The next morning, we are back in the main square outside the palace, in front of a sea of elves once again. This time, my group and I are standing out of the spotlight, next to the nobles. Instead, Elira, Alara, and Ilina are the center of attention.
Alara looks quite apprehensive, and I don't blame her…this will be rough. I feel more empathy for her with every passing day. I sigh deeply.
[Hey Alara, just hang in there! I can't believe I'm saying it, but it pains me to see you this upset. Would offering you another favor improve your mood?] (Mizuki)
Surprise registers on her face, then I see her smile softly. She shakes her head subtly, but the smile stays on her face.
If some encouragement was all it took, that's no price at all. Besides, I have bigger plans for her and her territory the more that I think about it. Best to foster some goodwill with her when possible.
Elira walks in front of them with her magic megaphone.
"People of the Elven Kingdom, welcome to the official royal announcement!" (Elira)
A round of cheers rings out from the crowd briefly, and Elira waits for them to die down.
"Before we begin the main announcement, I have a few statements prepared! Everything that you will hear today, as before, was disclosed to your respective noble lords and ladies, and they support their Queen's decisions! First, henceforth all approved travelers in our country, regardless of race, will be entitled to basic elven justice if they are the victim of a crime!" (Elira)
Elira pauses as the crowd begins murmuring. They don't seem fearful or agitated, just surprised.
"Second, it has come to my attention that Lady Nedonera and her escorts are not properly recognized under our countries existing policies. So, I decree that, due to their immense power and influence, Elder Dragons will now be treated as foreign rulers under our laws, and their escorts as foreign nobles! As such, they will be entitled to the same justice as elven royals or nobles if they are the victims of a crime while lawfully visiting our country!" (Elira)
The crowd murmurs as before, but this time they seem to be less surprised. That makes sense, they probably already viewed Nina as a kind of queen, based on their interactions with her until now. I'm guessing they haven't fully realized that this decree also makes a semi-noble human.
"Now that these decrees have been made, let us proceed to the royal announcement! It is my duty to inform you, the people, that there has been a change in the royal succession!" (Elira)
The crowd erupts in nervous chattering, and after several minutes it has not waned. Elira raises her hand, and it slowly dies down.
"This matter was decided by a voluntary challenge in single combat, so there can be no doubt of succession rights based on strength! Furthermore, all parties involved support the outcome, and there is no ill will within the royal family! All noble houses also support the new line of succession. From this day forth, allow me to introduce you to First Princess Ilina Ophelle, future Queen of the Elven Kingdom!" (Elira)
The crowd absolutely loses it…in a good way. In less than a minute, chants of Ilina's name are ringing out across the crowd. She's been more popular than Alara for over a decade, basically since she was old enough to interact with the public, and it shows. Without concerns for her strength or royal strife, they embrace her fully.
Elira hands the magic megaphone to Ilina, who looks more than a little nervous. As she prepares to speak, the crowd quiets.
"Elven people, thank you very much for your generous support! It's my greatest wish to live up to your expectations in my future role as Queen, and to further the safety and prosperity of the Elven Kingdom and its people!" (Ilina)
Applause rings out from the crowd, and Ilina returns the magic megaphone to Elira.
"Regarding Princess Alara Ophelle, she will be leaving the royal family and starting a new noble house. She will be granted her own territory amid the undeveloped lands, stretching from the western coast to Avalon. In addition, she will be granted royal funds to start development of her territory and allowed to hire one royal guard into her service if she chooses." (Elira)
Shocked whispering breaks out intensely in the crowd, and Elira hands the magic megaphone to Alara. Seeing that she's about to speak, the crowd grows quiet in anticipation.
"I willingly abandon my royal status and name. From this day forth, I am Lady Alara Zuki, noble of the western territory! I vow to develop that land into a place where elves can prosper and live happily! Beginning in the next few weeks, a natural hot spring destination in the mountains of my territory, complete with lodging, will be open to paying visitors. I'll also have agriculture and construction opportunities available for those interested in a fresh start!" (Alara)
Wait…Zuki!? She wouldn't…I give Alara a suspicious glare, and she just smiles sheepishly back at me. That elf totally did, she ripped her family name from mine. I'm at least as uncomfortable as I am flattered. I sigh deeply.
Following Alara's declaration, the whispering in the crowd shifts from surprise to curiosity, and I hear the phrase 'hot spring' repeated excitedly several times. I smile to myself…that's a pretty good start. Alara returns the spotlight to Elira.
"My people, this concludes the royal announcement! Shortly, we will open the palace for the royal celebration. Please give a warm welcome to your new First Princess and new noble house!" (Elira)
The crowd breaks out into earnest applause and cheers, and the royal celebration is officially underway.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
Inside the ballroom, my party and I are gather off to the side. Much to Alto's pleasure, and Nina's disappointment, they are not the focus of attention from the common elves.
