Reincarnated As A Lion In Another World-Chapter 254: Autonomy

"…I don't remember giving your kind permission to operate under my land,"

The atmosphere became so still that it felt like the air had been forged with invisible steel.

Kael wasn't just referring to Natalia, he was talking about the whole spider race operation in the tunnels under his territory.

Natalia held her breath, Kael wasn't holding back at all, he wasn't beating around the bush.

"Come to think of it," Kael said with a deep low growl echoing from the depths of his chest, "Did you actually come here to negotiate?" He asked

Natalia's head subconsciously wanted to move but she restrained herself.

"For a negotiation to occur, both parties have to be on equal grounds and have equal status.

Natalia, do you see yourself as being my equal?" Kael asked.

Stella's eyes narrowed, she could feel how tense everyone was. Even the spider escorts could not help but shiver under the false pressure Kael was emitting.

Wasn't this the same golden lion that had no choice but to hand over his consorts to her because he could not protect them over the sea? How had he hidden this side of him so well, how could someone who is so royal in attitude hide this level of arrogance under a mask of calmness?

If she had known that Kael was like this, she would have killed him, or she would have attempted to and then gotten herself killed.

Looking at Kael's face, a seed of doubt appeared in her heart. Had he been this powerful from the start or was this a result of the treasure he got in that place?

The Iron Blood Shuttle in the sky was evidence that his journey had been very fruitful.

Till now, she didn't know what had happened to Zod, Zed, and Aeon.

"Answer me!" Kael raised his voice slightly, snapping Stella out of her thoughts and causing everyone to flinch at the same time.

Natalia had to be careful with her answer, was she equal to Kael?

"No, Your Majesty, I'm not your equal," Natalia said. It seemed to take her every ounce of her inner strength to say this. Her shoulders slumped slightly and her spirit wave became less active than usual.

"Oh, then why are you negotiating with me, presenting deals as if you and I are on the same grounds?

How do you wish to correct this blunder?" Kael asked.

From the beginning of the conversation, Kael had dominated her. It didn't matter what she said, the king was right and she was wrong.

"I…." Natalia stammered, she knew what Kael wanted but she couldn't bring herself to say it. Kael was trying to bully her out of her independent state and she was finding it hard to accept such a fate.

"You'll join my kingdom and offer your services to me as your king," Kael stated for her. His tone implied that he wasn't making a suggestion, it was an order.

"Your Majesty," Natalia strained a smile and the six dots on her cheeks shrank, "Can you give me some time to think about it?"

"No,"

….

Natalia pressed her lips together, all her confidence was gone.

"But…"

"But what? You want to discuss with others?

Perhaps, you don't know what you stand to gain by joining us, Natalia.

The leader of a caste, status, wealth, a vision, you could stand at the pinnacle, leading the whole spider race to prosperity and purpose under my banner.

Is your independence really worth it?

If you leave now, I won't hold you back, but I'm sure another spider will come forward to take the opportunity,

When that time comes, you will be nothing but an insignificant character in the grand scheme, your life and death will no longer be my concern.

Make your choice carefully,"

Kael then reclined in his chair made of vines, waiting for Natalia to make a choice. True to his word, if Natalia refused, he would just let her go.

But Natalia was thinking of something else, if she left, another spider would surely come forward to take the opportunity as Kael said.

Once that happens, she would lose whatever relevance and significance she had to Kael. It wasn't beyond reason that Kael would replace her if she wasn't willing to work with him.

"King Kael, can I ask for something?" Natalia asked.

Kael tilted his head, "Ask," He said.

"Can I have assurance of autonomy to do whatever I want if I join you?" She asked. This was very important to her, she had to have the freedom to be able to move as she wished if she was going to work under someone like Kael. freēnovelkiss.com

"Haha," Kael chuckled, causing the gazers to stare in shock. Even his chuckle was majestic, and they had barely seen Kael smile, talk less of reacting to humor.

