Chapter 84: D-:

Lower Fire Month, 19th Day, 600 AGG

Draudillon was glad she no longer had to adopt the form of a child. Not having people of Cerabrate's ilk leer at the flat, curveless figure she used to publicly present combined with the opportunity to properly show dignity was refreshing.

'Although,' she surveyed the Court and the summons that silently stood by the walls. Her current, true appearance was described by Martin to be that of a 'ruinous beauty' after all. Of course, she couldn't say the statement wasn't just a tasteless joke since it was the Prime Minister, but recent interactions made her suspect he was serious. Probably. 'I suppose the only reason they wouldn't do so now is because of the person standing beside me.'

The dragon queen wouldn't have thought it strange if a few looks were shot her way, but Yuriko's presence was… intense to say the least.

Draudillon glanced at the angel standing beside her and hummed as memories of countless vehement compliments rang in her ears. Were all couples this way, or was it just her beloved? Yuriko didn't limit themselves to mere words either—

"The Prime Minister regrettably cannot join us today, again," she shook off the pink tinged adorations and addressed the Royal Court with the adamantite will they had long since learned to recognize from her. "However, thanks to his tireless efforts, we have a draft for a formal accord with the Beastman Country."

This was met with a round of barely restrained cheering from the normally stoic-faced nobles. All were aware of what Martin was tasked to complete, but hearing it from her made it feel more real to them, somehow. It was a development that would've been undreamt of in the past.

"Essentially, feel free to trade with, travel in, and hire from our demihuman neighbors. This does not give us free reign to treat them however we wish; crimes will remain crimes," teal-green eyes sharpened. "I hope there won't be a need to repeat myself in the future."

The members of the Royal Court murmured their assent with varying degrees of enthusiasm. "We're due for some important guests today, so there won't be as much time as usual for questions."

A number of the less adept found their eyes captured by the living, breathing image of 'divinity' beside the throne. Yuriko's gaze flicked towards her, and Draudillon quietly sighed.

'Are you sure? Are you one-hundred percent sure?'

Realistically, no. Or to rephrase, they shouldn't be. The current Yuriko was a ball of nerves and was bound to fumble something and then they'd fret and…

'She wants to. She's been taking her studies seriously—as serious as her limited free time permits. She has the clout, and I'm here too.'

… the dragon queen nodded, and a Goddess gulped.

"Now, I'm sure all of you are aware of who this is," Draudillon gestured towards a stiff and frozen Yuriko. "And some among you might even be acquainted with her, but for those who haven't had the opportunity, I'd like to introduce Lady Yuriko Hanami."

"G-Good morning!" The angel, glory-clad wings and halo shining for the world to see, dipped into the beginnings of a bow before awkwardly halting and attempting a curtesy. If it wasn't for Draudillon's hand snatching a fistful of Yuriko's dress, she was sure they would've fallen flat on their face in front of the entire Royal Court. "My name is, uh—Yuriko! I mean, Hanami Yuriko! I-It's nice to meet everybody, and, and Ihopewecanallgetalong!"

Her courtiers shifted as one: unsure of how they ought to react, or if a reaction was desired at all.

"If anyone is wondering: yes," she spoke up and dragged the crowd of attentive, assessing eyes away from her beloved. "The… rumors floating about aren't completely devoid of truth."

The statement was met with dead quiet, and for a mortifying second, Draudillon wondered if she hadn't made a mistake—that was, until a few scattered pockets of clapping quickly swelled into a unanimous and buoyant applause.

Right. Of course they'd be happy. Potentially binding the kingdom to the 'Goddess' through their Queen was bound to be positively received. Why had she even been the slightest bit anxious to begin with? The angel's nerves must be rubbing off on her.

'Those smug looks they're giving each other,' she noticed Countess Avila and Marquis Altarama sharing a satisfied smile. The existence of the ever-elusive betting circle was irksome, but if it promoted closer relations between her courtiers… 'Well, as long as it stays harmless.'

She peeked at Yuriko out the side of her eyes. The angel's face was shockingly red, their embarrassed gaze fixated on the floor. Were it anyone else, the dragon queen would've called for a healer to attend to them.