Instead, it's as if almost half of all the bodies in the ballroom are crowding around Ilina and Elira on the other side of the room. I expected as much…so I made sure to distance myself. Sorry, Ilina.
Alara is on another side of the room…apparently, she had the same idea. However, she's got a small crowd forming around her, and I can see a dumbfounded expression on her face. Even when she was First Princess, she wasn't this popular. Hopefully she doesn't hate the attention.
[Hey, Alara, looks like you're popular today! Feel free to use Alto or me if it helps. My company is repellant to the elves here if you get tired of the attention, and I'm sure Alto could help with questions about the hot springs plans and such.] (Mizuki)
Alara looks surprised, and glances around until she sees me. Then, she nods gratefully. Nice, that takes care of that – she needs to get used to it anyway, so I'm not going to insert myself unless she asks. I glance down to see Alto scanning the crowd nervously – she's next to me and has her arm looped through mine.
"Fufufu…worried that some of your admirers might find you, Alto?" (Mizuki)
Alto maintains her serious expression.
"No…you made quite the impression on the nobles yesterday, Mizuki. I'm worried about them finding you. I think you spoke for too much of the conversation, honestly. Nina barely talked. They still think you're weaker than her, obviously, and would follow her orders. Still, I'm sure you've greatly raised their appraisal of your influence within our group. They're also more aware of your scheming nature now." (Alto)
Scheming nature? I don't know what she's talking about.
"Well, that's a little funny coming from the person who declared her absolute loyalty to me in the first meeting, and explicitly cited me as the only reason you're in Nina's party." (Mizuki)
I feel Alto tense up.
"Fufufu…relax, I'm not upset. I understand why you did it. I appreciated you trying to set an example of how elves could trust me. I was only making the point that it was too late to convince them that I'm without significant influence in our group. However, I do agree about your other point…their too aware of how much I worked behind the scenes to put Ilina in power. Darak and Cara are clever, though, so its discovery was probably unavoidable." (Mizuki)
Alto sighs deeply, but her nervous expression doesn't resolve.
"Fufufu…I think Mizuki is talking as much as he needs to. I can't remember all his schemes in advance, and constant thought messages sounds annoying. I agree about those two elves, though, they recognized what a schemer he is. Cara wants to mate with him, so she won't be a problem, but the old elf has no such desire." (Nina)
Oh? You think so, Nina? How insightful. Nina's comment about Cara is enough to make Alto snap her head towards me in curiosity, then she smirks.
"What, are two wives not enough for you, Mizuki? You need a mistress, too? At this rate, you're seeming much less selective with women. Should Zara and I be offended you haven't tried to sleep with us yet?" (Alto)
I roll my eyes at Alto, but Zara gives a flat interjection.
"I'm not going to be offended, I like our relationship how it is." (Zara)
I smirk back at Alto. Why defend myself when I could just make fun of her?
"Thank you, Zara. As for you, Alto, I thought you reproduced by reading books, so I didn't see any point in trying to sleep with you." (Mizuki)
"If only I were so lucky…" (Alto)
I don't get the chance to tell Alto how sad that is, because a voice to our side interrupts my thoughts.
"Good afternoon, Great Dragon, are you enjoying the wine?" (…)
I turn to see a young elven woman with jet black hair, blue eyes, and a form-fitting black dress – it's the elf I presumed to be Darak Zardo's heir at the first nobles meeting. S
he has her arms crossed in front of her, with one hand holding a glass of wine, and she's giving an amused smile to Nina. There's not a trace of nervousness on her face – so she's bold, stupid, or powerful.
Nina is looking at her with a surprised expression. Probably because Nina has already had several glasses of wine, and the woman's comment has a teasing edge to it. Teasing an Elder Dragon about her drinking habits, especially when you have no rapport, is a stupid move.
"More than your company so far. Who might you be little elf?" (Nina)
I'd like to know that, too. A quick magic sense tells me that she's a mid 3 power level, and a high elf. That's impressive, she'd probably evenly match Alto right now.
Through some trial and error, and with Alto's help understanding the magic assessments, I've also learned to sense spell class and subtype affinities recently – she's elemental class, with earth, wind, and water affinities.
The mysterious woman smirks at Nina's witty retort.
"My name is Vena, Darak Zardo's daughter and heir." (Vena)
It's always nice to be proven correct.
"Hmm…and why have you sought me out, Vena Zardo?" (Nina)
"Well, I was just curious why you seem content with letting your subordinate do all the speaking with elven nobles on your behalf? We haven't been engaging with you directly." (Vena)
Nina glares at her for a moment before responding.
"Is that not the point of subordinates, to have them handle annoying tasks?" (Nina)
Damnnn…this might cause issues. Still, that was funny, so I'm going to give Nina a pass.
