Zero followed Lyra down the hushed, crimson-carpeted hallway, leaving the echoing auction hall far behind. The higher they climbed, the quieter the building became. Only the rich, expensive scent of incense filled the air.
Finally, Lyra stopped before two massive, reinforced mahogany doors. They were the doors to the private sanctum of Chief Appraiser Bartholomeus.
"The Chief Appraiser is inside, My Lord," Lyra whispered nervously, quickly bowing. She didn't want to be anywhere near this room when these powerful people met. She turned and hurried back down the hall.
Zero reached out his heavy, Abyssal Steel gauntlet to turn the door handle. But he froze before he touched the metal. He could hear raised, angry, and arrogant voices shouting from inside.
I don't care about your rules, Bartholomeus!
Crown Prince Caspian Aldric's voice roared, magically amplified even inside the room.
I am the future King of Oakhaven! Tell me where this 'Lord Zero' is right now! Where is the man who gave you the Velkora Fruits and that miracle potion?! He belongs to me
"And where is he, fat man?" the drawling, mocking voice of Crown Prince Kaelen Aurelius of Solaria added, equally loud. "Are you hiding him from us? If I find out you are favoring Oakhaven over Solaria, the Golden Scales will be banned from my territories!"
Zero let out a slow, dark chuckle that vibrated within his helmet. They were fighting over him like dogs over a bone. He decided to end the discussion.
Zero didn't knock. He simply twisted the handle and pushed the massive doors open.
CREAAAK.
The sound of his heavy, metallic movement was amplified in the tense office. All talk instantly stopped. The two furious Crown Princes, who had been shouting at Bartholomeus's desk, both snapped their heads around to stare at the doorway.
The scene inside the office was chaotic. Bartholomeus, his round face flushed red and covered in sweat, was shrinking behind his massive obsidian desk, looking like a cornered animal. Near the desk, Prince Caspian stood, pointing a shaking finger at the Appraiser, his pristine white and gold suit matching his arrogant expression.
Leaning casually against a far wall, Prince Kaelen of Solaria, dressed in red and black royal suit, raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening as he looked at the newcomer.
And sitting on a plush, crimson velvet sofa to the left, Princess Seraphina Aldric sat silently, her hands folded in her silver lap. She looked exhausted, having been forced to listen to her brother and his rival argue for nearly twenty minutes. She, too, turned her head, her sharp eyes widening with shock.
The human nobles stared at the doorway. They had expected an older man, a master alchemist, or perhaps a rich merchant.
Instead, they were facing a monster of their own creation.
Zero walked in. His armored boots hit the wooden floor like a rhythmic war-drum.
DHUD. DHUD. DHUD.
His Abyssal Steel armor was entirely black, reflecting no light, wrapped around a frame that made the two tall princes look small. The midnight-blue cloak billowed behind him, adding to his already overwhelming presence.
And then there was the mask. The cold, iron mask with the glowing red eye-slits that seemed to look right through them. He was not a person. He was a walking fortress, a faceless titan that radiated a palpable aura of cold, dangerous mana.
Everyone in the room fell completely silent, paralyzed by the sight of the true creator.
For a few seconds, the room was completely silent. The sheer size and terrifying armor of the masked man caught the royals off guard.
Prince Caspian of Oakhaven was the first to recover his pride. He looked Zero up and down, noting the lack of any noble crest on his dark armor.
"So, you are the mysterious creator," Caspian said, stepping forward with an arrogant smirk. "Your name is just... Zero? No family surname? A commoner, then. Listen closely, peasant. You possess a unique talent. Join me. Become my personal supplier for the Oakhaven Royal Vanguard, and I will give you wealth you cannot even imagine"
Before Zero could speak, Prince Kaelen Aurelius of Solaria pushed himself off the wall and laughed.
"Don't listen to this arrogant fool," Kaelen sneered, walking toward Zero. "Oakhaven is a dying kingdom. Come with me to Solaria! I will give you a noble title, a massive estate, and as much gold as you want. All you have to do is serve me and my army"
Both Princes stood tall, puffing out their chests. Because Zero had no family name, they fully believed he was just a lucky commoner who had stumbled upon rare items. To them, a commoner should be begging on his knees for a chance to serve the Royal Family.
Zero looked at Caspian, and then at Kaelen. His glowing red eyes behind the iron mask did not blink. He slowly crossed his massive, Abyssal Steel gauntlets over his chest.
"I decline," Zero said.
His mechanically distorted voice was perfectly calm, flat, and completely devoid of respect.
The two Princes froze. Princess Seraphina, sitting on the sofa, widened her eyes in shock. No commoner in the history of the continent had ever spoken to two future Kings with such absolute indifference.
