Chapter 82

We walked, without Itami or any other JSDF escort, down the ramp to the town at the base of Alnus. As expected it was even more lively than last time, but when you had a large city's worth of people 'visiting' it was to be expected. It wasn't crowded, or overly loud, just... more animated. To be fair, the 'original' settlers of this town around the JSDF base, were survivors from yet another of this world's problems, monsters.

Or rather, a single monster, woken up by a Goddess... Okay, root cause, 'gods'.

But no, there were no problems that I could see. Trade still happened, though there were some more obvious signs of wear and tear on the customer's clothing. Those same well worn travellers were talking with well-to-do townsfolk like old friends...

But our party was starting to get attention. I was sure some people had noticed we were walking away from the JSDF ramp. Or maybe it was the 'adventurer' gear? Maybe the HUGE hellhound (who wasn't sniffing everything like you might expect).

Or the tails... Aside from Ryuu we all had one, even if Kaede's was just an adorable little pom.

"You might have done better with a disguise." Maki nudged me. "As lovable as your tails are..."

"You know as soon as someone really recognizes you, you're going to get mobbed." Hagane said.

"A shame. Because we have to find Yao's people." Ryuu said, "Though, we can deal with that. Spot? What would you like to do?"

Spot looked at her (because like Momiji and Delly, he was looking around like a tourist even if he wasn't sniffing everything) and grumbled quietly, his version of a 'hmm'. He then did a quick left/right look and said, "wurf."

"Will that be safe?" Delly asked, translating as well, "You're kinda scary before you get introduced."

"We'll find an escort for you." I said, reaching over and giving the middle of Spot's head a little scratch, "You did pay attention to us when we were practising the local language, right?"

"Wuf."

"Good." Turning the pat into an actual ear scroofle for a moment, "I stand by my statement that you're smarter than the local congressman."

Being kinda familiar with the little town, I made sure to avoid as many places as I could where I might be recognized. I didn't want to cause a scene yet. And since it was a little less than a week early, I didn't want the refugees thinking it was time to go through the Gate yet.

That hope was slowly shrinking as our party got closer to the edge of town, and the twenty pace gap between the town and the 'killing field' encampment.

But, now that I was closer, and not looking down, I saw that there was already a kind of... hopeful feeling here. There were other physical signs of it. Like colourful bits of cloth on some of the tents to 'personalize' them. Or children of different races playing. The smell of a communal cooking pot making something that didn't smell like the last boring bit of whatever it was I ate from the Zone.

But also a feeling in the air. Potential, for good or bad, like Hagane had mentioned. I could feel it buzzing about like some kind of indecisive blanket looking for someone to settle on.

There were also the Dark Elves. They moved quietly around the perimeter of the encampment. Not 'avoiding' people, but not making an effort to interact either. Though, when a child kicked their ball in one's direction, the night skinned elf knelt, intercepted the ball, and applied a headpat to the child when he came to claim it. But then it was back to work.

I expected Yao's people to work, but not this level of effort. I'd have to thank her later.

This however made our job easier.

"M'lady Kodori." A pair of the cloak clad Dark Elves stood in front of our group. I didn't know them, but they knew me. "We were not expecting you for several more days, and honestly, not until we started crossing."

"We were told there was a little... friction... between the nobles and the people wanting to leave." I said, "So, I've come to smooth the way." I motioned to the Party, "You may know Ryuu, Maki and Kaede, as they were here with me last. As well as Hagane, though he's been modified since last he was here."

"They were described to us, in detail, yes." One said, while they both bowed, "It is good to meet you all. And the others?"

The Party bowed/waved/smiled at the greeting and I went about the other introductions, "This is Delly, a kind... of air spirit made flesh, who has taken on some of my likeness due to a certain magical misunderstanding."

"Hi!" Delly said, her wings buzzing for a moment, getting the two elves to go wide eyed, "I've forgiven her, and honestly, wouldn't know what to do without my tail now." She reached around to grab her tail and hug it close.

"This is Momiji, my assistant, mostly to remind me to eat, sleep, and who is supposed to visit that day. But otherwise, a brave companion and supporter." I continued.

Momiji smiled, but gave me the barest hint of squint eyes, "I also have permission to kick her in the shin if she puts off eating or sleeping too long."