Vena raises her eyebrows, then purses her lips.
"I suppose so…Great Dragon, do you mind if I borrow your subordinate to annoy, then?" (Vena)
Vena gives me an annoyed look…it's not quite what I expect, though. The annoyance is mixed with apprehension instead of contempt. It doesn't fit with my assumption that she got handed off to a low-level secretary. Instead, it's what I'd expect from a student that got rejected from an easy professor's class and pushed into the harder one. In that case…
[I'd like to see where this goes, Nina. Her behavior isn't what I'd expect.] (Mizuki)
[Hmm…that's fine, she annoys me, so I'm happy to have her go away.] (Nina)
"Not at all, I think it's important to pursue what you excel at. Mizuki, do you mind dear?" (Nina)
I give a respectful bow to Nina, and Vena eyes me with resignation.
"Not at all my Lady. Please lead the way, Lady Vena." (Mizuki)
Vena nods and begins walking towards one of the palace corridors. I move to follow her, and I notice that Alto won't let go of my arm. Instead, she moves with me. I give her a confused look, and she whispers an explanation while fixated on Vena.
"I don't like this, Mizuki…I'd like to come with you." (Alto)
[Sure, I think that would be helpful, actually.] (Mizuki)
Alto nods appreciatively, and we continue following Vena. Eventually, we arrive at a small conference room that I haven't been to before. Vena opens the door and gestures for us to go in ahead of her. I enter the room and see two couches, and I direct Alto and myself onto one of them. Vena sits on the other with a heavy sigh.
"So, Lady Vena, shall we skip straight to the part where you tell us what you want from us? If you thought that my Lady would be easier to fool or persuade than me, you were quite sorely mistaken. She probably sensed your intention, and that's why she wasn't her normal polite self." (Mizuki)
Vena's jaw clenches, and her face remains otherwise neutral. I'll take that as confirmation.
"You know, I thought you'd be easy to manipulate when I saw you in that first meeting. My sister's note painted you as an idealistic bleeding-heart type, and us learning you can't use magic was just extra assurance for me. Still, Darak seemed convinced that it was best to be deferential to you, while I felt he was being paranoid. That was…until this last meeting. Tell me…when did you start planning Alara's downfall?" (Vena)
Vena looks at me suspiciously. Hmm…how should I play this? She already suspects me, so I might stand more to gain by just admitting to it and surprising her. I cast a silencing spell around our couches briefly while I respond.
"By the end of our first meeting with Queen Elira and King Dargo, I knew this would end with Ilina as heir." (Mizuki)
Alto and Vena both look at me in surprise. Vena holds a dumbfounded expression for several moments.
"Why…would you just openly admit that to me?" (Vena)
I shrug and give her a smile.
"I want you to forego half-truths and fake politeness, so I'm just returning the favor. Besides, me denying it wouldn't have convinced you. Are you going to tell me what you want now?" (Mizuki)
Vena shakes her head in exasperation.
"Talking to you is like playing with fire – sure, I'll be blunt. Come stay in the Zardo territory. So long as we don't officially employ you, and any land and housing remain under our ownership, you can live there permanently with only the royal travel crests you already have." (Vena)
Why would she want to offer that to Nina directly? It's a generous offer, and between the two of us, I'm sure that I seem more interested in living here.
Furthermore, why isn't Darak here himself for such an offer? Nina and I both have more of a rapport with him, and his blessing would be necessary. It doesn't make sense…unless...yes, I think that's it.
I give Vena an amused smile.
"May I ask why it is that you don't want us owning land in the Elven Kingdom?" (Mizuki)
Vena's face remains neutral, but that's as clear as screaming 'how'd you know'. Alto is looking at me in confusion.
"What are you talking about? I'm trying to help you live in the Elven Kingdom." (Vena)
I didn't expect her to own up to it, but you can't blame me for hoping. I make a show of rolling my eyes at her and put on an annoyed expression.
"If you want to play dumb, I'll explain. I'm guessing Lord Darak inferred there was a similar offer made by Lady Cara. Given my familiarity with Lady Cara, he thinks she's the only noble we'd accept such an offer from. So, he feels it's best to give us land where we're independent and won't imbalance the nobles' power. You don't like that idea, so you decided to circumvent me, the one familiar with Lady Cara, and attempt to persuade my Lady directly." (Mizuki)
Vena becomes visibly frustrated, and she looks me over like she's trying to decide how to fit a piece of furniture through a narrow doorway. I continue while Vena sits silently.
