Chapter 387 : : Gatekeeper

Queen Dongfang stared at him with a peculiar expression, having a hard time digesting his words.

Making an expert like her sign a contract wasn't easy, it is seen as a humiliation and shows distrust between allies, Azure Emperor didn't do this because it wasn't feasible for him, contract would mean he would be showing distrust on the surface making his allies vary of him, moreover the contract would also bind him, he would have to keep the end of the deal from his side.

The thing that most surprised her were the ridiculous conditions he set, helping her regain her youthfulness was one thing, she had heard about his Cosmetic Pill so she had some trust in it, although Cosmetic Pill only helps in regaining beauty and not the peak strength it was still someone every woman desired.

The shocking part of the contract was him guaranteeing the ascension of at least three of her Generals to the Sky Body Formation stage within hundred years!

They were all at the Core Breaking peak stage, which was only a step away from the Sky Body Formation stage but that last step was the hardest, one wrong move and it would all be for naught.

The number of Sky Body Formation stage experts was one digit less compared to Core Breaking experts, no matter which continent was taken into account.

Although Rex's condition implied that she would have to leave the Royal Family, meaning she can't interfere in the political matter of her kingdom anymore, but it was not permanent, it would only become permanent if he keeps his part of the contract.

Agreeing to the contract was much better than the whole military of the kingdom losing their lives here and the citizens getting their status degraded to slaves.

Queen Dongfang quietly looked at Rex wondering if he would again say something like 'I was joking,'.

{You said you want to choose the king while also letting go of our lineage, does it mean, someone from the Royal Family already…} She asked in a suspicious yet cold tone.

Her words implied if someone from Royal Family leaked the information regarding them and colluded with the enemy, meaning him, to become the new king and serve Frozen Flame.

She used a secret message to ask this question and didn't say it out loud because if her conjecture was true then it would shake the trust of soldiers towards the Royal Family, even if someone betrayed the family she couldn't let others' trust decline in them. She wasn't worried about Rex lying because even if he did, she would eventually find out once he chooses a king.

Rex shook his head, he then looked at Aeneas standing in the distance watching everything unfolding in front of him with a stern look on his face.

{There are many ways to choose a new king… Like one of your direct descendants falling in love with him,} Rex said.

Aeneas felt his gaze, still, he acted like he didn't.

{A beastman? Why him, is he your descendant?} Queen Dongfang said. She was bothered by the thought of a beastman entering her family but if he had the bloodline of a Calamity Lord, she could take him in because a descendant of a Calamity Lord would have a higher chance to reach this stage themselves.

'My descendent? Little Aru, marrying into her family?' Rex's lips twitched when thinking about what would happen if he really did that.

[She has absolutely no idea, what is she asking for,]

{He isn't, though he is also ex-royal blood who was raised to become a king, after all these years of struggle, his temperament has been tempered, again and again, he can serve better as a king,} Rex said.

His words weren't hollow, after seeing his title through appraisal at their first meeting, Red had asked Jiang Shuang to keep an eye on him. The result he got was above his expectations, Aeneas was a man with few words, but his tactics in battle, his wisdom, and flexible decision-making capabilities during the expedition of the territories around Frozen Flame left a deep impression on the beastman following him, making them subconsciously dependent on his lead.

{You want a beastman who was once a royal to join the Royal Family of the kingdom that joined in Azure Empire? If he bears a grudge, then my kingdom would be doomed,} Queen Dongfang furrowed her brows.

{Don't worry, he will only serve as a vessel to Shadow Lord, I can't say he won't keep grudges, and for exactly that, he would be marrying in Royal Family and not replacing it, once he establishes a family, the grudges will fade with time,} Rex said.

He had several reasons to make Aeneas the king, a normal person becoming the king of an enemy kingdom cannot gain much, every Royal Family have intense competition in their younger generations, all wanting to become the king. No matter whom Rex makes the king, they might agree because of fear but would make trouble from the sidelines, even scheming to kill them from shadows.

As a former Crows Prince, Aeneas was already used to these things, he had ambitions, and during all this time, the unshakable image of Shadow Lord had been implanted in him. He was a near-perfect readymade vessel to control a kingdom.

Queen Dongfang stood quietly for several minutes and kept looking at the twinkling stars in the night sky.

She inhaled deeply and looked at Rex with a firm expression.

"We surrender, I hope you can keep your words," She said, her voice was audible to everyone.

Many soldiers were dissatisfied with her decision, they wanted to fight to the death instead of surrendering to an enemy but the disciplined trait in them made them quietly follow orders like a machine and not give out free individual opinions.

The beastman on Green Mantis Ship had complicated expressions on their faces, like always, they were treated as showpieces for decoration, they weren't even surprised anymore, whenever they fought alongside Rex, this was the only outcome.

Rex smiled, he snapped his fingers and several contract scrolls appeared in front of him.

"Let's form the contract then," He said.

Queen Dongfang bitterly snickered, the way he took out the contracts meant he was long prepared for this outcome, they were being played in the hands of their enemy from the start.

Rex set the rules then distributed the scrolls to let others check and before establishing the contract.

The process of establishing a contract was smooth, the rules of the contract were made on the spot because both the parties were feeling insecure against each other, only after the contract was established did they dare believe each other.

"What about him?" Queen Dongfang asked as she looked in the direction of Tai Qiu.

