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Chapter 4: Hospitality
TONUKAPOLI was dumbfounded…because discussions had led to a banquet being held to celebrate the new friendship between Pepe and Takuto. At first, she thought it was a part of some elaborate scheme, but the girl embodying the source of all evil seemed genuinely thrilled about their friendship, so Tonukapoli convinced herself it really was just a celebratory feast.
Food was carried out in droves to their table before long. Every dish consisted of ingredients she’d never seen or heard of before. But the aroma was heavenly, and even Tonukapoli, who usually never cared about what she put in her mouth, had to swallow back her drool.
“Please dig in!” Atou exclaimed. “It’s an auspicious occasion! Go on! Have a bite. You too, Lady Tonukapoli!”
“I-I will. Thanks.”
Urged to eat, Tonukapoli picked up one of the fruits first. She didn’t consume meat or grains, so it was the obvious choice. The beautifully sliced fruit was a bright orange color, and she could tell it was of the finest quality from the scrumptiously sweet smell.
Е̃n ù m̊ а
Tonukapoli couldn’t hide her astonishment that such a sophisticated fruit existed. So she asked one of the Dark Elf girl’s—an odd girl with half her face burned—serving the food about it. The girl’s smile dimpled her ruddy cheeks as she explained that it was a special kind of food called “The Gift of the Sun” or “Golden Berries.”
Heh. I see. It’s pretty bold and daring to call it a gift from the almighty sun burning in the sky, but I can’t say that naming sense is disrespectful when it’s for something of this quality. Though I can’t really judge it until I try it.
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Tonukapoli picked up a silver fork set on the table in front of her, closely stared at the sticky, juicy fruit, and finally worked up the nerve to pop it into her mouth.
Wh-What in the Spirit realm is this?!!
The moment she tasted it, every sweet thing she’d ever tried before was reduced to tasting worse than sand in comparison.
What a flavor! What a little treasure!
E n̈ u̇ ṁ a
The tangy sweetness spreading over her tongue blew away her expectations. It was so soft that it fell apart just by rolling it lightly with the tip of her tongue, and juice gushed out every time she chewed. Most astonishing of all was the delectable scent transmitted from her mouth through her nasal cavity and how that alone was tantalizing enough to melt the walls she’d built up around her mind.
Delighted cries rose up all around her—cries belonging to the elite troops who’d accompanied Tonukapoli into the Accursed Lands. They were eating with such gusto they seemed to have forgotten how sick the thick miasma made them until now. She couldn’t really blame them for their quick change in attitude after they had a taste of something otherworldly.
Her stomach, which should’ve shrunk with age, seemed to suddenly remember its more youthful days as it nagged her to give it more food. With sheer willpower, she forcefully stopped her hand as it greedily reached for the next plate…
Tonukapoli quietly analyzed the strange phenomenon she’d just experienced and scrutinized Mynoghra’s leaders.
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“I know this is a rude question but is this food…tainted?”
Giving Pepe a sidelong glance as he continued shoveling food into his mouth without hesitation, Tonukapoli put her question to Atou, making sure to keep her emotions off her face.
Е̃ň ũ ḿа̃ .іd
It is said that evil beings taint and corrupt people. They quietly enter every aspect of your life and ensnare the soul so that you can never escape.
Evil takes many forms to do this.
For example, a treasure that is so dazzling you won’t use it your entire life.
For example, a beautiful siren of a princess who will make it so you have eyes for no other once you look upon her.
…For example, a food that you will never forget after taking a single bite.
She wasn’t so feeble with age to lose her mind, but even she found that fruit to be the culmination of all that makes eating pleasurable, to the point it made her want to greedily devour it and seek out more, decorum be damned.
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Thus, she asked to know what she had been fed. To make it known that such tantalizing food shouldn’t be allowed to exist in this world.
But the doubts that she should’ve posed with tension and wariness were immediately denied by Atou, who looked a tad surprised.
“Tainted food? Oooh! I get it. It was so delicious you wondered if it would have some sort of negative influence over you, right? Don’t worry, there’s none of that,” Atou reassured with a wave of her hand.
Tonukapoli was baffled by her reaction, but she wasn’t going to cease her inquiry there. After all, she was faced with a table full of otherworldly, demonic food capable of seducing every living creature. This food was so valuable that even the dishes on the table could cause a conflict resulting in death depending on the situation.
