The recent actions of the Espada had further reaching effects than most would have realized at the time. The news of the liberation of Asodosia not only spread quickly throughout the Dragon Kingdom, but also quickly reached the Baharuth Empire via their spies, through the use of the [Message] spell to quickly report the information. It was the nature of said information that justified the usage of such a frowned upon spell.
In the Baharuth Empire itself, Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix was in a room that was the very definition of "spectacular luxury". He sat upon a high-backed chair that equally epitomized this as his attention was focused on the table in front of him where an intricate and expensive chess board rested. A game that had been introduced hundreds of years ago from seemingly out of nowhere. He had just finished a game with an elderly looking man in front of him, whom was a champion of the game in his prime.
"You're slowing down." Jircniv mumbled, showing some signs of annoyance.
"A-Apologies, my liege. But at my age, I cannot play such a complex game for too long."
Even if the man answered his Emperor's question, he was far too distracted by the group of men that had entered the room not too long ago. Said group had seemingly come to share a bit of important news, but had been quickly silenced by the Emperor, as he wished to continue the chess-match. That was why the elderly player had decided to make a few mistakes in his moves, as to hasten his defeat, and free up his Emperor for whatever message this group brought.
"Perhaps. However, don't think I did not notice your mistakes. Hmph. Only a fool wouldn't have noticed." The Emperor softly groused, his piercing amethyst gaze falling on the man as he brushed his lustrous blond locks away from his eyes.
"Apologies. I merely thought…" The man began, but Jircniv rose his hand and calmly spoke over him.
"I know. You can leave us."
Getting up from his chair, the man took a bow and left the Emperor with quite the distinct group of newcomers. One of them was his scribe and secretary Loune Vermillion, whom carried papers with the transcripts from their spies' [Message]. Heading the group was the old Imperial Court Wizard Fluder Paradyne, who seemed to be overflowing with a certain excitement and enthusiasm. Standing behind Fluder, along with Loune, were two members of the Four Imperial Knights. The smiling Baziwood Peshmel, and the man that took the place of Leinas Rockbruise, the Corrosive Wolf, Krelvo Palantynen.
When it was certain that Leinas had truly deserted, the Emperor had been presented with a few options for those to take her place. Among them was the former Martial Lord Krelvo, currently deployed Iris Joy Pernet, and even some non-human options. However, in the end Krelvo was seen as the best option for his strength and destructive power, even if he only barely managed to survive his bout with the currently reigning Marital Lord, Go Gin.
He was slightly taller than the average man, with a lean but still muscular build. His skin had a slightly pale tone to it, with some parts of his body covered in scars. His hair was a light brown and short-cut, with his eyes as olive-color. He wore an upgraded version of his gear from his time as Martial Lord, made of the same materials and colors as his fellow Imperial Knights. The armor slim and beast-like, with clawed gauntlets, clawed boots, and a helm shaped like a wolf's head, whose upper jaw could be raised to show his face when in the Emperor's presence.
While Leinas could be replaced by Krelvo, there was something Jircniv had not been able to fix or replace, and that was his pride as a chess player. A pride that had taken a devastating blow around the same time Leinas left, when during a meeting with the merchant Amelia Bedelia Aigner, he played a match with her assistant Sōsuke Aizen, and lost miserably. Since then Jircniv had not stopped trying to perfect his knowledge of the game, and longed for another match against that man, but that could wait.
"What seems to be the matter?" He coolly asked, looking at the group.
"W..." Loune went to reply, just for Fluder to speak over him.
"Your Majesty, we just received a report from our people in the Dragon Kingdom. They spoke of a child who can use the 5th-tier spell [Teleportation]. They said her name is Carmyn Zoya, and is a member of the Espada." He informed, speaking as if a great weight had been removed from his chest.
"I wasn't aware the Espada employed children." Jircniv derisively remarked.
"If I may, Your Majesty. I believe that the 'child' they speak of, Carmyn Zoya, is the 5th-ranked Espada. Our reports say she merely has a small, child-like body." Loune quickly added with a head-bow.
"Ah. Which makes more sense." Jircniv dryly added.
"It seems the old timer might have gotten a bit too excited for his own good." Baziwood mumbled in a jovial tone.
"Well..." Fluder began, regaining his composure as he caressed his beard.
"... Perhaps she is not a child, but I believe she is not something we should ignore. After all, talent such as hers is not easily come across. Especially when it's being wasted within a mere mercenary group." He sagely explained.
"Perhaps she keeps herself young with magic." Krelvo plainly suggested, as if speaking his idle thoughts aloud.
"Hmm… It is possible. But that would imply a considerable amount of magical power, and a specific kind of ritual..." Fluder remarked as he went into deep thought.
"Loune, is that all you came here to say?" Jircniv asked with a keen gaze and tone.
"Not at all, Your Majesty. Our spies informed us that most of our forces on loan were moved to the city of Asodosia, along with some of the native forces, and those of the Theocracy, with the goal of maintaining the Dragon Kingdom's regained control of it. Said control was acquired after a long battle with the beastmen that had taken over the city, and where the Espada had played a critical role. Astonishingly, only three of the Espada had supposedly cleared out the city by themselves…" Loune began, taking a breath before continuing.
"From this report, and from what we know of the Espada, the duo of Carmyn Zoya and the 6th-ranked Inon Zur Morres, were responsible for saving the human forces from a large beastman attack. Inon displayed seemingly unparalleled strength by killing Armored Ogres bare-handed with a single punch, while Carmyn showed inhuman resilience, stamina, and mana reserves, as she healed a considerable number of injured soldiers, all the while defending and attacking the enemy, and somehow controlling a Gigant Basilisk. The ones that cleared the city were the 3rd-ranked Leinas Rockbruise, her partner and leader Nazz, and another our forces have yet to identify. There were also two unranked members that escorted a group of rogues and rangers."
Silence fell on the room, as everyone took in the feats performed by the Espada, and how many seemed to go against much of the information they had gathered about them. After all, few were those that could handle such large groups of beastmen, with the apparent ease of what their report suggested. Even with the presence of Leinas, when she was known for having power almost comparable to that of Gazef Stronoff, it was difficult to fully imagine that she and two others were able to clear out a city full of beastmen.
Jircniv was more than annoyed by this. Was he meant to think that Leinas had held back during her time serving him? No, that made no sense. He was sure of it. Which meant she might have gotten stronger since she left, which was a disturbing thought in of itself. Especially when she was only rank-3, and a rank-6 was able to kill Armored Ogres with a single blow.
"That 'Carmyn' woman has great power. That much is certain. She might even have larger mana reserves than I do." Fluder thoughtfully proclaimed, getting Jircniv's attention.
