"Who are you people? How did you get in here? Do you have any idea who I am?"
The Luminous fleet's commander, suspended midair by an invisible force, shouted in rage. He hadn't yet grasped the severity of his situation and instead tried to intimidate Muria.
"If you two value your lives, you'd better release me right now," he growled.
Crack!
A sickening sound of bones breaking echoed through the room, making the commander's face twist in agony. For someone who had never endured such pain before, the experience was unbearable.
"Didn't you hear me? Answer my questions and don't waste my time with anything else," Muria said coldly.
"You… you have no idea what you're doing!" The commander gritted his teeth, still attempting to rely on his status. "I am the third heir of the Matan family! Just for the injuries you've inflicted on me, you could be executed a thousand times over!"
"You're noisy." Muria sighed in irritation and clenched his hand slightly. The commander screamed in agony as his arm was crushed into a bloody mess by an unseen force.
"D-damn it! Stop! I'll tell you whatever you want!"
The excruciating pain shattered the commander's arrogance. He quickly surrendered, realizing his life was on the line.
"Who is she?" Muria pointed to one of the numerous holograms of the strikingly beautiful Luminous woman adorning the room.
"A-a foreigner captivated by our empire's princess, huh?" Despite his pain, the commander chuckled weakly. "Don't tell me... you've fallen for her beauty too?"
Crack!
Another sharp cry tore through the air as two more fingers on the commander's remaining hand were crushed.
"I told you—don't waste my time." Muria's tone was low and dangerous.
"Her name is Astia Vikmanis," the commander gasped, his entire body drenched in sweat.
"And her current status?"
"She's the princess of our empire... the brightest jewel of the royal family," he replied, panting heavily.
"Then explain the engagement you mentioned earlier," Muria demanded, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
The commander let out a bitter sigh, despite the torment he was enduring. "What else could it mean? The empire's most beautiful woman... she's already been claimed."
Muria's heart burned with fury, though he kept his expression cold. His voice hardened further as he delivered his next command. "Take me to see her."
The commander froze, his mind reeling. He still hadn't fully processed how these strangers had infiltrated his warship. How had a seemingly primitive child and an ordinary-looking girl bypassed all security? None of this made any sense to him.
"You want to see the princess? Who are you people?" the commander asked through gritted teeth, despite the fear gnawing at him.
"Who we are is irrelevant. Lead me to her, and I'll reward you with wealth and status beyond your imagination. Refuse, and your life ends here," Muria stated without emotion.
"You're insane if you think I'd betray the princess! No matter what you offer, I won't let you near her!" the commander snarled. His fear had been eclipsed by an overwhelming sense of duty—he was fully committed to his role as the princess's loyal admirer.
"Oh? Interesting," Muria muttered, raising an eyebrow. He was mildly intrigued by the man's sudden bravery.
"Let me guess—you're not the one engaged to Princess Astia, are you?" Muria sneered. "Yet here you are, ready to die for her. Why?"
The commander's face contorted when he heard Muria call the fiancé a "scumbag," but he quickly composed himself. "Why? Because Princess Astia is my life's greatest aspiration! I'll protect her with everything I have. So you can forget about using me to get to her!"
"Got it," Muria nodded thoughtfully. He had seen enough to conclude that the commander was, without a doubt, a textbook example of a loyal fool—someone willing to sacrifice everything for a love that would never be reciprocated.
"Listen closely," Muria continued, his voice calm but firm. "I have no interest in harming her. In fact, I'm here to stop this engagement."
The commander's eyes widened, momentarily forgetting his pain. "Wait... you're serious?"
"Dead serious."
"I..." The commander hesitated, his resolve wavering. But then he voiced a crucial question. "Who... who are you really? Before I help you, I need to know that much. Otherwise, I'd rather die than betray my duty."
"Is that so?"
In response, Muria's body shifted, his form expanding into that of a magnificent golden dragon. His sheer presence radiated overwhelming power, causing several holographic displays in the room to shatter under the pressure. The commander's jaw dropped as awe, fear, and reverence flashed across his face.
"Y-you... you're a transcendent being! A divine one!" he stammered, overwhelmed by Muria's draconic majesty.
"Is that reason enough for you?" Muria growled softly.
"But... why would someone as powerful as you want to sabotage Princess Astia's engagement to Duke Vijay Kumar? That doesn't make any sense," the commander muttered, still confused.
"Do I need to justify myself to you?" Muria's eyes gleamed with menace. "All you care about is that the princess remains unmarried. Beyond that, it's none of your concern."
"You're... right," the commander finally conceded, realization dawning on him. "As long as the engagement is called off, what happens afterward doesn't matter to me."
"Good. Then you'll help me," Muria said with finality.
"Yes... I'll help," the commander agreed, nodding fervently. His desire to see the engagement fail had overpowered any lingering doubts. He knew this dragon's intervention might just make that dream come true.
______
(≧◡≦) ♡ Support me and read 20 chapters ahead – patreon.com/INNIT
For every 50 Power Stones, one extra chapter will be released on Saturday.