When Kai finished telling this to Ale Key, the latter told him that sometimes life forces us to make difficult decisions and that he would not judge him.
"Thank you, friend," Kai said. "But I ask you, please, it is not something I am proud of. Do not tell the queens."
But one of the queens was behind the door. A great elf mage wanted to see her husband and overheard everything. In that moment, the elf mage summoned a secret meeting in a grand hall with all the queens—a room that held 117 chairs. The meeting was opened to discuss the cruelty of the Witch King.
The Frozen Silence of the Queens
1. The Secret Meeting
In the private chamber, a space where only the queens gathered and where even the King was sometimes not allowed to be present, an emergency meeting was called. Most of the queens did not know why their sister, the elf mage, had requested this meeting; but it had to be important, as her eyes were flooded with tears. They thought the King had hurt her, but she denied that Kai had said anything to her.
They asked her why she was crying.
"Because there is something I must tell you all," the elf mage said.
In that moment, everyone fell silent. She told them what Kai had done long ago: the story of the Black Knight and the 100,000 men.
A freezing sensation fell over the room. They realized that their husband was not "peace and love," as they had thought. Many believed he was a religious man, a man of non-violence who always avoided conflict. But in that moment, they realized he had destroyed an army for business; not to defend a kingdom, but out of simple pragmatism.
He was colder than the Demon King himself or the Fire Emperor. They realized that this man was very much like their fathers, or worse. Some wept. Others grew angry, questioning why he had hidden this from them.
Aurora's Vote
One of the most sensible among them, the noble of the Church, Aurora, took the floor:
"We cannot judge Kai. He told that to his friend because he is planning something for his army. We married a man we did not know. We married a man whom some people mention as the Black Knight with fear. We never understood why people mentioned the Black Knight with dread, and we never asked why."
"We have no right to judge Kai's past," Aurora continued. "What we are going to do is talk to him about this matter, but we will wait until after we return from the Cathay Empire. I call for a vote: that this matter be left for after the trip and that none of us mention this topic to the King."
The vote was held, and everyone voted in favor. None would speak to the King about the matter, but this time, their unity was different; it was marked by a shared secret against him.
Kai's Justification and the Farewell
Meanwhile, back at the Palace, Kai finished his confession to Alequei:
"Do you know why I have told you this, friend? Because I do not want to do it again. My strength is much greater than it was then, and I will only interpose myself against demonic hordes, some invincible enemies, or something that humans cannot handle. I need an army capable of repelling those threats so that this does not happen again. I have spoken with most of the empires and kingdoms to form an alliance for a common army to defend nations that do not have the capacity to defend themselves from these hordes. That is why I need to generate and train generals with extraordinary capabilities. And I have been told that this boy has been trained for many years but has been rejected by his people. It is an opportunity we have to have someone militarily skilled. I do not want to use my strength to commit a massacre again. I can still smell the blood on my sword, Alequei."
Alequei told him that he would not ask him anything else and that if he needed anything more, he only had to ask.
"You may leave," Kai said.
"Have a very good trip, my King," Alequei said in farewell.
"Thank you very much. May you be well too, and may God be with you."
Kai left the Palace. Alequei remained in shock. The King was not as good as everyone thought, but Alequei nodded: "Life is like that." He sat at his desk, resuming his work.
Aquí tienes la edición literaria en español, respetando cada palabra y ajustando el orden y la puntuación para resaltar la tensión del momento:
El Reencuentro Frío
Kai se dirigió a su mansión, donde esperaban. Con la armadura puesta permanentemente, no hacía falta que Aliarda estuviera todo el tiempo con Kai. Aliarda consumió la energía que se acumuló dentro de la armadura.
Kai entró directamente a la casa, donde estaban todas sus reinas. Había un silencio frío y triste. Cuando Kai se acercó a una de ellas para tocarla, la reina se alejó un poco con miedo.
—¿Qué te pasa? —preguntó Kai, y se multiplicó.
Cada clon se acercó a cada reina, pero ellas no querían ser tocadas. Era imposible para ellas dejar de lado sus sentimientos tras la confesión. Una de las reinas más frías, una de las reinas del origen del Reino de los Mercaderes, habló:
—Estamos un poco tristes por lo que te pasa y sabes que estamos con algunos problemas entre nosotras, por ti. No te preocupes, ya pasará.