"I wouldn't be surprised if you never wanted us here. However, you know that option is gone. At minimum, we could be in Lady Cara's territory. So, offering a place in yours would not increase our access to your country, it would let you keep an eye on us, and it might even strengthen your house's position among the nobles. So, you couldn't pass up the opportunity to try, even if you had to fall back on trying to convince me instead of my Lady. I'm glad you did…now I know where we stand with you." (Mizuki)
Vena's eyes narrow, and she scowls at me in annoyance. Seeing her reaction, Alto gives me a surprised look and smirks.
"Fufufu…it seems I was worried about you for no reason, Mizuki. She wasn't any trouble for you at all." (Alto)
Vena sighs deeply, then directs a dejected expression my way.
"Tch…you're every bit the pain that Darak thought you would be. He even said that trying something like this could sour our house's relationship with all of you, and he advised me not to attempt it. I guess I should take the old man a little more seriously in the future." (Vena)
Ah, so Darak even warned her off doing this, and she ignored him without a care in the world. She could be troublesome. Hmm…what to do. I smirk at her nonchalantly.
"I didn't take you for the type to engage in flattery, Lady Vena. As for Lord Darak, I agree. It was obvious he was the most capable leader in that room – the fact that after a millennium together you haven't recognized it and taken his advice more seriously doesn't bode well for you." (Mizuki)
Vena's eyes narrow dangerously at me, and I feel Alto tense up. Maybe I should warn her what I'm about to do? Meh…better to see how she reacts.
"I'd be careful lecturing me, Mizuki. Your trump card isn't here to protect you, so you must be very confident in my restraint." (Vena)
Time to push her a little more, I need to see just how much of a loose cannon she could be.
"On the contrary I think you're rash and childish, and the fact that you ignored Lord Darak's advice and insisted on this ill-advised meeting is further evidence of it." (Mizuki)
Vena's entire body tenses as she leans forward, and her eyes turn murderous. It's obvious that Vena's willing to become violent against rationality, and that's all I needed to know. I can reel her back in now.
I feel Alto shift slightly next to me to match Vena, and a quick glance tells me that she's calm and focused. Good, I knew I could rely on her.
"Okay, I think that tells me everything I need to know. I apologize for any offense, Lady Vena, and we can conclude this meeting now." (Mizuki)
Vina's eyes go wide in surprise, and she relaxes slightly, but her hostility doesn't vanish.
"Were you…testing me? Intentionally gambling with your life like that…who's really the foolish child here?" (Vena)
I smirk at her.
"It's still you, because you're repeating your mistakes – you're failing to assess people properly before acting. You're an elemental class with all classic affinities except fire, and you have a magic power level around 3 ½. Still, don't assume a regular elf and human aren't a threat. In truth, you're an equal match for Alto here at best, and while I'm magicless and much weaker, I'm enough to tip the balance so that you'd likely die if you tried anything. The only one gambling with their life is you." (Mizuki)
Vena's expression becomes one of shock, and her face goes pale. Any signs of hostility disappear as well.
"How…that's…" (Vena)
"As I said, my Lady is a lot cleverer than you gave her credit for – she knows how to read people. She covertly gave me all the information we needed about you before we entered this room. Anyway, this meeting is over now, Lady Vena. Alto, are you ready?" (Mizuki)
Alto has relaxed some, but she is still watching Vena. She nods her agreement. I rise from the couch with Alto and we quickly exit the conference room. Vena doesn't follow us.
We make our way back into the ballroom and begin walking through the crowd. Alto breathes a sigh of relief.
"You had me nervous there for a moment, Mizuki. I wasn't sure why you were provoking her at first." (Alto)
"Fufufu…yes, sorry I didn't give you any notice. Still, you seemed calm and focused despite her hostility – I was very impressed." (Mizuki)
Alto smiles at me.
"I've learned after a number of experiences with you that, when your behavior is strangest, that's when I should trust you the most. It always works out. In this case, I'm guessing you wanted to know how volatile she was while you still held the element of surprise?" (Alto)
Hmm…that first statement feels like a dangerous precedent, but I'm glad she trusts me. I'm proud of her latter deduction. I smile and nod at her approvingly, and she smiles to herself, satisfied.
As we make our way through the crowd, I spot Darak walking around alone. He seems to be watchful. After a moment, he catches my gaze, and his eyes widen in surprise. He quickly corrects his expression to a friendly and relaxed one, then leisurely walks over to Alto and me. However, his eyes are still searching the area around me nervously.
"Oh, Mizuki! Good evening, I hope you're enjoying the celebration – these kinds of events are quite rare!" (Darak)
"Oh yes, it's spectacular. I also truly admire the common elves' relationships with their nobility and royalty – the respectful dynamic is something humans should really strive for." (Mizuki)
Darak's eyes are still periodically searching the area around us.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that you have such a positive opinion of us…despite your unfortunate track record. By the way, I don't suppose that you've seen someone who could be my daughter, have you? Black hair, blue eyes, and a black dress – uncommon around the ballroom, I'm sure. We seem to have been separated." (Darak)
Poor dude, she definitely was not supposed to meet with me. I can't resist seeing the look on his face, though. I direct a smirk at him, and he looks puzzled.