Draudillon reassuringly rubbed the back of Yuriko's hand, repressing a self-deprecating sigh. Maybe it was a tad too soon, but they'd been working so hard. Had she suggested they wait 'til later, the angel would've certainly moped—blaming themselves for some imagined faults. 'I'll talk with her later. Make sure she doesn't take this to heart. The court won't hold a few gaffes against her.'

They weren't doing horribly, in all honesty; Yuriko's actions over the course of the morning reflected their awareness of when something should be done—although exactly what escaped them.

It was plenty of progress considering the angel only had their tutor for less than two weeks… adults didn't learn as readily as children either. Didn't Yuriko mention practicing while she slept? For someone with zero prior experience in court etiquette, the amount of time committed in that short period had to be staggering.

A fuzzy, snug warmth spread its way throughout her body—starting from her heart, down to the tips of her toes, up the crown of her head, outwards to each and every finger. 'Yuriko…'

Was it possible to fall more in love than she already had?

Yuriko, for her sake, dedicated themselves to improving a skill they honestly had little need of. She would not have blamed her partner if they had chosen to focus on other things, but the fact they did made the dragon queen feel—

"Drau, is something happening?" Yuriko bent down and worriedly asked in hushed tones, endearingly unaware of how their fragrance tickled her nose. "Did you get a『Message』?"

Hm… she would properly express her appreciation later.

"I love you," the words slipped out, unbidden, muttered under a whispered breath. Momentary stillness, then realization.

"Fueh?!"

Yuriko stumbled backwards a step, spine ramrod straight as they clumsily rearranged their hair in the hopes nobody noticed.

Everybody noticed and was staring: some excitedly, others in thickly-veiled exasperation, and yet others in contemplative calculation.

'What the hell am I doing?' She cleared her throat, lips parted and primed to redirect the court's energies. "In any case, there's that for those of you with a 'stake' in the—"

"I, I love you too."

It was spoken with the softness of one who intended to go unheard but none of the prior attentiveness to ensure so. The throne hall was built to have good acoustics, and the architects' competencies were proudly put on full display.

A feature Yuriko was receiving an intimate initiation to; the last time had seen the room with only the two of them, so it didn't count.

Pages to knights, and Barons to Marquises did their utmost to pretend like nothing was said. Unfortunately for the angel, the stilted silence was ample evidence otherwise.

"A-Ah… I mean, I—um, I'm so sorry!" Yuriko bowed ninety degrees from the waist while an apology stumbled out of their mouth. "Please ignore me…"

'How can we possibly do that?' Surely that was the prevailing notion in everybody's mind. The behavior was congruent with a commoner beginning an education in court etiquette, but the person in question could absolutely not be treated as such.

Therefore, the nobles—without exception—focused on Yuriko's every move with frightening seriousness. Anything less would be insulting their savior.

'It really is too soon,' she should've persuaded them to wait a little longer even if the festival was fast approaching. The current situation couldn't possibly be comfortable in any way, shape, or form. 'But that would only be putting off the inevitable. Best to get the first time done with.'

Draudillon was just glad she had the foresight to assign Mira elsewhere today. Who knew what nonsense that girl would blurt out if she saw this in person?

"Thank you, Lady Yuriko," the dragon queen bit the arrowhead and replied. Ignoring Yuriko now might set a bad precedent seeing as the Royal Court was taking cues from its Queen. "Your sentiment is more than what I, and surely any of us, deserve. We'll graciously accept it nonetheless."

The necessity of the response didn't magically disappear the crimson blush creeping up her neck. Only decades of practice and cultivated discipline allowed the dragon queen to suppress the involuntary reaction before she became a mirror image of Yuriko.

Desperate to move on, Draudillon chose to end the poorly-advised theophany of sorts. "Ahem. Those of you who wish to converse with her will have the opportunity to do so at a later date. For now, I believe Emperor El-Nix is ready to make their appearances."

She nodded to the guards standing at the door. Augustus and Vicente inclined their heads before pulling the mighty entrance open. "Announcing His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix and his delegation!"

'I know I read about this beforehand,' Draudillon examined the young, amethyst-eyed ruler and his honored retainers with feigned casualness. 'But Paradyne being absent is very strange.'