Chucking just a plate of this food into a room full of Qualia’s greedy clergymen was liable to cause a laughable conflict. Tonukapoli was sure of it—that was the kind of power and sway this food had over people.
It was only natural she wouldn’t be convinced of its safety until she learned of its origins.
Е̃n̊ ũ m а
“Hmm,” Atou hummed, placing a finger to her lips. “How should I explain? This food can only be grown in our empire. I cannot go into greater detail as it’s a national secret, but I can guarantee it is safe for all races to consume.”
Atou gave that excessive explanation out of consideration for Tonukapoli’s wariness. Not even Tonukapoli could press for more details when it was explained away as a national secret.
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It was unbelievably delicious, but as long as it existed upon the table, she couldn’t disregard it as an illusion.
“It’s tasty.”
“It’s so tasty, you’ll eat too much and make your bottoms burst at the seams!”
“I see, I see. That’s some amazing food.”
Е̄ n ǔm̃ ӑ . іd
The two Dark Elf girls serving food brought additional dishes to Tonukapoli with angelic smiles. As she accepted the plates, she smiled at the innocent girls who were just like little angels despite serving the embodiment of evil.
I want to exchange our foolish Pepe for one of them…
Tonukapoli glanced sideways at Pepe, who was in the middle of sinking his teeth into some weird food consisting of meat between two pieces of bread. He’d been saying nothing but “Yummy, yummy!” the whole time, but he was always the type to call anything he ate yummy, so it was hard to say if he actually understood how unusual their food was.
Still, if Pepe could eat the food they served with confidence, then it was probably safe. Tonukapoli let out a long, relieved sigh over her fears being unfounded. Then she apologized for having ever doubted Mynoghra and praised them for preparing such a wonderful feast that it gave her such doubts. Her praise seemed to delight Atou and her people as the Dark Elf girls brought even more plates of food to Tonukapoli.
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Nevertheless, Tonukapoli was struck with admiration. Being able to produce this much fruit and food indicated Mynoghra had advanced technological capabilities. Not to mention affluence.
Food was generally considered good if it was edible. This held especially true on the Dark Continent, where it was difficult to produce crops. So sparing food for lavish meals proved they had a high production capacity. Tonukapoli had asked the twins about it, and they said they normally ate this well.
Е ṅ ǔm̄ а
This food was good enough to be served in the Imperial Palace, so she assumed it was reserved for special occasions, not something to be eaten all the time. Too curious to leave it at that, Tonukapoli further questioned the twins, who told her that while the food was special, all of Mynoghra’s citizens had the opportunity to eat it.
If that were true, then they were a tremendously blessed people.
It also served as a painful wake-up call about just how barely edible and horrible the food Tonukapoli’s people had been eating all this time really was. At the same time, she also wondered how in the Spirit realm she could go back and suffer eating the food of her homeland after knowing what heaven tasted like. The single bite of fruit she’d consumed had this great of an impact on the old woman.
“All of this comes from His Majesty,” Atou explained. “Every citizen has access to more food than they could ever eat. Please enjoy every bite until you are satisfied. Mynoghra prides itself on providing the most delicious food in the world.”
“Yeah, it’s certainly the best in the world, I’d say. I’ve heard a lot of different regions boast about this or that, but this is the first time the boasting doesn’t do the product justice. I haven’t been eating much these days, but I might have to start watching my weight if I hang out with you people…”
Tonukapoli’s belly was bulging against her clothes before she realized it. She’d tried several different dishes aside from the various fruits, all of which were new to her and unlike anything she’d ever tasted before. She seemed to have eaten a considerable amount of food as she tested every dish with relish.
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I can’t believe I binge ate during a banquet hosted by another nation and put on weight at my age. Who knows what crass and witty remarks my fellow Staff Holders will make when I tell them.
Feeling a little self-conscious, Tonukapoli tossed a tiny purple fruit into her mouth, telling herself it would be her last bite of food for the day…but then she wanted a little more.
I’d better prepare myself to get lectured once I give my report back home, Tonukapoli thought, giving in to the temptation.
“Nobody will care if you get fat, Granny— YEOWCH! That hurt worse than usual!”
