Chapter Five: The Mouth Knows no Action

Elwood made his way along the path while leaving an opulent trail of silk behind him. The cape he wore was expertly crafted with brilliant blue stones arranged in an alluring pattern of Anemone windflowers, and beneath the opulent cape, his white suit clung to his form flawlessly, every seam and stitch bespoke of masterful craftsmanship, tailored to accentuate his physique with precision.

However, Elwood’s choice of accessories to decorate himself with, as well as his attire, revealed much about his personality. His gold earrings glistened slightly in the sunshine, lending a sense of opulence to his whole appearance and each finger other than the middle, he wore rings, which were his mother’s keepsakes, that he treasured.

Although the surroundings were lovely, the temperature was far too cold for him. He drew his hands to the inside of his sleeves as they neared the majestic building in the center of the courtyard, which he recognized as the royal hall. He was waiting for the servant to call his name as he stood outside. Truly, being a ruler is so annoying.

“Announcing His Highness Elwood Sinclair,” Ali announces finally. She then opens the doors and steps aside to allow him to pass by as he walks to his place at the front of the hall. The Asaka Kingdom’s King and his wife, Ebina Dior, stood on the side, their servants behind them, embellishing the main hall.

As Elwood took his seat, he couldn’t help but notice how effortlessly Larkin maintained his composed facade. His bogus smile appeared to be a well-rehearsed mask that covered up any ulterior reasons or hidden intentions. It was as if Larkin was playing a game, one that Elwood was determined not to lose.

Elwood’s eyes turned to Ebina Dior, Larkin’s wife, who was standing next to him and had a resigned look in her eyes. Elwood was aware of gossip regarding their tense relationship, allegations of adultery, and internal power struggles behind the royal walls.

He wondered if Ebina truly knew what kind of man she had married.

Before he could even begin, he heard a thud and an overactive voice to his left, where Larkin was standing. “Greetings! I can’t help but feel incredibly grateful as I stand here. In addition to giving me the opportunity to be here on this great day, your invitation allowed me to personally see the magnificence of your sincere generosity and kindness. It’s not often that we get to meet and-”

Elwood interrupts with a sharp click of his tongue, “Dior, stop wasting my time and show me what you came here for already. I do not enjoy listening to your needless musings.” Tapping his foot on the ground, Elwood stares down at Larkin. His wife, right next to him, seems also to be vexed by her husband’s forwardness and bows in apology.

He wasn’t in the mood for these words, and from what he had learned, the people in the Asaka Kingdom were those who took action rather than words and were blunt with their language. The tales he had heard about the mighty warriors and daring rulers who had previously governed his land sprang to him. The Asaka Kingdom was well recognized for its boldness, cunning, and unyielding resolve, as well as for its superior military might and unmatched victories in conquests.

But now, as he stood amidst a sea of eloquent words and empty smiles, he couldn’t help but question if those tales were nothing more than embellished legends. Perhaps the current generation has become complacent, relying on rhetoric rather than action.

He considered that this change in perspective was probably the outcome of people evolving. Perhaps peace had softened them, replacing their thirst for power with a desire for security and comfort. Or perhaps it was a consequence of a new era where diplomacy held more weight than the use of force. It didn’t matter either way, but he couldn’t help but ponder; it was clear that this spawning of new humans lacked such grit and survival instincts compared to the previous generation.

It wasn’t bad, so to speak, considering the challenges that are faced now are so unique and different than what was experienced before, but with such complacency…Was it risky not to challenge oneself to greater heights than to settle for comfort? He couldn’t help but question whether his complacency was a risky course to take when he thought about it further. Without the fire of ambition and the willingness to take risks, progress and innovation would surely stagnate.

However, amidst his concerns, he also acknowledged that comfort and stability were not inherently negative. It was at times of peace when society flourished, and because of its stability, all could focus more on improving their quality of life.

However, there needed to be a middle line between ambition and stagnant repetition that needed to be reached; a fire needed to be rekindled to remind the people to strive for more of the hunger to accomplish something amazing beyond humans’ capabilities. Only then could they overcome complacency and strive for a future that combined the best of both worlds—a world where diplomacy and rhetoric were backed by decisive action.

Larkin chuckles uneasily, but steels himself and turns to face his servants behind him. “…Well, you heard him. Get the gifts!” As the atmosphere in the room became tense, Larkin nodded to his personal servant, who then instructed the others to gather the gifts. They filled the boxes with jewelry, precious silks, and exotic fruits before handing them all over to Elwood at the front of the hall.

