Cursed Heir System: Revenge Against the Gods

As Anna stepped into the guest room her crimson eyes landed on Moriko, who was sitting on the soft bed with a relaxed grin, her golden eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Hey, noble girl!" Moriko chirped, raising an arm in a lazy wave. "What brings you here?"

"Lady Anna, kitty," Alan corrected as he closed the door. He pointed to a cushioned chair near the bed. "Make yourself comfortable."

He pulled over another chair, sitting across from Anna as she settled in, her silver hair glowing in the soft light from the window. Alan noticed her face closely for the first time, her beauty, her face and graceful poise made it hard to believe she came from a baron's estate.

He cleared his throat. "Lady Anna, I don't think we've had a proper introduction. I'm Alan, this is Moriko. Thanks for the rescue and sheltering me."

Anna made a small warm smile as she waved a hand. "No, I should be thanking you," she said. "You stepped in to save me back at the town. You saved not just me, but my guards' lives too. I owe you."

Alan shrugged, his face calm. "Just did what needed doing."

In truth, he stepped up for his own goals. If it had been a random fight with nothing in it for him, he'd have walked away without a thought.

Moriko tilted her head as she smirked. "Don't let him fool you. He was a total knight-in-shining-armor."

Anna let out a soft laugh, her shoulders easing. "It was impressive," she admitted, her eyes lingering on Alan with curiosity. "I've never seen anyone fight like that. Where did you learn to move so… precisely?"

A shadow crossed Alan's face, remembering twelve deaths, he can still remember each pain. He hid it behind a practiced smile. "The mines teach you quick, learn to fight, or you don't last long."

Anna's smile faded. "I'm sorry," she said softly, her crimson eyes looking down. "I heard you both escaped slavery. The kingdom has laws against it, but…" She trailed off, her fingers twisting in her lap, unsure how to talk about their past.

Alan gave her a glance. "No need to apologize, Lady Anna. It's done."

"Yeah!" Moriko piped up, stretching her arms above her head. "Past is past. Now I get to eat and sleep as much as I want, thanks to Alan." She flashed a big grin.

Anna stifled a giggle, looking at them as she noticed their easy bond. "You two seem close," she said in a curious tone "Are you… together?"

Moriko blinked, glancing at Alan before answering. "He saved my life," she said simply. "So I stuck with him. That's it."

Alan made a small smile. "She's a bit too clingy, though."

Anna's eyes flickered with something hard to read, her smile lingering as she watched them. Its brief silence, only by the faint chirping of birds outside can be heard.

She straightened as her face turned serious. "I came here because I need to ask you something important," she said hesitantly. "And… I wanted to say it here, privately, away from my mother and Janine."

Alan leaned forward a bit, his blue eyes meeting her crimson eyes. "Alright, Lady Anna. What is it?"

Anna took a deep, shaky breath. "I'm not like the others in this competition," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I wasn't raised for politics or war. One day, I was just a baron's niece, scraping by in a forgotten corner of the kingdom. The next, the Concreda Church declared me a candidate for the Monarch's Competition. Me—nobody."

She swallowed hard, her trembling lips showing her struggle to stay composed. "I'm the weakest contender. Everyone knows it. They look at me and see an easy target, someone to crush to clear the board. My guards…"

Her voice breaking, tears falling down her cheeks.

"You saw what happened at the tavern. Three of them died protecting me. Everyone would be dead if Janine hadn't shown up."

She looked at Alan with a desperate pleading gaze. "So don't become my knight. I can't bury another soul for my sake."

Alan's face stayed unreadable.

*Perfect,* he thought, trying to hide his faint smile. Anna's doubt and fear made her easy to shape

She'll be a piece he could mold and move in his game. A future queen, if he played it right.

He let the silence grow, letting her vulnerability fill the room.

He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his voice softening to a trusting tone. "I understand you," he said, his blue eyes locking onto Anna's with warmth that felt comforting yet inescapable. "You don't want anyone else to die for you. That weight…I get it."

Moriko's ears twitched, her gaze flicking between them, surprised by his softness.

"But that's how this world works," Alan continued. "Power draws blood, good or bad, it doesn't matter. Those who hold it must fight."

Anna's tear-streaked face wavered, her crimson eyes uncertain. "I'm not ready for this," she whispered, voice trembling. "What if I fail them all?"

He nodded toward Moriko, whispering like it was personal. "See her? Bandits burned her village, killed her tribe, chained her like an animal. Mine owners beat her for years. The kingdom? the Church? they ignored her suffering."

Moriko's ears flattened, jaw tight, tail still, memories clearly painful.

Alan leaned closer, voice a quiet force. "Midia needs a ruler who cares, Anna. Someone who feels every loss like their own."

"I'm not strong enough," Anna protested, shaking her head. "I'm just… a girl, not a ruler."

"You don't have to be," he cut in smoothly, his gaze pulling her in. "Strength isn't just swinging a sword or casting spells. It's having the will to protect those who can't protect themselves. That's why I'll fight for you." He stood slowly, stepping closer. "I don't want gold or land. I want a world where people like Moriko don't lose everything. Where people like your guards don't die for nothing."

Anna's eyes met his, wide with doubt. "But what if I lead us to ruin?" she murmured.

"I'll face Janine tomorrow," Alan said, kneeling before her and taking her arm gently, eyes burning with conviction. "I'll prove I'm worthy. "I'll be your knight, and I'll make sure the crown belongs to you, only you. You, Anna, could change this broken kingdom. Let me be the blade that makes it possible.."

Anna stared at his blue eyes as her breath caught, her heart pounding by his declaration.

Moriko's tail swished once, slow and tense. She said nothing.

Then Alan's voice softened, the bravado peeling away to reveal something rawer underneath.

"Will you believe in me?"

The question lingered in the still air between them.

Anna hesitated.

She didn't speak right away. Her fingers curled slightly around the hand on her arm. Her crimson eyes shimmered, not just with fear, but with something beginning to harden beneath it.

Resolve.

"I do," she whispered.

_____

Under the garden pavilion's shade, Janine sipped tea in a soft chair, frowning doubtfully. The warm aroma of her drink mingled with jasmine's sweet scent.

Duchess Sharra sat elegantly opposite, her green hair gleaming as she raised her teacup.

Janine set her cup down with a clink. "I don't get why you're giving him a chance, Duchess. Saving Anna doesn't make him knight material."

Sharra sipped her tea, a knowing smile forming. "You think I'd hand out a knight's title so easily?"

Janine leaned forward, brow creasing. "Then why accept his request?"

Sharra placed her cup down, gazing at the garden's flowers. "Know how he and that beastgirl escaped slavery?"

Janine shrugged. "No, but I assume it was messy. Slaves don't just walk out of places like that."

Sharra's smile sharpened. "Our spies in Verdelane sent word that the illegal gravion mines which is Duke Danel's one of the top income mines were shut down for a while. A big hit to his wealth."

Janine's eyes narrowed, reaching for her tea. "And?"

"It wasn't an accident, two slaves planned it. They didn't just escape and they made sure the Duke lost as much as possible."

Janine choked on her tea, coughing. "Both of them?"

Sharra chuckled, her red lips curving gracefully. "That boy's more than he seems. Something familiar about him… his mind, his nerve." She tapped her chin. "He's no mere slave."

Janine crossed her arms, doubt mixing with curiosity. "You're betting a lot on him. What if he's playing us?"

Sharra's eyes gleamed with cunning. "If he's playing, let's see how far he goes. If he slips, I'll cut his strings. But if he's as capable as I think…" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "He might be the key to keeping Anna alive and turning the tides against our enemies."