"In your message, you mentioned something about alliances?" I ask, the silence broken.
Aoif's head rose from where she was observing me lazily to attention.
"An alliance… Yes, I did say something about that."
"You sound as if you weren't seriously considering it." I say, my eyes narrowed at the callous tone she took.
"No, no, nothing like that. It's just. Hm… how do I say it." She stops for a second, her eyes glazing even further from the milky purple they were before coming back.
"Yes, that's the word. I have no personal interest nor desire to participate in this game of crowns."
I nod at that, starting to see her logic to this, however.
"Why contact me, why not just peacefully wait. From what I can see your sole subordinate should be more than enough to protect you."
"You." She simply states, her face full of determination.
"Me?"
"Yes, you. It really is quite simple. I may have no interest in this game but I do in you. As you probably noticed I am blind however you, my dear Darwin, have the most brilliant color to my sight."
I didn't say anything to that. It was a heartfelt confession. One that I didn't know how to respond to.
I turned my head to the side, my thoughts in turmoil for a second.
However instead of a wall that I was expecting I saw the orange maid.
She was standing at the side, her gaze impassive as she stared straight into my eyes. Her hands moved and before I could even blink she was upon me.
My body was manhandled like nothing and placed into her lap. I tried to struggle out just as Tama appeared and tried to help, however nothing worked.
Not the upgraded power of Tama nor my squirming. I knew that squirming wasn't going to work the moment that I was picked up. Though it was only further compounded on when I had seen the way that Tama was flipped over onto the couch in the other room.
I just let out a breath and endured. Though when I looked up I found myself again staring into those beautiful purple eyes of Aoif, they were filled with amusement. A one of a kind sight that I had never seen.
"Delta." She ordered and by some sort of silent communication I was let go and placed back into the chair.
"Sorry…" She muttered, her voice quiet compared to the chipper that she had presented herself as.
"It's fine," I reply, "Just unexpected."
She sighs in relief, "Ah, that's good. Oh- that was Delta by the way, my subordinate."
I nodded at that before stabbing my thumb at the golden haired fox that was glaring at Delta.
"That's Tama then."
In just a moment's time the fox, Tama, was at my side. Her form shifted before she was back to the beautiful women that she presented herself as.
Aoif's eyes narrowed at something, her emotions that she wore on her sleeve in turmoil.
"Aoif?" Delta asks as if sensing something from Aoif, something that I had missed.
"No, it would upset you wouldn't it"
"What would upset me?"
"The death of your subordinate"
At those words Tama immediately became even more wary then she was. My body dragged to the side as she leaped out of the way of Delta's line of sight.
I found myself sitting next to Aoif who had found herself next to me. A mischievous smile on her face.
From the hiding place we found ourselves in I could hear the sounds of battle. Numerous explosions pinging in my ear as grunts of exertion and pain appeared from everywhere.
"Negotiations?" I ask, ignoring the situation.
A giggle came from her mouth as if something funny had happened.
…
I found myself sitting on the edge of the house, my feet digging into the dirt as I watched the fight between Delta and Tama.
It seemed like there was no heat to their battle. Despite the intense effort of Tama Delta made it look so easy to just dodge and retaliate. I saw several moments in which Delta could have ended the battle however she never did. Instead Delta seemed content to let Tama blow off her steam.
I felt a pit in my stomach, one of fear and nervousness. Even though I knew intellectually that Delta was not going to hurt Tama I still couldn't help but be nervous for her.
It was why I called for her. "Tama" I called, my soft voice barely traveling the distance, however it was enough as moments after I found both Delta and Tama near me.
I tried to shoo Delta off but she clung to my side. I even felt her stick something on me.
When I looked at what she did I found a small sticker on my shoulder. I was going to reach tk take it off but the slight glare that Delta gave me discouraged that course of action.
Instead I just sighed and looked up to where Tama was standing. Though she looked a bit jealous.
Moments later I felt a weight in my lap, Tama in her fox form was sitting in my lap.
"The negotiations, did they go well my lord?"
"Yeah, Aoif's coming with us. She has no interest in developing her own."
Tama purred in my grasp, my hands petting her fur.
"That's good, was there anything else?"
"Oh- yeah there was one more thing. Since we can get points from our subordinates killing those Gauls, Aoif agreed to lend us Delta to place us higher on the leaderboard."
I went to run my hand through Tama's fur again but felt nothing.
Looking to my side I saw Tama standing straight, her mouth set in a thin line as she looked towards the forest.
"How is this going to work then."
"I'll send out flares, they're attracted to loud noises."
…
It was with indifference that I raised the basic flare gun that I had created up to the sky. A red flare popped, the noise evacuating the various wildlife around us.
However that was not the only thing that happened as numerous footsteps in the distance grew closer. Next to me I saw as Tama, the fox, prepared for battle.
Her claws were out, aether flowing from her body into the air. It was a curious art that I had been analyzing since we fought, yet despite my full attention on it I was not able to replicate it nor categorize it.
I leaped up to one of the trees, my body crouched as I hid from the various enemies that approached.
They were of no threat however Aoif had ordered for me to help these two climb the leaderboards, whatever that meant, most likely a system thing.
It was for that very reason that I hid, there was no reason for me to help this fox. She was more than capable of killing each and every one of them.
However it was in the manner that I saw her do it that surprised me. Neither cut, nor damage was done to them. I only felt a sprinkle of aether in the air before every single one of the Gaul's disappeared.
It was as if they had been erased from existence.
'Interesting'
Again I shot a flare into the sky, though this time I was about a hundred or so miles from where the fox was.
Soon hundreds of Gaul showed up, however Tama was nowhere to be seen. Or at least that was what those ants would see.
From where I stood I could see a small silhouette that lurked nearby. It was stalking one in particular. For what reason I did not know but I could guess.
She most likely wanted to test something, what that something was, I still did not know.
…
"Up… w..k.. Up"
"Darwin wake up,"
I felt a hand shaking at my shoulder. Gently my eyes opened and I found the source of the voice.
It was Tama, her tail gently wrapping around me and holding my body to hers. She was sitting beside Delta who was just leaning against the wall.
"My Lord, are you ready to go."
I just nod, my eyes still slightly sleepy.
"Good, then we will depart immediately" With those words I was carried with Tama before being dropped on Ali.
It was who was there that had surprised me. Standing next to Ali was Aoif. Her eyes staring into mine, tracking my moves.