Chapter 5: Review
THE sudden encounter with another empire and the amicable talks that followed became the main topic of discussion for Takuto and the rest of Mynoghra's empire-management council immediately after their banquet with Phon'kaven's delegates ended.
"None of us expected our initial talks to accomplish so much in such a short period of time," Atou started. "While this is wonderful news, we now have a lot of different factors and materials to take into consideration. You are in for some sleepless nights, Elder
Moltar."
"Gladly," Elder Moltar responded. "Still, hmm, we need to select what Food to trade with and confirm what Supplies we want in return. Should we secure a mutual means of communication for future exchanges first…? Or perhaps it would be better to select which troops to send first."
"Yes, taking what they said into consideration, they're seeking urgent defense aid. Ensuring the Dragon Vein Mine's safety is of critical importance to us as well. Drawing pure Mana directly from the earth will have a momentous impact on our development. Frankly speaking, our strategies going forward will greatly differ based on our ability to produce and collect Food and Resources."
Atou was carefully examining their options with Mynoghra's wisest mortal, Elder Moltar. Warrior Captain Gia and Emle, who had been promoted from Takuto's secretary to Minister of Domestic Affairs, were also called to the meeting to exchange their frank opinions.
They'd actually been present for the negotiation talks, but since
Takuto and Atou had everything under control, they didn't muddy the waters. While there wasn't really a need to explain what they had agreed upon, they did hastily enter into a deal and made rough arrangements with no time to discuss it among themselves, so they were now working out the details of their policies after the fact.
"Hrm," Elder Moltar hummed. "The folks from Phon'kaven committed a huge blunder too. I can't believe they came to us with such a childish negotiator."
"Yes, you can absolutely say that again. As Lady Tonukapoli said, he's not the brightest star in the sky—more like the dullest. Though I can't bring myself to dislike him."
They weren't a dislikable bunch. Sure, they were foolish, childish, and would likely receive failing marks in every category, but Atou thought they deserved a passing grade based solely on the fact they weren't hostile toward Mynoghra. Elder Moltar and the other Dark Elves shared her opinion and didn't know how to react beyond pulling a face.
"My king," Elder Moltar diffidently addressed Takuto. "Please don't take this as me objecting to your excellent decision, but one of the negotiators—Lord Pepe—seemed like quite the imbecile. Won't it be risky having such a person as an allied Commander?"
Takuto and Atou had incessantly instructed the council members to raise any concerns they may have rather than stew over it in silence. Hence, no one reprimanded Elder Moltar for being rude toward the King with his frank query. Seeing as Gia, Emle, and even Atou were giving Takuto searching looks, they must've harbored the same doubts.
"Hmm."
Is that really all there is to that boy? Takuto wondered.
Pepe was definitely a few cards short of a full deck. He came across as a dimwit who didn't think things through. This was especially true of his gaffe toward the end of their negotiation. He'd allowed Mynoghra to conclude negotiations in a fairly favorable position. As a result, they were able to peacefully obtain the Dragon Vein Mine at the low cost of diverting some military resources.
On the other hand, Phon'kaven also received the best possible outcome for the situation they found themselves in. They seemed to be having a hard time dealing with the Barbarians and weren't able to take care of Dragontan, as Takuto had suspected.
Pepe's gaffe led to Mynoghra dispatching troops for combined operations when they otherwise would've only exchanged limited military information with each other. In other words, their relationship would have remained a friendly encounter where they would've taken an indefinite amount of time to talk things out. If things hadn't played out the way they did, would Phon'kaven still have had the strength to protect Dragontan…?
Come to think of it, it's too unnatural to shout when he did… I don't know… You're really a dummy, Pepe.
But Takuto didn't think it was all that bad to have become friends with the dimwitted boy. Given the situation in each other's empires, they had no reason to be enemies, and unlike the time with Qualia's Paladins, talks went without a hitch.
There might be some friction between evil and neutral civilizations, but not enough to prevent them from forming an alliance. Actually, if he looked at it objectively, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they had obtained an unexpectedly good result.
Takuto was particularly impressed by the fact he became friends with Pepe. After all, he was originally someone who'd considered the hospital his home. He couldn't make any friends there and thought friendship was out of reach for him.
And now he suddenly had a friend. There was no way he wouldn't be thrilled.
I'm worried about the Barbarians, but it'd be perfect if we could continue to be friendly with Phon'kaven.
That being said, everything was still in its infancy.
Someone once said that nations don't have friends, only interests. Those interests evolve over time, and so past agreements must be revisited. Should the tides change, Phon'kaven, and Pepe along with it, would take measures against Mynoghra.
There's no debate when it comes down to having to choose between an ally nation and your citizens. Takuto obviously knew which he would pick if he were put in that situation.
In any case, the present state of things was the picture of calm.
Indeed, things were as calm and peaceful as a glassy lake on a sunny day.
What Takuto wanted to happen the most had happened, albeit with just one other empire. He'd keep an eye on them, but there was no reason to hate them.
He had but one answer then…
"King Takuto? Do you have an opinion on the matter?" Atou asked.
"Yeah. My evaluation of Pepe is on hold for now. He's probably…okay."
"Understood, my king."
Everyone present bowed deeply in response to Takuto's quick decision. This was the definitive decision made by the King of Ruin and Mynoghra's Commander, Takuto Ira. His words came from the greatest depths of wisdom, and there was no room for negative feelings, let alone meaning.
Takuto nodded satisfactorily before the steely loyalty of his subordinates.
A thorough command hierarchy is what's needed to run a healthy organization. Limbs that execute what the brain wants without error are what's most required to move the behemoth known as an empire.
Takuto worried that as long as emotions were involved, he would have to deal with human errors that weren't a factor in the game, such as differences in opinion and misunderstanding instructions. Still, Mynoghra was achieving satisfactory results as his limbs. Since that was the case, he could now devise various strategies to his heart's content.
Taking care of the Barbarian problem came first. Something was causing them to behave differently from usual. That was a strange and threatening factor.
Enemies randomly appearing out of nowhere almost sounds like what would happen in a role playin—
A humorous thought crossed his mind. Before he could finish it, he pushed it out with a wry smile.
Talks with Phon'kaven had ended in success. Takuto and Mynoghra learned much from their first negotiation and used it as a source of encouragement and growth.
◇◇◇
IN the Grand Council Room built within the Palace, Takuto and his council discussed their next policies as they sat around a mountain of documents containing information on Phon'kaven and their arrangements.
"Now then, you all did a great job yesterday," Atou said. "A lot of unexpected things happened, but we managed to establish friendly relations with Phon'kaven. This will definitely benefit our peaceloving empire, Mynoghra. Do you have anything to add, my king?"
"Yeah. Good job, everybody."
The Dark Elves bowed their heads, looking touched to receive such words from their king. Since coming to this world, Takuto learned that small interactions were necessary to gain unswerving loyalty as a leader. He initially thought the best rewards were monetary, physical goods, or status-related, but sometimes praise and giving credit where credit was due turned out to be the best reward of all.
Everyone likes to be complimented when they are trying their hardest, and how much more poignant would that praise be if it came from their revered king?
The fact that he was the object they revered was unnerving, but Takuto gave a big nod, his mind made up to start talking to everyone more often. He hoped that would cure his fear of speaking in front of others, too.
Seeing him nod, Emle took that as the go-ahead to move the meeting along.
"To get started, I would like to reconfirm the details of our negotiations with Phon'kaven and make any final decisions. We can break the terms of the agreement into three big categories. The first is the establishment of diplomatic relations. The second is a mutual trade agreement. The third is a defense pact agreement."
"I see, I see. This sounds like it'll be another fruitful meeting." Atou happily nodded along, satisfied to see Mynoghra finally shaping up as a nation now that it had established diplomatic relations.
