CHAPTER 269: THE ONE WHO BEARS THE BROKEN OATH [PART 1]

"When the Verdant Line falters, and the blood of kin stains the sacred soil—

A Guardian shall awaken, not by crown nor decree, but by the hand of the Oathbound."

"Two hearts entwined yet unspoken would be tested by The World."

"One who bears the Verdant Blood, and one who bears the burden of the Broken Oath."

"Together, they shall awaken the Verdant Throne."

"Together, they shall summon the Guardian of Verdance, who slumbers beyond Time."

"But heed this—"

"Should their bond shatter, the Verdant Throne shall wither, and with it, the last hope of Ul-Khazir."

Alex and Latifa had re-read this prophecy at least three times to commit it to memory.

There was no denying that the Princess was the one who bore the Verdant Blood, but they were unsure about the one who bore the burden of the Broken Oath.

Fortunately, the candidate was obvious.

Latifa looked at Alex, and Alex looked at her.

"Dim Dim, am I the one who bears the burden of the Broken Oath?" Alex asked the Dim Sum God, who knew everything about Arcana.

"Dim!" Dim Dim nodded.

"I knew it." Alex scratched the back of his head.

The runes on the mithril gate had stated that those who bore the Verdant Blood and the Broken Oath shall summon the Guardian of Verdance, which they believed to be Dim Dim.

And together, they should awaken the Verdant Throne.

The only question was...

How?

Alex could feel his heart beating faster inside his chest as he did his best to avert his gaze from Latifa.

While he understood that interacting with her was not ideal for their situation—the increasing synchronization rate—it was simply hard to control it.

It seemed that Princess Yvraine and Kael were very much in love with each other. Every touch, every gaze, every time they were together was like a guaranteed setting for the synchronization rate to go up.

Just as he ruminated about these things, Latifa walked up to him and held his hand.

"Kael, I have a feeling that this fortress will fall very soon," Latifa said softly. "I just want you to know one thing and one thing only. I’ve wished to spend my life with you. Not as the princess of this kingdom, but as a lady who wish to be with you for life."

Alex heard that familiar notification sound inside his head, but he ignored it as he raised his head to look at the young lady he loved.

"Princess, my heart only beats for your sake," Alex replied, cringing deep inside as his rational mind found the line very cheesy. "Even if the flames of the Everforged were to die out completely, the flames in my heart will continue to burn because of you."

Princess Yvraine and Kael had taken over Latifa’s and Alex’s consciousness, reliving this part of history that no one else was able to see.

Kara covered Dim Dim’s eyes, believing that the little bun was too innocent to see such a thing.

Runa, on the other hand, didn’t know if she should intervene or not because the Princess and the Apprentice Blacksmith were now hugging each other.

———

Current Synchronization Rate: 50%

Note: You’re halfway there, bro.

———

Memories of their sweet and intimate moment inside the stone chamber flooded Alex’s mind.

His heart was beating so fast, he feared it was a pinch away from literally jumping out of his chest.

Suddenly, Alex and Latifa shuddered before both of them hurriedly took a step back.

They had both regained control over their bodies and, with it, some clues on how to call out the Verdant Throne.

Latifa’s face flushed, her hand trembling slightly as she looked at Alex with wide eyes.

The connection between them was influenced by Princess Yvraine’s and Kael’s memories, and just by looking at Alex, she couldn’t help but feel the urge to hug and even kiss him.

This feeling made her feel very anxious since she didn’t really understand what love was.

Thanks to Princess Yvraine’s strong feelings, the young lady who normally only slept and dreamt had gained an inkling about love, as well as some other unfamiliar feelings she never knew before.

It made her feel lost, anxious, and stressed out.

However, it wasn’t all that bad. Along with it were the feelings of wonder and expectation, as well as other emotions other young ladies her age ought to feel in this situation.

There was just one more issue. Princess Yvraine’s memories of her intimate moments with Kael keep replaying in her mind, making her cheeks burn in embarrassment.

Why?

Because in those memories, she saw herself and Alex do those things.

How could she not feel any embarrassment after seeing those scenes?!

She then took a deep breath before looking at Alex, who seemed deep in thought.

"I think the key to clearing this trial is by raising our synchronization rate," Latifa said softly. "If we recover more of Princess Yvraine’s and Kael’s memories, we might be able to summon the Verdant Throne. I just fear we’d lose ourselves if it’s too high."

"You’re right," Alex replied.

"But it’s not just about feelings, right?" Latifa sighed.