“Hmmm…” Elwood looks down; everything seems so ordinary, something that anyone would offer when invited to his home; there is nothing special about it, which irritates Elwood immensely. Doesn’t this idiot of a king realize that by trying to kill him, he puts himself in jeopardy of being added to his list of people to be done in? Shouldn’t he try a bit harder to win his loyalty again?

Elwood desired a greater spectacle than this; he did not simply set things up so that it would result in this truly horrible entertainment. Elwood’s mind fumed with frustration as he contemplated the lackluster gifts still before him. It was clear that this foolish coward of a king had underestimated his generosity. How dare he think that a few trinkets would be enough to win back Elwood’s loyalty? The audacity of this man to act smug as he watched Elwood’s face as if he would be bouncing with joy by these useless material things.

Elwood looked across the room, surveying all the members of Larkin’s faction. He couldn’t help but feel a surge of cursed energy at the thought of taking them all down on the spot. The king had unknowingly placed himself in a precarious position by attempting to eliminate him, and Elwood knew that revenge was not only sweet but also necessary for his survival. He trapped him in his web, ensuring that no one would be able to escape his wrath.

But now, faced with these underwhelming offerings, Elwood realized that the king hadn’t fully grasped the gravity of their situation. He didn’t want such a lousy response; he wished for a grander spectacle than this, something that would catch his attention and display some authority and power in the Asaka kingdom.

The ordinary gifts that were before him seemed like an insult to his intelligence and cunning. He needed to do something about this since, apparently, he couldn’t rely on the king’s fixed understanding of the situation.

“Is there… Is there something wrong?”

Elwood doesn’t answer that question; instead, he reaches out his hand, and instantly, a burst of cursed energy burns into his palm, spreading out like a fire. His fingers dance around the black smoke as he looks back down at the kingdom’s king.

Elwood’s display of cursed energy left Larkin trembling in fear. The intensity of the dark power emanating from Elwood’s hand was overwhelming, causing Larkin’s face to drain of color. He began to sweat, beads of droplets dotting his forehead and soaking through the tops of his clothes.

Black smoke swirled around Elwood’s fingers, passing under and over each of his fingers, and the Asaka kingdom’s king, though initially taken aback by Elwood’s actions, slowly began to realize the severity of the moment. His eyes widened from the sheer power in front of him, and his feet felt frozen to the ground below him. With nothing to do but stare, his body felt a chill run up his spine.

Elwood continued to release bursts of cursed energy into the atmosphere, hoping that this visual spectacle would jolt Larkin out of his stupor. He desperately wanted Larkin to understand that their kingdom was in grave danger and that immediate action was required.

The room fell into an eerie silence as everyone held their breath, waiting for a response from their king.

The King stumbled over his words as he shouted out, “Your Majesty! I know that this doesn’t fix what occurred during the Ionoe massacre, but,” he lowered himself and bowed his head, “I do really hope this sets a foundation of-”

“Foundation?! The foundation of trust? You forfeited that when you gave your soldiers orders to attack me there on that battlefield. You will suffer the consequences of your botched assassination attempt.” Elwood cuts him off again, and he can see Larkin’s wife gasp and look at her husband because of his statement. 

Hmm, I guess he didn’t tell his wife the full story; how tragic.

Larkin knocks his knees together and finally collapses to the ground, bowing to Elwood and begging, “Please, your majesty! That day, I wasn’t in my right mind! You have to understand that public opinion has been low, and I let their voices cloud my mind!” Elwood found it revolting that the man was now sobbing; he appeared to be a young child who had been denied candy and was having a tantrum over it.

“What a ludicrous defense! You want me to believe that the people forced you to direct your soldiers against me, forcing them to attempt my murder after I had just eliminated a traitor!” Elwood laughs. “Who knew I would find another? Do you want to become like those foolish idiots, too? I had higher hopes for you. Public opinion, Ha! Do you believe that I am the only one with a poor reputation? Does your wife know why you went to the Ionoe Kingdom in the first place?” Elwood felt his blood warm slightly as his canines appeared. The heavy weight of his words lingered in the air, suffocating any words that tried to exit Larkin’s mouth that would certainly dig his grave deeper.

