Chapter 331 Truth Behind Kims
Looking back at the stern determined gaze of the new security advisor, Jack sighed. "Fine, then come with me."
The two men walked out of earshot, still keeping the attention of the other party members.
"So, tell me about it."
Kims nodded and swallowed some saliva. "I'll be honest. It's not too embarrassing, but I would rather that my peers not pity me in any way."
"Does that mean I'm not your peer?" Jack asked.
"Aren't you my employer and boss?" replied Kims. "Even if you are my peer, who other than you can I tell? Also, I need to tell you before you perform the blood commitment on me."
"Alright, then go ahead. I'm all ears."
"I was born in Trodar but was raised in Prachten. I was born out of wedlock between a noble family of Trodar and a woman of Prachten," Kims explained. "By definition, I wasn't born a citizen of Trodar and was never recorded as my father's son. He refused to admit that he had lied to both his wife and my mother, forcing us out and nearly killing my mother in the process.
"I can't count the days that went by without food and I can't remember the number of times I was beaten in order to protect my mother. All I knew was a determination to live a better life, a life that my ignorant father was gifted at birth, which he denied his only son due to his own pride."
As Kims paused for a moment, Jack asked, "How much of this is known to the council?"
"Nothing, apart from my birth in Trodar and my upbringing in Prachten. Most of the council sees me as the pity vote of the common people," Kims mentioned. "They say I only won because I'm one of them, a commoner with no true wealth to my name.
"Why do you hide this? I'm sure you can confide in at least one member of the council."
"I almost opened up to Bikkem recently. That's why he invited me here, to entice me with wealth and EXP, the two things separating me from the other council members."
Nodding, Jack clicked his tongue. "That makes sense… But why him and Quallace? What about the other eight councilmen?"
"I can't do that so easily, Jack, not if I want my revenge."
"Revenge?"
"To get revenge on my father, I have no choice but to hide my origin," stated Kims. "Otherwise, my father may catch wind of me."
"Your father…" Putting two and two together, Jack realized what Kims was implying. "Oh… That does complicate things. Which one is he?"
A depressed smile crept onto Kims's face. "He's the current spokesman of the council, Lord Thyron Tindrell."
"That really complicates things… What do you plan to do?"
"I want to surpass him in level and influence, at a minimum. I've thought about killing him but I haven't yet committed to the deed, not fully," answered Kims.
"Then you wanting to make a blood commitment is your way of doing anything to get what you want? If you're that desperate, I can see why you turned to those two cripples for help." Jack sighed with dull eyes. "Tell me what you know about a blood commitment."
"A blood commitment is something that would sometimes happen in ancient times but is typically looked down upon nowadays. However, it was the most effective way for adventurers to keep their followers and party members loyal to them."
"That was a somewhat uncommon way of using a blood commitment," stated Jack. "The most common use was to force beasts and people to sacrifice themselves for what many called 'a Greater Good', something I see as nonsense.
"But, I'm also one of those adventurers who performed a blood commitment on a follower," Jack continued. "After going through so much, I decided to use that dark tactic to ensure that a certain mission would be a success. And surprisingly, that mission failed. But I did gain a true companion from that incident after enough time had passed and we bonded."
"Jack, can I ask why you're so knowledgable about this stuff even though you sere summoned at such a low level?" Kims looked longingly at Jack.
With a smile on his face, Jack shook his head. "Let me finish first. I performed that blood commitment once and never had to attempt it again, nor did I ever have to enforce it. Before I perform such a ceremony for a second time, I want to be sure I won't need to enforce it."
"Then please do so to me." Kims dropped to his knees and bowed his head. "Jack, I understand that as soon as I accept a blood commitment, my life is in your hands. I'm fine with that since I don't deem you as a corrupt person."
Breaking out in laughter, Jack looked back to Kims. "Me, not corrupt? Tell that to Argyle and see how he'll react."
"Jack, I can tell that your conscience is clean, regardless of the unusual things you do. Your ways of dealing with the situation are entirely different than what I know, yet you still come out on top after every exchange. You're the type of man that will stop at nothing to accomplish his goals, yet won't do it at the sacrifice of his own men. Am I wrong in my opinion, Jack?"
Silent, Jack scratched his head but didn't say a word.
"Please, perform a blood commitment on me and take my life in your hands. I'll become whatever you want me to be and do whatever you wish regardless of how righteous or wrong it may be. If you can guarantee that I'll gain strength like no other and be able to exact revenge on my failure of a father, that's all that matters."
Clenching his fists, Jack struggled to get his words out. "Kims… You understand that I'll be able to end your life without hesitation should I choose to? Do you comprehend how unjust a blood commitment is to the one it's performed on? Even if you do as I say, so long as I'm not satisfied I can still end you."
"Then allow me to do as you say. It will force me to prove myself, like you wanted. And if I fail to meet your standards, then end me and remove the risk of me taking advantage of our pact," Kims replied confidently, not blinking nor hesitating.
"Kims…"
Jack struggled to believe what was happening. Never would he have imagined performing that dark ritual again.
He didn't mention it to Kims, but the blood commitment was something that Skaryn and his followers had created to ensure the loyalty of Skaryn's followers, according to what Jack learned in "A Hero's Tale". It was the insurance policy to keep people from betraying the chaotic gods. Ancient heroes only adapted what Skaryn had long been using to keep his people silent and loyal for life. The original version of the blood pact is the reason why Jack had been able to mark members of the Chaos Syndicate, forcing their dark commitment to be revealed to all.
"Jack, please," Kims begged again. "I'm not entirely sure of the effect the pact will have on me, but if it was one of the reasons why your party so easily cleared those first two floors, then please let me inherit your pact."
"That was--"
"I'm not sure what you did, but I still remember walking across that first floor we were sent to. There, we found little to no signs of life. And in the center was an unnaturally flat, altered region. It appeared to be cleanly cut and shaped, possibly by the rumored spells that Tralon possesses," deduced Kims. "But he shouldn't have enough mana at his level to perform such spells, even if he had them. Yet he also managed to level up, despite his curse."
"You're sharper than you let on, Kims."
"I told you, I won't let anyone get in the way of my revenge. Why should I reveal my cards to people that may become threats in the future?" reasoned Kims. "Please, Jack. If you can offer me a way to become stronger like the heroes of Ancient Kartonia, then perform a blood commitment on me and form the pact."
Swallowing some saliva, Jack looked to the distant Tralon, who nodded. Then Jack looked at the bowing Kims with a frown. "Alright. I'll perform the blood commitment."