A few moments later, in the Redwing palace, in the magic workshop…

Tinktinktinktink!

Leaning over a workbench, Straf is carefully hammering a narrow-headed chisel, carving away a channel inside of a long, white, smooth-edged, bent and curving asymmetrical rectangle. He gives his chisel a few more gentle, precise blows from his small mallet, and blows air at the newly carved channel to clear out the debris. The door behind him abruptly swings open.

「Ah! Straf, there you are!…」

Cycelia barges in, appearing a little relieved to find Straf.

「Yeah?… What's up, Lia?」

Cla-clack cla-clack cla-clack.

He asks, glancing over his shoulder while he examines the flattish rectangle in his hands, slips his fingers into its trigger guard, and loudly flips its lever back and forth a few times.

「…Straf, King Rankor came again, this time with diplomats and everything!」

She replies with a raised voice full of concern, furrowing her brows.

「I see…」

He glances at Cycelia, then after a brief pause turns back to the item while nodding his head.

「Straf! Don't just say,「I see…」then ignore me!…」

She shakes her fists up and down while her lips curl inward in a mixture of frustration and worry.

「I'm not ignoring you Lia, what makes you say that? I just don't have much to say about some random guy coming here twice for some reason. Sorry, I'm all outta quips.」

Straf once again glances at Cycelia, then shrugs his shoulders while checking the item's shield for its magic gem slot. He pushes it in a few times, testing for its spring force.

「…Then, could I ask you to come with me to the throne room to greet him and discuss whatever he has to discuss?」

Cycelia asks, fidgeting with her medallion, twisting and turning it in her dainty fingers with her lips curled inward.

「I don't mind, but am I really needed there? I mean, you probably want to keep me away from your guests, honestly…」

He nonchalantly replies, shouldering the white object and looking its length along its top. Its front has a hole deep into the item's center connected to the gem compartment.

「I… I'd really like you there with me, if that's not a problem…」

She says as she turns her emerald eyes aside while playing with her medallion.

「…I just want you by my side. I'm not good with official events like this. Meeting a friend is a completely different thing.」

Cycelia pouts, briefly glancing at Straf before looking aside again.

「Huh? But you handled vassalizing that guy just fine, what happened?」

Somewhat surprised, he peeks at Cycelia.

「I was angry! It's a completely different thing too! If I had to attend some official matter in Telas Kingdom I'd struggle too!… So, is it a problem?」

She explains with her dainty fists clenched and voice lightly raised.

「It's not a problem… Now?」

Straf turns around with his brow inquisitively raised.

「Now, or else- What is that?」

She nods, but is distracted by the object in Straf's hand. She points at it, trying to discern the odd shape's function to no avail.

「It's, uhh…」

With his hand around the handle and fingers in the trigger guard, he holds it up as he looks at it with her.

「…Something like a crossbow. You'll see.」

Sraf shrugs, and throws the mystery crossbow into his [Portable Storage].

「Huh? But it's perfectly straight and doesn't look like one at all…」

Cycelia follows as Straf walks out of the workshop with his hands in his pockets.

「Hey, I said it's something like a crossbow, not that it is one, Lia.」

Straf replies while looking at her with a light smirk on his otherwise bored face.

「Right… We need to hurry. It will be a gaffe if I'm not waiting for him in the throne.」

She nods along, fidgeting with her medallion as they head to the throne room…

…

A few minutes later…

With a jeweled crown on her chestnut head, sitting on top of her mantle while on her throne, Cycelia waits with a heavy golden scepter resting in her lap. The captain of the guard looks at everything and everyone in the room with his usual nervous grimace as he's standing beside the throne, while Straf stands on the other side with his hands in his pockets. Heavy clattering of armored feet reaches the throne room door, and a moment later a young man draped in an inconveniently long mantle enters, joined by attendants holding up his mantle from sweeping the floor, and a gaggle of diplomats in tow.

King Rankor approaches the bottom of the throne's steps, performs a polite little noble bow only as low as it would be for someone of his status, then turns his gaze up to Cycelia.

「Queen Cycelia, my apologies for being late. One of the wagons with my guards' officers lost its wheel, and the buffoons wasted all the sunlight trying to fix it.」

He explains with a calm demeanor of a stately man. Cycelia gently shakes her head and raises her palm towards him.

