NOVEL NEXT Chapter 188: Relationship Diplomacy
Night soon turned to day as I finished my meditation sleep. Shuna was fast asleep beside me with Milim dangling over the couch, alcohol lazily laying over her stomach as her right hand held the neck of the bottle. It looked like whiskey, judging by the smell it was everything apparently... My sweet dragon had drunk herself into stupor after we had both gone to sleep, it seems.
Shaking my head I sent messages to Rimuru, Souei and Benimaru to find replacements for Milim and Shuna in their work. Today would be the day where I put my foot down and have them be a more integral part of my day to day work. First we would travel to Whitestone via Milim's newest capability, allowing her to spread her wings and aid me. Second, we would be alone for a while and be able to camp out and simply enjoy our time together.
My original plan to have Keyleth and Vax come with me was scrapped and I told them to wait there for us. The trip itself would only take a couple days. It was more important to have my wives happy and content in our relationship than anything to do with Tempest. Priorities were re-calculated for me and I realised instantly that they were the most important things to me...
If it meant killing Rimuru and everyone else, to save them, I would do so without blinking. Even my godly family would not be spared from my wrath should they go after my Raven Queen, my candy-sweet Shuna and my delicious honey, Milim. This was purely selfish of me, but I didn't care. I would continue to work for Tempest and make it prosper as much as possible, but if my wives were ever in danger and I had to choose, they would be my choice.
Cooking food while contemplating I eventually got responses back from Rimuru and Benimaru, agreeing to the change and instantly putting forth their candidates. They worked together and chose the two they wanted before hanging up on me and leaving me to my morning. Shadow Clones were at work dealing with paper work and organising my plans whilst I planned our adventure.
'If we go to Vasselheim and then launch from there we can spend a half a day over the ocean and reach Kraghammer. There we can rest and also get a break from daily bullshit. Then from there we can make the quick jaunt from Kraghammer to Emon where Allura and the council of Tal'dorei is set up. Make a diplomatic greeting and meet all of the pivotal people there, chance to get my women dressed up fancy... Then from there we can go to Whitestone, to meet Percival.'
My plating finished as Shuna slowly crept down the stairs, her hair a mess and tears still staining her cheeks. Her eyes were bloodshot with strain whilst her body language screamed out her pain. A pang of pain spread through my soul as I saw her in this state, she was even holding her utensils for work...
"Love. Work has been taken away from you and Milim." She looked up at me in a panic, more pain radiating from her already stricken features.
"D-don't abandon me...!" She started to fall to her knees but was picked up by me. I kissed her immediately and rubbed my face onto hers.
"Silly goose! I meant that you will now work alongside me!" I ran my hand up her face before kissing her on the lips softly and then lifting us both up to a standing position. At the same time I pulled over the food I had made, pancakes dipped in honey with breakfast sausage and a delicious poached egg, each.
"B-but, what about the effort I have p-put in...?"
"You have as much authority as I do now, if you want to go check in on it or direct it from time to time you still can, I am not stopping you. BUT. I want my women to know that I care for them, that I am not bored of them and that they have no need to be jealous. Hence, you will both now be travelling with me to do some work and to reconnect ourselves more tightly." No tears slipped from her eyes as she simply nodded along, her mood still dark but slowly lighting up as I was showing I cared.
Milim woke up around this time after hearing us talking and Shuna crying, her eyes languidly lingering over me before she leapt up and jumped onto me. Climbing me she snuggled into my breasts and whispered softly to me under her breath.
"Fucking finally..."
Snores proceeded to creep from her nose and mouth as the potent concoction of alcohol seeped into every olfactory sensor that my body possessed. Vomit threatened to rise but was stifled by me as I simply hugged her so she didn't fall. "Hehehe..." Shuna had started laughing as she saw her 'sister' display such adolescent behaviour, her mood softening a touch as I grinned at her, dragging her over to the kitchen table where my food sat there for all of us.
...
Later that day we had begun packing our stuff, our journey going to take at most three days. Shuna and Milim were fully awake now and had started excitedly packing. When I went to check on their progress they had both loaded up three suitcases, filled to the brim with clothes, hair products, make-up and a variety of different 'gifts' for diplomatic gifts. Like most men I felt a distinct twitch at the edge of my brain but decided to just go along with it, storing their belongings in my dimension space.
After this they each contacted their family and told them where they were going. Veldora for Milim and Benimaru for Shuna. Meanwhile I contacted Allura via a sending spell of my own design, conveying that we would reach Emon within a day and a half. Then I contacted Vax informing him of our trip and that we would most likely be in Whitestone two days from now. My pace was slightly rushed due to the weekly mission I had to complete, my meeting with Ainz needing to happen for me to get the rewards... This was just me being greedy though as the main point of this trip was my women's peace of mind.