Kai, que no quiso preguntar ni agobiarlas con preguntas, dijo:
—Bueno, está bien, no preguntaré nada. Preparen todo. Mañana partiremos al Imperio Catay.
Aliarda, quien sintió la distancia, sintió que entre Kai y las reinas había una distancia muy fría y triste.
English Version (WebNovel)
The Cold Reunion
Kai headed to his mansion, where they were waiting. With the armor permanently on, there was no need for Aliarda to be with Kai all the time. Aliarda consumed the energy that had accumulated inside the armor.
Kai entered the house directly, where all his queens were. There was a cold and sad silence. When Kai approached one of them to touch her, the queen moved away slightly in fear.
"What is wrong with you?" Kai asked, and he multiplied himself.
Each clone approached each queen, but they did not want to be touched. It was impossible for them to set aside their feelings after the confession. One of the coldest queens, one of the queens from the origin of the Merchant Kingdom, spoke:
"We are a bit sad because of what is happening with you, and you know we are having some problems among ourselves, because of you. Do not worry, it will pass."
Kai, who did not want to ask or burden them with questions, said:
"Well, alright, I will not ask anything. Prepare everything. Tomorrow we depart for the Cathay Empire."
Aliarda, who sensed the distance, felt that between Kai and the queens there was a very cold and sad distance.
The Journey to the Heart of Cathay
1. Five Days of Silence
The next morning, the people gathered to see off the Witch King and his 117 wives. The Governor, the generals, and the nobility assembled at the port. Kai had decided to travel by ship, renouncing direct teleportation; he wanted the royal entourage to have a "more natural" journey despite the distance.
They crossed through one of the kingdom's maritime portals and, in a few seconds, appeared in the vast sea of Cathay, south of Continent Two. It would have taken two or three years to cross the ocean by ship without portals; the maritime portals were essential. The ship would take about five days to reach the port of the capital.
During those five days, Aliarda, the twelve-year-old adolescent, watched with concern. The queens did not approach their Kai. The only one who remained by his side was Aliarda. Kai, focused on the imminent diplomatic trip, did not want to ask anything. Every time he spoke to them, they responded in a cold and dry manner, as if they did not truly know him.
He had goals to achieve and could not bother them, as they would soon be in a foreign land. After five days, the air on board felt strange, cold, and heavy with an unexpressed sadness. The only one who hugged Kai was Aliarda.
The Emperor's Dilemma
They arrived at the port, where a delegation of nobles and knights from the Cathay Empire received them with honors. Immediately, they were transported in a convoy toward the Imperial Palace. There, they were received by the Emperor, father of one of the White Witch Queens and of the imperial lineage itself. The Emperor received him with glory and asked the reason for his visit, as mentioned in his letter.
"I have heard that your son, my brother-in-law, has been expelled," Kai said.
The Emperor shook his head. "It is a family matter. Why would Your Majesty wish to get involved?"
"I want your son to come live in my lands," Kai replied. "And I want to name him a nobleman. I need him to manage my armies; he is a formidable strategist."
"I would like to help you," the Emperor said, "but my son has not listened to me. I have not expelled him. He left the Palace because I told him I would name his older brother as heir. The two competed in a fight, and my son lost. He felt dishonored and left the Palace. I have ordered a search for him, but they have not found him. They say he is in some mountains, lost in a valley."
The Emperor continued, "I know the news that I 'expelled' my son has reached many places, but that is not the case. He feels he could not meet my expectations and believes I am angry, but it is not true. I wanted to speak with him, but he does not listen to me."
"I understand," Kai said. "But I want to speak with you about the matter I mentioned. Will you have any objection if I take him to live in my country if I find him?"
"In fact, I have no objection. If he can be useful in your nation and accompany his sister, I believe it would be convenient for both nations. But you will have to fulfill certain conditions, Witch King."
"And what would those conditions be?"
3. The Public Challenge
The Emperor looked at him intently. "You married my daughter and two of the most coveted noblewomen of this empire. This has generated many challengers who want to face you."
"You must understand that I am far above average," Kai said, "unless you want your warriors to die fighting against me. I am not saying they are weak, but I am far above the average."
