Chapter 80:
The festival in the Satoria Federation had finally begun, and the streets were beautifully decorated with food stands that were already packed with people from across the world.
Travelers and merchants had come from countless nations to enjoy the festivities and purchase everything from food to weapons, with many of the goods being sold at discounted prices specifically for the occasion.
The streets were so crowded that trouble could break out at any moment, which was precisely why Lunara's Oni military servants had been stationed throughout the festival grounds. They moved swiftly through the masses, keeping watch for anything that might disturb the celebration.
Strangely enough, despite this being a fantasy universe, much of the food, culture, and general atmosphere displayed throughout the festival resembled modern Earth, which was undoubtedly the result of Haruto introducing many ideas from his own world into the nation.
Inside the Victorian-style Diplomatic Chamber, Haruto sat on one side of a sofa with Azuraith seated opposite him. Their respective Subroutines stood behind them, with Vhalzareth and Liora representing Haruto, while Mai and Severin stood behind Azuraith.
(No way... it's her. I knew she was lying when she said she came from Solmaria.)
Haruto felt a brief flicker of surprise as his eyes shifted toward Mai, but he quickly returned his attention to Azuraith, maintaining the same composed expression that had remained on his face since entering the chamber.
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Azuraith said, her lips curving into an amused smile as her eyes leisurely traveled over Haruto. "I must thank you for saving the universe from destruction. I was rather surprised to discover that one of my Subroutines had already crossed paths with you once before."
"Likewise," Haruto replied calmly. "You must mean Mai, then. She was rather troublesome back when I was still in my Spider King state."
"I am honored that you still remember my name," Mai replied politely, placing one hand against her chest as she bowed her head slightly.
(Damn, the magical power he gives off now is suffocating.)
"Why would I not remember you?" Haruto asked with a small smile. "You were the first opponent I struggled against who nearly got me killed."
The moment those words left him, both Liora and Vhalzareth's expressions became noticeably firmer as they turned their attention toward Mai, clearly displeased by what they had just learned about their Lord's previous encounter with her.
"Hahaha, you really should have warned her before saying something like that," Azuraith said with an amused smile, lifting one hand in a casual gesture toward her Subroutine. "It seems your people took quite the offense at that."
"Do not worry. They will not attack her," Haruto replied gently, his expression remaining relaxed despite their reactions. "That is a promise. They are obedient, and I trust them completely."
The firmness in both Vhalzareth and Liora's expressions immediately faded, replaced by unmistakable pride. The simple fact that their Lord trusted them completely clearly carried more weight to them than any ordinary praise could have offered.
"I appreciate that," Azuraith said, still wearing her faint smile as she raised a finger toward Vhalzareth. "But that one? He makes it rather difficult for me to trust you completely."
"Hmm... what about Vhalzareth makes you think that?" Haruto asked, genuinely confused as he glanced over his shoulder toward Vhalzareth before returning his attention to Azuraith.
"What makes me think that?" Azuraith repeated, her smile remaining in place even as her tone became more pointed. "Are you actually asking me that? Do you even know what you brought into this universe?"
"He is the ruler of Hell, Lucifer," Azuraith said, her expression becoming more serious. "You could spend an eternity counting the evil he has committed and still never reach the end of the list. His very name is enough to strike fear into gods who have lived far longer than most civilizations."
"Hmm..." Haruto replied quietly, and a tense silence gradually settled across the diplomatic chamber.
Vhalzareth, however, continued to wear that same knowing smile, as though he had already anticipated exactly how Haruto would respond once Azuraith revealed his identity.
"I know," Haruto said calmly.
Everyone's eyes widened in surprise except for Vhalzareth, whose knowing smile remained unchanged. Liora, who had been with Haruto since the beginning, was especially stunned by his answer because she had always assumed that Haruto didn't understood what Vhalzareth really is.
(Fuck, I really had no idea about any of this, and somehow I had been standing here as though I already knew.)
Haruto experienced genuine shock internally, but outwardly he maintained his calm demeanor, refusing to let the surprise on the inside reach his expression as he silently addressed Seraphina.
(Seraphina, you'd better explain this to me later.")
『As you wish, Master. However, please remember—you were the one who instructed me not to reveal everything that will occur in the future.』
(When did you become so cheeky?)
