" I can do anything you command but not something that will put your life in jeopardy. I am not going to do it. You would need to use the token of command if you want to force me. Think yourself," High Duke Mila replied as she shook her head.
Ryder couldn't help but smile as he saw the stubbornness of High Duke Mila.
" Don't worry. I'm not going to force you," Ryder finally gave up. He wasn't going to waste his command of the token on this small matter. He didn't want to wait, but he didn't need to be in such a hurry either. He decided to wait.
Just as Ryder had given up, he thought of something.
He looked towards Rale and smiled.
"Rale, would you come with me?" Ryder let out as he smiled.
Rale nodded his head.
" Can you guys leave this hall for a few seconds?" Ryder told the others.
High Duke Mila and Devilia looked at Ryder suspiciously, but they agreed as well. They stood up and left the hall.
After High Duke Mila and the others left, only Ryder and Rale were left in the hall.
"Rale, Do you know about that spell?" Ryder asked Rale.
" The spell that Duke Devilia talked about? Yes, I know that spell," Rale said as he nodded his head.
" That's good. By the way, Devilia said that she's not strong enough to cast that spell, but what about you? You are definitely stronger than her and almost reaching the levels of High Dukes. Can you cast that spell?" Ryder asked as he smiled.
"This…" Rale stumbled as he realized that Ryder was talking about. He wanted Rale to cast that spell instead, but Rale had a similar concern to High Duke Mila. He was also concerned about Ryder's safety and didn't want to do it.
He didn't know how to answer, though. He knew that he couldn't say no like High Duke Devilia said. He couldn't be as stubborn as her. There was just something about him that didn't let him deny the commands of his Royal Prince. He knew that he couldn't lie either.
"Why aren't you saying anything? Can you cast that spell or not?" Ryder asked Rale.
Rale took a deep breath and sighed as he nodded his head.
"I can cast the spell," Rale said as he nodded his head, but he also continued with his excuse of why he didn't want to.
"But I don't think it would be a good idea for me to use it this time," Rale replied as he shook his head.
"Why not?" Ryder asked as he frowned. Was he also going to use the same excuse as High Duke Mila? If this was the case, then Ryder believed that he could convince Rale to do it.
Rale looked at Ryder in full honesty.
"It's something to do with the reason I keep my strength hidden. This was something that every Royal Commander does. We are sworn in with the oath that we will keep our real strength hidden for the protection of our Royalty. That's why no one knew that my father was as strong as a High Duke when he was the Royal Commander before me," Rale exclaimed.
" It's this oath that we shouldn't break unless the Royalty's life is in danger. I can't break this oath. If I use this spell, I will be linked to all the guards, and all the guards will know that it is I who is linked to them. They will easily realize my strength from this spell. They will know that I'm much stronger than the Duke. My oath will be broken, and my strength will be exposed," Rale replied as he sighed.
Ryder didn't know that Rale was going to use this excuse and this excuse genuinely sounded severe. With this, Ryder realized that he couldn't force Rale. If he forced Rale, then his favorability with Rale will increase. Ryder didn't want that at all since Rale was his main man in this place. He trusted Rale more than he did anyone else, and he also felt safer with Rale around. Rale was a walking superhuman, after all. His level was so high that Ryder felt like he was already strong enough to break the game.
Ryder realized that if the other players knew that Ryder had someone like Rale as his helper, they would strike at the headwaters of Necrosis and start calling Ryder an illegitimate child of Necrosis owner even more. He didn't want to lose Rale, and forcing him would do that. He also knew that it would also affect other things. His favorability with the Royal Guards will decrease as well.
Also, if his favorability decreased and Rale betrayed him, he could be in danger. Rale knew that they went to the Undead Region and many more places illegally. Ryder could lose everyone's trust if Rale betrayed him. That's why he wanted to keep his favorability with Rale high.
"Fine. You don't need to do it. We'll wait till the Vampire King and High Duke Eston arrive. You can call the others inside. We'll Wait," Ryder sighed as he walked back to the throne and sat on it.
Rale also breathed in a sigh of relief since he didn't need to put Ryder in danger by following Ryder's orders.
Rale left the great hall and told everyone to come inside.
High Duke Mila and Devilia entered inside the great hall once again.
"There is a plan change. We will wait for the arrival of High Duke Eston and the Vampire King before we begin the search," Ryder said as he nodded his head.
"That's better," Hugh Duke Mila said as she smiled. Her young face looked even cuter as she smiled. She sat on the throne beside Ryder. Devilia and the others also sat down.
"Oh, right. Devilia. We sealed the city so suddenly. Are the citizens freaking out?" Ryder asked Devilia.
"They were, but we have everything under control. I had my guards inform everyone that it's nothing serious. We used the excuse of testing the barrier. They wouldn't freak out, and we can keep the barrier up for longer," Devilia explained to Ryder.
"That's good. It's better if they don't freak out. It'll be difficult to find the Black Skeleton King otherwise, and he would have an easy time to kill the demons," Ryder muttered as he nodded his head.
He closed his eyes and started waiting.
While Ryder closed his eyes, the first thought that came into his mind wasn't related to the Black Skeleton King and this matter, but it was about Alice.