「No need to explain yourself, King Nide. I know very well that travel difficulties can occur. I did not expect to see you again so soon. What brings you to my domain?」

She asks, and her emerald eyes turn to the awkward men who can't seem to find anything to do with themselves behind King Rankor.

「I have heard of the recent hostilities plaguing your land. The word reached my kingdom. Terrible thing for a village to be attacked with no warning like that.」

The king replies, briefly glancing over his shoulder at one of his diplomats, who only returns an awkward grimace.

「Yes, it… It upset me very much. There is a lot of injustice in this world that I'm powerless to stop. Random murders, good people dying of illness, slavery…」

Cycelia nods. Her becomes markedly sullen as her gaze drops down to the steps.

「…But power-hungry kings destroying the livelihoods of simple, innocent people is not one of them. I have a duty to protect my citizens, and I have carried it out.」

She raises her emerald eyes back up to the king. Her sullen face has turned into a face of stern determination. The young man nods along.

「Yes, of course. Certainly. No doubt. By the time I had heard about the war, it was already over, certainly owing to your immense wisdom and ruthless strategy-」

「Ah, actually, it was Straf. I'm confident if not for him, it would have been a long and bloody war…」

Cycelia cuts in and points her free hand at Straf standing beside her, interrupting the young king. The young man's brows rise in mild surprise as his gaze turns to him.

「Aren't they all?…」

The king remarks as he spreads his hands, looking left and right for the signs of agreement.

「…In fact, we can thank him for the war.」「Eh?- Uh… Wha-?」

She adds, smiling at Straf, who returns a slightly nervous and confused grin.

「His genius strategies and innovations keep amazing everyone. He even surprised King Telas!」

Cycelia shrugs, tilting her head a little. Straf lets out a relieved sigh.

「…I mean, I'm not going disagree, but I'm not going to admit to it either. I'd prefer to keep it in the territory of plausible deniability.」

He shrugs, watching the two with his brows greatly furrowed.

「…And he's so humble too!」「Yeah, I am.」

Cyclia remarks with a large smile and a genuine voice. Straf simply agrees with a nod and a shrug.

「The man who killed Kerul is a strategic genius?… No wonder I lost back then.」

The young king chimes in while mostly focused on Straf.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

「Indeed… But you didn't answer my question. What brings you here?」

Cycelia asks again.

「Ahem… As I said, I've heard of the hostilities, and it pained me greatly. You certainly didn't do anything wrong, I couldn't stand the idea of you having to risk yourself in battle…」

「Ah, I didn't actually fight, I was overlooking the battle from a command position.」

Cycela quickly chimes in and corrects the king. He looks a little perplexed.

「…Of course, makes sense. Either way, command position or not, it's still a risk. Camps are often rife with disease. You could get sick and die-」

「Ah, no, I'm actually very healthy. No matter how many maids are sniffling or coughing, I don't think I have ever caught a disease from any of them. My dragon blood, apparently.」

Cycelia once again cuts into the young king's reply and corrects him.

「…Even then, your highness, wars are terrible and such a beautiful woman like yourself does not belong in such a terrible place. This bring me to my diplomatic mission.」

The king shrugs, finally remaining uninterrupted.

「Yes? I see you have officials with you. They're welcome to stay, of course, but why have you brought them here?」

As she tilts her crowned head, Cycelia's eyes once more shift to the diplomats behind the young king.

「Your majesty, I propose an alliance.」

King Rankor nonchalantly declares, causing Cycelia to jump up in her throne out of shock.

「Ah!? Uh- But it has a lot of…」

Cycelia avoids eye contact while trying to find a way to politely turn the offer down before it can be truly made. Her eyes land on Straf.

「…One second, please.」

「Of course.」

The king nods his head as Cycelia leans in towards Straf and begins whispering towards him.

「Straf!… Straf! What do I do? I don't know if I want to tangle myself up in an alliance! If Rankor Kingdom gets invaded by the northerners again, that's a long way to fight!…」

She says in a hushed tone while keeping an eye on King Rankor with a side-eye.

「I don't know, Lia. It seems like a good idea to me. Y'know, meatshields…」

Straf shrugs with a light tilt of his head while watching the young king as well.

「…Meatshields?」

Cycelia asks quietly as she furrows her brows, then straightens out in her throne with a confused look on her face.

「Yeah… So what if the northerners invade? Just act like you're not home when he sends letters crying for help. I'd say it's a pretty good idea if it's just an alliance.」

He nods in response, confusing Cycelia further.

