[Book 2] That time I got reincarnated as a slime,no, a DRAGON?

CH-60

Shinsha's POV

"Hello Miss." The young boy greeted me. It wasn't noble at all, but he tried to act polite.

"Hello little boy. What brings you here?" I ask with a smile.
"I wanted to talk with you."
"Regarding?"

"Us orphans."

I look behind him. Apart from the girl who he was talking to earlier, a few other children who were not older than 10 were gathered there.

"What do you want to talk."
"You are invading the Empire, aren't you?"
"If I am? Are you going to protect your Empire?"

"My Empire? Don't joke with me. What has this stupid Empire done for us? If you want to take over this Empire, feel free to do so. I doubt anyone's rule could be any worse than this." The boy said in anger.

"So? What do you want to say?"

"Right. Please give us a small part of the city. We will not interfere with you, and you will not interfere with us."

"... Are you an idiot? What makes you think that I will accept your condition?"

"Because I will give you information. About this Empire, the nearby geography. Everything that we have. In return, I only ask for one thing. A small place where we can live completely freely, where we have complete control over our lives."

"Do you think you guys have any information that I'll need?"
"Yes. Don't you want to know who can help you in overthrowing the Empire? Or who would fight for you give them enough money? This is a port town, so many different people come here. As they share knowledge, we have managed to learn a lot about the Empire. Certainly more than someone who just landed on this colti...comti.."

"Continent." I tell him.

"Right. That. So? What do you think?"
"And what makes you think I can't just torture you?"

"Trotur?" He asked confused. Did he not know? Well, I can't blame him.

"Beat you up until you tell me everything."

"Feel free. We are used to it. If we get caught while stealing, we would always get beaten up. It's nothing new. Beat me up all you want."

He is young, and doesn't know about the world. He doesn't know much about common sense and his beliefs have deviated from what's normal.

He doesn't know how high the sky is, yet he tried to touch it. If it was someone else, they would have most probably killed him already and extracted information out of him. But... I pity him. I was lucky enough to have a loving family. But he doesn't. I can't do much, but I guess this much should be fine. Well, i can't really give him a territory though. He needs to learn that he can't have anything he wants, even if he puts everything into it.

"Fine. But you won't get any part of the city. I have another plan. Why don't you guys work under me? In return I will guarantee that you guys can live a happy and fulfilled life. Obviously, you might have to work a lot, but it would be much better than having to worry about your next meal everyday. I will also protect you guys and keep you safe. So?"

"Very well. It's a promise, okay?" The boy said on a happy tone with a smile on his face. I couldn't understand why he was so happy, until a moment later, I felt it. I felt a unique skill take action. I used my unique skill «Barrier» to counter it, but nothing. It didn't seem to be harmful to me.

"You. What did you do?" I ask him with a stern look. Seeing the change in my way of speaking, Liscia was about to draw her sword, but I stopped her.

"You see. It's my unique skill, «Deal». It makes sure that no one can break the deal, once it has been made."

I quickly analyse him, only to find her was lying. His unique skill isn't «Deal» but rather «Broken Deal». Its effect is also different from «Deal». This skill is much stronger and even unique skills can't repel it. In return, there is a fixed duration, after which the deal can be broken.

It makes me wonder why an orphan as young as him not only has a unique skill, but an evolved one at that. I wonder what the duration of the deal is. I use «Holder of Fate» to read the duration. It should be a year at max.

...

5 YEARS?!!

3rd Person POV

Unbeknownst to Shinsha, her unique skill «Holder of Fate» acted on its own, supporting the skill «Broken Deal» and increasing the duration of the deal. In reality, the duration inversely depends on the power of its opponent. Since Shinsha is so much stronger, it shouldn't last for more than a week, yet it will last for 5 whole years. This single incident changed the fate of both the parties, but that is for the future them to know.

Shinsha's unique «Holder of Fate» is different from other unique skills like «Barrier» as the former is a skill that she had herself comprehended, while the latter is a sort of inheritance or gift from Rimuru and Ciel. As such, «Holder of Fate» often times activates on its own to help its owner Shinsha, much like «Wisdom» and «Wisdom Lord Raphael» did for Rimuru.

"Tch. Looks like you win, huh? That was pretty smart of you." Shinsha complimented him. In fact, seeing that he was just a child, Shinsha had reduced her guard, and now, she realised how bad it could have been. Meanwhile Liscia just stood there unable to understand a thing.

"Well, that isn't exactly true. If only you had said yes. Even if it was a joke, my skill would have worked. But you didn't. Truly sad." The boy said while turning around.

"Well.. You can stay with them for today. I'll come to pick you up. Prepare everything beforehand."
"Sure."
"Alright. And, what's your name? My name is Shinsha, the princess of the Kingdom of Tempest."

"My name...." The boy wanted to say something, but memories came flashing back to him.

"You are our future..." Her mom said to him.
"Brother, look it matches your name." She said pointing to the clouds and the sky. But his memories then turned dark.

"Run away... My child. Live on..... I will always....love you." Her mother said as she bled to death right in front of him, crushed below a part of the ceiling that had fallen.

"I don't have a name anymore." The boy said discarding his old name, as no one who knew him and cared about him exists anymore.
"Is that so? Then, your name will be Max." Shinsha said, "If you are not satisfied, feel free to think up a name by tomorrow. I'll need to call you by a name after all. Let's go Liscia." Shinsha said as she left. Liscia followed closely behind her.

By the time the Sun was setting, Shinsha was back at the base camp. There was a lot of bustle in the camp as they were preparing to expand and take over the city.

"Tomorrow will be a hectic day." Shinsha muttered before going into her room.

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I hope you guys like it.