The Dark Elves looked much more relaxed after having overcome the critical moment with the foreign delegation.
"Why don't we decide on our policies while we analyze each term in detail? Let's start with diplomatic relations first. Does anyone have any opinions or concerns regarding this?"
Emle led the meeting with practiced ease. Her gaze had already shifted to the documents and notes in front of her. She pushed her glasses up as she waited with a stoic expression for someone to speak up.
"..."
"..."
"..."
But silence was their response. It seemed like everyone was searching for something to say on the topic. Silence begets more silence. Everyone, including Takuto, was aware of a certain problem but was hesitant to be the one to point it out.
After all, it was a very basic and ridiculous problem to have. But letting the silence run on was a waste of time. The moment everyone was about to open their mouth to say something—
"Well, um…"
Someone else beat them to it. The youngest person present, Caria, broke the silence. Seeing as her older sister had her hand raised with a grin, it appeared the twins had a question to ask.
"Do you want to ask a question? You are both as much a part of this meeting as the rest of us, so you are free to say whatever is on your mind," Emle quickly encouraged them, and the rest of the council eagerly nodded in support.
It was the council members' job to push through the awkward silence, and they all felt guilty for forcing that uncomfortable role onto such a young child. At the same time, they wanted to lavish her with praise for speaking up. It'd be even better if she voiced the concerns they all secretly harbored.
At the center of the pathetic adults' attention, the youngest member pointed out the fundamental problem plaguing them all.
"What kinda country is Phon'kaven?" Caria asked.
"I don't know it either," Maria added.
Awkwardness settled over the council room.
Maria usually said whatever came to her mind at her own pace, but they felt awful for making Caria broach the subject. Still, everyone silently applauded them for having the guts to say it.
"…That's where we should start, huh?" Takuto muttered in a quiet yet clear enough voice for everyone to hear, earning silent nods from the room.
Indeed, this was the problem that was incredibly difficult for any of them to admit in a room full of their peers—none of them knew much about the empire called Phon'kaven.
"My, you make a fine point," Elder Moltar said. "We certainly know little to nothing about Phon'kaven. Of course, we've gathered some information and already presented it to His Majesty. But what of their current situation? It's only logical that it's impossible to hammer out the details of our arrangement without understanding the other nation. Before we do anything else, we must first take a closer look at their empire."
Elder Moltar's comments stoked the meeting's fire. Now that they'd openly acknowledged the embarrassing truth, they could finally start the meeting in true.
"I couldn't be more ashamed," Elder Moltar lamented. "We Dark Elves were so blinded by our joy of this celebratory arrangement that we neglected to exercise due diligence."
Elder Moltar, Gia, and Emle all bowed their heads in shame. Takuto awkwardly looked away, since he hadn't realized this critical point either, and held up his hand to signal them to raise their heads.
"It's fine. I failed to notice too."
"I-I agree… These things happen," Atou said. "No one is to blame. We should actually be glad we realized our ignorance sooner rather than later."
"You humble us with your words…"
The Dark Elves closed their eyes to bask in Takuto and Atou's lenience and bowed their heads once again. The truth was that Takuto and Atou were guilty of the same negligence, so they just wanted to move on without dwelling on it.
"I-In the game, everything from another empire's tradable Luxury Items to their Happiness Levels can be found in the Diplomacy Panel, so I didn't take the rest into consideration…" Takuto communicated telepathically to Atou.
"The game doesn't depict the true state of affairs or the nittygritty details of an empire, after all. It escaped our notice…" she responded.
If there was one leading cause for this problem, it was simply everyone's inexperience dealing with such matters. For Atou and Takuto, it was the small things about this world that completely differed from the game that threw them off. For the Dark Elves, it was their blind faith in their king and the flood of sudden events taking them for a ride that had narrowed their focus, blinding them to other factors.
Their inexperience in dealing with other empires may have led them to overlook some things, but it wasn't a fatal oversight. If anything, it was an invaluable experience to become aware of any miscalculations they might make at this stage in the game.
Strangely enough, everyone seemed to be of the same mind on the matter and decided to apply themselves to solving the problem at hand.
"In that case, it's necessary for us to investigate Phon'kaven first. But we don't have much time with the defense pact agreement in place and the need to offer Dragontan assistance…" Emle trailed off.
"Then we'd better gather intel on them at the same time we are deciding what troops to send to their aid," Atou finished for her.
"I agree, Atou. On the other hand, I think we can safely set aside matters regarding trade for the time being," Emle suggested. "It will be difficult to transport goods if the Barbarian attacks happen as frequently as they said."
"No one's lives are riding on trade, after all. Dragontan may be in trouble if they have low Food supplies, but we need to investigate them first to know such things…"
In the end, they decided visiting Dragontan once to gather information on their new allies would net them the best results.
Information gathering is not just about sending in spies and bringing back classified documents from off-limit zones. A lot can be learned simply by looking around a town in the open like a normal resident or visitor. Publicly accessible information is sometimes of paramount importance, as evidenced by the significant restrictions placed on journalists' activities in closed military nations.
And considering the state of things between Phon'kaven and Mynoghra, going in person to confirm things with their own eyes was the safest and most efficient method.
"Hmm. How about sending a delegation?" Gia suggested before anyone else.
Mynoghra had originally intended to send a delegation to Dragontan. Gia figured they could immediately dispatch the delegation if they stuck with their initial plan and unit formation. Of course, that would require their representative, Atou, to go, but he didn't think she would refuse.
"I have some concerns regarding that plan…"
But someone raised an objection to his proposal—his former adjutant, Emle.
A proper meeting consists of the exchange of multiple ideas before making the final decision. Understanding that well, Gia didn't feel offended by his former subordinate keeping her eyes trained on her documents rather than looking at him when she objected. He patiently waited for her reasoning.
"During our talks with Phon'kaven, we learned about the unusual situation afflicting their entire nation, including their capital, in the form of a huge surge of Barbarian attacks. We still need to confirm if it's true, but I don't think it's wise for us to leave our own capital with less of a military presence."
"You mean we need to leave enough men behind to protect the King should the unexpected occur?" Gia surmised.
The information gathered from their talks with Phon'kaven was of vital importance to Mynoghra as well. Whether it'd become good or bad news for them was yet to be seen. This particular information fell into the latter category.
Phon'kaven, an empire that had established itself in this region long ago, was being assailed by an anomaly unlike anything they had ever experienced before. That fact alone was more than enough information to merit raising their alertness level.
King Takuto Ira and the Hero Atou were the mainstays of Mynoghra, followed by the Imperial Capital where they resided. They'd never recover if they fell under attack while there was a hole in their defenses.
Emle made an incredibly valid point.
In that case, should they just send someone random to look around?
No, that presented a different problem.
The people picked by the empire-management council for this particular recon mission would be dispatched with King Takuto Ira's approval. They needed to send someone who'd show respect to their ally and wouldn't cause friction.
Dragontan would be confused if someone from another country suddenly showed up saying they wanted to check out their town. Their alliance was barely a day old. They needed to select someone who could be trusted to maintain a good relationship with the town of Dragontan should they run into any unforeseen trouble. But such people were critical to Mynoghra's safety, which brought them back to square one.
"But I want to check out their town."
A lack of information during war times is usually paid for with a loss of soldiers. While they had some information, from a defense point of view, Takuto wanted to avoid dispatching soldiers for combined operations until he understood what he was sending them into.
I want to survey the area through shared vision with one of our citizens at least once… Takuto thought.
Forming a delegation was a no-go. Even so, if they were going out of their way to visit the town, they needed to keep up appearances with a certain number of people. They were short on time, so it didn't need to be anything too grand; they just needed a pretense to send a few people who wouldn't offend their ally.