"Don't you think you might be jumping to conclusions, gramps?"
"I'm not sure, to be honest. This report does leave a lot to the imagination. That is why I advocate for us getting into contact with her. She could show us much, if properly trained."
"I thought my predecessor was weaker than you." Krelvo remarked, looking at Baziwood with curiosity.
"Y-Yes. Well…" Baziwood awkwardly tried to answer, when his Emperor spoke over him.
"What do you think of this? If I'm not mistaken, even the four of you might have problems handling a similar situation." Jircniv calmly inquired.
"I agree that they are strong, but I also think these feats might be explained by their gear." Baziwood quickly explained, sounding somewhat nervous.
"If they have better gear than we do, than even if some of them are weaker than us, they should be able to perform some of these feats."
"Hmm... That's not a bad train of thought. I may not be an expert on the field, but is it possible for someone to become that strong so quickly?" Fluder asked, his interest piqued.
"Not normally." Krelvo cautiously replied.
"Then, their gear can explain their feats. However, it would mean they're better equipped than the Four Imperial Knights. They might even have in their possession items akin to those used by the Thirteen Heroes." The old magic-caster explained, his eyes widening at the thought, since even he had yet to attain such a thing.
Was this a joke? That was what went through Jircniv's mind. How was it possible for a group of mercenaries to have access to that level of equipment? Especially being able to acquire it without anyone knowing. After all, he was certain their sources would have told them about gear of that kind. Even if their leader is the daughter of one of the Kingdom's Great Merchants, surely there would have been ways for him to have learned of this.
No. Perhaps he was underestimating Amelia. She seemed to be quite sharp after all, and he is certain that if Aizen was as cunning as he seemed to be, Amelia would be even more so. She did not seem like the kind of woman to play second to anyone.
"We need to establish some form of contact with them and bring them to our side. While in the beginning they seemed like just another mercenary band doomed to fail, we were obviously mistaken. We cannot ignore them anymore." He resolutely announced.
"Agreed. Their knowledge could be very useful for us." Fluder eagerly added.
"Should I arrange for something?" Loune professionally asked.
"No. They are a formidable force in their own right, led by someone who also has considerable talents. If we want to have them join us, we need to come up with a proper strategy to entice them. For the time being, we will continue to observe them, and make sure our agents do not sour our relationship with them."
"A very wise decision, Your Majesty." Fluder remarked, massaging his beard.
"I'm sure you think so, gramps. After all, it gets you one step closer to Carmyn, and your goals." Jircniv knowingly chuckled, to which Fluder only smiled
As this meeting was taking place, a very similar gathering just finished in the Slane Theocracy, involving its Cardinals and the Captain of the Black Scripture, whom were discussing the exact same information they received from their spies via [Message]. Of course, the general distrust of the spell existed for them as well, which is why they utilized a "password" procedure and using scrying magic to verify whom was speaking. This was only done when the information being passed along was of great importance, which recent events certainly qualified.
Having left the meeting, the Captain of the Black Scripture, Marcus Septimius Amor, made his way through the halls as his mind was still fixated on the Espada and what had been discussed about them. He continued on like this, until he turned a corner and saw a few feet from him the Extra-Seat of his unit and fellow godkin, Zesshi Zetsumei.
She was sitting cross-legged on the floor, with her war-scythe resting against the wall, and her Rubik's Cube resting to her right, and much to his surprise, a report at hand. His hopes quickly came crashing down when he saw her ripping out a page, fashioning it into a "paper plane", and throwing it at the wall opposite to her where a few others were already at. Letting out a low sigh he continued to approach her, ready to meet her like usual.
"I haven't seen one of those in quite some time." Marcus idly remarked, looking at what Zesshi had just thrown.
She didn't reply right away, as she saw the paper toy do a circular turn and land in her hair getting stuck in it, before she swatted it away with her hand.
"I didn't have anything better to do with these papers. When I saw a few birds by the window, I thought to do some of these." Zesshi shrugged, ripping another page.
"I still can't believe something like this was used to transport people." She boredly mused.
"Well, according to the Tales of the Six, they were magical airships much larger, made of metal, more resilient than paper." Marcus chuckled, getting a somewhat annoyed stare from Zesshi.
"I know that, but shouldn't it look different? Like a bird with wings to carry those people. Or like a dragon... Speaking of which, what I don't know is what's in this report." She lazily explained, throwing another plane.
"According to our spies in the Dragon Kingdom, the Espada…" Marcus began, but was quickly interrupted.
"The who?" She apathetically asked as she ripped another page.
"Are you not aware? We have already received several reports about them."
"Remind me, Captain." She said, earning herself a sigh from him.
"They are a mercenary group, based in the Re-Estize Kingdom city of E-Rantel. They are composed of 10 ranked members, and an unknown number of unranked members. From what we believed, ranked members could be categorized with the adventurer ranks of orichalcum and adamantite."
"Orichalcum and adamantite? That's neat... Hm? You just said, 'believed'. Were we proven wrong?" She asked, throwing a plane at a servant that was passing by in the distance.
"Are you going to continue..." Marcus tried to ask, as she began to rip another page, but stopped when she looked at him.
"Continue what?" She plainly asked, motioning him to speak as she finished removing the page.
"N-Nothing. Well, we believe that they are stronger than we originally thought, and that they probably have access to better gear than a normal mercenary organization." He explained.
"And what makes you think that?"
"According to our reports…" Marcus began, just for her to yawn and speak over him.
"Just the facts." She remarked with a frown, beginning to shape her next paper plane.
"Two ranked Espada named Inon Zur Morres and Carmyn Zoya, aided the main human force when it was ambushed by enemy beastmen. Together they were able to heal the bulk of the human army, along with turning the tide against the enemy. Carmyn, a druid, was the one responsible for the large-scale healing, showing great skill and vast reserves of mana as she played an active part in combat. Even controlling a Gigant Basilisk. Her partner Inon was seen killing Armored Ogres with a single blow, and used a crystal item to summon a beast that, while unknown to us, seemed to affect the area around it, making temperatures colder…"
He finished informing her, pausing to see if he got a reaction. Zesshi turned her head, displaying a bored expression as she threw another paper plane at his face. As if it were her way of saying to him, "Get on with it."
"… Two unranked members named Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez and Tier Harribel, accompanied a group into the city, reportedly taking out a sizable number of opponents with no loses. Finally, three Espada, the ranked Leinas Rockbruise, formerly one of the Four Imperial Knights of the Baharuth Empire, and the unranked Nazz and Nnoitra Gilga, were responsible for clearing out the beastman controlled city. Our sources tell us that while the number of dead is above what one would expect from a group of their size, many beastmen seemed able to escape deeper into their territory."