The Emperor smiled. "I know who you are, Kai Killerman, and I know you are the Black Knight. But I have a dilemma in my empire. If you do not show your strength, they will always say I have given my daughter away to a weak man."
"You know, this same thing happened in the Dragon Empire, and the commoners of that empire were in for a great surprise. Perhaps your people will also be in for a big surprise," Kai replied, assuming his role.
"Yes, I know. I know you are very strong, Witch King. But the people do not understand. Until they see it, they will not believe it," the Emperor said.
"I understand. Let me see how I can fight your warriors. Schedule the fights," Kai said.
"In one week, you will have to defeat twelve combatants who are very angry because you married my daughter and my nobles," the Emperor said.
"Then, if I defeat them publicly, just as in the Dragon Empire, you will be able to regain control of your lands," Kai said.
"Of course. We will make it clear that my daughter married the strongest," the Emperor said.
"Deal," Kai said.
They shook hands. Kai withdrew, and the Emperor whispered: "People do not understand."
Aliarda's Proposal
Kai headed to his quarters to discuss the matter with his queens, who maintained their cold silence, and Aliarda.
"I have a solution for that," said Aliarda, the twelve-year-old lady.
"A solution? How do I make myself weaker?" Kai asked.
"I can consume all your energy at once. You would remain practically like a normal human for a few hours. You would not have your multiplication ability, nor your evolution ability. You would be as strong as your physique allows, like a human being, and all your energy would pass to me. I will absorb all your energy, but I need you to understand something: when I take all your energy at once, you will feel how the world and the atmosphere press down on you. You will be as weak as a human," Aliarda said.
"I understand. Very well. I want you all to vote. All 118 of you, vote if you agree, including you, Aliarda. I will do whatever you want."
The princess of the Cathay Empire, the Emperor's daughter, protested:
"You don't have to do these things. The same thing happened in the Dragon Empire."
"Yes, I understand," Kai replied. "But you must understand that people only understand the strength they can see and measure."
The room, with 118 women watching him, was filled with expectation. The Black Knight, the man who massacred 100,000, was now asking for permission to weaken himself and fight as a mere mortal.
The Search in the Valley
1. The Vote and the Confirmation of the Threat
The 118 women, including Aliarda, voted yes. They accepted that Kai would weaken himself temporarily. Kai asked them for this to be done two days before the combat, as he first had to find his wife's brother.
The beautiful queen, the Emperor's daughter, said to Kai:
"My brother is a very solitary person. If he had escaped, it wouldn't be out of pride; he would never leave the palace just because of a fight he lost to his older brother, and much less for the throne. If he has left, it is because he has been threatened."
"Yes, I know," Kai replied, nodding. "I know your father did not tell me the whole truth, as he wasn't going to make your older brother, the heir, look bad either. And I know your older brother has moved forward with a small army in search of your brother, and I don't think he wants him alive. I believe they want to kill him, and your brother is escaping into the mountains."
His queen asked: "And how do you know all that?"
"I read people," Kai said. Then, his voice grew more serious. "And when I return, I want to talk to you all. There is something you blame me for, or you are upset and won't tell me why. And it is starting to bother me."
All the queens smiled with a forced smile.
"No, don't worry," they said in unison. "It's just that we aren't upset. We aren't angry with you. Don't be angry with us."
"Very well," Kai said, accepting the awkward truce. "I want you to stay inside the palace and not go anywhere. I will head to the mountains to find your brother."
Instructions and Farewell
Aliarda approached him: "Remember: when you return, I am going to absorb all your energy with my ability. It's not that the sun inside your soul will disappear; what will disappear is the unstable energy that lives within you. What I mean is that for one day, you will be a normal human."
Kai nodded. "It's fine, I have no problem with that. But now, during these three days, I will be gone. I want you to listen to the queens."
Then, he gave instructions to Varaghun (his shield) and Solarael (his sword) so that he would only take Lyris with him, and they were to guard the queens and look after one another. Kai said his goodbyes to all of them.
3. The Ambush
Kai activated his invisible armor and, at great speed, teleported hundreds of kilometers away from the capital of the Cathay Empire, reaching one of the largest valleys in that country.
Upon arriving at the mountain, he saw the future emperor, the older brother, with a troop of over two hundred thousand men, surrounding the entire valley to capture the fugitive prince. Kai realized that his suspicions were true: they wanted to kill him.