“Are you okay?” one of the Dark Elf twins asked.
“Your skull sounded like an empty can being hit…” the other twin said.
E̊ ñ_ŭm ӑ . і̊ d.
But she had to get retribution for Pepe’s slip of the tongue before the other Staff Holders could…
After shooting Pepe, whose eyes filled with tears after being whacked on the head with twice her usual force, an evil look, Tonukapoli shifted her gaze to Takuto Ira, the king of the empire called Mynoghra. No matter how much she looked at it sitting there dining with them like it was only natural, she couldn’t get used to it.
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How could she?
After all, he appeared to be an Evil God. It was a miracle she could stay calm in his presence. Regardless of how she felt, they were at the point of no return.
There was an old proverb that went something like, “You can’t obtain treasure if you don’t venture into the dragon’s den.”
There was a risk they were being deceived, but forming friendly relations with Mynoghra would truly benefit their nation.
Ӗ nũ mа̄ .ĭ.d
She hadn’t the faintest clue what the King was.
He was creepy, evil, and she didn’t think for one second he had a shred of mortal emotion. He sat perfectly still on his chair, emitting unfathomable terror as easily as breathing air.
What was the King thinking? What was he trying to do?
The only thing Tonukapoli could tell about him was that he somehow seemed to be in a good mood. Try as she might, she couldn’t fathom how in the world he was put into such a mood by Pepe’s comment.
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She might not understand how it happened, but it appeared Pepe the Fool did his foolish best to aid Phon’kaven. As she rejoiced over her grandson’s growth, Tonukapoli finally started to loosen up a little.
“I know! Let’s ask them to sell this food to us! Everybody will be so happy!”
Е́n u m̊а̄. і̆ d̈
So much for his growth—he just threw a fireball into their midst as things were starting to cool down. Pepe suggested the most ridiculous thing with stars in his eyes.
There he goes stirring up trouble again…
Tonukapoli held a hand to her aching head, but the cat was already out of the bag. He had to go and toss that comment out there at the worst timing when she’d hoped to bring their biggest concerns to Mynoghra after the banquet.
Tonukapoli softly scolded Pepe as she prayed to the Nature Spirits to do something about the foolish child before he could utter any other stupid ideas that came to his little head.
“We can’t very well ask them to sell such high-quality food to us. They aren’t likely willing to share it with other nations. Besides, we only just formed friendly relations with them. I understand how you feel, but it’s too soon for that, Pepe.”
Mynoghra’s food was very tempting. They should have a surplus in food supplies and production if all of their citizens sustain a diet of three good meals a day.
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The food situation in Phon’kaven was grave given their current circumstances. It’d be exceedingly beneficial to their nation to acquire some food through trade, even if it wasn’t of the highest quality.
But as she’d just warned Pepe, their relationship with Mynoghra wasn’t even a day old yet. This wasn’t something to negotiate during the early stages of their relationship.
“Sure.”
“A-Are you sure you’re okay with that, King Takuto Ira?!”
“Yup.”
If Pepe was considered irrational by Phon’kaven’s standards, then irrational WAS the standard in Mynoghra.
Е n̆.u mа̂
King Takuto Ira immediately jumped on Pepe’s suggestion and went along with it as if he were brought a terrific deal.
“You never cease to amaze, King Takuto! This is a wonderful plan!”
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“Let’s draft up the details later!”
Any vassal in their right mind should have objected and pleaded with their king to reconsider, but they were all for it as if it were an ingenious idea.
The mystery of how they could so boldly strike a deal at a second’s notice was only growing more questionable, but Tonukapoli needed this negotiation to work.
This was their chance. Tonukapoli thought of the products her country could export so she could conclude these negotiations on the best possible terms.
Wе̌ b̈n o̊v̈ ӗ l̃_ Е nu mа
“All right. I can’t hide my delight over this wonderful proposition either, but what does your nation want in return? Let me be clear with you: we don’t have any specialty products to offer you. Not that I can think of anything in this world with equal value to food as amazing as this.”
“That’s a valid point… We don’t need anything special. We just want consumable goods such as metal equipment, daily necessities, entertainment goods, paper, cloth, and the like. We will accept that as equal payment. We will keep the food we sell you at a reasonable price, too.”