He finished summarizing the information, this finally caused her to stop and look at him with a raised, curious eyebrow.
"Can't we do the same things? Is it that big a surprise that someone else came about that could do the sames thing as us?" She dryly asked, jumping back to her feet.
"While I understand what you're saying, do consider that our Black Scripture is made up of elites and godkin, equipped with the finest gear the Slane Theocracy can acquire. Including the artifacts left behind by the Six Great Gods. To consider the existence of a mercenary group that can come close to us, is…" Marcus tried to explain, with Zesshi deciding to finish his sentence for him.
"Refreshing." She concluded with an amused smirk.
"Hmph. Who knows? I might even get to stretch my legs because of this... That aside, who's the strongest out of their group?" Zesshi asked, her gaze sharpening.
"Rylen Tsezguerra. He is known in some circles as a powerful and skilled warrior in his prime who, according to our intel, might have surpassed the likes of Gazef Stronoff and Leinas Rockbruise. Though apparently, he never did much to get attention to himself. So much so that before he joined the Espada, we were under the impression he was content with traveling and waiting for death to claim him." Marcus stoically replied, causing Zesshi to frown and sigh.
"So, he's an old man?"
"We don't have a clear age, but we are certain he is over 80 years old, and fully human."
"And he's supposed to be the strongest of them? What a shame…"
Zesshi sighed, as her left hand momentarily rubbed over her womb. The Scripture Captain knew well what that action meant. Zesshi made no secret of her desire of finding a "worthy" mate through a defeat in battle. In his eyes, Rylen's age seemed to disqualify him as being able to grant Zesshi's long held wish.
"Want to go spar?" She suddenly asked while picking up her war-scythe.
"Oh? Hehe. I was not expecting you to ask that, though I actually still have some things to do." Marcus replied with a somewhat awkward chuckle.
"Hmph. Fine. I'll find someone else to play with. Especially when they sent Labrax away before I could further train my [Phantasm]..." She grumbled, visibly displeased by his reply.
The Captain of the Black Scripture was quick to pick up on this however, as he then sighed in resignation and then spoke in a neutral tone.
"If that is the case... As Captain, I think I can take a few liberties and help you improve yourself. I've also developed a few techniques you might appreciate."
"Oooh? You should have said that from the start. Lead the way.~" Zesshi said, stepping aside so Captain Marcus could walk past, who again sighed at how the situation developed...
In the Dragon Kingdom, night had just fallen and the Espada dispersed to take part in the celebrations. Before that though, Nazz made it a point of having a meeting where they discussed the spy situation, and how even if it might have already been resolved, they should remain cautious and vigilant. Also, it was decided that for his insubordination towards Leinas, Nnoitra was to spend nearly the whole time in Las Noches, helping to process the beastman corpses. A displeasing job that should make him reconsider his actions in the future.
Of the Espada, only Carmyn, Inon, and Nazz left the camp they were staying at. This is because while the main celebrations was in the capital, it naturally spilled out everywhere, including the camps where the soldiers, adventurers, workers, and mercenaries were staying. In the case of Leinas, she was the first to stay behind, because almost as soon as the Espada began to walk away from their cabins, out of the corner of her eye she caught the distinct figure of Elim as he emerged from a partying crowd.
Their eyes met and he gave her a warm smile, which caused her to briefly look at her comrades, before turning back to him, fixing a few strands of hair as she replied to his smile with one of her own. Approaching her, Elim stopped, for a split second seemed to be confused of how to proceed, until she ultimately initiated the conversation.
"You are looking much better from when I last saw you. Your stomach feeling better~?" She asked with a playfully mocking tone.
Elim sighed in response, his hand going to his face as he took a few steps back. Once again, he went to speak, but froze halfway. The words rolled around in his mind as he tried to think of the best way to quickly change the topic of the conversation and get things back on track.
"I'm better, thank you. But that's not what I am here for. I-I'm here for you."
Having finished his sentence, he froze as he seemingly became aware of the words that had just left his mouth. He then entered an odd state that was a mixture of blushing and becoming pale. Most especially when Leinas raised an eyebrow at him, as she strangely passed a hand through the right side of her hair, so it was now covering part of her face.
"Is that so?" She asked with her head slightly tilting to the side.
"Y-Yes."
Rolling her eyes at him, she gave him a light push, causing him to stumble backwards and recover from his stupor, before she continued to speak.
"Are you like this with every woman you try to get?"
"No... It's just you..." He mumbled, as his expression took on a more troubled look.
"... The thing is, I almost died during the battle. Had it not been for the Espada... During that small moment, it came to me that perhaps I should be a bit more straight forward with a few things. That being said, I want to ask you to spend, at least, this night of celebrations with me."
It was as if a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders, as Elim now looked much more confident in himself. Looking back at Leinas, he waited for her to say something. Anything. On her end, Leinas blushed quite openly, her right hand traveling through the section of hair that covered part of her face. Something that she subconsciously used as a way to protect herself from others. Especially when she was in the presence of someone who was speaking so openly with her about what he felt for her.
"S-See? Was that so hard to say?" She asked, trying to look more at ease then she actually was.
Fixing her hair, she walked slightly past him, to the point Elim had to turn around to look at her. Being presented with her slightly extended left arm, and an expression that told him she was waiting for something.
"Well? Aren't you going to take my arm?~ I am a lady of noble birth, after all. You should take notice of such things." Leinas explained with a playful tone, this being an effort to try and calm herself through teasing him and putting him on the spot.
Gulping, Elim did as he was told, taking her arm as they began to walk. A bit awkwardly at first, since both had a different walking pace, until eventually they entered the same stride and things went more smoothly for them.
"So... You're of noble birth? Could've fooled me, with how you acted when he met." Elim chuckled, earning him an elbow to the side.
"Hold your tongue." She hissed with a rather stiff smile in reply.
Meanwhile, Harribel had willingly separated herself from her group and the celebrations in general. The noise, chaos, and the constant drunken advances from both male and female celebrants, had led her to go to a quieter area of the camp. As she moved through the back of some tents and cabins, the echoes of the celebrations filling the background, a woman came running from between a pair of tents, and straight into Harribel.
Given her panicked state, and Harribel's general strength, the woman was sent back buttocks first onto the ground, allowing the duplicate to get a good look at her. The woman was Saida, the elf that was part of Elim's group. Before, Harribel could decide on what she should do, from the same opening the other three women of the group appeared. Mira rushed to her lover's side embracing her, while Melle and Hissa simply sighed in relief as things slowly went back to normal.
