— Leon Greyrat —
The atmosphere of the hall instantly changed upon my request.
"Defeating Laplace… you talk of something well beyond your standing, boy," Perugius said, his tone turning hostile. "What makes you believe you can defeat an opponent that us seven heroes could barely take down? Is your arrogance that severe?"
Damn, that pressure really was something.
But compared to talking with a monster like Orsted… well, let's just say I had experience fighting against such an oppressive aura.
"Well… that is why I am asking for your aid, as I doubt I am enough on my own," I said respectfully. "But Laplace would not be the same opponent you fought before, right? He would be weakened once he is unsealed."
Perugius, who was staring down at me, relented his pressure, shaking his head as if he was scolding a child.
"I see now. I do not know what things that Dragon God told you, but defeating Laplace like that is impossible," he said. "I admire your goal, as that is also my deepest desire, but it is not a battle that you can partake in during your lifetime."
Ah… so that's why he was angry.
He just thought I was an idiot.
"I don't plan to wait for him to complete the reincarnation magic," I said, causing Perugius to freeze. "I already said it, no? I plan to unseal Laplace, and then take him down in his weakened state."
Perugius' eyes widened a bit before he shook his head. "Foolishness. Do you think I would have waited all these years, searching for his reincarnated form among the many born with his traits, if I thought such a thing was possible?"
Ah… so that's why those particles fell around Sylphy and Rudy earlier.
Just as I thought, he was searching for people with the Laplace factor in order to find Laplace's possible vessels.
Anyway, back to the conversation at hand.
"But is it not?" I said. "I remember encountering Arumanfi the Bright the day of the Displacement Incident. He assumed that we were doing something related to Laplace's seal when he attacked us, so do you not believe it to be possible?"
Perugius flinched, his eyebrows narrowed in confusion, and a moment later, Arumanfi appeared at his side, seemingly whispering something to him.
"Ah… I see, so it was you on that day," he said, nodding his head in understanding. "Nevertheless, that was a different case. Something like the Displacement Incident was unprecedented, and it's nature as a byproduct of summoning had made me suspicious, alongside the immeasurable amount of mana used. As it was an accidental occurrence, something of that scale cannot be counted on to unseal Laplace."
"So, what you are saying, is that there is a way…" I said, smiling to myself.
Readjusting himself, Perugius looked down at me with something akin to pity, or perhaps disgust.
"How aggravating… Either way, while you are correct, it still cannot be done. That seal used all the Dragon God Urupen's remaining mana and lifespan to be placed. Even if it was a relatively small amount of mana compared to past Dragon Gods, it is not a level that you can replicate," he said. "To unseal Laplace… you would likely need an amount of mana equal to Laplace's own. It is simply impossible."
My lips tugged up into a wider smirk.
"Rudy. Get up here," I said.
"W-What!? Uh… fine," he said reluctantly, slowly walking over to us.
"Rudeus Greyrat… what does this have to do with you?" Perugius asked.
"Well… I cannot verify this claim, but I have been told that I have enough mana to rival Laplace," he said, his voice quivering a bit.
"Hmm… is that so? I know you have more than me, as well as that disgusting affinity, but to that level…" Perugius then nodded to one of his familiars. "Karowante. Verify this claim."
One of his familiars, which I assumed to be 'Karowante', then went over to Rudy, and upon placing his hand on my brother's shoulder, he took a moment before stepping back.
"And?" Perugius said.
"It… is unlike anything I have seen before," he said, kneeling before his master. "I believe his claim to be true."
Perugius shifted in his seat, staring at me with a gaze different from before. This time holding some interest rather than the apathy he held before.
I guess he was finally taking me seriously.
"And I assume he is the one who would unseal that man?" he asked.
"That's… what I've been told," Rudy said. "I… have also been told that my mana capacity is thanks to the Laplace factor…"
Perugius nodded his head.
"Hmm… while I am still unsure that such a thing would work, it would be quite amusing if Laplace's own magic would lead to his eventual downfall," he said, tapping the armrest of his throne. "Allow me to think. Stay here as long as you wish and enjoy your time in my fine fortress. Now begone."
And with that, our meeting with the Armoured Dragon God came to an end with… mixed results concerning my two main goals of getting Perugius' support for Ariel's ascension and fight against Laplace.
But I suppose I could finalize them during my time here.
— Leon Greyrat —
"Do you know why I have called you here?" Perugius asked from his throne.
"Uh… I have an idea, but I cannot be certain," I returned.
We had been in the floating fortress for a week, and after another wonderful morning of walking the halls with Ariel and Sylphy, and watching the passing sky with Eris at lunch, I had been called by Arumanfi to appear before the Armoured Dragon King… which led me to now.
"Hmm… your plan to defeat Laplace… I will join you," he said, causing my emotions to lift. "But… I have a condition. With Laplace's reincarnation magic, while it is annoying, it also makes it easy to deal with him when he is still a child. Thus… to fight him before then at a greater strength… we will need allies."
"Yes… I had expected to do that anyway," I said, nodding in understanding.
"Oh? And have you already gained an ally?" he asked. "One that can fight against that being, that is. They would need to be as strong as a Sword Emperor at the very least in order to be of use."