"Oh, you mean Lady Vena? Certainly, she should still be in a conference room down the hall there. We just had a lovely little chat." (Mizuki)
Darak's face noticeably stiffens. He studies me for a moment, seeming to contemplate how to respond, and then sighs deeply.
"I'm very sorry, Mizuki. How bad was it?" (Darak)
"Oh? Straight to the honest approach, huh? I was curious if you'd feign ignorance and pretend the offer was well-intentioned and out of friendliness towards me." (Mizuki)
Darak gives a sheepish grin.
"I don't have such a low opinion of your intelligence, Mizuki." (Darak)
I give him an amused smile.
"Fufufu…well, I feel the same, so I'll just be honest with you. I was able to tell from her approach that she'd have me legally removed from your kingdom if she could – living in your territory was just her backup plan. Moreover, it was clear that your daughter is rash, stubborn, and genuinely volatile. I tested her a bit, and I think if I'd pushed her more, she would have tried to kill me." (Mizuki)
Darak goes pale, and he's silent. I decide to continue.
"You can relax. While my deductions lowered my opinion of her, they also raised my opinion of you. I don't judge by association, so our relationship with your house is on excellent terms while you are in charge." (Mizuki)
Darak gives me a shocked look for several moments, then a smile spreads across his face.
"I'm glad to hear that, Mizuki. I can assure you that I don't share Vena's desire to have you removed from the country. I tried to prevent her from doing something like this, and I genuinely didn't think she'd be so outwardly hostile. What you describe is worse than I anticipated." (Darak)
"For what it's worth, she wouldn't have been explicitly rude or hostile if I'd been completely polite. I just needed to know who I'm dealing with, so I apologize for antagonizing her a bit. Still, is she truly your first choice for heir, Lord Darak? That's what she claimed, and you brought her as a guest." (Mizuki)
Darak nods solemnly.
"It's true she's my heir, but I wouldn't say my first choice. Her sister, the one you rescued, is a much better leader. Unfortunately, Vena is my only high elf child. Her sister will die of old age before I do. It's one of the more practical reasons why high elves like myself tend to have high elf heirs. As for you antagonizing her, it's forgiven. I'm sure that after pointing out her obvious scheme, all it took was one or two well-placed criticisms for her to lose her composure." (Darak)
Hmm…that's too bad, but I have no way to help. Guess I'm stuck with Vena in a few millennia.
"Well, that's understandable. I sympathize with you…she doesn't seem to appreciate how remarkable of a leader you are, even after all this time she's been alive. Hopefully something will change her mind about how to evaluate people in the future. Anyway, can we consider this matter settled between us – no hard feelings on either side?" (Mizuki)
Darak gives me an appreciative smile.
"Yes, I think that would be best. I'll let you get back to your Lady then, Mizuki. Have a good evening. I'm going to go collect and reprimand my daughter." (Darak)
With a polite nod, Darak walks off after that comment, leaving Alto and I alone. We return to Nina and Zara, and they look at us expectantly.
"Fufufu…so, how did it go? Was she as irksome as I guessed?" (Nina)
"As always, my Lady, your instincts were excellent." (Mizuki)
Nina looks smug. Zara looks curious.
"What happened?" (Zara)
I flash her a teasing grin.
"Oh, Zara, you're going to be so sad you missed it. It's a funny story." (Mizuki)
Zara's eyes widen in anticipation, and I catch her and Nina up on our exchange with Vena and Darak.
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We spent the next several hours making idle chit-chat around the ballroom. Apparently, Alara told many elves that Nina and the rest of us would be helping in her new territory for a while, and that interested them. Similarly, Ilina alluded to her friendship with us, and that earned our group some intrigue as well.
Eventually, the festivities wound down, and my party and I retired to the conference room we first used. We have a short amount of time left until the final meeting with the nobles.
"Hey Alto, now that Alara is officially a noble, will she be included on these meetings?" (Mizuki)
Alto looks thoughtful for a minute, then nods.
"Yes, I believe that's likely." (Alto)
Perfect.
"Hey Zara, if you want to attend this final meeting, and maybe secure a learning opportunity for your people, follow me." (Mizuki)
Zara gives me a curious look, and she stands up to follow me. Using my magic sense to narrow in on a combination of race, magic power, and spell class, I locate Alara in the palace and begin leading us to her. After a moment, I realize we're on our way to the library.
When we arrive, I notice that it's unguarded, and a quick magic sense tells me there's only one person inside. I guess being demoted to nobility really comes with a loss of perks. Zara and I make our way inside, and Alara looks up in surprise. She's seated at the reading table in the library.