"Be more careful next time." Melle remarked with a sigh as she walked past Saida and Mira to approach Harribel.
"Mind your own business!" Mira hissed with a venomous tone.
"Sorry about that. You alright?" Melle asked while looking at Harribel.
"I'm fine." The duplicate calmly replied.
"Tsk! That was a dumb thing to ask." Hissa sarcastically pointed out.
"Just making sure. Either way, we apologize for that. Given her previous experiences, Saida sometimes doesn't do well with large crowds and drunken harassment." Melle explained with empathy and compassion in her voice.
"I-I'm fine." Saida said barely hidden shame, getting back to her feet.
"We should get going." Mira said, now in a calmer and more friendly tone.
"Fine. Still, before we go, you want to join us?" Melle asked in curiosity, looking at Harribel.
"Hm? Go where?"
"We're looking for a quieter place to spend the night." Hissa informed in a neutral tone.
"And much like us, you don't seem to be enjoying this event that much. So, why not come along?" Melle cordially suggested.
"…"
The duplicate was about to reply, when Hissa spoke up in a soft, friendly tone.
"We also wanted to repay the Espada in some way for helping us. Since we can't find any of those that helped the forces that fought in the path, running into you is just as good."
"You want to repay me for my assistance?"
"Something like that, but don't think of it as a formal affair. We simply want to spend some time with you and get to know you better. After all, we're sharing the same battlefield. So we should show our appreciation to those that earned us a victory, and saved our comrades' lives." Melle explained while smiling.
Harribel was unsure of how to proceed. Should she go with them, or move along and find herself some quiet? Still, said quiet and relaxation would be rather lonely. Especially when she was starting to miss what she had back in Las Noches. Particularly her three closest friends, Emilou Apacci, Franceska Mila Rose, and Cyan Sung-Sun. Perhaps going along with them would help to push away such feelings. She might even find new companions in the form of these outsiders. After all, helping them was part of her assignment in this Kingdom.
"Very well. If you will have me, I would like to accompany you." Harribel informed cordially.
"Ah, good. You won't regret it. Now Hissa, lead the way." Melle instructed in a soft, happy tone.
In a nearby tent that was functioning as a makeshift bar, Grimmjow was distancing himself from it, failing to feel any effect from the weak drinks there. The drinks in Las Noches were far stronger, though they would likely kill most of the humans here. Having just smashed a bottle over the head of an overconfident, and likely drunk adventurer, he tried to find another way to spend the night.
As he made his way through the crowds, he found himself stopped by a soldier falling right in his path, with the remains of a wooden chair were near his head. Raising an eyebrow, he looked to the side, just to be met by Roos, the remains of it in her hands.
"Keep yer' hands ta' yourself!" She shouted, throwing the remains at the unconscious man.
"Huh. Not bad." Grimmjow chuckled, preparing to walk away, when Roos grabbed onto his sleeve.
"Grimmjow! Coma' drink wit' me." Roos happily suggested, her face flushed and her voice slightly slurred.
The duplicate didn't have time to agree or disagree, as she began to drag him behind her. Not that Grimmjow cared much since he didn't have much to do as is. For a few moments, he found himself being taken all over the place, in search for a "good drinking spot". Which Roos was apparently unable to find, no matter how much she said she could.
As they wandered into a storage tent outside, eventually, Grimmjow sighed, stopped in his tracks, and pulled his arm away from Roos' grip. The action somewhat surprising her as she stumbled slightly to the side.
"Oi. What do you want?" Grimmjow asked raising an appraising eyebrow at her.
"I-I just wan' ta' reward ya' fer your efforts." Roos replied, her cheeks growing visibly redder as she got closer to him.
Stumbling forwards, Roos stopped herself from possibly falling when her hands landed in his opened jacket and onto his exposed chest. However, this didn't seem to bother her in the slightest. Instead, she pressed against him, having her hands to travel up to his shoulders and down to his arms, feeling up his hardened muscles that was like warm, living iron. Taking in his features as she continued to blush and even giggle. Ultimately, Grimmjow placed his hands on hers, before gently pulling them away, with a slight predatory smile on his face as he did.
"And? What reward are you offering~?"
To this, Roos' face twitched slightly before she motioned him to approach and turn. Which he did, allowing her to whisper something into his ear, with her words causing Grimmjow's smile to grow ever wider, until he finally backed away with a loud laugh.
"Hahaha! What a filthy mouth you have.~ Heh!"
"Well?" Roos asked almost bashfully, pulling herself away from his grip.
"Well, what? You should've opened with that." He argued with a grin.
With that statement, Roos literally jumped the duplicate. He allowed himself to go down just for the fun of it, wanting to see how true she was to her word. Falling on his back, Grimmjow was quickly faced with Roos removing her top, exposing her bare upper-body to him.
"Oi. You want to do it right here?"
"In my field, ya' learn to work with wut you're given.~" She saucily replied, getting another chuckle from him.
"…"
Grimmjow went to speak, when she placed a finger over his lips.
"Save, your words for later, big boy.~ There're other thin's you've to use your lips for now...~"
Sometime before the Espada reached the celebrations in the capital, Team Crystal Tear, whose quarters were in the capital had long dispersed through it searching through their own forms of entertainment. Meanwhile, Emma wasn't looking for fun. As she walked through the streets, she was using her tracking skills to look for Labrax, remembering how he never went back to his camp before the partying started.
It took her a while, but she eventually stumbled upon a large bar, where in an outside table, drinking alone as his head moved to the sound of the music that filled the air, was Labrax. His expression had significantly softened from the usual, and his cheeks were slightly red, as he helped himself to a large mug of some strong ale whose smell alone seemed to overwhelm her senses.
"Labrax." Emma greeted, taking a seat in front of him.
"Your highness." He casually replied.
Labrax momentarily lowered his head in a mock bow, earning an annoyed growl from Emma in reply as she spoke.
"That's not funny, and not what I'm here for…" Emma began, before Labrax placed his half-empty mug in front of her.
"Drink then?"
"I'm here to finish our conversation. You were telling me of where your family came from, and about why you look at me as you would another human." Emma coolly explained.
"I mean, how could I not? I use the same pair of eyes to look at you as I do any other human, or otherwise. You look quite human yourself so…"
As he spoke Labrax looked down at his mug of ale. An act that, along with his explanation, only further irritated the elf. To the point she simply slapped it out of his hand, sending it onto the floor and stopping him in his tracks.
"Are you done?" She spat, causing him to roll his eyes at her.
"Ugh. Fine, fine. Have it your way. My family comes from the south." He replied nonchalantly, pausing so he could pick up his fallen mug.
"You lie!" She shouted back.
