Separate from the tension just minutes prior, they now felt a palpable awkwardness difficult to put into words. The two parties—Mynoghra's elite and Fonkavun's staff-wielders—who had only recently been locked in a combative standoff, now walked the pathless roads of the Great Cursed Realm together. Of course, they were headed for Mynoghra's capital. Atou and his companions were leading the way, guiding the Fonkavun leaders who wished to meet with Takuto. Yet, in stark contrast to the importance of their mission—one that would decide the fate of nations—their expressions were painfully subtle.
"So I told them, 'You scoundrels who ravage Fonkavun! Take this, my magic!' You know, that's what I said! Are you listening, Atou?"
"Yes, I am listening."
"Oh my, but those Pseudo-Humans really are troublesome! I'm certain that if I hadn't been there, Fonkavun would have been destroyed by now! Absolutely!"
Atou involuntarily grimaced at the volume of the innocent boy's voice. He was fortunate he hadn't had to cover his ears, but even so, the relentless boasting—delivered without any prompt—was beginning to wear even his patience thin.
"I... see. That must have been difficult. Savages without civilization sometimes attack people living in peace. They are nuisances with no benefit and only harm."
"Exactly! That's exactly right, Atou! Wow! It feels like you really understand me! I feel like this isn't our first meeting!"
Pepe let out a hearty laugh: "Wahaha!" Thanks to this peculiar and eccentric youth's introduction, the two parties had seen dramatic progress and finally achieved their meeting in peace. He had performed a great service, mediating between them in a time of crisis, yet Pepe's reputation in this place was ambiguous. It was no exaggeration to say both sides harbored a slight sense of exasperation toward him. He had maintained this same attitude from the very first greeting onward, even when no one asked.
"Um, Tonukapori? Is it just me, or is he remarkably close...?"
"My apologies, Atou. This boy is an idiot."
"Haa, I see..."
Atou replied with an uncharacteristically lethargic tone.
There was simply so much about this person named Pepe that she couldn't gauge.
He somehow disrupted her rhythm.
While caution was still needed in this pre-negotiation phase, an oddly cheerful and relaxed atmosphere—like a peaceful afternoon—hung in the air. She knew the cause. It was this boy, who seemed unable to read the mood and carried a somewhat mischievous air.
She even briefly hallucinated that he might possess some unique ability to soften the tension.
However, this situation wasn't necessarily bad.
Though the circumstances were bizarre, the immediate threat of combat had passed. What would happen next was unknown, but currently, things were going well.
Therefore, Atou forcibly convinced herself that the world simply contained all sorts of people.
"But the miasma is thick, isn't it? Even I'm struggling a bit," she said.
"There is nothing to be done about that, Tonukapoli. It is the nature of the nation... If you are having trouble, please do not hesitate to say so. We can always reschedule the meeting for another day or—another location would be fine as well."
Atou had wanted to confirm each other's situations a bit more before arranging a meeting between the two leaders, but they had been the ones to push for an audience with Takuto.
For a moment, she suspected an ulterior motive, but an explanation from Takuto—to whom she was psychically linked—changed her mind.
They were probably desperate for some kind of immediate aid against the barbarians threatening the city.
That made sense.
The intelligence about the city's dire situation had certainly reached the ears of Mynoghra's leadership. Whether they wanted material aid or something else was unclear, but Fonkavun surely didn't have the luxury to pick fights with Mynoghra.
And just as Takuto, whom Atou trusted, had predicted, a barely concealed urgency flickered in Tonukapoli's demeanor.
"No, it's better to act quickly in these matters. I left most of my escort troops behind, as it would be too taxing for them. I've put you through enough trouble already—it's only proper to endure this much and pay my respects properly."
"Your profound consideration is deeply appreciated. Our king also wholeheartedly welcomes all of your visits."
Whether her inability to conceal impatience was due to the dire circumstances or simply a lack of familiarity with intrigue—it mattered not either way. The moment leaders like them set foot in this land, the situation was already advantageous to her side.
