The Corrupted Syndicate

"Don't worry, I was just messing with you. However, it seems there are some misunderstandings about the essence of Guardians that need addressing."

"First, let's dispel a few myths: Guardians are not merely defeated monsters. If that were the case, their presence wouldn't be so rare, would it? Also, the term 'monster' is a misnomer when referring to a Guardian."

"To forge a successful pact, one must defeat a figure of significant renown from the Ancient Times. This could be a formidable beast like the Leviathan, a renowned individual, or even an Emperor in certain instances, such as the Mad King."

"It's not just any old creature that qualifies; the requirements are far more stringent. It needs to be recorded in the Seat of Valour," explained Mavislin, recalling what she knew about the Guardians.

It wasn't uncommon knowledge for her but it was still a hushed topic.

"The Seat of Valour? I recall hearing of it in my youth. It is said to be a place in another realm that houses every legend of the world, is it not?"

"Exactly, you've got it. The standard way to get a Guardian is to find an entity listed in the Seat of Valour, defeat it, and then forge a pact with it."

"The reason this process is so rare is that only beings who are already dead can be found in the Seat of Valour. So, essentially, you're dealing with legends that have long since passed from the world of the living."

"What? Are you implying that I defeated something that was already deceased? It seems rather improbable that I would have engaged with a mere ghost or something of the sort."

"Exactly. To get a Guardian, you'd need to summon it from beyond the grave. Even if you succeed in defeating the entity, there remains the possibility that it might not resonate with you."

"There's a chance that the Guardian doesn't align with your fighting style or, quite simply, does not take a liking to you. In the best-case scenario, the entity might refuse to honor the pact and depart."

"It's not uncommon for a Guardian to be unwilling to forge a bond if it feels the connection is not suitable or if it finds itself at odds with the one who defeated it. This just makes things even more complicated."

"Finding a Guardian that actually fits with you and is willing to bond is pretty rare and often comes with a lot of unpredictability."

"And for the worst-case scenario?" asked the Viceroy.

"Well, you've seen it firsthand at how Celia was forced to transform into that semi-spider form. I'm throwing a stone here at accusations but I am willing to bet that Celia was trying to become the Jorōgumo, a well-known spider yokai of Japanese myth."

"But it isn't a fully successful one if only death triggers the transformation. Another bad ending would be seeing the individual get fully taken over by their Guardian and their head literally exploding."

"Matt and I have seen that once and Venom's reports have stated such atrocities."

"What about yours?"

"My guardian is a Villian in the Seat of Valour…"

The dragoness' voice started to trail off, figuring something out that she couldn't quite grasp. Her head then snapped towards Zenos, who raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"But here's a question—how do you even get in touch with an old witch in the first place? I remember that the Northern Cartel generally steers clear of magic and sorcery. So, given their aversion to such practices, how did you end up with a Guardian?"

Zenos refused to look Mavislin in the eyes as she inched closer to him. The blonde seemed slightly confused when the dragoness sat beside him, closing the gap between the both of them.

"So… How do you know about Magic? Because in order to form a pact with a Guardian, you need to have an aptitude to do so… Meaning your skills as a Mage should be at least beyond a novice level…" questioned Mavislin as she poked his left cheek.

The Viceroy remained still as the little dragon continued to poke his cheek, even going so far as to land a stray hand on his thigh. It wasn't long before he got annoyed and quickly grabbed the girl's wrist, causing Mavislin to freeze.

"While we have forged an alliance, you remain a captive in the eyes of both the Northern Cartel and your esteemed bunny. I would advise you to act accordingly, Mavislin."

"Unless, of course, you have other intentions..." purred Zenos, slowly pushing the girl down onto the bed.

"What… Are you… Doing?!" exclaimed Mavislin as the Viceroy was now hovering over her form.

The dragoness felt a flush of warmth spread across her cheeks as the blonde leaned in, his breath a tantalizing whisper against her ear.