Rise of Cardin's kingdom

Despite proving the validity of the Book of Reality, Cardin did not use it again that evening. The temptation was there, of course. An ever-present whisper in his mind. Like a temptress trying to seduce him, caressing the young man as it presented him with all the possible wishes he could make. A lure of unimaginable power drawing his attention to the book.

But Cardin was no fool. He was no idiot who began writing without contemplating the consequences.

Cardin was a team leader, for heaven's sake. Brute strength and endurance were his weapons as a huntsman, but his mind was that of a leader. And his grades were quite decent when it came to planning and leadership skills, thank you very much.

Instead, he thought long and hard about what to do. The brainstorming session dragged on until the sun had set, and his friends were fast asleep. Cardin was laying on top of his own bed, unable to rest. Both eyes were still wide open. He kept pondering silently. The powerful artifact was on his nightstand; unused save for his first wish.

Coming up with a suitable change to reality was more difficult than expected. Cardin had never felt so paralyzed with indecision. His heart refused to calm down. His nerves were almost on edge. He gulped inaudibly while letting out a deep breath.

Cardin's biggest fear, which was warranted in his opinion, could be attributed to the unforeseen consequences of the book. What if he made a wish that irreversibly damaged the plane of existence that he and everyone else inhabited?

He'd made a joke by making all huntresses sexier. But if he had written something along the lines of 'the sky is purple', then it might have caused major calamities. Cardin couldn't afford to make a mistake like that.

However, at the same time, he wasn't going to be some coward too afraid to seize this opportunity. The book at his side was effectively the tool of a god; a way to literally rewrite reality as he saw fit, without anyone keeping him in check. He'd be mad not to take advantage!

As the clock struck twelve at midnight, Cardin finally made his decision.

He grabbed the book and a pen, before pulling his blanket over himself. Cardin turned on his scroll's flashlight. Then, he waited. Several seconds ticked by. Yet the other members of team CRDL didn't stir. Good. That meant he had some privacy.

Cardin turned the cover, going to the page where he'd written his first commandment. Plenty of space remained for another alteration to reality.

Obviously, this would be a selfish wish. Cardin was no saint; world peace sounded nice and all, but he'd rather not turn every person on the planet into a pacifist. Not when it might lead to the Grimm slaughtering everyone, or a weird state of lacking any emotions that could lead to **** in the first place. He didn't trust the book to not somehow misinterpret his wish. And he wasn't quite ready yet to word such a change without screwing up.

But he wasn't going to ask for something small, either. Cardin knew what he wanted. Something that he'd dreamed of ever since a young age, listening to his father tell the tale of when the Winchester family lived as nobles within an actual kingdom.

So, why not bring that period back?

Cardin smiled smugly. It was simple, really. He planned on changing the kingdom of Vale-- or rather, restoring it.

The kingdom was, by all means, a representative democracy. People could vote officials into office, who would then serve on the Council or fulfill other obligations. It was supposed to be a fair system where everyone could try to step up and become a leader. The voice of the people also mattered. That was the ideal.

Cardin knew that reality was different, though. His own parents were influential people, and had educated him properly on how the current system worked. It was rare for anyone who didn't come from a wealthy background to actually hold a council position. Only those with actual resources stood a chance on the political battlefield. It was to be expected when your kingdom's main center of population was a single city, where all true power was gathered.

Besides, not everyone did get to vote. Not because you were a woman or a faunus-- even though Cardin wouldn't mind if the latter were banned from the process --but due to the kingdom itself. Vale's population was centered in the city itself, with numerous villages scattered all over the kingdom, such as on the island of Patch. Such settlements disappeared all the time; either because of Grimm or bandit attacks. Voting was a lot more difficult as result, and often the votes of villagers were ignored, forcing them to accept the consensus of those living within the city.

In other words, the kingdom of Vale was more of an oligarchy. A place where a small circle of influential, powerful people ruled on a council.

Cardin would change that. If the people were used to living under a regime that rarely changed as long as they could live their lives, then why not go a step further? Why not hand over that power to his family?