"What brought you here, Alara?" (Mizuki)
Alara smiles sadly.
"Well, I really love magic, and the palace has pretty much the most extensive magic library in the kingdom, except for the Elven Magic Academy. I'm losing my royal access to the palace, and the academy is in Uril territory. I doubt Tessa is going to let me use the Academy library. So, I won't really be able to do this anymore, and it makes me sad." (Alara)
She's kind of like Alto in a way, I guess. That really cranks up my sympathy. I sigh deeply.
"Well, it's going to cost me a favor from someone important, which I've been avoiding using, but I think we can add a personal library to your home that's at least as good as the academy's. I'm sure there will be stipulations from me for giving you that gift, but I'm not sure what they are yet." (Mizuki)
Alara stares at me, dumbfounded. Eventually, she realizes I'm not joking and her eyes light up in surprise.
"Mizuki…please don't say that if you don't mean it. You think that's really possible?" (Alara)
Uhm, yeah. Azazel literally wrote every incantation on this planet if I'm right, and he can manifest things he knows into books at will. The only question is whether I can convince him to give me copies of all those books.
"I know for a fact that it's possible, the only question is whether the someone that I'm referencing will grant my favor. Don't consider it a guarantee." (Mizuki)
Alara's eyes start sparkling, and she genuinely looks like she's about to hug me. That would make both of us uncomfortable, I'm sure.
"Mizuki, I don't know how many ways to keep saying thank you. Honestly, at the rate you're going, losing my royal status might have been the best thing to ever happen to me. Still, thank you. By the way, what are you doing here?" (Alara)
"Ah, yes, I came here looking for you. I have something I wanted to discuss with you." (Mizuki)
Alara gives me a puzzled expression.
"What would that be?" (Alara)
"Well, I notice that you don't currently have any guards, and Elira mentioned that you'd have to hire a royal guard if you wanted one. Do you have any plans for your protection when you leave the palace soon?" (Mizuki)
Alara becomes glum.
"I've been wondering about that myself. I wasn't particularly well liked in the palace, my former guard is…gone, and I don't know who I could hire that I'd be safe with trusting." (Alara)
I flash her a smile. That's perfect.
"In that case, how would you feel about having Zara here act as your bodyguard on a short-term basis. We'd be traveling with you as well, and we'll keep you safe, but we wouldn't be with you constantly. In terms of payment, Zara would probably appreciate something other than money. I have an idea for that payment, and I think it would benefit both of you." (Mizuki)
Zara raises an eyebrow curiously, but she doesn't object. Alara stares at me, then looks at Zara skeptically. Yeah, a teenage wolf-kin probably doesn't inspire confidence.
"You're thinking she's not qualified, right?" (Mizuki)
Alara looks surprised, then embarrassed, and she doesn't respond.
"That's okay, I know Zara seems young. Let me put your mind at ease. Hey Zara, when you and Klaus spar without either of you holding back, how do you do?" (Mizuki)
Alara looks curious at the mention that Zara and Klaus have been sparring. Zara becomes thoughtful.
"Hmm…if I use my sword freely, I'd say I win four out of every five matches against him." (Zara)
Shock registers on Alara's face, and her mouth is hanging open slightly. Zara has a subtle smirk visible. That's good, she's earned feeling that satisfaction when people underestimate her. That's a deadly miscalculation from what I've seen.
"Exactly. She also singlehandedly defeated the leader of the demon army, and made it look easy. There's also another benefit to having her be your bodyguard." (Mizuki)
Alara looks at me expectantly now.
"What's that?" (Alara)
"My help. As you've gathered, I'm not entirely as weak as what I pretend to be. If you bring a stranger for protection, then I must limit how much I help around your territory. If it's just us and our party, then I can be myself and help out liberally." (Mizuki)
Alara seems convinced by that.
"Okay, that sounds great. Thank you again, Mizuki. Zara, I greatly appreciate your protection for the near future. I assume you've both gotten permission from Lady Nedonera for this?" (Alara)
Uhm…what? Oh god…has she still not realized? She sees my dumbfounded expression and becomes confused. Zara begins laughing maniacally.
"Hahahaha…oh, Mizuki! I thought she knew how strong you were after what you did to her, but she doesn't seem to! How do these elves just keep misunderstanding!? I'll never understand." (Zara)
Alara seems mildly annoyed, but a quick glance towards me keeps her from being too impolite.
"Zara, I'm not an idiot. It was clear to me when Mizuki took my magic why Lady Nedonera values him so much. He might be almost as strong as she is, and he could probably destroy an entire city himself if he wished. I wouldn't dare underestimate or cross him again." (Alara)
Alara gives her rant with a completely serious face, and even I stifle laughter. Zara, however, begins laughing harder – so hysterically that she doubles over. Alara looks at me, frustrated.
