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Chapter 40: One Last Cold Push

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- Save Lilim 1: Help the Frost Demons! -
Difficulty: 4 of 5

Conditions:
-Shatter the Allfather Hein's Forces near the Yggdrasil Tree (50/50);
-Clear out Captured Supply Depots to expand the Survival Rates of Sinmara's forces (3/4)
-Defeat the Allfather Heino

Time Limit:
-None;

Reward:
-2000 EXP;
-Improve Relationship with: Ragnarok Sinmara;
-Improve Relationship with: Onisaki Renji;
-Improve Relationship with: Onisaki Freya;
-Obtain Perk: Varia Knight (You are now immune to the Dark World's Unnatural Temperatures)

Failure:
-None;

Progress has been made. I would be a liar if I said that this was true just in the form of fancy numbers- the first section of the quest allowed for Sinmara's own troops to garrrison the Tree and secure the food. While the capture of the Supply Depots meant having the means to store the products of the fertile ground kept away.

Food was part of logistics- to own the primary (if not only) source of food in these god-forsaken lands meant to be king. And as Sinmara consolidated her domains and we moved to claim the last depot, I couldn't help but notice a rather infuriating aspects of Demons I thought solely owned to high-ranking ones: Demons level up fast when given the means to 'grow up'.

Onisaki Freya
LV.31
HP: 42000/42000

Freya had grown faster, stronger but also a bit more aware on how to dodge the primary source of bad ends and deaths: do not play with your prey. She was a cocky little thing, but one that munched off my words in those matters. In a way, she bowed to me as if I was her boss or something.

Her parents said it had something to do with the fact I was actually sounding 'simple and wise' enough to warrant her full attention and admiration. And I guess going on raids to kill what could be considered bad people added more to the bond. As it would explain...

Improved Relationship with: Onisaki Freya

Improved Relationship with: Onisaki Freya

Improved Relationship with: Onisaki Freya

Improved Relationship with: Onisaki Freya

Improved Relationship with: Onisaki Freya

This.

Yes, it was back and I swear I was sweating bullets if this was a situation like what happened with Momoko. To my relief, Freya was not outright fancying me, but she was definitely sticking to me and constantly questioning what would happen once I was done in the land. She didn't seem to be getting possessive... rather she was curious about the human world. As a girl that lived in a sheltered village with barely any working situations akin to a school and education left to parents when possible, the notion of 'going to school' and 'Japan' felt like a bait for someone like Freya.

So yes, this became a rather interesting point which levied some awkward shouting contests between her parents. Her dad wanted her to go to Taimanin School, her mother didn't want that and...

"What about regular school?"

That kind of 'worked' for them. It wasn't the ideal in their own differing views, but it made them interested enough as a compromise to look into.

Right now, however, it was a murderfest between Freya and I going ham at the bastards we were facing, and the few warriors dispatched by Sinmara to occupy the vacated last depot. Up to this point, there had been no major bumps along the road... and this worried me. Usually one should be happy that our enemy is dumb enough to not send huge hordes of warriors or bigger troubles against us, but I knew the setting.

Something was up and going which made me very nervous despite getting to a point where I was comfortably closer to my usual peak might.

Name: Tsukino Shingo
LVL. 64
Age: 11
EXP: 680/700
Title: Princess Serenity's Otouto
Money: 18.788.000Y
HP: 11520/11520
BP: 200/200
SP: 3773/3773
MP: 200/200
ATK: 2884 (11175,5)
DEF: 2123 (8226,6)
INT: 383 (1484,1)
LCK: 111 (430,1)

The real issue was... well, the fact that Heino was trying to 'reach out for peace'. And wanted to speak alone with Sinmara.

"You should reject the trap," I flatly remarked as I ended up in that war council trying to see what had to be done.

My own interjection came not at a time where common sense was prevailing, but where a rather bizarre 'persuasion' was coming up from what I dubbed the 'dumb pacifists'. While I would always favor a peaceful option where it is possible, I also knew I wasn't exactly slaying people that could be redeemed.

These were individuals that were not coerced into Heino's folds, but had joined willingly at the promise of 'having a turn with the gorgeous women' in this camp. In fact, it was quite hilarious that no women in the council supported a diplomatic peace.

"Of course the interloper would say that!" The leading element to the pacifists was some old-looking asshole. Elder that had literally such sunken eyes that it looked like he had none. "Blood of our people spilled by you and the little heiress as if it was nothing, rendering such war a sterile and abominable extermination of our own kin."

Many would fold. I bet he expected the 'kid' that I was to do the same. But I had dealt with similar bullshit.

"You are... an idiot. Like a very bad traitor at that."

