This made no sense at all. Jason couldn’t wrap his head around how one-sided this deal was going to be for them. If Jason agreed to this, that meant he would have the power to call on an entire world of dragons whenever he needed them, but in exchange, they would only be able to call on him when they needed help. It felt like there was something else that he wasn’t picking out from the deal. But Jason turned when he heard Riyala speak up.
"I ask that you accept this deal, Jason. I know that it seems one-sided, but we believe in your potential and in the future you will create. Radagan had gone through a crisis, and we wish to rise even stronger than before, so we are willing to ally ourselves with you and share your burdens so that we may both rise together. We were very close to asking that you renounce your world and become a full-fledged citizen of this world with your family. We are even willing ot offer you a position that is equivalent to being a King. But we know that it would be presumptuous of us to ask you to leave your home like that. You do not owe us anything after everything that you’ve done for us. So we are only asking for your alliance."
Riyala had her hands folded in her lap regally, and she spoke in a soft, even tone that carried over the room. None of the other nobles dared to speak while she was talking, and Jason just watched her curiously and listened to everything she had to say. So it was Riyala that told the King to make this deal? That made sense. Riyala had seen how quickly Jason grew from a simple S Rank into an SS Rank in only a few days, and now, after just one battle, he was already an SSS Rank. It wasn’t a surprise that she would want to ally with him. Jason didn’t have any problems with the alliance, honestly, but it just felt strange to see people bending over so much for an alliance with him.
Azrael’s voice suddenly echoed from Jason’s Alternate Dimension.
’My king, if I might suggest something. I believe accepting this offer would be very worthwhile for your progress in Runecrafting. The precious gem Dragonstone is also known as Yulivite, and it is one of the best rocks to use as a template for carving out complex runecrafts. A large supply of these rocks would advance your studies by leaps and bounds.’
Well, that definitely sold Jason on the idea. Jason knew that even without the alliance, he would’ve still been able to get Dragonstone from Radagan with his influence alone, but he didn’t have anything against the alliance, so he smiled at Riyala and said in a calm voice.
"As long as you only call me during emergencies and when you have no other option, then I won’t have any issue with this alliance. I’ll be counting on you if I’m ever in a difficult position."
"Wonderful!"
"That’s great! That’s just great!"
The King and the nobles all exclaimed as they clapped gently at Jason’s words, and Jason saw the way Riyala smiled beautifully at him once she heard his agreement. It was obvious that this meant a lot to her, and Jason smiled back at her.
The King cleared his throat once he was sure that the alliance was finally in place, and a quiet settled over the table as he looked around with slightly downcast eyes.
"I am glad that, as my last act of rulership, I was able to see this agreement come to fruition. But now I must announce something to you all. I... I failed. As a king. As a husband... as a father. I was incapable of protecting my people, and for that, I have decided to announce that I will not be taking back my position as King. I am relinquishing the throne."
A ripple of shock passed through the entire table once they heard that, and even Jason raised a brow in surprise. Jason already knew that something like this would happen. No man would be able to hold his head high if something like this happened to his family under his watch. Your wife was forced to kill herself to avoid being defiled by another man, and your daughter had to give up all her emotional connections to save her people. Even though things had stabilized now, there was just no way the King could ever look himself in the mirror and call himself a capable man.
"Your majesty, you can’t do this! We can’t afford to lose you now! The people need you."
"This isn’t how things should go! The people are going to need your guidance!"
"Your majesty, there are too many things that you can still do! Please reconsider!"
Some of the other nobles at the table were immediately against the idea! They vocalized their disapproval, and Jason could tell that they truly believed the King could lead them into a better future, but Jason noticed that not all of the nobles were speaking up against the King’s decision. There were some nobles who had frowns on their faces as they sat silently. These nobles weren’t against the King, but they still had a lot of anger in their hearts for how things had turned out, and Jason knew that they were prepared to allow the King to step down so that they could start off on a new slate. But Jason was surprised when Riyala suddenly spoke up.
"You may not step down, King Rolaander."
It felt so strange to see Riyala talking in such a formal manner to the man who had once been her father, but once she spoke, Jason saw how every single person in the room turned to her respectfully. Jason didn’t know much about what the Priestess of Fire was or what her duties were, but Jason could tell that it had to be a position that was even higher than the King himself! The dragonborn here were treating Riyala like she was some sort of religious messiah!
The King’s face squeezed into an anguished frown, and he bowed his head before he spoke in a soft voice.
"Priestess, I don’t know if I can do it. I failed my people... my family..."
"You were a victim of circumstance, King Rolaander. An unfortunate victim whom Fulma Rodge used to further his ambition. You had been handpicked by the Dragongods themselves to become the next King of Radagan, and they did this because they believed that you would be the one to lead this world into a new age. It is this blessing of theirs that has allowed you to survive so long, and I am certain that they still believe in your abilities. You must move past this grief and steady yourself. You are to be King, and you are to lead the people of Radagan. My word is final."
It was almost like that was all that was required at the end of the day. Jason looked around at all the nobles, and he saw how each and every single one of them seemed to take Riyala’s words as the final decision. Even those nobles who had been silent when the King stated that he would step down were suddenly nodding along and agreeing to Riyala’s words. And Jason realized that he had been mistaken all along. Riyala wasn’t just some religious figure that the people revered. In this world, Riyala was the judge and the jury, and her word was law.
’She has absolute power over all of them. She could tell them to go to war, and I’m sure no one would even question it.’