THE CHOSEN ONE

4 - A Vow

It had been a full hour since he had swooped in to rescue me, yet not a single word had been exchanged between us. While I remained there, silently astonished by his presence, he seemed utterly consumed by his own thoughts, wandering as if lost in a labyrinth of his mind. He muttered incoherently to himself, glancing at the ground beneath his feet or perhaps at some unseen ghost he could only perceive, acting as if he were merely a figment of the very air surrounding him. The contrast between his apparent royal status and his peculiar demeanor was jarring. Here stood a King, a supposed ruler, and yet he seemed to embody more eccentricity than majesty. And yet, at that moment, I found solace in the promise I had made—a promise that I would dedicate my life to him from this moment forward, no matter what that commitment might entail.

“Um, Mr. King, can I ask you a question?” Finally, I mustered up the courage to speak, the bubbling curiosity within me urging my voice to break the silence.

“King? That’s not my name, though. I’m Vin, Vin Zero. You can drop the ‘Mr.’ I’m not much older than you,” he replied, halting in his tracks, his gaze finally meeting mine. There was a rare spark of acknowledgment in his eyes, coupled with an unmistakable confusion.

“Oh no, I’m just showing you respect, Mr. Zero, because you’re a King,” I insisted, trying to maintain the formality that had been instilled in me since childhood. A flicker of doubt danced in my mind—had I misjudged his status? Was it possible he was merely a Lord? No, that couldn’t be right; no human could ascend to the title of Lord at such a young age. The very fact that he wore the crown already felt like an unraveling mystery, wrapped intricately in layers that I was eager to uncover.

“Huh? What are you talking about? Do I look like a king you’ve seen before? I’m sorry, but I’m not a King, Miss… what’s your name again?” His perplexity was palpable, and I found myself wondering if indeed he had stumbled into this role of King without any comprehension of the heavy crown that rested upon his head.

“I’m Princess Laira de Gu—wait, before that, can we please perform the Vow, Mr. Zero?” I interrupted, urgency trembling at the edges of my voice. A full hour had passed, and yet the Vow, so vital to our newfound connection and commitment, lay unaddressed.

“The Vow?” His expression was one of utter bewilderment. Did he really not grasp what I was referring to? It struck me as astonishing that someone, who so evidently possessed regal stature, could be so oblivious to such an essential aspect of his responsibilities.

“You don’t know about the Vow, Mr. Zero?” I pressed on, my incredulity growing palpable with each passing moment. How could someone so evidently marked as a king be so unaware of something that seemed to form the very foundation of his role?

VIN ZERO'S POV

Earlier, when I had leaped in to save this girl, my actions had been fueled by instinct, a primitive response honed through countless hours spent gaming and strategizing. It had been ages since I had engaged in face-to-face conversation, aside from Cassiel, whom I initially dismissed as merely a sophisticated NPC within the game. Yet, when she unveiled herself as an apprentice of a God, the layers of complexity surrounding my current reality multiplied exponentially. Aside from hazy memories of school, meeting someone who was unequivocally NOT just a character in a game felt both exhilarating and utterly terrifying.

This girl—Princess Laira—continued to mention this concept of a Vow, but it was something I had never encountered in any gameplay I had experienced so far. Cassiel’s reaction only added to the confusion; she seemed just as uninformed about Laira's claims. A swirl of suspicion churned within me; I wanted to extract knowledge about this world through her narratives, yet how could I do so without exposing my own unfamiliarity? Then, like a spark igniting in a dark room, inspiration struck.

“I’m sorry, Princess, but I lost my memories in the Monster Forest. All I can recall is my name; beyond that, I don’t remember anything at all,” I said, trying to project an air of feigned ignorance. My hope was that this might open a doorway for her to share vital information—details that could guide me through this bizarre reality. My background of binge-watching anime had prepared me for such antics, and I couldn’t help but grin at the absurdity of the situation.

Surely, she’d dismiss my declaration as a whimsical tale, wouldn’t she? But deep down, a sense of relief washed over me at the prospect of learning more. Whatever her response may be, I resolved to dance this delicate ballet of conversation, skillfully gathering precious insights as we navigated the uncharted waters of this new existence where fate had intertwined our paths.

"If you have a more believable story, you should tell me what kind of guide you are," Princess Laira asserted, her voice laced with curiosity and skepticism.

The atmosphere felt heavy with the weight of her words as I tried to absorb everything she was saying.

"So you have amnesia. I recall my father telling me about someone who lost their mind after attaining the status of a King class. Perhaps being as young as you are, Mr. Zero is the reason you were unable to manage that transformation properly. Thankfully, you haven’t lost your sanity entirely—just your memories. (Could that also explain why he was talking to himself earlier?)” Princess Laira continued, her keen eyes studying me with a mix of concern and intrigue.

I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that the very first person I encountered in this strange new world was a princess. It was a fortunate encounter, far better than meeting some less noble characters.

“Yeah, maybe so. Could you tell me about the Vow you mentioned earlier?” I ventured, hoping she would buy into my amnesia story. It seemed like a reasonable request, and perhaps it would steer the conversation in a safer direction.

“Alright, it’s like this—" she began, her tone shifting to one of seriousness as we continued our walk.

She went on to explain that a Vow is essentially a ceremonial act where a promise is sealed to ensure its validity; it binds the promise in a way that cannot be broken easily. This was the key, she said, to understanding why she referred to me as ‘King.’ In this realm, individuals are sorted into different classes that determine their power levels. This categorization serves as a reflection of one's magical ability and prowess.

“‘Common’ is assigned to those with basic skills in magic,” she explained. “A ‘Knight’ is someone who has learned to wield magic for both offensive and defensive purposes. A ‘Master’ has achieved a high level of mastery over their magic element, bending it in ways that others cannot. The ‘King’ class is reserved for those exceptional individuals who have the capability to create entirely new elements not found among the four primary ones. Even if one attempts to combine the existing elements, they cannot replicate the unique power of, say, the Ice element that you demonstrated earlier. It’s a whole different realm of water manipulation, and it’s simply impossible to produce unless you are classified as a King.”

Princess Laira continued to share the hierarchy, introducing the ‘Lords’ class, which was steeped in legend. “Lords,” she said, “are figures spoken about in folklore, individuals of such unmatched might that no one truly knows if they ever existed. It is said they possessed the power to conquer entire nations.”

As I processed her insights, I realized the implications of our Vow: it meant that Princess Laira and I were now bound together, and she was now my wife. A surge of unexpected joy filled me; I hadn’t anticipated hitting the jackpot at the start of my Isekai adventure. Life in this new world was starting to look incredibly promising!

“Now that we’ve completed the Vow, let’s rescue your father,” I suggested, propelled by a mix of determination and concern. Laira had informed me about an impending crisis: another king had attacked their kingdom, and I felt compelled to help.

“I appreciate your intent,” she replied, her gaze turning somber. “But my father sacrificed himself to ensure my escape. The citizens would accept their new king, and confronting the Magma King, who has held his title for a decade, would be unwise. I don’t want you to put yourself in harm’s way because of me.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy with the implications of sacrifice and the stark reality of their situation. Despite her reservations, I could see the determination in her eyes. We had a daunting task ahead of us, one that would test not only our resolve but the strength of the bond we had just forged. At that moment, I vowed to prove my worth—both as her partner and as a protector.