Ecstatic over the alone time they'd get with me the both of them stuck to me like glue-tack, their every movement not tool far from me. It seemed that In my journey to allow them to not be so reliant on me I had isolated them from me instead... Which made the condition worse. To be honest, I kind of liked this level of attention from them and loved that they relied on me so much. Our trip had now begun officially and we were taking the Rang Rover to Vasselheim then using Milim's new form to take us across the ocean. This would be extremely fun!
...
Meanwhile...
The Martinet scrawled text over a fine vellum scroll, numerous floating servants placing books and tomes away after an extensive day of research. A quill soon fell from his hand as a lone figure stepped into his office, a woman in ragged clothing with two swords sheathed behind her back. Her garb was dust ridden whilst her face was heavily obscured.
"Otohan Thull... You are late." The scroll snapped up tightly before him as the entire room darkened slightly from the jostling of candle flames via magic. His countenance dramatically shadowed as he slowly stood up from his desk, his elven form standing just a foot over the decrepit looking woman.
"Be happy that I arrived, old man." She scoffed and sat down opposite to his desk.
"Our plans are making steady progress, but there is still much to do, and it seems that another nation has emerged on this planet..."
His eyes widened as he slowly sat down, his eyes never leaving her body as he scanned her voraciously, calculatingly. This was quickly replaced by him laying back in his chair as he calmly regarded her.
"A new nation you say?"
"Yes... A new nation." She adjusted herself to place her feet on the desk as the Martinet steepled his fingers just below his chin, gazing out in Otohan's direction but not directly at her.
His fingers flexed up and out a couple times before they rested easily, a slight licking of his teeth occurring at the same time. "If you have come to me with this, you must know who this nation is and what they are, Correct?"
"Tempest, is their name. It seems that they have deep relations with Vasselheim already and have secured connections in Tal'dorei from the first few days of being." His eye twitched as she continued to speak.
"From all I was able to gather, they are ruled by a woman named Silviana and a man named Rimuru. No more information has gotten to me due to the strict protections they have in place around their entire forest."
"Hmmm..." That itch gnawing at the crevices of his mind intensified. Like a rat trying to dig its way from an inescapable tomb this itch crept from the centre of his brain to his nape. Half a snarl manifested on his face before the feeling slowly desiccated into a stagnant pressure.
He grasped his quill once more before penning multiple different things on fresh parchment. "Otohan, ensure that our objective is not found before we are ready to set things into motion. I will make sure that no one suspects anything on my end, in fact, I will attempt to gather information on this new nation..."
"Heh. Very well. Now... I originally came here for a resupply that was promised to me and to wipe out some particular bugs you were frustrated with?"
Her eyes sparkled at the mention of potential slaughter, her cloak pulled back just enough to reveal the deep black and crimson stains that had matted into the very fabrics. The dust could never cover up that, even if it were caked onto it... "Indeed. Deal with the students and professors of the Astronomical class at the Academy in Rexxentrum. They were delving too deep where they should not."
"Really!? Just for that, you asked me to come here?"
"Hmm, It is not a miniscule task as they are under the protection of Astrid, Trent's past student. Caleb Widogast is also a teacher at the academy every now and then, neither are to be trifled with."
"Oh...? Intriguing... Should I kill them both?"
"No. Leave both alive. If they die, their adventuring friends will come to investigate us and the time is not right for us to be 'discovered'."
Otohan shrugged as the Martinet sat up straight in his chair, leaning forwards towards the relaxed woman. His demeanor had shifted violently, eyes boring into the very skin of her face as his power subtly flexed. Magic, although not Otohan's speciality, could be felt by her now as she matched his violent change.
"You. Shall. Not. Touch. Them. Am i clear...?"
She narrowed her amber eyes before scoffing.
"Sure old man... I'll kill these fucking nuisances. However, I need more manpower focused to Marquet, especially considering that it is going to be our beach-head."
"Hmph, very well. You shall get your men. However, if you defy me, I will ensure that every one you have ever loved will be cursed to die from generation to generation."
A snarl arose on her face but quickly disappeared as a rumbling from down below started to emanate upwards.
"Go. I will meet you in Marquet within a month, you will get your men then."
Standing up Otohan scoffed, before tucking her arms beneath her cloak. Waving his hand the Martinet conjured a portal for her, leading to a plain old street in Rexxentrum, people calling out loudly and going about their business within the medieval setting of the Empire.
"The job'll be done soon. I'll make my own way back."
He didn't respond and simply pushed her through, closing the gateway just in time for the stone doorway of the office to shift open.
"Ludinus! Good to meet you!"
"Ah yes, it is good to see you as well Oremid..."
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