"And these two, while they look like animals, are what we call 'Xenos'. They are as smart as you or I, and while they can't speak, they can understand the local language well enough, and are expressive enough to get their point across, so long as your questions aren't too complex."

Spot then surprised all of us, but writing 'hello' in the dirt with his paw. It was slow, and the cursive letters of the Zone were a little difficult, but he still sat like a good Doggo when he was done. "Wurf."

"The large one is Spot, the smaller is Chime. Consider them... explorers for their race. If you could arrange an escort, they'd like to walk about the camp, get to see what others of their kind cannot, for now." I said.

"We will be honoured." The two said. Then, one went straight to 'business'. "You are aware of our difficulties then?"

"We have been told what you have reported to Itami." I said.

"There has been no violence, yet. But any that seek refuge here, that are behind a wall, have become inaccessible to us. Though... Lady Yao wanted to know something, and we've all grown curious as well..." He trailed off.

None of us were ones to shut down a question, so we all motioned for him to continue.

"I'm sure it's obvious that the coins you gave us, to give out, are... insufficient to cover this many people. Will it be a problem?"

"No." I said with a smile.

"What she means to say..." Maki said, "Is that all it will do is cost us more money. But it's just money."

My smile fell off my face and was replaced by a sad expression, while the others laughed at me. But I shrugged, "She's not wrong. But no. So long as my rules are not broken, this is... ideal actually."

"We want them to live, and survive, not just run away and... die out." Kaede said, trailing off at the end.

The two Elves nodded, relieved. "Can we help you in your efforts here then?"

I looked to the party, and they nodded. I then looked back to the two, "Ryuu will direct things while I go on ahead to talk to the nobility."

"Very well. Thank you."

I turned back to my party, and we all did a little equipment check ritual. Once done, I turned back, "Let's go." And we all split up to execute our plans.

Before Hagane and I actually started walking through the rows of tents and other makeshift shelters, I did indeed hide most of my tails. Mostly to blend in, but I didn't want to be stopped just yet. I'd end up having to be rude or something. Later. Later I'd greet them all.

"We should have gotten a drive." Hagane said, as if reading my thoughts. "The road here is wide enough for two of their trucks, and we would have been given wide berth."

"True." I nodded, "But I still wanted to look. And, you haven't run properly since you got those arms. No time like now to find out how you'll do in an open field."

"I suppose. The balance of this body isn't as nice as it used to be. But unless you put lead in my hips or something..."

"I would never put something so base as lead in you. Maybe rework your tail to be thicker... Bah, that's a later thing. And I will do it."

He nodded to me, but made no further comment as we walked through the middle of the camp along the trade road. Sure, we were getting looks, lots of them! But none of them were staring at us. Maybe we were past some hidden threshold that made us not worth bothering. To be fair, only those prisoners we gave the Tour to would know my face, and I wouldn't doubt that many of them had just come from a situation were 'stopping to stare' got you in trouble.

But it was so... alive here. All these races, some I'd never seen the first time I'd run around on this side of the Gate... Like lizard men? Those weren't at the little showcase during the Market Swap... I wondered just how much more colour Orario would have with all these new people...

But while the Encampment was twice the size I ever thought it would be, we still got to the end. "I'd say 'race you there', but I know I'm going to trip on something..."

"We don't need to rush, just not take too long. I'm sure Miss Kaine will force us both to get super clean before we meet anyone important anyhow..."

There was little we could do with Hagane's forward heavy modifications. Though, we did try a few things. The first, and I had to stop myself from laughing, was for him to extend his arms back, and link his fingers together. It made him look like some kind of weird Cat/Butler. You know, travelling about as fast as a car.

Then he tried holding a rock behind him, a literal counterweight. And I couldn't stop myself from laughing this time, because he ended up being a Cat-a-pult when we tried to stop suddenly.

His new limbs also allowed him to dispense Karate Chops of Justice.

But aside from throwing a chest sized rock someplace potentially inconvenient, he didn't actually fall over.

Once at the Gate of Italica, we were met by a pair of JSDF and the mixed banner guards, signifying that yes, many different nobles were here and all working together for security. We were stopped, given salutes or taps on the breastplate with that formal 'you've been expected' air, and the JSDF escorted us both to the Italica base.

