Tower of Avarice: A LitRPG story

Chapter 146 – Floor 13: Part 7

“How did you do that?” The young woman asked Mathew before he was even a dozen feet away from where they were standing. His boots sunk into the mud nearly to his ankles at places. The magical item had enchantments to resist water and dirt otherwise his feet would have long since been soaked.

‘Thank the gods for the quality of its shop items.’ Mathew thought as he made the trek back to the castle where he was quartered. He had flown the Wyvern down to the army partially to send a message and inspire the troops but mostly because he didn’t want to slog through the mud.

“Do what?” Mathew asked absently. The pair caught up with him, and Mathew slowed his walk a bit when he noticed Alfred had trouble keeping up.

When Albrecht told him that his son was too weak to be Crown Prince, Mathew had expected him to be unwell. But he didn’t think he would look like he was on death’s door.

This was the person Albrecht wanted to lead this country and protect them against its enemies eventually? Alfred looked as if a strong gust of wind would knock him over at any moment. Whatever elixirs and special rituals they were using to improve his constitution were clearly not working.

“Control the Wyvern!” Daphne exclaimed.

“You made it shrink and enlarge as well.” Alfred added once his coughing fit ended. Mathew started to regret having the young man follow him through the rain. Thankfully, they were nearly at the castle. He stopped to look at the pair and let Alfred catch his breath.

“Oh, that’s pretty simple. It’s a Blessing I received from the gods.” Mathew said as he shrugged his shoulder in response.

“A Blessing?” Alfred asked. He was aware that people did receive Blessings and gifts from the gods, but it was an extremely rare occurrence. It was rumoured that Merlin received his insights into magic from a god, while Arthur was Blessed with a strong constitution.

“Is it possible to learn or perhaps receive the Blessing as well?” Daphne inquired. The thought of new magic that was never seen before in Anglia was fascinating.

“Sure, anything is possible. It just depends on what you're willing to go through to get it.” Mathew replied cryptically.

“What did you have to go through?” Alfred questioned. Something about his brother’s tone sent a chill down his spine. There was a lack of emotion, almost like a numbness to his words.

Aiden thought for a moment before responding.

“If you want to be able to do what I do, then you just need to be willing to sell your body and soul to the gods. Let them enslave you, send you to the worst places you can imagine. You need to fight for them and, most importantly, die for their causes. You’ll need to travel to hellscapes where the air burns your lungs, and water is as rare as gold. Battle against monsters worse than any nightmare, and when the bodies of your friends and comrades pile up in the tens of thousands, keep going. Watch people die until it’s a fact of life, something as common and mundane to you as breathing.” Mathew explained, and the pair turned pale at his words.

“Then, just survive. Survive and grow stronger. You’ll get your Blessings, although it won’t help you that much. The stronger you get, the more the gods are willing to throw you into the fire.”

“So, are you willing to go that far to ride a wyvern?” Mathew finished, flashing the pale and shaking young woman a grin before turning and continuing to the castle.

“I didn’t think so!” Mathew exclaimed.

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Aiden sat down in a bare, wooden chair behind a desk in his chambers in the castle. The room was sparsely decorated, with only a rug to cover the bare stone floor and a bed pushed up against a corner. No attempt had been made to make it more ‘homely’ or comfortable.

Alfred’s first face-to-face interaction with his brother since he was a child wasn’t what he had expected. The person in front of him was a stranger; he could see no resemblance between them, and Aiden did not acknowledge him in any way, aside from saying his name.

He felt slightly better now that he was out of the wind and the rain, although the damp castle wasn’t much of an improvement. The tea that sat on a saucer in front of him helped a bit. Daphne sat next to him, staring at Aiden as if he were a puzzle she was determined to solve.

The revelation that Aiden worked for the gods had been a shock, although, now that he had the presence of mind to think about it further, it wasn’t that surprising. His strength and abilities were abnormal, and only someone blessed by the gods could do the things he did.

