Chapter 267 – Royal blood

“Is this the only form it can take?” Asked Noah.

“For now I could only install three forms. Spider King form, mage battle armor form and an official robe form.” Said Theressa.

“Official robe form?” Muttered Noah and the spider legs on his back returned back to the robe, weaving themselves back into the patter. Then the robe changed from an armored battle robe into a white official suit, with decorations of webs and small spiders made of the same silk, which made them barely discernible from a distance yet looked very intricate and rich-looking from a close distance.

“Amazing.” Said Noah. “As always, your craft is simply beautiful.”

“Thank you.” Said Theressa, sounding all shy.

“I think I’ll go check its functionality somewhere away from people’s eyes.”

“The knights are surrounding the mansion right now, so you may go deeper into the back garden if you want some privacy.” Said Theressa.

“Alright.” Said Noah and went out of the workshop. The knights in the halls once again stared at him, but this time their gazes were not this intent as they saw him dressed in a beautiful noble attire.

Noah walked out of the back entrance into the mansions back garden intending to quickly cross it and go deeper into the woods but saw several knights standing in his way.

“Its alright, please let the Count through.” Sounded the voice from the garden.

The knight stepped aside and Noah saw the Prince, Kevin Augustin and Carl further in the garden.

As the prince was sitting on the bench his friend was standing at the side with a displeased expression, his hands crossed and tapping his foot as if nervous. As he turned to Noah his face went even more sour.

“My apologies, Your Highness, I did not know you were here. I wish not to disturb your conversation.” Said Noah.

“It’s alright. We just had light conversation. I thought of calming Carl down with a conversatiin, but seem to have failed so far. Please join us.” The prince said with a gentle smile but Carl gazef at him with displeasure.

Noah gazed back at him without avoiding his gaze and soon Carl turned away, looking aside.

Noah turned to the prince and respectfully bowed.

"Do not mind him. He knows you did right by pointing out Vi's condition." Prince said with a sigh.

"I like your suit by the way. Is this one of your mate’s works?” Prince asked. "Incredible work."

“Mate.” Muttered Carl. “Having a relationship with a monster…”

“Carl.” Said Kevin with a reprimanding voice.

“It is alright, Your Highness.” Said Noah to the prince before turning to Archduke’s grandson. “I do not ask for people's understanding, nor approval of my choice. They can think or say whatever they like. My opinion of the ladyes I chose to be with would not change. And my opinion is that they are more human than the majority of noble circles that I’ve met in my short span of life.”

“No matter how bad a human can be, a monster is still…”

“Are they really?” Asked Noah, interrupting him. “Monsters have been born with the sole purpose of destroying and defiling. It is in their blood. This is how they were made. Their nature as we say. And yet in the rarest occasion when they gain sanity they try to go against that nature, try to copy human ways and be a better version of themselves, proving that their creators did not define them.

Humans on the other hand are born out of love and God's grace, and yet at the first opportunity they throw away all that makes them human, committing crimes that even monsters find too vile. I often wonder lately, which one of them is really a monster? Being that was born evil yet striving to light at the slightest opportunity or being that would turn away from light just for a little bit of benefit they'd get by following the darkness.”

“Interesting though, Count. I find it hard to disagree with this point of view. Humans indeed stray off the right path too willingly and way too often.” Prince said with a nod.

“It’s still no excuse for mating with these things. Would you go around mating with beasts and animals too if they could speak?” Growled Carl.

“Really? The way you looked at the members of my household though, told me another story.” Noah said.

“Ahaha.” Prince laughed. “This is without a doubt. You can’t deny that, Carl.” He added merrily before his expression went more solemn.

“Besides, do you really have the right to be this spiteful toward the idea, considering we all here are the result of such a mating ourselves.”

Having monster blood in our veins is not the same as bedding them.” Grumbled Carl.

“What do you mean by this, Your Highness? Noah asked, surprised, looking between the two men.

Carl and Kevin both looked at him surprised realization downing on them.

“You have not been told.” said Kevin sighing

“I have not been told a lot of things, Your Highness. My father died before my coming of age ceremony.

“That explains it. Very well. Let me explain a few things about nobility, or better said High-Nobility, that you as house head now should know.” Prince said.

“Have you heard of the term ‘exchange prince’ before?” He added, looking at Noah with a sad smile.

“Yes.” Said Noah. “It means you are getting married into another family. Which is why your last name is different from the rest of the Royal family, although you are a descendant of His majesty.”