"Of course," I said. "Not only is Eris, my wife, growing stronger each day, but I have also already gained the support of Ruijerd Superdia. I believe you have already met him long ago."
At least, if he remembers him from so long ago.
"Ah… Ruijerd Superdia, huh?" Perugius said, his expression dimming. "I do owe him my life, as he saved me in the final blow against Laplace…"
Yes, I already know.
But why did he seem so dissatisfied?
Still, I know that he hated demons, but shouldn't he be a bit more accepting of a man who has already fought with him?
"But the Superds… such a disgusting race," he spat.
Ah… right.
There was that.
Ever since Ruijerd had shaved his head, we hadn't really encountered any problems related to his race, save for Roxy's little outburst upon their first visit, so I had forgotten about that aspect of the man.
The issue of his race.
"If this is about their actions back then… I believe there is an explanation," I said.
"An explanation?" Perugius said, raising his brow. "For massacring their own people in their bloodlust?"
"Well, you see…"
I then explained what I knew about the Superds, Laplace's betrayal, and the cursed spears and how it was used to transfer Laplace's curse, which I had learned from Orsted.
"I see… to think such a thing happened," he said after the explanation. "I guess I have more in common with that man than I thought, as far as our hatred for Laplace is concerned."
Well, that was good.
"But still… that is not enough," Perugius said, turning to glare at me once more. "In order for me to allow this plan to come to fruition, I will need you to obtain another ally on the level of the Divine rank. Ideally, one of the Seven World Powers."
Uhh… excuse me?
"Perhaps the North God or the Sword God would do, or even the Water God, should you and that girl take control of the Asura Kingdom," he continued. "Nevertheless, you need an ally on that level. And not only that, you need to beat such an opponent in a spar or serious battle to prove your own strength. Only at that time will I accept this plan to defeat Laplace."
Well… that was better than nothing.
And from his words, I would need Perugius' approval of this plan whether he was joining actively or not, seeing that he didn't want Laplace unsealed before.
"I accept," I said happily.
Besides, I was planning on getting another comrade anyway, and only someone on Ruijerd's level or higher would be fit for it.
"Good. Now… I have a question," he then said. "Why do you wish to end Laplace? As far as I know, you should bear no grudge against that man."
"Ah… well, assuming I didn't defeat him, he could easily wage a war. One that could harm my decedents," I explained.
"Huh… is that all? For such a reason?" he asked.
Hmm… should I be completely truthful?
I guess it wouldn't hurt…
"Well, that's one part. The other is that defeating him is required to reach the Man-God," I said.
Perugius frowned. "The Man-God… and why do you wish to reach that being? I assume this is why you are acquainted with the Dragon God?"
"Yeah… but Orsted isn't the reason I want to defeat the Man-God, he is more of a means to get there," I explained. "The Man-God threatened my family due to some future vision, so he had made me his enemy first."
"Huh… how odd," he said. "Nevertheless, should you complete my conditions, I will become your comrade against Laplace, and should you fall in the battle, I will also offer my protection of your family, but… I will not become the enemy of this 'Man-God'."
I simply nodded my head. "That is more than acceptable."
"Hmph," he snorted. "Is it? Then, is there anything else you want? You have told me some interesting things, and have even given me the possibility of exacting my revenge sooner than I expected, so I will consider your request seriously."
Consider my request… well, there was only one thing then.
My beloved Ariel had been attempting to get through to Perugius during our time here, but had been dismissed each time, so there was hardly any progress made in that sense.
She wouldn't accept going back without Perugius' support, even if we didn't need it.
No… she saw gaining his support as a challenge.
But I wanted to go back to Roxy and my kids, so I couldn't exactly accept waiting around for so long until he eventually gave in to her charisma.
Plus… knowing that one of Perugius' familiars could sense everything inside this place, our nighttime activities had been… a little less enthusiastic than usual, so to say.
In short, I wanted to get back home and end this stalemate.
"I would like you to reconsider supporting Ariel to the throne," I said, bowing my head. "She's a strong woman, though not in martial might, but rather in determination and charisma, and most importantly… she is a ruler worth fighting for. I myself hated all nobility and royalty before she showed me that she could change that."
Perugius didn't look entirely convinced, though he did raise his eyebrow in interest.
"Hmm… that's quite the praise… and it may be true, but… I would need her to convince me herself," he said, turning to Arumanfi. "Summon Ariel Anemoi Asura."
"Understood," he said, and with a flash of light, he was gone.
After a few minutes of waiting, the door then opened to reveal my three wives, with Ariel walking ahead as Sylphy and Eris followed behind as guards.
Seeing them together like that… it looked quite cute, but I decided to keep my thoughts to myself.
This was meant to be a serious conversation, after all.
"Ariel Anemoi Asura," Perugius said as Ariel reached my side.
"Yes, Lord Perugius?" Ariel asked, bowing her head lightly in greeting.
"You… what does being a king mean to you?" he asked. "Answer honestly. Not the given description of the title, but rather what important traits you believe to be required of such a position."
Ariel looked at me for a moment, confusion evident in her gaze.