Only when we were out of sight of any guards (except for the JSDF in front of us) did I ask, "Not straight there?"

"No Ma'am. Lieutenant Yanagida wanted to talk to you first." Came the reply.

"Well, at least it isn't the Guild doing the paperwork this time." Hagane rumbled.

"You both seem on edge. What's wrong?" I couldn't help but notice the shifty gazes from the two of them. They were on high alert for something.

"With all the nobility here, we were told to be alert." Replied one.

"Ah, professionals. Good."

"We haven't received any special notices past that. So we suspect it is simply a 'high alert' situation, to prevent potential problems. Rather than because of a problem." Said the other.

"Good. Politics are irritating enough. Don't need some guy in a robe panicking." I laughed.

After another short silence, we arrived at the refitted mini-manor, and I noticed several horses stabled next to a Humvee that was parked in the stable. "Ah, Pina is here?" Because yes, her grumpy looking horse was there, giving the 'green iron box on wheels' a clear 'you wanna fight?' look.

"Yes Ma'am. Though, she is at Lady Myui's Keep." One of the Guards said, stopping his quick march in front of the double door of the building and saluting the two guards there, "We've brought the Fox and Dragon to the base."

"We have received the Fox and the Dragon." The other two didn't salute, but stomped their right foot down 'at attention' for a moment, then went back to 'port arms' with their rifles.

"It's good to be recognized."

The two who had been escorting us nodded to Hagane and I, then quick marched back the way we'd come.

"This way please." One of the guards said, opening the door to let us in. Lieutenant Yanagida is waiting inside in the Mess."

"Hmm, stairs feel odd as well." He said as we passed the two guards.

"Yeah, I'll have to redesign your tail." I said, nodding to any of the JSDF who looked in my direction as we took a right at the bathroom stalls opposite the entry and towards the rec room.

Something had to be going on. There were a dozen JSDF here, but instead of playing (heh) pink ponk, or cards or chess or whatever, they were cleaning their rifles or side arms. Those who weren't doing equipment checks/maintenance were napping, leaning back in a chair, arms over chest, cap over eyes.

We crossed the room, getting hardly any looks from anyone, and opened the door to the Mess. Akira Yanagida was there, still using his wheel chair though now a pair of simple canes were hanging off the back. On the table in front of him were a bunch of papers, and to the side were the remains of a meal.

Across from him, with the same intense look, was Delilah, who also had an empty platter beside her as she leaned over to look at whatever her partner was examining. She turned her head a moment after Hagane and I entered, and mumbled a quiet word to Akira, who put his finger on one of the papers and looked towards us.

"Good, you're here. In good time too." He said with a tight smile, "I didn't want to interrupt your actual work, but..."

"But you have a problem, and we owe the JSDF a favour." Hagane said plainly, sitting like a good Catto. He did make an attempt to soften his words a little, and offered each of them a hand, "Hagane. Now that I have hands, I'd like to greet you both properly."

Surprised, but willing to go with it, they both extended a hand to grip Hagane's. "Akira Yanagida."

"Delilah... maybe Yanagida someday..." The Warrior Bunny smiled, "Oh, your hand is even warm..." She didn't let Hagane's hand go, and was instead running her fingers over the smooth edges and angles of the hand.

Tension over the table broken, I stood opposite Hagane at the 'picnic' styled table and used a tail to pull a chair towards me, "Good to see you making friends." I said seriously, "What's so important then? I've no problem repaying a debt, mind you, but everyone looks like they're making ready for war."

"We might be." Akira said simply, "There has been an increase in activity on the other side of the Row Stream, and the limited intelligence we have makes it look like muster and mobilization."

He waved a hand towards the papers, and I leaned over to look and he started to point at stuff. Most of the pictures were from long LONG range, like... Maximum Zoom on a phone camera kind of quality. "We've seen a dozen boat yards spring up over the past week and a bit." Another picture, "Several towns have double or triple the amount of smoke coming off them." Yet another, this one looking like... maybe... kinda... an explosion? "And likely black powder weapon testing."

"Huh..." I mused, "And of course, your rules stop you from slapping wrists."