“Yes. That’s right. But you know why? Why such exchange princes exist?” Asked prince.

"I only know that every High-noble family must have a royal blood in their veins, which means only those who had mixed their blood through marriage with royal descendants can be promoted to a rank of Count and then higher.” Answered Noah.

“And they say you never went to Royal Academia, yet you are this knowledgeable. I am impressed.” The prince said. “Very good, you know the basics or better said, the official version. There is however, a secret behind this system. You see, it's not about our honor or respect toward the Royal family, it's all about the monster blood we have within us.”

“Monster blood?” Asked Noah.

“Yes, monster blood. Some even believe the reason many High Nobles are so skewed is exactly for this reason. It's the monster's blood within us making us this way they say, so we should just accept it.”

“Bunch of bastards. We all have it but I never felt that crave. Its all complete bullshit." Carl said.

"I am sorry, but I don't get it. What monster has to do with High-noble blood?" Asked Noah.

Do you know about dragons?” Asked prince.

“Yes. Our country's symbol has it, so of course I heard of them. They are considered a spirit beast family similar to Labyrinth Lords. Regal and…” Answered Noah.

“They are horny bastards.” Said Carl, interrupting Noah.

“You do realize I am a member of the royal family and you basically insulted a royalty by saying that about our family symbol beast?” Said the Prince with a smile.

“Them being horny bastards is a fact not an insult.” Carl said, crossing hands.

“One day your tongue will get you in trouble.” Said Prince with a sight. “Anyways,” He added, turning to Noah, “Dragons. As Carl said, they are horny, and one of their traits is that they can mate with about anything and yet get an offspring, as long as that being can live through the pregnancy. That is a challenge not all beings are capable of overcoming. But those who do, get a spec of respect from dragons.

Their offsprings - Halflings is what they call them, are recognized and even respected in some sense by the dragons as bearers of same blood.

Lesser dragon is what they call such offspring.

Male Dragons even consider it an achievement to find a mate that could pass on their blood. Halflings inheriting part of the dragon blood stay mostly the same race as their mother, with just some differences in appearence indicating on their dragon origin. So for example centiped horse monster would still give birth to the same horse monster, and a green troll would still birth a troll even though the father was a dragon. However, this half-dragon offspring would be a lot more powerful than any other of its kind."

“I see,” said Noah nodding. “And the royal family is somehow also descended from dragons?”

Princes face scrunched at the question, surprising Noah.

“Not exactly. There has not been a single human that could bear a dragon's child. Gettng pregnant is one thing, but surviving through the pregnance and giving birth successfully is another. No human can survive through that. The immence magical power within the child kill both the child and a parent."

"I heard the Saintess is courted by a dragon occasionally. People believe she might be able to bear a dragon's child successfully. However, she has refused all their attempts so far.” Prince said.

“Doubt she would still be called a Saintess after being ridden by a lizard.” Said Carl.

"Anyways," said prince rollng his eyes at Carls words "as I said, it's not possible for unevolved humans to bear a dragon child, but monsters are another story.

“Some monsters as you might know capture humans. Orcs, trolls, goblins. Many monsters are know to not just hunt and kill humams but also mate with them and humans might even give birth to monsters. But when these monsters are descendants of dragons a tricky thing happen.

Monsters also inherit a dragon trait that gives them ability to make offspring with most anything yet instead of monsters what they female birth is her own kin. In other words human women raped by such lesser drakonic monsters guve birth to humans. That's how first human descendants of dragins appeared.

Of course most people never get to stay alive long after capture, but in some rare cases they might get saved, come back home and give birth to a human that would bear monster and dragon blood.

In the distant past such offsprings and their mothers would just get executed. But at some point, humanity saw benefit in that.

An so such families like for example Fertile family appeared. Fertile family's special trait is that they can bear a child from about anyone. Meaning even unevolved young women of their clan can give birth to a high level system bearer. As you might know it is immensly harder to find a suitable spouse and make a child, the higher your systems level. For many, Fertile family became an answet to the proble. Selling off their female to other families that urgently need a descendant is how Fertile family gained their power and support.

Well, that is only one benefit. Another is that thing that humans noticed was that the children of these monsters, although very often quite unstable psychologically for some reason get powerful systems and powers that are head above any normal human."

"And so humans decided to find a way to make their offsprings stronger."

"By mating with monsters on purpose? Of their own will" Said Noah.