As with most accomplished mages, the Tri-Arts Caster had a reputation of being extraordinarily dedicated to researching spellcraft. Meeting Yuriko, who was openly casting magic beyond humanity's reach, ought to be an irresistible temptation.

In the elderly archmage's place was a supremely uncomfortable Lady Leinas Rockbruise, Count Baziwood Peshmel of Jircniv's Four Imperial Knights, a blue-haired swordsman she vaguely recognized, and… Re-Estize's Third Princess. 'What is Jircniv thinking, bringing a political hostage here?'

"Queen Oriculus," Jircniv stopped a comfortable distance from the dais, one smooth hand languidly relaxed upon the Imperial Scepter hanging off his waist. "On behalf of the Empire, I thank you for your hospitality. I do believe I speak for all my traveling companions when I say we have been eagerly anticipating our arrival."

"And we are glad to see your group here in good health," Draudillon regally responded, slipping on a slight smile. That flick of his eyes to and fro, from her to Yuriko… it seemed he realized she was taking the lead here. "The journey was smooth, I hope?"

'He's better not try anything. Should I encourage her to keep away from them? No, that would be ridiculous—she'll tell me if anyone propositions her. I can help out then.'

"It could not have been more pleasant," Jircniv sounded immensely grateful as he turned his attention to her beloved. "The angels kindly provided to us made sure of that."

Leinas coughed, the Princess bobbed her head, and that nondescript secretary Jircniv always seemed to have around him remained still—as did Baziwood, the blue-haired Imperial Knight, and the other retainers.

"It is an honor to stand before you, Lady Yuriko," Jircniv continued as he directed a winsome smile towards her beloved. Draudillon's jaw imperceptibly tensed; she needed to distribute official proclamations as soon as possible. "I had thought the bards' tales to be exaggerated, but they seem to do you an injustice instead."

"It's an honor too, Emperor El-Nix," Yuriko's hand rose in the beginning of a wave before deciding instead to keep it clasped in front with its counterpart. "Drau—dillon, um, Queen Oriculus has said a lot of good things about you."

"Has she? Queen Oriculus does me a great service then," Draudillon dearly wished she could roll her eyes. Did Jircniv really think she would slander him just because he disliked her?

Competent was competent, and Baharuth was an ally anyway. As long as the young Emperor kept his personal feelings apart from official relations, there wouldn't be a problem between them.

"You are among—" Shrill beeping nearly caused her to trip over her words. A『Message』? Now? "—friends, after all. The Draconic Kingdom is thankful for the aid rendered during our hour of need."

"『Y-Your Majesty! There's a—』"

"『Bad time, Archmage.』" She nearly groaned in exasperation. The frustration went unnoticed by nearly everyone save for the Emperor who merely raised a subtle eyebrow in response.

"It was only what anyone would have done in my position. Let there be no debts between us: to see you and your people safe is payment enough."

Skilled in dissembling she might be, but Jircniv wouldn't have risen above the bloody succession conflict with poor perception. "『Forgive me. What is it?』"

"Even so, your steadfast support will not be forgotten," laughable, any reinforcements from the Empire were grudgingly given. "Be welcome and know that you may find rest here."

"『Ah, um, this one can contact you at a later date—』"

"『What is it?』"

"『Haha… Your Majesty might find this unbelievable, but…』"

"Your words hearten me, Queen Oriculus," Jircniv smiled again, a beautiful image that would melt the hearts of most women and some men. Draudillon could only feel hers curdle in distaste, toes curling in discomfort. "We'll take our leave—and see you soon, I hope?"

"『A, um, a dragon and the Mac'tal jointly ambushed Rajan Ur's army. 』"

"Of course. It was, as always, a pleasure to speak with you, Emperor," Draudillon's genial facade grew increasingly strained. To keep from frowning was a monumental exercise of willpower. "The Gatekeeper that accompanied your delegation will lead you to the guest suites. Do feel free to call an attendant if anything is remiss."

"『Casualties are… hm… in the thousands… They were able to recover body parts for most of the warriors, but identification is taking a while since a lot of the corpses are mixed together. As for the dra-dragon, it fled using a teleportation item.』"

"I'll have my maids get acquainted with your servants then. Again, thank you for your hospitality, Queen Oriculus."

