"Summoning is the power of the king's artifact. This process is one of many ways to choose a new king. Yes, there are many ways to choose a successor to the throne, but the most trustworthy path is summoning. Not only does it offer a worthy successor, but also a high-quality king who will ensure the kingdom's safety and growth.
But in exchange for such a method is the wielder's life. The life of the king is the key to activating his artifact for summoning,"
Lina explained. She also clarified that this method is the only choice the king has because of Abaddon.
Albert nodded in understanding.
Lina sighed.
"So, Albert, maybe… you should trust me a little,"
she asked sincerely, her face concerned.
Albert raised a brow and asked what she meant.
"Oh, do you think I am that stupid to believe you ate your artifact? So spill it out if you trust me,"
she answered him, her voice a bit higher.
Albert smiled and scratched his head.
"I…"
He sighed.
He cleared his throat, organizing the complicated things in his mind. Staring at her serious gaze, he said,
"It's not that I don't trust you. I am just being cautious of how it will affect my standing as a normal wielder.
My artifact at first was a piece of paper that glowed and floated in the air…"
And so, he explained everything to her, how it gave him an immortal-like body, how it kept him alive through the deaths he experienced.
This implied the spell known as Auto Regeneration.
And when Albert mentioned that Lessa's soul was the reason for his survival, Lina smiled gently. They talked more about her, then shifted back to his artifact, and he finally revealed that he and his artifact had fused.
She was surprised at first, but eventually, Lina believed him.
She sighed in relief.
"Thank you, Albert,"
she said with a gentle smile.
Albert returned the smile.
"By the way, Albert, your dinner will arrive in a minute. And also, you must attend the final hour of the King, the arrival of our new ruler, and you might be able to meet the first person on your revenge list,"
she said with a slightly commanding tone, hinting at the doctor who was behind Lessa's death.
Albert's eyes lit up in excitement, his lips curling into a big, dark smile.
Lina then exited the room, waving her hand. Albert walked her outside.
The dinner she mentioned was delivered by a maid in a black dress with a silver apron.
And so, after the meal, Albert slept peacefully, filled with many plans for tomorrow's event.
The sun rose, the mountains glimmered, showing their white surface.
Birds flew in the sky, chirping.
The kingdom's streets began to crowd.
Before long, many carts entered, each with its own unique banner belonging to villages in the Drylands. Inside those carts were the chiefs, summoned by the king.
Others spotted Albert's cart, with its strange and frightening driver.
And thus, when they all arrived inside the castle, in the King's hall…
All of them stood in front of the King.
Their faces were serious, but no one dared to speak or whisper.
They all knew why the King had called them.
Albert stood alone on the terrace, looking below.
He wore a dark blue hood to hide his face, on Lina's orders, to conceal himself from the doctor.
"Doctor Rey… your actions may be forgivable to others with normal minds, because you claimed it was for the villagers' safety… Ha! Do you think it was only for the villagers' safety? No! It's your true nature... what a greedy bastard you are,"
Albert thought to himself with anger, clenching his fist against the fence.
The King stood on his throne and announced his final decision.
"My fellow responsible leaders!… I, the King of Wenthoriz, have decided to hand over my throne to a greater being. Thus, I will now begin the summoning of our new ruler!!"
He spoke briefly, as if in haste, not even explaining his reasons for choosing this path.
But none of the chiefs complained. They simply waited for him to finish.
Respect for him was in their hearts and minds.
Lina stood at his left side, ready to guide their new ruler.
Then, the king extended his right arm, his hand facing the floor. His golden ring glowed, its green gem shining.
The floor began to form complex glowing shapes.
As seconds passed, the king's body also began to glow, and then it shattered instantly like a pile of dust. In his final moment, he looked at Lina with a gentle smile.
Lina didn't flinch as she stood with her hands crossed behind her back. But tears fell from her eyes despite her serious expression.
Albert was shocked by how quickly everything happened, and anxious at how the chiefs' faces didn't change at all.
The glowing shapes on the floor formed a towering pillar of green light.
Inside it, a human figure appeared.
Albert's eyes widened, speechless.
Finally, the pillar of green light disappeared, and they witnessed the arrival of their new King.
A person in out-of-this-world clothes. She wore a black shirt, one sleeve long on the right and black pants. She carried many strange weapons on her back, including guns, which Albert had never seen in this world.
This person was not a man, but a woman with short hair. Around her body hung many long containers filled with drugs of different colors.
She suddenly threw something at Lina so fast that even the chiefs didn't see her hand move. Lina collapsed.
The woman looked around in shock, realizing she was in a different place in the blink of an eye.
She frowned, glaring at the chiefs below.
"Where in the f**ing world am I? Medieval shts?"
she shouted in anger.
"Bring me back to my world, unless you all want to die like those annoying zombies!"
she warned them in a loud, furious voice.
Albert hurried to help Lina, because he had seen the woman throw a needle into her, rendering her unconscious.
The chiefs panicked and fled the hall, locking the doors behind them.
"Hey!! Answer me, you rats!!!"
she shouted after them, leaping as if to catch them.
Albert had no choice but to deal with her.
"Spell Two!!"
he chanted, the same spell he had once used to immobilize Abaddon's army with unbreakable chains.
In shock, she found she could not move.
Then she turned, staring at Albert with a deadly gaze.
After checking Lina's condition, Albert walked to face her.
"Who are you, f****r?"
she demanded.
She couldn't see his face under the hood.
"I don't quite understand the way you talk—it seems rather immature. My King, I have come to help you grasp your situation,"
he said, bowing his head and finally showing his face.
He couldn't carelessly harm their new ruler, because he knew she was simply in shock from her sudden arrival in this world.
"Huh?! What are you talking about, pretty sh*t?"
she snapped, annoyed both by Albert's face and his manner of speech.