The young huntsman-in-training knew what to do.

Vale is an absolute monarchy. People are allowed to vote in representatives that serve on the council, but it has no real power other than representing current issues. Ministers are appointed by the royal family instead. They have a large amount of power, backed up by the military that rivals even the might of Atlas, and can do anything they want; their word is law. The citizens of Vale are raised with a sense of loyalty towards the state and monarchy. They believe they owe their prosperity to the royals. Beacon academy retains its neutral position, as was arranged during the founding of the schools across Remnant, but huntsmen and huntresses can choose to join the Valean army, similarly to the Specialists from Atlas.

There. That was a good start. Cardin continued to write down further details, wanting to be as accurate as possible. The book would without a doubt fill in any blanks or add changes based on what he said. Still, it was better to be detailed. Didn’t want any mishaps.

The Winchester family is the royal family. After the Great War, they became the new rulers of the kingdom. Their rule brought prosperity and security to Vale. I, Cardin Winchester, am heir to the throne. My tenure at Beacon academy is to improve my skills as a warrior, and prepare me for eventually becoming king.

Cardin finished writing, and sat back with a satisfied expression. This would do nicely. The house of Winchester would finally take its rightful place at the top! And he would be their prince; the future ruler of the kingdom, with unrestricted power at his beck and call. Although the scenario written down on the page was his ultimate power fantasy, Cardin involuntarily yawned.

Ah, whatever. Why not have a good night’s sleep first? That way, he could enjoy his new life in the morning uninterrupted.

These changes will take effect while I sleep, and become reality upon waking up.

Cardin put the book aside and closed his eyes. It took him five seconds before he was out.

Yet his dreams were filled with anticipation.

Cardin didn’t wake up in his usual room the following morning. When he opened his eyes, he was in a much larger and grander chamber. It looked more akin to an apartment than a dorm, as a matter of fact.

The bed he’d slept in was now three times as big, resembling a king-size bed that belonged in a VIP residence. Lavish furniture decorated the unfamiliar room. Even the floor was made out of expensive wood. It gave off an air of wealth and entitlement.

Not that Cardin complained.

He began chuckling to himself, realizing that he had his own dorm now. And it was definitely worthy of a prince!

“I wonder what else has changed.” Said Cardin, musing quietly.

He quickly got out of bed and did his morning routine. Usually, he had to share the bathroom with his friends, but they weren’t there. Maybe they had the other dorm all to themselves now. Regardless, Cardin took full advantage.

His smile widened once he saw how large the bathroom was. All Beacon dorms came with one, but those were usually on the small side. Teams had to arrange who went for a shower first. Otherwise, they’d never get ready in time for classes. Though a lot of students simply went with the age-old method of ‘first come, first served’. That was how team CRDL had done it. The shower wasn’t the only amenity available to the prince, however, as someone had seen it fit to install a jacuzzi. He was so going to try it out later for sure.

Cardin refreshed himself before putting on the school uniform. The outfit was relatively the same. A bit fancier. During that time, memories that hadn’t been there before were slowly filtering through his mind. It was a surreal experience; he remembered a life that he hadn’t lived, yet could differentiate between his new and old past. The book’s power was truly frightening. Intoxicating, too.

None of the memories really stood out, though. Cardin could hardly describe how he felt. It was as if the memories were meant to help him understand the history of this world, but he didn’t feel attached to any in particular .

He shook his head. No matter. Cardin was going to make new, better memories anyway.

The young prince then left his royal chambers, and headed down the hallway. Breakfast sounded heavenly. Cardin was a big guy, and maintaining his physique required lots of food. Even more so than the usual huntsman that already consumed lots of calories.

People stopped doing whatever they were busy with when he passed them by. Students and staff alike either whispered to themselves, their eyes filled with awe, or greeted him respectfully with a bow. The latter were primarily citizens from Vale itself. Cardin got to see the busts of multiple girls jiggle as they gave him a bow. Considering how they all had gone through a growth spurt yesterday, there was plenty to ogle, Cardin thought lecherously.