"『'Mixed?' Just what kind of dragon attacked? Anything short of an ancient should've been easily killed by Rajan Ur's forces.』" Draudillon slumped, just barely, against the throne's backrest as Jircniv and his retainers exited the hall.

"『Hm, well, it's a little complicated. Th-That is to say, we didn't expect her to intervene, but she was the most likely one to do so—』"

"『Archmage. Your rambling does neither of us any favors.』"

"Court is adjourned," her courtiers bowed and gradually filed out in the same way the Imperial group just did. "Yuriko, we need to talk."

"『Ancient black. M-Mirewood Dragon Lord, Your Majesty!』"

"This time it's a『Message』!" The tension bled out the angel as they kneaded her face from behind. Draudillon glared at the last few guards and noblemen who'd yet to leave, watching them scamper off before gently grabbing Yuriko's hands. "That was more stressful than giving quarterly reports—ah, r-right! You wanted to talk about something?"

"Do you have the mana for a『Gate』?"

"Yeah, but what's going on?" Worry leaked into their voice, their touch. It wasn't a titanic task—even Ryx could probably kill an ancient dragon—but guilt still surged in Draudillon's chest for dumping another problem on Yuriko right after the stress of court. "I noticed some angels dying, but that's been pretty normal for the spider-stuff…"

"『We'll be there shortly. Ur'lathla, yes?』"

"Dragon attack," she blithely replied. Funny how a calamitous ancient dragon felt more like a minor annoyance nowadays. "An ancient black dragon ambushed the Beastman Country's reclamation force while they were in transit."

"Dragon… did it kill everyone?"

"Casualties were reported to be in the thousands, though a more thorough check might be in order," Yuriko stepped forwards, their eyes set in an uncharacteristically cold gaze. "It stopped and ran away after that point, apparently."

"『Gate』," without asking for further explanation, the angel swiped their hand through the air and formed a space-bending rift. "Uh… I set it to Kruurat, so y'know, if we need to portal somewhere else…"

A dragon mucking around in her territory, interacting with and hosting the Imperial delegation, welcoming the other foreign emissaries due to arrive in the next two weeks…

"Kruurat works just fine."

They'd get through this. A few hectic days were looming ahead, but that was a small price to pay for peace of mind. Trying to maintain a 'normal' sleep schedule was going to be a challenge, but she wanted to avoid abusing the flexibility her partner granted her.

"Drau?" Yuriko noticed her stare. "Did you want to go now, or is there stuff you wanna grab first?"

And, well, she had very effective ways of relieving stress.

"I'm going to keep you awake for a while."

"Eh? I can't sleep though…?"


Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix, he who had earned the epithet of 'Bloody Emperor' by the brutal extermination of Baharuth's high nobles, was nervous.

"Queen Oriculus. On behalf of the Empire, I thank you for your hospitality. I do believe I speak for all my traveling companions when I say we have been eagerly anticipating our arrival."

Not only was he nervous, he was nervous standing before a person who ranked second among the list of women he despised the most.

"And we are glad to see your group here in good health. The journey was smooth, I hope?"

Or rather, the woman—angel, he supposed—standing beside Draudillon Oriculus.

"It could not have been more pleasant. The angels kindly provided to us made sure of that."

'It's enjoyable speaking from a position of true power, huh?'

The hag was finally showing her true colors to the world, apparently. Her bearing was more natural, regal dignity in place of immature exuberance, and the fetish-wear discomfiting to see on a child had been replaced by proper, sensible attire.

Well, good for the Draconic Kingdom, he guessed. Swearing fealty to a crone posing as a brat should irk any sane human.

Anyway, enough of the Dragon Queen.

'Goddess, is it?' He met her gaze for an instant—

Fearsome. Fear that the Medallion of Mental Protection was helpless against, for it sprang forth from the wellsprings of his heart.

No. Instead of fearsome, 'incomprehensible' was a more fitting descriptor. That which existed beyond understanding had the tendency to also be terrifying.

Incomprehensible power, incomprehensible decisions, incomprehensible disposition.

