Trevor and the antiheroes were headed towards the largest tent in the encampment.

The wall went on for miles, and so it took quite a while to get where they were, however after asking Listernos for directions, he informed them that in order to register as mercenaries that they would need to enlist with the Legion commander who was currently stationed in the encampment. Apparently he had just arrived back from a meeting with the Emperor himself, so he was likely very busy at this time, however Trevor decided that they would just have to be patient and wait their turn.

He understood now the difficulties of being a ruler quite well, and the long hours of dealing with subjects and issues one by one. It was taxing and tiring, and he would understand even if he was turned away. Even so... if only the Legion commander knew who they really were... they would definitely be given priority.

'No. I shouldn't think like that. We concealed ourselves for a reason. We cannot act like big shots around here... not while this plot is in effect. It would be disastrous to allow the people of this country to do as they please without diligently gaining intelligence on them... and if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. The only tasks you can leave to others are those which have little to no consequences if they are screwed up, and can be easily fixed... even then, leaving the entire dictatorship to the Determined... I still am unsure as far as how capable she is, but oh well. I suppose this can be a test for her as well... she doesn't exactly seem to understand the merits in painting ourselves as villainous demon lords... perhaps after sitting in the ruling seat herself, she will understand what it means to sacrifice ones image for their people...'

However, when the antiheroes were heading towards the largest tent in the area after walking quite a while south, they received a call from Claire.

"Hm? Ah. It's the Determined. I'm answering.", Ashley mumbled.

The call was answered, and the Determined explained the situation with the birdmen to the antiheroes.

"I see. We should head there immediately and deal with this ourselves. We cannot abandon any issues within our boarders even if we are on a mission in this new land- especially if they have to do with potential subjects. We cannot allow just anyone in, or we could risk rebellion... while we have made preparations against that, we aren't all knowing. We're going to head back.", Trevor stated.

He laughed at his own statement. He obtained the quirk [All knowing], and as a result he could literally predict the future based on the physical laws that ruled the world, and if he combined this with his database skills he could literally simulate the future in his mind. Yet there was something even he still could not ever predict perfectly, which relied on a certain random element.

The actions of those with a consciousness.

Social decisions, individual decisions. Even if these things could be analyzed and patterns could be formed, at the end of the day they were never guaranteed.

People will always find a way to surprise one another- whether it is through intelligence or stupidity.

While Trevor was a skilled businessman, and had experience reading people, this was the one thing which he could never completely guarantee that he was right.

Nobody disagreed with Trevor in returning, and the four used the fast travel mechanic to teleport back directly into the throne room.

Each of them stood in front of their respective seats- made of carved hands of different shapes, sizes, and colors depending on the characteristics of the person who used each chair, and in between them sat the Determined in her own golden throne. She actually was taking the pose of a ruler right now. She looked like a true dictator, if Trevor did say so himself. Did she even know how dominating she looked right now over these poor birdmen who were kneeling in front of her? Perhaps she had learned a thing or two... no. While she seemed to be completely dominating them, Trevor could sense that that was not the case in her own mind. She was doing it completely unconsciously.

How odd.

Trevor was able to exert a dominating attitude on others, however only when he consistently ensured that his demeanor was perfect in every way.

Claire seemed to be a natural at this. Trevor was almost a bit jealous, knowing that it took him years of experience and practice to reach his level of social aptitude.

The four sat down in their signature positions- Ashley lazing about, Garett seeming to not care, as if the three in front of him were merely ants on the side of the road. He was paying more attention to the imperfections on his own hands than the three in front of him, Samantha sat up properly with folded arms and crossed legs, and Trevor had a hand on his chin and a scheming grin on his face.

Ashley spoke to the birdmen in a condescending tone.

"Welcome to the Dictatorship, oh esteemed members of a fallen tribe. How low you must have descended in order to reach this point... instead of immediately reaching out to us like these lizardmen did, you instead waited in order to see if things would be alright without approaching us in submission, before giving into the fear of an unknown threat lurking in your own backyard? Pitiful really. Heh heh heh...." Ashley's intuition was what told her to say these things, combined with her [Aggravate foe] skill. She understood how to best put these people in their place.

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She grabbed her face where her hair covered her right eye and smiled wickedly.

"What should we do with such pathetic beings? Should we simply free them from their suffering here? No, that would be a waste... Gary, what do you think?"

Garett was still focusing on his own hands as he replied.

"Keh keh... using those names even in these forms, eh? Hmmm... lets see..."

Garett stood up and paced around the three kneeling birdmen a number of times, inspecting them to ensure that they were filled with terror. After a drawn out and tense set of steps, he faced the birdmen directly.

"Wonderful... I love the looks in those eyes... must be hard to breathe with a demon lurking next to you, eh? But didn't you come here in the first place to strike a deal with us?? Hmm??? Could it be that you all are... Chickening out!?! Get it!?!?! CHICKENING OUT!!!!??? AHAHAH!!!!!"

Garett was laughing at his own ridiculous joke while in extremely close proximity to the birdmen- enough to make them very uncomfortable. Sweat beaded down Relu's neck, and Yirald had a hard time swallowing his throat was so dry.

