The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL] - Chapter 294

Chapter 294: Seal of Thorns
Truthfully, there was nothing much that a dying pirate could offer to people who looked like they had everything. Especially not this particular group who had been topping the headlines of Star Net.

But there was one thing she could try using as a bargaining chip.

“The wormhole.” Veeka rasped. I can close it in exchange for allowing anyone sensible to return to our captain with a spiritual relic.”

Admittedly, this was everyone’s concern. If anything, the fact that these pirates could manipulate wormholes like that was something that they needed to look into.

If only they had the manpower to stretch for it.

Veeka figured it wouldn’t be easy to convince them, and she would have to provide more information if she wanted them to understand the logic of her proposition.

Veeka coughed again, spitting red before she lifted her chin with something like defiance.

“The controls are on the other side.” She paused.

“That’s why it hasn’t collapsed. Do you want it gone? If so, someone has to go through to shut it down.”

Killian’s eyes narrowed. “And you’re volunteering?”

“I’m the one who knows where it lands,” she said.

“You expect us to believe that? I’d rather believe it if you told us you wanted to live to see another day.” Duke Leander tilted his head.

“So, what’s your real purpose?”

“My captain,” Veeka said simply. “Zahkar. He’s dying. And yeah, I know—I’m still a pirate. I helped get us here. But ask your other member. He would know this was a coup.”

Luca didn’t flinch. “He did.”

“Then you know I didn’t sign up for this much violence.” Her voice cracked.

“I wanted the spiritual beast—but I wouldn’t have signed if I knew Ramir planned to slaughter civilians for show.”

“Zahkar has long forbidden us from targeting colonies. We only hit syndicates. Criminal routes.” She met Killian’s gaze.

“You want pirates gone? Great. Right now, so do I. But that’s impossible with how stretched thin you all are…”

“So wouldn’t you rather someone like Zahkar be the one in charge?”

Luca hadn’t learned much about these pirates and their history, but he knew the lack of man-power everywhere.

But was it safe to just trust her like this? Luca could still remember the faces of those people he had to comfort, and he didn’t want to be the one to let a loose cannon out into the world just because he was too gullible.

“D-29, are there other contracts we can use that are similar to the Union Contract? But more like a binding agreement that won’t give them access to the spaces?”

That was all he could think of at this moment, and he prayed that there was such a thing.

Xavier realized that Luca was trying to do something when he felt him tug at his wrist.

And so the Prince decided to keep her alive by at least healing the most critical injuries with a portable medical system.

It wasn’t the best fix, but they could buy time until his wife was finished deciding.

As Luca sat quietly deliberating Veeka’s offer, his brows furrowed in concentration, just as a familiar soft chime echoed in his mind.

“Host! A compatible binding artifact has been located! I shall initiate a visual module now.”

Immediately, a translucent screen materialized in front of Luca.

[SEAL OF THORNS]

[8,000 CP/Thorn]

[Item Description: A crimson bloom of twisted spiritual energy unfurls behind this item’s seal. When activated, it creates a pain-based seal that triggers upon clause violation. Each Clause requires a thorn.]

[One-time use per seal]

[Clause enforcement escalation is automatic]

[Impossible to remove unless by original caster]

Luca looked at the display, grimacing at the item before him.

“This feels… a bit extreme,” he admitted, glancing sideways.

Xavier, who had been watching him in quiet patience, tilted his head. “Then don’t do it alone. Let Kyle and Killian handle the details.”

Technically, Killian had no idea what was happening and why they were on the drawing board for clauses for some sort of agreement.

But his brother looked extremely serious, so the more experienced official decided to participate properly.

Killian stood with his arms crossed, scanning the preliminary conditions. “Alright. First we define the protected parties.”

“Already on it.” Kyle began.

They worked like that—sniping, correcting, then adjusting again. The contract draft grew with every clause and sub-clause.

Ultimately, it even restricted self-defense classifications to ensure she could not instigate a conflict to open up a possible loophole.

But what surprised most of them was when Killian talked about a clause on martyrdom and self-destruction, which would be a way to cause damage in one go by ending it all together.

They looked like maniacs as they talked about contracts, and at this point, everyone could see the serious resemblance.

Eventually, they handed the finished scroll to Luca for final review.

The moment Veeka’s eyes scanned the clauses, her expression shifted.

Technically, it didn’t precisely preclude her from the life of crime, but by taking out a sizable chunk of the people who could be involved, it was basically a retirement from piracy.

At this point, Killian was also with her in wondering about the actual punishments, but Kyle said he better best believe it was more reliable than any form of justice system.

So, there he was, ensuring that the pirate understood the contract, even when he wasn’t sure about the other items.

Veeka stared at the scroll. She didn’t ask if it would hurt. The tension in the room already answered that.

Instead, she gave a dry laugh. “You lot don’t mess around.”

“We can’t afford to,” Luca said simply.

“And in return,” Killian added coldly, “you’ll get one chance. If the conditions hold true, then applications for medical requests could be considered.”

Veeka looked like she wanted to argue but didn’t. She understood how much this meant.

“If he’s everything you say he is,” Luca added, “then maybe he deserves a chance to survive to show these reforms. But let’s be clear.”

His voice was quiet but firm, something that Luca had recently learned to be after the recent incidents. “You could’ve used other methods. Instead of hurting these people or taking other people’s pets, you could’ve come forward like a proper customer who made proper deals.”

He gestured back toward the passenger lounge. “But because you didn’t, now you’re the one who has to compensate them. You owe them that much.”

Luca knew that it wouldn’t be easy. And, frankly, to everyone, it sounded like an impossible feat for pirates to ask and for citizens to respond in kind. But he felt like it was important to throw the pebble out there.

If they really wanted to be vigilantes of sorts, they better show that by changing their ways.

The pirate didn’t argue. She just bowed her head once, solemn.

And then, the sealing began.

Luca placed the scroll in the center of a radiant sigil drawn with spiritual ink. As Veeka placed her hand over it, a shimmer of thorns laced with pale gold light began to wrap around her wrist.

The thorns didn’t pierce skin. They simply settled—like a tattoo pressed into her soul.

The Seal of Thorns that cost them 48,000 CP had been invoked.

Unbreakable, undeniable, and binding in every sense of the word.

Veeka stared at her hand in silence. Then looked up at them, half in awe, half in resignation.

“Well,” she muttered. “No backing out now.”