Chapter 170 And So... I Pass With Dignity

"Good, now that you understand we can discuss your role in all of this" I whispered into the ear of the spy that I had captured. Though we weren't idle, in the wake of the explosion that I had set off the panic that ensued allowed for a great opportunity to disappear into the crowd easily.

With my hand firmly set on the nape of his neck I dragged him with me until I found an appropriate setting for our discussion.

"You are going to go back to the castle and start your report. Once you are done with the report and are giving it to the king you are to press this button." I explained as I sat down on the bench in the park.

A frantic nod was his response as he fearfully agreed to my demands.

"Good, keep this in your pocket and remember I'll know." With that I sat up from my seat, leaving the spy to wallow in his fear.

…

My name is unimportant, though what is important was my creation. I don't remember the exact day nor the process but what I do remember is my directive. 'Loyalty to the King'

I could never forget the day that my prime directives were given to me, the smell of the acid that melted the collar that had been placed around my neck, the aether that consumed my brain and gave it to the commander and king. It was a wondrous thing, to know that despite what would happen I would always have my loyalty.

Until I didn't, it all started out normal. A new assignment taking watch over potential enemies, I was to watch over them with two others. These two were the bottom of the barrel, fresh recruits just given their first assignment. They may not have even gone through boot camp, it would make sense with the current shortage of manpower.

I had noticed earlier in the month that there were a lot of us spies being sent to various regions but few came back and the scrolls that they brought back with them were guarded with immense force. Enough that even with my decades of experience even I would not dare even attempt to break.

I shook my head, 'Enough of those thoughts' I reprimanded, my thoughts turning from my training and past experiences towards the day that I had.

'That's right' I again thought to myself. Even the first watch started out normal, I hid within the crowd and took note of my target's behavior and interactions. The way the two younger ones were obviously a couple with how they acted. The experience of the assumed orange haired mercenary. Every minute detail was taken down.

Eventually we had followed them to a restaurant where they ordered food, nothing out of the ordinary happened there except a brief period where my senses noticed someone watching me. However when I looked back there was nothing but a curious glance from one of the other customers.

When they exited was when everything went downhill, a goodbye and parting by the couple and mercenary and the next thing I know I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head and I'm being threatened.

FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR

it was all that I could think of, the oppressive atmosphere of the women that had appeared behind me consumed everything that I could think of.

Even when she had started to talk to me, I could still hear her voice, feel the weight of her breath in my ear but I could not comprehend anything.

"Hah" "hah" I panted, the breath falling out of my body as I tried my best to look inconspicuous, to not draw any attention. It was only a second after I had finally regained my thought process that I saw something truly horrifying.

A bang echoed out and I was forced to watch as the citizens, of all the countless wealthy donors died. All disintegrated into nothingness as the explosive that the women, no, this demon had planted.

Another voice, though this time it was actually intelligible to me, my brain had finally restarted. It was a warning, a threat, that the same bomb was planted in my own brain.

It all lead back to me sitting in this very bench, orders given to me.

"Fuck" I whispered again and again all culminating into a final "FUCK!!!"

The citizens around looked at me like some crazy homeless man but I couldn't care less about them. Inside my head was a war. One raging between the inbuilt loyalty and fear.

…

My feet carried me further and further into the royal castle, the guards all around me looked at me in question but a quick glare brought them into order.

Eventually I found what I was looking for, a chamber, my own. I opened the door, the keys clanging in my hands as the key that I needed shuffled around in the key hole. A click and the lock was opened the door squeaking as it opened fully. It revealed a plain room, one with a stack of papers on a desk with some writing utensils and a bed.

It was plain but it was all that was needed for the royal dolls. 'Always hated that name' I finally admitted to myself, the fear overwhelming the brainwashing that had been given to me.

I sat down at the desk, the pen in my hands as I started to write out a legitimate legal document detailing all the details that I had observed.

'This here… and that there…' I thought to myself, all thoughts lost to the void as the structured work overtook all my thoughts. It was nice I could admit to myself, to be able to just lose myself in the structured work. However with this final stroke the most likely final stroke of the pen of my life was done.

I stood up, ruffling the papers so that they were in order and walked towards my death sentence. I did not fear, I did not feel betrayal at my actions, I felt nothing. I just walked the red lined halls of the castle towards the throne room with dignity, carefully palming the device that the devil had given me.