Atou's military strength had already risen to a level one could call decisive force. Even if they harbored some sort of scheme, she now possessed the absolute confidence to shatter it head-on.
"Somehow, I'm getting hungry! Maybe it's my imagination, but my steps are feeling heavier too!"
"Is he... quite right in the head?"
"He's an idiot, so he's dense."
Yet, from the looks of him, that expectation didn't seem likely to be correct...
Pepe strolled cheerfully down the pathless path, swinging a wooden branch he'd picked up somewhere. With an almost manic high spirits, he approached every Dark Elf in sight, chattering away.
One might wish to keep him from speaking unnecessarily—yet, as an official guest, one could not treat him discourteously. Sympathizing with the bewildered expressions of the Dark Elves, Tonukapoli turned back to Atou, saying he would need to rely on her a while longer to mind the fool.
"Oh, that reminds me, Lady Atou. Could you perhaps tell me a bit more about the king of Mynoghra? I wouldn't want to commit some offense due to cultural differences."
"Of course! Then, let me begin immediately by explaining our king's greatness, coolness, kindness, and overall magnificence!"
Atou, who had occasionally worn a slightly complicated expression, instantly brightened upon hearing this.
From this, Tonukapoli automatically understood just how much the girl revered her own king.
The girl—Atou—who spoke so joyfully of her king's magnificence was, in Tonukapoli's assessment, a first-rate monster. In stark contrast to her adorable appearance, the power she harbored within was likely incomparable. A monster that would not be out of place in legend or myth.
That is the king whom such a girl reveres and serves.
As the miasma thickened, a bone-deep anxiety seized Tonukapoli.
(What, I wonder, awaits us here…)
Tonukapoli suddenly recalled a legend about the King of Ruin, said to be sealed within the Great Cursed Realm.
Was their choice truly correct? She had been swept along by Pepe’s momentum to come this far, but had she not done something utterly reckless?
The old woman with the ox-head shook her head, as if to dispel the anxiety welling up inside.
◇ ◇ ◇
In that presence, the old woman named Tonukapoli was made to realize just how insignificant and fragile her own existence was, as if she might be blown away and vanish with a single puff.
In the audience hall, the being seated upon the throne emanated an aura utterly detached from all life in this world, carving a darkness so deep one might be drawn in upon the very soul.
(Now that is one heck of a new neighbor who’s moved in nearby.)
The form appeared human at first glance. But the blackness that covered it, as if a child had willfully scribbled over and erased the world, radiated a terror that felt as though it would shred her spirit upon contact.
The king revered by the girl called Atou.
A true monster, worshipped by other monsters.
Completely outstripping her own knowledge, imagination, and expectations, the being caused Tonukapoli to forget how to breathe. She restrained the scream threatening to burst from her and poured all her strength into maintaining her composure.
(The dark aura is flooding the palace. There’s no escape. A high-ranking demon… or a Demon Lord commanding armies. Ah, no, admit it—no matter how you look at it, that’s something akin to an evil god.)
Their gazes crossed in silence.
The other party was a being that should, by rights, dwell in the realm of myth. Yet she would not commit the indiscretion of bowing her head.
Fearsome evil god though it might be, it was the sovereign of a nation with whom she was about to negotiate.
And she was here as the representative of Fonkavun.
Their standing was equal. Therefore, Tonukapoli gazed calmly at her counterpart, stifling her fear, and waited for the introductions to be made.
"This is our great king, Takuto Ira. Takuto, these are Tonukapoli, the leader of Fonkavun, and Pepe, as they have mentioned."
"Yes."
It felt as if my heart were seized and crushed without a thought.
No――it was just an illusion.
Words are a sorcery of curse that has been passed down since ancient times.
The ancient people understood the power words hold, so it is said that they never spoke unless it was truly necessary.
Young Tonukapoli once laughed at such tales as nonsense, but now she could listen seriously to the stories of the previous staff-bearer who taught the power of words.
