Erethon POV
Halon and I have been sitting in the waiting room talking about the old days and the war. Other than a loud crash it's been pretty quiet, so I can assume that everything is going well. A came guard to let me, and Halon know when we have the meeting the pope is. I haven't heard much about this pope so it should be pretty interesting.
We walked down the halls to Imerae's room where the guards were still standing outside a good sign. I'm surprised to see Dovron here; I assumed that he would be retired by now seeing he's as old as Halon. And it also looks like Takeo became a full guard while I was gone. I don't know him too well, but I think he was Dovrons trainee if memory serves.
"Hello, you two it's been a while. Have things been going well in there?"
Dovron responded with a broad smile "Well if it isn't Erethon what are you doing here?"
"I'm Alice's..."
"Keeper." Halon smugly added.
"*Sigh* I guess that's accurate."
Amusement plastered on his face Dorvon asked: "How'd you find your self-doing that?"
"Long story..." He won't believe that she took as a hostage after she wiped out the entire expedition.
"Then it's the kind of story you should tell me over a drink. The Silver Fox is still open you know." This drunkard just wants an excuse to drink.
"That will have wait Dorvon how did things go with Alice and my daughter."
"Yes, my king. We know that a table was smashed by the Rider, but other than that I can't exactly say whats happening in there. The princess's life was never in danger, and the maids were also called back in."
"I see open the doors." The eagerness is Halons voice was clear, but I couldn't tell if it was out worry or excitement.
The doors opened up to a shocking scene. Alice was being used as a dress-up doll. The maids were standing around clothes in both arms, and the princess was playing with Alice's hair. We had gotten word the pope had arrived but wanted time to prepare for the meeting, so they had been left alone for two hours. I had assumed that Alice would do a million other things, but this went beyond my imagination. Halon and the others sadly failed to appreciate the comedy of the situation.
While trying to hold back my laughter I got tried to get her attention "Um, Alice?"
"Ery why didn't you nock!?" Alice turned bright red and jumped out of her seat. She was wearing a puffy pink dress that looked a little overdone.
"The dress suits you."
Alice burned the dress and glared at me revealing her black pants and shirt. "Forget what you saw."
"It's fine if you want to dress up." I can't help but tease her when she's like this.
"I was bribed jackass! I didn't want to do this!"
"Bribed with what exactly?"
"These damn it!" She grabbed a tray off the table that had a variety of chocolates and other types of candy. At that point, I couldn't hold back start laughing hysterically.
"Haha, I can't believe you got bribed with candy you really are a child!"
"Ery don't push it..." When dealing with Alice, I knew I was playing with fire. And that glint in her eye let me know I was about to get burned.
"Ok ok, I had my fun."
"Alice looked cute. What a waste."
"Shut up Imerae."
Imerae turned away looking like she was about to cry."*Sniff* So mean."
"Don't you dare cry!"
"No fun."
Unamused through the entire situation Halon said: "Can we stop this little routine please we need to go to a meeting."
"You heard him Alice lets go."
"Fine!" I love how she's stuffing her pockets sweets.
"Grab me some truffles while you're at it."
And she's bright red all over again "Screw you Ery!"
"Imerae you, Dovron and Takeo are coming to."
"Ok father."
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Alice POV
"King do we have to walk back through that damned maze?"
Imerae surprised by my question asked: "You didn't take the teleportation array?"
"King, what is she talking about?" I asked practically growling.
"Like Imerae said we have a teleportation array and yes were taking it."
"Why the hel-"
"Because I don't fully trust you." King you bastard I'll remember this.
"Ugh let's just go."
"Show some respect brat."
"Takeo don't be mean."
Takeo paled and kneeled shouting "Forgive me, princess!"
"That's right just be a nice little lap dog."
Ery added "You to Alice."
"I refuse." I don't even want to be here anymore why the hell do I have to be nice to these people.
"I'll give you more candy later."
"I'm not a child!" I get bribed once, and now everyone thinks I easy to manipulate! I'm gonna smack the smile off his face when we get out of here.
"That's your fault Main." Now, these fucking voices are jumping in!
"Eat shit smart ass!"