"Well, not exactly of their own will. Most likely they forced some of their family descendants to do it. But yes, that what they did. There was even a time in our history when monsters with dragon blood became the most sought product. Although idea was crazy, some families actually succeeded. Today, these families are known as four Royal families." Said Kevin.

"Of course being the sole bearer of such blood may bring trouble. People would easily be swayed against you if someone decides to call you out on that monster blood, calling you a monster. So the royals came up with a plan. They offered to share that blood with nobles, letting them upgrade their lineage. Once that monster blood was flowing through all the High nobles, there was no way they could turn that against the royal family.”

"Exchange princes." Said Noah.

"Exactly. That's the role of such royal children as me. Whenever there is a family that is about to get promoted to High-noble rank or when some family dragon blood gets diluted too much, they turn to Royal family ordering a vessel that would bring royal blood into their family. So the king or breeds a woman from some lower family and the child is then sent off to do what he was made for. The reason I was born is because someone ordered me like product from a shop.

As my sole purpose is to breed with a woman of lower descend, not even a High-noble yet, it would bring shame upon the royal family if I bear the same last name as them. That's why we exchange princes have different last names. To not shame royal family while breeding low life women.

“I see.” Said Noah with sadness.

“You mentioned that getting royal blood let the High-Nobles upgrade their lineage? What do you mean? Does it give any advantage after being dilluted throughout the years and generations?”

“There is no dilution. Not much at least. Because behind every royal family in all four kingdoms, there is one such dragon halfling monster who passes on his blood from time to time by mating with the women of the royal family in different generations. Monsters are ageless, remember? So captured once it can be used eternally.”

“As for benefits. Imagine two people with the same system. Lets say a mage, yet one of them has mana pool ten times more than the other. Are their systems really equal?"

"Hardly." said Noah.

"Right, the God seemed to also think so, because Systems react to this special buff of dragon monster blood and in many cases evolve into something else, becoming something like the Aquamarine Mage or Lunar Knight system. In other words High-noble bloodline descendants have higher chances of getting better and more powerful systems. In fact, if you look at the statistics, Heroic-type systems are also more likely to be awakened by High-nobles or a member of a royal bloodline.”

“Higher chance of getting a rare system. To think the God gifts that were deemed to be given out randomly could actually be rigged.” Muttered Noah.

“Surprising, I know. But that’s how it is.”

“I wonder why dragons do it?” Asked Noah. “Leave their halfling descendants.”

“Oh, that’s easy. More power.” Prince said.

“More power?” Asked Noah confused.

“Yeah, bastard lizards are all about power. Becoming stronger, leaving more powerful descendants, giving a start to a better lizard's bloodline.” Carl said with a disdain.

“How does making halfling monsters help getting power?” Asked Noah.

“Male dragons, get monsters prego, get the same monsters with dragon powers.” Said Carl. “What do female dragons do?” He added looking at Noah questioningly with a raised eyebrow.

“Females mate with such halflings?” Asked Noah

“Indeed.” Confirmed the prince. “The principle stay the same. Dragon give birth tona dragon. And as a result they give birth to a new breed of dragon that might inherit the traits of its monster parent, while staying a dragon. In other words they steal monster traits, gathering them within their blood and then passing them on, strengthening their bloodline. I once read in an ancient book that the first dragons that descended into our world in the dark ages were all the same. They did not have different traits. All the same breed. Yet now they have several major clans with power of different elements. Have different skins and body structures, evolving themselves into several different breeds.”

“Yeah. Breeds that are more interested in fighting each other than fighting monsters. Fucking bastards. With their power we could fight off demons and monsters long ago. Instead they made it only worse by breeding more powerful monsters. For them our world is a fucking playground.” Carls said.

“Well, it's not like they did not help. We did get dragon riders right?” Said prince with a smirk making Carl smile in return.

Noah looked at them confused.

“I am not sure what the joke is. Isn’t it one of the most honorable titles that allows you to be recognized by a lesser dragon and fly on its back?” Asked Noah.

“Yeah. Sure it is. Its just an inner joke of ours.” Said Carl. “You see, what made humans eligible to be recognized by lesser dragons? Their dragon blood right? But then it means they are a descendant of beings that got “ridden” by a dragon.”

“I see dragon riders, as in…those who were mated by dragons.” Said Noah.

“Just don’t let these words be heard anywhere in a more decent Noble crowd, you risk getting killed by a crowd of insulted dragon knights.” Said Carl. “And believe me those narcissistic peacocks would easily get insulted by something like that.