Chapter 6 DUKE'S arrival at the Maiden's Lair 2

There are five holy swords around the Dwalyo planet. These swords symbolize the elemental power of each region who gain a holy fate from the Gods. Air, Water, Earth, Fire and Abyss.

These five elements were the source of hope of people, especially the devotees of the Gods. The sword of the Air was succeeded to Princess Sqy Le. The princess of the stone kingdom. Princess Sqy Le is the royal neice of the Duke of the Wind kingdom, the kingdom of Monsoon. Even she is the princess of the stone, she acquired the power of stone due to her connection with the Wind people.

The water sword was own by Hailey, one of the faculty that investigate all the errors of the Dwalyo planet. She is a quiet person but a sadistic one when it comes to offending her. The sword itself chose her to its master because of her behavior. She came from the land of seas that gained mostly half of the population of the planet.

The earth sword was own by the late minister's son. The son of the head of the maiden's lair. Two years after the Apocalypse starting point, the successor of the sword was mercilessly killed by a legendary demon. And until now, the sword still have no successor in line.

The fire sword or the ignite was in prophecy, it will be owned by the next king in line. The fire sword symbolizes the raised of bravery of every people. It would mean defeating the Apocalypse. And it was written in the prophecy of who will be the one acquiring the power of the sword, it is a royal blood. The rumored only alive Royals in their Apocalypse time.

"The sword beside him talks about the facts. He will be the groom that we maidens will be marrying. And that belief of yours, erased that on your mind. THERE IS NO HIDDEN PRINCE. Only the Duke is the soon-to-be-king," These phrases confused her a lot. This occasion never happened in her memory. There were no succession of the Duke to be next king ever happened. And she could say, the Duke never owned the sword of fire in her previous memory.

THE DUKE SAT TO his chair and leaned his head to his hand. He looked each of the maidens in veil in dull gazez. There were no changed after all, there is no need for him to find one in this line of maidens.

Fairol whispered to his ear that his assigned room is already settled. And the burial of his manor staff is also settled. When fairol done his order, he took the list of the names of the maidens in a small scroll.

" These Maidens were educated with etiquette, young Duke," the minister said to him. He small nodded and let him continue to spoke while he keeps reading each name of the maidens.

" You've gathered 50 maidens"

"Absolutely."

" But I don't see anyone have potential to be the next bride." The minister blinked of what he said. He looked at the minister with his unchanged expression.

"They don't still undergo the ritual process, young Duke. We can't say that no one in these Maidens couldn't be the chosen bride for the next king." The Duke laughed at him as if he was just blabbering a rubbish joke.

" The king? I never mention for the King. There are no ladies in here to be the next bride. They either died with the critics that they followed as a wife of the king or died in the ritual." He turned back his gaze to the 50 ladies in front of him. He shook his head, these ladies will never be at peace no matter where and what they be evaluated.

The minister silently laughed at him, awkwardly. Offending the Duke means death. Even he has a terrible behavior, this attitude couldn't withstand the dark aura of the Duke that surrounded him.

" Do you think they are so unlucky?"

" DO YOU NOT fret to die in his hands? You can be killed by his own sword," the woman beside her looked at her with pity eyes.

" That kind of thought will definitely kill you." She said annoyingly before shaking her head in this belief. " We're maidens after all. No one could harm us"

"Even if it is him?" The lady smirked at Lady Xaqion. " Do you really thought he could kill us?, We are chosen to be holy one. We more like a god in our positi-" before she could finished her sentence. A blade suddenly went to their side, Lady Xaqion has alerted because of it so she dodged it and also pushed her away at the same time.

" I thought you were educated, but you two both were like chicken in noise." The Duke said fiercely while standing at the stage. She looked at the blade that was now kiss deeply on the floor.

The lady beside her quickly kneeled down and bowed her head to the duke and plead for mercy. And she, who was slowly becoming mad of what he did. He really didn't have mercy nor respect after all.

" She plea for her life. How about yours?" She kept her anger cool down. Xaqion's uncle gasped of what he seen that made him stood in his chair in the stage. His chair is 5 chairs close to the Duke's chair.

Xaqion halfway kneel before bowing her head. That reflex that she did, could gain suspicious from the duke. She could be discovered just because of her carelessness. She closed her eyes to keep her emotion cool. This stubborn nobility really ache her head in anger.

Lady Constania who also seems shocked and feared of what she witnessed, also bowed her head. But she placed her smug smiled in her lips. He meant it for Xaqion. A quick karma after all. This would make the duke be confused with that sneaky maiden.

" I am just shocked and scared, your lord. Sorry for my incompetence." She pretended to be scared. Her uncle quickly plead for her own life while kneeling to the side of the Duke.

" She is just a mere child, Your lord. I am sorry for my lack of teaching her the meeting manners. I accept whatever punishment you will be giving to me. Just spare her young lord," he plead. Xaqion looked at him with shocked and disbelief of what he said. Why would he said that? He will be killed because of this sensitive stubborn ruthless duke.

She opened her mouth to speak for her own when suddenly the placed suddenly adjusted into a garden of sweet flowers. "Kiko," she said when she saw him drinking a tea in his teapot.

" Why did you brought me here?" She complained. Kiko is a half angel, the leader of Clyde. One of the silent half demon and half angel that is assigned to the souls living in the Rebirth's lair.

"You wanted to stop his death."

Unbelievable. "Saving life is not a sin"

"Exactly." He mooched his tea pot in a loop on the table and looked at her placed. "You didn't revive because of that reason, remember that."

"What are you saying?" She creased her forehead because of what he said. He smiled before sipping his tea. Before she could gained a respond, she was sent back to the hall and the duke is looking at her, amusingly.

"This man is pleading for your life. Are you not bit so lucky compared to the rest of the maidens?"

"Young duke, it is my fault. I am one to be blamed." The minister said and quickly signaled the silver knight to stand. This scenario will be the starting point of the death of the school.

"Please forgive them young duke," due to the minister's pleading, all of the maidens also plead along with him. They also bowed their head for him.

" That is what I want to see!" He yelled joyfully. " You act like you see me as your king." All of their heads were bowed down for him. The minister is all over sweating in fear. And she narrowed her eyes at the Minister position. " Do you think I am really suitable for that position?"

"It is our honor to welcome you, the soon to be king."

He laughed at them. "If I am the suitable king of all the kingdoms, then I don't need each one of you, maidens. I don't do commitments. You are good as dead for me." Some gasped of what he said and some widened their eyes in disbelief and wondered why would he said that.

"Useless people who couldn't protect themselves against the demons and monsters hauling everywhere, you better dig your own grave first. I don't need such useless best who only beliefs in prophecy. Acquiring cognitive knowledge is pure useless without doing it physically tested."

"THE BODY that she'd been revived to has a tough life." Clyde poured a small portion of tea in one of the available teapot. " You didn't said to her the truth?" Clyde asked him.

" She wished to forget her real past just to make this timeline her better place compared to her previous one. I don't force souls to choose their option. She was the one who decided to hide her real identity."

" She doesn't know that all what she remembered is just a memory of the body that already died in the first day of its birth."