"I do not. My family comes from the nation of, 'Kokka no Shinku-Kokai'. From what I was told growing up, there they believe in equal treatment for all races. Human, elves, beastmen, and so on." Labrax explained with a certain wonder to his voice.
"Y-You're lying."
"Is that all you can say?" He dryly asked, filling his mug once more with a nearby tankard.
Emma was unsure of what she should do or even think. After all, he spoke of something that in her mind seemed impossible. A nation where all races were seen as equals? Even something as savage as beastmen? It was impossible, surely. A dream if nothing else. It was simply too good to be true. However, as she sat in front at him now, even in his drunken state she could tell he was not lying. Something that shook her to her core as she spoke in almost eager curiosity.
"I-If this is true… How can one go there? After all, from what I heard there is a desert between us and them."
"Hah! And a forest! Full of the vilest and most savage things you could imagine. Haha..." Labrax laughed, much to her annoyance.
"Ah... Well, I heard there's a ship that comes about once in a while, and goes every once in a while, and said ship takes you there. That's all I know..." He added
Was this what she had been waiting for? Ever since she had come into contact with Crystal Tear and joined them, Emma had been waiting for an opportunity to further distance herself from her home country, and this could be what she was waiting for. Still, she needed to know more about it before she could make any decisions.
"What else do you know about it?" Emma asked in an even tone.
"They're ruled by an Emperor. There're nine ruling clans. All races live there in harmony... My [Talent] is related to them in some way, now that I think of it..." He replied, falling into deep thought.
"Speaking of which... What is your [Talent]?" She asked while taking his mug away from him, wrinkling her nose a bit at the smell as she took a sip.
"Do you have nothing but questions? I'm not learning anything about you, your highness." Labrax retorted, causing her to "Hmph!", at him.
"What do you want to know?" She hissed, then taking a full gulp from his mug.
"Why're you here?"
"I was attacked by your people." Emma replied with a hate filled tone.
"People from the south?"
"From the Theocracy!" She balefully added, finishing the mug with a single powerful gulp.
"Oh. Right."
Labrax nodded, retrieving the mug from her hand as she spoke, her voice growing distant.
"We were on a ship off-shore. We managed to get away from our territory and were trying to travel via sea to a safer place... The Theocracy somehow knew of our plan. We were attacked, and only I survived. When I woke up, I'd washed up on the shores of this Kingdom, with Crystal Tear around me. They had saved me and for that I decided to work for them as payment for that dept. At least until this war is over, or I find somewhere else to go."
"Which, after this conversation, is south right?" Labrax asked with a rather smug grin.
"Perhaps. Now, your [Talent]?"
"Well, I don't really have a name for it in particular, but it allows me, and my first born, to use what we call a [Phantasm]. That being a form of familiar, a..." Labrax began to explain, before stopping himself as he took another drink.
"That's all I can say. Theocracy secrets and whatnot." He explained in a somber tone.
"That's not what we discussed." She pointed out in disappointment.
"To be fair, I already told you a lot about me and what I knew."
"... Fair enough..." She grumbled, then raising from her seat.
"Oh? Leaving already? Why not have a drink? Relax as we go about killing this free tedium they call 'celebrations'." Labrax suggested, taking another drink.
"Why should I?"
"Who knows? More drink might loosen my lips."
"Humph. Very well." Emma said, sitting back down in her seat.
With that they started drinking, and as time passed, their conversations went through several different topics. As this went on, and the ale began to take effect, Emma looked at the human elder differently, feeling strange as a result. It was something she had not felt in a long time. Not since she had boarded the ship that was meant to take her to safety, that she felt alive.
She felt alive with this odd man who was and was not from the Theocracy. Who relished in the death and carnage of war. It was strange, but she could not deny how she felt. This was the most she had spoken to any single person since coming to this country. Given his unorthodox origins and views, she felt a certain appreciation, and even kinship with him. That was when she stopped drinking, and placed a hand on Labrax's drink so he too would stop.
"You see me like you do a human, right?" She asked softly, getting a raised brow and a nod in reply.
Taking in his positive reply, she put her drink on the table, forced Labrax's out of his hand. Her mind went through all that had happened ever since she had joined this mess of a war. Ever since the last time she felt truly alive, and like this world was something worthy of existing in. Like she wasn't alone...
"Do you see me as a woman?"
Labrax went silent as he let her words sink in. Letting out a weak chuckle, he scratched his chin as he tried to take back his drink, but the elf simply pulled it to her side.
"I can't say that I don't." He replied with an amused smirk.
"Then, come. Make me feel like one again." Emma said in an almost pleading tone, as she got back to her feet.
"... Are you sure about this?" He asked while getting to his feet.
"I thought you said you saw me as you do a human. As a woman."
"I do."
"Then... follow me.~"
Emma led Labrax into a nearby inn that was still advertising free rooms for those that took part in the recent battles. Quickly acquiring a key, they made their way to a small room with only a single bed, lamp, and a window with curtain. For Emma it was more than enough. Grabbing on to Labrax's collar, she took advantage of his drunken state to throw him onto the bed, with her momentarily looking at him, before removing the piece of cloth that hid her eyes.
"I knew it." Labrax mumbled, as he looked upon her blue and golden-yellow eyes.
"It's been sometime since I've laid with someone." Emma informed, as she straddled him.
"Hm. I could say the same thing." He remarked, raising his hands to her body as she spoke with a teasing giggle.
"Either way, try to keep up old man...~"
As Emma and Labrax began what would end up being an all-night long affair, Bane found himself in a nearby tavern. He was drinking away his sorrow after having walked up at the end of their conversation, before they went to the inn. Finding himself alone, he had resorted to drinking to try and wash away his failure to expose his feelings to Emma, and on letting some old-man get that close to her.
Eventually he reached a state where he was just cursing himself for not being part of the people that brought about such celebrations. As he dropped another large empty drink, something no-one dared to question him on from his demeanor and reputation alone, Bane's tired gaze fell onto the street, and the giant form of Inon as he walked past the tavern. Right away his mind went to the feats he heard the Espada had performed.
In particular, Inon killing Armored Ogres with a single blow. Something he doubted he could do. Especially when they were wearing armor, since that type of ogre was stronger than the usual rabble. Looking at his table he found it empty. With no more ale to drink, he let out a pleased chuckle at this. It was perfect. Almost as if he had been given a sign by the gods. With nothing left to drink, he knew that there was only one way left to get rid of the unpleasant feelings that currently filled his heart.
Getting up from his seat he pushed his way past several people, until he ultimately reached Inon. Placing a hand on Inon's right arm, he got the Espada to turn around before throwing a right-cross, which managed a clean hit on the giant man's jaw. The feeling was unexpected as it felt as if he had hit the side of a mountain. Bane quickly stumbling back as he grabbed onto his right hand.