"Let's go already!" I don't feel like dealing with these guys right now. Why is everyone staring at me... Fuck!
"Did I just say all that out loud?" Please say no.
"Yeah, physco." I'm going to kill this fucking Oni!
"If I hear one more word out of you I'll ram your horns right up your ass!"
"..." Why is everyone quiet?
"ALICE!!!" What the hell, Ery didn't even look this mad when I started a fight with the guilds.
"That asshole started it, Ery!" No way am I going to take this.
"I don't care what he said, but you never talk about an Oni's horns like that!" What does this have to do with his horns?
"Calm down Erethon I don't think she knows what she said. Everyone just go on ahead except you Takeo."
"I'll leave it to you Dovron."
What landmine did I just step on?
"Ok then do you have any idea what you just said youngin."
Youngin? "Other than threatening to teach him a lesson no."
"Well then can you let it slide this time Takeo."
"This one time master." Yup definitely stepped a land mine.
"That's my boy. Alice do you know the most important part of an Oni's body is?"
"Let me take a guess the horns?" Can't he just get the point?
"Yes for Oni they are literally there life and power. They can survive with one but take away both they die no matter how much the system increases there strength they can't beat the single fact."
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"So it's like if I cut someones head off, they die instantly?"
"Exactly. Now then the reason why everyone went quiet is that insulting an Oni's horns is the biggest taboo for any monster."
"And the reason is..."
Takeo cut him off and rammed his fist straight into a wall and screamed:"BECAUSE MY KIND WERE MOST VALUABLE SLAVES IN THE HUMAN KINGDOMS!!!"
Oh, I get now I'm a moron"You too?"
Dorvons eyebrows rose and asked "What do you mean "you to" youngin?"
"Takeo was a slave right?"
Takeo drew his sword a pressed it against my neck. I can't hope to block his sword, but I can at least pretend I didn't act on purpose. "Don't call me a slave!"
"Takeo you have one second to stand down before I make you." For the first time, Dovron looked even more terrifying than Takeo and maybe even more than me when I have The Presence of Inevitability
Visibly terrified Takeo quickly put away his sword "Sorry master."
Dorvron went back to his usual self and said "To answer your question yes your right he was, but I found him when he was still young during a battle with the Kiton Empire. There a nasty bunch that specializes in the use of slave armies. Anyway, what do you mean by "you too"?"
"I guess you could say I was a slave in my old world. But it would be more accurate to call me a test subject."
"Then you can sympathize, anyway it's common practice to cut one horn off an Oni and then put a cursed ring on the other. It's only done when they reach full maturity so Takeo only had an advanced slave collar on him not easy to take off but much easier than a cursed ring."
"I still don't get why it's so taboo to insult Oni's horns?"
"Simple the Oni are the only race slaved to extinction outside the kingdom. In fact, every Oni tribe in the kingdom descends from escaped or saved slaves."
"So their horns-"
"Are viewed as the symbol of oppression that all monsters face outside the kingdom. Hell even if "main races" like myself would be enslaved or killed, if I left the country and someone found out I was from Asura."
"I see..." Well, I feel like an ass hole.
"So is slavery common in your old world?" Didn't expect Takeo to be curious.
"No the governments of my old world outlawed it centuries ago. I was the only one born a slave on the planet."
"Sounds like paradise."
"It wasn't, so did far down are you on Journey of the Tortured?"
Takeo sighed and said "37%."
"Lucky."
A look of annoyance appeared on his face his face but a glance from Dovron made it disappear. "Why how far are you?"
"Finished it."
"Bull shit."
Journeys
Journey of the Tortured 100%, Journey of the Shattered 46%
"..."
"It does exist..." said Dovron. Takeo was mute, and Dovron was amazed more than anything else.
"Told you." I wanted to give off a smug grin, but I all could do was give a tired expression.
Takeo spoke in voice almost quieter than a whisper. Like he was half hoping I wouldn't hear him. "Just what did they do yo-"
Dorvon cut him off "Takeo you of all people should know not to ask that."
"I apologize for rudeness!"
"Well you changed your attitude quickly, I'm sorry about earlier too. But I guess were comrades in suffering huh." I tried to sound a little cheerful but from there looks I could tell I failed miserably.