What were their options?
Everyone thought about it at length, their brows furrowed.
The deadlock was once again broken by one of the twins.
"Let's go play!"
Maria had stopped gazing absently out the window to raise her hand and speak her thoughts.
Did the girl grow bored of the meeting? No one could scold her too harshly when they knew about her broken mind, and when Emle, the best person at looking after others, tried to think of a way to address her, Caria tapped her older sister on the shoulder and mildly reproved her.
"Big Sista, we're in the middle of a meeting, we can go play later— Aah, is that what you mean?"
"Oh? Do you girls have something in mind?"
Apparently, the girl wanting to go play was meant as something more than it had sounded to the adults.
A little disconcerted with the girl who occasionally said things that didn't make sense, Emle looked to her younger sister to put it into words she could understand.
"Big Sista is suggesting we send people who are currently free to go under the pretext of sightseeing," Caria said, interpreting what her sister meant. "Um…didn't Master Pepe say we could come play anytime we want, Your Majesty?"
"Yeah. Pepe said we could come over to play."
"Then I don't think they'll get angry if we go there to play."
At that suggestion, Emle quickly shifted through the documents in front of her. She definitely remembered that exchange occurring between Takuto and Pepe during the negotiations. Most of what they'd said to each other was small talk and lip service, but Pepe did indeed make them that offer. He didn't stop there either, he even extended his invitation to everyone present, saying, "You are all welcome to come anytime!"
"I see… How about we go with that angle, Emle?"
Emle gave a big nod in response to Atou's question. This was the key to unlocking the solution they needed.
"Yes, I think it makes perfect sense for us to send several people ahead of time to greet the mayor and establish contact. Creating an open channel of communication with their mayor in advance should be received favorably on their end as well. It also wouldn't look bad to only send a few people for this purpose. Furthermore, we can keep up appearances because of Master Pepe's open invitation."
They finally had the pretense they needed. The plan also had Emle's endorsement, which was big, as she was an avid reader and possessed an understanding of the etiquette that must be maintained between empires. All that was left was to consider who they should actually send to greet the mayor.
Did they really have to jump through so many hoops just to check out a town?
Takuto, who was forced to face the things not depicted in the game, was steadily learning the elements necessary for empire management, although he found them a little tiring.
"Who should we send then? The mission will likely span two to three days, so I think it's all right to actually make sightseeing a piece of what you're doing," Atou said.
"May I go then?" Elder Moltar inquired, raising his hand. "I'm sure there will be a meeting with the mayor, and I don't mean to sound presumptuous, but I believe I am the right man for the job."
Certainly, a man as wise as he fit the requirements, and he was not currently in charge of any crucial projects he couldn't allocate to
someone else for that period of time. Just as everyone was about to recommend him to Takuto—
"Not a good idea."
The King himself shot down the idea.
"Forgive me for overstepping my bounds, my king."
"I thought he'd be perfect for the job, too. Is there a reason why you object, King Takuto?" Atou asked on behalf of everyone present who was taken off guard by his objection.
Obviously, he wasn't bullying Elder Moltar or found him lacking in anything. In which case, there must've been some strategic factor the rest of them hadn't realized. They wanted to confirm what that was.
"Moltar is too important."
Several of the council members tilted their heads in confusion at Takuto's reasoning. Even Elder Moltar was staring into space, stroking his beard as he contemplated his king's words. Strangely enough, it was Warrior Captain Gia who figured out what Takuto meant first.
"I see, this old goat is certainly just a wise old man to us, but from the perspective of other countries, he is Mynoghra's Chancellor and the Minister of Magic. He's too much of a big shot to send to greet a town mayor."
"Grr," Elder Moltar grunted. "You always ruin a fine comment with one word too many, Gia. But you are right, sonny. I continue to be amazed by His Highness's astuteness. Going by that same logic, Gia is our General, and Emle is Minister of Domestic Affairs. Both serve in too high of a position for this role."
Everyone was finally on the same page with Gia and Elder Moltar's explanations.
Yes, Mynoghra was still an empire even if it only had a select few elites at this point. And Takuto had shown his empire's prestige to its fullest during the negotiations with Phon'kaven. Then it was only natural for their ally to view the people who served at the top of his empire as important figures.
"What about me?"
"You are His Majesty's closest, most trusted attendant, Lady
Atou. As our great Hero, you are the last person who should go."
"Well, when you put it like that! I am King Takuto's confidant!"
Atou had only asked to have her position confirmed since no one brought up her name. She was satisfied with their response but also annoyed that it proved she couldn't be of any use to her king for this task.
Mynoghra was in an awkward position when it came to government officials. If Elder Moltar and the rest of the council fell under the Minister class, then they were entirely lacking any viceministers and down. While they were indeed suffering from a lack of talented people to choose from, this also served as a testament to Elder Moltar and the council members being so skilled the rest of the Dark Elves couldn't live up to what Takuto and Atou had come to expect.
Who should they pick then?
Everyone looked around the Grand Council Room searching for the right person for the job—all eyes landed squarely on the same spot.
"Me, me!"
"U-Um, well…Big Sista and I will go." "Ugh," someone groaned.
It was true that everyone's gaze went to the twin girls. But they all also wondered if they were really the right choice.
"I'll do my best."
"I will do my bestest!"
The twins were all for it. Of all the Dark Elf children, these two girls were especially loyal to Takuto and Mynoghra. It was no wonder that the two of them, who were always trying to repay Takuto, would be eager to take on this important mission.
But…
"Wouldn't that be too dangerous?"
That was Takuto's biggest concern. He already viewed the girls like family. Their young age only further added to his apprehension.
"It is dangerous for them, but I also feel that their position is conversely too low for this role. Besides that, they are such young children, it's bound to make Dragontan's mayor uncomfortable…"
As a fellow member of the "Pamper and Protect the Twins" Faction, Emle spoke in support of Takuto's concerns.
"No, they are perfect for the job."
But as a member of the "Let Cute Little Girls Go on Trips" Faction, Elder Moltar had a different point of view.
"Um, why might that be?"
"They have both been selected to be trained and raised up as future leaders of Mynoghra by the King. We have already explained this to Phon'kaven during our talks," Elder Moltar argued. "That gives them the perfect status for the job. And, if anything, their town should be more welcoming of children who don't have ulterior political motives."
"Ugh…that's a sound point."
This mission hinged on two things: their visit shouldn't be made into a big deal, and they mustn't be rude to their hosts. Oddly enough, the twins were just right for the job in that regard. As children, Dragontan wouldn't be expected to go all-out to welcome them. At the same time, their position as future leader candidates under the direct tutelage of the King cemented their status in a way that wouldn't offend the other nation.
On the contrary, it'd be a tall order to ask them to find someone better suited than the girls.
"The fact they don't have any actual authority should be viewed more favorably," Elder Moltar continued. "The mayor won't have to go out of their way to kowtow to their every need, at the same time knowing we aren't disrespecting them with our choice of a representative."
Emle really didn't want to put the twins in danger, but she also couldn't argue with that logic, so she grudgingly fell silent.
"I see, I see. Sounds like a fine plan to me. I had already determined they would be the best option but refrained from saying anything to measure your ability to come to the same conclusion.
You did a truly marvelous job!!"
"But isn't it still too dangerous for them?"
Takuto once again expressed his concerns, lightly dispelling Atou's obvious attempts at hiding the fact she hadn't kept up with the conversation at all.
Phon'kaven may be an ally nation, but it was still outside Mynoghra. He would have them escorted by a guard detail, but what would he do if something happened to the two young girls after he sent them away?