At that moment, Kai vanished so as not to draw attention. Moving at high speed, he searched throughout the valley and, in a small stream near a cave, he sensed a man's lament.
A Lesson in Humility
1. Meeting the Fugitive Prince
Kai did not enter the cave, as he did not want to frighten the prince; he simply clapped his hands. The man came out and saw a warrior with blue eyes, wearing black armor and a black cape, but with no visible sword or shield. The prince recognized him immediately.
"You are the White Witch, right? You are married to my sister," the prince said.
"Yes. I have been looking for you everywhere for quite some time," Kai replied.
"What do you want with me?" the prince asked.
"First, we have an important matter. I will tell you what I want afterward. I must get you out of here," Kai said.
"I can't go anywhere. If I step into the capital, they will kill me. If I leave the valley, the valley is surrounded," the prince said in despair.
"Yes, I know. If you move one foot out of that cave without me, you die," Kai stated.
"Then what do you want us to do? There are two hundred thousand men! How do you expect me to face that?" the prince asked.
"Don't worry, I will be with you," Kai said.
"Are you serious?" the young man asked.
"Yes. I am the White Witch. If they attack me, my army will invade this country. I don't think they will have any objection."
"You don't know my older brother. He will attack you even if you are the Demon King or the Hero King. He doesn't care about anyone," the prince said.
"Yes, I know, but every man deserves a future," Kai replied. "Your brother may be good or bad, but if he is to be the Emperor, he will have to make decisions he doesn't like or that aren't to his taste. So I want you to face him. I will be with you. You must stop running now. And I have a message from your sister: she wants to see you safe and sound before the sun sets."
"But, are you sure? There are so many..."
"Don't worry. We are many as well."
At that moment, Kai multiplied himself. 117 warriors with glowing blue eyes appeared before the prince. This instilled him with courage.
The Confrontation of the Brothers
In a nearby plain, the prince stepped out alone. Kai was not present; he was hidden. The future emperor and his army of 200,000 men saw him and stood still. Only the older brother approached on horseback.
"So, you have accepted your fate," the future emperor said to his brother.
"My fate is to leave these lands," the prince replied. "I will renounce the throne before all the people, brother. Just let me go."
"Oh, really? And why have you changed?" the future emperor asked.
"You won, brother. You won the fight," the prince said.
"That is a lie! How do you know I wanted to kill you?" the future emperor exclaimed. "You lost the fight on purpose. Do you think you can fool me? I will kill you right here, in front of all these men."
"Brother, my sister has returned and has sent her husband. Now I will work for him, the White Witch," the prince replied.
"Do you think the White Witch will come to these lands to defend you?" the heir mocked.
At that moment, behind them, as if by magic, Kai appeared.
"How are you doing, future Emperor?" Kai said. "Allow me to introduce myself; I am Kai Killerman."
An icy chill ran down the future Emperor's neck.
"What is a King doing without guards and without an army in this desolate plain?" the older brother asked.
"I came for my brother-in-law. Since you are also my brother-in-law, I greet you properly," Kai replied. "I have come for him because I want him to work for me. Since you are going to be the Emperor, I will take him to my lands."
"I understand what you are trying to do, Witch King," the heir said. "But you must keep something in mind: since you heard what my intentions were, and what you want to do doesn't matter to me either, I will have to kill you along with my brother right now. He is a threat to my future."
"I see. And how do you plan to achieve such a feat?" Kai asked.
"I have 200,000 men behind me. Do you think two men are scary?" the future emperor challenged.
"We are not two," Kai said. "We are 118."
Kai multiplied himself, and 117 clones with glowing blue eyes appeared.
"You are a demon!" the future Emperor shouted. "But even so, you are not a significant number against us."
"Oh, really? And how about the earth trembling?" Kai said.
The 118 Kais stomped hard, and the ground began to move. It was like an earthquake in the valley. The eyes of the 117 clones flashed, and Kai unified back into one instantly.
"Listen, kid," Kai said to the future Emperor. "You are my age, but you act like a teenager. If you threaten me again, I will kill you and your entire army."
In that moment, the future Emperor understood that this was not a man to be played with or threatened. He understood his father's words: "Do not disturb your sister and her husband." Kai moved mountains with just two steps. The entire army, including the future Emperor, went tumbling back. Everyone bowed in respect before the presence of the lost prince and the invincible man.