'These people truly are demon lords... they are taking enjoyment in our torment, before they throw us out like dogs... perhaps they are right... we should have thrown ourselves at their feet that very day... I... do I regret not doing so? Perhaps.... I only wish I had the foresight to see this coming....'

"Oh. I'm sorry. Perhaps you didn't hear the joke I told. I didn't hear you laugh. I said that you guys are chickening out!!! get it!? Cause you're birdmen!!!"

"Ha ha ha."

"Heh. Heh heh."

"Ahaha! Hahaha!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAAH!!!! HAHAAAHAHAAHA!!!!HAHAAHAHAAH!!!!"

The three began laughing like maniacs.

Laughing for their very lives.

"Truly a jokester, your excellency!!"

"What a wonderful sense of humor, your excellency!"

"Befit for a true ruler as yourself, your excellency!"

The praise flowed out.

Garett smiled devilishly before returning to his seat and putting his arms behind his head.

"Theo... I think you should take things from here now that their moods have been properly adjusted."

Trevor held up a hand to silence the three who were still praising Garett relentlessly even as he whispered this to Trevor.

The three became quiet instantly and once more threw their heads to the ground.

"Now then... I want to hear the truth. The truth. Did you hear what I just said? The truth. You know, the truth. Not some sugar coated lie. Not some fancy praise that will turn into an insult behind our backs as soon as we leave the room. I want the hard, cold, disturbing truth. Why have you three come here? Do not speak. Merely think about your answer for just a moment.", Trevor stated with a cold glare.

'We came here because our leader has gone nuts, and our village has been partying nonstop preparing for the end of the world.'

'The people have gone insane due to fear and no longer see things clearly...'

'If their fear of these monsters swallows them whole, then we didn't want to be part of it. I would rather swallow my pride and bow at the feet of these demons than become ruined like Erasalis has.'

'Still... was it really the right choice to come here? Perhaps we would have suffered less if we simply stayed behind, partied like there was no tomorrow, and ran out of food and died of starvation...'

'I can't even move... these monsters are too terrifying! What should I even answer? Surely I cannot say that we came here to save ourselves!?!'

'But we didn't come here to save ourselves... it was for the sake of our village! For our people! We wanted to improve our relations with the antiheroes in order for the people of our village to break free from their spell of depression and doom!'

'Was that really the case though?'

'Did we really come here just because we wanted to save ourselves?'

'Perhaps we saw the others and didn't want to be like them... perhaps we wanted to stand proud as birdmen, regardless of what happened to Tora... regardless of what the ruin of Erasalis caused to the tribe...'

'Were we really so selfish?'

'Did we ever actually plan on bringing the children here if it was safe? Did we ever think that there would be such safety in the first place, aside from maybe the small chance of our own safety being assured?'

'Would we not have just lived our lives under the protection of these monsters- living in blind happiness without worries, and forgetting about anyone else?'

'I don't want to admit that that was the reason why I came here! It can't be! I am not that selfish! I am here to help my entire tribe! But what answer do they actually want from me...'

'They might kill us if we say that we came here due to selfish reasons... but they are demons, so they also might kill us if we say we came here for good reasons... perhaps they want their subjects to be evil like them!?!'

'Or perhaps neither? Perhaps they merely intend on testing us with no right answer!?! Is this some sort of sport for them!?! Do they intend on rejecting us no matter which response we give!?!'

'Sigh... perhaps this is our punishment for our selfishness...'

The three birdmen all had these same thoughts, and the same logical path in their thinking.

They had arrived at the conclusion, that there was likely no right answer.

This was the end of the line.

"I think that's enough. I heard your answer loud and clear.", the blue demon stated with a smile- while keeping her hands folded and looking at them with- was that pity?

What did she mean by those words?

Could these demon lords read them just through their body language?! Could they pick up so much just by asking them a single question!?!

'It's over. We have no chance of winning the favor of these four.'

The elf began to chuckle sadistically.

"I think it's time to put these three to the final test... those who are not under us wield no rights in this world. If you are not one who we have offered our protection to, then you are nothing more than an ant which might be squashed without it being known that you ever existed. What does it mean to become a part of our family? What does it mean to come under our protection? I will tell you."

Trevor stood up, and pulled an arrow from his quiver, placing it in the hand of Yirald.

"If you prove that you are loyal to us above all, then you will be accepted as our slaves... as members of our family house... a house ruled with an iron rod, where the ones on top hold the lives of those on the bottom in the palm of their hands... however..."

Trevor paused before wiping the sweat off his own forehead with a hankerchief.

"Those who's lives we hold in our hands will never be touched by the hands of another. It is only through becoming our slaves that you will experience true freedom. If you three have truly resolved to become our slaves then I have an order for each of you. Woodpecker. Kill the Owl and the Swan. To the Owl and the Swan- let him kill you. This is your first and last order. If you have truly resigned yourselves as our slaves, you will do so. The lizardmen who came to this village have passed this test before. Wouldn't you know it? There were originally five of them when they first came here. Why don't you take a guess as to how many there are left?"

Trevor said this with a terrifying grin as he pointed to Hiru and Arlo.

"Well? How many lizardmen do you think died before those two were accepted as our slaves?"