Takuto could sense the approximate location of his units—or in this case, citizens who belonged to his empire—but it'd still take too long to act if they came under attack. Even if he noticed their duress from Mynoghra, Dragontan was too far away to quickly rescue them, leaving their safety in the hands of the guard detail.
That was a gamble he wasn't sure he wanted to take.
Takuto was overprotective of the twins.
And Atou was overprotective of Takuto.
Noticing the turmoil on her king's face, Atou slammed her hand on the table and angrily rose to her feet as if this was her time to come to his aid.
"His Majesty is worried! It's too soon to send the girls as an envoy! What if they get kidnapped?!" Atou complained like a child throwing a temper tantrum. But the Dark Elves had witnessed her tantrums plenty of times before, so they weren't startled by it.
"Aaaaah! It's too terrifying to even think about! This strategy is out!
Out, I say!"
Just as Atou said, if Takuto opposed, the plans they had just discussed would be discarded. Takuto had the final say in everything. Atou's complaints aside, if he had concerns, there weren't many ways to change his mind and overturn his decision.
However, one of those ways was sitting next to him at the table. "Your Majesty, it's something that mustest be done eventually. Besides, you are the one who told us we are free to do what we want. Being useful to you is what we sisters want to do with our freedom. Please allow it," Caria earnestly implored.
Takuto was incredibly protective of the twins, and he also had a soft spot when it came to their requests. The stubbornness he'd been showing instantly crumbled away at the girl's sincere request.
"But…if anything happens—"
"We are prepared for that."
"Nggghhhh," Takuto groaned, arms folded at his chest.
All decisions were left to the King's discretion. And Takuto, the King, was at an impasse.
Atou could only watch over him as he worked through it.
And Takuto was assailed by the most devilish technique devised to overturn the situation.
"Your Majesty, pretty please."
"Awawawa."
Maria quietly moved out of her chair to stand beside Takuto. She took his arm in her hands as she gazed up at him with precious puppy-dog eyes.
"Please let us do it, Your Majesty."
"U-Uggghhh…"
He was struck by the same attack by the younger sister on his opposite side. The twins wore down his defenses with a pincher pleading attack.
"Pretty, pretty please," they said in unison.
Was it just his imagination that their voices sounded so sweet?
Either way, their attack did him in. Takuto sucked in a huge breath and exhaled before Atou could intercede.
"Okay," he said with a gentle smile.
"Yay!" the girls cheered.
He was easily defeated by their dual assault.
"Our king has succumbed to wheedling!! Oh, the horror!" Atou cried out
Takuto looked away, wishing she wouldn't proclaim such things in a loud voice. He was aware that he did indeed fall for their wheedling, which made Atou's observation all the more painful. Nonetheless, he permitted it. With his mindset changed, Takuto vowed to help the girls fulfill their duties as they'd requested.
"But, Your Majesty, what will we do about their escort?" Emle asked, worried. "I doubt anyone will kidnap them, but we can't just send them alone…"
She made a valid point. However, Takuto already had a solution for keeping them safe. He happened to know of excellent pawns that could serve as their guardians and escort.
"I have something just for that," Takuto declared in a calm voice to reassure Emle.
Mynoghra couldn't afford to let anyone idle around.
Takuto was just thinking about what job he could assign to these pawns, so this worked out perfectly.
◇◇◇
"OH, come on, Atou. I didn't give in just because little girls begged me to. I wanted to respect their initiative, and it's true that they are suited for this kind of scout mission. It's not a bad plan as long as we send people along to support them as our representatives," Takuto rattled off like he was making excuses, which he actually was. He hadn't spoken like this in quite a while.
The reason goes without saying—he was trying to improve Atou's mood after she was completely bent out of shape from him spoiling the twins.
"Ha! Say what you will! I'm still not convinced!"
Atou's reasonable side understood that there weren't any real problems with his decision. She also understood the twins' desire to be useful to Takuto as his devoted vassals. But just because the logical side of her mind could be convinced didn't mean her emotional side was.
Atou's petulance was entirely caused by the fact Takuto had let another girl win him over and have her way with him. She wasn't letting it slide simply because her feelings as a girl in love wouldn't stand for it.
"It's not His Majesty's fault, Lady Atou. It's because we were being selfish."
Sensing the awkwardness between them, Caria tried desperately to aid Takuto in improving Atou's mood.
"Hmph! Go ahead and form a harem of little girls, King Takuto!
Hero Atou will step down from her pedestal!"
But her attempt only made things worse. Atou's mood only grew more foul.
"Awawawa…"
Thus, the King of Ruin only grew more pitiful.
If there was a "Dependability" stat in this world, Takuto would currently have exactly 0 points in it. His flustered, overwrought behavior lacked all dignity, leaving just a cowed boy in its place. "Your Majesty…"
"Hm?"
Someone beckoned him closer—it was the older sister, Maria. Curious about what she wanted, he moved closer, and she whispered a certain strategy into his ear. He nodded throughout her explanation, giving the biggest nod of all at the end. Mind made up, he marched over to Atou, who was still steaming mad.
"Atou…"
"Wh-What is it?" Atou faltered before his commanding aura. She thought she was in for a scolding for acting so irritable. But contrary to appearances, Takuto offered her words of unbelievable kindness.
"Thank you for thinking about me."
"What?!" she squeaked. "Um…"
It was too abrupt for her to temper her reaction.
Takuto lifted her hand in his and soothed her with his suave words. "I have only made it this far because you were with me from the beginning. I really regret making you, of all people, angry."
Atou bobbed her head up and down so hard, he feared she might snap her neck. She was wide-eyed with apprehension over the sudden shift in Takuto's behavior.
"I need you. Won't you please cheer up, Atou?"
Takuto conveyed what he wanted to say to her most all while wondering whether wording it this way was really okay. In other words, he wanted to apologize and express his gratitude for her. And it seemed to be getting through to her just fine.
"You're the only one for me, Atou."
"Y-Yes, King Takuto…"
Actually, it seemed like he'd conveyed a little too much. Atou's face turned crimson so fast, he almost expected to hear it accompanied by a sound effect. Her delight was tangible, seeing as the redness traveled all the way to the exposed parts of her chest.
You are better off saying what you really think rather than trying to play it off—that was the advice Maria had whispered to him. Takuto followed her advice to a T and laid his feelings bare, but it appeared to be a little too stimulating.
"Uh, Atou?"
"Ufufu! Whatever is on your mind, my precious King Takuto?"
Atou was giving off an aura that screamed "I'm so happy!" She entered her own world with her hands pressed against both cheeks, making it seem as if they were the only ones enjoying a peaceful spring afternoon.
"Ah, er, well, I was just wondering if you've forgiven me…"
"For what? I could never be angry at my King Takuto. You're so
silly."
"I-I see! Glad to hear it!"
Atou was easy to appease. When it came to Takuto, she was a forgiving woman who could let bygones be bygones if he treated her with a little kindness. She was the type who'd end up horribly dumped after the guy she fell head over heels for was done playing with her. Of course, the more intense the emotion one has, the worse of a fall out there will be, so any guy who tried that with her was bound to lose his head.
However, Takuto didn't have to worry about that.
Women who put their whole hearts into a relationship only do well with sincere and faithful men. Not to mention the fact Atou was a creature of Mynoghra. So anyone who dared to play with her would suffer immeasurably.
In the end, Takuto narrowly escaped certain death by following Maria's sound advice.
Takuto was just glad that he had succeeded in repairing her mood, none the wiser that she was currently enjoying delusions of newlywed life with him. It was the way of the world for there always to be an eventual price paid for having insinuated things with a woman and playing with her heart, but it was up in the air whether it was fortunate or unfortunate not to be paying that price now…
It was truly a case of "Only God knows."