The king's words, even if just a single syllable, were that dangerous.
I want to flee now, pretending I saw nothing and forgetting everything.
A weak heart rears its head, shaking Tonukapoli's well-trained spirit.
But she is one of the twelve staff-bearers who rule Fonkavun.
In the pride of her country and in the names of the nature gods, she will speak fearlessly and boldly.
"Great King. It is my first time meeting you. I am Tonukapoli, the staff-bearer of Fonkavun, as you have been told. This occasion――"
...But.
"Nice to meet you! My name is Pepe! I come from Fonkavun! Let's be friends!"
"No! Pepe!?"
An unexpected interruption at this timing.
This is exactly what it means to be unable to read the atmosphere.
As if having screamed inadvertently and panicked, she covers her mouth.
Even Tonukapoli was astonished by the courage to casually greet the King of Mynoghra, whom even she, after hundreds of years, had feared.
Still, he had wished she would refrain from such casual pleasantries.
It was Tanukapoli's lifetime blunder, having mistakenly assumed that even the composed Pepe would be equally trembling with fear.
"Friends...?"
"O-oh, pardon that, King Ira-Takuto! Pepe merely misspoke out of nervousness. I'd be grateful if you could overlook this as the rudeness of a youngster."
Tanukapoli scrambled to smooth things over before Takuto could even respond.
He didn't believe Takuto was so petty as to rage over this, but the risk of being underestimated was still very real.
For national leaders to meet and propose becoming friends was utterly laughable. It called into question one's dignity as a leader, and by extension, would diminish the nation itself.
What was about to commence was a war of words between nations, each pushing their own agenda across the table.
Though no swords or arrows would be exchanged, the outcome could still determine the life or death of their citizens.
What nonsense was she spouting at such a critical juncture?
Tanukapoli fought to maintain his consciousness against his darkening vision, cursing his own negligence in Pepe's education that had led her to such an eccentric outburst.
He had carefully chosen his words to dispel this blunder, but...
"Friends... sure."
"Yay!"
"Huh!?"
Apparently, contrary to Tanukapoli's expectations, the answer was utterly unforeseen and wildly eccentric.
National leaders becoming friends? What an absurd notion.
What was he plotting? What was his aim?
Churning over unanswerable questions, Tanukapoli subtly shifted his gaze.
It landed on Atou, the king's confidant.
I had come to a reasonable assessment of this girl's character during our journey here. While her nature held certain wicked aspects, her way of thinking and her manners were decidedly within conventional bounds, or so Tonukapoli had judged. Given that, it wouldn't be strange if she found this situation questionable. In fact, he had sought her empathy, assuming she was just as surprised as he was... but she was behaving oddly in her own way.
With a deeply moved expression, she covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"Oh! How wonderful this is!"
"Ah, Miss Atou?"
"Congratulations on making your first friend, Lord Takuto!! Come now, what are you doing? Clap your hands!"
The Dark Elves guarding the king's side clapped in unison. Then Atou, her face still showing profound emotion, began to applaud lightly.
The king being honored scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed.
I couldn't grasp the meaning of this. So I, Tonukapoli, also clapped. Pepe was already applauding vigorously, and I found myself the only one left out of the scene.
A bright, cheerful atmosphere filled the audience hall. The tension dissipated in an instant, replaced by a wave of confusion that enveloped my entire being. What in the world was going on?
(Ah, this has become quite the absurd situation...)
Was she deliberately riding on Pepe's blunder to ease the tension? Or was she teasing us? Perhaps she genuinely wanted to make friends. But King Takuto Ira's expression was unreadable; all I could see was pitch-black darkness, wearing the awkward, bashful demeanor of a human.
Were they simply applauding and celebrating an empty void?
Such a chilling thought seizes Tonukapoli.
The existence of Mynoghra's ruler, Takuto Ira, was utterly unfathomable to someone like her.
That was the only thing clear to her in this moment.