Ciel: <>
Voice of the World: <<>>
******
'Hmm... the cushioning here is really nice. I wonder how it would feel to take a nap on this,' a young harpy with short olive hair and bright green eyes thought to herself as she casually poked at the couch beneath her while idly swinging her legs back and forth.
"So, Nemu, was it?" Rimuru asked as he quietly observed the young harpy sitting across from him, recalling that he had met her in a previous timeline. Although he had not interacted with her very much back then, he had formed a fairly good impression of her and her two companions.
"Hmm..." Nemu suddenly jolted out of her thoughts and quickly looked up at the man sitting across from her before giving a small, stiff nod. Her expression remained mostly blank, and she did her best to keep her posture relaxed, but anyone with even a little skill at reading people could easily notice the tension in her eyes. 'Why is everyone so scary here!?' Nemu screamed internally while using every ounce of willpower she had to keep herself from trembling in front of the ruler of this nation.
Ever since Nemu had arrived in Tempest, her mind had been constantly bombarded with surprises, and for the first time in her life, she had not felt sleepy even for a moment. From her perspective, the place was completely insane. The average hobgoblin walking around the streets felt about as strong as one of their trained soldiers back home. On top of that, she had encountered several monsters whose presence alone made her instincts scream in terror, giving her the terrifying feeling that if her people ever went to war with this nation, their entire army, even their strongest elites like her older sisters, would probably be wiped out in seconds. And now she was sitting in a room with a frightening white-haired big sister who watched her with a disinterested yet cautious gaze, along with the man who ruled over all of these terrifying people.
"What's with that reaction? I'm not that scary, am I?" Rimuru asked with a light chuckle, clearly amused by her stiff behavior. In response, Nemu immediately shook her head so quickly it almost looked painful. "In that case, would you mind telling me why you wanted to see me so urgently?"
Nemu took a quiet breath to steady herself before finally speaking. "Before anything else, I would like to apologize for disturbing you at such an inconvenient time, Rimuru-sama." She dipped her head in a small, respectful bow. "However, Queen Frey asked me to seek you out as quickly as possible and deliver this letter to you." As she said that, she reached into the top of her outfit and carefully pulled out a sealed letter, holding it out toward him with both hands.
Rimuru glanced at the letter before shifting his gaze toward Testarossa. She stepped forward, accepted the letter on his behalf, carefully checked it for any threats or abnormalities, and then handed it over to Rimuru.
Rimuru broke the seal and unfolded the letter, his eyes moving across the page as he began to read its contents.
[Greetings, Ruler of the Great Jura Forest, Rimuru Tempest,
I am Frey, the Sky Queen and ruler of the Harpy Queendom of Fulbrosia, as well as one of the Ten Great Demon Lords.
First, please allow me to offer my sincere apologies for sending my daughter to your nation so suddenly and without any prior notice. The circumstances surrounding my current situation require swift and decisive action, leaving me with little opportunity to observe the proper formalities between rulers. If her unexpected arrival or any of her conduct has caused inconvenience, particularly due to her unfamiliarity with the customs of your nation, I kindly ask for your understanding and forgiveness.
I first came to know of you through our mutual acquaintance and fellow Demon Lord, Milim Nava the Destroyer. I must admit that I was quite surprised when she mentioned your name. During our conversation, Milim spoke very highly of you and even referred to you as her "bestie." It was through her praise that I first learned of your strength and capabilities, which led me to believe that you may be the one capable of helping resolve the grave situation I currently face.
This brings me to the primary purpose of this letter, which is to extend a formal invitation for you to visit Fulbrosia at your earliest convenience. I am fully aware that such a request may appear improper between sovereigns, and I assure you it is not my intention to show any disrespect toward a fellow ruler. However, the circumstances surrounding my current predicament leave me with little room to follow the usual courtesies. What I am about to say may sound dramatic, but I assure you that the fate of my entire kingdom may very well depend on the events that will soon unfold.
I will conclude this letter here and once again earnestly request that you visit Fulbrosia and lend us your aid during this difficult time. As a fellow monarch, I believe you understand better than most the heavy responsibility that comes with protecting one's people. It is for that very reason that I am prepared to offer whatever compensation may be necessary if you are willing to help Fulbrosia endure the storm that lies ahead without harm.
Proudly and sincerely,
Demon Lord Frey, Sky Queen of the Harpy Queendom of Fulbrosia.]
Once he finished reading, Rimuru carefully folded the letter and set it aside before glancing back at Nemu, who was currently fidgeting in her seat. For him, this was one of those rare moments when something genuinely caught him off guard. Until now, he had no idea that Nemu was Frey's daughter, or even that Frey had children in the first place. That little revelation immediately sent his mind down another line of thought. If Nemu was Frey's daughter, then who exactly was the father? For a brief moment, he found himself wondering if it might be Carrion, or if it was someone else entirely.