"Argh! Hard bastard…" He hissed in pain.
"Do I know you?" Inon calmly asked, failing to recognize his attacker.
"No, but I've heard o' you, and what ya' did in this battle. An' I, Bane of Crytal Tear, wan' ta' see how tru' those feats ar'." Bane replied, the alcohol boosting his ego to dangerous degrees.
"I see. However, I do not wish to take part in unnecessary violence. Especially when I see no reason for us to do so." The Espada cordially said, clearly not interested in a fight.
Gritting his teeth, Bane felt his insecurities and failures further overwhelm him. Especially when he could see the crowd now focused on them. His ego simply wouldn't allow him to look bad. Not now, not again. Letting out a war cry, Bane once more went on the offensive, preparing an actual [Ki] based attack as he did so, and thus going too far in Inon's eyes.
The Espada was quick to act, doing so in a way that would somewhat keep the adventurer's dignity, as he went for an attack of his own. With blindingly quick speed, and before Bane could even react, a left-hook punch easily knocked out the member of Crystal Tear, much to the shock of the crowd. Though all they saw was a blur.
Bane woke up some time later. He was sitting at one of the tavern's tables, with Inon sitting to his side with a full mug to his side. The entire building was dead silent as they waited to see what would happen next.
"Uuugh... W-What happened?" Bane mumbled as his hand went to his jaw.
"Hm. I managed to knock you out before you got your next hit in. I also gave you a potion just in case you needed one." Inon replied, which elicited laughter from the adventurer.
"Managed to? Hah! You're a terrible liar."
He laughed while motioning a nearby waitress to bring him the same thing Inon was drinking.
"Today's just been awful... First Emma and now you... Oi, I'm sorry for what I did. Had a bit too much to drink, but now I can see the Espada are clearly capable of such feats…" Bane ruefully said, then leaning back on his seat.
"What about a drink on me?" He casually asked.
"I don't want to further bother you." Inon cordially informed.
"Bah! Nonsense. We just got off on the wrong foot, and it was my fault anyways. Oi! Bring this man another!" Bane commanded, extending an apologetic hand to Inon.
"Bane."
"Inon." The Espada said in a friendly tone.
Taking the handshake, they talked over drinks as the tension in the room seemed to vanish, and all went back to their own business.
Meanwhile, Carmyn was starting to regret having split up from her companion. Without Inon around, she found herself easily lost in crowds and mistaken for a child even more than usual. This problem hit a critical point when she tried to get something to drink in a small bar that, despite everything she said, simply did not believe she was not a child. The bar in question was small, with only a few seats next to the outside counter. Meaning, passersby were able to freely look upon and comment on the situation. Even those that might have known her didn't try to help clear up the fact she was not a child.
"I've already told you, we can't serve drink here to children." The barkeep patiently stated.
"I'm an Espada! You really think that I'm a child!?" Carmyn angrily shouted, visibly displeased by the ridiculous situation.
"B-But that doesn't..." The barkeep began, when someone spoke over him.
"Just give her a drink."
Letting out a sigh, as she finally found someone who had some common sense. She turned to look upon the new arrival, just to see that it was Abel, wearing some cheap looking clothing and carrying a small bag.
"B-But sir, she's a child."
"She's not." Abel argued with a blank expression and an annoyed monotone.
"…"
The barkeep tried to argue once more, but Abel was quick to speak over him with an insulted edge to his voice.
"Do you need to confirm my word?"
"N-No. Not at all, sir."
Quickly the barkeep went to work and brought Carmyn the drink she wanted, before going back to serving other costumers. Taking the glass, she took a quick sip of the rather sweet and fruity alcoholic drink, before turning at Abel who was already preparing to walk away.
"Mind if I go with you?" Carmyn asked with a bored and tired tone.
"I thought you wanted to drink."
"I wanted to experiment. Though I fail to see why people like this." She said jumping down from her seat and approaching him.
"Do as you wish." He sighed, continuing to walk away.
Eventually, the duo reached a less populated area of the capital. This was where the wealthier citizens lived, whether they be among the few nobles that decided to remain in their home country, their relatives, or the few merchants that were still somehow well-to-do, despite the Dragon Kingdom's flagging economic condition due to the war.
Of course, not even this was safe from the war's effects, as the rather worn out and unkempt streets and buildings showed. Most noises came from the manors, as most of the celebrations were being kept inside for the masters of the house and those close to them, and not for the general populations.
"So, why aren't you taking part in the celebrations?" Carmyn asked in mild curiosity.
"Things like this aren't exactly my thing. Not to mention there's still a war going on that I need to keep prepared for." Abel replied matter-of-factly.
"Oh? Then I take it that you're not keen on something like this happening for three days." She speculated in an even tone.
"Not at all. After the time we've spent fighting, a break is welcomed and needed. I just prefer to use this time to prepare for what comes next..." He calmly explained, pausing before a thought came to mind.
"If I may... Why do you look like a child?"
"That's a rather blunt way to put it. But... I guess there's no harm in telling you..."
Having said that, Carmyn stopped in her tracks, raising her hands to her extremely long silver hair. Wrapping her hands around it so she could lift it to showcase her slender, pointed ears.
"You're a half-elf... But with those eyes... Does that mean you are connected to the royal family of the Elf Country?" He asked in reserved surprise.
As he was leaning in to better inspect her ears, he had found himself rather entranced by her mismatched eyes. Her beautiful creamy-green and bright sky-blue orbs seemed to shine in the evening light with a worldly and willful intelligence...
"Don't get too close." Carmyn hissed, dropping her hair and continuing to walk.
"Ahem... Apologies." He replied in a contrite tone.
"Humph. Accepted... And to answer your question, I wouldn't tell you even if I knew."
"Fair enough." Abel calmly remarked, taking the lead once more.
After a few more moments of walking, the duo arrived at the large double doors of one of the more modest manors in the area. Carmyn watched as Abel seemed to let out a small sigh, with the grip on his bag tightening. To her those were the rather obvious signs of apprehension and discomfort. Things he pushed through as he called upon those of the manor with two very audible knocks on the door.
The door opened slightly, revealing the face of a rather attractive maid with brown neck-length hair and yellow eyes. The woman eyed down the new arrivals, giving them a look that showed that they were not welcomed, especially Abel, as she curtly spoke in an empty tone.
"State your business."
"I'm here to speak with Sosan." Abel informed with a matching tone.
"Wait here." The maid rudely instructed, closing the door.
