Bloodlines Online
Chapter 98: Infernal Customs

When Ezekiel woke back up it was pitch black and Lucretia was sitting with a cup of tea and a platter of roast meat.

"You know, you did something very dangerous today... you nearly got yourself killed fighting the slimes and then you decided to fight a damned territory boss..."

She looked up while sipping her tea.

"You had me worried sick when your mana went out of control too."

He nodded and sat up, his body still ached but he forced himself to move to the chair.

"I'm sorry. I felt something strange happening to me because of my bloodline and it wouldn't stop until I fought something strong I guess? But the creatures beyond the wall weren't strong enough it seems."

She simply nods and pushed a plate of food towards him.

"Eat, you need your strength for your battle with that dungeon tomorrow."

"Thanks... Lucretia? Can I ask you something?"

She looked surprised but nodded.

"If... if I wanted to try courting you in the way devils are supposed to then what would be the right process?"

As soon as she heard this she dropped her fork and all he saw was shock on her face.

"You... you are sure? You are not still uncomfortable with the way our people act?"

"Well you don't act like them do you? You actually treat me like a person and you have done so much to try to help me out just because you cared."

He smiled as he spoke.

"You make me feel like I am worth more than my magic and my racial features even if I know it was the initial reason for your interest."

"Well I am happy to have had such a positive impression on you my beloved, I will prepare everything for the courtship process when you return and I will have a teacher prepared for you."

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"A teacher?"

"I will prepare a teacher so that you can understand how courtship functions so that no one may have any complaints or attempt to challenge the union of our lineage."

"Wait people can challenge our marriage?"

"Oh no I mean they can challenge our courtship. Since I am the queen a male would be within their rights to challenge you in a method of our people's practice to prove that you are unfit to be king."

"There are also those in my own court which would be within their rights to challenge a courtship to their queen, you would be given a task through the system which would be made to test your mettle."

He scowled as he had this described to him, it would appear that since he was an untested individual he could be barred from her and as queen she was bound by laws to not interfere no matter how much she wished to.

"In that case I better get myself to a point where no one could argue against my value to the queen."

She smiled and took his hand.

"Thank you... most likely it will require you reach lv300 to actually stand a chance against whatever test they send your way."

He nods and squeezes her hand back.

"I am respected by most of the kingdom but I have enemies in certain factions that wish to force me from the throne in some way but since they are not powerful enough they cannot hope to do so."

"Ugh political nonsense, I hate politics in my own world but I guess it's inescapable."

She nods and chuckles slightly.

"It is nonsense yes but we must follow procedures or laws mean nothing. If the queen ignores the law then the nobility will always feel they can get away with corruption."

"Does that actually keep them from corruption?"

She smiles in a conspiratorial way.

"My kingdom has unique rules from the system... for a noble to retain their title and have a shot at the throne they must be near the standard set by the queen."

"What does that mean?"

She opens a system screen in front of him and on it he saw various statistics.

"This is what a leader of a region will see, as the queen I rule over my own city and therefore the statistics of my city are the standar for the nobles. My city has an approval rate of 87%, an economic value of 62 and a population growth of 2%!"

She smiled as she explained it.

"Oh... I don't know what any of that means... sorry.'

She blinks and then nods as she realizes that she had started discussing something that was normal in their world but not in his.

"The system is omnipresent and the system is often used for certain activities including many sales so it is able to identify statistics easily."

"In my city there is an approval rating of 87% meaning 87% of what people think about my city is positive."

"Whoa wait that's actually impressive."

"It also only calculates based on citizens."

"I see."

"The economic value of 62 means my rating out of 100 is at 62, not perfect but it is incredibly hard to get above 70."

"What does the number mean though?"

She smiles and seems to be enjoying herself.

"Well economic value calculates how much of the population is spending money at a given moment and how much money they are making, my city is considered very wealthy actually."

He understood now and since population growth was very obvious he didn't have any confusion there.

"Now because of these statistics my city is considered a gold grade city, since it is a gold grade city the nobility must also be gold or at minimum silver."

She smirked.

"My success through acting with pure intentions for my people has lead to a very high regard from my people which helped my city grow, this means a corrupt noble won't do nearly as well because the system cannot be fooled by corrupt actions as easily."

"I see, so at least we won't have to deal with a lot of people acting as problems when I start courting you right?"

She nods.

As he finished his plate of rosted meat and his cup of tea he looked around to see the morning sun coming up.

"I should get to Raylock and deal with the dungeon so I can come back quickly..."

He looked at her and actually felt a pain on his heart about the thought of leaving.

"That is true... I trust you, I will wait for you."

She gripped his hand with a nervous smile before standing up and putting on a regal air.

"Belial when you return I will begin the process of proper courtship amongst the infernal race. As I have no coven you will only be promised to myself, because of this I will not ask you to remain as only my own should you wish it but I would be happy if I could not compete with other women."

As he heard this he cringed a bit.

"I uh... I don't think im the harem type so I doubt you will be competing with anyone ok?"

She had a look of relief and surpise on her face.

"Oh? I was under the impression the demoness you knew was attempting to court you? I had also heard about some beastkin woman that seemed quite attached to you."

He choked on his tea at this and had to cough.

"Friends! They are friends! Jesus christ what is wrong with that annoying bitch! She is always putting her nose in my business!"

He had started ranting about the demoness left behind.

"She?"

"Kira! That annoying

bitch

just wont get out of my business!"

He was snarling as his hatred of the misandrist demon was named again.

"She truly angers you that much?"

He nodded.

"She does nothing but put me down and degrade me, she acts like she hates men, she acted like teaching my friends was a chore but teaching me? Oh that was like pulling teeth!"

He threw the cup of tea across the room in his anger.

"You know it took my assassin friend asking to teach him dagger skills to get her to teach me to use them too? She

HATED

it as if I were such an inconvenience."

He snarled and the mana in his body began fluctuating which made Lucretia stand up to calm him.

"Darling you must relax, when your anger rises your mana acts up in a dangerous way that I have never seen. Please sit down and we can discuss your approaching time in the city instead."

He sat back down and began to breathe in a slow and regular way to calm himself which she helped by hugging him.

After they had finished this they discussed the city, he told her about how it looked as well as the small bit of history he had learned thanks to his meeting with the mage.

By the time they finished they had lost track of time and the sun was peaking in the sky so he had to leave, much to Lucretia's displeasure.