"King Takuto, who are you planning to send with them as an escort? Honestly, I don't think any of the Dark Elves are fit for the job…"
Apparently, Atou had played out her delusions in full. She shifted the topic to who would be joining the twins on the mission. It appeared Atou was as clueless about his pick as the Dark Elves. Feeling a little giddy about that, Takuto turned toward her and held up a finger.
"I'm actually planning on sending the units we spawned the other day."
"…Y-You can't mean them, can you?"
"Yes, them."
Takuto grinned with a look that said "How do you like them apples?"
At first, Atou was surprised by his crazy proposal, but after a while, she realized the merits of his choice and was impressed by his keen insight.
But not even Takuto, the King who would bring ruin to the world, could have predicted the chaos awaiting him.
-x-X-x-
Chapter 6: Escort
THEY had come to a pure-white facility built into a giant tree. The only difference between it and the rest of the city built in the trees by the Dark Elves was its color. The building was clearly special because they had purposefully painted it white.
"Okay, girls, who can tell me what this building is?" Takuto asked the twins like a father might as they stood outside the building.
"It's a Clinic."
Of course, the twins, who were constantly studying empire management to someday help Takuto, knew exactly what the facility was called.
"And what is it for?"
"To heal the sick."
"That's right."
The Clinic was a building from Eternal Nations and what they'd chosen to construct after the Flesh Trees. It improved the city's Sanitation and increased the Resilience of the units stationed there. Of course, it also functioned as a regular clinic, making it possible to heal sick and injured citizens. Since it didn't cost much to build, it was completed in less than a month, and construction of the next facility, the Magic Research Institute, was already underway.
That was the extent of the twins' knowledge on the subject. They knew of the Clinic but hadn't actually used it yet. They probably would've needed its services if they were in the same malnourished state Takuto had found them in, but fortunately, the food provided by the King dramatically improved the girls' health. And so, they never needed to visit the medical facility.
"Your escort is in there."
"In…there?"
Caria clamped her mouth shut after accidentally making a comment that sounded like she doubted Takuto. Maria also had her head tilted to one side, baffled. Takuto chuckled at their reactions, then opened the doors to the Clinic that wasn't much larger than a normal dwelling.
"Anybody home?"
Caria, Maria, and Atou, who didn't have anything better to do than follow them, entered the Clinic after Takuto. The entrance seemed to double as a waiting room as it only had a few tables and chairs. The interior was dimly lit, creating an oddly eerie atmosphere.
Apparently, barely anyone ever used it, and it seemed Takuto and the girls were the only people there.
After waiting for a while, three figures suddenly appeared from within the dimly lit room in response to Takuto's voice.
They stood about as tall as an average Dark Elf adult male. Since Dark Elves were a relatively tall race, it could be said that they were taller than most of the humanoid races. Their physique was neither too large nor too small and could also be placed into the average category.
However, their whole body was wrapped entirely in a black robe that opened in the front, and because they wore a plague mask reminiscent of a bird's head, even their expression was hidden from view.
.
-------------->
.
The pungent smell of herbal tinctures reminded Caria that these bird-headed figures were Mynoghra's Medics that were recently unlocked by the Clinic's construction and produced at Takuto's orders. As soon as they spotted Takuto, they went down on one knee and showed their king respect.
"Oooh! Why, if it isn't our great king, Takuto Ira!"
"What an inspiration for you to come all the way out here to see us yourself!"
"What a marvelous day this has turned out to be!"
Contrary to their uncanny appearance, the bird-headed Medics were a little too loud and cheerful. It was easy to tell they were exuberant, but their full-body gestures were overly exaggerated, and they spoke several decibels too loud.
Maria instinctively covered her ears. But whether the birdmen understood or cared, they didn't show it because they cried out in even louder, more enthusiastic voices.
"PLEASE ORDER US AS YOU WILL, OUR KING!!!"
The birdmen even struck funny poses in unison.
Takuto was a little baffled by their behavior that was a far cry from the character setting he knew, but he pulled himself together and moved things along.
"At least they have ample motivation," Atou observed. "For that, they pass as tentatively qualified to be your vassals, King Takuto."
"I had them spawned just in case, but they've been idling away the time with nothing to do, so I thought they were perfect for the job," Takuto explained.
"With their abilities, they are certainly fit to serve as escort. Oh, I see now. It's those unique abilities of theirs that make them perfect for this, right?"
Atou and Takuto continued to casually consult each other in front of the birdmen lying prostrate at their feet.
"Exactly. Their special abilities are tricky to use, but they'll be effective in Phon'kaven, if necessary."
"It's not like we're sending them to fight, and they have enough
Strength to at least defend themselves."
As the twins watched their king and his confidant talk, they wondered what kind of abilities these birdmen possessed. However, it appeared Takuto had no intention of explaining it as he told Atou to give his orders to the Medics.
"I hereby convey upon you the words of King Takuto Ira. Escort these two girls to the town of Dragontan and thoroughly observe their nation's culture and current affairs."
"O-OOOOOHHHHH!"
When they heard Takuto's words through Atou, the birdmen displayed their joy with their exaggerated poses.
As Medics, they currently had a lot of time on their hands. They spent their days without wielding their powers despite hastening to come work for the King of Ruin. They appreciated that peace-loving Mynoghra's policies made it so there wasn't a need for Medics, but it was a bittersweet feeling for them too.
But their days of inactivity ended today.
It was finally time for them to be of use to the King—and for a mission that the King of Ruin and Hero Atou came to give them in person. What joy and excitement that brought them as units of Mynoghra!
Trembling with anticipation, the three birdmen sprung to their feet and spread their arms out, unable to contain their joy.
"CULTURE!"
"OBSERVATION!"
"AND ESCORT!"
"WHAT HUEMANLIKE ACTIONS!" the three crowed together in such a loud voice, they seemed to be expressing all their enthusiasm for their grand quest with it.
Their cries echoed off all the walls in the Clinic's relatively tiny waiting room. Cringing from the sharp, ear-piercing sound, Takuto nodded rapidly to convey he understood and wanted them to calm down.
"THANK YOU FOR ASSIGNING US THIS HONORABLE MISSION, KING OF RUIN! ALL OF US HUEMAN! WE WILL PERFECTLY
ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK AS HUEMANS, LIKE HUEMANS! HUEMANS!"
"FOR WE ARE EXEMPLERY HUEMANS!"
"WE EXCEL AT WORKING LIKE HUEMANS!"
But Takuto's desire for them to quiet down was utterly lost in all their excitement at being assigned their first mission. It was at this point that he started to question his own plan.
"Um, Your Majesty…" Caria looked at him worriedly.
"W-Will they be okay…?"
"Hueman…?" Maria parroted the birdmen.
"Th-This is very worrying. What should we do, King Takuto?"
What should I do? Takuto groaned when Atou asked him that. He was as troubled about it as they looked. So he decided to make slight modifications to his original strategy.
"You three…"
"YES?! PLEASE GIVE US ANY ORDER, OUR KING!!!" they chirped back at him.
"You are to serve under the command of these two girls."
Takuto was originally planning on setting them up as the main commanders for this mission, since they possessed some ability to think and discern things for themselves. But their eccentric and disconcerting behavior made him make a 180-degree change to his plans by appointing the twins to a position where they could put a stop to the Medics' craziness.
"Listen to everything they say."
His command included his unsaid wish of "Please don't do anything unnecessary."
"IT'S ONLY NATURAL FOR US TO OBEY THE ORDERS OF OUR
SUPERIORS, FOR WE ARE HUEMANSSS!!!"
Unfortunately for Takuto, not only did his implied meaning not get through to them, it seemed to rouse them further.