"Alright, Zara, I think that's enough. Remember, you'll be working together soon. Do not lose sight of how important it is for you two to build a good working relationship. Alara is probably making quite the effort to be polite to you right now. Why don't you apologize, then correct your new employer's misunderstanding politely?" (Mizuki)
Alara becomes confused again, and she looks at Zara. Zara seems to get herself under control quickly enough, then nods at me apologetically.
"Of course. Lady Alara, I apologize. Allow me to explain. Mizuki is not Lady Nedonera's subordinate, he is our leader. Also, he's not almost as strong as her, he's stronger…much, much stronger. In fact, calling him just strong is laughable. You mentioned a city, but it's my understanding that he could level your entire country if he wanted." (Zara)
Alara looks like she just heard that chairs were edible, and she turns an incredulous expression towards me.
"Fufufu…it's true. Also, I just call her Nina when I'm not in character, not Lady Nedonera. We're lovers, not master and servant." (Mizuki)
After staring at me dumbfounded for several more moments, Alara goes pale. She looks terrified. Damn it. I let out a deep sigh.
"Come on, Alara, I thought we were past this. You and I are on good terms, and this information doesn't change that. Is there really any meaningful difference between how strong you thought I was, and how strong I am?" (Mizuki)
Alara seems to relax, but she gives me an annoyed expression.
"Mizuki, I just found out that you are effectively a god. Yes, there is a huge difference between you wiping out a city or two while my people mount a defense and escape, versus you wiping all elves from the planet before we can even fight back. Forgive me for being a little scared when I first hear that." (Alara)
Well…I guess when she puts it like that.
"Okay, okay, that's fair. I'm not going to do that, though, I'm the same person as five minutes ago. I was happy that you were finally getting a little bit more relaxed, so this feels like a setback." (Mizuki)
Alara closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. When she looks at me again, she gives a shaky smile.
"Okay, I think I'm good. Does the rest of my family know about this?" (Alara)
"If you mean that I'm the party leader, and how strong I am, then yes. Elira, Dargo, and Ilina. Klaus, too, I think. Ilina knows far more than any of you, though. We're friends." (Mizuki)
Alara's eyes go wide.
"There's…more?" (Alara)
I smile wickedly.
"Oh yes, much more. That's information only for my closest friends, though, which we are not. No offense. Zara, Nina, Alto, and Ilina – they're my only friends that I trust with everything about me." (Mizuki)
Zara smiles sideways at me, like she appreciates her inclusion. I smile back warmly. Alara shakes her head in exasperation, and she seems like she wants to move on.
"Okay…what is your suggestion for Zara's pay?" (Alara)
Zara looks at me curiously.
"Zara's wish is to help her people learn valuable skills so the wolf-kin can thrive. You will soon be needing a huge labor force for the development of your territory. I propose that, as payment to Zara, you hire her people as a temporary labor force to build your first city. You get most of the laborers you need, and the wolf-kin get hands-on experience in all the skills needed to build a city for themselves later. What do you two ladies think?" (Mizuki)
Zara looks at me in surprise, then she grins – oh yeah, she's on board. Alara is looking at me, nervous and conflicted. That could be for any number of reasons, though.
"Alara, if your hesitation is because you are prejudiced against wolf-kin, and don't want them in your territory, you should just say so. I don't agree with that attitude, but I'm not going to punish you over it, and I'm not going to force you to accept them here." (Mizuki)
Alara gives me a surprised look, then glances at Zara and shakes her head frantically.
"No, that's really not it! I don't have any more disdain for demi-humans than I do commoner elves, I just don't feel any obligation to them. Admittedly, I…have a lower opinion of their intelligence…compared to elves. Still, I wouldn't say that I'm hostile towards demi-humans or dwarves. Humans are the ones that bother me. After all, they're the only ones we don't let travel in our country on business." (Alara)
Huh…that kind of makes sense, I guess. So?
"What's the issue then?" (Mizuki)
Alara nods apologetically.
"The first issue is that I don't want to take labor jobs away from elves. The second is…getting all those wolf-kin here. They'd need royal permission, and it's an incredibly long journey. This is to say nothing of the notoriety from an entire labor force of wolf-kin marching through the kingdom into my territory. Even if Lady Nedonera flew them, it would have to be in small groups, and it would probably take days each way." (Alara)
Those are all excellent points, and they're laced with surprisingly minimal discrimination against the wolf-kin.
"Oh, don't worry about the elves losing jobs. Hire every single elf you can for construction, and some for agriculture too, so long as they'll work alongside and train wolf-kin. I'll cover everyone's pay, and you can even double the normal rate. As for getting the wolf-kin here…I'll handle it. Elira will approve their travel if I ask, and I'll just teleport them directly to where you need them. It will be done in under an hour, and nobody else in your kingdom would even see them." (Mizuki)
Alara's eyes go wide in shock, and it's obvious that she doesn't know which piece of information to clarify first.