Haruto leaned back against the sofa, his posture remaining relaxed while seriousness settled into his eyes as he considered everything Azuraith had just revealed about Vhalzareth. After a brief pause, he looked toward her with the same calm certainty he had shown throughout the discussion.
"Vhalzareth's past does not matter to me. What matters is who he is now, the loyalty he has shown me, and whether he will cause unnecessary trouble for me."
Azuraith let out a long, weary sigh at Haruto's response, then raised her eyes to him once more, a faint trace of amusement softening her expression.
"As long as you keep everything under control," she said smoothly, "I suppose I can accept that. However, you must tell me whenever you disappear—or somehow end up dead. Otherwise, all the monsters you have gathered around you will undoubtedly go berserk."
"I know, but that is inevitable," Haruto replied, leaning forward slightly. "I may be their Lord, but I do not control their emotions. Those belong to them, and they are responsible for what they feel."
"Seriously, I have never met a man quite like you," Azuraith remarked with an amused smile, studying him with a knowing look. "Still, if this universe is ever destroyed by your monsters, I suppose I can simply create another one for my people. It would be inconvenient, but hardly impossible."
(That's a Demon Lord for you.)
Haruto showed no surprise at the thought. The ability to create another universe was precisely the sort of thing he would expect from a Demon Lord of her stature.
"Now that we have settled those concerns, shall we move on to the matter at hand?" Azuraith asked. Her tone grew more serious as she leaned back in her seat. "Tell me, will your nation allow our kingdom to operate freely within your borders?"
"Yes, of course," Haruto answered, his gaze sharpening as he tilted his head slightly. "That is only natural. However, I will allow it on one condition: you must keep all illegal products outside our borders."
Azuraith gave a small nod, accepting the condition without argument, though the slight narrowing of her eyes suggested she was already calculating what the restriction would cost her kingdom.
"Then, in return, I want all resources and products to be priced fifty-five percent lower," Haruto continued calmly, stating his demand without hesitation. "If your merchants are going to profit from access to our markets, they can afford to surrender part of their margin."
Azuraith's smile remained, but some of its warmth faded.
"Forty-five percent is the lowest I can go," she replied, straightening slightly. "Anything lower would undermine our production costs and make the agreement more valuable to your nation than to mine."
Haruto watched her in silence for a moment. She had rejected his demand quickly, which meant the number was either close to her limit or deliberately chosen to make him believe it was.
A small smirk tugged at his lips.
"Well, if that is how you want to play it, I may have to raise the prices of all our materials, resources, and products," he said, looking at her from beneath his bangs. "You know as well as I do that everything we produce is of exceptionally high quality. If your kingdom wants unrestricted access to it, then you will have to decide whether a discount is worth more than the leverage our supply gives us."
Azuraith's fingers tapped once against the armrest before going still. Haruto had shifted the negotiation from price to dependence, and she understood the threat beneath his words: he could make her concession meaningless by increasing the base price.
"Then perhaps we should discuss more than a single percentage," she proposed, her voice measured. "You want lower prices, while I want reliable access and freedom for my merchants. If I grant you a larger discount, you will guarantee supply, protect our trade routes, and refrain from imposing new restrictions without consultation."
Haruto's eyes narrowed. She was offering terms, not surrendering.
"And if I agree?" he asked.
"Then I can consider forty-eight percent," Azuraith replied. "But only for goods purchased in sufficient volume. Smaller orders will remain at the standard rate."
Haruto leaned back, weighing the offer. She had moved three percent, but tied it to bulk purchases that would force his nation to commit more resources at once.
"Fifty-two percent," he countered. "No volume requirement. In exchange, your kingdom receives no special protection beyond what every lawful trading partner receives."
Azuraith's amusement vanished entirely.
"You are asking me to surrender both price and privilege."
"I am asking you to pay for the privilege you already want," Haruto replied. "You came here seeking access. I am the one deciding how much that access is worth."
For the first time, Azuraith's expression hardened. Neither of them moved to fill the silence. The next concession would reveal not weakness, but which advantage each was most afraid to lose.
(That Demon must have told his Lord what Queen Azuraith is after.) Severin thought as he glanced toward Vhalzareth, studying the Demon with a cautious expression while quietly wondering how much the two of them had already discussed.
"You really are a troublesome person," Azuraith said with a faint, amused smile as she stood from her seat and extended one hand toward Haruto. "A deal, then?"