Consumable goods.
Tonukapoli furrowed her brow. What did they need any of that for?
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Phon’kaven would have no problem exporting miscellaneous goods and consumables. None of that was confidential or invaluable, which begged the question of why Mynoghra needed them.
“Hmm, we can afford to export those items. However…I can’t see what you need it for. For example, you have such beautiful tableware. It’s of an unbelievable quality I have never seen before. Even the advanced nation of Qualia doesn’t have anything like this. And obviously, we don’t either.”
Ẅе bǹ ò v êľ Ë n̆um̊ а́
Plates, bowls, cups, and candlesticks lined the long table. Looking at the eating utensils they provided, called forks and spoons, Tonukapoli questioned their need out of pure curiosity.
Atou smiled vaguely and shook her head, simply answering, “Because there is a demand for products from other countries.”
Tonukapoli scrutinized her expression but couldn’t understand the intentions hidden behind her smile.
Even a cunning old Mage who’d lived for hundreds of years was no match for a creature beyond mortal understanding. After a long pause, Tonukapoli sighed and held up both hands in defeat.
It wasn’t a bad deal. The farmland in Phon’kaven had been destroyed by the Barbarians. In fact, there was a real problem with their food supply, as they needed to allocate able bodies to the defense force. They couldn’t have asked for a better deal than to fill their empty bellies at the price of unimportant, easily produced miscellaneous goods.
“We’ll leave it at that. We don’t have any issues with the terms. It’s a good deal both parties can agree to.”
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In the end, some rough arrangements were made on the spot, which was an unexpected gain for Tonukapoli. Objectively, importing food from a nation they had just met risked potential contamination and poisoning, but she determined that problem could be solved later with food inspections.
In any case, Mynoghra’s food was enticing. They were receiving a tremendous benefit with minimal effort.
Eventually, the meal came to an end, and the table was cleared. After everyone had a chance to relax with some post-meal drinks, Atou eased them into the main topic of discussion.
“All right, we didn’t get the chance to speak at length about it earlier, so we would like to know what business brought you to our territory.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll be the one to speak on this matter. It’s a tad too complicated for Pepe, after all.”
It was time to get to the real issue at hand: the bizarre phenomenon plaguing Phon’kaven. If they could grasp even a fragment of understanding about what was happening, that would be satisfactory, and if they could obtain support from Mynoghra through negotiations, that would be more than they could ever ask for.
Е́ n̈úm̆ á
From their conversations thus far, it was doubtful for Mynoghra to be related to the sudden Barbarian outbreak. Mynoghra seemed concerned about the Barbarians as well, and they didn’t seem to have the sick hobby of enjoying sitting back and watching as they played Phon’kaven.
As far as she could tell from the terrifying girl called Atou, Mynoghra appeared to be the type that took pride in establishing and adhering to contracts. Renegading on one would hurt their lofty pride.
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In which case, they should be able to work together…even if it meant joining hands with evil. And Tonukapoli and Pepe were the only ones who could make this deal happen.
It was a crucial moment.
Tonukapoli was grateful to Pepe and King Takuto Ira for making peace right off the bat. They were fortunate this wasn’t a very strict and ceremonious moment. She was an amateur when it came to international negotiations. She didn’t know what horrible mistakes she’d make when she was nervous. But being too relaxed was a problem in and of itself.
She downed the liquid in her glass to help her concentrate on the upcoming conversation. An unknown delicacy slid over her tongue and down her throat, but strangely, she couldn’t fully enjoy the taste under these circumstances.
Е̄ n ü ṁӓ
They were finally talking about what mattered to both parties: the purpose for which Phon’kaven came to the Accursed Lands.
Of course, Tonukapoli wasn’t going to reveal everything about her true purpose for being there—their investigation into the Barbarian attacks and how to stop them. Showing all your cards is synonymous with exposing your weaknesses, putting you at a disadvantage in negotiations, even if the other party is an ally.
Thus, she reduced her explanation down to the slightly altered truth that they were investigating the Accursed Lands as a part of a preliminary investigation into the Barbarians, which they hoped would lead to an answer on how they could eliminate them at their source.