"Mizuki…you can teleport that many people over that great a distance? Truly?" (Alara)
I just nod patiently with a smile.
"Unbelievable…so…are you the one who taught Ilina?" (Alara)
Sharper than I gave her credit for.
"In a way…but it's best if you just forget about any strange magic you see. There are certain rules of this world that even I must obey. Those abilities that Ilina displayed, and her using them without incantations…you can't pursue that knowledge or tell anyone else about it. I'll be direct – if you don't heed my advice, I'll have no choice but to kill you and anyone you tell. Do you understand?" (Mizuki)
I glare at her seriously, and she gets the message. Her face goes pale, and she nods meekly. Good, I don't like murder. After a few minutes, she recovers and sighs deeply.
"You'll really pay for all these laborers at double the normal rate, with no hiring limit?" (Alara)
I nod patiently again.
"Yes. The more laborers, the faster the labor is done. Even a couple hundred workers for three months at double pay…I'm guessing that's between five and ten platinum coins, right?" (Mizuki)
Alara looks at me like I just suggested purchasing a country. Eventually, she gathers her thoughts.
"Mizuki…I…no offense, but do you know how much money that is?" (Alara)
"Hmm…if memory serves, that'd be about one to two centuries of wages for a serving girl at a tavern. Is that incorrect?" (Mizuki)
Alara looks surprised, then thoughtful for a moment.
"Uhm…no…that sounds correct…my apologies. It's just that…I'm only getting five platinum coins from the palace. Even that is considered way more than normal for a new noble – I'm only getting that much because I'm a former princess and my territory is completely undeveloped. How would you have that much money?" (Alara)
I really can't resist the opportunity. I know it's mean, but…she'll live. I put on a very relaxed face, then respond to her nonchalantly.
"Oh, that? It's easy if you just threaten to blow up some of the human cities and extort them for money. I've built up quite the coin purse that way." (Mizuki)
Alara goes pale, and she doesn't know how to respond. I begin laughing, and Zara follows suit.
"Hahahaha…your reaction was priceless, Alara! I'm just kidding – I'd never do that. I'm surprised you were so sympathetic to humans, though, I thought you hated them?" (Mizuki)
I smirk at her. I expect annoyance, but she just breathes a sigh of relief.
"That wasn't funny, Mizuki. I'd feel sorry for anyone that was faced with that, even if they were human. More importantly, I thought I'd severely misjudged you for a moment, and it terrified me." (Alara)
I smile at her apologetically.
"Okay, you're right. I'm sorry for scaring you. The truth is that I can…locate and mine…platinum easily using my abilities. I'll just…exchange…that pure platinum for money. If you're worried about the natural resources coming from your country, I could just take it from the Delmura Forest in Nina's area." (Mizuki)
I could, but I won't. The dirt in Alara's territory will be fine, but she doesn't need to know that. Alara just stares at me in exasperation for a while before responding.
"You're truly absurd, Mizuki. I'm just going to agree with your terms before the surprises get any worse. I'll leave those plans, and my gratitude, with you. You have my blessing as the noble of the territory." (Alara)
I nod at her appreciatively.
"Alright then! Well, shall we go meet up with the other nobles and get this final meeting underway? I don't particularly care about the result, so hopefully it's quick. Since you've agreed to her terms, Zara can begin her duties at this noble meeting so that you aren't alone, Alara." (Mizuki)
Alara nods approvingly, and then Zara and I say our farewells and head back to collect the others. As we walk, Zara looks up at me curiously.
"Mizuki, is what you said to Alara true, about how you acquire money? If so, does that mean you could just make yourself rich and live out your days peacefully, somewhere remote?" (Zara)
I cast a silencing spell over us.
"Well, it's half true. I could do what I told her as well, but it's unnecessary. I can turn even regular dirt directly into platinum coins. It's true I could do as you describe, but that would be boring, and I'd miss out on all this world has to offer. I only make money when I need it." (Mizuki)
Zara smiles at my response about being bored, but then her face becomes confused.
"It doesn't seem like you're trying to hide your abilities from Alara anymore, so why not just tell her you could directly make the platinum coins?" (Zara)
"Well, I want to keep that specific spell hidden from everyone other than my inner circle. More importantly, the elves and humans consider it a crime for normal people to make coins from the raw materials. Telling her seemed like it'd be a hassle." (Mizuki)
Zara's confusion only intensifies.
"Mizuki, why would that matter to them? Would they not pay you large sums of money for the materials and then convert them into coins anyway?" (Zara)
I flash Zara a huge grin. I knew I liked her.