"Were you aware of the contents of this letter?" Rimuru asked, receiving a nod in return. "So, in your opinion, when should this 'earliest convenience' be?"
"Hmm, well... we could depart right now if that's alright with you," Nemu replied after a short pause, blurting out the first answer that came to mind. Of course, that suggestion absolutely had nothing to do with her desperately wanting to go home and throw herself onto her own bed.
"Girl! Have you no shame, making such a demand of Rimuru-sama?" Testarossa scolded sharply, her crimson eyes narrowing as she fixed Nemu with a piercing glare. The young harpy squeaked in fright before lowering her gaze and shrinking into herself, curling slightly on the couch as the faint but unmistakably terrifying aura leaking from the demoness pressed down on her.
"Testarossa, stop scaring her. She's just a child," Rimuru reminded her, signaling for her to stand down. To be honest, he did not particularly mind Testarossa playing bad cop for him, since it often made it easier and more entertaining for him to play good cop, or sometimes even the worse cop. Even so, bullying an actual child was a bit too much for his taste, especially when the so-called offender was a harmless and frankly adorable girl who looked like she would rather be asleep somewhere than dealing with any of this.
"Forgive me, my lord. I spoke out of turn," Testarossa said immediately, her frightening aura vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.
"I will overlook it this time, but do not let it happen again. Also, you might want to work on your skills when it comes to dealing with children. You are going to need them in the future," Rimuru said calmly before turning his attention back to Nemu. In doing so, he completely failed to notice the faint blush that appeared on Testarossa's face as her imagination instantly began running wild. "Sorry about my secretary. Her people skills still need some work. Even so, that is no excuse for treating a guest like this, so on her behalf, I apologize."
"No, no! Please don't!" Nemu blurted out in a panic, waving her hands frantically as she tried to figure out how she was supposed to respond to something like this. Her mind struggled to process what had just happened. This was the first time in her life she had ever seen someone in a position like Rimuru's apologize to someone who was technically beneath them. If it had been her own mother in this situation, she would not have even entertained the idea of apologizing. Frey would have simply dared the other person to complain. Because of that, Nemu's opinion of Rimuru rose sharply in that moment, even if she did not consciously realize it herself.
"Well then, Nemu, getting back to our earlier topic, I will accept the invitation and visit Fulbrosia tomorrow to meet this mother of yours," Rimuru told her.
"Thank you, Rimuru-sama!" Nemu's eyes immediately lit up with relief and excitement. As far as she was concerned, this was the best possible outcome she could have hoped for when she first arrived in Tempest. "In that case, I will take my leave and deliver your message to my mother right away."
"No, you are not going anywhere," Rimuru said calmly before Nemu could even lift herself off the couch. "There is no way I am letting a child like you travel alone in the middle of the night."
"But the message..." Nemu began to protest, only to be cut off before she could finish her sentence.
"Once I say no, it means no. Do not argue with me, Nemu," Rimuru said in a tone that left no room for debate. "As for sending a message to Frey, do not worry about it. I will send someone to Fulbrosia with my reply."
"Oh... okay then," Nemu said, finally giving in to Rimuru's words. After all, if he was going this far for her sake, it would have been truly shameless of her to keep refusing his kindness.
"Good girl," Rimuru said with a warm smile as he finished sending several messages through thought communication. After that, he walked over to Nemu and gently patted her on the head. The young harpy blinked in surprise at the sudden affection. To her own astonishment, the feeling was actually quite nice, and for a brief moment, she found herself quietly wondering if it would be too much to ask for more.
Just then, the door to the room opened, and a bunny-eared brunette stepped inside. "Onii-sama, you called for me?" she asked casually before her eyes shifted toward the other woman present. "Hey, Testa. Good to see you too," she added with a cheeky grin as she effortlessly leaned to the side, dodging the swipe Testarossa immediately took at her.
Rimuru chuckled softly at the familiar exchange, a warm sense of satisfaction settling in his chest as he watched the two of them interact so naturally. Truthfully, he was still a little surprised by how quickly Testa and Framea had started getting along. When he had first told Testarossa to take Framea under her wing, the demoness had been openly reluctant about the idea. On the other hand, he could still clearly remember the terrified expression on Framea's face when she learned she would be training under a Primordial Demon. And yet somehow, despite that rocky start, the two of them had ended up bickering and teasing each other like a pair of sisters.
"Framea, meet Nemu. She is Demon Lord Frey's daughter and our guest for tonight," Rimuru explained as he gently guided the slightly overwhelmed harpy toward the bunny-eared girl. "So take care of her dinner first, and after that you can show her around Tempest while I ask Shuna to prepare a room for her in the guest quarters."