Most of the time, people who give overly enthusiastic replies don't listen and are bound to make a huge blunder during a key moment. Takuto broke out in a sweat as he remembered how the head nurse, who used to look out for him during his past life, often complained about people like that.
He was still concerned. All he felt at the moment was worry.
Almost every unit in Eternal Nations has a character profile.
However, it became a newly established fact in this world that Takuto wouldn't know a unit's personality or idiosyncrasies until he actually produced or spawned them. Like the Long-legged Bug who seemed to get a kick out of interfering with Takuto and Atou's romantic moments, there were plenty of annoying character traits that became apparent outside of the game.
In any case, since he gave the order as King, he should behave accordingly. At the very least, continuing to doubt them before the job even started called his judgment as King into question, and it was disrespectful to his loyal vassals. Besides, there was a good chance they could do their job well without causing any problems.
Judging someone based on their appearance made him a failure as a person, not just a king. Thus, Takuto decided to do something that would make them happy as an apology. In other words, he wanted to reward them in advance. If he were being honest, he still had some uncertainty about what a unit belonging to the evil civilization of Mynoghra could possibly want, but he'd a pretty good hunch when it came to these three.
"Okay, it's a bit early, but I have a reward for you."
The birdmen Medics visibly trembled at his words. Their minds seemed to struggle to process this unexpected turn of delightful events. Takuto let some of the tension out of his shoulders when they didn't start shouting his ears off again and pointed to each of them.
"Ichiro, Jiro, Saburo," he said, listing off their names as his index finger moved from one to the next. "I give you all the names of humans."
The King personally rewarded them with names.
"O-OOOOOHHHHH!"
Shrill cries of glee rose from the birdmen.
Takuto couldn't endure it any longer and had to cover his ears, but he chuckled at the fact they reacted exactly how he'd expected.
Normal units in Eternal Nations don't have unique names. They're just referred to by their race or class and used as expendable pawns. But, in this world, units had a will, albeit a distorted one, and an awareness of being an individual.
The unit produced today will not be the same as the unit produced tomorrow. Thus, Takuto acknowledged their individuality and gave them a reward that encouraged their self-awareness. Most of all, they were obsessed with being human.
If anything, they should be delighted and not upset if he gave them human names like a parent. It's with that thought that he bestowed them with the names he put quite a bit of thought into, but…
The act was more meaningful than Takuto anticipated, giving them joy and happiness that was out of this world.
"OH, ICHIRO! LET US COMPLETE THIS MISSION FLAWLESSLY AS HUEMANS!"
"OF COURSE, JIRO!"
"DON'T LEAVE OUT SABURO HERE!"
"OR MARIA!"
They immediately began calling out their own names and fussed over it in deafening voices. Worse yet, Maria seemed to have been touched by their antics because she joined the noisy group. She happily mingled with them, imitating their loud voices and the funny poses they took.
This was the moment Takuto's anxiety quadrupled, and their potential as capable subordinates plummeted in his mind.
"WAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
"Wahaha!"
The three birdmen placed their hands on their hips and guffawed, with Maria joining in at the last second.
Takuto used his indomitable will to push the word "WORRIED" out of his mind. Instead of letting worry dominate his thoughts, he looked to Caria for help.
The twins were put in charge of this recon mission at the last second. Now that the older sister had joined the birdmen in their insanity, the younger sister was his last hope to keep the lot of them in check. Takuto decided to bet everything on the hope that Caria would show her potential as a leader here and miraculously rein this rambunctious group in.
Although her dismay was clearly visible on her scarred face, the girl seemed to make up her mind to meet Takuto's silent expectations as she stepped up to the bizarre trio plus her sister.
"Excuse me…" she started.
"HOW CAN WE HELP YOU, MY LADY?!"
Three bird heads turned completely around at an angle human heads most definitely couldn't turn. Caria let out a tiny "Eep!" at their creepy movements but mustered every ounce of courage to confirm if she could manage them.
"Do you know how to behave yourselves?" she asked. "Um, well, we are planning to meet with their mayor if we can. Are you capable of not harming Mynoghra's reputation? Will you listen to Big Sista and me?"
"OF COURSE, MY LADY!!!" they trilled.
"OF COURSE!" Maria mimicked them.
"O-Okay, then first things first…can you please refrain from being so loud?"
"YES, MY LADY!!"
"Yessie, yes!"
Their reply was perfect, but there was nothing persuasive about the way they delivered it.
Caria's stomach cramped. It was her first time experiencing a stress-induced stomachache.
"K-King Takuto, with all due respect, I am extremely worried about them…"
Even Atou pitied the girls enough to speak on their behalf.
She didn't have to point it out—he painfully agreed with her. After conveying that to Atou through his gaze, he crouched down to eye level with Caria and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. He wanted to confirm one last time with the only person who'd actually take responsibility for the mission and would very likely be cleaning up after the others.
"…C-Caria, think you can handle it?"
"I-It will probably…be all right… I'll, uh, do my bestest."
Caria was trembling, and her eyes were filled with tears. Regardless of what she said, her physical reaction screamed "It's impossible for me!"
But the plan was already underway. It would be difficult to call off the birdmen trio plus their mockingbird follower, who were still cackling with obnoxious laughter. Not to mention it was Caria who strongly pushed to be appointed to the Dragontan Recon Mission. Besides, these birdbrained Medics were the only units suitable for their escort, as uncomfortable as it was.
Both Takuto and Caria were in a position where they couldn't call the whole thing off anymore.
"I'm counting on you. Really counting on you," Takuto stressed.
"I will take responsibility for everything, but if worse comes to worst, you might get stuck cleaning everything up as it happens… You have my permission to do what you have to…"
He granted her full discretionary power in case anything happened so she could cover up for any mistakes the other four made. Takuto inwardly wept for the girl, thinking this was probably the last thing he should levy on her.
"Y-Yes, Your Majesty… I-I will do my very bestest…to use all my limited ability to prevent them from causing any trouble."
Caria also internally wept for her fate. Her first mission was set at a ridiculously high difficulty level. She never imagined their empire had such problematic citizens, much less that her beloved older sister was among their ranks.
"W-Well…" Atou called out to Caria with a sympathetic look. "Please consult me if anything is troubling you. You still have some time before you have to depart, so I'm here for you, whatever you may need."
"Thank you so much, Lady Atou."
Atou's kindness melted away some of the tension creating knots in Caria's stomach.
"HUEMAN!!!"
"Hueman!"
But when she saw the birdmen trio plus her sister join hands and merrily dance in a circle, she grimaced and pressed a hand against her stomach.
<-x-X-x->
Chapter 7: Mayor
ANTELISE Antik, the female Elf who served as mayor of Dragontan, was at the end of her rope as she sat at her desk covered in unorganized piles of parchment and liquor bottles.
"I can't take it ANYMOOOOOOOOORE! I don't WANNAAAAAAAAAAAA work!"
.
-------------->
.
Antelise leaned back in her chair as she shouted her complaint and slammed her hand down on her desk in protest of her workload. Her wavy blonde hair and voluptuous breasts violently shook with the movement. She threw a childish tantrum despite being well into adulthood. This wasn't a look fit for a mayor.
"I mean, why the Saints do I have to work this much?! And here I thought I'd finally gotten myself some freedom after getting out of El-Nah's draconian forest! I thought I'd finally strike gold and get myself a handsome husband who's so in love with me, I'd never have to work another day in my life! I thought I'd raise a family while living it up all lovey-dovey! GO UP IN FLAMES WORLD! AND TAKE ALL
THEM DAMN COUPLES WITH YOU! RIGHT NOW!"
She glared at the paperwork with dark bags under her eyes as she griped. She ran her hand over the desk until it bumped into a bottle, which she snatched up and downed in one go. Anyone could tell she was in a foul mood and that she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep.