'Authority' reaching into the realm of divinity. Never before had he heard of resurrections on so wide a scale, nor summons of such unparalleled numbers and strength.

An aura that spoke—screamed of goodness and righteousness and mercy, of a surety that no matter the atrocity, no matter the severity of her sins, they would all be regarded as heavenly virtues.

A blinding abyss.

'Calm, Farlord,' sweat rolled down his back in thick rivulets. 'Deliberate carefully, and take care to not lose your focus.'

"It is an honor to stand before you, Lady Yuriko. I had thought the bards' tales to be exaggerated, but they seem to do you an injustice instead."

Her voice was incomparable to any sound he'd ever heard before.

"It's an honor too, Emperor El-Nix," her hand began to rise in greeting until she seemed to decide otherwise. "Drau—dillon, um, Queen Oriculus has said a lot of good things about you."

Even while stumbling over her own tongue, she easily surpassed the music of Freivalds and the countless bards of Baharuth.

'Just what kind of monster is this…' Every speck of her existence was fine-tuned to mock the endless striving of mortals. In appearance, speech, and prowess, she existed in a realm humans could not possibly dream of replicating.

This was the thing, the unfathomable thing, that had chosen to roost in the Draconic Kingdom.

He could accept her actions as compassion if the Lady of Wings stopped at subjugating the beastmen, but to go further and serve the impoverished kingdom…

"Has she? Queen Oriculus does me a great service then."

Did they desire the hag's primal magic? Gramps always expounded on the potential wonders of the Dragon Queen's bloodline; although, wouldn't the prime Councillor of Argland be a better bet? Platinum Dragon Lord surely trumped the hag's proficiency by an incalculable amount.

"You are among friends, after all. The Draconic Kingdom is thankful for the aid rendered during our hour of need."

'Could it really be…?' He warily scrutinized the miniscule distance separating the hag and the angel. A few centimeters, a soft breath away. For anyone else, standing so close to a ruler would be inexcusably inappropriate. 'Something so simple—no, I must not rush into conclusions. Making such an assumption could very well be fatal. What if she's charmed by the hag? Or if the hag created her through soul magic?'

Offending an entity who was at minimum the equal of a Demon God was nothing short of folly. And if his suspicions of the Lady of Wings being a summon came to pass… no. No summon he knew of could act so alive. And as much as he detested Draudillon Oriculus, she was absolutely not the kind of person who would sacrifice lives for power.

'That makes it worse in some ways. The hag makes one mistake, and humanity suffers,' Jircniv wasn't sure he was comfortable with the Dragon Queen of all people bearing such a grave burden. 'This is the woman who decided to turn herself into a little girl during a period of crisis.'

As if she heard his thoughts, the corners of Draudillon Oriculus's lips dropped ever-so-slightly downwards. Dammit, had he been that obvious?!

"It was only what anyone would have done in my position. Let there be no debts between us: to see you and your people safe is payment enough," the recently widowed could not match his solemnity.

"Even so, your steadfast support will not be forgotten. Be welcome and know that you may find rest here."

'I'll find rest when I leave this damn country.'

"Your words hearten me, Queen Oriculus," he forced himself to smile, gratefully smile. Smile like the hag promised to abdicate the throne, like she swore to go into exile and never show her face again. "We'll take our leave—and see you soon, I hope?"

"Of course. It was, as always, a pleasure to speak with you, Emperor. The Gatekeeper that accompanied your delegation will lead you to the guest suites. Do feel free to call an attendant if anything is remiss."

Finally.

"I'll have my maids get acquainted with your servants then," the last thing he wanted was for her castle attendants to listen in on discussions. "Again, thank you for your hospitality, Queen Oriculus."

He turned around in a practiced, majestic motion; retainers rising as he passed by and falling into line behind their Emperor.

Only once the doors to the throne room were out of sight did Jircniv speak up.

"Princess Renner, what are your thoughts?" Re-Estize's Golden Princess might've noticed something he didn't. The veteran diplomats in his ensemble snapped their heads his way, but Jircniv ignored the questioning eyes. He sincerely believed the Princess possessed greater insight than each of them combined.

"On the angel, Your Majesty?"