"Wise choice," Haruto replied with a small smile as he accepted her hand. "I will be interested to see how our alliance develops during its twenty-thousand-year expiration period."
"Me too," Azuraith replied with a soft, knowing smile as she gave his hand a slight squeeze before releasing him, her expression suggesting that she was already curious about what the distant future might bring.
"We are currently holding a festival throughout the federation, so would you like to join us?" Haruto asked as he rested his hands behind his back. "I heard that you enjoyed the food we served here."
"Hmm?" Azuraith looked slightly surprised by the invitation, although a quiet spark of excitement soon appeared in her eyes as she considered the opportunity. "If you insist, then I suppose I must accept."
"Then, if you wish, you and I can experience the festival together while we wait for the main event," Haruto said with a small smile, his tone remaining casual despite the personal nature of the invitation.
"Oh?" Azuraith raised an eyebrow, and a teasing smile slowly appeared across her lips as she slid a strand of hair behind her ear. "Are you asking me on a date?"
Liora's expression immediately tightened at the way Azuraith interpreted Haruto's invitation, although she remained silent and simply watched the exchange between them with a faintly displeased look.
"Ahahaha..." Haruto laughed softly as he began making his way toward the exit, seemingly amused rather than embarrassed by Azuraith's interpretation. "Well, if that is what you think it is, then perhaps the answer is yes."
"Perhaps?" Azuraith replied as she followed him with steady steps, easily matching his pace while maintaining that playful smile. "You make it sound as though I was the one doing the asking, so perhaps you are simply a shy boy after all."
"Nah..." Haruto replied softly as he turned slightly toward his Subroutines, his expression remaining relaxed while he addressed them. "Vhalzareth, Liora, you two can go enjoy the festival and take it as an off day."
"As you wish, my Lord," Vhalzareth replied respectfully as he bowed his head toward Haruto, his posture remaining formal even though his Lord had just given him permission to enjoy the festival.
Liora lowered her head as well, accepting Haruto's instruction without question while quietly preparing to leave the chamber alongside the others.
"You two should do the same," Azuraith added casually as she looked toward Mai and Severin, her playful expression returning as she gave them permission to enjoy themselves as well. "Go and have some fun."
Haruto and Azuraith then left the Diplomatic Chamber together, continuing toward the festival while their respective Subroutines remained behind for a moment before preparing to follow their own paths through the celebration.
Vhalzareth, Liora, Mai, and Severin eventually vanished from the room in a faint blur through "Instant Teleportation", leaving the Diplomatic Chamber behind as the sounds of the enormous festival continued throughout the palace grounds.
A while later, Azuraith and Haruto walked together through the federation's busy streets while Azuraith looked excitedly at the many kinds of food being sold around them, her eyes widening whenever another unfamiliar dish caught her attention as she continued taking in the festival with childlike curiosity.
"What do you call this, Haruto?" Azuraith asked as she bent slightly in front of a cake shop, pressing her hands against the glass window while peering at the sweets displayed inside with an expression of genuine fascination that made it obvious she already wanted to try everything she could see.
"That is what you call a sponge cake," Haruto explained as he stood beside her and glanced through the window as well, before casually gesturing toward the entrance as though there were no reason to keep standing outside when they could simply try it themselves. "Come on, let's go inside and buy some."
"Obviously!" Azuraith exclaimed, her face lighting up as she immediately grabbed Haruto by the arm and pulled him toward the entrance with surprising enthusiasm, clearly unwilling to waste even a few more seconds before discovering what the strange dessert tasted like.
Before Haruto could protest, Azuraith had already dragged him into the cake shop, and they soon emerged again with cakes in their hands while she immediately began eating hers with obvious satisfaction, leaving Haruto to wonder how long this food-filled adventure was actually going to last.
"This is really good stuff," Haruto said with mild surprise after taking a bite, his tired expression briefly giving way to genuine enjoyment as he looked at the cake in his hand before turning his attention back toward Azuraith. "Want to make a stop at the burger place next?"
"Burgers? I do not know what that is, but it sounds delicious!" Azuraith replied happily, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as though Haruto had just introduced her to another extraordinary discovery waiting somewhere inside the festival.