"Oh, so it's the fun kind of job," Framea said immediately, her eyes lighting up with excitement as she grabbed Nemu's hand before the poor girl even had time to react. "Come with me, my winged friend! As Tempest's Quality Control Officer, I know all the best places worth seeing!" she declared proudly before turning on her heel and practically dragging the stunned and thoroughly bewildered little harpy out of the room.
Rimuru chuckled once again at his little sister's antics before turning toward Testarossa. "Well, Testa, since that wrapped up a lot faster than I expected, it looks like I suddenly have a bit of spare time on my hands. So I was thinking..." he said as he extended his hand toward her, "...would you like to go for a walk with me?"
The moment those words left his mouth, a radiant smile spread across the ancient demoness's face. Without hesitation, she gently placed her hand in his, her fingers resting lightly against his palm. "Do you even need to ask, my lord?" she replied, in a warm and sincere voice as she looked up at him. "I would love to."
Rimuru returned her smile, clearly pleased by her response. Before leaving, he quickly sent a brief message to Shizu through thought communication to let her know about his little outing. Once that was done, he activated his magic and vanished from the room in an instant, taking the white-haired beauty with him.
******
Meanwhile, back in Fulbrosia, Demon Lord Frey sat alone in her throne room, slowly swirling a glass of wine in her hand while a deep frown settled on her face. Her golden eyes remained fixed on the large doors at the far end of the hall as she waited for the return of her youngest daughter.
It had already been quite some time since Nemu had departed for Tempest, carrying her letter to the ruler of the monster nation. By Frey's calculations, the girl should have returned by now. She had even accounted for the possibility of small delays along the way or a few rest stops, given her daughter's personality. Even with those possibilities in mind, however, there was no reason for this much time to have passed. By now, Nemu should have returned with Rimuru's answer in hand. Yet the doors remained closed, and there was still no sign of her daughter or any response from Tempest.
'Was she captured by Rimuru's people, or did something worse happen?' The troubling thoughts continued to circle through Frey's mind as her frown deepened even further while she imagined the many possible fates that might have befallen her youngest child.
To be fair, Frey was not the most emotional or openly maternal person. She had, after all, taken the throne by ending her own mother's life, and she would not be particularly shocked if one day one of her daughters tried to do the same to her. That was simply the way the throne often changed hands among their kind. Even so, her relationship with her daughters was far better than anything she had ever shared with her own mother.
This time, however, it was her own conscience that weighed on her thoughts. After all, she had been the one who chose to send Nemu to Tempest in the first place. If the task had only been to deliver a letter, then any of her soldiers could have carried it out, likely faster and with far greater efficiency. But while casually fishing for information about Rimuru during her conversation with Milim, Frey had picked up on an interesting detail. From the way Milim spoke, it sounded as though this Rimuru had a rather soft spot when it came to children. Because of that, Frey had deliberately sent her youngest and cutest daughter, hoping that the sight of the harmless little harpy would tilt the scales in her favor.
Now, however, it seemed that her gamble might have backfired spectacularly. Perhaps Rimuru had seen through the ploy immediately and decided to respond in kind. If that were the case, then not only had she potentially placed her daughter in danger, but she might also have lost her one real chance to secure Rimuru's assistance and save her kingdom.
Then, just as Frey's thoughts began to spiral into darker and darker possibilities, something happened that immediately snapped her back to reality. Her eyes widened, and she shot to her feet when an indigo-haired man suddenly appeared in the middle of her throne room, stepping out of the shadows.
"Sorry to intrude," the man began casually, but he did not get the chance to say anything else.
"Who are you!?" Frey demanded sharply, her voice echoing across the chamber as her pinkish-white wings snapped open behind her and she shifted into a ready stance, fully prepared to strike down the intruder where he stood.
Naturally, her outburst did not go unnoticed. The guards stationed outside the throne room reacted instantly. In the next moment, ten elite guards rushed into the chamber with weapons drawn, surrounding the stranger in a tight circle with their blades aimed squarely at his neck, ready to kill him the instant the command left their queen's lips. At almost the same time, Frey's two daughters, Claire and Luchia, hurried into the room as well and immediately positioned themselves in front of their mother like living shields.
"I will not ask you again, intruder. Who are you?" Frey demanded once more, in a colder and more demanding voice now that her guards had the man completely surrounded. "And how dare you trespass in my domain, let alone my throne room!?"
"As I was saying before, my name is Souei, and I have come here with the answer you were hoping to receive from my lord, Rimuru-sama," Souei explained calmly, looking completely unbothered by the weapons aimed at him.
"What!?" Frey exclaimed, clearly caught off guard by that response. For a brief moment, her surprise showed plainly on her face, but she quickly regained her composure. With a graceful motion, she sat back down upon her throne and looked down at Souei once again. "Very well. In that case, speak. What answer does the ruler of monsters give to my request?"