「…What do you mean if it's just an alliance? Should I expect something more?」

She asks, tilting her chestnut head at Straf before returning her gaze to the king.

「What I mean is… If there's no obligations attached or some stupid demands like having a standing army at the ready to jump into his wars, where's the harm?…」

Straf asks back, spreading his hands before returning them to his pockets with a shrug of his shoulders.

「…Very well. Speak your mind about your proposal, King Nide. What are the terms?」

Cycelia nods, then fully turns back to the king.

「None. Other than mutual defense, of course. But please be assured, your highness, enemy big or small, I would come to your aid immediately.」

King Rankor shakes his head and shrugs his hands before placing them behind his back again.

「That sounds reasonable… Although I am concerned about your border with the north. My kingdom and its borders are stable… Well, they were, at least. But you stand more to gain from this.」

She furrows her brows as she thinks for a few moments with her gaze lowered, then nods her crowned head and returns her emerald eyes to the young man.

「The northerners are aggressive indeed, and I agree that I'm on the winning position in this alliance, hence I have another proposal…」

King Rankor nods in agreement, then lowers his head. The diplomats exchange anxious glances.

「Another proposal?… What is it? I think war horses would be enough-」

「I propose a real union, Queen Cycelia.」

The young king cuts in, raising his head with a confident smirk on his face. Straf's face gains a scowl in an instant, and he glares at the man.

「Eh?… Theoretically that would make such a union the biggest kingdom in the known world, now that Telas is my vassal… But I don't think that's legally possible. I mean, two monarchs…」

Cycelia gives the idea serious consideration, if nothing else, but she ends up shrugging her shoulders with her mouth aslant.

「It's complicated only if you want it to be complicated, your highness.」

King Rankor says with a confident smirk and his head high.

「Eh? What do you mean? It is complicated. I technically don't even rule my kingdom anymore.」

She replies with a troubled expression on her face, gently tilting her head.

「It would become a very simple matter if we married, Queen Cycelia…」「Tsk…」

The king declares. Cycelia lowers her head without replying, while Straf clicks his tongue, scowling at him.

「…I knew it. The moment you brought up a union I knew you were going to say some stupid shit. Too bad for you, I have a marriage coupon!」

Straf growls at the man with a voice full of disdain from the top of the steps, before gaining a scornful grin.

「…What are you talking about? What marriage coupon?」

King Nide spreads his hands as he glances over his shoulder at the nervous diplomats. They shake their heads in reply, neither of them having an answer for him. He scoffs.

「I mean finders keepers, prick. Learn your fucking place, or it will next be me on a diplomatic visit to you to discuss the terms of your personal disunion with all your limbs.」

Straf points at the young king, scowling at him with pure disdain.

「Lia, do you want me to show you how that thing from before works? This asshole is asking for it.」

Turning his eyes to Cycelia, Straf nods at King Rankor. Her head remains lowered, and her chestnut hair covers her face.

「…Queen Cycelia, are you really going to let this…. Man talk to your guest, and a king at that like this!?」

Indignant, King Rankor points his hand at Straf while talking to Cycelia in a raised voice full of outrage.

「No…」

She replies, clutching onto her armrests.

「Eh? What, you mean you're actually considering it?- Am I actually getting cucked!?」

Straf's head perks up in shock, while the young king gains a snide, smug smirk.

「…No. It is a complicated matter, and you just made it more complicated…」

Cycelia raises her head. Straf flinches a little, and King Rankor's smirk abruptly disappears.

「…King Rankor, if you make one more unwarranted marriage proposal to me, I am going to kill you. Do you understand, King Rankor?」

Cycelia asks in stern tone, glaring at the young king with a face cold enough to freeze flames still.

「…I, er… Your highness, I was just making a suggestion. Please don't be rash-」

「I am being very moderate. Do you understand, or not?」

She cuts with a growl, emerald eyes piercing the visibly frightened king.

「…Y- Yes, I understand… I apologize, your highness…」

King Rankor visibly shrinks, lowering his own head. The unnerved diplomats tug at their collars to dry their cold sweat.

「…You and your men can stay over for the night. Leave tomorrow at the latest. The diplomatic talks have concluded. Leave.」

Cycelia demands.

「…Yes your highness.」

The king nods, and turns to leave. The diplomats bow low before hurrying out. Straf stares at the unfolding scene with a tight-lipped grimace…