"Indeed. So, we do our best to be ready." He nodded.

A sudden sharp motion snapped my gaze to Hagane and Delilah. Hagane's free hand had caught Delilah's wrist suddenly, "Careful. That's my safety."

The Warrior Bunny's fingers were close to the locking lever of his hand spike. "A firearm?" Akira asked as Delilah was let go and settled for just giving Hagane a headpat, then getting one in return.

Hagane replied with a simple, "No. Just an attempt to keep me family friendly."

"He was tired of having to dig through larger monsters." I replied, also not giving up the 'secret' of his palm spikes, "But since we do have lots of children at the Manor..."

I was sure they both had thoughts about what the 'secret' might be, but they didn't pry to find our for sure. So, Akira got us back on topic, "Thoughts on this?"

"Well, I'm assuming that the 'secret' of black powder wasn't limited to the camp we found. So that little smudge that looks like an explosion is probably exactly what you're thinking. Shipyards, well that's obvious. I suggest you start making catapults and the like for shore defence." I offered, "And hope they don't have too many mages."

"That is, unless you are offering us a job again." Hagane was now playing with one of Delilah's ears, and the Warrior Bunny's reaction was 'thoughtful'.

"Feels like a brush, instead of fingers..." She mumbled.

Akira shook his head, "No... Not yet, and hopefully not at all. But yes, we've already informed the nobility on those shores to start work on better defence, and yes, catapult. But they are also asking that we give them the secret of black powder as well."

"Guns are fun, but are so messy..." Delilah said, sitting up properly, her ear slipping away from Hagane's hand. "And what was this called again... 'Arms race'?"

Akira and I nodded, "It would go against our orders, obviously, but yes, not having primitive artillery will put the nobility on our side at a disadvantage." He sighed, "We also don't want to instigate anything. After the assault on Alnus, and the various battles following, their military strength is still recovering. If the Emperor were to muster heavy and flying cavalry and send them across, Zorzal might order the bridges destroyed, and rifles, even primitive ones, might be too much for the wyvern, and certainly their riders."

"Too risky." I nodded, "And Cannon would probably be too much for a land dragon."

"The knowledge is out there now however. You know it will escalate no matter your stance." Hagane said, "When will you put your foot down, I wonder?"

Akira sighed the oh so familiar 'I hate paperwork' sigh, "We are the JSDF. If we are attacked, we are obligated to defend our allies. But until then, unless the Commander goes against orders from Home..."

We all nodded, but unless asked directly, I wasn't going to offer my services to just... fix things. Probably by making the people involved shorter. So, I stood up slowly and said, "Let us know if something happens. If that's all for now?"

"Y-actually..." He paused, considered, then continued, "You wouldn't happen to know why we're getting spelling mistakes from our attempts to contact Earth, would you?"

I smiled, "I heard from Itami that you've already had a bunch of false countersigns when Lelei's experiment finally returned the call." He nodded, narrowing his eyes at me a little, "Well, maybe perfect military precision is a little much to expect from the civilian who's probably on the other end of the call?"

Though, knowing Kurin, who was very collected for her age, being told to make spelling mistakes would probably have upset her a little.

"I see..." Akira said slowly, "Well, don't let me keep you. Any help you can give us with the nobility will make the rest of our stay in the Zone that much easier."

Hagane followed me as I started to leave. I nodded, "Let's hope Miss Kaine is in a good mood."

She wasn't.

Aside from the Gods, I was probably the strongest being on the planet. But even so, I still felt that little tingle at the base of my tails when the head Maid Kaine locked her gaze on me and Hagane. Thankfully, I could tell she wasn't upset with me. Just upset. Probably tired of dealing with nobility.

But, since I had felt that moment of near abject terror under her glare, I felt the need to confront my fears, and maybe cheer her up a little.

So, when she greeted Hagane and I at the side entrance to the Kitchen (or what passed for one in this world) and glared at the interruption to lunch time food preparation, I bent my knees to shorten myself, and gave her a hug.

"It's good to see you again!" I said as sincerely as I could, resting my head on the front of her shoulder, like a child greeting a grand parent after a long absence.