Azuraith continued eating as they moved through the streets while asking questions about the ingredients and pointing excitedly toward different stalls, whereas Haruto answered as patiently as possible even though the number of foods she wanted to investigate seemed to increase rather than decrease.
By the time they had sampled nearly everything that could catch Azuraith's attention, including chips, milkshakes, cakes, burgers, and countless other foods influenced by Haruto's knowledge of modern cuisine, the two eventually made their way toward a large theater-like hall situated deeper within the festival district.
Inside, countless chairs stretched upward along several levels of seating while a spacious stage stood below beneath soft lighting, creating an atmosphere that felt completely different from the lively streets they had just left behind as the noise of the festival gradually faded around them.
At the center of the stage, a young Oni girl sat gracefully behind a piano and began to play, her gentle music spreading throughout the hall with a quiet beauty that immediately captured the attention of every species unfamiliar with the instrument and left the audience listening without interruption.
Azuraith and the others inside the hall were practically brought to tears by the performance, with Azuraith quietly wiping at the corners of her eyes using her long, slender fingers while she leaned forward slightly in her seat and continued listening to every note.
"Haruto," she whispered while keeping her eyes fixed on the stage, her voice carrying barely contained excitement as she wondered how the strange instrument could produce such beautiful sounds. "How does it make those sounds? Is the instrument enchanted?"
"I don't think so," Haruto whispered back while watching the performance himself, his expression remaining calm even though the music had clearly captured his attention as well. "She's just very talented."
"Just talented?" Azuraith breathed as she glanced toward him with an almost offended expression, clearly believing that his description had reduced something extraordinary into something far too ordinary for what they had just witnessed. "That is an extraordinary gift!"
Haruto managed a weary smile before returning his attention toward the stage, quietly accepting her reaction because even he found himself impressed by how naturally the young Oni girl handled the instrument.
When the performance finally came to an end, Azuraith was the first to rise from her seat and enthusiastically clap her hands while the other spectators quickly followed her example, causing the entire hall to fill with applause as everyone showed their appreciation for the musician.
(Wow... I didn't know we had people like this.) Haruto thought with genuine surprise as he stood beside Azuraith and joined the others in applauding, quietly impressed by the amount of talent that existed within his own federation even though he had never personally encountered this particular performer before.
"I am surprised, Emperor. You certainly have talented people, and they have some wonderful instruments," Azuraith said as she glanced toward Haruto with a small smile, her admiration remaining clear while her tone retained the playful confidence that had accompanied her throughout their time together at the festival.
"Yeah, they even managed to amaze me," Haruto replied gently as he gradually stopped clapping along with the others, flexing his fingers slightly before settling back into his seat beside Azuraith while the remaining applause slowly began to fade around them.
Azuraith tilted her head toward him with an amused expression as she studied his reaction, clearly noticing the tiredness that had started appearing in his movements even though the festival itself was still far from finished.
"Are you tired already?" she asked, her voice carrying a teasing note that suggested she found his exhaustion more amusing than concerning.
"Already?" Haruto echoed as he looked at her with mild disbelief, his shoulders lowering slightly while he considered the ridiculous amount of food and walking they had managed to fit into such a short period of time. "We've been eating for hours."
"But the festival has only just begun," Azuraith replied brightly, seemingly pleased rather than concerned by that fact as she leaned back comfortably in her chair and appeared ready to continue exploring everything the celebration had to offer.
Haruto let out a long sigh and glanced toward the stage before returning his attention to Azuraith, already realizing that convincing her to slow down would probably be considerably more difficult than surviving another meal himself. "That is exactly what worries me."
Once the applause faded and the crowd began filtering out of the hall, Haruto and Azuraith followed the other visitors back into the festival's lively streets where the music, conversations, lights, and countless aromas quickly surrounded them again and restored the energetic atmosphere they had left behind.
Their return to the streets did not last long before they found themselves near the food district once more, where the familiar stalls and tempting aromas immediately caught Azuraith's attention and caused her gaze to shift from one display to another with the same excitement she had shown when they first arrived.
"Look, Haruto! They have something new!" Azuraith exclaimed as she pointed toward another stall with renewed enthusiasm, her expression brightening all over again despite the amount of food she had already consumed throughout the festival.
Haruto stopped walking as his shoulders sagged slightly, and he stared toward the stall for several moments with an exhausted expression that made it seem as though the sight of another dessert had become personally responsible for whatever remained of his patience.