The Return and the Pride
Kai said to the future Emperor, "Return to your capital. Your father will be waiting for you. This young man is coming with me, and I do not want you to bother him again. Do you understand?"
The future Emperor understood the meaning of humility. He said he would change his ways and would not disturb his brother again. They had seen a mountain move with just a single footstep; such a thing terrifies anyone.
Kai vanished with the boy, and they appeared immediately at the Palace. The young prince saw 117 beautiful queens and a twelve-year-old girl looking at him with a smile. His sister ran into his arms. The boy was weeping. No one in that entire kingdom had defended him like Kai.
The only thing Kai's wife felt for her husband was relief and a great sense of pride. The boy was barely twenty years old, and an entire empire had been hunting him to kill him. But from that moment on, no one would lay a finger on him.
Kai interrupted the family reunion: "I have to prepare for the upcoming fight."
The Union of the Twin Suns
1. Preparations in the Room
The next day, Kai prepared for the power absorption. He kept the prince by his side, knowing that even in the palace, someone might try to kill him; the boy slept in the same room, under Kai's protective wing. In the morning, Kai asked the prince:
"Wait for me outside with the other queens."
In the room, only Aliarda and Kai remained. Aliarda approached him and said:
"Look, Kai. Understand that this time you will no longer be invincible. You will be a human again, like in the beginning, before you were born. What I need is for you to close your eyes and let me into your mind, and I will let you into mine. You will become mortal once more. But you must understand something, Kai," Aliarda continued, "if I absorb your energy, you will no longer be so unstable; we will be one."
"What are you trying to say, Aliarda?"
"What I mean is that I am not a child. I am your same age, an adult trapped in this body. Once I absorb your power, I will be able to take my original form. What I am telling you is that whatever you feel, I feel. Whatever you think, I will sense it. I know I call you my brother, but you are not my brother: you are my other half. You are me, and I am you. We are one. We will share everything, Kai."
Aliarda looked at him gravely before continuing:
"If we unite, you can transfer all your strength to my body, and I can transfer all mine to yours when you need to weaken your body to live your normal daily life. You can store it in me, and I can do the same in you."
"And what does that mean, Aliarda?" Kai asked.
"It means we can never be separated, not even for an instant. We will be closer than conjoined twins. If you do not want to do this, don't. I can absorb your energy and we can remain separate."
"Will we undergo a body fusion?"
"No, we will not fuse our bodies. We will fuse our power. It will be very similar to what happens with your clones. I would be a clone of yours, and you would be a clone of mine, just of a different gender. So, what do you say? Shall we do it or not?"
The Faint and the Lilac Light
Kai, understanding the magnitude of the proposal, said, "All right. How do we do it?"
"Just give me your hands and lace your fingers with mine."
Kai intertwined his hands with the girl's. In that instant, he felt himself lose consciousness and fall to the floor. The union lasted only a second, but Aliarda also fainted upon touching him. Their hands remained connected. One entered the other's mind. Two lights, one golden and one blue, merged into a brilliant lilac light. For an entire hour, they lay unconscious. No one dared to enter the room.
3. The Awakening
After an hour, they woke up. They had become one again, but not in a single body—rather as a single being. Aliarda could see what Kai thought, and Kai could see Aliarda's true nature; they were now clones of each other. They were one.
Aliarda said to Kai, "I'm going to my room to sleep, because I feel very tired."
The fusion of minds and power had not generated magic or made the palace tremble, but something in Aliarda had changed. Kai felt that his strength had been reduced by more than half; he was practically a normal warrior. But he noticed a crucial detail: Aliarda's eyes were now lilac, and when he saw his own in a reflection, they were lilac as well.
They were the same being, only in different bodies.
Kai went out to speak with his wives. He felt that he no longer radiated that aura or possessed that super-energy. Aliarda went to sleep without another word. Kai prepared for the fight, scheduled for that same day at noon.
The Parade of the Witch King
1. The Cancelled Combat
Kai prepared for combat. His queens immediately noticed a change in his eyes: they were no longer brown with that unstable blue glow, but a simple and deep lilac color. The blue brilliance, the power instability he had carried his entire life, had vanished. They looked for Aliarda, and Kai told them she had gone to sleep because she was very tired, asking them to please look after her. Half of the queens stayed to guard Aliarda, while the other half accompanied Kai to the combat, where he was introduced by the Emperor and his heir.