Alex nodded, his expression serious now. "No. The Verdant Throne is tied to a bond that’s more than affection. It’s... conviction. An unbreakable oath between two people."

"Oathbound..." Latifa’s gaze became solemn as she gazed at the prophecy once more.

Kara finally stepped forward. "Princess and Sir Kael, I think it means that both of you need to declare your bond. The Verdant Throne doesn’t respond to vague feelings. It needs a pact. An Oath."

Alex’s heart sank.

An oath. Just the word alone reminded him of the Oath of the Heart.

The one he had sworn to uphold... and the one he feared to break.

Suddenly, the underground chamber shook, making Latifa fall into Alex’s arms.

Having a beauty in his arms would normally make him bashful, but there was no time to appreciate such a blessing when the quaking kept getting stronger.

"An earthquake?!" Kara gasped in shock. "Princess, be careful!"

"Dim!" Dim Dim jumped on Alex’s head to prevent them from getting separated.

Runa had already lost her balance, falling to the ground on her bum, and was desperately trying to regain her balance.

A magic circle appeared under them, which Princess Yvraine recognized as a teleportation spell.

But before she could say anything, all of them turned into particles of light and were teleported out of the underground chamber before it collapsed completely.

When the four of them regained their senses, they were assaulted by the sound of battle happening around them.

"W-What?!" Runa, who had first regained her bearings, cried out in alarm as they found themselves in the middle of a battle between the Dwarves, the Barbarians, and the Minotaurs.

It didn’t take long for the fighters of both sides to see the sudden appearance of the non-combatants, who all appeared out of nowhere.

"It’s the princess!" one of the Barbarians recognized Princess Yvraine and shouted loudly. "Capture her as an offering for the Barbarian King!"

"Save the princess!" a Dwarven Warrior roared. "Don’t let her be captured by the Barbarians!"

The two sides clashed, one trying to get close to the princess to capture her and the other desperately blocking their path to protect her.

But the situation changed when the Minotaurs started charging in their direction in unison, sending dwarves flying in every direction.

"Damn it!" Alex cursed loudly as he swung his hammer to fend off a Barbarian who had tried to grab the Princess’ hand.

The young man didn’t know why they had been sent to the middle of the battlefield, where there was no place to run or hide.

As he was desperately swinging his hammer left and right, he noticed a red flag heading in their direction.

A nearly two-meter-tall man wearing a bull-cap helmet and wielding a giant sword entered his vision.

Although it was Alex’s first time encountering the figure, his instincts screamed the other party’s identity at him—the Barbarian King.

He was the one they needed to defeat in order to clear the Morgim Trial.

The Barbarian King’s presence was suffocating.

His every step caused the ground to tremble, and his crimson war-banner fluttered like a blood-soaked omen in the storm of battle.

The Minotaurs and Barbarians rallied behind him, their morale surging with a primal fury that even the Dwarves couldn’t withstand.

"That’s... that’s him." Kara’s face paled as she positioned herself protectively in front of Latifa. "The Barbarian King. The one who united the scattered barbarian tribes!"

Runa’s body shuddered uncontrollably in the face of a mortal enemy she didn’t believe she could run from, let alone defeat.

The Barbarian King raised his sword, pointing its jagged edge toward Latifa. His voice was like a rolling avalanche, heavy and oppressive.

"Verdant Princess of Ul-Khazir, shall you surrender yourself peacefully, I will spare your people!" the Barbarian King shouted. "Agree, and I will grant you the privilege of becoming one of my wives. Refuse, and I will order mass slaughter of your people and make you a lowly plaything of mine!"

Alex gritted his teeth, stepping in front of Latifa with his hammer poised. "Sorry, pal. You’re not getting her."

The Barbarian King chuckled, his lips curling into a grin beneath his bull-cap helmet.

"And who are you to defy me, boy?" the Barbarian King sneered. "Another fool who wants to play Hero?"

"I am no Hero," Alex replied. "But I will not let you treat my Queen as your plaything!"

———

Synchronization Rate increased by 10%

Current Synchronization Rate: 60%

Note: New Achievement Unlocked! "Public Wife Declaration." You just upgraded her title to Queen in front of a barbarian horde. Good luck surviving the next few minutes, my guy.

———

Alex wasn’t able to stop herself from the heat of the moment from saying his inner thoughts.

Fortunately, he could say that it was the synchronization’s fault at a later time if ever Latifa asked him why he suddenly called her his Queen.