I ignored the gasps of surprise from behind her, and held the hug just long enough for Kaine to get over her surprise at the greeting. I was relived to see the very tiny start of a smile on her face, before she put her unhappy mask back on. "Here to deal with the nobility you're little plan has upset then?"

"I am." I nodded, putting my own serious mask back on.

This time her glare WAS directed at me, "Not looking like THAT you aren't. Persia! Aurea! You have an hour."

"Nyack! Yes Ma'am!" Motion returned to the kitchen staff, and Kaine stood aside for Hagane and I.

Behind me, I heard Hagane, "Yes, It is good to meet you properly." Followed by what I assumed was a handshake, before I heard his metallic feet started walking behind me.

After putting my adventurer gear in the Maid's Quarters, we were quick marched to the adjoining baths. Persia attended me, or rather, she brushed my tails furiously, while I scrubbed myself in the lukewarm water. Aurea worked on Hagane, using a horse hair brush to scrub the dust and bits of mud our run here had covered him in.

We even had a little bit of entertainment to go with the bath. In his apparent quest to 'feel' things with his new hands, Hagane was playing with Aurea's 'hair'.

The serpents on her head seemed confused, "I don't know..." Aurea said, trying not to move her head too much while she scrubbed, "You are warm, but made of metal. Alive feeling but not Alive seeming?"

Hagane, as usual, took the words with indifference, "Boop." The last time he'd broken anything with his new hands, that wasn't on purpose, was the first egg he'd held. So it was no surprise he was getting along with her 'hair', "This feels very interesting. I may just ask for a bed made of those giant snake scales."

Aurea gasped theatrically, "You killed snakes!?"

"They tried to eat us first."

"Oh. Well that's okay then! Heehee, now it's starting to tickle! Stop that!"

Hagane paused the slow motions of his metal fingers, and let his hand slip away from the little snakes on Aurea's head. "Pardon. Ah, let me help. Not as satisfying to do it myself, but we are in a hurry, are we not?" Hagane picked up another brush, and started to scrub himself as well.

Persia, after the 'show' ended, started to complain, "Why are you so fluffy!"

"Sorry, I've been really busy... Building a new town is really hard work, even for us." I was as clean as I was going to get, so I got a brush and started to help wrangle my tails. Hagane was right though, much less satisfying to do it yourself.

"Oh oh!" Aurea said, "Um... Do you have any desert in your world?"

"We do, someplace. The land around Orario is pretty mild, like this part of your world. But some of the traders we get from over seas come from arid places." I really hoped so, since I wanted pineapples... some day... "We apparently got a tribe of lizard folk too and a pair of Medusae..."

"Oh! They did get here! Yay!" Hagane had to rescue the other brush as Aurea did a happy little hop in the air, "Those were just the guards, I mean... Oh thank you." Her joy switched to business again and she took the brush back and resumed scrubbing, "This is kinda secret..."

"More of your people?" I asked.

"Well..."

"Nya... Medusae are executed on sight by the empire." Persia explained quietly, "The only reason Aurea hasn't been, is because she is part of the Fromel clan, and has been forbidden to have children."

"Killing what they fear. Typical humans." Hagane grumbled.

"Yeah... it is kind of sad. But we like to live in places humans don't go to." Aurea said, getting a towel and rubbing Hagane down.

"So these lizard folk?"

"If nothing happened, they're guarding the two Medusae and a box of eggs." She said in a stage whisper, "Don't tell anyone?"

"When they get to my side of the Gate, they will be safe." I assured, "At least, from things on this side. Our world is pretty dangerous, but I will do my best to find a place for them."

Persia helped me towel off as well, "Now you just have to talk to these silly nobles..." Persia sighed, "And I have to get rid of this hairball..."

"Squish it down like a wool bundle, and leave it with my stuff." I said, running the brush over my head a couple times, then getting my battle Kimono on. "Time to meet some people."

"You're still too sharp and pointy..." Aurea gave Hagane a headpat, "So you'll have to sit away from them."

"What a shame I can't talk to the silly nobility. I am devastated at this." He replied one word at a time without even a hint of remorse.