Sorry, but no matter how cute you looked, I didn't know either.
But if it was the Ariel that I knew…
"Just answer honestly," I said, reaching over to discretely squeeze her hand. "You're the future queen of Asura, no? You of all people will know."
Her smile widened as she squeezed back.
"Thank you," she whispered. "When we get back, I'll convince the other three to join us in bed as a reward."
Well… that was certainly an enticing reward.
But wasn't she pregnant?
I knew that didn't hold her back from her lust, as there were ways other than penetration to enjoy such activities, but still… well, I suppose I was motivated now.
"What it means to be king, you ask?" Ariel said, lifting her head to look at Perugius. "That is a tough question, but if there is one quality that I know must be there… it is determination."
Perugius raised his eyebrow. "Determination? For what. To lead the people for your own selfish desires?"
"Exactly that," Ariel answered. "The determination to lead the people, the nation, through prosperity and hardship. The determination to make one's wishes come true and fulfill the promises one has made. The determination, tenacity, and pure will to allow those that have died to be able to rest in their graves knowing that the cause they sacrificed themselves for was not for naught… that is the most important quality in a leader, and it is one I will never lack so long as I am living."
Her rousing speech was accompanied by a fierce glare as she stared at Perugius, unwavering, the act seemingly pleasing Eris as she smirked happily from behind us.
"Determination… such a simple thing, you believe someone can be a great king with just that?" Perugius asked.
"Yes," she answered easily. "Not only will my determination carry me to the throne, but it will also ensure I change the nation for the better."
"Even though you may have no skills of your own?" he asked, tilting his head. "Management, making decisions, international politics… how will that determination help you in these cases?"
"Well… you shouldn't underestimate me. So long as they are not such a regal being like yourself, I have found requests quite easy to make," Ariel said, smiling happily as she glanced at me. "And as for skills… I have other people to perform where I am lacking, and it is my determination that brings them all together. So yes… that is my answer. And it will never change."
Perugius thought in silence for a moment before looking over to me.
"You… Leon Greyrat… I have a question," he said. "Past her being your lover and the mother of your unborn child, would you be willing to die for Ariel Anemoi Asura here? Simply as her vassal, that is."
I narrowed my eyes as I thought for a moment.
Thinking of Ariel as someone that wasn't my lover… that was honestly hard to do at this point, but luckily, I didn't really have to think about any hypotheticals to envision such a situation.
After all, I still remember that fight against the three swords of the North God quite clearly, and particularly against the North Emperor Auber.
At that time, when I was fighting against that monstrous opponent, despite finding myself outmatched… I had never once thought about fleeing.
So it was only obvious as to what the answer was.
"Yes," I answered. "Ariel is someone I would die for even before we came together. I could trust her to protect my family, and I could trust her to make a great country."
Perugius stared at me in silence once again, which had become quite frequent for the contemplative man, before he then turned back to Ariel.
"Determination… I accept your answer, Ariel Anemoi Asura, and I believe you can become a great queen. One worth supporting," he said, causing Ariel's expression to lift. "But… words alone will never convince me."
Ariel's expression fell.
"However, your actions will," he continued. "I will support you, but I will not reveal it until you secure the throne. You will only have my backing after you have staked your claim to the throne, and offer minimal aid on your path towards it. Should you falter or lose this 'determination' you so admire, then consider this agreement null."
Ariel nodded her head with a smile. "That is more than I can ask for."
Indeed… we only wanted Perugius' support as a way to silence any disagreements afterwards, after all.
Having his support would ensure the nation that Ariel's ascension was legitimate, regardless of what needed to happen to get her there.
"Right… then, if that is all, I believe there is nothing left to discuss," he said, waving his arms as the grand doors opened behind us. "Now leave. I assume you both have gotten once you came for, so if you need to go back to the city of Sharia, simply inform Sylvaril."
"We will. Thank you, Lord Perugius," Ariel said, bowing as I did as well.
And with that, we went through the opened doors, with them shutting behind us a moment later as Ariel let her calm facade fall.
"I did it… I did it!" she cheered, running into my arms as she peppered my cheeks with kisses, uncaring of the blank stares she was receiving from her two guards.
"Yes… you did, and I'm very proud of you," I said, kissing her back.
The blank stares had turned a bit hostile.
I should probably deal with that…
"A-Ah! And you two as well! Good job!" I said, detaching Ariel from my neck as I went over to hug Eris and Sylphy, my actions seemingly fixing their displeasure as they cheerfully hugged back. "Now… is that truly all? Are we okay to head back now?"
"Yes… we should," Ariel said. "This place is beautiful, and it has a wonderful bath, but it cannot hold a candle to the comfort of home… don't you think?"
As she looked back at me, ending her words with a wink and a happy smile, I couldn't help but think that for all the charismatic and impressive expressions I had seen her perform, I couldn't find any of them nearly as beautiful as the smiles she gave me.
Much like the one right now.
"Yeah… let's go home," I said, smiling back.
It was a week and a half until new years, so I had definitely kept my promise to Roxy.
Besides… I was really missing her and my kids.
Ah… and that reward that Ariel mentioned earlier… I was quite excited about that too, if Ariel was able to manage it.