They needed to prevent Mynoghra from learning that they had fallen behind in staving off the Barbarians. They couldn’t let it be known that their insufficient strength led to Dragontan being left to fend for itself without reinforcements.
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Tonukapoli took special care to word those matters without giving anything away. And yet…
“So you have insufficient military forces then.”
W е̌ b_ň оv̀ е̂l̂ E n̈ ú ḿ а̄
Takuto Ira’s remark accurately summarized the core of their problem. In any normal situation, his candid assessment would be grounds for offense, even if it was true—or rather, because it was true. However, it didn’t upset Tonukapoli.
After all, she understood she was dealing with a being that stood separate from the common man. He probably didn’t take normal sensibilities into consideration when he spoke. Rather, he just uttered exactly how he felt. In which case, it was pointless to resent every little thing he said. On the contrary, the more upset she became, the greater an advantage she was giving him.
However, she couldn’t let things end with him thinking they had insufficient military means. She needed to parry that comment with a good excuse.
Tonukapoli schooled her expression into one of serene calm as she responded to him at her leisure.
“Nah, we could handle them if we get serious. We’ve repelled their forces thus far. But that doesn’t change the fact that random and frequent Barbarian attacks are still a threat that we don’t want growing out of control. The other hard-headed Staff Holders are of the opinion that we should do a preliminary investigation rather than get caught off guard.”
It was a painfully bad excuse considering the current state Dragontan was in, but it also made sense. There was a level of persuasiveness behind pinning their inaction on slow, internal decision-making. This also let her communicate the Barbarian threat to Mynoghra.
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They had yet to witness Barbarians suddenly showing up out of nowhere. Most of the time, Barbarians had to travel from far distances to reach a territory, or rather, that had always been the norm. When that happened, you could typically see them coming and see signs if they were traveling as a horde.
Dangerous creatures suddenly and randomly appearing within your territory would be a huge concern to any nation. Tonukapoli emphasized that point with her impassioned speech, diverting Mynoghra’s attention away from Phon’kaven’s waning military might.
“Barbarians are certainly a nuisance, Lady Tonukapoli. Especially the odd way with which they suddenly appear. I presume this is a case of single incidents being easy enough to deal with, but eliminating the root cause presents a greater difficulty?”
“Exactly, Lady Atou. That’s why we’re out here investigating the cause… We never expected to encounter your kingdom in the process, though.”
“We were also surprised to run into you. We were actually in the process of sending a delegation to make contact with your people…”
I pulled it off! Tonukapoli internally celebrated her success.
W̆е̃bn.ô v̀ е l̂ Е̄ n u m̂ а̌
She’d skillfully shifted Mynoghra’s attention toward the Barbarians. Now she didn’t have to worry about them taking advantage of Phon’kaven’s insufficient military means. These negotiations would be a huge success worthy of celebration if she could just get them to offer military aid.
In fact, the Accursed Lands where Mynoghra existed was close to the town of Dragontan, so it wouldn’t be strange for them to eventually run into Barbarians too. The Barbarians hadn’t come for them yet, probably because of the complexities and chaos that made up the Accursed Lands, but there was no guarantee they’d continue to be safe in the future.
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Furthermore, if Dragontan should fall, the Barbarians could turn it into their new base of operations. Unforeseen and random attacks would be a piddly threat compared to living next to their base.
Tonukapoli was confident they’d never let their towns fall into the hands of Barbarians, but Mynoghra might think differently. In other words, this was a problem that concerned them too. Tonukapoli made that abundantly clear as Phon’kaven’s representative.
“Still, I must say that Dragontan is located in a difficult spot,” Atou remarked. “I’m not one to speak on other nations’ affairs, but it must be hard for Phon’kaven to keep such a distant and detached territory safe.”
“Hm? Yeah, we’ve got our reasons for it.”
Eń úm̃а
This was another matter Tonukapoli had to keep their attention off of.
A Dragon Vein Mine existed within the town of Dragontan. They had accidentally come across this miracle land that spews out pure Mana during one of their scouting expeditions. So much Magic Power that no mortal could possibly control. Even Ceremonial Magic didn’t require such large amounts of Mana.
They presently didn’t have any means to utilize it, but if they could complete their research of the technology that would let them use the Dragon Vein Mine’s Mana, then they’d obtain a power that would instantly set them apart from the other nations. For that purpose, they forced through the construction of Dragontan and commenced secretly researching it.