"What did you just say?" Caspian asked, his face turning red with sudden anger. "Did you not hear us? We are offering you a chance to rise above your pathetic station!"
"I heard you,**" Zero replied coldly. "My answer is no. I belong to no one. And I do not serve weak men playing dress-up with their fathers' crowns"
"You insolent bastard!" Caspian roared, violently drawing his jeweled rapier half out of its sheath. "Do you have any idea who you are insulting?! I am the Crown Prince of Oakhaven! I could have the Royal Guards drag you to the dungeons right now! I could have you executed for treason!"
Kaelen's mocking smile also vanished, replaced by a dark, deadly glare.
"You are making a fatal mistake, Zero," Kaelen threatened, taking a step closer. "You may have perfect potions, but you are just one man without a family name. Without the protection of a Royal Family, you won't survive a single day outside the walls of this auction house. The assassins and rival guilds will tear you apart to get your secrets."
Zero did not step back. He did not draw a weapon. Instead, he simply let a fraction of his terrifying, cold mana leak out of his armor.
The temperature in the Chief Appraiser's office instantly dropped. The air felt heavy, making it hard for the humans to breathe. The immense killing intent rolling off Zero's body felt like a physical weight pressing down on their shoulders.
Zero took one single, heavy step forward.
DHUD.
Both Princes instinctively took a step back, their bodies trembling despite their royal pride. They suddenly realized they were not talking to a mere merchant or a lucky commoner. They were standing in front of a predator.
"Execute me?" Zero's distorted voice rumbled, echoing like grinding iron in the cold room. "Send your guards, Prince Caspian. Send your entire Royal Vanguard. I will happily bury them all"
He turned his glowing red eyes toward Prince Kaelen.
"And you, Prince of Solaria," Zero continued smoothly, his voice filled with dark menace.
"Do not mistake my lack of a surname for weakness. I do not need your protection. I am the danger waiting outside these walls"
Zero looked between the two terrified, pale Princes.
"I came to this room to collect my gold, not to listen to children throw tantrums" Zero stated, his tone final
"Now, step aside. Or I will show you exactly why your crowns mean absolutely nothing to me"
Princess Seraphina watched from the sofa, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She had never seen anyone—not even her father, the King—completely crush the pride of two Crown Princes with just a few words and sheer presence. For the first time in her life, she was looking at a man who was truly free from the Kingdom's rules.
The heavy killing intent rolling off Zero made the Princes step back, but their royal pride refused to let them surrender. Prince Caspian's face turned bright red with rage. He gripped the handle of his sword tightly.
"You have a lot of nerve!" Caspian yelled, his voice echoing in the office. "Do you really think you can insult us and just walk out of my Kingdom alive? I am the law here! I have the power to completely destroy you right now. Do not forget that!"
Prince Kaelen crossed his arms and laughed coldly, trying to hide his fear.
"You act tough, Zero, but you are not that powerful," Kaelen sneered. "No matter how good your items are, you are just one man. For our Royal Armies, killing a lone commoner like you is as easy as crushing a tiny ant"
Zero stood completely still, his glowing red eyes fixed on the two arrogant royals. He was about to give them a harsh reply, but before he could speak a single word, a sharp, confident voice echoed from the open hallway behind him.
"If you have the courage, why don't you try touching him and see what happens?"
The bold warning cut through the tension like a knife.
Prince Caspian and Prince Kaelen froze. They quickly turned their heads, looking past Zero's massive black armor to see who dared to challenge them. Even Princess Seraphina leaned forward on the sofa, her eyes wide with surprise.
Stepping into the Chief Appraiser's office was the top alchemist herself, Lady Elara Valmont.
Right beside her stood her Sworn Shield, Brielle Ironheart. The tall knight was glaring directly at the two Crown Princes. Brielle's hand was resting firmly on the hilt of her broadsword, proving that she was the one who had just threatened them.
Elara walked forward, her posture absolutely flawless and elegant. Even though she held the power to cut off the Princes' medical supplies, she used the perfect, polite manners of high society. She gave a small, respectful curtsy, but her eyes were ice cold.
"Good evening, Crown Prince Caspian Aldric. And warm greetings to you as well, Crown Prince Kaelen Aurelius," Elara said in a smooth, incredibly polite voice. "It is such a pleasure to see you both. However, I truly hope you are not planning to start a bloody fight inside a peaceful merchant guild"
The two Princes gritted their teeth. They knew exactly what Elara was doing. By showing up and protecting Zero, the Valmont family was officially stepping into the fight.
Elara then turned her attention away from the angry Princes. She looked up at the towering, black-armored titan standing in the middle of the room, her eyes shining with intense curiosity and respect. The true battle to recruit Lord Zero had just begun.