When I was last here to 'deal with nobility' Ryuu had done most of the heavy lifting. She'd warmed them up to the Adventurers from Another World, showed them we were just as capable and intelligent, and could do 'high society' reasonably well. It was no surprise, and one of the reasons I'd asked her, that she'd learned from Rias and her bunch while she saved my butt back in Kuoh.

Her effort and skill had warmed them up to the rest of us, and when I'd arrived to take over for her, I just had to escalate things a tiny bit. Show off a little more. Heal Duran's eye, show off Hagane, switch gears from 'noble dressed' to 'adventurer born'. We'd wowed them enough to do a meet and greet trade run with Orario, and make Royman's job easier.

But now...

Well, I'd upset a lot of people. And it was obvious. My reception this time wasn't as 'benevolent guest' as it had been before, but something else. I was taking people away from them. The Nobles needed people to work their land and pay taxes, and those people were leaving. Sure, the initial 'plan' though thinly veiled, was to 'remove Zorzal's support', the terrorists who were blowing up bakeries and whatever else.

But I'd cast that net much wider than they thought, and had pulled many many more people in than they thought I would. That... Well, I knew they'd be short sighted here. One values not what they have, until it is lost. And my little rescue operation was netting them a big loss.

"And that's how they are seeing things." Koji Sugawara finished his explanation, his hand on the door lever of one of the big double doors that led to the middle field of the square fortress of Myui's home. "Even if my pay is being held for when, or if, I return, you are really making me earn it." It wasn't a complaint, no, he was the Diplomat of the JSDF and very professional. But even with his passive, friendly face, his eyebrow was threatening to twitch in irritation.

I really didn't want to make his job harder, but knew that unless I started sending people away from the refugee camp, there were almost no options to make the nobility happy.

"Do I have any allies here? Aside from you and Lord Duran?" I asked.

"To be blunt, you don't have me as an Ally." He said quietly, "I'm sure you see it too, but there is basically no way the nobility here will want to support the JSDF if we allow their citizens to leave with you, in the volumes you are taking."

That kind of stung, but he was right. "But you're here because you're under orders."

"That's right." He said, still perfectly civil. "You are curing one of the biggest problems we've been having, certainly. But unless, by some miracle, the Nobility on our side of the Row Stream see things in a different light, we will have almost no support." He took his hand off the door's handle, but didn't move aside, "You know about the black powder, and I trust Akira-san got you up to speed?"

"Yes."

"This has a chance to escalate to open civil war, again. The Nobility here will demand we give them the secret to black powder, and they will use the trouble you've caused them as a crowbar to try and force the issue. If we refuse, they will likely call the JSDF out for backing out of our promise to protect them. This will cascade, and will leave us all but isolated at Alnus. Duran-sama is the only unwavering support we have."

"The Emperor?"

"After we saved him from assassination, he has left almost all local affairs to Pina-sama. She supports us, but she isn't taken very seriously. More of a sympathizer than someone with any real authority."

"Would it be better if I went in there as a man, then?"

He did a double take, opened his mouth, closed it, and rubbed his chin, "N...no. No. You are expected, and they know you. You still carry reputation, and unless you were Royman-san..." He trailed off.

I shook my head, "He's organizing for the refugees." He looked a little upset, so I continued, "Look, I'm not the type to say 'I'm sorry' when I do not believe I'm wrong." I said, "So no, I'm not sorry for all the trouble. I'm going to save those people, and their families, and do my best to ensure they have an actual future on my side of the Gate."

"You're in the same position we were, when we arrived." He admitted, "And now the shoe is on the other foot."

I nodded, "We both know some of Earth's history. And this is a mess entirely of their own making. I could, if I really wanted, rub it in their faces until they had no choice but to eat it. Or, I could try for the same kind of diplomacy they're using."

It had happened many many times in Earth's history. One part of the world taking over another, taking slaves, then doing everything they could to stop those slaves from getting away. Be it through violence, making up laws to suppress their efforts, or outright slaughter. And in this case, twice now, their 'way of life' was being ripped away by the JSDF who had basically shamed them into showing them that slavery was bad. And now me, taking the people they've oppressed and mistreated away from them to something better.

Sugawara likely only needed to look at my face to read my thoughts. He put a hand on my forearm lightly, then looked past my shoulder. Then, in the 'local language' he said, "Could you inform them that our special Guest needs a little more time to make ready? No later than dinner."