"Please tell me you're joking," Haruto said as he looked toward Azuraith, already knowing from the expression on her face that she had no intention of turning away from the newly discovered food.
Azuraith was already pulling him forward before he could say anything else, her excitement completely overwhelming any concern Haruto might have had about continuing their tour through the food district. "Come quickly! We must discover what it is!"
"I can't eat another dessert," Haruto groaned as he stumbled slightly after her, his stomach already heavy from everything they had eaten earlier while Azuraith continued dragging him toward the next stall without slowing down. "I'm still full from the last six."
"Then you may simply take a smaller bite," Azuraith replied with a perfectly reasonable expression that somehow made her suggestion sound far more convincing than it actually was.
"That's not how this works," Haruto answered while allowing himself to be pulled along, his tired expression remaining fixed even as the sounds of the surrounding festival continued filling the streets around them.
Azuraith only laughed and tugged him along with renewed enthusiasm while Haruto could do little more than sigh, his growing exhaustion becoming increasingly obvious as her fascination with sweets and modern food showed absolutely no sign of fading throughout the rest of their walk.
Even with his stomach already full and his feet beginning to ache from walking through the crowded festival for so long, Haruto continued following beside Azuraith while the celebration carried on around them, with the colorful lights and distant music keeping the streets lively as evening slowly deepened.
With the festival still unfolding around them and the main event drawing closer with every passing moment, Haruto and Azuraith remained together among the crowded streets while the surrounding sounds, lights, and movement of the celebration continued to fill the federation.
Inside a fancy restaurant, Haruto and Azuraith sat together at a table while enjoying a juicy steak, with Azuraith carefully using her fork and knife to slice a small piece from the cooked meat before lifting it toward her mouth.
"Emperor, I heard that one of your Subroutines said you are planning on spreading peace throughout the world," Azuraith remarked casually as she lifted the piece of steak toward her mouth, her attention remaining partly focused on Haruto while she continued eating.
"Sounds like something they would say," Haruto replied as he took a sip of water before gently placing the glass back onto the table, his expression remaining calm as he considered her words. "Yeah, that is part of my plan for this world."
"Really now..." Azuraith replied as she looked toward Haruto with slight curiosity, lowering her fork for a moment while studying his expression as though she were trying to understand what kind of future he actually intended to create. "Why do you want to do that? Wherever there is good, there will always be evil."
"I know, which is why I will simply have to delete evil," Haruto answered calmly as he cut another piece of steak and brought it toward his mouth without showing any uncertainty about the idea he had just presented. "Simple as that."
"So, are you trying to become the God of this universe?" Azuraith asked as she gently placed her fork and knife on the plate, giving Haruto her complete attention while her expression became more serious. "Remove evil in one of two ways, either by killing those who choose it or by turning them into obedient puppets with no will of their own?"
"I do not intend to punish evil. I intend to make it impossible for hatred to survive," Haruto replied with a slight smile as he looked directly into Azuraith's eyes, his voice remaining gentle despite the immense scale of the idea behind his words. "When every person can understand the pain of another as clearly as their own, there will be nothing left for evil to grow from."
"Is that what you are aiming for? Then tell me, how are you even going to make that a reality?" Azuraith asked as she crossed her legs beneath the table, her gaze remaining fixed on Haruto while she carefully examined the practicality of what he had described. "You still have to accept that people will continue choosing evil."
"That is essential," Haruto replied with quiet confidence as he maintained eye contact with her, his small smile becoming slightly more certain while he spoke as though the difficulty of accomplishing his goal had never been enough to make him abandon it. "Just watch me turn that into a reality."
Azuraith stared at him for several moments before a faint smile slowly appeared across her lips, her expression carrying both amusement and genuine interest as she considered the sheer scale of the ambition he had just expressed.
"You are such a fool, but perhaps it is fools who change the world," Azuraith said with a knowing smile as she leaned back slightly in her chair, her tone remaining playful even though her eyes suggested that she was taking his words more seriously than she allowed herself to show.
(Just what is the range of that ideal? If it goes beyond a multiverse, Reinhard might show up.)
The thought briefly crossed Azuraith's mind as she continued watching Haruto from across the table, wondering just how far his vision of peace could eventually extend if he truly intended to force such an impossible ideal into reality.