He kept receiving this treatment as he entered the cafeteria. Cardin walked with a confident swagger toward the lunch ladies’ station, and students hurriedly made way. Apparently, the prince of Vale was allowed to cut in the line. Awesome.

I should have found that book years ago. This life of luxury is something I can get used to.

Cardin searched for a table after getting his breakfast. His plate was filled with bacon, scrambled eggs, beans, and a bun. Speaking of buns, however, the orange-haired teen spotted a table that was empty save for one person; a female transfer student. But what stood out about her was the big, perfectly-curved ass that she owned. Cardin whistled. That was one fine derriere!

With his new target in mind, he swiftly strode toward the unknown girl.

Her appearance was definitely unique. Green hair and dark skin. It wasn’t a combination he saw often. She wore the standard Haven uniform, including a jacket and plaid skirt. The latter hardly concealed her big butt, though. Cardin openly leered at the large behind, trying to get a glimpse of her cheeks and underwear. Sadly it was a fruitless effort. Still, he did notice that she had nice thighs, too.

“Hey. Is this seat taken?” Asked Cardin.

“What?” The mystery girl looked up from her own plate, revealing that her eyes were as unique as her hair; each orb was colored a crimson red. He’d never seen such eyes before, if you didn’t count Xiao-Long’s semblance. “Oh! Wait, you… you’re the prince, aren’t you?”

He grinned. “That’s me. And what’s your name?”

“I’m Emerald. A student from Haven. My team and I will be competing in the Vytal Festival, representing the academy.”

“Then I wish you the best of luck, Emerald. So, is that seat still occupied or…?”

Emerald blinked. Then realization hit her, and she quickly nodded. “Ah, yes. I was waiting for my team, but I guess it’d be impolite to refuse you.”

It would be. To tell the prince of a kingdom to bugger off would be a scandal in the making. Cardin was under no delusions that she might be friendly solely due to his heritage. But wasn’t that the point? He obviously didn’t care. So he sat down opposite of her, flashing a confident smile. Emerald didn’t return it. She regarded him with an analytical gaze instead.

“Then allow me to keep you company. It’d be a bad mark on my record if I didn’t pay close attention to those who visit my kingdom.” He said in a blatant attempt to get on her good side. “Fostering good relations will be important for the future, when I go on diplomatic visits. I’d love to practice with you.”

Emerald’s lips tugged upwards. “Is that so?”

“Of course. And it’d be my pleasure to give you a tour of the academy. As the prince, I have some leeway.”

“So, hypothetically, we could go anywhere we want? No room within Beacon is off-limits?”

Was this a signal for finding some dark closet and having sex with each other? Cardin couldn’t be sure, but got excited nonetheless.

“Sure. Why not?” Shrugging his broad shoulders, the royal student lowered his voice. “Anywhere you want to go. I promise you’ll have a great time.”

Emerald’s smirk grew larger upon hearing his affirmation. She opened her mouth to speak, but something in the cafeteria seemed to grab her attention. Those red eyes glanced to the side before she suddenly stood up.

“Sorry, I need to go. My team leader is calling me. But I’ll hold you up to that offer!”

And with that, she left faster than he could react. Cardin cursed quietly. He looked over his shoulder, watching Emerald disappear into the crowd. For a moment he could have sworn he saw her meet with a raven-haired woman. Unfortunately, he didn’t get a good enough look.

Damn it. He was so close!

Cardin shoved some bacon into his mouth, and chewed angrily on the tasty meat. Curse his bad luck. He’d gotten all excited about having fun with Emerald and her great butt, but instead he was left behind; not even a date to show for his effort. Perhaps he needed to step up his game somehow. The book would be able to help. He’d been smart enough to grab it as he left his room. It was safely stored away in his pocket.

He glanced at the time. Lessons would start soon. Cardin focused on eating his breakfast, not wanting to be late.

It’d be bad for his royal reputation.

"And you're certain of this?"

"Definitely, ma'am. That oafish prince said so himself."

Cinder Fall gave a sinister smirk in return.

"Perfect. It would seem that the prince will be useful after all..."