"Huh. It seems we're not welcomed here." Carmyn sarcastically remarked.
"No, we are not."
After a bit of waiting, the doors finally opened, revealing a woman in an expensive looking open neck red dress that exposed her back. It did well to highlight her curvaceous features that had a considerable cleavage. Her hair, held up in a bun, was a light-brown coloration, with her eyes a bright-green. Her noble presentation perfectly hid her rather humble origins. Behind her were four guards, which helped to feed her superior look.
"Why are you here?" She indignantly asked.
To this, Abel opened his bag and removed a small plushy of a bunny, presenting it to Sosan, who simply gave him an unimpressed look.
"I'm here to give this to Lua." He calmly said.
"Now? You come here and fake interest in your daughter now?" She hissed with a mocking tone.
"That's a lie! You know very well, that everything I do is for her. You can't keep me out of her life forever..."
As Abel let his frustration out, he made the mistake of stepping forwards and into the threshold of the manor. This prompting Sosan to step back and for the guards to place themselves in his way with swords drawn.
"You have no right to demand anything. You lost that right when you chose your job over us." She argued.
"There's a war going on, and I chose to protect you. To protect Lua. You..."
"That's quite enough, Commander."
The one to speak was Lucas Florent Nalor, Sosan's current husband, the master of the house, and was a merchant and facilitator of some success. He was of average height and built, with wavy black hair and brown eyes, and was wearing fine a suit.
"Lucas, thank the gods you are here. I fear he was about to force his way into our house." Sosan said, putting on an air of fear as she rushed to his side.
"That's a lie." Abel growled, taking a step back.
"Now, now dear. I'm sure he wouldn't do that. The Commander knows better than that, don't you?" Lucas asked, beginning to approach Abel.
"Be careful. He might be dangerous." She pointed out with a hostile gaze.
"Why don't you go inside? Make sure the guests are happy? Same for Lua?" He suggested in a consoling tone.
"Perhaps that is for the best. I'll be waiting for your return, darling.~" Sosan happily said, taking her leave along with the guards.
"She has no right to keep me from seeing my own daughter." Abel growled, as Lucas stopped in front of him.
"But your previous neglect cannot be ignored, Abel. Is it not true, that both of them are living a better life ever since I took them in?" Lucas casually pointed out.
"You let her steal Lua from me. Or am I meant to believe that, you were the one to take the first step in your relationship? I couldn't give her what she wanted, so she moved on to the next best thing; you. I just want to see my daughter, Lua."
"Oh, I don't have time to deal with your demonizing of Sosan today. As you can see I've guests to entertain. However, if you want to see Lua that badly, then come on. Go in." Lucas said, stepping aside and motioning Abel to enter.
"What are you playing at?" The Commander growled as he narrowed his vision.
"Just the fact of, what will you do after? Let's say you take her. Then what? You take her back to your home, to be alone while you're away? To spend day in and day out fearing for your life? To risk the day that, when you die in battle, and she is left alone? To…" Lucas continuously replied, until finally Abel stopped him.
"I get it! You don't need to rub more salt in the wound." He said, in an almost defeated tone.
"That's all I needed to hear. Now, if you don't mind, I have to go. However, I will take that doll, if you still want her to have it." Lucas cordially informed, reaching out for the plushy.
"She'll get it?" Abel asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
"You have my word."
"What good is the word of the man who so willingly took my family from me?"
"I understand how you feel. Yet, like you said, I took your family, making them now mine. Lua is part of my family now, and I want her to be happy. I think that doll would work well towards that end."
"Make sure you give it to her." Abel said, giving the doll to Lucas.
"Thank you. I wish you, and you Lady Carmyn, a good night."
With that the doors closed, leaving Abel and Carmyn outside as Lucas went deeper into the manor with doll in hand, ready to give it to Lua when Sosan intercepted him.
"Is he gone?" She asked, taking the doll from his hands.
"He is. I said that I would give the doll to Lua." Lucas explained as he allowed her to take it.
"This cheap thing? Who knows where it's been? We better get rid of it." Sosan coolly argued.
"Dear, I highly doubt Abel would be that careless."
"I thought the same thing when I first met him, but as you can see that man pays attention to few things that are not combat. I'm sure you are well aware. And she is my daughter, so please have faith in my decisions when it comes to her."
"If that is what you see fit, then very well." Lucas said, unable to question the woman when it came to her daughter.
"Now that he is gone, why don't we go back to the party~?" Sosan asked, with a honeyed tone.
"Ah, yes. Before people start questioning where we are."
"Still, who was that child that was with him?" She asked with a certain hint of disgust to her tone.
"One of the Espada. Her name is Carmyn."
"One of the people who won the battle for us? I heard some of the guests discussing it."
"Indeed. I was told about them in a meeting I had with one of my partners that is in direct contact with general Iain."
Back outside the manor, Abel was still looking at the closed door, his eyes swelling up, and his fists tightening as he held back all the emotions that were currently swirling around in his mind. Carmyn simply stood behind him, silent as she understood what she had just gotten herself into. She was not the most sentimental person, but even she knew that Abel needed some help in getting back to his normal mental state.
"Perhaps, we should get going. Like I said before, I don't think we're welcomed here." She said looking around.
"Y-Yeah... We should leave."
Abel began to shamble his way through the streets, not really saying anything, even when Carmyn tried to get some kind of conversation started. Arriving at a large fountain, he took a seat by its edge. He leaned forwards, passing his hands through his hair and let out a loud frustrated groan, his attention finally going to Carmyn.
"Don't look at me like that. No matter how you look at me, I'm not the right person to help you through this. However, I will say this; when it comes to being shunned by others, I'm more than familiar with the feeling. If you wish to talk, I will not tell you to stop. There was no one there when I needed it, after all." The Espada stated in a distant tone, getting a weak laugh in return.
"Heh... No, no. I won't ask that of you. But if you're willing to listen... I just might do that. You really don't mind?" Abel asked in a mixture of hopeful expectation and curiosity.
"That is what I said." She plainly said, taking a seat next to him.
"Right... Well, Sosan is my former-wife, and we had a child. A girl we named Lua... For a time, everything was fine, but the war forced me to stay away from them for long periods. She wasn't happy with it, but we continued somehow... Then one day I come back, and she doesn't seem as bothered by my absence. She'd gotten a job cleaning Lucas' manor as a maid, but at the time I didn't connect it. That was when one day I came back from a battle. We had been slaughtered by the enemy then, and when I came home I'm greeted by a carriage, which she was in the process of getting into with Lua. I tried to get to them, but Lucas' men stopped me, and then they were gone. Next thing I hear, our marriage was annulled, and she was married to him..."