Elwood took in this moment of superiority, relishing the power he held over someone who once posed a threat to him. He smiled at the chaos he was about to unleash on this naive idiot, then suddenly his tirade was abruptly interrupted when he remembered the man in black who nearly beheaded him while looking at the soldiers standing guard in front of their so-called king.

“The soldier is gone. The person in all black? Where is he?” His voice silenced everyone; the woman’s eyes enlarged as the king’s eyes were drawn away from hers.

Oh ho? Did he hit a mark? Just who is this person? 

“If you want this matter to be silenced, then bring him to me.”

Larkin fidgeted in place. “Ah, well! I can certainly do that, but… do you really want this one man? He’s neither educated nor has any manners to speak of. He might displease you; how about some maidens? I can bring the prettiest ones from my kingdom to–”

“Dior, speak anymore, and I will have your tongue.” Elwood spoke resolutely and waited before the man nodded and ripped apart a talisman on his sleeve, revealing a man who appeared from the shadows, who then walked up to Larkin only to be pushed to the ground in front of Elwood.

Stunned, Elwood pictured himself approaching this shithead leader and slapping the shit out of him.

Instead, he focused on this man. “How do I address you?” The silence resonated around the room.

“Silent treatment, huh?” Elwood sighed as the stillness grew longer, and the Asaka King became increasingly enraged at the lack of response.

Elwood turned to face Larkin’s wife and commanded, “Leave. I need to talk to your husband alone.” Her lip lifted in discomfort at the term husband, and she was ready to stand her ground for the pride of the Asaka nation. However, as she looked towards her ‘husband’, all she saw was a fucking coward, a look of terror etched across his face as he didn’t even try and look at her to stand with her. She gritted her teeth, and with the last of her pride, she turned to the door. ‘Weakling.’ She quietly spat and left with the rest of the soldiers who followed behind her.

Now that she’s gone… Elwood’s eyes fill with darkness as he peers down at this spineless king. “I know why you are here. Going to brothels and not wanting your wife to find out isn’t the only reason you are pleading with me. You’re too stubborn to do something as stupid as that, so do you wish me to say it aloud, or will you do the honors?”

Silence took the room by storm again, and the cold aura from Elwood began to increase. He was becoming immensely frustrated with this as it seemed to be going nowhere before the King bowed down once more, knocking his head on the floor. 

“The supply of food and water—! …  Raya— She doesn’t supply as much as she used to, and her demands are becoming more and more relentless!” He took a deep breath and bowed his head. “Your kingdom has been standing for ages, not willing to fall, and yet even with the power of the Goddess by our side, our nations are still crumbling!” His hands creased into the floor below, and he yelled, “Even more and more people are being taken, and my…” He shook his head and looked towards Elwood, pleading, “Please help me find… I need to find her.”

“Who do you wish to find?” With all the missing posters posted everywhere, Elwood wonders if maybe a child has gone missing, but with his wife’s calm facade, it didn’t seem like that was the case. Maybe someone on his side of the family? 

“She goes by the name Abigail, and she is expecting a child… my child. She works in the brothel I visit and… I always felt right when I was close to her! Please! I need you to help me! I beg of you! She is everything—the shine in my eye, the sun in my sky! I can’t stand the thought of losing her, not when she is the light of my world! I would be eternally grateful if you could assist me in locating her.” Larkin pleads, “I am aware of the fact that this is an extremely exceptional circumstance and that I have no right to request your assistance. I can only beg you to have mercy and give me the means to locate the woman I love. I know that I have betrayed my vows to my wife…But honestly, I couldn’t give a damn if she perished in hell!!!

Oh… another one of his prostitutes. Elwood scrunches his face in disgust and lets out a loud sigh. So he got a woman pregnant and wished for my help to find her and to help his kingdom.

Even just looking at his face made him start to lose interest. Elwood sighs and murmurs, “So this is all,” before standing up and saying in a louder voice, “Very well. Your peace offerings will be accepted! You are dismissed! I’ll investigate the woman you want to find, and as for your kingdom, I’ll covertly send supplies so the goddess won’t find out.” He then walks up to Larkin and says, "And if you pull some shit like you did that day, I will rip your body up, piece by piece.”

Trembling, Larkin nods and starts sprint-walking towards the door. Elwood notices as they all depart that the wife’s expression has worsened since he sent her out. Elwood strides up the throne seat in the front of the hall once more and turns to face the man standing in the middle of the corridor.

“Now… What to do with you?” Tapping on the low table, he peers down at the man who is glaring at him with his green, glowing eyes and smirks.