Hikari: Rise Of The Weapons Master

"So, we just have to hold hands and mutter a few words?" Hayden asked while blinking in confusion.

He had never seen how the oath was taken since the memories he had been able to see were limited.

"It sounds awfully like marriage oaths…" Hayden muttered under his breath as Jonathan chuckled a little.

His expression didn't match his chuckle as he looked like someone had just died.

Zack and Emma stood a good distance away from the two rulers who were currently standing in the middle of the throne room.

After hearing the entire tale, including everything about the true ruler, Jonathan had directly asked Hayden to quickly get done with the oaths so that they could talk about other stuff.

"The oaths in part were designed based on the marriage oaths. That was why they might sound similar." After saying that, Jonathan raised his right hand forward and Hayden grabbed it.

The two rulers then closed their eyes as Jonathan talked privately with Hayden. After staying in the same position for a few minutes, the duo opened their eyes and stepped back.

"Now, it's time to tell my side of the story," Jonathan said while giving Hayden a polite expression.

The ruler of the underworld deciphered it as his cue to leave and exited the throne room. Now that he was the ruler, he too had a few things to take care of and they were not going to be easy.

[ I will meet you both later. I am sure that you still have a few questions cause I sure do.] Before leaving, Hayden winked at Zack and Emma.

The duo exchanged a look wondering how someone like Puten had ended up with Hayden as his son. That was unless the latter was fooling them while putting up a fake disguise.

They then waited for Jonathan to speak yet the king looked lost in thought. He was thinking of what he was going to say and how he was going to say it.

"Two out of the three dukes of the kingdom are dead," Jonathan said, giving up on trying to tell it in some other way. "Now, only Hark remains as an administrative head while the west and east are left without any supervision."

"I have managed to quieten the news down and nobody knows about it. Since Ezio rarely appeared in the east, there will be no problem in letting them think that the duke is still watching them from the shadows.

As for the west, Akuma was a dedicated duke so his absence would soon be noticed which means that I need a new duke." Jonathan then fell silent while staring at Zack.

However, he wasn't looking at him as though trying to see whether he was worthy of being a duke. Jonathan trusted the duo a lot but in the end, they hadn't known each other for a very long time.

If not for the sword and the bow, he would have never shared and trusted them with such information.

"What do you think we should do now?" He asked and saw Zack falling deep into thought.

"Why don't we crown Hayden as the duke." He suddenly suggested which made the king look at him with a dumbfounded expression.

"Did something in the underworld made your mind crack or what?"

Zack had basically suggested to make someone who was a possible criminal to be a duke or at least that's what Jonathan thought.

Emma didn't share such thoughts.

"Despite what you think, he is from the light side and though we don't trust him much, he would make for an excellent puppet duke while you can be the one guiding him. That is unless you have a better replacement."

Emma's underlying tone showed that she knew Jonathan didn't have anyone as a replacement or else he wouldn't have asked for their help.

"I wonder why I trust your decisions so much," The king mumbled while rubbing his temples. "But this time, I will have to reject your request and instead look for someone else. You are both dismissed and can come back in the morning to get a reward from me."

Zack and Emma didn't protest as they proceeded to leave the palace and go back to their guild in peace. They had earned to rest for a few days without having anything to worry about.

The duo then logged out of the game and woke up in the real-life while feeling refreshed. They moved up the floors to see Eva's cousin, Kevin, waiting for them in the hall.

"So you are her brother…" Kevin said in a grave tone as his red hair fell down and covered his black eyes. "I have no choice except doing this then."

Zack's cheek suddenly started twitching as he remembered reading the same line in old web novels. He was about to predict the kid asking for Eva's help yet something completely unexpected happened.

Kevin immediately dashed forward and dived down at Zack's feet while grabbing the back of his lower thigh.

"Please let me date your sister. I promise I would be a good boy." He said while making puppy eyes which made Zack kick him away.

"You are fifteen kid, two years younger than my sister. And if you try to get near her in the way you did back at the room, I will kick you in the stomach."

Zack's reply made Emma sigh and rub her temples. In her mind, he was only one step away from being a true sis-con and once that boundary was crossed, there was no coming back.

"B-But…" Kevin began saying but Zack's glare made him shut up and walk towards the stairs, probably to go to his room and sulk.

"Now, we are going to have a peaceful vacation." He said with a grin.

---

Time slowly passed by and now, only three hours remained till the event would begin.

Zack lay on his bed while staring at the ceiling with a grim expression. Only a few more hours and the world might get flipped upside down.