Chương 49: The Former Hero's Employment Contract

Dawn spilled gold across the bell tower atop the Sun Temple. High above, the Ancient Barrier wrapped around the continent glowed a pure, steady blue — flat and unbroken as a flawless mirror. The magical cracking sounds from the night before had vanished completely. The stone gate leading out of the sanctuary swung open. Lucian led the way into the outer hall, Sylvia, Eleanor, and Astra following behind him — Astra now out of her barbed chainmail and back in her modest white floral dress.

The moment their feet touched the marble steps, a crowd of dozens of Cardinals and Royal representatives surged forward, swarming the path. The Pope, in gold-trimmed silk robes, dropped to one knee in front of Astra, hands trembling as he lifted a crown set with twelve sacred gems.

"Honored Holy Maiden! You have just performed a miracle, saving humanity from utter ruin! Please, return to the Church and accept the seat of Supreme Holy Maiden! The entire Church will build you a cathedral of solid gold to serve you for the rest of your life!" Emperor Alaric stepped forward, sweeping his royal cloak aside, his voice booming.

"The Royal House of Solaris stands ready to name you Countess of the Realm of Light — granting you rule over thirty cities and the position of Deputy Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights, with an annual stipend of ten thousand gold!" Thousands of clergy and knights around them held their breath. On one side, the highest seat in a religion. On the other, a noble title and military authority second only to the throne. Anyone else on this earth would have trembled before that kind of glory.

Astra looked at the jeweled crown, then at the noble decree, her ash-grey eyes not so much as flickering. She spun around instead to face the ten-year-old boy standing off to the side, counting loose change in his coat pocket.

"Lucian, does your company cover room and board? And do I get days off for strawberry ice cream?" Lucian reached into his spatial ring and pulled out a fresh employment contract, still smelling of new ink, holding it up.

"Base salary of fifty gold a month, twenty percent hazard-environment premium, two days off a week, full room and board, and occupational accident insurance. Special clause: unlimited free strawberry ice cream, three hundred sixty-five days a year." Astra didn't hesitate for even half a second. She snatched the quill straight out of Lucian's hand and scrawled a decisive signature across the bottom of the contract.

"Signed! I'm going with Lucian!" Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. The Pope, crown still raised in midair, froze solid. Beside him, Emperor Alaric's jaw dropped, the decree in his hand stopping dead in the air. Dozens of High Priests and royal generals stared at one another in absolute, stunned silence. A Savior wielding godlike strength had just turned down the papacy and command of a national army...

to go work security for fifty gold a month and a strawberry ice cream cone. Ting! A System v2. 0 notification burst into view in front of Lucian. [ASTRA — GOVERNED COMBAT STATUS:] [Two safety governors active. Values below reflect currently usable output.] Level: 65 Rank: B — National (Fully Stabilized) Physical Strength: 8, 440, 000 Speed: 12, 110, 000 Endurance: 9, 800, 000 Mana: 15, 000, 000 USABLE COMBAT POWER: 68, 440, 000 (68. 4 MILLION!) Sylvia stepped forward and pinned Vance Commerce's security badge onto Astra's chest, smiling gently.

"Welcome to the office." Astra touched the silver badge on her chest and broke into a radiant smile.

"Thank you, Sylvia." Sylvia straightened the badge once. Astra looked down at it, touched it with one finger, then smiled. This time, no one had chosen the title for her. Lucian tucked the signed contract into his spatial ring and let out a long, relieved breath. A Rank B fighter carrying sixty-eight million Combat Power was now officially on his payroll. From now on, any noble or assassin who came looking to collect on a debt would have to get past Astra's Sun-Slaying Dragon Sword first. Absolute security.

Operating cost: fifty gold and a few jars of strawberry jam. A hiring deal with a return on investment that blew every economic model out of the water. … The Final never happened. Astra had formally withdrawn that morning. Her explanation to the tournament committee had been painfully simple:"I just signed an employment contract with him. Fighting my employer for prize money feels strange." The committee spent forty minutes searching the rules.

There was, unfortunately, no clause against winning a national tournament by accidentally hiring your final opponent. Lucian Vance was declared Champion by withdrawal. That same afternoon. The Solaris Royal Arena blazed with the sound of triumphant music. A hundred thousand spectators packed the stands, applause and cheering rolling like thunder as the closing ceremony of the National Selection Tournament officially began.

Emperor Alaric de Solaris stood tall on the highest platform of honor, draped in his resplendent royal robes. Beside him, two royal guards carried an iron chest inlaid with jade, filled with sealed Treasury bearer certificates, and a silver tray bearing a solid gold key to the Royal Ancient Library. The Emperor raised his scepter high, his voice deep and resonant, echoing across the entire capital.

"After a tournament of peak competition, the finest representative of this generation has proven intellect, skill, and unmatched authority beyond compare!" Alaric turned his sharp gaze straight toward the ten-year-old boy standing at the front of the platform.

"I present the Champion of the National Selection Tournament — Lucian Vance, step forward to claim your prize!"