The twelve combatants presented themselves in the Colosseum, a giant courtyard in the imperial palace. Kai thought it would be like the Dragon Empire: facing and defeating the warriors to earn respect. He took a fighting stance, though he was weaker than before. But before he could make a single move, the twelve warriors knelt.
Kai was stunned. He hadn't realized the magnitude of his actions in the valley. Two hundred thousand men had seen with their own eyes how he moved mountains with just two steps.
2. The Power of Propaganda
The future heir, humbled and terrified, had told his people that his sister had married the most powerful man on earth. Two hundred thousand witnesses were proof enough that the White Witch had moved mountains. The news spread throughout the Cathay Empire and, thanks to magical communication systems, across all continents. There was no longer any doubt. Two hundred thousand witnesses, plus a crown prince, confirmed that Kai was the strongest being in the world.
Kai was overwhelmed by the impact. He had no idea. He saw the Emperor and his son speaking with pride about him, calling for applause for their son-in-law and brother-in-law. The queens with him applauded with a mix of surprise, relief, and overflowing pride.
Kai was forced to take part in a parade before the people, who would not stop cheering. He didn't have to fight; there was no need. What he hadn't understood was that what he had done had impacted all of humanity and all the races of the planet. No one doubted the strength of the Black Knight.
Aliarda's Transformation
While Kai paraded before the crowd, the queens guarding Aliarda at the palace witnessed the girl's room glowing with an intense lilac light. They knew this transformation was different from the last. In that moment, the door opened, and the adult Aliarda appeared.
She was a woman of breathtaking beauty, possessing the same unmistakable face and aura as Kai. While Kai was being cheered by the people in a chariot of honor, his other half, now in her original form, stepped out into the light. The Witch King had achieved peace in Cathay without shedding a single drop of blood, and in doing so, he had reclaimed the totality of his being.
The Accelerated Return
After the festivities, Kai found himself in a state of ecstasy. Upon seeing Aliarda in her adult form, he was practically enchanted by her. Aliarda, feeling exactly the same, embraced him with total familiarity.
The 117 queens watched the scene with a mixture of envy, fury, and shock. The jealousy was palpable, but Kai, oblivious to the subtle drama, told them they had to leave immediately. He trusted no one and wanted the young prince safe in his own territory as soon as possible.
The Emperor, baffled by the haste, approached Kai: "Why are you leaving so quickly, Witch King?"
"I have important matters in my kingdom that cannot wait," Kai replied.
The Emperor thanked him for settling the matter of the heirs and the stability of his country.
"Your son will not return for a long time, Emperor," Kai warned. "I want you to understand that."
"Yes, I understand. I know you will look after him as you look after my daughter. I wish you a safe journey, Witch."
Kai, with his 117 queens and Aliarda on board, took the ship and, using the maritime portals, returned to his lands at the highest possible speed. The problem was urgent: the queens were furiously jealous of Aliarda. They did not see her as a peer, but as a favorite—the only one who shared their husband's mind and soul. Kai reached his country in haste, with many issues left to resolve.
The Handing Over of Responsibility
Upon arrival, Kai headed straight to the Palace and found Alequei. Without giving much explanation, he practically thrust the Prince of Cathay upon him.
"You handle this," Kai said, exhausted. "I have many complicated matters to attend to."
Alequei, seeing his King's extreme concern and evident state of tension, didn't want to trouble him further.
"Very well, I'll take care of it."
Alequei immediately appointed the boy as the Fourth General of the North (General Number 4), putting him in charge of the army guarding the capital of the White Witches. Kai, unable to stop, headed toward the Beach House.
The Final Chapter of the Hero Arc
The final scene awaited. In the Beach House, 118 women—117 angry, furious queens, filled with fear and immense emotional instability, plus Aliarda—would face a King who was duty-bound to resolve the greatest marital conflict of his life.
The Hero Arc ended with Kai securing his kingdom from external threats and gaining his General, but the new arc, "My Life with My King," would begin with a King facing a threat he could not solve with a single footstep: the hearts of 117 jealous women.