By now Tai Qiu was at his wit's end, he wasn't able to put up any resistance against the Leeches, he was getting beaten up like a punching bag, his whole body was covered in blood, he was on the verge of fainting, if it wasn't for his cultivation base he would have died long ago.

Queen Dongfang had told Rex about Tai Qiu's background, once the contract was made. Tai Qiu was from one of the main families managing the power under the Azure Emperor, he only came here to gain easy merits to stabilize his status in the family and get the acknowledgment of the Azure Emperor.

She didn't give out any opinion on what to do with him, leaving everything to Rex, her actions had a deep meaning, she was acting like any other soldier in the army who have a simple yet effective explanation for their every actions 'we are only following orders!'. By doing this, whether Rex kills him, forms a contract, or releases him, the result won't affect her status and position in Frozen Flame.

In her eyes, Rex was a Guardian under the overlord of Frozen Flame, if she gave a suggestion and it was proved good then he would earn merits but if it was wrong, then Rex will surely throw the blame on her.

Of course, if she knew that he is also the Shadow Lord then she would be the first to suggest without getting asked.

"He is alone, right? He doesn't meet the requirement for a contract, hmm... I will decide what to do with him later, for now, let's get you to your new jobs..." Rex said as the corners of his lips curled up into a smile.

Queen Dongfang looked at him smirking and felt something was amiss.

...

After the matter of Black Steel Kingdom was resolved, and the contract with Queen Dongfang was made, Rex quickly made a move and sent all the soldiers together with Andusk back to the Black Steel Kingdom the next day.

Rex made Andusk lead all the soldiers back to the Black Steel Kingdom with a letter from Queen Dongfang containing the next orders for Royal Family.

Once the news of her joining Frozen Flame goes out, there would be many organizations including the forces of the Azure Empire that would try to reap benefits from the defeated Black Steel Kingdom. That's why, he sent Andusk to go and set up a long-distance transmission array platform in the Black Steel Kingdom, this way, he can use their resources to prepare for defensive measures against the outside forces.

His win against Black Steel Kingdom was like an official declaration of war against the whole Azure Empire.

If it was before, not many would put Frozen Flame in their eyes, they won't even bother investigating it, Golden Bird Continent is the second biggest continent in the whole Middle Realm in terms of size, because of that, most forces didn't know about Frozen Flame, but now that the famous Black Steel Kingdom had surrendered to them, they were qualified to be seen as a force that can stand against Azure Empire without becoming a laughing stock.

As per the agreement, Queen Dongfang and her six Generals stayed behind in the Frozen Flame City becoming its citizen.

Two days later...

At the Castle in Frozen Flame City...

Rex, Lucia, Jiang Shuang, Queen Dongfang together with her six Generals were standing in the main hall.

Queen Dongfang looked at Lucia then at Rex, she processed her thoughts before speaking out.

"Pardon, but did you just said that they will be working with her from now on?" Queen Dongfang had a look of disbelief on her face as she pointed at her Generals then at Lucia.

Right now, her current appearance was in contrast compared to the one from two days ago, her eyes were full of vitality without any change but her skin was no longer shrill and dry, it was tender and fresh like a young woman, the wrinkles on her face were nowhere to be seen, her skin was no longer sagging, she didn't look like in her fifties anymore instead her appearance returned to the time when she was in her nubile age.

Although she looked different but it was only her appearance, it was the effect of Cosmetic Pill Rex gave her as a gift to show his sincerity, her body was still the same as before from inside, she was wearing a long brown gown with her hair tied behind her head, a white smart band was present on her left wrist.

The two female Generals behind her had the same unchanged appearance, only their getup was different, both of them wore the same uniform.

It was a full-sleeved black dress with white trim, together with a full skirt at knee-length, white half apron over the top, long black stocking coupled with high heels, and a ruffled headpiece.

From an earthling's perspective, it was a classic maid costume, both of them looked like full-time maids.

The four male Generals also wore the same uniform.

It was a black tuxedo over full sleeve white shirts matched with black pants, and leather boots, they looked like butlers raised in a noble family.

Earlier, when Rex sent them the dresses, they had no idea what did they depict, after all, the maid dresses here were different in some expects from the earth, never in their wildest dream would they think that as dignified Core Breaking stage experts they would be assigned to such a job.

"No, they won't be working with her, they will be working under her," Rex corrected her with the kindest smile he could muster at the moment.

The six Generals were clenching their fists behind their backs as they stared at Rex with the utmost hateful look in their eyes.

"You said that we would get status according to our abilities, do you think after managing the army for so long they can only serve as maids and stewards?" Queen Dongfang asked in a heavy tone.

She was angry at how her personally trained Generals were only qualified that much in his eyes. What she didn't know was, that if it wasn't for Rex not wanting to trouble Lucia too much then she too would be wearing the same costume as the two female Generals behind her.

For now, Rex had given her the status of a clan elder. As for what clan? It was the Shadow Clan Jiang Shuang and others were members of, for so long, without knowing it.

"Elder Dongfang what do you mean by this? Do you think it is easy to get this job in the castle? Letting them work here instead of Corentis shows how much I appreciate their temperaments, or else you can see how Sir Tai Qiu is stationed as gatekeeper outside the main gate in Corentis. Humph, I am being sincere here, you know," Rex snorted, expressing his dissatisfaction.

Elder Dongfang was silent, the other six Generals saw the look of helplessness in each others' eyes.

Compared to Tai Qiu, their condition was indeed much better.