“So, you’re here to be my advisors.” Aiden stated with amusement. His brother seemed to think it was humorous that the king had attached the pair to him.

“That’s right.” Alfred replied.

“Fine. If you are going to be ‘advising’ me, I’m going to need to be able to trust you. Can I do that?” Aiden asked.

“Of course. You’re my brother.” Alfred said while Daphne nodded.

“I’m not your brother.” Aiden stated. Alfred could do nothing but blink slowly at those words.

“Excuse me?” Alfred managed to say.

“I’m not your brother. To my knowledge, the real Aiden is dead and gone. I’ve been brought here through a ritual that Albrecht performed to the gods. My job is to pretend to be Aiden until you’re strong enough to become Crown Prince, and then I get to move on to my next task and a new world. Oh, and I need to drive back the Demi-Beasts while I’m here.” Aiden said before turning and grinning at Daphne.

“This is what I have to do for my Blessings. Are you still willing to do anything for them?” Aiden said, shaking his head ruefully when Daphne blanched. Ignoring the young woman once more, he turned to look at Alfred.

“So, what are you planning on ‘advising’ me on?”

Page Break

The revelation that ‘Aiden’ wasn’t really his brother, that he was an imposter sent by the gods to play a role until Alfred was strong enough, left him shaking and ill. His father's willingness to go so far for Alfred wasn’t a surprise; he was the last hope that their house would retain the crown, after all.

“What are we going to do?” Daphne asked as she paced in front of him. They had just left ‘Aiden’s’ room, the pair having gone to the town below the castle where they were quartered. They were in Alfred’s room, a wooden and plain chamber with only a small bed and desk. The window had thick, cheap glass that distorted the view of the muddy road outside.

“What can we do? He’s the Crown Prince, and he’s here to help us. If this is what Father and Mother want, then we have no choice but to go along.” Alfred replied.

“How can you be so calm about this? He’s an imposter, a stranger from another world! It’s insanity!” Daphne shouted, and Alfred winced at the volume of her voice.

Alfred rolled the small glass vial that Aiden had given him in his hands. There was a bright red liquid inside, and Aiden had assured him that, while it wouldn’t cure him, it would help with the symptoms of his weak constitution.

“Yes, it's insanity. But a necessary madness. How many people will die if the Rosens take the throne? They would purge the capital of anyone that hasn’t supported them.” Alfred reasoned.

“You don’t know that for sure.” Daphne paused her steps and turned to him. “We should tell someone.”

“Oh? Who? My parents are already aware, and so are many of the senior Knights in his bodyguard. Archmagus Enalious is obviously involved since summoning ‘Aiden’ relied on a ritual that only an Archmage can perform. Who else should we inform?” Alfred retorted.

“It’s not right. Why aren’t you more upset?! He’s using your brother’s name, his reputation!” Daphne replied. Alfred’s only response was a small shrug as he kept staring at the elixir in his hands.

“He’s only here until I’m strong enough to take the title. Once that happens, he said his task would be completed, and he can leave. He doesn’t want to be here, Daphne. That much is clear. I just need time to heal.” Alfred explained.

“So, you’re just going to go along with this farce? For how long?” Daphne countered.

“As long as it takes. Exposure to the remnant Aether the Demi-Beasts release when they are killed in combat will strengthen my body. All I need to do is stay in the North, close to the fighting.” Alfred reasoned.

“That’s if you survive! How do you know that this false Aiden isn’t leading us all to our deaths?!” Daphne responded loudly.

“I don’t, but we don’t have any choice. We need to place our faith in the gods.” Alfred replied. Daphne immediately thought about what ‘Aiden’ had said about his Blessings. She shivered in fear, knowing that she would never be able to agree to that, no matter how much power the gods offered in return.

“I would rather place faith in myself.” Daphne answered, and Alfred nodded.

“I would as well, but we rarely have that luxury.” Alfred stated, before popping the cork from the glass vial and downing the contents.