There was an unsettling guilelessness to the way Renner tilted her head. "Yes, her. She seemed to be welcoming, but you never know with ancient beings."

"Then isn't it okay to just think of it as welcoming? Lady Yuriko was—excessively polite after all."

Renner beamed.

Jircniv's stomach roiled.

Sometimes, he really wondered if it wouldn't have been safer to just assassinate her.

"I think she's wonderful! Appearing out of nowhere, bringing salvation to an entire kingdom… Why, it's like a tale straight out of scripture! I'm sure she and I would get along fantastically."

"I… see. That's good. I am, glad to hear you have such a positive impression of them," the young emperor fought the urge to shake his head at the princess's naive assessment. 'Bringing salvation,' wasn't the flipside merciless annihilation of the enemy? Someone capable of doing that and still managing to maintain an air of pure innocence was nothing short of deranged. "Do stay on your toes though, Princess Renner."

"Mm, of course, Your Majesty!" She chewed her bottom lip, seemingly working up the nerve to ask a question. "Excuse me, Your Majesty, but if I may…?"

"You may," Jircniv absentmindedly gave his assent. Now more than ever, he was certain accepting the invitation had been the correct choice. Considering the tense relationship he had with the hag, who knew if she would've sent the Lady of Wings to make an example out of him. "Unglaus, Lady Rockbruise. Accompany the Princess and everyone else to the quarters our hosts have kindly provided us. Loune, go with them."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Mind if I follow them?" Baziwood nudged his shoulder. "Your Majesty looks like he wants some time to himself anyhow."

"Aren't you supposed to be my guard?" Jircniv half-heartedly asked. In truth, even he understood the pointlessness of having the Imperial Knight continue bodyguard duties.

"Well, I'm feeling pretty useless here," Baziwood helplessly shrugged, confirming his liege's guess. "This… what was it called…? Gatekeeper. Mm! They're insanely strong. To the point where I can't accurately estimate their strength."

"A warrior's instinct, Baziwood?"

"Bahahaha! A warrior's instinct… something like that, yeah," the muscular man snorted, still shaking from the boisterous laughter. "Excuse me for the disrespect, Your Majesty."

"Don't mind it for now. So, it wouldn't be wrong to say they're the strongest beings you've encountered thus far?"

"I guess. I know I would lose by myself, but things get different when there's numbers involved… Oh. I probably shouldn't have said that aloud…"

Jircniv chuckled, genuinely, and shook his head. Lower angels took drastically reduced damage from non-magical attacks. How much less this heretofore unseen one? "Speculation is fine. The hag should expect this much at the very least."

"Won't the Goddess get mad we're talking about how to beat up her summons?"

"We are only trying to assist an ally by pointing out potential weaknesses in their national defense," Jircniv chuffed. "If she finds that distasteful, then we will respectfully stop."

"Hm… strong people can be strange, Your Majesty."

"Like you? And yes, you may take some time off."

"Huh? I didn't know you saw me as 'strange,' " Baziwood's wide grin showed that the jab had been taken in good-humor. "Then, I'll leave Your Majesty in more capable hands!"

The knight's broad, plate-armored back disappeared as broad strides took them down the hallway and around the same corner his retainers turned.

'Reception gala is… who knows when, actually,' there were still other diplomats who had yet to arrive along with Queen Oriculus's strange reaction in the throne hall. 'Probing the hag on the issue is pointless, and asking the Lady of Wings isn't worth the risk.'

Ironic, for the 'battlefield' that was the Draconic Kingdom to become so harrowing after the beastmen's defeat. The status quo had always kept the nation easy to handle, and the Lady of Wings overturned everything.

Without regard for the concerns of mere mortals, she stomped where she pleased: imposing her will and reshaping the world on a whim. Humans, demihumans alike had a single recourse, and that was to adapt.

Adapt or die—and he refused to be fooled by that oppressing aura of benevolence. She was kind today, but tomorrow? A year from now? A century?

The roiling in his gut had transformed into a dull ache.

"What an excellent visit this is shaping up to be," Jircniv girded himself for the tribulations to come. Falling short because of fear was unacceptable. The Empire was relying on him. "Dammit…"

He wondered if the Magician's Guild here would accept commissions for stomachache curing items.