“I do believe you.”

She truly did. This was why she was here. Why she didn’t simply leave despite her small fear, why she was waiting.

She believed in him and she was willing to take the next step with him…Well…Many new steps.

Sol was elated at her words, “Then, leave everything to me.”

He would have loved to do it in better circumstances but as it was, he would still do his best for it to be a moment she would never forget.

—

While Sol and Isis were preparing themselves for the final moment of their courtship and entering a new stage in their relationship, Tiamat was floating in front of Blaze’s island, a melancholic air on her face.

“Mother, it’s rare to see you like this?”

Tiamat chuckled at Kiyohime’s words,

“Do you take me for some unfeeling monsters? Of course, I also have my moments of weakness.”

She let out another chuckle as she could see the disapproving expression on Kiyohime’s face. She knew that her children didn’t really have the best impression of her but she didn’t particularly care either.

From a certain point of view, her children were more like clones or extensions of her with their own consciousness than anything else. The fact that they were also born as nearly fully adults didn’t really help in forging loving relationships.

If she was honest with herself though, she sometimes wondered what it would feel like to have her own children growing from her stomach and born out of love rather than a simple desire to create another weapon.

‘I can’t really blame the goddesses for their lack of love toward divine beasts.’

Shrugging, she focused once again on the island,

“I know that Sol doesn’t really see this place as his home, so I am debating about whether I should open the island to him.”

The Islands were not unlike a witch’s tower. Bastion of power that attuned themselves to the mana of their master and for all that Sol was the son of Blaze, the feeling of their power couldn’t be any more different.

Once Sol officially became the master of the island…

“You don’t wish for the last remaining of her aura to vanish.”

Kiyohime did not ask a question, this was a fact and the two of them knew this and Kiyohime didn’t bother mentioning that Tiamat would have felt no such hang-up if this happened to one of the other princes.

“I would be sad too if you guys died you know?”

Kiyohime gave a sarcastic smile, “How great. I am in tears because of happiness.”

Her smile slipped however at the next sentence, “Though….Perhaps I won’t be there to see it myself.”

Silence fell between the two of them, the two of them knew that after the events that would soon happen, while Tiamat would undoubtedly survive, the same couldn’t be said about the others.

Death was all too real for them and Tiamat made no false promise nor gave empty words of comfort. They were all warriors and they all knew that they would either die on the battlefield or not at all.

In a sense, the fact that none of them died during the great war was already a miracle of sorts and Kiyohime didn’t know how long this luck would hold.

“You know, I never mentioned it but you guys are pretty hypocritical you know?”

Tiamat shook her head, “You always complain about how I played favorites with Blaze but…Be it you, Fafnir or Hydra and the others, aren’t you doing the same? The dragons who fought today were all your descendants, right? But did you care about anyone outside of Kaiser and Nidhogg?”

She chortled at that,

“I play favorites and I am the monster.

“You do the same and you are the good parents?

“This doesn’t seem very fair.”

A tense silence followed those words as Kiyohime was left speechless. While she only had aqua as her daughter and obviously cared for her, it was true that she cared more about talented individuals like Kaiser and Nidhogg or Ladon and Nabu in the past.

She had long since even stopped trying to remember the name of most of the dragon she raised. Only caring for a select few.

This didn’t make Tiamat's actions any more right, but they were ill placed to throw stones at her again and again.

Tiamat snickered inwardly, but didn’t keep the silence lasting longer. She truly didn’t care once again and just wanted to point out something she had always noticed. She simply went back to their earlier discussion.

“You are right. I do not know how many will die. Perhaps none, perhaps everyone? We shall see.”

Whatever happened, she was ready to give her all and she would show them all the price of attacking her domain.

“Well…Rather than wondering whether I will cry or not at your death, let’s make sure no one dies, alright?”

Laughing lightly despite the tense situation, Tiamat turned around, whether Sol would occupy the island or not, they had to make sure that there would be an island left to occupy in the first place.

“Let go prepare the blood pool. Once Sol finishes with the phoenix girl, we shall begin. Meanwhile, I will call Gabriel. Gotta share the good news.”

Her laugh became even louder at this mention. Sol would become the first dragon to unite with a phoenix.

Truly a wondrous moment, that would be recorded in history.

[1]: Read vol 3 the Wolf to get the events again. Damn, been really a long while.