"We've made another enemy," Shion said with a sigh and began raising her fingers, "What is that now? Duke Sercan, the Rekarsus and Kendogan Empires border elite, the underground, the Federation if they ever figure out our involvement with Lancard and Tensent, and likely Pilvor who is now a superpower in the Gulf."
"Well," I replied from the ground where I was like a starfish with countless fairies frolicking on top, "We also made some allies."
"Lancard and Tensent are not yet for sure," She replied quietly, "Those three companies, Rildan and the other two whose names escape me, as part of the Pasiam Dukedom, they could be called a quasi ally as well, so, we have an ally across the lake."
"What about the Mazkata?" There are quite a few clouds in the sky right now ah that one looks like a rabbit, "You beat their chief so they're with us now, right?"
"Maybe," She leaned forward from her seated position on a fallen tree, "But still, this is looking not so good, you know?"
"Worst case, Lancard and Tensent launch an attack on us right now to gain favor with the Federation who would then attack Surnova thus crushing the centers of power for Dra," Damn, the clouds are starting to looks like swords ahhh that's enough escaping reality, "Slightly less worse though, would be if they didn't manage to capture any of us, ah hold on! We also have Lirik! That's another ally!"
"Right, Lirik, one of the Thousand Wing Council members of which we just cut the wing off of one and basically poached a bunch of newborns from," Shion held her face in her hands, "Do you think... we'll win?"
"Win?" That's a funny word, "No one will win this conflict."
Countless refugees have already arrived in Durlivan, and who knows how many of those are spies, the sheer volume of incoming refugees is already incredibly difficult to deal with but to screen each of them?
The hundredth person would die from starvation if they were to go inside in a line, that's how long it would take.
They aren't like the Marked who were purified and now seek refuge with Seramia and the Veru Church, they are easy to do background checks on since they correspond to a missing person report throughout the years, besides there's extensive documentation of their sales in the documents of the traitorous Duke Loktre.
...
Haaa...
No one will win.
"Everyone will suffer in this conflict, it's just a fight for last in terms of suffering," I said with a long sigh, "What a pain."
Shion glanced down at me with wide eyes, I guess this is the first time I've exposed some of my real thoughts on situations to her.
I'm not always an optimist.
As a matter of fact, it's likely exactly because I'm pessimistic that we've survived this long.
And yes, that's right, survived, not lived! This is not living, this is fighting to survive.
Living is taking a nap with Shion in my arms, or having a good time with Nefamiti, Alias and everyone drinking and celebrating.
This is just...
Haaaa...
Suddenly I felt the fairies rise up off me flying around my head moved and I opened my eyes looking up into Shion's eyes.
My head had ended up on her lap.
"Do you want to... run away? I'll come with you." Shion said and her eyes told me she was dead serious.
I raised an arm covering my eyes and spoke, "Run away? No..."
The wind blew by in force and the ground shook as the sounds of hoofbeats closed in.
"...that is a luxury reserved for the weak." I stood up and straightened out my clothing of which not much was left besides my pants and boots.
The shirt I had brought was completely destroyed during the maelstrom of the battle between myself and Kiril as well as the Death Elemental.
As it turns out, focusing so much Scarlet Qi into one place will actually tear apart your clothing, not just your skin.
Luckily, my pants and boots survived since they weren't concentrated to such a high degree where my body couldn't keep up.
And speaking of pains, my arms are still sore.
The cuts and bruises caused by the Scarlet Qi moving so violently had yet to fully heal inside though they weren't visible outside anymore.
Shion wasn't much better off.
She emphasized speed and so her pants had many rips and tears in them albeit not too large, she was similarly injured due to the nature of Scarlet Qi being extremely explosive, thus if the body isn't strong enough to withstand the sudden explosion of power, then it will, well... explode.
The ground trembled as the sounds of hoofbeats came to a sudden stop.
Two carriages arrived along the narrow road.
