---
The guards were still kneeling.
Like... full-on royal knight, forehead-to-the-ground kneeling.
I took a shaky step back. Then another. They didn't move. Not until I said, "Uh... you can get up now?"
They stood. Instantly. Smooth as puppets.
My stomach flipped.
Okay, okay. Deep breath. This wasn't a prank. Not a dream. Definitely not a fever hallucination—unless fevers came with status screens now.
I looked at the one with the biggest mustache. "What's your name?"
"Gavron, milord."
Milord.
Yup. This was real. I was going to throw up.
"And, Gavron... do you want to answer me? Or are you just saying yes because I said something?"
"I serve at your will, milord. All commands are absolute."
"But that wasn't a command," I muttered. "I asked a question…"
Gavron blinked. "You asked. And I answered. As you wished."
I rubbed my temples. So it wasn't just commands—even questions counted?
"Can you punch yourself in the face?"
Gavron didn't hesitate.
SMACK.
"AAH! Stop! Stop!" I shouted.
He froze, hand mid-punch. "As you command."
"Oh god. Oh god I made a guy punch himself."
I dropped to the ground and groaned into my hands. "I'm going to die. Or worse, get a fan club."
---
Testing, Testing
After some deep breathing and a lot of muttered apologies, I found a small clearing and told the guards to wait at the edge. Alone, I tried to experiment with the ability.
"Jump," I told a bird nearby.
It flapped its wings once and soared into the air.
"Spin in a circle."
It spun in place midair like a confused feathered Beyblade.
"...Okay that's horrifying."
Next: a tree.
"Fall over."
Nothing happened.
Interesting.
So living things obeyed. People, animals, maybe even monsters. But not objects.
I pointed at a flower. "Explode."
It swayed gently in the breeze.
Yeah, okay. Not that kind of power. Probably for the best.
---
Rules of Obedience (So Far)
I sat cross-legged on the grass and started thinking things through.
1. Living things obey me—humans, animals, maybe more.
2. They take commands and questions as orders.
3. They don't want to obey... they just have to.
4. Objects are unaffected.
5. I need to speak out loud—thinking doesn't work.
I whispered, "Jump."
Nothing happened.
Yup. Needs sound.
I tried saying, "Forget everything I said."
Gavron stared at me blankly. "I cannot forget, milord."
So... no memory wipe.
Good. Also bad.
This was way too powerful. And dangerously permanent.
---
The Temptation
Part of me—the pathetic, lonely, hormonal part—started wondering…
"If I told someone to love me… would they?"
And just like that, I wanted to puke again.
Because I could.
And that scared me more than anything else.
I sat there, hugging my knees.
"I can't use this the wrong way," I whispered. "Not even once. Not even for fun. One mistake, and I become a monster."
---
The First Glimpse
That's when I heard footsteps—not the guards. Lighter. Quieter. Fast.
A figure emerged from the trees: a girl with silver hair, cloak flowing behind her, sword on her back.
She looked right at me. And didn't flinch.
"Are you the one the soldiers are calling the Yes King?"
Her voice was sharp. Focused.
I stood up slowly. "Uh… maybe?"
She narrowed her eyes.
"Good. Then I'll say this once—stay away from me. If you try to control me, I'll put that pretty head of yours on a pike."
My mouth opened.
And I said… nothing.
Because for the first time since I arrived, I felt something real.
Fear.
And also… interest.
She didn't kneel.
She didn't obey.
She wasn't affected.
"Oh," I breathed.
"…You're immune."
---
[To be continued…]