"I suppose so." There;'s a lot less fire in his eyes than before, a nice change.
"Good to see you two youngins getting along."
"Master I'm already 32."
"Your 32?"
"Yes, Oni's aging slows down when we hit maturity at around 25. Were considered a half-spirit race but unlike like Elves that are a half-fairy race we continue to age at a very slow rate our entire lives." I didn't need a full lecture but nice to know.
"Not my point I'm 33, so that makes you my junior."
"How the hell are you 33!"
"Calm down Takeo."
"But I never heard of a race taking so long to mature outside of a dragon species!"
"That is a topic for another time his Highness, the Princess and Erethon are likely at the array already."
"Damn it this took too long!"
Takeo burst out into a full sprint and left Dorvon and me in the dust. Although we wanted to get there quickly we just speed walked over. On the way, Dorvon told of a few other taboo's specific to the kingdom and a few universal ones. But apparently, an Oni's horns was by far the worst with consequences ranging from being beaten to an inch of your life by anyone nearby or if said to any Oni present a flat-out deathmatch involving anyone with a weapon that wants a piece of you. All monster and non-monster species in the kingdom considered it an insult to there race and Asura itself. What makes it worse is that Oni's have a reputation for being one of the most loyal and respected species in the kingdom. They are also a source of pride since they are seen as a race saved by the founding of the kingdom. With the most members of there species in the royal guard despite there very small population. I guess Erethon didn't want to teach all the "bad words" of this world.
When we finally got to the array, it was obvious that the king was in a rush and instantly sent us to a large room with a few a magic circles. He told us to follow him to a circle across the room, and we were instantly sent to a plain white stone room. Everyone followed him out of the room and eventually we found ourselves in a massive central hall with a large statue of Atum facing what I assume was the front entrance. I didn't have time even to take it all in when Ery dragged me towards the other side of the church. When we passed the statue of Atum, I saw an equally large statue of Mania made of black stone it seemed to suck in the light and showed no reflections. I felt a something pulling me towards the statue, but Ery just kept dragging me along.
After being pulled through a series of corridors and passing more than few nervous priests we made it to a large pair decorated doors. One with a carving Atum on the right and one of Mania on the left. As we got there, the floppy-eared Archbishop opened the door.
An almost frantic Archbishop ushered us in said "You're late my king."
"I know Luca just bring us to him."
Without another second wasted we walked straight through the waiting area and into what I can only call a throne room, where a black haired man with blood red eyes sat on a giant white throne. He had a weird tattoo right under his left eye and two small horns on the sides of his head. I tried to appraise him, but I got nothing but an error message.
Error- Blessing of Atum countered All Seeing Eyes. Level of All Seeing Eyes to low.
No one wasted any time and quickly kneeled except for the King and Imerae who just did a slight bow, and the black haired guy stood up and did the same to them. I just stood there while the black haired guy looked me up and down with his gaze stopping at my eyes. "Eyes of chaos and death, my lord's description of you is accurate Lady Rider."
"Atum or Mania?" I asked curiously.
"Lord Atum rules over this church directly I have never had the pleasure of speaking to your mother. Now then King Halon, Luca has already given me a gist of the situation, and I think we can help one another."
"Thank you, Pope Tragren."
More than a little suspicious I asked: "Wait a minute what do you mean help each other?"
The pope gave a wicked grin and said: "Your new to the world, so I'll put it simply a lot of kingdoms don't see me as the true a Pope."
How can a pope be allowed to have such an evil smile?
"I'm already stuck crushing one kingdom I'm not about to destroy another!" Crushing one is already to much work all I want to do is get this shit over with and play around in my dungeon.
"No no no I don't need such a thing from you destroying the one kingdom will be more than enough."
"What are planning on doing to Alice you damned demon!" About time you do your job Ery! But what does he mean by demon?
Everyone looked surprised even Imerae.
Ery looked furious and asked, "Halon how the hell is a demon the Pope!"
"Calm down Dungeon Slayer I was chosen by Atum, the same as all my predecessors and I'm only a half-demon my mother was a human."