If not for the Barbarian problem, they would’ve completed their research of Military Magic by now.
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Lamenting the unreasonableness of the world for making things never go their way, Tonukapoli lied through her teeth, keeping her voice flat all the while.
“Is that so? Well, building a town further away from your main territory does make it easier to claim ownership of the land, including the surrounding area,” Atou said understandingly. “It’s the way of the world for us to have various reasons for doing things and those things not proceeding as we hope.”
Ѐn̆ u m а̊ . ǐḋ
“You can say that again. I’d be sipping tea at home right about now if not for those blasted Barbarians coming out of the woodwork… But meeting Mynoghra and King Takuto Ira was a stroke of good fortune amid all this misfortune… Though I hope you see our nation sending two of our strongest Staff Holders out to investigate a remote area as a sign of how well we are faring.”
“We’re glad to have met Phon’kaven as well.”
“Yes, yes, you are absolutely right, King Takuto!” Atou exclaimed. “Our lives would be much easier if everyone in the world was as easy to talk to as the people of Phon’kaven.”
The atmosphere surrounding their negotiation was the definition of tranquil. It appeared Tonukapoli had safely crossed the tightrope.
Fortunately, Pepe hadn’t interjected himself into the conversation. Things wouldn’t have gone this smoothly if he’d been actively involved.
Tonukapoli suddenly felt her heart drop as a horrible realization hit her. Why had Pepe remained silent all this time?
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“Oh no!”
“???”
Everyone turned toward the person who let out that hysteric cry. Their gazes landed upon Pepe, who hadn’t uttered a peep since the negotiations began. His boyish face was scrunched up in thought, his arms folded as he tapped them.
What in the Spirit realm had gotten into him? Was he struggling to follow their conversation?
“What’s wrong?” Takuto asked before Tonukapoli could.
Pepe’s brow remained furrowed as he gave a small nod in response to the question everyone present wanted to ask and truthfully said what was bothering him.
Е nũm̊ а.і d̄
“Didn’t we come to investigate the Accursed Lands to find some way to escape letting our country be destroyed?”
“Pepe…foolishness should have its limits even for you!”
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“What? Am I wrong?”
“Er, well, what can I say, I sympathize with you, Lady Tonukapoli…” Atou said awkwardly.
“……”
Painful silence followed. No one possessed the ability to do anything other than keep their mouths shut. Tonukapoli was especially at her wit’s end.
Е̌n_û m̃a .і̇.d́
Who wouldn’t be in her position? Her fellow diplomat blabbed about their nation’s crisis in the middle of international negotiations. Not even she possessed a silver tongue capable of talking her way out of this one. Anyone, even a gifted genius, would struggle to overcome this difficult situation. That’s how bad of a predicament Pepe’s statement just placed Phon’kaven in.
However, no matter the dilemma presented by his slip of the tongue, their future still could go in many different directions depending on Mynoghra’s response.
“Atou.”
“Yes, King Takuto.”
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…And it appeared that Phon’kaven’s future was headed in a surprisingly welcome direction.
“Lady Tonukapoli, please rest assured with the knowledge that we do not harbor any malicious intentions toward Phon’kaven.”
Е̊n u m а̊
The girl expressed Mynoghra’s stance as if she were communicating with her king through an invisible connection. Her expression looked troubled. Tonukapoli understood she was being sympathetic to their blunder, and it was evident from the serious gleam in her crimson eyes that her words were meant neither as a joke nor a slight.
“It might be hard to believe, but we are more interested in the internal affairs of our nation than external ones. You may think it strange for evil beings such as us to have no ill intent toward the outside world, but that is who we are and how King Takuto wishes things to be.”
Unbelievable words came from her pink lips.
It was generally believed that evil beings desired the suffering of all living things and the world’s destruction. Their stance came across as bizarre and contrary to the commonly accepted belief about evil. But going by the way Mynoghra had welcomed them and the Dark Elves who served them, it clearly wasn’t a bald-faced lie.
Unable to hide her confusion and unease, Tonukapoli shook her head and directed her question toward Takuto.
“But evil beings are— No, never mind. We also think it’s, well, best if nothing bad happens, but—”
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“Peace is best.”