"If the war was causing you this much trouble, why not just give it up? There are more people out there to do your job." Carmyn casually remarked.
Abel eyes, which until now had an empty look to them, swelled up even if no tears were coming out. His right-hand scratching through his hair, while his left was grabbing onto his knee with visible force, as he did his best to keep his emotions inside. While he spoke he looked at her, and his face was that of a person feeling both confusion and shame. His mouth opened, but he quickly forced it closed, as if fearing that gesture would break his current façade. Looking at the floor he swallowed and let out a deep sigh as he slowly began to speak again.
"It... It's my duty. I give it all I can... so my daughter doesn't have to grow up fearing that any moment, the beastmen may overrun us. I give it all I can, so others don't have to see what I have seen... I do this, so we have a future... I'm not wrong, am I?" He asked with his eyes going to hers, pure desperation filling them.
What a bothersome situation she had just gotten herself into. That was what Carmyn was now thinking, but even so she knew that she couldn't simply ignore the fact someone who seemed to be as good and as dedicated as he was to let this bother him forever. Especially when it could lead to his end, and others under his command.
"No. You are not wrong, Abel. It is men like you that make things happen, and protect those who can't fight for themselves. You have nothing to be ashamed of here."
Taking in her words, he looked up at the sky. They meant more than he was expecting. Probably more than even she was aware of. For him, a simple soldier who had to claw his way up to where he was now, to be validated by someone of her power, and from what he understood, age and experience, seemed to take away a massive weight from his shoulders.
"I've never told anyone about this... What a fool I have been…" Abel mumbled in a self-deprecating tone.
"Humph. Indeed. You have been criticizing yourself for nothing."
"To be fair, no one has ever seen me like this, but that aside, I wonder how things will be when this war does end. If she will let me see Lua..." Abel mused aloud, getting back to his feet as he sighed.
"That I cannot help you with. Especially, with someone like Sosan around..."
Carmyn looked at him with a tinge of pity. It was all too easy to forget that war had other, more personal loses and sacrifices outside of the battlefield. But even she knew that right now, there was nothing to be done. If anything at all...
"Agreed, I'm sure she made Lua hate me by now. But at least she's living in better conditions than I would've ever been able to give her..." He remarked in a low tone, then once again falling into silence.
"Huh... You seem to have accepted that." Carmyn remarked with some surprise to her voice.
"I accept that for now, she's living the best life possible. She has new clothes, warm food, and a present father-figure. From what I know of Lucas, he would make sure of it... Even if he helped take them away from me. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing, and make sure she remains safe." Abel firmly announced, with an expression that failed to hide his complete sadness.
"Glad I could be of help... So, what now?" Carmyn asked, jumping to her feet.
"I wouldn't mind continuing talking. It distracts me." Abel replies in a hopeful tone.
"Hm... Very well. Why don't you show me some other place to drink. Perhaps you can find me something I actually like."
"Uh, I can try, but from what I understood, you're not that much of a drinker. Heh."
"Indeed. That's why I want you to help me." Carmyn said with something akin to a pout.
"As you wish. Please follow me, my lady."
Meanwhile, in the lair of the Catastrophe Dragon Lord, both Draudillon and Naz'da'gar were laying in his bed, having already gone a few rounds. Their night was brought to an abrupt pause by the will of the queen herself. The Espada had noticed it when they met up, but as things went on, he could tell that something was distracting her. When she ultimately asked for a break, he had naturally obliged.
"Is something the matter?" Naz'da'gar asked, his left arm wrapping around her.
"N-No. I'm still processing how we won. I simply couldn't believe it. Even after learning who you were, a part of me couldn't imagine the day we'd actually push them back." The queen replied in a low and thoughtful tone.
"Is that all?" He insisted while caressing her cheek.
"Of course. There is nothing else..." She affirmed, taking a hold of his hand.
"Hm... Heh. I see. I'm sure you'll tell me in due time. Hehe." Naz'da'gar said as he chuckled.
"Well, I myself have something to tell you. You might've heard, but Cerabrate asked me for a duel, and I argued that each side should wager something..." He began, when she spoke over him. sitting up in bed.
"That was very stupid of both of you! We have no time for this! There's a war we need to win." Draudillon growled in annoyance.
"I'm aware. However, I think you'll like what I have in mind for our wager. Namely, our rewards." Naz'da'gar explained with a large toothy grin.
"H-How do you know about that?" She gasped in surprise, confusion, and irritation.
"Doesn't matter. I was made aware of it, and I will not allow him to lay his hands on you. That much I can assure you. The plan is that we'll wager our rewards, I'll win, and that is the last you will have to worry about him." Naz'da'gar said in a reassuring tone as he gently placed his clawed hand on her shoulder.
"Y-You didn't have to do that." Draudillon mumbled in relief, taking his hand in her own.
"But I do…" He said, pausing as he cupped her chin so their eyes met.
"You will bear my children someday, and I cannot risk anything that might put your wellbeing at risk."
"Child. I'll be bearing your child. Even if my body has somehow adapted to these nights of ours. I still have worries about giving birth to a baby dragon-halfling." The queen argued with a slight blush.
"You'll be fine. I'm sure of it..."
As he said this, the Dragon Lord prepared to get back into the usual way of things, wrapping his arm around her before trying to lay her back on the bed. However, much to his surprise, his advances were stopped by her, as she weakly pushed him away.
"W-What if we end this for the night?" She suggested, causing Naz'da'gar to tilt his head to the side in confusion.
"Oh? But I thought you said…" He tried to argue, but she was quick to interrupt him.
"I know, but today has taken a lot out of it, and I think you already did a lot for today.~ Ahem... Also, I want to know more about the war. About what happened." Draudillon said, her tone turning more serious.
"Are you sure?" Naz'da'gar asked in an equally serious tone.
"Yes. I want to know what's really going on out there. How my people are doing, and how they are dying for me, and our country..."
For a moment there was hesitation from the Dragon Lord. Surely, she must have been receiving intelligence reports from her people. As he gazed upon her earnest expression, he then realized that it was not that she didn't know. No, she was one that genuinely and deeply cared for her people. She knew how they were suffering and felt a measure of guilt for not being able to do more for them.
It was why she was willing, however reluctantly, to lay with Cerabrate in her child-form, as his "reward" in helping their nation, and how she initially beseeched Naz'da'gar to lay with her to help produce a powerful heir for the future. It was all for her people and her nation. In terms of empathy, compassion, and dedication, he couldn't think of any ruler being her equal. He found himself admiring her for it, as he reluctantly acquiesced to her wish with a heavy sigh.
"Hrmm... Alright. If that is what you wish for, then I'll tell you..."