I'm tired of being in the dark here. "Ery whats the big deal?"
Ery stood up and grabbed me "It doesn't matter we're leaving!"
Halon moved faster than my eyes could follow and cut us off "No, you are not we will finish this meeting Erethon!"
"Halon you have no-"
"Ery lets hear him out." Don't look at me like I just kicked a puppy Ery.
"Well, Lady Rider you see my predicament."
"Yeah so how many kingdoms want you dead?"
"Almost every royal family without strong ties to the church and a quarter of them have the backing of there people. It's rare for Lord Atum to raise a pope from a monster race and at those times riots against the church are still rare. But a demon such as my self is unheard of the only reason why the church itself hasn't killed me was a divine message from Atum to all of our members."
"Why doesn't he send it to rest of the world?" I send out messages all the time so it shouldn't be a big deal.
"My lord has already bent a number of his laws already I will not ask him for any more help."
I could tell the King was enjoying the whole situation when he asked: "Then Pope Tragren will you support us in our fight against the Draco Kingdom?"
"Yes, I will even declare that there King is in open rebellion against the church." How the fuck is this guy, not a fuckin demon lord?
"So you-"
"I'll also officially recognize the Lady Rider as the true daughter of Mania and her position in your kingdom. I will even name this war the 16th Holy Crusade so no Kingdom will interfere while you focus on the Draco Kingdom."
"Thank-" The king looked he had just hit the jackpot, but this guy is definitely hiding something.
"Not so fast King what do you get out of this Demonic Pope."
"Come now you can do better than Demonic Pope." Is this guy trying to piss me off? "Don't worry my gains will be much higher than your own."
"In what way?" Is it just me or does the white throne just make him look even eviler in contrast?
"I prove to the world that I am a true Pope by giving the Crusader Blessing to the Assura Kingdom during the war and at the same time showing the world I have the backing of the worlds most powerful military. Also as a bonus, a country of considerable power in destroyed showing them what will happen if they rebel against the church."
All good in theory but one problem. "Won't the other countries see you as a tyrant?"
"The various royal families might, but the general populace won't see me that way. The Draco Kingdom has leveled more than a few cities on the other side of there mountains and is actively raiding the surrounding countryside. So most countries populace will just view me as the savior who used the most hated country on the continent to destroy the most bloodthirsty one. Since all the people dying will be monsters or the people they consider traitors to there own kind no one will care."
The king hopped in and added "It makes sense most of the continent's worries stem from the thought of you actively trying to help monster run countries like ours spread there influence. By using us to destroy each other most people won't even think it a possibility anymore. If anything they'll think you want to weaken both sides by escalating the conflict even further."
"Exactly all the while I make an ally out of there most hated enemy and gain recognition at the same time, I'm glad you understand King Halon."
"Then are we done here?" Let me go home.
"Yes, Lady Rider all the left is for King Halon and me to figure out some details and sign the contract."
"Leave it to a demon to come up such a scheme." Get over it Ery!
"I'll take that as a complement Dungeon Slayer."
"Alice and I will be taking our leave." Never thought Ery would hate someone do to race. After all that crap he was saying about everyone being equal in this country.
"I'm going with Alice." Imerae turned to leave and naturally, Takeo and Dovron followed. Kind of love the look on the king's face when we all just left him there.
"Ery can we go back home now?"
"Your dungeon?" Wow, Imerae might actually look excited.
"Yeah want to come."
"Yes." Please don't turn into a dungeon obsessed loonatic like Ery. It's hard enough dealing with just one.
"Princess I wouldn't please recc-"
"I'm going Takeo."
Dorvon just smiled and said, "Ha, you heard her looks like we're taking a trip."
"Break any of my stuff and your dead."
With my last little threat, we all walked into the main hall of the church where the statue of Mania greeted us. "Wait what the hell the statue actually just waved at us!"
"Main what the fuck is happening!"
The statue grabbed me before I could react and began to carry me towards a portal. Ery, Takeo and Dovron all attacked it but were swatted away like flies. Quite surprising that Takeo even lifted a finger to help me.
"Hi, mom!"
"Shut up you damn crybaby!"
"*Sigh* Another meeting..."