But who could blame her for letting off some steam?
The array of circumstances bearing down on Dragontan, especially concerning the abnormal Barbarians attacking the town and the various procedures and sanctions accompanying it, had succeeded in wearing her mental fortitude down to its limits. As if she didn't already have enough on her table, she was notified by the capital about a new nation. This news was particularly troubling.
Mynoghra, the Empire of Ruin.
When she was informed that Phon'kaven had become allies with this nation said to be ruled by an evil god, she thought someone was yanking her chain. It sounded like the kind of stuff the boys in the office would take from some cheap novel.
But the moment she realized the information coming from Staff Holders Pepe and Tonukapoli was the cold, hard truth rather than a bad joke, her brain, which was so smart it'd gotten her appointed as mayor, instantly calculated the amount of pressure and work about to be thrown onto her and despaired.
There was no denying that Dragontan's lacking defenses was of urgent concern to Antelise. She'd taken every possible measure to protect the town, sometimes even getting her hands dirty. Although she hailed from the El-Nah Alliance of Elementals, she'd lived in Phon'kaven long enough to consider it her second home. She had plenty of friends and attachments there.
She intended to do whatever it took to protect this country and town, and she understood she needed to be broad-minded enough to associate with various races and types of people to be a leader. However, she never expected the Staff Holders, the highest decisionmakers in the country, to join hands with the forces of darkness. Nor did she expect those evil forces to move in a stone's throw away from her town.
"If that wasn't bad enough, they're telling me to work with the forces of darkness to defend Dragontan?! Whaaaaat the Saints?! Are they sane?! Am I supposed to invite them over for a friendly chat? I mean, what do the forces of darkness even eat?! Can I serve them tea and cookies? They'd better not ask for Human liver and blood!"
If they had allied with another nation, such as the Holy Kingdom of Qualia or the El-Nah Alliance of Elementals, Antelise would have been calmer about their decision. The forces of good may be inflexible and discriminatory, but at least they could still see eye to eye on some things.
But she'd never seen or heard of a nation run by the forces of darkness. She did actually read about it once in some book recording something that had happened hundreds of thousands of years ago. It didn't even have as much merit as a fairy tale at that age.
Being mayor was by no means an unimportant position. There was no way to tell the impact Antelise's mistakes might have on negotiations with their new allies. This wasn't the kind of situation where they could make up for mistakes by firing her and apologizing.
Worst-case scenario, her actions may lead to a war between nations.
Antelise wanted nothing to do with some farce that'd lead to people's deaths just because she served the wrong tea cakes. She was desperately trying to gather more information, but she was left without a clue as Staff Holder Tonukapoli promptly returned to Crescent Moon, and Staff Holder Pepe was meandering wherever he wanted without getting caught by her.
This impasse was causing her to steadily increase the amount of liquor she was tossing back. She used to drink in secret while at work, but now she was brazenly taking swigs at her desk. There wasn't a single person in town hall who'd call her out for it.
"Excuse me, Mayor Antik—"
"What?! You gotta problem, buddy?!"
Someone had dared speak to Antelise while she was on the verge of a complete mental breakdown. Pushed over the edge by his interruption, she slammed her liquor bottle on the desk and shouted at him. When she looked up and saw the wide-eyed look on the wolf Beastman guard's face, she hastily tried to gloss over her outburst.
"E-Ehehehe. Sorry for shouting. Do you need something?"
"Some people would like a meeting with you."
"Huh? Who could that be? Do they have an appointment?"
"Doesn't seem like it."
"Too bad then. Send them away. My time is more valuable than gold dust. Make sure to tell them not to bother me again unless they want to die."
The mask she'd donned to look more professional slid right off. She stood by the insistence no meeting should waste her time when she was already under so much stress. Dragontan was in a state of emergency, and Antelise was the most important person working at the forefront of the problem.
It'd be one thing if things were normal, but she didn't have the time to spare on insignificant meetings during a crisis. Besides, not making an appointment in advance meant it was either someone who was going to be a pain in her butt or who had a pain in the butt reason for being there. In that case, turning them away was the best option, and while her word choice was a violent one, her decision wasn't wrong.
Except, the Wolfman guard didn't budge even after she handed down her verdict. Instead of leaving, he deferentially explained who their visitors were in a way that wouldn't further incite Antelise's wrath.
"Er, well…are you sure you want to do that when they claim to be envoys from Mynoghra?"
"Why didn't you tell me that sooner?!" Antelise exploded. "That changes everything!"
She jumped to her feet, knocking over her chair and scattering documents and a whole lot of liquor bottles, and stormed past the Wolfman guard.
The guard was left standing alone in what looked like a disaster site after a storm blew through.
"She's a beautiful and incredibly talented woman, but that personality ruins it all…"
The guard heaved a sigh as he glanced sideways at the mayor's office, which looked more like a hoarder's trash heap.
◇◇◇
THE Spirits are terrified.
Antelise was facing Mynoghra's envoys, who'd been shown to the reception room. The first thing she sensed in their presence was the distorted atmosphere and the Spirits' terror. As an Elf, she had a naturally high affinity with Spirits, which was further bolstered by her personal aptitude. So she could sense their abnormal reaction through the basic Spirit Artes she'd learned.
We're completely and utterly screwed. Why did the Staff Holders join forces with these abominations? Are they outta their minds?
Antelise put on a welcoming smile as if she were genuinely pleased by a visit with a long-term friend she hadn't seen in years without letting her true thoughts show.
"Welcome to the town of Dragontan. I'm the Mayor, Antelise Antik."
"Thank you very muchest for meeting with us. I'm Caria Elfuur of Mynoghra. This is my Big Sista, Maria Elfuur."
"I'm the big sister."
Two young girls were sitting across from Antelise, with three creepily dressed people standing at attention behind them, showing that the girls were the ones in charge. She'd normally raise an eyebrow at the odd power dynamic at play, but she was more concerned about figuring out the hidden meaning there.
Dark Elves… I'd heard that Mynoghra had taken them in as citizens, but what role do these girls play?
Antelise was struck by a desire to commune with the Spirits to analyze her guests. But she couldn't risk trying anything funny as long as she didn't know what kind of magic or sorcery Mynoghra's envoys could use. People of all ages and nations have done foolish things throughout time that have threatened their standing. Antelise had learned much from their mistakes and disciplined herself not to commit the same follies.
I need to be especially cautious of the three in the back. I've heard stories of a Dark Elf assassination brotherhood…could they be them?
Either way, just standing there staring at them wasn't going to get her any information. Judging them solely on their looks was just asking for trouble later. Thus, Antelise only noted her first few visual observations before steeling herself to speak with them further, apprehension about not knowing who or what she was dealing with eating away at her all the while.
"I apologize for not being able to provide satisfactory hospitality due to the suddenness of your visit. We are still in the middle of preparing our side of things…"
"That's quite all right."
"Righty-right."
Although it was an act that could sully Phon'kaven and Dragontan's reputation, Antelise apologized for her inadequacies without hesitation. She did so to drive home the point that they'd come without warning and to have an excuse to fall back on should anything go wrong later.
Hmm… How should I interpret their reaction? These are some weird sisters. They likely have a story… Wait, the Elfuur Sisters? Didn't Lady Tonukapoli say something about the Elfuur Sisters?
Antelise was having a hard time getting a read on them, when she suddenly remembered hearing their names mentioned by Tonukapoli as people requiring special treatment. Yes, Tonukapoli had said the Elfuur Sisters were being trained as the future leaders of their country under the direct tutelage of their king—
"Kaaahhkkk!!"
"Wh-Whatever is the matter, Miss Mayor?!"