"You want total freedom? That is not how this or any job works, my dear spider,"

"You work under me, and I give you benefits. I become your backing, I become your protector, I become your guarantee for a better life.

All you have to do is be under my banner, under me.

Let me not sugarcoat my words. I want the spiders to belong to me, and me alone. Not just the spiders, the land, the sky, the sea, the grass, the void…" Kael's voice rose and his emotions became turbulent.

Priya, and the other lionesses who were listening to the conversation from a hidden corner, looked at each other with confused gazes.

Why was Kael telling them all this?

"I want you, you, you, you," Kael pointed at each of them and even the little spiders with his fingers.

"I want you all to belong to me, is that too much to ask? Yes. But can we work around it? Yes to that." Kael's eyes were widened with fervor, he seemed ecstatic to be finally saying such to them.

Natalia and the others looked at Kael weirdly, they were unnerved by how Kael was objectifying them but they were most drawn to his sudden change in attitude.

It was as if…he was switching personalities.

A brief memory, that was all it took to trigger the identity crisis again.

'You belong to me,' He remembered one of his bosses saying to him one day, knowing fully well that Kael would take offense but would not have the guts to quit.

It was just a brief memory, one he should not have acted on. Yet, it clashed and caused something he had been afraid of happening.

That and Natalia's request for autonomy just rubbed differently on him at this point.

How could she?

How dare she ask for freedom?

"How are you supposed to have autonomy when you work for me? I'll give you the lifestyle you couldn't hope to get anywhere else.

All you have to do is do exactly as I say, yes, that's all. Feel free to regain your autonomy when you're in my position or no longer working for me!"

Kael suddenly sat up, he struggled to move, he struggled to shift his head, he struggled badly.

"Is he projecting?" N'bayé asked curiously as she floated closer to the meeting grounds with her arms behind her back. She had a look of worry on her face that she forgot to hide.

"In a way," Priya said with a frown, "That thing, it seems to be happening again,"

Chloe looked over from the mountainside they were perched on, confusion coloring her face.

"Hmm," Kael's golden eyes flashed as a bit of clarity returned to him. He seemed a bit confused at what had happened.

The first time, he had mistaken himself for Noel. Whose memory got triggered this time?

"Natalia, I can give you a bit of autonomy and leisure, but it would be limited. My goals and vision must be getting the highest priority.

Are you in?" Kael asked.

He could have used a Primordial Contract to solidify the deal but Natalia didn't need to know that.

"Oh, umm," Natalia flinched when Kael spoke to her. The way Kael had been looking at her some seconds ago, it made her feel completely oppressed, like a master gazing at his…slave.

She wanted to ask for more time to think about it but it was as Kael said, he wouldn't give her a second chance.

"Okay,"

Immediately after, her identity mark was added to the Vassal Record.

As simple as that.

"You've made a good decision," Kael said.

'I don't think she did,' Harath thought to himself while maintaining his submissive expression. Not just Natalia, he didn't think any of them made the right decision.

Suddenly, Kael's head snapped in Harath's direction. His golden irises shone with ferocity and strong killing intent.

"You vermin," Kael said, this time with his mouth. He spoke in the lion language and his voice took on an accent Chloe had not heard of before.

"Your Majesty," Harath took a step back. He felt his metal bones creaking and groaning from the forcefield Kael was emitting.

"Shit," Priya cursed before turning semi-transparent and jumping down from the edge of the mountainside.

"You are a slave, why do you entertain such heretic thoughts?" Kael stood up, releasing his full aura and destroying the vine chair behind him.

"I'm sorry King Kael…" Harath begged as his feet sank into the hard ground, unable to withstand the pressure.

"SILENCE!" Kael thundered, after which a gust of wind descended and pushed the other creatures away.

"King Kael?" She tilted her head with a very concerning frown on his face, "It's Queen Ishat, you new slaves never get anything right!"

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