“Now, try me again.”
The air grew heavy with tension as I held my sword firmly against Rena’s throat. The sharp edge of the blade gleamed under the sun light. Everyone around us froze in place, their eyes wide with shock and fear. Ryuuki, who had been glaring at me with murderous intent just moments before, was now rooted to the spot, his rage tempered by uncertainty.
“Release her…” The voice that broke the silence belonged to Ayaka. Her words were not a command, nor did they carry the weight of a threat. Instead, they were soft, almost pleading—a request rather than an order.
I turned my gaze toward her. Ayaka met my eyes, but her expression betrayed her inner turmoil. There was no calmness, no serenity in her features. She had realized the truth about me. It wasn’t surprising, given that I had spoken directly to Akane, but I hadn’t expected them to unravel my identity so quickly with just a single word.
“This will be the last time you see me here,” I began, my voice cold. “You will not set foot in Tenebria again. You will not attack us, nor will you attempt anything against us. From this moment forward, you will completely ignore our existence. If you desire to fight, then so be it. There are plenty of other kingdoms in this land to satisfy your thirst for battle.
Go ahead and indulge yourself in those conflicts, but know this—here, you are nothing. I believe you understand that I can kill every last one of you if I choose. Do you grasp the gravity of the situation, or do I need to make an example of someone else?” I pressed the blade harder against Rena’s neck, the metal biting slightly into her skin.
I expected Rena to react, to cry out in fear or plead for her life. But she did neither. Her composure was unnerving; she had clearly taken my earlier words to heart when I said I intended to use her as leverage rather than to end her life. She wasn’t frightened in the slightest—only uncomfortable, her face flushed with an emotion that was difficult to decipher.
Perhaps it was embarrassment, or maybe anger. But fear? No, there was none of that. Her classmates, on the other hand, were a different story. Their faces were pale, their eyes filled with terror as they witnessed the threat unfold before them.
“W-We can’t make decisions like that ourselves!” stammered Kazuto, the man with glasses, his voice trembling with panic.
“What?” I demanded, narrowing my eyes at him.
“Kaguya-san and the King are the ones who make the decisions!” he replied, his words tumbling out in a rush. He wasn’t wrong.
“Kaguya-san!!” A cry went up from the crowd of Kastoria, and suddenly, the sea of people parted.
There she was—Kaguya. She stepped forward with an air of authority, her presence commanding the attention of everyone around her. She was dressed in yet another exquisite gown, every inch the refined and poised woman she had always been. It was almost impossible to believe that just an hour ago, this very woman had been anything sucking my cock.
Now, however, she appeared as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened, her demeanor flawless as ever.
There was a fleeting glimmer of hope that flickered in the eyes of the Kastoria army and the Heroes alike, but that hope was already slipping through their fingers, like sand in an hourglass. The outcome was inevitable, and everyone present seemed to know it, though some clung to their last vestiges of optimism. I fixed my gaze on Kaguya, her normally sharp, white eyes reflecting resignation.
There was no need for words between us; my eyes conveyed everything I wanted to say.
Kaguya, with her poise and measured demeanor, was the embodiment of calm in the storm. I had no doubt that Amaterasu, ever pragmatic and unwilling to die, had urged Kaguya to broker peace. Standing before me, she finally spoke, her voice steady and clear.
“We will accept. In exchange for Rena-san’s safe return, we will not attack you anymore,” Kaguya declared.
The tension that had been thick in the air eased slightly as Rena’s classmates exhaled in unison, their relief palpable. They were grateful that Kaguya had agreed to save their friend, though some, like Yusuke, couldn’t hide their simmering anger. Ryuuki’s expression was a mix of bitterness and reluctant acceptance; despite his resentment, he placed the safety of his classmate above all else.
“A wise decision,” I acknowledged, finally lowering my blade from Rena’s throat. “Now, prepare the contract immediately. We will sign it, and then we can part ways.”
Kaguya nodded in agreement, her composure unwavering. She swiftly called upon several nobles and commanders from her ranks, and they began the task of drafting the contract. With the battle over, the soldiers from both sides began to relax, engaging in quiet conversations or sharing rations as they waited for the formalities to conclude.
The tension of imminent violence had dissipated, replaced by the mundane sounds of men and women awaiting orders.
Within Kastoria’s camp, I, along with Medea, Semiramis, Kratos, and Megara, gathered to review and sign the contract.
“Are you sure about this, Lord Commander?” Kratos asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty as he broke the silence.
“About what?”
“About letting the Heroes of Kastoria live?” he clarified, his brow furrowed with concern. “If given time, they might…”
“They might what?” I interrupted, my tone dismissive. “They could train for a hundred years, and I would still be able to kill them with ease.”
“Such arrogance,” Megara said a bit shocked. Whatever she thought of me, it didn’t matter. Only I knew the truth of the situation.
Amaterasu and Kaguya were no longer my enemies. In fact, they were now aligned with me, whether they realized it or not. With them on my side, Kastoria posed no threat. The kingdom was, in essence, already mine, its power rendered meaningless.
As I pondered these thoughts, I felt the weight of several gazes on me. Turning slightly, I caught sight of Ayaka and Akane, standing a short distance away. They seemed to be deep in conversation, likely debating how to approach me. After all these years, they still didn’t know how to begin.
Feeling the confines of the camp closing in around me, I decided to slip away. Cloaking myself in darkness, I moved through the camp, erasing my presence as I went. How long would it take them to finalize that contract? The waiting was growing tiresome.
As I continued walking, I glanced back and noticed Ayaka and Akane trailing me, their eyes scanning the area but finding nothing. They couldn’t see me, but they could sense something—an unease that gnawed at them. It was annoying, to say the least.
I ducked into a random tent, seeking a moment of solitude where I could gather my thoughts. It would also serve as a place to speak anonymously if they managed to find me. However, when I turned around, I was met with an unexpected sight that made my eyes widen in surprise.
There, standing in the middle of the tent, was Rena. She was in the midst of undressing, her fingers hesitating on the delicate fabric of her lingerie, frozen in shock at the sudden intrusion. Her wide eyes locked onto mine, her body stiffening as the realization of our situation set in.