Alaric watched her, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. He didn't let her finish. He reached out and cupped her face in his large, gloved hands, forcing her to look up at him.
"There is no need for that," he said quietly.
Before she could say another word, he hooked his arms under her knees and back, lifting her off the floor. He carried her back to the bed and tucked her into the thick furs. He pulled the heavy blanket up to her chin, wrapping her up like a warm cocoon.
He leaned against the side of the bed, looking down at her. "Sleep, Rose," he told her, the nickname coming naturally and soft.
"You've been riding for days through rain and ice. You're exhausted, even if you're too proud to say it."
Roslin looked up at him, her heart settling at the new name. Her breathing finally slowed down as the warmth of the fire and the safety of the room took hold. Her fingers curled into the edge of the blanket, and her eyes began to flutter shut.
Alaric pulled a chair over to the frosted window. The dull grey light of the North cast long shadows across the floor. He sat in the silence, watching Roslin sleep for a moment before turning his focus to the air in front of him. With a thought, he called up the glowing blue System screen.
A gold notification popped up: Sovereign Bond: Level 1. It confirmed he had successfully claimed the Frey bloodline.
He checked his balance—he had 7,374 MP to spend.
He started looking through new rewards. Because of his bond with Roslin, new summoning options had appeared. The interface hummed, flickering with a dark gold light as the list updated.
The System screen glowed with a new list of summons.
[UNIT: BLOOD KNIGHT]
Cost: 300 MP
These were seven-foot-tall giants in black and red armor. They didn't care about honor or rules; they were cold killers who did exactly what they were told.
Alaric knew they'd be perfect for dealing with the "honorable" men of the North who wouldn't expect a knife in the dark. At 300 MP, he could easily afford a small army of them.
But as he scrolled down, the temperature in the room seemed to drop. His eyes widened at the next option.
[UNIT: DEMON]
Cost: 3,000 MP
He rubbed his eyes, making sure he was seeing it right. He hadn't expected a bond with Roslin to unlock something like this. He clicked for more details.
Description: Masters of lies and mind games. They can look exactly like humans to sneak into cities and castles. They prefer using fear and manipulation over fighting.
Note: Demons are selfish. Even when they obey you, they are always looking for a way to help themselves.
Alaric went silent. He had expected a demon to be a powerhouse of magic and muscle, not a silver-tongued liar. Still, a master of deception could take down an entire kingdom without ever swinging a sword.
The price was steep—3,000 MP—and the warning about them being "self-serving" was a red flag. He looked over at the bed where Rose was sleeping peacefully.
"Self-serving," Alaric whispered to the empty room.
He didn't need loyalty; he just needed a tool. He had over 7,000 MP. The idea of destroying his enemies from the inside out was too tempting to pass up. It was a risk, but one he was willing to take.
Alaric stared at the warning on the screen. He wasn't afraid of a monster, but he didn't like the idea of a tool that worked against him.
"System," he whispered, his eyes narrowing. "can the demon actually betray me? Can it go against my direct orders?"
The blue light of the interface flickered, and new text appeared.
[SYSTEM RESPONSE: NEGATIVE]
[CLARIFICATION: YOU ARE THE ABSOLUTE MASTER. NO SUMMON CAN DISOBEY A DIRECT COMMAND OR ACT HARMFULLY TOWARD YOU. THEIR 'SELF-SERVING' NATURE APPLIES TO HOW THEY EXECUTE TASKS AND INTERACT WITH OTHERS. TO THEM, YOU ARE THE SUPREME AUTHORITY.]
A second line of text scrolled across the bottom of the screen.
[NOTE: AS YOUR BONDED PARTNER, ROSLIN ALSO HOLDS AUTHORITY. SUMMONS WILL FOLLOW HER COMMANDS AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT CONTRADICT YOUR OWN.]
Alaric leaned back in his chair, his tension easing. If the system guaranteed their obedience, then their selfishness didn't matter. They were just high-maintenance tools. The fact that they would listen to Rose was an added bonus; it meant she would have a guardian even when he wasn't by her side.
He tapped the screen, the interface rippling like water beneath his finger.
Purchase Selected: [Unit: Demon]
Cost: 3,000 MP
Remaining Balance: 4,374 MP
.
.
.
The room went colder.
The fire in the hearth died down, the flames shrinking until the logs were dark. The crackling stopped. The room became so quiet it made Alaric's ears ring.
Black liquid, like ink, seeped up through the rug. A sharp smell filled the air—burnt sulfur and rotting paper.
Thick smoke twisted and folded over itself. It grew into the shape of shoulders, arms, and a spine. There was no sound or breath, just the smoke moving.
A man stepped out.
He was a head taller than Alaric, with a thin, narrow frame. He wore plain, worn-out robes. He didn't look like a monster at all.
He opened his eyes. They were clear, focused, and brown. He looked around at the walls and the floor before his gaze locked onto Alaric.
The smoke vanished. The man stood there.
Then the man dropped to one knee. He bowed his head.
"My Monarch," he said. His voice was smooth and calm. "I felt your call."
He gripped his own leg, waiting.
"I am in your service."