“…Mmm,” Tonukapoli groaned.
What else could she say when that was their stance?
Tonukapoli didn’t have nerves of steel, nor was she such an ignorant fool as to call Takuto Ira’s intentions into question here.
But still, he threw out peace? At a time like this? Honestly, nothing sounded more suspicious to Tonukapoli than that, but in the off-chance he was telling the truth, they’d never run into another ally whose interests so perfectly aligned with their own.
“We just want to live every day quietly in peace,” Atou insisted. “We are actually more concerned that other nations will be the ones to disrupt our peace.”
Е̇ n̈_u mа̌
“Yeah, I doubt Qualia or El-Nah will even be open to talking…”
“You understand our concerns?”
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“They’ve made plenty of trouble for us too, yeah.”
Tonukapoli agreed with their concerns. No matter how much Mynoghra loved peace and didn’t ever intend to invade other nations, the same didn’t apply to those nations.
Even a multiracial empire with an understanding of various cultures and religions like Phon’kaven struggled with how to judge them. So it was plain as daylight how those religious zealots who blindly believed in the goodness of gods and spirits and spent every waking moment praying would react to them.
Hmm. Tonukapoli started thinking about the future.
Е̂ num̆ а. id̀
Phon’kaven would eventually be forced to make a decision.
To their north, they had the forces of good that advocated for order, sought obedience and allegiance, and would impose their laws on anyone who joined them.
And to their west, they had the forces of evil that declared they desired peace and harmony and sought friendship and open dialogue.
They were in for a big hassle no matter which side they joined—that much was clear. Tonukapoli’s head hurt just thinking about it.
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“But I see,” Atou said. “We can no longer consider this matter irrelevant to us. I believe we need to take some action. How do you wish to proceed, my king?”
“Friends help each other.”
W̊ѐ b̊ ṅо̂v̊ el̊ Ĕ ňǔ ṁӑ
“That’s my buddy Takuto Ira for you!!” Pepe squealed with delight.
“Keep your trap shut, Pepe!”
“OUCHIE! I’m getting hit a lot more than usual today!”
They had decided to offer their assistance while Tonukapoli was racking her brain. She decided to just go along with the flow, thinking what will be, will be. Trying to see the big picture as a small player only led to headaches.
Abandoning all thought during an important meeting was more than just a little foolish, but she hadn’t lived for several centuries with nothing to show for it. Her final trump card was still in place, and it was working just fine at the moment.
“The King has spoken,” Atou said. “We might be able to assist you with Dragontan. Besides, Barbarians possessing various abilities are also an enemy of interest to us…”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Yaaay!!”
As she observed Pepe throwing his hands into the air with delight, Tonukapoli assessed the value Mynoghra’s aid would bring. She hadn’t determined their strength yet, but one look at Atou told her they’d be fine. Barbarians wouldn’t stand a chance against the King’s close confidant.
Their aid would allow Phon’kaven to switch from completely focusing on defense to launching a large-scale investigation into the root cause of the Barbarian outbreak. They’d been seriously considering abandoning Dragontan under recent circumstances. Now, the town’s continued survival was practically guaranteed. It was wonderful to see a possible bright future.
Tonukapoli nearly ran from the halls screaming when Pepe opened his big trap, but perhaps his outburst was actually taking them in a better direction. They were able to obtain everything they wanted from this negotiation even while the other party knew their weakness. They ought to return the favor in kind.
At the very least, she knew they lacked daily necessities from their earlier trade talks. Now what would they ask for?
Bracing herself for what was to come, Tonukapoli asked what they wanted in return for their aid.
Е n̈ u_mа̀.ï d
“We’re grateful for the assistance. But there ain’t anything more suspicious in the world than when someone says they’re just helping out of the good of their heart. You’re a bona fide nation yourself. You won’t move without good motive to. This little fool here made our problems clear to you, so…what do you want in return for your aid?”
“Since you asked…the Dragon Vein Mine,” Atou responded with an innocent grin.
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Her instant response suddenly made everything clear. Tonukapoli cursed her careless self for walking straight into that one. Apparently, she was negotiating with someone a hundred steps ahead of her.