"E-Excuse you-"

"No, you are not excused, and I will make it quick in debunking your stupid points," I remarked dryly, interjecting without hesitation. "Ignoring the fact that the forceyouasked me to help you against are not just 'your people', but individuals that defied your previous leader's last will, tried to starve you all so you could bend the knee to their disrespectful selves, and then demand to have a way with your own women. Why? Because they thought you all to be less than them. Is this how the Frost Demons' tradition go? That there will always be a group to stomp on their own ilk, demanding tribute because they think they are on top of the food chain? Don't make me joke."

I turned to Sinmara, her full attention on me.

"The decision is yours, but let me ask you a very simple but serious question: do you think your uncle will respect peace? Or is this a dishonest attempt to capture you, your husband, your child, and then demand the submission of others. In fact, do you really think these 'pacifists' are doing it for peace's sake."

"Now listen here, you-!" One of the bigger idiots stood up from their pillows, and I manifested my sword and pointed it at him.

"I don't think I will. In fact, I have no intention to listen... now that I think about it, none of you joined any of the recent operations. I recognize most of those wanting to decimate Heino as people that have been on the frontlines... what have you all been up to?"

I saw them all tense up, and I noticed Sinmara narrowing her eyes while her husband looked on some papers.

"He is not wrong," Renji confirmed quietly, tapping on papers. "I believe none of those individuals have taken part even to the defensive construction efforts."

"I wanna bet that they have ties with Heino, which is why they didn't help. And now that their gamble is backfiring, they are trying to pull one last hail mary."

My words were driven by mere guesswork. I really couldn't tell this was the truth, but it was all aiming at that possibility merely on the basis this was such a common development in the Taimaninverse. And their shocked looks was all Sinmara needed to act.

Before they could either fight or flee, ice erupted from the grounds and encased them all in pillars. Shocked looks were soon plastered for all to see as Sinmara stood up.

"To answer your question, Shingo, I do not believe my uncle to have even an inkling of honor after the crimes he committed against our people," The woman remarked dully, fetching a lance and cleaving into the pillars. "As far as I am concerned, this was shall end in a single way: Heino's death, and his forces forever crushed."

The rest of the war council cheered on what happened to be a most resolute answer to the 'question'. I felt relief washing over me as this prevented any chances of things going south. Heino possibly made a big bet on this possibility, as he probably didn't coordinate the armies of his coherently.

Another day, I found myself thinking. Another day and I will get to Lilim.

It's been four days since I have entered the Dark World, and I was ever so closer to get to Lilim and I hoped she was doing well right now.


Lilim was doing modestly well.

Well because she wasn't getting mistreated, modestly because she was still ballchained to the situation where shehad to rise to the throne.

As painful as this was, she had made an effort to understand her aunt, and she had learned some unpleasant thing about her cousin. Kuroi was a monster, no doubt in her mind this was even worse than a few years ago. He was such a womanizer, but in a way that truly embodied the worst aspects of both Incubi and Succubi.

While it is true that both groups were reckless in their pursue of lust, there were changes made once it became clear that this would only undermine their capacity to keep control. To let lust control their actions...

She had been shown what that could do to Succubi and even Incubi. As she peered more on the matter through what books and reports her aunt provided her with, Lilim felt even more aggravated on the matter. And aware she was the only hope they got to handle this sort of bastard.

Still, that didn't prevent Kuroi from making his presence known to her. Some of the guards ratted out the news she was back, and he had tried to get to have a private meeting with her. Heeding to common sense, Lilim rejected that.

He then tried to send her 'gifts', which she didn't even bother unpacking and outright had those burned.

Many things could be said about Lilim, but her Aunt picked up an acquired trait she found 'good for a smart ruler' - she learned how to keep wary of 'kind' assholes thanks to Shingo. She could 'play a game', but those individuals thrived in the dirtiest of those plays, and it was bad enough to try and contemplate them as 'equals'.

That being said, her aunt did promise she had been looking for Shingo. Despite all these tense moments, she found the 'love' Lilim had for the boy enough to rekindle the search. It's been a few days, but they had some leads bringing them into the civil war in the land of Frost Demons.

It would seem that a 'foreigner' had been intervening and shifting the tide in favor of the legitimate leader. In Lilim's mind, this was Shingo and these actions were his way to secure a 'way into' the castle. And while she found the effort lovable and made her even more aware that the teasing her aunt levied on her had some truth.

She...

She kind of loved Shingo. More than a friend. Definitely was a thing when he let her deal with her urges through his body, but it never felt like it could go romantic so suddenly.

And yet it was.

Everything was messy, even more as she looked at her calendar and saw that it would take two more days for the coronation.

Everything felt squishing at her, and she had a choice to make - hopefully, they would all understand what she planned to do.


AN

The plot thickens! Last battle against Heino next time and... Kuroi is introduced. And he is the Bastard from Taimainin Yukikaze 2.