It had been quite a few days since the incident with the Thousand Wing Council, and during that time, the fairies sent out messages to Lancard and Tensent giving them a vague idea of what happened and that the location was to be changed to this clearing.
"Scarlet Demon, we presume." Stepping off from the carriage with the Lancard Kingdom's sigil of a blackened heart, a familiar face appeared.
"Princess Alumira, it's been a while, I hope you've not been kicking people off cliffs." I replied with a smile making her flinch slightly but she ultimately remained cold.
Clearly, after returning to Lancard she was given very strict learning regiments.
Speaking of, behind her is a tall man with thick arms like oak tree's whose seems to really hate me, hilarious.
Killing intent gathered in my eyes as I looked up at him causing him to freeze in place.
Fraud.
He's hardly a High-level Neophyte, though still better than those few knights around Lionel Sercan back at Otol, it's not by much.
Blessed by physical strength is all he is.
"Scarlet Demon. As insolent as I remember you."
"Ah, yet another familiar face, what was your name again? Yanfre? Canfre?" I smiled at the lady knight who had jumped off her horse landing with a heavy thud in front of me.
Her eyes seemed to spit fire, "Itar Lunsar. Don't forget it again."
"Now now," Ah, there's the pair, "No need to fight, we came to speak of terms for this alliance, didn't we?"
Pitir spoke evenly, his graceful figure accentuated by his well-maintained robes.
Lucio glanced at Pitir's clothing with mock disdain, I can only assume he doesn't like the flashiness and finds it irritating but, meh.
It's not as bad as the meeting room in my house.
"Lucio, Pitir, it's been a month. I assume it's good news?" I said lightly, my eyes drifting over Iter Lunsar, their captain who was standing over the royalty who had arrived.
Princess Serli.
"Where might the Princes' be?" I asked curiously.
Last I remember, the little royalties moved in pairs.
Alumira spoke, "Our royal brother is receiving close education at the palace and is forbidden from going out."
"What a coincidence, our royal brother too is receiving training from the very best in the Gulf." Serli said with a cold look.
"Woah, why don't you turn it down a bit?" I stepped forward with a benign smile, "Ah, you both were so cute back then, what happened?"
Immediately, killing intent rose in waves from Itar and Cansei as they stepped forward.
I glanced at the two of them and back down the line where several tens of other knights stood.
"I am in quite the bit of pain, you two wouldn't attack an injured person, would you?" The two faltered.
That's right.
All those on the move lessons with Anept worked out.
Knights won't attack the injured and especially won't team up on them, it would wound their honor and unless by the order of their lord they would never hurt their honor and even then, they still might refuse the order.
Their pride is high and so they would not dane to attack, especially not under the eyes of the opposite nations respective knight corps lest their entire countries honor be smeared.
Ahh... using these pair of idiots is so easy once you know a little about them.
That said, if I go too far, they will attack if their lords honor is put on the line.
Though what I've said so far isn't particularly offensive.
They were compliments.
"I apologize for my husband's demeanor. We just finished a large-scale battle against a Death Elemental in the deep woods." Shion stepped for her hand on the hilt of her rapier.
"Ah, my dear Shion is so cute..." I muttered only to get a fearsome elbow straight to the gut.
"Hehaha..." Glancing up I smiled.
There it is...
Serli and Alumira had strained expressions and they tried to stifle their giggles slightly seeing the display, the atmosphere loosening up greatly.
Perfect.
Doing negotiations under an oppressive atmosphere is overall just stressful, and the deities above know I have enough to stress about.
"Lord Drashi," Pitir smiled benignly, "As you may have noticed, we arrived side by side."
The corner's of my mouth pulled upwards slightly, "So? You've chosen to ally?"
Lucio shook his head, "Not for free, see, we would like something from you besides the assistance against Pilvor."
His gaze travelled over to Princess Serli and Alumira.
Ah... that.
"Have you agreed to my conditions regarding that?" I replied lightly.
I won't create spoiled brats with the strength to back it up or else what's the difference between me and Lerrial Loijoin who used orphans to increase his Laminas' blessing users?