"Before I reveal that, I would appreciate it if you asked your subordinates to step back," Souei said calmly. "At this moment, I am acting as the representative of Rimuru-sama. That means any weapon pointed at me is effectively being pointed at him. And that is something I am not willing to tolerate." His eyes suddenly sharpened, and a chilling wave of killing intent began to seep into the room. "So if you would prefer that your soldiers keep all of their limbs intact, I suggest you tell them to stand down."
"You!" one of the guards snapped in outrage, shoving the spear in her hands even closer to him until the tip nearly touched the skin of his neck. "Who the hell do you think you are!? How dare a servant like you make demands of our queen!" she shouted before turning toward Frey. "Lady Frey, just give the word and I..."
"I warned you..." Souei sighed quietly as he slowly lifted one hand and curled a finger around something almost invisible... something almost impossible to see with the naked eye.
"No, wait!" Frey cried out when she caught the faint glimmer of light reflecting off a barely visible thread near Souei's hand. Realization struck her a split second too late, because in the very next moment...
Clink, clink, clink, clink, clink... followed by drip, drip, drip, drip, drip...
One by one, the guards, including Claire and Luchia, dropped their weapons in shock as they suddenly realized their bodies would no longer move the way they wanted. At some point, thin, nearly invisible steel threads had wrapped around them without anyone noticing. The razor-sharp wires dug into their skin wherever they tightened, carving thin lines of blood across their arms, legs, and torsos as they instinctively struggled against the bindings, only making their wounds worse.
"Stop this!" Frey commanded sharply, glaring down at Souei from her throne. "There is no need for this to escalate any further."
"I couldn't agree more, Queen Frey," Souei replied, a faint trace of amusement slipping into his otherwise calm voice. "Now then, to deliver Rimuru-sama's response. My lord has accepted your request and will be arriving in Fulbrosia tomorrow morning, so please make the necessary preparations to receive him." He paused briefly before continuing. "Also, your daughter is perfectly safe, so there is no need for concern. Rimuru-sama was not comfortable allowing a child to travel alone so late at night, so he asked her to remain in Tempest for the evening. She will return together with him tomorrow."
"I see..." Frey said quietly, letting out a slow breath of relief as the tension in her shoulders finally eased. The confirmation that Rimuru had accepted her request was already a weight off her mind, but hearing that Nemu was safe made the news even better. "In that case, please extend my gratitude to your master for accepting my sudden invitation and for looking after my daughter."
"I will be sure to pass along your thanks," Souei replied. Then, without another word, his body sank smoothly into the shadows at his feet and vanished from the throne room. At the same time, the razor-thin threads binding the guards disappeared along with him, leaving them to collapse to the floor as they clutched their injuries while blood slowly dripped from the shallow cuts left behind.
After Souei disappeared, a heavy silence settled over the throne room. Frey remained seated, quietly repeating his words in her mind while her thoughts were already shifting, adjusting her carefully prepared plans piece by piece, to account for this new development. However, before she could fully immerse herself in that process, there was still one more issue that demanded her attention.
"I am quite disappointed in all of you," Frey said coldly as she looked down at the guards who were struggling to push themselves back onto their feet, with cold, disdainful eyes. "A man barges into my throne room without any trouble, and instead of being cornered and surrounded by my 'elite' guards, he turns every single one of you into hostages right in front of me. Truly impressive, isn't it?" she added with biting sarcasm as the harpies standing before her immediately lowered their heads in shame, none of them daring to meet her eyes.
In truth, Frey understood perfectly well that Souei must have used some kind of unique skill to slip into Fulbrosia despite the strict security measures currently in place. The entire nation had been under heavy lockdown for weeks, with no way in or out. Even so, that knowledge did little to soften her irritation. She had no intention of comforting her guards or pretending this had been acceptable. Watching a single operative from Rimuru's nation dismantle her entire royal guard while effortlessly restraining both of her daughters had been humiliating beyond words. What made it even worse was the fact that the man clearly specialized in stealth and infiltration, which only made the entire incident feel even more insulting to her pride.
"Now leave. Let me enjoy what little peaceful time I have left," Frey ordered quietly. One by one, the guards obeyed, silently exiting the throne room with their heads still bowed. Claire and Luchia followed shortly after, clearly aware that there would be no special words of comfort for them either.
Once the room was empty, Frey picked up her wine glass again and stared into the deep red liquid swirling inside it. For a few seconds, she said nothing, simply watching the slow movement of the wine as her thoughts finally began to settle. "It seems Fulbrosia will not be wiped out during my reign after all," she murmured to herself as she drained the remaining wine in a single swallow before letting out a long sigh of relief as the crushing weight she had carried for months finally began to ease from her shoulders. "Now I just hope whatever Mr. Tempest asks for ends up being a reasonable price..."
To be continued...
******
Hey readers, I just noticed that I only need four more reviews for this fic to receive a rating, so if you could do me a favor and leave a review, I would really appreciate it.