Kizuna

(Natsume Yuujinchou x Tensei Shitara Slime datta ken)

Author's Note: This fanfiction was inspired by harunekoya's "Worthy of A Name" and "The Human Mask" featuring a human-turned-god Natsume, as well as reading Tensei Shitara Slime datta ken manga chapters. Please be warned that this fic will involve slash sometime later in the story so don't read this if you don't like slash stories. But, it will be mostly gen...probably...with hints of romance (or its the other way around?). This is a crack fic after all so no real deep planning was made in this story.

Hope you enjoy!

Warnings: OOCness (it is inevitable), may have failure in writing the game-like parts in this story, future slash pairing

IX: Agreement

Blue Scarf Scout Ogre, just like his many predecessors before him, was trained differently from the rest of the ogres within the village. His bloodline worked in the shadows and were masters in espionage and assassination. Ever since he had been young, his sire had taught him that he would become a part of the tribe leader's children's personal royal guard in the near future.

He considered it an honor to be given such a position and strove to work hard in order to become worthy of the standing.

Besides, after having observed the young master of the ogre tribe in the shadows, he could see his fellow ogre's strength and potential. The young red-skinned ogre would become a force to reckon with in the future.

"Blue Scarf Scout Ogre." The summon is sudden but unsurprising. He promptly arrived in front of the chief and his wife.

"What are your orders?" His eyes were closed and his body was bent subserviently as he asked in utmost respect.

(He would not notice the subtle glare aimed at the chief coming from the matriarch as he waited for orders.)

Okusama was the one who ended up speaking. She ordered him to call for the little blacksmith immediately, followed by the head blacksmith but with a slight delay in order for her to be given more time to persuade the ogre child.

He opened his eyes and looked up slightly from his bowing position to stare at the chief. When the chief gave an acknowledging nod, he bowed his head and spoke. "I heed and obey." And then excused himself before leaving the room to search for the said ogre.

As he ran out of the chief's residence, his mind wandered to the candidates who would fill up the young master and princess's personal royal guard. Aside from himself, the more-than-probable candidates were undoubtedly the renowned Sword Ogre, a beastly, aspiring female warrior called Wild Purple, and as of the moment, the head blacksmith's nephew called Little Blacksmith who had been recently revealed to be in possession of a Unique Skill.

Although there would be trouble for sure concerning the last candidate.

Not from the candidate himself, but from his uncle, the head blacksmith.

It was no secret that the head blacksmith ogre was fiercely protective of his nephew due to the young grey-skinned ogre being the only one left of the man's family.

Nevertheless, he had no say in the tribe leader and okusama's choice for candidacy. Additionally, it would ultimately be the little blacksmith's choice to either decline the position and earn some animosity from the villagers for refusing such an honorable offer, or accept and earn prestige, as well as respect in return.

He was currently just a messenger, and a fellow candidate after all.

ooo

Meanwhile, back in the village chief's house of residence, the chief was in the middle of trying to convince his dear wife to give him more insight towards her thoughts regarding little blacksmith's candidacy as a royal guard. As well as the reason why in the world would she would want to partner their son together with his head blacksmith's nephew - not that he was wholly against it of course.

With the only problem being that same-sex couples could not procreate which would bring into question who would inherit once his son had taken up his position as chief in the later future, he wondered what his wife was planning to do about that problem.

(His daughter potentially could give birth to a child after she was married, where the child would then inherit in place of his son's nonexistent offspring. But there was a slight possibility that his daughter could end up with someone of the same sex or someone whom she could not procreate with. The former being...he'd rather not think about as of the moment while the latter being improbable as it would be expected of her to marry someone of the same species.

Not unless something happened...

He digressed.

Anyway, what was presently important was to find out what she was really planning.)

He waited patiently while looking expectantly at his wife after persuading her as much as he could. Fortunately, she answered and explained explicitly.

"As you may have surmised, I have been planning their marriage for quite some time." She began as she stood up, escaping his embrace. Taking a step forward, she continued speaking. "But the truth was that I had been planning this ever since I laid my eyes on White Camellia's babe when she and her husband had invited me to visit a few days after his birth."

"Little blacksmith was a beautiful child, I could already imagine what beautiful children he would create with our son. But much to my dismay upon conversing with White Camellia of my intentions to marry our children in the later future, she had declined, stating that it would be impossible." His wife turned to the side to stare outside at the blue sky. "Back then, I had not known of little blacksmith's gender and immediately presumed that 'he' was a 'she' so I ended up assuming something else regarding her reasons for her refusal. I had argued that we were close friends and that our differing statuses did not matter."

"When I had started rambling reasons as to why she should not decline, she had interrupted me to ask about the succession. Reluctantly, I had told her of my fantasies of our future grandchildren." She closed her eyes as she held her cheek as if she was in the midst of imagining it yet again. "She then corrected me regarding her child's gender after realizing that I apparently had assumed wrong. It was with a heavy heart and mind-numbing shock that I returned to our home to mull over the new revelation."

(Silently in the background, the chief suddenly remembered a time his wife had been depressed for a period of time and wondered why it was so. To think that this had been the reason though...)

"However, as time passed, I decided to search for a solution to the problem regarding future offspring. I swore that I would find a solution and returned to White Camellia with newfound confidence and bursting creativity. She had been about to refuse yet again since I had no probable solution as of yet but her husband, Grey Lance, stopped her and accepted the offer in her stead. White Camellia had been frustrated with her husband's acceptance but eventually gave in after my constant pleadings."

"Was there a written contract?" He found himself asking in curiosity.

The matriarch shook her head. "White Camellia would not agree unless it was an oral contract. It had been a hesitant decision on my part since I wanted it to be on paper so that it would be more legally binding but I made due with it. She wanted it to be as such since the probability of me finding a solution was nil and that there would be no evidence if anyone else ever found out about it. Additionally, the contract would not be mentioned unless (a) our son and their son mutually fell in love, and (b) that I would actually find a way to actually make the two be able to have children. And in the case the first clause was fulfilled and the second was not, they could still marry but the successor to the chief position would go to our daughter's firstborn. By the way, Grey Lance and Sword Ogre had been the only witnesses!" Her last words added as if in afterthought.

The chief nearly choked on the tea he was drinking upon hearing who the witnesses were.

(He could understand that Grey Lance could not tell him since he had already passed away, but Sword Ogre...?!

He quickly shook his head.

If he had asked, the older sword master would have probably denied answering him as it had been a private agreement.

But it had been about their son!

He could only sigh after scolding his wife for not telling him.)

TBC