“So, you already knew about that…”
Now that she thought about it, Tonukapoli had never negotiated with another nation before. When she realized that, she understood some part of her had overestimated her own abilities. She’d been arrogant coming into this. At the same time, she also resigned herself to the thought that even if she had come into this armed to make a flawless transaction, it was questionable if she ever would’ve been on equal footing with Mynoghra.
Oh Spirits. I guess I can’t keep picking on Pepe for being a fool. She laughed at herself.
Ẇ ӗ b̆n̄ оv̆ ë l̂ Е̇ n ũ m̊ á
This was the worst possible situation. The Dragon Vein Mine was Phon’kaven’s most valuable secret. Even in the harsh environment of the Dark Continent, they still had hope for the future because they were anticipating what they could do with the enormous Mana brought about by the Dragon Vein Mine. Their future hinged on it.
If Mynoghra demanded it as payment, they would have a difficult time standing on equal footing with other nations in the future. At the very least, they wouldn’t be able to stand up to Mynoghra.
“We don’t mind sharing joint control of it,” Atou suggested. “We don’t currently have any need for that much Mana, after all. However, we will be the ones to specify the converted element.”
“Elemental conversion of pure Mana from the Dragon Vein Mine…eh? We’re currently in the process of researching that technology, but I see your nation is already in possession of it.”
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“Oh my, I guess we beat you to it?”
Atou’s remark helped Tonukapoli realize that her people were in the middle of a huge turning point in history. It was impossible to deceive them from the start, and it wasn’t any easier to break off their newly established alliance. Apparently, the only path left was to join hands with this nation that appeared to be several steps ahead of them in terms of Magic Technology.
Ѐ ň üm̂a
In that case, it was time to accept their fate. They might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb.
Tonukapoli broke the slightly nervous, hard expression she’d been maintaining and let out a bray of laughter as she leaned comfortably back in her chair. She made up her mind.
“King Takuto Ira, Lady Atou,” she addressed her hosts. “Pepe here is a fool, you see. The biggest fool in our country!” she proclaimed with a tad of humor mixed with pride as she shrugged.
Her sudden proclamation earned blank looks from both Atou and Takuto, and they seemed to be searching for the right words to respond. Meanwhile, the boy she dubbed a fool was bent over with laughter as if he found the whole thing funny.
“Er…I can’t comment on that.”
“You shouldn’t pick on him.”
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Mynoghra’s leaders mildly scolded her on Pepe’s behalf.
Tonukapoli howled with laughter at these two evil beings whose caring comments belied their wickedness. “But,” she continued through her laughter, “little Pepe here has the best eye for people. He can determine one’s character better than anyone in our nation… He’s never been wrong. Not even once.”
Phon’kaven played their trump card. They decided to bet everything on Pepe’s ability—on the greatest Staff Holder their nation ever had. On the talents of their great Commander who’d open a path for their nation during a time of crisis.
Every nation has a last resort that is effective enough to influence its fate. The form of that ability varies depending on the times and national policies, but Phon’kaven was no exception. No one in the world—not even beings who came from the outside like Takuto—knew about this ultimate rule.
“Pepe! You decide. You have that authority as a Staff Holder.”
Why did Takuto agree to establish a friendly alliance so easily?
Еn̆ um̃ӓ
Why hadn’t Atou taken offense at her almighty king being called Pepe’s buddy with no honorifics?
Something was taking place in secret.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Silly, Granny. I said it from the second we met…”
It had secretly activated, unknown to all present and in the greater world.
“I want to be friends with Mynoghra.”
It was called The Great Ritual.
Ѐ num̀ а̂ . í.d
“…You heard him. In the name of Staff Holder Tonukapoli and Staff Holder Pepe, we formally seek a friendly alliance between our nation of Phon’kaven and Mynoghra. You good with that?”
“We gladly accept.”
An alliance was formed. All at Tonukapoli and Pepe’s discretion.
Normally, such a big decision shouldn’t be made until they returned to their country and discussed it with the other Staff Holders. That was what was expected of them, and it wouldn’t be strange for their arbitrary decision-making to be decried as an abuse of their power as Staff Holders.
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But they did it anyway.
It was unknown what the result of their decision would be, but for some reason, the two leaders who came from Phon’kaven were convinced this was for the best.
Е̄n u m̂ а̊
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