Encyclopedia #3

The oath was a spell system created by a group of powerful organizations in the ancient and antique era. It provided the ability for an intelligent being to create an oath/promise to another, and it must be completed in terms of the set duration or if triggered. One could pledge their allegiance and others could promise to fulfill a certain action.

It is a mandatory rule for every intelligent being to pledge their allegiance to their own race and it mustn’t be a trigger or condition. Though each oath towards their race may differ and there may be loopholes. However, it is a silent rule that nobles do not pledge to other nobles for if every member of the race pledges to one, tyranny will run their nation.

Punishments vary, depending on how serious the oath and violation. It could be as simple as getting beaten up, to accidentally eating poisoned food, and finally, the soul being tormented. Not only that, but a symbol on the forehead will appear to those that violate their oath, warning others of liability.

One Year Later

Felisa

It had been a year since Felisa brought Joseph to the guild shop, but ever since then, he had become an insufferable child, who pleaded, cried and acted cute to receive his own workshop on his 5th birthday. Annoying and bratty, Felisa mused. But she loved him dearly, even if he was mentally mature, and so, she yielded and secretly built a workshop according to his schematics. However, still, what she detested the most was the fact that her son would be at the front lines of the war that would come. This fate left a disgusting taste in her mouth, but there was nothing she could do.

She understood that Joseph being her child was a perfectly logical choice in the eyes of the guardians. He would be one of the ten sons of the king, which allows for a better screen to supply the little princeling with the needed support, especially from his mother who was a military general. A king’s offspring also usually yields some amazing and scholarly minds or martially endowed bodies, which provides another layer of protection. But one main important reason is that the safest position for a reincarnator was to be blatantly in the open, yet camouflaged and discreet.

As one of the last hope of humanity, the other races would believe that the guardians would their best to hide and protect the child until it reaches its prime. Although, it’s certain there will be some skepticism where some would believe that the hero would be born within the royalty. Nonetheless, it’s better to have a few bows pointed at one’s area than an entire volley.

Felisa recollected of her situation at the moment. Other than herself, only a few people knew about Joseph's real potential, not including the king, his father. She was a bit alone in terms of politics, accruing only a few connections within some noble circles, mainly woman. She wasn’t in a faction nor did she opt to be part of one. She only married the king, a person she considers as a friend, because of her noble clan, the Fortius, who had pressured her into doing so. She didn’t have her strength in her earlier years, but the talent that attracted suitors to their clan. However, at the time, there was a position opened to be a royal consort, a wife to the king. King himself was intrigued by her beauty and talent, so Aiden Algorith III married her, but only to find out that their personalities could only reach to that of being best friends. It is because their personalities were a bit too similar for romance. They were both stoic in front of others, and a bit hot-blooded during fights, yet at the same time able to control their brains to form strategies. Their humour was also nearly the same, both laughing at things they understood that others didn’t and during their times sad moments, they would support each other like friends whenever they had the chance. Though it was still mandatory for the consort to produce a child, therefore, she had Joseph. Aiden did feel guilty about their relationship for while he can marry and truly love another woman, Felisa couldn’t.

In the department of politics, her main strengths were her ranking mage power and her titles ‘Royal Consort’ and ‘General of the seventh legion’, which was composed mostly of females. Gender didn’t really differentiate in this world, as a man or a woman could be the breadwinner in a family. This equality was brought by mana and aura, where the ratio of male and female becoming mages or aura users were similar in numbers. Having one side favoured wouldn’t be the best political or moral move, for the other side would retaliate in one way or another. The only difference mainly in the society was that the dominant nobles or upper echelons, both male and females, were allowed to marry a number of people, in contrast to the monogamy of the commoners.

That stupid king, she thought, can’t even dare to meet his son once in a while? To his credit, however, he is under overwhelming pressure from both internal and external and is barely able to meet his other children either. The minds of intelligent lifeforms are finicky; even when faced with an impending war of survival, humans are still fighting each other politically, trying to gain any small step above from their rivals and enemies. The king needed to travel numerous times to different locations in order to ensure the survival of the human race.

It had been twenty days since her son’s birthday, in which she had finally gifted the laboratory that he desperately begged for. The main thing that contributed to her consent in the building the lab early was Joseph’s success in his cultivation method. Successfully cultivating the entire method provided Joseph with the strength of a twelve-year-old commoner. Though this method provides a great foundation for the body of a warrior or mage, the strength boost would later be negligible further down the road of power.

So, Felisa thought it was fine for her young prince to do some of his experiments with the strength he had, but he was to be watched by two, ranked one, servants who had taken oaths to protect him. At the moment, Vena was a bit busy as she was sent on missions, along with Thelsa, in order to sharpen their battle experience. It was also to improve the relationship and ease the tension between the two because Felissa felt that Thelsa was a bit jealous of Vena’s talent. Considering that they were both of the same ranks but one is three years older, it wasn’t surprising for Thelsa to be jealous and felt some rivalry. But it that rivalry forms into something else, problems may rise. Hopefully, this stone will kill two birds rather than two geniuses.

Felisa disrupted her thoughts and continued to walk along a gravel path within her military compound embedded on Mount Trekus, a mountain fifty kilometres Southeast of the capital city, Thes. She was headed straight for her son’s laboratory which was located inside a cave near the center and camouflaged as an armoury. Standing in front of the entrance were two female soldiers at rank three, guarding with stern faces. She approached them, “Has there been anything of importance to report?”

“No, sir, there hasn’t been any. The young prince has been inside of the lab for nearly the entire day, only either sending his servants or himself to get the food that has been delivered during meal hours.”

“Hmm… Alright, I’ll proceed to enter.”

“Yes, my lady.”

That little brat. Doesn’t come out and stay inside like a hermit. If this continues, nevermind getting a girl, he wouldn’t be able to socialize or communicate well with the others if he’s going to be a leader. Felisa considered being stricter by forcing out her child to hang out with the other children in the camp, even if they’re only female. Or at least talk with the soldiers nearby to get a better understanding of the military and the world. Common sense and the understanding of our society will be very important, she thought, and if he hung out with the children, he might gain some understanding of the others. Or there may be some potential romance. From some snippets in what he said about his past, he didn’t really have a loved one.

She opened a metallic door and went in with a warm smile plastered on her face. But as she went down a small hallway, she heard a loud bang that echoed throughout the rooms within the lab. Startled and concerned, she rushed forward, using all of her power, reaching the location of the sound.

There, she found herself at her son’s main working area and she busted through the doors to find two servants on the floor, tied and shivering in fear. She turned her worried eyes around the room, looking through the messy tables full of materials to find Joseph. And when she did, she saw Joseph standing near a table with his hands on a lever pushing down. In front of him were some metal shields and a reinforced glass that seemed to protect from what she assumed a staff with smoke coming out from the front. The smoking tip was aiming at an armour stand which had some armour.

Her eyes widened at the sight. The stand carried an armour with mid-level inscriptions usually used by rank fours and fives, but she could see a small hole in the middle of the breast platings which something had penetrated. What was that loud sound, she pondered, and what caused this hole? That staff?

Unsure, she wanted to ask her son, but her motherly concern and worry returned, however, Joseph stood still, his hand still on the lever. His face was stuck in a scared and frightened state, while his eyes showed fear and guilt…