"Meow-meow?"
Mayor Antelise strangled out an unladylike cry that sounded an awful lot like a cat throwing up a hairball. The two girls stared at her in shock. The older sister blinked at her and the younger sister gaped.
"M-My throat was just a little itchy, is all, ahahaha…"
As she frantically tried to throw the clearly worried girls off her trail, Antelise screamed inside her head for the hundredth time that day.
They're the top of the food chain! What are such big shots doing here?!
The senses Antelise had honed over years as mayor were setting off alarm bells in her head. If they were receiving guidance directly from their king, then they were guaranteed to at least be heading up some government office or another once they got older. It was quite possible they'd even be appointed as ministers or chancellors in the future.
They were important enough to be treated as state guests.
The worst part of all was the fact they were being mentored by their king. That proved how much he favored them. Antelise even started to suspect Mynoghra's King had a thing for little girls, given how young the sisters looked. If that was true, this was no laughing matter—she was royally screwed.
There was no telling what damage would come if anything happened to these girls if their king's affections delved into the romantic, which would make him all the more attached and obsessed with them.
This was the King of Ruin she was dealing with. These girls were cherished by a being legends said would someday destroy the world. The world was bound to be destroyed the day after anything happened to them. At the very least, Dragontan would be no more.
Antelise had a habit of shouting "GO UP IN FLAMES WORLD!
AND TAKE ALL THEM DAMN COUPLES WITH YOU!" But she suddenly didn't feel that way when she came face to face with the sparks that could literally set the world on fire.
When it came down to it, she was hosting live bombs. It was unknown where or what the fuse was to set them off.
Antelise's smile twitched at the corners when it dawned upon her that the people who could influence the fate of her nation were sitting in her reception room. Things had already gone beyond her capacity to handle.
I mean, these aren't the kind of people you send to a lowly town! Come on! Send us a typical civil official instead! Or is this supposed to be some kinda threat? Like "I've sent you my precious ones, so you know what fate awaits you if you treat them wrong," kinda deal? Is it? The cute girls were giving her baffled looks.
Antelise didn't even know what they came for. She'd tried to feel them out with the few sentences they'd exchanged so far, but that failed horribly. She didn't even know what move she should make next as mayor. All she could do was immerse herself in internal griping.
And if that isn't bad enough, they're DARK ELVES! They've gotta be hostile toward Elves! Talk about the worst match-up in history! I left that damn, antiquated forest behind because I hated all the stuffy rules, so why did the biggest landmine follow me here?! Aggggggghhhhhhhh!
Both girls were Dark Elves, the sworn enemies of Elves. And they were still younglings who couldn't be reasoned with, not to mention they had the affections of the childlover King of Ruin. It was easy to speculate that one mistake could lead to international trouble, so Antelise was hesitant to say anything without carefully weighing her words.
Meanwhile, the girls also seemed to be searching for the right thing to say. Maybe they were waiting for Antelise to start the conversation.
It was a soft-spoken male voice that suddenly shattered the tension in the room as each side tried to get a feel for the other.
"My lady, may I speak?"
It was one of the three people standing behind the girls like guards who'd spoken up.
"Oh, sure. What is on your mind, Mr. Jiro?"
With the girl's permission, the person gave a slight nod, bowed deeply to Antelise, and then spoke.
"The reason for our visit this time is for nothing more than to take Staff Holder Pepe up on his invitation to come over and play sometime soon. In other words, the young ladies here are essentially students who have come to learn what it is like to live in another country, per Master Pepe's kindness."
"O-Oh? Is that so?"
Antelise couldn't have hoped to hear anything better than that.
He'd given her something to work with amid this uncertain meeting. Now she had an idea of where the conversation was headed. If nothing else, it wasn't going to end with, well, the world literally ending or Antelise's execution just yet.
"Yes, Mayor Antik," the guard responded. "Requesting a meeting with you was also just a preliminary step to help facilitate future exchanges between our people. We apologize for taking up your valuable time, but we hope you don't interpret our presence as anything more than just wanting to introduce ourselves to you."
"This is just supposed to be…an introduction?" Antelise asked dubiously.
"As you can see, the young ladies here are no more than children. They are still learning about politics, so we hope you will refrain from consulting them about political matters."
Upon closer inspection, it appeared Mynoghra was also unsure of how to approach Dragontan. Antelise probably wouldn't have been this tense if she'd known they were only there to make preliminary introductions. She wished they'd told her sooner, but if the girls sitting in front of her were favored by the King, then there was likely a lot the guards had to put up with. At least, that was what Antelise deduced from the explanation given by the person wearing a bizarre mask shaped like a bird's head.
"Once again, I hope you will recognize that this is an informal meeting," he stressed.
"Wonderful! Then you didn't come here to make any arrangements concerning our alliance?"
"Indeed. The person officially in charge of those matters will arrive at a later date, so please just view us as tourists."
Thank the Spiritssssss! I had a little too much to drink today, so I definitely wanted nothing to do with any formal talks!
Antelise wanted to raise a glass to them. She felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She could get away with making a few mistakes during an informal setting, and Mynoghra's people seemed to be taking the considerate route. At the very least, they were showing a willingness to talk rather than making one-sided demands. That left her with plenty of options with how to handle them.
The man with a bird mask nodded with satisfaction when he sensed Antelise's relief and the softening tension and quietly turned to the girls.
"Isn't that right, my ladies?"
"Absolutely, positively right!"
"Righty-right!"
So, this is essentially a work-study session for two precocious little girls who bit off more than they could chew? Well, it's asking a bit much to expect these kids to effortlessly come up with and deliver the same lines their birdman bodyguard did. It's no wonder they fell silent! Gee, they had me worried!
"I'm glad to hear that," Antelise said. "I was on pins and needles thinking I might offend you because we hadn't prepared a proper reception party."
"Don't be. We are the ones who must apologize for visiting you without a prior appointment," Caria said with adult-like formality. "Thank you very muchest for speaking with us on short notice." "Righty-right!" Maria added.
"My, you girls are so polite and courteous! Your country must be proud to have such dependable young ladies."
Tranquility instantly filled the reception room. At last, they could converse with each other like proper allies without being on edge. If nothing else, the town of Dragontan wasn't destined to go up in flames with all its couples before the King's wrath.
Still, I better be extra careful not to upset these girls. He went out of his way to do all this to help them study… It's settled, the King cares deeply about them. He must have a thing for little girls…
Antelise kept her disrespectful opinion to herself, a skill required of all politicians. Takuto would've denied her accusations to the bitter end if he'd known what she was thinking, but unfortunately for him, anyone would've come to the same conclusion about him, given the circumstances.
Boy, it's pretty relaxing being around them now! I'll go ahead and become their friend and teach them all sorts of stuff. Things regarding the Barbarians should go smoother if these girls mediate for me when the real official comes—I knew it, I'm a genius mayor! I can totally handle an evil nation.
Antelise was as merry as a grig now. She decided to pop open a bottle of liquor she'd stored away for a special occasion to treat herself for a job well done later. Meanwhile, the twins felt ashamed of their inadequacy for not handling the conversation properly, and they envied Antelise for how capable she was.
Both sides had the complete opposite emotional reaction to their concluded meeting.
"With that said, it'd be a disgrace of my role as mayor of Dragontan to just send you on your way. Please leave the details of your stay, such as arrangements for your inn, to me. If you like, I could have someone give you a grand tour later. How about it?"
"Do you really, truly mean it?! We thought it'd be too muchest to ask of you, Miss Mayor, but since you offered, we'd be ever so happy to take you up on it!"
"Happy to take you up on it!"
Just like that, the twins' first time serving as envoys had safely come to a close.
<-x-X-x->