One of the Maids walked up beside us, did a perfect curtsy, and replied with, "I will inform them immediately, Lord Sugawara."

His hand took hold of my arm just long enough to turn me away from the door, "In an effort to keep you from having the Special Region blacklist us, we are going to plan."

I could tell by his voice, he was a little unsure on how I'd take the 'order'. But his body language was as close to 'angry' as I'd seen any of the JSDF get around me. So much so, that when I replied with, "Good idea." He looked like he almost wanted to pass out with relief.

We planned.

The first thing we discarded were the extremes. I wasn't allowed to 'remove' the problem by either making it shorter, or just not caring and turning my back on everything. And while I could stop Hagane outright if I had to, I could only promise to ask him nicely to not start breaking people over his back with his new arms. And to be honest, 'not allowed' was more like... 'please don't'. I respected the JSDF, so I promised not to.

Slightly less extreme, but still off the list, 'black powder'. This was a... ninety nine percent no go. They were killing each other just fine with just swords and arrows. No need to give them yet another way to kill their fellow sentient.

Sadly, the 'secret' was out in the world, and it would eventually get to this side of the Row Stream no matter what the JSDF did or didn't tell them.

And last on the 'extreme' list, was agreeing to some kind of 'initial offensive'. The JSDF was not going to attack first. If hostilities opened up, then so would the JSDF.

After that though, Sugawara and I talked about all kinds of things. Give them gifts to shut them up? Information? Outright buyouts? Mild and well meaning threats? Dozens of potential conversations played out between us, much like a 'what if, what now' verbal spar with Takemikazuchi.

To be honest, we both knew this was a fight we couldn't really win without the 'sacrifice' of my plan.

"My Lord, My Lady." Pina Co Lada entered the room Sugawara and I were in, with a maid closing the door behind her. "Sir Hagane told me you were in here."

She was dressed in a nice rose pink outfit that looked closer to a 'marching band' uniform, and not a dress like you'd expect the Crown Princess of the Empire to wear. It made me think of that one Anime... dueling on top of a tower, under an upside down castle... Anyhow, it made her wiry frame look quite dashing. She even had a nice thin straight bladed sword at her hip, basket hilt and everything.

"Lady Pina." I bowed, fist in palm.

Sugawara bowed, Japanese style, "We were just discussing how to salvage the situation."

She even adjusted her bow to match the suit she was wearing, bending her elbow at 90 degrees across her middle and bowing. "So I was told." She nodded, waiting until we moved a little at the table, so we could sit in a more triangle pattern. "I must congratulate you on your efforts to thwart my estranged brother, Lady Kodori." She looked to me, "We've had almost no more incidents of sabotage for at least two weeks now."

"She saw through your plan the instant I told her about it." Sugawara admitted.

"Good." I smiled, feeling much better about my initial guess about her. "Are your knights recovering? I hear the attack on the embassy was..." I couldn't come up with a good enough word that still sounded polite.

"Yes. All those who were blinded can see again. And the ones who needed more, are mending much like Lord Duran." She beamed at me, obviously pleased. "It is truly a shame we will lose access to such medicine when you leave."

"The method to make it, as well as the healing potion, are archived at Rondel." I said, an idea slowly forming.

Sugawara, extra sharp man that he was, caught the look on my face before I could hide it, and he smiled, "Mari-sensei has been studying it as well, but without magic, all she can do is identify the base items to start the brewing."

"Well, I will be sure to sponsor their great library the next time they ask." Pina said, "But to matters at hand. Your efforts have upset a great many people of importance, as you know, but, I speak with a voice second only to my Lord Father in this matter." Her smile faded, "It's not a loud voice, I'll admit. The 'cold war' has eroded my Lord Father's authority somewhat."

"We would be honoured to have you at the table." Sugawara said, "We were just getting to possible ways to resolve this."

NOTES!

Merry... whatever you call it. Day off, Christmas, Hanukkah, etc etc. Hopefully, I make it back to my desk after visiting with family and stuff.

Thank you for reading! And if you want to see any full colour art, join the discord!

aKAQg4bnYu for the discord!

And my actual book, Were Too? is on Inkitt.