Lord of Charm



'Now it's going to be interesting. A commoner who turned into an intermediate elite human isn't something that happens often, if at all.'

Kisuke went out of the tent and smiled at everyone who congratulated him for his advancement. Most of them didn't know about the extra benefits of his early advancement, but they still saw him as a genius who advanced early.

"Thank you, everyone. I will undergo the strengthening process now, so please make sure to give me some space."

Kisuke couldn't wait to loosen up the limitation on himself, he really hated it. He only wanted to appear in front of everyone before doing it to make it official that he broke through the next stage.

He sat in the tent again and made mana move all around him in a way that resembled the strengthening process as much as he could. 

Most people wouldn't be strengthened for long in the fourth stage, so he went out after 5 hours, which would be considered a huge deal despite being less than the time he spent strengthening a single element as a ruler beast. 

After 2 hours, Kisuke pretended he finished strengthening himself with Fire Mana and changed the limit on his body to the fourth stage, making him take a deep, fresh breath. He felt like a blind man getting his sight back. He then 'strengthened' himself with Earth Mana.

"Such a long strengthening process, that's amazing! Mine wasn't even half of that!"

Guards assembled around him when he went outside and exuded the aura of a fourth-stage mage. He found out Tanjirou already returned and was waiting for him to finish his strengthening.

"Good job, Kisuke. We can return to the palace now. I'm done training here; it's been a great practice. I believe I'll break through the next stage within a few weeks."

"Great job, Tanjirou. Now our sparing sessions will get more intensive for you."

Kisuke smiled at him and the two got up to leave. Most of the guards felt a mix of envy and admiration toward Kisuke. 

On one hand, it was hard to dislike the handsome man. Something about him was pulling others toward him despite their usual apprehension toward foreigners.

On the other hand, he never helped them with the manual tasks. Even now he was walking away with the prince as if he was part of the imperial family instead of helping everyone to pack up the camp.

As soon as Kisuke and Tanjirou left the camp, a few guards took out communication devices.

"Princess, Prince Tanjirou's guard and friend just advanced to the fourth stage."

Those guards said similar messages, but all of them sent them to different people. The only thing the recipients had in common was that they were all princes or princesses. There wasn't much privacy in the imperial family.

----------

A week passed, and Kisuke still had the same routine. This day, Haruka called him again.

"Kisuke, come here."

"Yes, Sir. Did anything happen?"

"Yes, you keep surprising everyone every time. First, you managed to get close to the prince, then you saved his life by protecting him with your body, and now you even managed to become a true mage at such an early age. How old are you again?"

"I was just lucky. I'm 21 years old, Sir."

"In a few years, I might have to call you Sir instead. Anyway, Chief Shirokami wants to meet you again. Rumors say he wants to invest in your future, so make sure to be grateful and respectful. You don't want to miss this chance."

"Of course. I will be going then."

He already knew where Chief Shirokami's office was, so he didn't need anyone to lead him. In a few minutes, he was already there, knocking on the chief's door.

"Come in."

Kisuke entered the office and found Shirokami behind his desk. His body was as ripped as always, and his long white hair was one of the first things anyone would notice.

"Sir, I was told you were looking for me."

"Indeed. I was impressed to hear you advanced into the True Mage Stage at only 21. When did you first have contact with magic?"

"When I was 15, Sir."

"That's great. Have you heard about the meaning of advancing to the Mage Phase before 10 years pass from your first contact with mana?"

"Yes, I'd become an elite human. Prince Tanjirou told me about it during our practice."

"Right, you became Prince Tanjirou's close friend. I have heard you met with the second princess, and she showed interest in you. Not many have the chance to enter the imperial family, so think about it."

Kisuke instantly realized that Shirokami was in the second princess' camp. He didn't want to tell him to his face that he didn't plan to enter anyone's harem, so he had to decline it politely.

"Yes, Sir, thank you for your advice. I just can't bring myself to leave the Sixth Prince's side for now, but I will keep it in mind for when I have the intentions to get married."

"Good, good. It's important to keep an open mind. Back to your breakthrough, I decided to grant you 10,000 merit points so you can be promoted to the Sergeant rank. I will also attach a private tutor to teach you swordsmanship instead of the normal daily training since you're now much faster and stronger than the other mages."

"Thank you, Sir. I will keep this favor from the Imperial Guard in my heart."

"Don't thank me just yet. There's one condition. You must take an oath to be loyal to the Imperial Guard. It will be done with a sixth-grade scroll, and it will be renewed in 20 or 30 years with a seventh-grade scroll."

The seven-grade scrolls were too expensive, and he didn't have any available for a newly advanced true mage now. Since even an intermediate elite human wouldn't become a magus before age 60 or 70, there was no point in spending one so early.

"What is the content of the oath?"

Kisuke couldn't afford something like 'I will not harm anyone from the imperial family'. After all, he wanted to harm them and steal a treasure.

"It says you won't do anything to harm the rule of the imperial family over Nikkokuni. It also mentions you will give up your life to save the empress, and that you will not bring harm to her."

"It doesn't include the princes and princesses?"

Kisuke noticed something missing and asked about it.

"It doesn't."

Shirokami said it with an expression that meant 'read between the lines'. Kisuke realized why it couldn't include not harming them; they were the biggest threat to each other. Each one of them had a camp of their own, and they would scheme to harm the other siblings all the time.

Since the powerful guards were divided between those camps, they'd inevitably try to harm princes and princesses from other camps under the instructions of their leaders.

"I see, I will be happy to serve in the Imperial Guard."

It was only a sixth-grade oath, so Kisuke didn't think much of it. Although normal Expert Mages would face death or severe injuries by breaking such an oath, he was sure that if he could be strengthened by 5 elements with SS affinity as a ruler human at the sixth stage, he would only suffer from mild injuries.

"Sir, if I may ask, what are the consequences of breaking an oath?"

Kisuke suddenly realized he wasn't supposed to know how oaths worked as a commoner and pretended to be curious.

"You will die the moment you break it unless you're at a higher stage than the oath you took. If you're outstanding, you will be severely injured, and we will get your location the moment you break it."

Shirokami explained to Kisuke why he shouldn't break an oath, and Kisuke nodded in understanding.

"Take this. Channel your mana into the scroll and repeat the words written in it."

Kisuke took the scroll from Shirokami and read out loud the words from the scroll.

"I swear not to harm the Empress or do anything that might bring harm to her. I swear to give up my life to defend the Empress should the situation require it. I swear not to do anything that would risk the rule of the Imperial family over Nikkokuni."

It was a tad longer than Shirokami made it sound, but it wasn't a problem for Kisuke.

"I swear not to divulge any secrets of the empire to outsiders. I swear to serve in the Imperial Guard for the next 50 years unless the Empress relieves me of my duties."

The oath was over and Shirokami took the scroll back.

"You may go now. I've instructed the officers to promote your rank and hold a small ceremony. I won't be coming, I have more important matters to attend to, so you will have to excuse me. Someone will come and tell you about your new benefits."

"Thank you, Sir."

Kisuke left Shirokami's office and went to have his usual sparring session with the sixth prince.

"Big Brother. Although you've been promoted and sparring with me was originally a job for lower-ranked guards, I've requested to let you stay here and continue to be my sparring partner. Your salary will raise from 100 merit points per session to 200."

"It's great, I was worried I won't be able to guide my little brother anymore. Let's start then."

Over the next few days, there was a short ceremony in which Kisuke received his new rank. Additionally, he got a new room, which he had all for himself.

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